North State Journal Vol. 10, Issue 8

NC Supreme Court race continues

Democratic Associate Justice Allison Riggs stands before more than a hundred supporters at a

the ongoing state Supreme Court race with challenger Jefferson Griffin.

Walker tapped for position in Trump administration

Washington, D.C.

Former U.S. Mark Walker was nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as ambassador-at-large for the Office of International Religious Freedom. The 55-year-old Walker, who represented North Carolina’s 6th District from 2014 to 2020, cited Trump’s past support for religious freedom and vowed to confront regions persecuting people of faith and champion religious expression worldwide.

Pending Senate confirmation, Walker will work with key administration figures to promote and integrate religious freedom into U.S. foreign policy.

Nickel launches

U.S. Senate campaign

Raleigh Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel announced last week his candidacy to try to unseat Sen. Thom Tillis in 2026, saying a “fighter for what’s right for our state” is needed and criticizing the Republican incumbent for backing President Donald Trump’s agenda. Nickel signaled his interest in a Senate bid in late 2023, when the Raleigh-area congressman decided against seeking a second House term the next year because he determined congressional redistricting that year by Republican state legislators made it essentially impossible to win his seat again. In a campaign video marking the campaign’s formal launch, Nickel linked Tillis squarely to Trump and his early-term actions, as well as those of Elon Musk, who has spearheaded the Department of Government Efficiency.

Statewide

Significant over and underreporting errors were found in federal hurricane block grants

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — The North Carolina Office of the State Auditor has released its 2024 Statewide Single Audit report, which found $8.5 mil-

lion in questioned costs after examining $25.65 billion in federal grants spent by North Carolina entities.

“The majority of federal funds audited in this report were properly administered, but the $8.5 million in questioned costs represents a significant finding,” the auditor’s transmittal letter states. “It is an increase from the $467,246

See AUDIT, page A2

Buncombe Democrats file hurricane recovery bill

Helene Recovery Co‑Chair and House Rules Chair John Bell says he wasn’t told about the $582 million bill

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — Another bill to address Hurricane Helene recovery efforts was filed in the House on April 9. House Bill 863 would allocate more than $582 million for relief efforts. Primary sponsors of the bill are all Democrats from Buncombe County: Reps. Lindsey Prather, Eric Ager and Brian Turner.

No Republicans were listed as sponsors when the bill was filed, including House Select Committee on Helene Recovery co-chaired by Rep. John Bell (R-Wayne). All three of the

Greensboro ICF site closed

“No children have been in

care at the Center.” Office of Refugee Resettlement

No migrant children were ever housed on the property, which closed April 1, despite hundreds of millions spent

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — The former American Hebrew Academy in Greensboro that was supposed to house migrant children has closed without a single child being placed there during the two and half years it was in operation.

“On March 15, 2024, HHS operationalized the ICF Greensboro Children’s Center, in Greensboro, North Carolina, to provide shelter for boys and girls, 13 to 17 years old,” the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) April 4 update states. “As of June 23, 2024, the Center ramped down its operations

to facility upkeep. No children have been in care at the Center.”

ORR’s update notes that FEMA staff used the Greensboro location for hurricane relief operations from October to February before its closure on April 1.

The original lease for the school, renamed to the Greensboro Influx Care Facility (ICF), was for five years beginning June 9, 2022, with an option to renew in 2027. That lease was entered into by the Biden administration’s Department of Health and Human Services for just under $50 million.

According to an update by ORR housed under the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), more than $241 million was spent on leasing, repairs, security and general upkeep starting when

bill’s primary sponsors sit on that committee.

Bell, who also chairs the powerful House Rules Committee, told North State Journal the bill “was out of the blue” and its sponsors had “not mentioned anything to me” about it.

“This bill represents the pressing needs that Western North Carolina still faces that we’ve been pushing for in Raleigh since October,” Prather said in response to North State Journal’s request for comment. “We hope and expect to see some of these priorities included in the next disaster relief bill that gets passed by the legislature.”

The legislation covers funding across multiple state agencies for various recovery efforts, including business grants, housing assistance, environmental restoration, education

rally Monday in Raleigh supporting her in

MAKIYA SEMINERA / AP PHOTO

the word | Vainly the seal the dead

One of the most stirring Easter hymns in the church’s tradition is “Low in the Grave He Lay” (Christ Arose) by Robert Lowry. Written in 1874, it captures both the sorrow of Christ’s burial and the sudden, overwhelming joy of His resurrection. It begins in the stillness of the grave, but with a burst of triumph declares the Savior’s victory over death. The contrast between the solemn verses and the explosive refrain mirrors the Resurrection itself — where silence gave way to glory. In one of the first publications of the hymn, the words of Luke 24:6 were printed below the title: “He is not here, but is risen.”

“Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior, Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord.”

The grave is where hope seemed to end. Christ had been crucified. His body lay in the tomb, sealed and guarded. If we had only a dead Christ — one who lived beautifully, died nobly, and was laid to rest — we might grieve over His memory and admire His example. But we could not walk with Him. We could not pray to Him. We could not lean on His strength.

A dead Christ could not help us in our trials or comfort us in our sorrow. At best, we would be left with a noble martyr. But we have something more. We have a living Redeemer.

“Up from the grave He arose!”

Jesus did not remain in the tomb. Death could not hold Him. On the third day, He rose again, just as He said. The stone was rolled away — not to let Him out, but to show us the tomb was empty.

The disciples mourned. Their hopes were buried with Him. But when the risen Christ stood in their midst and spoke peace to their hearts, everything changed. Their sorrow turned to joy. Their fear to courage. They had not lost Him — He was alive. And he is today.

“Vainly they watch His bed. Vainly they seal the dead.”

The powers of earth tried to make the grave final. Soldiers kept watch. A seal was set on the stone. But no force of man could prevent the resurrection. The enemies of Christ were defeated not by sword or storm, but by an empty tomb.

We do not serve a silent memory or a distant ideal. Christ is present. He walks with His people. He dwells in their hearts. In the lonely places, the burdens of duty, the hour of temptation — He is near.

“He arose a Victor from the dark domain.”

Christ did not merely come back to life. He rose as a conqueror. He took on death itself and won. He triumphed not only over the grave, but over every enemy that threatens the soul — sin, fear, condemnation, and eternal separation from God.

This is why we live with hope. “Because I live,” Jesus said, “you also will live.” The grave no longer speaks the final word. The resurrection of Christ is the promise that one day, our bodies too shall rise — glorified and incorruptible — because He arose a Victor.

“Death cannot keep his prey, Jesus my Savior! He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord!”

NC’s 2025 top teacher selected

Rachel Candaso has been teaching for five years in Pitt County

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — A middle school teacher and AVID coordinator from Pitt County Schools was named the 2025 Burroughs Wellcome Fund North Carolina Teacher of the Year at a luncheon at the Umstead Hotel in Cary on April 11.

Rachel Candaso will take over for Heather Smith, a math teacher from Haywood County Schools, who was last year’s top teacher.

State Superintendent Mo Green praised Candaso for setting a standard of academic excellence in North Carolina public schools, noting her commitment to comprehensive student preparation and community empowerment.

“Every student in North Carolina deserves a teacher like Ms. Candaso,” Green said in a press statement. “It is clear that she is committed to a vision of comprehensive, intentional student preparation, empowering educators, families and communities to ensure that all

students are poised for success.”

Despite being only five years into her teaching career, Candaso has accumulated several distinctions. She is currently the Pitt County Schools’ Teacher of the Year and is participating in the 2024-25 Kenan Fellows Program. She is active with Teach for America, serving as a storytelling fellow, advisory board member and corps member.

“Every teacher holds the power to shape the future by preparing students to excel in an ever-evolving society,” Candaso said. “However, this work is

not the job of one teacher alone.”

The Burroughs Wellcome Fund, which sponsors the award, is a private foundation dedicated to advancing biomedical sciences and supporting scientific researchers and educators. Over the past 25 years, the organization has invested more than $100 million in STEM education initiatives.

Alfred Mays, chief diversity officer and senior program officer at the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, commended Candaso for embodying leadership and excellence, particularly highlight-

Nothing could hold Him — not the stone, not the guards, not the power of death. He tore the bars away. He rose in power. He lives forevermore. And now He reigns — not from a tomb, but from the throne of heaven. Let us not live as though Christ were a figure of the past. Let us live as those who serve a risen, reigning, present Savior. Let us walk with Him, talk with Him, trust in Him, and rest in His power. We are saved because “Up from the grave He arose.”

Adapted from “A Living Christ” by J.R. Miller and interwoven with lyrics by Robert Lowry.

ing her dedication to addressing rural education disparities.

During the 2025-26 school year, Candaso’s role will include participation in professional development at the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching, the National Teacher of the Year Conference and International Space Camp. Additional opportunities include the International Society for Technology in Education conference and international travel through Go Global NC.

Candaso will receive several awards, including a mobile device from Lenovo, financial support for her liaison role, monetary awards from Bojangles and Carolina Hunger Initiative, and recognition at an NC State football game.

The eight other regional Teacher of the Year finalists recognized alongside Candaso were:

• Southeast: Hannah Moon, Emsley A. Laney High School (New Hanover County)

• North Central: Tamika J. Farmer, G. W. Carver Elementary School (Edgecombe County)

• Sandhills: Dr. Anthony Martin, East Columbus Junior/Senior High School (Columbus County)

• Piedmont-Triad: Chanel Jones, Broadview Middle School

(Alamance-Burlington)

• Southwest: Yaronda Kilgo, Wingate Elementary School (Union County)

• Northwest: Tayler Bomar, Greenlee Primary School (Mitchell County)

• Western: Lydia Sale, West Elementary School (Swain County)

• Charter School: Lindsay Phillips, Mountain Island Charter School (Gaston County)

North Carolina has recognized outstanding educators through its Teacher of the Year program since 1970.

documented in the 2023 Statewide Single Audit.”

Per the auditor’s office, the single statewide audit covered 22 programs managed by 21 state entities. The audit shows that for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, North Carolina spent $36.58 billion in federal awards across 618 programs managed by 103 different state entities.

“These results have been delivered to the governor, agency managers, and the North Carolina General Assembly,” said State Auditor Dave Boliek in a press release. “Moving forward, our office will be following up on these findings to make sure tax dollars are being managed responsibly with an eye on returning a positive investment to all North Carolinians.”

The Department of Commerce’s Division of Employment Security (DES) incorrectly allocated $8.5 million of

unemployment insurance administration funds by charging expenditures outside the allowable period for each award.

The audit report recommended that the Commerce Department’s management implement detailed guidance, training and review processes for employees related to processing expenditures during the allowable period. DES concurred with the audit’s findings and agreed on the recommendations but cited staffing shortages and turnover issues, notably in three top financial positions.

The report says the Department of Commerce also failed to monitor $55 million in federal funds related to employment and training programs.

Auditors looked at 20 subrecipients receiving Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act cluster funds, which require financial as well as program monitoring in an onsite capacity. Of the 20 cases re -

“The majority of federal funds audited in this report were properly administered, but the $8.5 million in questioned costs represents a significant finding.”

N.C. Annual Single Statewide Audit

viewed, 15 had no evidence of the required monitoring.

The audit, which had 11 major findings, also found the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) did not adequately monitor $106.5 million in federal funds intended for substance abuse prevention, treatment and recovery services addressing the opioid crisis.

Additionally, DHHS’s Division of Mental Health, De -

velopmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services didn’t complete the required monitoring activities for six LME/ MCOs that received $40.4 million in substance abuse funds and $37.5 million in opioid abuse funds.

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) was found to have “significant deficiency” in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) quarterly financial reporting to the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) agency, per the audit.

Slow response and fiscal management issues related to the hurricane relief efforts of former Gov. Roy Cooper’s NC Office of Recovery and Resilience (NCORR) have been a continuing subject of legislative oversight hearings over the past three years.

For Hurricane Florence Disaster reports, DPS underreported by $2.9 million in disbursement despite accurate receipt reporting. Hurri-

cane Matthew Disaster reports showed underreporting of $8.9 million in receipts and disbursements underreported by $13.4 million. Conversely, Hurricane Matthew mitigation reports overreported receipts by $101,800 and disbursements by $5.9 million.

The audit says these inaccuracies impede HUD’s ability to monitor federal funds intended for low- and moderate-income community assistance, and prevent citizens from accessing accurate information and giving feedback about fund utilization in their communities.

DPS management attributed these errors to using figures from HUD’s Disaster Reporting Grant Reporting system without reconciling them against the Department’s accounting records, citing a lack of understanding of federal reporting requirements that mandate quarterly submission of CDBG financial activity, according to the audit report.

PUBLIC DOMAIN

“Resurrection of Christ” by Giovanni Bellini (c. 1475) is a painting in the collection of The Gemäldegalerie in Berlin.

COURTESY NCDPI

Rachel Candaso

COURTESY NCDPI

Rachel Candaso was named the 2025 North Carolina Teacher of the Year at an April 11 ceremony.

Briner rolls out financial literacy initiative

Citizens can sign up for a free monthly newsletter

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — North Carolina State Treasurer Brad Briner launched a comprehensive financial literacy initiative aimed at improving residents’ money management skills.

At the core of the new initiative is a free monthly newsletter featuring informative articles from the treasurer and his staff, along with guest columns from financial experts. The publication will address financial topics relevant to people of all ages and economic circumstances. Interested individuals can subscribe through a form available on the treasurer’s website.

The announcement came during an April 4 press conference held at Wake Technical Community College’s Scott Northern campus, coinciding with the beginning of Financial Literacy Month.

Joining Briner were Wake Tech Vice President of Enrollment and Student Services Brian Gann, state Sen. Amy Galey (R-Alamance), and Wake Tech students Noor Ul-aien and Ken Vreeland.

Gann noted that Wake Tech seeks to instill financial liter-

“No matter your age, no matter your background, and no matter your salary, everybody deserves to know about finances and how they shape your life.”

State Treasurer Brad Briner COURTESY

State Treasurer Brad Briner has unveiled a new financial literacy newsletter.

acy among its students and for the current academic year, with more than 7,800 students receiving services related to financial management at the institution.

“No matter your age, no mat-

Local Government Commission approves

$1.85B in financing requests

Treasurer Brad Briner also announced the state has retained its AAA rating

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — The North Carolina Local Government Commission approved more than $1.85 billion in financing applications at its April 1 meeting.

Key approvals included $475 million in GARVEE bonds for the Triangle Expressway extension in Wake County, with $300 million funding construction of the I-540 outer loop around Raleigh and $175 million to refund existing bonds. The extension work includes an estimated 10 miles, from I-40 to south of Rock Quarry Road, and from south of Rock Quarry Road to I-87/U.S. Route 64.

The release also notes $175 million will be used to “refund existing GARVEE bonds to gen-

support and infrastructure rebuilding.

The bill would create two grant programs: the Hurricane Helene Business Recovery Grant Program administered by the Department of Revenue, and the Expanded Dogwood Health Trust Partnership Grant Program managed by Appalachian Community Capital Corporation in partnership with the Dogwood Health Trust.

Both programs would be geared toward helping businesses that suffered economic or physical losses from Hurricane Helene.

The Department of Commerce would receive $100 million for the grants, which would be capped at $75,000 per business. The funds appropriated for the grants would have to be used by June 30, 2027, at which time the funds would revert to the Savings Reserve. Other spending items by agency include:

• Department of Commerce: $7 million to Rural Economic Development Division for the Creating Outdoor Recreation Economies Program.

• Housing Finance Agency

$300M

GARVEE bonds for the Triangle Expressway extension

erate debt service savings for the state.”

Large approvals included Wake County’s request for $305 million in limited obligation bonds, primarily for a new EMS facility in Cary; the city of Raleigh’s ask for $264 million for transportation, parks, recreation and housing projects; and Johnston County’s $150 million for school and community college construction and expansion projects.

Other major approvals included $110 million for Raleigh to redeem prior bond anticipation notes, $100 million for Cape Fear Public Utility Au-

ter your background and no matter your salary, everybody deserves to know about finances and how they shape your life,” Briner said before recounting how his family struggled financially when he was young, lead-

thority’s water and sewer projects, and $93 million for Charlotte to reimburse itself for transportation property purchases.

Other items approved by the LGC:

• $780K, Belmont: Sports field lighting systems

• $3M, Nags Head: Property acquisition for fire station and lifeguard housing

• $5M, Lillington: New fire station construction

• $6.8M, High Point: Truist Point stadium renovations

• $8.6M, Dunn: Water storage and sewer infrastructure improvements

• $11M, Perquimans County: New intermediate school construction

• $12.5M, Rockingham County: School roof and HVAC renovations

• $22M, Elizabeth City: Walker Landing rehabilitation for affordable housing

• $22M, Inlivian: 140-unit affordable housing on Pineville Road in Charlotte

• $28.4M, Inlivian: 200-unit affordable housing on North Tryon Street in Charlotte

• $30M, Johnston County: Cleveland High School

ing to his interest in financial literacy.

Briner said that approximately $1.75 trillion in student debt exists nationwide, with many borrowers unable to repay their loans even years after graduation.

“Break that down and that means that each borrower, on average, owes $29,000,” Briner said. “What makes it even more startling is that these aren’t people who just graduated; these are people in their 30s, their 40s, their 50s who still have outstanding student debt.”

The treasurer also cited issues with credit card debt.

“Nationally, the average credit card debt is about $6,000 per family,” said Briner. “And in North Carolina, many of our families struggle with high-interest payments to keep them trapped in that cycle of debt. Without proper financial educa-

tion, many people don’t realize how high interest rates and low minimum payments can turn a small debt into a long-term financial trap.”

In a release following the press conference, Briner cited a 2024 report that indicated “the level of financial literacy in the United States has been in the 50% range for eight consecutive years.”

“That means that half of the nation — and North Carolina by extension — lacks sufficient skills and knowledge about things such as borrowing, earning, spending and insuring,” he said.

Galey said financial literacy was more than “just being trained to be a good consumer.”

“Yes, the government wants people to be self-sufficient, capable of managing their finances to maximize their purchasing power and not to be dependent on others to sustain themselves,” Galey said. “That is, or should be, a core goal of government: help people get started then get out of their way.”

Galey also said financial literacy is about “understanding principles such as opportunity cost, scarcity of resources, and the value of time can help shape a more productive and balanced life.”

According to Briner’s press release, he will be attending events and visiting schools across the state to promote Financial Literacy Month, and the financial literacy program will “continue as a key component of his tenure as treasurer.”

The Local Government Commission approved $475 million in bonds to complete Interstate 540, also called the Triangle Expressway.

addition, manufacturing training center

• $37M, N.C. Medical Care Commission: Twin Lakes Community expansion in Burlington

• $60M, Buncombe County: Bond refinancing and Hurricane Helene recovery

• $86.5M, Harnett County: New Flatwoods Middle School construction

• $93M, Charlotte: O-Line and Red Line Gateway Station property reimbursement

State Treasurer Brad Briner also announced last week that

($105 million): $50 million for affordable housing grants to local governments (up to $1 million per government), $25 million for homeowner and renter unmet needs, including minor repairs, $20 million for mortgage and utility assistance and $10 million for housing stabilization and assistance for homeless populations.

• Department of State Treasurer: $100 million for grants to local governments for revenue replacement.

• Department of Natural and Cultural Resources ($50 million): $25 million each for Parks and Recreation Trust Fund for state parks restoration and Land and Water Fund for flood abatement and water quality.

• Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services ($127.42 million): $75 million for streambank stabilization and stream restoration, $20 million for food banks (including $10 million to buy food from local farms), more than $16 million for Forest Service fire season preparation, $12.5 million for working farms and forest preservation, $3.35

the state has retained its AAA rating on its outstanding general obligation bonds. Briner noted only 14 states held that rating in 2024.

“North Carolina has a long history of conservative fiscal oversight,” Briner said in a press release. “Even with the challenges from Hurricane Helene, economists recognize the state, through solid legislative leadership, was able to maintain a strong Rainy Day Fund and with a budget surplus.”

In his press statement, Briner cited Moody’s rating announcement as noting North Carolina’s financial position remains very strong with $25 billion in reserves.

million for NC Forest Service wildfire risk reduction, and half a million for stormwater control in the French Broad River watershed.

• Department of Public Instruction ($39.2 million): $14 million for community college small business centers ($1 million per college), $25.2 million for K-12 Summer Learning Programs.

• Office of State Budget and Management ($26 million): $20 million for state agencies’ continuing operations and staffing, and $3 million each to Legal Aid of NC and Pisgah Legal Services for disaster legal aid and for independent colleges and universities in the affected area.

• Department of Public Safety/Division of Emergency Management ( $11.6 million): $10 million for resilience and backup power, including mobile solar arrays, and more than $1.6 million to strengthen disaster financial and communications teams.

• Department of Environmental Quality ($16 million): $10 million for engineering and design work for dam removal, $4 million for septic repair and replacement grants, and $2 million for recycling infrastructure and business grants for cleanup.

PHOTOS COURTESY NCGA

State Reps. Eric Ager, Lindsey Prather and Brian Turner (all Buncombe County Democrats, from left to right) co-sponsored a Hurricane Helene recovery bill with nearly $600 million in allocations.

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL

The singularity of the Christian Easter

People don’t suffer torture and death unless they really, really, really believe in something and it is really, really, really important to them.

A FRIEND RECENTLY wrote a speech in which she referred to the 200 billion trillion stars in the observable universe and asked the question: “Is there life out there?”

My initial response was, “How do you know that number is ‘true’?” Once you get to a trillion of anything, the human brain can scarcely begin to process its magnitude. What if it is 300 billion trillion?

If a person started spending $1 million per day at the birth of Christ 2025 years ago, they would have spent only three-quarters of one trillion as of today. Multiple that by 200 billion and the number of stars estimated in our universe makes the wiring of a person’s brain short-circuit.

What is really interesting is scientists tell us ― with absolute certainty ― life exists somewhere out there based solely on their belief in the math of probability and statistics. Even an infinitesimal probability of a decimal point followed by a thousand zeros and then a one would indicate that tens of thousands of inhabitable planets exist out there ― somewhere.

However, contrary to the very spirit of the scientific method to which many humanists clutch onto with religious fervor, they do not have one scintilla of verifiable “proof” in the strictest sense of the word. They don’t even have the first predicate of scientific observation which is first-person observation of a phenomenon that can be tested through repetition and verification.

There is more “proof” in the resurrection of Jesus by comparison. Thousands of people witnessed the miracles of Jesus during His short three-year ministry which became part

EDITORIAL | STACEY MATTHEWS

of the oral and later written histories of the Gospels.

Not only did thousands of people see and hear Jesus during his lifetime, but more than 40 close followers of Christ believed what they saw and heard about Christ and His Resurrection to the point of suffering torture and death rather than recant anything they believed about Him.

People don’t suffer torture and death unless they really, really, really believe in something and it is really, really, really important to them.

All of which makes the upcoming celebration of Easter for Christians a singularity of enormous importance to all of us.

“Singularity” has multiple definitions in science and math but can be generally reduced to a place where all physics known to mankind breaks down and becomes incomprehensible based on commonly accepted temporal formulas and equations.

And then it becomes an exercise of faith and reason ― or reason and faith, take your pick.

The bones of the Prophet Muhammad are buried in the Sacred Chamber of the Prophet’s Mosque (Al-Masjid an-Nabawi) in Medina, Saudi Arabia. Anyone with permission can go see his tomb whenever they want. The cremated ashes and bone relics of Gautama Buddha are spread all over India and the Middle East ― there must be some sort of Buddhist pilgrimage tour which a local travel agency can put together to visit them all.

Most people believe both religious figures existed. Is it because of their teachings or the fact their human remains can be found somewhere in a sacred place to believers?

Media admissions on muted coverage of Joe Biden

They had picked a political side and intently worked to protect it at the expense of the truth

IN KEEPING with the theme of my previous column, we turn to belated admissions from the mainstream media on what they knew about President Joe Biden’s health as he served his sole term in office.

Most notable among them so far is former NBC News “Meet the Press” anchor Chuck Todd, who resigned from the network in January after 18 years.

Last week, Todd appeared on Piers Morgan’s show “Uncensored” and was asked why the press was so hesitant to give Biden’s decline the honest and upfront coverage it deserved.

Todd first attempted to defend the media by laughably claiming many voters ultimately came to conclusions about Biden’s decline because of how journalists reported on it at the time.

“I’ll defend a little bit of this in that I would argue the reason people were able to come to their own conclusion on Joe Biden is because of the media coverage. You know, look, we were subtle,” Todd suggested. Calling coverage of Biden’s cognitive health and the legitimate questions surrounding it “subtle” was quite the understatement, but it was what came next that gave away the game.

“So there was this reluctance to draw the conclusion, to say, ‘Is he not doing this?’ And that I agree with,” Todd confessed. “That was held back, held back a lot.”

As to the question of “why?” Todd conceded there was a fear that covering the president of

the United States honestly and forthrightly, which is their job, might have helped Donald Trump.

“The only thing I can chalk it up to is this, whatever you want to call it, this fear that some members of the media had sometimes that they would be perceived as helping Trump if they somehow diminished Biden. Right?” Todd said.

“And I think this has been the fundamental mistake that many members of the traditional press have done,” Todd went on to note.

What Todd left out was the role he played in the cover-up.

Two weeks after the infamous June 2024 Biden-Trump debate, Todd revealed that a senior Biden cabinet secretary told him in 2022 that he didn’t think Biden would be able to run again and that they had little to no interaction.

“(They) asked me, ‘You really think he’s gonna, he can’t run again like this?’ And I said, ‘Well, you have more interaction with him than I do,’ and they said, ‘I don’t have a lot of interaction with him,’” Todd recalled.

“This is a pretty senior cabinet secretary. And this was two years ago. This is one of those, you know, it’s the classic open secret, nonversation, right? It’s the story everybody knows and everybody was afraid to talk about.”

That in and of itself was a pretty damning admission from Todd.

But he’s far from the only one. Of note, there

The singularity of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is far more “proven” than the existence of life anywhere else in the universe for this reason: The tomb of Christ is empty. His bones or ashes are nowhere to be found. We have multiple accounts of His disciples seeing him after the crucifixion in bodily form and sitting down and eating cooked fish with them or walking beside them.

We have no account of anyone seeing life on any other planet. We may truly be the only ones in the universe for whom God has named each star for us to see and behold, all 200 or 300 billion trillion of them. If biblical and historical accounts are not enough for the hardened scientific mind, the most convincing “proof” of the existence of Christ is the life of any person who has been transformed by the Holy Spirit. We Christians are walking billboards for the truth of the resurrection for all the world to see every single day in all walks of life. You may be the only Christian a nonbeliever or skeptic sees in their lifetime. Your gifts of love and friendship to them are far more persuasive than any theological argument you may use to try to convince them to become a follower of Christ. Easter Sunday morning is a good time to start.

are three books (so far) that are either out or will be coming out this year that go into great detail about the Biden years, who knew what and when, and the lengths that were taken to keep the public from learning about what was really going on. Who wrote the books? Journalists who covered Biden for the entirety of his presidency, some of whom clearly kept what they knew to themselves until circumstances forced their hand and they could make a buck off it. They knew. They’ve always known. And the reason they kept quiet is that they had picked a political side and intently worked to protect it at the expense of the truth and what little bit (if any) integrity they had left at that point. Anyone still trying to figure out why trust in the MSM is at all-time lows needs only look to this issue to finally understand why.

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.

Where’s Silent Cal?

He presided over a decline in national debt, tax cuts, low unemployment, unprecedented economic growth and a shrinking federal bureaucracy.

ONE PRESIDENTIAL PERK is to decorate the Oval Office. With every change in administration, portraits, busts, carpets, draperies and furniture come and go. Every president seeks to project his own image and message via the office décor. Donald Trump is no different than his predecessors.

Much comment has been made recently of Trump’s changes. The rather conventional, subdued tone of the Biden office has given way to a more cluttered, forceful look under Trump. The scowling bust of the ever-defiant Winston Churchill has returned, while the bust of Robert F. Kennedy has disappeared. There’s now a much commented-upon overlay of gaudy, gilded molding over the fireplace and a row of huge gold vases (perhaps golfing trophies?) on the mantel — all touches of Mar-a-Lago.

Instead of the usual display of three to four presidential portraits, there now appear to be close to a dozen. In addition to presenting a rather cluttered look, this display raises a few interesting questions.

Some of these portraits are predictable selections. Washington and Lincoln have appeared in many Oval Office up-fits. Jackson, the populist radical, is a personal favorite of Trump’s. The portrait of James K. Polk, the expositor of “Manifest Destiny,” has been dusted off. William McKinley has been hailed by Trump as a model of tariff protectionist strength.

Theodore Roosevelt was, in many ways, a Trumpian disruptor — someone who carried a big stick, never mind the speaking softly bit. Ronald Reagan was a Republican icon admired by Trump for firing the air controllers. Forget Reagan’s commitment to free trade and an expansively engaged foreign policy.

But why FDR? Trump is the only Republican to hang a portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt in the Oval Office. FDR ushered in the era of big government and the Democratic voting coalition that endured for over half a century. Why would Trump want to celebrate the patron saint of Democrat orthodoxy?

When asked, Trump shrugged off this selection with something about FDR’s being “consequential” — perhaps an indication of what Trump values most?

Another question is raised by the absence of a particular conservative Republican icon, Calvin Coolidge. When Reagan entered the White House in 1980, he made quite a splash by hanging the long-forgotten Coolidge’s portrait in

EDITORIAL | STEPHEN MOORE

the Cabinet Room. Reagan explained to a flummoxed press corps that Coolidge was the last president to reduce the size of the federal government. Despite all the conservative rhetoric (including Reagan’s) about spending curtailment, Coolidge actually did it.

While Trump’s first term showed little appetite for spending cuts, he has now warmly embraced widespread reductions in the size and scope of the federal government. Elon Musk’s DOGE projects are the most visible evidence of Trump’s newfound fiscal conservatism.

As his biographer, Amity Shlaes, has written, Coolidge “was thrifty to the point of harshness” but “a Scrooge who begat plenty.” He presided over a decline in national debt, tax cuts, low unemployment, unprecedented economic growth and a shrinking federal bureaucracy. So with Trump’s recent conversion to tightfistedness, why not bring Coolidge into the Oval Office?

Who knows the answer, but my guess is that there are a few things about Silent Cal that maybe don’t exactly resonate with Trump. Coolidge was the embodiment of New England rectitude — terseness, persistence, honesty, hard work, personal propriety and total lack of pretense.

He was truly a man of understatement ― Plymouth Notch, Vermont, was about as far removed from Palm Beach and New York City as one could possibly get. There was no glitz to Coolidge. He was all substance, no fluff.

What endures most about Coolidge is his character. Today, Coolidge stands as the antithesis of modern politics, where constant self-promotion, promulgation of half-truths, staged photo-ops and the demonization of opponents are universal.

In his autobiography in 1929, Coolidge made this startling observation: “It is a great advantage to the President, and a major source of safety to the country, for him to know that he is not a great man.”

Hmm. Can you imagine any modern president uttering these words? Certainly not Trump.

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

Big, beautiful tax cuts should offset any tariff increases

He’s on to something potentially big here that could cause an epic stock market recovery.

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP has predicted that his tariffs could raise as much as $6 trillion over the next decade in federal tax collections. These include up to 104% tariffs on China, plus the combination of reciprocal tariffs — we charge them whatever they charge us. Also, don’t forget the protectionist tariffs on steel, aluminum, autos, lumber, etc.

The tariff rates put on the table by Trump are higher than at any other time in the last century, so it is no wonder we’ve seen a painful stock selloff, reducing asset values by well over $7 trillion.

But what the markets are missing is that Trump has also announced that money raised from the tariffs will be offset by other tax cuts. If that is the case, the net impact of the tariffs could end up being a positive for the economy.

He’s on to something potentially big here that could cause an epic stock market recovery: a way to bounce stocks back to life and boost growth while fulfilling Trump’s goal of freer and fairer trade. In other words, tariff revenues should be a major “pay for” in extending and expanding the tax cuts. It would obviate the need for any offsetting tax rate increases. If we were to raise, say, $500 billion from tariffs, that would pay for indexing capital gains, the 15% “Made in America” business tax and a reduction in the payroll tax.

BE IN TOUCH

Another idea is a 15% flat tax on everything. Steve Forbes and I have advised that Trump should announce a bold new “15% plan.” Fifteen percent tariffs, 15% personal income tax, 15% corporate tax, 15% capital gains, dividends, death tax, etc. It’s a plan with a broad tax base and low rates so as to minimally distort economic activity. Imports would share some of the load — much as other nations do to us.

But why not go all the way: Eliminate the income tax and pay for government the way we used to before we passed the 16th Amendment, which allowed for a federal income tax. Trump is right that this was one of the nation’s greatest mistakes. Prior to that, we funded government through tariffs and land sales.

If this happened, taxes on work, saving, investment and entrepreneurship would largely disappear. Even getting halfway there would be a triumph for growth.

If any of these plans were announced, the growling Wall Street bears would turn into raging bulls. Instead of any further short-term pain, we’d start to see shared long-term gain for everyone.

Stephen Moore is a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation. His new book, co‑authored with Arthur Laffer, is “The Trump Economic Miracle.”

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

If we are so ignorant, why are we winning?

IN TODAY’S POLITICAL DISCOURSE, it’s not uncommon to see opinions dressed up as intellectual superiority.

Rather than engage with ideas on their merit, some have taken to dismissing large swaths of Americans as simply ignorant. The argument goes: if people vote a certain way or hold certain views, it must be because they’re uneducated, intellectually lazy or victims of “idolatry.” This isn’t debate — it’s elitism. And it’s deeply anti-democratic.

Let’s engage this idea on its own terms. Suppose we accept the premise that some Americans — particularly those on the political right — are less formally educated or hold views that don’t align with academic consensus. So what? Since when did having a Ph.D. become a requirement for participating in democracy?

We must be very cautious when we begin to argue that intelligence should be the currency by which voices are validated. It’s worth remembering that throughout American history, various groups were excluded from the democratic process precisely because they were seen as “less than.”

Women were once thought to be too emotional to vote rationally. Black Americans were denied the vote on the basis that they lacked “education” or “understanding.” Poll taxes, literacy tests and other mechanisms were used not to protect democracy but to gatekeep it. Are we truly prepared to go down that road again — this time with ideology or party affiliation as the test?

Ironically, this kind of thinking throughout history comes from those who identify as progressive, the same political tradition that now claims the mantle of equality and inclusivity. Yet history tells a more complicated story. It was the Democratic Party that opposed the abolition of slavery, resisted the Civil Rights Act and fought against the 19th Amendment.

In contrast, it was Republicans who led those battles on principle — because they believed every individual is endowed with inalienable rights, regardless of their status or education. It’s not ignorance to believe in the dignity of work, the value of tradition or a strong national identity. Americans didn’t overwhelmingly support Donald Trump in 2024 because they were duped or failed a civics quiz. Many supported him because, under his leadership, gas and grocery prices were lower, wages were rising and the economy felt more stable for working families. You don’t need an Ivy League degree to see the difference between paying $2.50 for gas and paying $5.00. That’s not ignorance — it’s lived experience. You also don’t need to be a scholar to understand biological reality or to recognize media manipulation when you see it. For months, we were told by major outlets and Democratic leaders that questioning President Joe Biden’s cognitive ability was conspiracy theory. Now, suddenly, it’s a bipartisan concern. Did it take an advanced degree to see through that?

Too often, the people most eager to shout “ignorant!” from the rooftops are those who’ve never stepped foot in the communities they’re mocking. They haven’t walked through the hollowed-out factory towns left behind by globalization and NAFTA. They haven’t sat at kitchen tables with families forced to choose between rent and groceries while D.C. sends billions to foreign countries and pet social experiments. They haven’t seen the pride of small business ownership crushed under red tape and bureaucratic disdain. And maybe — just maybe — those they mock aren’t rejecting education.

They’re rejecting their education. An education that tells young Americans their country is irredeemably evil. That success is something to be ashamed of. That their religious beliefs make them bigots. That boys can be girls and girls can be boys, and you’re a science-denier if you question it.

If that’s what passes for “intelligence” today, then maybe the real act of courage is standing apart from it and critically questioning everything.

Calling people “ignorant” is not an argument — it’s a shortcut. It’s a way to avoid grappling with the real concerns of real people. It’s intellectual laziness disguised as moral superiority.

We’re a nation built not by elites but by everyday Americans. Farmers, mechanics, teachers, waitresses, truck drivers. People who may not speak in academic jargon but who speak from common sense, experience and principle. If democracy means anything, it means that their voices count just as much as anyone else’s.

So to those who sneer from ivory towers and call us uneducated, maybe we just don’t want your version of “education.” Not if it means abandoning our faith, our families and our freedom to think for ourselves.

We’re not ignorant — we’re just not buying what you’re selling.

Aimee Mulligan is a political consultant and managing director of CardinalGPS, a full‑service political services firm.

Murphy to Manteo Jones & Blount

How could tariffs affect NC agriculture?

Tariffs can have a significant impact on North Carolina agriculture, both positively and negatively, depending on the context and the specific crops or livestock involved, according to the N.C. Department of Agriculture. North Carolina most significant exports are tobacco, soybeans, pork, poultry and sweet potatoes.

Mountains PIEDMONT

If foreign markets (like China, Canada or the EU) place tariffs on those products, it makes N.C. goods more expensive abroad and reduces demand. If exports decline due to retaliatory tariffs, farmers may face oversupply in the domestic market, which drives down prices and hurts farm income. Tariffs on imported goods like fertilizer, machinery and steel can also increase production costs, and many N.C. agricultural businesses are part of larger supply chains. Agriculture remains North Carolina’s top industry, contributing more than $111 billion to the state’s economy. “Hopefully, these tariffs will give us a better place to negotiate from, and we will be able to come up with something that’s much more favorable to the United States,” N.C. Secretary of Agriculture Steve Troxler told local outlets last week.

SANDHILLS

COASTAL PLAIN

PIEDMONT

High Point hosts Olympic-level rowing competition

Guilford County

High Point welcomed thousands of people from all over the world for the Lenny Peters Cup at Oak Hollow’s Festival Lake Park. With more than 1,000 rowers and 2,500 spectators for the Olympic-level athletic event, officials say it has been an economic boon for the city as it actively works to welcome more sports tourism. Athletes, supporters and organizers gathered at the lake to prepare, and local businesses, retailers and hotels were filled, according to officials.

Charlotte-Douglas introduces new facial recognition technology

new area that will be known as Blue Haven. The Avery County community development is expected to be available to people and families impacted by the deadly 2024 storm. “Dignity and community are key to the long-term success of the blueprint,” Church said in his remarks.

“This is a generational shift in response to a generational disaster like Helene.”

The Blue Haven development will have 40-45 modern e-built homes constructed by Clayton Homes. Church and his wife started the nonprofit Chief Cares, which has helped communities affected by natural disasters. Stein told reporters that events like Friday’s groundbreaking bring hope to the community.

WBTV

Invasive fish species makes its way to Piedmont

WGHP

Forsyth County A bass species that is invasive to North Carolina is spreading in lakes and rivers and competing with native fish, according to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. Biologists with the NCWRC are asking the public to help prevent the spread of Alabama bass to protect the future of native largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass in N.C. As of April, they have been reported in Belews Lake, the Dan River and Salem Lake in Forsyth County.

WNCN

Mecklenburg County A new biometric screening system is being tested by U.S. Customs and Border Protection for international travelers arriving at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, officials said last week. Airport officials say the “facial comparison” technology has slashed customs wait times by up to 51% for U.S. citizens since its implementation in early February 2025. Charlotte Douglas is one of four airports nationwide testing the new technology, alongside Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver and Seattle-Tacoma international airports. The system uses facial comparison technology to match travelers with their passport photos and airline information submitted 24 hours before arrival. Unlike Global Entry, which costs $120 for a five-year membership and requires a background check, the technology is available at no cost to all U.S. citizens. Travelers can opt out of facial recognition if they choose, airport officials said.

WFMY

EAST

Cow causes crash, owner charged

Bertie County

A livestock owner has been charged after a cow in the roadway caused a crash, according to the Bertie County Sheriff’s Department. William C. White Jr. was charged with livestock running at large and violating a court order after a car collided with a cow on Thursday.

In the past two years, the BCDS received more than 20 reports against White of livestock in the roadway, many of which were car crashes.

Local

“Funds

Following the addition of a handful of amendments, the bill passed the Senate 29-17. The vote was mainly down party lines; however, former Senate Minority Leader Dan

NSJ Emerald Isle to impose hourly summer parking fees Carteret County Beachgoers will soon have to pay to park at two Emerald Isle lots. As of this week, parking at

(D-Wake) crossed the aisle to vote in favor of the bill. An amendment filed by Sen. Lisa Grafstein (D-Wake) took aim at the bill.

Under the DAVE Act, state agencies would be required to report on how they spend taxpayer funds and include a list of vacant positions of six months or more. The state auditor’s office would be directed to produce a report for the General Assembly that includes recommendations on the dissolution of an office or elimination of positions. Once received, any agency changes or cuts would lie with the legislature. State Auditor Dave Boliek expressed support for the measure during a Senate committee meeting earlier

and

“An Act to do absolutely nothing useful while failing to address the growing challenges that our higher education institutions face in the wake of the disastrous education policies of the NC GOP, the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education, rescinding of NIH grants, and general chaos wrought by the Trump Administration for the purposes of attacking freedom on campus and creating a chilling effect on colleges and universities and their administrators, professors, students, and staff,” Grafstein’s amendment read. The amendment would have changed the DAVE Act’s short title to “An Act to Do Absolutely Nothing.”

CHRIS SEWARD / AP PHOTO North Carolina Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Eden), pictured in March, co-sponsored the DAVE Act, which would create a division to examine state agency spending.

& WORLD

Doctor: Trump ‘fully fit’ to serve as commander in chief

The president’s weight is down 20 pounds from 2020

By Darlene Superville

The Associated Press

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Donald Trump’s doctor says the oldest man elected president is “fully fit” to serve as commander in chief as the White House released results Sunday of Trump’s recent physical exam. The 78-yearold Trump is 20 pounds lighter since his checkup as president in 2020 showed him bordering on obesity.

His physician, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella, cited an “active lifestyle” that “continues to contribute significantly” to the Republican president’s well-being. Trump turns 79 on June 14. In a three-page summary of the comprehensive exam from last Friday, the doctor said Trump is “fully fit to execute the duties of Commander-in-Chief and Head of State.” Trump weighed 224 at the checkup, down from 244 at that physical more than four years ago.

His BMI, or body mass index, which measures one’s weight relative to height, is down to 28.0, which drops Trump into the category of overweight. The president’s BMI came in at 30.5 in 2020, which pushed him just over the edge into the category of obesity.

The summary noted that

Trump previously had cataract surgery on both eyes but gave no date or dates. A common procedure among aging people, the surgery typically involves removing a cloudy eye lens and replacing it with an artificial lens to help clear up vision.

In July 2024, according to the report, then-candidate Trump had a colonoscopy that found a benign polyp and a condition called diverticulosis. It’s a common condition in which the walls of the intestine weaken with age. It can lead to inflammation, though most people with it never experience any problems.

Trump again passed a Montreal Cognitive Assessment

Suspect arrested in arson fire that forced Pa. governor, family to flee residence

No one was injured in an apparent attack on Gov. Josh Shapiro

By Marc Levy

The Associated Press

HARRISBURG, Pa. — A man scaled an iron security fence in the middle of the night, eluded police and broke into the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion, where he set a fire that left significant damage and forced Gov. Josh Shapiro, his family and guests to evacuate the building, authorities said Sunday.

The man, captured later in the day, will face charges of attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson and aggravated assault, authorities said.

Shapiro said he, his wife, their four children, two dogs and another family had celebrated the

SITE from page A1

the lease began in 2022 through its termination on March 31. Inquiries made to ACF about the specifics of the spending went unreturned; however, data through USASpending.gov showed entries of more than $49.75 million in “direct leasing support” dated to June 2022 and $600,000 in “handyman” services dated to September 2022. Additionally, more than $86,000 in September 2024 was labeled as “Update the Leasing Contracting Officer’s Representative (LCOR), reconcile lease Year 1 utilities and property tax, authorize an increase to the operating costs and fund site preparation.”

Despite ORR’s claims that the site had remained un-

Jewish holiday of Passover at the residence on Saturday and were awakened by state troopers pounding on their doors at about 2 a.m. Sunday. They fled and firefighters extinguished the fire, officials said. No one was injured.

At a Sunday evening news conference in front of the badly damaged south wing of the governor’s residence, Pennsylvania State Police Col. Christopher Paris identified the man in custody as Cody Balmer, 38, of Harrisburg.

Paris emphasized that the investigation is continuing. Authorities did not disclose the man’s motive, but an emotional Shapiro, viewed as a potential White House contender for the Democratic Party in 2028, said he is unbowed.

Shapiro said that if Balmer was trying to stop him from do-

used for migrant children, residents living near the facility told North State Journal that charter buses with blacked-out windows had been seen coming and going from the facility during 2023. One resident provided images of the buses parked near the facility.

ORR’s data shows that from October 2022 through March 2025, more than 14,700 migrant children were released to sponsors in North Carolina. The data does not include information on what facilities the children were released from.

The data provided by ORR also shows that during the fiscal years spanning 2016 to 2020 under President Donald Trump’s first term, unaccompanied minor referrals totaled 174,779. The total number of referrals spanning the fis-

Asked about the exam on Sunday and how he stays healthy, Trump said, “Because I enjoy what I’m doing and I like the results.

“I think we’re making America great again, and it makes me feel good. It probably keeps me happy,” he told reporters accompanying him on a flight ba ck to Washington from Florida.

Trump may be the oldest person elected to the nation’s highest office, but he is four years younger than Democrat Joe Biden, who was 82 when his presidential term ended in January.

In his memo, Barbabella wrote that Trump remains in “excellent health” with “robust cardiac, pulmonary, neurological and general physical function.”

The doctor said Trump’s days are filled with meetings, public appearances, media availabilities and “frequent victories in golf events.” Trump is an avid golfer who said he recently won tournaments played at clubs he owns in Florida.

test, a short screening test to assess different brain functions, Barbabella wrote. The test includes remembering a list of spoken words and listening to a list of random numbers and repeating them backward, among other questions.

Known as MoCA, it’s the same test Trump took in 2018, which he later recounted in an interview, in which he described reciting a list of words in order: “Person. Woman. Man. Camera. TV.”

The president also was screened Friday for depression and anxiety, and had normal scores on questionnaires for those conditions, according to the report.

ing his job, then he’ll work harder, and he added that Balmer will not stop him from observing his faith.

“When we were in the state dining room last night, we told the story of Passover” and the exodus of the Jews from slavery in Egypt to freedom, Shapiro said. “I refuse to be trapped by the bondage that someone attempts to put on me by attacking us as they did here last night. I refuse to let anyone who had evil intentions like that stop me from doing the work that I love.”

Authorities said the suspect scaled over a nearly 7-foot-high) iron security fence surrounding the property, eluded officers who became aware of the breach and forcibly entered the residence before setting it on fire.

Lt. Col. George Bivens said Balmer had a homemade incendiary device — he would not describe what kind — and appeared to have carefully planned the attack. He was inside the residence for about a minute before he escaped, Bivens said.

Bivens said Balmer was later arrested in the area. Authorities did not say whether Balmer has a lawyer or where he was being held, and calls to people believed to be relatives went unanswered or unreturned. One recent listed residence in Harrisburg was condemned in 2022.

Balmer has faced criminal

cal years 2021 to 2024 under the Biden administration was 468,929, a 168% increase.

But not all the migrant minors are accounted for by ORR.

A September 2024 report by the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security reported that the Biden administration had lost track of approximately 291,000 unaccompanied migrant children.

While the former American Hebrew Academy property hasn’t seen much physical activity in the past three years, it has seen transactions involving foreign actors. Property records showed that $26 million in loans related to the property had changed hands between two companies with ties to the People’s Republic of China.

Iran US nuclear to be held in Rome

Rome

Talks between Iran and the United States over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program appeared ready Monday to leave the Middle East, as an Italian source said the next round of negotiations would take place in Rome. Meanwhile, the head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog separately confirmed he would be taking a trip to Iran later in the week, possibly to discuss ways to improve access for his inspectors to Tehran’s program. A source in the Italian government confirmed that the next round would take place in Rome on Saturday.

Trump’s cholesterol levels have improved over time, helped by the medications rosuvastatin and ezetimibe.

At his physical in January 2018, his total cholesterol was 223. In early 2019, the reading came in at 196 and stood at 167 in 2020. Today it is 140. Ideally, total cholesterol should be less than 200.

The exam found minor sun damage to Trump’s skin and a few benign lesions, but no concerning lesions or growth. It also confirmed scarring on Trump’s right ear from a gunshot wound during an assassination attempt at a Butler, Pennsylvania, campaign rally in July 2024.

charges over the past decade, including simple assault, theft and forgery, according to online criminal court records.

Shapiro said the fire was set in the very room where he and his family celebrated Passover with a seder with members of Harrisburg’s Jewish community on Saturday night.

“We don’t know the person’s specific motive yet,” Shapiro told the news conference. “But we do know a few truths. First: This type of violence is not OK. This kind of violence is becoming far too common in our society. And I don’t give a damn if it’s coming from one particular side or the other, directed at one particular party or another or one particular person or another. It is not OK, and it has to stop. We have to be better than this.”

The fire badly damaged the inside of the large room that is often used for entertaining crowds and art displays. Large west- and south-facing windows were completely missing their glass panes, shattered glass littered the pathways and doors stood ajar amid signs of charring. Window panes and brick around doors and windows were blackened and charred.

Inside, a charred piano, tables, walls, metal buffet serving dishes and more could be seen through broken windows and fire-blackened doors.

Around $15 million of an original $26 million loan assigned to Puxin Ltd. was transferred to Metabroad International Group and Heyi Holdings in 2023. Some of the transfer documents were signed in the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. North State Journal visited the ICF in December 2023 but was denied access. Guards at the front access point to the property said no one at the site would speak to the media. Contracts showed the guards on site were from a company called “Deployed Services,” which is headquartered in Rome, New York. A blanket purchase agreement shows the Department of Homeland Security paid the company $139.4 million.

Former Colo. deputy sentence in fatal shooting

Denver

A former Colorado sheriff’s deputy convicted in the shooting death of a 22-yearold man in distress who called 911 for help was sentenced Monday to three years in prison. In February, jurors found Andrew Buen guilty of criminally negligent homicide in the 2022 death of Christian Glass. His parents and the agencies involved reached a $19 million settlement that also made changes to how officers are trained to respond to people in mental health crises. Buen, a former deputy in Clear Creek County, was convicted after a second trial. Prosecutors alleged that Buen needlessly escalated a standoff with Glass, who showed signs of a mental health crisis and refused orders to get out of his vehicle.

Former Peruvian president, wife handed 15 year sentences

Lima, Peru

A Peruvian court on Tuesday sentenced former President Ollanta Humala and his wife, Nadine Heredia, to 15 years in prison for laundering funds received from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht to finance his 2006 and 2011 campaigns. The judges of the National Superior Court found that Humala and Heredia received almost $3 million in illegal contributions for these campaigns from Odebrecth and the government of thenVenezuelan President Hugo Chávez (1999-2013). Humala came to power in 2011 after defeating right-wing politician Keiko Fujimori in the second round.

Fugitive Indian jeweler arrested in Belgium

New Dehli

Fugitive Indian jeweler

Mehul Choksi, who has been accused of involvement in one of India’s biggest bank frauds, has been arrested in Belgium, his lawyer said Monday. Choksi and his diamond tycoon nephew Nirav Modi are accused of a $1.8 billion fraud involving Punjab National Bank, the country’s second-largest public lender. Both fled India in 2018. Choksi was arrested on Saturday in the Belgian port city of Antwerp, one of the most important diamond trading hubs in the world. His lawyer, Vijay Aggarwal, told reporters that Choksi’s legal team would file an appeal for his release.

JON ELSWICK / AP PHOTO

President Donald Trump had his physical performed April 11 at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center by his physician, Navy Capt. Sean Barbabella.

ICF

catastrophe

questions about when normal

How China will pay for this COVID-19

we begin to get back to normal

The 3 big questions

The comfort

China lied about the origin of the tried to tell the world there were only worldwide panic, economic collapse and needlessly being thrown out of work.

shelter-in-place or stay-at-home majority of Americans “new normal.” end of this month.

taxpayer at least $2.4 trillion in added Federal Reserve backup liquidity to the the U.S. dollar were not the reserve to fund any of these emergency fear of rampant in ation and currency aberrant ways and decisions through Diplomacy has obviously not worked world of 21st century health, hygiene communist regimes never take the blame remorse, because that is not what They take advantage of every weakness keep pushing until they win or the event happens such as the Chernobyl experts believe that event, not the Star Wars to the dissolution of the Soviet Union Chernobyl.

WITH MOST STATES under either shelter-in-place or stay-at-home orders thanks to local or state governments, a majority of Americans are having to adjust to what is being called the “new normal.”

ONE THING IS CERTAIN; after this COVID-19 virus dissipates around the globe and in the United States, China will pay for this catastrophe one way or another.

fallen into place. I understand the seriousness of the virus and the need to take precautions, but I’m uneasy with how people who simply ask questions about the data, and when things can start getting back to normal are treated in some circles with contempt.

WALTER E. WILLIAMS

Cooper stated during don’t know yet” if the be asked as to the vague ones like “we people of this state who undetermined of thousands of cases asked and then had questions about get asked, there is people to treat those can start getting back or are people who others sick. levels become a bad society were supposed course, is my family. I’m worried I will. After the 2009 pandemic, all of this brings up prefer not to repeat. most everyone has

They’re treated as though we as a society simply must accept without question what the government tells us about when it’s safe to begin the process of returning back to normalcy.

Perhaps COVID-19 is China’s Chernobyl.

Fixing college corruption

n.c. FAST FACTS

AMERICA’S COLLEGES are rife with corruption. The nancial squeeze resulting from COVID-19 o ers opportunities for a bit of remediation. Let’s rst examine what might be the root of academic corruption, suggested by the title of a recent study, “Academic Grievance Studies and the Corruption of Scholarship.” The study was done by Areo, an opinion and analysis digital magazine. By the way, Areo is short for Areopagitica, a speech delivered by John Milton in defense of free speech.

In order to put the crisis caused by China in perspective, zero worldwide pandemics can trace their source to the United States over our 231-year history. At least four in the 20th century alone can be directly traced to China: 1957 “Asian u,” 1968 “Hong Kong u,” 1977 “Russian u” and the 2002 SARS outbreak. There is evidence that the massive 1918 “Spanish u” pandemic also had its origins in China.

No. The government works for us, and we have the right to ask those questions. And the longer stay-at-home orders are in place all over the country, and the stricter some of them get in states, such as Michigan, the more people, sitting at home feeling isolated and/or anxious about when they can get back to providing for their families, will demand answers.

Leaders at the local and state levels should be as forthcoming as they can be with those answers — and again, not vague answers, but answer with details that give their statements believability.

already talking about the possibility in debt we owe them as one way to get they have caused the US. Don’t hold your “Jubilee” to happen but ask your elected accountable in tangible nancial ways for expected to operate as responsible citizens of nation.

Bank of America ordered to pay $540M in FDIC lawsuit

business & economy

We should all continue to do what we can to keep our families, ourselves, and our communities safe. But we should also still continue to ask questions about the data, because while reasonable stay-at-home measures are understandable, they should also have an expiration date.

Not one little bit.

Authors Helen Pluckrose, James A. Lindsay and Peter Boghossian say that something has gone drastically wrong in academia, especially within certain elds within the humanities. They call these elds “grievance studies,” where scholarship is not so much based upon nding truth but upon attending to social grievances. Grievance scholars bully students, administrators and other departments into adhering to their worldview. The worldview they promote is neither scienti c nor rigorous. Grievance studies consist of disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, gender studies, queer studies, sexuality and critical race studies.

NEW YORK — A federal judge has ordered Bank of America to pay more than $540 million to resolve long-running litigation from a U.S. regulator that alleged the company underpaid mandatory assessments for deposit insurance.

The order, reached March 31 and published publicly on Monday, arrives over eight years after the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation sued Bank of America in 2017.

Since when did questioning government at all levels become a bad thing? That is what free citizens living in a free society were supposed to do, last I checked.

This is all new to Americans, and it is not normal. Not in any way, shape, or form. So while we should remain vigilant and stay safe, at the same time we shouldn’t get comfortable with this so-called “new normal.”

the seriousness of the virus and the need uneasy with how people who simply ask when things can start getting back to circles with contempt. as a society simply must accept without tells us about when it’s safe to begin the normalcy. for us, and we have the right to ask those stay-at-home orders are in place all over the them get in states, such as Michigan, feeling isolated and/or anxious about providing for their families, will demand levels should be as forthcoming as they and again, not vague answers, but answer statements believability. what we can to keep our families, safe. But we should also still continue because while reasonable stay-at-home they should also have an expiration date. and it is not normal. Not in any way, should remain vigilant and stay safe, at comfortable with this so-called “new

In 2017 and 2018, authors Pluckrose, Lindsay and Boghossian started submitting bogus academic papers to academic journals in cultural, queer, race, gender, fat and sexuality studies to determine if they would pass peer review and be accepted for publication. Acceptance of dubious research that journal editors found sympathetic to their intersectional or postmodern leftist vision of the world would prove the problem of low academic standards.

“We are pleased the judge has ruled and have reserves reflecting the decision,” Bank of America said in a statement to The Associated Press. The FDIC declined to comment when reached Tuesday.

Back in 2017, the FDIC accused Bank of America of refusing to pay more than $500 million in assessments — a figure it later expanded to $1.12 billion — alleging that the banking giant failed to honor a 2011 regulatory rule and “unjustly enriched itself” at the FDIC’s expense.

written under the pseudonym Sister Toldjah RedState and Legal Insurrection.

The cavalier manner virus, covered up its spread 3,341 related deaths has millions of Americans

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

Several of the fake research papers were accepted for publication. The Fat Studies journal published a hoax paper that argued the term bodybuilding was exclusionary and should be replaced with “fat bodybuilding, as a fat-inclusive politicized performance.” One reviewer said, “I thoroughly enjoyed reading this article and believe it has an important contribution to make to the eld and this journal.”

The Bank of America later filed a motion to dismiss in part, strongly denying it acted with an intent to evade such payments. It also argued that some of what the FDIC targeted for assessments fell outside the statute of limitations.

After a yearslong legal battle, U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan in Washington, D.C., partially granted and denied motions for both Bank of America and the FDIC. She said that the nearly $540.3 million payment from Bank of America would cover its underpaid assessments spanning from the second quarter of 2013 through the end of 2014’s fiscal year, plus interest — but ruled that the FDIC waited too long to sue over earlier claims.

Some of these orders extend at least through the end of this month. Virginia’s stay-at-home orders go into June.

THIS WEEK, according to members and state and local governments, Americans the curve in the novel coronavirus outbreak. muted — after all, trends can easily reverse have abided by recommendations and orders. to stay at home; they’ve practiced social they’ve donned masks.

Here in North Carolina, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper stated during a recent coronavirus press brie ng that “we just don’t know yet” state’s stay-at-home orders will extend into May.

There is 100% agreement, outside of China, that COVID-19 originated in Wuhan Province probably from the completely unregulated and unsanitary wet markets. Some believe it came out of a biowarfare lab run by the communist Chinese army.

Until China adopts rigorous veri able policing and regulation of their food safety and health protocols, American business has no other choice than to build redundant manufacturing plants elsewhere purely for national security and safety reasons as well as supply and delivery reliability concerns.

The Prize Patrol team will continue delivering awards across the U.S.

We need transparency and honesty from our scienti c experts — we need to know what they know, what they don’t and when they hope to know what they don’t.

“THIS IS in it” (Psalm I know working from be glad” as and dad, the have to be pandemic.

If he does decide to extend it, questions should be asked as to justi cation for it. And the answers should not be vague ones like must do this out of an abundance of caution.”

The result: a reduction in expected hospitalization

By Wyatte Grantham-Philips

The Associated Press

“Our Struggle Is My Struggle: Solidarity Feminism as an Intersectional Reply to Neoliberal and Choice Feminism,” was accepted for publication by A lia, a feminist journal for social workers. The paper consisted in part of a rewritten passage from Mein Kampf. Two other hoax papers were published, including “Rape Culture and Queer Performativity at Urban Dog Parks.” This paper’s subject was dog-on-dog rape. But the dog rape paper eventually forced Boghossian, Pluckrose and Lindsay to prematurely out themselves. A Wall Street Journal writer had gured out what they were doing.

Some papers accepted for publication in academic journals advocated training men like dogs and punishing white male college students for historical slavery by asking them to sit in silence on the oor in chains during class and to be expected to learn from the discomfort. Other papers celebrated morbid obesity as a healthy life choice and advocated treating privately conducted masturbation as a form of sexual violence against women. Typically, academic journal editors send submitted papers out to referees for review. In recommending acceptance for publication, many reviewers gave these papers glowing praise.

Formed in 1933 during the Great Depression, the FDIC is one of several banking system regulators today. The agency is best known for running the nation’s deposit insurance program, which insures Americans’ deposits up to $250,000 in case their bank fails.

NEW YORK — Publishers Clearing House, a decades-old marketing and sweepstakes company known for doling out large “Prize Patrol” checks, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

In an announcement this week, PCH said it was using the bankruptcy process to “finalize a shift away” from its legacy business of direct-mail, retail merchandise and magazine subscriptions. The company is hoping to instead transition to a “pure digital advertising” model, where it will continue to offer free-to-play entertainment and prizes.

The Chapter 11 proceedings, filed in New York last Wednesday, arrive amid growing financial strain for PCH — which has struggled with rising operational costs and changing consumer habits in recent years.

Pivoting from its old way of

Political scientist Zach Goldberg ran certain grievance studies concepts through the Lexis/Nexis database, to see how often they appeared in our press over the years. He found huge increases in the usages of “white privilege,” “unconscious bias,” “critical race theory” and “whiteness.” All of this is being taught to college students, many of whom become primary and secondary school teachers who then indoctrinate our young people.

Bank of America, headquartered in Charlotte, is the second-largest bank by assets in the U.S. On Tuesday, the company reported a first-quarter profit of $7.4 billion and $27.37 billion in revenue net of interest expense, topping Wall Street expectations. THE ASSOCIATED

Since when did questioning government at all levels become a bad thing? That is what free citizens living in a free society were supposed to do, last I checked.

Taxpayers affected by Hurricane Helene have until May 1

By Cora Lewis The Associated Press

NEW YORK

I doubt whether the coronaviruscaused nancial crunch will give college and university administrators, who are a crossbreed between a parrot and jelly sh, the guts and backbone to restore academic respectability. Far too often, they get much of their political support from campus grievance people who are members of the faculty and diversity and multicultural administrative o ces.

The best hope lies with boards of trustees, though many serve as yes-men for the university president. I think that a good start would be to nd 1950s or 1960s catalogs. Look at the course o erings at a time when college graduates knew how to read, write and compute, and make them today’s curricula. Another helpful tool would be to give careful consideration to eliminating all classes/majors/minors containing the word “studies,” such as women, Asian, black or queer studies. I’d bet that by restoring the traditional academic mission to colleges, they would put a serious dent into the COVID-19 budget shortfall.

— If your life has been upended by a wildfire, hurricane, flood, tornado or another disaster this past year, the IRS recognizes that you may need more time to file your taxes and grants you an automatic extension beyond the normal filing deadline.

You’re also permitted to write off a certain amount of loss due to disaster, reducing your tax burden. That could be damaged property, lost income or small business losses.

“It can feel really daunting and overwhelming, after you’ve already lost your home or your vehicle, to tackle that project (of loss write-off). It can take time and a lot of energy,” said Alison Flores, manager at the Tax Institute for H&R Block.

In the wake of a disaster, people are also more vulnerable to scams, so be extra vigilant as you prepare your taxes,

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

The most direct way to make China “pay” for this disaster is to o er U.S. tax credits to companies who will source at least half of their production back in the United States. There is approximately $120 billion worth of American direct investment in plants and equipment in China. Chinese direct investment in the U.S. is about $65 billion by comparison.

According to the University of Washington Metrics and Evaluation model most oft Trump administration, the expected need peak outbreak was revised down by over ventilators by nearly 13,000 and the number August by nearly 12,000.

It will need to be explained in detail to the people of this state are being told to remain jobless and at home for an undetermined amount of time why models predicting hundreds of thousands of are reliable.

Here’s the problem: We still don’t know questions that will allow the economy to

The crisis has cost the debt plus trillions more markets and nancial outlets. currency, we would not measures without immediate depreciation. China has to pay for economic and nancial to bring China into the and fair trade. Totalitarian or express sincere regret totalitarian governments they nd in adversaries adversaries push back. That is, unless an exogenous meltdown in 1986. Some program of Reagan, led in 1989.

To date, I’ve gone along with what the state has asked and then mandated that we do, but along the way I’ve also had questions about the data. State Republican leaders have, too.

Unfortunately, when certain types of questions get asked, there sometimes a disturbing tendency among some people to treat those simply questioning the data and asking when we can start getting to normal as though they are conspiracy theorists or are people who otherwise don’t care if they get themselves or others sick.

An investment tax credit of 30% on half of U.S. investment in China today, or $60 billion, applied to repatriated American manufacturing investment to the U.S. would cost the U.S. Treasury $18 billion in tax revenue spread over a few years. $18 billion in lost revenue is decimal dust compared to the $6 trillion+ Marshall Plan we are now undertaking to save our own economy, not of defeated enemies as in the past.

First, what is the true coronavirus fatality important because it determines whether be open or closed, whether we ought to more liberalized society that presumes ought to lock down further.

Lenten and Easter seasons provide a message of hope that we will once again enjoy sporting events, concerts, family gatherings, church services and many more after our own temporary sacri ces are over.

For me, making. As Corinthians a iction, a iction, God.” If you are re ect on God’s example this di cult con dent In this same neighbors In Concord, money to buy health care

north STA

Since when did questioning government at all levels become a thing? That is what free citizens living in a free society were supposed to do, last I checked.

My rst concern as we go along in all this, of course, is my family. worried about them catching the virus, and I’m worried I will. After su ering from the H1N1 virus (swine u) during the 2009 pandemic, I’ve been trying to take extra precautions, because all of this brings way too many memories of a painful experience I’d prefer not to

We’ve seen case fatality rates — the number the number of identi ed COVID-19 cases and the denominator are likely wrong. We people have actually died of coronavirus. number has been overestimated, given of death, particularly among elderly patients, sources suggest the number is dramatically many people are dying at home.

China has been cheating, stealing, pirating and pillaging American business now for the past 30 years. They have made no secret that they intend to replace the U.S. as the premier superpower in the world and replace the dollar as the reserve currency with their renminbi.

VISUAL VOICES

Publishers Clearing House in bankruptcy, eyes digital

Perhaps COVID-19 is Senators in Washington of China forgiving $1.2 China to “pay” for the damage breath waiting for a Chinese representatives to hold this disaster. It is about time they the world like any other

Even more importantly, we have no clue actually have coronavirus. Some scientists of identi ed cases could be an order of magnitude number of people who have had coronavirus

But what also makes me lose sleep is how easily most everyone

It’s okay to ask questions about when we begin to get back to normal

The comfort and hope

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

orders thanks to local or state governments, a majority of Americans are having to adjust to what is being called the “new normal.”

doing business will help the company break free from past constraints and “establish a strong foundation for our future,” CEO Andy Goldberg said in a statement.

Some of these orders extend at least through the end of this month. Virginia’s stay-at-home orders go into June.

Here in North Carolina, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper stated during a recent coronavirus press brie ng that “we just don’t know yet” if the state’s stay-at-home orders will extend into May.

But that doesn’t mean the famous sweepstakes are going away. PCH says it plans to operate in a “business-as-usual manner” throughout the bankruptcy process — noting that the “Prize Patrol” team will continue to deliver awards across the U.S. The company says it’s lined up debtor-in-possession financing from Prestige Capital to fund operations through its restructuring.

were profitable for decades, changing patterns of consumer behavior, costs and competition, along with a declining pool of new prospecting names, negatively impacted the business, resulted in losses beginning in 2022,” William H. Henrich, cochief restructuring officer for PCH, wrote in a court declaration last Wednesday.

“THIS IS THE DAY the lord has made, in it” (Psalm 118:24).

“Changing patterns of consumer behavior, costs and competition … negatively impacted the business, resulted in losses beginning in 2022.”

I know that during this challenging time working from home or losing a job, it may be glad” as the Bible tells us to do. However, and dad, the Easter holiday has reminded have to be thankful and hopeful for, even pandemic.

If he does decide to extend it, questions should be asked as to the justi cation for it. And the answers should not be vague ones like “we must do this out of an abundance of caution.”

It will need to be explained in detail to the people of this state who are being told to remain jobless and at home for an undetermined amount of time why models predicting hundreds of thousands of cases are reliable.

William H. Henrich, co-chief restructuring officer for PCH

PCH’s roots date back to 1953, when Harold and LuEsther Mertz and their daughter, Joyce Mertz-Gilmore, formed a business out of their Long Island, New York, home to send direct-to-consumer mailings that solicited subscribers for several magazines through one single offering.

fallen into place. I understand to take precautions, but questions about the data, normal are treated in some They’re treated as though question what the government process of returning back No. The government questions. And the longer country, and the stricter the more people, sitting when they can get back answers.

For me, my faith is an important part making. As I celebrated Easter with my Corinthians 1:4, which reminds us our a iction, so that we may be able to comfort a iction, with the comfort which we ourselves God.”

To date, I’ve gone along with what the state has asked and then mandated that we do, but along the way I’ve also had questions about the data. State Republican leaders have, too.

to houseware and “As Seen on TV” accessories, in the years that followed. Its in-person “Prize Patrol” team was formed in 1989.

Unfortunately, when certain types of questions get asked, there is sometimes a disturbing tendency among some people to treat those simply questioning the data and asking when we can start getting back to normal as though they are conspiracy theorists or are people who otherwise don’t care if they get themselves or others sick.

Lenten and Easter seasons provide a message of hope that we will once again enjoy sporting events, concerts, family gatherings, church services and many more after our own temporary sacri ces are over.

The company later grew with chances for consumers to win money — first launching a direct mail sweepstakes in 1967 — and expanded its offerings to a wide variety of merchandise, from collectible figurines

PCH became known for surprising prize winners with oversized checks, presentations that were often filmed and featured in TV commercials. In last Wednesday’s court documents, the company said it has awarded over half a billion dollars in prizes and continues to attract millions of contestants today.

If you are celebrating the Easter season, re ect on this message and be comforted, God’s example and comfort all those in this di cult time. Through faith and by con dent we will emerge out of this pandemic In this same spirit, I continue to be inspired neighbors helping neighbors.

Since when did questioning government at all levels become a bad thing? That is what free citizens living in a free society were supposed to do, last I checked.

My rst concern as we go along in all this, of course, is my family. I’m worried about them catching the virus, and I’m worried I will. After su ering from the H1N1 virus (swine u) during the 2009 pandemic, I’ve been trying to take extra precautions, because all of this brings up way too many memories of a painful experience I’d prefer not to repeat.

But its operations haven’t been without financial strain — particularly in recent years.

“While PCH’s direct mail and e-commerce programs

Henrich pointed to a handful of cost pressures — including rising shipping and postal rates, inventory and supply chain challenges that have continued since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and increasing competition from major retailers today, like Walmart and Amazon, that have dominated the e-commerce space. PCH also faced some scrutiny from regulators who previously raised concerns about consumers mistakenly believing that making purchases from the company would improve their chances of winning its sweepstakes. As a result, PCH has racked up several costly legal settlements over the years — most recently, last Wednesday’s court documents note, paying $18.5 million to resolve allegations from the Federal Trade Commission in 2018.

But what also makes me lose sleep is how easily most everyone has

Hurricane Helene destroyed several homes like this one in Morganton.

even with the extra time of an IRS extension.

“Scammers often pose as representatives of the IRS or FEMA to exploit victims of disasters,” said Misty Erickson, tax content program manager at the National Association of Tax Professionals. “Common scams include false promises of tax refunds, fake charities so-

liciting donations and phishing attempts requesting personal or financial information.” Here’s what you should know.

Determine if your area is a disaster site

The IRS keeps an official list online of all disaster loca-

In Concord, a high school senior named money to buy a 3-D printer and plastic health care workers out of his own home.

Leaders at the local and can be with those answers with details that give their We should all continue ourselves, and our communities to ask questions about measures are understandable, This is all new to Americans, shape, or form. So while the same time we shouldn’t normal.”

Not one little bit.

Stacey Matthews has also and is a regular contributor

As of the end of March, PCH had total assets of nearly $11.7 million and total liabilities of about $65.7 million, court documents show. The company currently has 105 employees and an annual gross revenue of about $38 million.

Disaster victims have extra time to file taxes

tions that qualify you for an extension to file. For the past year, individuals and businesses affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton qualify for tax relief, as well as disaster victims in parts of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, New Mexico, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Alaska.

Taxpayers in these areas have until May 1 to file returns and make payments, and there’s no need to do any additional paperwork to receive that extra two-week grace period. Filers also have the option to request additional extensions to Oct. 15, but interest will accrue if any money due isn’t paid by May 1.

Individuals and businesses in southern California affected by wildfires and straightline winds also qualify for automatic extensions due to disaster. Taxpayers in the relevant counties have until Oct. 15 to file returns and make payments. Any interest or fees that

AIMEE DILGER / THE TIMES LEADER VIA AP

Jo-Ann Snyder reacts when she sees the check from Publishers Clearing House at her home in 2018.

KATHY KMONICEK / AP PHOTO

EDITORIAL | STACEY MATTHEWS

COLUMN | REP. RICHARD HUDSON

Jason North State Journa l for Wednesday, April 15,

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senio

Meta faces historic antitrust trial

The tech giant could break off from Instagram and WhatsApp

By Barbara Ortutay The Associated Press

META PLATFORMS INC.

faces a historic antitrust trial that began Monday that could force the tech giant to break off Instagram and WhatsApp, startups it bought more than a decade ago that have since grown into social media powerhouses.

The lawsuit was filed against Meta — then called Facebook — in 2020, during President Donald Trump’s first term. It claims the company bought Instagram and WhatsApp to squash competition and establish an illegal monopoly in the social media market.

Meta, the FTC argues, has maintained a monopoly by pursuing CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s strategy, “expressed in 2008: ‘It is better to buy than compete.’ True to that maxim, Facebook has systematically tracked potential rivals and acquired companies that it viewed as serious competitive threats.”

Facebook also enacted policies designed to make it difficult for smaller rivals to enter the market and “neutralize perceived competitive threats,” the FTC says in its complaint, just as the world shifted its attention to mobile devices from desktop computers.

“Unable to maintain its mo-

nopoly by fairly competing, the company’s executives addressed the existential threat by buying up new innovators that were succeeding where Facebook failed,” the FTC says.

Facebook bought Instagram — then a scrappy photo-sharing app with no ads and a small cult following — in 2012. The $1 billion cash and stock purchase price were eye-popping at the time, though the deal’s value fell to $750 million after Facebook’s stock price dipped following its initial public offering in May 2012.

Instagram was the first company Facebook bought and kept running as a separate app. Until then, Facebook was known for smaller “acqui-hires” — a type of popular Silicon Valley deal in which a company purchases a startup to hire its talented workers and then shuts the acquired company down. Two years later, it did it again with the messaging app WhatsApp, which it purchased for $22 billion.

WhatsApp and Instagram helped Facebook move its business from desktop computers to mobile devices, and to remain popular with younger generations as rivals like Snapchat (which it also tried, but failed, to buy) and TikTok emerged. However, the FTC has a narrow definition of Meta’s competitive market, excluding companies like TikTok, YouTube and Apple’s messaging service from being considered rivals to Instagram and WhatsApp.

US egg prices hit record

“Facebook has systematically tracked potential rivals and acquired companies that it viewed as serious competitive threats.”

Federal Trade Commission

Meta, meanwhile, says the FTC’s lawsuit “defies reality.”

