North State Journal Vol. 11, Issue 27

VOLUME 11 ISSUE 27 | THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026

NSJONLINE.COM

ALLISON ROBBERT / AP PHOTO

Horsepower on the Hill

Christian Rasmussen (21) leads a pack of cars during Sunday’s IndyCar Freedom 250 Grand Prix on the streets of Washington, D.C.

Stein vetoes bills on courts, election laws

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BRIEF this week

Iconic musician, actor Parton dead at 80 Nashville, Tennessee Dolly Parton, the country music icon whose soaring vibrato vocals, poignant songwriting and sparkling costumes defined her rise from a log cabin in the Tennessee mountains to the height of stardom and acclaim, has died. She was 80 years old. She was among the most beloved personalities in music and beyond — the rare celebrity whose appeal transcended generations, geography and politics. She wrote hundreds of songs that totaled more than 100 million worldwide sales and more than 1 billion online streams, including classics like “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You.” She also dipped her toe into acting, most notably in the 1980s films “9 to 5” and “Steel Magnolias.”

Currituck Republican resigns from state Senate Raleigh Currituck County state Sen. Bobby Hanig resigned his seat Monday morning, the Republican announced on his Facebook page. Hanig made an unsuccessful run to be the Republican nominee for the state’s 1st Congressional District, finishing third in the March primary that was won by Laurie Buckhout.

He served two terms in the North Carolina House before moving to the Senate for more than two terms. Under state law, the Republican Party will decide who fills the remainder of his term and send the recommendation to Gov. Josh Stein. The governor has a week to make the appointment following that recommendation.

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Early voting plans finalized for final 20 NC counties The State Board of Elections mostly voted along party lines during the 10-hour meeting

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — The State Board of Elections finalized the 20 nonunanimous county early voting plans for the November general election in a 10-hour meeting last Thursday.

In nearly every case, it adopted the county majority plan or a close variant. The approvals were mostly on party line votes. The NCSBE is currently a 3-2 Republican majority.

State Board of Elections (NCSBE) Democratic members Jeff Carmon and Siobhan Millen criticized the process along racial and access themes. Republican members defended local preferences and total hours.

See ELECTIONS, page A2

The governor objected to a provision in the court changes bill and accused the elections bill of voter suppression

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — Gov. Josh Stein vetoed two bills last Monday, House Bill 377 and House Bill 958.

House Bill 377 would modify laws governing the North Carolina court system and includes a variety of clarifications and technical corrections, including the areas of estate planning statutes, divorce cases, juvenile records and adoptions, as well as electronic access and modernization updates.

The General Assembly passed the bill Aug. 6 and sent it to Stein the following day.

The vetoes are Stein’s 17th and 18th as governor. The General Assembly has overridden 13 of Stein’s vetoes so far.

CATS still struggling with fare evasion, security upkeep “CATS estimates almost half of all riders aren’t paying for a ticket.”

Dave Boliek, state auditor

A state audit said the Charlotte transit system has $1.7 million in unspent funding

By Jessica Taylor For North State Journal A RECENT AUDIT of the Charlotte Area Transit System revealed the system suffered revenue loss stemming from fare evasion, security gaps and unspent funding totaling $1.7 million.

“The City of Charlotte, CATS, and the Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority need to take decisive action on public transportation security,” said State Auditor Dave Boliek in the press re-

lease. “CATS estimates almost half of all riders aren’t paying for a ticket. Up to $6.5 million may be lost annually to fare evasion, but only $550 in fare evasion fines for the light rail system were collected in State Fiscal Year 2025.

“The taxpayers of Charlotte pay the bill for CATS, and they’re asked to buy tickets to ride the bus or light rail. Moving forward, CATS and the Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority should implement effective measures to stop fare evasion.”

The audit follows up on a preliminary report from last October of CATS that was conducted to evaluate the system’s security procedures following See CATS, page A3

In his veto message, Stein singled out the provision on disciplining judges, stating the bill “would have a chilling effect on judicial independence by giving the Chief Justice authority to suspend trial judges without pay, a power no other Chief Justice in the country has.

“Judges should be able to do their jobs without fear that the Chief Justice may deprive them of their livelihood.”

He added that the role reserved for the Judicial Standards Commission provided “cold comfort, given that the Chief Justice and legislative leadership control nearly all of its appointments.”

Stein’s veto objections are specific to allowing the Supreme Court to approve, remand, modify or impose discipline at its discretion.

Discipline measures could include censure, public reprimand, suspension or removal, and the bill would authorize the chief justice to suspend See VETOES, page A10

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North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

THURSDAY

8.27.26

the word | The Beatitude for the unsuccessful

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There may be no Bible beatitude saying expressly, “Blessed are the unsuccessful,” but there are beatitudes, which are equivalent to this. We take these from our Lord’s own lips, “Blessed are those who mourn,” “Blessed are the poor,” “Blessed are those who are persecuted,” “Blessed are you when men shall revile you,” “Blessed are you when men shall hate you.”

“First in freedom”

Then many other Scripture passages have similar teaching. Evidently not all blessings lie in the sunshine; many of them hide in the shadows. We do not read far in the Bible, especially in the New Testament, without finding that earthly prosperity is not the highest good that God has for us.

Our Lord speaks very plainly about the perils of worldly success.

The Bible is indeed a book for the unsuccessful. Its sweetest messages are to those who have fallen. It is the book of love and sympathy. Its pages teem with cheer for those who are discouraged. It sets its lamps of hope to shine in darkened chambers. It is full of comfort for those who are in sorrow. It is a book for those who have failed, for the disappointed, the defeated, and the discouraged.

It is this quality in the Bible which makes it so dear to the heart of humanity. If it were a book only for the strong, the successful, the victorious, the unfallen, those who have no sorrow, who never fail, the whole, the happy — it would not find such a welcome wherever it goes in the world. So long as there are tears and sorrows, and broken hearts, and crushed hopes, and human failures, and lives burdened and bowed down, and spirits sad and despairing — so long will the Bible be a good book believed in as a God-inspired book, and full of inspiration, light, help, and strength for earth’s weary ones.

The God of the Bible is the God of those who have not succeeded. Wherever there is a weak, stumbling Christian, unable to walk alone — to him the divine heart goes out

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“Judah and Tamar” by Rembrandt (circa 1650) is a painting in the collection of the Residenzgalerie in Salzburg, Austria. in tender thought and sympathy; and the divine hand is extended to support him, and keep him from falling. Whenever a Christian has fallen, and lies in defeat or failure — over him bends the heavenly Father in kindly pity, to raise him up and to help him to begin again.

The world has honor enough for those who succeed. There are plenty of books about men and women who became famous. There is glory for those who began among the ranks of the poor, and climbed upward to the highest places. There are poets enough to sing the story of those who win in the battle. But the Bible wreaths its laurel chaplets for the unsuccessful.

It sings the songs of those who fail. Its hands of help are under the fallen. Its brightest crowns are for those whom earth

Audit finds issues in Newland The Avery County town fell victim to a spoofing email, resulting in more than $15,000 in lost public funds

By Jessica Taylor For North State Journal A RECENT AUDIT of the Town of Newland discovered financial mismanagement, unlicensed contractor payments and oversight issues following an allegation of having a fund imbalance.

Following the audit, the Town of Newland has been identified on the Local Government Commission’s (LGC) Unit Assistance List (UAL). The UAL is a tool that identifies local governments struggling financially or operationally.

“Investigators received an allegation regarding the Town having a fund imbalance,” wrote State Auditor Dave Boliek in the audit’s transmittal letter.

“During its investigation, OSA uncovered additional financial management issues.”

The Office of the State Auditor found the town did not submit required financial statement

ELECTIONS from page A1 The board rejected Sunday hours in all but two of the 15 counties that disagreed with holding Sunday voting, citing preferences for Saturday turnout being higher and religious observances on Sundays. The two exceptions were in Lee County, where there will be early voting Sunday, Oct. 18, and Rowan County, which added Sunday, Oct. 25.

The other 80 counties with unanimous plans had already been approved.

The NCSBE approved a Western Carolina University campus site in Jackson County as part of a unanimous compromise that also included a recreation center.

The board denied on-campus sites at UNC Greensboro and N.C. A&T in Guilford County. Other site disputes produced mixed results, including a compromise in Granville County that keeps certain high-use sites while relocating one site.

The meeting featured sharp partisan debate over influ-

passes by. When the end comes, and life’s revelations are all made — then it will appear that many who in this world have been thrust aside, or trampled down in the dust, or even burned at the stake, or nailed on crosses — have been exalted to highest honor in the life beyond earth.

We would better, therefore, learn to measure life by true standards. No one has really failed — who has lived for God, who has lived according to God’s law, who has wrought on the temple of truth, in the cause of righteousness.

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

audits for fiscal years (FY) 2024 and 2025. Financial statement audits submitted to the LGC for FY 2023 were submitted September 2024, 11 months after the deadline.

The town did not maintain required surety bond coverage, a financial guarantee required by state law to ensure financial protections of a municipality if an employee fails to perform their official duties. Newland’s current manager is serving as interim finance officer (IFO) and was originally not bonded for the position, giving the IFO no authority to work in the position.

The OSA found the manager was not covered by a bond from May 6, 2025, through May 28, 2025. The IFO position was not covered by a bond from May 6, 2025, through June 10, 2026. On June 10, the town obtained the required bond.

The former town administrator was discovered to have bypassed bidding and board approval to pay $418,658 in general fund expenditures for debris removal and maintenance at Roby Shoemaker Wetlands and Family Recreation Park.

CCG Enterprises LLC, an unlicensed contractor, was engaged

in the contract and submitted 35 invoices to the town. The audit discovered that CCG presented itself as a licensed general contractor in its invoices.

Nineteen invoices were associated with park-related work; 16 were for other services, such as hauling materials, making repairs at local businesses and renting equipment. Work was performed under the former town administrator, with the town board being unaware of the full extent of the work performed alongside its budget.

Forty-six checks were issued to CCG, with 32 going to CCG totaling $374,919; 14 went to CCG’s owner totaling $43,739. State law sets a threshold of $40,000 for unlicensed contractors, with the cumulative total of the project exceeding the threshold.

The auditor’s office addition-

ally requested permits for the project from the town, and it was discovered that no permits were issued or requested for the work.

In September 2023, a stop-work order was issued by the Avery County Inspections and Planning Department after observing disturbances to the pond, wetlands and creek. The board had raised concerns about the project in 2023 through 2024, and it later voted to remove the town administrator from his duties.

Additionally, during an April 2022 meeting, the town board discussed acceptance of sealed bids for a mowing contract. One of the businesses was Caretaker Services Inc. (CTS), which was tied to Newland’s then-sitting mayor. The former mayor indicated he would benefit financially from the bid, which led the board to award the contract to another bidder.

In 2024, bids were once again solicited for mowing services, and the board selected the lowest bid, which was awarded to CTS. Two fulfillment prices were provided to the town by CTS costing $31,500 and $27,500.

The mowing company was discovered in the audit to have been dissolved 20 years prior, with the former mayor being protected from state conflict-of-interest laws due to a “small jurisdiction” exception.

ence from the state auditor’s office, particularly over its former county liaison Dallas Woodhouse’s contacts with county officials urging cuts to Sunday and campus voting.

Emails and text messages obtained through records requests have shown Woodhouse pressured the Jackson County Board of Elections to drop the Western Carolina campus voting site. As that news was unfolding, Woodhouse was moved to another position in the auditor’s office, and he resigned just days later.

Woodhouse was in the role less than a year, having been picked last September.

During a back and forth between Board Chair Francis DeLuca and Carmon, Carmon called DeLuca an “election denier.” The chair objected to that characterization and closed out the spat by saying, “I hope we never hear the name Dallas Woodhouse again.” But that didn’t happen, with Millen and Carmon taking turns injecting questions about Woodhouse into discussions with the representa-

tives from the counties seeking early voting plan approvals.

Absentee ballots for the November midterm elections begin going out Sept. 4.

Other announcements by the NCSBE included the vendor selection of ReFrame Solutions, which will be tasked with overhauling the aging Statewide Elections Information Management System (SEIMS). The contract is worth $2.2 million. The legislature provided $15 million for election systems upgrade projects in July.

“This is a significant step forward for elections and campaign reporting in North Carolina,” said Sam Hayes, NCSBE executive director.

“Our existing system has served North Carolina for decades, but it is time for a modern platform that reflects how people work and access information today,” Hayes said. “We want a system that is secure and accurate, but also simple to use for the people who must file reports and easier for the public to understand and fol-

low campaign finance activity.”

SEIMS dates to 1998 and is a mix of 12 separate, decentralized client-based applications and two web-based applications. The system is operating with outdated legacy software written in now-unsupported programming languages, and routine updates have become increasingly difficult. Both Hayes and past election officials have said the system is on a path to failure.

ReFrame Solutions was first named in a press release coinciding with an NCSBE meeting held in March, the day after the Modernization of Election Data System Commission (MEDS) met for the first time.

The 22-member MEDS Commission was created by State Auditor Dave Boliek in February.

Hayes also announced the addition of Allen Norfleet as campaign finance director.

Norfleet will replace eight-year NCSBE veteran Lindsey Wakely, who has accepted a job at the State Ethics Commission.

“Allen brings an extraordinary depth of campaign finance

“During its investigation, OSA uncovered … financial management issues.”

Dave Boliek, state auditor

The town had also received a spoof email impersonating Iron Mountain Construction Company and had an $82,123 invoice with payment by wire transfer. The transfer was processed and later identified as fraudulent; $66,913 was recovered, but $15,210 remains unrecovered.

The OSA recommended in the audit that the town submit financial statement audits on time, ensure financial officer appointments comply with state law, strengthen financial oversight controls, ensure board members complete required ethics training and train staff on phishing and vendor impersonation fraud.

The town responded in a letter emphasizing its compliance with the LGC and OSA’s findings. The town also highlighted the importance of segregating duties.

“In a perfect world we would obviously love to have enough employees to completely segregate duties related to finance, but we are working with the resources that we have,” the Town of Newland wrote in its response letter. “We have recently contracted with a local CPA firm to assist us further with day-to-day finance related transactions.

This has proven to be extremely beneficial to the town and also helps us to further segregate financial duties to the best of our ability.”

experience to North Carolina,” Hayes said. “His experience working with campaigns, committees, election officials and federal and state campaign finance systems will be invaluable as we implement our new campaign finance system.

“We are fortunate to have someone with his background helping lead this effort. We thank Lindsey for her years of service to the board and wish her the best in her next role.”

Norfleet has spent his 20-plus-year career in campaign finance, including working for the Federal Election Commission as a senior campaign finance analyst and in the private sector as a compliance consultant.

For the last three-plus years, Norfleet worked for the Maryland State Board of Elections, with his most recent position as director of candidacy and campaign finance.

Norfleet, who grew up in Wilson, holds a bachelor’s degree from Campbell University and a master’s degree in public administration from Virginia Tech.

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North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

Education Department ends race-balancing in school discipline The Dear Colleague Letter instructs districts to end race-based discipline practices or face the loss of federal funds

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — The U.S. Department of Education has ordered schools nationwide to stop treating students differently by race when handing out discipline, arguing that years of “equity” policies made classrooms less safe and violated civil rights law.

In a new Dear Colleague Letter, the department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) said Title VI requires evenhanded rules based on behavior, not skin color, and that discipline must follow the student’s actions, not the student’s race. The new federal guidance clarifies that schools continuing to instruct staff to consider race risk Title VI investigations and loss of federal funds.

Previous guidance under the Obama and Biden administrations treated raw statistical gaps in suspension rates as potential discrimination, even when discipline rules were found to be race neutral. The department’s press release said guidance and pressure led schools to go easy on some students and hard on others purely to even the numbers, which has resulted in increased disorder, bullying and teacher frustration.

“For too long, the left’s pursuit of ‘equity’ has perversely required schools to discipline students differently, based on their race; it has prevented teachers from keeping their classrooms safe, put students in harm’s way, and severely compromised student learning opportunities,” said Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey.

“Today’s guidance clarifies Title VI’s legal requirements and ends these harmful practices. OCR will vigorously enforce Title VI to ensure that schools’

ALEX BRANDON / AP PHOTO

President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order relating to school discipline policies as Education Secretary Linda McMahon listens in the Oval Office of the White House on April 23. disciplinary systems are neutral and fair, and that they operate in a nondiscriminatory manner.”

The OCR press release says two investigations have already been opened, one in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and another in Milwaukee.

The letter follows the department’s recent repeal of disparate-impact regulations and two new investigations into districts in Arkansas and Wisconsin that allegedly told staff to factor race into discipline decisions.

The Dear Colleague Letter follows rulemaking involving removal of disparate impact provisions from the department’s regulations in the implementation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as well as aligning with President Donald Trump’s April 2025 executive order on “Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy.”

North Carolina’s largest school systems have spent years chasing the same equity targets

“Today’s guidance clarifies Title VI’s legal requirements and ends these harmful practices.”

Kimberly Richey, U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights assistant secretary the letter now calls unlawful.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Wake County and Winston-Salem/ Forsyth have all published aggregate data on suspensions broken out by race and used that data to adopt policies or board goals aimed at shrinking the gaps. Districts and school boards, however, largely focused on the racial totals rather than examining individual cases to determine whether the discipline was warranted or whether a student was a repeat offender.

Black students remain heav-

ily overrepresented in suspension-related discipline across the state, often three to seven times more likely to be suspended than white peers, prompting “restorative justice” programs and creation of often-expensive equity offices.

Districts also curbed use of court referrals tied to discipline measures. Beyond district actions, former Gov. Roy Cooper’s Racial Equity in Criminal Justice Task Force also recommended alternative options to replace student criminal referrals. Additionally, Gov. Josh Stein, when he was attorney general, signed onto a 2020 letter urging the Biden administration to reinstate an Obama-era school discipline policy.

The efforts to tamp down on discipline rates grew out of the “school-to-prison pipeline” campaigns of the late 2000s and early 2010s, when advocates argued zero-tolerance rules and school police were funneling minority students into the justice system. Dis-

tricts responded by dialing back suspensions and emphasizing alternatives like “restorative justice.” Critics countered the focus on racial numbers undermined consistent consequences for students and left classrooms more chaotic.

In Wake County Public Schools (WCPSS), OCR opened an investigation about 2010 after civil rights groups, including the North Carolina NAACP, complained that black students were disciplined more harshly than white students. The complaint also addressed school assignment policies.

The multiyear probe examined both discipline practices and student assignment policies, and in November 2018, the district entered a voluntary resolution agreement with OCR in which the agency made no formal finding of discrimination.

The agreement also required clarifying subjective offense definitions in the student code, as well as capturing every disciplinary referral in district data systems to be analyzed for racial disparities.

Additional requirements included training staff on nondiscriminatory decisions and reviewing alternative-placement procedures. OCR later closed the case after monitoring those commitments.

By the time the 2018 OCR agreement was made, WCPSS had already reduced overall suspensions, narrowed some racial gaps, created an “Office of Equity Affairs” and a Comprehensive Plan for Equitable Discipline Practices.

Years later, during the 2022-23 school year, WCPSS adopted its “Equity Policy 1150,” which defines equity partly as eliminating “predictability and disproportionality” of outcomes by race and directing efforts to eliminate practices leading to over/under racial representation in student discipline.

During the years of the federal investigation, WCPSS did cut overall out-of-school suspensions between 25% and 45% depending on the year. However, the racial discipline imbalance has never disappeared. Black students, roughly a quarter of enrollment at the time, continued to receive well over half of all suspensions. The district’s most recent data shows black students at about 21% of the student body but roughly 57% of suspensions.

CATS from page A1 the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on Aug. 22, 2025.

Lauren Newton, an attorney representing the Zarutska family, has indicated a civil lawsuit will be filed against the City of Charlotte.

The audit confirms what the auditor’s office originally found, alongside new information gleaned about safety and security policies.

One finding discovered that CATS does not have physical barriers to prevent fare evasion, allowing nonticketed individuals to board trains and making it difficult to identify nonticketed riders.

Bus nonpaying ridership was calculated at 35%, with light rail nonpaying ridership calculated at 60%. The estimated annual loss to fare evasion is between $5 million and $6.5 million.

According to the auditor’s office, the number of citations issued for fare evasion dropped 57% from 2023 to 2025. Fines collected by CATS for fare evasion were $750 in state fiscal year (SFY) 2024 and $550 in SFY 2025.

Furthermore, CATS instructed bus drivers not to enforce fares to avoid verbal or physical assault from fare disputes.

CATS and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) had limited interaction, with two CMPD officers assigned to CATS. CATS’s security is staffed by Professional Security Services (PSS), a private company contracted

by CATS for a three-year term.

PSS provides CATS with six armed guards, 26 police officers and one captain.

When conducting its system risk assessment, CATS was found to use the U.S. Department of Defense guidelines for assessing operational risks in-

ERIK VERDUZCO / AP PHOTO

A Charlotte Area Transit System light rail train arrives at a station in Charlotte last September. stead of guidelines established by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

Additionally, CATS’s budget for FY 2025 was not fully utilized. CATS allotted $2.2 million for safety and security updates but spent just over $470,000 — 21.1% of the budgeted amount.

CATS explained the budget was not utilized fully due to multiyear project complexity, delays in expenditure recognition, purchases not meeting capitalization thresholds and incomplete projects that will be spent on in subsequent years.

The Office of the State Auditor (OSA) recommended CATS optimize fare structures to deter nonticketed passengers, work with CMPD to add officers to the Metro Transit Unit, implement a safety plan using the FTA’s methodology and

strengthen financial planning processes to ensure projects are executed in the same year as their budgets.

In its response letter, CATS noted developments with the implementation of a transportation sales tax, creation of the first Integrated Security and Public Safety Plan, completion of the FTA Agency Safety Plan Audit and establishment of a funded fare modernization program.

CATS also described expansion in safety and security resources with funding, personnel and CMPD support, which was reported to decrease crime on the Blue Line by 69% in the first quarter of 2026. Contracted staff increased from 110 to 262 personnel, with CMPD support providing 1,540 hours of weekly coverage.

In its previous audit of CATS

in 2025, the OSA noted the number of armed security officers decreased by 40% from 2022 to 2025. Around the time of Zarutska’s murder, PSS provided 186 personnel.

CATS added that it uses guidelines from the U.S. Department of Defense but works within FTA guidelines and requirements.

Following Zarutska’s murder, CATS leadership implemented new policies meant to improve safety for passengers and employees. Several procedures included adjusting operational and security posture, reviewing areas with higher rates of disorder, strengthening review processes that align with Safety Management System (SMS) principles and increasing security deployment.

According to the audit, a nonfatal stabbing occurred

Dec. 5, 2025, after improvements were made.

After Zarutska’s murder, a motion for continuance was filed in the trial of Decarlos Brown Jr., the man accused of murdering Zarutska. Brown had been evaluated and found incapable of proceeding, and a 180-day continuance was consented to by the state. Brown’s hearing has been pushed to Oct. 27.

Last October, Gov. Josh Stein signed Iryna’s Law, a bill that ends cashless bail for certain defendants and creates a “violent offense” category requiring a secured bond or GPS-monitored house arrest for first-time offenders. When signing the bill, Stein stated he was troubled by the bill’s lack of ambition, vision and prioritization for a person’s ability to post bail.

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North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

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

EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL

The $40 trillion stop spending sign “The budget idea, I may admit, is a sort of obsession with me. I want other people to believe in them.”

President Calvin Coolidge

THE U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT announced last week that federal debt obligations had topped the mind-boggling $40 trillion threshold. They should have put up a humongous bright red neon sign flashing “Stop Spending!” on the west front portico of the U.S. Capitol to shine forth like a lighthouse.

Forty trillion dollars isn’t anywhere close to what the national debt used to be — as recently as 2002, it was a mere $6 trillion by comparison.

Forty trillion dollars is no laughing matter. It is the same size as the annual GDP combined of China, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and India. U.S. GDP is $32.3 trillion by itself.

Mainstream media commentators jumped on the news to blame President Donald Trump for all of it. They failed to report what happened in Congress during the terms of Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama before him. More reasonable outlets rightly pointed out that while federal debt more than doubled in the decade since Trump’s first term started in 2017 — when it was $19.95 trillion — it was a decade that also included four years under President Joe Biden. One-third of the increase, $6.66 trillion, occurred in just two years of frantic borrowing to cover the costs of the COVID-19 epidemic and recovery efforts.

No president can increase the national debt without a willing Congress leading the spending spree.

Having $40 trillion in national debt even in a country as prosperous as the United States of America is an unnecessary

burden. It has been a long time coming and could have been avoided had any Congress taken serious legislative action since 2000 to avert the buildup.

To lay 100% of the blame on two people in a nation of 350 million, Trump and Biden, is misplaced and misguided. It also avoids pointing the finger at the real culprits and makes it much easier to avoid taking the steps necessary to reduce it and avoid its expected consequences.

Fortunately, history provides a blueprint and a game plan for how to get out of this morass. Oddly enough, the first comes from a former progressive who also happened to be a Republican, Calvin Coolidge, who was president from 1923 to 1929. Coolidge became the hero of every conservative Republican, including Ronald Reagan, because he was a flinty northeasterner who understood fundamental math and arithmetic. Coolidge may have been a progressive for his time, but he knew to control spending — Congress had to stop spending in the first place. Coolidge led the way by helping produce annual budgets for the Republican Congress to reduce spending by 10% or more. He also led the way to reduce the then-enormous national debt of $24 billion caused by World War I by more than 30% by the time he left office in 1929 without any tax hikes. After each round of spending cuts, he got tax cuts passed that led to more economic growth and generated far more tax revenue from people working than could ever have been generated by chasing wealthy robber barons to make them pay for it all with higher tax rates.

It takes single-minded leaders to accomplish what Coolidge did, and he definitely was single-minded.

“The budget idea, I may admit, is a sort of obsession with me,” he confessed in a 1924 speech. “I believe in budgets. I want other people to believe in them. … Do you wonder, then, that at times I dream of balance sheets and sinking funds and deficits and tax rates and all the rest?”

There was a second time in recent memory when bold leaders had the guts and gumption to reduce the rate of growth in spending — 1989 to 2001. The economy didn’t fall apart during that period, nor were any essential governmental services eliminated or disrupted. The Republican-led House and Senate produced budgets that were balanced from 1997 to 2000, and close to $600 billion of national debt was paid off with surpluses generated over four years.

At the end of 2000, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected budget surpluses as far as the eye could see. Social Security was expected to remain on solid budget footing, with reserves expected to last for decades to follow.

The federal government is the only place in our country where immense budget imbalances lead to such monumental debt accumulation, which can negatively affect inflation rates, interest rates, currency strength and viability, and every citizen’s life daily.

Forty trillion dollars in debt should be enough to make us want it to stop. It can be done — with the right elected leaders in Washington.

he had to move a whole lot of stuff around to reach. One of the things was the big box of Barbie dolls.

He began getting a few things together that he wanted to throw away or give to Goodwill. At one point, he grabbed the Barbie box and brought it down for me to look through.

“Would you be interested in donating these things?” he asked me, and before I could answer, he pressed on, gently but firmly. “Most of them appear to be in good condition, and I suspect there are a lot of little girls out there who would love to get their hands on these Barbies to play with.”

What a way to hit me in the feels. I remembered that a few of the Barbies I had weren’t purchased by Mom or Dad but given to us by friends or other family members whose kids had outgrown them. They were among the ones I had treasured and played with the most as a young girl.

So I agreed for them to be donated, and the funny thing was that I didn’t even miss them much after that. They had gotten me through that season of life, and I was ready at that point to move on to the next season.

Here I am many years later, about to say goodbye to the car I’ve had for 15

years. Adults are famous for getting overly attached to their wheels, whether it be a classic car or truck, a snazzy modern sports vehicle or just one that — as in my case — got you through a transitional, up-and-down period in life, something you almost look at as a “family member,” complete with a name.

I had planned on keeping it a while longer, but a spring car accident sort of forced my hand. It is still drivable, but for reasons too long to list in this column, I no longer have confidence when I drive it (which is rare).

When I look at it, it makes me sad because I won’t have it much longer. Trading it in is going to be bittersweet, but Mom and I had already been talking about getting something more suited to our needs, like a crossover, and that time has apparently arrived.

It’s the season of life thing staring me in the face again. And I’m once again embracing it, albeit with misty eyes.

EDITORIAL | STACEY MATTHEWS

The seasons of life Beyond the mansion, Corvette and vans, I didn’t want to get rid of the Barbie collection itself.

IT’S FUNNY, the things we get attached to.

It starts early. Infants and kids get attached to a favorite toy or object.

Teenagers get attached to a favorite pair of jeans or a bicycle. In all instances, the adults in the room implicitly understand it’s best not to encourage the child or teen to part ways with the item too soon, if at all.

As a young girl and up until my early teens, my attachment was to Barbie dolls.

I had amassed quite a collection over the years, including the Barbie mansion (complete with “elevator”), two vans, the Corvette convertible — the works. I never owned the Barbie “McDonald’s,” but I think by the time that got popular, I was starting to move on to other priorities.

But beyond the mansion, Corvette and vans, I didn’t want to get rid of the Barbie collection itself. I had no intention of trying to sell it one day, as some end up doing. It was just something I wanted to hold on to for sentimental reasons. It had given me joy as I was growing up, and I was reluctant to give it away.

So it was stored in the attic for a few years, and sometime in my early 20s, my dad had to go up there to get something that

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.

A5

North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

COLUMN | JOHN STOSSEL

COLUMN DAVID BLACKMON

Racist tests College Board data showed students with C+ grades but great SAT scores do better in college than A+ students with lower SAT scores.

DID YOU KNOW that the SAT is racist?

During Woke I, as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez now calls it, “antiracists” said the SAT’s creators “were avowed eugenicists.”

No wonder black people get lower scores.

Even if the test isn’t racist today, it still gives unfair advantages to white kids because their parents are more likely to afford SAT tutoring.

My new video shows anti-SAT ads from activist groups like FairTest that said, “Real learning is not standardized, so why judge children just by test scores?”

During Woke I, FairTest won. Most colleges stopped requiring the test for admissions.

That was ironic given that standardized tests once brought underrepresented groups into colleges. After tests helped Jews get into college in the 1920s, Harvard even reduced focus on tests to “prevent a dangerous increase in the proportion of Jews.”

I confronted FairTest’s executive director, Bob Schaeffer, pointing out that SATs are the best predictor of whether a kid will thrive in college.

He scoffed at that, saying testing companies just want money: “The College Board is a billion-dollar-a-year business ... like the tobacco industry — giving you the best spin on what they can do.”

I pushed back: “If you’re a Latino immigrant who goes to a lousy high school but you test well, you got a shot!”

“There are actually very few examples of that being true,” he replied.

Actually, there are many examples.

College Board data shows students with C+ grades but great SAT scores do better in college than A+ students with lower SAT scores.

Better test scores do strongly predict success.

Nevertheless, during Woke I, cowardly college administrators did what progressives told them to do. Most colleges dropped the test.

It was just unfair.

Jason Riley of The Wall Street Journal pointed out that dropping the test made it easier for colleges to do to Asians what they once did to Jews. Today, it’s Asian parents who most emphasize learning and who are most likely to make their kids study. But colleges don’t want “too many” Asians.

“It’s about making these campuses look right, using them to make your college catalog look more colorful,” said Riley. “It’s about aesthetics, not about learning.”

Not using tests did make it easier for schools to admit more black and Latino students. But many struggled in college. University of California, Berkeley mathematics professor Zvezdelina Stankova says some students “are five to eight years behind in mathematics.”

“There’s this assumption. Just get these kids in the door. They’ll be fine,” complained Riley, who is black. “They’re being set up to fail. I see no progress in getting a bunch of black kids admitted to MIT and then having them flunk out or struggle when they don’t need to be struggling because they could be going to another school and doing quite well and actually graduate. ... Eliminate the test, you’re just going to delay where it shows up elsewhere in this child’s life. You’re not doing that child any favor.”

But woke educators cared more about pleasing progressive activists.

Now, five years later, schools finally acknowledge that they made a mistake.

Every Ivy League school is bringing back standardized testing.

Other schools are following suit.

They finally admit what the data always showed: Tests are useful.

It’s cruel and stupid that for years, colleges gave in to woke activists.

John Stossel is the author of “Government Gone Wild: Exposing the Truth Behind the Headlines.” (Copyright 2026 Creators.com)

COLUMN | TYLER TERESA

Ten toes in: Why Trump Accounts make sense for North Carolina’s small businesses If you have a baby on the way, do yourself a favor and knock out the form before the sleep deprivation sets in.

I HAVE FILLED out my share of government paperwork, so when my wife and I sat down to open a Trump Account for our newborn, I braced for the worst.

Instead, it took about as long as warming a bottle. One form, one Social Security number, done. It went so smoothly that we decided to run the experiment again, and baby No. 2 arrives in a few months.

That is not the endorsement of a policy analyst. It is the endorsement of a tired dad who has learned to appreciate anything in this world that actually works on the first try.

I have had the privilege of seeing this state up close. Working for Sen. Ted Budd, I made it to all 100 counties. Every one of them. That is a lot of two-lane highways, a lot of gas station coffee, and a lot of conversations with people who own the business, sweep the floor and do payroll on Sunday night. I have lived in Winston-Salem and in Raleigh, which means I have opinions about barbecue that I will keep to myself for the sake of a broad readership.

But here is what all 100 counties have in common. From family farms in Duplin County and startups in Raleigh to manufacturers across the Triad, North Carolina entrepreneurs are not just meeting today’s demand. They are building something meant to outlast them, and public policy ought to be able to keep up with that kind of ambition.

Trump Accounts, created under the Working Families Tax Cuts, are a simple, tax-advantaged way to invest in a child’s future. Children born in 2025 through 2028 are eligible for a one-time $1,000 contribution from the U.S. Treasury, and families and others can add up to $5,000 a year on top of that, invested in a diversified U.S. index fund built to keep IRS fees low.

They join provisions already putting money back in entrepreneurs’ pockets. No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime and expanded deductions all help owners keep more capital and reinvest it in the business. But relief in the present is only half the job.

Building real wealth takes tools that reward saving, investing and planning 10 and 20 years out, and that is where these accounts earn their keep — college tuition, a first home and seed money for a kid’s own business someday. Steady contributions have

a way of quietly turning into real options. In a state where small businesses account for 99.6% of all businesses, that compounding does not stay inside one household. It ripples.

The piece I wish more owners knew about is what these accounts can do for employees. An employer can contribute up to $2,500 per employee per year, tax-free, straight into the Trump Account of that employee’s child. My wife’s family runs a small business in western North Carolina, and their crew is full of young families, the kind of employees who are one surprise transmission repair away from a hard month. Traditional benefits packages are expensive and complicated for a shop that size. This is neither. It is a benefit an owner can offer without hiring a consultant, and it lands somewhere an employee can actually feel it, which is their kid’s future.

The accounts also come with guidance on saving and investing, which may end up mattering as much as the dollars themselves.

Plenty of families across this state have never had anyone walk them through compound interest or explain why a boring index fund beats a hot tip from a cousin. Knowing what to do with money is its own form of capital, and it is the kind that gets passed down.

When families save, communities steady up.

Businesses get a more stable workforce, local economies get more resilient, and that is no abstraction in a state that has spent recent years rebuilding after storms and shifting markets. It is the difference between a town that recovers and a town that hollows out.

At the SBA, we get a front-row seat to North Carolina entrepreneurs driving growth, innovation and opportunity, and policies like Trump Accounts recognize what those owners already know. The point was never just this quarter’s bottom line.

The point is building something that is still standing when your kids are running it.

To learn more about Trump Accounts and how they fit into your financial or business strategy, visit The American Dream Starts Now. And if you have a baby on the way, do yourself a favor and knock out the form before the sleep deprivation sets in. Speaking from experience.

Tyler Teresa is the SBA regional administrator responsible for operations across the Southeast.

BE IN TOUCH

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

Ideas for op-eds should be sent to opinion@nsjonline.com.

It’s a huge rare metal discovery for America, but claiming the prize isn’t so easy NEVADA’S RAILROAD VALLEY is home to a tungsten deposit that could be the largest ever found in the United States. Developer 3 Proton Lithium (3PL) reports an inferred resource of 1.78 million tons, making the resource more than five times bigger than the next known domestic deposit, with an in-situ value pegged at about $152 billion at current prices.

Tungsten prices have skyrocketed since early 2025 amid surging demand from aerospace, defense and industry. Export controls from China, which controls about 80% of global supply, have accelerated that price rise.

The United States largely walked away from domestic mining 40 years ago and now depends on imports for a metal essential to munitions, armor-piercing rounds, high-temperature alloys and a range of Pentagon systems. As 3PL’s Kevin Moore put it bluntly to Financial Times: “This is not a mining story. It is a national security story.”

Yet a big chunk of the prize remains off-limits because NASA objects to mining on about one-third of the company’s claims. The space agency uses the barren desert expanse to calibrate satellite instruments and insists that activity would interfere with a unique site for receiving and verifying satellite signals.

At NASA’s request, the Bureau of Land Management withdrew roughly 17 square miles from mining and exploration in 2023. 3PL is lobbying the Trump administration and Congress to reverse the withdrawal, arguing it was imposed without complete geological information. NASA’s position is unchanged.

This clash between NASA’s calibration needs and the Pentagon’s requirement for secure domestic supplies of a critical munitions metal is classic American permitting theater. The conflict is typical of the kinds of competing stakeholder interests that routinely delay mining projects from discovery to production across the country.

The pattern is familiar: A strategic resource is identified, the national-security case is clear, but the legitimate interests of another stakeholder — in this case, NASA — come into conflict. By the time the dust settles, China has further entrenched its dominance and prices have spiked again.

The Trump administration has taken the positive step of placing the Railroad Valley Minerals project into the FAST-41 federal permitting program. That designation is designed to accelerate coordination among agencies and compress timelines for environmental reviews and other approvals. It is a practical recognition that critical minerals belong on the national-security priority list alongside energy production. FAST-41 can help cut through some of the bureaucratic obstruction that has made U.S. mine development glacial compared with competitors.

What FAST-41 cannot do is shield the project from the litigation that will almost certainly follow.

Left-wing anti-development groups have perfected the art of using the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act and other statutes as weapons of delay.

Lawsuits challenging any eventual permits or any reversal of the NASA withdrawal are inevitable.

Courts and this kind of activist lawfare can add years even after an administration has prioritized a project.

FAST-41 speeds the front end of permitting; it offers little meaningful protection against the back-end legal assault that has become standard operating procedure for opponents of resource development.

The broader context is the same one that has dogged rare earths, copper and other critical minerals for years. America talks a strong game about supply-chain security and reducing dependence on adversarial nations, then allows procedural gridlock and interagency friction to block the very projects that would deliver results.

Tungsten is not an abstract “green transition” metal; it is an unambiguous national defense requirement. Relying on Chinese supply for materials that go into munitions is a strategic vulnerability no serious national-security apparatus should tolerate.

Railroad Valley brings the overarching national problem into focus: • A world-class domestic deposit sits under Nevada desert.

• One federal agency needs the surface for satellite work.

• Another set of national interests needs the mineral for weapons and industrial resilience.

The administration has tried to clear a faster path with FAST-41, yet the land withdrawal remains, the lobbying continues and the lawsuits will come.

Until the United States develops a culture that treats domestic mining of critical minerals as a national-security imperative rather than just another land-use dispute, these discoveries will keep running into the same roadblocks. China’s communist government does not have this problem. That fact alone should concentrate a few minds in Washington.

David Blackmon is an energy writer and consultant based in Texas.

(Copyright Daily Caller Foundation 2026)

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MOST STATES under either shelter-in-place or stay-at North State Journal for Thursday, August 27,WITH 2026 China lied about the origin of the ONE THING IS CERTAIN; after this COVID-19 virus cavalierofmanner orders thanks to local ordissipates state governments,The a majority Ameri WEEK, virus, according to members tried to tell the world there were only “THIS around the globe and in the United will to pay forTHIS this covered up its spI areStates, havingChina to adjust what is being called the “new normal.” and state and local governments, Amer worldwide panic, economic collapse and in it” (Psal catastrophe one way or another.

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

I know In order to put the crisis causedVirginia’s

by Chinastay-at-home in perspective, zero go into June. millions of Americans t orders ority of at Americans to take precautions, but I’m uneasy with how people who simply ask — after all, trends canhas easily xpayer least $2.4 trillion in added working fr worldwide pandemics can trace their source to theCarolina, Unitedmuted States over costrev th Here in North Democratic Gov.The Roycrisis Cooper stated d w normal.” questions back to have abided by recommendations and o ral Reserve backup liquidity to the about the data, and when things can start getting be glad” as our 231-year history. At least fourainrecent the 20th century alone be that “we debt plus trillions coronavirus press can briefing just don’t know more yet” end of this month. are treated in some circles with contempt. to flu,” stay 1977 at home; they’ve practiced socialto the U.S. dollar were notnormal the reserve dad, directly traced to China: flu,” 1968 “Hong orders Kong markets financial state’s stay-at-home will extend into May. andand Since when1957 did “Asian They’re treated as though we as a society simply must accept without they’ve donned masks. o fund any of these emergency have tonot bet “Russian flu” and the 2002 SARS outbreak.

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

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

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

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

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

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After has gone and is a regular contributor to RedState and Legal Even more importantly, we have no c nation. cluded clinical collaboration capital operation that began at Insurrection. past. the world like any othe But what also makes me lose sleep is how easily most everyone in academia, especially within certain he 2009 pandemic, and strategic guidance in addiactually have coronavirus.

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pitals and hundreds of clinaside $125 million for invest$40 facility in Scotland and other bullymillion students, administrators ics across the state, giving the ments in healthcare startups UNC Rex in Raleigh, where Rex Health Ventures was County, bringing another departments into adhering to their venture team a large network over the next decade. The mon- launched in 2012, is now home to UNC Health Ventures, wood-products operation to a worldview. The worldview they promote is Jason of physicians, nurses and opey will come from reallocated which has $125 million to invest in healthcare startups over region with deep ties North Grievance n neither scientific nortorigorous.

EDITORIAL | STACEY MATTHEWS erational leaders who can help capital reserves within UNC the next decade.

Carolina’s forestry industry. ose studies consist of disciplines such as evaluate whether a product Health’s broader investment Great Southern Wood-NC sociology, anthropology, gender studies, addresses a real problem in a portfolio, rather than from an Inc. will create 43 jobs at a new COLUMN | REP. RICHARD HUDSON queer studies, sexuality and critical race consider companies outside and nurses inside the UNC sys- healthcare setting. outside fundraise. lumber treatment plant at the studies.

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Lindsay and Boghossian started The company, founded in papers tomoved beyond its original Ra- patient care, clinical outcomes with North Carolina addresses. we provide to our patients and s submitting bogus academic “The most important part communities,” UNC Health leigh roots. Rex Health Ven- or health system operations.

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“This new facility at all levels It will to be in detail to the people this state when they gettoback ns said, “I thoroughly enjoyed reading this hope that will er, remains much the same which as andwe patients. tures now has 12 active portfo- Gauss Surgical by Stryker in nicians, hospitals will strengthen our $41 billion affliction, with the comfort we ou are being told to remain jobless and at home for an undetermined answers. , article and believe it has an important become ato the 2021 when Rex launched the fund All returns fromenjoy UNC God.” and Veran Medical Techlio companies, according once again forestry industry and offer more levels should be as forthcoming as they contribution to make to the field and this amount of time why models predicting hundreds of thousands of cases at the local a put moneyLeaders into young Health Ventures will be rein- in 2012: nologies

by Olympus in 2020. health system. bad thing? opportunities in Scotland sporting events, If you are celebrating the Easter seas d again, not vague answers, but County answer journal.” are reliable. can be with those answ Anita Watkins, managing di- vested into the health system healthcare companies, bring The investment strategy also and“Our beyond.”

Struggle Is My Struggle: Solidarity That is what reflect on this message and be comforte ments believability. concerts, family I’ve gone along with the state has asked then with details into the process andthat give th to what support patient care, op-andclinicians of date, UNC Health Ventures, broadened geographical- rectorTo The company’s arrival adds Reply has Feminism anfamilies, Intersectional to God’s example andWe comfort allallthose in what we can to keep as our look about for investments that can erations, research andhad future Axios the group pays ly. UNC Health Ventures de- toldmandated free citizens that we do,close but along the way I’ve also questions should contin gatherings, to a forest-products sector that se Neoliberal and Choice Feminism,” was this difficult time.

Through faith and b safe. But remains we should also still continue pay off both financially and ininnovation. attention to ideas and technolscribes itself as a “geographianfor important partby of Affilia, a the data. State Republican leaders have, too. services ourselves, and our com church living inand a free accepted publication side the hospital.

One current portfolio comogies coming from physicians cally agnostic” investor will confident we will emerge out of this pan because while reasonable stay-at-home North Carolina’s Unfortunately, when certain types ofand questions get asked, there is to ask questions about s feminist journalmanufacturing for social workers. The many more society were particularly in rural this same spirit, I continue to be i hey shouldeconomy, also have an expiration sometimes a disturbing tendency among some people to treatInthose measures are understa paper consisted in part of adate. rewritten after our own parts of the state. supposed neighbors helping neighbors. and it is not normal.

Not in any way, passage from Mein Kampf. Two other simply questioning the data and asking when we can start getting back This is all new to Am “The forest sector serves a temporary In Concord, a shape, high school senior nam uld remainhoax vigilant and stay safe, atas including papers were published, to do, last I to normal as though they are conspiracy theorists or are people who or form.

So whil critical forQueer economic .

“Rape Culture and Performativity money to buy a 3-D printer and plastic comfortable withfoundation this so-called “new sacrifices are sick. otherwise don’t care if they get themselves or others the same time we shou success in Dog all 100 counties,” checked. at Urban Parks.”

This N.C. paper’s subject health care workers out of his own hom Since when did questioning government at all levels become a bad normal.” over.

Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley was dog-on-dog rape. But the dog rape said.

“Great Southern Wood will thing? That is what free citizens living in a free society were supposed Not one little bit. paper eventually forced Boghossian, benefit from our manufacturing to do, last I checked.

Pluckrose and Lindsay to prematurely out economy, ourAskilled workforce en under the pseudonym Sister Toldjah My first concern as we go along in all this, of course, is my family. I’m Stacey Matthews has a themselves.

Wall Street Journal writer and our unwavering commitment RedState and Legal Insurrection. had figured out what they were doing. worried about them catching the virus, and I’m worried I will. After and is a regular contri to driving economic growthfor in publication Some papers accepted suffering from the H1N1 virus (swine flu) during the 2009 pandemic, each corner ofjournals the state.” in academic advocated training I’ve been trying to take extra precautions, because all of this brings up Salaries will position,white male men like dogsvary and by punishing way too many memories of a painful experience I’d prefer not to repeat. but the average annual wage for college students for historical slavery by The dispute has drawn rai without the new jobs is expected to be But what also makes me lose sleep is how easily most everyone has success, so it was asking them to sit in silence on the floor in boycotts, fundraising forced to sue. $60,827.

That isclass above Scotland in chains during and to be expected to Boparai has since issued a and support County’s average annual wage of learn from the discomfort. Other papers statement of his own, though $49,091. ity celebrated morbid obesity as a healthy life without addressing the compaThe project will receive a choice and advocated treating privately ny’s concerns nor the merits of

By Julie Carr Smyth performance-based grant of conducted masturbation as a form of the lawsuit.

The Associated Press $200,000 from the One North d sexual violence against women. Typically, “We want to say thank you Carolina Fund. as academic journal editors send submitted to the community and the enBEAVERCREEK, Ohio — The OneNC Fund provides papers out to referees for review. In tire country for supporting us A lip-licking alligator, a smilfinancial assistance to local for publication, recommending acceptance and our business,” he said. “We ing moose and a hat-wearing governments to help recruit many reviewers gave these papers glowing are overwhelmed by your supbear are among the many carcompanies and support job praise. port for our business and other toon animals to have found creation and investment.

Political scientist Zach Goldberg ran small businesses everywhere.” themselves in the crosshairs Companies do not receive ss certain grievance studies concepts through Beavercreek City Council of Buc-ee’s, the popular Texas money upfront and must meet d the Lexis/Nexis database, to see how often responded to the dust-up by convenience store chain that hiring and capital investment they appeared in our press over the years.

JULIE CARR SMYTH / AP PHOTO passing a resolution Aug. 10 has a penchant for protecting requirements before receiving He found huge increases in the usages making the beaver a permaits buck-toothed beaver.

A customer walks into Beaver’s Mini Mart in Beavercreek, grant payments.

The grants also of “white privilege,” “unconscious bias,” nent and official part of its But now Buc-ee’s has set Ohio, on Aug. 14. require matching participation ng “critical race theory” and “whiteness.”

200-plus-year history. Bucky off a Buckeye backlash across from local governments.

All of this is being taught to college the Beaver, mascot of the BeaOhio and beyond after takState and local officials students, many of whom become primary ing on a beaver in the city of intersection. In contrast, the start making better business vercreek Local Schools, visited pointed to previous c. and secondary school teachers who then new 74,000-square-foot Buc- decisions,” Austin Collins, 32, the meeting ahead of the unanBeavercreek. infrastructure investments indoctrinate our young people.

It’s yet another Buc-ee’s ee’s off Interstate 70 near Day- a project manager from Fair- imous vote. around the Laurinburg-Maxton n I doubt whether the coronavirusSupport has taken other Ltd. trademark infringement ton has more than 100 gas born, said outside Beaver’s, Airport a factorcrunch in landing the causedas financial will give college forms, too. One was a GoFundwhere he was making his first pumps, 24 electric vehicle charlawsuit.

Supporters of Beaproject. o? and university administrators, who are a Me campaign aimed at assurver’s Mini Mart have attacked gers and 700 parking spaces. A visit to protest the lawsuit.

“This win illustrates the power crossbreed between a parrot and jellyfish, He called targeting a bea- ing that costs associated with Buc-ee’s online and boycotted second Ohio store has been apof collaboration,” state Sen. the guts and backbone to restore academic ver-named business in Beaver- the lawsuit don’t put Beaver’s the stores, and the mini mart’s proved to open in 2028.

Danny Earl Britt Jr. (R-Robeson) respectability. Far too often, they get much While preparing to enter creek “a little spiteful.” License Mini Mart out of business, as home city passed a resolution said.

“The company’s decision of their political support fromiscampus making the beaver an official the state in February, Buc-ee’s plates from three states were has happened to other estabagrievance great return on the investments people who are members of the lishments Buc-ee’s sued. It had part of its history. British co- sued the northern Ohio hold- visible in the parking lot. that local, regional andand state faculty and diversity multicultural Buc-ee’s has defended the raised at least $69,000. median John Oliver has even ing company for Mickey Mart partners have made to provide administrative offices.

Other Dayton-area busigas stations, arguing its Mick- lawsuit as protective of its valuweighed in on the kerfuffle. theThe site infrastructure best hope lies that with boards of Buc-ee’s sued Beaver’s Mini ey the Moose logo could be able trademark. In a statement nesses — including a Lego store companies need.” trustees, though many serve as yes-men Mart in late July, four months confused with Buc-ee. (The on its website, the company and a root beer shop — tempoRep. Garland E. forState the university president.

I think that a after the chain known for its company’s response: “A moose said it first learned of Beaver’s rarily altered their logos to inPierce (D-Scotland) said the good start would be to find 1950s or 1960s Mini Mart when its owner, Vic clude beavers in a show of soliextensive food offerings and is not a beaver.”) project builds on Scotland catalogs. Look at the course offerings at The Buc-ee’s beaver logo fea- Boparai, filed a trade name darity. Dozens of businesses in massive restrooms opened County’s location and existing a time when college graduates knew how Beavercreek already incorpoforest-products supply chain. and makeits first Ohio store less than a tures the face of a beaver with registration Oct. 23. to read, write and compute, The small business, incor- rate the city name or word beaprominent buck teeth wearing half-hour’s drive away.

“Scotland County is a them today’s curricula. Another helpful Buc-ee’s argues the shop’s a red ball cap against a yellow porated in 2017, changed its ver in their names. community strong tool would built be toon give careful consideration Republican Ohio Gov. Mike beaver logo too closely resem- backdrop. The Beaver’s Mini name from Hanes Road Carpartnerships, an ideal quality of to eliminating all classes/majors/minors bles the convenience store gi- Mart mascot is a full beaver, ryout to Beaver’s Mini Mart DeWine, who attended and life and a central location on the containing the word “studies,” such as ant’s branded Buc-ee (“Bucky”) unclothed, waving and smiling in January 2025, according praised the grand opening of East Coast,” Pierce said. women, Asian, black or“We queer studies. to the paperwork. That was the Dayton-area Buc-ee’s store beaver. The Texas-based com- against a white background. welcome Great Southern Wood I’d bet that by restoring the traditional Customers have been criti- about four months after Buc- in April, described the lawsuit pany asked for a jury trial in as an excellent addition to our academic mission to colleges, they would cal of Buc-ee’s decision to tar- ee’s broke ground near Day- as “absurd.” federal court in Ohio. forest put a supply seriouschain.” dent into the COVID-19

s’

VISUAL VOICES

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

Buc-ee’s draws outcry for launching fight over mini mart’s beaver logo

budget shortfall.

NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Beaver’s Mini Mart occupies a long, low building with a shingle roof at a suburban

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

get the much smaller store.

“I love Buc-ee’s, but I don’t plan on going back until they

ton. Recognizing a conflict, the company said it repeatedly attempted to reach Bopa-

“It is Beavercreek, for heaven’s sake,” the governor told reporters.

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North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

North Hills Innovation District builds new destination for local businesses, visitors Kane Realty’s project combines shops, dining and recreation

By Elizabeth Lincicome For North State Journal RALEIGH — Raleigh’s newly developed North Hills Innovation District, or NHID, is rapidly becoming one of the city’s hottest places to eat, drink and “shop local.” A growing number of hyperlocal retailers, including Ky’s Kandles, TrenLend, A Lil’ R + R and Hush, have set up shop throughout the district, several of them in what is known as Makers Alley. Visitors can also eat and drink at popular local food and beverage spots, including Good Graces, Benchwarmers Bagels and Standard Beer + Food.

Nestled in Midtown Raleigh, just a short distance from the main North Hills shopping area, NHID is centered near St. Albans Drive and Hardimont Road at the edge of Interstate 440. Kane Realty developed the original 33-acre district and is now planning a 28-acre expansion. Vine North Hills opened in spring 2021, followed by other residential and office spaces. Over the past five-plus years, this part of Raleigh in particular has undergone a massive facelift, with more people moving here and more office development taking shape.

Kane Realty has marketed the innovation district as “a walkable, nature-forward district designed for indoor and outdoor collaboration and connection.” The area is built around open natural space, with nature trails that will connect to Raleigh’s greenway system. A series of pedestrian bridges and landings makes it easy to get around. Here is a rundown of what you can find when visiting.

Ky’s Kandles Ky’s Kandles started in 2017 as a simple seashell Pinterest craft and hobby for owner Kyla Smith, a Raleigh native and clinical researcher who blends her professional back-

ground in science with the art of fragrance.

“As time progressed, we researched the health risks of commonly used candle ingredients and noticed that many luxury candle companies do not offer quality, toxin-free ingredients,” she writes on the company’s website.

During Smith’s master’s program in physiology at NC State, she melded her love for human health and candle making and put more emphasis on her candles’ ingredients, with a healthy dose of sustainability.

Inspired by her own experiences as a former recipient of donations and the Salvation Army Angel Tree drives, Smith recognized her business’s potential as a platform for giving back to the community. She says she is committed to the power of paying it forward.

“Along with our core values, we wouldn’t want to leave you without our three pillars: light, love and positivity.”

TrenLend Founded by Emmy Weiland and Amelia Zahn, TrenLend is a local, in-person and online clothing rental boutique where customers can rent gowns for special occasions and then return them. This marks the store’s second location, in addition to Cary. The company serves women of all ages with everything from formalwear to everyday looks.

“What started as a college frustration, constantly needing new dresses for events and never wanting to buy something we’d only wear once, quickly turned into a bigger vision. After too many experiences with online rental companies that didn’t deliver on fit, quality, or convenience, we knew there had to be a better way,” they write on the company’s website.

Now, Raleigh locals can try things on in person.

A Lil’ R + R Founded by illustrator and product designer Emily Petrilla, the shop blends original art,

ELIZABETH LINCICOME FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Good Graces, an all-day market, cafe and bar, is among the local businesses at Raleigh’s North Hills Innovation District. playful gifts, cozy apparel and curated goods for dog lovers.

You’ll find illustrations, handmade goods from local artists and crafters, a self-serve “Barkuterie” bar of dog treats, dog toys, chew bars, unique jewelry and other finds.

They also host adoption events — including puppy parties — doggie photo shoots, creative nights and community gatherings because the owners say they believe shopping should be magical.

HomeTurf HomeTurf is a rhythm-based indoor cycling and strength studio where riders move to the beat of the music on the bike and build strength in full-body classes off the bike.

Standard Beer + Food Standard is a neighborhood restaurant started by friends and local entrepreneurs Cov DeRamus, John Holmes and Blake Thompson. The NHID location is the second, in addition to the original on Person Street, adjacent to the Oakwood and Mordecai neighborhoods.

The food is locally sourced, and the beer is brewed at the Person Street location. Menu items include oysters, burgers, salads and entrees.

Trump’s trade war with Canada hikes tariffs on several goods From honey to hockey sticks, 550 exports are affected

By Wyatte Grantham-Philips The Associated Press CHICAGO — Honey. Makeup. Christmas decorations. And hockey sticks.

Those are just a few of the hundreds of different Canadian products that President Donald Trump’s administration has slapped with a 50% tax to enter the United States. The new tariffs, which kicked in Saturday, are expected to affect about $20 billion in Canadian goods, which represents roughly 5% of the $381.92 billion worth of products that the country sent to the U.S. last year.

While that’s far from the majority of Canada’s exports, 50% is a punishing rate. And households could feel the strain of higher prices the longer this import tax stays in effect — on top of spikes already spanning from previously imposed levies.

That’s because tariffs are taxes paid by importers, or businesses that buy products from abroad, and at least some of those costs are almost always passed on to shoppers.

The wide scope (and, at times, incredibly specific) list of goods now levied at 50% means that consumers could see price hikes in many different shopping aisles, as well as other core expenses like home-building. Countermeasures are also around the corner. Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney has promised to roll out “dol-

“Everything is on the table.”

Doug Ford, Ontario premier lar for dollar” retaliation next month. All the while, Trump has made more threats to escalate his trade war with America’s northern neighbor, notably suggesting he could hike already steep U.S. import taxes on automobiles next year.

Here’s a look at some of the products in the crosshairs on both sides of the border.

Long list of Canadian goods face Trump’s 50% tariff When first announcing the planned 50% tariffs last month, the Trump administration said the new taxes would be levied on Canadian products ranging from hockey sticks to wine and cement. And the list is long — covering more than 550 goods.

Some of the many items specified by the White House include: • Natural honey • Bulbs for plants such as tulips and lilies, as well as some fresh cut flowers • Seeds for beets, onions and other vegetables • Horsehair, tortoise shells, antlers and various animal products • Alcohol such as beer, vermouth and cider

• Furniture knobs, wallpaper and lighting fixtures • Plates, cups, bowls and other kitchen or tableware • Paints, varnishes, vinyl tile floor coverings and various plywood sheets • Ice skates, golf equipment, fishing rods and other sports accessories • Perfumes, makeup and manicure preparations • Suitcases, bags, gloves and coats • Toys and certain “articles for Christmas festivities” • Digital cameras and recording equipment • Smartphones and video game consoles • Envelopes, cigarette paper and toilet or facial tissue Trump imposed the tariffs by reaching back to a long-dormant Great Depression-era law. Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, which has never been used before, authorizes the president to slap import taxes of up to 50% on imports from countries that have discriminated against U.S. businesses.

Trump claimed that Canada discriminated against autos, alcohol and dairy products, particularly following the implementation of his prior U.S. import taxes last year.

It’s worth noting that the list of Canadian goods now facing the latest levy is far more diverse.

“There wasn’t a place you could come to get some work done with a coffee but also enjoy happy hour with friends.”

Haley Borden, Good Graces co-owner Good Graces Good Graces is an all-day market, cafe and bar with a touch of Barefoot Contessa mixed in. The concept was imagined by co-owners and North Carolina natives Haley Borden and Lindsey Bayless, who told Walter magazine they felt something was missing in North Hills.

“There wasn’t a place you could come to get some work done with a coffee, but also enjoy happy hour with friends,” Borden told the magazine.

Good Graces offers a combination of coffee, grab-and-go eats, cocktails and locally sourced goods. It also has a market where visitors can browse and pick up locally sourced treats and gifts.

The venue aims to be a gathering spot for the community and offers mahjong and flower-arranging classes.

Canada plans to retaliate on U.S. products Shortly after the new 50% tariffs kicked in, Canada’s Carney promised retaliation.

On Saturday, the prime minister said his government would begin dollar-for-dollar countermeasures on Sept.

8. Carney noted Canada’s tariff increases would target U.S. steel, dairy, appliances, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper and electronics.

Trade war might not stop there Threats of stronger countermeasures and further escalation only ramped up Monday, raising the possibility that additional products or sectors would come into the crosshairs of the trade war.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Monday that “everything is on the table,” noting his province would be ready to cut off electricity and critical minerals to the U.S. if the trade war worsens.

Trump “underestimates Canada. We’re all in,” Ford said.

He also called for Canada to consider using oil and potash — both major exports — as leverage.

Meanwhile, Trump took to social media to say his administration would also increase tariffs on Canadian cars, trucks, automotive parts and steel to 50% starting Jan. 1. Like other countries, Canada currently faces a broader 25% tariff on autos. A 50% sectoral tariff on most steel imports is already in effect.

Trump accused Canada of “ripping off” the U.S. for years through what he called “ridiculously high tariffs” on American farmers. “WE DON’T NEED CANADA, THEY NEED US!” he added in a Monday Truth Social post.

Zillow, Redfin settle rental listings lawsuit The U.S. Federal Trade Commission says it has settled a claim against Zillow and Redfin accusing the real estate listings companies of striking a deal to suppress competition in online rental advertising.

The FTC claimed Redfin agreed to exit the apartment advertising business for up to nine years in exchange for $100 million and other compensation from rival Zillow. The commission says part of the settlement orders Redfin to relaunch its rental housing listings business so that competition can be restored in the rental property listings market.

The settlement announced Monday also resolves litigation brought by attorneys general in several states.

Boston Symphony musicians authorize strike Lenox, Mass.

The union for Boston Symphony Orchestra musicians has authorized the first strike in the ensemble’s 145-year history. The Boston Musicians’ Association issued a statement ahead of the contract expiration Sunday. Relations have been strained since March, when management decided to force out music director Andris Nelsons next year. The union criticized the decision and said leadership failed to agree on a collective bargaining agreement. They also noted that management has not agreed to their proposal for a mediator. CEO Chad Smith said Saturday that BSO respects the announcement as part of the negotiations, remains focused on negotiations and is committed to reaching an agreement.

Tesla recalls nearly 3M vehicles in China Hong Kong Tesla and other Chinese carmakers are recalling more than 4 million vehicles over safety concerns, including risks tied to their door handles.

Tesla’s recall is the biggest of all carmakers involved.

It is recalling about 2.98 million vehicles, including Models 3, Y, X and S over door handle safety risks. This follows China’s announcement in February to ban hidden door handles seen commonly on Tesla and other Chinese electric vehicles starting next year.

China has stepped up scrutiny on door handles of EVs following EV accidents where hidden electronic door handles failed to function and trapped passengers.

NCDOT CASH REPORT FOR THE WEEK ENDING AUG. 20

Beginning Cash

$2,219,390,459 Receipts (income)

$157,807,645 Disbursements

$208,720,415 Cash Balance

$2,168,396,417

A8

North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

Jones & Blount

Murphy to Manteo

Court records show plea in Sanderson’s DWI case

Peak hurricane season arrives in NC According to FEMA’s 2026 National Risk Index, 55 of North Carolina’s 100 counties are classified as having relatively moderate to very high hurricane risk. This means more than half of the state’s counties could face significant consequences from hurricanes, although the level of risk varies from county to county. Seventeen counties are newly included in this year’s assessment, indicating that FEMA’s updated data has changed the way hurricane risk is classified across North Carolina. FEMA’s National Risk Index is designed to measure natural-hazard risk across communities in the United States and incorporates factors such as the frequency of hurricanes, expected annual losses, social vulnerability, and the ability of communities to withstand and recover from disasters.

This map illustrates how hurricane risk extends across much of North Carolina, including coastal and inland counties, although five N.C. counties — Dare, Onslow, New Hanover, Brunswick and Carteret — are among the most vulnerable in the nation. Overall, the findings emphasize that hurricanes are not exclusively a coastal concern. Inland communities can also experience strong winds, flooding, power outages, property damage and other effects.

The state senator was charged in October

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — The DWI case against North Carolina state Sen. Norman Sanderson (R-Pamlico) was resolved June 10, according to court records.

State eCourts records show Sanderson entered a plea deal and was sentenced on the DWI level 5 charge June 10.

Sentencing documents in the case show he was issued a maximum of 30 days of confinement, 12 months of unsupervised probation and had to surrender his driver’s license.

Counties most at risk

The former Guilford County commissioner sits on the board of the N.C. Community Colleges System

WEST

PIEDMONT

EAST

World leaders to convene in Asheville for G20

New boutique hotel opens in downtown Mount Airy

ECU Health warns of phishing email scam

Buncombe County Nearly 500 world finance leaders, central bankers and delegates will arrive in Asheville for the 2026 G20 Finance Track meetings scheduled from Saturday through Tuesday. The high-level gathering will be centered at the Omni Grove Park Inn. The summit convenes top economic decision-makers from 19 member nations, the European Union, the African Union and key global financial institutions, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Surry County The Balladeer Hotel in Mount Airy is officially open after a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday. The boutique hotel is housed in a historic 1892 mill building and combines modern amenities with local Appalachian music and Andy Griffith-inspired touches. Developers note that its downtown location offers easy access to shops, restaurants and Mayberry attractions. Rooms feature comfortable furnishings, Wi-Fi and mini-fridges, and some include record players. Its planned Fablewood steakhouse is expected to open for events and dining in October.

Pitt County ECU Health officials are warning of a scam involving phishing emails being sent to some of their patients.

According to officials, some patients have received emails with the subject line “Your MyChart Medicare Kit Awaits,” however, they are not from ECU Health or MyChart. Rather, they are phishing attempts designed to persuade recipients to click malicious links or share sensitive information.

ECU Health is advising those who receive the email not to click any links, open attachments or provide personal information.

NSJ

Small earthquakes rattle WNC Haywood County Residents across parts of western North Carolina may have felt a brief rumble over the weekend as two minor earthquakes were recorded in the region. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the first event occurred Saturday morning with a magnitude of 2.0, centered approximately four miles south-southwest of Canton. The second, unrelated quake, also with a magnitude of 2.0, was logged Sunday morning roughly five miles east-northeast of Weaverville. Neither event resulted in damage or injuries.

WNC NEWS

Buncombe County More than 200 people packed A-B Tech last Wednesday as Mission, AdventHealth, UNC Health West and Novant asked the state for up to 92 new acute-care beds for five mountain counties. Mission would add them on its Asheville campus for about $67 million; UNC bid a $747 million hospital at Westgate; AdventHealth would grow Weaverville; and Novant would add 20 beds in south Asheville. Commenters hammered Mission’s post-HCA safety record and rural drive times. A decision is due late this year.

WUNC

Court documents show Sanderson paid a $100 fine and completed 24 hours of community service as well as substance abuse education treatment.

Sanderson was arrested last October after being pulled over in Raleigh by the State Highway Patrol. Sanderson was charged with three misdemeanors: driving while impaired, an open container after consumption violation and failure to obey a traffic officer.

The Pamlico lawmaker has not commented on the matter since his arrest.

Sanderson is running for reelection to his seat in the upcoming November election. He will face Democratic candidate Roy Surrett from Carteret County.

Trapp joins government relations, lobbying firm

Counties with relatively moderate risk

4 systems pitch for 92 new Asheville hospital beds

A9

WGHP

I-77 South towns demand kill-fee in writing Mecklenburg County Matthews and other I-77 South towns still have no itemized NCDOT bill for killing the roughly $4.3 billion express-lane project. Side talk has put the payback at $60 million to $80 million. The department says invoices are still landing and promised a number before the Sept. 23 CRTPO revote. State budget language sets an Oct. 5 deadline: stay opposed and reimburse planning costs, or revive the road and owe nothing. Charlotte holds 31 of 74 votes after pulling support in May. WSOC

Cheerwine settles in Colfax employee disability case Guilford County Piedmont Cheerwine Bottling Company in Colfax will pay $36,000 to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), according to the federal agency.

The EEOC said a former Cheerwine employee with multiple sclerosis was required to take an improper agility test and answer questions about her health after medication caused damage to her hip and left her with a limp. According to the lawsuit, the company placed her on unpaid leave pending medical clearance even though the employee met the physical requirements of her job.

After submitting a doctor’s note clearing her to work in 2023, the company rejected the note and terminated her employment, the EEOC said. EEOC filed a lawsuit against Piedmont Cheerwine Bottling Company after failing to resolve the matter through administrative processes outside of court. The two-year consent decree requires the Colfax-based company to pay $36,000 in monetary relief and update disability policies.

NSJ

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

NSJ

Raleigh woman charged in Wilmington bicyclist’s death, child abuse New Hanover County A Raleigh woman faces charges of death by motor vehicle, driving while impaired and child abuse after a crash that killed a bicyclist in Wilmington last week. Officers responded to the crash Friday night, and the bicyclist, 69-year-old Christopher Johnston, was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said Tierra Latrice Blackston, 38, was driving while impaired and with her driver’s license revoked and had six children in the car at the time of the crash.

WNCN

Lawsuit filed by dethroned Miss North Carolina USA Duplin County Dethroned Miss North Carolina USA Brittany Boltinhouse and her legal team have filed a defamation lawsuit against pageant officials, alleging the organizations “weaponized” social media and destroyed her reputation.

The lawsuit was filed in Duplin County Superior Court last Sunday against defendants Miss USA CEO and President Thom Brodeur, JKN Universe LLC and A Blaize Productions LLC. Boltinhouse, who was on track to compete in the Miss USA 2026 pageant this week, was stripped of her title earlier this month after old social media posts resurfaced online. The suit claims the organizations were “maliciously coordinating to publish a false public narrative portraying Brittany Boltinhouse as a racist, homophobe, transphobe and intolerable bigot to be shunned from public life.” The lawsuit claims the reason behind Boltinhouse’s removal was her conservative political views. The suit includes photos and posts made by Boltinhouse that show her support for President Donald Trump.

WITN

RALEIGH — Elevation Strategies, a North Carolina government relations and lobbying firm, announced last week that Ray Trapp has joined the company as senior adviser for strategic partnerships and public affairs.

The firm works with cities, counties, trade groups, nonprofits and companies with a focus on helping clients get funding, handle regulations and influence policy at the local, state and federal levels. According to the announcement, the firm has helped clients secure billions of dollars in public money since 2021.

Sebastian King, the firm’s founder and president, said Trapp brings a practical viewpoint that is hard to teach.

“Ray has sat in the chair our clients sit in,” said King. “He has voted on a county budget, he has answered to constituents, and he has had to make a hard call with a room full of people watching. That perspective is not something you can teach.”

“Our team represents a large and growing roster of municipalities and counties across North Carolina, national trade associations like the National Pest Management Association, and corporate clients like JetZero and Alamance Foods — and Ray strengthens our ability to deliver for every one of them.”

JetZero broke ground on its Triad-area manufacturing plant earlier this year.

King also founded King & Co., a multistate government affairs and consulting firm with offices in multiple locations. Patrick Tillman, a former Guilford County commissioner, joined King and Co. in May

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as vice president of government affairs.

King told North State Journal he transitioned King and Co. to represent all his federal clients and Elevation Strategies “strictly handles all of my North Carolina clients and where most of our team is.”

Trapp is a former Guilford County commissioner for District 8 (2012 to 2017). In that role, he dealt with county budgets, school construction, economic development deals and more — items Elevation Strategies clients face.

Trapp said he chose Elevation Strategies because the firm understands how local government works.

“Sebastian and his team have built something rare — a firm that actually understands how local government works, not just how to get a meeting,” said Trapp. “I spent years on the other side of the table, and I know the difference between an advocate who shows up with a talking point and one who shows up with a solution. That is the work I want to do, and Elevation Strategies is where I want to do it.”

Trapp still serves on the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges. He sits on the board’s finance, personnel and accountability committees. Trapp was appointed by the governor as an at-large member with a term that ends in June 2027.

Before and alongside his public service, Trapp worked in higher education and the private sector. His roles have included senior external affairs jobs at North Carolina A&T State University, a leadership role at the Research Triangle Foundation, and he managed a district for Duke Energy.

Trapp is a Greensboro native and a U.S. Navy veteran. He earned a master’s degree from North Carolina A&T and is working on a doctorate in organizational leadership and learning at UNC Chapel Hill.

King has been named one of the state’s leading lobbyists by Business North Carolina.

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Feds announce water cuts as Colorado River supplies plunge Washington, D.C. Federal officials announced sharp water cuts for the next two years last week for three Western states that rely on the imperiled Colorado River. Under the Bureau of Reclamation’s plan, California, Nevada and Arizona will collectively reduce water use by 1.25 million acre-feet annually during that period, with the possibility of larger cuts depending on conditions. Arizona will see the biggest cuts, while states upstream — Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico — do not face any for now.

Meanwhile, neighboring Mexico will reduce its intake by 250,000 acre-feet under a U.S.-Mexico treaty.

Drought disaster declared for U.S. Virgin Islands San Juan, Puerto Rico The U.S. government has declared a drought disaster in the U.S. Virgin Islands as dry conditions persist. St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix are all experiencing an extreme drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, and no relief is in sight. The declaration announced last week will allow farmers and agricultural producers to seek federal emergency loans.

The deepening drought also has affected neighboring Puerto Rico, where officials recently implemented water rationing measures for certain neighborhoods in seven cities, including San Juan, the island’s capital.

More than 33% of Puerto Rico is under extreme drought, and another 30% is under severe drought.

Powerful storm hits Baltic countries, killing 2 Warsaw, Poland Two people died and about half a million people were left without electricity across Latvia and Lithuania after a powerful cyclone, bringing rain and strong winds, hit the region Saturday and into Sunday morning. One person died in Jelgava, Latvia, when part of a building collapsed Saturday, and others were injured across the country. Wind speed exceeded 67 mph Saturday in the capital, Riga.

More than a quarter-million people were left without electricity and mobile services were disrupted.

One person also died in neighboring Lithuania after being hit by a falling tree.

Others were injured and over 200,000 residents were without electricity Sunday morning.

Landslide at landfill kills 30 in Guinea Conakry, Guinea A mountainous heap of refuse collapsed at the largest landfill in Guinea’s capital of Conakry early Sunday, killing 30 people, according to the central government. Authorities said heavy rains, which started at about 2 a.m., washed over the refuse at Dar Es Salam — the largest landfill in Conakry — and triggered a landslide that buried nearby shacks. A search-and-rescue operation was underway to find survivors. Six people were seriously injured and several homes were destroyed.

The open-air waste dump had been designated for closure Sunday, according to officials.

North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

NATION & WORLD Kushner, Jeffries meet with House control at stake in November elections The president’s son-in-law and the House Democratic leader met privately

By Lisa Mascaro The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and outside adviser Jared Kushner met privately recently in New York, a signal that the White House is seeking ways to work with Democrats if they wrest majority control from Republicans in the midterm elections.

The meeting, first reported Sunday by The New York Times, touched on issues ranging from housing and immigration to the high costs of living. People in the United States are struggling under inflationary prices that Democrats blame on Republicans, alongside Trump, for failing to get them under control.

Kushner suggested that Jeffries, who is in line to become House speaker if Democrats regain power in November, meet with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles as a follow-up.

Jeffries, in a statement Sunday, did not mention the private conversation but said the Republican administration needed to drop the GOP’s “my-way-or-the-highway” approach that “has failed the American people.”

“To stop the madness, we have repeatedly made clear that an extremist approach will not work and will be met with forceful opposition,” the New York congressman said. “The question is whether Republicans will join us.”

The meeting shows the depth of Republican Party angst over losing its congressional majority, particularly the House, and the need to make inroads with the opposing party as the White House seeks to stem any potential political fallout on the president.

If Democrats retake power, the White House can expect an aggressive oversight agenda into what Jeffries has called the “crooks” in the administration, with the threat of impeachment among the many tools at the party’s disposal.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), a close ally of Trump, bristled Sunday when asked about the meeting. He minimized the role that Kushner, who he said “hedges his bets,” plays in the White House.

“I’m telling you what, you better not bet against the House Republicans,” Johnson told Fox News Channel’s “The Sunday Briefing.”

“I don’t know what that’s about,” Johnson said. “I know Jared has interests in lots of other things going on. He’s not really directly involved in the admin, at least in the day-to-day in the White House.”

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

A representative for Kushner also did not respond.

Jeffries and Kushner are not strangers.

The New Yorkers allied during the first Trump administration on landmark legislation to allow sentencing flexibility for certain drug offenses as a way to curtail lengthy terms in the federal prison system.

While not necessarily close, the two have maintained a rela-

ALEX BRANDON / AP PHOTO

Jared Kushner waits to walk into the ring after a match at UFC Freedom 250 on June 15 at the White House.

“The question is whether Republicans will join us.”

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) tionship despite the repeated attacks Trump has leveled against Jeffries and the Democratic leader’s responses. In Trump’s second term, Kushner has an oversize role despite having no formal position in the White House. He serves as an outside adviser and envoy, particularly shuttling to foreign diplomatic missions as the U.S. war against Iran drags into its sixth month.

Trump has met with Jeffries only once since the president returned to the White House, taunting the House leader and Senate Democratic lead-

VETOES from page A1 a judge without pay during a pending investigation or proceeding. A suspension would be dependent upon a Judicial Standards Commission recommendation finding that a trial judge remaining in office would cause immediate and irreparable injury, loss or damage to the public or the administration of justice.

In his message, Stein also claimed the General Assembly “has repeatedly played politics with the judiciary” over 13 years, including taking the State Bar’s appointments to the Judicial Standards Commission, and said an independent judiciary is critical to protecting the rule of law.

House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Granite Falls) reacted to the veto in a post on X. “And of course, @NC_Governor just vetoed the bill that puts a check on reckless judges,” Hall wrote. “It’s very clear that his administration doesn’t care about public safety. Once again, the House will clean up the Governor’s mess and OVERRIDE this senseless veto. NC deserves better.”

Mecklenburg Rep. Carla Cunningham, now unaffiliated, voted in favor of the bill and will likely be the key to a successful override vote.

Cunningham dropped her Democratic affiliation earlier this year after being targeted by the party for joining Republicans on certain votes, including overrides. Cunningham lost to a primary challenger backed by Stein and the N.C. Democratic Party in March.

The second veto arrived shortly after the first but was preceded by an almost 45-minute livestream press event featuring Democratic minority leaders Sen. Sydney Batch (D-Wake) and Rep. Robert Reives (D-Chatham).

“Black church” leader and former state lawmaker the Rev. James Gailliard followed Batch and Reives. Gailliard, the senior pastor of Word Tabernacle

COURTESY @NC_GOVERNOR / X

Gov. Josh Stein speaks about his decision to veto House Bill 958 last week.

Church in Rocky Mount, characterized the bill as engaging in “voter suppression.”

Stein spoke last, accusing Republican lawmakers of suppressing votes, objecting to primary early voting being cut back from 17 days to 10 and claiming Republicans are scared of voters.

“The Republican General Assembly simply does not have confidence that it can win elections on their record,” said Stein, who called on citizens to pressure lawmakers to uphold his veto. “They are scared of you and they are scared of your vote.”

Stein repeated a claim he has made several times in the past few weeks that votes could be “thrown out.”

“Who here has voted early?”

Stein asked. “So if you are lawfully registered, show your ID and vote early, some sore loser could still try to throw it out after the election is over. Your leaders should respect your vote, not restrict it.”

Stein’s claim is likely a reference to the bill granting the state auditor authority to conduct post-election audits, none of which could be used to overturn election results, according to the bill’s language.

“Post-election audits are a

“This bill would have a chilling effect on judicial independence by giving the Chief Justice authority to suspend trial judges without pay, a power no other Chief Justice in the country has.”

Gov. Josh Stein commonsense, objective way to boost public confidence in our elections,” State Auditor Dave Boliek responded. “These examinations of election systems and controls are an additional layer of accountability that should be welcomed.

“The Governor incorrectly claims election administration has been politicized. Election access in North Carolina has expanded this year. Voters had a greater number of early voting sites and more early voting hours for the March 2026 primary compared to the May 2022 primary election.”

NCGOP Chair Jason Simmons also issued a statement defending the election audits

er Chuck Schumer of New York with red “Make America Great Again” 2028 caps on the desk in front of them in the Oval Office — a nod to Trump’s toying with an unconstitutional third term in office.

House Republicans are counting on Trump’s popularity among their core voters as they struggle to hold onto majority control, with Johnson believing the GOP will defy history that tends to reward the challengers in midterms and punish the party in power.

The House GOP has a slim majority. Control will likely be won — or lost — in a handful of battleground districts as Democrats put forward candidates in what they hope will be something of a repeat of 2018, when they swept to power riding a wave of voter unrest during Trump’s first term.

in the bill, saying they should not be “controversial” and are a “common-sense tool” that strengthens confidence and transparency in elections.

“If Governor Stein is genuinely concerned about election integrity, he should welcome independent audits — not veto them,” said Simmons.

Stein has made several public comments attacking Boliek over the bill’s audit provision, including a June statement that said the bill invited Boliek and the State Board of Elections to “sow mistrust in elections.”

“What sows mistrust is a partisan governor that chooses political posturing over constructive dialogue,” Boliek responded.

Stein’s veto message echoed his press conference remarks, claiming the legislature “wants to make it harder for people to vote and easier to throw out votes they don’t like after Election Day.” “This damaging bill eliminates a week of early voting in the primary, invites sore losers to try to overturn general elections by throwing out people’s votes after the race is over, and sows distrust in our elections,” Stein said in his veto message.

House Election Law Chair Hugh Blackwell (R-Burke) responded to the veto.

“House Bill 958 continues practical election reforms so we all can have greater confidence that every lawful vote in North Carolina is counted fairly and accurately,” said Blackwell. “Gov. Stein’s veto of this legislation puts politics ahead of common sense and the peace of mind voters should have when they cast their ballots.”

Blackwell claimed the House would override the veto, but that may not come for several months as legislative leaders have signaled no major votes will occur until after the November midterm elections.

Stein did signed one bill Aug. 11 — House Bill 834, which makes procedural election changes and had broad bipartisan support.

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North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

features Wake Forest speaker series pairs films with notable figures Face to Face goes to the movies in Winston-Salem

By Dan Reeves North State Journal WINSTON-SALEM — Cynthia Erivo will not arrive at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum until Sept. 16, but Winston-Salem audiences got an early look Tuesday at one of the performances that helped establish her as one of Hollywood’s leading actors.

Erivo’s Oscar-nominated portrayal of Harriet Tubman in the 2019 film “Harriet” screened Aug. 25 at A/perture cinema in downtown Winston-Salem, launching a new partnership between the independent theater and Wake Forest University’s Face to Face Speaker Forum. The five-film series, called “Face to Face Goes to the Movies,” will continue through March, pairing films with several of the speakers appearing during the forum’s sixth season.

The lineup includes Erivo, documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, television writer and producer Michael Schur, chef and humanitarian José Andrés and golf legend Jack Nicklaus.

Face to Face, which Wake Forest launched in 2020, was created to bring nationally known figures to the university and the greater Winston-Salem community for discussions spanning politics, arts and culture, business and global issues.

The new film series adds another piece to that programming, giving audiences a chance to see work associated with the speakers before they appear in person. In some cases, such as Erivo and Burns, the connection is part of the speaker’s own body of work. Other se-

AMY HARRIS / INVISION / AP PHOTO

Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, seen at the New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University on March 14, will appear Oct. 21 at Wait Chapel following an Oct. 6 screening of the sixth episode of “The American Revolution” at A/perture. lections are tied more broadly to the career or subject matter of the person coming to Wake Forest.

“Harriet,” directed by Kasi Lemmons, follows Tubman’s escape from slavery and her work leading others to freedom through the Underground Railroad. Erivo received Academy Award nominations for best actress and for “Stand Up,” the film’s original song, which she co-wrote. She will appear at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 16 at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

The next screening comes Oct. 6 with the sixth episode of Burns’ “The American Revolution.” The episode, “The Most

“It’s a chance to enjoy a film with your fellow film lovers, and you can’t get that at home.”

Leigh Dyer, A/perture executive director Sacred Thing,” covers the period beginning in May 1780 and will be shown at 6:30 p.m. at A/perture ahead of Burns’ Oct. 21 appearance at Wait Chapel.

Burns has spent nearly five decades making documentaries about American history and culture, with projects rang-

ing from “The Civil War” and “Baseball” to “Jazz,” “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” “The Vietnam War” and “Country Music.”

The November selection moves from documentary filmmaking to workplace comedy.

Mike Judge’s 1999 film “Office Space” will screen Nov. 10 in advance of Schur’s Dec. 3 appearance at Wake Forest. Schur did not work on the film, but much of his career has centered on finding comedy in workplaces and the people inside them.

He was an executive producer on “The Office” and later created or co-created “Parks and Recreation,” “Brooklyn NineNine,” “The Good Place,” “Ruth-

erford Falls” and “A Man on the Inside.”

The series resumes Feb. 9 with “We Feed People,” Ron Howard’s 2022 documentary about Andrés and World Central Kitchen, the nonprofit organization the chef founded to provide meals to communities affected by natural disasters, wars and other crises. Andrés will appear at Wait Chapel on Feb. 25.

The final screening is “Caddyshack” on March 23, ahead of Nicklaus’ April 20 appearance at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The 1980 comedy has remained closely associated with golf culture for more than four decades, while Nicklaus’ 18 major championships remain the record in men’s professional golf.

The partnership also puts a spotlight on A/perture, which has been part of downtown Winston-Salem since opening in January 2010. The nonprofit art house cinema now has four full-size screens and a smaller screening room, with 231 seats overall. It presents more than 250 films and special events and more than 4,000 screenings each year. It is the only dedicated year-round art house cinema in the Piedmont Triad.

That emphasis on gathering people around film has remained part of the theater’s identity even as streaming changed how audiences watch movies. Leigh Dyer, A/perture’s executive director, described that distinction while discussing the theater with WXII in December 2024.

“It’s a chance to enjoy a film with your fellow film lovers, and you can’t get that at home,” Dyer said.

The Face to Face partnership fits comfortably within that approach. Wake Forest’s series is built around bringing audiences into the same room with people whose work they may already know from television, books, film, sports or public life. At A/perture, audiences now have the opportunity to spend some time with that work before the speakers arrive in Winston-Salem.

Long-shelved Looney Tunes film delivers sharp physical comedy, clever nostalgia, plenty of heart “Coyote vs. Acme” finally gets its day in court

By Bob Garver The Sun THE dialogue-free Road Runner/Wile E. Coyote cartoons are my favorite of the Looney Tunes. No jokes centered on annoying accents or speech impediments, just pure physical comedy about a hapless carnivore and his Ahablike obsession with catching and eating a skinny, flightless bird. Although the cartoons are ridiculous, they follow strict rules, outlined by creator Chuck Jones. Rules include the action always having to take place in the American Southwest and the Road Runner always having to stay on the road. Oh, and the coyote can only use devices provided by the unseen Acme Corporation. These devices’ failure, along with the coyote’s own ineptitude, must always be the cause of the villain’s downfall, which usually takes the form of an actual fall from a great height.

The new live action/animation hybrid “Coyote vs. Acme” sees the coyote finally have enough of the technology giant’s faulty products. He enlists Albuquerque attorney Kevin Avery (Will Forte), a lawyer so unambitious that he rarely settles for more than three figures, to sue the corporate behemoth for decades of defectiveness. I would have suggested a different small-time lawyer from Albuquerque, but I guess this isn’t a universe where they can just Call Saul.

KETCHUP ENTERTAINMENT VIA AP

Eric Bauza voices Wile E. Coyote in “Coyote vs. Acme.”

Even with his loyal niece Paige (Lana Condor) supporting him as an intern, the deck is stacked against Avery. Acme has a powerful legal team led by undefeated hotshot Buddy Crane (John Cena). His accident-prone client is unsympathetic, especially since, as a cartoon, he can’t sustain lasting injuries, putting in doubt how much damage the backfiring products have really done. Also, the key witness is going to have

to be the only other being in the vicinity when the products failed: the Road Runner himself. How will Avery ever get the bird to testify on behalf of an enemy that has always tried — and is, in fact, still trying — to eat him?

Avery and Wile E. do have one thing on their side: the truth. Acme CEO Foghorn Leghorn has indeed been exploiting cartoon characters via defective products for years. There’s

a complex conspiracy in play, and other Looney Tunes characters are part of it. Daffy Duck was a product tester driven insane by unsafe working conditions. Tweety Bird is being forced to work as an Acme spy against his will. An animated version of Peter Lorre was a scientist silenced for knowing too much. As for the mysterious whistleblower secretly leaking information to Avery … let’s just say the movie’s setting of Albu-

querque is where he should take a left turn.

It’s hard to talk about “Coyote vs. Acme” without mentioning the rough road the movie had on its way to release. To make a long story short, Warner Bros. Discovery kept the completed film from release for three years so it could take a tax write-off. The film might never have been released at all had distributor Ketchup Entertainment not bought the rights for $50 million. That Warner Bros. Discovery tried to deny the public any completed film with years of effort behind it is disgraceful, but that it was this gem of a movie is downright dethpicable.

“Coyote vs. Acme” is the best Looney Tunes-related output in decades. The classic physical comedy is so sharp, it’s like the characters spent every day since the last Chuck Jones-directed short in 1963 training for this movie. It also hits some surprisingly strong emotional beats about Coyote and Road Runner needing each other as nemeses. I can’t say it always works as a legal thriller, and some of the logic gets murky as mediums are blurred, but overall, this movie is a lot of fun. I hope it makes a lot of money for Ketchup Entertainment and shames Warner Bros. Discovery for treating it — and Looney Tunes fans in general — so poorly.

Grade: B “Coyote vs. Acme” is rated PG for cartoon violence and some language. Its running time is 101 minutes.

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North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

TAKE NOTICE

CUMBERLAND NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ESTATE FILE NO. 26E001296-250 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Jenny Doris Augustowski, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at 2517 Raeford Road, Fayetteville, NC 28305, on or before November 20, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

Dated this 20th day of August, 2026.

Thomas Charles Augustowski, Jr., Executor of the Estate of Jenny Doris Augustowski NICOLE A. CORLEY MURRAY & CORLEY, P.A. N.C. BAR NO. 56459 2517 RAEFORD ROAD FAYETTEVILLE, NC 28305 – 3007 (910) 483 – 4990 COUNSEL FOR EXECUTOR

NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CUMBERLAND COUNTY In the Superior Court, Before the Clerk Petition for Sale Christopher Joseph Avila: Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against you has been filed in the aboveentitled special proceeding. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: Sale of real property located at 140 W Circle Court Fayetteville, NC 28301 You are required to make defense to such pleading no later than October 6, 2026 and upon your failure to do so the party seeking service against you will apply to the court for the relief sought.

This is the 27th day of August, 2026. ____________________________ Katelyn Barfield DSR Legal, PLLC Attorney for Sharon Melvin P.O. Box 51596 Durham, NC 27717

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA CUMBERLAND COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION Administrator’s Notice 26E000968-250 The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Jancila Nicole Baldwin, deceased late of Cumberland County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 6th day of November 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This is the 6th day of August 2026.

Catriena Baldwin, Administrator for Jancila Nicole Baldwin Estate Haymount Law Attorneys for the Estate 1008 Hay Street Fayetteville, NC 28305 Telephone: (910) 672-4600 Publish: 08/06, 08/13, 08/20, 08/27

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF VALERIE A BANKS CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 25E000305-250 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Valerie A. Banks of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are notified to present their claims to the Administrator, Davis W. Puryear, 4317 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28311 on or before the 7th day of November, 2026 (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

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

This the 28th day of July, 2026.

Davis W. Puryear Administrator of the Estate of Valerie A. Banks Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: August 6, August 13, August 20, and August 27, 2026.

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA CUMBERLAND COUNTY ESTATE OF: DARRYL EUGENE BESSANT FILE NO. 26E001232-250 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Darryl Eugene Bessant, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before November 06, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery.

Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment.

This the 6th day of August, 2026.

Dwaine Edmond Bessant, Executor / Administrator 7103 Tilton Ct Fayetteville, NC 28314 Dates of Publication: 08/06/26, 08/13/26, 08/20/26, 08/27/26

NOTICE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CUMBERLAND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR NOTICE The undersigned having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Lloyd G. Bigler, deceased, late of Cumberland County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before November 27, 2026, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned This the 19th day of August, 2026.

Administrator of the Estate of Lloyd G. Bigler 6967 Point East Drive Fayetteville, NC 28306

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF QUINCY BLACKLEDGE CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 25E001908-250 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Quincy Blackledge of Delaware County, PA, are notified to present their claims to the Administrator, Davis W. Puryear, 4317 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28311 on or before the 28th day of November, 2026 (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

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

This the 20th day of August, 2026.

Davis W. Puryear Administrator of the Estate of Quincy Blackledge Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: August 27, September 3, September 10 and September 17, 2026.

Estate of Robin Runa Counts File No. 26E001293250 Cumberland County, North Carolina The undersigned, having qualified on August 11, 2026, as Personal Representative of the Estate of Robin Runa Counts, deceased, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said decedent to present them to the undersigned at: Michael Levone Counts 6854 Saint Julian Way Fayetteville, North Carolina 28314 Phone: 9102243092 on or before November 20, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to said estate are requested to make immediate payment.

This the 20th day of August, 2026.

Michael Levone Counts Personal Representative of the Estate

ESTATE OF JANICE WILLIFORD KNIGHT CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 26E000874-250 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Janice Williford Knight, of Cumberland County are notified to present their claims to the Administrator, Mark Allan Knight, 409 Mirror Lake Pl., Fayetteville, NC 28303 on or before the 28th day of November, 2026 (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

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

This the 21st day of August, 2026.

Mark Allan Knight Administrator of the Estate of Janice Williford Knight Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: August 27, September 3, September 10 and September 17, 2026.

ESTATE OF CHESSIE PIERCE CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 26E000168-250 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Chessie Pierce of Cumberland County, NC, are notified to present their claims to the Administrator, Davis W. Puryear, 4317 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28311 on or before the 28th day of November, 2026 (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

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

This the 20th day of August, 2026.

Davis W. Puryear Administrator of the Estate of Chessie Pierce Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: August 27, September 3, September 10 and September 17, 2026.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ESTATE FILE NO. 26E000875-250 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Melvin Andrew Bonner, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at 2517 Raeford Road, Fayetteville, NC 28305, on or before November 13, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

Dated this 13th day of August, 2026.

Kimesha T. Bonner, Executor of the Estate of Melvin Andrew Bonner NICOLE A. CORLEY MURRAY & CORLEY, P.A. N.C. BAR NO. 56459 2517 RAEFORD ROAD FAYETTEVILLE, NC 28305 – 3007 (910) 483 – 4990 COUNSEL FOR EXECUTOR

NOTICE FROM: Sherry Y. Sales, Fiduciary of deceased, Larry F. Grubbs The State of North Carolina, Cumberland County approved, Sherry Sales, as Fiduciary of deceased, Larry F. Grubbs, who passed away on 6 January 2026.

If the deceased person owes anyone a balance on any accounts, please send an official itemized statement and proof of the debt on or before 27 November 2026, to the address listed. All valid claims will be reviewed and paid from the estate funds in accordance with state law.

Send Claims to: Sherry Y. Sales 2922 Ives Drive Eastover, NC 28312

NOTICE State of North Carolina In the General Court of Justice County of Cumberland.

Superior Court Division Estate File # 26E000736-250 Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Carolyn Grady, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 15th day of November, 2026, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 4th day of August,2026 Rae Roberts 1004 Quailwood Dr Fayetteville NC, 28314 Of the Estate of Carolyn Grady

NOTICE In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Estate File # 26E001248-250 State of North Carolina County of Cumberland Administrator’s Notice The undersigned, having qualified as administrator of the Estate of George Michael Fears Sr., 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 14th day of November, 2026, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 13th day of August, 2026.

George Michael Fears Jr. 218 Waverly Ave. Neptune, New Jersey 07753 Of the Estate of George Michael Fears Sr., Deceased Publish: 8/13/2026, 8/20/2026, 8/27/2026, 9/3/2026

NOTICE TO CREDITORS: Cumberland County, North Carolina RE: THE ESTATE OF JANIE CRUZ – 26E000712-250 Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Janie Cruz, deceased, Cumberland County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 6th day of November, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. This is the 6th day of August, 2026.

Dennis Wilson, Administrator DSR Legal, PLLC PO Box 51596 Durham, NC 27717

Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Danny Ray Camden, 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 20th Day of November, 2026, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 11th Day of August, 2026.

Sarah Hymbaugh 709 Bent Creek Drive Hope Mills, NC 28348 Of the Estate of Danny Ray Camden, Deceased

NOTICE In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Before the Clerk Estate File #26E001083-250 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CUMBERLAND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR NOTICE The undersigned having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Winford Bullard Jr., Winford Bullard Jr. deceased, late of Cumberland County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 20th day of November, 2026 (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 17th day of August, 2026.

Felicia Ann Maxwell 202 Fox Run Road St George SC 29477 Administrator of the Estate of Winford Bullard Jr. 08/20/2026, 08/27/2026, 09/03/2026, 09/10/2026

NOTICE In The General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Estate File # 26E001205-250 State of North Carolina Cumberland County Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice The undersigned having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Byron Bryant, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 27th day of November, 2026, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 27th day of August, 2026.

Executor of the Estate of Byron Bryant Judy Hardy 80 Green Hill Road Engelhard, NC 27824

EXECUTOR’S NOTICE In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Estate File # 26E001287-250 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND The undersigned having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Anita Johnson aka Anita Elena Johnson, Deceased of Cumberland County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before November 27, 2026 at 6890 Green Creek Road, Fayetteville, North Carolina 28314, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 27th day of August, 2026 Sandra Teagle, Executor of the Estate of Anita Johnson aka Anita Elena Johnson, deceased c/o Gilliam Law Firm, PLLC 307 Person Street Fayetteville, NC 28301 (910) 485-8899 08/27/2026, 09/03/2026, 09/10/2026, 09/17/2026

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF Michael John Keaveny Cumberland County Estate File No. 26E000587-250 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Michael John Keaveny, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are notified to present their claims to Davis W. Puryear, Public Administrator, at 4317 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28311, on or before the 14th day of November, 2026 (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

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

This the 5th day of August, 2026.

Davis W. Puryear Public Administrator of the Estate of Michael John Keaveny Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: August 13, August 20, August 27 and September 3, 2026

NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ESTATE FILE NO. 26E001163-250 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Augusta Bobbie McCollum aka Augusta Boston McCollum, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at 2517 Raeford Road, Fayetteville, NC 28305, on or before November 27, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

Dated this 27th day of August, 2026.

Ramona Christy McCollum, Executor of the Estate of Augusta Bobbie McCollum aka Augusta Boston McCollum NICOLE A. CORLEY MURRAY & CORLEY, P.A. N.C. BAR NO. 56459 2517 RAEFORD ROAD FAYETTEVILLE, NC 28305 – 3007 (910) 483 – 4990 COUNSEL FOR EXECUTOR

NOTICE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ESTATE FILE 26e001343-250 IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: LAWRENCE DANIEL MCMILLEN Executor’s NOTICE The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the estate of LAWRENCE DANIEL MCMILLEN, 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 27 day of November, 2026, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 19 day of August, 2026.

Marie Stanley McMillen 5405 Mesa Drive Fayetteville, NC 28303 Of the Estate of Lawrence Daniel McMillen, Deceased

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF IRIS CELESTE MIDDLETON Having qualified as Personal Representative of the Estate of Iris Celeste Middleton, deceased, the undersigned hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the decedent to present their claims to the undersigned on or before November 20, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

Claims should be presented to: Celeste Middleton & Denice Middleton Personal Representative, Estate of Iris Celeste Middleton 312 Dudley Dr Fayetteville, NC 28314 This notice will be published once a week for four consecutive weeks, beginning August 20, 2026.

Celeste Middleton & Denice Middleton Personal Representative of the Estate of Iris Celeste Middleton

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA CUMBERLAND COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION Administrator’s Notice 26E001033-250 The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Lona Smith, deceased late of Cumberland County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 20th day of November 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This is the 20th day of August 2026.

Eric M. Ditmore, Administrator of the Lona Smith Estate Haymount Law Attorneys for the Estate 1008 Hay Street Fayetteville, NC 28305 Telephone: (910) 672-4600 Publish: 08/20, 08/27, 09/03, 09/10

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA CUMBERLAND COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION Administrator’s Notice 26E001204-250 The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Angie Ilean Stephens, deceased late of Cumberland County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 13th day of November 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This is the 13th day of August 2026.

Brenda Brown, Administrator for Angie Ilean Stephens Estate Haymount Law Attorneys for the Estate 1008 Hay Street Fayetteville, NC 28305 Telephone: (910) 672-4600 Publish: 08/13, 08/20, 08/27, 09/03

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA CUMBERLAND COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION Administrator’s Notice 26E001283-250 The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Julia May Thigpen, deceased late of Cumberland County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 20th day of November 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This is the 20th day of August 2026.

Joseph W. Thigpen, Administrator of the Julia May Thigpen Estate Haymount Law Attorneys for the Estate 1008 Hay Street Fayetteville, NC 28305 Telephone: (910) 672-4600 Publish: 08/20, 08/27, 09/03, 09/10

NOTICE In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Estate File #26E001242-250 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CUMBERLAND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR NOTICE The undersigned having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Margaret Y Myers, deceased, late of Cumberland County, does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to present them to the undersigned at 612 Williwood Road, Fayetteville, NC 28311 on or before the 13th day of November, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

Dated this 10th day of August, 2026.

Deborah R Godwin, Executor of the Estate of Margaret Y Myers 612 Williwood Road Fayetteville, NC 28311

NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ESTATE FILE NO. 26E001139-250 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Bill Pete Pappas, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at 2517 Raeford Road, Fayetteville, NC 28305, on or before November 13, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

Dated this 13th day of August, 2026.

Maria Gibbons Pappas, Executor of the Estate of Bill Pete Pappas NICOLE A. CORLEY MURRAY & CORLEY, P.A. N.C. BAR NO. 56459 2517 RAEFORD ROAD FAYETTEVILLE, NC 28305 – 3007 (910) 483 – 4990 COUNSEL FOR EXECUTOR

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA CUMBERLAND COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION Administrator’s Notice 26E001284-250 The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Thomas Mark Thigpen, deceased late of Cumberland County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 20th day of November 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This is the 20th day of August 2026.

Joseph W. Thigpen, Administrator of the Thomas Mark Thigpen Estate Haymount Law Attorneys for the Estate 1008 Hay Street Fayetteville, NC 28305 Telephone: (910) 672-4600 Publish: 08/20, 08/27, 09/03, 09/10

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North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

TAKE NOTICE

CUMBERLAND NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA CUMBERLAND COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION Administrator’s Notice 26E001285-250 The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of William Lynn Thigpen, deceased late of Cumberland County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 20th day of November 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This is the 20th day of August 2026.

Joseph W. Thigpen, Administrator of the William Lynn Thigpen Estate Haymount Law Attorneys for the Estate 1008 Hay Street Fayetteville, NC 28305 Telephone: (910) 672-4600 Publish: 08/20, 08/27, 09/03, 09/10

NOTICE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF WILLIAM MOYER WILSON, JR., Deceased Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of William Moyer Wilson, Jr., deceased, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, the undersigned hereby gives notice to all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the Estate of William Moyer Wilson, Jr., to present their claims to the undersigned Executor at the address listed below on or before November 20, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to the Estate are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 20th day of August, 2026.

Moyer Leonard Wilson Executor of the Estate of William Moyer Wilson, Jr., Deceased Mailing Address for Claims: Moyer Leonard Wilson, Executor Estate of William Moyer Wilson, Jr. 310 Mayodan Drive, Apt. 106 Fayetteville, NC 28314

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as the Executor of the Estate of Nora Zook, deceased, late of Currituck County, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said, Nora Zook, to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 13th day of November, 2026 or this notice will be placed in bar of their recovery.

All persons, firms and corporations indebted to said estate please make immediate notice to the undersigned.

This, the 4th day of August, 2026 ________________________________ _______ Debbie L. Gardner 122 Dot Sears Drive Grandy, NC 27939

NEW HANOVER NOTICE TO CREDITORS STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK Estate of: Celeste Kelliehan Case No.: 26E000977-640 Having qualified as Personal Representative of the Estate of Celeste Kelliehan, deceased, late of New Hanover County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate to present them to: Dejuria McIntyre 531 Conley Dr, Apt.410 Wilmington, NC 28401 on or before November 13, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to the estate are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 13th day of August, 2026.