“The evidence at trial will show what every 17-year-old in the world knows: Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp compete with Chinese-owned TikTok, YouTube, X, iMessage and many others. More than 10 years after the FTC reviewed and cleared our acquisitions, the Commission’s action in this case sends the message that no deal is ever truly final.”

In a filing last week, Meta also stressed that the FTC “must prove that Meta has monopoly power in its claimed relevant market now, not at some time in the past.” This, experts say, could also prove challenging since more competitors have emerged in the social media space.

Meta’s fate will be decided by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, who late last year denied Meta’s request for a summary judgment and ruled that the case must go to trial.

Boasberg “seems to be skeptical” of the FTC’s narrow mar-

high, dashing hopes of cheap eggs by Easter

Some consumers are turning to fake eggs for crafts

By Josh Funk and Dee-Ann Durbin

The Associated Press

U.S. EGG PRICES increased again last month to reach a new record-high of $6.23 per dozen despite President Donald Trump’s predictions, a drop in wholesale prices and no egg farms having bird flu outbreaks.

The increase reported last Thursday in the Consumer Price Index means consumers and businesses that rely on eggs might not get much immediate relief. Demand for eggs is typically elevated until after Easter, which falls on April 20.

Industry experts expected the index to reflect a drop in retail egg prices because wholesale egg prices fell significantly in March. University of Arkansas agricultural economist Jada Thompson said the wholesale prices did not start dropping until midMarch, so there may not have been enough time for the average price for the month to decline. And grocery stores may not have immediately passed on the lower prices.

Bird flu outbreaks were cited as the major cause of price

TAXES from page A9

typically accrue on late payments won’t be incurred during disaster extensions. Most direct disaster relief is also not counted as income and is not taxed.

While nothing is easy in the first days and weeks following a disaster, a few choices can help when seeking insurance reimbursement and at tax time.

“We recommend saving media coverage,” said Flores. “If your neighborhood was on the news showing the disaster, write down what date that was or record that copy. “ According to the IRS, other steps include:

• Taking photographs of damaged property or belongings to document and

spikes in January and February after more than 30 million egg-laying chickens were killed to prevent the spread of the disease. Only 2.1 million birds were slaughtered in March, and none were on egg farms.

Egg prices hit $5.90 in February, one month after setting a record at $4.95 per dozen, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The farms that had fall outbreaks have been working to resume egg production after sanitizing their barns and raising new flocks, but chickens must be about 6 months old before they start laying eggs.

Thompson said those farms did not come back online as quickly as anticipated.

In the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture numbers, there were only about 285 million hens laying eggs nationwide as of March 1. Before the outbreak, the flock typically numbered more than 315 million.

Trump tried to take credit for the lower wholesale egg prices the USDA reported in recent weeks. But experts say the president’s plan to fight bird flu by focusing on strengthening egg farmers’ defenses against the virus is likely to be more of a long-term help.

“The egg prices they were going through the sky. And

calculate the amount of your loss.

• Keeping receipts for associated expenses, including contracted work on property damaged by disaster.

• Keeping records of the original value of any property, including a home, car, jewelry or big credit card purchases.

Filing your insurance claims as soon as possible is also important, as you deduct any insurance reimbursement from disaster losses claimed on your tax return.

Determine if you qualify for tax deductions

“When we look at a loss, it’s often damage to your home, furnishings inside your home,

ket definition in his rulings to date, Swanson said. He added that the judge also said it is a “fact question,” which means he is open to hearing what the FTC and its experts have to say to define that narrow market.

While the FTC may face an uphill battle in proving its case, the stakes are high for Meta, whose advertising business could be cut in half if it’s forced to spin off Instagram.

“Instagram is now Meta’s biggest money maker in the U.S., its most lucrative market, where the app accounts for 50.5% of the company’s ad revenues in 2025. Instagram has also been picking up the slack for Facebook on the user front, particularly among young people, for a long time,” said Emarketer analyst Jasmine Enberg.

But Meta isn’t the only technology company in the sights of federal antitrust regulators, Google and Amazon face their own cases. The remedy phase of Google’s case is scheduled to begin on April 21. A federal judge declared the search giant an illegal monopoly last August.

“A big theme here is we are applying 19th-century laws to 21st-century markets. And I think it’s an open question whether the judgment developments to antitrust law can keep up with markets as they are changing — these fluid and dynamic tech markets in particular,” Swanson said. “And this will be a case that speaks directly to that.”

$6.23

The average price of a dozen eggs, a record high

you did a fantastic job,” Trump said to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins before he announced the details of his tariffs at the White House last week.” Now we have lots of eggs and they are much cheaper now.”

But experts say the president’s plan to fight bird flu by focusing on strengthening egg farmers’ defenses against the virus is likely to be more of a long-term help.

The Agriculture Department tried to find egg imports to add to the supply, and nearly 4 million dozen eggs were brought into the country in February.

“I think there are lots of people who are looking to see the egg prices coming down because they wanted to call it a win. And I think it’s a loss for everybody. I think we all want to see egg prices come down,” Thompson said.

Rollins last Thursday suggested the rise in egg prices is temporary. She pointed to the overall consumer price index showing a slight dip in prices for goods and services across the U.S. economy in March and suggested egg prices will soon follow.

U.S. egg prices did began falling in mid-March, according to Datasembly, a market research company that tracks prices at thousands of

vehicles, that kind of thing,” Flores said.

The IRS calls this kind of disaster relief “casualty loss.” Claiming casualty loss doesn’t result in dollar-for-dollar reimbursement, but it does lower your tax burden. Form 4684, which you include when you file your return, walks you through the relevant steps for calculating your casualty write-off.

Victims of disasters may deduct their losses in either the year they suffered the loss or the previous year — in that case, by filing an amended return. Watch out for scams

In the wake of a disaster, it’s normal to feel vulnerable and to listen to voices that promise relief. But scammers often target disaster vic -

Tesla launches in Saudi Arabia

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Tesla has officially launched in Saudi Arabia, marking a new chapter in the company’s global expansion after Elon Musk’s troubled relationship with the kingdom. But the Middle Eastern country’s extreme heat could pose a challenge for its electric vehicle performance and battery efficiency. Tesla made its long-anticipated entry into the Saudi market last Thursday with the launch of its first showroom and service center in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The facility will offer models, including Model 3, Model Y and the Cybertruck. Tesla pop-up stores are also opening in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.

Pfizer ends obesity treatment development

New York

Pfizer is ending the development of its potential once-daily pill treatment for obesity before venturing into the biggest and most expensive level of clinical testing. The drugmaker said that it would stop studying danuglipron after a participant in one of its trials experienced a drug-induced liver injury that was resolved once the person stopped taking the drug. The once-daily version of the pill was in earlystage testing, with researchers trying to figure out the best dose for patients. The company still plans to develop other potential obesity treatments in earlier stages of testing.

Intel sells majority stake in Altera to Silver Lake

Santa Clara, Calif.

stores. Datasembly said eggs averaged $5.98 per dozen the week beginning March 16 and dropped to $5.51 the week beginning March 30.

But prices vary widely around the country, depending on the location of recent bird flu outbreaks and some state laws requiring eggs to be cage-free. At a Walmart in Richmond, California, a dozen eggs were $6.34 on Thursday. In Omaha, Nebraska, Walmart was selling eggs for $4.97 per dozen. California requires eggs sold to be cage-free; Nebraska doesn’t.

The latest numbers could increase scrutiny of Cal-Maine Foods, which provides 20% of the nation’s eggs.

Last week, Cal-Maine acknowledged it is being investigated by the antitrust division of the U.S. Department of Justice, which is looking into egg price increases.

The price of real eggs has some consumers turning to fake ones for Easter crafts this year.

Craft retailer Michaels said sales of its plastic egg craft kits — which were listed for $2.49 on the company’s website — are up 20% over last year. Michaels said sales usually peak closer to Easter, but it started seeing a noticeable uptick in early March this year.

tims for exactly this reason. “Taxpayers should be cautious of unsolicited phone calls, emails or texts claiming to be from the IRS or relief agencies,” said Erickson. According to the IRS, you should watch out for:

• Big paydays: The promise of more money than you think sounds reasonable. Bad advisers may make outlandish statements about available credits.

• Threats and demands: Any pressure to pay for tax help “now or else,” mentions of arrest or deportation, or refusals to let you question or appeal the taxes they say you owe.

• Suspicious or misspelled website links that aren’t irs.gov.

Intel announced Monday that it was selling the majority of its Altera chip business to technology investor Silver Lake in a deal valued at $8.75 billion. Silver Lake will own 51% of Altera, which Intel acquired in 2015 for $16.7 billion in an effort to expand its business into chip markets focused on wireless, automobiles and other products. At the time, it was the biggest deal in Intel’s history. Intel spun Altera off into an independent company earlier this year. Silver Lake’s acquisition of Altera is expected to close in the second half of this year.

Nvidia to manufacture AI chips in U.S.

Los Angeles

Nvidia announced Monday that it will produce its artificial intelligence super computers in the United States for the first time. The tech giant said it has commissioned more than 1 million square feet of manufacturing space to build and test its specialized Blackwell chips in Arizona and AI supercomputers in Texas — part of an investment the company said will produce up to half a trillion dollars of AI infrastructure in the next four years. The announcement comes after the Trump administration said tariff exemptions on electronics like smartphones and laptops are only a temporary reprieve until officials develop a new tariff approach specific to the semiconductor industry.

NCDOT CASH REPORT FOR THE WEEK ENDING APRIL 11

Beginning Cash $2,761,640,138

Receipts (income)

$86,108,113

Disbursements

$215,300,021

Cash Balance

$2,632,379,211

‘A Minecraft Movie’ stomps to $80.6M in second weekend

Critics slammed the movie, but moviegoers keep buying tickets

By Jake Coyle

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — After just two weeks in theaters, “A Minecraft Movie” is already the highest-grossing Hollywood release of 2025.

The Warner Bros. videogame adaptation followed up its blockbuster opening with a second weekend of $80.6 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. Worldwide, it’s quickly surpassed $550 million.

After doubling expectations in its $300 million global debut, “A Minecraft Movie” continued to draw audiences unlike anything else this year. The film, directed by Jared Hess and starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa, slid 50% in its second go-around in U.S. and Canadian theaters — an impressive hold after such a big debut.

Though critics slammed the movie (46% “fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes) and audience scores were merely good (a “B+” CinemaScore), “A Minecraft Movie” latched on with moviegoers who have increasingly turned out in droves for big-budget videogame adaptations.

“A Minecraft Movie,” a $150 million co-production of Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment, has helped -– at least for now -– reinvigorate theaters after a dismal start to the year. Overall ticket sales were double that of the same weekend in 2024, according to Comscore. Before “Minecraft,” box office revenues trailed last year’s by 11% but have now virtually pulled even. (2025 grosses still trail 2019’s by 31%, according to Comscore.)

None of the weekend’s new releases — Angel Studios’ “The King of Kings,” the Walt Disney Co.’s “The Amateur,” Universal Pictures’ “Drop” or A24’s “Warfare” — came close to challenging “Minecraft,” but several films outperformed expectations.

“The King of Kings,” an animated tale of Jesus’ life aimed at Christian audiences, came in second with $19.1 million in 3,200 theaters. The film, loosely based on a children’s book

by Charles Dickens, includes a starry voice cast led by Oscar Isaac, Kenneth Branagh and Uma Thurman.

With an enviable “A+” CinemaScore from audiences, “The King of Kings” is poised to capitalize in the coming week before Easter. Part three of Fathom Entertainment’s TV series, “The Chosen: Last Supper,” also looked to appeal to Christian audiences. It launched with $6.2 million from 2,296 cinemas.

“The Amateur,” a 20th Century production starring Rami Malek as a CIA cryptographer hunting down his wife’s killers, debuted with $15 million domestically, plus another $17.2 million overseas. Critics deemed the revenge thriller an awkward star vehicle for Malek, who also produced. “The Amateur” cost $60 million to make.

“Warfare,” director Alex Garland’s follow-up to 2024’s “Civil War,” opened with $8.3 million in ticket sales from 2,670 theaters. Garland cowrote and co-directed the A24 release with Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza, who based the film on a 2006 mission he and his fellow Navy SEALs undertook during the war. “Warfare,” which cost about $20 million to make, was lauded by critics as an uncommonly realistic portrait of combat.

“Drop,” the latest thriller from Blumhouse Productions, debuted with $7.5 million from 3,085 theaters. Christopher Landon’s film stars Meghann Fahy (“The White Lotus”) as a single-mom widow on a first date (Brandon Sklenar) who’s being terrorized by an unknown person by messages to her phone. “Drop,” which premiered at SXSW, cost less than $10 million to produce.

Top 10 movies by domestic box office

This list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore:

1. “A Minecraft Movie,” $80.6 million

2. “The King of Kings,” $19.1 million

3. “The Amateur,” $15 million

4. “Warfare,” $8.3 million

5. “Drop,” $7.5 million

6. “The Chosen: Last Supper (Part 3),” $6 million

7. “A Working Man,” $3.1 million

8. “Snow White,” $2.8 million

9. “The Woman in the Yard,” $2.1 million

10. “The Chosen: Last Supper (Part 2),” $932,106

Burlington author concludes ‘Paine’ mystery series with “Killer Convergence”

Fans see Agatha Christie in the author’s writing

By Dan Reeves North State Journal

BURLINGTON — Unless one lives under a rock, it’s almost impossible for a writer to be unaware of British mystery master Agatha Christie, creator of iconic detectives like Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. Like most, Lee Clark knew of Christie but had never read one of her books. That was until she became a mystery writer herself, earning rave reviews from fans who noted her style drew comparisons to greats like Christie, who paved the way for the genre. Clark was born in Radford, Virginia. Her father, an Air Force man, moved the family to Raleigh when she was 4. She attended Campbell, and earned a journalism degree from East Carolina and a master’s in technical communication from NC State. After grad school, Clark worked at IBM for 23 years and

had two children. Despite being successfully employed and content, she felt a higher calling to her true passion. “I was a square peg in a round hole,” she said.

In 2014, ideas began to percolate as her dull work landscape, void of real relationships, spurred her to put pen to paper.

“By 2017, I was done with corporate America,” she said.

“My mind is a scary place.”

Around the time the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down, Clark decided to bring her ideas to life and answer that higher calling. Inspired by two men — her brother Sean and son Will — and driven by a restless mind, Clark created the young, curious physician Matthew Paine and the tenacious detective Warren Danbury, whose lives would collide in a series of thrillers.

“If there’s ever a time to take a chance, it’s during a pandemic,” Clark said. “So I finished it, and then the question became, would anybody ever want to read it?”

She decided to self-publish and launched Cypress River Media, inspired by treasured memories of time spent at her grandfather’s cottage on the Chickahominy River in Lenox

“A Minecraft Movie” followed up its big opening week with another $80.6 million.

of Virginia, where a giant Cyprus once towered.

“It’s a place that my heart still longs to go back to,” she said. Seven novels later, Clark’s gripping storylines that seem all too close to reality have transported voracious readers into worlds of murder, intrigue and suspense while touching on the emotional battles of Paine and other key characters as if it were a microscope dissecting the fibers of the human psyche.

Clark’s ideas for her books come from an eerie confluence of research, life experiences and an uncanny ability to turn mundane observations into malevolent settings.

“I do a lot of research for these books because even though the storylines and characters are obviously fictional, the scenarios that I set up absolutely could happen,” she said.

“But my mind is a scary place.”

“Killer Convergence,” the culmination of the Matthew Paine series, delivers readers the twists and turns of each installment as the young physician assists his close friend, detective Warren Danbury, in tenaciously reexamining the murder of his parents 22 years before. Evidence goes missing, no one’s memories can be trust-

and witnesses start turning

ed,

up dead.

WARNER BROS. PICTURES VIA AP

Jack Black, Jason Momoa and Sebastian Hansen star in “A Minecraft Movie.”

JOHN WILSON / 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS VIA AP

Rami Malek also produced the revenge thriller “The Amateur.”

WARNER BROS. PICTURES VIA AP

Lee Clark

PHOTOS VIA CYPRUS RIVER MEDIA Left, “Killer Convergence” is the seventh and final book in Lee Clark’s Matthew Paine mystery series. Right, Author Lee Clark lives in Burlington.

Canes playoff preview, B3

the Thursday SIDELINE REPORT

MLS

Biel scores goal, Charlotte beats Montreal 1-0

Montreal

Pep Biel scored a goal, Kristijan Kahlina had two saves and Charlotte FC beat CF Montreal 1-0. Kahlina has three shutouts this season for Charlotte (5-2-1). Biel rebounded his own miss for a one-touch finish. Montreal had 65% possession and outshot Charlotte 19-8.

NCAA BASKETBALL

One combined Final Four? Talks of joint NCAA Tournament showcase for men, women resurface

Tampa, Fla. The conversation around a joint men’s and women’s Final Four has resurfaced.

Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman sees a world where both premier events happen in the same place. It’s not a new conversation, but Ackerman believes the exponential growth of women’s basketball in a college basketball landscape long dominated by the men makes now an ideal time for a joint Final Four.

MLB Helms, Reds second baseman, dead at 83

McIlroy wins Masters in playoff to complete career Grand Slam

The fan favorite rallied after losing a late lead

By Doug Ferguson The Associated Press

AUGUSTA, Ga. — The closer Rory McIlroy came to fulfilling his lifetime dream — winning the Masters — the more it kept slipping away. Sunday at Augusta National felt like his last 11 years in the majors, blunders mixed in with sheer brilliance.

A two-shot lead gone in two holes. A four-shot lead gone in three holes with a shocker of a mistake. A 5-foot putt on the final hole to win narrowly missed.

And then McIlroy turned what could have been another major collapse into his grandest moment of all when he hit wedge to 3 feet for birdie in a sudden-death playoff against Justin Rose to become — final-

ly — a Masters champion and take his place in golf history as the sixth player with the career Grand Slam.

“There were points in my career where I didn’t know if I would have this nice garment over my shoulders,” McIlroy said, that Masters green jacket looking like a perfect fit. “But I didn’t make it easy today. I certainly didn’t make it easy. I was nervous.

“It was one of the toughest days I’ve ever had on the golf course.”

The reward was greater than he imagined, and it showed. He rapped in that final putt, raised both arms in the air and let the putter fall behind him. He covered his head, dropped to his knees, and before long his forehead was on the green as his chest heaved with emotion.

That was 11 years of pent-up emotion from his last major, when he began to carry the bur-

Cincinnati Tommy Helms, the slick-fielding infielder for the Cincinnati Reds who was the 1966 NL Rookie of the Year and had two short stints as the team’s manager, died at 83. The cause of death was not provided. Helms, a Charlotte native, played 1,435 games over 14 seasons. He was an All- Star in 1967-68 and won Gold Gloves as the National League’s top-fielding second baseman in 1970-71. Which local products could hear their names called at the 2025

The draft is almost here, and we could see a lot of players with N.C. connections selected

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

THE 2025 NFL Draft is nearly upon us, taking place in just over a week at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. While there isn’t as much hype around the state as last year when UNC quarterback Drake Maye was a top-three pick, there’s still quite a few talented players with local connections.

So who are the players from North Carolina who could be selected in the draft?

POTENTIAL FIRST‑ROUNDERS

Jalon Walker (Georgia, EDGE)

The Salisbury native is one of the top talents this year, with multiple mocks tagging him as a potential top-10 pick.

Walker, who had 6.5 sacks, 61 tackles and 10.5 tackles for loss this season, won the Butkus Award as the nation’s top linebacker, although he split time playing EDGE as well, showcasing his versatility. Despite being on the smaller side (6-foot-1, 243 lbs), his athleticism and burst make him a danger whenever he’s on the field.

“I

didn’t

I

den of getting the final leg of the Grand Slam. It was 14 years of remembering the time he wasted a four-shot lead with an 80 on the final day as a 21-year-old.

“I started to wonder if it would ever be my time,” he said.

The thought could have easily crossed his mind during the final round.

What could have been a coronation for McIlroy along the back nine turned into a heart-racing, lead-changing, jaw-dropping finish at golf’s greatest theater that ended with McIlroy sobbing with joy and disbelief.

The joy on McIlroy’s face never left him from the time that putt dropped — on the green, in Butler Cabin when defending champion Scottie Scheffler first helped him into the green jacket, and during the trophy presentation on the 18th green.

“My dreams have been made today,” McIlroy said.

This was shaping up as another horror show for McIlroy, who in 2011 lost a four-shot lead on the final day with a 43 on the back nine, a highlight reel that now can start collecting dust.

“I didn’t make it easy today,” McIlroy said.

Right when it looked as though he would throw away another major, McIlroy delivered two majestic shots when nothing less would do, two birdies that sent him to the 18th hole with a one-shot lead.

See MASTERS, page B3

Omarion Hampton (UNC, RB)

Hampton could very well be the second-best running back in the class behind Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty, and that bodes well for his odds of going in the first round.

The UNC star capped off his three-year collegiate career with more than 3,500 rushing yards (4,000-plus all-pur-

pose) and 40 total touchdowns.

The Clayton-born back was also a two-time second-team All-American and finalist for the Doak Walker Award as the top running back in the nation.

“I’m a three-down back and I can do everything,” Hampton said in his combine interview when asked about what sets him apart from the rest of the

MATT SLOCUM / AP PHOTO

Rory McIlroy sends his club flying as he begins to celebrate his playoff victory in the Masters. The win made him one of six golfers to win all four majors.

MARK J. TERRILL / AP PHOTO Georgia linebacker Jalon Walker, of Salisbury, celebrates a sack of TCU quarterback Max Duggan during the second half of the 2023 national championship game.

didn’t make it easy today.

certainly

make it easy. I was nervous.”

Rory McIlroy

TRENDING

Mark DeRosa:

The former major leaguer and 1997 Durham Bull will manage the United States for the second straight World Baseball Classic. DeRosa led the U.S. to the championship game of the 2023 tournament, where it lost to Japan. DeRosa is a broadcaster for the MLB Network. He had a 268 average with 100 homers and 494 RBIs over 16 MLB seasons. He hit .269 in 92 games in Durham

Joe Giles-Harris:

The former Duke linebacker signed a one-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals, providing depth to the defense. Giles-Harris was on the Bengals’ practice squad last season. He appeared in two games with the Jaguars and three with New England, mainly on special teams. Giles-Harris has played in 22 games during his career, including three starts, with 30 tackles and one sack.

Joey Logano:

The defending NASCAR Cup Series champion said a bout of norovirus sent him to the Darlington care center for medical treatment after last week’s race The Team Penske star said he had been ailing throughout the week ahead of the 400-mile race. Logano recovered in time for a Wednesday trip to the White House.

Beyond the box score

POTENT QUOTABLES

“It’s

been a whirlwind.”

New Campbell men’s basketball coach John Andrzejek, who won a national title as a Florida assistant last Monday and was introduced in Buies Creek last Wednesday.

“Hey, I’m human. I can make mistakes.”

Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase, who has allowed six earned runs in seven games

74 games last year. Clase pitched for the Down East Wood Ducks in 2019.

NASCAR

Kyle Larson led 411 of 500 laps and scored an emotional win with a dominating NA SCA R Cup Series victor y at Bristol Motor Speedway Larson, racing just days after the death of Jon Edwards, his former public relations representative, picked up his second Cup win of the season, his 31st Cup victor y and third at Bristol.

The New York Yankees placed former Duke pitcher Marcus Stroman on the 15-day injured list with lef t knee

up rainy 9-1 loss to the Giants Stroman is 0-1 with an 11.57 ER A in three starts He was 10-9 last season with a 4.31 ERA.

Former Seaforth forward Jarin Stevenson is transferring to two seasons at Alabama, averaging 5.3 points and 3.0 rebounds in just under 18 minutes a game Now he’ll play for his mother’s alma mater. The former Nicole Walker played for Sylvia Hatchell from 1995 to 1998.

Number of NBA games decided by 30-plus points on Friday, including Charlotte’s 130-94 loss to Boston, setting a league record. There had been four in a day three previous times, most recently 2021.

High Point coach Alan Huss will return to Creighton a s the head coach-in-waiting for Greg McDermott The 60-year-old McDermott just completed his 15th season with the Bluejays. Huss was 56-15 overall in two years The Panthers

Tournament berth this pa st season Huss wa s a six-year assistant under McDermott and played for the Bluejays.

FRANK FRANKLIN II /

CHARLES KRUPA /

Hurricanes, Devils reignite rivalry in Round 1

Carolina dispatched New Jersey in five games in the 2023 playoffs

By Cory Lavalette North State Journal

RALEIGH — The NHL regular season didn’t end until Thursday, but the Hurricanes have known for some time who they would be facing in the first round of the playoffs.

For the second time in three seasons, Carolina will meet the New Jersey Devils in the postseason. While the NHL’s schedule for the opening games of the playoffs hasn’t been released, the Hurricanes will have home ice in the series and host its first two games at Lenovo Center.

About this season

The teams split the season series this year, with both teams winning their two games at home. Carolina and New Jersey, however, haven’t played since Dec. 28, a 5-2 Hurricanes win.

Carolina started three different goalies against the Devils this season, but none were by Frederik Andersen, who has the inside track to be the team’s top goalie in the postseason. Andersen is 7-2-0 with a .934 save percentage and 2.11 goalsagainst average in the regular season against New Jersey in his career, and he also won all four of his starts in Carolina’s five-game defeat of the Devils in the second round of the 2023 playoffs.

Jack Roslovic led all Hurricanes players with three goals and five points in the four-game series this season, and Seth Jarvis had a goal and three assists in three games vs. the Devils.

For New Jersey, Jesper Bratt

Hurricanes

a

had two goals and seven points in the season series, and Jack Hughes finished with a goal and six points. Hughes, however, is out for the season with an injury and will not be available. Jacob Markstrom started three of the four games against the Hurricanes, winning two while posting a .916 save percentage and 2.34 goals-against average. He is 9-5-1 in his career vs. Carolina with a .922 save percentage and 2.36 goalsagainst average.

Familiar faces

The Hurricanes will face several former teammates in the series. Dougie Hamilton and Erik Haula are joined by offseason signees Brett Pesce and Stefan Noesen. The quartet played a combined 1,013 regular season games with Carolina, led by the drafted-and-developed Pesce’s 627.

Haula, who has played the

DEBLAKER / AP PHOTO

villain whenever he comes to Raleigh since being traded away by the Hurricanes in 2020, has won just once in 19 regular season and playoff games at Lenovo Center since his departure.

New Jersey also traded for defenseman Brian Dumoulin before the trade deadline — the rights to Dumoulin, who the Hurricanes drafted in the second round of the 2009 NHL Draft, were traded to Pittsburgh in the summer of 2012 in the deal that brought current Carolina captain Jordan Staal to Raleigh.

Taylor Hall, who won the Hart Trophy with the Devils in 2018, joined the Hurricanes in late January and seems revitalized by returning to meaningful games.

Tale of two injury reports

The Devils are without their biggest star in Hughes, shutdown defender Jonas Siegen-

thaler hasn’t played since early February, and there are also questions surrounding Hamilton, who hasn’t suited up in more than a month.

The Hurricanes, on the other hand, are getting healthy at the right time. William Carrier, who missed more than three months, returned to the lineup Saturday. Jesperi Kotkaniemi was expected to play in the final two games of the regular season, and Carolina has had the option to rest players with their playoff fate long decided. Shayne Gostisbehere could be a question mark with a lower back injury, but the future of Carolina’s defense is here, with Scott Morrow already filling in admirably and KHL superstar Alexander Nikishin navigating the immigration system and en route to join the team.

Special teams

It will be strength on strength when the Devils’ power play faces Carolina’s penalty kill.

New Jersey ranks third in the league on the man advantage heading into the final two games of the season, though it is stumbling a bit heading into the playoffs with two goals in 13 opportunities over the previous seven games.

The Hurricanes are again No. 1 on the PK, killing off 84.1% of chances in what has become an annual coronation as the league’s best unit since Rod Brind’Amour took over.

Carolina’s power play hasn’t been as consistent and ranks 25th in the league at 18.6%. A recent stretch of five straight games with a power play goal was followed by five without, but the Hurricanes did manage to get back in the goal column Sunday against Toronto.

7

Points for Devils forward Jesper Bratt in four games against the Hurricanes this season.

The Devils’ penalty kill is also good, ranking third at 82.2%, giving New Jersey arguably the best special teams in hockey under first-year coach Sheldon Keefe.

X-factor

The series could very well be decided by goaltending. Both Markstrom and Andersen have had their ups and downs in the postseason, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see one or both of Pyotr Kochetkov and Jake Allen at some point in the series. If it’s not the goalies, it will probably be the defenses. The Devils are banged up, while Carolina hasn’t been as reliable as in past seasons. If Hamilton or Luke Hughes can dominate offensively, the Hurricanes could be in trouble, but Carolina always has an ace up its sleeve in Jaccob Slavin — expect him to elevate his game as he did in the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Prediction

The Devils have too many key injuries, and the Hurricanes’ 31 home wins are tops in the Eastern Conference. Carolina probably won’t need the full seven games to use its home-ice advantage fully, but that coupled with New Jersey’s pedestrian home record is a recipe that’s appetizing for the Hurricanes. Carolina dispatches the dinged-up Devils in five.

Local standouts make solid first impressions in the pros

The first season

By Asheebo Rojas North State Journal

AS THE COLLEGE transfer portal takes the attention of basketball fans in North Carolina this time of year, don’t forget about the ones that chose the pros instead of another school.

The NBA regular season ended over the weekend, closing out rookie years for the latest group of local stars on the next level.

Out of 104 rookies, nine players that attended North Carolina colleges or are from the state made their NBA debuts during the 2024-25 season. Some made immediate impacts for their teams, while others played most of their minutes in the G League.

There were also those outside of the nine that never touched an NBA court and only saw G League minutes — but still made their names heard. Here’s a look at the local players that made some noise in their first pro seasons.

Jared McCain (Philadelphia 76ers)

Former Duke sharpshooter Jared McCain had arguably the best NBA debut out of the local rookies, although his season was cut short.

MASTERS from page B1

That still wasn’t enough. He hit a wedge into the bunker and wound up missing a 5-foot par putt for a 1-over 73 and the first Masters playoff in eight years.

Faced with more failure, McIlroy responded with another booming drive, and this wedge bounced onto the slope of the top shelf with enough spin to trickle down toward the hole, closer and closer, until it stopped 3 feet away.

And when Rose missed from

In 23 games with Philadelphia, McCain averaged 15.3 points per outing while shooting 46% from the field and 38.3 % from 3. His 3-point percentage was the fourth highest amongst any player that took the floor for the 76ers this season.

McCain suffered a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee against the Pacers on Dec. 13 and was ruled out for the season after having surgery. Prior to the injury, McCain logged eight games with at least 20 points, including two 30-point performances. In a 114-106 loss to Cleveland on Nov. 13, McCain went off for a career-high 34 points (career-high six made 3s) while also dishing out a career-high 10 assists.

Kyle Filipowski (Utah Jazz)

Kyle Filipowski, the former star Duke forward, made a solid first impression in the NBA.

Filipowski averaged 9.6 points and 6.1 rebounds while shooting 50.2% from the field in 72 games (27 starts) with the Utah Jazz. He also shot 35% from beyond the arc, knocking down 77 3s.

Playing alongside another talented big in Walker Kessler, Filipowski started playing his best basketball of the year near the all-star break. From Feb. 13 through the end of the season, Filipowski posted six games with at least 20 points. In a 133-126 overtime win over

15 feet, McIlroy finally sealed it.

“I just think all week how I responded to setbacks, that’s what I’ll take from this week,” McIlroy said, though he could have been speaking for the last decade. “Couldn’t be more proud I myself for that and being able to back bounce when I needed to.”

McIlroy joined Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen as the only winners of golf’s four professional majors.

So wild was this Sunday at Augusta National that McIlroy

15.3

points per game for Jared McCain in his rookie season

Portland on April 9, he recorded his 12th (13 total) double-double of the season with career highs of 30 points and 18 rebounds.

Rob Dillingham (Minnesota Timberwolves)

Hickory native Rob Dillingham played a small role for the Minnesota Timberwolves this season, earning just under 11 minutes per game.

In that time, he averaged 4.5 points and two assists per outing, shooting 44.1% from the floor and 33.8% from 3.

Dillingham suffered an ankle sprain late in December that kept him out for three weeks, but in his return, he saw an uptick in minutes and production due to Donte Divincenzo being sidelined.

From Jan. 17 to Feb. 28, Dillingham played no less than eight minutes in each game, recording six double-digit performances in that stretch. In a 138-113 win over Utah on Jan. 30, he posted career highs of 19 points and eight assists.

Dillingham may get his first taste of playoff minutes when the Timberwolves tip off against the Lakers in the first round.

set a Masters record as the first champion to make four double bogeys — two in the first round that put him seven shots behind, two in the final round that turned this into a thriller. Nothing was more shocking than the 13th. McIlroy played it safe, leaving himself a big target from 82 yards away and a lob wedge. He missed his mark by some 20 yards, the ball disappearing into the tributary of Rae’s Creek and leading to double bogey. Rose was on the par-3 16th

Armando Bacot (Memphis Hustle)

Armando Bacot, the former UNC star, garnered a lot of buzz this season despite not touching an NBA court.

Spending the entire season with the G League’s Memphis Hustle, Bacot averaged 16.8 points and 9.5 rebounds in 50 games. He posted five 30-point performances, including a season-high 35 points in a win over the Mexico City Capitanes on Feb. 12, which also came with 14 rebounds. Bacot showcased an ability to be dominant in the paint, recording 14 double-doubles. Against the Santa Cruz Warriors on Feb. 28, Bacot grabbed a season-high of 25 rebounds.

The 6-foot-10 forward, not known for this in college, also stepped beyond the arc and hit 55 3s at a 35.5% clip.

Jaylen Sims (Charlotte Hornets, Greensboro Swarm)

Former UNC Wilmington guard Jaylen Sims made his NBA debut for the Charlotte Hornets, playing in the last six games of the regular season.

Sims averaged seven points and two assists per game. He went 6 for 15 from beyond the arc, scoring a season-high 12 points in a season-closing loss to Boston on Sunday.

Prior to his NBA debut, Sims played three seasons in the G League with the Greensboro Swarm. In 49 G League games

and hit his tee shot to 4 feet for birdie, and suddenly they were tied. Then, McIlroy hit a weak drive to the right and was blocked by pines. He didn’t reach the green, didn’t make the par putt and no longer had the lead. But he was resilient as ever — he’s been like that his entire career. Seemingly in trouble left of the 15th fairway, McIlroy hit 7-iron around the trees and onto the green to 6 feet. He missed the eagle putt, but the birdie still helped him regain a share of the lead. Two holes lat-

this season, Sims averaged 19.1 points and 5.3 rebounds.

Harrison Ingram (San Antonio Spurs, Austin Spurs)

Former UNC standout Harrison Ingram made just five appearances with the San Antonio Spurs, but he made a huge impact for their G League affiliate in Austin.

Ingram brought his versatility to the next level, averaging 12.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists in 32 games.

In a win over the Memphis Hustle on March 25, Ingram recorded a 17-point, 13-rebound and 10-assist triple-double. He posted 11 double-doubles on the year.

Ingram did not shoot well though, making just 42.8% of his shots (28.3% from 3).

Other local rookies include former Combine Academy four-star Trentyn Flowers, who appeared in six games for the Los Angeles Clippers and averaged 17.7 points with G League affiliate (San Diego), former Wake Forest forward Bobi Klintman (eight games with Detroit and averaged 11.9 points with the Motor City Cruise), former East Carolina guard Tristen Newton (eight games between Indiana and Minnesota, and averaged 16.5 points and 6.8 assists with G League Indiana and Iowa) and former UNC Charlotte guard Jahmir Young (six games with Chicago and averaged 21.7 points and seven assists with G League Grand Rapids and Windy City).

er, facing a semi-blind shot, he drilled 8-iron and chased after it, urging it to “Go! Go! Go! Go!” And it did, barely clearing the bunker and rolling out to 2 feet for birdie and a one-shot lead. Turns out that wasn’t enough, either. He was 5 feet away from victory and badly missed the putt, leaving him more work to do — another chance to fail. Not this time. The 35-year-old from Northern Ireland never wavered in what he came to Augusta National to do. He leaves with a green jacket.

KARL

defenseman Dmitry Orlov lies on the ice following

hit by Devils center Erik Haula as a skirmish breaks out between the teams during their Dec. 28 game in Raleigh.

wraps for NBA rookies with ties to N.C.

Big Mac on campus: A look at McDonald’s All-Americans in NC

Plenty of great players at Duke, Carolina, State and Wake were McDonald’s snubs

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

THE DRAMATIC ending to Duke’s win over UNC in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament concealed the end of a Blue Devils’ streak.

With Cooper Flagg on the bench nursing an ankle injury suffered the day before, fellow Blue Devils freshman Isaiah Evans hit a pair of free throws early in the second half for his only two points of the game.

They were also the only points scored for Duke by a former McDonald’s High School All-American. It was the first time Duke got less than 10 points from McDonald’s recruits in at least 20 years — 2004 was the earliest season when player game log data is easily available online.

Since the first McDonald’s All-America game in 1977, Duke has scored 134,291 points. More than 63% of them, 85,484, have been scored by players that were selected for the McDonald’s game.

UNC, which got 18 points from former McDonald’s players RJ Davis, Drake Powell and Ian Jackson in that game, has gotten a similar contribution from high school All-Americans. More than 65% of its scor-

ing — 88,542 of 134,805 points — from McDonald’s players. The McDonald’s game is one of the highest honors a high school basketball prospect can earn. It should come as no surprise that Duke and Carolina, two of the top programs in the nation, recruit that group heavily, and it also isn’t surprising that the best players on the respective college teams were also top-rated high schoolers. Still, recruiting isn’t an exact science, even at the very top of the class. Less than half of the McDonald’s All-Americans at each school were se -

lected in the first round of the NBA Draft — 48% of UNC’s All-Americans and 41% of Duke’s. Over 55% of UNC’s McDonald’s players scored 1,000 career points for the Tar Heels. Duke, which has made heavy use of one-and-done players, who don’t stick around long enough to score that many, has only had 38% of its McDonald’s players hit that mark.

A total of six McDonald’s players from UNC and Duke have failed to score 100 points. Most chose to transfer after not getting enough playing time early in their career. The group includes four Blue Devils — Eric

Boateng (2005 All-American, scored 14 points before transferring to Arizona State), Joey Beard (1993, 21, Boston U.), Michael Thompson (2002, 27, Northwestern) and Sean Stewart (2023, 87, Ohio State) — and two Tar Heels — Neil Fingleton (2000, 0, Holy Cross) and David Wear (2009, 79, UCLA). On the flip side are the players that McDonald’s missed. Taking the floor in that ACC semifinal were three of the most successful non-McDonald’s All-Americans the two schools have seen.

Junior guard Tyrese Proctor, who wasn’t eligible to be named a high school All-American, since he lived in Australia, finished the season with 1,143 career points. That’s the ninth-most for any non-McDonald’s player to join the Blue Devils since the game began in 1977. Proctor is nine points ahead of Kyle Filipowski, who reclassified and was ineligible for the honor as a fifth-year player. Ahead of him is a list of players who, for the most part, developed in college and outperformed their expectations coming out of high school.

1. Mark Alarie 2,136

2. Shelden Williams 1,928

3. Jeff Capel 1,601

4. Thomas Hill 1,594

5. David Henderson 1,570

6. Chris Carrawell 1,455

7. Seth Curry 1,394

8. Robert Brickey 1,299

Carrawell, currently a Duke assistant, was on the Duke bench for that game against the Tar Heels. The third non-McDonald’s All-American of note in that game was on the other bench — UNC coach Hubert Davis, who is the third highest-scoring non-All-American since McDonald’s began picking players.

Here’s a look at the UNC list:

1. Brice Johnson 1,716

2. Rick Fox 1,703

3. Davis 1,615

4. Shammond Williams 1,445

5. Deon Thompson 1,414

6. Luke Maye 1,392 7. Garrison Brooks 1,276

8. Ademola Okulaja 1,254

9. Dante Calabria 1,098

10. Steve Hale 953

Fox wasn’t able to play as a senior in high school, and Okulaja was in Germany, but the other players were McDonald’s snubs who bloomed with the Tar Heels.

NC State (17) and Wake Forest (5) don’t have the same deep roster of McDonald’s players, but the list of top scorers includes some impressive talent.

NC State

1. Anthony Grundy 1,641

Todd Fuller 1,589

Tom Gugliotta 1,536

Lorenzo Charles 1,535

Thurl Bailey 1,495

Hornets’ tumultuous 2024-25 season comes to an end

Charlotte lost 12 of its final 13 games

By Jesse Deal North State Journal

CHARLOTTE — At the conclusion of another Charlotte Hornets season that leaves the squad with more questions than answers, the team’s playoff drought has now extended to an NBA-worst nine years.

Stability wasn’t exactly on the menu this year as the Hornets stumbled through recurring injuries, 45 different starting lineups, and a bizarre trade reversal on the way to a 19-63 record and 14th-place finish in the Eastern Conference standings.

This all comes on the heels of the team’s 21-win campaign last season and a 27-win season a year before that.

It was a disappointing introduction for Charlotte’s revamped coaching staff, front office and ownership group in a season that marked the fourth-worst record in the franchise’s 35-year history.

Jeff Peterson, Charlotte’s president of basketball operations, credited the team’s fans for sticking with them through the hard times this season, reiterating his belief in the roster’s “core four” of LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges and

DRAFT from page B1 class. “I can pass block, I can catch out the backfield and I can make defenders miss in the third level.”

Shavon Revel Jr. (ECU, CB)

While an ACL injury robbed Revel of most of his 2024 season, he’s still regarded as one of the premier defensive back talents in the draft.

Hailing from Winston-Salem, Revel spent two years at a JUCO, playing for Louisburg College, before transferring to East Carolina.

With the Pirates, Revel had 61 tackles, a sack, six passes defended and three interceptions. He’s seen as one of the most athletic cornerbacks in the class, and he had the third-highest combine score (84) due to his speed and vision.

Mark Williams going forward.

While nearly a decade without a first-round playoff appearance can eat away at the fervor of a fan base, the Hornets GM said he was proud of the local support his players received playing at home inside the Spectrum Center.

“Obviously the season didn’t go as we wanted it to, but their passion and consistency in terms of showing up and giving the guys support has been amazing,” Peterson said. “We want to put a sustainable prod-

James Pearce Jr. (Tennessee, EDGE)

Pearce was regarded by many as a potential No. 1 overall pick heading into the 2024 season, but he’s since fallen into late first-round, early second-round territory.

The Charlotte native is a physical force, standing at 6 -foot-5 and weighing 245 pounds, and he was still very productive this season for the Volunteers with 7.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss, good enough to be a first-team All-SEC selection. The biggest flaw for Pearce seems to be questions about his maturity and work ethic that have started to creep up.

SECOND DAY

Anthony Belton (NC State, OT)

Well-regarded for his size

uct on the floor. No one is happy that we won 19 games this year. The goal next year is to compete for the playoffs.”

Hornets coach Charles Lee also chose the optimistic approach when asked about his first year in the Queen City.

“It was a very gratifying year to work with this group, with all the resilience that they showed and the competitiveness,” Lee said after his team’s 93-86 road loss to Boston in the final game of the season. “There was a never-quit mentality in that lock-

“I’m a three-down back and I can do everything.”

Omarion Hampton, former UNC

(6 -foot-6, 336 lbs), Belton had a bit of an up-and-down season with NC State this year (the team allowed 28 sacks and 92 tackles for loss on the year), but he has the raw potential to be an eventual starter in the NFL.

Belton started 32 games for the Wolfpack across four seasons and was a third-team All-ACC selection in 2023.

Jared Wilson (Georgia, C)

The Winston-Salem native started 12 games for the Bulldogs this season and was also a second-team All-SEC selection.

er room. We also have to get better. I have to get better. We have to all keep growing with our approach, with our mindset. I think that we made a lot of progress this season and it’s going to have to continue in the offseason.”

Less than a month from now, Charlotte will cross its fingers as it hopes to become the big winner in the NBA Draft Lottery on May 12 for a chance to draft Duke freshman star Cooper Flagg with the top pick. The bottom trio in the cellar of the league standings — the Hornets, Utah Jazz (17-65) and Washington Wizards (18-64) — each have a 14% chance of landing the No. 1 draft pick in the NBA Draft on June 25.

However, the Hornets will need to control their own fate and plan to build their team identity around the pieces they already have available, letting the chips fall where they may in the upcoming draft.

The obvious centerpiece and question mark continues Ball at the point guard position.

Perpetually plagued by ankle injuries, the varying availability of the former All-Star has proven to be the crux of the Hornets’ general success; the team was 3-32 without their star player this year as he spent nearly 60% of the season on the sideline.

The Hornets announced on

Scouts have knocked him for his size (6-foot-3, 310 lbs) and power, but he had the highest athleticism score amongst all centers at the 2025 Combine.

THIRD DAY

Aeneas Peebles (Virginia Tech, DT)

The former Duke starter and Raleigh native earned first-team All-ACC honors this season with the Hokies and was named an AP third-team All-American as well.

He had 31 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, three passes broken up and three sacks on the year.

Willie Lampkin (UNC, C)

What Lampkin lacks in size (5-foot-10 and 270 pounds is well below average for an offensive lineman), he makes up for in football IQ and overall ability.

April 2 that Ball underwent successful surgeries on his right wrist and right ankle and was expected to resume full basketball activities in five to six weeks.

“Teams are trying to deny him, trying to be physical, and you can see early in the year when teams did it, it definitely bothered him,” Lee said of Ball. “As he got used to it, he got a lot more comfortable, so it’s going to start with his body. He’s got to get stronger and more conditioned to be able to play both sides of the ball and sustain efforts.”

If Ball can find a way to stay on the court, his chemistry with Bridges — who averaged 21.5 points per game after the All-Star break — can be a legitimate complement to the career progression of Miller as a budding star.

Charlotte’s willingness to trade Williams away to the Lakers doesn’t speak highly of the front office’s evaluation of the big man’s health or defensive abilities, but he did return to the Hornets and played with his head held high despite the awkwardness of the rescinded trade situation.

Despite all the losing of the past few years, some of the puzzle pieces are there if the Hornets can finally put them together and generate a consistent winning culture.

NFL analyst Lance Zierlein regarded Lampkin as having the best tape of any prospect in the 2025 draft, praising his speed, technique and athleticism.

Payton Page (Clemson, DT)

The Greensboro native was a one-year starter for the Tigers, registering 32 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a pick-six in 14 games. He was also named a third-team All-ACC selection this year.

UNC’s Kaimon Rucker, Bryson Nesbit, Jahvaree Ritzie, Power Echols and Alijah Huzzie were also amongst other invitees to the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, and other names to keep note of for potential flyers include NC State’s Davin Vann, Aydan White and Zeke Correll; Duke’s Alex Howard, Jordan Moore and Eli Pancol; and Elon’s Chandler Brayboy.

FRANK FRANKLIN II / AP PHOTO

Isaiah Evans’s two points in the ACC semis were the only ones scored for Duke by a McDonald’s All-American, snapping a 20-plus year streak.

CHRIS CARLSON / AP PHOTO

LaMelo Ball (center) fights to reach a loose ball during a March game against Orlando. Ball will need to bulk up and stay on the court to help the Hornets build on this year.

running back

Administrator’s Notice to Creditors

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

County of Cumberland

In the General Court of Justice

Superior Court Division Estate File # 25E000371-250

The undersigned having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Amos Avuve Ajo, 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 3rd day of July, 2025, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 3rd day of April, 2025, Administrator, Donna Marie Ajo

Address: 3910 Broookgreen Dr., Fayetteville, NC 28304 Of the Estate of Amos Avuve Ajo, Deceased

Notice to Creditors

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE

SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION

ESTATE FILE# 25E000495-250 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND

Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Donna Rene Beachum, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at 6416 Whitehall Dr. Fayetteville, NC 28303 on or before July 17 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

Dated this 17th day of April, 2025.

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

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF JOHN RUSSELL BILLINGS

CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 25E000341-250 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against John Russell Billings, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are notified to present their claims to Rachel K. Billings, CoExecutor, at 3790 Summer Rose Dr., Atlanta, GA 30341 and Matthew Billings, Co-Executor, at 725 S. Candler St., Decatur, GA 30030, on or before the 28th day of June, 2025 (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. Debtors of the Decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the Co-Executors named above. This the 21st day of March, 2025. Rachel Billings and Matthew Billings Co-Executors of the Estate of John Russell Billings Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: March 27, April 3, April 10 and April 17, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS: IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ESTATE FILE NUMBER: 25E000364-250 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND

Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Ronald E. Bredell, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all person, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at 7318 Avalon Drive, Fayetteville, NC 28303, on or before July 17, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. Dated this 15th day of April, 2025. Denise Bredell-Hill,Executor of the Estate of Ronald Ellis Bredell 7318 Avalon Drive Fayetteville,NC 28303-2419 (910) 538-0077

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA County of Cumberland In The General Court Of Justice Superior Court Division Estate File #25E000427-250 Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice

The undersigned, having qualified as executor of the estate of Thaddeus Roscoe Bullard, 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 June, 2025, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. Dated this 21st day of March, 2025. Douglas Patrick Bullard Executor for the Estate of Thaddeus Roscoe Bullard, deceased. 3228 Polly Island Rd. Autryville, NC 28318

Administrator’s Executor Notice in General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Estate File # 24E000507-250 State of North Carolina County of Cumberland

The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the estate of Raphael Cledwyn Calhoun, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firm and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to undersigned on or before the 27th Day of June 2025 ( which is the 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 undessigned.. This is the 27th of March, 2025 Raymond C Calhoun Administrator / Executor 4059 Broadview Lane Gastonia NC 28056 Of the Estate of Raphael Cledwyn Calhoun deceased

NOTICE

In the General Court of Justice, Superior Court Division, Estate file #25E000352-250, state of North Carilina, Cumberland County. Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Janie McDaris, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at 1107 Legend Creek Dr.,Hope Mills, NC 28348 on or before July 3,2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. Dated this 28th date of March 2025. Don McDaris, 1107 Legend Creek Dr., Hope Mills, NC 28348.

Executor’s Notice

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE

SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION

ESTATE FILE 25-E-000284-250

State of North Carolina Cumberland County NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Ruby Cooper Jackson, 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 4338 Macedonia Church Road, Fayetteville, North Carolina 28312 on or before July 3, 2025, 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 3rd day of April, 2025. Sandra Faye Jackson Bradshaw

Executor of the Estate of Ruby Cooper Jackson, Deceased c/o Gilliam Law Firm, PLLC J. Duane Gilliam, Jr., Attorney PO Box 53555 Fayetteville, NC 28305

04/03/2025, 04/10/2025, 04/17/2025 and 04/24/2025

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA In The General Court of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court Division Estate File # 24E682 Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice

The undersigned, having qualified as executor of the Estate of Willie Simon Geddie, 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 June, 2025 (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in the bar of their recovery. All debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 27th day of March, 2025 Holly Geddie Minnifield – Executor 3816 Burlington Drive Fayetteville, NC 28312 Of the Estate of Willie Simon Geddie

NOTICE

State of North Carolina In The General Court of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court Division Estate File # 2023 E001219 Administrator’s Notice

The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Cornelia Forte, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 27th of June, 2025, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 26th day of March 2025. Kevona Bethune 6446 Alliance Street Hope Mills, NC 28348 Of the Estate of Cornelia Forte

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA In The General Court of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court Division Estate File # 25E000452250 Administrator’s / Executor’s Notice

The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Jo-Ann McLean Capps, 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 3rd day of July, 2025 (which is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 26th day of March, 2025.

James David Capps, Administrator 539 West Summerchase Drive Fayetteville, NC 28311 Of the Estate of Jo-Ann McLean Capps, Deceased

NOTICE

State of North Carolina County of Cumberland

In the General Court of Justice, Superior Court

Division Estate File #25E000489-250

Executor’s Notice The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the estate of Carrie Canady, 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 10th day of July, 2025.

Derek Townsend 5215 Foxfire Rd Fayetteville, NC 28303 Of the Estate of Carrie Canady, Deceased

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF DANNY ROY CALKINS CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 25E000187-250 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Danny Roy Calkins, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are notified to present their claims to Danyelle Renee Fisher, Executor, at 1483 Wellman Rd., Ashville, NY 14710, on or before the 28th day of June, 2025 (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

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

This the 20th day of March, 2025.

Danyelle Renee Fisher Executor of the Estate of Danny Roy Calkins Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: March 27, April 3, April 10 and April 17, 2025

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA In The General Court of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court Division Estate File #25E000484-250 Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice

The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Minnie P. Keyes, 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 10th day of July, 2025, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 10th day of April, 2025. Felix Maurice Keyes Executor 993 Kingscote Drive Fayetteville, NC 28314 Of the Estate of Minnie P. Keyes, Deceased

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA In The General Court

Of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court Division

Estate File # 25E000360-250 Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice

The undersigned, having qualified as executor of the estate of Alice Faye Kiley, 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 10th day of July, 2025, (which is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 1st day of April, 2025 Lisa Lampkins Administrator/Executor 207 Peachtree St. Address Fayetteville, NC 28305 City, State, Zip Of the estate of Alice Faye Kiley , Deceased

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Division County of Cumberland

Estate File # 25E000448-250 Administrator’s/ Executor’s Notice

The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator/ Executor of the Estate of Brenda Bowen Maynor, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations havingclaims against said estate to present their claims to the undersigned on or before the 3rd day of July 2025, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 2nd day of April 2025.

Beverly Jean Edenfield, Administrator 2341 Crosshill Street Eastover, NC 28312 Of the Estate of Brenda Bowen Maynor, Deceased

Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice

The undersigned, having qualified as Shanna Mcclurkin of the Estate of Joann Mcclurkin, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms and Corporation having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 10th day July, 2025. (which date three months after the day of 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 10th day of April in the year 2025 Shanna Mcclurkin Administrator/Executor 937 Brookridge Fayetteville,NC 28314 Address Fayetteville, NC 28314 City, State, Zip Of the Estate of Joann Mcclurkin ,Deceased

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION Estate File # 25E000422-250 ESTATE OF: Leo D. Prevost, Jr.

EXECUTOR’S NOTICE

The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Leo D. Prevost, Jr., deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before, July 12, 2025, (which date is three months after the date of the first publication or posting 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 Notice is given pursuant to the provisions of G.S. 28A-14-1. This 10th Day of April, 2025. Dennis Prevost, Executor P.O. Box 6573 New Orleans, LA 70131 Of the Estate of Leo D. Prevost, Jr., Deceased

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA In The General Court of Justice County of Cumberland County Superior Court Division Estate File #2E000392-250 Administrator’s/Executors Notice The Undersigned, having qualified as Administrator/Executor of the State of Curt Dean Shane, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said to estate to present their claim to undersigned on or before the 27th day of June,2025, (which date is three months after the day of 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 20th day of March, 2025 Jenifer Ann Jackson 7020 Buckhorn Duncan road Holly Springs, North Carolina, 27540 Of the estate of Curt Dean Shane, Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

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

ESTATE FILE 25E000456-250

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: Hugh Edward Smith Executor’s NOTICE

The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the estate of Hugh Edward Smith, 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 10th day of July, 2025, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 10th day of April, 2025. Terri Pettigrew 115 Glenn Oak Dr, Sanford, NC 27332, Executor of the estate of Hugh Edward Smith, deceased February 08, 2025.

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA In The General Court of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court Division Estate File #25E000540-250

Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice

The undersigned, having qualified as Executor in the Estate of Freddie L Thompson, 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 11th day of July, 2025, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 7th day of April, 2025. George D Thompson, Administrator/Executor 967 Demeter Lane Hope Mills, NC 28348 Of the

NOTICE

E-001240-640), 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,

of April 2025. Claire Daughtry Executor ESTATE OF MARY S. DAUGHTRY David Anderson Attorney at Law 9111 Market St, Ste A Wilmington, NC 28411 Publish: April 3, 2025 April 10, 2025 April 17, 2025 April 24, 2025

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA

Randall S. Hoose, Jr. Hoose Law, PLLC 705 Princess Street Wilmington, NC 28401-4146

Please publish 04/17, 04/24, 05/01, 05/08

NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS STATE OF NORTH

CAROLINA NEW HANOVER COUNTY IN THE

GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT

DIVISION Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Michael Travis Wheeler, aka Mike, Chopper, deceased, late of New Hanover County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the Estate of said Michael Travis Wheeler, aka Mike, Chopper to present them to the undersigned on or before the 27th day of June, 2025 (this date being 3 months from the first publication date of this notice) or same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 27 thday of March 2025. Abbey Wheeler 122 Long Leaf Drive Wilmington, NC 28401 Executor of the Estate of Michael Travis Wheeler

CREDITOR’S NOTICE

Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Marilyn Miller Von Oesen, deceased, late of New Hanover County, North Carolina, this is to notify that all persons having claims against the said estate to present such claims to the undersigned on or before the 30th day of June 2025, or this notice will be placed in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment. This 27th day of March, 2025. Anna Von Oesen Hughes 1028 Arboretum Drive Wilmington, NC 28405 Robert C. Kenan, Jr. MOORE & KENAN Attorneys at Law P. O. Box 957 Burgaw, NC 28425 (910) 259-9800 Published: 03/27/2025; 04/03/25; 04/10/25; 04/17/25

ORANGE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Probate #_25E000169-670_____________

All persons, firm and corporations having claims against Charles Gordon Zug, III, late of Orange County, North Carolina are hereby notified to present them to Daphne Cruze-Zug., 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 27th day of June, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the above named Executor. Kendall H. Page 210 N Columbia Street Chapel Hill, NC 27514 Bar # 14261 Notice to Run: 3/27/2025,4/3/2025, 4/10/2025 & 4/17/202

on a map thereof, recorded in Map Book 47, Page 82, Cabarrus County Public Registry. Together with improvements located hereon; said property being located at 3603 Grove Creek Pond Drive SW, Concord, NC 28027. Tax ID: 5518 35 2548 0000 Third party purchasers must pay the recording cost of the Substitute Trustee’s

RANDOLPH

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Having qualified as executor on the estate of Horace Clenon Coleman , deceased , late of Randolph County , North Carolina , this is to notify all persons having claims against the estate of said deceased to exhibit to them to the undersigned at 4371 Willow Grove Trail , Asheboro NC 27205 on or before the 10th day of July, 2025 , or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment . This 2nd day of April 2025 . Steve Coleman Executor of the estate of Horace Clenon Coleman

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

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

Deed, any land transfer taxes and the excise tax, pursuant North Carolina General Statutes §105-228.30, in the amount of One Dollar ($1.00) per each Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or fractional part

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the bid or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale and must be tendered in the form of certified funds. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts

to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, special assessments, land transfer taxes, if any, and encumbrances of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owners of the property are James Robbins

the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are The Estate of Jack A. Latham. 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

relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of

SUBJECT TO all of the terms, provisions conditions, obligations limitations, restrictions and easements binding upon the

Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on April 21, 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: PIN: 0530-45-8798-102 Property Address: 332-2 Bubble Creek Court, Fayetteville, NC 28311 Being all of Unit 2, as shown on a plat entitled “King’s Grant Condominiums, Phase IV, Building No. 3” duly recorded in Condominium and Unit Ownership Book 5, Page 45, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina. Including the Unit located thereon; said unit being located at 332 Bubble Creek Court, Unit 2, Fayetteville, North Carolina. TOGETHER WITH the undivided interest in the Common Elements and Limited Common Elements allocated to said Units by the Declaration of King’s Grant Condominiums recorded in Book 4570, Page 521, of the Cumberland County, NC, Registry, and all rights and easement appurtenant to said Unit as specifically enumerate in the Declaration and any amendments thereto.

Units and Unit Owners as more particularly set forth in the aforesaid Declaration and any amendments thereto. 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,

2007 and recorded on September 10,

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

23SP000655-660

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Jesse Thomas Cole (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Jesse Thomas Cole) to Pamela S. Cox, Trustee(s), dated November 24, 2020, and recorded in Book No. 5322, at Page 495 in Onslow 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 Onslow 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 Jacksonville, Onslow

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION RANDOLPH COUNTY 24sp000084-750

IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY HAL H. WALKER AND ROSILAND W. WALKER

DATED JULY 3, 2002 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 1772 AT PAGE 1123 IN THE RANDOLPH COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA

NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the abovereferenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to

2007 in Book 5230 at Page 76 of the New Hanover County, North Carolina Registry. The Property shall be sold together with improvements located thereon, towards satisfaction of the debt due by William S. Elliot, and secured by the lien against such property in favor of Navy Federal Credit Union.

The Commissioner will offer for sale to the highest bidder at a public auction at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on April 22, 2025 at 01:00 PM the following described real property (including all improvements thereon) located in New Hanover County, North Carolina and described as follows: TRACT ONE:

BEGINNING AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE NORTHERN LINE OF GREEN STREET WITH THE WESTERN LINE OF ANDERSON STREET: RUNS THENCE NORTHWARDLY IN THE WESTERN LINE OF ANDERSON STREET 33 FEET; THENCE WESTERLY PARALLEL WITH GREEN STREET 56 FEET; THENCE SOUTHWARDLY AND PARALLEL WITH ANDERSON STREET 33 FEET TO THE NORTHERN LINE OF GREEN STREET, THENCE EASTWARDLY ALONG THE EASTWARDLY LINE OF ANDERSON STREET, THE POINT OF BEGINNING. SAME BEING A PART OF THE EASTERN END OF LOT 5, IN BLOCK 269, ACCORDING TO THE OFFICIAL PLAN OF THE CITY OF WILMINGTON, N.C. TRACT TWO:

County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 10:00 AM on April 23, 2025 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Jacksonville in the County of Onslow, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot 186 as shown on that plat entitled, “Horse Creek Farms, Section V-A” as recorded in Map Book 32, Page 205, Onslow County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 207 Chaparral Trail, Jacksonville, North Carolina. COMMONLY known as 207 Chaparral Trail, Jacksonville, North Carolina 28546

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.

demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Randolph County courthouse at 1:00PM on April 30, 2025, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Randolph County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Hal H. Walker and Rosiland W. Walker, dated July 3, 2002 to secure the original principal amount of $116,850.00, and recorded in Book 1772 at Page 1123 of the Randolph County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended. Address of property: 815 Trollinger Rd, Asheboro, NC 27203 Tax Parcel ID: 7 760191751 Present Record Owners: Matthew Lambert Walker and

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION RANDOLPH COUNTY 25sp000049-750 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY MICHELLE M. MAHER DATED JUNE 8, 2022 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 2809 AT PAGE 2051 IN THE RANDOLPH COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the abovereferenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Randolph County courthouse at 11:00AM on April 23, 2025, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Randolph County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Michelle M. Maher, dated June 8, 2022 to secure the original principal amount of $100,000.00, and recorded in Book 2809 at Page 2051 of the Randolph County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended. Address of property: 1 810 Pleasant Street, Asheboro, NC 27203 Tax Parcel ID: 7 762172697 Present Record Owners: Michelle M. Maher The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Michelle M. Maher.

at 1:00 PM on April 22, 2025,

following described real estate and

situated thereon, in Randolph County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Robert J Efird, dated April 6, 2006 to secure the original principal amount of $52,584.00, and recorded in Book No. 1967, at Page 2368 of the Randolph County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended. Address of property: 5 016 Poplar Ridge Rd, Trinity, NC 27370-8103 Tax Parcel ID: 7 714245674 The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Robert J Efird.

BEGINNING AT A POINT IN THE WESTERN LINE OF ANDERSON STREET 33 FEET NORTHWARDLY FROM ITS INTERSECTION WITH THE NORTHERN LINE OF GREEN STREET AND RUNNING

THENCE WESTWARDLY PARALLEL WITH GREEN STREET 56 FEET; THENCE

NORTHWARDLY PARALLEL WITH ANDERSON STREET 33 FEET; THENCE

EASTWARDLY PARALLEL WITH GREEN STREET 56 FEET TO THE WESTERN LINE OF ANDERSON STREET; THENCE

SOUTHWARDLY ALONG THE WESTERN LINE OF ANDERSON STREET 33 FEET TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING; SAME BEING A PART OF LOT 5, IN BLOCK 269, ACCORDING TO THE OFFICIAL PLAN OF THE CITY OF WILMINGTON, N.C.

The above described property will be sold, transferred and conveyed “AS IS, WHERE IS” subject to liens or encumbrances of record which are superior to such Deed of Trust, together with all unpaid taxes and assessments and any recorded releases. Neither the Commissioner nor the holder of the debt secured by such Deed of Trust, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Commissioner or the holder of the debt make any representation of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health, or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such conditions expressly are disclaimed. The Commissioner shall convey title to the property by non-warranty deed,

§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

Hal Hammer Walker III The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Matthew Lambert Walker and Hal Hammer Walker III. The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and

without any covenants or warranties, express or implied.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 1-339.29 (c) in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the judge or clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice

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

dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing. SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be

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

must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a

RANDOLPH

the BRIEF this week

White House restricts all wire service access in Gulf of America spat Washington, D.C.

The White House enacted a new media policy this week that reduces access to President Donald Trump for wire services, including the AP, particularly in small venues like the Oval Office. This follows a court ruling that the administration violated the AP’s free speech rights by banning it from certain events for, the administration claims, not using the name “Gulf of America.” The new policy says the press secretary will choose who gets access to the president. It does, however, obey the court’s order by giving the AP the same access as competitor wire services. The White House Correspondents’ Association and AP have condemned the policy, arguing it undermines press freedom and the public’s right to information.

Salvation Army closes “emergency” homeless shelter as funds run dry Fayetteville The Salvation Army announced the immediate closure of its Pathway of Hope “emergency shelter” in Fayetteville, leaving more than 50 people who had been using the facility without a place to sleep. “We have no funding partners, and we cannot continue to offer shelter without funding,” said a Salvation Army representative. It was the primary emergency shelter in the county. Other agencies and nonprofits were working to assist those displaced by the sudden closure.

Stevenson, former Seaforth star, commits to Tar Heels

The 6-foot-11 forward averaged 5.4 points and three rebounds at Alabama

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

FORMER SEAFORTH bas-

ketball star Jarin Stevenson is coming back home.

Stevenson, the Chapel Hill native who spent his first two

college seasons at Alabama, committed to UNC, per a late Sunday night report from On3’s Joe Tipton. The commitment comes days after reports announced the 6-foot-11 and 215-pound forward entered the transfer portal with a “do not contact tag” on April 9. Stevenson is another frontcourt addition for the Tar Heels in this transfer portal window, joining former Arizona big Hen-

last season, especially after giving up 74.7 points per game (fifth-worst scoring defense in the ACC).

Stevenson had an up-anddown career at Alabama, averaging 5.4 points and three rebounds per game across the two seasons.

19

Points for Stevenson in the 2024 Elite Eight

ri Veesaar, who committed to UNC on April 4. Bigger bodies in the paint and on the perimeter were huge needs for UNC

Superintendent delivers defense of DEI in response to federal mandate

Anthony Jackson stated the district was in full compliance with federal law

By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record

PITTSBORO — Following the Trump administration’s

See STEVENSON, page A10

he said. “I want to be clear that I’ve also signed the certification as required, affirming our legal obligation not to discriminate on the basis of race, color or national origin. However, I believe it’s essential to go further and to clarify not just what we are doing, but why.

Jackson, who spoke during the Chatham County Schools Board of Education’s April 14 meeting, stated he wanted to publicly share his position after receiving multiple calls on the issue.

“Chatham County Schools has always operated in full compliance with federal law,”

mandate earlier this month requiring districts to sign a certification stating they were complying with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and not utilizing “illegal DEI practices” in order to continue receiving federal funding, Chatham County Schools Superintendent Anthony Jackson delivered an impassioned speech defending the district’s policies and practices.

Ex-congressman Nickel launches bid to unseat Tillis

“This is a moment for a new generation of leadership with a fresh vision and the courage to fight for what’s right. And that’s exactly what I’ll do in the U.S. Senate.”

The Democrat served one term in the U.S. House before his district was redrawn in 2024

By Gary D. Robertson The Associated Press

mined congressional redistricting that year by Republican state legislators made it essentially impossible to win his seat again. A Nickel news release at the time said he would “explore a path forward” in the Senate.

As a freshman, Stevenson played significant minutes and made five starts for the Crimson Tide, notching a few double-digit scoring performances off the bench and solid defensive play. He became a valuable piece in Alabama’s fast-paced offense with his ability to run the floor and shoot 3s at his size. Stevenson’s abilities came up huge in the 2024 NCAA Tour$2.00

Wiley Nickel in a campaign video

RALEIGH — Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel announced last Wednesday his candidacy to try to unseat Sen. Thom Tillis in 2026, saying a “fighter for what’s right for our state” is needed and criticizing the Republican incumbent for backing President Donald Trump’s agenda. Nickel signaled his interest in a Senate bid in late 2023, when the Raleigh-area congressman decided against seeking a second House term the next year because he deter-

A lawyer and former state senator, Nickel served in Congress though the end of last year and sought to build up name recognition in Democratic circles statewide by supporting party policies and raising money for party candidates in 2024. In a campaign video marking the campaign’s formal launch, Nickel linked Tillis squarely to Trump and his early-term actions, as well as those of Elon Musk, who has spearheaded the Department

“While I respect the legal process, I am deeply concerned about the implication that diversity, equity and inclusion, commonly referred to as DEI, is unlawful. It is not. Let me be clear. DEI is not illegal. Nothing in current law prohibits

See DEI, page A7

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Jarin Stevenson (15) plays defense against fellow Chatham County product Drake Powell during Alabama’s game against UNC last December. Stevenson will be suiting up for the Tar Heels next season.

Chatham County mails tax reappraisal notices to residents

Chatham News & Record staff

CHATHAM County property owners are receiving tax reappraisal notices in the mail providing estimates of their real property values as of Jan. 1, 2025.

The Chatham County Tax Office recently sent these notices as part of the county’s fouryear reappraisal cycle, with the previous reappraisal occurring

in 2021. North Carolina state law requires counties to conduct reappraisals at least once every eight years, but Chatham County commissioners opted for the shorter cycle. According to the tax office, the reappraisal process is designed to distribute property tax burdens equitably across the county based on current market values. Many areas of Chatham County have experienced in-

creased market values since the last assessment.

To determine new market values for more than 48,000 properties, the tax office analyzed recorded property sales, building cost data, income and expense information, and other relevant metrics.

Property owners who disagree with their 2025 reappraisal have until May 19 to file an appeal online at chathamcountync.gov/appraisal or by printing and submitting a paper form.

The county encourages residents to compare their assessed property value with similar sales by visiting the county’s Comper website at chathamcountync.gov/comper and using that information when deciding whether to appeal.

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

April 17

Pittsboro Farmers Market

3-6 p.m.

The Plant 192 Lorax Lane Pittsboro

Opinionation Trivia at House of Pops

6-8 p.m.

Join House of Hops every Thursday, 6-8 p.m. for Opinionation Trivia. This Family Feud-style trivia game is so much fun! Play at 6 p.m. and again at 7 p.m. for two chances to win $15 or $25 House of Hops gift cards. More events at House of Hops; part of Chatham County’s Craft Beverages and Country Inns Trail.

112 Russet Run Suite 110 Pittsboro

April 19

April 14

• Juan Plata, 35, of Siler City, was arrested for larceny, communicating threats, resisting arrest and assault on a female.

• Mark Austin Crider, 27, of Pittsboro, was arrested for larceny, stolen property offenses, and resisting, delaying or obstructing an officer.

• 204 Sugarland Drive (Apex), 0.18 acres, 3 bed/2 bath, $400,000

• 471 Deer Run (Pittsboro), 4.92 acres, 3 bed/ 2 bath, $400,000

• 298 E. Salisbury Street (Pittsboro), 0.40 acres, 3bed/2 bath, $600,000

• 9550 Silk Hope Liberty Road (Siler City), 73.740 acres, 3 bed/3bath, $1,450,000

• 557 Olives Chapel Road (Apex), 12.802 acres, 3 bed/3 bath, $2,500,000

LAND

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

• 170 Cherokee Drive (Chapel Hill), 1.150 acres, $100,000

• 188 Cherokee Drive (Chapel Hill), 1.150 acres, $100,000

• 327 Poplar Trail (Siler City), 5.022 acres, $150,000

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

• Tract 1 Robedo Road (Mount Gilead), 15.123 acres, $227,000

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

RESIDENTIAL

• 2930 Wayne White Road (Climax), 7.60 acres, 3 bed/2.5 bath, $250,000

• 5515 Rives Chapel Church Road (Siler City), 2.607acres, 3 bed/2 bath, $295,000

• 1115 Manco Dairy Road (Pittsboro), 14 acres, 3 bed/1 bath, $500,000

• Tract 3 Robedo Road (Mount Gilead), 17.029 acres, $256,000

• Tract 2 Robedo Road (Mount Gilead), 17.425 acres, $262,000

• 323 Wagon Trace (Pittsboro), 10.255 acres, $295,000

• 639 Hills of the Haw Road (Pittsboro), 5.2470 acres, $450,000

• 0 Chatham Church Road (Moncure), 15.94 acres, $750,000

• 00 US Highway 64 W (Siler City), 7.87 acres, $800,000

• 0 JB Morgan Road (Apex), 21 acres, $825,000

• 389 Dewitt Smith Road (Pittsboro), 9.109 acres, 3 bed/2 bath, $500,000

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

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

THIS WEEK’S VIDEO

The Land Buying Process Explained (in under 2 Minutes!)

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

• 8636/8710 Johnson Mill Road (Bahama),182.888 acres, $2,800,000

• 0 US 64 W (Siler City), 9.670 acres, $4,500,000

• 0 Olives Chapel Road (Apex), 75.4330 acres, $15,300,000 COMMERCIAL IMPROVED

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

• 140 & 148 East Street (Pittsboro), 1.49 acres, $1,350,000

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

• 10681 US Hwy 64 E (Apex), 3.97 acres, $1,000,000

• 1700 Hillsboro Street (Pittsboro), 29.79 acres, $4,500,000

Chatham Mills Farmers Market

8 a.m. to noon

Growers-only farmers market. Join us each Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon.

480 Hillsborough St. Pittsboro

April 21

Chatham County Board of Commissioners Work and Regular Sessions 2-11:59 p.m.

Chatham County Courthouse 40 E. Chatham St. Pittsboro

April 23

Jazz Night at The Sycamore at Chatham Mills

6-9 p.m.

Every Wednesday night, from 6-9 p.m., The Sycamore at Chatham Mills hosts live Jazz Nights. The series features a rotating list of local musicians. The Sycamore also offers their Lounge Menu in the dining room on Wednesday nights. Reservations are highly recommended.

480 Hillsboro St. Suite 500 Pittsboro

If

or

to pack in boxes for families before Easter.

‘Easter for Thousands’ feeds families in need for 30th year

Volunteers across four locations provided Easter meals for an estimated 92,000 people

By Dan Reeves Chatham News & Record

SILER CITY — Churches, food banks and nonprofits arrived early, starting at 5 a.m. Saturday, at Mountaire Farms’ employee parking lot in Siler City for the company’s “Easter for Thousands” event.

Volunteers of all ages, city officials, law enforcement and company employees donated their time and energy to pack thousands of boxed meals for families facing challenging times in Chatham, Randolph, Lee, Guilford and Alamance counties.

Each box contained enough food to feed a family of four: a roaster chicken, two cans each of green beans and carrots, a box of macaroni and cheese, chicken and rice, cornbread mix and a brownie mix for dessert. All of it arrived just in time for Easter weekend.

“We want everyone to feel good about food security,” said Liz Mauney, manager of Mountaire Cares.

Mountaire Farms, the fourth-largest chicken company in the United States, celebrated its 30th year of “Easter for Thousands,” an initiative of Mountaire Cares, the philanthropic arm of the company. The aim of the program is

to give back to communities by providing not only nutrition to the underfed but also a hearty meal to families on Easter Sunday. This year’s event took place simultaneously at four Mountaire locations: Selbyville, Delaware, Siler City, Lumberton and Statesville. Across all four sites, volunteers packed a total of 23,000 boxes, providing Easter meals for an estimated 92,000 people.