Dejuria McIntyre Personal Representative

CABARRUS 26SP000374-120 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, CABARRUS COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by William B. Scott to Christopher Logue, Trustee(s), which was dated June 21, 2025 and recorded on July 23, 2025 in Book 17537 at Page 35, Cabarrus County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on September 8, 2026 at 01:00 PM, and

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Stanley Lawery Carmical Jr., deceased, late of New Hanover County, North Carolina, the undersigned hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the Estate of said decedent to present them to the undersigned at the address shown below on or before November 27, 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to said Estate are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 27th day of August, 2026.

Beth Collingwood Executor of the Estate of Stanley Lawery Carmical Jr. 83 Paris Pointe Hampstead, NC 28443 Estate File No. 26E000979-640

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA New Hanover County IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION 26E001018-640 Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Lucy P. Targia, deceased, late of New Hanover County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the Estate of said Lucy P. Targia to present them to the undersigned on or before the 20 day of November, 2026 (this date being 3 months from the first publication 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 14 day of August, 2026.

Kathleen Hamilton 1721 North County Dr. Castle Hayne, NC 28429 Executor of the Estate of Lucy P. Targia First Publication Date: August 20, 2026 4 week run dates August 20, 27, September 3, 10, 2026

Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Sandra Hine of Randolph County, NC, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned Administrator at the Law Office of Andrew J. Weiner, 113 Worth Street, Asheboro, NC 27203 on or before November 11th 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of heir recovery.

All persons indebted to said estate please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 13th day of August 2026.

Timothy Keith Duncan Sandra Hine Estate Andrew J Weiner, Attorney Gavin & Cox 113 Worth Street Asheboro, NC 27203 Telephone: 336-629-2600

Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of JEAN ELIZABETH BERGEMANN NICHOLS aka JEAN ELIZABETH NICHOLS, late of Randolph County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of the decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at the office of Ivey & Eggleston, Attorneys at Law, 111 Worth Street, Asheboro, North Carolina 27203, on or before November 28, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms or corporations indebted to said estate should make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 27th day of August 2026.

NOTICE

Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of PAULA LINEBERRY aka PAULA N. LINEBERRY aka PAULA NORTON LINEBERRY aka PAULA DIANE NORTON LINEBERRY, late of Moore County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of the decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at the office of Ivey & Eggleston, Attorneys at Law, 111 Worth Street, Asheboro, North Carolina 27203, on or before November 28, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons, firms or corporations indebted to said estate should make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 27th day of August 2026.

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA NEW HANOVER COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS THE UNDERSIGNED, Kathy J. Hamill, having qualified on the 17th day of August, 2026, as Executor of the Estate of Laura A. Hamill (26E001004-640), deceased, does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said Estate that they must present them to the undersigned at DAVID E. ANDERSON, PLLC, 9111 Market Street, Suite A, Wilmington, North Carolina, 28411, on or before the 30th day of November, 2026, or the claims will be forever barred thereafter, and this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery.

All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to said Estate will please make prompt payment to the undersigned at the above address.

This 27th day of August 2026.

Kathy J. Hamill Executor ESTATE OF LAURA A. HAMILL David Anderson Attorney at Law 9111 Market St, Ste A Wilmington, NC 28411 Publish: August 27, 2026 September 3, 2026 September 10, 2026 September 17, 2026

Notice to Creditors STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER Case No. 26E000272-640 THE UNDERSIGNED, having qualified as the Administrator of the ESTATE OF Lynn Farmer Isbell, Deceased, of New Hanover County, North Carolina, do hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before November 13, 2026 or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This, the 13th day of August, 2026.

Name and Address of Administrator William Slate Thompson Administrator 721Dungannon Blvd Wilmington, NC 28403 The North State Journal August 13, 20, 27, September 3, 2026

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified on July 28, 2026, as Executor of the Estate of Elizabeth Sharon McCreesh, deceased, late of New Hanover County, North Carolina, the undersigned hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate to present them to the undersigned at: Kristina Castillo 1013 Shadow Moss Ct. Wilmington, NC 28412 All claims against the estate must be presented on or before November 13, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to the estate should make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 13th day of August, 2026.

Kristina Castillo Executor of the Estate of Elizabeth Sharon McCreesh Estate File No. 26 E 000946-640

will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, to wit: ALL THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF LAND SITUATED IN THE CITY OF KANNAPOLIS, CABARRUS COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA AND MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: BEING ALL OF LOT 78, HARBOUR TOWNE, MAP 2, AS THE SAME IS SHOWN ON A MAP THEREOF, RECORDED IN MAP BOOK 37, PAGE 7-9, CABARRUS COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY. THIS BEING THE SAME PROPERTY CONVEYED TO WILLIAM B. SCOTT (UNMARRIED), DATED 04/23/2004 AND RECORDED ON 04/26/2004 IN BOOK 5276, PAGE 252, IN THE CABARRUS COUNTY RECORDERS OFFICE. Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 917 Anchor Way NE, Kannapolis, NC 28083.

A Certified Check ONLY (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER The undersigned, Personal Representative of the Estate of Georgia Noble Williams, deceased, hereby gives notice to all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the decedent to present them to the undersigned on or before November 20th, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. Claims should be sent to: Giles Charles Simpson 333 Brighton Road Wilmington NC 2049 Signed this the 20th day of August, 2026.

Giles Charles Simpson

RANDOLPH NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Charles L. Bulla a/k/a Charles Leslie Bulla, late of Randolph County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of the decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at the office of Ivey & Eggleston, Attorneys at Law, 111 Worth Street, Asheboro, North Carolina 27203, on or before November 13, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons, firms or corporations indebted to said estate should make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 5th day of August, 2026 Michael Shane Dunn Executor of the Estate of Charles L. Bulla a/k/a Charles Leslie Bulla S. Scott Eggleston, Attorney IVEY & EGGLESTON, ATTORNEYS AT LAW 111 Worth Street Asheboro, NC 27203 (336) 625-3043 PUBL/DATES: 8/13/26 8/20/26 8/27/26 9/3/26

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Dwight Franklin Hooker of Randolph County, NC, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned Executor at the Law Office of Andrew J. Weiner, 113 Worth Street, Asheboro, NC 27203 on or before November 11th 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of heir recovery.

All persons indebted to said estate please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 13th day of August 2026.

Charles Edward Glasgow Dwight Franklin Hooker Estate Andrew J Weiner, Attorney Gavin & Cox 113 Worth Street Asheboro, NC 27203 Telephone: 336-629-2600

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 William B. Scott.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

POLLY DIANE HANKS aka POLLY HANKS ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of PAULA LINEBERRY aka PAULA N. LINEBERRY aka PAULA NORTON LINEBERRY aka PAULA DIANE NORTON LINEBERRY MARION “BETH” MCQUAID, Attorney IVEY & EGGLESTON, ATTORNEYS AT LAW 111 Worth Street Asheboro, NC 27203 (336) 625-3043 PUBL/DATES: 08/27/26 09/03/26 09/10/26 09/17/26

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Faye Carol Hunt McElreath of Randolph County, NC, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned Executor at the Law Office of Andrew J. Weiner, 113 Worth Street, Asheboro, NC 27203 on or before November 19th 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of heir recovery.

All persons indebted to said estate please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 20th day of August 2026.

Louie Dean McElreath Faye Carol Hunt McElreath Estate Andrew J Weiner, Attorney Gavin & Cox 113 Worth Street Asheboro, NC 27203 Telephone: 336-629-2600

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

TERESA NICHOLS BETENBAUGH EXECUTOR of the Estate of JEAN ELIZABETH BERGEMANN NICHOLS Aka JEAN ELIZABETH NICHOLS S. SCOTT EGGLESTON, Attorney IVEY & EGGLESTON, ATTORNEYS AT LAW 111 Worth Street Asheboro, NC 27203 (336) 625-3043 PUBL/DATES: 08/27/26 09/03/26 09/10/26 09/17/26

WAKE Notice to Creditors Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of LINDA MAE FARRELL, late of Wake County, North Carolina (25E001379-910), the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 9th day of November 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 6th day of August 2026.

Ian Farrell Executor of the Estate of Linda Mae Farrell c/o Lisa M. Schreiner Attorney at Law P.O. Box 446 114 Raleigh Street Fuquay Varina, NC 27526 (For publication: 8/6, 8/13, 8/20, 8/27/2026)

Notice to Creditors Having qualified as Co-Executors of the Estate of JOAN JOSEPHINE KAUFMANN, late of Wake County, North Carolina (26E002450-910), the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 30th day of November 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 27th day of August 2026.

Laurie Joan Kaufmann-Robedee Jennifer Lynn Kaufmann-Olaya Co-Executors Estate of Joan Josephine Kaufmann c/o Lisa M. Schreiner Attorney at Law P.O. Box 446 114 Raleigh Street Fuquay Varina, NC 27526 (For publication: 08/27, 09/03, 09/10, 09/17/2026)

Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Janice Johnson Yates of Randolph County, NC, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned Administrator at the Law Office of Richard L. Cox, 113 Worth Street, Asheboro, NC 27203 on or before November 11th 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of heir recovery.

All persons indebted to said estate please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 13th day of August 2026.

Garland Nelson Yates Janice Johnson Yates Estate Richard L. Cox, Attorney Gavin & Cox 113 Worth Street Asheboro, NC 27203 Telephone: 336-629-2600

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b)(2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Pursuant to NCGS §45-21.25A, this sale may be subject to remote bids placed by bidders not physically present at the place of sale, which may be accepted by the person conducting the sale, or their agent”.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the

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

If the transaction is subject to the FinCEN Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule (“RRE”) issued pursuant to the Bank Secrecy Act, information necessary to comply with the RRE Rule must be obtained and provided to the Reporting Person, as defined in the RRE Rule, prior to closing.

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.: 26-06553-FC01

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North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

PEN & PAPER PURSUITS

sudoku

SOLUTIONS FROM LAST WEEK

Winston-Salem Open begins, B3

ERIC RISBERG / AP PHOTO

Arizona celebrates recovering a UNC fumble during the 1986 Aloha Bowl in Honolulu, the farthest from Chapel Hill the Tar Heels have ever kicked off. The Heels will play in Dublin, this weekend, their second-longest trip.

the Thursday SIDELINE REPORT

First and long: UNC heads overseas to open season

NHL

The Tar Heels will face TCU in Dublin

NHL executive says Texas expansion team could be announced by year’s end

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

The NHL is looking to award an expansion franchise to Texas by the end of the year.

Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the group working with Houston billionaire Dan Friedkin has agreed to pay a $2 billion expansion fee to bring a team to Houston or Austin, depending on arena construction and NHL Board approval. The team could debut within three years.

NWSL

Sanchez’s stoppage time penalty kick lifts Courage Cary Ashley Sanchez had a pair of goals, including the winning penalty kick in stoppage time, to give the Courage (10-7-3) a 2-1 win over Boston at home.

Sanchez also scored in the 10th minute and her 13 goals this season leads the NWSL. Boston gave up its league-high eighth penalty kick in stoppage time. After defender Bianca St-Georges tripped Maycee Bell, Sanchez converted in the 107th.

PWHL

Victoire’s PWHL championship Walter Cup trophy missing The Walter Cup is missing.

The PWHL issued a statement saying the trophy did not arrive as expected at its latest stop and added the league is working closely with the shipping company to locate it. The professional women’s hockey league trophy was supposed to be shipped to Lethbridge, Alberta, to spend the day with Montreal Victoire forward Dara Greig. A container did arrive, but not the one the PWHL shipped with the trophy inside.

SHIZUO KAMBAYASHI / AP PHOTO

Clemson quarterback DeChane Cameron hands off the football to Rudy Harris (40) during the opening quarter action at the Coca-Cola Classic against Duke at the Tokyo Dome in 1991, the last time an ACC team from North Carolina played outside the U.S.

FOR THE FIRST TIME in program history, UNC football will play on foreign soil. The Tar Heels open the season with a game against TCU in the Aer Lingus Classic at Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

While it’s a first for the team, foreign travel is old hat for coach Bill Belichick. As coach of the Patriots, he went 3-1 in international games, winning twice at Wembley Stadium in London and once in Mexico City. He also won a preseason game in Canada as coach of the Browns in 1993.

His only defeat was in his last year as coach, a 10-6 loss to the Colts in Frankfurt, Germany. It was the most points one of his

teams has allowed outside the U.S. As one would expect, Belichick downplayed the unique location for the game.

“In terms of traveling, it’s not like going to Australia or, you know, someplace like that,” he said.

It’s also not like going to Hawaii, which marks the farthest UNC football has ever traveled for a game. The Tar Heels lost 30-21 to Arizona in Honolulu in the 1986 Aloha Bowl.

At 4,780 miles, it’s more than 1,200 miles farther than the 3,612 miles it will take to get Carolina to Ireland. Still, this will be the second-longest distance UNC has traveled for a game, displacing the 2,806 miles to get to Cal, where the Heels are 0-2.

“Playing in Ireland, it’s kind of the reverse of going to the West Coast,” Belichick said. “It’s about the same. You know, we went to Cal last year. So it’s a different direction, but from a timing standpoint, it’s similar. This game has some differences, obviously, to it in terms of being over there a little bit earlier, and some of their activities around See UNC, page B3

NC State to kick off 2026 season in Charlottesville It’s the first time since 1974 that the Wolfpack have opened their schedule with an ACC road game

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal NC STATE WILL kick off its 2026 football season in just a few days as the Wolfpack prepare to take on Virginia in a Week 0 showdown.

Originally, the Wolfpack had that date circled for the NCAA’s first game in South America, as the two teams were scheduled to play against one another in Brazil, but the game was canceled and moved to Charlottesville instead due to logistical issues.

“Excited to play them up there,” said NC State coach

Dave Doeren. “Obviously a different location than we originally expected, but an opportunity to play within driving range for our fanbase.”

This will be the 62nd meeting on the gridiron between the two teams, with the all-time series dating back to 1904.

Over that stretch, NC State holds a 38-22-1 record, and under Doeren — now in his 14th season at the helm — the Wolfpack have never lost to the Cavaliers (4-0).

But this year’s matchup will be anything but easy.

Virginia was one of the biggest surprises in the ACC last year, finishing with an 11-3 overall and a 7-1 conference record en route to an appearance in the ACC Championship (which wound up as a 27-20 Cavaliers loss to Duke in overtime).

KARL DEBLAKER / AP PHOTO

NC State quarterback CJ Bailey (11) turns away from the rush of Virginia during last season’s game in Raleigh.

Tony Elliott, the 2025 ACC Coach of the Year, turned his team’s fortunes around in a big way following years of dwelling in the bottom of the ACC standings and now UVA looks poised for another big year.

“That’s a team that has a lot of experience and momentum not just with their players, but their staff too,” Doeren said. “A lot of those guys are back with them, and so there’s a lot of continuity.”

On offense, the Cavaliers

look to be one of the top teams in the conference when it comes to protecting the quarterback, with four returning offensive linemen, including a fifth transfer starter as well.

Last year, Virginia had a lot of success at their skill positions too, most notably with quarterback Chandler Morris and running back J’Mari Taylor putting up huge numbers.

However, this season will See NC STATE, page B4

B2 THURSDAY

8.27.26

TRENDING

Will Cleary: The Charlotte FC rookie defender scored his first goal in MLS as Charlotte (9-7-5) beat D.C. United 3-1. David Schnegg and Pep Biel each added a goal for Charlotte, and Kristijan Kahlina had three saves. Cleary, at the front post, headed home a corner kick played in by Biel to give Charlotte a 2-1 lead in the 66th minute. Schnegg had tied it two minutes earlier.

Palmer Williams: The Advance native and senior punter for Baylor was named a second-team AP preseason All-American.

Williams, who played at Davie County High, is in his fourth year as the Bears’ punter and was last year’s Big 12 special teams player of the year.

Ole Miss kicker Lucas Carneiro, a fifth-year senior out of Cornelius, was also named to the AP second team.

Terrell Williams: The Georgia man was charged with burglarizing Greg Biffle’s home after the former NASCAR driver’s death in a plane crash. Williams, 44, faces felony charges, including second-degree burglary and money laundering.

Biffle, his wife and two children, and three others, died in the Dec. 18 crash. In a Jan. 8 break-in at the home, $30,000 in cash, two Glock handguns and NASCAR memorabilia were stolen.

North State Journal for Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026

Beyond the box score POTENT QUOTABLES

NASCAR

Ryan Blaney overcame a major fumble by his pit crew and charged from 17th to first for his second consecutive NASCAR Cup Series win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The Team Penske driver led a race-high 115 of 301 laps and fended off Bubba Wallace by 0.586 seconds. The top five was rounded out by Josh Berry, Christopher Bell and Ryan Preece.

ALEX BRANDON / AP PHOTO

“Massive bumps that are going to spice things up.”

IndyCar racer Alex Palou’s review of the road course through Washington, D.C. STEVEN SENNE / AP PHOTO

NCAA BASKETBALL

NHL

CAROLYN KASTER / AP PHOTO

“It’s a little bit personal. I think that’s a disrespectful thing.”

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson on getting booed by the home fans.

PRIME NUMBER

9 Number of the 11 riders for the Milligan University cycling team who were injured when struck by a 69-year-old North Carolina man while the group was on a morning training ride in Tennessee. Two cyclists — sophomores Haylan Engdahl and Brayden Rogers — were killed. The driver faces two counts of reckless vehicular homicide and five counts of aggravated assault by vehicle with recklessness.

KARL DEBLAKER / AP PHOTO

Rivals UNC and NC State will meet in a nonconference men’s basketball game in the Tobacco Road Classic in Greensboro on Dec. 15. It’s their first nonconference showdown since the Big Four in 1979, which was also held in Greensboro. Last season was the first time since 1919 the schools played just once.

KARL DEBLAKER / AP PHOTO

Referee Garrett Rank won his fourth Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship, breaking a last-hole tie with a 6-foot par putt in Brantford, Ontario. The 38-year-old Rank, from nearby Waterloo, had a one-stroke victory at 18-under 270. He also won from 2014-16. Rank worked his first Stanley Cup final this year.

NASCAR

JASON JACKSON FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

A year after North Wilkesboro hosted its first high-level NASCAR points race in decades, Bowman Gray Stadium will join it. The track will host the Craftsman Truck Series, Aug. 27, 2027, its first points event in one of the top three series since 1971. Bowman Gray has hosted NASCAR Cup Series exhibitions the last two years. The quarter-mile oval will also become the shortest track to host in the modern era.

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North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

Medvedev headlines deep Panthers preseason Winston-Salem Open field hits final stretch The third game was one of the last chances to change minds

The finals are scheduled for Saturday

By Jesse Deal North State Journal WINSTON-SALEM — The Winston-Salem Open is in full swing at the Wake Forest Tennis Complex, where an international field and a collection of players with North Carolina ties are competing in the final men’s tuneup before the U.S. Open.

Now in its 15th edition, the ATP 250 event will conclude Saturday with the doubles and singles finals.

This year’s tournament features a 48-player singles draw and 16 doubles teams, with 24 singles players ranked among the world’s top 75; the doubles final is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

Saturday, with the singles final at 4 p.m.

The tournament has become one of the Triad’s signature sporting events, giving regional fans a close look at established stars and rising prospects before the year’s final Grand Slam.

Former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev (No. 8) headlines the field as the top seed.

The other highest-ranked entrants are Luciano Darderi (No. 22), Ignacio Buse (No. 36), Arthur Fery (No. 37), Raphael Collignon (No. 38), Luca Van Assche (No. 40), Mariano Navone (No. 48), Sebastian Baez (No. 50), Juan Manuel Cerundolo (No. 51) and Quentin Halys (No. 52).

Medvedev is making his third Winston-Salem appearance and his first since 2018, when he won the championship without dropping a set.

The 2021 U.S. Open champion enters with a 31-14 record this season and titles in Brisbane and Dubai as he pursues a second trophy in Winston-Salem.

Jenson Brooksby (No. 73) leads the American singles contingent, followed by Marcos Giron (No. 77), Aleksandar Kovacevic (No. 89) and Martin Damm (No. 92).

The tournament also carries a distinct local flavor across both draws.

Former UNC All-American Rinky Hijikata (No. 85), Wake Forest sophomore Mees Rottgering (No. 389) and Wake Forest alumnus Dhakshineswar “DK” Suresh (No. 394) are in singles. Former Wake Forest All-American Jakob Schnaitter, ranked No. 36 in doubles, is part of the doubles field.

That doubles draw includes 10 players ranked in the top

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

AURELIEN MORISSARD / AP PHOTO

The 2026 Winston-Salem Open’s biggest draw, Daniil Medvedev, returns to Adam Walton during their match at the French Open in Paris on May 26.

“When the moment gets crucial, when you have to really step up, I feel like mindset is the only thing that helps.”

Stefanos Tsitsipas 30: Manuel Guinard (No. 14), Theo Arribage (No. 20), Fabien Reboul (No. 21), Sadio Doumbia (No. 22), Marc Polmans (No. 25), Lucas Miedler (No. 26), Joe Salisbury (No. 27), Nikola Mektic (No. 28), Constantin Frantzen (No. 29) and Robin Haase (No. 30).

The top-ranked Americans in doubles are JJ Tracy (No. 38), Austin Krajicek (No. 39), Robert Cash (No. 43), Robert Galloway (No. 45). Nathaniel Lammons (No. 87), Jackson Withrow (No. 94) and Rajeev Ram (No. 118) complete the U.S. contingent.

Krajicek and Ram are former world No. 1 doubles players.

The tournament crowned unseeded champions in both draws last year for the first time since 2021. Hungarian veteran Marton Fucsovics won the singles title, while Brazilians Rafael Matos and Marcelo Melo took the doubles championship.

Fans have already seen seeded players move forward alongside emerging challengers. Seventh-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas became the first player to reach the round of 16 Monday, surviving late trouble to defeat Brooksby 6-4, 7-6 (6).

The 28-year-old Greek let three match points slip away at 5-4 in the second set, then saved a set point at 5-6 in the tiebreaker before completing

UNC from page B1 the game and the weekend and so forth. So they’re all different.”

The Tar Heels have made 10 road trips of more than 2,000 miles, with most of them being to the West Coast. They are 4-6 in those games, with two wins over USC (one in L.A., one in Anaheim), one in the Las Vegas Bowl and one at Arizona State.

In addition to Hawaii and two in Berkeley, they’ve lost in Stanford, San Diego and Utah.

They’ve played 32 games at least 1,000 miles away, going 13-19 in those.

With two ACC teams located in California and one in Texas, those type of games will be more common going forward.

Plus, with the number of international games increasing in college and the pros, the travel is less daunting than in the past. Teams all have a list of best practices to make it as painless as possible.

“We’ll take our usual, you know, things we usually do in terms of preparing the players for the travel,” Belichick said, “trying to get them on as much of a schedule as we can once we get over there. Try to get things back to normal. It’s a five-hour difference, so we’ll make the adjustment.”

UNC is joining a group of ACC teams who have played in Ireland. Boston College (1988) and Pitt (1989) won the first two games played in the nation, long before they were league members. B.C. returned in 2016 and

the victory in 1 hour, 40 minutes. He also saved seven of the eight break points he faced.

“Mindset matters,” Tsitsipas said. “Everyone can play good tennis, everyone can hit the ball. When the moment gets crucial, when you have to really step up, I feel like mindset is the only thing that helps.”

The victory evened Tsitsipas’ career series with Brooksby at 1-1. Tsitsipas will face the winner of Van Assche and Kovacevic for a place in the quarterfinals.

Australian Cruz Hewitt, 17, also advanced after overcoming a slow start against American lucky loser Sebastian Gorzny. Hewitt rallied for a 1-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 victory in 2 hours, 10 minutes, becoming the tournament’s youngest match winner since Frances Tiafoe in 2015.

“Sebastian played an amazing first set, and I didn’t really know what to expect,” Hewitt said. “But then I thought I handled the pressure well, and I came back with some better tennis than the first set.”

Hewitt, making his tournament debut, will meet fourth-seeded Fery in the second round.

Suresh delivered the day’s biggest local moment, defeating Giron 6-3, 7-5 in 67 minutes for his first ATP Tour victory. The 26-year-old Indian, who entered the main draw as a lucky loser, will play eighth-seeded Cerundolo in the second round.

Former champion Lorenzo Sonego and Benjamin Bonzi also advanced. Sonego, the 2024 winner, outlasted Pierre-Hugues Herbert 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-3 to set up a second-round match against ninth-seeded Adrian Mannarino; Bonzi defeated Kamil Majchrzak 6-4, 7-6 (7).

2,000-MILE CLUB: UNC’S LONGEST FOOTBALL ROAD TRIPS Date

City

Opponent

Miles away

Result

Dec. 27, 1986

Honolulu

Arizona (Aloha Bowl)

4,780

L

Sept. 1, 2018

Berkeley, Calif.

Cal

2,806

L

Oct. 17, 2025

Berkeley, Calif.

Cal

2,806

L

Sept. 19, 1998

Stanford, Calif.

Stanford

2,790

L

Oct. 3, 1958

Los Angeles

USC

2,521

W

Dec. 28, 2022

San Diego

Oregon (Holiday Bowl)

2,520

L

Aug. 29, 1993

Anaheim, Calif.

USC (Pigskin Classic)

2,509

W

Dec. 19, 1998

Las Vegas

San Diego State

2,304

W

THE BATTLE for roster spots and starting gigs entered the stretch run as the Panthers played their third of four preseason games.

Carolina’s 34-17 win at Jacksonville was the equivalent of “last call.” For the vast majority of players looking to win a spot, there is one opportunity left to change minds — a joint practice with the Houston Texans on Wednesday. Traditionally, the playing time in the final preseason game can be used as a guide to who is going to get cut in the days following, meaning that, for the most part, the decisions have already been made at kickoff.

So here’s one last look at where the draftees and other key position battles stand after three weeks.

The draft picks Monroe Freeling started at right tackle and got 13 snaps before sitting with the rest of the first string. He got a good push on most run plays, including one where he drove the defensive lineman past the first-down line on a first-and-10 play. He seemed to struggle a bit on pass plays, with several snaps where the defender was able to move laterally to get around him.

Defensive tackle Lee Hunter also started and got 23 snaps. He continued to show a knack for never giving up on a play. He showed up at the end of a 12-yard pass play and also ran down a screen pass from behind. He got a key tackle for loss, splitting a double team on an and-goal play inside the 10.

Corner Will Lee III was held out of the game as a precaution after experiencing groin tightness. He’s already back at practice, however, and is a lock to make the team as a backup.

Center Sam Hecht had another good game. He was in for 40 snaps, and whenever the team needed yards, it ran behind him. He consistently got way out in front in the run game, often blocking into the second level. He had a pancake block on a fourth-and-1 and led the running back into the end zone on the touchdown right before half.

Safety Zakee Wheatley also had another good game.

He logged 25 snaps on D and eight on special teams, including the first punt, punt return and kickoff coverage teams.

He continues to be a strong open-field tackler, cleaning up several run plays after the back got loose.

Linebacker Jackson Kuwatch also did well in his 23 snaps on D and seven on special teams. As a seventh-rounder, he’s likely the most at risk to

4

Catches for John Metchie III in six snaps. He also had the ball thrown his way four times in another five-snap stretch

be cut, but he’s put enough on film that the team likely realizes he won’t make it through waivers to their practice squad, so they may keep him on the roster. He was also on the first-team kickoff and punt return teams. He was the first one down on one kickoff coverage. He got in on defense in the final two minutes of the first half and blitzed on his first snap. He had one missed tackle to allow a first down in probably his biggest black mark of the preseason. He also had an open field tackle and crashed the line for a tackle for loss in the fourth quarter.

Helped themselves Cornerback Robert Rochell seemed to be everywhere on defense and special teams.

He was always around the ball and seemed to have a bigger impact than the two tackles and one downed punt that show up in the gamebook.

Jimmy Horn Jr. had a kick and punt return, an end around and a jumping catch.

John Metchie III had four catches in six snaps at one point and four targets in five snaps (catching three of them) later. The former college teammate of Bryce Young is getting every opportunity to win a wide receiver job.

Hurt themselves After a big preseason, rookie Aaron Hall didn’t have a tackle or any noticeable pressures in his 20 snaps at defensive tackle. He didn’t make any glaring mistakes, but an undrafted free agent needs to put up pluses, not avoid minuses.

David Moore had fewer snaps and targets than the other candidates for a receiver job. He also only got two special teams snaps.

Ja’seem Reed was out with a calf injury that seems to be lingering. That comes at the worst possible time for the former practice squadder who had been having a strong preseason.

Corey Thornton had 24 snaps at corner, 10 fewer than Chau Smith-Wade. On one screen pass, both of them took a bad route to the ballcarrier and ended up being sealed off by blockers. Smith-Wade was able to get around and make the tackle, however. Thornton has a strong case for a roster spot, but he’s looking less likely to move ahead of Smith-Wade in the depth chart position battle.

(Las Vegas Bowl)

Oct. 5, 2002

Tempe, Ariz.

Arizona State

2,137

W

Oct. 16, 2004

Salt Lake City

Utah

2,111

L

Saturday’s game against TCU in Dublin will be 3,612 miles, ranking second on the list.

“It’s not like going to Australia.”

Bill Belichick, UNC coach lost a league game to Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets also beat Florida State in 2024. The Heels have the chance to post the first nonconference win by a league member in Ireland.

They also could get the first international win for a team from North Carolina. Three oth-

er programs have played overseas. Wake Forest and Duke both lost to Clemson in regular season ACC games played in Tokyo.

Wake’s loss was in something called the Mirage Bowl in 1982, while Duke lost in the Coca-Cola Classic in 1991. Charlotte lost in the 2019 Bahamas Bowl.

It will be a first for the program, as the Tar Heels go — almost — as far as they’ve ever traveled. Just don’t tell their coach it’s a big deal or anything.

“It’s a little bit different,” Belichick said, “but again, not that much different.”

GARY MCCULLOUGH / AP PHOTO

Carolina Panthers rookie safety Zakee Wheatley runs to the ball during the preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

COLUMN | SHAWN KREST

Ambulance needs to be required equipment for football

MARK J. TERRILL / AP PHOTO

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Ronnie Bell, center, fights with members of the Dallas Cowboys, including safety Cobie Durant (2) and cornerback Derion Kendrick (15) during an NFL football joint practice.

Tempers flaring, fists flying around NFL during joint preseason practices

By Rob Maaddi The Associated Press

Vic Fangio, Eagles defensive coordinator

JOINT PRACTICES are out of control when a guy like Jameis Winston, viewed as being easygoing on the field, is throwing punches and getting decked in the middle of a brawl.

Tempers have been flaring around the NFL as many teams are practicing against each other ahead of preseason games.

Winston was at the center of a fight between the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins last Thursday.

The Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints were fined $500,000 apiece by the NFL after a brawl-filled joint practice last week.

There were several skirmishes between the San Francisco 49ers and Tennessee Titans earlier in the preseason that led to two players from each team being tossed out of practice.

“It’s not a game, so you don’t have the same, quite, guardrails on it,” Giants coach John Harbaugh said. “And it’s a violent game. And so in this sort of an environment, you have these rules of engagement that aren’t really rules of the game.

And then somebody perceives somebody else goes over the line, or they do go over the line, and somebody needs to protect somebody, and that’s where it goes. And I think as long as it doesn’t get out of control where we get a violent type of situation, it’s fine. We decided that anybody that threw a punch in those scrimmages would be treated like the game.”

The joint sessions have become the preferred way to give starters valuable repetitions in a competitive environment. Most coaches prefer to keep key start-

ers or all their starters, in some cases, out of preseason games, so facing opponents within a controlled setting has become a priority for most teams. Overall, 28 of 32 teams are holding joint practices this year.

Coaches have warned their players about fighting, making it clear it’s disruptive and counterproductive.

“We don’t tolerate it,” Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. “The way I explain it to the players, every time we do one of these — you have 90 teammates in camp. Now you’ve got 180 teammates. We’re just working against each other. OK, they’re in a different jersey, a different helmet. We’re not here to fight. We’re here to get better as an individual and a team, and hopefully we’ll all treat it that way.”

Philadelphia held two joint sessions with the New England Patriots last week. There was one minor scuffle, prompting Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley to say: “I hate joint practices, to be honest.”

“More times than not nothing good comes out of it,” he said.

“When you have the work, it’s good, but then you get the pushing, the shoving and someone says this about you, and it’s, ‘I don’t know about that but you’re this.’ It’s immature when you get to that level. I have to do a better job too because I’m a little troublemaker sometimes, but I was good this week.”

Fights are inevitable considering players are going at each other, talking trash, grinding in the hot sun on humid days.

It takes plenty of discipline to show restraint.

“I love joint practices, being able to play in our defense, in our style against another team,” Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker said. “Yeah, the cons are fighting, but at the end of the day, we’re professionals. ... As long as you can play the game at a high level and respect the other team, fights won’t happen.”

Baker said teams are supposed to maintain the same etiquette in joint practices as they do against each other.

“If the ball is in the air and you see the receiver in a compromising position, and I’m coming downhill on the ball, I’m not going to hit him,” Baker said. “I’m going to let him catch it and tap off. I might talk my little (trash) and tell him, ‘You probably wouldn’t have caught that.’ But you’re being a professional. You wouldn’t want to hurt your own teammates, so you don’t want to hurt the opposing team in a practice.”

Fights occur when players breach that etiquette or hit a quarterback.

“You should never get close to the QB,” Baker said. “Quarterbacks are the most important position in football. Losing a quarterback in practice against another team — that’s something where fights will definitely happen.”

The Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills were quite chippy during their joint practice but avoided fights. Browns coach Todd Monken said players are told they’ll be tossed out of practice for throwing punches. In some cases, they might end up playing in the preseason game as punishment when they normally weren’t going to suit up.

“There has got to be an accountability and a discipline to what we do,” Monken said. “But I also want the guys to have a mindset and a personality while they’re out there as well. It’s a fine line.”

cially evident on defense, where there are just three returning starters. But NC State is confident that the new blood will be a key in getting back to their standard.

Despite the Wolfpack’s recent stumbles, Doeren still feels very confident in his group given the personalities he’s seen in the locker room and how the older players have stepped up.

“I like the leadership of this team,” Doeren said. “We have guys on both sides of the football that have words and action.

They say the right things and they do the right things, and they know how to communicate with each other. They know how to demand things from each other. And there’s multiple layers of it. It’s not just leaning on one guy. That gives us confidence as coaches.”

And even though the Wolfpack have just eight returning starters, what’s notable is the

fact that they have a third-year returning starter in quarterback CJ Bailey, which is quite rare in today’s era of college football.

Bailey holds the highest quarterback rating among returning ACC quarterbacks (79) and the 6-foot-6 signal-caller threw for more than 3,000 yards in 2025.

The game will be vital for both teams to figure out how their new personnel will jell in real scenarios, especially with the vast amount of new faces each side is sporting.

“Like every college football team, (Elliott) lost some good players, he added some good players, and so Game 1’s a little bit of that for both sides,” Doeren said. “Trying to figure out what the new pieces are and adjusting as you go.”

The game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. Saturday and will air on ESPN.

Teams have had several skirmishes on the practice field

NC STATE from page B1 have a different look at each position with a trio of transfers in quarterback Beau Pribula, who had 17 touchdowns and over 2,200 all-purpose yards last year with Missouri, and a tandem of Peyton Lewis and Jekail Middlebrook at running back.

“They do a lot of stuff offensively,” Doeren said. “Motion shifts, condensed sets, expanded sets. They’re balanced, and they play good football.”

On the other side of the field, the Wolfpack will be looking to rebound in a major way from a middling 2025 season.

Offensively, NC State was quite strong, but the biggest area in need of improvement is the defensive side of the ball.

The Wolfpack had a lot of turnover in the offseason — in all, there are 51 new players on the roster — and that is espe-

“OK, they’re in a different jersey, a different helmet.

We’re not here to fight.”

AT A RECENT JV football game in Durham, officials realized that there were no helmets available for the players.

Obviously, helmets are a big expense, and the school decided that, limited budgets and all, they couldn’t afford to splurge.

“We’ll just play without them,” they decided.

That would be criminally negligent, This isn’t of course, putting kids at risk in the most violent of sports. However, when it a luxury. comes to providing medical care when an If schools inevitable injury occurs, that’s exactly the can’t provide decision that schools around the state will make every weekend this fall. for the Incredibly, North Carolina does not safety of the mandate that an ambulance or EMS personnel are on hand for every football participants, game played in the state. then don’t This was highlighted on the season’s opening night, when a receiver on Wake play the Forest broke his ankle. The team’s athletic games. trainer couldn’t find a pulse in the ankle, and they had to call an ambulance and wait. And wait. And wait. Finally, word came back. Durham didn’t have an ambulance available in the area. The parents had to take their son to the hospital themselves.

Fortunately, it was “just” an ankle with a traumatic injury and blood flow cut off — not a head injury … or a heart.

With crowds of people in the stands and large players colliding on every play, there is no excuse for not having emergency personnel on hand. Not a trainer. Not someone who is CPR certified. The full ambulance, parked and waiting.

That football cliché, where the player is being carted off the field and dramatically raises his arm to give a thumbs up to the crowd to show he’s OK? It’s not going to happen at North Carolina high school games. They don’t need to have a cart, and there’s nothing parked outside to cart him off to anyway.

Head injuries, neck injuries and cardiac emergencies in the crowd are all commonplace at football games, and they’re all situations where time is of the essence. Doctors refer to the golden hour immediately after such an event occurs. It shouldn’t be spent waiting for someone to show up to help.

“My school had EMS at football games for awhile,” said one former athletic director for a school in the Triangle area. “We had to pay for it ourselves and had to stop because we didn’t have the money. I did everything I could think of to have them there for football, but no one would cough up the money, and the school system told me no. Thank God we didn’t have serious injuries.”

That is unacceptable. EMS should be present for every football game at every level, as well as soccer, cross-country meets, anything with cheerleaders — the sport that has the highest injury rate for participants.

Often the only person on hand that can respond to an emergency is a school employee. Hopefully, like at the Durham JV game, it will be an athletic trainer, but it could merely be someone with training.

“I went to the NCCA coaches clinic every July to take the Athletic Trainer courses,” said the former AD, who often served as that person at sporting events for the school. “But I’m not a certified trainer. I think they used the term ‘qualified.’ It was about lightning safety, heat safety, how to splint and tape.”

I’ve covered thousands of sporting events over my career and often have to walk through the bowels of arenas and stadiums to get to locker rooms and press boxes. At some point, you always pass the EMTs with the backboard, stretcher, AED and kit of supplies, waiting on call to be needed.

I covered a boxing card where a fighter got knocked down and didn’t get up. EMTs rushed to the ring and wheeled him out to the ambulance, parked at the mouth of the entrance tunnel. They rushed him off to the hospital, and the announcement came over the loudspeaker that there would be a 20-minute break in the action.

They had to wait for the ambulance to get back before they could continue.

At every NHL game, there needs to be two ambulances on hand — one for the players, one for the fans. If either one of them leaves, the game is delayed until a replacement arrives.

In one 2015 game, an ambulance in the arena responded to a car accident outside the arena, and the start of the game was delayed. The rule is simple: If there aren’t two ambulances, they don’t play hockey.

I realize there probably aren’t enough ambulances to go around. So spread them out. Friday night football is a high school tradition, but the NFL now plays nearly every night of the week. So can the schools. Or play double- and triple-headers at venues so one ambulance can cover multiple games, and multiple schools can split the cost.

This isn’t a luxury. This isn’t a cost that can be cut. If schools can’t provide for the safety of the participants, then don’t play the games.

This is one of those things, like leather helmets and two-a-day practices with no water breaks, that we’ll look back on in the future and say, “I can’t believe we thought that was OK.” Games get called off if the field is unplayable — if it’s rained too hard or the heat is too high. We need to get into the mindset that a field is also unplayable if an ambulance isn’t parked next to it.

JOSHUA A. BICKEL / AP PHOTO

An ambulance leaves the field with Bills’ Damar Hamlin during a 2023 game between Buffalo and Bengals after Hamlin collapsed and went into cardiac arrest on the field.

B5

North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

TAKE NOTICE

CABARRUS 25SP000384-120 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, CABARRUS COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Sarah Christine Saunderson and Michael Todd Smith to Costner Law Group, Trustee(s), which was dated April 14, 2022 and recorded on April 14, 2022 in Book 15971 at Page 214, Cabarrus County Registry, North Carolina.

or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on September 1, 2026 at 01:00 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, to wit: Being all of Lot 8 of Wildwood Ridge, Phase 1, Map 2, according to the plat thereof recorded in Map Book 54 at Pages 107109 in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Cabarrus County, North Carolina.

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

Said property is commonly known as 1309 Red Birch Pl, Kannapolis, NC 28081.

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,

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

26SP000245-120 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, CABARRUS COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Jeffrey D. McKinney to WFG National Title Insurance Company, Trustee(s), which was dated April 25, 2024 and recorded on May 6, 2024 in Book 16919 at Page 244, Cabarrus County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on September 1, 2026 at 01:00 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in

CUMBERLAND AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH COUNTY

CAROLINA, 24 SP 810

CUMBERLAND

Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Allen C. Miller and Shawn M. Miller, Mortgagor(s), in the original amount of $123,100.00, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (“MERS”), as beneficiary, as nominee for National Bank of Kansas City, Mortgagee, dated January 25th, 2013 and recorded on January 30th, 2013 in Book 09100, Page 0209, Cumberland County Registry.

Default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Anchor Trustee Services, LLC having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Cumberland County, North Carolina, and

26SP000288-250 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH COUNTY

CAROLINA,

CUMBERLAND

Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Jessie M Joseph a/k/a Jessie Marie Joseph to Philip R Mahoney, Trustee(s), which was dated April 23, 2010 and recorded on May 6, 2010 in Book 8388 at Page 191, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on September 9, 2026 at 01:30 PM, and

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH COUNTY

CAROLINA, CUMBERLAND 25 SP 000977-250

Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Sherry A. Miller, Mortgagor(s), in the original amount of $116,222.00, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as beneficiary, as nominee for Nationstar Mortgage, LLC D/B/A Mr. Cooper, Mortgagee, dated May 6th, 2021 and recorded on May 12th, 2021 in Book 11119, Page 0638, Cumberland County Registry.

Default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Anchor Trustee Services, LLC having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Cumberland County, North Carolina, and the holder of the note evidencing said

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE FILE NUMBER: 25SP001220-250 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a Deed of Trust executed by GARRETT D. MOSES dated August 29, 2014 in the amount of $162,181.00 and recorded in Book 09499, Page 0545 in the Cumberland County Public Registry by ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT, Substitute Trustee, default having been made in the terms of agreement set forth by the loan agreement secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT, having been substituted as Successor Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Official Records of Cumberland County, North Carolina, in Book 12365, Page 749, and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Cumberland County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, on September 8, 2026 at 11:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the

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 Sarah Christine Saunderson and Michael Todd Smith.

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”.

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.

If the transaction is subject to the FinCEN Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule (“RRE”) issued pursuant to the Bank Secrecy Act, information necessary to comply with the RRE Rule must be obtained and provided to the Reporting Person, as defined in the RRE Rule, prior to closing.

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

An Order for possession of the property 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

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

Cabarrus County, North Carolina, to wit: ALL THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF LAND SITUATED IN THE CITY OF CONCORD, CABARRUS COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA AND MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: LYING AND BEING IN THE CITY OF CONCORD, NUMBER TWO (2) TOWNSHIP OF CABARRUS COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA ON THE EAST SIDE OF WENDOVER ROAD AND BEING ALL OF LOT NUMBER THIRTY ONE (31) IN THE SUBDIVISION OF SPRINGDALE, SECTION ONE (1), AS SURVEYED AND PLATTED, A COPY OF WHICH PLAT IS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTER OF DEEDS OF CABARRUS COUNTY IN MAP BOOK 12, PAGE 24, TO WHICH MAP BOOK AND PAGE REFERENCE IS HEREBY MADE FOR A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION THEREOF BY METES AND BOUNDS. Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 2809 Wendover Rd NW, Concord, NC 28027.

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 Jeffrey D. McKinney.

An Order for possession of the property may

be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b)(2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Pursuant to NCGS §45-21.25A, this sale may be subject to remote bids placed by bidders not physically present at the place of sale, which may be accepted by the person conducting the sale, or their agent”.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of

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

If the transaction is subject to the FinCEN Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule (“RRE”) issued pursuant to the Bank Secrecy Act, information necessary to comply with the RRE Rule must be obtained and provided to the Reporting Person, as defined in the RRE Rule, prior to closing.

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.: 26-03960-FC01

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 or other usual place of sale in Cumberland County, North Carolina, at 1:30 PM on September 9, 2026, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property, to wit: All that certain lot or parcel of land situated in the City of Hope Mills, Rockfish Township, Cumberland County, North Carolina and more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot 36 in a subdivision known as Fairway Forest East, according to a plat of same duly recorded in Book of Plats 89, Page 113, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

Being the same property conveyed to Allen C. Miller and wife, Shawn M. Miller by deed from Edward Acosta and wife, Kathleen Acosta recorded 03/18/2002 in Deed Book 5703 Page 356, in the Register of Deeds Office of Cumberland County, North Carolina.

Together with improvements located hereon; said property being located at 5516 Ballentine Street, Hope Mills, NC 28348 Tax ID: 0414-00-2538

Third party purchasers must pay the recording costs of the trustee’s deed, any land transfer taxes, the excise tax, pursuant North Carolina General Statutes §105228.30, in the amount of One Dollar ($1.00) per each Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or fractional part thereof, and the Clerk of Courts fee, pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §7A-308, in the amount of Forty-five Cents (0.45) per each One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or fractional part thereof with a maximum amount of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00). A deposit of five percent (5%) of the bid or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale and must be tendered in the form of certified funds. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts will be immediately due and owing.

Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS WHERE IS. There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made

subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, special assessments, land transfer taxes, if any, and encumbrances of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Allen C. Miller.

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

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

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

this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS WHERE IS.” There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. Substitute Trustee does not have possession of the property and cannot grant access, prior to or after the sale, for purposes of inspection and/ or appraisal. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are All Lawful Heirs of Jessie M Joseph a/k/a Jessie Marie Joseph.

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.

Said property to be offered pursuant to

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

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

indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door or other usual place of sale in Cumberland County, North Carolina, at 10:00 AM on August 31st, 2026, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property, to wit: Being all of Lot No. One Hundred Eighty Two (182), in a Subdivision known as Fairway Forest, Section 8, Phase 1, Area 2, according to a plat of the same duly recorded in Plat Book 99, Page 125, in the Cumberland County, North Carolina Registry.

Together with improvements located hereon; said property being located at 4211 Achilles Drive, Hope Mills, NC 28348 Tax ID: 0403-99-8229 Third party purchasers must pay the recording costs of the trustee’s deed, any land transfer taxes, the excise tax, pursuant North Carolina General Statutes §105228.30, in the amount of One Dollar ($1.00) per each Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or fractional part thereof, and the Clerk of Courts fee, pursuant to North Carolina

General Statutes §7A-308, in the amount of Forty-five Cents (0.45) per each One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or fractional part thereof with a maximum amount of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00). A deposit of five percent (5%) of the bid or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale and must be tendered in the form of certified funds. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts will be immediately due and owing.

Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS WHERE IS. There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, special assessments, land transfer taxes, if any, and encumbrances of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the

property is/are The Heirs of Sherry A. Miller.

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

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination (North Carolina General Statutes §4521.16A(b)(2)). Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of termination. If the Trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any

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

following real estate situated in the County of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: PARCEL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER(S): 0443-59-4886 ADDRESS: 4528 HEADWIND DR FAYETTEVILLE, NC 28306 PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): GARRETT D. MOSES THE LAND DESCRIBED HEREIN IS SITUATED IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND, AND IS DESCRIBED IN DEED BOOK 09499, PAGE 0545, AS FOLLOWS: BEING ALL OF LOT 48 IN A SUBDVISION KNOWN AS GRAYS CREEK VILLAS, PHASE I, ACCORDING TO A PLAT OF SAME DULY RECORDED IN BOOK OF PLATS 106, PAGE 85, CUMBERLAND COUNTY REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA. Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS,

WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement

of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of

the termination.

THIS IS A COMMUNICATION FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR. THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMMUNICATION IS TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE, except as stated below in the instance of bankruptcy protection.

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE BANKRUPTCY COURT OR HAVE BEEN DISCHARGED AS A RESULT OF A BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDING, THIS NOTICE IS GIVEN TO YOU PURSUANT TO STATUTORY REQUIREMENT AND FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES AND IS NOT INTENDED AS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT OR AS AN ACT TO COLLECT, ASSESS, OR RECOVER ALL OR ANY PORTION OF THE DEBT FROM YOU PERSONALLY.

Being all of Lot 3, Block O, LaFayette Village, Section V, according to a plat of same duly recorded in Book of Plats 16, Page 20, Cumberland County Registry.

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

Said property is commonly known as 5205 Palmetto Lane, Fayetteville, NC 28304.

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.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination (North Carolina General Statutes §4521.16A(b)(2)). Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due

Pursuant to NCGS §45-21.25A, this sale may be subject to remote bids placed by bidders not physically present at the place of sale, which may be accepted by the person conducting the sale, or their agent”.

File No.: 25-20555-FC01

Anchor Trustee Services, LLC Substitute Trustee By: _______________________________ _________ Goddard & Peterson, PLLC 125-B Williamsboro Street Oxford, NC 27565 22-001320-06

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.

If the transaction is subject to the FinCEN Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule (“RRE”) issued pursuant to the Bank Secrecy Act, information necessary to comply with the RRE Rule must be obtained and provided to the Reporting Person, as defined in the RRE Rule, prior to closing.

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.: 25-24858-FC01

Anchor Trustee Services, LLC Substitute Trustee By: David Neill, NCSB #23396 McMichael Taylor Gray, LLC Attorney for Anchor Trustee Services, LLC 3550 Engineering Drive, Suite 260 Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 404-474-7149 (phone) 404-745-8121 (fax) dneill@mtglaw.com 24-001532-01

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

B6

North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

TAKE NOTICE

CUMBERLAND 26CV006687-250 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in a judgment bearing the caption “Town of Spring Lake, North Carolina, Plaintiff v. Spring Lake Property Acquisitions, Inc.; Substitute Trustee Services. Substitute Trustee, Defendants” 26CV006687-250, Cumberland County and pursuant to the terms of the judgment, the undersigned Commissioner will offer for sale that certain property as described below. Said sale will be held in the City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina at 12:00 p.m. on September 2, 2026 at the Cumberland County Courthouse door and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: PARCELS 1, 2, 3: State of North Carolina County of Cumberland Manchester Township Being all of the property conveyed to Judith Robinson Williams by Deed recorded in Book 2739, Page 245, Cumberland County, North Carolina, Public Registry, and being described as follows: TRACT ONE: BEING A PART of a tract of land recorded in Book 715, page 223, Cumberland County Registry. BEGINNING 56.3 feet along the third line of the above mentioned conveyance, said point being on the northwest boundary of a 60 foot State Road leading from Manchester to Southern Pines, thence North 14 degrees 14 minutes West 93.7 feet to the end of the said third line, said point being the northeast corner of a 36.5 acre tract; thence with the fourth line of above mentioned conveyance South 72 degrees 30 minutes West 371.9 feet to the end of said line; thence with the fifth line of said conveyance South 4 degrees 24 minutes West 136.5 feet to a point on the western boundary of the aforesaid 60 foot road; thence a new line bordering on the northwest margin of said road North 67 degrees 58 minutes East 418.8 feet to the point of BEGINNING, containing 1 acre more or less.

For history of title see deed recorded in Book 736, Page 150, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

Parcel ID: 9592-62-2410 Property address: N/A TRACT TWO: BEGINNING at the fourth course of the first tract of land described in deed of LUCY G. MURCHISON to O.A. WADDELL dated February 16, 1911, which deed is of record in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Cumberland County in Book 199, Page 211, which point was formerly a common corner between the Waddell land and the land of the Carolina Power and Light Company, at which point there is now a concrete marker on the line of the land belonging to the United States of America; and running thence North 11 degrees 06 minutes 33 seconds East about 990 feet to the bank of LOWER LITTLE RIVER; thence up the bank and course of the said river, about South 29 degrees West about 429 feet to a ditch; thence with the ditch South 41 degrees 22 minutes 48 seconds East about 528 feet to a turn in the ditch; thence South 21 degrees 02 minutes 43 seconds East about 181 ½ feet to the BEGINNING, containing 3.83 acres, more or less, and being the same land described in the second tract in deed from LUCY G. MURCHISON to O.A. WADDELL, dated February 16, 1911, of record in Book 199, Page 211, Cumberland County Registry.