After Iris Jordan, Mountaire’s onsite chaplain, offered an invocational prayer, an assembly line moved with precision to pack boxes, which were loaded into trucks and distributed by 11:30 a.m.

“We’ve got it down to a science,” Mauney said. “They get started, the music starts

“We’ve

got it down to

a science. They get started, the music starts playing, and watch out, they’re rolling.”

Liz Mauney, Mountaire Cares

playing, and watch out, they’re rolling.”

Volunteers were fed by the culinary department at Chatham Central High School, led by teacher Everett Goldston and the school’s Bear Claw Café, which provided chicken biscuits made with Mountaire poultry, coffee and hot chocolate.

“Everybody raved about the breakfast from the Bear Claw, and it was really cool to have the culinary department be a part of the program as well,” Mauney said.

By the time the event was over and all the trucks had driven off to distribution centers around the state, the “Easter for Thousands” event was deemed a success thanks to the many families who will enjoy a wholesome meal on Easter Sunday.

“I was very grateful for all the help I got not only from our employee volunteers but also our community volunteers who came out to help put this event together,” Mauney said. “There were a lot of Easter activities happening this weekend, and I want to thank those who chose to come here.”

Church

OAKLEY BAPTIST CHURCH

2300 Siler City-Glendon Rd., Siler City

EASTER ACTIVITIES

Maundy Thursday Service

Thursday, April 17, 7 p.m.

Easter Egg Hunt

Saturday, April 19, 1-3 p.m.

Easter Sunday, April 20

Sunrise Service – 8 a.m.

Breakfast – 8:15 a.m.

Worship – 9:30 a.m.

Everyone is welcome to attend!

SANDY BRANCH BAPTIST CHURCH

We would like to invite everyone to come celebrate Easter with us at Sandy Branch. Our Good Friday service will be held at 7 p.m. on April 18 as we remember the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus. On Easter Sunday, we will have breakfast at 8 a.m., followed by our Easter Worship Service at 9 a.m. as we celebrate the resurrection. We will be decorating the cross with flowers. Sunday School will finish up the day’s activities at 10 a.m. We will have an Easter Egg Hunt for the children during Sunday School. We are located at 715 Sandy Branch Church Road in Bear Creek, and you are always welcome.

“He is not here, for He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where He lay.” (Matthew 28:6)

of Government Efficiency.

“When the chips are down, Thom Tillis lays down for the billionaires, for the extremists, for policies that hurt North Carolina,” the 49-year-old Nickel said. “This is a moment for a new generation of leadership with a fresh vision and the courage to fight for what’s right. And that’s exactly what I’ll do in the U.S. Senate.”

Tillis, who was first elected to the Senate in 2014, is already raising money for his 2026 reelection bid. His seat is considered by Democrats one of a handful that they could potentially flip next year in their effort to take back the Senate majority. Tillis’ victories in 2014 and 2020 were narrow.

Other Democrats could still enter the race, with the chief consideration going to former Gov. Roy Cooper, who was barred by term limits from seeking a third term last fall. Mentioned among the top options to be Kamala Harris’ running mate last year, the 67-yearold Cooper is the state’s most popular Democrat and would automatically be considered the front-runner in a March 2026 primary if he joined. Cooper, who is currently on a short-term teaching stint at Harvard University, “wants to continue making a difference and he is taking time to thoughtfully consider what he does next,” Cooper consultant Morgan Jackson wrote in a text message.

Some smaller-name Republicans so far have announced a primary bid against Tillis. Some ardent pro-Trump supporters have questioned his fealty to the president.

Tillis has been engaged in a delicate balancing act of voicing skepticism of Trump’s plans for tariffs or his pick for defense secretary, but then often turning to support the president’s agenda.

The politics are clearly on his mind. During a Senate hearing last Tuesday with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, he pressed the White House to think through the political ramifications of trying to remake the economy.

Tillis told Greer he was “trying to figure out if” voters would look favorably on Trump’s trade strategy next year “because a long-term play in American politics and a long-term play in American public policy formation is about 12 months.”

Still, Tillis last week voted against a Democratic effort to nullify the tariffs placed on Canadian imports.

Although Nickel talked about consensus-building while representing a Raleigh-area swing district in Congress, he was known for backing a left-leaning platform while in the legislature. Nickel highlighted last Wednesday a career that has included working as a White House staffer in Barack Obama’s administration.

In a news release, Tillis campaign manager Abby Roesch called Nickel “a radical leftwing trial lawyer who was a rubber stamp for Joe Biden’s failed liberal agenda” and seeks to be the same in the Senate.

Meanwhile, Roesch said, Tillis “has a proven record of delivering results for North Carolinians,” such as helping Trump pass tax cuts in his first term and approving disaster aid — such as after Hurricane Helene.

NICKEL from page A1

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Volunteers pull out Mountaire’s signature “roaster” chickens

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Liz Mauney, manager of Mountaire Cares, directs operations in Siler City on Saturday.

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

Sing the faith

While I do not doubt the existence of a Creator, I often struggle to discern the presence of holiness amidst the discordant voices of society.

“WHOEVER SINGS, prays twice.”

St. Augustine is credited with this line. I love to sing and not only sacred music. I sing the nasally tunes of Bob Dylan, the sweet grooviness of Paul Simon and the bouncy soundtrack of “Moana.”

I sing hymns in and out of church, such as the ancient Celtic poem “Be Thou My Vision.”

I also sing commercial jingles with gusto! This is Holy Week for Christians, which culminates in the triumphant music of Easter when “alleluias” ring in the air to the fanfare of trumpets. We sing, “Christ the Lord is risen today!” But I’m getting ahead of myself.

First, there are the mournful dirges referencing the crucifixion. Charles Wesley, a prolific hymn writer, claimed that he’d trade all his compositions for “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” by Isaac Watts. I prefer the spirituals, such as “Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?” Both hymns imagine the singer at the

cross of Jesus. Singing can transport one across time and space. Merely hearing the familiar opening bars of a tune can take you to another place. I remember singing on Easter as a child in church, the melodies echoing off the brick floor in the sanctuary and also crooning in my bedroom to Bruce Springsteen. Another great musician, Pete Townshend, defined an anthem as “praying onstage.” I think he meant there is a connection to something beyond yourself. Yet another mystical aspect of singing is that we are transported beyond ourselves into a community. In “Amazing Grace,” the first stanza is about “a wretch like me” but shifts to a chorus by the end of the fourth stanza: “When we’ve been there ten thousand years.” No wonder biblical descriptions of heaven often involve choirs: “Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand (Revelation 5:11). We won’t have that many worshippers in church on

Knowledge that faith exists is what makes life meaningful

I really am trying to do better at not doing that, but I don’t always follow through.

LONG AGO and far away, when I was a mere lad, my mama was fond of saying, among other things, that there was a “big difference between faith and knowledge.”

Usually she then would cite some example, most of which I either was unaware of or did not understand, to prove her point.

Since those carefree days of boyhood, I have come to understand some of the examples Mama spoke of, at least the ones I can remember, but of even greater value is that now I understand the meaning of her proverb. That does not mean, however, that I am the best at practicing one over the other, especially the faith one. Call it a character flaw or an example of my humanity, but I don’t always have the patience to practice faith. That is why, for example, I may turn to the back of the book after a few pages at the front to see how the thing turns out. It may also explain why sometimes I cut in on someone’s conversation, anxious to move it along because I have something profound to say or to point out, and I don’t want to forget whatever it is. I really am trying to do better at not doing that, but I don’t always follow through. Sometimes, when really trying to listen to other folks, I don’t say anything at all, and then that’s perceived as not caring. It can be tough to be a listener. All that is to say something about faith in general, especially at this time of year: “Faith” is an encompassing word with many different meanings. Faith in what ... or in whom ... and by whom and what for — those are just a few possibilities. It takes faith when you’re down to believe that one day you’ll be up. It takes faith to go out on a limb

or to go against popular opinion if you’re convinced you’re right. It takes faith to wait on other folks to do whatever when you’re pretty sure you can do it better. In a nutshell, the list can be endless. Please don’t get me wrong; I’m not putting down faith or suggesting we not have it. I’m just admitting sometimes it’s easier to have it than at other times. For example, I wouldn’t find it hard to have faith, without looking, that it is not snowing on July 4 even if my entire family tried to tell me otherwise. But in mid-January, after it’s been 10 below for a week and I haven’t peeked out the window for a couple of days, if someone told me we were having a blizzard and asked if I believed them, I might find it hard not to sneak my own look-see just to make sure.

This time of year, the resurrection of Jesus, is, of course, for the Christian church, the apex of faith. Baseball has the World Series, football has the Super Bowl and college basketball has March Madness. The church has what many call Easter or, by many others, Resurrection Sunday, an effort to move away from celebrating rabbits and eggs to focus on the spiritual. It’s when men and women of faith (there’s that word again), if they will, take a look at what they say guides them in their outlook on life all year and, indeed, all of their lives.

The Book that’s such a big part of that Easter faith tells us we ought to help one another, bear each other’s burdens and learn from one another. And I do have enough faith to believe that when that comes about that it is a help to us in our own struggles.

Some time ago, my better half and I were

Sunday. Yet, I look forward to adding my voice to the music in the air.

For many in our post-Christian society, Easter is just another Sunday in the year. I have studied the doctrines of Christian faith, yet ultimately, the resurrection is not an argument. Whether or not one believes that the stone was rolled away from the tomb of Jesus, time certainly rolls on. We live and work in this world. Will we move in harmony with our fellow humans?

While I do not doubt the existence of a Creator, I often struggle to discern the presence of holiness amidst the discordant voices of society. Yet I know to sing, “All creatures of our God and King, lift up your voice and with us sing: Alleluia, Alleluia!” And that is enough.

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.

at an event at which a young man who hails from this area spoke of his Christian faith, of how it had turned his life around for the better, and of how he had sensed he needed to exercise his faith by stretching beyond his comfort zone. Doing that would require a big step of faith, even a leap into the unknown, and that’s not the most comfortable place for most of us.

Long story short, the young man did that, took that leap and is moving along in his ever-expanding and growing adventure of life and faith. As I listened to his story, it reminded me of a chapter in my story when, years ago, the place I found myself was no longer a satisfying place, and I, along with my family, took a leap of faith.

Sometimes, even today, as I reflect on that several-years-ago adventure, I marvel at it all but — and it’s a big but — there is this benefit of such a step of faith: Never have I felt “more alive” than when I was at that place then.

Forgive the rambling, dear reader, and suffice it to say what I’m trying to say is that sometimes, maybe even most times, “faith” trumps “knowledge” as the more important road map on the journey of life. May your faith map be clear enough to get you not to where you may be headed at the moment but to the place you should be headed for all time. And remember, keep the faith ... just not to yourself.

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

COLUMN | ANDREW TAYLOR-TROUTMAN

COLUMN | BOB WACHS

Be on the lookout; it’s there

Now, c’mon, who would have thought that, behind a 110-yearold framed photograph, I’d find a lonely Cupid?

MILDEW AND MAGIC. What? You’re kidding, right?

I’m not. Still, could you possibly imagine that an unpleasant encounter with mildew would lead me down a road to discovering Cupid?

Not in a million years.

But it did.

I’d done a thorough job of sorting and releasing decades (and decades) of family heirlooms inherited at my mother’s death. Granted, several items were stuffed back in a closet while I struggled with the nostalgic conundrum of “I don’t know what to do with this” but felt too guilty to give away. (You’ve been there?)

My nostalgic procrastinations finally caught up with me. The not-so-lovely scent of mildew wafted out of a closet. The closet where I’d stashed my remaining I-don’t-know-what-to-do-with-this family heirlooms. This unwelcome mildew aroma overrode any remaining guilt I had about releasing the items.

One of the heirlooms was a humongous, 21-by-25-inch framed photograph, 110 -plus years old, of my Ukrainian Jewish grandparents. They reached Ellis Island in 1906. I wanted that photograph! The frame, however, overpoweringly reeked of mildew, burning my eyes. Fortunately, my inner Girl Scout, alive and well, stepped right up to the fore. Those, long ago, Girl Scout carving skills just kicked right in. Probably way too late for a merit badge, you think?

Settling the heavy frame in a plastic garbage bag, I began carving away at the framed photograph’s backing, tossing the detritus into the plastic bag. Call it what you will — luck, serendipity,

COLUMN | SUSAN ESTRICH

whatever — just then, I peered down at the contents accumulating in the garbage bag. OMG, face up, there was an old, old, sepia photographic reproduction. It had been utilized as the backing for my grandparent’s over-110-year-old framed photo!

Yowzers! Entitled “Cupid Awake,” dated 1897, and the photographer’s name was present. My Google addiction kicked right in. On it in a flash! Discovered a series of these same old photographic reproductions for sale on eBay and elsewhere, ranging in price from $20 to $200. Now, c’mon, who would have thought that, behind a 110-year-old framed photograph, I’d find a lonely Cupid? I still wanted my grandparents’ long-ago photograph, but an ancient reproduction of a bare-chested Cupid cherub holding arrows? Um, not so much. Mensch that I am, a loving and nonmildewed home was found for Ms. Cupid. After 110 years, she could finally see the light of day, happily ensconced on the living room wall of an appreciative and kitsch-loving photographer friend.

So there! Oh, wait, wait. Don’t run away just yet! The surprise unveiling of Cupid was a much-needed reminder for me. A reminder that we, humans, can still take breath in the midst of life’s challenges, inclusive of odiferous mildew. Just be on the lookout. Your unseen gift may be peeking out at you. We never know, do we?

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

Obama speaks out; where is George W. Bush?

“Imagine if I had done any of this.”

Barack Obama

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA finally did last week what so many of us have been waiting for him — and Bill Clinton and George W. Bush — to do. He stood up and spoke out about the threat to our constitutional democracy posed by Donald Trump.

There is a very nice tradition that former presidents don’t step up to criticize their successors, particularly during their “honeymoon” period. It is a nicety that we can’t afford when, as now, our very democracy is in danger. Obama asked the question we’ve all been asking: What would Republicans do if it was a Democrat who tried to do some of the things that Trump is doing so cavalierly?

“Imagine if I had done any of this,” he asked his audience at Hamilton College. Imagine he had threatened to destroy law firms that didn’t like the Affordable Care Act, or brought litigation against it, as Trump has done with his executive orders targeting firms that once employed lawyers who investigated him, or had pro bono programs he doesn’t like. “It’s unimaginable that the same parties that are silent now would have tolerated behavior like that from me or a whole bunch of my predecessors. ... Imagine if I had pulled Fox News’ credentials from the White House press corps, as this president has done to the AP.

Republicans, and the media, would have raised holy hell, as they did when Obama tried to block officials from speaking to Fox News. That policy was swiftly reversed because of the backlash. Where is the backlash now?

And where is Bush?

America needs its former presidents to speak out about the abuse of presidential power that this president is engaged in. We need to hear more from Clinton, who Republicans were prepared to impeach for having a consensual relationship with Monica Lewinsky. How can you do that and then sit silently while this president, who has been found liable for sexual assault and convicted of multiple felonies, speculates about ignoring court orders, undermining the rule of law and violating the Constitution by running for a third term?

BE IN TOUCH

But most of all, we need to hear from Bush. He is, sadly, the only Republican with the gravitas and the standing to say no to Trump and his best friend Elon Musk, to call out J.D. Vance and border czar Tom Homan for suggesting that the administration will ignore court orders, to support Chief Justice John Roberts and the independent judiciary. I didn’t vote for Bush, and I disagreed with many of his policies. But I never doubted, as I do now with Trump, that he took his oath to uphold the Constitution seriously.

In his Hamilton College speech, Obama drew a line between disagreeing with the current president on matters of policy, such as tariffs, and standing silent while he tries to intimidate universities, law firms and judges. He called on universities to stand up to the president’s intimidation. “If you are a university, you may have to figure out, are we in fact doing things right?

“Have we in fact violated our own values, our own code, violated the law in some fashion?” he said. “If not, and you’re just being intimidated, well, you should be able to say, that’s why we got this big endowment.

“It has been easy during most of our lifetimes to say you are a progressive or say you are for social justice or say you’re for free speech and not have to pay a price for it,” Obama said. “Now we’re at one of those moments where, you know what? It’s not enough just to say you’re for something; you may actually have to do something.”

Obama called on “all of us to fix this,” including “the citizen, the ordinary person who says, no, that’s not right” and to “possibly sacrifice” to support democratic values.

Ordinary people have been speaking out and have taken to the streets in protest. But we need our “leaders,” starting with our former presidents, to speak out. These are extraordinary times. And extraordinary times require extraordinary action.

President Bush: we need your voice.

Susan Estrich is a lawyer, professor, author and political commentator.

COLUMN REP. ALLEN CHESSER

House Bill 612 — Fostering Care in NC Act

THE CHILD WELFARE system in the United States was created to protect children from abuse and neglect.

In the 1800s, “child-saving” efforts were voluntary and consisted mainly of orphanages and almshouses, also known as poor houses, that housed children and impoverished adults.

The North Carolina Constitution of 1868 established, for the first time, a role for state government with respect to social services that the “beneficent provision for the poor, the unfortunate and orphan[s] being one of the first duties of a civilized and a Christian state, the General Assembly shall, at its first session, appoint and define the duties of a Board of Public Charities, to whom shall be entrusted the supervision of all charitable and penal State institutions…”

The federal government established and funded Child Protective Services in 1962, and North Carolina began participating in the provision of state foster care in 1969. The primary goal was to ensure children’s safety and well-being by protecting children from abuse and neglect, intervening when necessary to remove children from dangerous situations and working with families to address problems contributing to abuse or neglect.

As legislators, we are responsible to our youngest North Carolinians, who are the future of our great state. We have a moral and ethical responsibility to ensure that the 16,245 children and youth in foster care receive care and support so that they can have a bright future.

We have entrusted the child welfare work in North Carolina to the 100 counties who each operate local Departments of Social Services (DSS). These departments are supervised by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and follow a policy directive to strengthen and preserve families whenever possible; but when a child can no longer safely remain with their family, the state must assure that the quality of substitute care is as close as possible to the care and nurturing that society expects of a family.

We recognize that many hard-working individuals serve in our county DSS agencies, and they do extraordinary work every day to support children and families. But we also have concerns about the consistency in how care is provided, impacting the overall effectiveness of the N.C. child welfare system.

There have been numerous news reports of egregious examples of children being harmed or killed by their parents; we’ve lost over 1,000 foster families in the last five years; children are sleeping in DSS offices or are stuck in hospital emergency rooms waiting for mental health treatment, and children are languishing in foster care for years waiting for a place to call home.

Recently a class action lawsuit was filed in federal court alleging a series of issues within N.C.’s foster care system. The lawsuit alleges that the child welfare system has been operating in a state of crisis for years and includes allegations that:

• Workload standards aren’t being enforced, resulting in child welfare workers unable to provide the support that vulnerable children and parents need.

• Children in foster care do not have access to adequate and timely mental health services

• Children are institutionalized at twice the national average

• N.C. has failed to protect children and youth in foster care from physical, psychological, and emotional harm.

• N.C. fails to meet permanency standards, leaving children in foster care too long.

We must recognize that a failure to protect the safety and well-being of children is a failure of the state. We must continue to improve and strengthen the child welfare system and the people who are working on the ground supporting children every day. Our children and youth in foster care have already suffered from abuse or neglect that led to their entry into the system, and we must do everything possible to ensure that no other harm comes to them under our protection. The buck stops here.

In an effort to move forward solutions to strengthen N.C.’s child welfare system, we have worked with experts, both inside and outside the foster care system, to write House Bill 612, the “Fostering Care in NC Act.”

We realize this singular bill will not fix all the problems, but it is an important step in what should be only the beginning of a commitment to change N.C.’s child welfare system into a shining example of how a legislative body can take action to support the well-being and success of our most precious assets, our children.

Rep. Allen Chesser represents N.C. House District 25 in the General Assembly.

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

obituaries

Matthew Ray Johnson

May 8, 1979 –April 10, 2025

Matthew Ray Johnson, 45, of Snow Camp, went to his heavenly home on Thursday, April 10th, 2025, surrounded by family.

Matthew was born in Alamance County on May 8th, 1979, to Phyllis Harris Johnson and the late Ray Hadley Johnson. He is preceded in death by his grandparents, Norman and Christine Johnson and Harrell and Dorothy Harris; his father, Ray Johnson; his uncle, Gareth Johnson; and his cousin, Wesley Harris.

Matthew graduated from Jordan-Matthews High School in 1997 and studied at Western Carolina University. Matthew was a rural mail carrier for the United States Postal Service in Chapel Hill, NC, and loved his job and the people he met. He was a lifelong member of South Fork Friends Church, serving as a clerk of ministry and counsel, chairing the Harvest Festival, and maintaining the churchyard. He found great joy in spending time with his family and friends, coaching and watching his daughters play sports. He spent time with his family shooting basketball in the yard, watching movies, and eating popcorn. Matthew enjoyed watching NC State football and tailgating with his friends and family. He grew up loving to play baseball, especially his time playing in

June 8, 1932 –April 10, 2025

Carol Dewey Licht, 92, passed away on April 10th, 2025. She was born in Boston, Massachusetts on June 8th, 1932, to John and Evelyn Dewey. She graduated from Marblehead High School in Massachusetts and later married Paul Lennox, with whom she had three daughters and one son. She later married Ernie Licht and moved to North Carolina, where she worked part time for

the American Legion Post 93. Matthew loved sharing his voice by singing at church. He voice-recorded song lyrics on his mail route and even had the opportunity to record an original song that he was extremely proud of at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

He loved his girls; they were his world. He was cherished by many and loved being amongst his family and friends. Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Amy Stackhouse Johnson; his four beautiful daughters, Lilly, Mabry, Ansley, and Chanley; mother, Phyllis Harris Johnson; sister, Stefanie Johnson Kincaid and brotherin-law Bryce; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Charles and Robin Stackhouse; brother-inlaw and sister-in-law Preston and Kate Stackhouse; sisterin-law and future brother-inlaw Hanna Stackhouse and DJ Heiner; nephews and niece Liam and Olivia Kincaid and one more on the way, Shep and Charlie Stackhouse; and many cherished aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Funeral service will be held Wednesday, April 16th, 2025, at 3:00 pm at South Fork Friends Church with Pastor Daniel Thames officiating. Family will welcome condolences and sharing of memories following the committal service at the Silk Hope Ruritan Building, 4221 Silk Hope Road, Siler City, NC 27344.

In lieu of flowers, donations to support his daughters’ education, can be made to the Matthew Johnson Memorial Fund c/o South Fork Friends Church - 359 South ForkBethel Rd. Snow Camp, NC 27349.

The service will be Live Streamed. Please connect to the link below for access.

Https://www.youtube. com/@southforkfriendschurch3064/streams Smith & Buckner Funeral Home will be assisting the Johnson Family.

several organizations, including Hospice, and Family Violence and Rape Crisis Centers. Carol is best known in Pittsboro for her work with Habitat for Humanity. She was one of the founding members of the local chapter and served on the board, volunteering for 28 years! Carol was preceded in death by her children’s father, Paul, and her second husband, Ernie, as well as her son, John Lennox. She is survived by her three daughters, Linda Lennox Romans and Nancy Lennox McLendon, both of Pittsboro, and Barbara Lennox Palermo of Hampstead, NC, as well as 6 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

A service will be held on Friday, April 18th at 2pm at Griffin Chapel, Donaldson Funeral Home and Crematory, 396 West St, Pittsboro, NC 27312. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the CORA Food Pantry or Chatham Habitat for Humanity. Donaldson Funeral Home and Crematory is honored to serve the Licht family.

IN MEMORY

BETTY JEAN BREWER SEAWELL

APRIL 2, 1934 – APRIL 8, 2025

Betty Jean Brewer Seawell, 91, of Robbins, passed away on Tuesday, April 8, 2025 at Autumn Care in Biscoe. A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 13, 2025, at High Falls U.M.C. with Pastor Vanlene Nelson and Pastor Beth Johnson presiding. The family will receive friends in the fellowship hall following the service. Betty was born in Moore County, on April 2, 1934 to Dewey and Annie Ruth Ritter Brewer. She worked in textiles and later ran Betty’s Country Rainbow for many years before becoming a homemaker. She enjoyed bus trips to Florida with her friends, cooking and gardening. She loved working with the church youth. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 72 years, Wilton Seawell; her granddaughter, Hannah Seawell; three brothers and three sisters. She is survived by her sons, Jerry Seawell and Stanley Seawell, both of Robbins; three grandchildren, Jerry Patterson (Sebrena), Tonia Patterson and Gina Baker (Clark); four great-grandchildren, Nolan, Cole, Gage and Layla and a host of family and friends.

DIANE STANLEY GODFREY

APRIL 11, 2025

Diane Stanley Godfrey, age 61, passed away on Friday, April 11, 2025 at FirstHealth Moore Regional

Hospital surrounded by her family. She was born in Lee County to Dorothy Jackson Stanley and the late Burton Jackson Stanley. In addition to her father, she was preceded in death by nephew Patrick Carlyle. Diane was employed at Core-Mark. Her work ethic and sense of responsibility were unmatched, and she took pride in everything she did. She was a woman of great strength, compassion, and unwavering commitment—both to her family and to her work. She approached every aspect of life with dedication and grace, always placing the needs of others before her own. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered always. Diane is survived by her loving husband of 38 years, William Odell Godfrey; mother Dorothy Stanley of Sanford; daughter Brittany Nicole Godfrey of Sanford; sons Kevin Douglas Manning of Sanford and Brandon Scott Manning (Jessica) of Southport; stepson Daniel Wayne Godfrey of California; sisters Deborah Watson (Colin), Donna Stuttz (Hans) and Karen Stanley all of Sanford; brother Van Stanley of Southport; grandsons Jackson Kevin Manning of Sanford, William Glenn Manning and James Scott Manning both of Southport and many special nieces and nephews.

DOROTHY HUSSEY SMITH

MAY 22, 1937 – APRIL 13, 2025

It is with great sorrow we announce the passing of Dorothy Hussey Smith, our beloved mother, memaw and granny on Sunday, April 13, 2025. She left her earthly body and gained her Heavenly body, free from pain, after years of declining health. Dorothy was born in Moore County, on May 22, 1937 to Quincy and Mary Owens Hussey. She was a member of Needham’s Grove Baptist Church. Dorothy worked at Chirpy’s Bar-B-Q and Key Packing. She also worked in textiles and raised poultry but devoted her time to home and family. She loved gardening, flowers and quilting. She was a friend to all and especially loved helping others.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence “Bill” Smith; son, Mark A. Smith; grandson, C. Kevin Smith and brother, Jabo Hussey. Dorothy is survived by her daughter, Pam Smith Caviness (Ricky), of Robbins; son, Stevie Smith (Lisa), of Robbins; grandsons, Matthew Caviness (Emma) and Stephen Caviness (Hannah); great-grandchildren, Carra Smith, Abe Caviness and Ali Caviness sisters, Betty Stone, of Wilmington and Lola Kidd, of Asheboro; brother, Jimmy Hussey (Pat), of Danville, VA; and a host nieces, nephews and cousins, all whom she loved dearly.

Carol Dewey Licht

Teachers, are you looking for new opportunities to fund projects for your classroom? Central Electric is awarding up to $15,000 in Bright Ideas education grants to local educators in K-12 classrooms for the 2025-2026 school year.

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

Monday, April 21 Pittsboro Center for Active Living

8:30 a.m. - Total Body Conditioning Exercise

10 a.m. - Geri-Fit

11 a.m. - Dominos Noon - Reading Out Loud with Gaines

1 p.m. - Mahjong

3 p.m. - Caregiver Support Group Siler City Center for Active Living

9 a.m. - Strong & Fit

10 a.m. - Cornhole

10:30 a.m. - Gospel Choir to Pittsboro

2 p.m. - Strength & Tone Tuesday, April 22 Pittsboro Center for Active Living

8:30 a.m. - QiGong

9 a.m. - 3G’s Men’s Group

10 a.m. - Woodcarvers; Cardio Drumming

11 a.m. - Science with Alan

1 p.m. - Rummikub

2 p.m. - Zumba Gold Siler City Center for Active Living

8 a.m. - Quilting and Sewing Time

9 a.m. - Cardio Drumming

10 a.m. - Chair Exercises Wednesday, April 23 Pittsboro Center for Active Living

8:30 a.m. - Cardio & Lower Body Exercise

10 a.m. - Chair Yoga with Liz; Music Jam

11 a.m. - The Chosen with discussion; Dominos

2 p.m. - Chess Siler City Center for Active Living

9 a.m. - Strong & Fit

10 a.m. - Bible Study

1 p.m. - Crafts; Pickleball & Cornhole

2:30 p.m. - Plant Pollinator Garden Thursday, April 24 Pittsboro Center for Active Living

8:30 a.m. - QiGong

9:30 a.m. - Blood Pressure Clinic

schools from working to ensure that all students are valued, supported and positioned to succeed. Chatham County Schools proudly serves a diverse and vibrant community. We do not just tolerate that diversity, we celebrate it.

“We remain fully committed to creating schools where every student feels safe, seen and connected. Our efforts are not about preference. They’re about fairness. They’re about ensuring that every student has a chance to thrive. As superintendent, I will not compromise on that commitment to our kids.

“We will comply fully with the law, but make no mistake, we will also continue to lead with our values. We will respect and affirm every child’s identity, every family’s voice and every educator’s mission to uplift those they serve. This is our moral obligation, our ethical charge, and in Chatham County Schools, as long as I sit in this chair, it remains my unapologetic promise.”

In terms of action items approved by the board, one was amending its summer retesting policy in order to allow for retesting within the school year.

“The state of North Carolina’s Department of Public Instruction has recently changed the way that EOC and EOG readministrations are readmin-

istered,” said Assistant Superintendent Amanda Moran.

“We received news about 10 days ago that they are now allowing schools to readminister EOGs and EOCs for students who do not receive a proficient score within the school year. In the past, it always had to happen over the summer.”

The board had previously approved a readministration policy that would have taken place after the school year had concluded, but now students will be able to retest before June 6, the last day of school.

The district was also awarded the School Safety Grant for $150,000, and the board approved the plan for the funding.

Of that $150,000, $75,000 will be used for the acquisition of video management systems, security cameras and school servers, and the other $75,000 will be utilized for Daybreak Health online therapy services for students in the 2025-26 school year.

The board also approved a $625,000 Chromebook refresh, for the acquisition of 1,500 new laptops for grades 3 and 9 and a $380,000 contract with Camcor for the purchase of 30 Newline Interactive Whiteboards (for K-5 classrooms) and 127 TVs and Airtime wireless display systems (for 6-13 classrooms).

The Chatham County Schools Board of Education will next meet May 12.

10 a.m. - Hooks & Needles; Kindermusik; Chair Zumba Gold; Trip to Walmart

11 a.m. - Disaster Preparedness in North Carolina with Austin Decker

1 p.m. - Rummikub; Pinochle

1:30 p.m. - Line Dancing

3 p.m. - Gentle Yoga with

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8:30

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call 919-533-6198

TDD/TYY # 800-735-2962

This institution is an equal opportunity provider & employer

LEARN ABOUT LAND - Chatham Land Experts, www.learnaboutland.com919-362-6999.

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FOR RENT

30’ X 40’ SHOP BUILDING FOR RENT –Includes heat, water & electrical. Gravel parking area – Two 12ft high bay doors – Additional space available –Call 919-259-6182 for more information. 4tp

POWELL SPRINGS APTS. Evergreen Construction introduces its newest independent living community for adults 55 years or older, 1 and 2 bedroom applications now being accepted. Office hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 919-533-6319 for more information, TDD #1-800735-2962, Equal housing opportunity, Handicapped accessible.

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ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS now for one-bedroom apartments, adults 55 years or older. Water included, appliances furnished, on-site laundry, elevator, keyless entry. Section 8 accepted. No security deposit. Application fee $25 per adult. Call Braxton Manor, 919-663-1877. Handicap accessible. Equal Housing Opportunity. J14,tfnc

FOR RENT – 2BDR/2BA MOBILE HOME IN Bonlee Elementary and Chatham Central High School District – No Pets –Call 919-548-1332 and leave a message. A17,24p

YARD SALE

MULTI-FAMILY YARD SALE – FRI. & SAT., APR.18TH & 19TH 8AM – 2PM - 136 MELVIN CLARK RD, SILER CITY

AUCTIONS

RICKY ELLINGTON AUCTIONEERS

- Equipment, business, liquidation, estates, land, houses, antiques, personal property, coins, furniture, consignments, benefits, etc., NCAL #7706, 919-548-3684, 919-663-3556, rickyellingtonauctions@yahoo.com.

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FOR SALE

CEMETRY PLOT FOR SALE – Located at Chatham Memorial Park, Section C in Siler City, NC. Valued at $2,349.00. $1,200 or best offer. Please call 919-799-7170. 2tp

Dining Room Set w/China Cabinet, several Curio Cabinets, Treadmill, Sofa and 2 end tables, 2 upright freezers, dishes, Bedroom Suite, 2 Recliners, etc. 919-799-8243.

HELP WANTED

HANDYMAN NEEDED! Gardening and small projects! Please call 919-548-2943. M27,4tp

Premise Health is looking for a fulltime Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant to join our Primary Care team in Siler City, NC. Schedule: -Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 8am - 5pm -Tuesday: 10am - 7pm Perks: -$10,000 Sign-On Bonus offered -No Weekends -No Holidays -No On-Call Interested in learning more? https://jobs.premisehealth. com/job/siler-city/family-nursepractitioner/1388/79006018848

IN SEARCH OF

Would like to purchase a Used Class B Motor Home –Please call 919-548-2943 2tp

SERVICES

Affordable Professional Lawncare –Mowing, weed eating and Small bush hog jobs –Call Mike at 919-267-0475. 4tp

RAINBOW WATER FILTERED VACUUMS, Alice Cox, Cox’s Distributing - Rainbow - Cell: 919-548-4314, Sales, Services, Supplies. Serving public for 35 years. Rada Cutlery is also available. A26,tfnc

JUNK CARS PICKED UP Free of charge. Due to many months of low steel prices and unstable steel markets, we cannot pay for cars at this time. Cars, trucks, and machinery will be transported and environmentally correctly recycled at no charge. 919-542-2803. A2,tfnc

LETT’S TREE SERVICE - tree removal, stump grinding, lot clearing. Visa & Master Card accepted. Timber. Free estimates. 919-258-3594. N9,tfnc

of Siler City, North Carolina, at which time the Board shall consider the permanent closing of said street. and so as to determine whether or not said street shall be permanently closed or otherwise restricted in accordance with N.C. Gen. Stat. §160A299. The public hearing will be held in the Town of Siler City Courtroom located at 311 N Second Street, Siler City, NC 27344. That a copy of this Resolution shall be mailed by registered or certified mail to all owners of property adjoining the said street as shown on the county tax records. That a copy of this Resolution shall be published once a week for four consecutive weeks prior to said hearing, as required by applicable law. That a notice of closing and public hearing shall be prominently posted in at least two places along said street. That after said public hearing, if the Board of Commissioners are of the opinion that the closing of said street would not be contrary to the public interest or to the rights of individuals owning property abutting or in the vicinity of said street and does not interfere with ingress and egress of said property, the Board of Commissioners may adopt an Order permanently closing said street above described. That in the event the Board of Commissioners shall close said street as above described, the title to said properties contained within the boundaries of said street shall vest in the persons or entities owning said street provided by §160A-299 of the North Carolina General Statutes.

RESOLVED this 3rd day of March 2025

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

A public hearing will be held by the Chatham County Board of Commissioners on Monday, April 21, 2025, beginning at 6:00 p.m. The hearing will be held in the courtroom of the Historic Courthouse in Pittsboro, North Carolina at 9 Hillsboro Street, Pittsboro NC 27312. Additional information is available at the Chatham County Planning Department office. Speakers are requested to sign up at the meeting prior to the hearing. You may also sign up on the county website prior to the meeting at www.chathamcountync.gov by selecting the heading County Government, then Commissioner Meetings, then Public Input/Hearing Sign Up. The public hearing may be continued to another date at the discretion of the Board of Commissioners. The purpose of the Public Hearing is to receive input, both written and oral, on the issues listed below: Legislative Request: A legislative public hearing requested by the Chatham County Planning Department to amend the effective date of the adopted Unified Development Ordinance from July 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025 as a result of legislative action S382 bill. A legislative rezoning request by TIP Gateway LLC on Parcel 5841 and 66974 on approximately 18.81 acres, located at 680 Pea Ridge Rd., from R-1 Residential to GU RB General Use Regional Business, Cape Fear Township. Substantial changes may be made following the public hearing due to verbal or written comments received or based on the Board’s discussions. Notice to people with special needs: If you have an audio or visual impairment, unique accessibility requirements or need language assistance, please call the number listed below prior to the hearing and assistance may be provided. If you have any questions or comments concerning these issues, please call the Chatham County Planning Department at 919-542-8204 or write to P.O. Box 54, Pittsboro N.C. 27312. Please run in your paper: April 10th and 17th, 2025 NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The undersigned, having qualified on the 28th day of March 2025, as Co-Executors of the Estate of Dolores Bilangi, 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 3rd day of July 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. On this 3rd day of April 2025 Dona Bilangi & Richard Bilangi, Co-Executors of the Estate of Dolores Bilangi Candace B. Minjares, Esquire Kennon Craver, PLLC 4011 University Drive, Suite 300 Durham, North Carolina 27707 4/03, 4/10, 4/17 and 4/24 The Chatham News

Notice to Creditors

Having qualified as EXECUTOR of the estate of the late Horst Albert Dewitz, formerly of 72 Chatham Business Drive, Pittsboro NC 27312, Chatham County, North Carolina, Annette Bucci, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the attorney of the undersigned at OMEGA ELDER LAW, PO Box 820, Fuquay Varina, NC 27526 and the EXECUTOR at 241 High Ridge Lane, Pittsboro, NC 27312 on or before the 1st day of August, 2025 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 2nd day of April, 2025. Omega Elder Law, for Annette Bucci, EXECUTOR of the Estate of Horst Albert Dewitz, aka Horst A. Dewitz

Janna M. Wallace, Attorney at Law Omega Elder Law PO Box 820 Fuquay Varina, NC 27526

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

All persons having claims against Laurice Ferris, of Chatham County, North Carolina, are notified to present them to Gwendolyn H Waddell-Schultz, Personal Representative of the Estate of Laurice Ferris, at NextGen Estate Solutions, 500 Westover Dr. #35317, Sanford, NC 27330 or before July 17, 2025. Failure to present a claim in timely fashion will result in this Notice being pleaded in bar of recovery against the estate, the Personal Representative, and the devisees of Laurice Ferris. Those indebted to Laurice Ferris are asked to make prompt payment to the Estate. Gwendolyn Waddel-Schults, Personal Representative Patricia Lewis, Co-Personal Representative C/O Brittany N. Porter, Attorney

NextGen Estate Solutions 500 Westover Dr. #35317 Sanford, NC 27330

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY

Special Proceedings No. 24 SP 1129

Substitute Trustee: Philip A. Glass

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

Date of Sale: April 29, 2025

Time of Sale: 10:30 a.m.

Place of Sale: Chatham County Courthouse

Description of Property: See Attached Description

Record Owners: Roderick Deshun Alston, devisee under the probated Will of Henry Roderick Alston

Address of Property: 54 Pattishall Road Pittsboro, NC 27312

Deed of Trust: Book : 02370 Page: 0803

Dated: July 07, 2023

Grantors: Henry Roderick Alston an unmarried

person Original Beneficiary: State Employees’ Credit Union

CONDITIONS OF SALE: This sale is made subject to all unpaid taxes and superior liens or encumbrances of record and assessments, if any, against the said property, and any recorded leases. This sale is also subject to any applicable county land transfer tax, and the successful third party bidder shall be required to make payment for any such county land transfer tax. The property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale “AS IS, WHERE IS.” THERE ARE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES relating to the title or to 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.

A cash deposit of 5% of the purchase price will be required at the time of the sale. Remote bidding will not be accepted pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes Section 45-21.25 (a). Credit bids on behalf of the Noteholder will be accepted. Any successful bidder shall be required to tender the full balance of the purchase price so bid in cash or certified check at the time the Substitute Trustee tenders to him a deed for the property or attempts to tender such deed, and should said successful bidder fail to pay the full balance purchase price so bid at that time, he shall remain liable on his bid as provided for in North Carolina General Statutes Section 45-21.30 (d) and (e). This sale will be held open ten (10) days for upset bids as required by law. Residential real 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 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 notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Dated: March 25, 2025

Philip A. Glass, Substitute Trustee

Nodell, Glass & Haskell, L.L.P. Posted on March 25, 2025 Exhibit A A CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF LAND LYING AND BEING IN CENTER TOWNSHIP, CHATHAM COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, AND MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: BEING ALL OF LOT NUMBER 2, A TRACT OF 1.510

ACRES, AS SHOWN BY SURVEY FOR WILLIE MAE PATTISALL, DATED FEBRUARY 4, 1997, PREPARED BY VAN R. FINCH - LAND SURVEY, P.A., RECORDED IN PLAT SLIDE 97-46, CHATHAM COUNTY REGISTRY, TO WHICH PLAT REFERENCE IS MADE FOR A MORE PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION. THIS BEING THE SAME PROPERTY CONVEYED TO HENRY RODERICK ALSTON, DATE 04/04/2001 AND RECORDED ON 04/04/2001 IN BOOK 861, PAGE 771, IN THE CHATHAM COUNTY RECORDERS OFFICE. Subject to easements, restrictions and rights of way of record, and utility lines and rights of way in existence over, under or upon the above-described property.

PIN: 974220715790 Property Address: 54 Pattishall Rd. Pittsboro, NC 27312 and commonly known as 54 Pattisall Rd. Pittsboro, NC 27312

Notice to Creditors

25E000158-180 NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY

The undersigned, Kelley Johansson, having qualified on the 21st Day of March, 2025 as Executor of the Estate of Jerry R. Weaver, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and cooperations having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 27th Day of June 2025, or this notice will be plead in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 24th of March 2025. Kelley Johansson, Executor 1449 Luther Rd. Apex, NC 27523 Run dates M27, A3,10,17p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of JOSEPH J. MINORICS, Deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate to exhibit them to the undersigned at the offices of Munson Law Firm PLLC, P.O. Box 1811 Pittsboro, NC 27312, on or before the 3rd day of July, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment. This 3rd day of April, 2025. JOSHUA MINORICS, EXECUTOR ESTATE OF JOSEPH J. MINORICS

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA

CHATHAM COUNTY

Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of DIANNE GAINES DAVIS, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, the undersigned Matthew G. Davis hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to present them to him at P. O. Box 233, Goldston, NC 27252 on or before the 10th day of July, 2025 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All of those indebted to the said estate are hereby requested to make prompt payment to the undersigned. This the 10th day of April, 2025. Matthew G. Davis Executor of the Estate of DIANNE GAINES DAVIS P. O. Box 233 Goldston, NC 27252 Please publish the above Notice April 10, 17, and 24, and May 1, 2025.

NOTICE

ALL PERSONS, firms and corporations having claims against CLARICE DRIGGERS COTTEN, a/ ka/ CLARICE D COTTEN, deceased, of Chatham County, NC are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before the 3rd day of July 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 3rd day of April, 2025. Billy Driggers, Executor c/o Hopler, Wilms & Hanna, PLLC, 2314 S. Miami Blvd. Suite 151, Durham, NC 27703. April 3, 2025 April 10, 2025 April 17, 2025 April 24, 2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Probate #25E000116-180______

All persons, firm and corporations having claims against Barbara B. Modisett, late of Chatham County, North Carolina are hereby notified to present them to Kendall H. Page, 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 3rd day of July, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the above-named Executor.

Kendall H. Page 210 N Columbia Street Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Bar # 14261

Notice to Run: 4/3/2025,4/10/2025, 4/17/2025 & 4/24/2025

Notice to Creditors

ALL PERSONS, firms and corporations having claims against MARY ANN WILLIAMS a/k/a ANN SWAINEY WILLIAMS, deceased of Chatham County, N.C., are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned at, on or before July 11, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This 10th day of April, 2025. Robert R. Oakley, Limited Personal Representative, c/o Deborah A. McDermott, Smith Anderson Blount Dorsett Mitchell & Jernigan, L.L.P., P.O. Box 2611, Raleigh, NC 27602-2611 Chatham News & Record: 4/10/25, 4/17/25, 4/17/25 & 4/24/25

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA

CHATHAM COUNTY

FILE#25E000135-180

The undersigned, DANNY WIMBERLY AND MICHAEL T. PARKER, having qualified on the 12TH Day of MARCH 2025 as CO-EXECUTORS of the Estate of SARAH H. SMITH, 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 25TH Day of JUNE 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 27TH DAY OF MARCH, 2025. MAIL TO:

DANNY WIMBERLY, CO-EXECUTOR 491 BUCKROE DR. SANFORD, NC 27330 MICHAEL T. PARKER, CO-EXECUTOR 204 WIMBERLY ROAD MONCURE, NC 27559 Run dates: M27,A3,10,17p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA

CHATHAM COUNTY

FILE#25E000186-180 The undersigned, KEITH FREDERICK ALEXANDER, having qualified on the 4TH Day of APRIL, 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of KATHLEEN ANN ALEXANDER, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to him on or before the 17TH Day of JULY 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 17TH DAY OF APRIL, 2025. KEITH FREDERICK ALEXANDER, EXECUTOR 111 LANTERN RIDGE LANE CARY, NC 27519 Run dates: A17,24,M1,8p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA

CHATHAM COUNTY

FILE#25E000002-180 The undersigned, NICHOLAS B. STARR, having qualified on the 3RD Day of JANUARY, 2025 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of FREDDY LLOYD STARR, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to him on or before the 10TH Day of JULY 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 10TH DAY OF APRIL, 2025.

NICHOLAS B. STARR, ADMINISTRATOR 2122 ED CLAPP RD. SILER CITY, NC 27344 Run dates: A10,17,24,M1p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA

CHATHAM COUNTY

FILE#25E000169-180 The undersigned, RICK BARKER, having qualified on the 27TH Day of MARCH 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of FRANCES V. BARKER, 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 10TH Day of JULY 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 10TH DAY OF APRIL, 2025. RICK BARKER, EXECUTOR 24103 MERCERS CROSSING CT. ALDIE, VA 20105 Run dates: A10,17,24,M1p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#24 E 232 The undersigned, CAROLINE YINGLING TAYLOR, having qualified on the 26TH Day of APRIL, 2024 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of DAVID MURRILL TAYLOR, 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 25TH Day of JUNE 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 27TH DAY OF MARCH, 2025. CAROLINE YINGLING TAYLOR, EXECUTOR 18 SUNNYSIDE COURT CHAPEL HILL, NC 27516 Run dates: M27,A3,10,17p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

All persons, firms, and corporations having claims against MARJORIE J. EDWARDS, who died on December 22, 2024, late of Chatham County, NC, are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before

and

and

on the above referenced item. Interested parties may also submit written comments. Written comments can be submitted by email to tmack@silercity.org. Individuals desiring to speak may sign up by registering their name and information on the sign-up sheet, located outside the entry doors to the court room. The Town of Siler City will make appropriate arrangements to ensure that disabled persons are provided other accommodations, such arrangements may include, but are not limited to, providing interpreters for the deaf, providing taped cassettes of materials for the blind, or assuring a barrier-free location for the proceedings. This information is available in Spanish or any other language upon request. Please contact Kimberly Pickard at 919-726-8620, 311 North Second Avenue, Siler City, North Carolina 27344, or kpickard@ silercity.org for accommodations for this request. Esta información está disponible en español o en cualquier otro idioma bajo petición. Por favor, póngase en contacto con Kimberly Pickard al kpickard@silercity.org o 919-726-8625 o en 311 North Second Avenue, Siler City, North Carolina 27344 de alojamiento para esta solicitud.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY

Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of RACHEL JESSUP JOHNSON, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, the undersigned James Keith Johnson hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to present them to him at 308 Elbert Johnson Road, Siler City, NC 27344 on or before the 17th day of July, 2025 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All of those indebted to the said estate are hereby re- quested to make prompt payment to the undersigned.

This the 17th day of April, 2025.

James Keith Johnson Executor of the Estate of RACHEL JESSUP JOHNSON 308 Elbert Johnson Road Siler City, NC 27344

Please publish the above Notice April 17 and 24, and May 1 and 8, 2025.

NOTICE

SBA Towers, LLC proposes to collocate wireless communications antennas at a top height of 215 feet on a 306-foot Self-support Communications Tower at the approx. vicinity 5515 US 421 South, Siler City, Chatham County, NC 27344. Public comments regarding potential effects from this site on historic properties may be submitted within 30 days from the date of this publication to: Trileaf Corp, Benjamin Allen, b.allen@trileaf.com, phone: 678-653-8673, 1395 South Marietta Parkway, Building 400, Suite 209, Marietta, GA 30067.

Pearl Harbor sailor finally returns home to Hoke

Eighty-three years after his death aboard the USS West Virginia, Neil Daniel Frye is back in N.C.

Chatham News & Record staff

VASS — The remains of Neil Daniel Frye, a U.S. Navy sailor from Hoke County killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor, were laid to rest April 3 at Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery, more than eight decades after his death.

Frye, who served as a Mess Attendant Third Class aboard the USS West Virginia, was among 105 sailors killed when Japanese forces bombed the battleship on Dec. 7, 1941. His remains, recently identified through DNA analysis by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, returned to North Carolina soil in a homecoming his family once thought impossible.

“My mama wanted to bring him home,” said Denise McCrimmon, Frye’s niece, in an interview. “She said, ‘My brother probably never thought he would make it home, but here he is.’”

Born April 3, 1921, in what was then northern Hoke County before boundary lines were redrawn, Frye enlisted in the

STEVENSON from page A1

nament as his 19-point performance (five made 3s) in the Elite Eight against Clemson propelled Alabama to its first Final Four appearance. During his sophomore season, Stevenson earned a larger role and started in 22 games. However, he struggled to improve from the 3-point line as much as expected. Stevenson started the season 0 for 17 from beyond the arc, but he responded with back-to-back double-digit scoring nights and combined for seven made 3s in the three games following the drought.

Stevenson didn’t have the most consistent offensive sea-

Navy in Raleigh on July 26, 1940. He was assigned to the USS West Virginia in November 1940, just over a year before the Pearl Harbor attack that claimed his life at age 20.

The Navy initially listed Frye as missing, leaving his family in agonizing uncertainty. Letters described by the family reveal that Frye’s mother wrote to naval authorities in January 1942, desperate for information about

her son’s fate. According to McCrimmon, her grandmother wrote asking, “I haven’t heard anything else. I want to know about my son. Can you please give me any information? Was he killed? Did you find him?” She received confirmation of his death the following month.

Frye’s remains were among those recovered during salvage operations of the West Virginia but could not be individually identified at the time. They were buried as “unknown” at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii.

In 2017, as part of a broader effort to identify fallen service members from Pearl Harbor, the DPAA exhumed 35 caskets containing remains associated with the West Virginia. Using advanced forensic techniques, including DNA analysis with samples from Frye’s relatives, scientists positively identified his remains on Sept. 27, 2024.

For Frye’s sister, Mary Frye McCrimmon, now 87, the identification brings a measure of closure to decades of uncertainty. McCrimmon still lives on the family’s original homestead.

“Most families cannot believe their loved ones were recovered after so many years,” explained Capt. Jeff Draude, director of the Navy Casualty Office, in a

press release. “Being able to recover and identify the remains of sailors aids in closure for the families.”

The funeral service was held April 3 at Fryes Chapel, a church with deep family connections, in Vass. Frye’s grandfather donated the land for the church and served as its first pastor for 29 years. Following the service, interment took place at Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery.

The Navy provided full funeral honors, including a rifle salute, burial team and the playing of Taps. Local veterans’ organizations, including the VFW, DAV and American Legion, plan to coordinate additional recognition in the coming months.

Frye was awarded the Purple Heart Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, American Defense Service Medal with Fleet Clasp

and Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with Bronze Star posthumously.

Historical records show Frye served in the Messman Branch, a racially segregated part of the Navy almost exclusively composed of African Americans and foreign nationals responsible for feeding and serving officers. His brother, Russell Frye, also served in the Navy as an Officer’s Steward 3rd Class at Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, during the attack.

His return represents a rare measure of closure for families of the 2,403 Americans killed at Pearl Harbor, and especially for the USS West Virginia, which lost 105 crew members in the attack that propelled America into World War II.

son, but he did provide some big games for the Crimson Tide, including a career-high 22 points (7 for 8 from the field) in a win over Texas and a stat line of 16 points, three steals, four rebounds and a block in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals against Kentucky. Although Stevenson played more minutes as a sophomore, his opportunities to score remained about the same across the two seasons. Playing in the same number of games as he did a s a freshman, Stevenson took five fewer shots and the same number of 3s (101) as a sophomore. Stevenson’s latest commitment comes full circle after he was initially projected to land with the Tar Heels coming out of high school. He also has ties to the university through his mom, Nicole (Walker) Stevenson, who played basketball at UNC and won three ACC championships from 1995-98.

classifying to the class of 2023, he was ranked as ESPN’s No. 1 power forward in the 2024 class. Returning to Chapel Hill could also mean a reunion with UNC forward Drake Powell.

While at Seaforth, about a 30-minute drive south of UNC, Stevenson averaged 21.1 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.6 blocks per game in two seasons. The five-star recruit recorded 19 double-doubles and a triple double (10 blocks) in his 2022-23 junior season. He led the Hawks to two playoff appearances. Stevenson was named the 2023 North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year. Before re-

As high school freshmen, Stevenson and Powell, also a five-star recruit, played together at Northwood.

During the 2020-21 season, Stevenson averaged 13.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, while Powell poured in averages of 11.4 points and 5.7 rebounds.

The freshman duo helped the Chargers to a 14-3 overall record and a trip to the 3A state title game in which they fell to Weddington 57-46. Stevenson and Powell have

shared the court twice more following that season, but on different teams. Powell and the Chargers opened the 2021-22 season with a 72-42 win over Stevenson’s Hawks. However, Stevenson evened things this winter when Alabama walked into the Dean Smith Center and dominated UNC 94-79 in the ACCSEC Challenge on Dec. 4. Stevenson knocked down two 3s in that win.

As of Monday, a reunion between the former Chatham County stars is yet to be final, though. The Tar Heels are still waiting on a decision from Powell on whether or not he will return to UNC.

COURTESY DEFENSE POW/MIA ACCOUNTING AGENCY

Neil Daniel Frye, missing from World War II, lay unidentified for decades in one of 35 caskets buried in Hawaii following the sinking of the USS West Virginia.

HAL NUNN / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

U.S. Navy Honor Guard members stand April 3 at Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery during the interment service for Neil Daniel Frye.

CHATHAM SPORTS

Seaforth girls’ soccer downs Southeast Alamance 5-0

Juliet Antley and Sofia Viana each scored twice

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

PITTSBORO — In a downpour of heavy rain, freshman Juliet Antley’s career night and two goals from junior striker Sofia Viana in her return from injury pushed the Seaforth girls’ soccer team, first in the Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference, over second-place Southeast Alamance 5-0 on April 10.

Ahead 2-0 with just over 13 minutes remaining in the second half, Antley put the game out of reach when her shot from well beyond the penalty arc slid through the hands of the Stallions’ goalkeeper and into the back of the net. That was Antley’s first career goal.

“I heard coach say before the game and all throughout the game that the goalie wasn’t the best and to take as many shots as you could,” Antley said. “So I figured I was open, and I might as well.”

Antley scored her second goal of the night from a much closer distance after finishing off a scramble for senior Caitlin Erman’s corner kick with 9 minutes left, putting the Hawks ahead by five.

“What’s more impressive about this young lady is she’s actually an eighth grader,” Seaforth coach Gio Viana said. “She skipped a grade, so she’s really a super freshman right now.”

Prior to the final 25 min-

“I was missing it, so it’s good to come back out here and have a win with my team.”

utes in which the Hawks scored four goals, including a score from junior Carsyn Ward with 12 minutes remaining, Viana, making her first appearance since suffering an injury on March 14 against Apex Friendship, kept Seaforth afloat.

After Southeast Alamance committed a handball in its penalty box just six minutes into the game, Viana cashed in the penalty kick to put Seaforth ahead 1-0.

However, the Hawks struggled to capitalize on their scoring opportunities thereafter, falling short due to misses and a solid defensive effort by Southeast Alamance.

“We’ve had a lot of injuries, so we’re struggling,” Gio Viana said. “Luckily, we have some talented freshmen. And when you’re playing those big physical teams that we always talk about, sometimes we start off a little slow. Then the rain came.”

Seaforth didn’t score again until nearly 17 minutes into the second half when Sofia Viana, after being grabbed, perfectly sent a free kick from the top of the arc to just under the top bar of the goal for a 2-0 lead.

“I’ve hit them before,” Vi-

ana said. “I just trusted myself and took it.”

Gio Viana said he felt his team “settled down” after Sofia Viana’s second goal. Despite missing five games, she is still second on the team in goals scored (18 as of Sunday) after scoring 16 in the Hawks’ first two outings.

“I was missing it, so it’s good to come back out here and have a win with my team,” she said.

Even though her absence and injuries to other key players have hurt the Hawks this season, especially in their two nonconference losses to Apex Friendship and Cardinal Gibbons, the situation may have helped them improve in the long run.

Many of the freshmen and sophomores have gained varsity experience over the past few weeks and grown more comfortable in certain situations. In the 6-0 win over Northwood on March 24, freshman striker Amara Darden scored her eighth goal of the season, and sophomore Laurin Jackson, who played in three games last year, also contributed a score.

Freshman midfielder Olivia Parker, sophomore midfielder Elizabeth Platt, Darden and Jackson all scored in the 9-0 win over Jordan-Matthews on March 25.

“The varsity team has been really welcoming to us,” Antley said. “I think even though we had taken over a little bit, they’ve been super nice and

See SOCCER, page B2

At LaMelo Ball Invitational, local girls’ basketball team wins big

The Carolina Magic won the gold brackets for sixth and seventh grade

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

CAROLINA MAGIC, a local girls’ basketball travel program featuring athletes from Chatham County, earned two top finishes at the LaMelo Ball Invitational held April 5-6 in Charlotte.

The Magic’s sixth and seventh grade teams won their respective brackets, going a combined 8-0 during the weekend. The teams included local middle schoolers Nina Jackson (Horton Middle), Kylee Moore (Horton Middle), Selena Siler (Chatham Charter), Genesis Benitez (Chatham Charter), Jordan Dark (Chatham Charter), Kaylee Siler (Chatham Charter), Mabry Bozzo (Chatham Charter) Delilah Serrano (Chatham Middle) and

“Now the goal is to compete for a national championship.”

Ryan Siler

Talynn Carter (Chatham Middle). Some of the sixth graders played in both divisions.

The sixth grade Magic put on a dominant showing in the gold bracket, beating every opponent by more than 25 points. In pool play, the Magic beat Lady Attack LKN 41-14 and Lady Attack 6th AJ 78-6. In a four-team single elimination bracket, the Magic defeated Lady Attack 2032 63 -18 in the semifinal round and moved on to beat WHG Elite 48-21 in the championship game. Standout performances on

Local high school football schedules finalized

Opponents will look much different for local teams in 2025

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

THE NORTH CAROLINA

High School Athletic Association’s monthslong transition to eight classes brought discussions of possible matchups on the gridiron. And now, many of those games are real. Football schedules for Chatham County’s high schools are finalized for the 2025 season. After competing altogether in the Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference for the last two seasons, the county’s programs will be split into three different conferences.

Seaforth, now a 5A school, will join the Big 7 4A/5A conference, and Chatham Central, still a 1A program, will play in the Greater Triad 1A/2A conference. Northwood and Jor-

3

Different conferences for the county’s high school football teams

dan-Matthews will remain together in the Four Rivers 3A/4A conference. Here’s a look at each program’s upcoming schedule (dates and opponents) and some takeaways.

Seaforth (Big 7 4A/5A) Aug. 22 at Chapel Hill Aug. 29 vs Southeast Alamance Sept. 5 at Princeton Sept. 12 vs. Northwood Sept. 19 at North Moore Oct. 3 vs. Orange*

COURTESY RYAN SILER

Chatham County’s Carolina Magic travel girls’ basketball team won the LaMelo Ball Invitational in Charlotte. Here’s the first-place seventh-grade team posing after winning the title.

ASHEEBO ROJAS / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Left to right, Seaforth coach Giovanni Viana, Juliet Antley and Sofia Viana discuss their conference win over SE Alamance after the game.

Sofia Viana

Chatham Charter baseball strengthens lead over its conference

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

Baseball

Seaforth was the hottest team in the county last week, winning three in a row. Behind three hits from sophomore Easton Sykes and eight strikeouts by sophomore pitcher Bryce Huneycutt, the Hawks (second in the Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference) beat first place Southeast Alamance 10-0 on April 8.

After defeating Williams 4-3 the next day, a 3-for-3 and twoRBI plate performance from Jaedyn Rader lifted the Hawks over North Moore 11-1 Saturday.

Chatham Charter, first in the Central Tar Heel 1A conference, picked up a huge 8-0 win over second place River Mill on April 8. Senior Zach Cartrette led the way at the plate, going 2 for 3 with a team-high two RBIs. He also struck out eight batters and gave up zero hits in the first four innings. As of Sunday, the Knights have yet to give up a run in conference play.

Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference standings (as of Sunday) (overall, conference): 1. Southeast Alamance (12-5, 10-1); 2. Seaforth (9-7, 5-1); 3. Northwood (9-6, 6-4); 4. North Moore (7-6, 4-5); 5. Chatham Central (4-12, 3-5); 6. Bartlett Yancey (4-10, 3-6); 7. Jordan-Matthews (0-13, 0-9)

Central Tar Heel 1A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Chatham Charter (8-6, 5-0); 2. River Mill (8-4, 5-2); 3. Clover Garden School (3-9, 1-1); T4. Triangle Math and Science (2-6, 0-4); T4. Southern Wake Academy (0-5, 0-4)

Softball

Chatham Central cruised to its largest win of the season in

@WCSATHLETICS98 / INSTAGRAM

a 21-0 victory over Graham on April 9. The rest of the county couldn’t find a win this week, though. Jordan-Matthews fell in back-to-back games, losing to North Moore 6-4 on April 8 and Southwestern Randolph 4-1 the next day.

Northwood lost to Southeast Alamance 15-5 on April 9.

Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Chatham Central (11-2. 9-0); 2 Jordan-Matthews (9-4, 7-2); 3. North Moore (12- 4 9-3); 4. Seaforth (6-5, 6-2); 5. Southeast Alamance (7-8, 5-6); 6. Northwood (3-10, 3-8); 7. Bartlett Yancey (1-9, 1-9); 8. Graham (2-13, 1-11)

Central Tar Heel 1A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Clover Garden School (10-4, 7-1); 2. Chatham

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Jordan-Matthews (left) and Chatham Central line up in the trenches during last fall’s showdown. The rivalry will continue in a Week 2 game this season.

SCHEDULE from page B1

Oct. 10 at Cedar Ridge*

Oct. 17 vs. South Granville*

Oct. 24 at Webb*

Oct. 31 vs. Carrboro*

Northwood (Four Rivers 3A/4A)

Aug. 9 at Western Harnett (scrimmage)

Aug. 15 – Jack Shaner Jamboree

Aug. 22 at Harnett Central

Aug. 29 vs. Asheboro

Sept. 12 at Seaforth

Sept. 19 at North Surry

Oct. 3 vs. Eastern Randolph*

Oct. 10 at North Moore*

Oct. 17 vs Jordan-Matthews*

Oct. 24 at Southwestern

Randolph*

Oct. 31 vs. West Carteret

Jordan-Matthews (Four Rivers 3A/4A)

Aug. 22 at Carrboro

Aug. 29 at Chatham Central

Sept. 5 vs. North Stokes

Sept. 12 at Wheatmore

Sept. 19 vs. Providence Grove

Sept. 26 vs. American Leadership Academy –Johnston

Oct. 3 vs. North Moore*

Oct. 10 at Southwestern

Randolph*

Oct. 17 at Northwood*

Oct. 31 vs. Eastern Randolph*

Chatham Central (Greater Triad 1A/2A)

Aug. 22 at Graham

Aug. 29 vs. Jordan-Matthews

Sept. 5 vs. East Columbus

Sept. 12 at North Moore

Sept. 19 vs. North Stokes*

Oct. 3 at College Prep and Leadership Academy*

Oct. 10 at Bishop McGuinness*

Oct. 17 at South Stokes*

Oct. 24 vs. South Davidson*

Oct. 31 vs. Winston-Salem Prep*

Old rivalries prevail

Whether they have playoff implications or not, Chatham County’s oldest (and newer) rivalries are here to stay following conference realignment.

After two straight nailbiters, Jordan-Matthews and Chatham Central will continue their decades-long beef during Week 2 in Bear Creek. The Jets will also keep historic rival Northwood as a conference foe later in the season. And although it’s only as old as Seaforth’s varsity program, Northwood’s rivalry with the Hawks will get another chapter on Sept. 12 at Seaforth. The last time those two teams battled for Pittsboro, bragging rights in the town came down to the final plays.

New powers?

No longer are the days of chasing Southeast Alamance and Cummings for conference titles as new historically good programs will take trips to Chatham County. Former Piedmont Athletic 1A/2A power Eastern Randolph will join Northwood and Jordan-Matthews in the Four Rivers 3A/4A conference. The Wildcats have won at least 10 games in the last four seasons and will look to continue that success in a new setting. Seaforth could become a power in its new conference based on the recent history of its conference opponents. None of the Hawks’ new conference members had a winning season in 2024, creating some hope that this could be the year for the Hawks’ first conference title.

Woods Charter’s Anna Peeler takes first place in the girls’ 1,600 at last week’s meet at JordanMatthews.

Charter (5-7, 4-3); 3. River Mill (8-6, 5-4); 4. Ascend Leadership (0-9, 0-9)

Girls’ soccer

Woods Charter beat Southern Wake Academy 8-3 on April 9, winning its fifth game in a row and giving up its first goals in conference play. The Wolves’ win streak, however, got snapped the next day in a 2-0 loss to nonconference opponent Cornerstone Charter.

Jordan-Matthews picked up two conference wins last week. Junior Dalia Botello led the way with two goals in the Jets’ 5-0 win over Cummings on April 9. Botello and sophomore Yarai Padilla Balderas each scored a goal in Jordan-Matthews 2-0 victory over Graham the next day.

SOCCER f rom page B1

welcoming and helping us out through our positions. It’s just been overall a really good team environment.”

But while the young players have increased their roles, senior striker Caitlin Erman hasn’t gone anywhere. Erman, who leads the team with 20 goals as of Sunday, scored 11 goals in Viana’s ab -

BASKETBALL from page B1

the sixth-grade squad came from Morgan Pierotti (20 points per game), Selena Siler (16 points per game), Talayah Mattox (8 points per game) and Allison Garcia (7 points per game).

The seventh grade team started pool play with a 32 -26 win over PHX East. They followed that with an even bigger 45-32 win over Team Ish before the elimination rounds.

In the first round of the gold bracket, the Magic defeated the Lady Royals 46 -25. They earned a rematch with PHX East, and the Magic came out on top in a tight battle 51-49.

The Magic will be back on the road this weekend at the Phenom Showcase in Rock Hill, South Carolina. After

Northwood beat North Moore 4-0 on April 9. The Chargers have followed every loss with a win and vice versa this season. Chatham Charter freshman Emily Scheidt tied her season-high of three goals in the Knights’ 4-3 win over Ascend Leadership on April 9.

Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Seaforth (6-2-1, 6-0); 2. Southeast Alamance (7-5-2, 6-2); 3. Northwood (6-6, 5-2); T4. North Moore (7-2, 3-2); T4. Bartlett Yancey (4-6, 3-2); 6. Jordan-Matthews (5-8, 3-4); 7. Graham (1-9, 1-8); 8. Cummings (0-9, 0-7)

Central Tar Heel 1A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Woods Charter (63, 5-0); 2. Southern Wake Academy (3-3, 3-1); T3. River Mill (6-5-1, 4-2); T3. Clover Garden School (6-7, 4-2); 5. Chatham Charter (3-7, 2-3); 6. Triangle Math and Science (0-8, 0-4); 7. Ascend Leadership (1-7, 0-6) Boys’ lacrosse

Seaforth junior Ivan Grimes and senior Cameron Exley combined for 10 goals (five each) in the Hawks’ 16-4 win over Cedar Ridge on April 8. The next day, Seaforth won its fourth game in a row over Chapel Hill 10-9 behind a three-goal performance from sophomore Oscar Ditter. Junior Grayson Cox scored a team-high four goals and two other Chargers (Malik El Yosef and Jackson Glinski) contributed three goals in Northwood’s 17-1 win over Southeast Alamance on April 8.

Girls’ lacrosse

Seaforth beat Northwood 20-1 behind eight goals from sophomore Natalie Boecke. The Hawks, who also beat Jordan 18-2 on April 9, have won four games in a row as of Sunday. DC/Northern Lakes Athletic/Central/Mid-Carolina conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Chapel Hill (12 - 0, 7-0); 2. East Chapel Hill (101, 3-1); 3. Seaforth (5-4, 4-2); 4. Carrboro (4-3, 2-3); 5. Jordan (1-5, 1-2); 6. Northwood (2-3, 0-3); 7. Riverside-Durham (0 -12, 0-6)

Boys’ tennis

Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Seaforth (9-5, 6-0); 2. Northwood (7-5, 6-2); 3. Jordan-Matthews (3-8, 2-3); 4. North Moore (3-6, 2-4); 5. Southeast Alamance (0-8, 0-6) Central Tar Heel 1A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Triangle Math and Science (2-4, 2-0); 2. Chatham Charter (6-7, 2-1); 3. Clover Garden School (2-5, 0-4)’ Track and field

Local team results from the Jordan-Matthews home meet on April 8: Girls: 1. Northwood (127); 2. Jordan-Matthews (91); 3. Woods Charter (54); 6. Chatham Central (29.75); 7. Chatham Charter (22.75) Boys: 1. Jordan-Matthews (97); 2. Northwood (96); 4. Chatham Charter (40); 4. Woods Charter (40); 6. Chatham Central (36)

Central/Mid-Carolina conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Seaforth (102, 9-0); 2. Orange (11-3, 9-1); 3. Southern Alamance (13-3, 7-3); 4. Williams (8-6, 6-3); 5. Northwood (6-7, 6-5); 6. Cedar Ridge (4-7, 4-6); 7. Eastern Alamance (5-9, 3-8); 8. Western Alamance (1-10, 1-8); 9. Southeast Alamance (2-14, 1-12)

sence, including a five-score performance against Jordan-Matthews.

Gio Viana said getting healthy will be important for the Hawks in the last few weeks of the season. Seaforth still has some tough nonconference matchups sprinkled into its conference slate, including games with Middle Creek (4A) on Thursday, Southern Lee (3A) on

that, they’ll compete in the Beast of the East tournament at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro from May 16-18. Following that tournament, the Magic will fill out their summer at the Teammate Basketball National Championship in Rock Hill from June 18-22, the AAU World Championship in Knoxville, Tennessee, from June 26-29 and the Run 4 the Roses Classic in Louisville, Kentucky, from July 10-12.

“Now the goal is to compete for a national championship,” Carolina Magic coach Ryan Siler said. “After that, we’re planning to take on a national schedule this fall.”

As a young program, the Carolina Magic has experienced plenty of success over the last three years. At the local level, the girls have claimed three Chatham County Parks

April 25 and Panther Creek (4A) on May 2.

The Hawks have yet to give up a goal in conference play this year, but it’s been a different story on the flip side, going 0-2-1 in nonconference play (as of Sunday).

“We just want to hopefully heal over the next four or five days and be able to field our full-strength team,” Gio Viana said.

and Recreation league titles, finished undefeated in the Ramseur Parks and Recreation league and went undefeated in the Asheboro YMCA league in which the girls competed against 13U boys. Last summer, the Magic made the National Travel Basketball Association Nationals in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and both the fifth and sixth grade teams made the gold bracket before being eliminated.

“With the team’s rising success, the program has seen a surge in interest from talented players across the region,” Siler said. “We’re constantly getting messages from extremely talented girls and their families who want to join the program. It’s a testament to the work our players have put in and the reputation we’re building.”

COURTESY RYAN SILER

The sixth grade Carolina Magic team poses with their championship hardware after winning the LaMelo Ball invitational.

Chatham Charter’s Johnson signs to play college baseball

The senior will join the Mid-Atlantic Christian University program

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

CHATHAM CHARTER se-

nior Luke Johnson signed to the Mid-Atlantic Christian University baseball program Friday.

With just over a month remaining in his high school

career, Johnson has recorded a career-batting average of .380 with a total of 82 hits, 66 RBIs and 49 runs (as of Sunday). On the mound, he’s

achieved an ERA of 2.82 and 141 strikeouts in 114 innings.

During his senior season, Johnson has built a 3-3 record on the mound while also notching 17 hits and his highest batting average since his freshman season (.405).

Mid-Atlantic Christian University is in Elizabeth City, and it competes in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association. The Mustangs went 24-18 and competed in the USCAA Small College World Series in 2024.

Zach Cartrette

Chatham Charter, baseball

Chatham Charter baseball’s Zach Cartrette earns athlete of the week honors for the week of April 7.

Cartrette did it all in the Knights’ 8-0 win over River Mill (second place in the Central Tar Heel 1A conference). At the plate, he went 2 for 3 and knocked in a team-high two RBIs. He also played a large role in the shutout, striking out eight batters and giving up zero hits in the first four innings of the game.

In eight appearances on the mound, Cartrette has put together some impressive performances this season. As of Sunday, he’s recorded 55 strikeouts and has given up only five earned runs (1.17 ERA) in 30 innings.

PJ WARD-BROWN / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

@CHATHAMCHARTER / X Luke Johnson is all smiles after signing to play at Mid-Atlantic Christian University. 141

Strikeouts in Johnson’s career as of Sunday

SIDELINE REPORT

NCAA BASKETBALL

Betting up in men’s NCAA Tournament, during women’s basketball season

Las Vegas It was a men’s NCAA Tournament in which upsets were unusual and a women’s field sans Caitlin Clark. Betting nevertheless was up on both sides this year at the BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbooks. BetMGM saw an 18% increase on the men’s side that culminated in Florida’s heart-pounding 65-63 victory over Houston for the Gators’ third championship. Betting on the women’s side was up 10% this season at BetMGM. UConn rolled to an 82-59 victory over defending champion South Carolina for the Huskies’ 12th national title but first since 2016.

MLB Fan reaches into Trout’s glove to snatch catch from Angels outfielder

Houston A fan snatched the ball out of Mike Trout’s glove after the Los Angeles Angels star reached into the right field stands to try to make a catch. Trout raced into the right-field corner on the fly ball hit by Yainer Diaz in the second inning, leaped and extended his left arm into the stands. But a fan wearing a Houston Astros jersey immediately grabbed the ball as Trout immediately gestured to umpires that the fan had taken it out of his glove. First base umpire Alan Porter ruled it a foul ball and not a catch.

NFL Flacco returning to Browns on 1-year deal

Cleveland Joe Flacco is heading back to Cleveland. The veteran NFL quarterback agreed to terms with the Browns on a one-year deal. Flacco won the league’s Comeback Player of the Year award in 2023 after leading an inspiring late-season surge that carried the Browns to the playoffs. He spent last season in Indianapolis, throwing for 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions in eight games, including a 2-4 mark as a starter. The 40-year-old Flacco joins a quarterback room that includes Kenny Pickett. Cleveland acquired the former first-round draft pick in a deal with Philadelphia in March.

NCAA FOOTBALL

Iamaleava gone from Tennessee as Heupel says no one “bigger than the Power T” Knoxville, Tenn. The Tennessee Volunteers are moving forward without quarterback Nico Iamaleava with coach Josh Heupel giving his team a simple message: No one is bigger than the Power T, including the coach himself. Heupel said Tennessee has been around a long time and will be around long after he leaves with a tradition and legacy recognized around the world. Heupel called losing Iamaleava an “unfortunate” situation. But the Tennessee coach says he knew the quarterback would not be with the program after being a “no show” for last Friday’s practice.

from the

Wickens returns to elite racing with use of hand controls 7 years after being paralyzed

Hand-controlled throttle and braking systems let him compete in IMSA

By Jenna Fryer The Associated Press

LONG BEACH, Calif. —

Nearly seven years after he was paralyzed in an IndyCar crash, Robert Wickens returned to elite competition when he drove a Corvette in the IMSA sports car race on the downtown streets of Long Beach. Wickens finished five laps off the lead, in 26th place.

Wickens has raced since the crash at Pocono left him paralyzed from the chest down but considers the IMSA event a true completion of his comeback.

“My goal from the outset of this was to get back to the highest levels of motorsport again. I’ve always seen that (IMSA) is the highest level of sports car racing here in North America,” Wickens said. “It would be a dream if I could call it a 10-year career here racing against the best drivers in the world and one of the best series in the world.”

Wickens drove for DXDT Racing with teammate and

longtime Corvette driver Tommy Milner. The Corvette is equipped with a hand-controlled throttle and braking system developed by Bosch and Pratt Miller. The brake controls mount to the steering wheel but are independent of the steering wheel so that Milner can seamlessly transition from hand controls to pedals when he’s the driver.

“The steering wheel that Tommy will be driving or any other teammate that I drive with in this Corvette, it’s the exact same steering wheel that they always know. What’s great about it is, in theory, it can mount to virtually any steering column as long as you have the right bolt pattern,” Wickens said. “What we’re learning here today can transfer into any race car. And then, hopefully, down the road, what we’re developing with the electronic braking system from Bosch, opportunities are endless. Maybe this can evolve into road safety and into everyday road vehicles and accessibility in road vehicles.

“But short term, we need to perfect this system here.”

Wickens made his debut in IMSA’s GT Daytona class.

Florida gets another championship celebration

The national champions were honored in the Swamp in front of nearly 60,000

By Mark Long The Associated Press

GAINESVILLE, Fla. —

Florida coach Todd Golden already has a spot picked out for the Final Four net he cut down in San Antonio.

On Saturday, though, it felt right at home around his neck.

Golden and the Gators were revered in another national championship celebration, this one in front of nearly 60,000 fans at Florida Field during an extended halftime of the annual football spring game. The hoops team has one more get-together on tap: at the White House, presumably this summer.

“It’s just absurd,” Golden said. “Today was awesome. … Our guys, especially our older guys, are going to be moving on to go train for the draft.

You don’t know if they’re going to be around.

“To be able to put something like this together on kind of short notice and do a great job honoring our players in front of our fans, which to me is the most important thing.

People that have been supporting us really all year got to see these guys together again

“People that have been supporting us really all year got to see these guys together again one last time.”

Florida coach Todd Golden

one last time. It was special.”

Golden wore the remnants of one of the nets from the Alamodome; center Micah Handlogten wore the other. Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard carried trophies into the Swamp.

Clayton, named most outstanding player of the Final Four, and Golden — hardly surprisingly — received the loudest ovations.

Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward presented Golden with a key to the city “so you’ll always know where home is.”

“My family and I love being here,” said Golden. “In three short years, we’ve been able to meet a lot of great people and get comfortable. Florida’s a place that we can win national championships, as we just proved. Yeah, we love being here.”

Golden unveiled a working poster of the program’s third championship banner, which will be hung in the O’Connell Center to open next season.

“My goal from the outset of this was to get back to the highest levels of motorsport again.”

Robert Wickens

“Honestly, taking the green flag in Long Beach is going to be an enormous step forward in my career and my journey back to the highest levels,” Wickens said. “You could say, ‘We did it. We’re racing against the best cars and the best drivers in the whole sports car industry.’”

The car Wickens and Milner are competing in is eligible for the GTD championship.

“I want to win championships for myself, for General Motors, for DXDT,” he said. “There’s still some work to be done. I think you could say it’s definitely a massive box to check, probably the biggest box that we could check off so far in my return.”

He’d like to race full time in the series next season.

He and Milner are just getting to know each other, as well as the nuances of the car with the system Wickens must use versus how Milner will drive it.

“Fundamentally, everything happens on the wheel,” Milner said, “and it’s a system that took me initially a little while to sort of understand in my own brain, how it is supposed to work, how to find lap time out of it and things like that.” Milner has also been inspired by Wickens’ journey since his life-changing crash in his rookie season of IndyCar racing.

“For him to go through what he went through and with his drive and determination to get back in a race car again and be competitive and win races, that’s something that can be an inspiration for anybody,” Milner said. “Anybody who’s gone through some sort of hardship like he has, it’s what you make of your life and that situation. You can tell that it does change parts of his life. But the one thing that he doesn’t want it to change realistically is him driving race cars and driving them as fast as he does.”

Florida head coach Todd Golden speaks as the NCAA champions are honored during halftime of the Orange and Blue spring football game.

Clayton, Martin and Richard have exhausted their eligibility and will moving on, and Golden said big man Alex Condon will go through the NBA’s predraft testing process to see whether he turns pro or returns to school.

“If we’re fortunate enough to get Alex back, I think we’ll have one of the strongest front lines in America,” Golden said. “We’re deep there. We’re athletic now. We’re very accomplished. Guys have played a lot of minutes on a really good team.”

The Gators finished 36-4 and won their final 12 games. They won four of six in the tournament by rallying late:

“Beat the odds to say the least,” Golden quipped.

The 39-year-old Golden became the youngest coach since NC State’s Jim Valvano in 1983 to win it all. Golden flung what was left of the net around his neck Monday night and still had it on when the team returned home Tuesday afternoon. He insisted Saturday he hasn’t slept in it or even thought much about it since.

“But I wanted to bust it out for today,” he said. “This will be, along with some other important mementos over the last month, in my office at home. … This is a little more important and a little more impactful on the trophy shelf now.”

JENNA FRYER / AP PHOTO

Driver change assist Josh Gibbs pulls Robert Wickens, who was paralyzed from the chest down after a 2018 IndyCar crash,

car as Tommy Milner gets in the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3R as they practiced driving changes for the Long Beach IMSA race.

Larson dominates to claims emotional Cup victory at Bristol Motor Speedway

The win comes after the death of his longtime PR representative

By Nate Ryan The Associated Press

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Kyle Larson led 411 of 500 laps and scored an emotional win Sunday with a dominating NASCAR Cup Series victory at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Larson, racing just days after the death of Jon Edwards, his former public relations representative, picked up his second Cup win of the season. It was his 31st Cup victory and third at Bristol.

Denny Hamlin finished second in his 400th consecutive Cup start, falling one spot short in his bid for a third consecutive win. Ty Gibbs was third,

followed by Chase Briscoe and Ryan Blaney.

Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet was one of several cars sporting a decal in the memory of Edwards, the Hendrick Motorsports director of communications whose death was confirmed in a Thursday statement from the team. The cause of death was not announced.

The 53-year-old Edwards was a PR specialist during Jeff Gordon’s four Cup championships. After becoming Gordon’s right-hand man, Edwards also worked closely with Larson since the star joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2021 and won his first championship.

On Saturday at Bristol, Larson dedicated an Xfinity Series victory to Edwards, who took vacations with the driver and became his closest friend on the No. 5 team.

Larson also finished second in Friday’s Truck Series race, nearly completing a tripleheader sweep to honor Edwards, whom he said was always a happy person.

“He wouldn’t want us to be sad,” Larson said of Edwards. “I’m happy to see the smiling faces and everybody talking positively of Jon this week.”

Helping others

Defending Cup Series champion Joey Logano was named a National Motorsports Press Association Pocono Spirit Award winner for his efforts in helping Hurricane Helene victims with rebuilding after the storm last fall. Logano was presented the award at Bristol because of the track’s proximity to the devastation in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.

“One of my quotes that I like

“I’m happy to see the smiling faces and everybody talking positively of Jon this week.”

Kyle Larson on PR man Jon Edwards’ death

to think about a lot is, ‘Don’t let a crisis go to waste,’” said Logano, whose foundation committed $250,000 to Helene relief after he toured the storm’s path last October. “A crisis like that presented a huge opportunity for all of us to band together and impact some people that just got their lives wiped out. It’s some pretty heavy stuff up there. The great news is there’s a lot of comeback.”

The Bristol weekend continued a busy week for Logano, who recovered from a bout with norovirus in time for last Wednesday visit to the White House. After scraping the wall in qualifying Saturday, he started Sunday’s race from the rear because of unapproved adjustments to his No. 22 Ford.

Up next

After a break for Easter weekend, the Cup Series will race Sunday, April 27 at Talladega Superspeedway, where Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Tyler Reddick won last year. Talladega will follow the final off week of the season for NASCAR’s premier series, which will race on 28 consecutive weekends through the Nov. 2 season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

WADE PAYNE / AP PHOTO

Kyle Larson goes into Turn 3 during his NASCAR Cup Series win Sunday in Bristol, Tennessee.

Last year’s event brought in more than $26 million to the Met’s Costume Institute

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — As springtime sunshine finally hits New York City, the Met Gala beckons — one of the most anticipated and visible parties in the world.

This year, the theme — “Tailored For You” — is focused on classic tailoring. As always, the dress code is inspired by the spring exhibit at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” is the first Met show to focus exclusively on black designers, and the first in more than 20 years to have a menswear theme. The show looks at the evolution of black style over the centuries through the lens of dandyism.

Here are some key things to know as fashion’s biggest night approaches.

When is the Met Gala?

The gala happens the first Monday in May, which this year falls on May 5.

What exactly is the Met Gala?

Not everyone knows that the gala is actually a fundraiser for the Costume Institute, the only self-funding department at the Met. Last year, the evening brought in a whopping sum of more than $26 million to the museum’s coffers.

Was it always this big?

Definitely not. It started in 1948 as a Manhattan society midnight supper — held at various places like the Waldorf Astoria and the Rainbow Room.

Who’s hosting the 2025 Met Gala?

Each year brings a new group of celebrity co-chairs. This year they are Pharrell Williams, Lewis Hamilton, Colman Domingo and A$AP Rocky — along with Anna Wintour, the influential Vogue editor who always oversees the proceedings. NBA superstar LeBron James is honorary chair.

Who else is attending the Met Gala so far?

Word on attendees trickles out slowly in the weeks leading up to the event. But this year there’s also a huge additional host committee with stars from various fields. (They don’t have specific host duties other than showing up and, it goes without saying, looking fabulous.)

It includes athletes Sim-

one Biles and husband Jonathan Owens, Angel Reese and Sha’Carri Richardson; filmmakers Spike Lee, Tonya Lewis Lee and Regina King; and actors Ayo Edebiri, Audra McDonald and Jeremy Pope, and musicians Doechii, Usher, Tyla, Janelle Monáe and André 3000.

How strict is the dress code?

The code is meant to be a guide, not a hard rule, and loose interpretation is encouraged. Sometimes, that interpretation extends not only to what guests put on, but what they take off. Lady Gaga did a 16-minute striptease on the gala carpet in 2019. Jared Leto spent the evening in 2023 carrying around his huge cat head, a tribute to Karl Lagerfeld’s beloved pet.

How do guests spend the evening?

Guests enter the museum and walk past an enormous flower arrangement in the museum’s grand lobby — always a talking point. Often there is an an orchestra playing nearby. At the top of the grand staircase, Wintour and her co-hosts form a receiving line. Guests then head either to cocktails or to view the exhibit. Cocktails are followed by dinner. The most hotly anticipated guests sometimes skip cocktails and even dinner and arrive around dessert time for maximum impact (we’re looking at you, Rihanna).

JOCELYN NOVECK / AP PHOTO

Monica L. Miller, guest curator of the upcoming Costume Institute exhibit “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” looks over designs on March 20.

this week in history

CIA-trained Cuban exiles invade Bay of Pigs, American Revolution begins, Twain dies

The Associated Press

APRIL 17

1961: Some 1,400

CIA‑trained Cuban exiles launched the Bay of Pigs in vasion of Cuba in an attempt to topple Fidel Castro, whose forces crushed the incursion within three days.

1970: Apollo 13 astronauts James A. Lovell, Fred W. Haise and Jack Swigert splashed down safely in the Pacific.

1975: Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh fell to the Khmer Rouge, which instituted brutal, radical policies that claimed an estimated 1.7 million lives.

APRIL 18

1775: Paul Revere began his famous ride from Charles town to Lexington, Massachu setts, warning colonists that British Regular troops were approaching.

1906: The deadliest earth quake in U.S. history struck San Francisco, killing more than 3,000 people.

1955: Physicist Albert Ein stein died at age 76.

Albums

1983: Sixty three people, including 17 Americans, were killed at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, by a suicide bomber driving a van laden with explosives.

APRIL 19

1775: The American Rev olutionary War began with the Battles of Lexington and Concord — the start of an eight‑year armed conflict be tween American colonists and the British Army.

1993: A 51 day standoff with the Branch Davidians near Waco, Texas, ended when their compound burned during an FBI assault, killing 76.

1995: Timothy McVeigh de stroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people.

APRIL 20

1812: The fourth vice pres ident of the United States, George Clinton, died in Wash ington at age 72, becoming the first vice president to die while in office.

1912: Boston’s Fenway Park, the oldest active stadium in Major League Baseball, hosted its first official baseball game.

1999: Two students shot and killed 12 classmates and one teacher and also injured

Mark

23 others before taking their own lives at Columbine High School, near Denver, Colorado.

APRIL 21

1836: An army of Texans, led by Sam Houston, defeated the Mexican Army, led by An tonio López de Santa Anna, in the Battle of San Jacinto.

1910: Author Samuel Lang horne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, died at age 74.

1918: German Air Force pi lot Manfred von Richthofen nicknamed “The Red Bar on,” was killed after being shot

during a World War I air battle over Vaux sur Somme, France.

2016: Prince, one of the most inventive and influential musicians of modern times, was found dead at his home from an accidental fentanyl overdose; he was 57.

APRIL 22

1889: The Oklahoma Land Rush began at noon as thou sands of homesteaders staked claims to nearly 1.9 million acres of land that was formerly part of Indian Territory.

1954: The publicly tele vised sessions of the Senate Ar my McCarthy hearings began. 1994: Richard M. Nixon died four days after having a stroke; he was 81.

APRIL 23

1635: The Boston Latin School, the first public school in what would become the United States, was established.

1898: Spain declared war on the United States, which re sponded in kind two days later.

1971: Hundreds of Viet nam War veterans opposed to the conflict protested by toss ing their medals and ribbons over a wire fence constructed in front of the U.S. Capitol. 1993: Labor leader Cesar Chavez died at age 66.

by Miles Davis, Elton John enter National Recording Registry

Twenty-five recordings are entering the archive in the class of 2025

By Andrew Dalton The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — Albums from Elton John, Miles Davis, Tracy Chapman, Mary J. Blige and the cast of “Hamilton” are entering America’s audio can on, along with singles from Helen Reddy and Celine Dion and the music of “Minecraft.”

New inductees into the Na tional Recording Registry at the Library of Congress include Davis’ groundbreaking 1970 merger of jazz and rock “Bitch es Brew,” John’s loaded w ith h its “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” from 1973, Chapman’s self t itled 1988 album that in cluded “Fast Car,” Blige’s deep ly introspective 1994 “My Life,” and the 2015 original Broad way cast album of “Hamilton.”

They were among the 25 re cordings entering the archive in the class of 2025, Librari an of Congress Carla Hayden announced last Wednesday. The recordings were chosen for their “cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the na tion’s recorded sound heritage”

“These are the sounds of America — our wide ranging history and culture,” Hayden said in a statement. “The Na tional Recording Registry is our evolving nation’s playlist.”

Helen Reddy’s 1972 “I Am Woman, Hear Me Roar” and Celine Dion’s 1997 “My Heart Will Go On” from the film “Ti tanic” are among the singles entering the archive.

Among the more unusual in clusions are the original mu sic for the video game (and now monster hit movie) “Minecraft” from German producer Daniel Rosenfeld, as collected on the 2011 album, “Minecraft: Vol ume Alpha,” and the reboot

solutions

sound for Microsoft’s Win dows 95 operating system, cre ated by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame musician and producer Brian Eno.

Announcer Chuck Thomp son’s radio broadcast of the 1960 World Series between the New York Yankees and Pitts burgh Pirates — clinched with a Game 7 home run by the Pi rates’ Bill Mazeroski — is also entering the registry.

The oldest recording in the

class of 2025 is 1913’s “Alo ha ‘Oe” by the Hawaiian Quin tette. The most recent is the 2015 “Hamilton” album, with music by Lin Manuel Miranda.

Other albums that won in clusion are 1968’s “Hello Dum my” from insult comic Don Rickles, 1969’s “Chicago Tran sit Authority” from the band Chicago, 1975’s “I’ve Got the Music in Me” from Thelma Houston & Pressure Cook er, 1976’s “Fly Like an Eagle”

from the Steve Miller Band and 2006’s “Back to Black” from Amy Winehouse.

Career defining singles from other canonical artists are join ing those of Reddy and Dion, including 1952’s “Happy Trails” from Roy Rogers and Dale Ev ans, Freddy Fender’s 1975 “Be fore the Next Teardrop Falls” and 1971’s “Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’” from trailblaz ing black country artist Char ley Pride.

AP PHOTO

Recordings by musicians Miles Davis, Mary J. Blige and Elton John have been selected to the National Recording Registry as part of the class of 2025.

A.F. BRADLEY VIA WIKIPEDIA

Twain, American author and humorist, died at age 74 on April 21, 1910.

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

famous birthdays this week

Iggy Pop turns 78, George Takei and Jack Nicholson are 88

The Associated Press THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week.

APRIL 17

Author Nick Hornby is 68. Actor Jennifer Garner is 53. Singer Victoria Beckham is 51.

APRIL 18

Actor Hayley Mills is 79.

Actor James Woods is 78. Actor Rick Moranis is 72. Actor Jane Leeves is 64. Ventriloquist-comedian Jeff Dunham is 63. Talk show host Conan O’Brien is 62.

APRIL 19

Actor Tim Curry is 79.

Actor Ashley Judd is 57. Latin pop singer Luis Miguel is 55. Actor James Franco is 47. Actor Kate Hudson is 46.

APRIL 20

Actor George Takei (“Star Trek”) is 88. Actor Jessica Lange is 76. Actor Clint Howard is 66. Actor Carmen Electra is 53. Actor Joey Lawrence (“Blossom,” “Brotherly Love”) is 49.

APRIL 21

Singer Iggy Pop is 78. Actor Patti LuPone is 76. Actor Tony Danza is 74. Actor Andie MacDowell is 67. Rapper Michael Franti of Spearhead is 59.

APRIL 22

Actor Jack Nicholson is 88. Singer Mel Carter is 86. Director John Waters is 79. Actor Sheryl Lee (“Twin Peaks”) is 58.

APRIL 23

Actor Joyce DeWitt (“Three’s Company”) is 76. Actor James Russo is 73. Director Michael Moore is 71. Actor Judy Davis is 70. Actor Valerie Bertinelli is 65. Comedian George Lopez is 64.

JORDAN STRAUSS / INVISION / AP PHOTO

Writer, comedian and former talk show host Conan O’Brien turns 62 on Friday.

SCOTT A GARFITT / INVISION / AP PHOTO

Actor and longtime Asheville resident Andie MacDowell is 67 on Monday.

RICHARD SHOTWELL / INVISION / AP PHOTO

Actor, author and activist George Takei, known for his role as Hikaru Sulu on “Star Trek,” is 88 on Sunday.

Jude Law plays fed, ‘Law & Order’ reunion, David Oyelowo in oddball comedy

Nathan Fielder returns with more antics in “The Rehearsal”

The Associated Press

MARISKA HARGITAY reuniting with her old partner, Detective Elliot Stabler, on “Law & Order: Organized Crime” and Jude Law sporting a mustache and an American accent to play an FBI agent in the movie “The Order” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also among the streaming offerings worth your time: David Oyelowo stars in the new quirky series for Apple TV+ called “Government Cheese,” Ramy Youssef’s new adult animation series “#1 Happy Family USA” comes to Prime Video, and two innovative indie rockers partner up for a country album when boygenius’ Julien Baker and Torres release “Send a Prayer My Way.”

MOVIES TO STREAM

If you’re in the mood for a crackling 1970s-styled crime thriller, “The Order” is making its Hulu debut on Friday. Law sports a mustache and an American accent to play an FBI agent who connects the dots between violent crimes arising in the Pacific Northwest in the early 1980s. The film, directed by Justin Kurzel, is based on a true story that culminated in one of the largest manhunts in FBI history as agents searched for Robert Jay Mathews (played by Nicholas Hoult), the leader of a white supremacist group committing armed robberies with plans to overthrow the government. Perhaps you’re looking for more fantastical and less reality-based horror, in which case Peacock has “Wolf Man” starting Friday. The film stars Christopher Abbott as the unfortunate father and husband who, in trying to protect his family from a werewolf, turns into one. Julia Garner also stars in the film from Leigh Whannell. The streamer will also once again be home to Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.”

With a Kelly Reichardt film set for Cannes and Michelle Williams earning raves for “Dying for Sex,” it’s the perfect time to revisit one of their classic collaborations in “Certain Women,” streaming on Paramount. It’s a quiet, introspective film about women in a small Montana town (Williams, Kristen Stewart, Lily Gladstone and Laura Dern included) told in poignant vignettes.

MUSIC TO STREAM

Afrobeats have gone global, and the four-time Grammy nominated Nigerian superstar Davido is at least partially responsible. On Friday, he will release his fifth studio album, appropriately titled “5ive.” It’s stuffed with collaborations — YG Marley, Odumodublvck and Chike among them — and furthers his life-affirming worldwide pop. “I want to have it all/ Still dey find my resolve,” he sings on the single “Be There Still,” atop percussive synths.

“Na God dey bless me all the way/12 years, I’m still on top.” What happens when two innovative indie rockers partner

up for a country album? Tenderness, at least in the case of boygenius’ Baker and Torres. Their first collaborative album, “Send a Prayer My Way,” out Friday via the historic Matador Records, acts as a reclamation of their Southern roots, in some ways, and an energetic take on classic country in a few others. Affection is felt throughout. “I love you all of the ways,” they harmonize on the single “Sugar in the Tank.” “That I know how.”

SHOWS TO STREAM

Oyelowo stars in a new quirky series for Apple TV+ called “Government Cheese.” Set in 1969, Oyelowo plays Hampton

Julien Baker and Torres’ album “Send a Prayer My Way” and Davido’s “5ive” will be released this week.

Julien Baker and Torres’ “Send a Prayer My Way” acts as a reclamation of their Southern roots, in some ways, and an energetic take on classic country in a few others.

ern day crime families and illegal enterprises. “Law & Order: Organized Crime” debuts Thursday.

The Tubi comedy “Boarders” is back for a second season beginning Thursday. The comingof-age series follows five black inner-city teenagers attending an elite boarding school in London. While season one was about adjustment and fitting in, in season two the kids are thriving in their new world. Season One was “certified fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes.

Youssef’s new adult animation series “#1 Happy Family USA” comes to Prime Video. The show follows the Husseins, a well-intentioned immigrant Muslim family living in America. The Husseins just want to fit in and embrace American life. It’s not an easy road, however, as the debut episode takes place on Sept. 10, 2001, one day before the 9/11 terror attacks. Youssef co-created and stars in the series. All eight episodes are available Thursday.

Nathan Fielder’s “The Rehearsal” premieres its second season on Sunday on Max. Season One showed us Fielder as a heightened version of himself, helping everyday people rehearse for uncomfortable life events both big and small. In Season Two, Fielder narrows in on the aviation industry, which has had a number of disasters and close calls in recent months. Fielder creates a fake airport and hires actors to interact with pilots in made-up scenarios.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

Chambers, a man recently released from prison. Hampton returns home hoping to seamlessly reunite with his family but ends up having a harder time than he anticipated. Hampton believes his ticket to a better life is his invention of a self-sharpening power drill. “Government Cheese” is streaming now.

“Law & Order: Organized Crime” has moved to Peacock for its fifth season. Mariska Hargitay will guest star on the two-episode premiere, reuniting with her old partner, Detective Elliot Stabler, played by Christopher Meloni. Stabler now works in the NYPD Organized Crime Control Bureau, whose mission is to take down New York’s mod-

The star of Tempopo is a girl named Hana who lives on an island filled with musically gifted flowers. But after a tornado blows them away, Hana has to call on the magical title creatures to restore her gardens. The result is 60 levels of 3D challenges that might scratch an itch for fans of Nintendo’s brain-twisting Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. Tempopo comes from the Australian indie studio Witch Beam, best known for the award-winning 2021 puzzler Unpacking, and it recalls that game’s mellow vibe. You can start planting Thursday on Xbox X/S,

and

Switch

PC.

VERTICAL ENTERTAINMENT / PEACOCK / UNIVERSAL VIA AP

“The Order,” the crime series “Law & Order: Organized Crime” and the film “Wolf Man” land this week on a screen near you.

VERTICAL VIA AP

Nicholas Hoult stars in “The Order.”

MATADOR / SONY VIA AP

Duplin Journal

the BRIEF this week

Body recovered last month belongs to missing Pink Hill woman

Duplin County

The Duplin County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Monday that the body recovered on March 26 in the area of Burncoat and Jimmy Lee roads is that of Jamie Brooke Kennedy, 34. The announcement was made after the sheriff’s office received official notification from the North Carolina Medical Examiners’ Office. Kennedy was reported missing from the Pink Hill area on March 9 and was last seen on Maxwell Mill Road near Albertson on March 2. Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact Detective Sgt. Jon Green at the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office at 910-296-2150 or the Duplin County Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 910 -372-9202.

New all-way stops coming to Duplin

Duplin County The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) will install two all-way stop signs and add pavement markings in Duplin County to enhance safety. The installations are scheduled for April 21 at the intersection of N.C. 903 and Outlaw Bridge Road, and on April 22 at the intersection of N.C. 50 and Maready Road.

NCDOT advises drivers to exercise caution while traveling through these areas during the safety improvements.

Late Magnolia police chief honored in Senate record

Magnolia Earlier this year, the late Magnolia Police Chief Donald Hall was one of 85 fallen law enforcement officers honored in the U.S. Senate. This recognition included deaths from assaults, gunfire, vehicular pursuits and duty-related illnesses. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) noted that those honored made the ultimate sacrifice to protect their communities and requested a list of fallen officers to be printed in the Congressional Record.

County offices closed for Good Friday

Duplin County Duplin County offices will be closed April 18 for Good Friday.

$2.00

Duplin Hall of Fame honors Brinson, Routledge

Two eras of service were recognized at the 30th Hall of Fame celebration

By K.D. Beard Duplin Journal

KENANSVILLE — The Duplin County Hall of Fame celebrated its 30th annual awards banquet at the Ed Emory Auditorium last week, adding two inductees to its roster of 59 individuals: living recipient Davis Brinson, former Duplin County

manager and register of deeds, and Col. Thomas Routledge, deceased recipient and veteran of the Revolutionary War. The organization has been honoring the accomplishments of Duplin County residents, both historic and contemporary, since its establishment in 1996.

Brinson, former president of the Duplin County Hall of Fame, was introduced as the living inductee for this year’s honor by Duplin County Library Director Laura Jones, also a member of the Hall of Fame’s board of directors.

“Tonight, the Duplin County Hall of Fame honors an individual who was born and raised in the heart of Duplin County, the same as his father, his grandfather, great-grandfather and several greats back,” Jones began her address, detailing Brinson’s youth, education and accomplishments. Brinson, a Kenansville native who served for over 20 years with the Kenansville Volunteer Fire Department as firefighter, captain, treasurer and chairman of the board of directors, graduat-

“Tonight, the Duplin County Hall of Fame honors an individual who was born and raised in the heart of Duplin County, the same as his father, his grandfather, great-grandfather and several greats back.”

Laura Jones, Duplin County Library director

ed from NC State in 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in political science. Following graduation, he returned to Duplin County to

See HALL, page A2

Duplin discusses state-mandated property valuations

Local officials addressed residents concerns and detailed the valuation process during the monthly meeting

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal

KENANSVILLE — Last week, the Board of County Commissioners started their monthly meeting with County Manager Bryan Miller, thoroughly explaining the tax revaluation process.

Wallace

Miller explained that under the Machinery Act, North Carolina requires all counties to reassess the value of all real estate for tax purposes at least once every eight years, which includes land, buildings and anything permanently attached to the land, like mineral or timber rights.

“We’re in our eighth year, so we have to do it this year,” Miller explained, adding that the county tax office is legally obligated to review and set property values. He also outlined the three methods used for deter-

mining property values: cost, sales comparison and income approaches. Miller explained that utilizing all three ensures fair and accurate valuations, with appraisals reflecting market value.

A key requirement of the process is that when a county completes a reappraisal, the budget officer must include a revenue-neutral tax rate in the budget for comparison, keeping taxpayers informed about their potential tax obligations.

Miller pointed out that while the rate is revenue-neutral for

addresses expansion at latest town council meeting

“What are you doing to prepare for and promote industrial development?”

Charley Farrior, former mayor of Wallace

A shell building project aims to draw investors to the growing town

By K.D. Beard Duplin Journal

THE WALLACE TOWN Council convened for their regular meeting at the Wallace Women’s Club last Thursday, where the board discussed the town’s ongoing development and upcoming Strawberry Festival. The meeting also featured an update on a shell building in one of the town’s industrial parks and the introduction of a new interim finance director. Scotty Summerlin, executive director of the Duplin County Economic Development Commission, provided an in-depth update to the board regarding the progress of a

50,000-square-foot shell building being constructed in Southpark, one of the county’s three industrial parks.

Summerlin advised the council that the purpose of the structure is to attract investors. The shell building will be largely incomplete. Summerlin indicated that a Certificate of Occupancy won’t be sought for the location at this time.

Charley Farrior, former mayor of Wallace, provided additional insight into shell buildings for the council’s benefit.

“(The) reason you don’t put a floor in it is because you don’t know who’s going in it. They could need a 6-inch floor, they could need a 4-inch floor, they could need a pit dug,” he explained. “It is a building for a new occupant to come in and

the county overall, it may not be for individual taxpayers due to the unique nature of each property.

“The tax office is happy to discuss details on each individual’s tax parcels,” said Miller. “Commissioners may or may not choose to adopt the revenue-neutral tax rate as calculated by the budget officer, but keep in mind the CPI (Consumer Price Index) has increased approximately 26% since a tax increase was last adopted

THE DUPLIN COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

PHOTO K.D. BEARD / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Former Duplin County Manager Davis Brinson stands with wife, Brandi, following his induction into the 2025 Duplin County Hall of Fame. Brinson was honored for his distinguished service to the county on April 8 during the annual awards banquet.

K.D. Beard Reporter Michael Jaenicke Sports Editor Loretta Carey Office Manager CONTACT US

Office Phone: 910 463-1240

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THURSDAY

April 17

• The 2025 Duplin County Job Fair will be on Thursday, April 17 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at James Sprunt Community College. This event is open to the public. Whether on the hunt for a dream job or just exploring options, it is a chance to connect with local employers and discover job opportunities. The rain date is April 24.

April 22

• The N.C. Cooperative Extension, Duplin County Center will host a boiling water canning workshop on April 22 at 10 a.m., at 165 Agriculture Drive in Kenansville. In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn about the associated risks, the science behind preventing those risks and terminology related to recipes. The cost is $10. To register, call 910-296-2143.

• The Duplin County Voluntary Agricultural Districts (VAD) Board will have its next

meeting on April 22 at 7 p.m. at the Lois G. Britt Agricultural Center in Kenansville. RSVP is required. Contact the Extension Office at 910-296-2143 to RSVP or for more information.

April 26

• Join the North Carolina Pickle Festival on Saturday, April 26, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in downtown Mount Olive. A variety of activities, including the Tour de Pickle, beer and wine garden, pickle-eating contest, recipe contest, live music, car show, costume contest and the crowning of the Pickle Princess. Register for the Tour de Pickle by April 18. The festivities kick off on Friday, April 25 with the Cuke Patch 5K Glow Run at 8 p.m.

• Immerse yourself in the beauty of Southeastern North Carolina’s lush gardens at the Garden Gala and celebrate the kickoff of the Carolina Strawberry Festival on April 26. Dress to impress and enjoy an afternoon filled with live music by the Blackwater Band, drinks, a selection of heavy hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction. Tickets are $75. The gala will take place from 1-6 p.m. with an afterparty hosted at the Mad Boar. A free shuttle service will be available between the Mad Boar and the Gardens.

• Pet Friends of Duplin County will host a Rabies Clinic on Saturday, April 26 from 9 a.m. to noon. The event will take place in the parking lot of First Baptist Church, located at 208 West Main St.

in Wallace. Rabies shots are free for the first five dogs, cats and ferrets. There will be a charge of $5 for each additional pet. Duplin County Animal Services will be administering the vaccinations. Dogs must be leashed at all times, and cats and ferrets should be placed in crates or carriers. For more information, contact 910-271-4709.

April 28

• Join the annual Shred-a-thon event hosted by Duplin County Senior Services on Monday, April 28 from 10 a.m. to noon. Participants can shred old documents to protect themselves against identity theft and reduce clutter in their homes. The Shred-a-thon will be at the side parking lot of the senior services building, located at 156 Duplin Commons Drive in Kenansville. Last year, seniors shredded 1,500 pounds of paper during the first Shred-a-thon. For more information, call 910-296-2140.

April 29

• The N.C. Cooperative Extension, Duplin County Center, will host a pressure canning workshop on April 29 at 10 a.m. at the Cooperative Extension office located at 165 Agriculture Dr. in Kenansville. In this workshop, you’ll learn the science behind creating shelf-stable products and how to use a pressure canner to process jars of vegetables and meats for shelf stability. The cost is $10. To register, call 910-296-2143.

JSCC breaks ground on new Workforce Development Center

The 22,000-square-foot facility will power Duplin County’s skilled workforce

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal

LAST WEEK, James Sprunt

Community College broke ground on its Workforce Development Center — a state- of-theart facility designed to prepare students for in-demand careers in essential trades like electrical, plumbing and HVAC.

“We are incredibly excited about the impact this center will have — not only for our students, but for the workforce across Duplin County and beyond,” stat-

ed Jay Carraway, James Sprunt Community College president, in a media announcement.

Spanning 22,000 square feet, the Workforce Development Center will serve as a future-forward space and will offer an innovative learning environment where students will receive expanded opportunities to dive into hands- on training utilizing the latest tools and technologies.

“This facility represents a major step forward in our mission to provide accessible, career-ready education and to help shape the future of our community’s skilled labor force,” said Carraway.

Expected to open its doors by the summer of 2026, the Workforce Development Center promises to be a game-changer for local students, providing them with not only the tools they need but also the critical skills and experience needed to thrive in technical careers that fuel growth.

work with the Department of Social Services as a child protective services investigator, also serving as a deputy sheriff with the Duplin County Police Department in telecommunications and later as an adult probation and parole officer with the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections in 1997.

In 2000, at the age of 28, Brinson offered his services to the county in another way by running for the office of Duplin County Register of Deeds, eventually winning the election and attending the Basic School for Registers of Deeds at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Government. Brinson was reelected in 2004, 2008 and 2012, completing the advanced register of deeds school in 2007 and earning a chancellor’s certificate in public administration from the University of Missouri in 2009.

“If you ever visited the courthouse during the time when Davis was Register of Deeds, you just felt like you were right there at home,” recalled Faison attorney Brian Bullard.

During his tenure, Brinson made it his mission to modernize the office of the Register of Deeds, succeeding in implementing an online marriage application, an electronic record and recording of real estate documents, and an integrated office website

that allowed users to learn about the functions of the office and access all vital records online.

Brinson’s accomplishments while in office included the digitization of various documents and records to help preserve the county’s history. All reported property records, maps and plats, as well as real property record book images and indexes dating back to 1750, were converted into a digital format.

Additionally, Brinson oversaw the deacidification and binding of all Duplin County Marriage Records, which had previously been stored in loose metal filing cabinets.

“As a librarian and a genealogy researcher, I can’t say enough about this type of preservation; it’s priceless,” explained Jones.

After serving as Register of Deeds for 17 years and holding positions of ever-increasing responsibility with the North Carolina Association of Registers of Deeds, Brinson was appointed Duplin County manager. In his first few years as county manager, Brinson contended with the devastation wrought by Hurricane Florence, supervised rebuilding the county’s IT infrastructure following a malware attack in 2020, and coordinated with 29 county department heads to establish a work schedule for departmental employees during the pandemic. In addition to his service in local government and administration, Brinson re-

mained active in numerous community organizations throughout his tenure.

Taylor Brinson, daughter of the recipient, penned a heartfelt personal reflection on her father’s service, which Jones read at the ceremony.

“When I think about my dad, I think about a man who could transition between two worlds with the kind of ease that made you think he had superpowers,” read Jones. “I watched my dad pour countless hours into our family’s turkey farm. But he gave even more of himself to the community. For 30 years, he didn’t just work — he served.”

Brinson addressed the audience upon his official induction into the Duplin County Hall of Fame, “I just want to say thank you. It is an honor. There’s so many of you here tonight who have helped me along my path and my career. I’m honored. I’m humbled. Thank you so much.”

This year’s ceremony had a special focus on Duplin County’s revolutionary past, featuring memorabilia from the late 1700s and guest speakers from Moores Creek National Battlefield — the site of the first decisive patriot victory in the American War of Independence. Sandi Dunlap, guest speaker and living historian, provided those in attendance with a brief history of the battle from beneath a colonial-style bonnet, noting that Pvt. John Grady was

the only patriot casualty in the skirmish.

Steven Roberts, National Park Service education technician and A250 ranger, emphasized that 2026 will mark the 250th anniversary of American Independence — and the 275th anniversary of Duplin County’s formation. Roberts advocated for celebrations of history at North Carolina’s First in Freedom Festival to take place in February 2026.

Bullard, also adorned in period-appropriate attire, noted that the county’s founding was far from simple to determine.

“The Colonial period of Duplin County can be challenging to piece together,” he explained. “One reason, perhaps, is that the founders were too busy making history to write it down.”

Bullard thanked those instrumental in nailing down Duplin’s actual date of incorporation: Thomas Byrd, Leon “Sonny” Sikes and Brinson, adding that all were essential in determining the county’s founding as 1750 and not 1749.

Duplin County historian and attorney Charles Ingram introduced the deceased recipient with a powerful excerpt from Thomas Paine’s revolutionary pamphlet “The American Crisis No. 1.”

“These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the ser-

vice of their country, but he who stands by it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman,’” quoted Ingram. “The honoree was such a man — a true patriot!” Ingram detailed Routledge’s leadership in the military establishment and the civil government during the war, as well as his continued service following North Carolina’s statehood.

“It is men such as he who, over 250 years ago, served and sacrificed and made it possible for us to live in freedom,” said Ingram. “In the times that tried men’s souls, the honoree was neither a summer solider nor a sunshine patriot and did not shrink from the service of his country but stood by it. And for that, he does indeed deserve ‘the love and thanks of men and women.’”

Typically, living relatives are called upon to receive the deceased recipient’s honor in their stead, though no known descendants of Routledge have been located. According to Marilynn Kornegay Hroza, president of the Duplin County Hall of Fame, it is likely, however, that descendants do exist.

“Charles and I have talked about that, and I have no doubt he will be continuing the search,” said Hroza. Nominations for the 2026 Duplin County Hall of Fame should be mailed by Feb. 15, 2026, to Duplin County Hall of Fame, P.O. Box 99, Kenansville, NC 28349.

HALL from page A1

PHOTO BY KYLE TYNDALL / JAMES SPRUNT COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Pictured from left to right are A.J. Connors, Wayne Branch, Jay Carraway, Rep. Jimmy Dixon, Anita Powers, and Ed Emory as they break ground for the James Sprunt Community College new Workforce Development Center on April 9.

Kornegay named to NCCF board of directors

The local business leader and community advocate brings decades of leadership experience to new role at NCCF

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal

LAST WEEK, the North Carolina Community Foundation announced the appointment of Robert B. Kornegay as one of two newly appointed board members. He currently serves as the manager of member services at Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation, a position he has held for over two decades.

finish like they want it finished.”

Construction of the building, a $3 million investment, should commence within the next 90 days, with the first phase expected to finalize by the end of the year.

“I want to talk to you as the former mayor for a minute,” said Farrior, addressing the board on another matter. “I’m going to ask you a question, and I hope this question will kind of stick in your mind: What are you doing to prepare for and promote industrial development?”

Farrior expressed that while residential development in the town is growing rapidly, industrial development shouldn’t fall to the wayside.

“A lot of factors go into industrial recruitment,” said Farrior, noting that attracting industries was an extremely competitive process that required available land, water, sewer, housing, good schools, adequate internet services and, at times, natural gas and railway availability.

“It’s an exciting new chapter, and I’m looking forward

to the opportunity to contribute on a broader scale,” Kornegay told Duplin Journal via email. “I’m eager to see what the future holds with this new opportunity.” Kornegay has an extensive business management and community service background, with leadership roles in agricultural and educational organizations. He currently chairs the Wayne County Development Alliance, a group focused on economic development, and serves as the vice chair of the University of Mount Olive Board of Trustees. Additionally, he is a board member of the Duplin County Community Foundation.

The Mount Olive native is

“It’s an exciting new chapter, and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to contribute on a broader scale.”

Robert B. Kornegay

also involved in his family business, Kornegay Brothers Inc., a hog farming operation that partners with Murphy Family Farms. As the company’s co-owner, secretary and treasurer, he plays a significant role in managing the farming operations.

The former mayor praised the town of Beulaville for their recent acquisition of 54 acres of land for industrial development, applauding them for the progressive purchase. He also shared the cautionary tale of another local community currently under a sewer moratorium to illustrate the importance of sewer and water in developing municipalities.

Kornegay has been actively involved in the community and has a long track record of service on multiple boards and organizations, including the Duplin County Board of Commissioners, the James Sprunt Community College Board of Trustees, the North Carolina Global TransPark Commission, the Duplin County Education Foundation and the Duplin County Partnership for Children. He has also served as the former president of both the North Carolina Plant Food Association and the Duplin County Community Foundation. Kornegay holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Mount Olive.

port, Town Manager Robert Taylor announced Carrie Gurganious as interim finance director.

Near the meeting’s end, Rod Fritz, planning director for the town of Wallace, urged the board to reach out to elected officials in response to legislation brought before the North Carolina House and Senate that could hinder the growing town’s development by taking away extraterritorial jurisdictions (the ability for local municipalities to zone areas outside of their corporate limits).

The North Carolina League of Municipalities has opposed the legislation and encouraged its members to send letters to their representatives expressing the concern.

“Don’t let it get in front of you.”

In other business

The town granted the contract for the demolition of 14 structures at the Wallace-Pender Airport to Coastline Contracting for $453,405. Airport

Director Ben Jones stated that this would be a straightforward

“It’ll take you four or five years to add on to the plant that you got,” cautioned Farrior.

project and should be done by July.

The board unanimously approved the sale of beer and wine for the town’s upcoming Carolina Strawberry Festival from 5-10 p.m. on Friday, May 2 and from 2-10 p.m. on Saturday, May 3. More than 150 vendors will take part in the annual festival.

As part of the financial re -

“It’s important that we get those letters signed,” said Fritz, advising the board that the bills have the potential to largely undo local land-use planning in the town of Wallace. ”We need to reach out to our representative and our senator to make sure that they know that we’re opposed to this new legislation.”

Bob Kornegay

K.D. BEARD / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Charley Farrior encouraged the Wallace Town Council to be progressive when considering expansion at their monthly meeting last week.

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

Beyond the Book

“I am so incredibly proud of our students for their creativity and dedication to bringing books to life in such unique ways.”

Lindsay Skidmore

“READ, READ, READ.” That is the good advice of William Faulkner, who is considered one of the 20th century’s greatest writers. Acclaimed American author Stephen King describes books as “a uniquely portable magic.” Garrison Keillor, longtime host of “A Prairie Home Companion,” calls a book “a gift you can open again and again.” In the 19th century, when slave states passed laws prohibiting the teaching of reading and writing to slaves, abolitionist Frederick Douglass wrote, “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”

With the goal of encouraging the love of reading among the students in Duplin Schools, the first Beyond the Book competition was held on March 18 at the Ed Emory Auditorium in Kenansville. The room was full of excited students who were finalists among the 900 readers who competed at the local school level. In welcoming remarks, Lindsay Skidmore, director of 6-8 Curriculum and Digital Innovation, set out the purpose of Beyond the Book as “blending literacy with the arts and technology in alignment with the district’s STEAMA focus.” She said, “I am

COLUMN | REP. ALLEN CHESSER

so incredibly proud of our students for their creativity and dedication to bringing books to life in such unique ways. It’s inspiring to see how reading can spark such innovation and enthusiasm.”

Imagine the creativity our students displayed as they competed in these categories. Elementary school students presented their books in three media: From Page to Stage, in which they dressed as characters from the books; A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words, in which the students created infographics to express the main ideas; and Recycled Reads, in which the readers used 2-liter soda bottles to create main characters from the books.

Middle school students shared their love of reading in these imaginative ways: Read & Reel, a video presentation; Diorama Drama, in which a scene was represented with threedimensional figures; and Lyric Lab, through which the students expressed the details of their books through poetry, song and rap.

I had the honor and responsibility of judging a dozen entries in the category “A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words.” I was impressed by the students’ imagination and enthusiasm. I also learned a lot about Dog Man, Matilda, Simone Biles and Misty Copeland, just to name a few of the subjects presented. The students were judged on the

originality of their projects as well as their knowledge and presentation of their books. I was inspired by the work of all the students and their obvious passion for reading.

Congratulations to the winners in the first Beyond the Book competition:

Elementary school

From Page to Stage: Katherine Wolfe (North Duplin); Recycled Reads: Jack Holley (Chinquapin); A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words: Aubree McKoy (Wallace)

Middle school

Diorama Drama: Bella Cavenaugh (Wallace); Lyric Lab: Tyler Hall (Chinquapin); Read & Reel: J.T. Wolfe (North Duplin Jr./Sr. High)

In the words of the beloved Dr. Seuss, “The more that you read, the more things. you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

Philip Gladden lives in Wallace and writes on behalf of Duplin County Schools.

House Bill 612 — Fostering Care in NC Act

We’ve lost over 1,000 foster families in the last 5 years.

THE CHILD WELFARE system in the United States was created to protect children from abuse and neglect.

In the 1800s, “child-saving” efforts were voluntary and consisted mainly of orphanages and almshouses, also known as poor houses, that housed children and impoverished adults.

The North Carolina Constitution of 1868 established, for the first time, a role for state government with respect to social services that the “beneficent provision for the poor, the unfortunate and orphan[s] being one of the first duties of a civilized and a Christian state, the General Assembly shall, at its first session, appoint and define the duties of a Board of Public Charities, to whom shall be entrusted the supervision of all charitable and penal State institutions…”

The federal government established and funded Child Protective Services in 1962, and North Carolina began participating in the provision of state foster care in 1969. The primary goal was to ensure children’s safety and well-being by protecting children from abuse and neglect, intervening when necessary to remove children from dangerous situations and working with families to address problems contributing to abuse or neglect.

As legislators, we are responsible to our youngest North Carolinians, who are the future of our great state. We have a moral and ethical responsibility to ensure that the 16,245 children and youth in foster care receive care and support so that they can have a bright future.

We have entrusted the child welfare work in North Carolina to the 100 counties who each operate local Departments of

Social Services (DSS). These departments are supervised by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and follow a policy directive to strengthen and preserve families whenever possible; but when a child can no longer safely remain with their family, the state must assure that the quality of substitute care is as close as possible to the care and nurturing that society expects of a family.

We recognize that many hard-working individuals serve in our county DSS agencies, and they do extraordinary work every day to support children and families. But we also have concerns about the consistency in how care is provided, impacting the overall effectiveness of the N.C. child welfare system.

There have been numerous news reports of egregious examples of children being harmed or killed by their parents; we’ve lost over 1,000 foster families in the last five years; children are sleeping in DSS offices or are stuck in hospital emergency rooms waiting for mental health treatment, and children are languishing in foster care for years waiting for a place to call home.

Recently a class action lawsuit was filed in federal court alleging a series of issues within N.C.’s foster care system. The lawsuit alleges that the child welfare system has been operating in a state of crisis for years and includes allegations that:

• Workload standards aren’t being enforced, resulting in child welfare workers unable to provide the support that vulnerable children and parents need.

• Children in foster care do not have

access to adequate and timely mental health services

• Children are institutionalized at twice the national average

• N.C. has failed to protect children and youth in foster care from physical, psychological, and emotional harm.

• N.C. fails to meet permanency standards, leaving children in foster care too long.

We must recognize that a failure to protect the safety and well-being of children is a failure of the state. We must continue to improve and strengthen the child welfare system and the people who are working on the ground supporting children every day. Our children and youth in foster care have already suffered from abuse or neglect that led to their entry into the system, and we must do everything possible to ensure that no other harm comes to them under our protection. The buck stops here.

In an effort to move forward solutions to strengthen N.C.’s child welfare system, we have worked with experts, both inside and outside the foster care system, to write House Bill 612, the “Fostering Care in NC Act.”

We realize this singular bill will not fix all the problems, but it is an important step in what should be only the beginning of a commitment to change N.C.’s child welfare system into a shining example of how a legislative body can take action to support the well-being and success of our most precious assets, our children.

Rep. Allen Chesser represents N.C. House District 25 in the General Assembly.

COLUMN | PHILIP GLADDEN

Community invited to share input at Faison’s May budget hearing

The town also moved forward with tech upgrades using remaining budget funds

By K.D. Beard Duplin Journal

FAISON — The Town of Faison will be holding a public hearing on Wednesday, May 7 for the 2025-26 fiscal year budget, the board decided at its monthly meeting. The public hearing will give members of the community an opportunity to speak on the budget and learn more about the board’s priorities in the coming year.

As the town looks forward to a potential celebration of its 250th anniversary next year, renovations such as signs denoting historic sites have risen as budget considerations.

“I think we need more time to look over them,” said Mayor Billy Ward in reference to the signs suggested by Faison native Ron Oates at the board’s previous meeting, indicating that sign elements such as design, verbiage and placement needed further consideration before moving

in Duplin County in 2018 and 2019.”

Miller also explained that residents who disagree with their tax valuations can go to the county’s Board of Equalization and Review (BoER), which is responsible for reviewing property tax assessments and hearing taxpayer appeals. Its main purpose is to give taxpayers a fair chance to challenge their property assessments through a formal hearing.

This board meets every year between the first Monday in April and the first Monday in May. In years when a county conducts a property revaluation, the board must finish accepting new appeals by Dec. 1; however, even after the deadline, the board can continue working on appeals that were submitted on time or resulted from recent changes they made to property values.

“If you disagree with your valuation, the first step is to simply contact the tax office. They can walk you through a written appeal,” Miller explained.

He noted that people could also attend a board meeting and present an appeal.

“Most successful appeals I have seen have been accompanied by an independent appraisal or comparable sales data compiled by an appraiser,” he said.

The county manager emphasized that the property value is just one part of how taxes are calculated — the tax rate is the other. He also noted that the

forward. “It’s a lot of signs, and some of them are right on top of each other. I think it might need to be tweaked a little bit.”

The mayor acknowledged that while the town doesn’t have money in the budget for the proposed signage right now, they would be budgeted for in the coming fiscal year. George Carr from the Faison Improvement Group added that the town would only supply the posts, hardware and installation, as Oates had volunteered to pay for the signs. The meeting also included

goal of the Board of Commissioners is to set a fair and stable tax rate for fiscal year 2026.

Chairman Dexter Edwards invited people in the audience who had questions about the revaluation to come to the podium. Various residents came forward with concerns.

One resident expressed that the rise in property values felt overwhelming. She provided specific examples of how the increased valuations had directly impacted her land, noting tax increases of up to $460 in some cases. She highlighted the startling fact that even a small tract of land, now underwater, still saw a significant increase in value.

A resident from Warsaw questioned whether their property was appraised on par with homes in more affluent areas like Riverlanding. She felt that the valuation did not reflect her property’s true value. In response, Miller clarified that property values are determined based on recent sales of comparable homes in the same area. He advised residents who suspect their properties have been overvalued to contact the tax office for assistance, as mistakes can happen and the staff is committed to helping.

“If you can, have an appraisal done of your property, and if it comes in less, by all means, take that to the tax office, take it to the BoER; they can work with you,” Miller said.

A resident on Holland Road expressed concern about the rise in property valuations and

a vote for the town to upgrade its firewall in addition to two computers.

Sharon Lee, Faison’s town clerk and finance officer, received notification from IPM Computers in January that the municipality’s firewall needed replacement, as well as the payment terminal and an additional computer. Though the company told her the upgrades could wait until after the new budget had taken effect in July, Lee thought it prudent to act now.

“Since we have some money left in this year in comput-

“I’m not going to tell you we’re not going to increase taxes, but not double it — It’s not going to happen.”

Dexter Edwards, chairman

the resulting strain on taxes and insurance. Living in an area classified as protection class 10 — due to the absence of a nearby fire department — the resident has seen their homeowner’s insurance surge, more than doubling from last year, with expectations of further increases looming. As taxes and insurance costs continue to climb, the resident finds it increasingly challenging to maintain their home coverage, creating frustration and uncertainty about the future. In addressing these concerns, Miller acknowledged the situation, confirming that the resident’s area is outside the six-mile emergency response zone, which directly impacts insurance rates. He offered to consult with the emergency services director to explore possible solutions, such as establishing a new fire station or extending services from a nearby department. Edwards addressed the group, reassuring residents that while property values have increased, that doesn’t necessarily translate to a corresponding hike in taxes. He emphasized that, while some increases are anticipated, they

“It’s something new. It wasn’t really planned, but there was a lot of interest.”

Matthew Scott, Faison Recreation and Wellness Center director

ers, I thought we’d go ahead and get it done this year and we won’t have to do it next year,” explained Lee. A motion was brought and approved to upgrade the firewall for $1,765 and both computers for $3,841.

Three budgetary amendments were approved by the board to reallocate funds for various purposes.

“We’ll probably have several of these between now and the end of June until we get everything straight for this budget year,” said Ward. In other business, Faison Recreation and Wellness Center Director Matthew Scott advised the board that eight teams had signed up to play adult volleyball, a new undertaking for Faison Recreation.

“It’s something new. It wasn’t really planned, but there was a lot of interest,” said Scott, adding that teams will play on Sunday evenings to accommodate the adult players’ busy schedules.

won’t be as drastic as many residents fear, and the board is committed to keeping the rate as fair as possible. “We do not know what the tax rate is going to be yet,” said Edwards. “We’ve got to consolidate everything and come back to the budget, but you will not pay that kind of increase, and I can promise you that from the board. I’m not going to tell you we’re not going to increase taxes, but not double it — it’s not going to happen.”

In other business

• Ronald Lewis with Foundation Forward, a nonprofit educational organization, made a presentation about the Charters of Freedom, emphasizing its importance as living documents that represent the liberties and freedoms of the United States, and discussed its goal to establish one charter in each North Carolina county by 2026 at no cost to the counties. The nonprofit seeks to bring a historical charter to Duplin County. The county commissioners were receptive and promised to review the request.

• Frankie Roberts, the executive director of LINC, and his assistant delivered a presentation about the organization’s efforts to help individuals returning from prison rebuild their lives by addressing the critical barriers

Chinquapin Volunteer Fire and Rescue seeks volunteers

Chinquapin

The Chinquapin Volunteer Fire and Rescue Squad (CVFRS) is looking for volunteers to join the 22 firefighters currently on the roster. A recent social media announcement by CVFRS indicated the department faces a critical shortage of volunteer firefighters, a problem affecting departments nationwide. According to the announcement, the North Carolina Department of Insurance requires departments such as CVFRS to maintain a roster of 15 volunteer firefighters to remain open; closure could result in increased emergency response times leading to greater risk of injury, loss, and higher insurance rates or taxes to fund paid departments. Chief Matthew Casey encourages anyone interested in volunteering to attend the organization’s weekly meetings held Monday nights at 7 p.m.

they face when reentering society, with a primary focus on housing. LINC is expanding its services to Duplin, Brunswick, and Pender counties as part of a state initiative to support reentry across all 100 counties.

• Roberts provided a snapshot of Duplin County’s current incarceration and probation data, revealing that there were 148 prison entries from Duplin County in the past year and 247 individuals currently incarcerated. Additionally, there are 560 individuals on probation or parole in the county. He emphasized the importance of local support networks in ensuring a smooth transition for these individuals. The local reentry council aims to reduce recidivism by creating a resource hub to address the needs of those returning from prison, including housing, employment, education, transportation and substance abuse treatment.

The meeting concluded with updates from Miller. He reported that Duplin County is now ranked fourth in the state for sales tax growth, based on a seven-month year-over-year increase in gross tax sales collections. Additionally, he noted that Focus Broadband expects to complete construction by the end of April. Since 2020, Focus Broadband has invested over $9 million in Duplin County.

K.D. BEARD / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Faison’s Town Board discussed budget amendments ahead of the coming fiscal year at their monthly meeting last Wednesday.

CAROLINA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL

First weekend in May In Historic Downtown Wallace

DUPLIN SPORTS

BREAKING THROUGH

The scrappy Panthers scratched out enough runs to push past the Bulldogs

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

BEULAVILLE — Through the better part of five innings, neither East Duplin nor Wallace-Rose Hill could successfully drop a bunt to move a runner to his next destination.

Part of that came because hitters were facing the top-two strikeout pitchers in the state.

Execution was everything when southpaw-swinging Calvin Harper choked up and lashed out at a pitch from Kaiden Liu and dropped it 3 feet in front of the plate.

With teammate Gavin Holmes sprinting from third base, Liu made a scoop and push of the ball to home only to see catcher Will Brooks miss the tag. It was the second of three runs the Panthers would score that inning after breaking a 1-1 deadlock en route to a 4-1 win on their home field.

Holmes reached base via a miscue by the WRH infield and was plated by a single off the bat of Jack Tuck.

Lui whiffed Sawyer Marshburn, but another Bulldogs error kept the inning alive, and JP Murphy pushed one into centerfield for another run.

It was way more than Kyle Kern needed to pick up the win. The senior right-hander, who has the most strikeouts — 88 — in North Carolina and who no -hit the Bulldogs on March 21, gave up two hits and four walks while fanning 14 before running to the 105-pitch limit in six innings.

Cain Graham gave up a double down the right field line to Khilil Mathis to open the seventh but whiffed Davis Barnette and Caden Gavin for the save. Strikeouts of Davis Barnette and Caden Gavin ended a night of great baseball for fans.

Lui, whose 80 strikeouts are second to Kern, had 13 whiffs,

See BASEBALL, page B4

DUPLIN MAY NOT have a team that will advance into the third round of the state baseball playoffs, yet the largely-famous-for-football county has two of the best pitchers in the state.

East Duplin’s Kyle Kern and Wallace -Rose Hill’s Kaiden Liu are first and second in strikeouts, respectively, among hurlers from more than 440 schools.

Both are senior right handers with intense focus. Lui’s eyes never seem to be anywhere but peering at the plate or on a base runner.

Nothing else exists, even when the dugouts and crowd roar, there is a quiet fire inside of him that burns.

Kern appears to be in an even deeper concentration state,

See PITCHERS, page B4

Panthers’ sticks do big damage in 4th to stump Bulldogs

East Duplin scored seven times in one inning to turn a close game into a romp

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

BEULAVILLE — The difference between the upper echelon and the rest of the field climbing the mountain is often revealed in small measures.

One inning separated East Duplin, the top team in the ECC, from Wallace-Rose Hill last Thursday night.

The Bulldogs’ flat-tired fourth paved the way for seven runs as the Panthers stayed on course to win a title with an 8-1 win.

WRH’s Jansley Page nearly singlehandedly tied it at 1-1 in the previous inning.

Karsyn Parker, Rebecca Beach, Callie Mewborn and Leighton Davis had run-scoring hits off freshman hurler Payton Tyndall,

The Panthers (9-5, 8-1) also got two runs when a ball hit by Emory Raynor was misplayed.

The middle and bottom of the order started the uprising that saw East Duplin send 11 hitters to the plate. ED would get just one more hit off Tyndall, who, like her team, has shown a vast improvement since the start of the season.

“Cory (Lovelace) did the right thing by leaving her in,” said

Panthers coach Greg Jenkins, who knows young hurler must not flinch from the pain of working through struggling innings — and games. “She did a good job of keeping us off balance, going inside and outside, but we also did a good job of adjusting to that.”

East Duplin pounded Tyndall in the first inning on March 21 in Teachey en route to a 16-1 win that was ended after five innings because of the 10-run mercy rule.

WRH (4-10, 2-6) came in with two wins in three games, and its two previous games made solid teams from South

See SOFTBALL, page B3

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

WRH’s Khalil Mathis slides into second base to avoid the tag of ED’s Colton Holmes during the Panthers’ 4-1 win.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Wallace-Rose Hill’s pitcher Payton Tyndall tags East Duplin’s Kennedy Jones.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Kyle Kern has an 0.95 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 44 innings of work.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL Kaiden Liu has struck out 80 in 36 innings and is hitting .432.

COLULMN | MICHAEL JAENICKE

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Wesley Holmes

North Duplin, baseball

Wesley Holmes has quietly had a superb career on the diamond for North Duplin.

The senior leads the Rebels in hitting at .378 and has three doubles, a triple, a home run and nine RBIs.

The four-year starter hit .322 as a junior with four doubles and 19 RBIs and .322 and .265 his first two seasons, respectively.

The Rebels are 7-6 this season and in second place in the Carolina 1A Conference during a rebuilding season. North Duplin is 58-23 the past four seasons, with two league titles.

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Rebels suffer costly Carolina Conference road loss

North Duplin’s loss almost assures Rosewood of a league title

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

ROSEBORO — North Duplin’s chance of winning the Carolina 1A Conference may have all went up in smoke last Wednesday with a 7-2 loss to Lakewood in Roseboro.

The Rebels got only four hits off two Leopard pitchers, who sent 10 to the bench after striking out.

James Graham and Kayden Bowden scored in the fourth inning to trim the deficit to 4-2.

But Lakewood tacked up three runs in the bottom half of the frame to take control.

Hit-makers included Bowden, Graham, Wesley Holmes and Noa Quintanilla, who got on base two other times by forcing the defense to make a play.

It was a bitter loss that puts North Duplin (7-6, 3-2) two games behind league-leader Rosewood (13-6, 8-0). And even though the Rebels travel to the Eagles on Monday, the best North Duplin can hope for is a tie with Rosewood, who must also fall to Lakewood (7-9, 4-4) for any of that to come to fruition. In addition, ND would have to conquer Hobbton, which would be the easiest challenge for first-year head coach Cody Langston and his club.

That’s a longshot at best.

Lakewood’s Johnson Rouse and Reed Ammonds doubled and singled two and three runs, respectively.

Ryan Godbold and Landon Neal were both 2 of 3 with an RBI.

ND’s Noah Price and counterpart Ammons each went four innings as freshmen pitchers at the “show.”

Price gave up seven hits, two walks and struck out three

during a 79-pitch outing. Ammons allowed four hits, a walk and whiffed three with 53 pitches.

The aces of both pitching staffs were dominant.

Rebel Garris Warren didn’t allow a hit and struck out four in a two-inning stint. Neal was likewise unhittable and fanned seven during his stint of the same length.

North Duplin returned to its winning way by throttling Union 21-0 last Thursday in Calypso.

The Rebels will face 2A schools South Lenoir (11-2), North Lenoir (11-3) and Midway (10-6) at the Kinston Easter Tournament next week when Duplin schools are on spring break.

All games will be played a Grainger Stadium.

East Duplin, Rosewood, Charles B. Aycock and Southern Wayne are also in the three-day event that runs April 19, April 21 to April 22.

The Panthers, who beat Wallace-Rose Hill last Thursday, square off against Southern Wayne, Rosewood and CBA.

The Rebels and Eagles are the lone 1A schools in the field.

Grainger Stadium is a minor league home of the Kinston Down East Bird Ducks, who play in the Frontier League, which is a partnership with Major League Baseball.

Tigers rap 16 hits in setback to Stallions

James Kenan scored eight runs in the final two innings last week but fell 12-8 to Southwest Onslow.

The Tigers outhit the Stallions 16-9 in a game that featured the two schools combining for nine unearned runs.

Tripp Phipps drove in three runs and Hunter Whitman two. Eli Avent singled, doubled and scored twice.

Cal Avent sliced three hits

in five trips to the plate, and Paxton Smith, Hansley McGee and Brody Batchelor each had a pair of base knocks.

Avent entered this week hitting .500 and twin brother Cal (.313) has a team-high five doubles. Smith, a sophomore, is at .379.

JK (4-7, 2-6) has four ECC games to play, two against South Lenoir and a second matchup with North Lenoir and Wallace-Rose Hill.

Crusaders break loose to bomb Falcons

Jesse Smith, Reid Strickland, Dawson Smith and Coley Sasser combined to knock in 11 runs with nine hits as Harrells Christian Academy beat Epiphany 18-5 last Thursday in New Bern. Dawson Smith rapped two singles and two doubles, while Jesse Smith, Sasser and Strickland each drove in three teammates.

Jaiden Stallings threw two innings and Luke Weeks and Dawson Smith going one frame apiece.

The win broke a four-game skid for the Crusaders (2-8, 1-6).

Wildcats drop fourth straight Coastal game

Five hits, one walk and a single run in the fourth inning was all Croatan’s Harrison Thomas allowed as the Cougars beat Richlands 11-1 last Thursday in Newport.

The Wildcats (6-9, 1-5) lost to a Coastal 3A Conference opponent for the fourth time in a row.

Jaden Goins drove in two runs and Miguel Medina added a run-scoring double during a 16-3 setback on Tuesday to loop leader Swansboro (8-4, 6-0).

Marcus Branthoover and Tanner Brison each had a base hit and scored.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

North Duplin junior Kayden Bowden is hitting .321 in his first season as a starter.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Rebels’ new conference will feature improved competition in softball

North Duplin will face challenges from East Columbus and East Bladen in the new Carolina Conference

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

CALYPSO — A small 1A school has become a power broker in softball and will be “rescued” next season with better competition in its conference.

North Duplin has been a top team since a season falling to Princeton in the East Region final in 2014, which was followed by a 1A title the following season.

Yet Princeton took a nosedive and moved out of the Carolina 1A Conference four years ago as it grew to 2A status.

That left little competition for the Rebels, who have currently won 28 straight league games and are 40-2 against Rosewood, Hobbton, Lakewood and Union since 2021.

That’s a big concern for Rebels head coach Jaime Higginbotham, who lost a game against 2A East Duplin because of rain.

Though the Rebels faced vastly improved Rosewood (12-2, 5-10) on Monday of this week, North Duplin has outscored its league foes 70-4 and non-league schools 50-16.

Next season Rosewood exits, and East Columbus, East Bladen and West Columbus enter as the NCHSAA changed conference after its realignment from four to eight classifications.

East Columbus (13-2) has a top-notch program and in took North Duplin to three games in the East Region finals in 2023.

Trask (11-4) likewise has a solid softball reputation with four-straight 20-win seasons from 2013 to 2016.

West Columbus (2-9) is a throw-in team that will still likely outperform Hobbton (4-12), Union (0-9) and Lakewood (5-9-1).

Last week, the Rebels battered Lakewood 18-0 and Union 15-0.

“I hated losing the East Duplin game,” said Jaime Kylis-Higginbotham, who has been the Rebels’ head coach for the past four season, including a school-record 23-5 -1 c ampaign in 2023.

“I would have gladly not played a conference game to get a chance to play a more competitive game against East Duplin,” she said. “I’m just very concerned about if we are keeping the best interest of our students in mind by playing so far away. But I do feel it will give us better games.”

Kylis-Higginbotham’s biggest worry now is keeping her team razor sharp. ND plays 4A Topsail during its spring break, but no one with significant power the rest of the way, which could mean into the second or third round.

“It is hard, but to our

kids’ credit they’ve stuck to our game plan,” she said. “They’re not swinging at everything and keeping their focus on our strategies of attack. Our pitching and defensive approach does not change.”

Kylis-Higginbotham said North Duplin’s success is in large part due to the players’ involvement in the Duplin County Strong youth program. And according to the former University of Mount Olive coach, the talent is backed up to the fifth grade.

“When I look at the future, it’s stacked, and I’m super excited,” said Kylis-Higginbotham, whose program always seems to have replacements when losing all-star, all-district and even all-state players.

Yet the lack of competition has many schools above the Rebels in the 1A East RPI rating, North Duplin (9-1) in No. 6.

Though Kylis-Higginbotham knows her Rebels are at least a contender, and the bigger surprise would be if North Duplin didn’t make a long run in the postseason, since basically the same team, minus Reece Outlaw (who is playing at UNC) went to the fourth round last season before falling to Northside-Pinetown.

Tigers bats come alive to swat Stallions

James Kenan had its best offensive day of the season last Wednesday during a 15-3 win against Southwest Onslow in Jacksonville.

The Tigers lashed 16 hits and needed four innings to take a 14-0 lead.

Kenadi Gideons, Shylah Sloan and Jourdan Joe each ripped three hits and combined for eight RBIs. Joe homered and doubled and singled twice.

Scarlett Deluca, Brinda Serrano and Carmen Mahoney also knocked in runs.

Sloan scattered five hits in the circle. Her lone mistake was a ball Whitney Grissett hit for a two-run homer in the fourth.

James Kenan (5-7, 4-4) has a tough stretch to end the regular season, facing the top two ECC teams — North Lenoir and South Lenoir — three times and finishing off with rival Wallace-Rose Hill, which beat the Tigers 9-3 on April 4 in Teachey.

Wildcats take key steps to Coastal title

Richlands captured its ninth straight win last Thursday with a 5-2 triumph over Croatan in Newport as Makenzie Goin rapped three hits

and held the Cougars (7-6, 3-4) to one hit, while whiffing 12 and not allowing a walk.

Rachael Fleming, Cami Teal and LeNayah Jackson drove in runs to build a 4-0 lead in the fifth for the Wildcats (15-4, 7-0).

Senior Jordan Meece scored twice during the Coastal 3A Conference matchup.

Two days earlier, Richlands avoided an upset bid by Swansboro (8-8, 1-5) in the competitive league by logging a 2-1 win on the Wildcats’ diamond.

Goin allowed three hits and an earned run while whiffing 18 and not walking a hitter.

Addi Andrews drove in a run, while Teal and Jackson scored as Addison McMillan limited the Wildcats to five hits.

The winning streak has Richlands with a game lead over West Carteret (15-1, 6-1).

After the Easter break, the schools collide in Morehead City. The Wildcats beat the Patriots 3-2 in 10 innings on April 3 in Richlands.

The ’Cats host Dixon and White Oak in their final two league games.

Richlands is five wins from topping the 2023 club’s 19-4 mark, which is the best season in school history.

Lenoir (8-4, 6-1) and Trask (11-4) score runs late before falling, 4-1 and 5-1, respectively.

It was a moral victory for the Bulldogs, who have lost the last 11 outings with their bigger rival. WRH’s last win came with a 5-4 decision in 2019. The average margin of victory during that span is nearly 11 runs. The Panthers are 26-4 against the Bulldogs since 2011.

Brown scattered four hits, two of which came in the seventh, though she whiffed her final two hitters with runners at second and third to up her strikeout total to 10.

Page reached base via an infield single to open the game and was erased on a double play by the Panthers infield. She struck out Mattie Gavin and then four of the next five hitters to get the fourth.

ED was in front 1-0 via when Parker singled in the second and scored on a passed ball.

Page doubled down the third-ba se line to start the WRH fourth and took two bases via an error and made it look easy scoring on a groundout.

“I told our girls in the dugout that we were in a dogfight and need to respond,” said Jenkins, who last season won his 300th game at East Duplin.

The Panthers laid their bats into the ball for seven hits in the fourth inning.

Page ran the base paths again in the sixth in an inning Brown struggled with her control. She walked three but managed to get out untouched by inducing two pop fly outs.’

Isabella Parker and Maggie Boone singled with one out in the seventh, but Brown struck out Keyonna Thomas on four pitches and then won a battle against Page with a rising fastball.

Tyndall, clearly a pitcher on the rise, got out of a jam in the second with a groundout and in the sixth with a double play pop fly that caught Parker wondering too far off first base after she had singled to left.

She also stopped the Panthers in the third, whiffing Mewborn with Beach on second base. She got the second out of the inning by reacting to a laser line drive by Kinsey Cave.

Dugout chatter

WRH used its own big inning to throttle Hobbton 12-1 the previous day as nine of the first 10 hitters in the seven-run third scored. Page had a two-RBI double and Gavin and Thoams added run-scoring hits.

Ta’Nayia Powell, Chloe Straughn and Gavin had consecutive hits in the second when WRH went in front 2-1.

Tyndall whiffed nine and gave up two hits and two walks.

The Panthers play for first place in the ECC early this week with a pair of games against North Lenoir (8-4, 6-1). The Hawks face cross-county rival South Lenoir on May 1 in the other game that could affect which of the three schools claim an outright title, though a shared crown is still possible.

Two wins over the Hawks is the key to the Panthers’ first outright title since going 12-0 in the ECC in 2023. They were second to South Lenior in 2022 and tied Midway for the top spot the previous season. They won back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2016 without powers Midway or the two Lenoir schools in the ECC.

ED plays twice today in Beulaville, facing White Oak and then either Rosewood or Dixon, which square off in the second of four games at the tournament.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

JK’s Brenda Serrano was one of seven Tigers to drive in a run during a 15-3 win over Southwest Onslow.

25SP001013-300

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

NORTH CAROLINA, DUPLIN COUNTY

Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Berry Jeffrey Mobley and Moema J Mobley to Wells Fargo Financial National Bank, Trustee(s), which was dated July 10, 2013 and recorded on July 30, 2013 in Book 1755 at Page 0971, Duplin County Registry, North Carolina. Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on April 22, 2025 at 12:00 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Duplin County, North Carolina, to wit: ALL THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF LAND SITUATED IN THE LIMESTONE TOWNSHIP, DUPLIN COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA AND MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: COMMENCING AT AN EXISTING IRON PIPE AT THE RIGHT OF WAY INTERSECTION OF NC HIGHWAY NO. 24 AND KENNEDY ROAD, THENCE WITH THE EASTERN RIGHT OF WAY OF KENNEDY ROAD S 16 DEGREES 15 MINUTES 00 SECONDS W 106.62 FEET TO AN EXISTING IRON PIPE, THE POINT OF BEGINNING, THENCE S 73 DEGREES 45 MINUTES E 106.00 FEET TO AN EXISTING IRON PIPE; THENCE S 16 DEGREES 15 MINUTES 00 SECONDS W 75.13 FEET TO AN EXISTING IRON PIPE; THENCE N 73 DEGREES 45 MINUTES W 106.00 FEET TO AN EXISTING IRON PIPE ON SAID RIGHT OF WAY; THENCE WITH SAID RIGHT OF WAY N 16 DEGREES 15 MINUTES 00 SECONDS E 75.13 FEET TO THE POINT OF BEGINNING, CONTAINING 7,964 SQUARE FEET, AS SURVEYED BY RAY & ASSOC., P.A., ON DECEMBER 9, 1988. BEING THE SAME LOT CONVEYED BY DEED RECORDED IN BOOK 548, PAGE 365, BOOK 1010, PAGE 526, AND BOOK 1010, PAGE 528. BEING THE SAME LAND DESCRIBED IN A DEED DATED DECEMBER 30, 1988 RECORDED IN BOOK 1012, PAGE 38 OF THE DUPLIN COUNTY REGISTRY. FURTHER DESCRIBED IN A DEED DATED SEPTEMBER 1, 1994, RECORDED IN BOOK 1136, PAGE 694, AND ALSO BEING THE SAME LAND AS DESCRIBED IN DEED BOOK 1236, PAGE 121 OF THE DUPLIN COUNTY REGISTRY.

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

Said property is commonly known as 109 S Kennedy Road, Beulaville, NC 28518.