For history of title see deed recorded in Book 707, Page 274, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

Parcel ID: 9592-53-8878 Property address: N/A TRACT THREE: BEGINNING at a stake in the Western line of a five acre tract belonging to Col. R. S. Williams, at a point North 17 degrees 29 minutes West about 150 feet from the South west corner of said original tract of said five acres, and running thence with Williams’ Western line North 17 degrees 29 minutes West about 460 feet to a stake, Williams’ Northwest corner of his five acre tract; thence North 16 degrees 42 minutes 40 seconds West 373.83 feet to a stake; thence North 23 degrees 55 minutes 10 seconds West 180.61 feet to a stake; thence North 44 degrees 15 minutes 14 seconds West about 460 feet to Vreelands; corner of a tract of 6.7 acres; thence South 14 degrees 14 minutes East 1550.2 feet to an iron stake in the Northwestern margin of an unpaved road (known as the Old River Road); thence along said road North 69 degrees 15 minutes East 300 feet more or less to the point of the beginning; being 6.87 acres more or less, being approximately one-half of the tract which was previously 15.6 acres, which original tract is described in a deed made by Ethel Deyton and husband, Howe Deyton to Dudley Deyton and wife, Margaret B. Deyton, in 1950 said deed being recorded in Book No. 555, Page 189 of Deeds in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Cumberland County. (For reference to a deed conveying another portion of said original tract, see deed from Dedley Deyton and wife, to James B. Roberts and wife, in Book 556, Page 170, in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Cumberland County, North Carolina.

For history of title see Deed recorded in Book 648, Page 135, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

Parcel ID: 9592-62-1921 Property address: 940 W. Manchester Road, Spring Lake, NC Tract One, Tract Two and Tract Three above being the same property conveyed in the Deed from Allen C. Edens, Jr. to Judith Robinson Williams recorded in Book 2739, Page 245, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

The above-described tracts bear Cumberland County parcel identification numbers 9592-62-1921, 9592-62-2410, and 9592-53-8878.

LESS AND EXPECTING any portion of the above-described property which was conveyed by Judith Robinson Williams to Michele Horne and husband, by deed recorded in Book 3638, Page 733, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

PARCELS 4, 5, 6: TRACT FOUR: STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND MANCHESTER TOWNSHIP

Being bounded on the west by (now or formerly) RSRC Properties, LLC (Deed Book 9359, Page 0739); on the north by (now or formerly) RSRC Properties, LLC (Deed Book 9359, Page 0739); on the east by (now or formerly) Jerry Lee Hall (Deed Book 4344, Page 0621); and on the south by Fort Bragg Military Reservation.

BEGINNING at a point in the northern margin of the road or drive leading into the pumping station, 215 feet East of the concrete monument which is located nearest the said pumping station, known as the corner of Capt. Webb’s land, at the edge of the Military Reservation, and running thence due North 200 feet to a stake, at the corner of How and Ethel Deaton’s land; running thence due West 107 ½ feet to a stake, at Deaton’s corner; thence running due South 200 feet to the northern margin of the road or drive which leads to the pumping station to a point 107 ½ feet east of the concrete monument which designates the corner marker of the Captain Webb Land, which was sold to How and Ethel Deaton, and is now known as the corner of the Deaton property in the line of the Military Reservation, running thence in an easterly direction along the margin of the road or drive 107 ½ feet to the point of beginning. The above described land is also the same land conveyed to Edwin D. Bonner and wife, Ethel M. Bonner, by deed dated June 6, 1955 from Jack M. Greene and wife, Kathleen G. Greene, recorded in Book 670, Page 287 in the aforesaid registry.

Title Reference: Book 4344; Page 621: Book 795, Page 455, Cumberland County Registry.

Parcel ID: 9591-39-2873 Property Address: 1426 Waterworks Road, Spring Lake, NC TRACT FIVE: STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND MANCHESTER TOWNSHIP BEGINNING at a concrete monument in the North margin of the Road leading to the Pumping Station [said monument being situated 236.04 feet Easterly from the entrance to the Pumping Station]; thence running North 60 degrees 15 minutes 42 seconds East 87 ½ feet to an iron stake; thence North 0 degrees 0 minutes 0 seconds 291 feet to an iron stake; thence West 0 degrees 0 minutes 0 seconds 100 feet to an iron stake, the corner of Ethel Deyton’s line; thence South 0 degrees 0 minutes 0 seconds 330 feet to an iron stake in the Northern margin of the road leading to the Pumping Station [said stake being now the corner of Green & Byrd property] ; thence along the margin of the said Road North 85 degrees 33 minutes 48 seconds East 21.04 feet to the point of the beginning.

Being a part of the property described in deed from Ada K. Williams, and husband Robert S. Williams, to Sam Byrd & wife Ruby Byrd recorded in Book 534 at page 255, Office of the Register of Deeds of Cumberland County, North Carolina, and a part of the same property deeded by Mrs. Louise Dunn Wyche, et als, to Mrs. Ada Williams, recorded in Book 496 at Page 229 in Cumberland County Registry.

And being the same property deeded by Capt. Sam Byrd & wife Ruby Byrd, to Jack M. Green & wife Kathleen McN., Green, on the 24th day of July 1950.

Parcel ID: 9591-39-3960 Property Address: 1404 Waterworks Road, Spring Lake, NC TRACT SIX: State of North Carolina County of Cumberland Two tracts of land containing collectively approximately 5.26 acres of land, commonly known as Dilton Mobile Home Park, Spring Lake, Manchester Township, Cumberland County, North Carolina, and described as follows: FIRST TRACT: BEGINNING at a concrete monument on the south bank of the Lower Little River the northeast corner of the Fort Bragg Reservation on which is located the pumping station, and running thence with the line of the Fort Bragg Reservation, South 0 degrees 17 minutes 18 seconds West 629.3 feet to a concrete monument, thence continuing South 0 degrees 17 minutes 25 seconds East 294.25 feet to a concrete monument; thence continuing South 0 degrees 17 minutes39 seconds East 133 feet to a two inch iron post; thence continuing South 0 degrees 17 minutes 39 seconds East approximately 256 feet to the northern margin of the road leading into the pumping station on Fort Bragg Military Reservation, said point being also a corner of the Military Reservation; and running thence with the said road North 85 degrees 33 minutes 48 seconds East 107.5 feet to a metal marker; thence due North 0 degrees 200 feet; thence East 0 degrees107.5 feet to an iron stake; thence North 0 degrees 630 feet to an iron stake; thence West 0 degrees 107.5 feet to an iron marker in the center of a new road; thence due North 0 degrees to the bank of Lower Little River; thence up the River in a westerly direction to the point of BEGINNING. Being the same property described in a deed dated 9 January, 1958 from Howe Deyton and wife, Ethel Renfro Deyton to Melvin Johnson and wife Essie Johnson recorded in Book 745, Page 134 Cumberland County, North Carolina Registry, and is subject to the right of way reservation and easement as set out in said deed.

SECOND TRACT: BEGINNING at a stake in the approximate center of a road at the Deyton-Byrd corner, thence South 0 degrees 493 feet to a stake at the Deyton-Norris corner; thence 0 degrees East 100 feet on the Norris line to a stake; thence North 11 degrees 27 minutes West to the point and place of BEGINNING, containing 0.42 acres more or less.

For reference see Book 5478, Page 81 Cumberland County Registry, which Deed is incorporated herein as if set out in full and made part of this description.

First Tract and Second Tract described above being all of the property described in the Deed recorded in Book 9359, Page 739, Cumberland County, NC, Public Registry.

And being the property bearing Cumberland County parcel identification number: 9592-30-1492 Property address: 1603 Knight Place, Spring Lake, NC PARCEL 7: TRACT SEVEN: LYING in Manchester Township, Cumberland County, near Spring Lake, North Carolina, this subject property being bounded on the north by lands deeded and conveyed to Campbell University Foundation, Inc. as recorded in

Deed Book 7447, Page 403; on the east by lands deeded and conveyed to Gary Ellis Edge in Deed Book 4909, Page 484, and also shown as Lot 3 in Plat Book 104, Page 15, and by lands deeded and conveyed to Roy Leon Hall in Deed Book 6154, Page 522, and also shown as Lot 2 in Plat Book 102, Page 40; on the south by the Fort Bragg Military Reservation; and on the west by lands deeded and conveyed to Campbell University Foundation, Inc. in Deed Book 7447, Page 403. All referenced materials located in the Cumberland County Registry.

COMMENCING from a mag nail, said mag nail being located in the approximate centerline of West Manchester Road (SR 1451 – having a 60 foot public right of way), and runs thence North 49 degrees 09 minutes 58 seconds West for a distance of 131.85 feet to an iron pipe, said iron pipe being a common property corner between the subject property and the aforementioned Campbell University property (west), said iron pipe also being the true point and place of BEGINNING; THENCE with common property line between the subject property and the Campbell University property, North 20 degrees 09 minutes 18 seconds West for a distance of 605.15 feet to an iron rebar, said iron rebar being a common property corner between the subject property and the two Campbell University properties; THENCE with the common property line between the subject property and the Campbell University property (north), North 85 degrees 35 minutes 48 seconds East for a distance of 668.3 feet to an iron rebar, said iron rebar being a common property corner between the subject property, the Campbell University property, the aforementioned Edge property, and the aforementioned Hall property; THENCE with the common property line between the subject and the Hall property, South 27 degrees 29 minutes 53 seconds East for a distance of 308.51 fee to a bent iron pipe with a nail, said bent iron pipe being a common property corner between the subject property, the Hall property, and the Fort Bragg Military Reservation; THENCE with the common property line between the subject property and the Fort Bragg Military Reservation, South 60 degrees 02 minutes 01 seconds West for a distance of 478.60 feet to a concrete monument; THENCE continuing with the common property line between the subject property and the Fort Bragg Military Reservation, South 60 degrees 06 minutes 57 seconds West for a distance of214.14 feet to an iron pipe, said iron pipe being the true point and place of BEGINNING. Together with and subject to any easements, restrictions, and covenants of record.

Subject property contains square feet / 6.921 acres.

301,459

This description was prepared this 12th day of April, 2007 under the direct supervision of Michael J. Adams, PLS L-4491 and is based on a physical survey performed by M.A.P.S. Surveying, Inc. Together with such easements as specific and described in the Easement For Access and Utilities from Roy Leon Hall and wife, Elma Dale Hall, Grantors, to Preserve, LLC, Grantee, recorded in Book 8686, Page 473, Cumberland County, North Carolina Public Registry (the terms and conditions of such instrument being incorporated herein by reference) over, under and upon the following property: LYING in Manchester Township, near the town of Spring Lake, North Carolina, this subject property being bounded on the north by the lands deeded and conveyed to Roy Leon Hall in Deed Book 6154, Page 522 (of which this is a part), and also being shown as Lot 2 on a plat entitled “Subdivision For Gary Ellis Edge” and recorded in Plat Book 102, Page 40; on the east by the western right of way margin of Manchester Road (SR 1451); on the south

by Fort Bragg Reservation; and on the west by lands deeded and conveyed to Preserve LLC in Deed Book 7594, Page 1. All referenced materials located in the Cumberland County Registry.

BEGINNING at an iron stake, said iron stake being the southeastern property corner of the aforementioned Hall property, said iron stake also being located on the western right of way margin of Manchester Road, said iron stake also being a common property corner between the Hall Property and the Fort Bragg Reservation, and runs thence as the common property line between the Hall property and the Fort Bragg Reservation, South 63 degrees 51 minutes 40 seconds West, passing through a concrete monument at a distance of 22.92 feet for a total distance of 394.57 feet to an iron pipe, said iron pipe being a common property corner between the Hall property, the Fort Bragg Reservation, and the aforementioned Preserve LLC property.

THENCE with the common property line between the Hall property and the Preserve LLC property, North 23 degrees 51 minutes 39 seconds West for a distance of 20.01 feet to a point; THENCE a new line, North 63 degrees 51 minutes 40 seconds East for distance of 412.47’ feet to a point, said point being located on the western right of way margin of Manchester Road; THENCE with the Western right of way margin of Manchester Road, South 16 degrees 38 minutes 01 seconds West for a distance of 27.23 feet to an iron stake, said iron stake being the true point and place of BEGINNING, and being a 20 foot Ingress/Egress Easement across the southernmost 20 feet of the Roy Leon Hall property.

Together with and subject to any easements, restrictions, and covenants of record.

Subject property contains 8,067 square feet/0.185 acres.

This description was prepared this 30th day of June, 2011 under the direct supervision of Michael J. Adams, PLSL4491 / CFS NC-075 and is based on plats and deeds of record.

Parcel ID: 9592-40-0485 Property address: 1220 Road, Spring Lake, NC PARCELS 8, 9, 10: State of North Carolina Cumberland County Manchester Township

Manchester

Tract#1 BEGINNING at a stake on the South bank of Lower Little River, the northeast corner of a tract of 15.6 acres and running thence with the eastern line of said tract South 20 degrees 9 minutes 18 seconds East 490 feet to stake in the approximate center of a dirt road, thence North 85 degrees 33 minutes East to a stake in the approximate center of the same road to the Frank line (formerly Wyche) thence North 27 degrees 34 minutes West 719 feet along the Frank line to a stake; thence North 53 degrees 14 minutes East 185 feet to a stake on the south bank of Lower Little River; thence up the river to the beginning, containing 9.3 acres, more or less.

Being a part of the land conveyed to Nirma Whitson and wife, Kate R. Whitson

by Mrs. Bland Metts and husband, Walter Metts, by deed recorded in Book 683, Page 235, Cumberland County Registry.

For further reference see Book 683, Page 311, Cumberland County Registry.

Parcel ID: 9592-30-9928 Property address: N/A Tract#2 BEGINNING at a concrete monument in the north margin of the road leading to the pumping station North 60 degrees 15 minutes 42 seconds East 694.3 feet to a stake; thence North 20 degrees 9 minutes 18 seconds West 1095 feet to a stake on the south bank of Lower Little River; thence up the river, 259 feet to an iron stake, the Green line; thence due South approximately 1312 feet to an iron stake in the north margin of the road leading to the pumping station, thence North 85 degrees 33 minutes 48 seconds East 21.04 feet to the beginning, containing 9.6 acres, more or less, and being part of the land described in dated 7 June 1945 from Mrs. Louis Dunn Wyche and husband and other, to Mrs. Ada Williams recorded in Book 496, page 229, Cumberland County Registry.

For further reference, see Book 534, Page 255, Cumberland County Registry.

LESS AND EXPECTING the tract of property conveyed and described in the Deed recorded in Book 562, Page 202, and the tract of property conveyed and described in the Deed recorded in Book 683, Page 322, Cumberland County, North Carolina, Public Registry.

Parcel ID: 9592-30-5267 Property address: N/A Tract #3 BEGINNING at an iron stake on the South bank of Lower Little River, said stake being 107 ½ feet downstream from a concrete marker in the government military reservation line; thence South 0 degrees 0 minutes 0 seconds 482 feet along the line of Ethel Deyton property to an iron stake; thence East 0 degrees 0 minutes 0 seconds 107 ½ feet to an iron stake in the center of the road; thence due North 0 degrees 0 minutes 0 seconds approximately 482 feet to the South bank of Lower Little River; thence upstream along the bank of the River to the point of beginning approximately 107 ½ feet; and being part of the property deeded to Jack N. Greene, by Capt. Webb, and recorded in Book 523, at Page 298 and deed to Capt. Webb by Ada Williams recorded in Book 500, Page 148, see also deed to Ada Williams, form Mrs. Louise Dunn Wyche, et als, recorded in Book 496, Page 22, all in the office of the Register of Deeds for Cumberland County, North Carolina.

For further reference, see Book 558, Page 283, Cumberland County Registry, Estate File 92 E 121 in the Estates Division of the Clerk of Superior Court for Cumberland County, North Carolina, and Book 4080 Page 326.

Tract #s 1, 2 and 3 described above being all of that property shown as Tracts A and B (together with and/or including the tract of property consisting of 1.071 acres, more or less) as shown on the survey map attached hereto and incorporated herein as Exhibit B entitled “Survey For Campbell University” prepared by W. Larry King, RLS number L-1339, dated August 13, 1999.

Parcel ID: 9592-30-2749 Property address: N/A PARCELS 11 AND 12: State of North Carolina County of Cumberland Manchester Township TRACT ONE: BEING ALL OF LOTS 2 and 3, as shown on the COMPOSITE AND RECOMBINATION PLAT FOR GARY ELLIS EDGE AND WIFE PAULA J. EDGE AND MARTHA K. FRANKS, UNMARRIED, JOHN H. FRANKS AND WIFE, DEBRA B. FRANKS RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 99, PAGE 29 IN THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTER OF DEEDS FOR CUMBERLAND COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, less and except the property conveyed by Nancy B. Franks, widow, to Town of Spring Lake, a North Carolina Municipal Corporation, recorded in Book 10479, Page 0798, Cumberland County, North Carolina, Public Registry.

Property bearing Cumberland County parcel identification number 9592-417715.

Property address: N/A TRACT TWO: Being all of the tract of property consisting of .89 acres, more of less, being described as follows: All of that portion of land as conveyed by the deed recorded in Book 674, Page 136, Cumberland County, North Carolina, Public Registry, which lies north and/or west of West Manchester Road.

LESS AND EXPECTING the following tracts: The property containing approximately .48 acre, more or less, conveyed by deed from Robert G. Franks and wife, Martha Franks, to Walling D. Vreeland and wife, Dorothy H. Vreeland recorded in Book 641, Page 321, Cumberland County, North Carolina, Public Registry; The property conveyed by deed from Martha K. Franks, Grantor, to the United States of America, recorded in Book 3034, Page 385, Cumberland County, North Carolina, Public Registry; The property conveyed by deed from Franks Mobile Home Park, Inc. Grantor, to Spring Lake Property Acquisitions, Inc, recorded in Book 10665, Page 697, Cumberland County, North Carolina, Public Registry; The property conveyed by deed from Stevens MHP, Inc., Grantor, to Spring Lake Property Acquisitions, Inc, recorded in Book 10598, Page 129, Cumberland County, North Carolina, Public Registry; and

Being all of Lots 2 and 3, as shown on the Composite and Recombination Plat for Gary Ellis Edge and wife Paula J. Edge and Martha K. Franks, unmarried, John H. Franks and wife, Debra B. Franks recorded in Plat Book 99, Page 29 in the office of the Register of Deeds for Cumberland County, North Carolina.

Said property consisting of .89 acre, more or less, bearing Cumberland County parcel identification number 9592-52-8275.

Property address: N/A PARCEL 13: STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND MANCHESTER TOWNSHIP BEING all of Lot 5, Composite and Recombination Plat for Gary Ellis Edge & wife Paula J. Edge and Martha K. Franks, Unmarried, John H. Franks and wife, Debra B. Franks as shown on a plat map of the same recorded in Book of Plats 99, Page 29, in the office of the Register of Deeds for Cumberland County, North Carolina.

Parcel ID: 9592-52-3523 Property address: 1432 Franks Road, Spring Lake, NC PARCEL 14: STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND MANCHESTER TOWNSHIP Beginning at an iron pipe in the northern right-of-way margin of State Road Number 1451, said beginning point being located as follows: Begin at an iron pipe at the first and beginning corner of the 42.4 acres tract of which this is a part as recorded in Deed Book 674, page 136, Cumberland County Registry, and runs thence from said iron pipe and with the western line of a 0.44 acre tract conveyed to Walling Vreeland from the tract of which this is a part and recorded in Deed Book 641, page 321, Cumberland County Registry, South 12 degrees 30 minutes East 96.15 feet to Vreeland’s southwest corner; thence with Vreeland’s southern line North 74 degrees 04 minutes East 30.0 feet; thence leaving Vreeland’s southern line South 11 degrees 54 minutes East 63.70 feet to an iron pipe in the northern margin of State Road Number 1451; thence with the northern margin of State Road Number 1451, the following courses and distances; South 66 degrees 03 minutes West 100.0 feet, South 64 degrees 28 minutes West 100.0 feet, South 61 degrees 39 minutes West 100.0 feet and South 54 degrees 48 minutes West 128.27 feet to an iron pipe at the beginning point of the hereinafter described tract; from this iron pipe and beginning point of this description continue with the northern margin of State Road Number 1451, South 46 degrees 22 minutes West 100.0 feet; thence continuing with the northern margin of State Road Number 1451, South 40 degrees 17 minutes West 74.0 feet; thence leaving the margin of State Road Number 1451, North 8 degrees 21 minutes West 232.0 feet; thence North 89 degrees 40 minutes West 686.56 feet; thence North 56 degrees 18 minutes West 211.0 feet to the southeastern margin of Lower Little River; thence down the southeastern margin of Lower Little River as it meanders (overall bearing and distance, North 42 degrees 32 minutes East 1137.07 feet) to a point on the southeastern margin of Lower Little River; thence leaving Lower Little River, South 4 degrees 58 minutes East 574.25 feet; thence South 89 degrees 59 minutes East 21.90 feet; thence South 00 degrees 01 minute West 315.05 feet; thence South 44 degrees 59 minutes East 248.53 feet to the point of beginning, containing 10.68 acres, more or less. Being a part of the land hereinabove referred to described in deed recorded in Book 674, page 136 in the office of the Register of Deeds for Cumberland County, North Carolina.

Parcel ID: 9592-42-8217 Property address: 1530 Franks Road, Spring Lake, NC PARCEL 15: State of North Carolina County of Cumberland Beginning at an iron stake, located South 89 degrees 40 minutes West 170.95 feet from an iron stake on the western margin of the road leading from North Carolina Highway No. 87 to Pope Field, said stake being the northeast corner of a tract of land described in Book 1071, page 151, Cumberland County Registry, and running thence South 0 degrees 20 minutes East 150.40 feet to an iron stake; thence North 87 degrees 48 minutes West 145.63 feet to an iron stake; thence North 0 degrees 20 minutes West 144.0 feet to an iron stake; thence North 89 degrees 40 minutes East 145.50 feet to the point of beginning. Containing fiftyfive hundredths (.55) acres, more or less.

Together with the perpetual easement of right of way as follows: Beginning at an iron stake located on the western margin of the road leading from North Carolina Highway No. 87 to Pope Field, said stake being the northeast corner of a tract of land conveyed to J. O. Tally, Trustee, as shown in Book No. 1071, page 151, Cumberland County Registry, and running thence as the western line of the said road, South 19 degrees 6 minutes West 10 feet; thence South 89 degrees 40 minutes West 170.95 feet to the eastern line of the tract of land herein conveyed; thence North 0 degrees 20 minutes West 10 feet to a point in the middle of a dirt road extending from the new road to Little River thence North 89 degrees 40 minutes East 170.95 feet, more or less, to the BEGINNING. And being a tract of land 10 feet wide and extending 170 feet across the northern portion of the Strickland Lot, as shown in Book No. 1071, page 151, Cumberland County Registry.

Parcel ID: 9592-41-8433 Property address: 1104 W. Manchester Road, Spring Lake, NC PARCEL 16: STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND MANCHESTER TOWNSHIP BEGINNING at an iron stake on the western margin of a road leading from Highway Number 87 to Pope Field, said stake being South 89 degrees 40 minutes West 109.15 feet from an iron stake in the old road adjoining the Robert C. Franks property which said stake is also located 17.40 feet southwardly from a wild cherry tree and running thence with the western margin of the said new road South 19 degrees 06 minutes West 165.00 feet to an iron stake; thence North 87 degrees 46 minutes West 116.64 feet to an iron stake; thence North 0 degrees 07 minutes West

B7

North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

TAKE NOTICE 150.37 feet to an iron stake; thence North 89 degrees 40 minutes East 170.85 feet to the beginning point.

And being all of the property conveyed

by Deed to Daniel J. Carnett and wife, Kwi Bun Carnett recorded in Book 7708, Page 0411, Cumberland County, North Carolina, Public Registry. See also Deed recorded in Book 2929, Page 587, Cumberland County, North Carolina, General Registry.

Bearing Cumberland County, NC PIN: 9592-41-9484.

Property address: 1100 W. Manchester Road, Spring Lake, NC PARCELS 17, 18 & 19: State of North Carolina County of Cumberland Manchester Township BEING all of Lots 1 and 3 of the Subdivision for Gary Ellis Edge as shown on a plat map of the same duly recorded in Plat Book 104, Page 15, Cumberland County, NC, Public Registry.

BEING all of Lot 2 of the Subdivision for Gary Ellis Edge as shown on a plat map of the same duly recorded in Plat Book 102, Page 40, Cumberland County Registry.

The above described lots being all of that property conveyed to Gary Ellis Edge and wife, Paula J. Edge by deed recorded in Book 4909, Page 484, Cumberland County, NC Public Registry.

Parcel 17 ID: 9592-40-6653 Property address: 1170 W. Manchester Road, Spring Lake, NC Parcel 18 ID: 9592-40-5543 Property address: 1184 W. Manchester Road, Spring Lake, NC Parcel 19 ID: 9592-40-4990 Property address: 1160 W. Manchester Road, Spring Lake, NC PARCEL 20: State of North Carolina County of Cumberland Manchester Township BEING all of Lot 4 of the Subdivision for Gary Ellis Edge as shown on a plat map of the same duly recorded in Plat Book 104, Page 15, Cumberland County, NC, Public Registry.

And being a portion of the property conveyed to Gary Ellis Edge and wife, Paula J. Edge by deed recorded in Book 4909, page 484, Cumberland County, NC, Public Registry.

Parcel ID: 9592-41-6147 Property address: 1150 W. Manchester Road, Spring Lake, NC PARCEL 21: State of North Carolina County of Cumberland Manchester Township BEGINNING at an iron stake, same point being further described as: along lines of Col. Robert G. Franks and W. D. Vreeland from the right of way of Franks Road (State Road No. 1451) North 11 degrees 54

DURHAM AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, DURHAM COUNTY 25 SP 000286-310 Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Reaton Homes, LLC, Mortgagor(s), in the original amount of $906,500.00, to Silver Hill Funding, LLC, Mortgagee, dated February 27th, 2023 and recorded on February 28th, 2023 in Book 9870, Page 247, Durham County Registry.

Default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Anchor Trustee Services, LLC having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Durham County, North Carolina, and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door or other usual place of sale in Durham County, North Carolina, at 2:00 PM on September 3rd, 2026, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following

26SP000022-310 AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, DURHAM COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Gregorios Kalaitzidis to World Wide Land Transfer, Trustee(s), which was dated March 20, 2024 and recorded on March 25, 2024 in Book 10073 at Page 284, Durham 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 September 3, 2026 at 11:30 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the

26SP000651-310 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, DURHAM COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Michael H Davis and David H Cribben Jr to Jovetta Woodard and Patricia Robinson, Trustee(s), which was dated August 19, 2019 and recorded on August 23, 2019 in Book 8733 at Page 653, Durham 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

minutes West 63.70 feet; thence South 76 degrees 59 minutes West 30 feet; thence North 10 degrees 08 minutes West 94.98 feet; thence North 9 degrees 35 minutes West 424.00 feet to an iron pipe, Frank’s and Vreeland’s corner; thence North 10 degrees 17 minutes West 72.11 feet to a new corner on Frank’s line, the aforesaid beginning point; thence with Frank’s and Vreeland’s line North 10 degrees 17 minutes West 200.57 feet to an iron pipe; thence North 7 degrees 12minutes East 593.50 feet to an iron pipe on the edge of Lower Little River; thence along the edge of Lower Little River North 25 degrees 06 minutes East 148.51 feet to an iron pipe; thence a new line across W. D. Vreeland’s property described in Book 402, Page 179, Cumberland County Registry of which this is a part South 44 degrees 18 minutes East 69.47 feet to an iron pipe; thence another new line South 7 degrees 12 minutes West 676.29 feet to an iron pipe; thence another new line South 10 degrees 17 minutes East 185.10 feet to an iron pipe; thence another new line South 79 degrees 43 minutes West 100.00 feet to the point of beginning, containing 2.01 acres more or less.

This is a part of the land conveyed to William D. Vreeland as shown in Book 402, Page 179, Cumberland County Registry.

And being all of the property conveyed by the Deed to William O. Pike and wife, Olivia S. Pike, recorded in Book 2206, Page 15, Cumberland County, NC, Public Registry, and the Tract 2 property conveyed by the Deed to Olivia S. Pike, recorded in Book 2852, Page 783, Cumberland County, NC, Public Registry Parcel ID: 9592-53-5126 Property address: 1751 Drive, Spring Lake, NC

Huckleberry

PARCEL 22: State of North Carolina County of Cumberland Manchester Township BEGINNING at an iron stake in the Northern right-of-way of Franks Road, said iron stake being 30 feet from the centerline of said Road, said iron also being the Southwest corner of the original tract of which this is a part, and runs thence as the Western line of the original tract, North 09 degrees 35 minutes East 136.10 feet to an iron stake; thence continuing as the old line, North 77 degrees 43 minutes East 76.00 feet to an iron stake; thence as the old line, North 08 degrees 20 minutes West 1545.69 feet to an iron stake on the South side of Lower Little River and in the mouth of a ditch; thence North 76 degrees 54 minutes East 65.62 feet to an iron on the South side of the river; thence continuing with the Eastern side of Lower River, North 34 degrees 54 minutes East 143.00 feet to an iron stake; thence South 08 degrees 07 minutes 01 seconds East 884.64 feet to an iron stake; thence South 81 degrees 40 minutes West 140.00 feet to a point; thence parallel with the Western line of the original tract, South 08 degrees 20 minutes East 789.35 feet; thence South 77 degrees 43 minutes West 81.14 feet; thence South 09 degrees 35 minutes West 112.72 feet to a point in the Northern right-of-way of the Franks Road; thence

with the Northern right-of-way of Franks Road, South 73 degrees 20 minutes West 22.30 feet to the POINT OF BEGINNING. Containing 3.45 acres and being a part of the property described in deed recorded in Book 2739, Page 245, Cumberland County Registry.

This conveyance is made subject to a 10 foot easement along Franks Road for the further highway development, said easement to be dedicated by the recording of a map by Grantor.

Parcel ID: 9592-53-8475 Property address: N/A PARCEL 23: State of North Carolina County of Cumberland Manchester Township BEGINNING at a stake in the margin of an unpaved road approximately 500 feet West of the sewage disposal plant at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; said stake being further described as South 69 degrees 15 minutes West 301 feet from the U. S. Public Land Survey Monument in the Northeast corner of Col. Williams’ property, and running North 21 degrees 31 minutes West 1550.3 feet to a stake; thence South 7 degrees 15 minutes West 842.feet to a stake; thence South 17 degrees East 378 feet to a stake; thence South 12 degrees 30 minutes East 424 feet to a stake in the Easterly margin of the aforementioned unpaved road; thence N. 69 degrees 15 minutes East 306 feet to the point of the Beginning and the parcel containing 8.134 acres, more or less, according to an actual survey made in March, 1951, by Watkins and Vogel, C.E. And being a portion of the lands conveyed to Dudley Deyton and wife, Margaret Deyton by deed dated April 25, 1950 and recorded in Book 555, at page 189, Cumberland County Registry.

And being the same property conveyed

by Dudley Deyton and wife, Margaret B. Deyton to James B. Roberts and wife, Phyllis V. Roberts by deed recorded in Book 586, Page 170, Cumberland County, North Carolina, Public Registry.

Parcel ID: 9592-52-8819 Property address: N/A PARCELS 24 & 25: State of North Carolina County of Cumberland Manchester Township Tract One: BEGINNING at an iron pipe on the Eastern bank of what is known as “The Dry Ditch” with mulberry tree pointers, Capt. W. McB. Garrison’s corner and is also the South West corner of the tract of land of which this is a part and running thence with Garrison’s line North 69 degrees and 15 minutes East 210 feet to an iron pipe; thence North 12 degrees and 30 minutes West 424 feet to an iron pipe in the edge of a branch with bay and sycamore tree pointers; thence North 17 degrees West 278 feet to an iron pipe with pine pointers; thence North 7 degrees and 15 minutes East 842 feet to a stake in an old ditch with pine pointers, the line of the lands of the O.A. Waddell Estate; thence with the line of said lands North 41 degrees

West 66 feet to the mouth of the ditch; at the South East margin of Lower Little River; thence up the said margin of said river South 26 degrees and 30 minutes West 415 feet to an iron pipe with pine and juniper tree pointers Capt. Garrison’s corner or in his line; thence with his line South 7 degrees and 15 minutes West 594 feet to an iron pipe on the East Bank of an old ditch with oak and gum pointers, his corner; thence with his line South 17 degrees East 278 feet to a gum stump with gum pointers, his corner; thence with his other line South 12 degrees and 30 minutes East 424 feet to the beginning, containing 6.70 acres. Surveyed from true meridian bearing magnetic bearings being 3 degrees and 5 minutes West on January 28, 1939, the date of said survey.

And being all of that property conveyed

by Daniel A. Monroe and wife, Catherine Monroe to Walling D. Vreeland and wife, Dorothy H. Vreeland in deed recorded in Book 402, Page 179, Cumberland County Registry.

LESS AND EXPECTING all of that property consisting of 2.01 acres, more or less, conveyed by Walling D. Vreeland and wife, Dorothy H. Vreeland to William O. Pike and wife, Olivia S. Pike recorded in Book 2206 page 15, Cumberland County Registry.

Parcel ID: 9592-52-6930 Property address: N/A Tract Two: Located on the North of an old dirt road known as the Old Manchester Road, said road running approximately East and West and said property lying to the South of adjoining property now belonging to Walling D. Vreeland, and BEGINNING at an iron pipe on the Easterly side of a Mulberry tree, and also the Southwest corner of W. D. Vreeland tract of land and Col. R. G. Franks, formerly known as the Capt. W. McB. Garrison’s corner; and running thence with the Vreeland line North 69 degrees 15 minutes East 210.0 feet to an iron pipe; thence South 12 degrees 30 minutes East 113.0 fee to an iron pipe in the margin of the Old Manchester Road, and with the said road South 74 degrees 04 minutes West 208.5 feet to an iron pipe in the margin of forementioned road; thence North 12 degrees 30 minutes West 96.15 feet to the beginning, containing .48 of an acre. This parcel of land is approximately 1,500.00 feet in a Southwestly direction from the disposal plant at Fort Bragg, N.C., and being a part of a tract of land conveyed from Louise Dunn Wyche, et al to said Grantors dated June 10, 1952 and recorded in the office of the Register of Deeds for Cumberland County, North Carolina.

And being all of that property conveyed

by Robert G. Franks and wife, Martha Franks to Walling D. Vreeland and wife, Dorothy H. Vreeland in deed recorded in Book 641 page 321, Cumberland County Registry.

Parcel ID: 9592-52-7202 Property address: N/A PARCEL 26:

BEING all of that tract of land consisting of 379 acres, more or less, of McIlwinen land allocated to John H. McIlwinen, (III), Annie McIlwinen and William Lee McIlwinen by Commissioners in a Special Proceeding as shown in Book of Orders and Decrees #M, at pages 195 through 199, of the Cumberland County, North Carolina Registry, reference to which division is hereby made for the purpose of incorporating the description therein as if fully set forth herein.

LESS AND EXPECTING the following property: A tract of property consisting of 5 acres +/-, bearing tax parcel identification number 9498-67-5181 as described in the Deed recorded in Book 4259, Page 841, Cumberland County, North Carolina, Public Registry; All tracts of property conveyed by instruments recorded in Book 675 page 599, Book 753 page 363; Book 936 page 366; Book 977 page 77; Book 1007 page 142; Book 1032 page 98; Book 1056 page 137; Book 1099 page 77; Book 1113 page 453; Book 1113 page 467; Book 1113 page 641; Book 1160 page 185; Book 1181 page 508; Book 2032 page 53; Book 2089 page 498; Book 2133 page 101; Book 2168 page 533; Book 2522 page 676; Book 3442 page 805 and Book 7888 page 638; and All portions of the said tract consisting of 379 acres +/- lying to the east of State Road 1403 (Reilly Road, formerly known as Blackjack Road) and north of Morganton Road, including such tract consisting of 32.357 acres +/- as shown on the plat map of the MacIlwinen Property recorded in Plat Book 32, Page 29, Cumberland County, North Carolina, Public Registry.

See Cumberland County tax parcel identification number 9498-28-2374.

Property address: Formerly 7731 Fletcher Avenue, Fayetteville, NC 28303 The property is being sold “as is”, without warranties, subject to all taxes, special assessments and prior liens or encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Any assessments, costs or fees resulting from the sale will be due and payable from the purchaser at the sale.

A deposit of certified funds (no personal check) in the amount of five percent (5%) of the high bid will be required at the time of the sale.

The sale will be held open for ten days for upset bids as required by law.

This the ____ day of August, 2026.

BY: J.W. Childs Substitute Trustee Services, Commissioner Printed Name: J.W. Childs

Inc.,

Title: Asst. Vice-President 201 S. McPherson Church Road, Ste. 201 Fayetteville, NC 28303-4995 FV# 13616550

STATE, OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND

described property, to wit: Beginning at an iron found in the property line on the East side of the East part of Beverly Drive, such point of beginning being the Northwest corner of Tract 2, now or formerly owned by Paul Homeyer and wife, per survey entitled “Property of D.H.E. Diccoson and Paul G. Homeyer (as described in Tract 4 per deed recorded in Book 1308, Page 96, Durham County Registry); and running thence South 65 degrees 12` 00” East a distance of 439.23 feet to an iron found in the West right-ofway line of Norfolk and Southern Railroad Company; thence with the West right-ofway line of Norfolk and Southern Railroad Company North 3 degrees 18` 49” East a distance of 179.11 feet to an iron found; thence North 65 degrees 20` 32” West a distance of 339.41 feet to an iron found in the property line on the East side of the East part of Beverly Drive; thence with the property line on the East side of the of the East part of Beverly Drive as the same extends in a Southwesterly direction along a counterclockwise arc with a radius of 494.30 feet, a distance of 170.15 feet to the point and place of beginning, and being the real property shown on survey entitled “John J. Zenner, III and Illana D. Callow”, prepared

by William Jerry Antry, R.L.S., dated June 6, 1995, to which survey reference is hereby made for a more particular description of same. Being the same real property

conveyed to Jean-Francois Richard and wife in Deed Book 1308, Page 96, Durham County Registry, less that portion of same conveyed in Book 1887, Page 298, Durham County Registry. See Plat Book 61, Pages 27 and 28, Durham County Registry; But see Plat Book 56, Page 69, Durham County Registry. See also Deed Book 356, Page 528, and Deed Book 402, Page 312, Durham County, North Carolina Registry.

Together with improvements located hereon; said property being located at 72 Beverly Drive, Durham, NC 27707 Tax ID: 115722 Third party purchasers must pay the recording costs of the trustee’s deed, any land transfer taxes, the excise tax, pursuant North Carolina General Statutes §105228.30, in the amount of One Dollar ($1.00) per each Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or fractional part thereof, and the Clerk of Courts fee, pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §7A-308, in the amount of Forty-five Cents (0.45) per each One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or fractional part thereof with a maximum amount of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00). A deposit of five percent (5%) of the bid or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale and must be tendered in the form of certified funds. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts will be immediately due

and owing.

Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS WHERE IS. There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, special assessments, land transfer taxes, if any, and encumbrances of record.

To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Reaton Homes, LLC. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the Clerk of Superior Court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination

(North Carolina General Statutes §4521.16A(b)(2)). Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of termination. If the Trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the Substitute Trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

following described property situated in Durham County, North Carolina, to wit: All that certain lot or parcel of land situated in the City of Durham, Durham County, North Carolina and more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot 576 of Brightleaf at the Park - Tract 13, Ph. 2 as shown on Plat prepared

by Priest, Craven & Associates, Inc., dated March 2006 and recorded May 22, 2006 in Plat Book 172, Pages 196, 199 and 202, Durham County Registry. Reference is hereby made to Plat Book 172, Pages 130, 133, 136 and 139, Durham County Registry.

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

Said property is commonly known as 2820 Prospect Pkwy, Durham, NC 27703.

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 Gregorios Kalaitzidis.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is

sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b)(2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Pursuant to NCGS §45-21.25A, this sale may be subject to remote bids placed by bidders not physically present at the place of sale, which may be accepted by the person conducting the sale, or their agent”.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the

confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

If the transaction is subject to the FinCEN Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule (“RRE”) issued pursuant to the Bank Secrecy Act, necessary to comply with the RRE Rule must be obtained and provided to the Reporting Person, as defined in the RRE Rule, prior to closing.

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.: 25-36287-FC01

on September 3, 2026 at 11:30 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Durham County, North Carolina, to wit: BEING ALL OF LOT 95 OF TAYLOR ESTATES SUBDIVISION, PHASE I, AS SHOWN ON A PLAT RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 158, PAGES 105 AND 107, DURHAM COUNTY REGISTRY. Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 4006 Taylor Ridge Drive, Durham, NC 27703.

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 Michael H. Davis.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may,

after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b)(2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Pursuant to NCGS §45-21.25A, this sale may be subject to remote bids placed by bidders not physically present at the place of sale, which may be accepted by the person conducting the sale, or their agent”.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of

the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

If the transaction is subject to the FinCEN Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule (“RRE”) issued pursuant to the Bank Secrecy Act, information necessary to comply with the RRE Rule must be obtained and provided to the Reporting Person, as defined in the RRE Rule, prior to closing.

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.: 26-17654-FC01

Anchor Trustee Services, LLC Substitute Trustee By: David Neill, NCSB #23396 McMichael Taylor Gray, LLC Attorney for Anchor Trustee Services, LLC 3550 Engineering Drive, Suite 260 Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 404-474-7149 (phone) 404-745-8121 (fax) dneill@mtglaw.com 24-001560-01

B8

North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

TAKE NOTICE

DURHAM 25SP000785-310 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, DURHAM COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by ANDREW POTTER AND KELLY POTTER to Tryon Title Agency,, Trustee(s), which was dated September 1, 2023 and recorded on September 1, 2023 in Book 9979 at Page 324, Durham 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 September 3, 2026 at 11:30 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, DURHAM COUNTY 26 SP 000572-310 Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Charles J. Dillingham, Mortgagor(s), in the original amount of $90,400.00, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (“MERS”) as beneficiary, as nominee for Suntrust Mortgage, Inc. its successors and assigns, Mortgagee, dated August 28th, 2007 and recorded on August 28th, 2007 in Book 5727, Page 81, Durham County Registry.

Default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Anchor Trustee Services, LLC having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Durham County, North Carolina, and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be

FORSYTH 25SP001829-330 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, FORSYTH COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Carol J Wood and Kenneth R Smith to Peter F. Makowiecki, Trustee(s), which was dated May 1, 2007 and recorded on May 11, 2007 in Book RE 2751 at Page 4458, Forsyth County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the

26SP000291-330 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, FORSYTH COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Rodney D. Mitchell and Karen D. Mitchell to Andrew J. Rogers, Attorney, Trustee(s), which was dated October 28, 2002 and recorded on November 1, 2002 in Book 2293 at Page 3483, Forsyth County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on September 10, 2026 at 10:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Forsyth County, North Carolina, to wit: All that certain lot or parcel of land in Forsyth County, North Carolina, more

26SP000002-330 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, FORSYTH COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Ashley T. Sutton to Anderson Langford, Trustee(s), which was dated September 24, 2021 and recorded on October 7, 2021 in Book 3646 at Page 1900, Forsyth County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on September 10, 2026 at 10:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Forsyth County, North Carolina, to wit: BEGINNING AT AN IRON STAKE IN THE

following described property situated in Durham County, North Carolina, to wit:

Said property is commonly known as 111 Dunstan Ave, Durham, NC 27707.

owner(s) of the property is/are Andrew Potter and Kelly Potter.

BEGINNING at a stake on the northern side of Dunston Avenue at the southwest corner of lot #3 Block D, as shown on the plat hereinafter referred to, said beginning point being 349.8 feet in a westerly direction from the west side of Concord Street (formerly Spaulding Avenue) and also 368.6 feet in an easterly direction from the east side of Pine Street, and running thence with the western line of lot #3 north 29° 35’ east 167.4 feet to a stake; thence north 60° 25’ west 50 feet to a stake; thence south 29° 35’ west 167.4 feet to a stake on the northern side of Dunston Avenue; thence along and with the northern side of Dunston Avenue south 60° 25’ east 50 feet to the point of beginning and being all of lot #2 and the eastern 5 feet of Lot #1 in Block D at the DunstonMincey-Roberson Land of Merrick-Moore, Spaulding Co. recorded in Plat Book 5, pages 13 and 46, Durham County Registry, to which reference is hereby made for a more particular description. See Will Book 6, page 38 and Deed Book 51, page 528.

See also Deed Book 189, page 51, Durham County Registry.

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.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b)(2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

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

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

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.

If the transaction is subject to the FinCEN Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule (“RRE”) issued pursuant to the Bank Secrecy Act, information necessary to comply with the RRE Rule must be obtained and provided to the Reporting Person, as defined in the RRE Rule, prior to closing.

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.: 25-22102-FC01

foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door or other usual place of sale in Durham County, North Carolina, at 2:00 PM on September 1st, 2026, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property, to wit: Being all of Lot No. 3 Investment Corporation of Durham, Inc., as per Plat and Survey thereof on file in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Durham County in Plat Book 30, at page 75, to which Plat reference is hereby made for a more particular description of same.

Together with improvements located hereon; said property being located at 215 W Rockway St, Durham, NC 27704 Tax ID: 128501 Third party purchasers must pay the recording costs of the trustee’s deed, any land transfer taxes, the excise tax, pursuant North Carolina General Statutes §105228.30, in the amount of One Dollar ($1.00) per each Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or fractional part thereof, and the Clerk of Courts fee, pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §7A-308, in the amount

of Forty-five Cents (0.45) per each One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or fractional part thereof with a maximum amount of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00). A deposit of five percent (5%) of the bid or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale and must be tendered in the form of certified funds. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts will be immediately due and owing.

Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS WHERE IS. There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, special assessments, land transfer taxes, if any, and encumbrances of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Charles Dillingham.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: An order for

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

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination (North Carolina General Statutes §4521.16A(b)(2)). Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of termination. If the Trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are

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

county courthouse for conducting the sale on September 3, 2026 at 10:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Forsyth County, North Carolina, to wit:

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

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.

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.

BEING KNOWN AND DESIGNATED AS LOT 43 OF SMOKERISE, SECTION TWO, A MAP AND PLAT OF WHICH IS RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 27 AT PAGE 70 IN THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTER OF DEEDS OF FORSYTH COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, REFERENCE TO WHICH MAP IS HEREBY MADE FOR A MORE PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION. Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 1480 CHIMNEY ROCK DRIVE, Kernersville, NC 27284.

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

particularly described as follows: BEGINNING at an iron stake marking the Southwestern intersection of Franklin Street and Granville Drive, and running thence with the Western right of way line of Granville Drive, South 11 degrees 55 minutes 24 seconds East 49.93 feet to an iron stake; running thence South 78 degrees 01 minutes 00 seconds West 120.04 feet to an iron stake; running thence North 11 degrees 48 minutes 04 seconds West 50.44 feet to an iron stake in the Southern right of way line of Franklin Street; running thence with the Southern right of way line of Franklin Street, North 78 degrees 15 minutes 27 seconds East 119.93 feet to the point and place of BEGINNING, according to a survey prepared by W. Lee Comer, R.L.S., dated December 22, 1993, entitled “ Survey for Rodney E. Austin “, bearing Job No. 93043.

For further reference, see Deed Book 1218, Page 930, Forsyth County Registry.

BEING INFORMALLY KNOWN AS Tax Lot 109, Block 605, Winston Township, Forsyth County Tax Records.

The improvements thereon being known as 430 Granville Drive, Winston Salem, North Carolina - 27101 Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

SOUTHERN RIGHT OF WAY LINE OF DAVIE AVENUE, SAID POINT BEING THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF LOT NUMBER 32 ON THE MAP HEREINAFTER DESCRIBED: THENCE RUNNING SOUTH 4 DEGREES 02 MINUTES 00 SECONDS WEST 149.90 FEET TO AN IRON STAKE; THENCE NORTH 86 DEGREES 04 MINUTES 15 SECONDS WEST 100.26 FEET TO AN IRON STAKE; THENCE NORTH 04 DEGREES 07 MINUTES 40 SECONDS EAST 150.16 FEET TO AN IRON STAKE IN THE SOUTHERN RIGHT OF WAY LINE OF DAVIE AVENUE; THENCE WITH SAID RIGHT OF WAY LINE SOUTH 85 DEGREES 55 MINUTES 12 SECONDS EAST 100.01 FEET TO THE POINT AND PLACE OF BEGINNING AND BEING THE EASTERN PORTION OF LOTS 28, 29, 30, 31 AND 32 ON THE MAP OF HICKORY GROVE, RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 12 AT PAGE 7, IN THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTER OF DEEDS OF FORSYTH COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 120 Davie Ave, Winston-Salem, NC 27127.

A Certified Check ONLY (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars

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 Kenneth R. Smith and All Lawful Heirs of Carol J. Wood.

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

Said property is commonly known as 430 Granville Drive, Winston Salem, NC 27101.

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 Rodney D.

($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 Ashley T. Sutton.

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

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

Mitchell, a married man.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b)(2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Pursuant to NCGS §45-21.25A, this sale may be subject to remote bids placed by bidders not physically present at the place of sale, which may be accepted by the person conducting the sale, or their agent”.

Anchor Trustee Services, LLC Substitute Trustee By: January N. Taylor, NCSB #33512 David Neill, NCSB #23396 Olivia S. Sings, NCSB# 54991 McMichael Taylor Gray, LLC Attorney for Anchor Trustee Services, LLC 3550 Engineering Drive, Suite 260 Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 404-474-7149 (phone) 404-745-8121 (fax) jtaylor@mtglaw.com dneill@mtglaw.com osings@mtglaw.com 24-000736-03

If the transaction is subject to the FinCEN Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule (“RRE”) issued pursuant to the Bank Secrecy Act, information necessary to comply with the RRE Rule must be obtained and provided to the Reporting Person, as defined in the RRE Rule, prior to closing.

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.: 25-10091-FC01

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.

If the transaction is subject to the FinCEN Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule (“RRE”) issued pursuant to the Bank Secrecy Act, information necessary to comply with the RRE Rule must be obtained and provided to the Reporting Person, as defined in the RRE Rule, prior to closing.

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

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

File No.: 25-00335-FC01

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.

confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Pursuant to NCGS §45-21.25A, this sale may be subject to remote bids placed by bidders not physically present at the place of sale, which may be accepted by the person conducting the sale, or their agent”.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the

If the transaction is subject to the FinCEN Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule (“RRE”) issued pursuant to the Bank Secrecy Act, information necessary to comply with the RRE Rule must be obtained and provided to the Reporting Person, as defined in the RRE Rule, prior to closing.

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.: 25-33223-FC01

B9

North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

TAKE NOTICE

FORSYTH 22SP000545-330 AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, FORSYTH COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Bryant King and Carolyn King to Law Office of Susan Hunt, Trustee(s), which was dated August 27, 2004 and recorded on August 27, 2004 in Book RE 2500 at Page 727, Forsyth County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer

25SP001718-330 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, FORSYTH COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Tonya L. Hairston to Laurel A. Meyer, Trustee(s), which was dated July 19, 2013 and recorded on July 19, 2013 in Book 3135 at Page 3565 and rerecorded/ modified/corrected on October 10, 2025 in Book 3889, Page 2976, Forsyth County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on September 3, 2026 at 10:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Forsyth County, North Carolina, to wit: BEING

KNOWN

AND

DESIGNATED

25SP002013-330 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, FORSYTH COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Thomas P. Bradshaw, Jr and Eleanore M. Bradshaw a/k/a Eleanore Bradshaw to William R. Echols, Trustee(s), which was dated December 23, 2015 and recorded on December 29, 2015 in Book RE 3265 at Page 2394 and rerecorded/ modified/corrected on December 29, 2015 in Book RE 3265, Page 2618, Forsyth County Registry, North Carolina.

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 September 10, 2026 at 10:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Forsyth County, North Carolina, to wit: BEING ALL OF LOT 81, OF THE FINAL PLAT OF JULIAN POND, AS PER PLAT THEREOF RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 44, PAGE 77 IN THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTER OF DEEDS OF FORSYTH COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 108 Carmel Court, Kernersville, NC 27284.

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

TOGETHER WITH ALL RIGHTS AND EASEMENTS APPURTENANT TO SAID LOT AS SPECIFICALLY ENUMERATED IN THE DECLARATION OF COVENANTS, CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS ISSUED

BY CHARLESTOWNE, A PARTNESRSHIP, AND RECORDED IN BOOK 1139, PAGE 337, FURTHER SUPPLEMENTED BY DECLARATION OF COVENANTS, CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS ISSUED

BY CHARLESTOWNE, A PARTNERSHIP, AND RECORDED IN BOOK 1178, PAGE 610, IN THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTER OF DEEDS OF FORSYTH COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA; AND MEMBERSHIP IN CHARLESTOWNE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, INC; AND

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.

SUBJECT TO THE REGULAR MONTHLY ASSESSMENTS AND SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS, LIMITATIONS AND RULES RESERVED IN SAID DECLARATION OF COVENANTS, CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS. THE DECLARATION OF COVENANTS, CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS IS INCORPORATED HEREIN BY REFERENCE. Save and except any releases, deeds of

will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Forsyth County, North Carolina, to wit: All that certain lot or parcel of land situated in Forsyth County, North Carolina, and more particularly described as follows: Being known and designated as Lot 9 of Lakecrest Estates, a map and plat of which is recorded in Plat Book 22, Page 119 in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Forsyth County, North Carolina, reference to which map is hereby made for a more particular description.

Parcel No. 6886-49-8671.00

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 26SP000299-330 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Alejandra Montalvo Gonzalez and Reynaldo Calleja-Maya (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Alejandra Montalvo Gonzalez and Reynaldo Calleja-Maya) to Joseph P Clark, Trustee(s), dated August 14, 2017, and recorded in Book No. RE 3364, at Page 1693 in Forsyth County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Forsyth County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Winston Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:15 PM on September 2, 2026 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following

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

release or prior conveyances of record.

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

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a Deed of Trust executed by SUZANNE I. BRANCH, dated February 15, 2022 in the amount of $322,913.00 and recorded in Book 3676, Page 850 of the Forsyth County Public Registry

by ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT, Substitute Trustee, default having been made in the terms of agreement set forth by the loan agreement secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT, having been substituted as Successor Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Official Records of Forsyth County, North Carolina, in Book 3898, Page 248, 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 Forsyth County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, on September 1, 2026 at

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 Bryant King and spouse, Carolyn King.

AS LOT NO. 130 ON A PLAT ENTITLED “CHARLESTOWNE, SECTION 3” RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 26, PAGE 59, IN THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTER OF DEEDS OF FORSYTH COUNTY, 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 September 3, 2026 at 10:00 AM, and

FILE NUMBER: 25SP001954-330

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

Said property is commonly known as 500 Lakecrest Dr, Kernersville, NC 27284.

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

Said property is commonly known as 130 Charlestowne Circle, Winston Salem, NC 27103.

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

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 Craig A. Costakis.

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

of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Tonya L. Hairston.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b)(2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

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.

If the transaction is subject to the FinCEN Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule (“RRE”) issued pursuant to the Bank Secrecy Act, necessary to comply with the RRE Rule must be obtained and provided to the Reporting Person, as defined in the RRE Rule, prior to closing.

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.: 19-13842-FC03

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.

If the transaction is subject to the FinCEN Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule (“RRE”) issued pursuant to the Bank Secrecy Act, information necessary to comply with the RRE Rule must be obtained and provided to the Reporting Person, as defined in the RRE Rule, prior to closing.

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”.

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

If the trustee is unable to convey title to

File No.: 25-25726-FC01

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.

filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Pursuant to NCGS §45-21.25A, this sale may be subject to remote bids placed by bidders not physically present at the place of sale, which may be accepted by the person conducting the sale, or their agent”.

If the transaction is subject to the FinCEN Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule (“RRE”) issued pursuant to the Bank Secrecy Act, information necessary to comply with the RRE Rule must be obtained and provided to the Reporting Person, as defined in the RRE Rule, prior to closing.

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

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

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

10:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Forsyth, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: PARCEL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER(S): 6882-77-2599 ADDRESS: 107 CENTERPIECE DR, HIGH POINT, NC 27265 PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): SUZANNE I. BRANCH THE LAND DESCRIBED HEREIN IS SITUATED IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, COUNTY OF FORSYTH, AND IS DESCRIBED IN DEED BOOK 3676, PAGE 850, AS FOLLOWS: BEING ALL OF LOT 161 IN PHASE 1 AS SHOWN ON A PLAT FOR RICH FORK HEIGHTS SUBDIVISION RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 74, PAGE 82, FORSYTH COUNTY REGISTRY. Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for

sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the

confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental

agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

THIS IS A COMMUNICATION FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR. THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMMUNICATION IS TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE, except as stated below in the instance of bankruptcy protection.

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE BANKRUPTCY COURT OR HAVE BEEN DISCHARGED AS A RESULT OF A BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDING, THIS NOTICE IS GIVEN TO YOU PURSUANT TO STATUTORY REQUIREMENT AND FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES AND IS NOT INTENDED AS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT OR AS AN ACT TO COLLECT, ASSESS, OR RECOVER ALL OR ANY PORTION OF THE DEBT FROM YOU PERSONALLY.

real estate situated in Winston Salem in the County of Forsyth, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: All that certain lot, parcel of land or condominium unit situated in the City of Winston Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina and more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot Number 6, Block 22, as shown on the map entitled Bon Air Property made by J. E. Ellerbe, C.E. and recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Forsyth County in Plat Book 3, Page 25.

Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 2821 North Patterson Avenue, Winston Salem, North Carolina.

purchased by a third party, 31 CFR 1031.320 requires certain qualifying residential real estate transactions to be reported to the federal government. If you are the successful bidder in this proceeding, you may be required to provide all applicable identifying information about yourself and, if applicable, any entity or trust purchasing the property.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold

subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the

property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

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

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

Should the property be

File No.: 25-34473-FC01

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

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Foundation Legal Group P.O. Box 1028 Fayetteville, NC 28302 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Phone No: (910)864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 22006 - 159636

B10

North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

TAKE NOTICE

IREDELL NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 25SP001532-480 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Htike H. Tun (Deceased) and Glenn Ott (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Htike H. Tun and Glenn Ott) to Thomas & Webber, PLLC, Trustee(s), dated September 6, 2023, and recorded in Book No. 3014, at Page 1673 in Iredell County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Iredell County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Statesville, Iredell County, North Carolina, or the customary location

JOHNSTON

designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:30 PM on September 3, 2026 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Statesville in the County of Iredell, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lots 16 and 18 of West Ridge, Phase II, according to a map prepared by Kestler Surveying Inc., recorded in Plat Book 23, Pages 41-41A, Iredell County Registry.

Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 141 Westridge Drive, Statesville, North Carolina.

The above-described property is conveyed subject to Restrictions recorded in Book 868, Page 1604 and Amendment to Restrictions recorded in Book 921, Page 1094, of the Iredell County Registry.

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

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

Defendant(s).

To: Any Spouse of Terrance Brunson a/k/a Terrance L Brunson; Terrance Brunson a/k/a Terrance L Brunson.

Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against you has been filed in the above entitled action. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows:

Should the property be purchased by a third party, 31 CFR 1031.320 requires certain qualifying residential real estate transactions to be reported to the federal government. If you are the successful bidder in this proceeding, you may be required to provide all applicable identifying information about yourself and, if applicable, any entity or trust purchasing the property.

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

a valid First Lien on the Property as drawn;

releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

That the Property located at 194 W. Olive Road, Clayton, NC 27520 shall be sold at a public sale to the highest bidder.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Foundation Legal Group P.O. Box 1028 Fayetteville, NC 28302 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Phone No: (910)864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 28866 - 147708

record notice of this proceeding in the chain of title to the Property; and For such other and further relief as the Court deems just and proper.

Terrance Brunson a/k/a Terrance L Brunson; Any Spouse of Terrance Brunson a/k/a Terrance L Brunson; Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC; United States of America

The Court declare the Deed of Trust recorded on April 28, 2017, in Book 4950 at Page 483 in the Johnston County Registry is

That the Plaintiff’s lien on the Property be foreclosed by judicial sale pursuant to the provisions of N.C.G.S. § 1-339.1, et seq., by the Plaintiff’s Counsel or by a Commissioner especially appointed by the Court to serve without bond, with proceeds of the sale applied as follows: To the cost of this action; To the compensation allowed by the Court for a person holding the sale pursuant to the N.C.G.S. § 1-339.11; To the amount due to the Plaintiff under the Note and Deed of Trust, including reasonable fees and costs provided therein; and The surplus, if any, to be paid to the Office of the Clerk of Superior Court of Johnston County pending a determination of those persons entitled thereto.

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

PARCEL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER(S): 06-G-06-021-Q ADDRESS: 1113 BENNENT DR CLAYTON, NC 27520 PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): CHERYL L. STEPHENS THE LAND DESCRIBED HEREIN IS SITUATED IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, COUNTY OF JOHNSTON, AND IS DESCRIBED IN DEED BOOK 5791, PAGE 681, AS FOLLOWS: THE FOLLOWING PROPERTY SITUATED IN THE COUNTY OF JOHNSTON, STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, AND DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: BEING ALL OF LOT 138, SOUTH PLANTATION SUBDIVISION, SECTION VIII, PHASE II, AS DEPICTED IN PLAT BOOK 40, PAGE 197, JOHNSTON COUNTY REGISTRY. BEING THE SAME PREMISES CONVEYED UNTO CONNIE ANN MERCER AND CHERYL L. STEPHENS, BY VIRTUE OF GENERAL WARRANTY DEED FROM LONNIE JONES AND BETTY JONES, DATED NOVEMBER 18, 1994, RECORDED NOVEMBER 21, 1994, IN BOOK: 1412 AND PAGE: 735; INSTRUMENT: 21033.

BEING THE SAME PREMISES CONVEYED UNTO CHERYL L. STEPHENS, UNMARRIED,

BY VIRTUE OF QUIT CLAIM DEED FROM CONNIE ANN MERCER, UNMARRIED AND CHERYL L. STEPHENS, UNMARRIED, DATED APRIL 13, 2018, RECORDED APRIL 16, 2018, IN BOOK: 5133 AND PAGE: 889; INSTRUMENT: 2018567416.6

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

THIS IS A COMMUNICATION FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR. THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMMUNICATION IS TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE, except as stated below in the instance of bankruptcy protection.

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE BANKRUPTCY COURT OR HAVE BEEN DISCHARGED AS A RESULT OF A BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDING, THIS NOTICE IS GIVEN TO YOU PURSUANT TO STATUTORY REQUIREMENT AND FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES AND IS NOT INTENDED AS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT OR AS AN ACT TO COLLECT, ASSESS, OR RECOVER ALL OR ANY PORTION OF THE DEBT FROM YOU PERSONALLY.

line of Highland Road, the West corner of Lot No. 79 as shown on a map of Weymouth Heights, Southern Pines, NC, dated March 5, 1920, and running thence South 44 degrees 00 minutes East 418.5 feet to an iron stake, the South corner Lot No. 79; thence, North 46 degrees 00 minutes East 100 feet to an iron stake, a new corner; thence, North 44 degrees 08 minutes West 314.1 feet to an iron stake, centrally located between the garages of the Fancher and Mitchell residences; North 43 degrees 07 minutes West 76 feet to an iron stake in the easterly line of Highland Road; thence, with its curve, a chord, South 61 degrees 16 minutes West 105 feet to the beginning, containing Nine Hundred Twenty-Seven Thousandths (0.927) of an acres, more or less, and comprising the southwest portion of said Lot No. 79 of Weymouth Heights.

Excepting, however, from the above tract the following described parcel of land; Beginning at an Iron stake at the halfway point of the southerly line of Lot No. 79, One Hundred (100) feet from its East corner, and running thence North 44 degrees 18 minutes West 84.6 feet to an iron stake; thence, parallel to and two feet outside of the retaining wall of the tennis court South 34 degrees 04 minutes West 62.6 feet to an iron stake; thence, parallel to and two feet outside of the retaining wall of the tennis court, South 55 degrees 56 degrees East 73.2 feet to an iron stake in the southeasterly line of said Lot No. 79; thence, with it, North 46 degrees 00 minutes East 46.3

feet to the Beginning, containing NinetySeven Thousandths (0.097) of an acre, more or less.

Together with all rights, titles, claim and interest of the parties of the first part in and to the right to use and keep open the driveway running through the front of the property hereinbefore described and the front of the property next adjoining on the north side thereof, all of which was originally Lot No. 79 as hereinbefore referred to. It is the intent to convey such interest as the parties of the first part may have in and to the driveway crossing the adjoining property.

Together with improvements located hereon; said property being located at 145 N Highland Road, Southern Pines, NC 28387 Tax ID: 00038318

sale and must be tendered in the form of certified funds. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts will be immediately due and owing.

Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS WHERE IS. There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, special assessments, land transfer taxes, if any, and encumbrances of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Iglobal Partners, LLC. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the Clerk of Superior Court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor

has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination (North Carolina General Statutes §4521.16A(b)(2)). Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of termination. If the Trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the Substitute Trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

more particularly described as follows: BEGINNING at a point in the Southern line of Lot 9, Edgewater Subdivision, as shown on the map recorded in Map Book 2 Page 113 in the New Hanover County Registry, said point being 429 feet westwardly from the intersection of said Southern line of Lot 9 with the Western high water line of Middle Sound; running thence North 60 degrees West in said Southern line of Lot 9 100 feet; thence North 30 degrees East 170 Feet; thence South 60 degrees East 100 feet; thence South 30 degrees West 170 feet to the point of Beginning, same being part of Lots 9 and 10 in Edgewater Subdivision, and being also Lot 13 of an unrecorded division of said Lots 9 and 10. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 1461 Final Landing Lane, Wilmington, North Carolina.

TOGETHER with a right of way in, on, through and over the following described strip of land: BEGINNING at a point in the Western high water line of Middle Sound, said point being the Northeast corner of Lot 10, Edgewater Subdivision, as shown on the map recorded in Map Book 2 Page 113 of the New Hanover County Registry, running thence North 60 degrees West 1412 feet to the Northwest corner of said Lot 10; thence South 30 degrees West 30 feet; thence South 60 degrees East 1412 feet, more or less, to the high water line of Middle Sound; thence Northwardly along said high water line 30 feet, more or less, to the point of beginning.

ALSO, TOGETHER with a right of way in the road leading into Edgewater Subdivision, which right of way and road is particularly described in a deed from Rebecca C. Plowden to Junius E. Council, et al, Trustees, dated November 8, 1951, and recorded November 19, 1951 in Book 490 Page 184 of the New Hanover County Registry.

attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including

Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF JOHNSTON GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION 25CV006545-500 Alabama Housing Finance Authority Plaintiff, v.

FILE NUMBER: 26SP000273-500 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a Deed of Trust executed by CHERYL L. STEPHENS dated December 17, 2020 in the amount of $115,000.00 and recorded in Book 5791 at Page 681 in the Johnston County Public Registry

by ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT, Substitute Trustee, default having been made in the terms of agreement set forth by the loan agreement secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT, having been substituted as Successor Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Official Records of Johnston County, North Carolina, in Book 7090, Page 178, and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Johnston County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, on September 1, 2026 at 2:00 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Johnston, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows:

MOORE NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, MOORE COUNTY 26 SP 000091-620 Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by IGlobal Partners LLC, Mortgagor(s), in the original amount of $690,000.00, to Kiavi Funding, Inc., Mortgagee, dated May 7th, 2024 and recorded on May 8th, 2024 in Book 6168, Page 151, Moore County Registry.

Default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Anchor Trustee Services, LLC having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Moore County, North Carolina, and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door or other usual place of sale in Moore County, North Carolina, at 2:00 PM on September 10th, 2026, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property, to wit: Beginning at an iron stake in the southerly

NEW HANOVER NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 26SP000378-640 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Matthew Wooten and Meagen Wooten (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Matthew Wooten and Meagen Wooten) to Jerry M. Harmon, Trustee(s), dated September 25, 2019, and recorded in Book No. RB6249, at Page 164 in New Hanover 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 New Hanover 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 Wilmington, New Hanover County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on September 8, 2026 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Wilmington in the County of New Hanover, North Carolina, and being

The Court determine the Deed of Trust recorded on April 28, 2017, in Book 4950 at Page 483 in the Johnston County Registry was drafted and recorded in a manner sufficient to give a reasonable title searcher notice of the interest of the Plaintiff’s lien on the property located at 194 W. Olive Road, Clayton, North Carolina 27520.

Third party purchasers must pay the recording costs of the trustee’s deed, any land transfer taxes, the excise tax, pursuant North Carolina General Statutes §105228.30, in the amount of One Dollar ($1.00) per each Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or fractional part thereof, and the Clerk of Courts fee, pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §7A-308, in the amount of Forty-five Cents (0.45) per each One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or fractional part thereof with a maximum amount of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00). A deposit of five percent (5%) of the bid or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the

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

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

Should the property be purchased by a third party, 31 CFR 1031.320 requires certain qualifying residential real estate transactions to be reported to the federal government. If you are the successful bidder in this proceeding, you may be required to provide all applicable identifying information about yourself and, if applicable, any entity or trust purchasing the property.

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,

That Jeremy B. Wilkins is hereby appointed as Commissioner to conduct the sale pursuant to N.C.G.S. §1-339.11.

In the alternative, that the Court declares Defendant Terrance L Brunson, holds the Property described herein subject to a constructive trust and equitable lien to the benefit of the Plaintiff, consistent in all regards with the terms and conditions of the Deed of Trust.

That the Court’s Order, shall be duly recorded in the Johnston County Register of Deeds and indexed according to those parties named in said Deed of Trust and named herein for the purpose of establishing

You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than (October 7, 2026 SEE Rule 4(j1)) and upon your failure to do so the party seeking service against you will apply to the court for the relief sought.

This, the __18th___ day of August, 2026.

BROCK & SCOTT, PLLC __/s/ Matthew ___________________________ Matthew Herrle, NCSB No. 34815 Attorney for Plaintiff 5431 Oleander Drive Wilmington, NC 28403 Phone: 910-392-4988

Herrle

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

Anchor Trustee Services, LLC Substitute Trustee By: David Neill, NCSB #23396 McMichael Taylor Gray, LLC Attorney for Anchor Trustee Services, LLC 3550 Engineering Drive, Suite 260 Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 404-474-7149 (phone) 404-745-8121 (fax) dneill@mtglaw.com 26-001539-01

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm, LLP P.O. Box 1028 Fayetteville, NC 28302 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Phone No: (910)864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 32505 - 170262

B11

North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

TAKE NOTICE

NEW HANOVER NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, NEW HANOVER COUNTY 26 SP 000164-640 Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Louis Gonzales, Mortgagor(s), in the original amount of $308,666.00, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., (“MERS”) as beneficiary, as nominee Angel Oak Home Loans, LLC, Mortgagee, dated October 1st, 2020 and recorded on October 5th, 2020 in Book RB 6363, Page 1067, New Hanover County Registry.

Default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Anchor Trustee Services, LLC having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of New Hanover

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE FILE NUMBER: 25SP001202-640 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a Deed of Trust executed

by MARY E. GUTIERREZ dated March 6, 2018 in the amount of $330,500.00 and recorded in Book RB 6124, Page 2977 of the New Hanover County Public Registry

by ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT, Substitute Trustee, default having been made in the terms of agreement set forth by the loan agreement secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT, having been substituted as Successor Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Official Records of New Hanover County, North Carolina, in Book 6763, Page 1236, 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 New Hanover County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, on September 8, 2026 at 11:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of New Hanover, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows:

ONSLOW NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 26SP000316-660 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Karl Alan Michaelis and Michele Lynn Michaelis (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Karl Alan Michaelis and Michele Lynn Michaelis) to The Caudle Law Firm, P.A., Trustee(s), dated January 22, 2022, and recorded in Book No. 5672, at Page 443 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 County,

RANDOLPH AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE FILE NUMBER: 25SP000358-750 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a Deed of Trust executed by JUSTIN LAMB dated August 22, 2022 in the amount of $144,598.00 and recorded in Book 2820, Page 839 of the Randolph County Public Registry by ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT, Substitute Trustee, default having been made in the terms of agreement set forth by the loan agreement secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT , having been substituted as Successor Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Official Records of Randolph County, North Carolina, in Book 2968, Page 2303, 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 Randolph County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales,

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA RANDOLPH COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION FILE NO. 26CV001692-780

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 or other usual place of sale in New Hanover County, North Carolina, at 1:00 PM on September 8th, 2026, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property, to wit: Being all of Lot 381, Section 11, of Bayshore Estates, as the same is shown on a map thereof recorded in Map Book 25, Page 147, New Hanover County Registry, reference is hereby made for a more particular description.

Together with improvements located hereon; said property being located at 622 Aquarius Dr, Wilmington, NC 28411 Tax ID: R03616-004-006-000 Third party purchasers must pay the recording costs of the trustee’s deed, any land transfer taxes, the excise tax, pursuant North Carolina General Statutes §105228.30, in the amount of One Dollar ($1.00) per each Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or fractional part thereof, and the Clerk

of Courts fee, pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §7A-308, in the amount of Forty-five Cents (0.45) per each One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or fractional part thereof with a maximum amount of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00). A deposit of five percent (5%) of the bid or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale and must be tendered in the form of certified funds. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts will be immediately due and owing.

Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS WHERE IS. There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, special assessments, land transfer taxes, if any, and encumbrances of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the

property is/are Louis Paul Gonzales aka Louis Gonzales.

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

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination (North Carolina General Statutes §4521.16A(b)(2)). Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of termination. If the Trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any

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

PARCEL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER(S): R07115-010-035-000 ADDRESS: 4805 WEDGEFIELD DR WILMINGTON, NC 28409-3980 PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): MARY E. GUTIERREZ THE LAND DESCRIBED HEREIN IS SITUATED IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER, AND IS DESCRIBED IN DEED BOOK RB 6124, PAGE 2977, AS FOLLOWS: BEING ALL OF LOT 202 IN WEDGEFIELD AT CROSSWINDS SOUTH SUBDIVISION, A PERFORMANCE DEVELOPMENT, AS THE SAME IS SHOWN AND DELINEATED ON A REVISED MAP RECORDED IN MAP BOOK 36, AT PAGE 349 IN THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTER OF DEEDS OF NEW HANOVER COUNTY, REFERENCE TO SAID MAP BEING HEREBY MADE FOR A MORE PERFECT DESCRIPTION OF SAID PROPERTY. THIS CONVEYANCE IS MADE TOGETHER WITH AND SUBJECT TO ALL RIGHTS, COVENANTS, EASEMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS CONTAINED IN THE DECLARATION RECORDED IN BOOK 1726, AT PAGE 958 IN THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTER OF DEEDS OF NEW HANOVER COUNTY. THIS CONVEYANCE IS MADE SUBJECT TO EASEMENTS OF RECORD OR ON THE GROUND, RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS OF RECORD, AND AD VALOREM TAXES FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, WHICH TAXES THE PARTY OF THE SECOND PART, BY

ACCEPTING THIS DEED, AGREES TO PAY. Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form

of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the

tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

THIS IS A COMMUNICATION FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR. THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMMUNICATION IS TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE, except as stated below in the instance of bankruptcy protection.

North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 10:00 AM on September 9, 2026 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: Land Situated in the County of Onslow, State of North Carolina, is described as follows: Being all of Lot 14, Block F. as shown on a map of The Village in Country Club Hills, Section II, recorded in Map Book 27, Page 40, Slide E-308, Onslow County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 102 Brighton Street, Jacksonville, North Carolina.

Commonly Known As: 102 Brighton St, Jacksonville, NC 28546

subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the

property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

Should the property be

purchased by a third party, 31 CFR 1031.320 requires certain qualifying residential real estate transactions to be reported to the federal government. If you are the successful bidder in this proceeding, you may be required to provide all applicable identifying information about yourself and, if applicable, any entity or trust purchasing the property.

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

on September 9, 2026 at 1:00 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Randolph, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: PARCEL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER(S): 7722-99-6507 ADDRESS: 1508 MT VIEW CHURCH RD ASHEBORO, NC 27205 PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): JUSTIN LAMB THE LAND DESCRIBED HEREIN IS SITUATED IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, COUNTY OF RANDOLPH, AND IS DESCRIBED IN DEED BOOK 2820, PAGE 839, AS FOLLOWS: THE FOLLOWING DESCRIBED PROPERTY SITUATED IN THE COUNTY OF RANDOLPH AND THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA: BEING ALL OF TRACT NO. 3 OF THE RANCIE L. MOORE, JR. PROPERTY AS SHOWN BY PLAY RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 41, PAGE 57, RANDOLPH COUNTY REGISTRY. BEING THAT PARCEL OF LAND CONVEYED TO KEVIN D. LAMB AND DORCAS M. LAMB, HUSBAND AND WIFE AND JUSTIN LAMB, UNMARRIED MAN FROM KEVIN D. LAMB AND DORCAS M. LAMB, WIFE

BY THAT DEED DATED 10/19/2021 AND RECORDED 10/22/2021 IN BOOK 2776, PAGE 2568, INSTRUMENT 20132456, OF THE RANDOLPH COUNTY, NC PUBLIC REGISTRY. PARCEL ID(S): 7722996507

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form

of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor

has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

THIS IS A COMMUNICATION FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR. THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMMUNICATION IS TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE, except as stated below in the instance of bankruptcy protection.

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE BANKRUPTCY COURT OR HAVE BEEN DISCHARGED AS A RESULT OF A BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDING, THIS NOTICE IS GIVEN TO YOU PURSUANT TO STATUTORY REQUIREMENT AND FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES AND IS NOT INTENDED AS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT OR AS AN ACT TO COLLECT, ASSESS, OR RECOVER ALL OR ANY PORTION OF THE DEBT FROM YOU PERSONALLY.

HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT; JOHNATHAN GRAVES; and SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. Substitute Trustee;

entitled action. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: The Plaintiff in the above entitled action has filed with the Clerk of Superior Court’s office of Randolph County, North Carolina, a civil action concerning one parcel of real property located at 104 Autumn Hill Court, Archdale, North Carolina 27263. You are required to make defense to such pleading no later than October 6, 2026 (40 days from date of first publication) and upon your failure to do so the party seeking service against you will apply to the court for the relief sought.

By its Partner, HUTCHENS LAW FIRM LLP

2026.

THIS IS A COMMUNICATION FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR. THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMMUNICATION IS TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE, except as stated below in the instance of bankruptcy protection. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE BANKRUPTCY COURT OR HAVE BEEN DISCHARGED AS A RESULT OF A BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDING, THIS NOTICE IS GIVEN TO YOU PURSUANT TO STATUTORY REQUIREMENT AND FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES AND IS NOT INTENDED AS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT OR AS AN ACT TO COLLECT, ASSESS, OR RECOVER ALL OR ANY PORTION OF THE DEBT FROM YOU PERSONALLY

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

Defendants.

NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION

LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC, Plaintiff, TO:

v.

ANGELA GAYLE CONNER; RICHARD TIMOTHY FOLAND; SECRETARY OF

ROBESON NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA ROBESON COUNTY

Angela Gayle Conner Johnathan Graves

Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against you has been filed in the above

NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS

BY PUBLICATION STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA ROBESON COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION 26CV000951770 SOUTHWEST STAGE FUNDING, LLC DBA CASCADE FINANCIAL SERVICES, Plaintiff

This the 19th day of August 2026.

By: ____/s/ Bryce Ashby_____ Claire Collins Dickerhoff N.C. State Bar No. 44306 Bryce Ashby N.C. State Bar No. 61688 Post Office Box 2505 Fayetteville, NC 28302 Telephone: (910) 864-6888 Facsimile: (910) 864-6848 Claire.dickerhoff@hutchenslawfirm.com Bryce.ashby@hutchenslawfirm.com Attorneys for Plaintiff

FOUNDATION LEGAL GROUP LLP

Dates of Publication: August 27, 2026; September 3, 2026; and September 10,

v.

JORGE L HILERIO, Defendant TAKE NOTICE that a pleading seeking relief against you has been filed in the above-entitled action. The relief sought is a monetary judgment in the principal amount of $48,430.60, together with pre-judgment interest on the principal balance at the rate of 8.99% per annum from October 1, 2025, until the date of judgment, and thereafter post-judgment interest at the legal rate of

8.00% per annum until paid, plus the costs of this action, including attorney’s fees in the amount of $1,200.00. Plaintiff further seeks immediate and permanent possession of the following collateral: a 2019 Fleetwood Homes Manufactured Home, Model No. 70EK16763Z, VIN FLE270VA1974533.

You are required to make defense to such pleading no later than September 13, 2026, and upon your failure to do so, the party seeking service against you will apply to the

Anchor Trustee Services, LLC Substitute Trustee By: David Neill, NCSB #23396 McMichael Taylor Gray, LLC Attorney for Anchor Trustee Services, LLC 3550 Engineering Drive, Suite 260 Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 404-474-7149 (phone) 404-745-8121 (fax) dneill@mtglaw.com 26-000793-01

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE BANKRUPTCY COURT OR HAVE BEEN DISCHARGED AS A RESULT OF A BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDING, THIS NOTICE IS GIVEN TO YOU PURSUANT TO STATUTORY REQUIREMENT AND FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES AND IS NOT INTENDED AS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT OR AS AN ACT TO COLLECT, ASSESS, OR RECOVER ALL OR ANY PORTION OF THE DEBT FROM YOU PERSONALLY. Sarah A. Waldron or Terrass Scott Misher, Esq ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Attorneys for the Substitute Trustee 13010 Morris Rd., Suite 450 Alpharetta, GA 30004 Telephone: (470) 321-7112

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Foundation Legal Group P.O. Box 1028 Fayetteville, NC 28302 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Phone No: (910)864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 28406 - 145240

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

Court for the relief sought in the pleading.

This, the 5th day of August, 2026.

Julia A. May, Crawford & von Keller, PLLC Attorneys of Southwest Stage Funding, LLC DBA Cascade Financial Services, Plaintiff 710 Military Cutoff Rd.; Suite 250, Wilmington, NC 28405 Phone: (910) 363-1673, Fax: (910) 363-1650

B12

North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

TAKE NOTICE

UNION AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, UNION COUNTY 26 SP 000162-890 Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Jon E. White and Kristine N. White, Mortgagor(s), in the original amount of $30,000.00, to Coastal Federal Credit Union, Mortgagee, dated June 30th, 2017 and recorded on July 10th, 2017 in Book 06970, Page 0040, Union County Registry.

Default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Anchor Trustee Services, LLC having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Union County, North Carolina, and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will

WAKE NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 26SP001050-910 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Lianbo Li and Yingmei Guo (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Lianbo Li and Yingmei Guo) to Hutchens Law Firm LLP Attn: Compliance Team, Trustee(s), dated June 28, 2023, and recorded in Book No. 019371, at Page 01610 in Wake County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Wake County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the Wake County Courthouse door, the

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 26SP000744-910 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Capital Match, LLC (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Capital Match, LLC) to Temple View Capital Funding, LP, Trustee(s), dated September 20, 2023, and recorded in Book No. 019439, at Page 00486 in Wake County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Wake County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the Wake County Courthouse door, the Salisbury Street entrance in Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on August 31, 2026 and will sell

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 26SP001000-910 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by John Michael Nolte (Deceased) (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): John Michael Nolte) to Hunter Holcombe, Trustee(s), dated September 6, 2024, and recorded in Book No. 019704, at Page 01797 in Wake County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Wake County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the Wake County Courthouse door, the Salisbury Street entrance in Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on August 31, 2026 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 26SP001289-910 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Kierra D. Wright (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Kierra D. Wright) to Becton Law Firm, P.C., Trustee(s), dated June 17, 2022, and recorded in Book No. 019062, at Page 00868 in Wake County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Wake County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the Wake County Courthouse door, the Salisbury Street entrance in Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on August 31, 2026 and will sell

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

offer for sale at the courthouse door or other usual place of sale in Union County, North Carolina, at 2:00 PM on September 1, 2026, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property, to wit: All of that certain lot or parcel of land situated in the Town of Waxhaw, Union County, North Carolina and more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot 1369 on “Final Plat of a Portion of Millbridge Phase 2E and 4A Map 1” recorded in Plat Cabinet M, Files 984986, Union County Registry, reference to which is hereby made for a more particular description.

Subject to restrictions, reservations, easements, covenants, oil, gas or mineral rights of record, if any.

Together with improvements located hereon; said property being located at 4013 Millbridge Parkway, Waxhaw, NC 28173 Tax ID: 05165251 Third party purchasers must pay the recording costs of the trustee’s deed, any land transfer taxes, the excise tax, pursuant North Carolina General Statutes §105228.30, in the amount of One Dollar ($1.00) per each Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or fractional part thereof, and the Clerk

of Courts fee, pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §7A-308, in the amount of Forty-five Cents (0.45) per each One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or fractional part thereof with a maximum amount of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00). A deposit of five percent (5%) of the bid or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale and must be tendered in the form of certified funds. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts will be immediately due and owing.

Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS WHERE IS. There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, special assessments, land transfer taxes, if any, and encumbrances of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Jon E. White and Kristine N. White.

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

Salisbury Street entrance in Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on August 31, 2026 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in New Hill in the County of Wake, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot 100, Belterra Subdivision, Phase 2, as shown on map recorded in Book of Maps 2022, Pages 52-56, Wake County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 3336 Brevet Street, New Hill, North Carolina.

Property Address: 3336 Brevet Street, New Hill, NC 27562

purchased by a third party, 31 CFR 1031.320 requires certain qualifying residential real estate transactions to be reported to the federal government. If you are the successful bidder in this proceeding, you may be required to provide all applicable identifying information about yourself and, if applicable, any entity or trust purchasing the property.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded

releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the

property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

purchased by a third party, 31 CFR 1031.320 requires certain qualifying residential real estate transactions to be reported to the federal government. If you are the successful bidder in this proceeding, you may be required to provide all applicable identifying information about yourself and, if applicable, any entity or trust purchasing the property.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded

releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the

property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, 31 CFR 1031.320 requires certain qualifying residential real estate transactions to be reported to the federal government. If you are the successful bidder in this proceeding, you may be required to provide all applicable identifying information about yourself and, if applicable, any entity or trust purchasing the property.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded

releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

may be required to provide all applicable identifying information about yourself and, if applicable, any entity or trust purchasing the property.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty

dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement

entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

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

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

Should the property be

to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Fuquay Varina in the County of Wake, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lots 215 and 216 of Lincoln Heights Subdivision, according to plat by Richard H. Moore, Engineer, recorded in Book of Maps 1945, Page 79, Wake County Registry, reference to which is hereby made for greater certainty of description. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 498 Longfellow Street, Fuquay Varina, North Carolina.

Parcel ID: 0067813 Tax/Map ID: 0657609402 Property Address: 498 Longfellow St, Fuquay Varina, NC 27526 Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to three hours as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

Should the property be

estate situated in Zebulon in the County of Wake, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Lying and being in the City of Zebulon, Little River Township, Wake County, North Carolina and more particularly described as follows: All of Lot 234, Pearces Landing, Phase 1C Section 1, as shown on the map recorded in Book of Maps 2023, Pages 1609-1615, Wake County Registry, to which map reference is hereby made for a more particular description. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 416 Emerald Shire Way, Zebulon, North Carolina.

Property Address: 416 Emerald Shire Way, Zebulon, NC 27597 PIN/PARCEL NO.: 0509532 Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to three hours as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Raleigh in the County of Wake, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot 10 Silver Lake Bluffs Phase I as shown in Book of Maps 2010, Pages 847-853; and Book of Maps 2010, Pages 1065-1067, Wake County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 2423 Memory Ridge Drive, Raleigh, North Carolina.

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

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

Should the property be purchased by a third party, 31 CFR 1031.320 requires certain qualifying residential real estate transactions to be reported to the federal government. If you are the successful bidder in this proceeding, you

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination (North Carolina General Statutes §4521.16A(b)(2)). Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of termination. If the Trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are

Anchor Trustee Services, LLC Substitute Trustee By: January N. Taylor, NCSB #33512 David Neill, NCSB #23396 Olivia S. Sings, NCSB# 54991 McMichael Taylor Gray, LLC Attorney for Anchor Trustee Services, LLC 3550 Engineering Drive, Suite 260 Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 404-474-7149 (phone) 404-745-8121 (fax) jtaylor@mtglaw.com dneill@mtglaw.com osings@mtglaw.com 25-004404-01

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Foundation Legal Group P.O. Box 1028 Fayetteville, NC 28302 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Phone No: (910)864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 31883 - 166867

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Foundation Legal Group P.O. Box 1028 Fayetteville, NC 28302 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Phone No: (910)864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 31224 - 162674

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Foundation Legal Group P.O. Box 1028 Fayetteville, NC 28302 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Phone No: (910)864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 31052 - 161550

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Foundation Legal Group P.O. Box 1028 Fayetteville, NC 28302 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Phone No: (910)864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 30805 - 160025

B13

North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

TAKE NOTICE

WAKE 26SP000943-910 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, WAKE COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Reginald Cummings and Ayesha Cummings to Western Wake Law Group, Trustee(s), which was dated December 3, 2012 and recorded on December 7, 2012 in Book 15050 at Page 2567, Wake County Registry, North Carolina.

or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on September 9, 2026 at 11:30 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Wake County, North Carolina, to wit: BEING all of Lot 145, Sawyers Mill Subdivision, Phase Four, as recorded in Book of Maps 2003, Page 1656, Wake County Registry.

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

Said property is commonly known as 4705 Porchaven Lane, Apex, NC 27539.

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,

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.

25SP001864-910 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

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

NORTH CAROLINA, WAKE COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Jacqueline D Washington to WILLIAM R ECHOLS, Trustee(s), which was dated January 21, 2005 and recorded on January 26, 2005 in Book 11197 at Page 1666, Wake County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will 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 September 2, 2026 at 10:00 AM, and

26SP000755-910 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, WAKE COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Carolyn L. MacRae to Jonathan Bach, Trustee(s), which was dated September 30, 2010 and recorded on October 5, 2010 in Book 14101 at Page 1536, Wake County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will 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 September 2, 2026 at 10:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in

NOTICE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF WAKE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION 25CV040157-910 MidFirst Bank, Plaintiff, v.

Your Paradise, LLC; Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; North Carolina Housing Finance Agency Defendant(s).

NOTICE OF SALE

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, WAKE COUNTY 26 SP 000771-910 Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by SCIG Fund I, LLC, Mortgagor(s), in the original amount of $585,200.00, to RFLF 4, LLC, Mortgagee, dated June 6th, 2025 and recorded on June 20th, 2025 in Book 019936, Page 02230, Wake County Registry.

Default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Anchor Trustee Services, LLC having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Wake County, North Carolina, and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door or other usual place of sale in Wake

24-118785 IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION WAKE COUNTY 26-SP000326-910 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY DANTE I. VELA SALAS DATED AUGUST 1, 2008 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 13201 AT PAGE 556 IN THE WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder

BEING all of Lot 101, Phase 2 of Waterford Landing Subdivision as shown on plat recorded in Book of Maps 1993, Page 1067 of the Wake County Registry.

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

Said property is commonly known as 5333 Peacenest Drive, Raleigh, NC 27610.

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

Wake County, North Carolina, to wit: All that certain lot or parcel of land situate in the City of Raleigh, House Creek Township, Wake County, North Carolina and more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot 31, Copper Ridge Townhomes, as shown on plat thereof recorded in Book of Maps 2006, Page 1627, Wake County Registry.

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

Said property is commonly known as 5035 Isabella Cannon Dr, Raleigh, NC 27612.

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 Reginald Cummings and wife, Ayesha Cummings.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into

or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b)(2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Pursuant to NCGS §45-21.25A, this sale may be subject to remote bids placed by bidders not physically present at the place of sale, which may be accepted by the person conducting the sale, or their agent”.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of

this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS WHERE IS.” There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. Substitute Trustee does not have possession of the property and cannot grant access, prior to or after the sale, for purposes of inspection and/ or appraisal. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are All Lawful Heirs of Jacqueline D Washington.

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.

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,

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

Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS WHERE IS.” There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. Substitute Trustee does not have possession of the property and cannot grant access, prior to or after the sale, for purposes of inspection and/ or appraisal. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are All Lawful Heirs of Carolyn MacRae. 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

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”.

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.

If the transaction is subject to the FinCEN Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule (“RRE”) issued pursuant to the Bank Secrecy Act, information necessary to comply with the RRE Rule must be obtained and provided to the Reporting Person, as defined in the RRE Rule, prior to closing.

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 File No.: 23-00278-FC02

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.

If the transaction is subject to the FinCEN Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule (“RRE”) issued pursuant to the Bank Secrecy Act, information necessary to comply with the RRE Rule must be obtained and provided to the Reporting Person, as defined in the RRE Rule, prior to closing.

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.: 25-22140-FC01

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.

If the transaction is subject to the FinCEN Residential Real Estate Reporting Rule (“RRE”) issued pursuant to the Bank Secrecy Act, information necessary to comply with the RRE Rule must be obtained and provided to the Reporting Person, as defined in the RRE Rule, prior to closing.

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.: 26-07668-FC01

advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is 20th day of July, 2026.

Grady I. Ingle, NC State Bar No. 16692 Attorney for Comissioner, Ingle Law Firm, PA 13801 Reese Blvd West Suite 160 Huntersville, NC 28078 (980) 771-0717

Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the Order for Judicial Sale, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Wake County courthouse at 10:00 AM on September 2, 2026, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Wake County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed

by Nashima Evette Gillespie, dated July 10, 2009 to secure the original principal amount of $152,683.00, and recorded in Book No. 13621, at Page 343 of the Wake County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public

record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 8518 Arboles Court, Raleigh, NC 27613 Tax Parcel ID: 0319156 This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any 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.

County, North Carolina, at 2:00 PM on September 1st, 2026, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property, to wit: The following described real estate: Situated in the Township of Leesville, County of Wake and State of North Carolina: Being all of Lot 148 according to plat entitled “Springdale Estates, Section 2, Map 10, Leesville Township, Wake County, North Carolina,” dated July 1975, prepared by Castleberry-Edgerton Co., Consulting Engineers and recorded in Book of Maps 1975, Page 192, Volume 2 Wake County, North Carolina.

Together with improvements located hereon; said property being located at 8700 Cliff Top Court, Raleigh, NC 27613 Tax ID: 0093997 Third party purchasers must pay the recording costs of the trustee’s deed, any land transfer taxes, the excise tax, pursuant North Carolina General Statutes §105228.30, in the amount of One Dollar ($1.00) per each Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or fractional part thereof, and the Clerk

of Courts fee, pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §7A-308, in the amount of Forty-five Cents (0.45) per each One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or fractional part thereof with a maximum amount of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00). A deposit of five percent (5%) of the bid or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale and must be tendered in the form of certified funds. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts will be immediately due and owing.

Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS WHERE IS. There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, special assessments, land transfer taxes, if any, and encumbrances of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the

undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are SCIG Fund I LLC. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the Clerk of Superior Court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination (North Carolina General Statutes §4521.16A(b)(2)). Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of termination. If the Trustee is

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

of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Wake County courthouse at 11:00AM on September 10, 2026, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Wake County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Dante I. Vela Salas, dated August 1, 2008 to secure the original principal amount of $159,900.00, and recorded in Book 13201 at Page 556 of the Wake County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 3927 Carolina Cherry Drive, Raleigh, NC 27610 Tax Parcel ID: 0352114 Present Record Owners:

Dante Vela Salas The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Dante Vela Salas.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale.

Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed.

This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit

of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any resale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

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

purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is July 28, 2026. __________________ ___________________ Ellen Wiggins N.C. State Bar No. #55909 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee ewiggins@logs.com LOGS Legal Group LLP 8520 Cliff Cameron Dr., Suite 330 Charlotte, NC 28269 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.LOGS.com Posted: By:

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

Anchor Trustee Services, LLC Substitute Trustee By: David Neill, NCSB #23396 McMichael Taylor Gray, LLC Attorney for Anchor Trustee Services, LLC 3550 Engineering Drive, Suite 260 Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 404-474-7149 (phone) 404-745-8121 (fax) dneill@mtglaw.com 26-000228-01

24-118785

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North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

TAKE NOTICE

WAKE 26-125432 IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION WAKE COUNTY 26SP000796-910 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY DAJAH GLADDEN DATED OCTOBER 2, 2024 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 19726 AT PAGE 602 IN THE WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE FILE NUMBER: 24SP001805-910 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust executed by STEVE L SABO AND MARNIE C KNIGHT payable to COUNTRYWIDE KB HOME LOANS, A COUNTRYWIDE MORTGAGE VENTURES, LLC SERIES, Lender, to TRUSTEE SERVICES OF CAROLINA, LLC, Trustee, dated February 22, 2007, and recorded in Book 012414, Page 00715 of the Wake County Public Registry by ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT, Substitute Trustee, default having been made in the terms of agreement set forth by the loan agreement secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, ANTHONY MASELLI OR GENEVIEVE JOHNSON, EITHER OF WHOM MAY ACT , having been substituted as Successor Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Official Records of Wake County, North Carolina, in Book 019855, Page 01164, 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 Wake County, North Carolina, or

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 26SP000409-910 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Wenzhen Yang (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Wenzhen Yang) to Lennar Title, LLC, Trustee(s), dated July 8, 2022, and recorded in Book No. 019084, at Page 00539 in Wake County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Wake County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the Wake County Courthouse door, the Salisbury Street entrance in Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on August 31, 2026 and will sell

AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 24SP001265-910 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Raheem Oluwayomi Lamidi (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Raheem Oluwayomi Lamidi) to Coastal Federal Financial Group, LLC, Trustee(s), dated May 11, 2020, and recorded in Book No. 017862, at Page 02161 in Wake County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Wake County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the Wake County Courthouse door, the Salisbury Street entrance in Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on August 31, 2026 and will sell

25CV034084-910 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in a judgment bearing the caption “Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC Plaintiff, v. Roslyn Jordan; Alejandro Guzman; Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; Planters Walk of Knightdale Community Association, Inc.; and Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. Substitute

AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 24SP000102-910 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Maria G. Velasco and Richard W. Grishaw (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Maria G. Velasco and Richard W. Grishaw) to Lynde Seldon, Trustee(s), dated January 22, 2015, and recorded in Book No. 015898, at Page 02335 in Wake County Registry, North Carolina. The Deed of Trust was modified by the following: A Loan Modification recorded on May 14, 2021, in Book No. 018503, at Page 00699 , default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Wake County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the Wake County Courthouse door, the Salisbury Street entrance in Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on August 31, 2026 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Raleigh in the County

perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Wake County courthouse at 11:00AM on September 10, 2026, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Wake County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Dajah Gladden, dated October 2, 2024 to secure the original principal amount of $260,190.00, and recorded in Book 19726 at Page 602 of the Wake County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 404 Emerald Shire Way, Zebulon, NC 27597 Tax Parcel ID: 0509527

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

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale.

Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed.

This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit

of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any resale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was

renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is July 17, 2026. __________________ ___________________ Ellen Wiggins N.C. State Bar No. #55909 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee ewiggins@logs.com LOGS Legal Group LLP 8520 Cliff Cameron Dr., Suite 330 Charlotte, NC 28269 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.LOGS.com Posted: By:

the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, on September 2, 2026 at 12:00 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Wake, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: PARCEL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER(S): 0649976750 ADDRESS: 200 STEEDMONT DR HOLLY SPRINGS, NC 27540 THE LAND DESCRIBED HEREIN IS SITUATED IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, COUNTY OF WAKE, AND IS DESCRIBED IN DEED BOOK 012414, PAGE 00715, AS FOLLOWS: BEING ALL OF LOT 1, WINDCREST SUBDIVISION, PHASE 6, SECTION 1, AS SHOWN ON MAP RECORDED IN BOOK OF MAPS 2003, PAGE 1572, WAKE COUNTY REGISTRY.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the

filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental

agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

THIS IS A COMMUNICATION FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR. THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMMUNICATION IS TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE, except as stated below in the instance of bankruptcy protection.

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE BANKRUPTCY COURT OR HAVE BEEN DISCHARGED AS A RESULT OF A BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDING, THIS NOTICE IS GIVEN TO YOU PURSUANT TO STATUTORY REQUIREMENT AND FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES AND IS NOT INTENDED AS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT OR AS AN ACT TO COLLECT, ASSESS, OR RECOVER ALL OR ANY PORTION OF THE DEBT FROM YOU PERSONALLY.

to the federal government. If you are the successful bidder in this proceeding, you may be required to provide all applicable identifying information about yourself and, if applicable, any entity or trust purchasing the property.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

successful bidder in this proceeding, you may be required to provide all applicable identifying information about yourself and, if applicable, any entity or trust purchasing the property.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of

the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement

entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Trustee; Defendants” 25CV034084910 Wake County and pursuant to the terms of the judgment, the undersigned Commissioner will offer for sale that certain property as described below. Said sale will be held in the City of Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina at 1:30 p.m. on August 31, 2026 at the Wake County Courthouse door and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Wake, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: LYING AND BEING IN WAKE COUNTY,

NORTH CAROLINA, AND MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: BEING ALL OF LOT 82, SECTION 3, PART A, WILLOW RIDGE AT PLANTERS WALK SUBDIVISION, AS DEPICTED IN MAP BOOK 1994, PAGE 1011.

payable from the purchaser at the sale.

A deposit of certified funds (no personal check) in the amount of five percent (5%) of the high bid will be required at the time of the sale.

The sale will be held open for ten days for upset bids as required by law.

BY: J.W. Childs Substitute Trustee Services, Commissioner Printed Name: J.W. Childs

This the 7th day of August, 2026.

FV# 13592808

of Wake, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEGINNING at an existing iron pipe in the southern right of way line of SR 2724 same being the northeast corner of the Property of Robert Allan Alexander (now or formerly) as described in Deed recorded in Book 2730, Page 836, Wake County Registry, and running thence as the southern right of way line of SR 2724, South 83 degrees 05 minutes East 207.15 feet to an existing iron pipe in said southern right of way line, a corner with Robert C. Creel (now or formerly) as described in Deed recorded in Book 2353, Page 698, Wake County Registry, and running thence with the line of Creel, South 38 degrees 33 minutes West 394.6 feet to an existing iron pipe in the line of Mary Patsy Cave (now or formerly) land as described in Deed recorded in Book 2733, page 60, Wake County Registry, also a corner with Robert Allan Alexander (nor or formerly) thence with said Alexander’s eastern line North 06 degrees 53 minutes East 336.0 feet to the point of BEGINNING and containing 0.799 acres according to a survey entitled “Property of Jeffrey L Johnson and Marcia R Layden, Panther Branch Township, Wake County, North Carolina,” dated 12/13/82 and prepared

by Land Surveyors, Apex, North Carolina.

Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 2613 Banks road, Raleigh, North Carolina.

Parcel ID: 0120681 Property Address: 2613 Banks Road, Raleigh, NC 27603

physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29

in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): STEVE L SABO, MARNIE C KNIGHT 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).

to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Fuquay Varina in the County of Wake, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot 236, Geneva Subdivision, Phase 11, as shown on plat recorded in Book of Maps 2022, Pages 7-11, Wake County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 4305 Olde Waverly Way, Fuquay Varina, North Carolina.

Property Address: 4305 Olde Waverly Way, Fuquay Varina, NC 27526 Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to three hours as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

Should the property be purchased by a third party, 31 CFR 1031.320 requires certain qualifying residential real estate transactions to be reported

to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Garner in the County of Wake, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot 109, Clifford Grove Subdivision, Phase 2A, per plat and survey thereof recorded in Book of Maps 2019, Pages 36 through 39, inclusive, Wake County Registry, to which plat reference is hereby made for a more particular description of same. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 255 Axis Deer Lane, Garner, North Carolina.

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

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

Should the property be purchased by a third party, 31 CFR 1031.320 requires certain qualifying residential real estate transactions to be reported to the federal government. If you are the

The property is being sold “as is”, without warranties, subject to all taxes, special assessments and prior liens or encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Any assessments, costs or fees resulting from the sale will be due and

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

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

Should the property be purchased by a third party, 31 CFR 1031.320 requires certain qualifying residential real estate transactions to be reported to the federal government. If you are the successful bidder in this proceeding, you may be required to provide all applicable identifying information about yourself and, if applicable, any entity or trust purchasing the property.