A Certified Check ONLY (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED.

Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS WHERE IS.” There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. Substitute Trustee does not have possession of the property and cannot grant access, prior to or after the sale, for purposes of inspection and/or appraisal. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Berry Jeffrey Mobley.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 4521.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b) (2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Pursuant to NCGS §45-21.25A, this sale may be subject to remote bids placed by bidders not physically present at the place of sale, which may be accepted by the person conducting the sale, or their agent”.

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

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 File No.: 25-01118-FC01

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA DUPLIN COUNTY FILE#25E001058-300 The undersigned, WILMA L. COLE, having qualified on the 14TH DAY of FEBRUARY, 2025, as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of WILMA FAYE LANIER, deceased, of DUPLIN County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 10TH Day of JULY 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 10th Day of APRIL 2025 WILMA L. COLE, ADMINISTRATOR 184 WILLIE HATCHER RD. CHINQUAPIN, NC 28521 Run dates: A10,17,24,M1p

PITCHERS from page B1

which he carried last Thursday night until breaking out of it when approached by a reporter.

He’s developed into a pitcher that does not need verbal encouragement from teammates or his coaches. Bulldogs.

Kern and Liu are both supremely confident. In their inner-baseball mindset, they’re supposed to strike out nearly every hitter — or at the very least win the battle to keep him off base.

After winning a 4-1 decision over WRH last Thursday, Kern had 88 strikeouts, including 12 in seven innings against the Bulldogs.

Liu checked in with 80 after also whiffing 12 and exiting with the 105-pitch maximum in six frames.

Third-place Matt Gardner of Covenant Day School is about a game behind state leader Kern with 78.

For pure baseball fans, and not those concerned about wearing out a shoulder or elbow, the pitch limit puts a sour face on a good, old-fashioned duels between aces.

Real aces who would get innings on any team in the state.

“It’s a little too low,” said

BASEBALL from page B1

while getting touched for seven hits and being charged for three earned runs.

“The kind of game you want to see but not the right outcome for us,” said WRH head coach Logan Kissner, whose club lost its second heartbreaker in as many weeks. A 4-3 setback to ECC leader South Lenoir (11-2, 7-1) was nearly a league-shaking upset.

“We’re young and playing better,” Kissner said. “We played well, missing out on a couple of chances to score with runners on base, and you can’t do that against a pitcher like Kern. I felt we competed.

“We weren’t able to play small-ba ll well in key moments. When you have two pitchers with the stuff of Kaiden and Kerr it’s the only way to play the game.”

East Duplin head coach Brandon Thigpen saw catcher Marshburn cut down a would-be base steal at second to end the Bulldogs’ fourth after Reese Buckner’s infield single score Mathis, who had walked.

“It all starts with getting base runners and getting as many to third base as possible with less than two outs, especially against a pitcher like Lui,” Thigpen said. “We have team speed, and we’re all learning (to manufacture runs), me included.”

Thigpen also tossed out praise for Graham, who came on in relief late against South Lenoir a week ago with the game tied and gave up the winning run.

“We talked about our choices, and I told Cain we made a decision to give the ball to our senior starter,” he said. “This was a good program and team win.

”We have several good pitchers I put my confidence in going to. I think that’s been the best and most consistent aspect of the game we’ve had all season.”

NOTICE

WRH coach Logan Kissner. “You have a lot of arms at the college level, so that’s not a concern. In my opinion, it should be at 120 (pitches) in high school. It’s frustrating when your guy gets to 105 in the fifth inning. Going to the bullpen then is hard. I’m a big fan of a pitching duel. It’s as baseball as an all-star game, especially in the age of swing-for-the-fences with every pitch.

“Kaiden and Kyle throw strikes, keep you off balance, and you can’t get them off their gameplans,” said ED coach Brandon Thigpen. “We had to try to get Kaiden’s pitch count up and get to their bullpen.”

And when both are on the hill, the biggest question mark is if their respective defenses can make routine plays.

Kern is just 3-1, though carrying a 0.95 ERA, giving up 27 walks and 17 hits in 44 innings. The opposition is hitting a paltry .111 against him. Liu is 3-2 with a 3.60 ERA, yielding 22 walks and 36 hits in 35 frames.

“Kaiden gives them a chance to win any time he is on the mound,” Thigpen said. “Kyle’s playing out his dream this season. With pitchers like

them, it’s more about how you play defense and how you manufacture runs, and you have to make the most of base runners.”

Unlike Kern, Liu — Mr. Baseball in Duplin County last season — adds value as an everyday player. He’s hitting a team-high .438, with six doubles, a triple, three home runs and has 14 RBIs. Liu will be playing at NC Wesleyan, a Division 2 school, next fall.

Kern is undecided on his next choice.

Kern and ED won 2-0 over Liu and WRH on March 21 in Teachey as Kern had 14 strikeouts and Liu 11.

But Liu was the winning pitcher last season when the Bulldogs nipped Kern and ED 5-4 to snap a long losing streak to the Panthers.

In the end, deciding whether Kern or Liu is the better pitcher is akin to comparing MLB greats Greg Maddux to Pedro Martinez or Justin Verlander to Max Scherzer.

Last Thursday, the pitching showcase put on by Kern and Liu was as classic as can be found at the prep level and as intense as the two senior hurlers on the hill.

Kern said off-season work in the weight room and instruction from pitching coach Rookie Davis has been the biggest reasons his ERA has shrunk to 0.95.

“I don’t think much about the mechanics when I’m on the mound,” Kern said. “And honestly, not don’t give enough attention to base runners.”

East Duplin scored the first run of the game in the second when Tuck’s sacrifice to right brought in leadoff hitter Holmes.

Extra-base hits

ED (8-6, 6-2) has a chance to send the ECC into a scramble with a pair of games early this week against North Lenoir (11-3, 7-0), who also has a second encounter with rival South Lenoir before the regular season concludes.

Gavin Holmes (.417) and Tuck (.333) have the top batting averages for the Panthers, who will face Southern Wayne, Rosewood and

Charles B. Aycock in the Kinston Easter Tournament at Grainger Stadium. Midway, North Lenoir and North Duplin are also in the three-day events. Games will be played on April 19-20 and April 22.

Lui (.438), Gavin (.360) and Mathis (.360), who assistant coach Bubba James calls “hands down the most improved hitter,” paced WRH, which should pick up a pair of wins early this week against Kinston (0-12).

Home games against Pender and South Lenoir lead the Bulldogs to a season finale in Warsaw against James Kenan (4-7, 2-6) on May 1.

WRH and East Duplin made first round exits in the 2A playoffs last season. The Bulldogs lost 3-2 to Seaforth, and the Panthers were beaten 7-1 by North Lenoir after suffering 2-0 and 5-1 setbacks to the Hawks in ECC play.

The Bulldogs split the season series with the Panthers.

Notice is hereby given that the Duplin County Board of Equalization and Review will hold its first meeting on Thursday, May 1, 2025 at 2:00 pm in the Commissioner’s Room, Duplin County Administrative Building, 224 Seminary Street, Kenansville, NC. This meeting is held for the purpose of review and hearing appeals of listings and valuations. The following is a schedule for all meetings of the Board of Equalization and Review to be held at the above stated location: 2nd meeting – Thursday, May 29, 2025 at 2:00 pm. The Board expects to adjourn on May 29, 2025. In the event of earlier or later adjournment, notice to that effect will be published in this newspaper.

Gary M. Rose, Clerk to the Board of E&R

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL WRH junior Devon Sloan went to the wall to track down a ball hit by ED’s Gavin Holmes.

obituaries

Jerry Allen Carter

April 18, 1948 – April 7, 2025

Jerry Allen Carter was born to Henry and Dora Mae Carter on April 18, 1948 in Bowden where they raised him and his 7 siblings working on the family farm.

At the age of 18, Jerry enlisted in the US Army where he was assigned to Army Artillery 5th Battalion 83rd Division and did his basic training at Ft. Dixon New Jersey as a Field Wireman. He served in St. Louis, Missouri as well as foreign soil in Germany for 1 1/2 years until his Honorable Discharge where he was transferred to Army Reserves until August 1968.

Shortly after discharge, Jerry met Brenda Eaves and they on May 7, 1976 were married and raised 2 sons, Joey and Ryan, in their family home in Warsaw where Jerry often volunteered with the Warsaw Recreation Department as a coach.

During his 31 years of marriage to Brenda, he was a tobacco farmer and later a carpenter along side 2 of his brothers. They were known as the Carter Brothers and if anyone needed any work done in the Warsaw area, they knew to call Jerry and his brothers. Although Jerry loved farming and carpentry, he still had another passion and that was still to serve his country in some capacity.

Jerry decided to join the Charles R Gavin Post 127 American Legion where he eventually became the Commander of the post until it closed its doors. Jerry was there every time the doors opened to do whatever needed to be done whether it was his job or not. He loved the American Legion and what it stood for but his real legacy came with The Warsaw Veteran’s Day Parade. The Warsaw Veteran’s Day Parade is the longest continuous running Veteran’s Day Parade in the nation. The parade started in 1921 and they celebrated their 104th parade in 2024. Each year, Jerry had quietly but efficiently been the Parade Committee’s Chairman for 30+ years which was 1/3 of the years the parade has been in existence. In his time as Chairman, the NC General Assembly not only adopted the parade as the longest consecutive Veteran’s Day Parade in the nation, they also named it as the “official” State Veteran’s Day Parade. As Chairman, Jerry’s responsibilities consisted of finding and lining up volunteers; leading and conducting scheduled

Sept. 5, 1940 – April 5, 2025

Betty

service at Middleton Cemetery in Kenansville.

meetings throughout each year; contacting civilian and military participants; scheduling the US Air Force flyovers to kick off each parade; vetting, contacting and organizing Grand Marshals to lead parades, organizing the 100+ participants which largely consisted of the military because that’s what the Veteran’s Day Parade was all about….. honoring our current AND retired servicemen and their service to our country. Jerry worked tirelessly to make sure this parade accurately represented all branches of the military service and was something the community could come together to enjoy and be proud of. He could be seen every Veteran’s Day wearing his red, white and blue button up with white stars zooming his golf cart up and down the parade route to be sure everyone and everything was in order and flowing smoothly. When Jerry wasn’t working on his parade responsibilities, he could be found 1 of 2 places. If it was morning, he could be found coffee in hand, sitting at his booth at Warsaw Friendly Mart laughing and sharing any local happenings with his favorite “coffee buddies”.

This group of men became more than just friends with this morning routine through the years….they became family that looked after each other. These men knew if Jerry wasn’t sitting in the booth when they got there, then something was wrong. If he wasn’t found at the Friendly Mart, you could usually find him warming “his” personal chair at Napa Parts store in Kenansville where he worked as a parts delivery man for approximately 7 years.

Throughout Jerry’s life, he was called by many names but one of his favorite was Pa and Pa Jerry by grandchildren, David, Payton, and Carly and his great grandchildren, Brody and Julia. He was a proud Pa who loved bragging on his family.

Jerry Allen Carter was definitely one of kind who was loved by many and will truly be missed. He had a heart to serve his community and country, and worked tirelessly to improve his community and country and for this, we are thankful for his love and lifetime of service.

A funeral service was Thursday, April 10 at Community Funeral Home of Warsaw, with burial to follow in Devotional Gardens. Visitation was held at the home.

Jerry is survived by sons, Joey Burgette and wife Melissa of Four Oaks, Ryan Carter of Warsaw; grandchildren, David Wayne Burgette and wife Christa, Payton Burgette and fiancé Blake McMillan, and Carly Burgette; great-grandchildren, Brody Burgette and Julia Burgette; sisters, Margaret Ann Bohn of New York and Dianne Blackburn of Goldsboro.

Jerry was preceded in death by wife, Brenda Eaves Carter; granddaughter, Lauren Grace Burgette; great grandson, Colton Burgette; brothers, Henry Ellis Carter, William “Dick” Carter, Ervin Carter, Danny Ray Carter; and sister, Betty Jane Holloman.

Annie Gail Young

June 30, 1958 – April 7, 2025

Annie Gail Young, 66, of Rose Hill answered the Master’s call April 7 at ECU Health Medical Center in Greenville. Funeral service was Sunday April 13 at New Christian Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Rose Hill. Public viewing was one hour prior to service. Interment followed the service at Maxwell Cemetery in Rose Hill.

Arthur “AC” Rivenbark Jr.

Aug. 17, 1946 – April 9, 2025

Arthur ”AC” Caroll Rivenbark Jr., age 78, of Wallace, North Carolina, passed from this life to his eternal rest on Wednesday, April 9.

He was born on Aug. 17, 1946. He is the son of the late Aurthur Carroll Rivenbark Sr., and Magdeline Grice Rivenbark. Also preceding him in death is his sister, Betty Jo Rivenbark Smith.

Left to cherish AC’s memory is his wife of 59 years, LuAnn Rivenbark; their oldest son, Bryan Whitman Rivenbark Sr., and Bryan’s children; Meredith Todd Roy (Taylor), and Bryan Whitman Rivenbark Jr. (Spencer). AC’s daughter, Allison “Allie” Rivenbark (Amy) and their youngest son, Bradley “Brad” MacMillan Rivenbark (Mandy); and Brad and Mandy’s children, William “Will” Bradley Rivenbark; and London Kate Rivenbark; sister, Tonya Rivenbark Prescott (Steve). Also fondly remembered is his niece, Britta Cavenaugh Shephard (Evan); and Britta and Evan’s children, Layne, Ridge, and Banks; along with numerous cousins, extended family and friends who loved AC dearly.

AC wore many hats and wore them well. He worked hard as a rural mail carrier for US Postal Service. He was a Wallace volunteer fireman for over 20 years and was a faithful member of Wallace Presbyterian Church. AC was involved in many school, civic, and charitable organizations in his younger years, including being an active member of Wallace Boy Scout Pack 35 for many years. Most recently, he dedicated his time and money to Backpack Buddies and the Helping Hands Food Pantry.

AC appreciated the value of hard work and the rewards it brought whether it was cleaning his favorite car or helping a neighbor. Also, his greatest joys were spending time with the Grands and working in his yard.

All that knew AC knew he truly had a green thumb. AC was loved by his family and will be missed by all those who knew him.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at Wallace Presbyterian Church on Monday, April 21, 2025, at 1:00PM with the Rev. Robert Lapp conducting the service. A reception and time of remembrance will follow immediately after the service in the church fellowship hall.

Linell Roosevelt Craft

March 18, 1941 – April 9, 2025

Linell Roosevelt Craft, age 84, died Wednesday, April 9 at Woodbury Wellness Center in Hampstead. He is preceded in death by his parents Joseph Leslie and Geneva Craft; and three sisters, Frances Craft Smith, Myrtle Craft Shubert, Mary Craft Casteen.

Craft is survived by his brother, Haywood Junior Craft of Rocky Point; and several nieces and nephews.

Graveside service was held Sunday, April 13 at Craft Cemetery in Chinquapin.

Alan Verl Andre

Jan. 25, 1938 – April 8, 2025

Alan Verl Andre, 87, passed away on Tuesday, April 8.

He is survived by his spouse, Char Andre of Jacksonville; son, Jeffrey Alan Andre (Frannie Jo) of Beulaville; daughter, Tammy Bourdo (Ken) of Arizona; brothers, Bernard Andre (Sharon) of Nebraska and Duane Andre (Joan) of Florida; grandchildren, Jeffrey Tyler Andre, Joey Andre, Bryson Craven and Jason Bourdo; great-grandchildren, Aspen Andre, Axle Andre and Ridley Andre. Preceding him in death is a daughter, Tina Marie Andre. Memorial service will be held Saturday, April 19 2:00 p.m. at Calvary Lutheran Church in Jacksonville.

Joseph Scott Pittman

Feb. 24, 1959 – April 10, 2025

Joseph Scott Pittman, 66, passed away on Thursday, April 10. Funeral service was held Monday, April 14, followed by visitation at Community Funeral Home, Beulaville. Graveside service was held Tuesday, April 15 at Onslow Memorial Park in Jacksonville.

He is survived by his son, Ryan Pittman of Richalnds; daughter, Aram Pittam of California; and sister, Theresa Lowe (Mike) of Beulaville and Lori Bright (Sammy) of Jacksonville.

Suzanne Allynn Humphrey

Feb. 9, 1992 – April 9, 2025

Suzanne Allynn Humphrey, 33, passed away on Wednesday, April 9 in Novant New Hanover Regional Medical Center, Wilmington. Arrangements are incomplete at this time. She is survived by her mother, Dina Jarman (Michael); father, Wayne Humphrey; sons, Nicholi Mitchell, Chicago Gilmore, Mateo Humphrey, Elijah Higgins, Michael Bradley Delacerda; daughters, Penelope Spriggs and Makayla Delacerda; sisters, Megan Campbell, Karly Jarman, Jayden Norris, Kinsley Foy, Lillyanna Delacerda; brothers, Cade Futral (Taylor), Jordan Futral; grandparents, Melba Humphrey, Tom and Frances Penny, Danny and Debbie Kennedy, Jerry M. and Elaine Jarman; and future inlaws, Michael Bryan and Jennifer Delacerda.

Tracy Carr Johnson

Feb. 7, 1958 – April 11, 2025

Tracy Carr Johnson, 67, of Warsaw, passed away Friday, April 11 at ECU Medical Center in Greenville. Tracy was born on Feb. 7, 1958, the son of the late John Anderson and Helen Brown Johnson of Warsaw.

Tracy recently retired after a career as an IT/Computer Specialist with Carolina Turkey/ Butterball in Mount Olive. In his free time Tracy enjoyed making music, taking care of his cats, rocking on the front porch, and spending time with those he loved.

Tracy is survived by his brothers, John A. Johnson Jr, William Clark (Bill) Johnson and wife Lisa; sister, Mary Best Reichard and husband Don; nieces, Carmen Ellis and husband Ryan, and Danielle Johnson; nephew, John-Daniel Johnson; and great-nephew, Archer Ellis. He is also survived by his girlfriend, Debra Miller. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, April 22, at 2:00 p.m. at First Baptist Clinton.

Anita Lois Burton

Aug. 13, 1963 – April 7, 2025

Anita Lois Burton, age 61, of Beulaville passed away on Monday, April 7 at her home. A funeral service washeld on Saturday, April 12 at the Rose Hill Funeral Home Chapel. Burial followed at the Rose Hill Funeral Home Cemetery in Magnolia Left to cherish her precious memories are her daughter, Sommer Wilson of Beulaville; mother, Carrie Burton of Burgaw; brother, Hayes Burton, of New Jersey; sisters Barbara Burton of Burgaw and Darlene Spann of New Jersey; aunts Edna Hunter and Lucille Keith; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends that will miss her dearly.

Gabriel Michael Wagner

April 9, 2003 – April 7, 2025

Gabriel Michael Wagner, age 21, died Monday, April 7 at home. He is survived by his Parents Michael and Kristy Wagner of Pink Hill; Fiancé, Taylor Price of Southport; Daughter, Dawn Wagner-Price of Southport; sister, Lily Wagner of Pink Hill; and grandmother, Judy Gail Wagner of Beulaville. Memorial service was held Friday, April 11 at Pathway Church in Beualville, preceded by an informal vistation in the fellowship hall one hour prior to service.

More obituaries on page B6

Betty Jean Johnson

Jean Johnson, 84, of Warsaw entered eternal rest

5. Funeral service were Thursday April 10 at St. Peter’s AME Church in Warsaw with a public viewing one hour prior to service. Interment to follow

Pauline Joyce (Rowe) Tooley

Dec. 27, 1942 – April 6, 2025

Pauline Joyce Rowe Tooley of Wallace passed from her earthly life on Sunday, April 6 while a resident of Wallace Health & Rehabilitation Center. Born in Mt. Pulaski, Illinois on Dec. 27, 1942, she is the daughter of the late Herbert and Eva Merelina Rowe. Also preceding her in death is an infant son—Kenneth Valentina.

Left to cherish her memory are husband, John Edward Tooley; children, Scott Tooley and wife Amal of Florida, Dinah Hoffman of Rose Hill, Wendy Allen and husband Paul of Folida, Jodi Aikens of Michigan, Mark Tooley of California, and Sue Hunt and husband Tracy of Illinois; fifteen grandchildren and eighteen greatgrandchildren.

Tooley was the owner-operator of her own daycare for many years prior to moving to North Carolina in 1993. Her husband’s trucking business brought the couple to Wallace and they later retired here.

Family recieved friends at a visitation on Saturday, April 12 in the chapel of Padgett Funeral Home, followed by funeral service. Interment followed at Rockfish Presbyterian Church cemetery.

Janice Buckholts James

March 17, 1959 –April 12, 2025

Janice James, 66, passed away on Saturday, April 12. Janice was born March 17, 1959. She was preceded in death by her mother, Evaline Smith, and granddaughter, Jacey Newkirk.

Janice is survived by her spouse Homer (Buddy) James; daughters April Bizzell and Crystal James; brother-in-law Edwin James; sister-in-law Jane James; grandchildren Desmond (Maggie), Xzavier, Dashawn, Mariah (Dustyn) and Halei; and great-grandchildren Aubree, Drake, and Willow. She also leaves behind extended family members Heather (Jessie), Brittany (Mark), Kimberly, Amanda, Justin, Jamey, Weston, and Wyatt. Funeral Service will be held Friday, April 18, 2025 at 2:00 PM, with visitation beginning at 12:00 PM at the Community Funeral Home, Beulaville. Interment to follow at East Duplin Memorial Gardens, Beulaville.

Janice was known to enjoy spending time with family and friends, shopping for flowers, gardening, fishing and vacationing in the mountains. Her presence will be missed by those who knew her.

From garden glitz to carnival hits: It’s strawberry time in Wallace

The Carolina Strawberry Festival kicks off festivities with the Garden Gala

By Ena Sellers Duplin Journal

GET READY for a “berry” good time at the Garden Gala on April 26 and let the good times blossom as Wallace kicks off the festivities leading up to one of the most anticipated events in Duplin County — the Carolina Strawberry Festival. Held in the Gardens of Southeastern North Carolina from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., the Garden Gala promises an afternoon of lively entertainment, vibrant blooms and delightful surprises, all celebrating the town’s rich agricultural history.

Bring your dancing shoes and enjoy live music performances by the Blackwater Band. The event will also include a silent auction, heavy hors d’oeuvres, drinks and an after-party hosted at the Mad Boar, complete with a complimentary shuttle service running between the two venues, ensuring a worry-free experience.

On April 27, participants can enter the Strawberry Recipe Contest by dropping off their creations at the Wallace Depot at 3 p.m. Contestants will compete for cash prizes in both youth and adult categories, as well as the coveted Best in Show award.

Then, gear up for the main event — the Carolina Strawberry Festival on May 2-3 in Historic Downtown Wallace. Friday evening will be alive with carnival rides and music

as Carl Newton’s Review and the Band of Oz take the main stage. Early risers can kick off Saturday with the Strawberry Festival 5K Run and the Strawberry Jam Fun Run at 8 a.m., both starting and finishing at the Campbell Center. Compete for overall male and female honors, as well as top spots in age categories: 10 and under, 11 to 18, 19-39, and 40-plus. Rally your friends, family and neighbors to vie for the largest team prize. The Strawberry Jam is a nontimed 1-mile event. All proceeds from the 5K sign-ups will help fund the new Inclusive Playground at Clement Park. The two-day festival will feature Ed’s Dinosaurs, a vari-

ety of local craft and food vendors, and a beer and wine garden. The annual pageant will be at 10:30 a.m. on the main stage. Categories include Baby Miss Strawberry, Mini Miss Strawberry and Little Miss Strawberry. Get ready to dance with live music by Chocolate Chip & Company, followed by The Embers. Exclusive VIP concert seating for Friday and Saturday is available for purchase and includes a catered dinner. Savannah Kennedy, a senior at East Duplin High School, created this year’s artwork, which will be featured on T-shirts and festival posters. For more details, visit carolinastrawberryfestival.com.

COURTESY PHOTO

The 2025 Carolina Strawberry Festival artwork that will be featured on t-shirts and festival posters was created by Savannah Kennedy, a senior at East Duplin High School.

THE STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Flying high

A North Carolina Highway Patrol helicopter hovers during a flight demonstration at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new North Carolina Troopers Association Museum in Raleigh on Monday.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

White House restricts all wire service access in Gulf of America spat Washington, D.C.

The White House enacted a new media policy this week that reduces access to President Donald Trump for wire services, including the AP, particularly in small venues like the Oval Office. This follows a court ruling that the administration violated the AP’s free speech rights by banning it from certain events for, the administration claims, not using the name “Gulf of America.” The new policy says the press secretary will choose who gets access to the president. It does, however, obey the court’s order by giving the AP the same access as competitor wire services. The White House Correspondents’ Association and AP have condemned the policy.

Salvation Army closes “emergency” homeless shelter as funds run dry Fayetteville

The Salvation Army announced the immediate closure of its Pathway of Hope “emergency shelter” in Fayetteville, leaving more than 50 people who had been using the facility without a place to sleep. “We have no funding partners, and we cannot continue to offer shelter without funding,” said a Salvation Army representative. It was the primary emergency shelter in the county. Other agencies and nonprofits were working to assist those displaced by the sudden closure.

Stanly commissioners approve county appointments

Membership decisions were made for two boards

By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal

ALBEMARLE — The membership rosters for the Stanly County Board of Adjustment and the Centralina Workforce Development Board have been updated. At the Stanly County Board of Commissioners meeting on April 7, commissioners were presented with three pending appointments delegated to board approval.

Bailey Cline, the county’s planning and zoning director, addressed the commissioners requesting a Board of Adjustment appointment to fill a term as a replacement member.

Consisting of seven members with two alternates appointed in staggered three-year terms, the board hears cases concerning zoning interpretations, variances, administrative reviews and special uses.

“Michael Williams was appointed to the Board of Ad-

Locust Police Department recognizes 2024 Citizen of the Year

The annual award was started by the department in 2021

By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal

LOCUST — The Locust Police Department has officially recognized Mitchell Cagle as the selection for the city’s 2024 Citizen of the Year award.

At the Locust City Council meeting last month, Locust Police Chief Jeff Shew presented the honor to Cagle, who worked as the general manager of the Locust Walmart for several years before recently being promoted to the retail chain’s Salisbury location.

“The Locust Police Department congratulates Mitchell Ca-

gle for this well-deserved honor, and we thank him for all of his support while he was with the Walmart in Locust,” the LPD said in a statement. “We wish him nothing but success at his new store location. Congratulations and thank you Mitchell!”

Since 2021, the Citizen of the Year award has been given on an annual basis to honor a Locust citizen or someone associated with the city that “has performed exemplary deeds or services for their city or their fellow citizens, and/or exhibits a strong sense of selflessness, caring, and responsibility.”

The LPD created the honor to recognize someone who has best exemplified those descriptions through their good deeds and positive contributions to the city or police department.

justment in July of 2025 but has recently been employed by the county and can no longer serve,” Cline said. “Someone will need to be appointed to finish out his term, which expires in July of 2028.” The two volunteer applications belonged to Kevin Brick-

“I was pleased with the conversation I had.”

Commissioner Bill Lawhon on Kevin May Jr, appointed member of Board of Adjustment

man, who previously served on both the Planning Board and Board of Adjustment, and Kevin May Jr., who has not served on any boards previously but is employed by the Mecklenburg County Parks and Recreation Department as a senior planner.

Commissioner Bill Lawhon made the nomination for May prior to a unanimous vote in favor of the motion.

“I spoke with Kevin May Jr. a couple months ago,” Lawhon said. “He had applied for a different board, and he’s actively involved in zoning and planning and that type of thing. I was pleased with the conversation I had.”

Locust Elementary student Autumn Huneycutt was given the inaugural award for 2021 after selling many of her own toys at a yard sale to help raise money for a LPD charity event; Walmart loss prevention associ-

ate Travis McKinney and LPD Chaplain Mario Miller were the recipients of the honor for 2022 and 2023, respectively. In a public letter written by

COURTESY STANLYTV

The Stanly County Board of Commissioners approved three county board appointments on April 7.

COURTESY LOCUST POLICE DEPARTMENT

Locust Police Chief Jeff Shew stands next to 2024 Citizen of the Year award recipient Mitchell Cagle during a Locust City Council meeting.

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CRIME LOG

April 9

• Stephen Craig Raborn, 36, was arrested for assault on government official/employee.

• Arthur Levon Stiller, 74, was arrested for failure to register as a sex offender.

• Esco McDowd Bebber, 42, was arrested for felony possession of Schedule II controlled substance, felony probation violation, first degree trespassing, and order for arrest.

• Joseph Thomas Lowder, 46, was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury and communicating threats.

• James Calvin Coley, 33, was arrested for felony larceny, felony conspiracy, and attempted obtaining property by false pretense.

Ex-congressman Nickel launches bid to unseat Tillis

The Democrat served one term in the U.S. House before his district was redrawn in 2024

By Gary D. Robertson The Associated Press

RALEIGH — Former Dem-

ocratic U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel

announced last Wednesday his candidacy to try to unseat Sen. Thom Tillis in 2026, saying a “fighter for what’s right for our state” is needed and criticizing the Republican incumbent for backing President Donald Trump’s agenda.

Nickel signaled his interest in a Senate bid in late 2023, when the Raleigh-area congressman decided against seeking a second House term the next year because he determined congressional redistricting that year by Republican state legislators made it essentially impossible to win his seat again. A Nickel news release at the time said he would “explore a path forward” in the Senate.

A lawyer and former state senator, Nickel served in Congress though the end of last year and sought to build up name recognition in Democratic circles statewide by supporting party policies and raising money for party candidates in 2024.

In a campaign video marking the campaign’s formal launch, Nickel linked Tillis squarely to Trump and his early-term actions, as well as those of Elon Musk, who has spearheaded the Department of Government Efficiency.

“When the chips are down, Thom Tillis lays down for the billionaires, for the extrem-

POLICE from page A1

Shew, Locust’s police chief detailed that the city’s police department has always had a “stellar working relationship” with the Locust Walmart, but noted that bond reached a peak during Mitchell’s time as

ists, for policies that hurt North Carolina,” the 49-year-old Nickel said. “This is a moment for a new generation of leadership with a fresh vision and the courage to fight for what’s right. And that’s exactly what I’ll do in the U.S. Senate.”

Tillis, who was first elected to the Senate in 2014, is already raising money for his 2026 reelection bid. His seat is considered by Democrats one of a handful that they could potentially flip next year in their effort to take back the Senate majority. Tillis’ victories in 2014 and 2020 were narrow.

Other Democrats could still enter the race, with the chief consideration going to former Gov. Roy Cooper, who was barred by term limits from seeking a third term last fall. Mentioned among the top options to be Kamala Harris’ running mate last year, the 67-year-old Cooper is the state’s most popular Democrat and would automatically be considered the front-runner in a March 2026 primary if he joined.

the store’s general manager.

“Thank you for the outstanding job you did while serving here and representing the very best of the city of Locust,” Shew wrote. The city’s police chief noted Cagle’s assistance with local charity work, detailing that

Cooper, who is currently on a short-term teaching stint at Harvard University, “wants to continue making a difference and he is taking time to thoughtfully consider what he does next,” Cooper consultant Morgan Jackson wrote in a text message.

Some smaller-name Republicans so far have announced a primary bid against Tillis. Some ardent pro-Trump supporters have questioned his fealty to the president.

Tillis has been engaged in a delicate balancing act of voicing skepticism of Trump’s plans for tariffs or his pick for defense secretary, but then often turning to support the president’s agenda.

The politics are clearly on his mind. During a Senate hearing last Tuesday with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, he pressed the White House to think through the political ramifications of trying to remake the economy.

Tillis told Greer he was “trying to figure out if” voters would look favorably on

— without being asked — Cagle set up Walmart donation bins for Locust Elementary school supply drives and disaster relief supply aid drives for western North Carolina. Cagle also regularly delivered food and snack items to the LPD to recognize the de-

“This is a moment for a new generation of leadership with a fresh vision and the courage to fight for what’s right. And that’s exactly what I’ll do in the U.S. Senate.” Wiley Nickel in a campaign video

Trump’s trade strategy next year “because a long-term play in American politics and a long-term play in American public policy formation is about 12 months.”

Still, Tillis last week voted against a Democratic effort to nullify the tariffs placed on Canadian imports. Although Nickel talked about consensus-building while representing a Raleigh-area swing district in Congress, he was known for backing a left-leaning platform while in the legislature. Nickel highlighted last Wednesday a career that has included working as a White House staffer in Barack Obama’s administration.

In a news release, Tillis campaign manager Abby Roesch called Nickel “a radical leftwing trial lawyer who was a rubber stamp for Joe Biden’s failed liberal agenda” and seeks to be a similar rubber stamp in the Senate. Meanwhile, Roesch said, Tillis “has a proven record of delivering results for North Carolinians,” such as helping Trump pass tax cuts in his first term and approving disaster aid — such as after Hurricane Helene.

Talking to reporters last week at the U.S. Capitol, Tillis said he would approach the election season by “focusing on the results. Let them speak for themselves.”

partment’s officers and benefit both its Junior Detective Summer Camp program and annual Shop With a Cop initiative.

The Locust Police Department’s 2025 Citizen of the Year will be announced during the first Locust City Council meeting of 2026.

“(Morgan) would be taking the spot that’s currenty Brett Barbee,” Lucas said. “His term expires 30, 2025. Elizabeth would be taking the spot currently filled by Candice Lowder when she was our economic developer. … These are two-year terms from July 1 of 2025 concluding on June 30

Vice Chairman Brandon King made the motion to nominate Morgan and Underwood for their respective positions on the Centralina Workforce Development Board; the vote passed with a 7-0 tally. The Stanly County Board of Commissioners is set to hold its next regular meeting on April 21 at 6 p.m. inside the Gene McIntyre Meeting Room at Stanly County Com-

MANUEL BALCE CENETA / AP PHOTO

Then-Rep. Wiley Nickel (D-N.C.) speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in November 2022.

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | NEWT GINGRICH

Americans, not government, must benefit from Trump’s tariffs

A fourth option would be to eliminate some specific, onerous taxes with tariff income.

PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP’S tariff plan is working exactly as he intended.

The initially announced steep tariffs on more than 100 countries roiled markets — and sent the mainstream media into hysteria. Some of our trading partners bristled and rattled sabers with relatively small retaliatory plans. It was all perfectly Trumpian. The president got everyone’s attention (which is almost always his first step). He then softened his stance to open negotiations. Our trading partners now realize how serious Trump is, and they are coming to the table to figure out how they can continue to engage with the world’s largest market.

The next challenge for the White House and Republicans will be deciding what to do with the potential flood of tariff revenues. Trump’s robust tariff regime will likely yield a lot of revenue. This money should be returned to the American people. There must not be any discussion of keeping tariff revenue as a new pork barrel for politicians or bureaucrats.

The founding fathers understood the power of tariffs. Specifically, they saw potential for tariffs to replace domestic taxes. The clearest explanation of this was President Thomas Jefferson in his 1805 second inaugural address. Jefferson combined fiscal frugality with a shrewd tax policy to minimize the burden on the American people:

“The suppression of unnecessary offices, of useless establishments and expenses, enabled us to discontinue our internal taxes.

“These covering our land with officers, and

opening our doors to their intrusions, had already begun that process of domiciliary vexation which, once entered, is scarcely to be restrained from reaching successively every article of produce and property.

“The remaining revenue on the consumption of foreign articles, is paid cheerfully by those who can afford to add foreign luxuries to domestic comforts, being collected on our seaboards and frontiers only, and incorporated with the transactions of our mercantile citizens, it may be the pleasure and pride of an American to ask, what farmer, what mechanic, what laborer, ever sees a tax-gatherer of the United States?”

Now, the world was much different in Jefferson’s time. For instance, there was no federal income tax. Jefferson’s vision of no one ever seeing a tax collector inside the United States is likely impossible. However, it reflects an ideal world of limited government and intrusion.

Trump is methodically and aggressively creating a new worldwide system of bilateral agreements and tariff arrangements. The revenue stream will be virtually impossible to accurately project until after the year is over.

However, there are several ways to return the revenue to the American people.

One way would be to reduce the following year’s income tax rates based on total tariff revenue collected. If 2025 is a big year for revenue from places such as China and the European Union, then we could have significant income tax reductions for everyone in 2026.

A second option would be to create a system like the Alaskan Permanent Fund Dividend. Each year, it sends checks out to eligible Alaskans reflecting the wealth created by the state’s natural resources. In 2024, the fund sent $1,702 to each of the 600,000 eligible Alaskans. It would be useful to estimate a range of revenues the new tariffs system will generate and then consider how to return it to the American people. Since some estimates indicate the tariffs could raise $2 trillion to $3 trillion over the next decade, the amount involved could be substantial.

A third option would be to look at a series of tax credits based on national goals that could be expanded with tariff revenues. We could create a robust permanent research and development tax credit if 20% of the tariff revenue were dedicated to accelerating technology. A portion could also go toward tax credits aimed to promote small business investment, strong families, job creation, or other values.

A fourth option would be to partially follow Jefferson’s model and eliminate some specific, onerous taxes with tariff income. In some cases, the cost of tax preparation is higher than the actual tax payment. Eliminating them would increase private sector growth and make filing taxes less of a burden.

In any event, Congress should start thinking now about the most effective ways to put Trump’s tariff revenues into Americans’ pockets — and far away from Washington’s piggy bank.

Newt Gingrich was the 50th speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

House Bill 612 — Fostering Care in NC Act

We’ve lost over 1,000 foster families in the last five years.

THE CHILD WELFARE system in the United States was created to protect children from abuse and neglect.

In the 1800s, “child-saving” efforts were voluntary and consisted mainly of orphanages and almshouses, also known as poor houses, that housed children and impoverished adults.

The North Carolina Constitution of 1868 established, for the first time, a role for state government with respect to social services that the “beneficent provision for the poor, the unfortunate and orphan[s] being one of the first duties of a civilized and a Christian state, the General Assembly shall, at its first session, appoint and define the duties of a Board of Public Charities, to whom shall be entrusted the supervision of all charitable and penal State institutions…”

The federal government established and funded Child Protective Services in 1962, and North Carolina began participating in the provision of state foster care in 1969. The primary goal was to ensure children’s safety and well-being by protecting children from abuse and neglect, intervening when necessary to remove children from dangerous situations and working with families to address problems contributing to abuse or neglect.

As legislators, we are responsible to our youngest North Carolinians, who are the future of our great state. We have a moral and ethical responsibility to ensure that the 16,245 children and youth in foster care receive care and support so that they can have a bright future.

We have entrusted the child welfare work in North Carolina to the 100 counties who

each operate local Departments of Social Services (DSS). These departments are supervised by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and follow a policy directive to strengthen and preserve families whenever possible; but when a child can no longer safely remain with their family, the state must assure that the quality of substitute care is as close as possible to the care and nurturing that society expects of a family.

We recognize that many hard-working individuals serve in our county DSS agencies, and they do extraordinary work every day to support children and families. But we also have concerns about the consistency in how care is provided, impacting the overall effectiveness of the N.C. child welfare system.

There have been numerous news reports of egregious examples of children being harmed or killed by their parents; we’ve lost over 1,000 foster families in the last five years; children are sleeping in DSS offices or are stuck in hospital emergency rooms waiting for mental health treatment, and children are languishing in foster care for years waiting for a place to call home.

Recently a class action lawsuit was filed in federal court alleging a series of issues within N.C.’s foster care system. The lawsuit alleges that the child welfare system has been operating in a state of crisis for years and includes allegations that:

• Workload standards aren’t being enforced, resulting in child welfare workers unable to provide the support that vulnerable children and parents need.

• Children in foster care do not have access to

adequate and timely mental health services.

• Children are institutionalized at twice the national average.

• N.C. has failed to protect children and youth in foster care from physical, psychological, and emotional harm.

• N.C. fails to meet permanency standards, leaving children in foster care too long.

We must recognize that a failure to protect the safety and well-being of children is a failure of the state. We must continue to improve and strengthen the child welfare system and the people who are working on the ground supporting children every day. Our children and youth in foster care have already suffered from abuse or neglect that led to their entry into the system, and we must do everything possible to ensure that no other harm comes to them under our protection. The buck stops here. In an effort to move forward solutions to strengthen N.C.’s child welfare system, we have worked with experts, both inside and outside the foster care system, to write House Bill 612, the “Fostering Care in NC Act.”

We realize this singular bill will not fix all the problems, but it is an important step in what should be only the beginning of a commitment to change N.C.’s child welfare system into a shining example of how a legislative body can take action to support the well-being and success of our most precious assets, our children.

Rep. Allen Chesser represents N.C. House District 25 in the General Assembly.

Members and supporters of Hungary’s LGBTQ community march through Budapest in July 2022.

Hungarian lawmakers pass constitutional amendment to ban LGBTQ+ public events

It also states that there are only two sexes: male and female

By Justin Spike The Associated Press

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Hungary’s parliament on Monday passed an amendment to the constitution that allows the government to ban public events by LGBTQ+ communities, a decision that legal scholars and critics call another step toward authoritarianism by the populist government.

The amendment, which required a two-thirds vote, passed along party lines with 140 votes for and 21 against. It was proposed by the ruling Fidesz-KDNP coalition led by populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Ahead of the vote — the final step for the amendment — opposition politicians and other protesters attempted to blockade the entrance to a parliament parking garage. Police physically removed demonstrators, who had used zip ties to bind themselves together.

The amendment declares that children’s rights to moral, physical and spiritual development supersede any right other than

the right to life, including that to peacefully assemble. Hungary’s contentious “child protection” legislation prohibits the “depiction or promotion” of homosexuality to minors aged under 18.

The amendment codifies a law fast-tracked through parliament in March that bans public events held by LGBTQ+ communities, including the popular Pride event in Budapest that draws thousands annually.

That law also allows authorities to use facial recognition tools to identify people who attend prohibited events — such as Budapest Pride — and can come with fines of up to 200,000 Hungarian forints ($546).

Dávid Bedő, a lawmaker with the opposition Momentum party who participated in the attempted blockade, said before the vote that Orbán and Fidesz for the past 15 years “have been dismantling democracy and the rule of law, and in the past two or three months, we see that this process has been sped up.”

He said as elections approach in 2026 and Orbán’s party lags in the polls behind a popular new challenger from the opposition, “they will do everything in their power to stay in power.”

Opposition lawmakers used air horns to disrupt the vote,

which continued after a few moments.

Hungary’s government has campaigned against LGBTQ+ communities in recent years and argues its “child protection” policies, which forbid the availability to minors of any material that mentions homosexuality, are needed to protect children from what it calls “woke ideology” and “gender madness.”

Critics say the measures do little to protect children and are being used to distract from more serious problems facing the country and mobilize Orbán’s right-wing base ahead of elections.

“This whole endeavor which we see launched by the government, it has nothing to do with children’s rights,” said Dánel Döbrentey, a lawyer with the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, calling it “pure propaganda.”

The new amendment also states that the constitution recognizes two sexes, male and female, an expansion of an earlier amendment that prohibits same-sex adoption by stating that a mother is a woman and a father is a man.

The declaration provides a constitutional basis for denying the gender identities of trans-

gender people, as well as ignor-

ing the existence of intersex individuals who are born with sexual characteristics that do not align with binary conceptions of male and female.

In a statement on Monday, government spokesperson Zoltán Kovács wrote that the change is “not an attack on individual self-expression, but a clarification that legal norms are based on biological reality.”

Döbrentey, the lawyer, said it was “a clear message” for transgender and intersex people: “It is definitely and purely and strictly about humiliating people and excluding them, not just from the national community, but even from the community of human beings.”

The amendment is the 15th to Hungary’s constitution since Orbán’s party unilaterally authored and approved it in 2011.

Ádám Remport, a lawyer with the HCLU, said that while Hungary has used facial recognition tools since 2015 to assist police in criminal investigations and finding missing persons, the recent law banning Pride allows the technology to be used in a much broader and problematic manner. That includes for monitoring and deterring political protests.

“One of the most fundamental

problems is its invasiveness, just the sheer scale of the intrusion that happens when you apply mass surveillance to a crowd,” Remport said.

“More salient in this case is the effect on the freedom of assembly, specifically the chilling effect that arises when people are scared to go out and show their political or ideological beliefs for fear of being persecuted,” he added.

The amendment passed Monday also allows for Hungarians who hold dual citizenship in a non-European Economic Area country to have their citizenship suspended for up to 10 years if they are deemed to pose a threat to public order, public security or national security.

Hungary has taken steps in recent months to protect its national sovereignty from what it claims are foreign efforts to influence its politics or even topple Orbán’s government.

The self-described “illiberal” leader has accelerated his longstanding efforts to crack down on critics such as media outlets and groups devoted to civil rights and anti-corruption, which he says have undermined Hungary’s sovereignty by receiving financial assistance from international donors.

In March, Orbán gave a speech where he compared people who work for such groups to insects, and pledged to “eliminate the entire shadow army” of foreign-funded “politicians, judges, journalists, pseudo-NGOs and political activists.”

NORTH CAROLINA DRIVING SCHOOL, INC.

Great opportunity for retired state, teachers, retired military, those on Social Security, retired police or municipal.

$23-25 per hour in the car instruction or teach one class a month $900 per 30 hour two week class ($30 per hour for classroom) after school 3 hours for 10 days, or you can do both!

Must be willing/able to work 4 hours 4/5 days a week during the school year. (September-May) Hours are during the day (between 8-am 5pm) during the summer. (June, July, August)

Must take an 80 hour (two week) certification course.

• Must be 25 years of age.

• Must have a clean driving record.

• Must have at least 4 years of experience as a licensed operator of a motor vehicle.

• Must have not been convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude in the last ten years.

• Must not have any revocation or suspension of license in the last 5 years.

• Must have graduated from High School or have High School equivalency certificate.

• Must not have convictions for moving violations tot aling 5 points in the last 5 years.

• Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) and Criminal background check must be completed prior to hiring.

ANNA SZILAGYI / AP PHOTO

STANLY SPORTS

Pfeiffer baseball aims for late-season improvement

The Falcons are 7-8 in USA South play

By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal

MISENHEIMER — With seven wins in 15 USA South Athletic Conference matchups, the Pfeiffer Falcons baseball team is hoping to heat up as it reaches the final stretch of the 2025 regular season.

The Falcons (11-20, 7-8 USA South) have won three of their past five games, now approaching the .500 mark in conference play as they sit in fifth place in the USA South standings.

While they are likely to fall short of the 21-21 overall record it had last season, Pfeiffer still has a chance to match or surpass its previous 10-11 conference record.

The Falcons recently picked up two victories in a three -game home series with Mary Baldwin (6-26, 4-11 USA South), notch-

ing a 14-5 win and a 9-2 win this past weekend.

Fifth-year coach Craig Bolton now has a 81-91 record as the team’s head coach after five seasons in an assistant role. To date, the Falcons’ top seasons in program history are a 31-7 campaign in 2018 and a 30-8 campaign in 2019.

While Pfeiffer achieved a winning conference record in both 2022 (13-8) and 2023 (12 -9), finishing in third place and fifth place, respectively, it has not had an overall winning season since that high-water mark campaign in 2019.

Junior infielder Joe Javier, graduate student outfielder C.J. Acosta and senior infielder Wilson Lohrer have emerged as three of the Falcons’ top threats at the plate this year. Javier leads the team in batting average (.397), while Acosta has the most runs (32), home runs (eight) and RBIs (36). Lohrer is the team leader in total hits (49).

Scoring hasn’t been a huge issue for the Falcons this season — their 219 runs scored are the third-most in the conference.

On the mound, however, the Falcons have struggled to keep opposing lineups in check, surrendering 260 total runs, which is tied for the third-most of any team in the conference.

Graduate student Thad Lewis has a 4.70 ERA and a 4-2 record with the most innings pitched (46) on the team; his four wins and 42 strikeouts are also team highs.

Pfeiffer is currently scheduled for a four-game road trip — with three contests against first-place Methodist (22-11, 11-4 USA South) followed by a nonconference game at Roanoke (18-13-1, 10-5-1 ODAC) — before returning to Misenheimer’s Joe Ferebee Field for three games against last-place William Peace (10-23, 5-10 USA South).

The USA South Tournament is set to begin on May 1.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Dre Davis

Albemarle, track and field

Dre Davis is a senior for the Albemarle track and field team. He also was starting quarterback for the football team last fall. Davis was named the running events MVP at the county meet last month after he swept the 100, 200 and 400 meters, winning first place in all three. He also won the 400 at the Yadkin Valley Conference meet earlier in the month. A week later, Davis competed at the Timberwolf Invite and won the 100 and 200.

Larson dominates to claims emotional Cup victory at Bristol Motor Speedway

The win comes after the death of his longtime PR representative

By Nate Ryan The Associated Press

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Kyle Larson led 411 of 500 laps and scored an emotional win Sunday with a dominating NASCAR Cup Series victory at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Larson, racing just days after the death of Jon Edwards, his former public relations representative, picked up his second Cup win of the season. It was his 31st Cup victory and third at Bristol.

Denny Hamlin finished second in his 400th consecutive Cup start, falling one spot short in his bid for a third consecu-

tive win. Ty Gibbs was third, followed by Chase Briscoe and Ryan Blaney.

Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet was one of several cars sporting a decal in the memory of Edwards, the Hendrick Motorsports director of communications whose death was confirmed in a Thursday statement from the team. The cause of death was not announced.

The 53-year-old Edwards was a PR specialist during Jeff Gordon’s four Cup championships. After becoming Gordon’s right-hand man, Edwards also worked closely with Larson since the star joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2021 and won his first championship.

On Saturday at Bristol, Larson dedicated an Xfinity Series victory to Edwards, who took

“I’m happy to see the smiling faces and everybody talking positively of Jon this week.”

Kyle Larson on PR man Jon Edwards’ death

vacations with the driver and became his closest friend on the No. 5 team.

Larson also finished second in Friday’s Truck Series race, nearly completing a tripleheader sweep to honor Edwards, whom he said was always a happy person.

“He wouldn’t want us to be sad,” Larson said of Edwards.

“I’m happy to see the smiling faces and everybody talking positively of Jon this week.”

Helping others

Defending Cup Series champion Joey Logano was named a National Motorsports Press Association Pocono Spirit Award winner for his efforts in helping Hurricane Helene victims with rebuilding after the storm last fall. Logano was presented the award at Bristol because of the track’s proximity to the devastation in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.

“One of my quotes that I like to think about a lot is, ‘Don’t let a crisis go to waste,’” said Logano, whose foundation committed $250,000 to Helene relief after he toured the storm’s

path last October. “A crisis like that presented a huge opportunity for all of us to band together and impact some people that just got their lives wiped out. It’s some pretty heavy stuff up there. The great news is there’s a lot of comeback.”

The Bristol weekend continued a busy week for Logano, who recovered from a bout with norovirus in time for last Wednesday visit to the White House. After scraping the wall in qualifying Saturday, he started Sunday’s race from the rear because of unapproved adjustments to his No. 22 Ford.

Up next

After a break for Easter weekend, the Cup Series will race Sunday, April 27 at Talladega Superspeedway, where Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Tyler Reddick won last year.

Talladega will follow the final off week of the season for NASCAR’s premier series, which will race on 28 consecutive weekends through the Nov. 2 season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

WADE PAYNE / AP PHOTO

Kyle Larson goes into Turn 3 during his NASCAR Cup Series win Sunday in Bristol, Tennessee.

SIDELINE REPORT

NCAA BASKETBALL

Betting up in men’s NCAA Tournament, during women’s basketball season

Las Vegas It was a men’s NCAA Tournament in which upsets were unusual and a women’s field sans Caitlin Clark. Betting nevertheless was up on both sides this year at the BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbooks. BetMGM saw an 18% increase on the men’s side that culminated in Florida’s heart-pounding 65-63 victory over Houston for the Gators’ third championship. Betting on the women’s side was up 10% this season at BetMGM. UConn rolled to an 82-59 victory over defending champion South Carolina for the Huskies’ 12th national title but first since 2016.

MLB Fan reaches into Trout’s glove to snatch catch from Angels outfielder

Houston A fan snatched the ball out of Mike Trout’s glove after the Los Angeles Angels star reached into the right field stands to try to make a catch. Trout raced into the right-field corner on the fly ball hit by Yainer Diaz in the second inning, leaped and extended his left arm into the stands. But a fan wearing a Houston Astros jersey immediately grabbed the ball as Trout immediately gestured to umpires that the fan had taken it out of his glove. First base umpire Alan Porter ruled it a foul ball and not a catch.

NFL Flacco returning to Browns on 1-year deal

Cleveland Joe Flacco is heading back to Cleveland. The veteran NFL quarterback agreed to terms with the Browns on a one-year deal. Flacco won the league’s Comeback Player of the Year award in 2023 after leading an inspiring late-season surge that carried the Browns to the playoffs. He spent last season in Indianapolis, throwing for 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions in eight games, including a 2-4 mark as a starter. The 40-year-old Flacco joins a quarterback room that includes Kenny Pickett. Cleveland acquired the former first-round draft pick in a deal with Philadelphia in March.

NCAA FOOTBALL

Iamaleava gone from Tennessee as Heupel says no one “bigger than the Power T” Knoxville, Tenn. The Tennessee Volunteers are moving forward without quarterback Nico Iamaleava with coach Josh Heupel giving his team a simple message: No one is bigger than the Power T, including the coach himself. Heupel said Tennessee has been around a long time and will be around long after he leaves with a tradition and legacy recognized around the world. Heupel called losing Iamaleava an “unfortunate” situation. But the Tennessee coach says he knew the quarterback would not be with the program after being a “no show” for last Friday’s practice.

from the

Wickens returns to elite racing with use of hand controls 7 years after being paralyzed

Hand-controlled throttle and braking systems let him compete

in IMSA

By Jenna Fryer The Associated Press

LONG BEACH, Calif. —

Nearly seven years after he was paralyzed in an IndyCar crash, Robert Wickens returned to elite competition when he drove a Corvette in the IMSA sports car race on the downtown streets of Long Beach. Wickens finished five laps off the lead, in 26th place.

Wickens has raced since the crash at Pocono left him paralyzed from the chest down but considers the IMSA event a true completion of his comeback.

“My goal from the outset of this was to get back to the highest levels of motorsport again. I’ve always seen that (IMSA) is the highest level of sports car racing here in North America,” Wickens said. “It would be a dream if I could call it a 10-year career here racing against the best drivers in the world and one of the best series in the world.”

Wickens drove for DXDT Racing with teammate and

longtime Corvette driver Tommy Milner. The Corvette is equipped with a hand-controlled throttle and braking system developed by Bosch and Pratt Miller. The brake controls mount to the steering wheel but are independent of the steering wheel so that Milner can seamlessly transition from hand controls to pedals when he’s the driver.

“The steering wheel that Tommy will be driving or any other teammate that I drive with in this Corvette, it’s the exact same steering wheel that they always know. What’s great about it is, in theory, it can mount to virtually any steering column as long as you have the right bolt pattern,” Wickens said. “What we’re learning here today can transfer into any race car. And then, hopefully, down the road, what we’re developing with the electronic braking system from Bosch, opportunities are endless. Maybe this can evolve into road safety and into everyday road vehicles and accessibility in road vehicles.

“But short term, we need to perfect this system here.”

Wickens made his debut in IMSA’s GT Daytona class.

Florida gets another championship celebration

The national champions were honored in the Swamp in front of nearly 60,000

By Mark Long The Associated Press

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida coach Todd Golden already has a spot picked out for the Final Four net he cut down in San Antonio. On Saturday, though, it felt right at home around his neck.

Golden and the Gators were revered in another national championship celebration, this one in front of nearly 60,000 fans at Florida Field during an extended halftime of the annual football spring game. The hoops team has one more get-together on tap: at the White House, presumably this summer.

“It’s just absurd,” Golden said. “Today was awesome. … Our guys, especially our older guys, are going to be moving on to go train for the draft. You don’t know if they’re going to be around.

“To be able to put something like this together on kind of short notice and do a great job honoring our players in front of our fans, which to me is the most important thing.

People that have been supporting us really all year got to see these guys together again

“People that have been supporting us really all year got to see these guys together again one last time.”

Florida coach Todd Golden

one last time. It was special.”

Golden wore the remnants of one of the nets from the Alamodome; center Micah Handlogten wore the other. Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard carried trophies into the Swamp.

Clayton, named most outstanding player of the Final Four, and Golden — hardly surprisingly — received the loudest ovations.

Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward presented Golden with a key to the city “so you’ll always know where home is.”

“My family and I love being here,” said Golden. “In three short years, we’ve been able to meet a lot of great people and get comfortable. Florida’s a place that we can win national championships, as we just proved. Yeah, we love being here.”

Golden unveiled a working poster of the program’s third championship banner, which will be hung in the O’Connell Center to open next season.

“My goal from the outset of this was to get back to the highest levels of motorsport again.”

Robert Wickens

“Honestly, taking the green flag in Long Beach is going to be an enormous step forward in my career and my journey back to the highest levels,” Wickens said. “You could say, ‘We did it. We’re racing against the best cars and the best drivers in the whole sports car industry.’”

The car Wickens and Milner are competing in is eligible for the GTD championship.

“I want to win championships for myself, for General Motors, for DXDT,” he said. “There’s still some work to be done. I think you could say it’s definitely a massive box to check, probably the biggest box that we could check off so far in my return.”

He’d like to race full time in the series next season.

He and Milner are just getting to know each other, as well as the nuances of the car with the system Wickens must use versus how Milner will drive it.

“Fundamentally, everything happens on the wheel,” Milner said, “and it’s a system that took me initially a little while to sort of understand in my own brain, how it is supposed to work, how to find lap time out of it and things like that.” Milner has also been inspired by Wickens’ journey since his life-changing crash in his rookie season of IndyCar racing.

“For him to go through what he went through and with his drive and determination to get back in a race car again and be competitive and win races, that’s something that can be an inspiration for anybody,” Milner said. “Anybody who’s gone through some sort of hardship like he has, it’s what you make of your life and that situation. You can tell that it does change parts of his life. But the one thing that he doesn’t want it to change realistically is him driving race cars and driving them as fast as he does.”

Florida head coach Todd Golden speaks as the NCAA champions are honored during halftime of the Orange and Blue spring football game.

Clayton, Martin and Richard have exhausted their eligibility and will moving on, and Golden said big man Alex Condon will go through the NBA’s predraft testing process to see whether he turns pro or returns to school.

“If we’re fortunate enough to get Alex back, I think we’ll have one of the strongest front lines in America,” Golden said. “We’re deep there. We’re athletic now. We’re very accomplished. Guys have played a lot of minutes on a really good team.”

The Gators finished 36-4 and won their final 12 games. They won four of six in the tournament by rallying late:

“Beat the odds to say the least,” Golden quipped.

The 39-year-old Golden became the youngest coach since NC State’s Jim Valvano in 1983 to win it all. Golden flung what was left of the net around his neck Monday night and still had it on when the team returned home Tuesday afternoon. He insisted Saturday he hasn’t slept in it or even thought much about it since.

“But I wanted to bust it out for today,” he said. “This will be, along with some other important mementos over the last month, in my office at home. … This is a little more important and a little more impactful on the trophy shelf now.”

JENNA FRYER / AP PHOTO

Driver change assist Josh Gibbs pulls Robert Wickens, who was paralyzed from the chest down after a 2018 IndyCar crash,

car as Tommy Milner gets in the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3R as they practiced driving changes for the Long Beach IMSA race.

Barbara Jean (Taylor) Drye

Carol Jean Little

May 21, 1952 – April 11, 2025

April 17, 1936 ~ January 14, 2023

Barbara Jean Taylor Drye, 86, of Oakboro, passed away Saturday, January 14, 2023 at her home.

Barbara was born April 17, 1936 in North Carolina to the late Robert Lee Taylor and the late Eva Belle Watts Taylor. She was also preceded in death by husband of 61 years, Keith Furr Drye, and brothers, Robert Lee Taylor, Jr. and George Kenneth Taylor.

Survivors include children, Debbie (Mike) Williams of Albemarle, Teresa (Tom) Curry of Oakboro, Douglas (Tammy) Drye of Oakboro; grandchildren, Melissa (Don) Parrish of Albemarle, Samantha (Destiny) Smith of Oakboro, Bradley Smith of Oakboro, Jonathan Stover of Peachland, and Jessie Stover of Lylesville; sisterin-law, Beatrice Goodman; many nieces and nephews; and her beloved cats, Bo and Garfield.

Barbara was a member of Oakboro Baptist Church for over 60 years. She worked over 30 years at Stanly Knitting Mills. After just two years of retirement, she began managing the Oakboro Senior Center and did that for 18 years until this past week. Barbara was known for her good cooking and always taking care of others. She also loved going on day long shopping trips - she could out walk and out shop people half her age. She kept her mind and body active through gardening, word searches, and various other hobbies.

Carol Jean Little, 72, of Midland passed away on Friday, April 11, 2025, at her home surrounded by her family. Her graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at Hopewell Baptist Church Cemetery, officiated by Pastor Brian Austin. The family will have a private visitation. Carol was born in Union County on May 21, 1952, to the late Shelly and Ola Stack. She is lovingly survived by her husband, Miles Little of 53 years. Those also left to cherish her memory are daughter Jennifer Little of Midland and son Tony Little (Shane) of Midland, grandchildren, Gavin Moose, Ethan Moose, Anna Green (Jake), and Olivia Little, greatgranddaughter Sadie, sister Patsy Talbert, nieces Tina Humphries, Angie Freeman, and Melissa Ervin, and special k9 companion “Gunner”. Carol was the most loving wife, mother and “MawMaw”. Carol was a humble, Godly woman who never met a stranger. As a farmer’s wife, there was no task she couldn’t handle, she was the rock and the glue that held the family together. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her.

The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to all her family and friends, especially her caregiver Emily Middlebrook, and Atrium Health Hospice and Palliative Care Cabarrus for the care they provided to Carol during her declining health. Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Locust is serving the Little family.

EJ Brooks

Dwight Farmer

Oct.9, 1942 – April 6, 2025

January 24, 1939 ~ January 15, 2023

Dwight Britten Farmer Sr., 83, of Norwood died Sunday morning, January 15, 2023 at Forrest Oakes.

Dwight was born January 24, 1939 in Stanly County to the late Walter Virgil and Martha Adkins Farmer. He was a 1957 graduate of Norwood High School and was a United States Army Veteran.

He was a member of Cedar Grove United Methodist Church where he had served as church treasurer and choir member. He began his career with the Stanly County Sheriff’s Department moving to the Norwood Police Department and retiring as Chief of Police with the Town of Norwood after many years of service.

Dwight was an avid gardener, bird watcher and Carolina fan.

He is survived by his wife Hilda Whitley Farmer; one son D. Britten Farmer Jr. (Mary) of McLeansville, NC; one daughter Sharon Farmer Lowe (David) of Norwood; one sister Geraldine Dennis of Troy; two grandchildren, Dwight Britten “Dee” Farmer III and Whitley Rose Hui Lowe.

EJ Brooks, 82, of Stanfield, passed away on Sunday, April 6, 2025, at Tucker Hospice House. The family will receive friends on Thursday evening, April 10, 2025, from 6-8 p.m. at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Locust. EJ was born in Stanly County on October 9, 1942, to the late Edgar and Lucille Brooks. He is lovingly survived by his wife Mary Brooks of 62 years. Those also left to cherish his memory are his son Brian Brooks and his wife Crystal of Mt. Pleasant, grandchildren Katlyn Brooks and Nathan Andell, greatgrandchildren, Oaklyn, and Racker, and sister Shelby Jean Aycoth. EJ was preceded in death by his stepsister Bonnie Connell. EJ was a jack of all trades, and there was no task he couldn’t complete. He loved hunting and fishing with his son. He enjoyed traveling to the beach when his health permitted. EJ loved his family and enjoyed spending time with them. He will be missed by all who knew him. The family would like to extend their sincere gratitude to the Staff at Tucker Hospice House for the care provided to EJ during his declining health. Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Locust is serving the Brooks family.

He was preceded in death by his son Alex, brothers, Tommy and Jimmy, sisters, Nancy, Cornelia Annabell, Glennie Mae, and Betty. Memorials may be made to Cedar Grove United Methodist Church, Cemetery or Choir Fund c/o Pam Smith 36071 Rocky River Springs Road, Norwood, NC 28128.

Ethel Eubanks Whitley

James Roseboro

June 23, 1967 ~ January 10, 2023

Aug. 13, 1945 – April 8, 2025

James Arthur Roseboro, 55, of Albemarle, passed away Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at Anson Health and Rehab.

Ethel Eubanks Whitley, 79, of New London, passed away on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at Tucker Hospice House. The family will receive friends at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle on Monday, April 14, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. The funeral service, officiated by Pastor Mark Lowe, will follow in the Stanly Funeral Home Chapel at 11:00 am. Burial will follow at Stanly Gardens of Memory.

Mr. Roseboro was born on June 23, 1967 to the late Robert and Delena Shipp Roseboro. He graduated from South Stanly High School and was employed by Triangle Brick. He enjoyed watching football and basketball, especially the Carolina TarHeels and Miami.

In addition to his parents he is preceded in death by his brothers and sisters: Barbara Lee Roseboro, Dorothy Brown, Verna Roseboro, Henrietta Ingram, and Harold Roseboro.

Ms. Ethel was born in Lenoir County on Aug 13, 1945, to the late Oscar and Annie Eubanks. She is survived by nephews, Paul Whitley, Jerry Whitley, John Whitley, David Rollins, and Jackie Eubanks; and two nieces, Diane Holland, and Cindy McLawhorn.

Ethel is preceded in death by her husband, Shelton Lee Whitley in 2013, sisters Irene Rollins in 2005, Anna Byrd in 1989, and Lucille Wiley in 2013, and nephew, Glenn Whitley in 2017.

Ms. Ethel loved spending time with her family as well as her church family.

He is survived by his sisters: Helen (James) Roseboro Edwards of Albemarle, Mary Roseboro of Washington DC, and Marion Morrison of Albemarle; brothers: Thomas D. Roseboro of Charlotte, Robert Roseboro (Patricia) of Norwood, and Van Horne; a special friend of over 40 years, Michelle McLendon of the home; special nieces: Nybrea Montague, Knya Little, and Laquanza Crump; special nephews: Robert Jr., Desmond Roseboro, and Marcus Lilly; and God daughter, Daphne Johnson; and special friends, Vetrella Johnson and Ben McLendon.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Highland Baptist Church of New London (106 Highland Dr. New London, NC 28127).

Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle is serving the Whitley family.

Former NFL tight end Don Hasselbeck dies of a heart attack at age 70

He played for the Patriots, Raiders, Giants and Vikings

The Associated Press

FORMER NFL tight end

Don Hasselbeck, who won a Super Bowl in his nine-year career and was the father of two NFL quarterbacks, died Monday. He was 70.

Hasselbeck’s son, Matt, said his father died after going into cardiac arrest at his home.

“He was a great husband, father, grandfather, friend, coach, player, coworker, artist, mentor, and storyteller,” Matt Hasselbeck wrote on social media. “Despite being an All-American at Colorado and a Super Bowl Champion with the Raiders, what we are most proud of is the leader he was for our family.”

Darrick Baldwin

January 7, 1973 ~ January 8, 2023

The elder Hasselbeck was drafted in the second round by New England in 1977 after a standout collegiate career at Colorado. He spent six full seasons with the Patriots and led the team in catches in 1981 with 46, to go along with 808 yards receiving and six touchdowns. He was traded to the Los Angeles Raiders early in the 1983 season and helped the team win the Super Bowl. He had two touchdown catches in the regular season for the Raiders, and the 6-foot-7 Hasselbeck blocked an extra point in a 38-9 Super Bowl win against Washington.

Darrick Vashon Baldwin, age 50, entered eternal rest, Sunday, January 8, 2023, Albemarle, North Carolina. Born January 7, 1973, in Stanly County, North Carolina, Darrick was the son of Eddie James Baldwin Sr. and the late Phyllis Blue Baldwin. Darrick enjoyed life, always kept things lively and enjoyed making others smile. His presence is no longer in our midst, but his memory will forever live in our hearts.

New England Patriots tight end Don Hasselbeck fights to hold on to a pass as Washington Redskins linebacker Monte Coleman tries to shake the ball loose in October 1981.

He was educated in the Stanly County public schools and attended Albemarle Senior High School, Albemarle.

He was a great conversationalist and loved meeting people. Darrick never met a stranger and always showed love and compassion for his fellowman. He also loved his dog, Rocky.

York Giants and had a touchdown catch in a playoff win over San Francisco and finished his career with Minnesota in 1985.

Hasselbeck had 107 catches for 1,542 yards and 18 touchdowns in 123 career regular season games.

John B. Kluttz

Claudine C. Carter

Timoth Patrick Hewell

Oct. 28, 1928 – April 10, 2025

March 23, 1935 - January 9, 2023

Claudine C. Carter, 96, of New London, passed away peacefully on April 10, 2025, surrounded by her loving family. Her funeral service will be at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 13, 2025, in the Mountain Creek Primitive Baptist Church with Elder Brennan Hooven officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends at the church from 12:30 until 1:30 p.m. prior to the hour of service.

John grew up in the Millingport community where he drove a school bus and worked at the local gas station during his High School years. He graduated from Millingport High in 1954 and entered into service with the US Airforce immediately afterward. Upon return from the service, he and his high school sweetheart Julie were married in 1956. He graduated from Nashville Auto Diesel College later in 1959 and began his career as a diesel mechanic at Mitchell Distributing Company, moving his growing family to Charlotte where they lived until their retirement.

July 10, 1936 – April 10, 2025

October 11, 1944 - January 10, 2023

Hasselbeck then spent the following season with the New

When John purchased his first Model A Ford at the age of 17, he said that he took the car to the community mechanic when he had a small problem.The mechanic told him that if he was going to keep the car, he needed to learn to work on it. This is when John’s passion for Model A Fords began and how he spent his happiest days with his best friends from around the globe for the rest of his life!

At age 50, after years as a Detroit Diesel Mechanic he and Julie decided to take the plunge and open a full Model A Restoration Shop. They thrived at their shop in Cornelius, NC until their retirement in 1998 when they moved back to Cabarrus County. John once again set up shop in his back yard garage where he attracted a loyal group of friends who visited almost daily.

While on the farm in Gold Hill, John also began a lifelong love with Alis Chalmers tractors after he restored his Dad’s tractor and began amassing his collection of tractors as well.

John restored many cars of his own and had the crowning achievement of winning the most prestigious award from MARC, The Henry for a restoration that garnered top points. He was also presented with the Ken Brady Service Awardthe highest award given to members at the national level.

Born October 28, 1928, in Stanly County, NC, she was the daughter of the late Norman B Chandler and Tero Elizabeth Elliott Chandler. She was a faithful member of Mountain Creek Primitive Baptist Church and owner of Cozy Corner Realty. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and greatgrandmother whose kindness, resilience, and generosity left an indelible mark on all who knew her. A woman of unwavering strength and grace, Claudine dedicated her life to her family and community. She was a loving and supportive wife to Otha, with whom she built a life filled with love, faith, and cherished memories. As the beloved mother of Mike and Ronnie, she poured her heart into raising her family, later finding immense joy in her five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. For over 40 years, Sundays were made special by her homemade rolls, a tradition that gathered her loved ones around the table and nourished not just their bodies but their hearts. Her meticulous nature was evident in everything she did, from the warmth of her home to the care she put into every meal. A dedicated worker, she remained a familiar face at Cozy Corner until the age of 90, demonstrating a work ethic and spirit that inspired all who knew her. Though conservative in values, her love and generosity knew no bounds, always offering support and wisdom to those around her.

Her legacy lives on in the love she shared, the lessons she imparted, and the family she leaves behind. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered.

Timoth “Tim” Patrick Hewell, 88, of Locust, passed away on Thursday, April 10, 2025, at his home, surrounded by his family. The family will receive friends at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Locust on Monday, April 14, 2025, from 5 p.m. until 6:45 p.m. The funeral service, officiated by Pastor Warren Brown, will follow in the Stanly Funeral Home Chapel in Locust at 7 p.m. Burial will follow on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at 10 a.m. at Salisbury National Cemetery. Timoth was born in Hall County, Georgia, on July 10, 1936, to the late Walter and Lou Bell Hewell. He is lovingly survived by his wife Pamela Hewell of 15 years. Those also left to cherish his memory are children Timoth Hewell Jr. (Georgeann) of Wimauma, FL, Donna Allen (Roger) of Huntersville, NC, Craig Hewell of Fort Lauderdale, FL, Deborah Spivak of Matthews, NC, Donna Drab (Joe) of Monroe, NC, grandchildren, Jessica Foster (Chris), Timoth Hewell, III (Amy), Christina Johnson (Reid), Jason Allen (Michelle), Ryan Spivak, Sierra Spivak, Calvin Aldridge (Cara), greatgrandchildren, Savanna Williford (Jonathan), Ethan Maynard, Lydia Johnson, Hadley Johnson, Olivia Allen, and Zoe Allen, and his loving Aunt Maggie. Tim was preceded in death by his siblings, Walter Hewell and Louise Moore. Tim was a family man and loved spending time with his family. He was known for his sense of humor, and his quick wit and never missed an opportunity to bring a smile to your face. Tim enjoyed family picnics, boating, Nascar and all things sports. He enjoyed attending his grandchildren’s sporting events. Tim was a very proud Navy veteran. He will be missed by all who knew him. Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Locust is serving the Hewell family.

Doris Elaine Jones Coleman, 78, went home into God’s presence on January 10 after a sudden illness and a valiant week-long fight in ICU. Doris was born on October 11, 1944, in the mountains of Marion, NC while her father was away fighting in the US Navy during World War II. Raymond Jones was so proud to return after the war and meet his little girl! Doris grew up in Durham, NC and graduated from Durham High School. She furthered her studies at Watts Hospital School of Nursing in Durham and graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1966.

Doris married Rev. Dr. Ted Coleman in 1966 and had two daughters Amy and Laura. Doris raised Amy and Laura in North Augusta, SC. Doris was an incredible neonatal intensive care nurse for most of her career, and this was her passion. The Augusta Chronicle did a feature on her in 1985. She was a clinical nurse manager in Augusta, Georgia at University Hospital NICU and worked there for 20 years. During this time, Doris mentored young nurses and assisted in saving the lives of so many babies. She also worked for Pediatrician Dr. William A. Wilkes in Augusta for several years prior to her NICU career. Doris retired from the mother/baby area at Atrium Stanly in 2007 after over 40 years of nursing.

Doris was a gentle and sweet spirit and loved her Lord. She never met a stranger, and she always left you feeling uplifted after talking with her. She would often claim that she had “adopted” friends into her immediate family, and honestly, she never made a distinction between the two. Positivity radiated from her like sunlight. She was selfless, funny, smart, and sentimental. During her lifetime she was an active member of First Baptist Church of Durham, First Baptist Church of Augusta, Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Augusta, and Palestine United Methodist Church in Albemarle. She especially loved helping at church with older adults, youth, and children.

She was especially talented at sewing from a young age and made gifts for friends, Christmas ornaments, Halloween Costumes, doll clothes, pageant dresses, prom dresses, coats, tote bags, scarves, outfits for Amy and Laura, and Christening gowns for each of her grandchildren.

Doris was preceded in death by her father Arthur Raymond Jones, her mother Mary Ellen Cameron Jones, and her sister Maryanne Jones Brantley. Survivors include her two precious daughters: Amy Cameron Coleman (partner Dr. Edward Neal Chernault) of Albemarle, NC, and Laura Lindahl Coleman Oliverio (husband David) of Cincinnati, Ohio; seven grandchildren: Cameron David Oliverio, Stephanie Jae Dejak, Luca Beatty Oliverio, Coleman John Dejak, Carson Joseph Oliverio, Ryan Nicholas Dejak, and Jadon Richard Oliverio; and numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, and loved ones. Celebrate

Two of Hasselbeck’s sons went on to play quarterback in the NFL, with Matt making three Pro Bowls and starting in a Super Bowl for Seattle following the 2005 season and Tim playing mostly as a backup.