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

26-125432

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

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Foundation Legal Group P.O. Box 1028 Fayetteville, NC 28302 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Phone No: (910)864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 24783 - 153535

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm, LLP P.O. Box 1028 Fayetteville, NC 28302 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Phone No: (910)864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 20394 - 97842

Inc.,

Title: Asst. Vice-President 201 S. McPherson Church Road, Ste. 201 Fayetteville, NC 28303-4995

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm, LLP P.O. Box 1028 Fayetteville, NC 28302 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Phone No: (910)864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 1273926 - 84642

VOLUME 149 ISSUE 27 | THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026

CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM

THE CHATHAM COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Up in the air

Northwood and Seaforth played in a boys’ soccer game last week. Seaforth prevailed 2-1, handing the visiting Chargers their only loss in their first five games. For more local Sports, turn to page B1.

the

BRIEF this week

ICE arrests jumped to nearly 50K in July, highest monthly total of Trump’s term Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested nearly 50,000 people in July. That marks the highest single-month total during the second Trump administration. The numbers come from the UC Berkeley Deportation Data Project. The spike follows a recalibrated immigration enforcement approach after Homeland Security officers shot two protesters in Minneapolis in January.

The increase began in June and accelerated in July, with less public exposure than during Trump’s first year.

Texas and Florida accounted for nearly 20,000 of the July arrests. The agency has been bolstered by billions of dollars from Congress and has hired 12,000 new deportation officers and agents.

Consumer confidence falls to lowest level in 7 months with gas above $4 per gallon Americans’ confidence in the economy declined this month as the ongoing Iran conflict has kept gas prices elevated at more than $4 per gallon. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index dipped to 89.4 in August from 90.2 in July. That’s the lowest level in seven months but essentially in the same lukewarm range it’s been in since the beginning of the year. In late 2024 and early 2025, the readings were consistently above 100.

Respondents’ views of their present situation improved, but their outlook for the near-term future soured.

$2.00

County design guidelines in line for updates The new revisions include suggested plant lists for developers

By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record PITTSBORO — The Chatham County Board of Commissioners met Aug. 17 with

an agenda filled with multiple public hearing matters.

The board first held a hearing for amendments and revisions to the Chatham County Design Guidelines.

The Chatham County Appearance Commission — which is composed of professionals such as landscape architects, designers, plant specialists and engineers — was first formed

more than three decades ago and is tasked with reviewing and recommending approvals of projects in the county.

Its last update for the Design Guidelines came in 2010, and county staff felt it was time for additional revisions.

“As areas get smaller, people become more, things have to change,” said Planner Angela Plummer.

Chatham County Schools ramp up with new superintendent Classes have begun in the district with the start of the new school year Chatham News & Record staff THERE WAS A new approach leading up to the opening of the school year

in Chatham County Schools.

And a new superintendent in charge.

Kelly Batten’s promotion to superintendent was announced in the spring. He formally assumed the position July 1.

Batten had been the district’s assistant superintendent for human resources. He has been

part of the district for 14 years.

Batten replaced Anthony Jackson, who left to become president and chief executive officer of the Public School Forum of North Carolina. His departure from Chatham County Schools was announced as a retirement. Jackson had been in his role since July 2021.

Another round of military exercises winds down

24

North Carolina counties in the territorial range for the Robin Sage training exercises

The territory used for the training has again included Chatham County Chatham News & Record staff THE LATEST Robin Sage training exercises for the U.S. Army’s Special Warfare Center and School are winding down this week.

The candidates are based out of Fort Bragg.

The exercises have been taking part throughout a chunk of North Carolina and small areas in South Carolina. There are 24 North Carolina counties, including Chatham, that are in the territory that might be in use.

Robin Sage is the final training exercise for students completing the Special Forces qualification course. A previous Robin Sage exercise took place in the spring, ending in early April.

“We appreciate the support and consideration the citizens of North Carolina and South Carolina extend to the soldiers participating in the exercise and thank them for their understanding of any inconveniences the training may cause,” the school said in a statement.

These exercises are sometimes conducted multiple times in a year. Chatham County has See TRAINING, page A7

The revisions will also include a suggested plants list and an invasive plant list for the development of commercial and industrial properties in the county.

“This is a great thing for Chatham County,” said Commissioner Katie Kenlan.

“There’s practical ecological and design impacts to having this list. Having this list is going to be part of what keeps this a place-based experience for people in Chatham County.”

The board also heard a general use rezoning request for around four acres of property See BOARD, page A7

Classes for the school year began Monday in the district.

Batten opted for a different build-up to the school year in terms of staff preparation.

There wasn’t in-person gathering for convocation, though Batten sent out a video message at the beginning of last week to welcome staff to the new school year and offer a general overview.

Batten called it “an intentional adjustment to our traditional convocation.”

Instead, the district’s leadership team will visit each school See SCHOOLS, page A7

A2

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

THURSDAY

8.27.26 #157

Pittsboro opens registration for fall Citizens Academy The five-week PBO-101 course gives residents a behind-the-scenes look at town government

“Join the conversation” Chatham News & Record www.chathamnewsrecord.com

North State Media LLC 303 West Raleigh Street Siler City, North Carolina 27344 Copyright 2026 Trip Hoffend Publisher Jim Sills VP of Local Newspapers Cory Lavalette Senior Editor Jordan Golson Local News Editor Bob Sutton Chatham Editor Shawn Krest Sports Editor Dan Reeves Features Editor Lauren Rose Design Editor Ryan Henkel Reporter PJ Ward-Brown Photographer BUSINESS

20

Maximum number of participants in the fall PBO-101 class

Chatham News & Record staff PITTSBORO — The Town of Pittsboro is accepting applications for the seventh offering of PBO-101, its Citizens Academy, a five-week evening course that walks participants through the inner workings of town government.

The program covers current town programs, services and procedures while offering an in-depth look at departments including administration, finance, police, development services, parks and recreation, public works and communications, along with the town’s governing board. The fall session will also include a site visit to the Pittsboro Water Treatment Plant in partnership with TriRiver Water.

Senior town staff will lead

each session in the community engagement wing of the Parks and Recreation building at 274 Pittsboro Elementary School Road. Classes will meet Wednesdays from 6-8:30 p.m. Oct. 7, 14, 21 and 28 and Nov. 4. The TriRiver Water tour is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26. A daytime version of the course will be offered next spring.

Class size is capped at 20 to allow time for discussion with town staff and hands-on exercises. Participants must be at least 18 on the first day of class, submit a completed registration form and sign a liability waiver.

Seats are first come, first served, but applications are prioritized in the following order: residents and business owners inside the town limits; those in the town’s extraterritorial jurisdiction; those elsewhere in Chatham County; and all other applicants.

To graduate and receive a certificate, participants must attend five of the six classes as well as the graduation ceremony, which will be held during the Nov. 9 Board of Commissioners meeting at 6 p.m. at the Chatham County Agriculture and Conference Center at 1192 U.S. 64 West Business. Participants who miss too many sessions may make them up in a future offering if space is available.

Registration closes at 5 p.m. Sept. 21 at pittsboronc.gov. After submitting the form, applicants will receive additional materials by email and will be formally enrolled once those forms are completed and returned to the town.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Chatham News & Record PO Box 290 Siler City, NC 27344 CONTACT US For a vacation hold or to report a delivery problem: 919-663-3232 To place a classified or display ad: 919-663-3232; Fax: 919-663-4042 To submit a news tip or correction: 919-663-3232; news@chathamnewsrecord.com

SUBSCRIPTION RATES Annual subscription rate: $104.

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

Aug. 27 79°West: Chatham Art Guild Reception 5-7 p.m.

This event features new artworks by four regional artists working in fine-art painting and ceramics. The exhibition comprises a wide range of artwork created in various media.

79°West Innovation Hub 120 Mosaic Blvd., Suite 120 Pittsboro

Aug. 27-29 “A Girl Called Tiny”

David Guy Advertising Manager Chatham News & Record (USPS #101160) is published weekly, 52 weeks a year, by North State Media LLC 303 West Raleigh Street Siler City, NC 27344

CHATHAM

7:30 p.m.

CRIME LOG Aug. 17 • Brianna Troy Turner, 37, of Siler City, was arrested for simple assault.

• Deondre Shamone Degraffenreid, 23, of Chapel Hill, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia and second-degree trespass.

• Omar Dominguez, 27, was arrested for possession of marijuana paraphernalia and possession marijuana up to half ounce.

• Ronald Lincoln Goodwin, 49, of Bear Creek, was arrested for felony conspiracy, breaking and entering and felony larceny, and other charges.

• Timothy Richard Fox, 20, of Bennett, was arrested for seconddegree kidnapping, disseminating material harmful to a minor and disseminating obscenity in pictures of an individual under 18, and other charges.

Aug. 20

• Timmy Dante Person, 46, was arrested for impaired driving.

• Brian Antonio Franco, 29, of Chapel Hill, was arrested for failure to register as a sex offender (x12).

Aug. 18 • Rafael Ibarra Ibarra, 35, was arrested for simple worthless check, misdemeanor crime of domestic violence and simple assault, and other charges.

• Carrie Anne Mote, 33, of Liberty, was arrested for felony conspiracy, obtaining property by false pretenses and attempted larceny, and other charges.

Aug. 19 • Daniell Jonathan White, 45, of Siler City, was arrested for driving while impaired and failure to maintain lane control.

• Danny Dale Scott, 68, of Bear Creek, was arrested for felony conspiracy, breaking and entering and felony larceny, and other charges.

• Louis Frazier, 68, of Bear Creek, was arrested for felony conspiracy, breaking and entering and felony larceny, and other charges.

• Mustafa Latif Kariem, 48, of Ga., was arrested for larceny motor vehicle parts.

• Danny Dale Scott, 68, was arrested for felony conspiracy, breaking and entering and felony larceny, and other charges.

• Harley Davidson Gillenwater, 44, was arrested for misdemeanor larceny, lar remove dest deact compo and shoplifting concealment goods.

• Jay Thomas Minnich, 64, of Pittsboro, was arrested for indecent exposure.

• Jose Gabriel Mercado Alfaro, 25, of Pittsboro, was arrested for assault on a female and misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

• Louis Frazier, 68, was arrested for felony conspiracy, breaking and entering and felony larceny, and other charges.

Aug. 21 • Joshua Eugene Cole, 32, was arrested for felony conspiracy, attempt breaking and entering a motor vehicle and larceny after breaking and entering, and other charges.

• Joshua Luke Brady, 38, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of methamphetamine and possession controlled substance prison jail premises, and other charges.

• Shawn Michael Seeley, 48, was arrested for felony conspiracy, breaking and entering and possession of drug paraphernalia, and other charges.

• Travis Ellis Coleman, 40, was arrested for breaking or entering.

• Wade Hampton Farrish, 73, was arrested for violation of a domestic violence protective order.

Aug. 22 • Aleaha Renne Marr, 32, was arrested for driving while impaired.

• Keyvan Keshavarz, 40, was arrested for driving while impaired and failure to maintain lane control.

• Natalie Marie Howard, 43, was arrested for simple assault.

Blue Box Theatre Company’s new musical, based on Thumbelina, is staged picnic-style on The Plant’s outdoor stage. Bring a chair or blanket; a limited number of blankets can be rented.

Rain moves the show indoors as a staged reading. Parking is free.

The Plant 220 Lorax Lane Pittsboro

Aug. 28 Bluegrass Experience at Bynum Front Porch 7-8:30 p.m.

Founded in 1971 by Tommy Edwards, this traditional bluegrass group has earned a loyal following in the Triangle area. Admission is free; donations are encouraged.

Bynum General Store 950 Bynum Road Bynum

Aug. 29-30 Come Out and Play Sculpture Show

Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements:

community@ chathamnewsrecord.com Weekly deadline is Monday at noon

Central Electric providing grants to local educators to fund innovative projects

Noon until dark

Teachers, are you looking for new opportunities to fund projects for your classroom?

JimGin Farm 150 Wild Horse Run Pittsboro

Sept. 5-6

Central Electric is awarding up to $15,000 in Bright Ideas education grants to local educators in K-12 classrooms for the 2026-27 school year.

Educators in K-12 classrooms with creative ideas for learning projects are encouraged to apply for a grant up to $2,000.

51st Annual Old-Fashioned Farmers’ Days 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Steam engines power a working sawmill, cotton gin and “steam cream” ice cream. Antique tractors, clogging, a junior dairy show, barbecue and a kids’ area fill the grounds. Admission is $5; ages 6 and under are free.

Leashed pets are allowed.

Parking is free.

Grant applications will be accepted through Sept. 15.

However, it pays to apply early.

All teachers who submit their applications by the early bird deadline of Aug. 15 will be entered into a drawing for one of five $100 Visa gift cards. Scan the QR code or visit NCBrightIdeas.com for more information or to apply!

Silk Hope Farm Heritage Park 4221 Silk Hope Road Siler City

919-774-4900 800-446-7752

—

—

128 Wilson Rd SANFORD, NC

The 25th-year outdoor sculpture opening has live music, free food and drink, and no admission fee.

CEMCPower.com

A3

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

Nothing changes yet with Supreme Court’s order on elections

Church News FIRST WESLEYAN

New postal service rules require election officials to overhaul procedures with no time to spare

CHURCH YOUTH HOT DOG FUNDRAISER Saturday, Sept. 5 | 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. $10 – includes two hot dogs, chips, drink and dessert

By Nicholas Riccardi The Associated Press THE SUPREME Court’s decision giving preliminary approval for President Donald Trump’s order restricting mail voting may not lead to a single election procedure changing during the November midterms, but it has already thrown into uncertainty the method that nearly one-third of the country uses to vote.

Rather than saying Trump’s order is legal, the high court said Monday it was too early for Democratic-run states to challenge it in June, when they convinced a federal judge in Boston to freeze the order for November’s election. That effectively restarts the legal fight over the order in an incredibly compressed timeline, with initial ballots scheduled to be sent to North Carolina’s overseas and military voters in just over a week, on Sept. 4.

A second injunction barring the U.S. Postal Service from making changes to comply with Trump’s directive remains in effect. Still, the administration late Monday filed a motion asking that the second hold be removed and has posted new regulations from the Postal Service that would go into effect if the legal pathway is fully cleared.

That new rule requires specific formatting for envelopes containing mail ballots — which may force some jurisdictions to completely revise theirs — and makes states use an electronic system to identify to the Postal Service who is voting by mail. If states don’t comply with the rule, their mail ballots won’t get sent.

The prospect of such a potential sweeping overhaul in mere days boggled critics’ minds.

In her dissent, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson warned that the decision “needlessly injects chaos and uncertainty into the upcoming midterm elections.”

David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation & Research, agreed, saying the majority “seemed to create complete chaos leading up to the midterm elections” and it’d be “impossible” for states to comply with the new rules at this late date.

Some ballots for November election set to go out within days Jesse Salinas, the registrar of Yolo County in California and president of that state’s association of election officers, noted that ballots in his state start going out in 11 days, and his county already printed its envelopes.

“You look at the timeline, and it’s a bit chaotic,” Salinas said, noting he doesn’t know precisely which envelope designs comply with the new rules.

He dismissed the idea of a last-minute revision in procedures. “The capacity to do that, I just don’t see it,” Salinas said.

Tammy Patrick, chief pro-

Location: Dry Dock Parking Lot How your suppozrt makes a difference: Every hot dog purchased contributes to sending off Christmas shoeboxes around the world for children in need.

LYNNE SLADKY / AP PHOTO

An election worker sorts vote-by-mail ballots at the MiamiDade County Supervisor of Elections Office for the Florida primary election in Doral, Fla., Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026.

“There isn’t a single state that does their elections in a way that this postal rule lays out.”

Tammy Patrick, Elections Center chief program officer gram officer at the Elections Center, an association of 2,500 election officers, warned that it’s impossible for any state to comply with the rule and that no one she talked to has tried.

“There isn’t a single state that does their elections in a way that this postal rule lays out,” Patrick said in an interview. “There has been this assumption that this is not going to happen because it could not happen the way it’s laid out because no one does it this way.”

Cisco Aguilar, the Democratic secretary of State in Nevada, where every registered voter gets a mail ballot, noted the post office had already misdelivered three dozen mail ballots from his state’s June primary.

“They’re going to come in within seven days and build a massive database that has 100% accuracy?” Aguilar said in disbelief. “It is impossible to implement this system in that time frame.”

Trump votes by mail, seeks to curb it for others Trump has long sought to make voting by mail largely impossible, though he himself has repeatedly cast his ballots by mail.

Trump falsely blamed his 2020 loss on mail voting and spun up baroque conspiracy theories that he’s tried to prove while back in office. Judges blocked him from creating new voting restrictions by executive order last year, and he only issued his latest order after his bill to revamp voting procedures stalled in the Senate amidst Democratic opposition.

The Election Assistance Commission found that 29% of voters in 2024 cast their ballots through the mail. Democrats are more likely to use mail voting than Republicans, a reflection of how the process has become polarized since Trump began attacking it in 2020.

Still, the president has to date

been unable to make the sweeping changes he’s sought because the Constitution grants control of voting rules to states, and in federal elections, to Congress — not the president.

Legal experts stressed that’s why they view it as unlikely Trump’s order will actually be implemented. Not only did the majority in the Supreme Court’s unsigned order note that it hasn’t determined whether the measure is constitutional, but every victory the administration has won so far has only been because it’s argued that it’s premature to talk about its constitutionality. Opponents are already weighing new lawsuits since the final rule was published Friday night.

More litigation expected Becker, a former Department of Justice lawyer who co-wrote a book debunking Trump’s 2020 election lies, added that he expects the next round of litigation to keep the order from being implemented in November. Rick Hasen, a UCLA law professor, said after the ruling, “This doesn’t necessarily mean anything in terms of November.”

Derek Muller, a Notre Dame law professor, said the Supreme Court still ensured a fraught court battle in the coming days.

“It puts courts in a terrible place because whatever happens is super close to the election,” Muller said. “If it permits it, it creates super disruption for the states. If it suspends it, it visibly angers the administration.”

Hasen said it’s inconceivable that the regulation will impact voters in November.

“Both legal and practical reasons make this practically impossible to enforce,” he said of Trump’s mail voting order.

Elections are run by local officials in thousands of scattered offices, many of which don’t even have a full-time employee. Patrick said that those who work in the field have been left reeling.

“Election officials just feel like punching bags at this moment because they plan one way of conducting their elections and have contingency plans if a fire breaks out or one location loses power,” Patrick said. “But how do you plan for something that affects one-third, one-half or all of your voters?”

Let’s eat, connect and make a difference!

Please contact Ashley: 919·395-0916

HOUSE OF PRAYER FELLOWSHIP CHURCH The House of Prayer Fellowship Church at 549 Horton Road in Goldston warmly invites you to join us for our annual Family and Friends Day on Sunday, Aug. 30 at 11 a.m.

Our guest speaker will be Pastor Claudia Greene of Alston Chapel United Church of Christ in Sanford. Dinner will be served afterward. We welcome everyone to come and participate in this special celebration!

LIGHT REVEALS THE EVIL! Bible study: Matthew 4:16-25. Church of Living Water; Pastor: James Mitchell.

America and the world have been accepting the evil that’s going on. But it’s past time that America First Patriots start taking action before it’s too late.

The Democrat Socialist Party of America must be stopped! These evil politicians must not come into power! We must hold the Senate and the House so President Trump can continue to make America great again! President Trump gave the citizens of America the biggest tax break—no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and no tax on Social Security. He has stopped Iran from having a nuclear bomb with help from our greatest ally, Israel! God’s Word says He will bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse Israel. Genesis 12:2-3. The Democrat/Socialist/ Communist Party, with the help of radical Muslims, wants to take over America. The illegals/criminals are taking American citizens’ jobs, housing, insurance, and are responsible for killing and raping our citizens. They want to do away with our law enforcement so they can’t be stopped. Activist judges are working with these criminals. They are trying to stop everything President Trump is doing to make America great again. Some in California are saying it’s okay to steal. The Democrat Socialist Party wants WR WDNH \RXU PRQH\ \RXU ODQG DQG \RXU EHQH¿WV Those in darkness had better wake up before it’s too ODWH -HVXV¶ ¿UVW VHUPRQ WR WKH SHRSOH ZDV WR UHSHQW America, I pray you see the darkness of evil that will destroy America! I pray that all see the light of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Won’t you come and have all your sins forgiven? Jesus is your victory over drugs, alcoholism, gambling, and misery. We PXVW QRW JLYH XS WKH ¿JKW IRU *RG DQG +LV FKLOGUHQ shall be victorious. Keep the faith!

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••• LYNNE SLADKY / AP PHOTO

Election workers sort vote-by-mail ballots at the Miami-Dade County Supervisor of Elections Office for the Florida primary election Aug. 18 in Doral, Florida.

Weekly deadline is Monday at noon.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

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

COLUMN | ANDREW TAYLOR-TROUTMAN

Winnie-the-Pooh centennial celebration “Nostalgia” literally means “homesickness” and was originally coined 300 years ago by a Swiss doctor to describe soldiers.

THIS MONTH, we celebrate one hundred years of Winnie-the-Pooh — the “willy nilly silly old bear” — along with Tigger, Eeyore, Piglet and the rest of the gang in the Hundred Acre Wood. A.A. Milne based the character Christopher Robin on his son and modeled the setting on the Ashdown Forest outside his home in Sussex, England.

Today, Kathryn Aalto is part of the conservation efforts of the same forest. She noted that Milne wrote his stories during a time of social unrest and anxiety. Pooh and company provided a respite from such concerns, and not only for young readers. Marking the centennial of Milne’s publication, Aalto wrote, “We don’t return to Winnie-the-Pooh because we want to be children again. We return because we want to remember what childhood felt like. The seemingly endless possibilities of the outdoors as our imaginations ran wild and free.”

Earlier this summer, my daughter and I went to see her friend in a children’s production of Winnie-the-Pooh. Put on

by Studio 1 of the Snow Camp Outdoor Theatre, the play was terrific! The plot

centered on a note written by Christopher Robin: “Gon out. Bisy. Backson.” — a misspelling of “Gone out. Busy. Back soon.”

Owl, the supposedly wise one, convinced the other animals that a horrible monster called the Backson had kidnapped Christopher Robin. Egged on by the nervous Rabbit, Pooh and his friends dug a hole to capture the Backson, but eventually they all fell in. Christopher Robin returned and helped them. All was well.

Every ticket holder was there because one of our loved ones was performing. But I looked around and saw something else besides pride shining in the eyes of the adults — the nostalgia that Aalto identified as the underlying reason we return to these stories. I know I was not the only grownup who had loved Pooh as a child.

“Nostalgia” literally means “homesickness” and was originally coined 300 years ago by a Swiss doctor to describe soldiers. But those men had a lot of other stress factors that resulted in their symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Modern scientists believe nostalgia can “promote greater social connectedness, self-esteem and levels of optimism”

(Dr. Smitha Bhandari on WebMD). The children’s play evoked all these positive impacts in the smiles on the faces of my fellow audience members and also the tears glistening in their eyes.

In the lobby after the show, I overheard some adults talking about Milne’s characters, specifically which traits they most identified with when they were young. One woman said she was enthusiastic like Tigger; another admitted she felt timid like Piglet. Smiling gently, the first person responded, “Perhaps we have a little bit of all of them in us.”

I thought to myself, “That was a Pooh-like thing to say!” And I felt warm inside.

Happy birthday, Winnie-the-Pooh! May your gentle wisdom shine through the young and rekindle the faith of children at heart.

Andrew Taylor-Troutman’s newest book is “This Is the Day.” He serves as pastor of Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church as well as a writer, pizza maker, coffee drinker and student of joy.

COLUMN | BOB WACHS

Some things really do go naturally together I say all that to say that there really are some things that go together in our lives or when you have one you almost automatically think of the other.

IN THE MOVIE “Forrest Gump,” the Tom Hanks-played main character says numerous times that he and his lady love Jenny go together “just like peas and carrots.”

Now, not everybody likes peas and carrots, I know, so for them they don’t go together, but they do for me. I like peas and carrots, by themselves or in chicken pot pie. I like English peas, what Shirley refers to as “silly little peas,” cooked with new potatoes and some pastry. My mama used to do that when I was a tender lad of 6 or 11 or 14. And Shirley not often enough throws together a carrot dish that she calls “dimes” or “silver dollars” or some other piece of money. All I know is that they’re sliced across like dimes or nickels and the sauce or whatever that stuff the dish is in has lots of sugar.

I say all that to say that there really are some things that go together in our lives or when you have one you almost automatically think of the other. I know that varies from person to person depending on who we are and what floats our boat. But one of the good things about them, especially when it comes to chow, is not only how tasty good they are but also, when it comes to something other than chow, how sweet the memories can be.

Case in point: I seldom eat a hot dog that’s served in one of those little ruffled paper holders without thinking of my Uncle Frank Durham. He wasn’t a bit of blood kin to me, but his wife was the daughter of the lady in Bynum who reared my daddy and who always referred to Louise as “Sister” and her mother as “Mama.” My brothers and I always referred to the two of

them as “Uncle Frank and Louise.” I’m not really sure exactly why we spoke that way, and I don’t remember how we called her or spoke to her directly. What I do know is we always called him “Uncle Frank.”

Anyway, when I was the tender age of 5, I spent a year at the Governor Morehead School in Raleigh, aka “the State School for the Blind.” I had an issue with my eyes, and my folks weren’t really sure how I was going to turn out as far as being able to see very well, so they thought I should get a head start just in case. In time, the folks at the long-gone McPherson Hospital in Durham helped me turn some corners with glasses and contact lenses, but that year going to school in Raleigh had some benefits.

One of them occurred every Sunday night when my folks and, most of the time, Uncle Frank (again) and Louise would take me back to my buddies in the dorm on the Raleigh campus off Western Boulevard. In those dark days of early civilization, there was no I-40 or 440 or four-lane this or that. There was just U.S. 64 in its radiant two-lane glory going through Pittsboro and Apex and Cary and on into Raleigh.

Along that stretch between Apex and Cary was a restaurant that, I think, went by the name Seaboard Something or Another.

That was, I think, because it was beside or across the road from a pond and the old, now long-gone Seaboard Airline Railway train tracks passed by the place. What was the key, however, was that it was where I got my Sunday night staple of two hot dogs all the way and a significant amount of chocolate milk.

I think it’s the smell of the hot dogs — and that’s the association of things going

together I spoke of earlier — that makes me remember Uncle Frank. The combination of the chili that soaks into the paper holder always takes about, dare I say it, more than 70-plus years off my life, and I am once again that little guy.

There is also another nasal association I have with him of things going together, namely Juicy Fruit chewing gum. Today it’s too sweet for me; rather have Spearmint or something similar. But I used to pound a stick or two of Juicy Fruit between my ivories until the cows came home twice, and every time I smell Juicy Fruit I think of him.

The other day on purpose I got a pack of Juicy Fruit just to smell it. Chewed one stick; the rest is on my desk. It may be another five years before a second one is chewed, but the same association will be there, I’m sure.

He also used to give me a dime every time we said “Goodbye” too, but I didn’t eat those. Comic books were only 10 cents at the turn of the century then, so that’s where my financial bonanza went. Come to think of it, I think hot dogs were maybe a dime at the time, too, so maybe the dimes are the real association.

Anyway, those things — and there are others — are pretty special and really important to me. I hope you’ve got some; if not, find or make some. And if you need help, let me know. A good hot dog is never out of season ... or out of mind.

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

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

COLUMN | JAN HUTTON

COLUMN | RICH LOWRY

Partners in crime

AI and web tracking guys, have you been observing me, in my house, this whole time?

I’M BEING FOLLOWED! I’m being followed by …

Whoops, getting way ahead of myself.

Backtracking: AI (artificial intelligence) and web tracking, I’m coming for you. Well, that’s not exactly true because you have already come for me … and didn’t even ask.

AI and web tracking guys, have you been observing me, in my house, this whole time? Perchance listening to very personal conversations on the phone and those with visiting friends? Yes, you, Alexa!

Listening to us and then busting into our conversation with commentary. We have no idea what triggered your entrance into our personal business. That’s a tad scary, you know. (“The Twilight Zone” theme cues up in the background.) Ms. Alexa, you’ve also been privy to my various expletive-laden accidental encounters with furniture in my house. (It really, really hurts. C’mon …)

Mr. Web Tracking, ahem, now about you.

I was googling new toilets for a friend, and suddenly found toilets, of all sorts, popping up in my Facebook feed. Toilets! Enough already. You’ve posted an ad in my digital New York Times, calling attention to the new brand of granola I just ordered, 24 hours ago, from Amazon! (True, it is awfully tasty. I

just don’t like being shadowed all the time.)

By the way, Mr. Web Tracking, did you enjoy that quirky new website I discovered yesterday: The Official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register? What a hoot! And those pics …

I have been so incredibly judgmental of you guys, Ms. AI and Mr. Web Tracking.

Conversely, I cannot forget all the beloved beluga whales and orca videos that now populate my Facebook feed, thanks to y’all. I love ’em! Pleading that no great white sharks show up. Ever. I’d have a heart attack.

What to do with you, AI and Web Tracking? I feel your tangible presence following me around, uninvited, all the time, taking note of my private life. Don’t care for that at all.

Deep, deep breath. I’m going to do nothing. All the options I’ve explored for taming your invasiveness call for more technology skills than I have or more money than I wish to spend. All I ask is that you keep Great Whites out of my digital feeds.

For the moment, I’ll live with the rest.

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

COLUMN | BONNER COHEN

No, MIT, ‘Clean Energy’ isn’t the future — nor is it really clean According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, by 2030, the nation could have as much as 1 million tons of solar panel waste on its hands.

IS THE WORLD still transitioning to green energy in the era of Donald Trump and in the midst of, yet again, geopolitical unpleasantness in the oil-rich Middle East?

While climate activists bewail the Trump administration’s embrace of fossil fuels and its corresponding disdain for solar panels and wind turbines, a new report released by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Center for Energy and Environmental Research says greener days may yet be in our future.

The report, “Glass Half-Full: Building a Decarbonized U.S. Power Sector,” sees a green light at the end of Trump’s dark tunnel of dismantling Biden-era climate policies. Focusing exclusively on electricity generation over the next decade, the report uses a mathematical model to compare how much “clean power” will survive the Trump administration’s phase-out of wind and solar subsidies and its scuttling of other green-energy initiatives with what would have been produced under Biden-era climate policies.

According to the model, the energy transition is alive and well, with about three-quarters of the “clean electricity capacity” that would have come online under the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act and power plant regulations surviving the Trump onslaught. Yes, onshore wind power will take a hit, and other decarbonization initiatives will be delayed.

But the headwinds that the vaunted transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy is encountering show no sign of letting up. A recent report from the BlueGreen Alliance, a partnership between labor and environmental organizations, found that the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act and other Trump energy initiatives have already delayed or canceled 223 wind and solar projects representing at least $82 billion in capital investment and 111,000 green-energy jobs. While a few coastal wind facilities survive, since March, developers have canceled five leases for offshore wind projects in coastal California, New York, Maine, Louisiana and North Carolina valued at more than $3.9 billion. In accordance with agreements developers negotiated with the Trump administration, most of that money will be redirected to oil and gas projects, geothermal development and upgrading the power grid.

Furthermore, “deep decarbonization” has been aggressively pursued in Europe, with disastrous results. “From 2015-2025, the first decade of the Paris Agreement on climate change, global energy consumption rose by more than 14%, with sharply contrasting dynamics,” notes Samuel Furfari, professor of energy geopolitics at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. “Europe’s decrease in energy use is no triumph of ecological heroics but rather

the outcome of the assault of the EU Green Deal on competitiveness and its predictable deindustrialization and economic decline.”

Citing a recent Energy Institute report showing fossil fuels make up 86% of global primary energy consumption, with wind and solar accounting for just 3%, Furfari, writing in The Center Square, throws cold water on the idea of an energy transition. “The dominance of fossil fuels in the world energy system persists even as wind and solar, expensive and intermittent, expand. The world is undergoing an energy addition, not a transition, as new technologies supplement the growing capacity of legacy sources.”

Japan, the world’s fourth-largest economy and once a champion of decarbonization, has responded to the recent Middle East energy bottlenecks by reducing its liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from that troubled region (while increasing LNG imports from the U.S.), ramping up coal-fired generation and restarting nuclear power plants. Wind and solar power, along with battery storage, are being pushed aside.

In addition to failing to meet the soaring global demand for affordable and reliable energy, what is billed as “clean energy” — in the MIT report and elsewhere — isn’t really clean. Wind turbines and solar panels may not produce carbon emissions, but they do create waste — lots of it. Disposal of giant wind turbines in landfills is often the only way to deal with equipment that is no longer serviceable.

“Blades are frequently buried in fragments in several landfills throughout the Great Plains, transforming sites in Wyoming, Iowa, and South Dakota into wind turbine graveyards. By 2050, the cumulative decommissioning material from wind turbines could reach 133 million tons,” noted Ariel Cohen in Forbes.

Out-of-service solar panels, laden with lead, cadmium and other heavy metals, pose their own environmental problems.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, by 2030, the nation could have as much as 1 million tons of solar panel waste on its hands.

These not-so-clean, weather-dependent energy sources will never be more than bit players in today’s fast-moving, technology-driven industrial revolution.

Bonner Russell Cohen is a senior policy analyst with the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT).

(Copyright Daily Caller Foundation 2026)

Trump’s fondness for Kim Jong Un sends the wrong signal IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE that Kim Jong Un is really this charming. President Donald Trump touted his fond relationship with the North Korean dictator in a Truth Social post calling for scaling back a long-running annual military exercise with the South Koreans.

“Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un,” Trump wrote, “I am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea.” According to Trump, the exercises “send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile, to a Country that, as long as Donald J. Trump has been President, has been unthreatening and respectful.” Then he added that South Korea had recently declined to take a role in the Iran war, clearly irking Trump, as he subsequently explained to reporters at the White House.

The joint exercises have been a key element of the U.S.-South Korea military alliance for decades. They are meant to ensure that the two countries are prepared in the event of a North Korean assault, and perhaps now have an added importance given the experience North Korea has gained in high-intensity modern warfare by bolstering Russian forces in Ukraine.

Much more important than the practical effect of Trump’s fusillade, though, is the signal it sends, yet again, that he is easily disenchanted with longtime allies whose friendship should be considered a strategic boon to the United States.

Whether musing about making Canada the 51st state, briefly campaigning to take control of Greenland, imposing tariffs on friend and foe alike, or hammering NATO, Trump has been careless of the goodwill of our allies.

They need us more than we need them, which means they are willing to put up with a lot, but sowing dissension unnecessarily is a foolhardy game at a time of growing international threats.

South Korea has been a treaty ally since 1953 and is a wealthy, technologically advanced democracy that occupies strategically important ground in Northeast Asia. It is obviously both threatened by and a bulwark against potential North Korean adventurism.

Pete Hegseth visited South Korea last year and said, “Our alliance is stronger than ever before, 72 years strong.” He described the inspiring sight of U.S. and South Korean soldiers standing “shoulder to shoulder working together.” South Korea has been committed to increasing its defense spending to 3.5% of GDP. In light of this, Hegseth subsequently averred, “Model allies that step up, like Israel, South Korea, Poland ... will receive our special favor.”

Such assurances by administration officials are always subject to change, depending on Trump’s animosities at any given time.

It’s certainly true that South Korea owes its existence to us. We fought to preserve its independence at a great cost in blood and treasure during the Korean War, and we have nearly 30,000 troops on the peninsula to deter North Korea from assaulting the South again. Seoul has lent support to recent U.S. military operations, typically in noncombat roles, but it’s understandable that it wouldn’t be enthused about taking part in an Iran war that hasn’t gone as planned and that has no clear endgame.

As for the North, it isn’t our friend. It is firmly within the China-Russia axis and has been developing its nuclear and missile arsenal apace. There is no reason to believe that any blandishments from Trump will change its behavior, and Kim has been clear that the U.S. needs to abandon its “obsession” with denuclearization.

What we most need from South Korea is for it to be as strong as possible to deter North Korea, and we shouldn’t be lending any credence to its claim that U.S.-South Korean exercises are provocations or sowing doubt about our commitment to allies.

Such diplomatic episodes, though, are an inherent part of Trump’s governance.

To paraphrase the Roman writer Publilius Syrus: Prosperity makes friends, adversity tries them, and Trump distresses them — unnecessarily.

Rich Lowry is editor of the National Review. (Copyright 2026

by King Features Synd., Inc.)

BE IN TOUCH

Letters to the editor may be sent to letters@nsjonline.com or mailed to 1201 Edwards Mill Rd., Suite 300, Raleigh, NC 27607. Letters must be signed; include the writer’s phone number, city and state; and be no longer than 300 words. Letters may be edited for style, length or clarity when necessary. Ideas for op-eds should be sent to opinion@nsjonline.com.

Contact a writer or columnist: connect@northstatejournal.com

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

obituaries DOROTHY DIANE GOLDSTON MARTIN AUG. 14, 2025 Ms. Dorothy Diane (Goldston) Martin, 87, of Goldston, North Carolina entered into eternal rest on Friday, August 14, 2026, at her residence. Arrangements are entrusted to McLeod Funeral Home of Sanford, North Carolina.

RODNEY BRIAN BRADY NOV. 4, 1967 – AUG. 18, 2026 Rodney Brian Brady, of Bear Creek, North Carolina, passed away on August 18, 2026. He was born on November 4, 1967, and was a lifelong resident of Chatham County.

Rodney was a member of Fall Creek Baptist Church and a graduate of Chatham Central High School, where he made lasting memories and had record-breaking seasons as a pitcher for the Bears baseball team. His love of sports and the outdoors continued throughout his life.

An avid sportsman, Rodney enjoyed hunting and fishing.

He also had a deep interest in military history and spent many hours watching the History and Military channels. Each year around Thanksgiving, watching “Thanksgiving” was a tradition he looked forward to.

Rodney is survived by his loving wife, Jamie Stumpf Brady; his daughter, Jordan Brady Mains and her husband, Larry; his son, James Aaron Brady and his wife, Brooke; his grandson, Jesse Luke Brady; and his mother, Tina Phillips Brady.

He was preceded in death by his father, Jesse “Bub” Brady.

Rodney will be remembered for his love of family, his lifelong connection to Chatham County, his passion for the outdoors, and the interests and traditions that brought him joy.

Early Motown songwriter Janie Bradford Hobbs dies in Los Angeles after illness at age 87

By Corey Williams The Associated Press EARLY MOTOWN songwriter Janie Bradford Hobbs, who helped pen hits including “Money (That’s What I Want)” and “Too Busy Thinking About My Baby,” has died following an extended illness at a Los Angeles hospital, her family said Saturday. She was 87.

Bradford Hobbs was born in Charleston, Missouri, and later moved to Detroit.

She was introduced in the late 1950s to Motown founder Berry Gordy by neighbor and singer Jackie Wilson. She joined Motown as a receptionist in 1958 and like many of the company’s employees took part in the creative process that helped make Motown a music industry powerhouse.

She and Gordy co-wrote “Money (That’s What I Want).”

The song was recorded in 1959

by Barrett Strong and became an early hit. It was covered by The Beatles and also became one of that group’s hits.

“Too Busy Thinking About My Baby” first was recorded

by The Temptations and later became a hit for Marvin Gaye. Bradford Hobbs also wrote songs for Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Martha & The Vandellas and others.

“Janie was there with me from the very beginning, be-

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“Janie was there with me from the very beginning, before there was even a Motown, and she will always hold a very special place in my heart and in the Motown family.”

Berry Gordy, Motown founder fore there was even a Motown, and she will always hold a very special place in my heart and in the Motown family,” Gordy said in a statement.

“Janie was one of a special group I have always thought of as the original Motown family — the unsung heroes who believed in the dream before anyone knew what Motown would become,” Gordy continued. “She was one of the people who helped make Motown what it became.”

Bradford Hobbs later became head of writer relations for Jobete, Motown’s publishing company. After leaving Motown, she founded the annual Heroes and Legends Awards. The event spanned about 30 years, honoring music icons and awarding scholarships, according to her family.

She is survived by her husband, Wardean Hobbs; daughter, Nicole Hobbs; son, Lance Finney; and two grandsons. Funeral services have not been completed.

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

Nancy Kassebaum Baker, former US senator from Kansas, dead at 94 Her moderate Republican politics won support from voters of all political stripes

By John Hanna The Associated Press TOPEKA, Kan. — Nancy Kassebaum Baker, a Kansas governor’s daughter who became the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate without following a spouse into office, has died. She was 94.

Kassebaum Baker died Friday of natural causes, according to her son, Bill Kassebaum.

“She loved Kansas. She loved people from Kansas and representing Kansas for 18 years in the U.S. Senate,” he told The Associated Press. “She was an independent-minded Republican who was willing to stand up for what she thought was right, even if that meant going against the party.”

She was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1978 and served three terms. Her modest demeanor endeared her to voters of all political stripes, though she shared the moderate, progressive Republican politics of her father, Gov. Alf Landon, the unsuccessful 1936 GOP nominee for president. Even after leaving the Senate early in 1997, she continued taking on public service roles.

She married former Sen. Howard Baker, a Tennessee Republican, in 1996. He died in 2014.

Kassebaum Baker remained an icon for Kansans generally.

She could work with Senate colleagues of all political philosophies, and a 1996 health insurance law bore her name, along with that of liberal Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy.

Centrist politician from America’s heartland Her election to the Senate brought her immediate national attention. When she announced her retirement, she was among eight women senators and the only one to chair a Senate committee, the Labor and Human Resources panel.

She was also in a dwindling bloc of moderate-to-liberal Republicans, having supported for example a ban on assault weapons championed by President Bill Clinton, a Democrat.

Yet she never polarized Kansas conservatives as other GOP moderates did. She connected with voters because she never seemed caught up in the trappings of power, and when she retired, she acknowledged, “I’d rather cuddle up and do needlepoint all day.”

She was born July 29, 1932, as her father, an oilman from Independence, was running for the first of his two terms as governor. She earned a political science degree from the University of Kansas and a master’s degree in diplomatic history from the University of Michigan in the mid-1950s.

She was a radio-station executive, spent a year in the 1970s on the staff of Kansas Sen. James Pearson and served on the school board in the Wichita suburb of Maize. She had four children with her first husband, Phil Kassebaum, including Bill, who served a term in the Kansas House. The marriage ended in divorce in 1979.

Moderate who sought sensible solutions When Kassebaum Baker decided to run for the U.S. Senate, she figured that “a woman with a background different from a man might be appealing” to people growing weary of politics. Pundits at the time estimated a Senate race would require the then-huge-for-Kansas

CHARLES W. HARRITY / AP PHOTO

Sen. Nancy Kassebaum (R-Kan.) reflects on her first year as the junior senator from Kansas in her Washington, D.C., office in December 1979. sum of $1 million. In the first quarter of 1978, she spent less than $12,000 on her campaign and saw herself “at the bottom of the totem pole.”

However, nine candidates crowded the primary field, including three state senators and a prominent Wichita businessman. Kassebaum Baker won the GOP nomination with less than 31% of the vote.

Running as Nancy Landon Kassebaum, she won almost 54% of the vote that November against former two-term Democratic congressman Bill Roy. Her moderate politics quickly came to the fore when only months later she refused to endorse an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to require a balanced budget.

“We should be wary of the seemingly simple solution,” she said.

Her father, who would die at age 100 in 1987, still cast a long political shadow during her first years in office. Though he’d overwhelmingly lost the 1936 presidential race to Democratic incumbent Franklin Roosevelt, he later became an elder statesman for the party. A lecture series named for him at Kansas State University attracted presidents and foreign leaders.

Kassebaum Baker became even more popular in her time.

She won reelection in 1984 with 76% of the vote and in 1990 with 74% of the vote.

But she frustrated conservative activists despite her popularity. She said her vote in favor of the assault weapons ban inspired the angriest mail of her career.

Public servant to end She’d contemplated not seeking a third term, but Republican leaders had prevailed upon her to run one more time. In 1996, when she decided not to seek reelection, she said she would return to a ranch and 90-year-old farmhouse in Kansas’ scenic Flint Hills and babysit her grandchildren — she had seven, as well as two great-grandchildren.

When there briefly was talk of naming a new highway in Topeka after her, she said, “Oh, goodness. Absolutely not — no.”

She and Baker kept their romance low-key, and specula-

“She was an independentminded Republican who was willing to stand up for what she thought was right, even if that meant going against the party.”

Bill Kassebaum, son

tion about a possible marriage didn’t emerge until mid-1996, in a Washington Post story. They married that December.

It was the first time a man and a woman who had both served in the Senate had wed. Baker was elected to three terms and served from 1967 to 1985 before becoming President Ronald Reagan’s chief of staff. His first wife, Joy, had died in 1993 after a long battle with cancer.

After the marriage, public service still beckoned, including as a member of a bipartisan commission on campaign finance reform under Clinton and on a British commission in Africa in 2004-05.

President George W. Bush named her husband ambassador to Japan in 2001, and she went with him for the four-year posting. Baker said she became an important figure in the Asian nation.

Before she left for Tokyo, she told a reporter she saw her stint in Japan as an adventure but added, “All I can say is, I will miss the Kansas prairie.”

Not a fan of Trump Later in life, Kassebaum Baker broke with the Republican Party as it became more conservative, endorsing Democratic candidates for Kansas governor and U.S. senator, including Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly both times — even though Kelly’s 2022 GOP opponent, then state-Attorney General Derek Schmidt, had worked on her Senate staff.

She also declared in 2021 that President Donald Trump should be impeached after Trump supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol hoping to stop congressional certification of Trump’s defeat in 2020 by Democrat Joe Biden.

“This just has gone too far,” she told Kansas City’s KMBC.

A7

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

Bessent says new US sanctions aim to block all potential sources of revenue for Iran Iran’s rial hit record lows as U.S. sanctions and blockade deepen economic crisis

By Farnoush Amiri, Christopher Rugaber and Aamer Madhani The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a new round of sanctions aimed at Iran on Monday and warned every country that does business with the Islamic Republic to sever those financial ties or face retaliation from the United States.

The new warnings to further cut off Iran from the rest of the world economy were issued after President Donald Trump pledged last week to unleash an “economic D-Day” against Tehran as the administration struggles to find an off-ramp after nearly six months of war.

“We are level-setting with every country to tell them our expectations. We know who they are. They know who they are,” Bessent told a news conference. “So when the hammer of U.S. Treasury actions falls upon them, they will have no one to blame but themselves.”

Washington has promised the new sanctions would put

even more pressure on an Iranian economy already battered by previous sanctions and a U.S. naval blockade. But the announcement Monday provided little detail and did not name which countries could face secondary sanctions. China, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates are Iran’s largest trade partners.

Bessent said Trump has been “making phone calls to world leaders with specific requests to cease their interactions” with Iran and has already seen results. The UAE announced last week that it was suspending all trade, commercial exchanges and financial transactions with Iran until further notice after a reported missile attack on the Gulf country.

“I am confident the president, as you all know, is quite persuasive,” Bessent said, adding that the UAE decision was “not a coincidence.”

Shortly before the announcement, Iranian parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said the U.S. is not in an economic position to further restrict Tehran’s relations with other countries.

“Iran’s trading partners, both in the media and through messages sent to us, have made it clear that they don’t take these statements into account anywhere,” Qalibaf, who has

been Iran’s lead negotiator over the past six months, posted on X. Iranian currency falls to record low Hours before Bessent’s announcement, Iran’s currency hit a record low.

The rial dropped to 2.02 million to the U.S. dollar as trading opened on currency markets. Iran’s official Central Bank rate stood at around 1.5 million rial to the dollar, but the market rate is what most Iranians pay.

The currency had already been under pressure before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, as Iran faced double-digit inflation and negative growth. The rial has repeatedly hit new lows as nearly six months of war have taken an even greater toll.

Iranians find daily staples increasingly unaffordable.

Since the war began, rice is up some 60% and beef prices are more than 150% higher. The International Monetary Fund forecasts that gross domestic product will contract more than 5%.

Still, economic pressure has not yet translated into political pressure. Iran retains a key strategic advantage: Its attacks and threats on ships in the Strait of Hormuz have brought

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traffic in the vital waterway to a near halt, damaging the world economy and heaping pressure on Trump ahead of congressional elections.

The war, as a result, has devolved into a fight over who controls the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil transited before the conflict. Iran is now refusing to fully reopen it unless it can charge ships.

Iran and Oman, which is on the opposite side of the strait, are reportedly in the final stages of agreeing on a plan for joint management of the waterway.

Pakistani delegation visits Iran Pakistan, which played a key role in brokering a 60day ceasefire in June, sent a high-level delegation to Iran on Monday to encourage the U.S. and Iran to return to negotiations, two senior officials said.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media on the record.

The military confirmed only Field Marshal Asim Munir’s visit, saying it was aimed at de-escalating tensions in the region.

Trump spoke with Munir ahead of the army chief’s visit to Iran, according to a person

“We know who they are. They know who they are. So when the hammer of U.S. Treasury actions falls upon them, they will have no one to blame but themselves.”

Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury secretary familiar with the discussion.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity to confirm a private conversation. Reuters, citing Pakistani sources, first reported the call.

Munir met Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni in Tehran, according to the two senior officials. Munir was accompanied by Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and other officials. Munir was expected to remain in Iran overnight and meet the Iranian president and other senior officials before returning to Pakistan.

His previous visit to Tehran in May helped pave the way for a memorandum of understanding signed by the U.S. and Iran in June.

In downtown Tehran, 73-year-old Sadegh Mahmoudi did not hold out hope for a resolution. He joined a line of about a dozen people to purchase U.S. dollars with his remaining savings to hedge against further declines.

“There is no hope for a deal and peace,” he said.

BOARD from page A1 located at 82 Bonlee Bennett Road requesting to go from neighborhood business to residential.

The property was originally zoned NB a few years back as the applicant had planned to convert an existing home into a mixed-use space with retail and residential, however, that business plan is no longer feasible.

The final hearing was for a special use permit request for the construction of a new 200-foot telecommunications tower located at 1879 Andrews Store Road.

The tower will be utilized by Verizon to improve its network, although the tower will have space for up to three additional connections.

Following the hearings, the board sent all three items to the planning board for review. The planning board will next meet Sept. 1.

The board also approved a general use rezoning request for around 300 acres of property located off of Christian Chapel Church Road to go from residential to heavy industrial.

Finally, the board voted to table a request for a special use permit for around four acres of property locat-

“As areas get smaller, people become more, things have to change.”

Angela Plummer, planner ed at 1656 Campbell Road that was intended to allow a contractor’s storage yard and staging area to be developed due to concerns surrounding potential noise at the site.

“The information that has been provided is helpful, but it is a little bit in a vacuum just not knowing what this might actually look like or sound like in operation and what could potential improvements look like and sound like,” said Commissioner Karen Howard.

“Unfortunately, we can’t do anything about the existing industrial facility that is there,” said Board Chair Amanda Robertson. “We can’t do anything about the sound that is already out there, but I feel good that (the owner) is doing something to try and spread out and hopefully lessen the noise.”

The Chatham County Board of Commissioners will next meet Sept. 21.

SCHOOLS from page A1 for a faculty meeting during the first quarter of the school year.

Batten said it’s important to build on the foundation that has been set and the goals that have been established.

“This is an important transition year for our district,” Batten said. “We’re celebrating the progress of our current strategic plan while working together to shape our next five-year vision.”

TRAINING from page A1 been among the areas listed in the past.

The Robin Sage exercises put candidates in simulated armed conflict, represented by a fictional country.

Upon successful completion, the students will receive their first Special Forces assignments.

“This is an important transition year for our district.”

Kelly Batten, school superintendent Batten was groomed as a school administrator in Wake County Public School System and later was the principal at Carrboro High School.

The exercises have been coordinated with public safety officials. Training areas and vehicles in the exercises have clear labels.

Residents in participating areas might have heard blank gunfire and/or have seen flares. The school said controls have been put in place to prevent any risks to people and property in these areas.

A8

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

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A9

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

TAKE NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS 22E000082-180 NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY The undersigned, Rochelle Bryarley, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Brandon Wade Bryarley deceased, late of Chatham County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the day of November 11, 2026 or this notice will be plead in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 13th day of August 2026.

Rochelle Bryarley Administrator Marie H. Hopper Attorney for the Estate Hopper Cummings, PLLC Post Office Box 1455 Pittsboro, NC 27312

NOTICE TO CREDITORS STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY 26E000465-180 The undersigned, Angela Lenetta Horton aka Angela Horton Sheffield, having been appointed as Executor of the Estate of Hazel Newby Horton, aka Hazel Marie Horton, Deceased, late of Guilford County, North Carolina, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the Estate to present such claims to the undersigned in care of the undersigned’s Attorney at their address on or before, November 13, 2026 or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the above-named Executor.

This the 13th day of August, 2026.

Angela Lenetta Horton aka Angela Horton Sheffield, Administrator Estate of Hazel Newby Horton, aka Hazel Marie Horton Justin N. Plummer, Esq. Law Offices of Cheryl David 528 College Rd. Greensboro, NC 27410 Phone No.: (336) 547-9999 Fax No.: (336) 547-9477 Run Dates: August 13, August 20, August 27, September 3, 2026

NOTICE TO CREDITORS 26E000473-180 NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY The undersigned, Jodi N. Wiley, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Loretta A. Neely, deceased, late of Chatham County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the day of November 18, 2026 or this notice will be plead in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 20th day of August 2026.

Jodi N. Wiley Executor Marie H. Hopper Attorney for the Estate Hopper Cummings, PLLC Post Office Box 1455 Pittsboro, NC 27312

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS CHATHAM COUNTY HAVING QUALIFIED as Executor of the Estate of Marcella Lauretta Culberson of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 5th day of November, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

This the 29th day of July, 2026.

Albert Tracy Culberson 2849 Silk Hope Liberty Road Siler City, North Carolina 27344 MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850 4tp

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE’S NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE OF REAL PROPERTY THIS ACTION BROUGHT PURSUANT TO THE POWER AND AUTHORITY contained within that certain Deed of Trust executed and delivered by Cynthia M. Anderson and Richard L. Anderson dated May 4, 2001 and recorded on May 4, 2001 in Book 868 at Page 445 in the Office of Register of Deeds of Chatham County, North Carolina.

As a result of a default in the obligations contained within the Promissory Note and Deed of Trust and the failure to carry out and perform the stipulation and agreements contained therein, the holder of the indebtedness secured by said Deed of Trust made demand to have the default cured, which was not met. Therefore, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will place for sale that parcel of land, including improvements thereon, situated, lying

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA Special Proceedings No. 26SP000082-180 CHATHAM COUNTY Trustee: Philip A. Glass NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE Date of Sale: September 1, 2026 Time of Sale: 2:30 p.m.

Place of Sale: Chatham County Courthouse Description of Property: See Attached Description Record Owners: Jared T. Richmond and Alexis N. Ruiz Address of Property: 5001 NC Highway 87 N. Pittsboro, NC 27312 Deed of Trust: Book : 2383 Page: 150 Dated: September 28, 2023 Grantors: Jared T. Richmond and Alexis N. Ruiz, a married couple Original Beneficiary: State Employees’ Credit Union

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS CHATHAM COUNTY HAVING QUALIFIED as Administrator of the Estate of Karl Frederick Ernst of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 19th day of November, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

This the 12th day of August, 2026.

Barbara Gray Ernst, Administrator Of the Estate of Karl Frederick Ernst 711 Red Oak Drive Siler City, North Carolina 27344 MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850 4tp

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY 26E000036-180 ALL persons having claims against Susan Hill Oliver, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before Nov 20 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment.

This the 20th day of August, 2026.

JAIME SUSAN OLIVER, Executor C/O Haas & Associates, P.A. 5100 Oak Park Road, Suite 200 Raleigh, NC 27612 A20, 27, 3 and 10

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000488-180 The undersigned, TAMMY F. WESTER, having qualified on the 21ST Day of AUGUST 2026 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of HARRY KIRBY FAGG, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 27TH Day of NOVEMBER 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 27TH Day of AUGUST 2026.

TAMMY F. WESTER, ADMINISTRATOR 196 DEWITT SMITH ROAD PITTSBORO, NC 27312 Run dates: A27,S3,10,17p

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000453-180 The undersigned, TODD PADGETT NORRIS, having qualified on the 28TH Day of JULY 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of FREDDIE HART, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 6TH Day of NOVEMBER 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 6TH Day of AUGUST 2026.

TODD PADGETT NORRIS, EXECUTOR 1205 RIVER FOREST RD. PITTSBORO, NC 27312 Run dates: A6,13,20,27p

NOTICE

The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of William James Erkes, 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 27th day of November, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment.

This 27th day of August, 2026.

GARY WILLIAM ERKES, EXECUTOR ESTATE OF William James Erkes

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY In The General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Before the ClerkFile Number 26E000379180 Brenda Sites, having qualified as Executor of the estate of Barbara Boone Young, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, hereby wishes to notify all persons having claims against the estate of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned at the below listed address on or before the 20th day of November 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned at the below listed address.

This is the 20th day of August, 2026.

Brenda Sites c/o Huston Law Firm, PLLC 2501 Blue Ridge Road, Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607 A20, 27, 3 and 10

NOTICE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS CHATHAM COUNTY HAVING QUALIFIED as Executor of the Estate of Sandra Sexton of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 27th day of November, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

This the 18th day of August, 2026.

Yvonne Sexton Goldston, Executor Of the Estate of Sandra Sexton 1102 N. Hampton Street Siler City, North Carolina 27344 MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850 4tp

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY 26E000172-180 Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Carol A. Reingold, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before November 27, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms, or corporations indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 27th day of August, 2026 John Nightingale c/o Jillian E. Brevorka, Esq. Hodgson Russ LLP 7 Corporate Center Court Suite B Greensboro, NC 27408

NOTICE TO CREDITORS STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CHATHAM The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Marguerite Moffitt-Rogers, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, in Estate File No. 26E000325-180, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before November 6, 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons, firms or corporations indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 6th day of August, 2026.

Beverly M. Solomon, Administrator c/o 403 Blandwood Avenue Greensboro, NC 27401 August 6, 13, 20 and 27, 2026.

and being in the City of Pittsboro, County of Chatham, State of North Carolina, and being more particularly described in the heretofore referenced Deed of trust. Said sale will be a public auction to the highest bidder for cash, at the usual place of sale at the Chatham County Courthouse, Pittsboro, North Carolina, on September 10, 2026 at 10:00 AM Address of Property: 533 East Alston Road, Pittsboro, NC 27312 Tax Parcel ID: 0073259 Present Record Owners: Cynthia Martin Anderson aka Cynthia M. Anderson and Richard Lewis Anderson aka Richard L. Anderson The terms of the sale are that the real property hereinbefore described will be sold for cash to the highest bidder. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at

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. It is the intent of the holder of the above Deed of Trust that the execution, delivery and recordation of a Trustee Deed to the holder as high bidder shall not merge with any superior Deeds of Trust held by the holder of the above Deed of Trust, and that the holder of said superior Deed of Trust shall continue to enjoy all rights and remedies set forth in said superior Deed of Trust, including the right to foreclose either by judicial action or under power of sale contained in the superior Deed of Trust.

The property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale “AS IS, WHERE IS.” THERE ARE NO

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY 26E000474-180 ALL persons having claims against Peter Randall Naylor, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before Nov 27 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment.

This the 27th day of August, 2026. c/o Daniel B. Finch, Attorney, Peter Randall Naylor, II, Administrator CTA C/O Pinna, Johnston & Burwell, P.A. 2601 Oberlin Rd, Ste 100 Raleigh, NC 27608 A27, 3, 10 and 17

NOTICE North Carolina Chatham County The Estate of Clarke Sentelle Yarbrough 25 E000221-180 Notice to Creditors The undersigned, having qualified on the 23rd day of April 2025, as Executrix of the Estate of Clarke Sentelle Yarbrough, deceased, having last resided in and died of Chatham County, North Carolina, do hereby give this notice to all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them to the undersigned Executrix on before the 27th day of August 2026, being greater than three months from the date of first publication of this notice. Failure to present a claim(s) to the undersigned Executrix on or before the 27th day of November 2026 at 405 Deming Road, Chapel Hill, NC. 27514 will result in this notice being pleaded in bar of their recovery against the Estate. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 27th day of August, 2026 Terri Yarbrough Lorant, Executrix of the Estate of Clarke Yarbrough 405 Deming Rd., Chapel Hill, NC 27514

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000476-180 The undersigned, SHARLENE HAWKINS, having qualified on the 30TH Day of JUNE 2026 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of BOBBY JEAN HAWKINS, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 27TH Day of NOVEMBER 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 27TH Day of AUGUST 2026.

SHARLENE HAWKINS, ADMINISTRATOR 437 GUM SPRINGS CHURCH RD. MONCURE, NC 27559 Run dates: A27,S3,10,17p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000468-180 The undersigned, CAROL JOHNSON, having qualified on the 6TH Day of AUGUST 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of JESSE JAMES MCCRIMMON, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 13TH Day of NOVEMBER 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 13TH Day of AUGUST 2026.

CAROL JOHNSON, EXECUTOR 1486 MITCHELL CHAPEL RD. PITTSBORO, NC 27312 Run dates: A13,20,27,S3p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000419-180 The undersigned, TRICIA HATHCOCK, having qualified on the 14TH Day of JULY 2026 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of PATRICK HOWELL GARNER, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 6TH Day of NOVEMBER 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 6TH Day of AUGUST 2026.

TRICIA HATHCOCK, ADMINISTRATOR 687 SHERIFF WATSON RD. SANFORD, NC 27332 Run dates: A6,13,20,27p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000176-180 The undersigned, FRANK BERRY HILL, having qualified on the 1ST Day of JUNE 2026 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of JO CARROL ELAINE HILL, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 20TH Day of NOVEMBER 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 20TH Day of AUGUST 2026.

FRANK BERRY HILL, ADMINISTRATOR 3664 OYSTER BLUFF DR. BEAUFORT, SC 29907 Run dates: A20,27,S3,10p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000475-180 The undersigned, TERRANCE C. JOHNSTON, having qualified on the 12TH Day of AUGUST 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of REBECCA F. BECKER, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 20TH Day of NOVEMBER 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 20TH Day of AUGUST 2026.

TERRANCE C. JOHNSTON, EXECUTOR 1504 MIRIAM AVE. GARNER, NC 27529 Run dates: A20,27,S3,10p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000463-180 The undersigned, DARLENE A. BRISTOW, having qualified on the 5TH Day of AUGUST 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of RV ANDERS, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 13TH Day of NOVEMBER 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 13TH Day of AUGUST 2026.

DARLENE A. BRISTOW, EXECUTOR 4711 EDINBOROUGH ROAD GREENSBORO, NC 27406 Run dates: A13,20,27,S3p

Notice to Creditors Estate of Richard Locaparra, Sr. ALL PERSONS, firms and corporations having claims against Richard Locaparra, Sr, deceased, of Chatham County, N.C., are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before 11/20/2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery.

Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment.

This the 20th day of August, 2026.

Richard Locaparra Jr., Executor 220 Bailey Way Siler City NC 27344 c/o Hopler, Wilms & Hanna, PLLC 2314 S. Miami Blvd. Suite 151 Durham, NC 27703 8/20, 27, 9/3, 10, 2026

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E00074-180 The undersigned, ISAIAH BUTLER, having qualified on the 5TH Day of AUGUST 2026 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of LOIS BUTLER aka ANNIE LOIS BUTLER, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 13TH Day of NOVEMBER 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 13TH Day of AUGUST 2026.

ISAIAH BUTLER, ADMINISTRATOR 601 BILLY FITTS ROAD SILER CITY, NC 27344 Run dates: A13,20,27,S3p

the time of the sale. The successful bidder will be required to pay revenue stamps on the Trustee’s Deed, any Land Transfer Tax, and costs for recording the Trustee’s Deed.

The real property hereinabove described is being offered for sale “AS IS, WHERE IS” and will be sold subject to all superior liens, unpaid taxes, special assessments and other encumbrances. Other conditions will be announced at the sale. The sale will be held open for ten (10) days for upset bids, as by law required. The sale will not confirm until there have been ten (10) consecutive days with no upset bids having been filed.

bid deposit. In either event, the purchaser will have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Mortgagee’s attorney, or the Trustee.

If for any reason the Trustee is unable to convey title to this property, or if the sale is set aside, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the bid deposit. Furthermore, if the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the Trustee in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may declare the sale to be void and return the

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 ten (10 days, but no more than

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: 8/4/2026 Philip A. Glass, Trustee

Additional notice required for Residential Real Property with Less Than Fifteen (15) Rental Units: 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.

90 day, 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.

Posted: Witness: Assistant/Deputy clerk of Superior Court s/Franklin L. Greene Albertelli Law Partners North Carolina, P.A. Franklin L. Greene, ESQ., NC Bar # 37896 205 Regency Executive Park Drive Suite 100 Charlotte, NC 28217 Tel: 704-970-0391 fgreene@alaw.net 26SP000083-180/23-012653

Nodell, Glass & Haskell, L.L.P. Posted on 8/4/2026 Exhibit A BEING ALL of Lots 4 and 4A, as shown on that certain plat of survey entitled “Recombination Survey for Lucille Degraffenriedt and Norris V. Lee, Hadley and Center Townships, Chatham County, North Carolina.” prepared by Smith and Smith surveyors, and recorded in Plat Slide 2001-149 in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Chatham County, North Carolina.

This conveyance is made subject to right of way for NC Highway 87.

Lot 4A conveyance is not approved as a separate building lot, but is an addition to Lot 4.

Deed references: BK 371, PG 207 and BK 870 PG 788.

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.

Parcel: 0010983 Property Address: 5001 NC Highway 87 N., Pittsboro, NC 27312

A10

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

Preservationists working to extend life of rare Revolutionary War ‘witness tree’ The same cables meant to save the tree are now slowly killing it

stave off its death over the decades, it is being choked by the chains and cables meant to support it. Preservationists are working to save this unique, living reminder of an oft-overshadowed chapter in U.S. history.

By Allen G. Breed The Associated Press EUTAW SPRINGS, S.C. — Standing beneath the spreading branches of a massive live oak, historian Garrison Marcoux tries to imagine what this scarred, struggling tree saw 245 years ago.

Did one of the British soldiers encamped at this South Carolina crossroad near the end of the Revolutionary War sit in the oak’s shade to recuperate from the series of attacks in American Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene’s “war of posts?” Did he or his comrades take cover behind its then slender trunk and fire at the onrushing Continental Army?

Perhaps a soldier took his last breath beneath its canopy, watering its roots with his blood.

“I’m a spiritual person,” Marcoux, with the South Carolina Battlefield Preservation Trust, said as workers clamber among the limbs above. “To say that a place that experienced a lot of violence and intense emotion and things like that doesn’t hold some kind of energy is probably not likely. I think that energy exists where something like this happened.”

This is a “witness tree.” And it now faces its own fight for survival.

After multiple attempts to

What the oak witnessed during the Revolutionary War Arborists estimate that the tree was about 50 years old on Sept. 8, 1781, when British and Colonial forces clashed during the Battle of Eutaw Springs — considered by historians to be the last open field engagement of the American Revolution.

“It’s very rare to have a witness tree, especially from the Revolutionary War,” Marcoux said on a recent sultry morning as gnats and mosquitoes buzzed around his head. “To have the tree that witnessed this battle and still standing is short of a miracle.”

Among the officers were famous names like Lt. Col. Henry “Light-Horse Harry” Lee and Brig. Gen. Francis Marion, better known as the “Swamp Fox.” About 2,500 Americans attacked the roughly 2,000 British and Loyalist troops camped around a fortified brick house.

Greene, who had a horse shot out from under him during the battle, called Eutaw Springs “by far, the hottest action I ever saw, and the most bloody for the numbers engaged.”

Lt. Col. Alexander Stewart, the British field commander that day, later wrote to Gen.

ALLEN G. BREED / AP PHOTO

The sun rises behind a Revolutionary War “witness tree” at the Battle of Eutaw Springs, South Carolina.

Charles Lord Cornwallis, “I assure you the Action was bloody and obstinate.”

There were 1,461 killed, wounded, captured or missing.

Both sides would claim victory.

“That tree probably took a few lead balls itself,” said arborist Aron Landsaw.

The combatants would move on. The oak remained — and faced several more battles of its own.

The supports to help the tree are now choking it Hung with swaying Spanish moss, its branches festooned with bright-green resurrection fern, the tree reaches 45 feet into the sky, its canopy spreading about 130 feet. Its trunk is 72 inches in diameter at breast height.

The twin springs that gave the Revolutionary War battle its name are no more, inundated by the 1940s project that flooded the Santee River basin for hydroelectric power and flood control.

Development in the 1960s swallowed up much of what the lake project spared.

The tree survived it all.

Then, about 50 years ago, lightning struck the oak’s crotch, splitting the tree nearly in two. Workers lashed the broad branches together with steel cables and chains.

But the mechanisms that saved the oak are now slowly killing it.

As the tree grew, the metal bands cut into the trunk and branches, in some places disappearing beneath a scar-like covering of bark.

“The chains and cables are actually choking it out,” said Landsaw. “It can’t pull nutrients up from the soil.”

Preservationists hope to reverse that.

A supersonic air tool and a kelp mixture offer a lifeline South Carolina 250 and the American Battlefield Trust joined forces to hire New York state-based SavATree for the project as the U.S. marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Crews recently used a supersonic air tool to decompact the ground around the tree’s roots, then injected a kelp mixture to

add nutrients to the soil. The day of Marcoux’s visit, SavATree workers hammered little blunt lightning rods into the main branches, connecting them with shiny copper cables that converge on a longer copper rod pounded deep into the ground about 10 feet from the trunk.

“If lightning does hit it, it’ll run down the copper cables and dissipate into the ground,” said Landsaw, a consulting arborist with SavATree.

Next, workers will install new cables, bolted into the five main branches, to stabilize the tree before removing the old supports.

“There’s going to be a center hub in the middle that connects all these cables and allows the tree to sway with the wind and move around when it needs to,” Landsaw explained.

Landsaw said this is the most significant project he’s ever worked on.

While he can’t promise the tree will live another three centuries, Landsaw is confident it will be around to inspire new generations of Americans.

“We’re focusing on another 100 years at least,” he said.

“Hopefully longer.”

Dedicated to a Thriving Pittsboro With new roads, greenways, and multi-use paths, Chatham Park continues to create more ways to connect throughout the community.

• The northern segment of Chatham Parkway is now open

from 64 Bypass to Grant Drive, creating an important new connection through Chatham Park.

• The new extension includes bike lanes and sidewalks while

ȃljȢɥȈȶǼ ȈȴɥɨɁʤlj ɽɨƃǹˎƺ ːɁʥ ǹɁɨ ɰƃǹljɨӗ ȴɁɨlj ƺɁȶʤljȶȈljȶɽ ɽɨƃʤljȢ for Pittsboro residents.

• These improvements strengthen connections between

Chatham Park and surrounding areas, making it easier to

reach local businesses, services, and community destinations.

• Chatham Park’s long-term plan includes more than 30

miles of greenways, trails and multi-use paths, building a connected network throughout the community.

• Chatham Park’s current network includes more than 5 completed miles of connected greenways, trails, and multi-use paths, helping support an active lifestyle.

• Continued investment in transportation and trail

infrastructure helps Pittsboro accommodate future growth while expanding mobility options for the community.

V I S I T C H AT H A M P A R K . C O M T O L E A R N M O R E !

© 2026 Chatham Park Investors

CHATHAM SPORTS PREP FOOTBALL

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Seaforth huddles up after taking an early lead on Chapel Hill in the season opener. The Hawks went on to a shutout win.

Hawks, Jets roll in first games Friday’s Week 2 schedule • Chatham Central at Jordan-Matthews • Northwood at Asheboro • Seaforth at Southeast Alamance

Seaforth’s quarterback had a big night in the school’s first victory in a football opener Chatham News & Record staff SEAFORTH’S Duncan Parker threw for six touchdowns and ran for another as the Hawks blew out visiting Chapel Hill

48-0 in last Thursday night’s season opener.

It marks the first time in the Seaforth program’s five-year-old history that the team won a season opener.

Half of the touchdown receptions went to tight end Mason Pooley. Max Hinchman, Noah Fuller and Connor Daley also caught scoring passes.

The Hawks, who led 41-0

Seaforth parts ways with head basketball coach John Berry is accused of using an ineligible player in offseason activities

Bears eager to begin football season, eye improvement The Chatham Central team had an unexpected opening when other teams in the state began playing last week

Chatham News & Record staff SEAFORTH FIRED reigning Big 7 boys’ basketball conference coach of the year John Berry last week, reportedly due to his use of an ineligible player during offseason team activities.

In his second year with Seaforth, Berry led the Hawks to an 18-7 record, the best in the history of the program. Seaforth also swept the regular season and conference tournament titles for the first time in school history.

In a post to the “Coach Berry” blog, a writer identifying himself as the coach posted a long explanation of the situation, titled, “My perspective: Accountability, adversity and the end of my time at Seaforth.”

He wrote, “During the summer, I allowed a student who was not yet officially enrolled at Seaforth to participate in two basketball activities, including a pickup basketball game.

At the time, I believed the circumstances surrounding the summer activity and the student’s anticipated status made his participation permissible.”

The author went on to say, “I did not knowingly or intentionally attempt to circumvent a rule, gain a competitive advantage, or do anything that I believed would jeopardize our basketball program. Once the

at halftime, avenged a 2025 loss.

The game was one of several in the area moved up one night because of concerns regarding last Friday’s weather forecast.

Harnett Central 49, Northwood 7: At Pittsboro, all the scoring came in the first half in what became a home loss for the Chargers.

Northwood’s points came on Finn Sullivan’s 52-yard pass to

By Bob Sutton Chatham News & Record

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Then coach John Berry celebrates Seaforth’s win over South Granville in February. issue was brought to my attention, I cooperated with the administration, explained what happened, acknowledged my role, and accepted responsibility for my role in it.

“I would have accepted meaningful corrective action.

I would have learned from it and moved forward. Instead,

my tenure as head coach ended. … I can say, ‘Coach Berry should have handled that differently.’ And I can also say, ‘I do not believe Coach Berry should have lost his position because of it.’ That is where I stand today.”

Seaforth is in the process of searching for a new boys’ coach.

Willie Boynton. It was one of two completed passes for the Chargers in the game.

Harnett Central’s Koby Howard threw for six touchdowns and 273 yards, with five different players making scoring receptions. Ro’shawn Towson rushed for 131 yards and one touchdown.

Jordan-Matthews 36, Carrboro 22: At Siler City, the host Jets won their season opener for the third year in a row.

This was more comfortable than last year’s 15-14 decision at Carrboro or in overtime in 2024 at South Davidson.

CHATHAM CENTRAL had to wait an extra week before launching its football season.

For fourth-year coach Derrin Little, he’s trying to turn that into a positive.

The Bears open the season at Jordan-Matthews on Friday night.

Chatham Central’s would-be opener was nixed when Graham announced a couple of weeks ago that it wouldn’t field a varsity team this year.

Little called that a combination of gifts and curses.

“As big of a game as it is with Jordan-Matthews, you never want to come out and have to find out so many things in the first game, and it’s a big game,” Little said. “But we’re going into the big game 100% healthy.”

Chatham Central is coming off a one-win season in 2025 — and that 30-26 victory came against Graham, which went on to be winless. The Bears carry a 10-game losing streak into this season.

But Little said there are numerous upsides as the

“As most prepared as we have been.

A lot of key players are upperclassmen.”

Derrin Little, Chatham Central coach Bears head into the new season.

There are 33 players on board, a nice uptick from recent years when the roster numbers were listed in the mid-20s. Seven of the players are seniors.

Junior Brooks Albright will be in his third season as the starting quarterback. But unlike past years, he won’t have a starting assignment on the defensive side as well.

Junior linebacker Gavin Williams, who posted 126 tackles with 9½ sacks last year, will anchor the defense.

He played his first full season in 2025 after an elbow injury cut short his freshman season.

Williams is also a receiver. Senior tight end/defensive end Wilson Hinshaw gives the Bears experience as well.

Bryson Alston, a senior running back/linebacker, is also entering his third season as a starter. Senior running back Hance Ramirez and safety Sayvion Burnette See BEARS, page B3

B2

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Mason Pooley

PREP ROUNDUP

Knights, Wolves pick up wins in league volleyball openers The Seaforth soccer team picked up a pair of victories Chatham News & Record staff CHATHAM CHARTER and Woods Charter won their Central Tar Heel 1A Conference volleyball openers last week.

The Knights topped visiting Central Carolina Academy 25-21, 25-23, 21-25, 25-13.

Chatham Charter then won 25-17, 26-28, 25-13, 25-19 against visiting Chatham Central.

To begin last week, Providence Grove held off visiting Chatham Charter 25-20, 26-28, 25-23, 25-19.

• Woods Charter defeated visiting Vance Charter in four sets and before its conference opener resulted in a sweep of host The Hawbridge School.

Later, the Wolves swept Eno River Academy.

• Abigail Valgus posted 11 kills as Seaforth defeated visiting Northwood 25-10, 25-3, 25-11 in what was a busy week for the Hawks.

Cardinal Gibbons swept

A day earlier, Seaforth prevailed for a 3-1 victory vs. visiting Apex.

• Northwood and Central Academy of Technology tied 2-2.

• Jordan-Matthews blitzed host Central Carolina Academy 10-1. Jordan-Matthews absorbed a 7-2 loss to Wilson Fike.

• Chatham Central suffered a 9-0 loss at Eno River Academy.

visiting Seaforth 25-11, 25-15, 25-19.

The Hawks responded to win 25-14, 25-20, 25-18 at Ayden-Grifton.

Seaforth dropped a 22-25, 26-24, 25-16, 25-22 decision to Wilmington Hoggard.

• Chloe Brewer racked up 16 service points and 17 digs as Chatham Central withstood visiting Northwood to win in five sets.

Addison Goldston added 21 digs and 10 kills for the Bears.

Carrboro handled Northwood in three sets.

• Jordan-Matthews lost a home match in four sets to Central Carolina Academy.

The Jets then fell in three sets at East Davidson.

• Eastern Randolph defeated visiting Chatham Central 28-26, 12-25, 25-21, 25-22.

The Patriots swept Jordan-Matthews 25-8, 25-2, 25-14 as Whitaker had 18 kills and Cailyn York supplied 25 assists.

Addison Vickrey of Chatham Charter won the girls’ race in a home meet vs. Providence Grove. She finished the 3.1 miles in 25 minutes, 42 seconds for a one-second advantage on teammate Emily Scheidt.

The winner of the boys’ race was Chatham Charter’s Torris Price in 17:41 for a winning margin of almost seven minutes.

Boys’ soccer

Girls’ tennis

Seaforth secured a 2-1 home victory against Northwood.

Chatham Charter topped Providence Grove 9-0.

Cross-country

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Seaforth, wide receiver/tight end Mason Pooley is a junior wide receiver and tight end for Seaforth’s football team. He has also played baseball for the Hawks.

Pooley was the top target in Seaforth’s season-opening win over Chapel Hill. He caught five passes for 112 yards, with a long catch of 45 yards.

He also scored three touchdowns in the 48-0 victory.

An all-conference and all-county player last season, he’s already well on his way to topping his sophomore stat line of 17 catches, 377 yards and five scores for the year.

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Seaforth (red) and Northwood battle in front of the goal during the Hawks’ 2-1 win last week.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

SEC desperate to end 3-year championship drought; will Alabama, Georgia, LSU or Texas come through?

The league has plenty of star power heading into the season

By Mark Long The Associated Press BLAME ALABAMA and Georgia. Point fingers at Auburn, Florida, LSU, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas too.

The Southeastern Conference, once the most dominant league in the land, lost its stranglehold on college football over the last three years.

The organization that boasts a combined 19 national championships since 1990 hasn’t even made the title game since Georgia won it all in back-to-back years to close out the 2021-22 seasons.

It’s a drought the league desperately would like to end this season. But the path back to the top could be harder with the addition of a ninth conference game. Sure, it provides teams with an extra chance to prove they belong in the 12-team College Football Playoff.

It’s also another potential loss on postseason resumes.

“It creates, without question, the most demanding sets of football schedules in all of college football,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said last month. “No one has created the kind of weekly competition that exists in the Southeastern Conference. It’s competition that our fans will experience every week because we believe we’re the best conference in college football.”

The last three CFPs would say otherwise, especially when recalling no-shows by Alabama

BEARS from page B1 have key playing time in their backgrounds.

“As most prepared as we have been,” Little said. “A lot of key players are upperclassmen.”

There’s also another twist for the in-county matchup with Jordan-Matthews.

Two now-former Jets, juniors Nolan Mitchell and Matthew Victorino, will be suiting up for Chatham Central.

Little said his players had a good reaction when learning they wouldn’t line up against Graham in Week 1.

“They understand there are things, not just in football but in life, that you can’t control,” Little said. “Our guys want to play.

Now we’re learning how to compete and they want to compete.”

Last year, the Bears lost

JOHN RAOUX / AP PHOTO

Texas quarterback Arch Manning looks for a receiver during the Citrus Bowl. last year (against Indiana) and Tennessee (against Ohio State) the year before. The Big Ten has won three straight national titles.

The SEC is a combined 5-8 in the last three playoffs, with two of those victories coming against other league opponents.

SEC coaches were initially divided on a nine-game league slate but eventually agreed under the guise that the CFP would expand to 16 or 24 teams. It stayed at 12, and now league coaches are stuck with more daunting schedules and the same access to the lu-

10

Consecutive losses for Chatham Central last season after the Bears won their 2025 season opener over Graham

three games by eight or fewer points, so Little said there were signs that the team was on the verge of demonstrating more progress.

In speaking with an administrator at the school, Little was reminded that it was clear there might be growing pains when he took the position.

“No one has created the kind of weekly competition that exists in the Southeastern Conference.”

Greg Sankey, SEC commissioner crative postseason tournament.

“Like anything in this world, if you want to be really good at something, you got to take risk,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “There’s calculat-

“It was a baby, and you have to grow it,” Little said. “We were close … and now get ready to go earn it.”

Little said he opted to not seek a replacement game for Graham. If it was played during the team’s open date on the first Friday in October, that would have required the Bears have games on 10 consecutive weeks.

Plus, in Class 1A, all teams are basically guaranteed to make the state playoffs, so Little said that 10th game will come.

The unexpected opening on Chatham Central’s schedule gave Little a chance for in-person scouting of Jordan-Matthews’ 36-22 home victory against Carrboro last week.

Jordan-Matthews has defeated the Bears in each of the past three seasons.

ed risks involved in life that you have to take. … Is the juice worth the squeeze or not?”

The league will have a better idea in four months.

Ultimately, though, SEC success will be decided in the CFP. After all, the league went 54-8 against nonconference opponents in the regular season last year — including winning records against the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Big 12 and the Big Ten — but ended up again watching the title game from afar.

Simply put, the SEC has been good but not great in re-

cent years. Is the league lagging behind? Not even close. But the transfer portal and the ability to compensate players through revenue sharing as well as name, image and likeness deals have clearly minimized advantages the league enjoyed for decades.

“I think it’s great for the sport,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “I think having everybody competitive, more guys can be invited to the party and get to the party, mainly through the portal in a lot of ways. … It’s not a one-team dominant program. It’s really everybody.”

The SEC has plenty of star power, which provides hope of ending the Big Ten’s reign.

Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, Texas quarterback Arch Manning and South Carolina stars LaNorris Sellers and Dylan Stewart are just a few of the guys who could make a difference.

Alabama receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams, Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy, Texas receivers Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo, Georgia defensive backs KJ Bolden and Ellis Robinson IV, and Auburn linebacker Xavier Atkins also are ones to watch.

This is the first season since 2015 that no SEC team received a first-place vote in the AP Top 25 preseason poll. It’s an indication of how much parity there is in the league.

Nonetheless, Georgia (plus280) and Texas (plus-300) are the betting favorites to win the SEC. Alabama (plus-850) and LSU (plus-850) are next, followed by Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Ole Miss at plus-1000.

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Chatham Central junior lineman Antonio Gonzalez surveys the field during the preseason Jack Shaner Jamboree.

Local Service Directory

B4 SIDELINE REPORT TRACK & FIELD

Simpson reveals rare heart condition caused collapse; will not return to running Boulder, Colo.

World champion runner Jenny Simpson revealed it was a rare heart condition that threw her into cardiac arrest at a race in June and that she will not return to running. The 39-year-old Simpson was diagnosed with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, which caused her heart to stop. Simpson was pacing a group of mile runners at an event in Raleigh when she collapsed. She underwent CPR at the track and an automated external defibrillator was also used before taking her to the hospital.

NCAA BASKETBALL

Jury says New York Times defamed Alabama basketball player Tuscaloosa, Ala. An Alabama jury found The New York Times defamed a college basketball player by incorrectly reporting he was at the scene of a fatal shooting. Jurors awarded $9.25 million in damages.

Kai Spears, who played for the University of Alabama men’s team, sued the Times in 2023 after it published a report that falsely indicated he was a passenger in a car involved in the shooting.

MLB

Diamondbacks star Marte moves to 10-day injured list after mysterious absence Phoenix Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte will be transferred to the 10-day injured list from the restricted list, three days after he failed to show up for a game in Boston. General manager Mike Hazen confirmed Marte will return once he’s healthy. The three-time All-Star traveled back to Phoenix for tests on his left knee last Tuesday.

Manager Torey Lovullo said he has struggled to get information from the veteran slugger throughout the process.

NFL

Cowboys, Saints fined $500K apiece after brawl-filled joint practice Los Angeles The Dallas Cowboys and the New Orleans Saints were fined $500,000 apiece by the NFL after their brawl-filled joint practice.

The league announced the fines after requesting video of the tumultuous workout at the Cowboys’ training camp base in Oxnard, California. Players on both teams threw punches and helmets during several skirmishes throughout the joint practice, which was conducted in uncommonly hot, humid weather. A lowlight of the brouhaha was Saints tight end, and son of pro wrestler Scott Steiner, Brock Rechsteiner’s suplex of Cowboys safety Jalen Thompson.

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

Busch shares emotional last moments with late brother Kurt Busch did an interview with “Today” about Kyle’s death The Associated Press NEW YORK — NASCAR Hall of Famer Kurt Busch wiped tears from his eyes in recalling the final day he spent at his younger brother’s hospital bedside in his first public comments about Kyle Busch’s death.

“I was at the hospital. I was there all day, hoping, praying, hoping for a turnaround,” Busch said in an interview on NBC’s “Today” show last Friday.

“I said, ‘I got you man. Come on, I got you. I got you. Come on, be strong,’” an emotional Busch added, before a brief pause. “It just wasn’t fair.”

The interview marked Busch’s first comments since Kyle Busch died May 21 after severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming complications.

Busch’s death at the age of 41 devastated the racing community and one of NASCAR’s most accomplished families.

The brothers were born in Las Vegas.

Kyle Busch won Cup Series championships in 2015 and 2019 for Joe Gibbs Racing, and he holds the record in winning 234 combined races across NASCAR’s top three national series. His older brother was a Cup champion in 2004 and inducted this year into the Hall of Fame.

In the interview, Busch out-

PHELAN M. EBENHACK / AP PHOTO

Kurt Busch, front, gets a hug from his brother, Kyle Busch, after announcing his retirement before a NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona in 2023. lined how his brother became increasingly ill while practicing in a simulator May 20. Asked by his crew chief whether he was OK, Busch responded no, and he was taken to a hospital by ambulance.

Kyle Busch initially believed he was dealing with a sinus cold while racing at Watkins Glen, New York, on May 10. He continued competing, including winning a Truck Series race at Dover, Delaware, less than a week before he died. Kurt Busch said their father, Tom Busch, chose not to be at the hospital in order to “remember him the way

he wanted to remember him.”

“There is no book, there is no outline on what we’re supposed to do right now,” Kurt Busch said, before recalling the on-track chemistry he had with his brother.

“Him and I were carbon copies of each other. We could speak on track without saying a word,” he said. “I miss the words we never spoke to each other, and the vibe that we had on track.”

Busch said he’s now mentoring his nephew, Kyle’s 11-year-old son Brexton, who has taken up racing.

“He’s a prodigy,” Busch said.

“He can be a big star in the world of motorsports. He’s 11, but he’s already racing like an 18-year-old.”

As for his brother’s legacy, Busch said the achievements speak for themselves.

“It’s already there. Winningest driver in NASCAR history in all the series,” Busch said.

“The tenacity that he had. It was every day, 24-7, to help people in the latter part of his career, to be a great father like he was,” he added. “It will all shine as time puts different things in spotlights.”

Hurricanes, who have never won ACC title, picked as league’s headliner in ‘26 The league is in a transition year as the schedule starts to expand

By Aaron Beard The Associated Press MARIO CRISTOBAL got Miami back inside the top 10

by Year 3 and within a victory of a national championship in his fourth. Yet the Hurricanes are still chasing a first Atlantic Coast Conference championship after more than two decades in the league.

His team is picked to accomplish that goal this year, which would put it right back in the mix for the College Football Playoff, too.

“We’ve had steady progress over the last four years,” Cristobal said. “It’s been due to the commitment and the level of just care of these players and their coaches.”

The seventh-ranked Hurricanes are the headliner, with Duke transfer quarterback Darian Mensah as the preseason player of the year and Miami claiming a third of the spots on the preseason all-conference team. That list includes Mark Fletcher Jr. (1,192 yards, 12 TDs) as last year’s top league rusher and versatile big-play receiving threat Malachi Toney.

Miami joined the league ahead of the 2004 season but has reached the ACC championship game just once (2017).

No. 19 SMU is the top challenger, with the Mustangs launching a Heisman Trophy push for veteran starting quarterback Kevin Jennings — who led them to the ACC title game and a CFP bid in 2024. No. 24 Louisville is next up after adding Ohio State transfer Lincoln Kienholz at quarterback to an offense featuring running back Isaac Brown, the ACC rookie of the year in 2024 who played nine games last year due to injury.

The league is transitioning to a nine-game football schedule to align with fellow power conferences. But the odd number of teams means there will be variables, with 12 teams playing nine games and five — Boston College, Clemson, Flor-

MARTA LAVANDIER / AP PHOTO

Miami head coach Mario Cristobal speaks following a team practice. ida State, Georgia Tech and UNC — staying at eight.

This will be a bridge year toward having 16 of 17 teams regularly playing nine games by 2027. The schedule concludes with the ACC title game Dec. 5 in Charlotte.

Clemson, Florida State try to return to elite status Clemson and Florida State have gone from ranking among the nation’s elite to also-ran status. It’s unclear whether either can change that trajectory.

Dabo Swinney’s Tigers won two national titles and eight ACC crowns between 2015-24 but slid to 7-6 last year for their worst record since 2010. Clemson was unranked in the preseason AP Top 25 for the first time since 2011.

“This year, ain’t none of y’all going to pick us,” Swinney told reporters in July.

Clemson is picked to finish fourth in the ACC, while FSU is picked 11th.

ACC finalists Duke, Virginia picked in league’s middle third Duke beat Virginia in last

year’s title game for its first outright ACC championship since 1962. Those finalists are picked in the ACC’s middle third.

Mensah’s transfer was the biggest hit for the Blue Devils, who also lost their top three receivers while having uncertainty as to who will fill leading defensive roles.

“I think people just went back to labeling us as the same old Duke just because of the people that walked out this door,” 1,100-yard rusher Nate Sheppard said. “But you have dudes walk out the door every year.”

The Cavaliers are coming off a breakthrough 11-win season under Tony Elliott after managing just 11 wins in his first three seasons combined.

The Cavs are picked to finish sixth, the Blue Devils 10th.

Notre Dame gets high-profile tests in ACC scheduling deal Notre Dame again has six games against ACC teams through its scheduling partnership with the league, with the football independent being a member of all other league sports. One stands out:

“This year, ain’t none of y’all going to pick us.”

Dabo Swinney, Clemson coach

a home game against Miami.

The Hurricanes visit Nov. 7 in a rematch of last year’s opener; Miami won that game to ultimately claim a CFP bid instead of Notre Dame.

Georgia Tech, Clemson make 1st cross-country ACC trips Clemson and Georgia Tech are making their first cross-country trips since the league expanded to add California, Stanford and SMU for a coast-to-coast footprint for the 2024 season. The Tigers are playing at California on Sept. 25, while the Yellow Jackets visit Stanford a day later.

Miami, NC State, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest are the other teams to touch all four U.S. continental time zones for a league game this year.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

Blaney wins second consecutive Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway The Team Penske driver overcame a big mistake by his pit crew The Associated Press LOUDON, N.H. — Ryan Blaney and his team wound up making the most of a major mistake at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The Team Penske star just needed a moment to vent on his team radio about a pit crew blunder before charging from 17th to first for his second consecutive NASCAR Cup Series win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

“Whenever I say those things after something bad happens, it’s my relief valve,” Blaney said about scolding his team with an expletive. “I have to get it out in the open, or I’ll be stewing over it a while. That’s how I have to get over things. I wish I wasn’t that way, but I’d rather it be that way than have it be in the back of my mind the rest of the race, not thinking of the main goal.

It takes me five or 10 seconds to move on.”

After shaking it off, Blaney recovered to lead the final 74 laps on the 1.058-mile oval, fending off runner-up Bubba Wallace by 0.586 seconds.

Josh Berry, who is trying to find a ride for the 2027 season, finished a season-best third, the fourth consecutive top 10 for the Wood Brothers Racing driver.

The top five was round-

STEVEN SENNE / AP PHOTO

Ryan Blaney spins the wheels of his car after winning Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race in Loudon, New Hampshire. ed out by Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson. Ryan Preece finished ninth and kept his Chase hopes alive by gaining 19 points on Shane van Gisbergen, who finished 20th and remains in the 16th and final spot for the 10-race title run.

It’s the 20th career victory and third this season for Blaney, who led a race-high 115 of 301 laps. He had cruised to a big lead when a lug nut fell off the left-front tire of his No. 12 Ford during a pit stop under caution with 111 laps remaining.

The 2023 Cup Series champion picked his way through traffic and was back up to seventh when the yellow flag flew

on the 226th lap for a three-car crash. Crew chief Jonathan Hassler made an aggressive strategy call for two right-side tires, and Blaney gained six spots in the pits to retake first place.

Hassler said the error “maybe was a little bit of a blessing in disguise” because Blaney emerged several spots ahead of the contenders who took four tires. Of the top 12 finishers, Blaney was the only driver who took two tires on his last stop.

His crew struggled often on stops earlier this season, losing 128 spots in the pits, but has been better with three top-five finishes in the past six races.

“It’s really competitive on pit

“It takes me five or 10 seconds to move on.”

Ryan Blaney on the problem on pit row road, and if you’re going to have any speed, you’re going to have these sort of miscues,” Hassler said. “With the speed we’ve had, our goal has certainly been to eliminate those, even if we give up a little bit of speed to do that.

But it’s still going to happen to each of the best teams. We’re fortunate that we’re fast enough and up front enough that people

take notice when that’s going to happen.”

NASCAR started the race on wet-weather tires after a midafternoon rain shower, but the track dried quickly, and drivers switched back to slick tires after 40 laps.

Points leader Denny Hamlin also rebounded from a pit stop miscue that dropped the Joe Gibbs Racing driver outside the top 15 with less than 100 laps remaining. Hamlin rallied for a seventh place that clinched the top seed for the Chase.

“We were just pedestrian today,” Hamlin said. “We just didn’t quite have it, but ultimately a decent crawl back.”

States pour taxpayer dollars into college sports as athlete pay, soaring costs squeeze budgets UNC, NC State are now getting a share of gambling revenue

By David A. Lieb The Associated Press WIN OR LOSE, the UNC Tar Heels already will be in elite company when they kick off the college football season against Texas Christian University in a game played in Dublin.

They will be among a small but growing number of athletic programs receiving taxpayer funding from their home states.

With universities competing to pay athletes millions of dollars, some states now are propping up their strained sports budgets in ways not previously seen. The state dollars aren’t going directly to star athletes. But by funding facilities and administrative costs normally borne by the schools, states are freeing universities to use their own dollars for other purposes.

The athletics program at UNC Chapel Hill, for the first time, is receiving $3 million earmarked from state sports betting taxes. Wisconsin lawmakers approved $15 million for athletic costs at the University of Wisconsin. And Connecticut and Louisiana also are using tax dollars to support college athletics. Even more states have considered it.

Sports business analysts see an emerging trend.

“Once one state provides that kind of assistance, schools in competing states can argue that they are being placed at a competitive disadvantage, which could create additional pressure on legislatures to respond,” said Daniel McIntosh, faculty director of the sports business program at Arizona State University.

NCAA rules long barred college athletes from getting paid by schools and boosters. But under pressure from lawsuits and states, the NCAA cleared the way in 2021 for athletes to receive money from private entities for the use of their name, image or likeness (NIL). Then a legal settlement last year allowed higher education institutions to directly pay athletes a total of about $20.5 million annually — on top of any scholarships and other NIL deals they receive.

JASON JACKSON FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

UNC cheerleaders lead the team onto the field for a home game last season.

“Having a bad football team would not be beneficial to our state.

So we decided as a state we’d help out.”

Wisconsin state Rep. Alex Dallman That cap rose to $21.3 million for this school year and is set to rise again the following year.

Many mid-level programs cannot afford that much. But almost all NCAA Division I athletic programs are trying to generate more money to pay athletes in a bid to remain competitive with their peers. At the same time, schools have been incurring greater costs for facilities, coaches’ salaries and travel amid conference realignments that discarded

old geographic-based rivalries.

Over the past four years, athletic operating expenses at public Division I institutions shot up by nearly a third — notably outpacing revenue and running up deficits, according to an Associated Press analysis using the Knight-Newhouse College Athletics Database.

Federal legislation could drive athletic costs even higher The Protect College Sports Act, pending in the U.S. Senate, has been promoted as a way to put guardrails on college sports spending. But it could potentially allow even greater spending by schools.

The latest version would allow institutions to pay up to an additional $27.5 million annually to retain players on their rosters, pushing the overall athlete payment cap close to $50 million. The higher ceiling

could reduce the demand for third-party NIL deals.

States routing money to schools in creative ways When North Carolina launched online sports wagering in 2024, it earmarked part of the tax revenue for athletic departments at 13 public universities. But the two largest institutions — UNC and NC State — were excluded.

That changed in July under a new state budget that raises the sports betting tax. Those two schools now are projected to receive $3 million each this year and $5.8 million next year.

In the meantime, Louisiana also hiked its sports wagering tax and earmarked about $2.2 million to each of its 11 public universities in conferences with Division I football programs.

Seeking to drum up athletic revenue, Connecticut lawmakers authorized the University of

Connecticut to issue vouchers for state tax credits equal to half the amount of donations, sponsorships and licensing endorsements.

The program generated $1.7 million in its first four months, according to a university report.

New Jersey’s new budget allots $5 million for “events attraction and marketing” at Rutgers’ flagship campus.

Lawmaker: Bad football team bad for state The Wisconsin budget provides $14.6 million for athletic facility debt payments at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and $200,000 each for the Milwaukee and Green Bay campuses.

“Having a bad football team, having uncompetitive college sports in general, would not be beneficial to our state, both culturally or economically,” state Rep. Alex Dallman said. “So we decided as a state we’d help out.”

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

entertainment this week in history “Mary Poppins” premieres, Hurricane Katrina devastates, Nazis invade Poland The Associated Press AUG. 27 1883: The island volcano Krakatoa erupted with a series of cataclysmic explosions.

The explosions (which could be heard 3,000 miles away) and resulting tsunamis in Indonesia’s Sunda Strait claimed some 36,000 lives in Java and Sumatra.

1894: Congress passed the Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act. 1964: The film “Mary Poppins” had its world premiere in Los Angeles.

AUG. 28 1862: The Second Battle of Bull Run began in Prince William County, Virginia, during the Civil War; the Union army retreated two days later after suffering 14,000 casualties.

1898: Pharmacist Caleb Bradham of New Bern changed the name of the carbonated beverage he’d created five years earlier from “Brad’s Drink” to “Pepsi-Cola.”

1963: During the March on Washington, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech before an estimated 250,000 people in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

AUG. 29 1814: During the War of 1812, Alexandria, Virginia, formally surrendered to British military forces, which occupied the city until Sept. 3.

1862: The Bureau of Engraving and Printing began op-

erations at the United States Treasury.

2005: Hurricane Katrina struck the U.S. Gulf Coast in southeast Louisiana, devastating New Orleans. Katrina caused nearly 1,400 deaths and an estimated $200 billion in damage.

AUG. 30 1916: On his fourth attempt, British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton rescued all 22 remaining crew members stranded for more than four months on Elephant Island in Antarctica after the sinking of their ship, the Endurance.

1941: During World War II, German forces approaching Leningrad cut off the remaining rail line out of the city.

1945: U.S. Gen. Douglas MacArthur arrived in Japan to set up Allied occupation headquarters.

AUG. 31 1881: The first U.S. tennis championships (for men only) began in Newport, Rhode Island.

1886: An earthquake with an estimated magnitude of up to 7.3 devastated Charleston, South Carolina, killing at least 60 people.

1997: Diana, Princess of Wales, was killed after the car she was riding in crashed in Paris; her partner Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul (who was found to have been intoxicated at the time of the accident) also died.

SEPT. 1 1715: Following a reign of 72 years, King Louis XIV of France died four days before his 77th birthday; he was succeeded by his 5-year-old

AP PHOTO

British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton led the rescue of all 22 crew members stranded on Elephant Island in Antarctica on Aug. 30, 1916, months after the Endurance sank. great-grandson, Louis XV. 1939: Nazi Germany invaded Poland, an event regarded as the start of World War II. 1972: American Bobby Fischer won the international chess crown in Reykjavik, Iceland, as Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union resigned before the resumption of their 21st and final game.

1985: A U.S.-French expedition located the wreckage of the Titanic on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean roughly 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland.

SEPT. 2 1666: The Great Fire of London began, which would destroy more than 13,000 homes and hundreds of structures, including St. Paul’s Cathedral, over the ensuing three days.

1789: The United States Treasury Department was established.

1864: During the Civil War, Union Gen. William T. Sherman’s forces occupied Atlanta.

COURTESY WIKIPEDIA

The Great Fire of London began Sept. 2, 1666, ultimately destroying more than 13,000 homes and hundreds of buildings, including St. Paul’s Cathedral.

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

MUSIC REVIEW

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Weezer’s ‘Gold Album,’ bands 20th, delivers faithful, nasal power pop For fans of: Barenaked Ladies and other heady, smart-aleck bands

By Ron Harris The Associated Press

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Offer valid through February 28, 2026.

ATLANTA — Weezer, kings of nasal power pop, will release their 20th studio album Friday. It is also known as “Weezer (Gold Album),” continuing a tradition of self-titled, color-identified records. And rest assured, it delivers the band’s signature energy for the faithful.

That said, no boundaries are pushed here. But really, does Weezer need to push boundaries? It should be acceptable by now — 30-plus years removed from the destroyed sweaters of 1994’s “Blue Album” — that the talented foursome, with lead vocalist Rivers Cuomo at the helm, does what it does best: clock in and jam.

Opener “Say Yes” is an easy earworm, where Cuomo questions his place and his worth.

It’s a thinly veiled reflection that can’t help but be read in refer-

CLAUDIA ROSEL / AP PHOTO

Weezer’s frontman Rivers Cuomo performs during the Corona Capital music festival in Mexico City, on Nov. 16, 2025. ence to the Weezer career journey: “Somebody here’s gonna slip me a happy pill / Make me feel dumb if I just can’t seem to feel the thrill.”

Cuomo and the boys have made it, and their “Gold Album” is good. Sure, there are filler tracks like “C.E.O.” and “Nowhere,” which went exactly there with its redundant hook

and shallow premise. But even those missteps are overpowered by stellar efforts, such as “We Might as Well Be Strangers” featuring the alt-country indie rock band Wednesday. Something has been lost, and Cuomo sings believably about it in the lament: “Happy birthday / Thanks for the Valium.”

There’s a pattern to the Wee-

China investigates comedian after he altered revolutionary song lyric onstage Artists have to navigate an environment where “red lines” are unclear

By Fu Ting The Associated Press ONE OF China’s best-known comedians is under investigation, and several of his shows have been canceled after he changed the lyrics of a revolutionary song during a performance.

Guo Degang, the country’s most prominent performer of traditional xiangsheng, a form of Chinese comedic dialogue, is under investigation by local authorities in the city of Wuhan in central China, local media reported. Guo’s show last Friday in the northwestern city of Xi’an was canceled due to “venue issues,” a statement on ticketing platform Damai released by his promotion company showed.

The company offered refunds for tickets as well as travel and hotel expenses. The exhibition center hosting the performance in Xi’an, which also cited “venue issues” last Wednesday, said the show had been “postponed,” without giving a new date.

Local media reports said several of Guo’s shows scheduled

ACHMAD IBRAHIM / AP PHOTO

A woman pushes a cart past a Deyunshe theater, part of the comedy group founded by Guo Degang, in Beijing on Saturday. in August across cities were canceled.

The investigation highlights China’s stricter controls and censorship of the entertainment and arts industries.

Guo was reported to Wuhan’s

solutions

culture and tourism authorities after he changed a lyric from “it is quiet along Weishan Lake” to “it is quiet in the Forbidden City” while performing at a show in the city last month, according to local media reports

and videos shown on social media platforms.