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

This is what John’s Model A Community had to say upon learning of his death: He was an active member of Wesley Chapel Methodist Church where he loved serving as greeter on Sunday mornings. He also belonged to the United Methodist Men. John is survived by his wife Julie Ussery Kluttz, for 66 years of the home. He is also survived by a son John David Kluttz (Kim) of Oakboro, NC; two daughters, Sally Simerson of Denver, CO and Betsy Tusa (John) of Lafayette, CO; three grandchildren, Bonnie Kluttz Sammons (Ben) of Richfield, NC John Alexander McKinnon (Sarah) of Asheville, NC and Seth William McKinnon (Amanda) of Germany; five great-grandchildren, Charlotte, Meredith, Grant, Victoria and Ronan. John is also preceded in death by his parents, J.S. Kluttz and Mary Wyatt Clayton Kluttz; a large and loving group of brothers and sisters, Jack Methias Kluttz, Annie Lou Kluttz Honeycutt, Jake Nelson Kluttz, Julius Kluttz, Mary Patricia Phillips and a grandson, Kevin Fowler Kluttz.

She was preceded in death by her husband Otha Carter in 1980. Survivors include sons Ronnie L. Carter and wife Nancy of New London and Mike A. Carter and wife Susan of New London, brother Bennie Chandler of Denton, as well as 4 grandchildren: Kristen Cooper (Ricky), Shane Carter (Becca), Shannon Carter, Brian (Audrey), 9 great-grandchildren: KJ, Anna Lynn, Cameron, Addyson Grace, Katelyn, Kyla, Ian, Eli, and Eva, and a loving sister-in-law Marcella Hatley. She was also preceded in death by a brother and three sisters and a granddaughter, Emily Carter.

SCOTT STEWART / AP PHOTO

Doris Jones Coleman

STATE & NATION

EPA puts hold on promised electric school bus funding

Charlotte was expecting millions of dollars for new EV buses

By Michael Casey and Alexa St. John The Associated Press

BOSTON — Looking to cut pollution from its fleet of diesel-burning school buses, an Oklahoma school district last year doubled its electric vehicles.

The Shawnee Public Schools, a 3,300-student district about 35 miles east of Oklahoma City in a county that voted overwhelmingly for President Donald Trump, figured the nearly $1.5 million for the four buses would be reimbursed through an Environmental Protection Agency program. The agency, under President Joe Biden, had promised to do just that last year with money from a massive infrastructure law passed by Congress.

The district requested the funding in November but was told that it would be delayed due to a technical glitch. But after Trump took office, they have been calling the EPA and emailing regularly without a response. They fear they will never be reimbursed.

“Our district made this investment in good faith, expecting the promised rebate to be delivered in a timely manner,” John Wiles, the district’s director of transportation, said. “The buses are here, they are in service, and they are benefiting our students and community — but the lack of reimbursement has

created unnecessary financial strain.”

Shawnee is not alone. More than 500 districts nationwide are still waiting on around $1 billion from the EPA to cover more than 3,400 electric buses. That’s sparked panic and confusion in districts that must find other ways to cover the cost or delay or cancel their purchases. It’s also hitting companies building the buses, those selling them and companies that oversee districts’ transportation.

The National School Transportation Association, which represents private school bus operators, called the freeze “extremely disruptive.”

The EPA hasn’t explained why

500

districts nationwide

More

the funds are on hold or if they will ever be released. A spokesperson said the EPA does not comment on pending litigation. Multiple lawsuits have called for releasing federal funding frozen by myriad federal agencies including the EPA. Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) one of several senators to write

to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin demanding answers, said the funding lets districts “invest in transportation that reduces air pollution and provides health benefits to children across the country.” Without the money, administrators may have to make tough financial decisions, “and children are going to pay the price,” he said.

The push for electric buses has long had bipartisan support, with many arguing the transition will help combat climate change, benefit the health of children and saves district money over the long run.

More than 25 million students take aging, diesel-fueled buses to school each day in the U.S. — with black, Latino and lower-income students in urban areas more likely to rely on them.

The exhaust from these dirty buses exposes them, their parents and school staff to harmful pollutants like fine particulates and nitrogen dioxide, which can lead to health issues such as asthma and heart disease. It can also affect cognitive performance, said Dr. Stephanie Lovinsky-Desir, chief of the pediatric pulmonary division at Columbia University Medical Center. Young bodies that are still developing are especially vulnerable.

Electric school buses — though two to three times more expensive up front — can save districts money in fuel and maintenance costs, said Katherine Roboff, deputy director of external affairs for World Resources Institute’s Electric School Bus Initiative. The WRI estimates $100,000 in savings over the life of a bus.

“That’s really helpful savings that school districts can put back into the classroom,” Roboff said. “And that’s another reason that districts are eager to go electric.”

The money is part of a Clean School Bus Program, which was part of Biden’s infrastructure law and provided $5 billion over five years to help districts replace polluting school buses with cleaner, electric buses.

So far, the program has gone through three rounds. Nearly $1 billion was issued in the first round of rebate funding to 400 schools for 2,500 buses; the second round, issued in the form of grants also totaling nearly $1 billion, funded more than 2,700 school buses at 275 districts.

The long list of delays is hitting districts of all sizes, both rural and urban.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in Charlotte, the school district in Huntsville, Alabama, as well as Baltimore County Public Schools, all of which contract with outside companies to run their transportation operations, are waiting for nearly $26 million to fund the purchase of 75 electric buses.

Prince George’s County Public Schools, a 132,000-student district outside Washington, D.C., was expecting $5 million for nine electric buses to add to its current 21. When the EPA funding was put on hold, the district turned to the state of Maryland, which has a similar grant program, and is hoping it covers the cost.

In New Hampshire, the Derry Cooperative School District wasn’t so fortunate. The 4,300-student district has been counting on $8.1 million in EPA f unding to cover 25 electric buses.

“It’s very disappointing,” Clifton Dancy, the district’s transportation coordinator, said. “The current administration is turning a blind eye to climate change and environmental practices and catering to carbon fuel industry. I can’t get behind that. It’s going backwards.”

Nvidia plans to manufacture AI chips in the US for the first time

New semiconductor plants are coming online in Arizona and Texas

By Sarah Parvini

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — Nvid-

ia announced Monday that it will produce its artificial intelligence super computers in the United States for the first time.

The tech giant said it has commissioned more than 1 million square feet of manufacturing space to build and test its specialized Blackwell chips in Arizona and AI supercomputers in Texas — part of an investment the company said will produce up to half a trillion dollars of AI infrastructure in the next four years.

“The engines of the world’s AI infrastructure are being built in the United States for the first time,” Nvidia founder Jensen Huang said in a statement.

“Adding American manufacturing helps us better meet the incredible and growing demand

“(Trump) has made U.S.-based chips manufacturing a priority as part of his relentless pursuit of an American manufacturing renaissance, and it’s paying off.”

White House statement

for AI chips and supercomputers, strengthens our supply chain and boosts our resiliency.”

Nvidia’s announcement comes as the Trump administration has said that tariff exemptions on electronics like smartphones and laptops are only a temporary reprieve until officials develop a new tariff approach specific to the semiconductor industry.

White House officials, including President Donald Trump himself, spent Sunday downplaying the significance of exemptions that lessen but won’t eliminate the effect of U.S. tariffs on imports of popular consumer devices and their key components.

“They’re exempt from the re-

ciprocal tariffs, but they’re included in the semiconductor tariffs, which are coming in probably a month or two,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday.

Nvidia said in a post on its website that it has started Blackwell production at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. chip plants in Phoenix. The Santa Clara, California-based chip company is also building supercomputer manufacturing plants in Texas — with Foxconn in Houston and Wistron in Dallas.

Nvidia’s AI super computers will serve as the engines for AI factories, “a new type of data center created for the sole pur-

NIC COURY / AP PHOTO

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang talks during the keynote address of Nvidia GTC last month in California.

pose of processing artificial intelligence,” the company said, adding that manufacturing in the U.S. will create “hundreds of thousands of jobs and drive trillions of dollars in economic security over the coming decades.”

Mass production at both plants is expected to ramp up in the next 12-15 months, Nvidia said. The company also plans on partnering with Taiwan-based

company SPIL and Amkor for “packaging and testing operations” in Arizona. In a statement Monday, the White House called Nvidia’s move “the Trump Effect in action.”

Trump “has made U.S.-based chips manufacturing a priority as part of his relentless pursuit of an American manufacturing renaissance, and it’s paying off — with trillions of dollars in new investments secured in the tech sector alone,” the White House said.

Earlier this year, Trump announced a joint venture investing up to $500 billion for infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence by a new partnership formed by OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank. The new entity, Stargate, was tasked with building out data centers and the electricity generation needed for the further development of the fast-evolving AI in Texas, according to the White House. The initial investment is expected to be $100 billion and could reach five times that sum.

COURTESY THOMAS BUILT BUSES

The second-generation Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley electric school bus is assembled at the Thomas Built Buses facility in High Point.

Flying high

A North Carolina Highway Patrol helicopter hovers during a flight demonstration at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new North Carolina Troopers Association Museum in Raleigh on Monday.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

White House restricts all wire service access in Gulf of America spat Washington, D.C.

The White House enacted a new media policy this week that reduces access to President Donald Trump for wire services, including the AP, particularly in small venues like the Oval Office. This follows a court ruling that the administration violated the AP’s free speech rights by banning it from certain events for, the administration claims, not using the name “Gulf of America.” The new policy says the press secretary will choose who gets access to the president. It does, however, obey the court’s order by giving the AP the same access as competitor wire services. The White House Correspondents’ Association and AP have condemned the policy.

Salvation Army closes “emergency” homeless shelter as funds run dry Fayetteville The Salvation Army announced the immediate closure of its Pathway of Hope “emergency shelter” in Fayetteville, leaving more than 50 people who had been using the facility without a place to sleep. “We have no funding partners, and we cannot continue to offer shelter without funding,” said a Salvation Army representative. It was the primary emergency shelter in the county. Other agencies and nonprofits were working to assist those displaced by the sudden closure.

$2.00

Commissioners authorize sale of more than $30M in general obligation bonds

The bonds will go to market in mid-May with revenues expected to arrive in early June

By Ryan Henkel Twin City Herald

WINSTON-SALEM — For-

syth County is in line to raise additional capital as the next step in the bond issuance process has been approved.

At its April 10 meeting, the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners held a public hearing, which was required before authorizing the issuance of approximately $33.6 million in general obligation bonds.

The bonds are broken up into four categories: school bonds ($27.335 million), communi-

ty college bonds ($2.3 million), parks and recreation bonds ($2 million) and public facilities bonds ($2 million) and are intended to be used primarily for capital maintenance, however, $18.8 million of the school bond will go toward the Ashley Elementary project.

Now that a hearing has been held, the bonds will go to the local government commission for approval, and they should go to market on May 20 with the proceeds expected to be received by June 11.

The board also held two additional hearings dealing with text amendments to the UDO.

The first was for an amendment to “improve logic and consistency” for single-family uses specified within the UDO.

“This item arose from sever-

$33,635,000

The total amount of bond issuances approved for sale

al previous rezoning requests in which it was revealed that single-family uses were subject to varying and, at times, more stringent standards than more intense residential multifamily uses,” said Planning Director Chris Murphy.

The amendment also makes the minimum lot size standard (5,000 square feet) for all RM districts.

The second hearing was for an amendment to sections of the UDO pertaining to the His-

Ex-congressman Nickel launches bid to unseat Tillis

The Democrat served one term in the U.S. House before his district was redrawn in 2024

By Gary D. Robertson The Associated Press

RALEIGH — Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel announced last Wednesday his candidacy to try to unseat Sen. Thom Tillis in 2026, saying a “fighter for what’s right for our state” is needed and criticizing the Republican incumbent for backing President Donald Trump’s agenda. Nickel signaled his interest in a Senate bid in late 2023, when the Raleigh-area congressman decided against seeking a second House term the next year because he deter-

toric Resource Commission in order to mirror language from the North Carolina General Assembly, correct typographical errors and outdated titles, and to regularize and define certain terms.

The board then approved three contractual items including a three-year, $200,000 contract with Brentwood Services Administrators for comprehensive risk management

See BOARD, page A2

mined congressional redistricting that year by Republican state legislators made it essentially impossible to win his seat again. A Nickel news release at the time said he would “explore a path forward” in the Senate. A lawyer and former state senator, Nickel served in Congress though the end of last year and sought to build up name recognition in Democratic circles statewide by supporting party policies and raising money for party candidates in 2024.

In a campaign video marking the campaign’s formal launch, Nickel linked Tillis squarely to Trump and his early-term actions, as well as those of Elon Musk, who has spearheaded the Department of Government Efficiency.

“When the chips are down, Thom Tillis lays down for the billionaires, for the extremists, for policies that hurt North Carolina,” the 49-year-old Nickel said. “This is a moment for a new generation of leadership with a fresh vision and the

See NICKEL, page A2

MANUEL BALCE CENETA / AP PHOTO

Then-Rep. Wiley Nickel (D-N.C.) speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in November 2022.

“Join the conversation”

North State Journal (USPS 20451) (ISSN 2471-1365)

Neal Robbins, Publisher

Jim Sills, VP of Local Newspapers

Cory Lavalette, Senior Editor

Jordan Golson, Local News Editor

Shawn Krest, Sports Editor

Dan Reeves, Features Editor

Ryan Henkel, Reporter

P.J. Ward-Brown, Photographer

BUSINESS

David Guy, Advertising Manager

Pearl Harbor sailor finally returns home to Hoke

BOARD from page A1

third-party administrator services for worker’s compensation, auto, general and property liability claims, and a $150,000 contract with MCCi for the renewal of Laserfiche document imaging management subscription services.

The third contractual item was a $1 million loan agreement at 0% interest along with a $735,000 grant agreement with Front Street Capital to assist with infrastructural needs for the construction of a 300,000-square-foot speculative building in the Union Cross Industrial Center.

“Front Street Capital is an established developer in the area,” said CED Director Kirby Robinson. “They have numerous industrial properties around town that they’ve worked to develop. They’ve been especially active in the Union Cross Industrial Center since 2018.”

According to Robinson, Front Street has been in partnership with the city of Winston-Salem since 2018 and has since produced approximately 2 million square feet of industrial property and $215 million in taxable value.

“As I understand it, the inventory of spec buildings in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County is zero right now, so there’s a need for it,” Robinson said. “To create a developable site for the spec building, Front Street needs to pave a new public road and install water and sewer along Axel Drive and in the new road.”

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners will next meet April 24.

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

Eighty-three years after his death aboard the USS West Virginia, Neil Daniel Frye is back in N.C.

Chatham News & Record staff

VASS — The remains of Neil Daniel Frye, a U.S. Navy sailor from Hoke County killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor, were laid to rest April 3 at Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery, more than eight decades after his death.

Frye, who served as a Mess Attendant Third Class aboard the USS West Virginia, was among 105 sailors killed when Japanese forces bombed the battleship on Dec. 7, 1941. His remains, recently identified through DNA analysis by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, returned to North Carolina soil in a homecoming his family once thought impossible.

“My mama wanted to bring him home,” said Denise McCrimmon, Frye’s niece, in an interview. “She said, ‘My brother probably never thought he would make it home, but here he is.’”

Born April 3, 1921, in what was then northern Hoke County before boundary lines were redrawn, Frye enlisted in the Navy in Raleigh on July 26,

NICKEL from page A1

courage to fight for what’s right. And that’s exactly what I’ll do in the U.S. Senate.”

Tillis, who was first elected to the Senate in 2014, is already raising money for his 2026 reelection bid. His seat is considered by Democrats one of a handful that they could potentially flip next year in their effort to take back the Senate majority. Tillis’ victories in 2014 and 2020 were narrow. Other Democrats could still enter the race, with the chief consideration going to former Gov. Roy Cooper, who was barred by term limits from seeking a third term last fall. Mentioned among the top options to be Kamala Harris’ running mate last year, the 67-yearold Cooper is the state’s most popular Democrat and would

1940. He was assigned to the USS West Virginia in November 1940, just over a year before the Pearl Harbor attack that claimed his life at age 20.

The Navy initially listed Frye as missing, leaving his family in agonizing uncertainty. Letters described by the family reveal that Frye’s mother wrote to naval authorities in January 1942, desperate for information about her son’s fate. According to McCrimmon, her grandmother wrote asking, “I haven’t heard anything else. I want to know about my son. Can you please give me any information? Was he killed? Did you find him?” She received confirmation of his death the following month.

Frye’s remains were among those recovered during salvage operations of the West Virginia but could not be individually identified at the time. They were buried as “unknown” at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii.

In 2017, as part of a broader effort to identify fallen service members from Pearl Harbor, the DPAA exhumed 35 caskets containing remains associated with the West Virginia. Using advanced forensic techniques, including DNA analysis with samples from Frye’s relatives, scientists positively identified his remains on Sept. 27, 2024.

automatically be considered the front-runner in a March 2026 primary if he joined.

Cooper, who is currently on a short-term teaching stint at Harvard University, “wants to continue making a difference and he is taking time to thoughtfully consider what he does next,” Cooper consultant Morgan Jackson wrote in a text message.

Some smaller-name Republicans so far have announced a primary bid against Tillis. Some ardent pro-Trump supporters have questioned his fealty to the president.

Tillis has been engaged in a delicate balancing act of voicing skepticism of Trump’s plans for tariffs or his pick for defense secretary, but then often turning to support the president’s agenda.

The politics are clear-

missing from World War II, lay unidentified for decades in one of 35 caskets buried in Hawaii following the sinking of the USS West Virginia.

For Frye’s sister, Mary Frye McCrimmon, now 87, the identification brings a measure of closure to decades of uncertainty. McCrimmon still lives on the family’s original homestead.

“Most families cannot believe their loved ones were recovered after so many years,” explained Capt. Jeff Draude, director of the Navy Casualty Office, in a press release. “Being able to recover and identify the remains

ly on his mind. During a Senate hearing last Tuesday with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, he pressed the White House to think through the political ramifications of trying to remake the economy.

Tillis told Greer he was “trying to figure out if” voters would look favorably on Trump’s trade strategy next year “because a long-term play in American politics and a long-term play in American public policy formation is about 12 months.”

Still, Tillis last week voted against a Democratic effort to nullify the tariffs placed on Canadian imports.

Although Nickel talked about consensus-building while representing a Raleigh-area swing district in Congress, he was known for backing a left-leaning platform

of sailors aids in closure for the families.”

The funeral service was held April 3 at Fryes Chapel, a church with deep family connections, in Vass. Frye’s grandfather donated the land for the church and served as its first pastor for 29 years. Following the service, interment took place at Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery.

The Navy provided full funeral honors, including a rifle salute, burial team and the playing of Taps. Local veterans’ organizations, including the VFW, DAV and American Legion, plan to coordinate additional recognition in the coming months.

Frye was awarded the Purple Heart Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, American Defense Service Medal with Fleet Clasp and Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with Bronze Star posthumously.

Historical records show Frye served in the Messman Branch, a racially segregated part of the Navy almost exclusively composed of African Americans and foreign nationals responsible for feeding and serving officers. His brother, Russell Frye, also served in the Navy as an Officer’s Steward 3rd Class at Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island, during the attack.

His return represents a rare measure of closure for families of the 2,403 Americans killed at Pearl Harbor, and especially for the USS West Virginia, which lost 105 crew members in the attack that propelled America into World War II.

while in the legislature. Nickel highlighted last Wednesday a career that has included working as a White House staffer in Barack Obama’s administration.

In a news release, Tillis campaign manager Abby Roesch called Nickel “a radical leftwing trial lawyer who was a rubber stamp for Joe Biden’s failed liberal agenda” and seeks to be a similar rubber stamp in the Senate. Meanwhile, Roesch said, Tillis “has a proven record of delivering results for North Carolinians,” such as helping Trump pass tax cuts in his first term and approving disaster aid — such as after Hurricane Helene. Talking to reporters last week at the U.S. Capitol, Tillis said he would approach the election season by “focusing on the results. Let them speak for themselves.”

COURTESY DEFENSE POW/MIA ACCOUNTING AGENCY

Daniel Frye,

HAL NUNN / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

U.S. Navy Honor Guard members stand April 3 at Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery during the interment service for Neil Daniel Frye.

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

Random ramblings

We now know, officially, that conservatives and religious organizations were targeted during the Biden administration.

TRUTH REALLY is stranger than fiction. The federal government is still releasing crazy statistics regarding unemployment benefits — no wonder we are bankrupt.

• 9,700 people with birth dates at least 15 years into the future collected $69 million. One collected $41,000 who will be born in 2154.

• 24,500 people over 115 years old collected $59 million. The oldest living person on record is 114.

• 28,000 claims are for children between 1-5 years old and collected $254 million.

Another strange finding: 75% of fraud uncovered in unemployment is happening in three states: California, New York and Massachusetts. Can we not find people with basic math skills to manage the taxpayer’s money?

A recent survey finds that 52% of Americans think the Department of Education should be eliminated. No wonder. Seventy percent of our children cannot read at grade level. We spend more per pupil than any other G20 nation, and we came in dead last in recent tests compared to others. Shameful.

The Trump administration has shown how easy it was to close the border. Just Do It. We always hear that illegals commit less crime than Americans. The latest report from the Crime Prevention Research Center based on statistics from the Department of Justice proves that homicide rates are 13 times higher among illegals than citizens.

A little sanity is coming back in vogue, and woke is waning. Most companies have scrapped DEI policies (diversity, equity and inclusion.)

Thanks to the lawsuits that are threatening corporate America. Meta (Facebook) went a step further. Zuckerberg announced that he was flushing the tampon machines from men’s restrooms. Imagine, men having to buy their own tampons.

San Francisco has hired a morbidly obese woman, a “fat activist,” to lead the Department of Public Health. Instead of encouraging healthy lifestyles, they have decided that “Fat is Fine.” The activist has authored a book titled, “You Have the Right to Remain Fat.”

Another green energy debacle has taken place. Despite $1.6 billion in loans from President Barack Obama, another solar plant is closing. Another Obama-led project, Solyndra, went bankrupt in 2011 after receiving $535 million in federal loan guarantees. Do you think the money will be paid back to the taxpayers? Nah, not a chance.

Funding of Planned Parenthood by the federal government skyrocketed during the Biden administration by 245%. PP receives $700 million per year. While abortions doubled during that time, cancer screening and prenatal care dropped. This shows where the focus is, and it is not on providing “health care” to women.

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case against Montgomery County Maryland School Board. Parents have sued the district to prevent them from compelling elementary school students to participate in LGBTQ storybook time without giving parents notice and allowing them to opt-out.

Democrats in Wisconsin, backed by the governor, are proposing changes to state laws. If passed, the word “mother” will be swapped with “inseminated person.” I kid you not.

The College Fix has just reported why

colleges and universities are so supportive of illegal immigration. They are getting rich from them. There are currently more than 400,000 in American universities. Many are offered financial aid from the American taxpayers. While American parents sacrifice greatly to afford college for their children, they are also paying for foreigners.

The Small Business Administration granted $312 million in COVID loans to people 11 years old or younger — crazy stuff.

We now know, officially, that conservatives and religious organizations were targeted during the Biden administration. Not only were they by social media companies, but large banks were also targeting them. Chase and Bank of America were two of the worst in this endeavor.

The Trump administration has shut down a federally funded program that supported “queer, trans, and BIPOC urban farmers.” BIPOC stands for “Black, Indigenous and People of Color.” The Secretary of Agriculture said the agency is returning to its core agricultural mission.

Chicago leads the nation as the “Homicide Capital” for the 13th straight year. Will residents in the blue cities never learn that liberal policies never work?

President Donald Trump removed the limit on how much water we use to shower. Thank you, sir. Does the government think they have to regulate everything we do? They have also regulated our toilet water consumption. I am waiting for the new dishwashers and washing machines to come out with full-force water pressure.

Joyce Krawiec represented Forsyth County and the 31st District in the North Carolina Senate from 2014 to 2024. She lives in Kernersville.

House Bill 612 — Fostering Care in NC Act

We’ve lost over 1,000 foster families in the last 5 years.

THE CHILD WELFARE system in the United States was created to protect children from abuse and neglect.

In the 1800s, “child-saving” efforts were voluntary and consisted mainly of orphanages and almshouses, also known as poor houses, that housed children and impoverished adults.

The North Carolina Constitution of 1868 established, for the first time, a role for state government with respect to social services that the “beneficent provision for the poor, the unfortunate and orphan[s] being one of the first duties of a civilized and a Christian state, the General Assembly shall, at its first session, appoint and define the duties of a Board of Public Charities, to whom shall be entrusted the supervision of all charitable and penal State institutions…”

The federal government established and funded Child Protective Services in 1962, and North Carolina began participating in the provision of state foster care in 1969. The primary goal was to ensure children’s safety and well-being by protecting children from abuse and neglect, intervening when necessary to remove children from dangerous situations and working with families to address problems contributing to abuse or neglect.

As legislators, we are responsible to our youngest North Carolinians, who are the future of our great state. We have a moral and ethical responsibility to ensure that the 16,245 children and youth in foster care receive care and support so that they can have a bright future.

We have entrusted the child welfare work in North Carolina to the 100 counties who

each operate local Departments of Social Services (DSS). These departments are supervised by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and follow a policy directive to strengthen and preserve families whenever possible; but when a child can no longer safely remain with their family, the state must assure that the quality of substitute care is as close as possible to the care and nurturing that society expects of a family.

We recognize that many hard-working individuals serve in our county DSS agencies, and they do extraordinary work every day to support children and families. But we also have concerns about the consistency in how care is provided, impacting the overall effectiveness of the N.C. child welfare system.

There have been numerous news reports of egregious examples of children being harmed or killed by their parents; we’ve lost over 1,000 foster families in the last five years; children are sleeping in DSS offices or are stuck in hospital emergency rooms waiting for mental health treatment, and children are languishing in foster care for years waiting for a place to call home.

Recently a class action lawsuit was filed in federal court alleging a series of issues within N.C.’s foster care system. The lawsuit alleges that the child welfare system has been operating in a state of crisis for years and includes allegations that:

• Workload standards aren’t being enforced, resulting in child welfare workers unable to provide the support that vulnerable children and parents need.

• Children in foster care do not have access to

adequate and timely mental health services.

• Children are institutionalized at twice the national average.

• N.C. has failed to protect children and youth in foster care from physical, psychological, and emotional harm.

• N.C. fails to meet permanency standards, leaving children in foster care too long.

We must recognize that a failure to protect the safety and well-being of children is a failure of the state. We must continue to improve and strengthen the child welfare system and the people who are working on the ground supporting children every day. Our children and youth in foster care have already suffered from abuse or neglect that led to their entry into the system, and we must do everything possible to ensure that no other harm comes to them under our protection. The buck stops here.

In an effort to move forward solutions to strengthen N.C.’s child welfare system, we have worked with experts, both inside and outside the foster care system, to write House Bill 612, the “Fostering Care in NC Act.” We realize this singular bill will not fix all the problems, but it is an important step in what should be only the beginning of a commitment to change N.C.’s child welfare system into a shining example of how a legislative body can take action to support the well-being and success of our most precious assets, our children.

Rep. Allen Chesser represents N.C. House District 25 in the General Assembly.

TRIAD STRAIGHT TALK | JOYCE KRAWIEC

COLUMN | REP. ALLEN CHESSER

US flies B-1B bombers in drill with South Korea, as the North celebrates a birthday

The show of force aligned with one of the DPRK’s most important holidays

By Hyung-Jin Kim

The Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea — The United States flew long-range B-1B bombers in a show of force against North Korea on Tuesday, days after the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to resist a U.S.-led push to eliminate the North’s nuclear program.

North Korea often reacts to the U.S. deployment of B-1B bombers and other powerful military assets with missile tests and fiery rhetoric. Tuesday’s flyover of the U.S. bombers could draw an angrier response because it happened when North Korea was marking a key anniversary — the 113th birthday of state founder Kim Il Sung, the late grandfather of the current leader.

South Korea’s Defense Ministry said in a statement that the U.S. bombers participated in a South Korea-U.S. aerial drill meant to strengthen the allies’ combined operational capability and demonstrate their deterrence capability against North Korea’s advancing nuclear program.

The ministry said South Ko-

Members and supporters of

rean F-35 and F-16 fighter jets and American F-16 fighter jets also took part in the training over the Korean Peninsula. It said South Korea and the U.S. will continue to expand their joint military exercises to re-

spond to North Korean nuclear threats.

It was the second time a U.S. B-1B had participated in a drill with South Korea since President Donald Trump began his second term in January.

In February, North Korea’s Defense Ministry slammed the B-1B’s earlier flyover as proof of intensifying U.S.-led provocations since Trump’s inauguration. It pledged to counter the strategic threat of the U.S.

with strategic means. Days later, North Korea test-fired cruise missiles in what it called an attempt to show its nuclear counterattack capability.

Trump has repeatedly said he will reach out to Kim Jong Un to revive diplomacy. North Korea hasn’t directly responded to Trump’s outreach.

Last Wednesday, Kim Yo Jong — Kim’s sister and a senior official — derided the U.S. and its Asian allies over what she called their “daydream” of denuclearizing North Korea, insisting that her country will never give up its nuclear weapons program. Her statement came as a response to a recent meeting among the top diplomats of the United States, South Korea and Japan where they reaffirmed their commitment to push for North Korea’s denuclearization.

The Kim Il Sung birthday, called “the Day of Sun,” is one of the most important holidays in North Korea, where a state-sponsored cult of personality treats key members of the ruling Kim family like gods. On Tuesday, the country’s main Rodong Sinmun newspaper issued an editorial urging the public to rally behind Kim Jong Un to achieve a national prosperity. In recent days, North Korea has held seminars, performances and other events commemorating the founder’s achievements.

Hungarian lawmakers pass constitutional amendment to ban LGBTQ+ public events

It also states that there are only two sexes: male and female

By Justin Spike The Associated Press

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Hungary’s parliament on Monday passed an amendment to the constitution that allows the government to ban public events by LGBTQ+ communities, a decision that legal scholars and critics call another step toward authoritarianism by the populist government.

The amendment, which required a two-thirds vote, passed along party lines with 140 votes for and 21 against. It was proposed by the ruling Fidesz-KDNP coalition led by populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Ahead of the vote — the final step for the amendment — opposition politicians and other protesters attempted to blockade the entrance to a parliament parking garage. Police physically removed demonstrators, who had used zip ties to bind themselves together.

The amendment declares that children’s rights to moral, physical and spiritual development supersede any right other than

the right to life, including that to peacefully assemble. Hungary’s contentious “child protection” legislation prohibits the “depiction or promotion” of homosexuality to minors aged under 18. The amendment codifies a law fast-tracked through parliament in March that bans public events held by LGBTQ+ communities, including the popular Pride event in Budapest that draws thousands annually.

That law also allows authorities to use facial recognition tools to identify people who attend prohibited events — such as Budapest Pride — and can come with fines of up to 200,000 Hungarian forints ($546).

Dávid Bedő, a lawmaker with the opposition Momentum party who participated in the attempted blockade, said before the vote that Orbán and Fidesz for the past 15 years “have been dismantling democracy and the rule of law, and in the past two or three months, we see that this process has been sped up.”

He said as elections approach in 2026 and Orbán’s party lags in the polls behind a popular new challenger from the opposition, “they will do everything in their power to stay in power.”

Opposition lawmakers used air horns to disrupt the vote,

which continued after a few moments.

Hungary’s government has campaigned against LGBTQ+ communities in recent years and argues its “child protection” policies, which forbid the availability to minors of any material that mentions homosexuality, are needed to protect children from what it calls “woke ideology” and “gender madness.”

Critics say the measures do little to protect children and are being used to distract from more serious problems facing the country and mobilize Orbán’s right-wing base ahead of elections.

“This whole endeavor which we see launched by the government, it has nothing to do with children’s rights,” said Dánel Döbrentey, a lawyer with the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, calling it “pure propaganda.”

The new amendment also states that the constitution recognizes two sexes, male and female, an expansion of an earlier amendment that prohibits same-sex adoption by stating that a mother is a woman and a father is a man.

The declaration provides a constitutional basis for denying the gender identities of trans-

gender people, as well as ignoring the existence of intersex individuals who are born with sexual characteristics that do not align with binary conceptions of male and female.

In a statement on Monday, government spokesperson Zoltán Kovács wrote that the change is “not an attack on individual self-expression, but a clarification that legal norms are based on biological reality.”

Döbrentey, the lawyer, said it was “a clear message” for transgender and intersex people: “It is definitely and purely and strictly about humiliating people and excluding them, not just from the national community, but even from the community of human beings.”

The amendment is the 15th to Hungary’s constitution since Orbán’s party unilaterally authored and approved it in 2011.

Ádám Remport, a lawyer with the HCLU, said that while Hungary has used facial recognition tools since 2015 to assist police in criminal investigations and finding missing persons, the recent law banning Pride allows the technology to be used in a much broader and problematic manner. That includes for monitoring and deterring political protests.

“One of the most fundamental

problems is its invasiveness, just the sheer scale of the intrusion that happens when you apply mass surveillance to a crowd,” Remport said.

“More salient in this case is the effect on the freedom of assembly, specifically the chilling effect that arises when people are scared to go out and show their political or ideological beliefs for fear of being persecuted,” he added.

The amendment passed Monday also allows for Hungarians who hold dual citizenship in a non-European Economic Area country to have their citizenship suspended for up to 10 years if they are deemed to pose a threat to public order, public security or national security.

Hungary has taken steps in recent months to protect its national sovereignty from what it claims are foreign efforts to influence its politics or even topple Orbán’s government. The self-described “illiberal” leader has accelerated his longstanding efforts to crack down on critics such as media outlets and groups devoted to civil rights and anti-corruption, which he says have undermined Hungary’s sovereignty by receiving financial assistance from international donors.

In March, Orbán gave a speech where he compared people who work for such groups to insects, and pledged to “eliminate the entire shadow army” of foreign-funded “politicians, judges, journalists, pseudo-NGOs and political activists.”

SOUTH KOREA AIR FORCE VIA AP

Two U.S. Air Force B-1B bombers, top left, fly over the Korean Peninsula with South Korean Air Force F-35A and F-16 fighter jets and U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter jets at an undisclosed location in South Korea on Tuesday.

ANNA SZILAGYI / AP PHOTO

Hungary’s LGBTQ community march through Budapest in July 2022.

Forsyth SPORTS

In Year 20, Paul starts all 82 games for San Antonio

The Wake Forest product became the oldest player to start every game

By Tim Reynolds

The Associated Press

IN YEAR 20, Chris Paul

started all 82. And he made some NBA history in the process.

Paul was in the San Antonio Spurs’ starting lineup for their season finale, making him the first player to ever make 82 starts this deep into a career. The previous mark on that front was held by Utah’s John Stockton, who started all 82 games in his 19th and final season.

Paul — who turns 40 in less than a month — is one of three players to have a season with 82 appearances at his age. Stockton did it in the seasons where he turned 39 and 40, and Michael Jordan turned 39 in his final season while playing in all 82 games and starting 67 of them.

“It’s crazy,” Paul said. “I was talking to my wife about this. When you’re sort of in it, you’re not really thinking about it. It’s like, ‘OK, it’s Game 30. OK, it’s Game 40-something. It’s game such and such.’” It became Game 82. And Paul never missed a beat.

He’s one of six players who made 82 starts in this NBA regular season. The others: New York’s Mikal Bridges, Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels, Houston’s Jalen Green, Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen and Paul’s San Antonio teammate Harrison Barnes.

For Barnes, who is in his first year with the Spurs, Sunday’s game was his 304th in a row. He and Paul are the first Spurs to play all 82 games since Bryn Forbes and Patty Mills in 2018-19 — and the first Spurs to

start all 82 games since Bruce Bowen in 2006-07.

“Year 20, this is only the second time in my career playing 82 games,” Paul said. “And also playing as long as I have, I think I know how hard it is. That’s why I have so much respect for Harrison, who is doing this for the third year in a row. And Mikal, who was my teammate, he never misses a game.”

Bridges was playing in his 556th consecutive regular-season game Sunday — out of a possible 556. He hasn’t missed any game since his junior year of high school, including 116 at Villanova and 39 NBA playoff games. Add that up, and he’s played in 711 consecutive games since entering college.

Paul was the 11th player in NBA history to make it to 20 seasons in the league. LeBron James, if he plays next year as would be expected, will then become the first to make it to 23 seasons in the league, break-

ing the tie with 22-year player Vince Carter.

Bridges, the NBA’s reigning iron man, doesn’t see himself pulling off what his former teammate in Phoenix did this season.

“That’s why CP is one of the greatest,” he said. “But I don’t think I’ll make it that long, however many years he’s played.”

Robert Parish, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Willis all played 21 NBA seasons, which Paul will get to next year if he — again, as expected — returns. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Jamal Crawford and Udonis Haslem all played 20 seasons, a club that Kyle Lowry will join next season.

“I know there’s stuff still in the tank,” Paul said. “You know, I think for me, the summer will just be a really good time to just evaluate everything, the opportunities. But the love for the game is still there.”

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Emma Owens

East Forsyth, soccer

Emma Owens is a senior on the East Forsyth girls’ soccer team. She has committed to play soccer at Randolph Macon College starting next season.

East Forsyth is 8-3-1 on the year and, last week, won road games at Reagan and RJ Reynolds by a combined 9-1 score. Owens had a role in six of the nine goals, scoring twice and adding an assist in each of the games. She has now scored a goal in five straight games and has a goal or assist in six in a row. For the year, she leads the team in goals and assists.

Kyle Larson goes into Turn 3

Larson dominates to claims emotional Cup victory at Bristol Motor Speedway

The win comes after the death of his longtime PR representative

By Nate Ryan The Associated Press

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Kyle

Larson led 411 of 500 laps and scored an emotional win Sunday with a dominating NASCAR Cup Series victory at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Larson, racing just days after the death of Jon Edwards, his former public relations representative, picked up his second Cup win of the season. It was his 31st Cup victory and third at Bristol.

Denny Hamlin finished second in his 400th consecutive Cup start, falling one spot short in his bid for a third consecutive win. Ty Gibbs was third,

followed by Chase Briscoe and Ryan Blaney. Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet was one of several cars sporting a decal in the memory of Edwards, the Hendrick Motorsports director of communications whose death was confirmed in a Thursday statement from the team. The cause of death was not announced.

The 53-year-old Edwards was a PR specialist during Jeff Gordon’s four Cup championships. After becoming Gordon’s right-hand man, Edwards also worked closely with Larson since the star joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2021 and won his first championship.

On Saturday at Bristol, Larson dedicated an Xfinity Series victory to Edwards, who took vacations with the driver and became his closest friend on the No. 5 team.

Larson also finished second in Friday’s Truck Series race, nearly completing a tripleheader sweep to honor Edwards, whom he said was always a happy person.

“He wouldn’t want us to be sad,” Larson said of Edwards. “I’m happy to see the smiling faces and everybody talking positively of Jon this week.”

Helping others

Defending Cup Series champion Joey Logano was named a National Motorsports Press Association Pocono Spirit Award winner for his efforts in helping Hurricane Helene victims with rebuilding after the storm last fall. Logano was presented the award at Bristol because of the track’s proximity to the devastation in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.

“One of my quotes that I like

“I’m happy to see the smiling faces and everybody talking positively of Jon this week.” Kyle Larson on PR man Jon Edwards’ death

to think about a lot is, ‘Don’t let a crisis go to waste,’” said Logano, whose foundation committed $250,000 to Helene relief after he toured the storm’s path last October. “A crisis like that presented a huge opportunity for all of us to band together and impact some people that just got their lives wiped out. It’s some pretty heavy stuff up there. The great news is there’s a lot of comeback.”

The Bristol weekend continued a busy week for Logano, who recovered from a bout with norovirus in time for last Wednesday visit to the White House. After scraping the wall in qualifying Saturday, he started Sunday’s race from the rear because of unapproved adjustments to his No. 22 Ford.

Up next

After a break for Easter weekend, the Cup Series will race Sunday, April 27 at Talladega Superspeedway, where Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Tyler Reddick won last year.

Talladega will follow the final off week of the season for NASCAR’s premier series, which will race on 28 consecutive weekends through the Nov. 2 season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

ERIC GAY / AP PHOTO

San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) drives during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans.

SIDELINE REPORT

NCAA BASKETBALL

Betting up in men’s NCAA Tournament, during women’s basketball season

Las Vegas It was a men’s NCAA Tournament in which upsets were unusual and a women’s field sans Caitlin Clark. Betting nevertheless was up on both sides this year at the BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbooks. BetMGM saw an 18% increase on the men’s side that culminated in Florida’s heart-pounding 65-63 victory over Houston for the Gators’ third championship. Betting on the women’s side was up 10% this season at BetMGM. UConn rolled to an 82-59 victory over defending champion South Carolina for the Huskies’ 12th national title but first since 2016.

MLB Fan reaches into Trout’s glove to snatch catch from Angels outfielder

Houston A fan snatched the ball out of Mike Trout’s glove after the Los Angeles Angels star reached into the right field stands to try to make a catch. Trout raced into the right-field corner on the fly ball hit by Yainer Diaz in the second inning, leaped and extended his left arm into the stands. But a fan wearing a Houston Astros jersey immediately grabbed the ball as Trout immediately gestured to umpires that the fan had taken it out of his glove. First base umpire Alan Porter ruled it a foul ball and not a catch.

NFL Flacco returning to Browns on 1-year deal

Cleveland Joe Flacco is heading back to Cleveland. The veteran NFL quarterback agreed to terms with the Browns on a one-year deal. Flacco won the league’s Comeback Player of the Year award in 2023 after leading an inspiring late-season surge that carried the Browns to the playoffs. He spent last season in Indianapolis, throwing for 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions in eight games, including a 2-4 mark as a starter. The 40-year-old Flacco joins a quarterback room that includes Kenny Pickett. Cleveland acquired the former first-round draft pick in a deal with Philadelphia in March.

NCAA FOOTBALL

Iamaleava gone from Tennessee as Heupel says no one “bigger than the Power T” Knoxville, Tenn. The Tennessee Volunteers are moving forward without quarterback Nico Iamaleava with coach Josh Heupel giving his team a simple message: No one is bigger than the Power T, including the coach himself. Heupel said Tennessee has been around a long time and will be around long after he leaves with a tradition and legacy recognized around the world. Heupel called losing Iamaleava an “unfortunate” situation. But the Tennessee coach says he knew the quarterback would not be with the program after being a “no show” for last Friday’s practice.

from the

as

Wickens returns to elite racing with use of hand controls 7 years after being paralyzed

Hand-controlled throttle and braking systems let him compete

in IMSA

By Jenna Fryer The Associated Press

LONG BEACH, Calif. —

Nearly seven years after he was paralyzed in an IndyCar crash, Robert Wickens returned to elite competition when he drove a Corvette in the IMSA sports car race on the downtown streets of Long Beach. Wickens finished five laps off the lead, in 26th place.

Wickens has raced since the crash at Pocono left him paralyzed from the chest down but considers the IMSA event a true completion of his comeback.

“My goal from the outset of this was to get back to the highest levels of motorsport again. I’ve always seen that (IMSA) is the highest level of sports car racing here in North America,” Wickens said. “It would be a dream if I could call it a 10-year career here racing against the best drivers in the world and one of the best series in the world.”

Wickens drove for DXDT Racing with teammate and

longtime Corvette driver Tommy Milner. The Corvette is equipped with a hand-controlled throttle and braking system developed by Bosch and Pratt Miller. The brake controls mount to the steering wheel but are independent of the steering wheel so that Milner can seamlessly transition from hand controls to pedals when he’s the driver.

“The steering wheel that Tommy will be driving or any other teammate that I drive with in this Corvette, it’s the exact same steering wheel that they always know. What’s great about it is, in theory, it can mount to virtually any steering column as long as you have the right bolt pattern,” Wickens said. “What we’re learning here today can transfer into any race car. And then, hopefully, down the road, what we’re developing with the electronic braking system from Bosch, opportunities are endless. Maybe this can evolve into road safety and into everyday road vehicles and accessibility in road vehicles.

“But short term, we need to perfect this system here.”

Wickens made his debut in IMSA’s GT Daytona class.

Florida gets another championship celebration

The national champions were honored in the Swamp in front of nearly 60,000

By Mark Long The Associated Press

GAINESVILLE, Fla. —

Florida coach Todd Golden already has a spot picked out for the Final Four net he cut down in San Antonio. On Saturday, though, it felt right at home around his neck.

Golden and the Gators were revered in another national championship celebration, this one in front of nearly 60,000 fans at Florida Field during an extended halftime of the annual football spring game. The hoops team has one more get-together on tap: at the White House, presumably this summer.

“It’s just absurd,” Golden said. “Today was awesome. … Our guys, especially our older guys, are going to be moving on to go train for the draft. You don’t know if they’re going to be around.

“To be able to put something like this together on kind of short notice and do a great job honoring our players in front of our fans, which to me is the most important thing.

People that have been supporting us really all year got to see these guys together again

“People that have been supporting us really all year got to see these guys together again one last time.”

Florida coach Todd Golden

one last time. It was special.”

Golden wore the remnants of one of the nets from the Alamodome; center Micah Handlogten wore the other. Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard carried trophies into the Swamp.

Clayton, named most outstanding player of the Final Four, and Golden — hardly surprisingly — received the loudest ovations.

Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward presented Golden with a key to the city “so you’ll always know where home is.”

“My family and I love being here,” said Golden. “In three short years, we’ve been able to meet a lot of great people and get comfortable. Florida’s a place that we can win national championships, as we just proved. Yeah, we love being here.”

Golden unveiled a working poster of the program’s third championship banner, which will be hung in the O’Connell Center to open next season.

“My goal from the outset of this was to get back to the highest levels of motorsport again.”

Robert Wickens

“Honestly, taking the green flag in Long Beach is going to be an enormous step forward in my career and my journey back to the highest levels,” Wickens said. “You could say, ‘We did it. We’re racing against the best cars and the best drivers in the whole sports car industry.’”

The car Wickens and Milner are competing in is eligible for the GTD championship.

“I want to win championships for myself, for General Motors, for DXDT,” he said. “There’s still some work to be done. I think you could say it’s definitely a massive box to check, probably the biggest box that we could check off so far in my return.”

He’d like to race full time in the series next season.

He and Milner are just getting to know each other, as well as the nuances of the car with the system Wickens must use versus how Milner will drive it.

“Fundamentally, everything happens on the wheel,” Milner said, “and it’s a system that took me initially a little while to sort of understand in my own brain, how it is supposed to work, how to find lap time out of it and things like that.” Milner has also been inspired by Wickens’ journey since his life-changing crash in his rookie season of IndyCar racing.

“For him to go through what he went through and with his drive and determination to get back in a race car again and be competitive and win races, that’s something that can be an inspiration for anybody,” Milner said. “Anybody who’s gone through some sort of hardship like he has, it’s what you make of your life and that situation. You can tell that it does change parts of his life. But the one thing that he doesn’t want it to change realistically is him driving race cars and driving them as fast as he does.”

Florida head coach Todd Golden speaks as the NCAA champions are honored during halftime of the Orange and Blue spring football game.

Clayton, Martin and Richard have exhausted their eligibility and will moving on, and Golden said big man Alex Condon will go through the NBA’s predraft testing process to see whether he turns pro or returns to school.

“If we’re fortunate enough to get Alex back, I think we’ll have one of the strongest front lines in America,” Golden said. “We’re deep there. We’re athletic now. We’re very accomplished. Guys have played a lot of minutes on a really good team.”

The Gators finished 36-4 and won their final 12 games. They won four of six in the tournament by rallying late:

“Beat the odds to say the least,” Golden quipped.

The 39-year-old Golden became the youngest coach since NC State’s Jim Valvano in 1983 to win it all. Golden flung what was left of the net around his neck Monday night and still had it on when the team returned home Tuesday afternoon. He insisted Saturday he hasn’t slept in it or even thought much about it since.

“But I wanted to bust it out for today,” he said. “This will be, along with some other important mementos over the last month, in my office at home. … This is a little more important and a little more impactful on the trophy shelf now.”

JENNA FRYER / AP PHOTO

Driver change assist Josh Gibbs pulls Robert Wickens, who was paralyzed from the chest down after a 2018 IndyCar crash,

car

Tommy Milner gets in the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3R as they practiced driving changes for the Long Beach IMSA race.

the stream

Jude Law plays fed, ‘Law & Order’ reunion, David Oyelowo in oddball comedy

Nathan Fielder returns with more antics in “The Rehearsal”

The Associated Press

MARISKA HARGITAY reuniting with her old partner, Detective Elliot Stabler, on “Law & Order: Organized Crime” and Jude Law sporting a mustache and an American accent to play an FBI agent in the movie “The Order” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also among the streaming offerings worth your time: David Oyelowo stars in the new quirky series for Apple TV+ called “Government Cheese,” Ramy Youssef’s new adult animation series “#1 Happy Family USA” comes to Prime Video, and two innovative indie rockers partner up for a country album when boygenius’ Julien Baker and Torres release “Send a Prayer My Way.”

MOVIES TO STREAM

If you’re in the mood for a crackling 1970s-styled crime thriller, “The Order” is making its Hulu debut on Friday. Law sports a mustache and an American accent to play an FBI agent who connects the dots between violent crimes arising in the Pacific Northwest in the early 1980s. The film, directed by Justin Kurzel, is based on a true story that culminated in one of the largest manhunts in FBI history as agents searched for Robert Jay Mathews (played by Nicholas Hoult), the leader of a white supremacist group committing armed robberies with plans to overthrow the government. Perhaps you’re looking for more fantastical and less reality-based horror, in which case Peacock has “Wolf Man” starting Friday. The film stars Christopher Abbott as the unfortunate father and husband who, in trying to protect his family from a werewolf, turns into one. Julia Garner also stars in the film from Leigh Whannell. The streamer will also once again be home to Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.”

With a Kelly Reichardt film set for Cannes and Michelle Williams earning raves for “Dying for Sex,” it’s the perfect time to revisit one of their classic collaborations in “Certain Women,” streaming on Paramount. It’s a quiet, introspective film about women in a small Montana town (Williams, Kristen Stewart, Lily Gladstone and Laura Dern included) told in poignant vignettes.

MUSIC TO STREAM

Afrobeats have gone global, and the four-time Grammy nominated Nigerian superstar Davido is at least partially responsible. On Friday, he will release his fifth studio album, appropriately titled “5ive.” It’s stuffed with collaborations — YG Marley, Odumodublvck and Chike among them — and furthers his life-affirming worldwide pop. “I want to have it all/ Still dey find my resolve,” he sings on the single “Be There Still,” atop percussive synths. “Na God dey bless me all the way/12 years, I’m still on top.” What happens when two innovative indie rockers partner

up for a country album? Tenderness, at least in the case of boygenius’ Baker and Torres. Their first collaborative album, “Send a Prayer My Way,” out Friday via the historic Matador Records, acts as a reclamation of their Southern roots, in some ways, and an energetic take on classic country in a few others. Affection is felt throughout. “I love you all of the ways,” they harmonize on the single “Sugar in the Tank.” “That I know how.”

SHOWS TO STREAM

Oyelowo stars in a new quirky series for Apple TV+ called “Government Cheese.” Set in 1969, Oyelowo plays Hampton

Julien Baker and Torres’ album “Send a Prayer My Way” and Davido’s “5ive” will be released this week.

Julien Baker and Torres’ “Send a Prayer My Way” acts as a reclamation of their Southern roots, in some ways, and an energetic take on classic country in a few others.

ern day crime families and illegal enterprises. “Law & Order: Organized Crime” debuts Thursday.

The Tubi comedy “Boarders” is back for a second season beginning Thursday. The comingof-age series follows five black inner-city teenagers attending an elite boarding school in London. While season one was about adjustment and fitting in, in season two the kids are thriving in their new world. Season One was “certified fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes.

Youssef’s new adult animation series “#1 Happy Family USA” comes to Prime Video. The show follows the Husseins, a well-intentioned immigrant Muslim family living in America. The Husseins just want to fit in and embrace American life. It’s not an easy road, however, as the debut episode takes place on Sept. 10, 2001, one day before the 9/11 terror attacks. Youssef co-created and stars in the series. All eight episodes are available Thursday.

Nathan Fielder’s “The Rehearsal” premieres its second season on Sunday on Max. Season One showed us Fielder as a heightened version of himself, helping everyday people rehearse for uncomfortable life events both big and small. In Season Two, Fielder narrows in on the aviation industry, which has had a number of disasters and close calls in recent months. Fielder creates a fake airport and hires actors to interact with pilots in made-up scenarios.

GAMES TO PLAY

VIDEO

Chambers, a man recently released from prison. Hampton returns home hoping to seamlessly reunite with his family but ends up having a harder time than he anticipated. Hampton believes his ticket to a better life is his invention of a self-sharpening power drill. “Government Cheese” is streaming now. “Law & Order: Organized Crime” has moved to Peacock for its fifth season. Mariska Hargitay will guest star on the two-episode premiere, reuniting with her old partner, Detective Elliot Stabler, played by Christopher Meloni. Stabler now works in the NYPD Organized Crime Control Bureau, whose mission is to take down New York’s mod-

The star of Tempopo is a girl named Hana who lives on an island filled with musically gifted flowers. But after a tornado blows them away, Hana has to call on the magical title creatures to restore her gardens. The result is 60 levels of 3D challenges that might scratch an itch for fans of Nintendo’s brain-twisting Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. Tempopo comes from the Australian indie studio Witch Beam, best known for the award-winning 2021 puzzler Unpacking, and it recalls that game’s mellow vibe. You can start planting Thursday on Xbox X/S, Switch and

PC.

VERTICAL ENTERTAINMENT / PEACOCK / UNIVERSAL VIA AP

“The Order,” the crime series “Law & Order: Organized Crime” and the film “Wolf Man” land this week on a screen near you.

VERTICAL VIA AP

Nicholas Hoult stars in “The Order.”

MATADOR / SONY VIA AP

STATE & NATION

EPA puts hold on promised electric school bus funding

Charlotte was expecting millions of dollars for new EV buses

By Michael Casey and Alexa St. John The Associated Press

BOSTON — Looking to cut pollution from its fleet of diesel-burning school buses, an Oklahoma school district last year doubled its electric vehicles.

The Shawnee Public Schools, a 3,300-student district about 35 miles east of Oklahoma City in a county that voted overwhelmingly for President Donald Trump, figured the nearly $1.5 million for the four buses would be reimbursed through an Environmental Protection Agency program. The agency, under President Joe Biden, had promised to do just that last year with money from a massive infrastructure law passed by Congress.

The district requested the funding in November but was told that it would be delayed due to a technical glitch. But after Trump took office, they have been calling the EPA and emailing regularly without a response. They fear they will never be reimbursed.

“Our district made this investment in good faith, expecting the promised rebate to be delivered in a timely manner,” John Wiles, the district’s director of transportation, said. “The buses are here, they are in service, and they are benefiting our students and community — but the lack of reimbursement has

created unnecessary financial strain.”

Shawnee is not alone. More than 500 districts nationwide are still waiting on around $1 billion from the EPA to cover more than 3,400 electric buses. That’s sparked panic and confusion in districts that must find other ways to cover the cost or delay or cancel their purchases. It’s also hitting companies building the buses, those selling them and companies that oversee districts’ transportation.

The National School Transportation Association, which represents private school bus operators, called the freeze “extremely disruptive.”

The EPA hasn’t explained why

500

districts

the funds are on hold or if they will ever be released. A spokesperson said the EPA does not comment on pending litigation. Multiple lawsuits have called for releasing federal funding frozen by myriad federal agencies including the EPA. Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) one of several senators to write

to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin demanding answers, said the funding lets districts “invest in transportation that reduces air pollution and provides health benefits to children across the country.” Without the money, administrators may have to make tough financial decisions, “and children are going to pay the price,” he said.

The push for electric buses has long had bipartisan support, with many arguing the transition will help combat climate change, benefit the health of children and saves district money over the long run.

More than 25 million students take aging, diesel-fueled buses to school each day in the U.S. — with black, Latino and lower-income students in urban areas more likely to rely on them.

The exhaust from these dirty buses exposes them, their parents and school staff to harmful pollutants like fine particulates and nitrogen dioxide, which can lead to health issues such as asthma and heart disease. It can also affect cognitive performance, said Dr. Stephanie Lovinsky-Desir, chief of the pediatric pulmonary division at Columbia University Medical Center. Young bodies that are still developing are especially vulnerable.

Electric school buses — though two to three times more expensive up front — can save districts money in fuel and maintenance costs, said Katherine Roboff, deputy director of external affairs for World Resources Institute’s Electric School Bus Initiative. The WRI estimates $100,000 in savings over the life of a bus.

“That’s really helpful savings that school districts can put back into the classroom,” Roboff said. “And that’s another reason that districts are eager to go electric.”

The money is part of a Clean School Bus Program, which was part of Biden’s infrastructure law and provided $5 billion over five years to help districts replace polluting school buses with cleaner, electric buses.

So far, the program has gone through three rounds. Nearly $1 billion was issued in the first round of rebate funding to 400 schools for 2,500 buses; the second round, issued in the form of grants also totaling nearly $1 billion, funded more than 2,700 school buses at 275 districts.

The long list of delays is hitting districts of all sizes, both rural and urban.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in Charlotte, the school district in Huntsville, Alabama, as well as Baltimore County Public Schools, all of which contract with outside companies to run their transportation operations, are waiting for nearly $26 million to fund the purchase of 75 electric buses.

Prince George’s County Public Schools, a 132,000-student district outside Washington, D.C., was expecting $5 million for nine electric buses to add to its current 21. When the EPA funding was put on hold, the district turned to the state of Maryland, which has a similar grant program, and is hoping it covers the cost.

In New Hampshire, the Derry Cooperative School District wasn’t so fortunate. The 4,300-student district has been counting on $8.1 million in EPA f unding to cover 25 electric buses.

“It’s very disappointing,” Clifton Dancy, the district’s transportation coordinator, said. “The current administration is turning a blind eye to climate change and environmental practices and catering to carbon fuel industry. I can’t get behind that. It’s going backwards.”

Nvidia plans to manufacture AI chips in the US for the first time

New semiconductor plants are coming online in Arizona

and Texas

By Sarah Parvini

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — Nvid-

ia announced Monday that it will produce its artificial intelligence super computers in the United States for the first time.

The tech giant said it has commissioned more than 1 million square feet of manufacturing space to build and test its specialized Blackwell chips in Arizona and AI supercomputers in Texas — part of an investment the company said will produce up to half a trillion dollars of AI infrastructure in the next four years.

“The engines of the world’s AI infrastructure are being built in the United States for the first time,” Nvidia founder Jensen Huang said in a statement.

“Adding American manufacturing helps us better meet the incredible and growing demand

“(Trump) has made U.S.-based chips manufacturing a priority as part of his relentless pursuit of an American manufacturing renaissance, and it’s paying off.”

White House statement

for AI chips and supercomputers, strengthens our supply chain and boosts our resiliency.”

Nvidia’s announcement comes as the Trump administration has said that tariff exemptions on electronics like smartphones and laptops are only a temporary reprieve until officials develop a new tariff approach specific to the semiconductor industry.

White House officials, including President Donald Trump himself, spent Sunday downplaying the significance of exemptions that lessen but won’t eliminate the effect of U.S. tariffs on imports of popular consumer devices and their key components.

“They’re exempt from the re-

ciprocal tariffs, but they’re included in the semiconductor tariffs, which are coming in probably a month or two,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday.

Nvidia said in a post on its website that it has started Blackwell production at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. chip plants in Phoenix. The Santa Clara, California-based chip company is also building supercomputer manufacturing plants in Texas — with Foxconn in Houston and Wistron in Dallas.

Nvidia’s AI super computers will serve as the engines for AI factories, “a new type of data center created for the sole pur-

NIC COURY / AP PHOTO

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang talks during the keynote address of Nvidia GTC last month in California.

pose of processing artificial intelligence,” the company said, adding that manufacturing in the U.S. will create “hundreds of thousands of jobs and drive trillions of dollars in economic security over the coming decades.”

Mass production at both plants is expected to ramp up in the next 12-15 months, Nvidia said. The company also plans on partnering with Taiwan-based

company SPIL and Amkor for “packaging and testing operations” in Arizona. In a statement Monday, the White House called Nvidia’s move “the Trump Effect in action.”

Trump “has made U.S.-based chips manufacturing a priority as part of his relentless pursuit of an American manufacturing renaissance, and it’s paying off — with trillions of dollars in new investments secured in the tech sector alone,” the White House said.

Earlier this year, Trump announced a joint venture investing up to $500 billion for infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence by a new partnership formed by OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank. The new entity, Stargate, was tasked with building out data centers and the electricity generation needed for the further development of the fast-evolving AI in Texas, according to the White House. The initial investment is expected to be $100 billion and could reach five times that sum.

COURTESY THOMAS BUILT BUSES

The second-generation Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley electric school bus is assembled at the Thomas Built Buses facility in High Point.

Randolph record

An egg-cellent haul

Brooks Bauhgman, 3, picks up eggs during Easter festivities at Bicentennial Park in Asheboro on Saturday.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

White House restricts all wire service access in Gulf of America spat

Washington, D.C.

The White House enacted a new media policy this week that reduces access to President Donald Trump for wire services, including the AP, particularly in small venues like the Oval Office.

This follows a court ruling that the administration violated the AP’s free speech rights by banning it from certain events for, the administration claims, not using the name “Gulf of America.” The new policy says the press secretary will choose who gets access to the president. It does, however, obey the court’s order by giving the AP the same access as competitor wire services. The White House Correspondents’ Association and AP have condemned the policy, arguing it undermines press freedom and the public’s right to information.

Salvation Army closes “emergency” homeless shelter as funds run dry Fayetteville

The Salvation Army announced the immediate closure of its Pathway of Hope “emergency shelter” in Fayetteville, leaving more than 50 people who had been using the facility without a place to sleep. “We have no funding partners, and we cannot continue to offer shelter without funding,” said a Salvation Army representative. It was the primary emergency shelter in the county. Other agencies and nonprofits were working to assist those displaced by the sudden closure.

Public hearing to be held for potential closure of Virtual Academy at Randolph

The school has had decreased enrollment since opening in 2021

By Ryan Henkel Randolph Record

ASHEBORO — Randolph County Schools is looking to close the Virtual Academy at Randolph.

At the Randolph County Schools Board of Education’s April 7 meeting, the board was presented with a study the district had done which focused primarily on the “welfare of the students who are enrolled in the school should the Virtual Academy at Randolph be closed.”

“If we sent the students back to their schools that they were assigned to because of the closure of this school, it would not lead to any disruptive enrollment increases in those schools,” said Superintendent Stephen Gainey. “The closure of the Virtual Academy at Randolph will not have a negative academic impact on any student who currently attends.”

Gainey pointed to multiple reasons for the recommend-

ed closure including the cost of running the school (nearly $1.3 million), decreasing enrollment and uninspiring school grade and performance.

The Virtual Academy has also not had stable enrollment. As of March 31, there were only 48 students enrolled for the 2025-26 school year, and any school below 100 students will not have their principal costs covered by the state. The school has also not had strong academic performance, with a ‘D’ letter grade and being designated as a low-performing school last year.

“The need and the demand for this school has lessened a great deal since we came out of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Gainey said “At this time, since the pandemic has ended, the major reasons, or most of the reasons, no longer exist for having that school.”

Gainey did point out that students who would prefer to learn in a remote environment could apply for the North Carolina Virtual Academy or the North Carolina Cyber Academy, which are virtual charter schools.

“Should we move to close this school, it will be a tough decision.”

Superintendent Stephen Gainey

“Should we move to close this school, it will be a tough decision because it will impact some kids because there are kids who have different learning styles and interests in remote instruction,” Gainey said. “But us closing the Virtual Academy of Randolph does not cut out an opportunity for a child to pursue their special learning interests or learning style virtually.”

Gainey also stated that students who have disabilities or need specialized accommodations and special education services will still be accommodated with their individualized needs regardless of placement.

“Two years ago we had this same discussion,” said board chair Gary Cook. “I came out and said we opened it for COVID reasons, but we had done a poor job of advertising

that school and putting things out there, using social media and all that. They picked up their game and did a good job of it, and the numbers picked up that year. But they’ve continued to do a good job promoting it and doing everything. I’m just shocked that you can’t get enough kids.”

A public hearing on the potential school closure will be held on May 19.

The board also approved the superintendent’s recommended 2025-26 budget, which will be presented to the county commissioners in the coming weeks.

The budget has a local expense fund of $29.6 million, which is increased by approximately $3.5 million.

The district will be asking for a local request of around $2.2 million, with just over $1 million in continuation costs associated with increases in insurance, retirement and salaries, and nearly $1 million in a 0.5% supplement increase for all employees.

The Randolph County Schools Board of Education will next meet May 19.

Illegal gambling targeted by Asheboro police

Four locations were part of the focus as investigators lodged charges

Randolph Record staff

ASHEBORO — A crackdown on illegal gambling rooms in Asheboro has resulted in five arrests after an extended operation.

The Asheboro Police Department executed search warrants on four locations. The targeted establishments were Oklahoma Games on Zoo Parkway, Utopia on North Park Street, Spin City on South Cox Street and The

Room II on White Oak Street. Police seized 314 hard drives, five firearms, four video surveillance systems and almost $70,000.

The police department says that detectives found that the establishments were illegally operating gaming machines and providing cash payout for credits from gameplay.

As part of the operation, those facing charges are Shenna Sperry, 32; Maxie Odaniel, 80; Virginia Jackson, 60; Gary Matthews, 65; and Emily Kendrick 35. Each faces at least five charges.

THE RANDOLPH COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Neal Robbins, Publisher

Jim

Cory Lavalette,

Shawn Krest, Sports

Bob

Ryan Henkel,

P.J.

RCC hires new academic chief

Lisa Johnson is leaving another community college to take the job in Asheboro

Randolph Record staff

ASHEBORO — Lisa Johnson will be Randolph Community College’s chief academic officer beginning next month.

Johnson has been hired away from Alamance Community College to become RCC’s next vice president of learning and workforce development.

She has more than 16 years of experience in academic administration, workforce development and student support in the North Carolina Community College System.

“Dr. Johnson is a transformational leader who understands the evolving needs of

The charges include counts of operating five or more video gaming machines, misdemeanor gambling, operating and possessing slot machines, manufacturing and selling slot machines and electronic sweepstakes. Additional charges are possible as this is an ongoing investigation, police said. Investigations showed that

CRIME LOG

April 8

FRIDAY APRIL 18

SATURDAY APRIL 19

SUNDAY APRIL 20

MONDAY

Randolph

our students, faculty, and communities,” said Shah Ardalan, RCC’s president. “Her personal story — from first-generation college graduate to First Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force to community college leader — is one that mirrors our mission.”

the locations were illegally operating gaming machines and providing cash winnings.

Other locations in the city have voluntarily closed, police said.

Alcohol Law Enforcement also has been involved with the investigation.

Lt. Corey Hatfield is collecting more information regarding illegal gambling in the city.

Gaming operations of-

• Christopher Keith Board, 33, of Seagrove, was arrested by Randolph County Sheriff’s Office for trafficking opium or heroin, conspiring to traffic opium or heroin, possessing drug paraphernalia.

• Ralph Michael Staley, 42, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for possessing Schedule I controlled substance, possessing drug paraphernalia.

April 9

• Monique Renee Menga, 38, of High Point, was arrested by Asheboro PD for possessing methamphetamine, possessing heroin, possessing marijuana up to 1/2 oz, possessing drug paraphernalia, simple possession of Schedule II controlled substance.

• Michael Lord Rego-Bartlett, 24, of Seagrove, was arrested by Asheboro PD for possessing cocaine, possessing marijuana up to 1/2 oz, possessing drug paraphernalia.

April 10

• Andrea Michelle Brown, 32, of Candor, was arrested by Asheboro PD for second-degree trespass, resisting public officer, communicating threats.

• Ricardo Castaneda, 19, of Staley, was arrested by RCSO for discharging weapon into occupied property, felony conspiracy, attempted firstdegree murder, assault with deadly weapon with intent to kill.

• Yosef Emanuel Reyes-Gonzalez, 18, of Liberty, was arrested by RCSO for felony conspiracy, attempted first-degree murder, assault with deadly weapon with intent to kill, discharging weapon into occupied property.

April 11

• Jayden Edward Maines, 18, of Lexington, was arrested by RCSO for assault on a female.

• Cecil Todd Ferguson, 30, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for violating domestic violence protective order.

• Christopher Alexander Lopez, 19, of High Point, was arrested by RCSO for assault on a female.

April 12

• Calli Lynn Kim, 35, of McLeansville, was arrested by Asheboro PD for resisting public officer, possessing marijuana, possessing marijuana paraphernalia, fictitious registration, driving without license, expired registration, expired

Johnson has been vice president of student learning and chief academic officer at Alamance CC. She had previous administrative roles at Central Carolina Community College, including dean of Health Sciences and Human Services.

Johnson received her doctorate in higher education leadership from Concordia (Oregon) University, a master’s in dental hygiene education from the University of North Carolina and a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene from St. Petersburg (Florida) College.

According to RCC’s release, she’ll lead efforts to expand educational pathways, grow workforce development opportunities, and support student achievement across the college.

She is scheduled to begin May 1 at RCC.

ten have been scrutinized in Asheboro. In 2018, special agents with ALE conducted a raid that resulted in confiscating about two dozen machines from what was then Lucky Day Skill Games and Fish Tables on Fayetteville Street.

In 2020, there were 10 people indicted in Randolph County stemming from investigations into illegal gambling. Six sweepstakes businesses were part of that operation.

inspection, rear lamps violation, covering registration plate, additional lighting equipment violation.

• Kelly Lamar Faircloth, 40, of Randleman, was arrested by Liberty PD for possessing with intent to sell/deliver methamphetamine, possessing methamphetamine, possessing drug paraphernalia, possessing marijuana up to 1/2 oz.

• Jeffrey Lynn Ellis, 65, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for possessing methamphetamine, possessing open alcohol container, consuming alcohol on unauthorized premises, possessing marijuana up to 1/2 oz, possessing marijuana paraphernalia, possessing drug paraphernalia.

• Joshua Daniel Stallings, 31, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for impeding traffic by sitting/standing/lying.

April 13

• Ezequiel Tejeda Jr., 32, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for trafficking methamphetamine, possessing with intent to sell/deliver methamphetamine, possessing controlled substance within 1000 feet of park, maintaining vehicle/dwelling for controlled substance, possessing drug paraphernalia.

• Rene Cruz Rodriguez, 36, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for trafficking methamphetamine, possessing with intent to sell/deliver methamphetamine, possessing controlled substance within 1000 feet of park, possessing cocaine, maintaining vehicle/dwelling for controlled substance, possessing stolen firearm, possessing drug paraphernalia, carrying concealed gun.

• Armando Johnny Martinez, 56, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for public intoxication, possessing drug paraphernalia.

• Robert Edward Layne, 32, of Trinity, was arrested by RCSO for possessing methamphetamine, possessing drug paraphernalia.

April 14

• Joshua Russell Barham, 35, of Staley, was arrested by RCSO for possessing drug paraphernalia.

• Richard Thomas Smith, 67, of Staley, was arrested by RCSO for trafficking methamphetamine, possessing drug paraphernalia.

• James Murphy Thornton, 39, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for second-degree trespass.

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

April 18

Friday Night Bluegrass:

Li’L Grace

6 p.m.

Tickets are $10 each and available at the theatre door at 6 p.m.

Sunset Theatre

234 Sunset Ave. Asheboro

April

19

Food Pantry

2-3 p.m.

100 N. Main St. Randleman

The Clenny Creek Heritage Day

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

An annual rite of spring showcasing the 1820s furnished Bryant House and 1760s Joel McLendon Cabin, the oldest dwelling on its original site in Moore County. On this special day, both houses will be open, and there will be 18th- and 19th-century crafters, live music and food. There will also be “camps” of both the American Revolution and the Civil War with reenactors, demonstrations of old-time activities such as quilting, weaving, cooking, woodworking and living history. Parking is in a sand field behind the houses with golf cart transportation provided as needed.

3361 Mt. Carmel Road Carthage

April 21 TeenZone (Ages 12-plus) Oreo Tasting 4 p.m.

Think you know your Oreos? Put your taste buds to the test in our Blindfolded Oreo Challenge! Compete against friends to guess the flavors — some classic, some totally unexpected. Registration is required; call 336-318-6 803.

Asheboro Public Library

201 Worth St. Asheboro

April 22

Making Art with the Masters 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Art classes for ages 8-12 that teach history, theory and practice. 11 a.m. classes are for ages 10-12 and 3:30 p.m. classes are for ages 8-9.

Asheboro Public Library 201 Worth St. Asheboro

COURTESY PHOTO Lisa Johnson

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

| NEWT GINGRICH

Americans, not government, must benefit from Trump’s tariffs

A fourth option would be to eliminate some specific, onerous taxes with tariff income.

PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP’S tariff plan is working exactly as he intended.

The initially announced steep tariffs on more than 100 countries roiled markets — and sent the mainstream media into hysteria. Some of our trading partners bristled and rattled sabers with relatively small retaliatory plans.

It was all perfectly Trumpian. The president got everyone’s attention (which is almost always his first step). He then softened his stance to open negotiations. Our trading partners now realize how serious Trump is, and they are coming to the table to figure out how they can continue to engage with the world’s largest market.

The next challenge for the White House and Republicans will be deciding what to do with the potential flood of tariff revenues.

Trump’s robust tariff regime will likely yield a lot of revenue. This money should be returned to the American people. There must not be any discussion of keeping tariff revenue as a new pork barrel for politicians or bureaucrats.

The founding fathers understood the power of tariffs. Specifically, they saw potential for tariffs to replace domestic taxes. The clearest explanation of this was President Thomas Jefferson in his 1805 second inaugural address. Jefferson combined fiscal frugality with a shrewd tax policy to minimize the burden on the American people:

“The suppression of unnecessary offices, of useless establishments and expenses, enabled us to discontinue our internal taxes.

“These covering our land with officers, and

opening our doors to their intrusions, had already begun that process of domiciliary vexation which, once entered, is scarcely to be restrained from reaching successively every article of produce and property.

“The remaining revenue on the consumption of foreign articles, is paid cheerfully by those who can afford to add foreign luxuries to domestic comforts, being collected on our seaboards and frontiers only, and incorporated with the transactions of our mercantile citizens, it may be the pleasure and pride of an American to ask, what farmer, what mechanic, what laborer, ever sees a tax-gatherer of the United States?”

Now, the world was much different in Jefferson’s time. For instance, there was no federal income tax. Jefferson’s vision of no one ever seeing a tax collector inside the United States is likely impossible. However, it reflects an ideal world of limited government and intrusion.

Trump is methodically and aggressively creating a new worldwide system of bilateral agreements and tariff arrangements. The revenue stream will be virtually impossible to accurately project until after the year is over.

However, there are several ways to return the revenue to the American people.

One way would be to reduce the following year’s income tax rates based on total tariff revenue collected. If 2025 is a big year for revenue from places such as China and the European Union, then we could have significant income tax reductions for everyone in 2026.

A second option would be to create a system like the Alaskan Permanent Fund Dividend. Each year, it sends checks out to eligible Alaskans reflecting the wealth created by the state’s natural resources. In 2024, the fund sent $1,702 to each of the 600,000 eligible Alaskans. It would be useful to estimate a range of revenues the new tariffs system will generate and then consider how to return it to the American people. Since some estimates indicate the tariffs could raise $2 trillion to $3 trillion over the next decade, the amount involved could be substantial.

A third option would be to look at a series of tax credits based on national goals that could be expanded with tariff revenues. We could create a robust permanent research and development tax credit if 20% of the tariff revenue were dedicated to accelerating technology. A portion could also go toward tax credits aimed to promote small business investment, strong families, job creation, or other values.

A fourth option would be to partially follow Jefferson’s model and eliminate some specific, onerous taxes with tariff income. In some cases, the cost of tax preparation is higher than the actual tax payment. Eliminating them would increase private sector growth and make filing taxes less of a burden.

In any event, Congress should start thinking now about the most effective ways to put Trump’s tariff revenues into Americans’ pockets — and far away from Washington’s piggy bank. Newt Gingrich was the 50th speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

House Bill 612 — Fostering Care in NC Act

We’ve lost over 1,000 foster families in the last 5 years.

THE CHILD WELFARE system in the United States was created to protect children from abuse and neglect.

In the 1800s, “child-saving” efforts were voluntary and consisted mainly of orphanages and almshouses, also known as poor houses, that housed children and impoverished adults.

The North Carolina Constitution of 1868 established, for the first time, a role for state government with respect to social services that the “beneficent provision for the poor, the unfortunate and orphan[s] being one of the first duties of a civilized and a Christian state, the General Assembly shall, at its first session, appoint and define the duties of a Board of Public Charities, to whom shall be entrusted the supervision of all charitable and penal State institutions…”

The federal government established and funded Child Protective Services in 1962, and North Carolina began participating in the provision of state foster care in 1969. The primary goal was to ensure children’s safety and well-being by protecting children from abuse and neglect, intervening when necessary to remove children from dangerous situations and working with families to address problems contributing to abuse or neglect.

As legislators, we are responsible to our youngest North Carolinians, who are the future of our great state. We have a moral and ethical responsibility to ensure that the 16,245 children and youth in foster care receive care and support so that they can have a bright future.

We have entrusted the child welfare work in North Carolina to the 100 counties who

each operate local Departments of Social Services (DSS). These departments are supervised by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and follow a policy directive to strengthen and preserve families whenever possible; but when a child can no longer safely remain with their family, the state must assure that the quality of substitute care is as close as possible to the care and nurturing that society expects of a family.

We recognize that many hard-working individuals serve in our county DSS agencies, and they do extraordinary work every day to support children and families. But we also have concerns about the consistency in how care is provided, impacting the overall effectiveness of the N.C. child welfare system.

There have been numerous news reports of egregious examples of children being harmed or killed by their parents; we’ve lost over 1,000 foster families in the last five years; children are sleeping in DSS offices or are stuck in hospital emergency rooms waiting for mental health treatment, and children are languishing in foster care for years waiting for a place to call home.

Recently a class action lawsuit was filed in federal court alleging a series of issues within N.C.’s foster care system. The lawsuit alleges that the child welfare system has been operating in a state of crisis for years and includes allegations that:

• Workload standards aren’t being enforced, resulting in child welfare workers unable to provide the support that vulnerable children and parents need.

• Children in foster care do not have access to

adequate and timely mental health services

• Children are institutionalized at twice the national average

• N.C. has failed to protect children and youth in foster care from physical, psychological, and emotional harm.

• N.C. fails to meet permanency standards, leaving children in foster care too long.

We must recognize that a failure to protect the safety and well-being of children is a failure of the state. We must continue to improve and strengthen the child welfare system and the people who are working on the ground supporting children every day. Our children and youth in foster care have already suffered from abuse or neglect that led to their entry into the system, and we must do everything possible to ensure that no other harm comes to them under our protection. The buck stops here. In an effort to move forward solutions to strengthen N.C.’s child welfare system, we have worked with experts, both inside and outside the foster care system, to write House Bill 612, the “Fostering Care in NC Act.” We realize this singular bill will not fix all the problems, but it is an important step in what should be only the beginning of a commitment to change N.C.’s child welfare system into a shining example of how a legislative body can take action to support the well-being and success of our most precious assets, our children.

Rep. Allen Chesser represents N.C. House District 25 in the General Assembly.

COLUMN

The show of force aligned with one of the DPRK’s most important holidays

By Hyung-Jin Kim

The Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea — The United States flew long-range B-1B bombers in a show of force against North Korea on Tuesday, days after the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to resist a U.S.-led push to eliminate the North’s nuclear program.

North Korea often reacts to the U.S. deployment of B-1B bombers and other powerful military assets with missile tests and fiery rhetoric. Tuesday’s flyover of the U.S. bombers could draw an angrier response because it happened when North Korea was marking a key anniversary — the 113th birthday of state founder Kim Il Sung, the late grandfather of the current leader.

South Korea’s Defense Min-

rean F-35 and F-16 fighter jets and American F-16 fighter jets also took part in the training over the Korean Peninsula. It said South Korea and the U.S. will continue to expand their joint military exercises to respond to North Korean nuclear threats.

It was the second time a U.S. B-1B had participated in a drill with South Korea since President Donald Trump began his second term in January.

In February, North Korea’s Defense Ministry slammed the B-1B’s earlier flyover as proof of intensifying U.S.-led provocations since Trump’s inauguration. It pledged to counter the strategic threat of the U.S. with strategic means. Days later, North Korea test-fired cruise missiles in what it called an attempt to show its nuclear counterattack capability.

Last Wednesday, Kim Yo Jong — Kim’s sister and a senior official — derided the U.S. and its Asian allies over what she called their “daydream” of denuclearizing North Korea, insisting that her country will never give up its nuclear weapons program. Her statement came as a response to a recent meeting among the top diplomats of the United States, South Korea and Japan where they reaffirmed their commitment to push for North Korea’s denuclearization.

istry said in a statement that the U.S. bombers participated in a South Korea-U.S. aerial drill meant to strengthen the allies’ combined operational ca-

pability and demonstrate their deterrence capability against North Korea’s advancing nuclear program.

The ministry said South Ko-

Trump has repeatedly said he will reach out to Kim Jong Un to revive diplomacy. North Korea hasn’t directly responded to Trump’s outreach.

Hungarian lawmakers pass constitutional amendment to ban LGBTQ+ public events

It also states that there are only two sexes: male and female

By Justin Spike The Associated Press

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Hungary’s parliament on Monday passed an amendment to the constitution that allows the government to ban public events by LGBTQ+ communities, a decision that legal scholars and critics call another step toward authoritarianism by the populist government.

The amendment, which required a two-thirds vote, passed along party lines with 140 votes for and 21 against. It was proposed by the ruling Fidesz-KDNP coalition led by populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Ahead of the vote — the final step for the amendment — opposition politicians and other protesters attempted to blockade the entrance to a parliament parking garage. Police physically removed demonstrators, who had used zip ties to bind themselves together.

The amendment declares that children’s rights to moral, physical and spiritual development supersede any right other than the right to life, including that to peacefully assemble. Hungary’s contentious “child protection”

legislation prohibits the “depiction or promotion” of homosexuality to minors aged under 18. The amendment codifies a law fast-tracked through parliament in March that bans public events held by LGBTQ+ communities, including the popular Pride event in Budapest that draws thousands annually. That law also allows authorities to use facial recognition tools to identify people who attend prohibited events — such as Budapest Pride — and can come with fines of up to 200,000 Hungarian forints ($546).

Dávid Bedő, a lawmaker with the opposition Momentum party who participated in the attempted blockade, said before the vote that Orbán and Fidesz for the past 15 years “have been dismantling democracy and the rule of law, and in the past two or three months, we see that this process has been sped up.”

He said as elections approach in 2026 and Orbán’s party lags in the polls behind a popular new challenger from the opposition, “they will do everything in their power to stay in power.”

Opposition lawmakers used air horns to disrupt the vote, which continued after a few moments.

Hungary’s government has campaigned against LGBTQ+ communities in recent years and argues its “child protection” pol-

Government spokesperson

icies, which forbid the availability to minors of any material that mentions homosexuality, are needed to protect children from what it calls “woke ideology” and “gender madness.”

Critics say the measures do little to protect children and are being used to distract from more serious problems facing the country and mobilize Orbán’s right-wing base ahead of elections.

“This whole endeavor which we see launched by the government, it has nothing to do with children’s rights,” said Dánel Döbrentey, a lawyer w ith the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, calling it “pure propaganda.”

The new amendment also states that the constitution recognizes two sexes, male and female, an expansion of an earlier amendment that prohibits same-sex adoption by stating

that a mother is a woman and a father is a man.

The declaration provides a constitutional basis for denying the gender identities of transgender people, as well as ignoring the existence of intersex individuals who are born with sexual characteristics that do not align with binary conceptions of male and female.

In a statement on Monday, government spokesperson Zoltán Kovács wrote that the change is “not an attack on individual self-expression, but a clarification that legal norms are based on biological reality.”

Döbrentey, the lawyer, said it was “a clear message” for transgender and intersex people: “It is definitely and purely and strictly about humiliating people and excluding them, not just from the national community, but even from the community of human beings.”

The amendment is the 15th to Hungary’s constitution since Orbán’s party unilaterally authored and approved it in 2011.

Ádám Remport, a lawyer with the HCLU, said that while Hungary has used facial recognition tools since 2015 to assist police in criminal investigations and finding missing persons, the recent law banning Pride allows the technology to be used in a much broader and problematic manner. That includes for mon-

The Kim Il Sung birthday, called “the Day of Sun,” is one of the most important holidays in North Korea, where a state-sponsored cult of personality treats key members of the ruling Kim family like gods. On Tuesday, the country’s main Rodong Sinmun newspaper issued an editorial urging the public to rally behind Kim Jong Un to achieve a national prosperity. In recent days, North Korea has held seminars, performances and other events commemorating the founder’s achievements.

itoring and deterring political protests.

“One of the most fundamental problems is its invasiveness, just the sheer scale of the intrusion that happens when you apply mass surveillance to a crowd,” Remport said.

“More salient in this case is the effect on the freedom of assembly, specifically the chilling effect that arises when people are scared to go out and show their political or ideological beliefs for fear of being persecuted,” he added.

The amendment passed Monday also allows for Hungarians who hold dual citizenship in a non-European Economic Area country to have their citizenship suspended for up to 10 years if they are deemed to pose a threat to public order, public security or national security.

Hungary has taken steps in recent months to protect its national sovereignty from what it claims are foreign efforts to influence its politics or even topple Orbán’s government.

The self-described “illiberal” leader has accelerated his longstanding efforts to crack down on critics such as media outlets and groups devoted to civil rights and anti-corruption, which he says have undermined Hungary’s sovereignty by receiving financial assistance from international donors.

In March, Orbán gave a speech where he compared people who work for such groups to insects, and pledged to “eliminate the entire shadow army” of foreign-funded “politicians, judges, journalists, pseudo-NGOs and political activists.”

Two U.S. Air Force B-1B bombers, top left, fly over the Korean Peninsula with South Korean Air Force F-35A and F-16

Barbara Ann Griffin

Poe

Feb. 23, 1943 – April 10, 2025

Barbara Ann Griffin Poe, 82, of Asheboro, NC passed away peacefully on April 10, 2025 from liver cancer. Barbara is now walking the streets of gold, hand in hand with David. Barbara was born February 23, 1943 in South Boston, Virginia to the late George “Morton” Griffin and Ernestine Tuck Griffin of Aarons Creek, Virginia. Barbara graduated from Halifax County High School in 1961 and Phillips Business College. Barbara began her working career at Burlington Industries and went on to become a NC realtor. Upon moving to Asheboro in 2001, Barbara also worked with SECU and the NC Zoo Society. Barbara was a member of First Baptist Church of Asheboro for 24 years and loved her church family. Barbara cherished family time with her children and attending the functions of her grandchildren. David and Barbara loved to travel and passed that enjoyment to their children and grandchildren.

David and Barbara saw sights in all 50 states in addition to the courthouses in all 100 NC counties. They enjoyed bringing back their treasures of memorabilia from their travels, antique shops, auctions and yard sales. Barbara was known and cherished for her display of Santas every Christmas season. Barbara also enjoyed cross stitch, sewing, and was always just a call away to stitch something for you. Though in the end Barbara could not travel or go like she desired, she will always be remembered for her helping hand with food and childcare for those in need.

Barbara was preceded in death by her husband of 46 years Dr. David Poe, her parents Morton and Ernestine Griffin, her brother George Griffin and sister Helen McLaughlin.

She is survived by her children: daughter Ashley Proctor-Gann (Roger) of Asheboro and son Brian Poe (Natalie) of Seagrove; Her grandchildren: Emily Gann, Cassie Proctor, Reece Poe, and Kynleigh Poe. Barbara also leaves behind cherished nieces and nephew: Angie Mason, Bobby Griffin, and Jean Herbert as well as their extended families.

The family would like to express our sincere appreciation for the care and support from friends, family, medical caregivers, and Hospice.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to First Baptist Church Asheboro - Hall Ministerial Endowment Fund or the Juvenile Diabetes Association in Barbara’s memory.

The family will receive friends for visitation on Sunday, April 13, 2025 from 2-3 p.m. in the sanctuary at First Baptist Church in Asheboro with service to follow at 3 p.m. with Reverend Stephen Owen and Reverend Mark Hall officiating.

Pugh Funeral Home in Asheboro is serving the Poe family.

Mary Joan Sistrunk Redding

Jan. 14, 1930 – April 10, 2025

Mary Joan Sistrunk Redding, 95, of Asheboro, went to be with her Lord and Savior on April 10, 2025. She was born on January 14, 1930, to John and Florine Sistrunk. Joan was a beloved wife, sister, mom, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend.

Growing up in Florida created a lifelong love for the beach and seashells for Joan. She enjoyed swimming and riding bikes as a young girl with her best friend, Shirley Motes.

She met her sweetheart, Frank, while visiting her aunt and uncle one summer. They created a beautiful married life together for 30 years until his sudden passing.

She went to Florida State University and obtained a teaching degree. She was a beloved teacher for many years. Upon her husband’s passing, she retired from teaching to take over running his insurance agency.

Joan enjoyed reading, needlepoint, playing Bridge, Garden Club and working in her yard. One of her favorite activities was Dance Club with Frank and their friends. Her greatest delight was spending time and pouring into grandchildren and greatgrandchildren.

A woman of strong faith, she was always the family prayer warrior and constant support. She was always willing to help others in need.

She created a loving home with her husband, Frank and her three daughters.

She is preceded in death by her parents John Wesley Sistrunk and Florine Hunter Sistrunk, her brother John Sistrunk, her husband William Frank Redding, III, as well as her precious great-grandson Zayden Millikan.

She is survived by her three daughters, Rebecca Briles (Doug), Marianne Millikan (Jeff) and Nancy Farlow (Charles) all of Asheboro, her grandchildren Meredith Millikan, Forrest Williams, Lauren Ard (Ryan), Kendyl McCaskill (Aaron), Matthew Farlow (Marilia), Audrey Hurley (Samuel), Carly Zimmerman (Tony) and greatgrandchildren Kaylee Millikan, Rylynn Gaines, Claire Ard, Macy Ard, Allyson Ard, Skylar Hurley, Zoey Zimmerman, Luca Farlow, Levi Farlow.

The family will receive friends on Sunday, April 13, 2025 from 1:00-1:50 p.m. at Pugh Funeral Home, 437 Sunset Avenue in Asheboro. Funeral services will follow on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Glenn “Mac” Pugh Chapel with Pastor Boyd Byerly officiating. Burial will be held at Asheboro City Cemetery.

George Howell Yeatts

Feb. 20, 1935 – April 10, 2025

George Howell Yeatts, age 90 of Asheboro, passed away on Thursday, April 10, 2025, at Cross Road Retirement Community. His funeral service will be held at the First Baptist Church in Asheboro on Monday, April 14, at 11 a.m., and the family will receive friends 30 minutes prior to the service. A burial will follow at 2 p.m. at Roselawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Reidsville.

George was born in Ruffin on February 20, 1935, to the late Charlie Oregon Yeatts and Annie Mae Trammel Yeatts. He was a graduate of Bethany High School, Class of 1953 and attained the rank of Staff Sargent in the US Air Force, serving as a Radar maintenance Technician from 1955 until 1961. After his service, he was employed by Philco as a Technical Representative at Bedford Air Force Station in Bedford, Va., then worked as a Computer Operator for Klopman Mills in Alta Vista, Va. After his company was purchased by Burlington Industries, he continued to work for them as a Computer Programmer and they transferred him to Asheboro. He continued to work for Burlington Industries and then he finished his career as a Computer Programmer for Klaussner Furniture, also in Asheboro.

George served as a Chaplin for the Asheboro Civitan’s. He also was a member of the First Baptist Church in Asheboro where he served in various leadership capacities, as long has his health permitted him to do so. He enjoyed singing, sang in the adult worship choir and drove the bus and sang in the nursing home outreach group “Joyful Singers”. He truly loved his church and his church family!

He is survived by his beloved wife Edwina (Pug) Norman Yeatts and his niece Cheryl Fulcher Barbour, who was like a daughter to him. He is also survived by his sisters, Betty Wenger and Carolyn Allen and numerous nieces and nephews, who he loved very much!

Preceding him in death were his sisters: Ila Nichols, Catherine Chambers, Elma Yeatts and Ellen Doyle, and his brothers: Wesley Yeatts, Leonard Yeatts and Leslie Yeatts.

In lieu of flowers, Memorial donations may be made to Cross Road Retirement Community/ Memory Care Unit, 1302 Old Cox Rd, Asheboro, NC 27205 or First Baptist Church, 133 N Church St., Asheboro, NC 27203.

Pugh Funeral Home in Asheboro is serving the Yeatts family.

Sonia Vences Perez

Feb. 9, 1971 – April 9, 2025

Sonia Vences Perez, age 54, of Asheboro, passed away on April 9, 2025, at her home. Sonia was born in San Antonio Zomeyucon, Mexico, on February 9, 1971, to Aristeo Vences and Estafania Perez Ugarte. She was employed with PPG Industries for over 20 years. Sonia was the best mother anyone could ever have. She loved her children dearly and was a strong warrior for her family. Sonia was a strong hard-

Eleanor Selinda Minnock

Nov. 13, 1926 – April 7, 2025

Eleanor Selinda Minnock, 98, previously of East Northport, NY, died peacefully on April 7, 2025, at Alpine Health and Rehabilitation Center, Randleman, NC with her youngest daughter by her side. Born November 13, 1926, to Meta Stelljas Bottjer and Herman Bottjer, she was raised in Astoria, Queens, NY with her beloved sister, Joan. Shaped by hardworking parents, her early life gave her the strength and determination that were the foundation of her character.

Eleanor lived a long, active life. She loved riding her bike as a child and rollerskating at indoor rinks and ice skating as a teenager. She kept up her bike riding well into her 70s. She enjoyed gardening and reading, and was rarely without a book. But her greatest loves were her family and her church. She was an active member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church for over 70 years, a member of the choir, member of the Prime Timers group and a regular volunteer at the church thrift shop. She was always at the center of family holiday gatherings and traveled with her husband, Frank, for regular visits with their children and major celebrations in the lives of their grandchildren. Eleanor was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 70 years LCDR Francis J. Minnock, cherished daughter Kathleen J. Wirth, and dear sister Joan Janes. She is survived by her loving children: son Francis B. (Kathy) Minnock, daughters Eileen M. Dohrman and Eleanor (Hal) Minnock-Pugh, and son Christopher J. (Jennifer Kranzle) Minnock. She was the dear grandmother of Kate, Christian, Whitney, Jonathan, Christoper, David, Elizabeth, and Robyn, great grandmother of 11, and beloved aunt of many nieces and nephews. Funeral service will be at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia (date pending) where Eleanor will be buried beside her beloved husband. Pugh Funeral Home, Randleman, NC is assisting with arrangements. A memorial service will also be held at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Eleanor’s name can be made to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (stpaulseastnorthport.org) or your local library.

working woman, that despite her hard and sad life, never gave up. She loved spending time with her beloved cat, Panson Vences “aka Fat Boy.” She liked to work in her garden, shrubs, and flowers. Sonia collected baby dolls and hand knit clothing for them.

Sonia’s black bean and green bean tamales were the best and her mole was famous throughout the state and beyond. Sonia was always there showing major support for everyone she knew. She is survived by her sons, Alejandro Jaimes-Vences, Rigoberto Vences, and Francisco Vences; daughter, Janet Avila Vences; mother, Fortina Vences Perez; sister, Nereida VencesPerez; brother, Jose Freddy Vences; niece, Yolanda VencesLara; friends, Joann Edith Espinoza, Iris Caldera Chikis, and Daniel McNeil; and her beloved cat, Panson Vences. Sonia was preceded in death by her son, Valentin Vences.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, April 12, 2025, from 2:30-4:30 p.m. at Pugh Funeral Home, 437 Sunset Avenue in Asheboro.

Evelyn Reynolds Saunders

Aug. 5, 1940 – April 8, 2025

Evelyn Reynolds Saunders, age 84, of Troy, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at Autumn Care in Biscoe, NC.

Evelyn was born in Randolph County, NC, on August 5, 1940, to the late DeWitt Reynolds and the late Melva Cranford Reynolds. She loved playing basketball growing up, and she loved Elvis. She was interested in politics and was always watching the election results to see who won. She worked in an administrative position for Lt. Governor Bob Jordan when he was in office. She was a big Tarheel fan and enjoyed going to the movies and reading. She always loved spending time with her grandchildren. Evelyn was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church. She is survived by her daughter Priscilla Morris of Troy; son Luke Saunders (Karen) of Troy; three grandchildren: Wesley Morris (Lauren) of Durham, NC, Lauren Morris of Lynchburg VA, and Quinn Morris (Jenny) of Seven Devils, NC; one great grandchild Eliza Morris, and sister-in-law, Sheila Reynolds of Star, NC. She was preceded in death by her husband Luke Saunders and son-in-law Bobby Morris.

A Graveside service will be held at Ophir Methodist Church Cemetery, 2020 Ophir Rd., Troy, NC on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at noon, with Rev. Vanlene Nelson officiating. The family will receive friends following the Graveside Service from 2 to 4 p.m. at the home of Luke and Karen Saunders, 1225 Pekin Rd., Troy, NC.

Condolences may be made online at pughfuneralhome.com. Pugh Troy Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Evelyn Saunders.

STATE & NATION

EPA puts hold on promised electric school bus funding

Charlotte was expecting millions of dollars for new EV buses

By Michael Casey and Alexa St. John The Associated Press

BOSTON — Looking to cut pollution from its fleet of diesel-burning school buses, an Oklahoma school district last year doubled its electric vehicles.

The Shawnee Public Schools, a 3,300-student district about 35 miles east of Oklahoma City in a county that voted overwhelmingly for President Donald Trump, figured the nearly $1.5 million for the four buses would be reimbursed through an Environmental Protection Agency program. The agency, under President Joe Biden, had promised to do just that last year with money from a massive infrastructure law passed by Congress.

The district requested the funding in November but was told that it would be delayed due to a technical glitch. But after Trump took office, they have been calling the EPA and emailing regularly without a response. They fear they will never be reimbursed.

“Our district made this investment in good faith, expecting the promised rebate to be delivered in a timely manner,”

John Wiles, the district’s director of transportation, said. “The buses are here, they are in service, and they are benefiting our students and community — but the lack of reimbursement has

created unnecessary financial strain.”

Shawnee is not alone. More than 500 districts nationwide are still waiting on around $1 billion from the EPA to cover more than 3,400 electric buses. That’s sparked panic and confusion in districts that must find other ways to cover the cost or delay or cancel their purchases. It’s also hitting companies building the buses, those selling them and companies that oversee districts’ transportation.

The National School Transportation Association, which represents private school bus operators, called the freeze “extremely disruptive.”

The EPA hasn’t explained why

the funds are on hold or if they will ever be released. A spokesperson said the EPA does not comment on pending litigation. Multiple lawsuits have called for releasing federal funding frozen by myriad federal agencies including the EPA. Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) one of several senators to write

to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin demanding answers, said the funding lets districts “invest in transportation that reduces air pollution and provides health benefits to children across the country.” Without the money, administrators may have to make tough financial decisions, “and children are going to pay the price,” he said.

The push for electric buses has long had bipartisan support, with many arguing the transition will help combat climate change, benefit the health of children and saves district money over the long run.

More than 25 million students take aging, diesel-fueled buses to school each day in the U.S. — with black, Latino and lower-income students in urban areas more likely to rely on them.

The exhaust from these dirty buses exposes them, their parents and school staff to harmful pollutants like fine particulates and nitrogen dioxide, which can lead to health issues such as asthma and heart disease. It can also affect cognitive performance, said Dr. Stephanie Lovinsky-Desir, chief of the pediatric pulmonary division at Columbia University Medical Center. Young bodies that are still developing are especially vulnerable.

Electric school buses — though two to three times more expensive up front — can save districts money in fuel and maintenance costs, said Katherine Roboff, deputy director of external affairs for World Resources Institute’s Electric School Bus Initiative. The WRI estimates $100,000 in savings over the life of a bus.

“That’s really helpful savings that school districts can put back into the classroom,” Roboff said. “And that’s another reason that districts are eager to go electric.”

The money is part of a Clean School Bus Program, which was part of Biden’s infrastructure law and provided $5 billion over five years to help districts replace polluting school buses with cleaner, electric buses.

So far, the program has gone through three rounds. Nearly $1 billion was issued in the first round of rebate funding to 400 schools for 2,500 buses; the second round, issued in the form of grants also totaling nearly $1 billion, funded more than 2,700 school buses at 275 districts.

The long list of delays is hitting districts of all sizes, both rural and urban.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in Charlotte, the school district in Huntsville, Alabama, as well as Baltimore County Public Schools, all of which contract with outside companies to run their transportation operations, are waiting for nearly $26 million to fund the purchase of 75 electric buses.

Prince George’s County Public Schools, a 132,000-student district outside Washington, D.C., was expecting $5 million for nine electric buses to add to its current 21. When the EPA funding was put on hold, the district turned to the state of Maryland, which has a similar grant program, and is hoping it covers the cost.

In New Hampshire, the Derry Cooperative School District wasn’t so fortunate. The 4,300-student district has been counting on $8.1 million in EPA f unding to cover 25 electric buses.

“It’s very disappointing,” Clifton Dancy, the district’s transportation coordinator, said. “The current administration is turning a blind eye to climate change and environmental practices and catering to carbon fuel industry. I can’t get behind that. It’s going backwards.”

Nvidia plans to manufacture AI chips in the US for the first time

New semiconductor plants are coming online in Arizona and Texas

By Sarah Parvini

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — Nvid-

ia announced Monday that it will produce its artificial intelligence super computers in the United States for the first time.

The tech giant said it has commissioned more than 1 million square feet of manufacturing space to build and test its specialized Blackwell chips in Arizona and AI supercomputers in Texas — part of an investment the company said will produce up to half a trillion dollars of AI infrastructure in the next four years.

“The engines of the world’s AI infrastructure are being built in the United States for the first time,” Nvidia founder Jensen Huang said in a statement.

“Adding American manufacturing helps us better meet the incredible and growing demand

“(Trump) has made U.S.-based chips manufacturing a priority as part of his relentless pursuit of an American manufacturing renaissance, and it’s paying off.”

White House statement

for AI chips and supercomputers, strengthens our supply chain and boosts our resiliency.”

Nvidia’s announcement comes as the Trump administration has said that tariff exemptions on electronics like smartphones and laptops are only a temporary reprieve until officials develop a new tariff approach specific to the semiconductor industry.

White House officials, including President Donald Trump himself, spent Sunday downplaying the significance of exemptions that lessen but won’t eliminate the effect of U.S. tariffs on imports of popular consumer devices and their key components.

“They’re exempt from the re-

ciprocal tariffs, but they’re included in the semiconductor tariffs, which are coming in probably a month or two,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday.

Nvidia said in a post on its website that it has started Blackwell production at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. chip plants in Phoenix. The Santa Clara, California-based chip company is also building supercomputer manufacturing plants in Texas — with Foxconn in Houston and Wistron in Dallas.

Nvidia’s AI super computers will serve as the engines for AI factories, “a new type of data center created for the sole pur-

NIC COURY / AP PHOTO

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang talks during the keynote address of Nvidia GTC last month in California.

pose of processing artificial intelligence,” the company said, adding that manufacturing in the U.S. will create “hundreds of thousands of jobs and drive trillions of dollars in economic security over the coming decades.”

Mass production at both plants is expected to ramp up in the next 12-15 months, Nvidia said. The company also plans on partnering with Taiwan-based

company SPIL and Amkor for “packaging and testing operations” in Arizona. In a statement Monday, the White House called Nvidia’s move “the Trump Effect in action.”

Trump “has made U.S.-based chips manufacturing a priority as part of his relentless pursuit of an American manufacturing renaissance, and it’s paying off — with trillions of dollars in new investments secured in the tech sector alone,” the White House said.

Earlier this year, Trump announced a joint venture investing up to $500 billion for infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence by a new partnership formed by OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank. The new entity, Stargate, was tasked with building out data centers and the electricity generation needed for the further development of the fast-evolving AI in Texas, according to the White House. The initial investment is expected to be $100 billion and could reach five times that sum.

COURTESY THOMAS BUILT BUSES

The second-generation Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley electric school bus is assembled at the Thomas Built Buses facility in High Point.

RandolpH SPORTS

a victory from one of the Limited Late Models features

Davidson, Ward split top results

The Limited Late Models features had the same two drivers leading the pack

Randolph Record staff

SOPHIA — Grant Davidson and Dylan Ward split the Limited Late Models features Saturday night at Caraway Speedway. Ward, the fast qualifier, held the lead in the first event until Davidson’s midrace pass gave him the lead that he didn’t relinquish.

Bryson Brinkley finished third ahead of London McKenzie, Brandon Cox, Daniel Schadt, Cody Griffin and Larry Isenhower. In the second race, Ward kept the lead amid some rough racing to finish ahead of Davidson. McKenzie was third, followed by Griffin, Schadt, Brinkley, Cox and Isenhower.

In Challengers, Matthew Smith repeated as a winner from his most recent visit to the speedway, with Lequan McCoy Jr. second and Richard Schoffner in third.

High Point promotes from within on coaching change

The Panthers are fresh off their first NCAA Tournament experience in Division I

Randolph Record staff

HIGH POINT — High Point was quick to fill a vacancy for men’s basketball coach by promoting Flynn Clayman to the position last week.

Clayman moves up from associate head coach as the Panthers aim for continuity after making the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in Division I last month.

Clayman replaces Alan Huss, who stepped down last week to take a staff position at Creighton, where he’s expected to be the coach-in-waiting. Huss coached the Panthers for two seasons.

“It has been a magical two years for High Point University in all sports, and specifically for me, our basketball program,” Clayman said. “I am unbeliev-

ably honored to have the opportunity to continue to lead this program in the right direction and focus on the God, family, and country values that this university stands on.”

Clayman oversaw many aspects of High Point’s offense the past two seasons. The Panthers went a 56-15 overall and 27-5 in Big South Conference play the past two seasons, with the team notching back-to-back seasons of 20 or more wins for the first time on the Division I level.

Prior to High Point, Clayman spent six seasons on the coaching staff at Southern Utah, where he became interim coach in March 2023. He played in college for Colorado State and Troy. Clayman, a native of Los Angeles, is married to High Point women’s basketball assistant coach Katie Clayman.

Panthers replenish roster

High Point also announced the addition of four players from the transfer portal, including

Disqualifications in one classification created a shift in the final order

Jason Gallimore was fourth with Isaac Johnson, Brian Melville and Dakote Wells rounding out the order.

In UCARs, Ron Mock became the winner after the first two to cross the finish line were disqualified during postrace inspections.

guard Jaydon Young from Virginia Tech. Young played in high school for Greensboro Day School before appearing in 58 games across two seasons with Virginia Tech. He posted 8.1 points per game as a sophomore. He had 27 points against Miami and 26 points vs. Syracuse. The other newcomers are guard Cam’Ron Fletcher from Xavier, guard Scotty Washington from Cal State Northridge and Rob Martin out of Southeastern Missouri State. Fletcher also previously was in the programs at Kentucky and Florida State. Washington played three seasons at California Baptist before one season at Cal State Northridge, averaging 14.6 points per game during the past season.

The cars of Tito Clapp and Jeremy Kidd had camber adjustment that exceeded allowable limits.

Jimmy Cooper was moved up to second place, with Justin Smith, Barry Hines and Corbin Payne completing the top five. Mason Vance and Josh Phillips won five-lap qualifying races.

Steven Collins won a 12-lapper for the Crown Vic division. Brandon Mock took the runner-up spot, with Dean Levi, TJ Gibson and

Brad Martin in the top five.

Michael Tucker topped Tyler Bush in a 20-lap race in the Mini Stocks.

Cale Weavil bested Charlie Evans in a two-lap shootout for the INEX Bandolero. Mason Williams, Paisley Lawson, Jack Lawson, Paxton Smith and Wyatt Linker rounded out the finish order.

Nicholas Bulkeley as the winner of the US Legends 25-lap feature. Samuel Macedo was second with Anthony Freedle in third.

Regular racing returns on April 26 with Chargers, Mini Stocks, UCARs, 602 Modifieds, Crown Vics, Legends Cars and Bandoleros.

PAC baseball race remains in flux

Randleman picked up a key victory last week, but several games were nixed because of rain

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

THERE WAS LITTLE movement in the Piedmont Athletic Conference baseball standings last week with a slate of games rained out or suspended. Next week should be extremely critical as the pecking order is sorted out. With no conference games on this week’s schedule because of spring break, Randleman and Uwharrie Charter Academy will go into the final stretch of the season atop the standings with Trinity in position to make a move as well.

Randleman (7-2 PAC) has just one conference series — vs. Trinity — remaining aside from a makeup date vs. Providence Grove. UCA (5-2) and Trinity (5-3) are in the mix, while Eastern Randolph (3-4) has an outside shot. Randleman inched closer to another conference championship last week. The Tigers have won or shared regular-season league titles every year since a second-place spot in 2009.

UCA has two games apiece against Wheatmore and Southwestern Randolph, plus the

Next week should be extremely critical as the pecking order is sorted out.

COURTESY CARAWAY SPEEDWAY

Dylan Ward, a regular driver at Caraway Speedway, and his team members and supporters celebrate

Saturday night at Caraway Speedway.

HOME PLATE MOTORS

Jose Ramirez

Uwharrie Charter Academy, baseball

Ramirez, a senior outfielder, has been one of the leading batters for the Eagles, who are contenders in the Piedmont Athletic Conference.

Ramirez had four runs batted in last week when UCA pummeled Eastern Randolph.

The Eagles entered this week with victories in three of their last four games, with the lone loss during that stretch in extra innings.

BASEBALL from page B1

completion of a suspended game with Eastern Randolph.

After facing Randleman, Trinity has a pair of games with Eastern Randolph.

Randleman rode six innings of pitching from John Kirkpatrick to an 8-2 home victory against Providence Grove. Kirkpatrick also had two hits and scored two runs. Tate Andrews scored two runs.

The rematch was suspended in the fourth inning Thursday at Providence Grove. It’s slated to resume April 23.

• Logun Wilkins threw a six-inning shutout when UCA drilled host Eastern Randolph 16-0.

Jose Ramirez knocked in four runs and Jake Hunter scored three runs and drove in two runs for UCA.

• Southwestern Randolph rolled to a 12-2 triumph at Wheatmore with Caleb Coggins posting two hits. Sean Jennison, Jonathan Heraldo and Clay Hill combined for the pitching.

• Trinity won 8-4 in a nonconference game at Asheboro with Lincoln Coble striking out 10 batters in five innings.

Brody Little drove in two runs and Walker Parrish had three hits.

Adam Curry smacked a threerun home run for Asheboro.

Trinity had another nonleague game called off at Eastern Guilford.

• Asheboro lost twice in the Mid-Piedmont Conference to Ledford in a pair of games on separate days at McCrary Park. Ledford won 4-1 and 5-3, the latter result coming despite three hits from Asheboro’s Cohen Caviness.

Southwestern Randolph controls two more softball opponents

A Wheatmore soccer player racked up eight goals combined in a pair of games

Randolph Record staff

ASHEBORO — Macie

Crutchfield’s no-hitter came with 11 strikeouts in Southwestern Randolph’s 10-0 domination of visiting Providence Grove in Piedmont Athletic Conference softball last week.

Crutchfield also drove in four runs and Nauttica Parrish registered three this.

Alyssa Harris notched 13 strikeouts in a 4-1 nonleague victory at Jordan-Matthews.

• Randleman’s Kadie Green rapped two doubles and scored

three runs, and Addyson Dees knocked in three runs and scored three runs when the Tigers overpowered visiting Wheatmore 11-1.

• Kyndal Kindley drove in four runs and Kiayla Burnette homered when Wheatmore defeated visiting Eastern Randolph 17-11.

• Ryley Thompson homered twice in Uwharrie Charter Academy’s 17-2 victory against visiting Trinity.

Girls’ soccer

Wheatmore handled Trinity for a 5-0 road victory as Natalie Bowman posted three goals.

Bowman notched five goals and two assists in an 8-0 whip -

ping of visiting Randleman. Jocelyn McDowell added two goals.

• Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Kendall Jarrel pumped in four goals in a 6-1 home victory against Providence Grove.

• Asheboro won 2-1 against visiting North Davidson with goals from Kimrey Watts and Jaira Arellano.

Arellano had two goals when the Blue Comets toppled host Ledford 5-2. Watts, Gigi Flores and Grace Bigelow also scored.

Asheboro lost 5-0 to visiting Oak Grove in Friday night’s Mid-Piedmont Conference game, which was moved to a turf field at ZooCity Sportsplex because of the amount of rain during the day.

Larson dominates to claims emotional Cup victory at Bristol Motor Speedway

The win comes after the death of his longtime PR representative

By Nate Ryan The Associated Press

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Kyle Larson led 411 of 500 laps and scored an emotional win Sunday with a dominating NASCAR Cup Series victory at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Larson, racing just days after the death of Jon Edwards, his former public relations representative, picked up his second Cup win of the season. It was his 31st Cup victory and third at Bristol.

Denny Hamlin finished second in his 400th consecutive Cup start, falling one spot short in his bid for a third consecutive win. Ty Gibbs was third, followed by Chase Briscoe and Ryan Blaney.

Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet was one of several cars sporting a decal in the memory of Edwards, the Hendrick Motorsports director of communications whose death was confirmed in a Thursday statement from the team. The cause of death was not announced.

The 53-year-old Edwards was a PR specialist during Jeff Gordon’s four Cup championships. After becoming Gordon’s right-hand man, Edwards also worked closely with Larson since the star joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2021 and won his first championship.

On Saturday at Bristol, Larson dedicated an Xfinity Series victory to Edwards, who took vacations with the driver and became his closest friend on the No. 5 team.

Larson also finished second in Friday’s Truck Series race, nearly completing a tripleheader sweep to honor Edwards,

SIDELINE

REPORT

NCAA BASKETBALL

Betting up in men’s NCAA Tournament, during women’s basketball season

Las Vegas It was a men’s NCAA Tournament in which upsets were unusual and a women’s field sans Caitlin Clark. Betting nevertheless was up on both sides this year at the BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbooks. BetMGM saw an 18% increase on the men’s side that culminated in Florida’s heart-pounding 65-63 victory over Houston for the Gators’ third championship. Betting on the women’s side was up 10% this season at BetMGM. UConn rolled to an 82 -59 victory over defending champion South Carolina for the Huskies’ 12th national title but first since 2016.

“I’m happy to see the smiling faces and everybody talking positively of Jon this week.”

Kyle Larson on PR man Jon Edwards’ death

whom he said was always a happy person.

“He wouldn’t want us to be sad,” Larson said of Edwards.

“I’m happy to see the smiling faces and everybody talking positively of Jon this week.”

Helping others

Defending Cup Series champion Joey Logano was named a National Motorsports Press Association Pocono Spirit Award winner for his efforts in helping Hurricane Helene victims with rebuilding after the storm last fall. Logano was presented the award at Bristol because of the track’s proximity to the devastation in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.

“One of my quotes that I like to think about a lot is, ‘Don’t let

MLB

Fan reaches into Trout’s glove to snatch catch from Angels outfielder

Houston A fan snatched the ball out of Mike Trout’s glove after the Los Angeles Angels star reached into the right field stands to try to make a catch. Trout raced into the rightfield corner on the fly ball hit by Yainer Diaz in the second inning, leaped and extended his left arm into the stands. But a fan wearing a Houston Astros jersey immediately grabbed the ball as Trout immediately gestured to umpires that the fan had taken it out of his glove. First base umpire Alan Porter ruled it a foul ball and not a catch.

a crisis go to waste,’” said Logano, whose foundation committed $250,000 to Helene relief after he toured the storm’s path last October. “A crisis like that presented a huge opportunity for all of us to band together and impact some people that just got their lives wiped out. It’s some pretty heavy stuff up there. The great news is there’s a lot of comeback.”

The Bristol weekend continued a busy week for Logano, who recovered from a bout with norovirus in time for last Wednesday visit to the White House. After scraping the wall in qualifying Saturday, he started Sunday’s race from the rear because of unapproved adjustments to his No. 22 Ford.

Up next

After a break for Easter weekend, the Cup Series will race Sunday, April 27 at Talladega Superspeedway, where Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Tyler Reddick won last year.

Talladega will follow the final off week of the season for NASCAR’s premier series, which will race on 28 consecutive weekends through the Nov. 2 season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

NFL

Flacco returning to Browns on 1-year deal

Cleveland

Joe Flacco is heading back to Cleveland. The veteran NFL quarterback agreed to terms with the Browns on a one-year deal. Flacco won the league’s Comeback Player of the Year award in 2023 after leading an inspiring late-season surge that carried the Browns to the playoffs. He spent last season in Indianapolis, throwing for 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions in eight games, including a 2-4 mark as a starter. The 40-year-old Flacco joins a quarterback room that includes Kenny Pickett. Cleveland acquired the former first-round draft pick in a deal with Philadelphia in March.

COURTESY PHOTO

Kyle Larson goes into Turn 3 during his NASCAR Cup Series win Sunday in Bristol, Tennessee.

pen & paper pursuits

this week in history

CIA-trained Cuban exiles invade Bay of Pigs, American Revolution begins, Twain dies

The Associated Press

APRIL 17

1961: Some 1,400 CIA-trained Cuban exiles launched the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in an attempt to topple Fidel Castro, whose forces crushed the incursion within three days.

1970: Apollo 13 astronauts James A. Lovell, Fred W. Haise and Jack Swigert splashed down safely in the Pacific.

1975: Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh fell to the Khmer Rouge, which instituted brutal, radical policies that claimed an estimated 1.7 million lives.

APRIL 18

1775: Paul Revere began his famous ride from Charlestown to Lexington, Massachusetts, warning colonists that British Regular troops were approaching.

1906: The deadliest earthquake in U.S. history struck San Francisco, killing more than 3,000 people.

1955: Physicist Albert Einstein died at age 76.

1983: Sixty-three people, including 17 Americans, were killed at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, by a suicide bomber driving a van laden with explosives.

APRIL 19

1775: The American Revolutionary War began with the Battles of Lexington and Concord — the start of an eight-year conflict between American colonists and the British Army.

A.F. BRADLEY VIA WIKIPEDIA

Mark Twain, American author and humorist, died at age 74 on April 21, 1910.

1993: A 51-day standoff with the Branch Davidians near Waco, Texas, ended when their compound burned down during an FBI assault, killing 76.

1995: Timothy McVeigh destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people.

APRIL 20

1812: The fourth vice president of the United States, George Clinton, died in Washington at age 72, becoming the first vice president to die while in office.

1912: Boston’s Fenway Park, the oldest active stadium in Major League Baseball, hosted its first official baseball game.

1999: Two students shot and killed 12 classmates and one teacher and also injured 23 others before taking their own lives at Columbine High School, near Denver, Colorado.

APRIL 21

1836: An army of Texans, led by Sam Houston, defeated the Mexican Army, led by Antonio López de Santa Anna, in the Battle of San Jacinto.

1910: Author Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, died at age 74.

1918: German Air Force pilot Manfred von Richthofen nicknamed “The Red Baron,” was killed after being shot during a World War I air battle over Vaux-sur-Somme, France.

2016: Prince, one of the most inventive and influential musicians of modern times, was found dead at his home from an accidental fentanyl overdose; he was 57.

APRIL 22

1889: The Oklahoma Land Rush began at noon as thousands of homesteaders staked claims to nearly 1.9 million acres of land that was formerly part of Indian Territory.

1954: The publicly televised sessions of the Senate Army-McCarthy hearings began.

1994: Richard M. Nixon died four days after having a stroke; he was 81.

APRIL 23

1635: The Boston Latin School, the first public school in what would become the United States, was established.

1898: Spain declared war on the United States, which responded in kind two days later.

1971: Hundreds of Vietnam War veterans opposed to the conflict protested by tossing their medals and ribbons over a wire fence constructed in front of the U.S. Capitol.

1993: Labor leader Cesar Chavez died at age 66.

MARK DUNCAN / AP PHOTO

Prince, the legendary musician, died of an accidental drug overdose on April 21, 2016.

It’s Met Gala time! Get yourself suitable with this guide

Last year’s event brought in more than $26 million to the Met’s Costume Institute

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — As springtime sunshine finally hits New York City, the Met Gala beckons — one of the most anticipated and visible parties in the world.

This year, the theme — “Tailored For You” — is focused on classic tailoring. As always, the dress code is inspired by the spring exhibit at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” is the first Met show to focus exclusively on black designers, and the first in more than 20 years to have a menswear theme. The show looks at the evolution of black style over the centuries through the lens of dandyism.

Here are some key things to know as fashion’s biggest night approaches.

When is the Met Gala?

The gala happens the first Monday in May, which this year falls on May 5.

What exactly is the Met Gala?

Not everyone knows that the gala is actually a fundraiser for the Costume Institute, the only self-funding department at the Met. Last year, the evening brought in a whopping sum of more than $26 million to the museum’s coffers.

Monica L. Miller, guest curator of the upcoming Costume Institute exhibit

“Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” looks over designs on March 20.

Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” is the first Met show to focus exclusively on black designers.

Was it always this big?

Definitely not. It started in 1948 as a Manhattan society midnight supper — held at various places like the Waldorf Astoria and the Rainbow Room.

Who’s hosting the 2025 Met Gala?

Each year brings a new group of celebrity co-chairs. This year they are Pharrell Williams, Lewis Hamilton, Colman Domingo and A$AP

Rocky — along with Anna Wintour, the influential Vogue editor who always oversees the proceedings. NBA superstar LeBron James is honorary chair.

Who else is attending the Met Gala so far?

Word on attendees trickles out slowly in the weeks leading up to the event. But this year there’s also a huge additional host committee with stars from various fields. (They don’t have specific host duties other than showing up and, it goes without saying, looking fabulous.)

It includes athletes Sim-

one Biles and husband Jonathan Owens, Angel Reese and Sha’Carri Richardson; filmmakers Spike Lee, Tonya Lewis Lee and Regina King; and actors Ayo Edebiri, Audra McDonald and Jeremy Pope, and musicians Doechii, Usher, Tyla, Janelle Monáe and André 3000.

How strict is the dress code?

The code is meant to be a guide, not a hard rule, and loose interpretation is encouraged. Sometimes, that interpretation extends not only to what guests put on, but what they take off. Lady Gaga did a 16-minute striptease on the gala carpet in 2019. Jared Leto spent the evening in 2023 carrying around his huge cat head, a tribute to Karl Lagerfeld’s beloved pet.

How do guests spend the evening?

Guests enter the museum and walk past an enormous flower arrangement in the museum’s grand lobby — always a talking point. Often there is an an orchestra playing nearby. At the top of the grand staircase, Wintour and her co-hosts form a receiving line. Guests then head either to cocktails or to view the exhibit. Cocktails are followed by dinner. The most hotly anticipated guests sometimes skip cocktails and even dinner and arrive around dessert time for maximum impact (we’re looking at you, Rihanna).

BOOK REVIEW

Denby profiles 4 ‘eminent’ Jews who changed post-WWII American culture

By Ann Levin The Associated Press

WHEN LYTTON Strachey

set out to write “Eminent Victorians” in 1918, he sought to enliven the stuffy Victorian conventions of biographical writing by portraying his subjects with warts and all. In his new book “Eminent Jews,” David Denby pays tribute to that iconic work by choosing a similar-sounding title. This sly homage simultaneously serves as a kind of callback to Denby’s own 1996 bestseller, “Great Books,” about reading the literary canon of the Western world at Columbia University. But unlike his predecessor, Denby, a staff writer at the New Yorker and former film critic there and at New York magazine, seeks to celebrate, not denigrate, his subjects.

For his project Denby chose four of the most brilliant and consequential American Jews in the arts and letters after the Second World War — Mel Brooks, Betty Friedan, Norman Mailer and Leonard Bernstein — and analyzed their monumental, zeitgeist-changing achievements from the intimate perspective of a younger American Jew who came of age in a world that they in large part created.

“Eminent Jews: Bernstein, Brooks, Friedan, Mailer” author David Denby is a former staff writer at the New Yorker and film critic for New York magazine.

Readers might reasonably ask why these four and not so many others whose lives burned brightly in the second half of the 20th century? Denby states his reasons clearly: Brooks transformed popular comedy, turning it into “a celebration of the body and an assault on death.” Friedan kicked off second-wave feminism, teaching women “to dismiss humiliation (and) confront anger.” Mailer created new forms of American prose and virtually invented “the bad Jewish boy.” And Bernstein wrote Broadway shows, popularized

SOLUTIONS FOR THIS WEEK

Denby has clearly done so much research and is so besotted with his subjects that he is loath to leave anything out — though it is not hard to see why.

classical music and became one of the great conductors of the 20th century.

Though his overall tone is triumphal, Denby does not shy away from portraying their dark sides: Brooks’ need to dominate any room of writers; Bernstein’s sexual dalliances and, later in life, his crude public behavior; Mailer’s promiscuity and the stabbing of his second wife; and Frieden’s mutually abusive marriage and difficulty sharing the spotlight with other feminist leaders.

At times, though, the book drags. Denby has clearly done so much research and is so besotted with his subjects that he is loath to leave anything out — though it is not hard to see why. One anecdote is juicier than the next, the literary equivalent of those lavish spreads at the Jewish resorts in the Catskills of yore where Brooks got his start and whose menus Denby lovingly recalls: chilled schav (sorrel soup) with sliced egg, boiled yearling fowl in a pot, and Vienna almond crescent.

JOCELYN NOVECK / AP PHOTO

The author chose Mel Brooks, Betty Friedan, Norman Mailer and Leonard Bernstein

HENRY HOLT VIA AP

Iggy Pop turns 78, George Takei and Jack Nicholson are 88 The Associated Press THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week.

APRIL 17

Author Nick Hornby is 68. Actor Jennifer Garner is 53. Singer Victoria Beckham is 51.

APRIL 18

Actor Hayley Mills is 79. Actor James Woods is 78. Actor Rick Moranis is 72. Actor Jane Leeves is 64. Ventriloquist-comedian Jeff Dunham is 63. Talk show host Conan O’Brien is 62.

APRIL 19

Actor Tim Curry is 79. Actor Ashley Judd is 57. Latin pop singer Luis Miguel is 55. Actor James Franco is 47. Actor Kate Hudson is 46.

APRIL 20

Actor George Takei (“Star Trek”) is 88. Actor Jessica Lange is 76. Actor Clint Howard is 66. Actor Carmen Electra is 53. Actor Joey Lawrence (“Blossom,” “Brotherly Love”) is 49.

APRIL 21

Singer Iggy Pop is 78. Actor Patti LuPone is 76. Actor Tony Danza is 74. Actor Andie MacDowell is 67. Rapper Michael Franti of Spearhead is 59.

APRIL 22

Actor Jack Nicholson is 88. Singer Mel

the stream

Jude Law plays fed, ‘Law & Order’ reunion, David Oyelowo in oddball comedy

Nathan Fielder returns with more antics in “The Rehearsal”

The Associated Press

MARISKA HARGITAY reuniting with her old partner, Detective Elliot Stabler, on “Law & Order: Organized Crime” and Jude Law sporting a mustache and an American accent to play an FBI agent in the movie “The Order” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also among the streaming offerings worth your time: David Oyelowo stars in the new quirky series for Apple TV+ called “Government Cheese,” Ramy Youssef’s new adult animation series “#1 Happy Family USA” comes to Prime Video, and two innovative indie rockers partner up for a country album when boygenius’ Julien Baker and Torres release “Send a Prayer My Way.”

MOVIES TO STREAM

If you’re in the mood for a crackling 1970s-styled crime thriller, “The Order” is making its Hulu debut on Friday. Law sports a mustache and an American accent to play an FBI agent who connects the dots between violent crimes arising in the Pacific Northwest in the early 1980s. The film, directed by Justin Kurzel, is based on a true story that culminated in one of the largest manhunts in FBI history as agents searched for Robert Jay Mathews (played by Nicholas Hoult), the leader of a white supremacist group committing armed robberies with plans to overthrow the government. Perhaps you’re looking for more fantastical and less reality-based horror, in which case Peacock has “Wolf Man” starting Friday. The film stars Christopher Abbott as the unfortunate father and husband who, in trying to protect his family from a werewolf, turns into one. Julia Garner also stars in the film from Leigh Whannell. The streamer will also once again be home to Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.”

With a Kelly Reichardt film set for Cannes and Michelle Williams earning raves for “Dying for Sex,” it’s the perfect time to revisit one of their classic collaborations in “Certain Women,” streaming on Paramount. It’s a quiet, introspective film about women in a small Montana town (Williams, Kristen Stewart, Lily Gladstone and Laura Dern included) told in poignant vignettes.

MUSIC TO STREAM

Afrobeats have gone global, and the four-time Grammy nominated Nigerian superstar Davido is at least partially responsible. On Friday, he will release his fifth studio album, appropriately titled “5ive.” It’s stuffed with collaborations — YG Marley, Odumodublvck and Chike among them — and furthers his life-affirming worldwide pop. “I want to have it all/ Still dey find my resolve,” he sings on the single “Be There Still,” atop percussive synths. “Na God dey bless me all the way/12 years, I’m still on top.” What happens when two innovative indie rockers partner

up for a country album? Tenderness, at least in the case of boygenius’ Baker and Torres. Their first collaborative album, “Send a Prayer My Way,” out Friday via the historic Matador Records, acts as a reclamation of their Southern roots, in some ways, and an energetic take on classic country in a few others. Affection is felt throughout. “I love you all of the ways,” they harmonize on the single “Sugar in the Tank.” “That I know how.”

SHOWS TO STREAM

Oyelowo stars in a new quirky series for Apple TV+ called “Government Cheese.” Set in 1969, Oyelowo plays Hampton

Julien Baker and Torres’ album “Send a Prayer My Way” and Davido’s “5ive” will be released this week.

Julien Baker and Torres’ “Send a Prayer My Way” acts as a reclamation of their Southern roots, in some ways, and an energetic take on classic country in a few others.

ern day crime families and illegal enterprises. “Law & Order: Organized Crime” debuts Thursday.

The Tubi comedy “Boarders” is back for a second season beginning Thursday. The comingof-age series follows five black inner-city teenagers attending an elite boarding school in London. While season one was about adjustment and fitting in, in season two the kids are thriving in their new world. Season One was “certified fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes.

Youssef’s new adult animation series “#1 Happy Family USA” comes to Prime Video. The show follows the Husseins, a well-intentioned immigrant Muslim family living in America. The Husseins just want to fit in and embrace American life. It’s not an easy road, however, as the debut episode takes place on Sept. 10, 2001, one day before the 9/11 terror attacks. Youssef co-created and stars in the series. All eight episodes are available Thursday.

Nathan Fielder’s “The Rehearsal” premieres its second season on Sunday on Max. Season One showed us Fielder as a heightened version of himself, helping everyday people rehearse for uncomfortable life events both big and small. In Season Two, Fielder narrows in on the aviation industry, which has had a number of disasters and close calls in recent months. Fielder creates a fake airport and hires actors to interact with pilots in made-up scenarios.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

Chambers, a man recently released from prison. Hampton returns home hoping to seamlessly reunite with his family but ends up having a harder time than he anticipated. Hampton believes his ticket to a better life is his invention of a self-sharpening power drill. “Government Cheese” is streaming now. “Law & Order: Organized Crime” has moved to Peacock for its fifth season. Mariska Hargitay will guest star on the two-episode premiere, reuniting with her old partner, Detective Elliot Stabler, played by Christopher Meloni. Stabler now works in the NYPD Organized Crime Control Bureau, whose mission is to take down New York’s mod-

The star of Tempopo is a girl named Hana who lives on an island filled with musically gifted flowers. But after a tornado blows them away, Hana has to call on the magical title creatures to restore her gardens. The result is 60 levels of 3D challenges that might scratch an itch for fans of Nintendo’s brain-twisting Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. Tempopo comes from the Australian indie studio Witch Beam, best known for the award-winning 2021 puzzler Unpacking, and it recalls that game’s mellow vibe. You can start planting Thursday on Xbox X/S, Switch and

PC.

VERTICAL ENTERTAINMENT / PEACOCK / UNIVERSAL VIA AP

“The Order,” the crime series “Law & Order: Organized Crime” and the film “Wolf Man” land this week on a screen near you.

VERTICAL VIA AP

Nicholas Hoult stars in “The Order.”

MATADOR / SONY VIA AP

HOKE COUNTY

Flying high

A North Carolina Highway Patrol helicopter hovers during a flight demonstration at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new North Carolina Troopers Association Museum in Raleigh on Monday.

WHAT’S

HAPPENING Commissioners address water disruption

Salvation Army closes “emergency” homeless shelter as funds run dry Fayetteville The Salvation Army announced the immediate closure of its Pathway of Hope “emergency shelter” in Fayetteville, leaving more than 50 people who had been using the facility without a place to sleep. “We have no funding partners, and we cannot continue to offer shelter without funding,” said a Salvation Army representative. It was the primary emergency shelter in the county. Other agencies and nonprofits were working to assist those displaced by the sudden closure.

White House restricts all wire service access in Gulf of America spat Washington, D.C.

The White House enacted a new media policy this week that reduces access to President Donald Trump for wire services, including the AP, particularly in small venues like the Oval Office. This follows a court ruling that the administration violated the AP’s free speech rights by banning it from certain events for, the administration claims, not using the name “Gulf of America.” The new policy says the press secretary will choose who gets access to the president. It does, however, obey the court’s order by giving the AP the same access as competitor wire services. The White House Correspondents’ Association and AP have condemned the policy, arguing it undermines press freedom and the public’s right to information.

A blown water line caused parts of the county to be without water for several days

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

RAEFORD — At its April 7 meeting, the Hoke County Board of Commissioners discussed the water main break that left a portion of the county without water.

On April 3, utility crews working to expand water and sewer in the Rockfish area accidentally broke a water main, with the problem persisting across multiple days.

“We had some blocking that was moved and adjusted and it caused the actual cement-asbestos line to blow out, and that’s why we had those outages,” said Utilities Director James McQueen.

“We were digging by hand, trying to locate the water line and see what the connection was and what exactly was happening, and during the excavation, the thrust block started shifting, and at that point,

a short section of line blew out from under the road,” said said Zahran Holt of Hoke Contracting, who was the company working on the line. “We tried to get it fixed instantly with a gasket that we got, but there was just so many cross-connected lines that were attached into the system and one of them was crimped, so when the system fired back up, that line actually infiltrated, softening the material and causing the thrust block to fail.”

The problem was eventually solved by the weekend, with a subsequent boil-water advisory — due to sediment having infiltrated the system during the failure — being lifted on Sunday.

“We all live here and we don’t want to cause these things,” Holt said. “We did everything we could beforehand to prevent it, and it was just a terrible sequence of events.”

One of the issues citizens and the commissioners expressed with the break was a lack of proper communication, something McQueen says the Utilities Commission is working to address.

“We had a meeting today on figuring out ways to give the

“We all live here and we don’t want to cause these things.”

Zahran Holt, an employee of Hoke Contracting, the company working on the line

county and the citizens a better way forward of receiving notifications,” McQueen said. “If you download the utilities app that we currently have in our system, we’re looking at pushing out information that way. The other way we’re currently doing it is we go through the actual county’s Facebook page and website to give out information.”

“Everybody came together as a team to work on this,” said vice chair Harry Southerland. “It was unforeseen, but when you guys got on it, it was all hands on deck, and all throughout the night, 2 and 3 o’clock in the morning, we were getting calls and updates about what was going on and what was needed.”

The board was also presented with preliminary plat ap-

proval requests for two different subdivisions.

The first pertained to the Kirwin Village subdivision, an 84.5-acre site located off of Club Pond Road.

The request was to approve Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the project, which amounts to the addition of 121 lots.

“These last two phases are a continuation of Kirwin Village,” said David Upchurch with D&L Engineering, the applicant. “Kirwin Village Phase 1 A and B are constructed and the final plats have been filed and recorded and houses are being built. In fact, approximately 50% of the houses are built and probably 35% are lived in currently.” According to Upchurch, water and sewer is available for the expansion and the permits for it have already been signed off on.

“These will be the last phases on this site,” Upchurch said. “There’s no more usable property on the tract. That’s not to say at some point another parcel may be added to it, but for now this is all of Kirwin Village.” The second item pertained

Ex-congressman Nickel launches bid to unseat Tillis

The Democrat served one term in the U.S. House before his district was redrawn in 2024

By Gary D. Robertson The Associated Press

RALEIGH — Former Democratic U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel announced last Wednesday his candidacy to try to unseat Sen. Thom Tillis in 2026, saying a “fighter for what’s right for our state” is needed and criticizing the Republican incumbent for backing President Donald Trump’s agenda. Nickel signaled his interest in a Senate bid in late 2023, when the Raleigh-area congressman decided against seeking a second House term the next year because he determined congressional redistricting that year by Republican state leg-

islators made it essentially impossible to win his seat again. A Nickel news release at the time said he would “explore a path forward” in the Senate.

A lawyer and former state senator, Nickel served in Congress though the end of last year and sought to build up name recognition in Democratic circles statewide by supporting party policies and raising money for party candidates in 2024.

In a campaign video marking the campaign’s formal launch, Nickel linked Tillis squarely to Trump and his early-term actions, as well as those of Elon Musk, who has spearheaded the Department of Government Efficiency.

“When the chips are down, Thom Tillis lays down for the billionaires, for the extremists, for policies that hurt North Carolina,” the 49-year-old Nickel said. “This is a moment for a

new generation of leadership with a fresh vision and the courage to fight for what’s right. And that’s exactly what I’ll do in the U.S. Senate.” Tillis, who was first elected to the Senate in 2014, is already

raising money for his 2026 reelection bid. His seat is considered by Democrats one of a handful that they could potentially flip next year in their effort to take back the Senate majority. Tillis’ victories in 2014 and 2020 were narrow.

Other Democrats could still enter the race, with the chief consideration going to former Gov. Roy Cooper, who was barred by term limits from seeking a third term last fall. Mentioned among the top options to be Kamala Harris’ running mate last year, the 67-yearold Cooper is the state’s most popular Democrat and would automatically be considered the front-runner in a March 2026 primary if he joined. Cooper, who is currently on a short-term teaching stint at Harvard University, “wants

THE HOKE COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

MANUEL BALCE CENETA / AP PHOTO

Then-Rep. Wiley Nickel (D-N.C.) speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in November 2022.

ASHLEY WHITE FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

WATER from page A1

to the Turnberry West Subdivision, a 13-acre site located off of Townsend Road.

The request was to approve Phase 2 of the project for the construction of an additional 49 lots.

“It ties into Turnberry Phase 1, which was 96 lots,” Upchurch said. “It will connect to the PWC section of the Hoke County water system. These three little sections were left out of the original preliminary plat because the owners of the property, at one time, thought they might

EDUCATION CORNER

| SUPERINTENDENT KENNETH SPELLS

A season of opportunity, celebration and inspiration

Events like these highlight the incredible talent within our schools and remind us of the importance of hands-on learning.

SPRING HAS ARRIVED, and things are getting busier than ever across Hoke County Schools. From celebrations of our dedicated sta ff to events that inspire and engage our students, it’s truly a season of excitement, energy and opportunity.

On April 11, we had the privilege of welcoming North Carolina Rep. Garland Pierce to Upchurch Elementary and Hoke County High School. Pierce met with students and witnessed firsthand the enthusiasm and hard work that define our district. We are grateful for his visit and his continued support of public education.

On April 12, the district was abuzz with innovation and creativity as students put their STEM skills to the test during our Robotics Competition. It was inspiring to see their teamwork, problem-solving and passion for technology on full display. Events like these highlight the incredible talent within our schools and remind us of the importance of hands-on learning.

Throughout April, we have taken time to recognize several vital members of our school community. During Assistant Principal Week, we celebrated the tireless efforts of our assistant principals, who help guide and support our schools every day. We also honored our school libraries and the media coordinators who manage them as part of School Library Month. These

do something in a more dense fashion.”

According to Upchurch, Phase 2 in Turnberry West will eventually tie through another portion of Turnberry and then tie all the way across to U.S. 401.

The board also authorized the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office to pursue the purchase of four onthe-ground, fully upfitted vehicles (three Tahoes and one pickup) which is already budgeted for.

The Hoke County Board of Commissioners will next meet April 21.

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

professionals not only support literacy and learning but also create welcoming environments that encourage curiosity and discovery.

April is also the Month of the Military Child, and we proudly celebrate the resilience and strength of our military- connected students. These children face unique challenges, and their ability to thrive in the face of change is truly admirable.

Additionally, we recently held our Administrative Professionals Luncheon — a well-deserved recognition for the dedicated individuals who keep our schools running smoothly behind the scenes. Their contributions are often unseen but never unappreciated.

We’re also excited to host our inaugural Non-Traditional Career Fair on April 17 at Hoke County High School. This event brings together professionals from a wide range of industries to introduce both high school and middle school students to career paths they may not have previously considered. Our goal is to broaden students’ perspectives about their futures and encourage them to dream big.

At Hoke County Schools, we believe in celebrating our people, supporting our students and inspiring greatness every day. Thank you for being a part of this journey with us.

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

Americans, not government, must benefit from Trump’s tariffs

A fourth option would be to eliminate some specific, onerous taxes with tariff income.

PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP’S tariff plan is working exactly as he intended.

The initially announced steep tariffs on more than 100 countries roiled markets — and sent the mainstream media into hysteria. Some of our trading partners bristled and rattled sabers with relatively small retaliatory plans. It was all perfectly Trumpian. The president got everyone’s attention (which is almost always his first step). He then softened his stance to open negotiations. Our trading partners now realize how serious Trump is, and they are coming to the table to figure out how they can continue to engage with the world’s largest market.

The next challenge for the White House and Republicans will be deciding what to do with the potential flood of tariff revenues.

Trump’s robust tariff regime will likely yield a lot of revenue. This money should be returned to the American people. There must not be any discussion of keeping tariff revenue as a new pork barrel for politicians or bureaucrats.

The founding fathers understood the power of tariffs. Specifically, they saw potential for tariffs to replace domestic taxes. The clearest explanation of this was President Thomas Jefferson in his 1805 second inaugural address. Jefferson combined fiscal frugality with a shrewd tax policy to minimize the burden on the American people:

“The suppression of unnecessary offices, of useless establishments and expenses, enabled us to discontinue our internal taxes.

“These covering our land with officers, and

opening our doors to their intrusions, had already begun that process of domiciliary vexation which, once entered, is scarcely to be restrained from reaching successively every article of produce and property.

“The remaining revenue on the consumption of foreign articles, is paid cheerfully by those who can afford to add foreign luxuries to domestic comforts, being collected on our seaboards and frontiers only, and incorporated with the transactions of our mercantile citizens, it may be the pleasure and pride of an American to ask, what farmer, what mechanic, what laborer, ever sees a tax-gatherer of the United States?”

Now, the world was much different in Jefferson’s time. For instance, there was no federal income tax. Jefferson’s vision of no one ever seeing a tax collector inside the United States is likely impossible. However, it reflects an ideal world of limited government and intrusion.

Trump is methodically and aggressively creating a new worldwide system of bilateral agreements and tariff arrangements. The revenue stream will be virtually impossible to accurately project until after the year is over.

However, there are several ways to return the revenue to the American people.

One way would be to reduce the following year’s income tax rates based on total tariff revenue collected. If 2025 is a big year for revenue from places such as China and the European Union, then we could have significant income tax reductions for everyone in 2026.

A second option would be to create a system like the Alaskan Permanent Fund Dividend. Each year, it sends checks out to eligible Alaskans reflecting the wealth created by the state’s natural resources. In 2024, the fund sent $1,702 to each of the 600,000 eligible Alaskans. It would be useful to estimate a range of revenues the new tariffs system will generate and then consider how to return it to the American people. Since some estimates indicate the tariffs could raise $2 trillion to $3 trillion over the next decade, the amount involved could be substantial.

A third option would be to look at a series of tax credits based on national goals that could be expanded with tariff revenues. We could create a robust permanent research and development tax credit if 20% of the tariff revenue were dedicated to accelerating technology. A portion could also go toward tax credits aimed to promote small business investment, strong families, job creation, or other values.

A fourth option would be to partially follow Jefferson’s model and eliminate some specific, onerous taxes with tariff income. In some cases, the cost of tax preparation is higher than the actual tax payment. Eliminating them would increase private sector growth and make filing taxes less of a burden. In any event, Congress should start thinking now about the most effective ways to put Trump’s tariff revenues into Americans’ pockets — and far away from Washington’s piggy bank. Newt Gingrich was the 50th speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

House Bill 612 — Fostering Care in NC Act

We’ve lost over 1,000 foster families in the last 5 years.

THE CHILD WELFARE system in the United States was created to protect children from abuse and neglect.

In the 1800s, “child-saving” efforts were voluntary and consisted mainly of orphanages and almshouses, also known as poor houses, that housed children and impoverished adults.

The North Carolina Constitution of 1868 established, for the first time, a role for state government with respect to social services that the “beneficent provision for the poor, the unfortunate and orphan[s] being one of the first duties of a civilized and a Christian state, the General Assembly shall, at its first session, appoint and define the duties of a Board of Public Charities, to whom shall be entrusted the supervision of all charitable and penal State institutions…”

The federal government established and funded Child Protective Services in 1962, and North Carolina began participating in the provision of state foster care in 1969. The primary goal was to ensure children’s safety and well-being by protecting children from abuse and neglect, intervening when necessary to remove children from dangerous situations and working with families to address problems contributing to abuse or neglect.

As legislators, we are responsible to our youngest North Carolinians, who are the future of our great state. We have a moral and ethical responsibility to ensure that the 16,245 children and youth in foster care receive care and support so that they can have a bright future.

We have entrusted the child welfare work in North Carolina to the 100 counties who

each operate local Departments of Social Services (DSS). These departments are supervised by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and follow a policy directive to strengthen and preserve families whenever possible; but when a child can no longer safely remain with their family, the state must assure that the quality of substitute care is as close as possible to the care and nurturing that society expects of a family.

We recognize that many hard-working individuals serve in our county DSS agencies, and they do extraordinary work every day to support children and families. But we also have concerns about the consistency in how care is provided, impacting the overall effectiveness of the N.C. child welfare system.

There have been numerous news reports of egregious examples of children being harmed or killed by their parents; we’ve lost over 1,000 foster families in the last five years; children are sleeping in DSS offices or are stuck in hospital emergency rooms waiting for mental health treatment, and children are languishing in foster care for years waiting for a place to call home.

Recently a class action lawsuit was filed in federal court alleging a series of issues within N.C.’s foster care system. The lawsuit alleges that the child welfare system has been operating in a state of crisis for years and includes allegations that:

• Workload standards aren’t being enforced, resulting in child welfare workers unable to provide the support that vulnerable children and parents need.

• Children in foster care do not have access to

adequate and timely mental health services

• Children are institutionalized at twice the national average

• N.C. has failed to protect children and youth in foster care from physical, psychological, and emotional harm.

• N.C. fails to meet permanency standards, leaving children in foster care too long.

We must recognize that a failure to protect the safety and well-being of children is a failure of the state. We must continue to improve and strengthen the child welfare system and the people who are working on the ground supporting children every day. Our children and youth in foster care have already suffered from abuse or neglect that led to their entry into the system, and we must do everything possible to ensure that no other harm comes to them under our protection. The buck stops here. In an effort to move forward solutions to strengthen N.C.’s child welfare system, we have worked with experts, both inside and outside the foster care system, to write House Bill 612, the “Fostering Care in NC Act.” We realize this singular bill will not fix all the problems, but it is an important step in what should be only the beginning of a commitment to change N.C.’s child welfare system into a shining example of how a legislative body can take action to support the well-being and success of our most precious assets, our children.

Rep. Allen Chesser represents N.C. House District 25 in the General Assembly.

COLUMN | NEWT GINGRICH

Members and supporters of Hungary’s LGBTQ community march through Budapest in July 2022.

Hungarian lawmakers pass constitutional amendment to ban LGBTQ+ public events

It also states that there are only two sexes: male and female

By Justin Spike The Associated Press

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Hungary’s parliament on Monday passed an amendment to the constitution that allows the government to ban public events by LGBTQ+ communities, a decision that legal scholars and critics call another step toward authoritarianism by the populist government.

The amendment, which required a two-thirds vote, passed along party lines with 140 votes for and 21 against. It was proposed by the ruling Fidesz-KDNP coalition led by populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Ahead of the vote — the final step for the amendment — opposition politicians and other protesters attempted to blockade the entrance to a parliament parking garage. Police physically removed demonstrators, who had used zip ties to bind themselves together.

The amendment declares that children’s rights to moral, physical and spiritual development supersede any right other than

to continue making a difference and he is taking time to thoughtfully consider what he does next,” Cooper consultant Morgan Jackson wrote in a text message.

Some smaller-name Republicans so far have announced a primary bid against Tillis. Some ardent pro-Trump supporters have questioned his fealty to the president.

the right to life, including that to peacefully assemble. Hungary’s contentious “child protection” legislation prohibits the “depiction or promotion” of homosexuality to minors aged under 18.

The amendment codifies a law fast-tracked through parliament in March that bans public events held by LGBTQ+ communities, including the popular Pride event in Budapest that draws thousands annually. That law also allows authorities to use facial recognition tools to identify people who attend prohibited events — such as Budapest Pride — and can come with fines of up to 200,000 Hungarian forints ($546).

Dávid Bedő, a lawmaker with the opposition Momentum party who participated in the attempted blockade, said before the vote that Orbán and Fidesz for the past 15 years “have been dismantling democracy and the rule of law, and in the past two or three months, we see that this process has been sped up.”

He said as elections approach in 2026 and Orbán’s party lags in the polls behind a popular new challenger from the opposition, “they will do everything in their power to stay in power.”

Opposition lawmakers used air horns to disrupt the vote,

Tillis has been engaged in a delicate balancing act of voicing skepticism of Trump’s plans for tariffs or his pick for defense secretary, but then often turning to support the president’s agenda.

The politics are clearly on his mind. During a Senate hearing last Tuesday with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, he pressed the White House to think through the political ramifications of trying to remake the economy.

which continued after a few moments.

Hungary’s government has campaigned against LGBTQ+ communities in recent years and argues its “child protection” policies, which forbid the availability to minors of any material that mentions homosexuality, are needed to protect children from what it calls “woke ideology” and “gender madness.”

Critics say the measures do little to protect children and are being used to distract from more serious problems facing the country and mobilize Orbán’s right-wing base ahead of elections.

“This whole endeavor which we see launched by the government, it has nothing to do with children’s rights,” said Dánel Döbrentey, a lawyer with the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, calling it “pure propaganda.”

The new amendment also states that the constitution recognizes two sexes, male and female, an expansion of an earlier amendment that prohibits same-sex adoption by stating that a mother is a woman and a father is a man.

The declaration provides a constitutional basis for denying the gender identities of trans-

Tillis told Greer he was “trying to figure out if” voters would look favorably on Trump’s trade strategy next year “because a long-term play in American politics and a long-term play in American public policy formation is about 12 months.”

Still, Tillis last week voted against a Democratic effort to nullify the tariffs placed on Canadian imports.

Although Nickel talked about consensus-building while rep-

gender people, as well as ignoring the existence of intersex individuals who are born with sexual characteristics that do not align with binary conceptions of male and female.

In a statement on Monday, government spokesperson Zoltán Kovács wrote that the change is “not an attack on individual self-expression, but a clarification that legal norms are based on biological reality.”

Döbrentey, the lawyer, said it was “a clear message” for transgender and intersex people: “It is definitely and purely and strictly about humiliating people and excluding them, not just from the national community, but even from the community of human beings.”

The amendment is the 15th to Hungary’s constitution since Orbán’s party unilaterally authored and approved it in 2011.

Ádám Remport, a lawyer with the HCLU, said that while Hungary has used facial recognition tools since 2015 to assist police in criminal investigations and finding missing persons, the recent law banning Pride allows the technology to be used in a much broader and problematic manner. That includes for monitoring and deterring political protests.

“One of the most fundamental

resenting a Raleigh-area swing district in Congress, he was known for backing a left-leaning platform while in the legislature. Nickel highlighted last Wednesday a career that has included working as a White House staffer in Barack Obama’s administration.

In a news release, Tillis campaign manager Abby Roesch called Nickel “a radical left-wing trial lawyer who was a rubber stamp for Joe Biden’s failed liber-

problems is its invasiveness, just the sheer scale of the intrusion that happens when you apply mass surveillance to a crowd,” Remport said.

“More salient in this case is the effect on the freedom of assembly, specifically the chilling effect that arises when people are scared to go out and show their political or ideological beliefs for fear of being persecuted,” he added.

The amendment passed Monday also allows for Hungarians who hold dual citizenship in a non-European Economic Area country to have their citizenship suspended for up to 10 years if they are deemed to pose a threat to public order, public security or national security.

Hungary has taken steps in recent months to protect its national sovereignty from what it claims are foreign efforts to influence its politics or even topple Orbán’s government.

The self-described “illiberal” leader has accelerated his longstanding efforts to crack down on critics such as media outlets and groups devoted to civil rights and anti-corruption, which he says have undermined Hungary’s sovereignty by receiving financial assistance from international donors.

In March, Orbán gave a speech where he compared people who work for such groups to insects, and pledged to “eliminate the entire shadow army” of foreign-funded “politicians, judges, journalists, pseudo-NGOs and political activists.”

al agenda” and seeks to be a similar rubber stamp in the Senate. Meanwhile, Roesch said, Tillis “has a proven record of delivering results for North Carolinians,” such as helping Trump pass tax cuts in his first term and approving disaster aid — such as after Hurricane Helene.

Talking to reporters last week at the U.S. Capitol, Tillis said he would approach the election season by “focusing on the results. Let them speak for themselves.”

We are happy to discuss your needs or questions. We’re here to help!

ANNA SZILAGYI / AP PHOTO

NICKEL from page A1

HOKE SPORTS

Two Hoke legends return home

An Olympic medalist and NBA player both return to the county

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

HOKE COUNTY got homecoming visits from a pair of athletic legends last weekend.

Kathy McMillan was in town to attend the track meet named in her honor. Hoke County High School hosted the sixth annual Kathy McMillan Invitational on Saturday.

McMillan was born in Raeford and competed in the long jump. She won a silver medal in the event at the 1976 Montreal Olympics and also made the 1980 U.S. Olympic team, which did not compete in the games due to a boycott.

McMillan still holds the North Carolina high school state record in the long jump, which she set in 1976.

The Bucks did McMillan proud in the meet. Hoke’s William Leak won the long jump and triple jump, leading the Bucks boys to a first-place finish. The Hoke girls got a pair of first-place relay finishes. Pine Forest and Richmond took the top two spots in the girls’ team standings.

After the track meet, Gilbert McGregor made an appearance to sign his new book, “The Blind Truth: Lessons from a Basketball Life.” McGregor was one of the first black players on Hoke County’s team, as

Olympic medalist Kathy McMillan (second from left) and NBA legend Gil McGregor (seated) are all smiles at McGregor’s book signing following the McMillan Invitational track meet at Hoke County High School.

well as at Wake Forest, where he averaged 13 points in three seasons. McGregor writes about his experience as a civil rights pioneer in his memoir. He went on to play in the NBA with the Cincinnati Royals for one season and played overseas in Italy, Belgium and

France. He also spent more than 20 years as the announcer for the Charlotte and New Orleans Hornets.

McGregor has battled glaucoma, which forced him to retire from NBA announcing in 2012 and helped inspire the title of his book.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Sandy Grove Middle School boys’ track

The Hoke County High School boys’ track team won the Kathy McMillan Invitational last weekend, and, if local middle school track results are any indication, the high school team should be able to keep its winning ways going for years to come.

The Sandy Grove Middle School boys’ track team won the Southeastern Middle School boys’ track championship last week, finishing first with 83 team points in 11 events. The Panthers won by a seven-point margin over second-place Carver Middle. West Hoke finished fourth with 49.5 points, while East Hoke was eighth with 33.

In Year 20, Paul starts all 82 games for San Antonio

The Wake Forest product became the oldest player to start every game

By Tim Reynolds The Associated Press

IN YEAR 20, Chris Paul started all 82. And he made some NBA history in the process.

Paul was in the San Antonio Spurs’ starting lineup for their season finale, making him the first player to ever make 82 starts this deep into a career. The previous mark on that front was held by Utah’s John Stockton, who started all 82 games in his 19th and final season.

Paul — who turns 40 in less than a month — is one of three players to have a season with 82 appearances at his age. Stockton did it in the seasons where he turned 39 and 40, and Michael Jordan turned 39 in his final season while playing in all 82 games and starting 67 of them.

“It’s crazy,” Paul said. “I was talking to my wife about this. When you’re sort of in it, you’re not really thinking about it. It’s like, ‘OK, it’s Game 30. OK, it’s Game 40-something. It’s game such and such.’” It became Game 82. And Paul never missed a beat.

He’s one of six players who

“Year

20,

this is only the second time in my career playing 82 games.”

Chris Paul

made 82 starts in this NBA regular season. The others: New York’s Mikal Bridges, Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels, Houston’s Jalen Green, Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen and Paul’s San Antonio teammate Harrison Barnes.

For Barnes, who is in his first year with the Spurs, Sunday’s game was his 304th in a row. He and Paul are the first Spurs to play all 82 games since Bryn Forbes and Patty Mills in 2018-19 — and the first Spurs to start all 82 games since Bruce Bowen in 2006-07.

“Year 20, this is only the second time in my career playing 82 games,” Paul said. “And also playing as long as I have, I think I know how hard it is. That’s why I have so much respect for Harrison, who is doing this for the third year in a row. And Mikal, who was my teammate, he never misses a game.”

Bridges was playing in his 556th consecutive regular-season game Sunday — out of a

San

possible 556. He hasn’t missed any game since his junior year of high school, including 116 at Villanova and 39 NBA playoff games. Add that up, and he’s played in 711 consecutive games since entering college.

Paul was the 11th player in NBA history to make it to 20 seasons in the league. LeBron James, if he plays next year as would be expected, will then become the first to make it to 23 seasons in the league, break-

ing the tie with 22-year player Vince Carter.

Bridges, the NBA’s reigning iron man, doesn’t see himself pulling off what his former teammate in Phoenix did this season.

“That’s why CP is one of the greatest,” he said. “But I don’t think I’ll make it that long, however many years he’s played.”

Robert Parish, Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Willis all played 21 NBA seasons, which Paul will get

to next year if he — again, as expected — returns. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Jamal Crawford and Udonis Haslem all played 20 seasons, a club that Kyle Lowry will join next season.

“I know there’s stuff still in the tank,” Paul said. “You know, I think for me, the summer will just be a really good time to just evaluate everything, the opportunities. But the love for the game is still there.”

HAL NUNN FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

ERIC GAY / AP PHOTO

Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) drives during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Larson dominates to claims emotional Cup victory at Bristol Motor Speedway

The win comes after the death of his longtime PR representative

By Nate Ryan The Associated Press

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Kyle Larson led 411 of 500 laps and scored an emotional win Sunday with a dominating NASCAR Cup Series victory at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Larson, racing just days after the death of Jon Edwards, his former public relations representative, picked up his second Cup win of the season. It was his 31st Cup victory and third at Bristol.

Denny Hamlin finished second in his 400th consecutive Cup start, falling one spot short in his bid for a third consecutive win. Ty Gibbs was third,

followed by Chase Briscoe and Ryan Blaney.

Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet was one of several cars sporting a decal in the memory of Edwards, the Hendrick Motorsports director of communications whose death was confirmed in a Thursday statement from the team. The cause of death was not announced.

The 53-year-old Edwards was a PR specialist during Jeff Gordon’s four Cup championships. After becoming Gordon’s right-hand man, Edwards also worked closely with Larson since the star joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2021 and won his first championship.

On Saturday at Bristol, Larson dedicated an Xfinity Series victory to Edwards, who took vacations with the driver and became his closest friend on the No. 5 team.

Larson also finished second in Friday’s Truck Series race, nearly completing a tripleheader sweep to honor Edwards, whom he said was always a happy person.

“He wouldn’t want us to be sad,” Larson said of Edwards. “I’m happy to see the smiling faces and everybody talking positively of Jon this week.”

Helping others

Defending Cup Series champion Joey Logano was named a National Motorsports Press Association Pocono Spirit Award winner for his efforts in helping Hurricane Helene victims with rebuilding after the storm last fall. Logano was presented the award at Bristol because of the track’s proximity to the devastation in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.

“One of my quotes that I like

“I’m happy to see the smiling faces and everybody talking positively of Jon this week.”

Kyle Larson on PR man Jon Edwards’ death

to think about a lot is, ‘Don’t let a crisis go to waste,’” said Logano, whose foundation committed $250,000 to Helene relief after he toured the storm’s path last October. “A crisis like that presented a huge opportunity for all of us to band together and impact some people that just got their lives wiped out. It’s some pretty heavy stuff up there. The great news is there’s a lot of comeback.”

The Bristol weekend continued a busy week for Logano, who recovered from a bout with norovirus in time for last Wednesday visit to the White House. After scraping the wall in qualifying Saturday, he started Sunday’s race from the rear because of unapproved adjustments to his No. 22 Ford.

Up next

After a break for Easter weekend, the Cup Series will race Sunday, April 27 at Talladega Superspeedway, where Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Tyler Reddick won last year. Talladega will follow the final off week of the season for NASCAR’s premier series, which will race on 28 consecutive weekends through the Nov. 2 season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

Great opportunity for retired state, teachers, retired military, those on Social Security, retired police or municipal.

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Kyle Larson goes into Turn 3 during his NASCAR Cup Series win Sunday in Bristol, Tennessee.

Howard Neal Melton

April 3, 1926 – April 8, 2025

Mr. Howard Neal Melton of Raeford, NC, took his Heavenly flight on Tuesday, April 08, 2025, at the age of 99.

He was born in Richmond County, NC, on April 03, 1926, to the late George and Eva Melton. Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Larry Melton.

Howard enjoyed gardening, going to church, and spending time with his family and friends. He loved to pick, joke, and cut up.

He is survived by his children, Bradley Melton (Melissa), Wally Melton, Jamie Melton (Chasity), and daughter in law, Terry Melton; his grandchildren, Neal Melton (Brandi), Ashley Melton, Chelsea Waters (Tim), Kendal Melton (Emily), Tyler Melton, Casey Melton, Seth Melton, Emalee Melton, Caleb Melton, Jasmine Lamell, and Amber Lamell; six great grandchildren; and one special brother, Troy Caulder.

A visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at Crumpler Funeral Home 131 Harris Avenue, Raeford, NC 28376.

A service will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 13, 2025, in the Crumpler Funeral Home chapel with Reverend Michael Powell and Reverend Glen Odum officiating.

Online condolences may be made on the Crumpler Funeral Home Website.

Patsy Jane Brooks Fowler

Nov. 1, 1944 – April 4, 2025

Patsy Jane Brooks Fowler was received into this world on November 01, 1944. She was born in Robeson County to her late mother, Louise Brooks; her maternal grandparents, Garland and Elizabeth Brooks; and her father, Archie Locklear.

Preceding her in death is her husband of thirty-two years, David R. Fowler. Patsy also had four brothers that ran the race before her: Earl Brooks Jr, James Brooks, Dallas Locklear, and Vardell Locklear.

Patsy was known as a hard worker. She started out on a sharecropping farm, before retiring from Abbott laboratories, of which she was very proud.

Patsy loved baking. One of her sons-in-law said, “Her cakes were so good that they would make you cry.”

Patsy loved Mt Elim Baptist Church. She especially loved serving as an usher with her friend Marje Dial.

Patsy left behind a beautiful family whom she loved very much: three daughters and three sons-in-law, Robin (Adrian), Lisa (Johnny), and Terisa (Michael). She also has seven grandchildren who will miss their Grandma: Kyle, Josh, Jeremy (Brittany), Matt, Arron, Ashleigh, and Samantha (Jason). Along with those listed, God granted Patsy the pleasure of being a great grandma to Lay’la, Livia, Avery, soon to be baby David Levi, and little Bently.

Patsy is also survived by three brothers, Scotty (Susan), Ricky, and Jimmy Dean (Brenda); five sisters, Besie, Lexi, Grace, Clutes, and Gail. Along with these, Patsy had one Aunt, Queen Ester, two uncles, H.B. and Ervin, who were recognized as her sister and brothers; and two sisters in law, Peggy and Carolyn. She had many cousins and friends who will miss her dearly.

Special acknowledgements to: Olivia, Di, Dee, and her CNA Megan L who have made coming to this point in our lives easier to bear because of their love and kindness.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 09, 2025, at Mt. Elim Baptist Church 921 Wilson Rd, Red Springs, NC 28377.

Online condolences may be made on the Crumpler Funeral Home Website.

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

Octavio Dotel, who once held record of pitching for 13 major league teams, dies in DR roof collapse

Nearly 100 people were killed after the roof collapsed at a merengue concert

The Associated Press

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Octavio Dotel, who pitched for 13 major league teams in a 15-year career and won a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals, was among the dead after a roof collapsed at a nightclub in his native Dominican Republic where he was attending a merengue concert. He was 51.

Officials initially said Dotel was rescued from the debris and transported to a hospital, but spokesman Satosky Terrero from the Professional Baseball League of the Dominican Republic confirmed to The Associated Press that Dotel died later Tuesday. At least 79 people died and 160 were injured after the collapse at the Jet Set nightclub, officials said. Tony Blanco, who played one MLB season and eight years professionally in Japan, also died following the collapse, Terrero said. Also killed was Nelsy Cruz, governor of the Monte Cristi province and the sister of Nelson Cruz, a former MLB player and current MLB special adviser to baseball operations.

“Major League Baseball is deeply saddened by the passings of Octavio Dotel, Tony Blanco, Nelsy Cruz, and all the victims of last night’s tragedy in Santo Domingo,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “We send our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of all those who have been affected and to our colleague Nelson and his entire family. The connection between baseball and the Dominican Republic runs deep, and we are thinking of all the Dominican players and fans across the game today.”

MLB Players Association executive director Tony Clark said the union stands united with the Dominican community “amid the incomprehensible sadness.”

“We grieve for all the victims and send a special message of support to the families of Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco, who leave an unspeakable void with their passing, and to Nelson Cruz, whose family lost a shining light with the death of his sister, Nelsy,” he said in a statement.

Dotel signed with the New York Mets in 1993 as an amateur free agent and made his major league debut in 1999. A starter early in his career, he turned into a reliable and at times dominant reliever while appearing in 758 games from 1999-2013.

When he took the mound for the Detroit Tigers on April 7, 2012, he set the record playing for the most major league teams at 13. Edwin Jackson broke the record in 2019 when he pitched for his 14th team.

The Mets held a moment of silence for Dotel before their game Tuesday against Miami, and a Dominican flag was shown on the video scoreboard.

Dotel’s best years were with the Houston Astros in the early 2000s. He was a setup man for star closer Billy Wagner, making 302 appearances and posting a 3.25 ERA in four-

plus seasons. He was the fifth of six pitchers to combine on a no-hitter against the New York Yankees in 2003. The next year, he was part of the threeway trade that brought Carlos Beltran to the Astros.

Dotel pitched for nine teams before he landed with the Cardinals, who acquired him from Toronto at the 2011 trade deadline. He appeared in 12 postseason games, including five in the World Series against Texas.

In 2013, he pitched on the Dominican Republic team that won the World Baseball Classic with an 8-0 record.

Dotel finished his major league career with 1,143 strikeouts in 951 innings, a magnificent rate of 10.8 per nine innings. He had a career 5950 record, 109 saves and 3.78 ERA.

In 2019, Dotel and ex-major leaguer Luis Castillo were among 18 people taken into custody during a large U.S. and Dominican law enforcement operation against drug trafficking and money laundering. Dotel and Castillo were released when a Dominican magistrate judge found insufficient evidence to connect them to the operation.

Former NFL tight end Don Hasselbeck dies of a heart attack at age 70

He played for the Patriots, Raiders, Giants and Vikings

The Associated Press

FORMER NFL tight end

Don Hasselbeck, who won a Super Bowl in his nine-year career and was the father of two NFL quarterbacks, died Monday. He was 70.

Hasselbeck’s son, Matt, said his father died after going into cardiac arrest at his home.

“He was a great husband, father, grandfather, friend, coach, player, coworker, artist, mentor, and storyteller,” Matt Hasselbeck wrote on social media. “Despite being an All-American at Colorado and a Super Bowl Champion with the Raiders, what we are most proud of is the leader he was for our family.”

The elder Hasselbeck was drafted in the second round by New England in 1977 after a standout collegiate career at Colorado. He spent six full seasons with the Patriots and led the team in catches in 1981 with 46, to go along with 808 yards receiving and six touchdowns. He was traded to the Los

Angeles Raiders early in the 1983 season and helped the team win the Super Bowl. He had two touchdown catches in the regular season for the Raiders, and the 6-foot-7 Hasselbeck blocked an extra point in a 38-9 Super Bowl win against Washington. Hasselbeck then spent the following season with the New York Giants and had a touchdown catch in a playoff win over San Francisco and

finished his career with Minnesota in 1985. Hasselbeck had 107 catches for 1,542 yards and 18 touchdowns in 123 career regular season games.

Two of Hasselbeck’s sons went on to play quarterback in the NFL, with Matt making three Pro Bowls and starting in a Super Bowl for Seattle following the 2005 season and Tim playing mostly as a backup.

JEFF ROBERSON / AP PHOTO

St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Octavio Dotel participates in a victory parade after defeating the Texas Rangers to win their 11th World Series in franchise history in October 2011.

SCOTT STEWART / AP PHOTO New England Patriots tight end Don Hasselbeck fights to hold on to a pass as Washington Redskins linebacker Monte Coleman tries to shake the ball loose in October 1981.

STATE & NATION

EPA puts hold on promised electric school bus funding

Charlotte was expecting millions of dollars for new EV buses

By Michael Casey and Alexa St. John The Associated Press

BOSTON — Looking to cut pollution from its fleet of diesel-burning school buses, an Oklahoma school district last year doubled its electric vehicles.

The Shawnee Public Schools, a 3,300-student district about 35 miles east of Oklahoma City in a county that voted overwhelmingly for President Donald Trump, figured the nearly $1.5 million for the four buses would be reimbursed through an Environmental Protection Agency program. The agency, under President Joe Biden, had promised to do just that last year with money from a massive infrastructure law passed by Congress.

The district requested the funding in November but was told that it would be delayed due to a technical glitch. But after Trump took office, they have been calling the EPA and emailing regularly without a response. They fear they will never be reimbursed.

“Our district made this investment in good faith, expecting the promised rebate to be delivered in a timely manner,” John Wiles, the district’s director of transportation, said. “The buses are here, they are in service, and they are benefiting our students and community — but the lack of reimbursement has

created unnecessary financial strain.”

Shawnee is not alone. More than 500 districts nationwide are still waiting on around $1 billion from the EPA to cover more than 3,400 electric buses. That’s sparked panic and confusion in districts that must find other ways to cover the cost or delay or cancel their purchases. It’s also hitting companies building the buses, those selling them and companies that oversee districts’ transportation.

The National School Transportation Association, which represents private school bus operators, called the freeze “extremely disruptive.”

The EPA hasn’t explained why

500

districts

the funds are on hold or if they will ever be released. A spokesperson said the EPA does not comment on pending litigation. Multiple lawsuits have called for releasing federal funding frozen by myriad federal agencies including the EPA. Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) one of several senators to write

to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin demanding answers, said the funding lets districts “invest in transportation that reduces air pollution and provides health benefits to children across the country.” Without the money, administrators may have to make tough financial decisions, “and children are going to pay the price,” he said.

The push for electric buses has long had bipartisan support, with many arguing the transition will help combat climate change, benefit the health of children and saves district money over the long run.

More than 25 million students take aging, diesel-fueled buses to school each day in the U.S. — with black, Latino and lower-income students in urban areas more likely to rely on them.

The exhaust from these dirty buses exposes them, their parents and school staff to harmful pollutants like fine particulates and nitrogen dioxide, which can lead to health issues such as asthma and heart disease. It can also affect cognitive performance, said Dr. Stephanie Lovinsky-Desir, chief of the pediatric pulmonary division at Columbia University Medical Center. Young bodies that are still developing are especially vulnerable.

Electric school buses — though two to three times more expensive up front — can save districts money in fuel and maintenance costs, said Katherine Roboff, deputy director of external affairs for World Resources Institute’s Electric School Bus Initiative. The WRI estimates $100,000 in savings over the life of a bus.

“That’s really helpful savings that school districts can put back into the classroom,” Roboff said. “And that’s another reason that districts are eager to go electric.”

The money is part of a Clean School Bus Program, which was part of Biden’s infrastructure law and provided $5 billion over five years to help districts replace polluting school buses with cleaner, electric buses.

So far, the program has gone through three rounds. Nearly $1 billion was issued in the first round of rebate funding to 400 schools for 2,500 buses; the second round, issued in the form of grants also totaling nearly $1 billion, funded more than 2,700 school buses at 275 districts.

The long list of delays is hitting districts of all sizes, both rural and urban.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in Charlotte, the school district in Huntsville, Alabama, as well as Baltimore County Public Schools, all of which contract with outside companies to run their transportation operations, are waiting for nearly $26 million to fund the purchase of 75 electric buses.

Prince George’s County Public Schools, a 132,000-student district outside Washington, D.C., was expecting $5 million for nine electric buses to add to its current 21. When the EPA funding was put on hold, the district turned to the state of Maryland, which has a similar grant program, and is hoping it covers the cost.

In New Hampshire, the Derry Cooperative School District wasn’t so fortunate. The 4,300-student district has been counting on $8.1 million in EPA f unding to cover 25 electric buses.

“It’s very disappointing,” Clifton Dancy, the district’s transportation coordinator, said. “The current administration is turning a blind eye to climate change and environmental practices and catering to carbon fuel industry. I can’t get behind that. It’s going backwards.”

Nvidia plans to manufacture AI chips in the US for the first time

New semiconductor plants are coming online in Arizona and Texas

By Sarah Parvini

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — Nvid-

ia announced Monday that it will produce its artificial intelligence super computers in the United States for the first time.

The tech giant said it has commissioned more than 1 million square feet of manufacturing space to build and test its specialized Blackwell chips in Arizona and AI supercomputers in Texas — part of an investment the company said will produce up to half a trillion dollars of AI infrastructure in the next four years.

“The engines of the world’s AI infrastructure are being built in the United States for the first time,” Nvidia founder Jensen Huang said in a statement.

“Adding American manufacturing helps us better meet the incredible and growing demand

“(Trump) has made U.S.-based chips manufacturing a priority as part of his relentless pursuit of an American manufacturing renaissance, and it’s paying off.”

White House statement

for AI chips and supercomputers, strengthens our supply chain and boosts our resiliency.”

Nvidia’s announcement comes as the Trump administration has said that tariff exemptions on electronics like smartphones and laptops are only a temporary reprieve until officials develop a new tariff approach specific to the semiconductor industry.

White House officials, including President Donald Trump himself, spent Sunday downplaying the significance of exemptions that lessen but won’t eliminate the effect of U.S. tariffs on imports of popular consumer devices and their key components.

“They’re exempt from the re-

ciprocal tariffs, but they’re included in the semiconductor tariffs, which are coming in probably a month or two,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday.

Nvidia said in a post on its website that it has started Blackwell production at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. chip plants in Phoenix. The Santa Clara, California-based chip company is also building supercomputer manufacturing plants in Texas — with Foxconn in Houston and Wistron in Dallas.

Nvidia’s AI super computers will serve as the engines for AI factories, “a new type of data center created for the sole pur-

NIC COURY / AP PHOTO

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang talks during the keynote address of Nvidia GTC last month in California.

pose of processing artificial intelligence,” the company said, adding that manufacturing in the U.S. will create “hundreds of thousands of jobs and drive trillions of dollars in economic security over the coming decades.”

Mass production at both plants is expected to ramp up in the next 12-15 months, Nvidia said. The company also plans on partnering with Taiwan-based

company SPIL and Amkor for “packaging and testing operations” in Arizona. In a statement Monday, the White House called Nvidia’s move “the Trump Effect in action.”

Trump “has made U.S.-based chips manufacturing a priority as part of his relentless pursuit of an American manufacturing renaissance, and it’s paying off — with trillions of dollars in new investments secured in the tech sector alone,” the White House said.

Earlier this year, Trump announced a joint venture investing up to $500 billion for infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence by a new partnership formed by OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank. The new entity, Stargate, was tasked with building out data centers and the electricity generation needed for the further development of the fast-evolving AI in Texas, according to the White House. The initial investment is expected to be $100 billion and could reach five times that sum.

COURTESY THOMAS BUILT BUSES

The second-generation Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley electric school bus is assembled at the Thomas Built Buses facility in High Point.

Flying high

A North Carolina Highway Patrol helicopter hovers during a flight demonstration at the groundbreaking ceremony

the

North Carolina Troopers Association Museum in Raleigh on Monday.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

White House restricts all wire service access in Gulf of America spat Washington, D.C.

The White House enacted a new media policy this week that reduces access to President Donald Trump for wire services, including the AP, particularly in small venues like the Oval Office. This follows a court ruling that the administration violated the AP’s free speech rights by banning it from certain events for, the administration claims, not using the name “Gulf of America.” The new policy says the press secretary will choose who gets access to the president. It does, however, obey the court’s order by giving the AP the same access as competitor wire services. The White House Correspondents’ Association and AP have condemned the policy, arguing it undermines press freedom and the public’s right to information.

Salvation Army closes “emergency” homeless shelter as funds run dry

Fayetteville

The Salvation Army announced the immediate closure of its Pathway of Hope “emergency shelter” in Fayetteville, leaving more than 50 people who had been using the facility without a place to sleep. “We have no funding partners, and we cannot continue to offer shelter without funding,” said a Salvation Army representative. It was the primary emergency shelter in the county. Other agencies and nonprofits were working to assist those displaced by the sudden closure.

Commissioners approve land swap for new EMS base location

new site is planned to be built off Rattlesnake Trail

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

CARTHAGE — The Moore County EMS station could be relocating in the near future.

At the Moore County Board of Commissioners’ April 15 meeting, the board approved a land swap with the Village of Pinehurst.

“The county has operated in the Pinehurst EMS base location at 290 McCaskill Road since February of 2007,” said Public Safety Director Bryan Phillips. “The facility is in need of renovation, however, amendments to the Village of Pinehurst’s zoning ordinance will

prohibit the necessary updates. Additionally, the county experiences ongoing challenges with the topography of the site.”

In order to rectify this, the village, which has plans to redevelop the current EMS station property, has offered property located at 55 Rattlesnake Trail for the construction of a new station.

The property offered to the county is 0.92-acre lot and, per Phillips, is well situated and suitable for the construction of a new EMS facility.

“Moving to another location and rebuilding will be way, way more economical because the elevation just drops down in the back, and it would be very painful and expensive to build there right now,” said Commissioner Jim Von Canon.

The board also held two pub -

“Moving to another location and rebuilding will be way, way more economical.”

Commissioner Jim Von Canon

lic hearings, including a rezoning request for approximately 3.5 acres of property located at 1195 and 1149 Lucas Road from Gated Community Seven Lakes (GC-SL) and Neighborhood Business (B-1) to Rural Agricultural Urban Service Boundary (RA-USB).

Despite partially being zoned as such, the property is not regulated by the Seven Lakes restrictive covenants and the applicant wishes

Ex-congressman Nickel launches bid to unseat Tillis

The Democrat served one term in the U.S. House before his district was redrawn in 2024

By Gary D. Robertson The Associated Press

RALEIGH — Former Dem-

ocratic U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel announced last Wednesday his candidacy to try to unseat Sen. Thom Tillis in 2026, saying a “fighter for what’s right for our state” is needed and criticizing the Republican incumbent for backing President Donald Trump’s agenda.

Nickel signaled his interest in a Senate bid in late 2023, when the Raleigh-area congressman decided against seeking a second House term the next year because he deter-

to develop it outside of those.

The second hearing was for a text amendment to the UDO relating to nonconforming uses.

“In 2022, when our UDO was rewritten to be consistent with general statutes, the original language regarding nonconforming situations was removed,” said Planning Director Debra Ensminger. “So this is replacing or returning that back to the ordinances how it used to be regarding nonconformities and their expansion when there is a fire or flood to allow them to build the structure back.”

In addition to reallowing nonconforming use structures to be rebuilt in the case of disaster, the the updated ordinance

mined congressional redistricting that year by Republican state legislators made it essentially impossible to win his seat again. A Nickel news release at the time said he would “explore a path forward” in the Senate.

A lawyer and former state senator, Nickel served in Congress though the end of last year and sought to build up name recognition in Democratic circles statewide by supporting party policies and raising money for party candidates in 2024.

In a campaign video marking the campaign’s formal launch, Nickel linked Tillis squarely to Trump and his early-term actions, as well as those of Elon Musk, who has spearheaded the Department of Government Efficiency.

“When the chips are down, Thom Tillis lays down for the billionaires, for the extremists, for policies that hurt North Carolina,” the 49-year-old Nickel said. “This is a moment for a new generation of leadership with a fresh vision and

The

4.17.25

THURSDAY

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April 8

• Jazimine Minter, 24, was arrested for unlawful entry.

• Courtney Marsh, 35, was arrested for possession of a firearm by a felon.

• Marcus Harris, 54, was arrested for shoplifting.

• Steve Hancock, 18, was arrested for possession of a firearm by a felon.

April 9

• Jeremy Epps, 44, was arrested for breaking into a vehicle.

• Jacques McGregor, 26, was arrested for driving with a revoked license.

• Eric Barnes, 27, was arrested for threatening a school.

April 10

• Brittany Barber, 37, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine.

• Gregory Needham, 59, was arrested for trafficking opium or heroin.

• Esmeralda Sanchez, 36, was arrested for trafficking methamphetamine.

• Jessica Ermis, 34, was arrested by MCSO for driving while impaired.

• James King, 50, was arrested for attempted rape.

• Christopher Smith, 36, was arrested for domestic violence.

• Brett Waremburg, 34, was arrested for habitual drunk driving.

April 11

• Christopher Burns, 56, was arrested for felony stalking.

• Desmond Rorie, 33, was arrested for driving while impaired.

• Lucas Woody, 23, was arrested for violating a domestic violence protection order.

April 12

• Seqouia Person, 22, was arrested for shoplifting.

• Hubert Shaw, 51, was arrested for making threats.

• Jackie Brewer, 33, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine.

• Hayden Keene, 22, was arrested for trespassing.

• Alfonso Martinez-Gonzalez, 24, was arrested for driving while impaired.

Moore County Schools names top educators for 2025-26

Three educators were recognized for excellence in teaching and leadership roles

North State Journal staff

MOORE COUNTY Schools announced its 2025-26 district-level educators of the year on April 9. Diana Rowland of Vass-Lakeview Elementary School was named Teacher of the Year. Known for her innovative, data-informed instruction, Rowland creates a classroom environment where students are empowered to explore and thrive.

“I’m truly humbled to be named Moore County Schools Teacher of the Year,” Rowland said. “This recognition is a reflection of the amazing students I get to teach and the incredible team I work alongside every day.”

Melissa Cox, a fourth grade

NICKEL from page A1 the courage to fight for what’s right. And that’s exactly what I’ll do in the U.S. Senate.”

Tillis, who was first elected to the Senate in 2014, is already raising money for his 2026 reelection bid. His seat is considered by Democrats one of a handful that they could potentially flip next year in their effort to take back the Senate majority. Tillis’ victories in 2014 and 2020 were narrow.

Other Democrats could still enter the race, with the chief consideration going to former Gov. Roy Cooper, who was barred by term limits from seeking a third term last fall. Mentioned among the top options to be Kamala Harris’ running mate last year, the 67-year-old Cooper is the state’s most popular Democrat and would automatically be considered the front-runner in a March 2026 primary if he joined.

Cooper, who is currently on a short-term teaching stint at Harvard University, “wants to continue making a difference and he is taking time to

BOARD from page A1

would also allow for the new building to be expanded up to 15%, which the old ordinance did not allow.

Finally, the board approved two change orders to the con-

teacher at Highfalls Elementary School, earned Alternate Teacher of the Year honors. Cox was recognized for her enthusiasm and adaptability after transitioning from second to fourth grade this year.

Julie MacPherson, principal of Sandhills Farm Life Elementary School, was selected as Principal of the Year. With more than 20 years of service in the district, MacPherson has held leadership roles at

thoughtfully consider what he does next,” Cooper consultant Morgan Jackson wrote in a text message. Some smaller-name Republicans so far have announced a primary bid against Tillis. Some ardent pro-Trump supporters have questioned his fealty to the president.

Tillis has been engaged in a delicate balancing act of voicing skepticism of Trump’s plans for tariffs or his pick for defense secretary, but then often turning to support the president’s agenda.

The politics are clearly on his mind. During a Senate hearing last Tuesday with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, he pressed the White House to think through the political ramifications of trying to remake the economy.

Tillis told Greer he was “trying to figure out if” voters would look favorably on Trump’s trade strategy next year “because a long-term play in American politics and a long-term play in American public policy formation is about 12 months.”

Still, Tillis last week voted against a Democratic effort

tract with New Atlantic Contracting for the Moore County Courthouse project, totaling approximately $211,000 and bringing the contract total to nearly $42.8 million, and a change order to the contract with Temple Grading

From left to right, Moore County educators Melissa Cox, Diana Rowland and Julie MacPherson.

the elementary, middle and preschool levels.

“Their passion for education, unwavering commitment to student success, and innovative leadership truly embody the spirit of excellence we strive for in our schools,” said Superintendent Tim Locklair. “We are immensely proud to have such outstanding individuals representing Moore County Schools.”

to nullify the tariffs placed on Canadian imports.

Although Nickel talked about consensus-building while representing a Raleigh-area swing district in Congress, he was known for backing a left-leaning platform while in the legislature. Nickel highlighted last Wednesday a career that has included working as a White House staffer in Barack Obama’s administration.

In a news release, Tillis campaign manager Abby Roesch called Nickel “a radical left-wing trial lawyer who was a rubber stamp for Joe Biden’s failed liberal agenda” and seeks to be a similar rubber stamp in the Senate.

Meanwhile, Roesch said, Tillis “has a proven record of delivering results for North Carolinians,” such as helping Trump pass tax cuts in his first term and approving disaster aid — such as after Hurricane Helene.

Talking to reporters last week at the U.S. Capitol, Tillis said he would approach the election season by “focusing on the results. Let them speak for themselves.”

and Construction for the Vass Sewer Phase 2 Project, reducing the contract price by nearly $290,000 due to final cost savings.

The Moore County Board of Commissioners will next meet May 6.

MOORE COUNTY

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

April 17

Movie: “Bob Trevino Likes It”

3 p.m.

Sunrise Theatre 250 NW Broad St. Southern Pines

Movie: “Renoir: Revered and Reviled”

7 p.m.

Sunrise Theater 250 NW Broad St. Southern Pines

April 17-19

Moore County Historical Association: Shaw House & Property Tours

1-4 p.m.

The Moore County Historical Association’s Shaw House grounds and properties are open for tours on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. The tours are free and open to all ages. Enjoy learning about the impressive history here in Moore County.

Shaw House 110 Morganton Road Southern Pines

April 19

The Clenny Creek Heritage Day

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

An annual rite of spring showcasing the 1820s furnished Bryant House and 1760s Joel McLendon Cabin, the oldest dwelling on its original site in Moore County. On this special day, both houses will be open, and there will be 18th- and 19th-century crafters, live music and food. There will also be “camps” of both the American Revolution and the Civil War with reenactors, demonstrations of old-time activities such as quilting, weaving, cooking, woodworking and living history. Parking is in a sand field behind the houses with golf cart transportation provided as needed.

3361 Mount Carmel Road Carthage

April 26

Wade Hayes

7 p.m.

Tickets are $23-$43. Call 336-524-6822 for more information.

Liberty Showcase Theater 101 South Fayetteville St. Liberty

COURTESY MOORE COUNTY SCHOOLS

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

Americans, not government, must benefit from Trump’s tariffs

A fourth option would be to eliminate some specific, onerous taxes with tariff income.

PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP’S tariff plan is working exactly as he intended.

The initially announced steep tariffs on more than 100 countries roiled markets — and sent the mainstream media into hysteria. Some of our trading partners bristled and rattled sabers with relatively small retaliatory plans.

It was all perfectly Trumpian. The president got everyone’s attention (which is almost always his first step). He then softened his stance to open negotiations. Our trading partners now realize how serious Trump is, and they are coming to the table to figure out how they can continue to engage with the world’s largest market.

The next challenge for the White House and Republicans will be deciding what to do with the potential flood of tariff revenues.

Trump’s robust tariff regime will likely yield a lot of revenue. This money should be returned to the American people. There must not be any discussion of keeping tariff revenue as a new pork barrel for politicians or bureaucrats.

The founding fathers understood the power of tariffs. Specifically, they saw potential for tariffs to replace domestic taxes. The clearest explanation of this was President Thomas Jefferson in his 1805 second inaugural address. Jefferson combined fiscal frugality with a shrewd tax policy to minimize the burden on the American people:

“The suppression of unnecessary offices, of useless establishments and expenses, enabled us to discontinue our internal taxes.

“These covering our land with officers, and

opening our doors to their intrusions, had already begun that process of domiciliary vexation which, once entered, is scarcely to be restrained from reaching successively every article of produce and property.

“The remaining revenue on the consumption of foreign articles, is paid cheerfully by those who can afford to add foreign luxuries to domestic comforts, being collected on our seaboards and frontiers only, and incorporated with the transactions of our mercantile citizens, it may be the pleasure and pride of an American to ask, what farmer, what mechanic, what laborer, ever sees a tax-gatherer of the United States?”

Now, the world was much different in Jefferson’s time. For instance, there was no federal income tax. Jefferson’s vision of no one ever seeing a tax collector inside the United States is likely impossible. However, it reflects an ideal world of limited government and intrusion.

Trump is methodically and aggressively creating a new worldwide system of bilateral agreements and tariff arrangements. The revenue stream will be virtually impossible to accurately project until after the year is over.

However, there are several ways to return the revenue to the American people.

One way would be to reduce the following year’s income tax rates based on total tariff revenue collected. If 2025 is a big year for revenue from places such as China and the European Union, then we could have significant income tax reductions for everyone in 2026.

A second option would be to create a system like the Alaskan Permanent Fund Dividend. Each year, it sends checks out to eligible Alaskans reflecting the wealth created by the state’s natural resources. In 2024, the fund sent $1,702 to each of the 600,000 eligible Alaskans. It would be useful to estimate a range of revenues the new tariffs system will generate and then consider how to return it to the American people. Since some estimates indicate the tariffs could raise $2 trillion to $3 trillion over the next decade, the amount involved could be substantial.

A third option would be to look at a series of tax credits based on national goals that could be expanded with tariff revenues. We could create a robust permanent research and development tax credit if 20% of the tariff revenue were dedicated to accelerating technology. A portion could also go toward tax credits aimed to promote small business investment, strong families, job creation, or other values.

A fourth option would be to partially follow Jefferson’s model and eliminate some specific, onerous taxes with tariff income. In some cases, the cost of tax preparation is higher than the actual tax payment. Eliminating them would increase private sector growth and make filing taxes less of a burden.

In any event, Congress should start thinking now about the most effective ways to put Trump’s tariff revenues into Americans’ pockets — and far away from Washington’s piggy bank.

Newt Gingrich was the 50th speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

House Bill 612 — Fostering Care in NC Act

We’ve lost over 1,000 foster families in the last 5 years.

THE CHILD WELFARE system in the United States was created to protect children from abuse and neglect.

In the 1800s, “child-saving” efforts were voluntary and consisted mainly of orphanages and almshouses, also known as poor houses, that housed children and impoverished adults.

The North Carolina Constitution of 1868 established, for the first time, a role for state government with respect to social services that the “beneficent provision for the poor, the unfortunate and orphan[s] being one of the first duties of a civilized and a Christian state, the General Assembly shall, at its first session, appoint and define the duties of a Board of Public Charities, to whom shall be entrusted the supervision of all charitable and penal State institutions…”

The federal government established and funded Child Protective Services in 1962, and North Carolina began participating in the provision of state foster care in 1969. The primary goal was to ensure children’s safety and well-being by protecting children from abuse and neglect, intervening when necessary to remove children from dangerous situations and working with families to address problems contributing to abuse or neglect.

As legislators, we are responsible to our youngest North Carolinians, who are the future of our great state. We have a moral and ethical responsibility to ensure that the 16,245 children and youth in foster care receive care and support so that they can have a bright future.

We have entrusted the child welfare work in North Carolina to the 100 counties who

each operate local Departments of Social Services (DSS). These departments are supervised by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services and follow a policy directive to strengthen and preserve families whenever possible; but when a child can no longer safely remain with their family, the state must assure that the quality of substitute care is as close as possible to the care and nurturing that society expects of a family.

We recognize that many hard-working individuals serve in our county DSS agencies, and they do extraordinary work every day to support children and families. But we also have concerns about the consistency in how care is provided, impacting the overall effectiveness of the N.C. child welfare system.

There have been numerous news reports of egregious examples of children being harmed or killed by their parents; we’ve lost over 1,000 foster families in the last five years; children are sleeping in DSS offices or are stuck in hospital emergency rooms waiting for mental health treatment, and children are languishing in foster care for years waiting for a place to call home.

Recently a class action lawsuit was filed in federal court alleging a series of issues within N.C.’s foster care system. The lawsuit alleges that the child welfare system has been operating in a state of crisis for years and includes allegations that:

• Workload standards aren’t being enforced, resulting in child welfare workers unable to provide the support that vulnerable children and parents need.

• Children in foster care do not have access to

adequate and timely mental health services.

• Children are institutionalized at twice the national average.

• N.C. has failed to protect children and youth in foster care from physical, psychological, and emotional harm.

• N.C. fails to meet permanency standards, leaving children in foster care too long.

We must recognize that a failure to protect the safety and well-being of children is a failure of the state. We must continue to improve and strengthen the child welfare system and the people who are working on the ground supporting children every day. Our children and youth in foster care have already suffered from abuse or neglect that led to their entry into the system, and we must do everything possible to ensure that no other harm comes to them under our protection. The buck stops here. In an effort to move forward solutions to strengthen N.C.’s child welfare system, we have worked with experts, both inside and outside the foster care system, to write House Bill 612, the “Fostering Care in NC Act.” We realize this singular bill will not fix all the problems, but it is an important step in what should be only the beginning of a commitment to change N.C.’s child welfare system into a shining example of how a legislative body can take action to support the well-being and success of our most precious assets, our children.

Rep. Allen Chesser represents N.C. House District 25 in the General Assembly.

COLUMN | NEWT GINGRICH

The show of force aligned with one of the DPRK’s most important holidays

By Hyung-Jin Kim

The Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea — The United States flew long-range B-1B bombers in a show of force against North Korea on Tuesday, days after the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un vowed to resist a U.S.-led push to eliminate the North’s nuclear program.

North Korea often reacts to the U.S. deployment of B-1B bombers and other powerful military assets with missile tests and fiery rhetoric. Tuesday’s flyover of the U.S. bombers could draw an angrier response because it happened when North Korea was marking a key anniversary — the 113th birthday of state founder Kim Il Sung, the late grandfather of the current leader.

South Korea’s Defense Min-

It also states that there are only two sexes: male and female

By Justin Spike The Associated Press

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Hungary’s parliament on Monday passed an amendment to the constitution that allows the government to ban public events by LGBTQ+ communities, a decision that legal scholars and critics call another step toward authoritarianism by the populist government.

The amendment, which required a two-thirds vote, passed along party lines with 140 votes for and 21 against. It was proposed by the ruling Fidesz-KDNP coalition led by populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Ahead of the vote — the final step for the amendment — opposition politicians and other protesters attempted to blockade the entrance to a parliament parking garage. Police physically removed demonstrators, who had used zip ties to bind themselves together.

The amendment declares that children’s rights to moral, physical and spiritual development supersede any right other than the right to life, including that to peacefully assemble. Hungary’s contentious “child protection”

rean F-35 and F-16 fighter jets and American F-16 fighter jets also took part in the training over the Korean Peninsula. It said South Korea and the U.S. will continue to expand their joint military exercises to respond to North Korean nuclear threats.

It was the second time a U.S. B-1B had participated in a drill with South Korea since President Donald Trump began his second term in January.

In February, North Korea’s Defense Ministry slammed the B-1B’s earlier flyover as proof of intensifying U.S.-led provocations since Trump’s inauguration. It pledged to counter the strategic threat of the U.S. with strategic means. Days later, North Korea test-fired cruise missiles in what it called an attempt to show its nuclear counterattack capability.

Last Wednesday, Kim Yo Jong — Kim’s sister and a senior official — derided the U.S. and its Asian allies over what she called their “daydream” of denuclearizing North Korea, insisting that her country will never give up its nuclear weapons program. Her statement came as a response to a recent meeting among the top diplomats of the United States, South Korea and Japan where they reaffirmed their commitment to push for North Korea’s denuclearization.

istry said in a statement that the U.S. bombers participated in a South Korea-U.S. aerial drill meant to strengthen the allies’ combined operational ca-

pability and demonstrate their deterrence capability against North Korea’s advancing nuclear program.

The ministry said South Ko-

legislation prohibits the “depiction or promotion” of homosexuality to minors aged under 18. The amendment codifies a law fast-tracked through parliament in March that bans public events held by LGBTQ+ communities, including the popular Pride event in Budapest that draws thousands annually. That law also allows authorities to use facial recognition tools to identify people who attend prohibited events — such as Budapest Pride — and can come with fines of up to 200,000 Hungarian forints ($546).

Dávid Bedő, a lawmaker with the opposition Momentum party who participated in the attempted blockade, said before the vote that Orbán and Fidesz for the past 15 years “have been dismantling democracy and the rule of law, and in the past two or three months, we see that this process has been sped up.”

He said as elections approach in 2026 and Orbán’s party lags in the polls behind a popular new challenger from the opposition, “they will do everything in their power to stay in power.”

Opposition lawmakers used air horns to disrupt the vote, which continued after a few moments.

Hungary’s government has campaigned against LGBTQ+ communities in recent years and argues its “child protection” pol-

icies, which forbid the availability to minors of any material that mentions homosexuality, are needed to protect children from what it calls “woke ideology” and “gender madness.”

Critics say the measures do little to protect children and are being used to distract from more serious problems facing the country and mobilize Orbán’s right-wing base ahead of elections.

“This whole endeavor which we see launched by the government, it has nothing to do with children’s rights,” said Dánel Döbrentey, a lawyer with the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, calling it “pure propaganda.”

The new amendment also states that the constitution recognizes two sexes, male and female, an expansion of an earlier amendment that prohibits same-sex adoption by stating

Trump has repeatedly said he will reach out to Kim Jong Un to revive diplomacy. North Korea hasn’t directly responded to Trump’s outreach.

The Kim Il Sung birthday, called “the Day of Sun,” is one of the most important holidays in North Korea, where a state-sponsored cult of personality treats key members of the ruling Kim family like gods. On Tuesday, the country’s main Rodong Sinmun newspaper issued an editorial urging the public to rally behind Kim Jong Un to achieve a national prosperity. In recent days, North Korea has held seminars, performances and other events commemorating the founder’s achievements.

itoring and deterring political protests.

“One of the most fundamental problems is its invasiveness, just the sheer scale of the intrusion that happens when you apply mass surveillance to a crowd,” Remport said.

that a mother is a woman and a father is a man.

The declaration provides a constitutional basis for denying the gender identities of transgender people, as well as ignoring the existence of intersex individuals who are born with sexual characteristics that do not align with binary conceptions of male and female.

In a statement on Monday, government spokesperson Zoltán Kovács wrote that the change is “not an attack on individual self-expression, but a clarification that legal norms are based on biological reality.”

Döbrentey, the lawyer, said it was “a clear message” for transgender and intersex people: “It is definitely and purely and strictly about humiliating people and excluding them, not just from the national community, but even from the community of human beings.”

The amendment is the 15th to Hungary’s constitution since Orbán’s party unilaterally authored and approved it in 2011.

Ádám Remport, a lawyer with the HCLU, said that while Hungary has used facial recognition tools since 2015 to assist police in criminal investigations and finding missing persons, the recent law banning Pride allows the technology to be used in a much broader and problematic manner. That includes for mon-

“More salient in this case is the effect on the freedom of assembly, specifically the chilling effect that arises when people are scared to go out and show their political or ideological beliefs for fear of being persecuted,” he added.

The amendment passed Monday also allows for Hungarians who hold dual citizenship in a non-European Economic Area country to have their citizenship suspended for up to 10 years if they are deemed to pose a threat to public order, public security or national security.

Hungary has taken steps in recent months to protect its national sovereignty from what it claims are foreign efforts to influence its politics or even topple Orbán’s government.

The self-described “illiberal” leader has accelerated his longstanding efforts to crack down on critics such as media outlets and groups devoted to civil rights and anti-corruption, which he says have undermined Hungary’s sovereignty by receiving financial assistance from international donors.

In March, Orbán gave a speech where he compared people who work for such groups to insects, and pledged to “eliminate the entire shadow army” of foreign-funded “politicians, judges, journalists, pseudo-NGOs and political activists.”

Two U.S. Air Force B-1B bombers, top left, fly over the Korean Peninsula with South Korean Air Force F-35A

MOORE SPORTS

SPRING SPORTS ROUNDUP

County high school teams roll into spring break

North State Journal staff

THE WEATHER played a bit of havoc with local sports schedules last week, but each of the local schools’ spring sports got a few games in. They now hit spring break before making the final push of the regular season.

Baseball

Pinecrest won three straight games last week, sweeping Hoke County in a home-and-home conference series, 10-2 and 5-4.

The Patriots then opened this week with a 5-4 win over New Hanover in a holiday tournament. Liam Dutton homered, drove in four runs and scored twice in the two games against Hoke. He also scored twice and added a hit against New Hanover. Pinecrest continues tournament play with games against Laney and Hoggard this week. The Patriots are 13-6, 8-2 in the Sandhills.

North Moore split two games last week, winning at the O’Neal School 11-3 then losing a conference game at Seaforth 11-1.

The Mustangs are now 7-6 on the year, 4-5 in the Mid-Carolina Conference. North Moore stays on the road this week with a road game at Freedom Christian Academy then has a one-week break before the final week of the regular season.

After getting swept by Southern Lee last week, Union Pines snapped its skid with a 4-2 win over Uwharrie Charter on Monday. Preston Whitaker went 3 for 3 with two runs and an RBI in the win. The Vikings are 7-10, 3-7 in the Sandhills. Union Pines faced Southwest Guilford and West Johnston in a holiday event this week.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

John Carre

North Moore ran its winning streak to five in a row with a 15-0 win over Bartlett Yancey last week. Macey Jackson tripled, scored twice and drove in three in a 2-for-2 day. The red-hot Mustangs are 13-4, 9-3 in conference and are in the middle of a nearly two-week spring break between games.

Union Pines split two games last week, losing at Hoke County 6-5 then beating Midlakes 15-0 on Monday. Allie Bauer tripled, homered and drove in three runs in the win. The Vikings are now 11-8, 7-3 in the Sandhills. They face SCFC and Wayne this week.

Pinecrest dropped a pair of games last week, 10-0 at Montgomery Central and 14-0 at Scotland. The Patriots are now 4-14, 3-7 in conference. They’ll try to get back to winning with home games this week against Hoke County and Northwood.

Union Pines won 7-2 at Terry Sanford last week to extend its winning streak to six in a row. Kylie DiMayo and Grace Queen scored two goals each. The Vikings are now 9-0 in the Sandhills, 13-3-1 overall. They have this week off for spring break.

Pinecrest ran its unbeaten streak to four, spanning the first half of April, with a 13-0 home won over Scotland. The Patriots got three goals each from Anna Depenbrock and Jadyn Lamelle and two from Amelia Millard. There’s nothing on the schedule for two weeks as the Patriots sit at 13-4-1, 8-1-1 in the Sandhills.

North Moore split two games last week, losing 4-0 at Northwood then beating Eastern Randolph 1-0. The Mustangs are 7-2, 3-2 in conference. They’ll take this week off for spring break before getting back to the schedule.

North Moore, baseball

John Carre is a senior on the North Moore baseball team. He has committed to playing college ball for Robeson Community College starting in the fall.

Carre made things look easy last week, as opponents were not able to get him out. He went 7 for 7 in the two games, opening the week with a four-hit day against The O’Neal School, scoring twice, driving in two runs and hitting a triple. He also turned in a scoreless inning on the mound, striking out one.

Then he had three hits in three at-bats against Seaforth, hitting another triple and striking out three in 12/3 innings on the mound.

Larson dominates to claims emotional Cup victory at Bristol Motor Speedway

The win comes after the death of his longtime PR representative

By Nate Ryan The Associated Press

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Kyle Larson led 411 of 500 laps and scored an emotional win Sunday with a dominating NASCAR Cup Series victory at Bristol Motor Speedway. Larson, racing just days after the death of Jon Edwards, his former public relations representative, picked up his second Cup win of the season. It was his 31st Cup victory and third at Bristol.

Denny Hamlin finished second in his 400th consecutive Cup start, falling one spot short in his bid for a third consecu-

tive win. Ty Gibbs was third, followed by Chase Briscoe and Ryan Blaney.

Larson’s No. 5 Chevrolet was one of several cars sporting a decal in the memory of Edwards, the Hendrick Motorsports director of communications whose death was confirmed in a Thursday statement from the team. The cause of death was not announced.

The 53-year-old Edwards was a PR specialist during Jeff Gordon’s four Cup championships. After becoming Gordon’s right-hand man, Edwards also worked closely with Larson since the star joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2021 and won his first championship.

On Saturday at Bristol, Larson dedicated an Xfinity Series victory to Edwards, who took

“I’m happy to see the smiling faces and everybody talking positively of Jon this week.”

Kyle Larson on PR man Jon Edwards’ death

vacations with the driver and became his closest friend on the No. 5 team.

Larson also finished second in Friday’s Truck Series race, nearly completing a tripleheader sweep to honor Edwards, whom he said was always a happy person.

“He wouldn’t want us to be sad,” Larson said of Edwards.

“I’m happy to see the smiling faces and everybody talking positively of Jon this week.”

Helping others

Defending Cup Series champion Joey Logano was named a National Motorsports Press Association Pocono Spirit Award winner for his efforts in helping Hurricane Helene victims with rebuilding after the storm last fall. Logano was presented the award at Bristol because of the track’s proximity to the devastation in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee.

“One of my quotes that I like to think about a lot is, ‘Don’t let a crisis go to waste,’” said Logano, whose foundation committed $250,000 to Helene relief after he toured the storm’s

path last October. “A crisis like that presented a huge opportunity for all of us to band together and impact some people that just got their lives wiped out. It’s some pretty heavy stuff up there. The great news is there’s a lot of comeback.”

The Bristol weekend continued a busy week for Logano, who recovered from a bout with norovirus in time for last Wednesday visit to the White House. After scraping the wall in qualifying Saturday, he started Sunday’s race from the rear because of unapproved adjustments to his No. 22 Ford.

Up next

After a break for Easter weekend, the Cup Series will race Sunday, April 27 at Talladega Superspeedway, where Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Tyler Reddick won last year.

Talladega will follow the final off week of the season for NASCAR’s premier series, which will race on 28 consecutive weekends through the Nov. 2 season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

ROBESON COMMUNITY

Softball

Girls’ soccer

DAVID SINCLAIR FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Pinecrest senior Anna Depenbrock, shown here during the Patriots’ April unbeaten streak, had a three-goal game last week against Scotland.

WADE PAYNE / AP PHOTO

Kyle Larson goes into Turn 3 during his NASCAR Cup Series win Sunday in Bristol, Tennessee.

SIDELINE REPORT

NCAA BASKETBALL

Betting up in men’s NCAA Tournament, during women’s basketball season

Las Vegas It was a men’s NCAA Tournament in which upsets were unusual and a women’s field sans Caitlin Clark. Betting nevertheless was up on both sides this year at the BetMGM and Caesars Sportsbooks. BetMGM saw an 18% increase on the men’s side that culminated in Florida’s heart-pounding 65-63 victory over Houston for the Gators’ third championship. Betting on the women’s side was up 10% this season at BetMGM. UConn rolled to an 82-59 victory over defending champion South Carolina for the Huskies’ 12th national title but first since 2016.

MLB Fan reaches into Trout’s glove to snatch catch from Angels outfielder

Houston A fan snatched the ball out of Mike Trout’s glove after the Los Angeles Angels star reached into the right field stands to try to make a catch. Trout raced into the right-field corner on the fly ball hit by Yainer Diaz in the second inning, leaped and extended his left arm into the stands. But a fan wearing a Houston Astros jersey immediately grabbed the ball as Trout immediately gestured to umpires that the fan had taken it out of his glove. First base umpire Alan Porter ruled it a foul ball and not a catch.

NFL Flacco returning to Browns on 1-year deal

Cleveland Joe Flacco is heading back to Cleveland. The veteran NFL quarterback agreed to terms with the Browns on a one-year deal. Flacco won the league’s Comeback Player of the Year award in 2023 after leading an inspiring late-season surge that carried the Browns to the playoffs. He spent last season in Indianapolis, throwing for 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions in eight games, including a 2-4 mark as a starter. The 40-year-old Flacco joins a quarterback room that includes Kenny Pickett. Cleveland acquired the former first-round draft pick in a deal with Philadelphia in March.

NCAA FOOTBALL

Iamaleava gone from Tennessee as Heupel says no one “bigger than the Power T” Knoxville, Tenn. The Tennessee Volunteers are moving forward without quarterback Nico Iamaleava with coach Josh Heupel giving his team a simple message: No one is bigger than the Power T, including the coach himself. Heupel said Tennessee has been around a long time and will be around long after he leaves with a tradition and legacy recognized around the world. Heupel called losing Iamaleava an “unfortunate” situation. But the Tennessee coach says he knew the quarterback would not be with the program after being a “no show” for last Friday’s practice.

from the

as

Wickens returns to elite racing with use of hand controls 7 years after being paralyzed

Hand-controlled throttle and braking systems let him compete in IMSA

By Jenna Fryer The Associated Press

LONG BEACH, Calif. —

Nearly seven years after he was paralyzed in an IndyCar crash, Robert Wickens returned to elite competition when he drove a Corvette in the IMSA sports car race on the downtown streets of Long Beach. Wickens finished five laps off the lead, in 26th place.

Wickens has raced since the crash at Pocono left him paralyzed from the chest down but considers the IMSA event a true completion of his comeback.

“My goal from the outset of this was to get back to the highest levels of motorsport again. I’ve always seen that (IMSA) is the highest level of sports car racing here in North America,” Wickens said. “It would be a dream if I could call it a 10-year career here racing against the best drivers in the world and one of the best series in the world.”

Wickens drove for DXDT Racing with teammate and

longtime Corvette driver Tommy Milner. The Corvette is equipped with a hand-controlled throttle and braking system developed by Bosch and Pratt Miller. The brake controls mount to the steering wheel but are independent of the steering wheel so that Milner can seamlessly transition from hand controls to pedals when he’s the driver.

“The steering wheel that Tommy will be driving or any other teammate that I drive with in this Corvette, it’s the exact same steering wheel that they always know. What’s great about it is, in theory, it can mount to virtually any steering column as long as you have the right bolt pattern,” Wickens said. “What we’re learning here today can transfer into any race car. And then, hopefully, down the road, what we’re developing with the electronic braking system from Bosch, opportunities are endless. Maybe this can evolve into road safety and into everyday road vehicles and accessibility in road vehicles.

“But short term, we need to perfect this system here.”

Wickens made his debut in IMSA’s GT Daytona class.

“My goal from the outset of this was to get back to the highest levels of motorsport again.”

Robert Wickens

“Honestly, taking the green flag in Long Beach is going to be an enormous step forward in my career and my journey back to the highest levels,” Wickens said. “You could say, ‘We did it. We’re racing against the best cars and the best drivers in the whole sports car industry.’”

The car Wickens and Milner are competing in is eligible for the GTD championship.

“I want to win championships for myself, for General Motors, for DXDT,” he said. “There’s still some work to be done. I think you could say it’s definitely a massive box to check, probably the biggest box that we could check off so far in my return.”

He’d like to race full time in the series next season.

He and Milner are just getting to know each other, as well as the nuances of the car with the system Wickens must use versus how Milner will drive it.

“Fundamentally, everything happens on the wheel,” Milner said, “and it’s a system that took me initially a little while to sort of understand in my own brain, how it is supposed to work, how to find lap time out of it and things like that.” Milner has also been inspired by Wickens’ journey since his life-changing crash in his rookie season of IndyCar racing.

“For him to go through what he went through and with his drive and determination to get back in a race car again and be competitive and win races, that’s something that can be an inspiration for anybody,” Milner said. “Anybody who’s gone through some sort of hardship like he has, it’s what you make of your life and that situation. You can tell that it does change parts of his life. But the one thing that he doesn’t want it to change realistically is him driving race cars and driving them as fast as he does.”

Florida gets another championship celebration

The national champions were honored in the Swamp in front of nearly 60,000

By Mark Long The Associated Press

GAINESVILLE, Fla. —

Florida coach Todd Golden already has a spot picked out for the Final Four net he cut down in San Antonio.

On Saturday, though, it felt right at home around his neck.

Golden and the Gators were revered in another national championship celebration, this one in front of nearly 60,000 fans at Florida Field during an extended halftime of the annual football spring game. The hoops team has one more get-together on tap: at the White House, presumably this summer.

“It’s just absurd,” Golden said. “Today was awesome. … Our guys, especially our older guys, are going to be moving on to go train for the draft. You don’t know if they’re going to be around.

“To be able to put something like this together on kind of short notice and do a great job honoring our players in front of our fans, which to me is the most important thing. People that have been supporting us really all year got to see these guys together again one last time. It was special.”

Golden wore the remnants of one of the nets from the Al-

amodome; center Micah Handlogten wore the other. Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin and Will Richard carried trophies into the Swamp.

Clayton, named most outstanding player of the Final Four, and Golden — hardly surprisingly — received the loudest ovations.

Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward presented Golden with a key to the city “so you’ll always know where home is.”

“My family and I love being here,” said Golden. “In three short years, we’ve been able to meet a lot of great people and get comfortable. Florida’s a place that we can win national championships, as we just proved. Yeah, we love being here.”

Golden unveiled a working poster of the program’s third championship banner, which will be hung in the O’Connell Center to open next season.

Clayton, Martin and Richard have exhausted their eligibility and will moving on, and Golden said big man Alex Condon will go through the NBA’s predraft testing process to see whether he turns pro or returns to school.

“If we’re fortunate enough to get Alex back, I think we’ll have one of the strongest front lines in America,” Golden said. “We’re deep there. We’re athletic now. We’re very accomplished. Guys have played a lot of minutes on a really good team.”

The Gators finished 36-4

“People that have been supporting us really all year got to see these guys together again one last time.”

Florida coach Todd Golden

and won their final 12 games. They won four of six in the tournament by rallying late: “Beat the odds to say the least,” Golden quipped. The 39-year-old Golden be-

came the youngest coach since NC State’s Jim Valvano in 1983 to win it all. Golden flung what was left of the net around his neck Monday night and still had it on when the team returned home Tuesday afternoon. He insisted Saturday he hasn’t slept in it or even thought much about it since.

“But I wanted to bust it out for today,” he said. “This will be, along with some other important mementos over the last month, in my office at home. … This is a little more important and a little more impactful on the trophy shelf now.”

WILLIE J. ALLEN JR./ORLANDO SENTINEL VIA AP

Florida head coach Todd Golden speaks as the NCAA champions are honored during halftime of the Orange and Blue spring football game.

JENNA FRYER / AP PHOTO

Driver change assist Josh Gibbs pulls Robert Wickens, who was paralyzed from the chest down after a 2018 IndyCar crash,

car

Tommy Milner gets in the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3R as they practiced driving changes for the Long Beach IMSA race.

Terrance Joseph Allen

March 31, 1959 –April 12, 2025

Terrance Joseph Allen, 66 of Jackson Springs, passed away on April 12, 2025, at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital.

Born on March 31, 1959, in Albany, New York, to the late William and Mary Joan Allen. Terrance retired from Gates Rubber Company after 38 years of working as a regional sales manager. After retirement, he also enjoyed working at the Pinehurst Resort. Terrance enjoyed the simple things in life and was a truly loyal and giving

obituaries

friend to all he knew. He was rich with the amount of friends he had. His amazing sense of humor always allowed him not to take things so seriously, and his commitment to family was unwavering. He truly loved his family, his country, classic country music, dogs and golfing. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, Bill Allen, and brotherin-law, Joseph Lombardo.

He is survived by his loving wife of 36 years, Lisa Allen; two daughters, Morgan and Brittany Allen; four brothers, John, Jim (Janet), Tom and Bob (Kathy) Allen; motherin-law, Charlotte Lombardo; brother-in-law, Bruce (Eileen) Lombardo; sister-in-laws Kim and Stephanie Lombardo; also survived by many nieces, nephews, other family and friends.

A visitation will be held on Friday, April 18, 2025, from 1-2 p.m. at Boles Funeral Home in Southern Pines. A memorial service will follow at 2 p.m. Services are entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.

Octavio Dotel, who once held record of pitching for 13 major league teams, dies in DR roof collapse

Nearly 100 people were killed after the roof collapsed at a merengue concert

The Associated Press

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Octavio Dotel, who pitched for 13 major league teams in a 15-year career and won a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals, was among the dead after a roof collapsed at a nightclub in his native Dominican Republic where he was attending a merengue concert. He was 51.

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

Officials initially said Dotel was rescued from the debris and transported to a hospital, but spokesman Satosky Terrero from the Professional Baseball League of the Dominican Republic confirmed to The Associated Press that Dotel died later Tuesday.

At least 79 people died and 160 were injured after the collapse at the Jet Set nightclub, officials said. Tony Blanco, who played one MLB season and eight years professionally in Japan, also died following the collapse, Terrero said. Also killed was Nelsy Cruz, governor of the Monte Cristi province and the sister of Nelson Cruz, a former MLB player and current MLB special adviser to baseball operations.

“Major League Baseball is deeply saddened by the passings of Octavio Dotel, Tony Blanco, Nelsy Cruz, and all the victims of last night’s tragedy in Santo Domingo,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “We send our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of all those who

“The connection between baseball and the Dominican Republic runs deep, and we are thinking of all the Dominican players and fans across the game today.”

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred

have been affected and to our colleague Nelson and his entire family. The connection between baseball and the Dominican Republic runs deep, and we are thinking of all the Dominican players and fans across the game today.”

MLB Players Association executive director Tony Clark said the union stands united with the Dominican community “amid the incomprehensible sadness.”

“We grieve for all the victims and send a special message of support to the families of Octavio Dotel and Tony Blanco, who leave an unspeakable void with their passing, and to Nelson Cruz, whose family lost a shining light with the death of his sister, Nelsy,” he said in a statement.

Dotel signed with the New York Mets in 1993 as an amateur free agent and made his major league debut in 1999. A starter early in his career, he turned into a reliable and at times dominant reliever while appearing in 758 games from 1999-2013.

When he took the mound for the Detroit Tigers on April 7,

2012, he set the record playing for the most major league teams at 13. Edwin Jackson broke the record in 2019 when he pitched for his 14th team.

The Mets held a moment of silence for Dotel before their game Tuesday against Miami, and a Dominican flag was shown on the video scoreboard.

Dotel’s best years were with the Houston Astros in the early 2000s. He was a setup man for star closer Billy Wagner, making 302 appearances and posting a 3.25 ERA in four-plus seasons. He was the fifth of six pitchers to combine on a no-hitter against the New York Yankees in 2003. The next year, he was part of the three-way trade that brought Carlos Beltran to the Astros.

Dotel pitched for nine teams before he landed with the Cardinals, who acquired him from Toronto at the 2011 trade deadline. He appeared in 12 postseason games, including five in the World Series against Texas.

In 2013, he pitched on the Dominican Republic team that won the World Baseball Classic with an 8-0 record.

Dotel finished his major league career with 1,143 strikeouts in 951 innings, a magnificent rate of 10.8 per nine innings. He had a career 59-50 record, 109 saves and 3.78 ERA.

In 2019, Dotel and ex-major leaguer Luis Castillo were among 18 people taken into custody during a large U.S. and Dominican law enforcement operation against drug trafficking and money laundering. Dotel and Castillo were released when a Dominican magistrate judge found insufficient evidence to connect them to the operation.

JEFF ROBERSON / AP PHOTO

St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Octavio Dotel participates in a victory parade after defeating the Texas Rangers to win their 11th World Series in franchise history in October 2011.

STATE & NATION

EPA puts hold on promised electric school bus funding

Charlotte was expecting millions of dollars for new EV buses

By Michael Casey and Alexa St. John The Associated Press

BOSTON — Looking to cut pollution from its fleet of diesel-burning school buses, an Oklahoma school district last year doubled its electric vehicles.

The Shawnee Public Schools, a 3,300-student district about 35 miles east of Oklahoma City in a county that voted overwhelmingly for President Donald Trump, figured the nearly $1.5 million for the four buses would be reimbursed through an Environmental Protection Agency program. The agency, under President Joe Biden, had promised to do just that last year with money from a massive infrastructure law passed by Congress.

The district requested the funding in November but was told that it would be delayed due to a technical glitch. But after Trump took office, they have been calling the EPA and emailing regularly without a response. They fear they will never be reimbursed.

“Our district made this investment in good faith, expecting the promised rebate to be delivered in a timely manner,” John Wiles, the district’s director of transportation, said. “The buses are here, they are in service, and they are benefiting our students and community — but the lack of reimbursement has

created unnecessary financial strain.”

Shawnee is not alone. More than 500 districts nationwide are still waiting on around $1 billion from the EPA to cover more than 3,400 electric buses. That’s sparked panic and confusion in districts that must find other ways to cover the cost or delay or cancel their purchases. It’s also hitting companies building the buses, those selling them and companies that oversee districts’ transportation.

The National School Transportation Association, which represents private school bus operators, called the freeze “extremely disruptive.”

The EPA hasn’t explained why

500

the funds are on hold or if they will ever be released. A spokesperson said the EPA does not comment on pending litigation. Multiple lawsuits have called for releasing federal funding frozen by myriad federal agencies including the EPA. Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) one of several senators to write

to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin demanding answers, said the funding lets districts “invest in transportation that reduces air pollution and provides health benefits to children across the country.” Without the money, administrators may have to make tough financial decisions, “and children are going to pay the price,” he said.

The push for electric buses has long had bipartisan support, with many arguing the transition will help combat climate change, benefit the health of children and saves district money over the long run.

More than 25 million students take aging, diesel-fueled buses to school each day in the U.S. — with black, Latino and lower-income students in urban areas more likely to rely on them.

The exhaust from these dirty buses exposes them, their parents and school staff to harmful pollutants like fine particulates and nitrogen dioxide, which can lead to health issues such as asthma and heart disease. It can also affect cognitive performance, said Dr. Stephanie Lovinsky-Desir, chief of the pediatric pulmonary division at Columbia University Medical Center. Young bodies that are still developing are especially vulnerable.

Electric school buses — though two to three times more expensive up front — can save districts money in fuel and maintenance costs, said Katherine Roboff, deputy director of external affairs for World Resources Institute’s Electric School Bus Initiative. The WRI estimates $100,000 in savings over the life of a bus.

“That’s really helpful savings that school districts can put back into the classroom,” Roboff said. “And that’s another reason that districts are eager to go electric.”

The money is part of a Clean School Bus Program, which was part of Biden’s infrastructure law and provided $5 billion over five years to help districts replace polluting school buses with cleaner, electric buses.

So far, the program has gone through three rounds. Nearly $1 billion was issued in the first round of rebate funding to 400 schools for 2,500 buses; the second round, issued in the form of grants also totaling nearly $1 billion, funded more than 2,700 school buses at 275 districts.

The long list of delays is hitting districts of all sizes, both rural and urban.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in Charlotte, the school district in Huntsville, Alabama, as well as Baltimore County Public Schools, all of which contract with outside companies to run their transportation operations, are waiting for nearly $26 million to fund the purchase of 75 electric buses.

Prince George’s County Public Schools, a 132,000-student district outside Washington, D.C., was expecting $5 million for nine electric buses to add to its current 21. When the EPA funding was put on hold, the district turned to the state of Maryland, which has a similar grant program, and is hoping it covers the cost.

In New Hampshire, the Derry Cooperative School District wasn’t so fortunate. The 4,300-student district has been counting on $8.1 million in EPA f unding to cover 25 electric buses.

“It’s very disappointing,” Clifton Dancy, the district’s transportation coordinator, said. “The current administration is turning a blind eye to climate change and environmental practices and catering to carbon fuel industry. I can’t get behind that. It’s going backwards.”

Nvidia plans to manufacture AI chips in the US for the first time

New semiconductor plants are coming online in Arizona and Texas

By Sarah Parvini

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — Nvid-

ia announced Monday that it will produce its artificial intelligence super computers in the United States for the first time.

The tech giant said it has commissioned more than 1 million square feet of manufacturing space to build and test its specialized Blackwell chips in Arizona and AI supercomputers in Texas — part of an investment the company said will produce up to half a trillion dollars of AI infrastructure in the next four years.

“The engines of the world’s AI infrastructure are being built in the United States for the first time,” Nvidia founder Jensen Huang said in a statement.

“Adding American manufacturing helps us better meet the incredible and growing demand

“(Trump) has made U.S.-based chips manufacturing a priority as part of his relentless pursuit of an American manufacturing renaissance, and it’s paying off.”

White House statement

for AI chips and supercomputers, strengthens our supply chain and boosts our resiliency.”

Nvidia’s announcement comes as the Trump administration has said that tariff exemptions on electronics like smartphones and laptops are only a temporary reprieve until officials develop a new tariff approach specific to the semiconductor industry.

White House officials, including President Donald Trump himself, spent Sunday downplaying the significance of exemptions that lessen but won’t eliminate the effect of U.S. tariffs on imports of popular consumer devices and their key components.

“They’re exempt from the re-

ciprocal tariffs, but they’re included in the semiconductor tariffs, which are coming in probably a month or two,” U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday.

Nvidia said in a post on its website that it has started Blackwell production at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. chip plants in Phoenix. The Santa Clara, California-based chip company is also building supercomputer manufacturing plants in Texas — with Foxconn in Houston and Wistron in Dallas.

Nvidia’s AI super computers will serve as the engines for AI factories, “a new type of data center created for the sole pur-

NIC COURY / AP PHOTO

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang talks during the keynote address of Nvidia GTC last month in California.

pose of processing artificial intelligence,” the company said, adding that manufacturing in the U.S. will create “hundreds of thousands of jobs and drive trillions of dollars in economic security over the coming decades.”

Mass production at both plants is expected to ramp up in the next 12-15 months, Nvidia said. The company also plans on partnering with Taiwan-based

company SPIL and Amkor for “packaging and testing operations” in Arizona. In a statement Monday, the White House called Nvidia’s move “the Trump Effect in action.”

Trump “has made U.S.-based chips manufacturing a priority as part of his relentless pursuit of an American manufacturing renaissance, and it’s paying off — with trillions of dollars in new investments secured in the tech sector alone,” the White House said.

Earlier this year, Trump announced a joint venture investing up to $500 billion for infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence by a new partnership formed by OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank. The new entity, Stargate, was tasked with building out data centers and the electricity generation needed for the further development of the fast-evolving AI in Texas, according to the White House. The initial investment is expected to be $100 billion and could reach five times that sum.

COURTESY THOMAS BUILT BUSES

The second-generation Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley electric school bus is assembled at the Thomas Built Buses facility in High Point.