The Forbidden City, once home to China’s emperors for hundreds of years, is now a museum that attracts more than 10 million visitors each year.

zer song matrix. Something awkward is said, Cuomo sings his way toward the predicament, and the band breaks through it all with a furtive blast of memorable hooks and trusty chord progressions. “We Might as Well be Strangers,” is a solid song and a perfect example, with its examination of a relationship giving way to nicely soaring guitar work. It’s one of the top tracks.

Weezer has always had one foot in the room of stardom and the other waiting outside, laughing about how they’ve been accepted. They’ve long taken wry shots at the fame machine (think 2014’s “Eulogy for a Rock Band,” or this album’s “The LA Sound”) while basking in the oddity that a band of their ilk was ever allowed in to begin with. On their “Gold Album,” fans of Weezer will appreciate their consistency and longevity.

That’s because Weezer is in a retrospective mode now: Still joking. Still rocking. Still touring. Their self-described meta songs about aging will probably age just fine.

“It is quiet in the Forbidden City.”

Guo Degang

Neither Guo nor his show promotor immediately responded to the AP’s emails seeking for comment on Saturday.

Guo’s performance had been approved in advance by local authorities in Wuhan, but the lyric change had not, which may have violated regulations governing commercial performances according to The Paper, a Shanghai-based news outlet.

The lyrics are from “Playing My Beloved Pipa,” a song from Railway Guerrilla, a well-known 1950s film about Communist-led guerrillas fighting Japanese forces during World War II. Pipa is a traditional Chinese stringed instrument, similar to a lute.

It is a popular song among the public. It was once played at CCTV Spring Festival gala in 1998 and was also selected in 2019 by the Chinese Communist Party’s Publicity Department as one of 100 songs recommended to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

Guo is widely considered as the one who brought xiangsheng closer to the younger generation in China. The traditional art form was more regional and more popular among the older audience.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

famous birthdays this week Rebecca De Mornay is 67, Sen. Thom Tillis celebrates 66, Violinist Itzhak Perlman is 81 The Associated Press THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week.

AUG. 27 Author William Least Heat-Moon is 87. Actor Tuesday Weld is 83. Actor G.W. Bailey is 82. Rock musician Alex Lifeson (Rush) is 73. Fashion designer and filmmaker Tom Ford is 65.

AMY HARRIS / INVISION VIA AP PHOTO

Singer Van Morrison turns 81 on Monday.

AUG. 28 Actor Ken Jenkins (“Scrubs”) is 86. Former MLB manager and player Lou Piniella is 83. Former MLB pitcher Ron Guidry is 76. Actor Jennifer Coolidge is 65. Country singer Shania Twain is 61.

AUG. 29 Actor Elliott Gould is 88.

Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin is 88. Olympic gold medal sprinter Wyomia Tyus is 81. Olympic gold medal long jumper Bob Beamon is 80.

Actor Rebecca De Mornay is 67. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch is 59.

AP PHOTO

Jimmy Connors turns 74 on Wednesday.

AUG. 30 Investor and philanthropist Warren Buffet is 96. Actor Elizabeth Ashley is 87. Actor John Kani is 84. Cartoonist Robert Crumb is 83. Olympic gold medal skier Jean-Claude Killy is 83. Comedian Lewis Black is 78. Basketball Hall of Famer Robert Parish is 73. U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) is 66. Actor Cameron Diaz is 54 AUG. 31 World Golf Hall of Famer Isao Aoki is 84. Violinist Itzhak Perlman is 81. Singer Van Morrison is 81. Rock musician Rudolf Schenker (The Scorpions) is 78. Actor Richard Gere is 77.

Actor Stephen McKinley Henderson is 77. Attorney and author Marcia Clark is 73.

SEPT. 1 Attorney and law professor Alan Dershowitz is 88. Comedi-

PHIL MCCARTEN / INVISION FOR THE TELEVISION ACADEMY

Actor and comedian Lily Tomlin turns 87 on Tuesday. an-actor Lily Tomlin is 87. Singer Barry Gibb is 80. Talk show host Dr. Phil McGraw is 76.

Singer Gloria Estefan is 69. TV host-author Padma Lakshmi is 56. Actor Ricardo Antonio Chavira is 55.

SEPT. 2 Football Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw is 78. Basketball Hall of Famer Nate Archibald is 78.

Actor Mark Harmon is 75. Tennis Hall of Famer Jimmy Connors is 74.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

the stream

AMY HARRIS / INVISION VIA AP PHOTO

Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes performs during the second weekend of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 2026. The band’s new album, “I Must Be Dreaming,” drops Friday.

Alabama Shakes, ‘The Whisper Man,’ ‘Leanne,’ ‘Star Wars Zero Company’ Beastie Boy Mike D and son drop “Thank You” on Friday The Associated Press “THE WHISPER MAN” film adaptation and a new album from the Alabama Shakes are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also, among the streaming offerings worth your time this week, as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: a new tactical “Star Wars” game, the Netflix adaptation of “The Whisper Man” and Season 2 of the comedy series “Leanne.”

MUSIC TO STREAM A lot can happen in a decade.

And here’s a great example: Alabama Shakes, the beloved Southern rock band that introduced the world to its electrifying frontwoman Brittany Howard (in addition to many other accomplishments) will release its third album Friday. “I Must Be Dreaming” is the now-trio’s first in 11 years and their first since they parted ways with drummer Steve Johnson, who had a child abuse charge that was dismissed against him in 2021). The new record is 10 tracks of psychedelic soul — ambitious instrumentation from the best in the biz — and just what the doctor ordered.

SERIES TO STREAM Season 2 of “Leanne,” the comedy starring comedian Leanne Morgan, premieres Thursday on Netflix. Morgan plays a woman starting over after splitting from her husband of three decades. She co-created the series with Chuck Lorre, known for hits like “The Big Bang Theory” and “Two and a Half Men.” VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

MOVIES TO STREAM Based on Alex North’s bestselling novel, “The Whisper Man” (Netflix, Friday) stars Adam Scott as a widowed crime writer whose 8-year-old son is abducted. He looks to his estranged father, a retired detective (Robert De Niro) for help, leading to a new connection to a decades-old serial killer case.

“Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World” pays tender tribute to the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet. Sasha Waters’ documentary is streaming now as part of “American Masters” on PBS and the PBS App. Along with profiling the life of Oliver, who died in 2019, the film features poetry recitations

by Oprah Winfrey, Stephen Colbert, Steve Buscemi and others.

day / Someone who loves you should speak up / And tell you to mind your own teacup before breaking mine.”

NETFLIX VIA AP

The comedy series “Leanne,” left, and the film “The Whisper Man” are both streaming on Netflix this week.

“Someone who loves you should speak up / And tell you to mind your own teacup before breaking mine.”

J Mascis, Dinosaur Jr. Mike D 5D, the project by Beastie Boy Mike D joined by his sons Skyler and Davis Diamond, as well as Eddie Ruscha, Will Graefe and Milo Ruscha, will release “Thank You” on Friday. The 13-track album rejects easy genre categorization.

There are elements of Mike D’s old school hip-hop but also The Beastie Boys’ punk rock spirit and even elements of acid rock (“True Colors.”) Expect the unexpected.

Fans of jangly indie rock are likely already familiar with Velocity Girl, prescient performers born from the late-’80s and early-’90s new pop underground music scene largely headquartered in Washington, D.C. A new collection, courtesy of the indie label Slumberland Re-

AMY HARRIS / INVISION VIA AP PHOTO

J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. performs during the Bourbon & Beyond music festival in 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky. The band’s new album, “There Near,” is out now. cords, dives deep into the band’s earliest years (before they signed to Sub Pop Records, previously home to Nirvana.) “1989 – 1992” is the all-too appropriate name of the album, out Friday — 12 tracks of fuzzy, hooky, addictively ramshackle guitar pop.

The hugely influential American indie rock band Dinosaur

Jr. returns with “There Near,” four decades on since the release of its debut album. Those in the know will find J Mascis’ guitar as unmistakable as ever.

Those who are not: It’s never too late to dive in. Or to get the opening verse of “Blowin’ Up” lodged in your brain: “You’re about as dumb as they come / And telling stupid stories every

“Star Wars Zero Company” seems like an easy pitch: Take a team-based tactical game and drop it into Lucasfilm’s popular franchise. Ideally, you’d want to hire some of the people who worked on tactical gems like “XCOM” and “Marvel’s Midnight Suns” — and that’s exactly what Electronic Arts has done with the new studio Bit Reactor.

This chapter takes place during the Clone Wars, and your mission is to stop “an emerging threat that will consume the galaxy.” You can recruit all sorts of soldiers, scoundrels, droids and maybe even a Jedi for your scrappy squad. The force is strong Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC. The Plague Tale series from France’s Asobo Studio recreates one of the bleakest periods in history, the Black Death that consumed much of Europe in the 14th century. “Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy” introduces a new protagonist: a “fierce young plunderer” named Sophia who travels to Minotaur Island in search of an ancient myth.

While the previous games were stealth-focused, Sophia is more aggressive and ready to fight her pursuers rather than just running away. Who knows if the hordes of plague-carrying rats will return? Find out Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC. “Grand Theft Auto VI” is still three months away, but the buzz is so loud that even an announcement of a preview makes the news. So if you’re dying to know what publisher Rockstar Games has been up to since “GTAV” came out 13 years ago, you’ll want to tune into Netflix at 3 p.m. Thursday for “Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look.” If you don’t get Netflix, you’ll have to wait six hours for the footage to show up on YouTube and Rockstar’s website. The suspense is almost criminal.

VOLUME 11 ISSUE 27 | THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026

DUPLINJOURNAL.COM

Duplin Journal THE DUPLIN COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

the

BRIEF this week

ICE arrests jumped to nearly 50K in July, highest monthly total of Trump’s term Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested nearly 50,000 people in July. That marks the highest single-month total during the second Trump administration.

The numbers come from the UC Berkeley Deportation Data Project.

The spike follows a recalibrated immigration enforcement approach after Homeland Security officers shot two protesters in Minneapolis in January.

The increase began in June and accelerated in July, with less public exposure than during Trump’s first year. Texas and Florida accounted for nearly 20,000 of the July arrests. The agency has been bolstered by billions of dollars from Congress and has hired 12,000 new deportation officers and agents.

Consumer confidence falls to lowest level in 7 months with gas above $4 per gallon Americans’ confidence in the economy declined this month as the ongoing Iran conflict has kept gas prices elevated at more than $4 per gallon. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index dipped to 89.4 in August from 90.2 in July. That’s the lowest level in seven months but essentially in the same lukewarm range it’s been in since the beginning of the year. In late 2024 and early 2025, the readings were consistently above 100. Respondents’ views of their present situation improved, but their outlook for the near-term future soured.

Economists don’t expect reopening U.S. to Mexican cattle imports to lower beef prices The U.S. has reopened a border crossing in Arizona to cattle from Mexico as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reduce near-record-high beef prices. But economists doubt the move will mean much to prices shoppers see at grocery stores. The USDA has said concerns about the New World screwworm’s spread lessened enough to allow Mexican cattle to cross the border at Douglas, Arizona, starting Monday. While Mexico has traditionally exported 1.1 million head of cattle a year to the U.S., economists say the biggest problem is that the U.S. cattle herd is the smallest in 75 years.

$2.00

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF MOUNT OLIVE

Move-in day Students from 36 states and 23 countries moved into the University of Mount Olive over the weekend. For more, turn to page A5.

JSCC president placed on leave Shannon Hair has held the position since February

By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal THE PRESIDENT of James Sprunt Community College in Kenansville has been placed on administrative leave by the JSCC

Board of Trustees. Anita Powers, chair of the board, confirmed the action regarding Shannon Hair.

“We have appointed an acting president, someone to take the role until we’re able to take the next step in terms of finding an interim,” Powers told Duplin Journal.

She said the acting president is Jeff Taylor, who has served as

JSCC’s associate vice president of MIS, according to the staff directory.

Due to personnel privacy laws, Powers was unable to give a reason for the board’s action.

Powers said it is important that the students and staff know this action does not affect See JSCC, page A2

Educators celebrated in Duplin Wallace Elementary’s Dena Hall was named Teacher of the Year

By Rebecca Whitman Cooke For Duplin Journal THE TOP educators from every school in the district were celebrated at the Duplin County Teacher of the Year Banquet last Thursday. Supported by the

Duplin County Education Foundation, the banquet is held every year at River Landing to highlight the accomplishments of teachers, principals and support staff nominated by their peers to represent their schools.

Another tradition of the banquet is having a student performance. This year, Addie Kate Kornegay played the violin and sang with piano accompaniment. Kornegay is a seventh

grader at North Duplin Junior Senior High School.

Awards for top assistant principal, principal, support staff, beginning teacher and teacher are voted on by their peers in each respective category. Nominees receive plaques and cash prizes. Category winners receive additional plaques and cash prizes.

Each year’s Principal of the Year and Teacher of the Year go on to represent the county in a state-

Wallace council approves Tin City improvements, 120-unit apartment complex The mobile home park could see a significant makeover

By Curt Simpson For Duplin Journal A MOBILE HOME park near Wallace that has been a longstanding concern for town officials could soon see a significant makeover, with a prospective new owner planning to clean up the property, connect it to town sewer and add nine additional homes at a time when rental housing in the area is increasingly difficult to find.

The Wallace Town Council last Thursday unanimously approved a special use permit allowing Raleigh businessman

Lennie Friedman to take over and improve Tin City Mobile Home Park on N.C. 11 just outside town.

The park sits on approximately 4.5 acres and currently has 17 mobile home spaces, with plans calling for a maximum of 26. Friedman said the improvements will include removing debris, repairing or removing unsafe homes, adding a 10-foot vegetative buffer and creating a 5,000-square-foot recreation area.

The proposal comes as rental housing remains difficult to find in Wallace and throughout the surrounding area. A recent Zillow search showed two available rental properties in the town, See COUNCIL, page A3

“What I believe we are proposing actually improves the health and safety of residents.”

Lennie Friedman, Raleigh businessman

“We’re committed to student success. …

All of our academic programs … will continue without interruption.”

Anita Powers, JSCC Board of Trustees

wide Wells Fargo competition.

This year, Tanya Smith of Duplin Early College High School was named Principal of the Year and received a $1,000 award.

She advanced to the Wells Fargo North Carolina Principal of the Year competition. Erica Levai of Kenansville Elementary School was named Assistant Principal of the Year and received a $1,000 award. Danielle Trimbur of Wallace-Rose Hill High School was named Beginning Teacher of the Year and received a $1,000 award.

See EDUCATORS, page A5

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

THURSDAY

8.27.26 #140

Wallace-Rose Hill staff take buses DUPLIN to welcome incoming freshmen happening The second annual Freshman Bus Tour brought teachers to the doorsteps of the Class of 2030

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CONTACT US Office Phone: 910 463-1240 To place a legal ad: 919 663-3232; Fax: 919 663-4042

TEACHEY — Wallace-Rose Hill High School staff members boarded school buses Aug. 11 and rode designated bus routes through the community to visit the homes of incoming ninth graders, introducing themselves and welcoming students and their families ahead of the 2026-27 school year.

The Freshman Bus Tour, now in its second year, is intended to make the transition to high school less intimidating by building connections before the first day of classes.

“The Freshman Bus Tour was more than simply a ride through the community,” said Cory Lovelace, the school’s athletic director and a coach. “It was an intentional effort to establish relationships and create a sense of belonging before students ever entered a classroom.”

The school said the visits also gave staff a chance to see the communities they serve from a different perspective and to connect with students outside the traditional school setting. The tour reflects the school’s “DAWG Way” philosophy, which emphasizes relationships and making students feel valued and connected.

The tour preceded the school’s freshman orientation, where more than 130 incoming freshmen toured the school, met staff, learned expectations and began meeting their new classmates. Students received Bulldog swag bags and lunch provided by the school’s cafeteria staff, and heard from guests and members of the WRH community.

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

Aug. 28 Wallace-Rose Hill vs. Kinston football 7 p.m.

Nonconference varsity at Wallace-Rose Hill.

Wallace-Rose Hill High School 602 High School Road Teachey

Adam Hill Band 8-11 p.m.

The Wallace pub’s weekend live music series continues with no cover.

Mad Boar Restaurant and Pub 111 River Village Place Wallace

Aug. 29 Hope for the Warriors Block Party and Celebrity Meet and Greet 6 p.m.

COURTESY DUPLIN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Wallace-Rose Hill High School staff members greet incoming freshmen during the school’s Aug. 11 Freshman Bus Tour.

Mad Boar Restaurant and Pub 111 River Village Place Wallace

JSCC from page A1

Share with your community!

Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements: Weekly deadline is Monday at noon

A celebrity meet and greet inside, then a block party with live music by 3-Peace at 7 p.m. outside. No tickets required.

the current operation of the college.

“We would just want everyone to know that we’re committed to student success, and that all of our academic programs, student services and campus operations, everything, will continue without interruption,” Powers said.

Hair assumed the role of president in February. He succeeded longtime JSCC President Jay Carraway, who announced his retirement last year. Carraway became president in 2019.

During his leadership, the school saw an 83% increase in enrollment, and construction began on a new 22,000-square-foot Workforce Development Center.

Considering Powers says the board will now seek an interim president, it calls into question how long Hair will be on administrative leave or if he will remain as president of JSCC.

An Evening of Magic and Illusion 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Magicians Chris and Neal perform an hourlong illusion show followed by a meet and greet, with an all-you-can-eat Southern buffet of fried chicken, pork tenderloin and mac and cheese served beforehand.

Matinee doors open at 12:30 p.m. and evening doors at 5 p.m.

Mike’s Farm 1600 Haw Branch Road Beulaville

Sept. 4 MARK GRADY FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL

Shannon Hair, left, gives state Sen. Brent Jackson (R-Sampson) a tour of JSCC’s Workforce Development Center in February. Hair was placed on administrative leave by the JSCC Board of Trustees at its August meeting.

James Kenan vs.

Southern Nash football 7 p.m.

Nonconference varsity at James Kenan High School.

PUBLIC NOTICE INVITATION FOR BIDS The Duplin County Schools School Nutrition Department is accepting sealed bids for the 2026–2027 School Year for the following: • Milk • Bread • Janitorial Cleaning Products, Supplies, and Equipment • Weekly Janitorial Cleaning Services The contract period will be September 1, 2026, through July 31, 2027.

Interested vendors may request a bid packet by contacting the Duplin County Schools School Nutrition Department. The bid packet

James Kenan High School 1241 N.C. 24/50 Warsaw

Sept. 5

contains complete specifications, submission instructions, contract terms and conditions, and all required bid forms. All bids must be received by August 31, 2026, by 5:00 pm.

Questions regarding the bid process or requests for bid packets should be directed to:

Opening Day at the Pumpkin Patch

Duplin County Schools School Nutrition Department L’nette S. Stokes, Director 259 S. NC 11 & 903 Highway P.O. Box 128 Kenansville, NC 28349 Phone: (910) 296-8786 Email: lstokes@duplinschools.net

Cinderella Farms 419 Northeast Road Wallace

9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Visit Duplin lists the farm’s 2026 pumpkin-patch season opener.

Duplin Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

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Local die-cast racer hosts competitors from around the world The “Duplin County Motor Speedway” hosts races on YouTube

By Rebecca Whitman Cooke For Duplin Journal WHEN CLINT COOKE moved to Duplin County, his wife encouraged him to take up a hobby close to home. What neither of them expected was that the hobby would end up inviting participants from around the world to their doors. That hobby was die-cast racing.

Editor’s Note: The author of this piece is married to the subject.

Die-cast racing is a competitive hobby where small 1:64-scale replica cars are raced down gravity-powered tracks to a finish line. Tracks vary in length and complexity from straight tracks to tracks with curves and obstacles. Different types of track add to the diversity by offering dedicated lanes or one wide track where anything can happen.

What looks like a bunch of grown men playing with Hot Wheels is actually much more complicated than that.

“Different cars run differently on different tracks, and it takes a lot of practice, research and strategy to know what wins,” Cooke said.

Die-cast racing happens at tracks around the world through

an online registration system, Red Line Derby.

“Red Line Derby is free for racers and keeps track of stats for first- through fifth-place winners,” Cooke said. “It posts races and results for those races, discussion boards with ideas and information about tracks around the world,” Cooke said.

While the online portal is free, races are not. Most races charge entry fees and shipping, but entry fees are often used to contribute to cash prizes.

Cooke — who has been collecting since he was a kid — started racing in his home with a six-lane track he dubbed the Duplin County Motor Speedway. He is the only registered track in Duplin County. He started small, racing against his own cars, and filmed it for his YouTube channel.

Soon, Cooke began sending cars to races listed on Red Line Derby. Eventually, he became a host.

“I’ve been in it a year and hosted 28 races so far,” Cooke said. “I’ve had people send me cars from Denmark, Germany, Scotland, New Zealand, Florida, Georgia, Virginia, Michigan, New York, Massachusetts, Colorado, Washington, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, West Virginia, Arkansas, Louisiana, Idaho, Tennessee, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Vermont.”

The racers that send their cars are often hosts as well. Many of them have become close friends to Cooke even though he has

“Different cars run differently on different tracks, and it takes a lot of practice, research, and strategy to know what wins.”

Clint Cooke met few of them in person. Today, Cooke has upgraded to a two-lane track with a timing system. He is often on the phone with out-of-state racers discussing upcoming races and cars.

“What I love about this community is that we help each other out,” Cooke said.

While most races take place by mailed-in entry, there are still races that happen in person. In Michigan, for example, there is an entire league that travels from house to house to race on each other’s tracks. Cooke participates in the Michigan League, but he says he would like to see something like that happen here as well. The closest in-person race he has participated in was a church fundraiser in western North Carolina.

Races can be watched weekly on Cooke’s YouTube channel, Gman Adventures.

“I have weekly races and shorts as well as two monthly Red Line Derby races that I post to the channel,” Cooke said.

COUNCIL from page A1 although the actual number of available rentals is likely higher because many local landlords do not advertise their properties on the open market.

Friedman said his goal is to provide safe, affordable housing while bringing the property up to town standards.

“Our goal is to take this old mobile home park, to clean it up and improve it to provide safe, affordable housing to the community,” Friedman said.

Town Planning Director Rod Fritz told the council that Tin City has been “an eyesore for quite a while,” reflecting the town’s longstanding concerns about the property’s condition and compliance with town regulations.

Friedman said he is not proposing to build a new mobile home park but rather to invest in an existing one. He has hired local surveying firm Goslee and Associates to ensure the plans comply with town requirements and said he is pursuing voluntary annexation into Wallace.

“Ultimately what I’m asking for is to be able to take an existing property, invest in it and improve it,” Friedman said.

The plans call for removing garbage and debris from the property, adding a 10-foot vegetative buffer and creating a recreation area of approximately 5,000 square feet. Friedman

CURT SIMPSON FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL

The Tin City mobile home park is just outside Wallace. also said the property would be professionally managed and maintained.

There are currently about eight or nine residents living in the park, with some having lived there for many years.

Friedman said old homes will either be repaired or removed, and any replacement homes will go through the town’s permitting and inspection process. He said that although he purchases used mobile homes for his properties, each home brought into Tin City will be inspected, including its mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems. He also said he would be responsible for maintaining the homes and property so they remain up to code.

The existing homes are served

by individual septic tanks.

Friedman proposes connecting the approximately 4.5-acre park to the town sewer system, which would allow the property to be laid out more efficiently and accommodate the planned increase to 26 homes.

Friedman currently owns three other mobile home parks in the area, including parks in Burgaw and Rocky Point, and told the council those properties are operating successfully.

“What I believe we are proposing actually improves the health and safety of residents,” Friedman said.

Councilwoman Penny Thorne pressed Friedman on how he would ensure the property remains well maintained and does not become an eyesore again.

COURTESY

Cooke has more than 2,000 cars in his collection. Duplin County Motor Speedway now operates a 10-foot track on a timing system that is the equivalent of a scale eighth of a mile.

Friedman said he would be responsible for the property and would begin by addressing debris and inspecting homes for issues involving steps, decks, windows and general safety. He said the park would be operated professionally.

Cal Morgan, a real estate appraiser who has worked in the field since 1999, testified that he had compared Tin City with other mobile home parks in Wallace and surrounding communities.

In his opinion, the proposed use would not negatively affect surrounding property values.

Current park owner Gail Teachey also spoke in support of the proposal. Teachey has owned the park since 2003 with her late husband and told the council that some residents have lived there for many years. She said she feels positive about Friedman’s ability to improve and maintain the property.

Glenn Price made the motion to approve the special use permit, with Jason Davis seconding.

The motion passed unanimously.

The council also unanimously approved a special use permit for a 120-unit apartment complex on Old Wilmington Road proposed by Raleigh developer David Medvetz.

Medvetz described the project as a multifamily development that would meet town requirements for traffic access and would not create adverse effects on health and safety.

Wilmington appraiser Haywood Newkirk, who has been an appraiser since 1992, testified that the proposed development would not negatively affect surrounding property values.

“In my opinion, it’s not going to harm the values,” Newkirk said. “In fact, it will enhance it.”

Newkirk said the project is fairly standard for a medium-density development, with approximately 15 units per acre.

He also said developments of this type generally spur additional investment in the immediate area.

The Old Wilmington Road project follows the council’s earlier approval of a 96-unit apartment complex proposed by Medvetz on approximately 4.5 acres at the end of SW Railroad Street.

Glenn Price made the motion to approve the Old Wilmington Road special use permit, with Frank Brinkley seconding before it was passed.

In other business, the council discussed a proposal to lease a portion of town-owned property at Farrior Park to a cell phone tower company.

Council members raised questions about the value of the proposed lease and whether alternative sites had been considered.

With those questions still unanswered, the council tabled further discussion until additional information can be provided.

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Duplin Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

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

COLUMN | REP. JIMMY DIXON

Praying for our schools

Why do we hinder or deny our precious K-12 children from having organized group prayer starting or during their days in public schools?

SUPPOSE SOMEONE came to your home, introduced themselves, asked if they could show you several documents detailing some of the recorded activities of your 10th great-grandparents. In their hands, you observe a bound journal showing age and wearing from use around the edges. The person further says, “This information is critical for the welfare of your children.” What would you do?

Last week, I was invited to speak during the monthly meeting of the Duplin County Mayors association held at the Rose Hill Restaurant. We enjoyed an excellent meal before the meeting was called to order by Teachey Mayor Bobby Jones. We discussed some of the usual General Assembly topics and some of the politics associated with current conditions relative to local governments.

However, the subject of this article will not be about those discussions. Repeatedly during my presentation and my answers to their questions, my mind was drawn back to how the meeting was opened. I clearly had the impression of how I should close the meeting. That is my subject.

When the discussions concluded, I asked them how the meeting started, and several responded, “We started with pledging our allegiance to the flag.” Then what happened, I asked, to which a couple said, “We had a prayer and blessing on the food.” I then said, “This is a local government meeting, isn’t it?” The response was yes. I then asked, “As government bodies, you think it is OK to begin your meetings in that manner?” There were unanimous gestures in the affirmative suggesting that was normal.

Why then, I asked, do we hinder or deny our precious K-12 children from having organized group prayer starting or during their days in public schools? The shrugging of shoulders and looks of wonderment suggested how foolishly we have been deceived by evil forces in high places.

Point No. 1: Prayer played a significant role in the development of our nation’s founding. Imperfect as they were, our Founding Fathers were men of faith and regularly were both privately and publicly known to petition the Lord for His blessings and help to form a never-before-tried form of government.

What could be more important to a child seeking to be educated or to those who teach them than the opportunity, through sincere prayer, to also seek help from our Heavenly Father?

The misguided “separation of Church and State concept” has banned organized prayer in public schools. How tragic it is that we can and do open many of our government meetings with organized prayer but deny our precious children and their dedicated teachers the same privilege. Of course, all our faithful teachers and children are free to have their prayers privately.

Many private schools, knowing that parents of faith want their children to have the advantage of daily prayer, promote the practice of prayer during the school day. Those who govern and regulate public schools would do well to understand that many of their dedicated teachers and students of faith would welcome the opportunity for voluntary group prayer.

Point No. 2: On average, it was our 10th great-grandparents and their generation that established this amazing constitutional republic. It is based on natural law, meaning God’s law, which states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.” This means that our natural rights come from God, not from government!

Natural law governed the creation of our Constitution.

The pretended person at your door is my substitute for the readily available library of documents generated by our Founders that established the greatest nation on Earth — a Christian nation called the United States of America! Some of the best blood and treasure have been sacrificed so our children can be born, educated, live, work, start their families and enjoy Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

We the people should therefore, for the welfare of our children, plead with the Lord to help us elect men and women of sound understanding who will dedicate their efforts to reenthrone the option of voluntary group prayer in public schools.

Rep. Jimmy Dixon represents Duplin and Wayne counties in the N.C. House of Representatives.

COLUMN | RICH LOWRY

Trump’s fondness for Kim Jong Un sends the wrong signal Trump has been careless of the goodwill of our allies.

IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE that Kim Jong Un is really this charming. President Donald Trump touted his fond relationship with the North Korean dictator in a Truth Social post calling for scaling back a long-running annual military exercise with the South Koreans.

“Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un,” Trump wrote, “I am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea.” According to Trump, the exercises “send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile, to a Country that, as long as Donald J. Trump has been President, has been unthreatening and respectful.” Then he added that South Korea had recently declined to take a role in the Iran war, clearly irking Trump, as he subsequently explained to reporters at the White House.

The joint exercises have been a key element of the U.S.-South Korea military alliance for decades. They are meant to ensure that the two countries are prepared in the event of a North Korean assault, and perhaps now have an added importance given the experience North Korea has gained in high-intensity modern warfare by bolstering Russian forces in Ukraine.

Much more important than the practical effect of Trump’s fusillade, though, is the signal it sends, yet again, that he is easily disenchanted with longtime allies whose friendship should be considered a strategic boon to the United States.

Whether musing about making Canada the 51st state, briefly campaigning to take control of Greenland, imposing tariffs on friend and foe alike, or hammering NATO, Trump has been careless of the goodwill of our allies.

They need us more than we need them, which means they are willing to put up with a lot, but sowing dissension unnecessarily is a foolhardy game at a time of growing international threats.

South Korea has been a treaty ally since 1953 and is a wealthy, technologically advanced democracy that occupies strategically important ground in Northeast Asia. It is obviously both threatened by and a bulwark against potential North Korean adventurism.

Pete Hegseth visited South Korea last year and said, “Our alliance is stronger than ever before, 72 years strong.” He described the inspiring sight of U.S. and South Korean soldiers standing “shoulder to shoulder working together.” South Korea has been committed to increasing its defense spending to 3.5% of GDP. In light of this, Hegseth subsequently averred, “Model allies that step up, like Israel, South Korea, Poland ... will receive our special favor.”

Such assurances by administration officials are always subject to change, depending on Trump’s animosities at any given time. It’s certainly true that South Korea owes its existence to us. We fought to preserve its independence at a great cost in blood and treasure during the Korean War, and we have nearly 30,000 troops on the peninsula to deter North Korea from assaulting the South again.

Seoul has lent support to recent U.S. military operations, typically in noncombat roles, but it’s understandable that it wouldn’t be enthused about taking part in an Iran war that hasn’t gone as planned and that has no clear endgame.

As for the North, it isn’t our friend. It is firmly within the China-Russia axis and has been developing its nuclear and missile arsenal apace. There is no reason to believe that any blandishments from Trump will change its behavior, and Kim has been clear that the U.S. needs to abandon its “obsession” with denuclearization.

What we most need from South Korea is for it to be as strong as possible to deter North Korea, and we shouldn’t be lending any credence to its claim that U.S.-South Korean exercises are provocations or sowing doubt about our commitment to allies.

Such diplomatic episodes, though, are an inherent part of Trump’s governance. To paraphrase the Roman writer Publilius Syrus: Prosperity makes friends, adversity tries them, and Trump distresses them — unnecessarily.

Rich Lowry is editor of the National Review.

(Copyright 2026 by King Features Synd., Inc.)

A5

Duplin Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

EDUCATORS from page A1 Digital Learning and Media Coordinator Lindsey Miller of Wallace-Rose Hill High School was named Support Staff of the Year and received a $2,500 award.

“Although Ms. Miller has been an educator for 11 years, this is her first year in Duplin County,” Duplin County Education Foundation Coordinator Susan Sellers said. “Her principal, Tom Nichols, states she made an immediate impact and quickly became a critical part of the Bulldog Nation.”

Dena Hall of Wallace Elementary School was named Duplin County Schools Teacher of the Year and received a $5,000 award. She will represent the district in the North Carolina Teacher of the Year competition.

“With 29 years of experience under her belt, Hall is the consummate education professional, public school advocate and student motivator,” Sellers said.

“In her own words, her classroom is a place of curiosity and collaboration where reading has a purpose and every learner has something valuable to contribute. Reading is not just a class but an essential tool for discovering the world and solving problems around us.”

Hall’s recognition was greeted with a standing ovation and cheers from her peers.

The following nominees were all honored with $500 awards:

Duplin County Education Award winners, from left, Support Staff of the Year Lindsey Miller, Principal of the Year Tanya Smith, Teacher of the Year Dena Hall and Assistant Principal of the Year Erica Levai pose for a photo.

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• Melanie Garris, B.F. Grady Elementary School • Amanda Hughes, Beulaville Elementary School

Support Staff of the Year, from left, Lindsey Reeves (school nurse, JKHS), Lindsey Miller (digital learning and media coordinator, WRH), Gerron Bishop (school social worker, WRH) and Danielle Ficken (school counselor, NDE) pose.

• Rena Patrick Lunsford, Center of Opportunity • Pansy Brown, Chinquapin Elementary School • Garrick Purdie, Duplin Early College High School

• Hannah Smith, North Duplin Jr./Sr. High School

• Samantha Vega, East Duplin High School

• Natasha Sutton, Rose HillMagnolia Elementary School

• Azael Perez, James Kenan High School

• Dena Hall, Wallace Elementary School

• Nicole Williams, Kenansville Elementary School

• Jordan Boser, Wallace-Rose Hill High School

• Candice Southerland, North Duplin Elementary School

• Regina Sherrod, Warsaw Elementary School

The Duplin County Education Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization funded in large part by donations from educators and community sponsors. Foundation funds support Student of the Month and Academic Excellence Awards in all K-12 schools. They also award more than $75,000 in scholarships to seniors every year.

VEHICLE DETAILS

Mileage: 167,000 miles | Condition: Used — sold as-is AUCTION RULES

• Submit sealed bids in an envelope to the Clerk at Town Hall.

• All bids will be opened after the closing deadline.

• The highest bid will be the winning bid.

• There is a $500 minimum reserve on the auction.

• If more than one bidder submits the same highest bid, all tied bidders will be contacted and given an opportunity to submit their highest and best bid.

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The truck is available for inspection Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m.– 4:30 p.m.

Bids must be received by September 4, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.

PHOTOS BY REBECCA WHITMAN COOKE FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL

Teachers of the Year nominees were, from left, Amanda Hughes (Beulaville Elementary), Candice Southerland (North Duplin Elementary), Pansy Brown (Chinquapin Elementary), Rena Patrick Lunsford (Center of Opportunity), Azael Perez (James Kenan), Regina Sherrod (Warsaw Elementary), Hannah Smith (North Duplin Jr/Sr), Natasha Sutton (Rose HillMagnolia Elementary), Dena Hall (Wallace Elementary), Samantha Vega (East Duplin High), Melanie Garris (B.F. Grady Elementary), Nicole Williams (Kenansville Elementary), Garrick Purdie (Duplin Early College High) and Jordan Boser (Wallace Rose-Hill High, not pictured).

CONTACT INFORMATION

Morgan Jacobs, Clerk Email: morgan@teacheytown.com Phone: 910-285-7564

TOWN OF TEACHEY - JOB ANNOUNCMENT NOW HIRING PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR THE TOWN OF TEACHEY NC is seeking a qualified and experienced professional to serve as Public Works Associate. This position provides leadership and oversight for the Town’s public works operations and is responsible for ensuring safe, efficient, and cost-effective delivery of essential municipal services.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES The Public Works Associate will plan, organize, direct, and supervise the activities of the Public Works Department, including but not limited to:

• Emergency and disaster response activities • Compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and safety requirements • Public Works Projects to include but not limited to zoning and zoning permits

• Knowledge of municipal public works practices, including streets, drainage/stormwater, equipment, facilities, and infrastructure maintenance • Strong leadership, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills

• Stormwater and drainage systems

• Valid North Carolina driver’s license

• Solid waste and sanitation services

• Pass background check

• Equipment maintenance

• Operate heavy equipment and heavy equipment knowledge

• Capital improvement projects

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Personnel management, scheduling, training, and safety

• Preference may be given to candidates with:

• Coordination with contractors, engineers, utility providers, and other governmental agencies

• Five or more years of municipal public works management experience

• Responding to citizen concerns and service requests

• Experience supervising a public works department or multiple operational divisions

• Advising the Mayor, and Town Commissioner on public works matters

• Public works or infrastructure management certifications SALARY AND BENEFITS

• Ability to work effectively with elected officials, employees, contractors, and the general public

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• ORC license or other relevant professional certification

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Negotiable based upon experience and qualifications.

The Town offers a competitive benefits package, which may include health insurance, retirement benefits, paid vacation and sick leave, holidays, and other employee benefits.

HOW TO APPLY Interested applicants should submit a completed application and résumé in person or by mail : Town of Teachey 116 E Second St. P.O. Box 145 Teachey NC 28464 Application Deadline: 9/11/26 @ 5:00 pm The Town of Teachey is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or other legally protected status.

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A6

Duplin Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

UMO starts year with nearly 1,000 students The school says the freshman class is among the largest in its history Duplin Journal staff MOUNT OLIVE — The University of Mount Olive began fall classes Tuesday with nearly 1,000 traditional students on campus, a figure the school says includes one of the largest freshman classes in its history.

Students come from 69 North Carolina counties, 36 states and 23 countries. More than half of UMO’s traditional students compete in NCAA Division II athletics.

New students arrived during move-in weekend, when faculty, staff, current students and volunteers helped unload cars

“Even a small amount of light can make all the difference in the world, especially in a dark room.”

H. Edward Croom and settle families into residence halls. Community organizations, local businesses and churches offered refreshments and gifts.

The weekend closed Saturday with the annual New Student Convocation in the George and Annie Dail Kornegay Arena, where Vice President for Academic Affairs Burt Lewis and Board of Trustees Chair

Donnie Lassiter addressed the incoming class.

UMO President H. Edward Croom urged students to consider the influence they can have on others.

“Never forget the impact you can have on someone,” Croom said. “Even a small amount of light can make all the difference in the world, especially in a dark room. The people sitting around you can be your light, but if you don’t let that light shine, it serves no purpose. So as you begin your post-high school journey, remember to make a difference in the lives of others.”

The ceremony ended with the university’s traditional candlelight ceremony and the alma mater, followed by a bingo night in the Alumni Dining Hall.

COURTESY PHOTOS

Students from 36 states and 23 countries moved into the University of Mount Olive over the weekend.

Kenansville Parks and Recreation director elevates program to new level She joined the department in December 2024

By Mark Grady For Duplin Journal

MARK GRADY FOR DUPLIN JOURNAL

Courtney Brown, Kenansville Parks and Recreation director, assumed the role in December 2024. Under her leadership, more are participating in sports and other activities sponsored by the department.

IT WASN’T ON Courtney Brown’s radar to become a parks and recreation director. But fate put the opportunity before her, and she took it. She accepted the position in Kenansville in December 2024 after having two previous careers.

“I have a dance degree,” Brown said in an interview with Duplin Journal. “I taught dance in Wallace and Kenansville for quite some time.”

The problem with teaching dance became the hours, considering she had children of her own.

“I couldn’t get supper on the table, couldn’t do homework and couldn’t do bath time,” she said. “I decided to switch roles and went to dental assisting school.”

That work ended up being a better fit for the schedule with her children, but after working a while in the field, she still felt something was missing.

“I told my husband one day,

“I told my husband one day, ‘I need something different.’”

Courtney Brown ‘I need something different,’” Brown said.

That is when fate intervened.

Anna West, town manager of Kenansville, approached Brown and asked what she thought about coming to work for the town in the role of parks and recreation director.

“I’ve always worked with kids, love kids,” Brown said. “That was just my thing, helping them grow. I tried it, loved it, and here I am.”

Since Brown took the job, the parks and recreation program has grown in town, both in the number of people participating in activities and in facility upgrades at the town-owned Kenan Park. While the new playground, which officially opened earlier this year, was planned before Brown took the role, it has become a popular feature at the park.

Recently, a newly surfaced

basketball court with new backboards and court markings went into active duty attracting many to afternoon and evening games.

Participation in team sports is also growing rapidly. She is very proud of Kenansville’s baseball team, which performed well in regional tournaments.

“Our sports have skyrocketed in participation,” Brown said. “We’ve gone from very few teams to (growth) this year. For volleyball, for example, last year we had two teams. This year we had five.”

Brown has introduced a flag football program that is growing in popularity, and she is exploring using Kenan Park for activities outside of sports, including camps. She also is in the process of turning a large room inside a building at the park into a space for special activities like morning coffee, puzzles, bingo for seniors and art lessons.

Some of the inspiration Brown has experienced comes from the success of the new playground at the park.

“Watching it come to completion has been really inspiring to me,” she said. “That part of it has made me think outside the box and want to bring more to this community.”

Brown added that all of this has been possible thanks to the support of the Kenansville community.

“We have a lot of supporters,” she said. “A lot of donations come through. We are really blessed.”

DUPLIN SPORTS Murray, Allen, Tigers’ lines demolish Saints Keyshawn Murray accounted for three touchdowns in a 49-6 romp over Southern Wayne

Tim Grady, JK coach

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Adrian Glover led all runners with 64 yards as both WRH and ED found it hard to move the football.

Panthers survive ‘boxing match’ against Bulldogs “We shot ourselves in the foot so many times.”

Kevin Motsinger, WRH head coach

ED slipped past WRH 16-14 to keep possession of the Big River Classic Bell

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal BEULAVILLE — A safety at the most unfortunate time gave East Duplin a 16-14 win over Wallace-Rose Hill.

While both teams secured a 2-point safety, WRH’s punt that sailed out of the end zone with 46 seconds to play ended a physical

game between longtime rivals.

And while that play was significant, it wasn’t the only time WRH had a chance to win the game.

The Bulldogs also missed a pair of 2-point conversions.

A few plays before the safety, WRH looked like it would capture the Big River Classic Bell when punt returner Adrian Glover zipped his way into the end zone. But a late holding flag had a packed house at Brian Aldridge Field looking forward to an overtime that never arrived.

“We shot ourselves in the

“Our lines played physical.”

WARSAW — Welcome to the limelight, Keyshawn Murray.

James Kenan’s new quarterback made his presence known during a 49-6 blasting of Southern Wayne last Thursday.

The Tigers senior ran the ball eight times for 74 yards and two touchdowns while connecting on 6 of 8 for 90 yards through the air, including a touchdown pass to fellow senior Terrell Allen at Fred Taylor Field.

“He showed everyone what he could do,” said JK head coach Tim Grady. “He’s worked hard for this opportunity. His work in the weight room shows.”

Murray got help from running backs Taulil Pearsall (5-82) and Kentrell Morrisey (7-49).

JK owned the line of scrimmage and limited the Saints to 91 yards of offense, which inSee TIGERS, page B3

foot so many times,” said WRH head coach Kevin Motsinger, whose team was playing without injured quarterback Kayden Keith. “Our line lost their marbles after the punt and we ran three plays in a row wrong and lost our composure.”

A sack by Semaj Scott on third down put WRH in a fourth-and-15 situation from its own 17.

So while the turnover was the bitter pill, it happened in part because of ED’s defense.

“It was like a bare-knuckles See PANTHERS, page B3

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Keyshawn Murray could be the most surprising player in Duplin County this fall

Rebels overcome second-half mistakes to dunk Seahawks The defense helped ND whip Southside-Chocowinity

Keiz Brock scored the fourth touchdown of his career against Southside.

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

CALYPSO — On a night when its offense had trouble finishing off drives, North Duplin’s defense rose to the occasion.

The Rebels’ first day of school was followed by a night in which they showcased a rebuilt football team that made its debut with a 28-14 win over Southside-Chocowinity.

Second-year quarterback Keiz Brock scored the fourth touchdown of his career, and

Demarion Smith returned an interception for a score as ND scored the final 14 points of the game.

ND’s offense was beset with nearly everything that could happen during a first game, from fumbles and presnap penalties to missed blocking assignments.

Yet so were the Seahawks, who got both of their scores via two long plays. Otherwise, their offense struggled.

While ND kept letting Southside stay in the game, a couple of Seahawks blunders set up the win for the Rebels.

Tied 14-14, defenders Rimi Villalon and Noah Bennett came up big on third down to

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force Southside to punt from its own 22. The bad-effort boot went 9 yards before going out of bounds.

Three plays later freshman Devin Carlton scooted around the right side of the defense for 26 yards. Brock snuck into the end zone to make it 20-14 following a missed PAT. Yet in a game in which both teams seemed to have many opportunities, Southside was wiped out from the physicalness of the game. A Seahawks punt went all of 13 yards.

But ND was also gassed offensively and had a three-and-out that Southside desperately See REBELS, page B4

B2

Duplin Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

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Whaley, Simpson to play in Member-Member golf tournament in Las Vegas Duplin Journal staff JACKSONVILLE — Four Duplin County golfers had a shot to take their games to Las Vegas.

Joey Whaley and James Simpson purchased their tickets on a golf course by placing second in the Member-Member State Tournament in Mid Pines earlier this month.

The duo will play 54 holes in the National Member-Member Championships in Las Vegas on Oct. 27-29.

Both are members of the Bear Trail Golf Club in Jacksonville.

Fellow Duplinities and club members Joe Sholar and Dwight Sholar also participated in the State Tournament but did not advance to the national event.

PREP ROUNDUP

Tigers booters putting last season in rearview mirror JK is off to a solid start following its disappointing ’25 campaign

By Michael Jaenicke Duplin Journal WARSAW — A mediocre soccer season at James Kenan is 10-10-1.

The bar has been set high by longtime head coach Mitchell Quinn, who is on a medical leave, by always stressing defense.

Interim coach Nelson Martel, a former All-Duplin goalie at JK, has his club off to a 4-0 mark, though he’s still concerned about having his back line come together.

The Tigers’ most recent win came Aug. 24 via a 6-0 dusting of East Duplin.

“The guys are hungry and have something to prove after last year,” Martel said. “We are connecting as a team. Our guys did everything I asked and then some. We played really well.”

JK has allowed four goals this fall while crashing the cage for 17 scores.

Ronald Ramirez and Devis Gomez each batted in two goals, while Christopher Rodriguez and Elder Bustillo each had a cage ringer.

Martel praised sweeper Gustavo Escobar for his defensive skills and field intelligence.

“He’s the captain of the back line and can be a defensive monster, like he was against Southern Wayne,” Martel said.

“He takes care of the little things that often blow up.”

Midfielders Jayden Funez and Ramirez have likewise been leaders.

“Jayden takes care of our tempo, while Ronald orchestrates the top and sets everyone up,” Martel said. “When he gets the ball, he knows where to look, who to look for and has a lot of experience playing with the twins (Maken) Augustin and Peter (Omega). He may not score a lot of goals, but I think he’ll get a ton of assists and lead us that way.”

Scoring for the Tigers has been through juniors Ismael Covarrubias and Gomez and sophomore Rodriguez.

Gomez had a hat trick, and Rodriguez and Covarrubias each found the back of the net when JK whipped South Brunswick.

Rodriguez netted both scores during a 2-1 conquest of 5A Charles Aycock.

VOLLEYBALL Bulldog freshmen getting reps

COURTESY PHOTOS

James Simpson

Joey Whaley

Wallace-Rose Hill head coach Kevin Williams is pleased with the return of senior Gabby Debnam to the lineup.

He’s also excited about the potential of freshmen McKeithan Cross, Ella Turner, Allie Henderson and Lila Kennedy, a foursome who have been in the starting lineup for the Bulldogs (3-3), rebounding from the loss of three all-state players in 2025.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

JK midfielder Kaleb Gallegos clears a ball during a recent match. The Tigers have allowed four goals in four games while scoring 17.

“Our guys did everything I asked and then some.”

Nelson Martel, JK interim boys’ soccer coach “With all we lost, I think being around .500 is about what I could have expected,” Williams said.

To change the mood of the program, Williams and his daughter Haven (a former Ms. Softball) dragged out brushes and rollers.

“We painted it orange with white stripes and the Lady Bulldog (lettering) on it,” the coach said over the weekend.

“They won’t see it until walking in on it.”

Williams is hoping the reveal is akin to the one that ushered in other young players that guided the program to 110 wins the past five seasons.

McKeithan is the biggest hitter of the newcomers, though OPP hitters Henderson and Kennedy are not too far behind, while Turner’s backcourt skills and athleticism are another reason for optimism about the Bulldogs’ future.

Debnam and Cross combined for 25 kills last week during a 3-2 (25-23, 14-25, 25-20, 13-25, 15-10) slugfest with Pender.

Turner chipped in with 17 digs and Hannah Baker 11.

Setter Jaymie Gantt delivered 25 assists.

WRH then fell to East Duplin (25-18, 25-21, 25-19) nine days after a lopsided season-opening 3-0 (25-17, 25-10, 25-8) setback to the Panthers.

Panthers recover from tournament to top Bulldogs, Rebels After suffering three con-

secutive losses in the Carterican Classic at West Carteret High, East Duplin resumed its local business, beating Duplin rivals North Duplin, WRH and James Kenan in consecutive matches.

ED (6-3) has 24 matches scheduled, though 22 is the limit. The best-of-three tournament included losses to Topsail, JH Rose and the host school and a win over Croatan.

More stellar competition comes before the defending champs open up ECC play on Sept. 10.

Sophia Jones, Blaire Howard, Lorena Rodriguez and Bennett Holley are the top spiking Panthers, while Karsyn Parker is tops on the team in digs and Anamarie Rodriguez in assists.

ED still has pair of matches against Jacksonville (60) and a revenge bout against Richlands in Beulaville after a 3-2 loss Aug. 13 on Wildcats sod.

Coach Susan Miller’s club is still a work in progress, though improvements could go somewhat unnoticed.

Rebels slip past Tigers North Duplin continued its strong hold over James Kenan by winning three tight sets — 25-21, 25-22, 26-24.

Abby Norris had eight kills and Melany Sanchez 30 digs.

Two days later, the Rebels (3-1) stormed through Spring Creek, winning sets at 25-13, 25-17 and 25-15, as Brown and Norris combined for 16 kills.

Gracie Higginbotham added seven of ND’s 10 aces and had 14 assists.

The two schools meet again in Warsaw on Sept. 14.

JK is 0-4 and will face Spring Creek (2-3) and Rosewood (3-1) this week.

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B3

Duplin Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

PANTHERS from page B1 boxing match,” said ED defensive coordinator Seth Sandlin.

ED has a 17-16 edge in the series since 1996.

“The defense played lights out,” said head coach Battle Holley, whose team kept the Big River Classic Bell for another season. “We made stops in the second half when we had to. We don’t play a one-game season, and this game is always a tough one. Yet it’s also really nice when you win a rivalry game. But you have to move on.”

The Panthers scored on their first series, going 68 yards in 10 plays. Key plays included a Brayden Jones-to-Keeshon Mckinnie reception and a 15-yard facemask penalty that accompanied it and Jones’ touchdown toss to Nickolas Davis on thirdand-1 from the 14.

Defenses harass offenses The defenses dominated the rest of the first half as both offensive lines struggled to move their foes in the trenches.

WRH had a three-and-out.

Jones tossed an interception to Tyran Boney.

WRH lost a fumble after driving to the ED 34.

Both schools had long drives that wiped out the clock in the second quarter.

ED ran 12 plays and, following a sack by Trenell Madina-Smith and Ethan Fisher, punted.

WRH also ran 12 plays before being thwarted by a sack via Blake Schuddekopf and James Matas.

While ED may have had a slight edge in the overall play, the Panthers only had a 7-0 to show for it at halftime.

The Bulldogs stopped ED in three downs to start the third quarter and got good field position when the ball spun backward for about 15 yards on a punt.

Four plays later, Glover (9-64) scored, but WRH missed the conversion and trailed 7-6.

ED fired back when a screen pass to Zachary Cruz and a 32-yard scamper by Mckinnie were the keys to Noah LeBlanc’s 15-yard score.

Fans stay until the final play Up 14-6 this one was far from over, even as WRH punted to ED to start the fourth quarter.

The Bulldogs’ defense forced ED off the field 1:45 later. The Panthers’ defense bent but did not break in forcing a punt.

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WRH’s Logan Marks makes a touchdown-saving tackle on ED’s Keeshon Mckinnie.

But Raquan McCrimmon’s boot stopped dead at the 4, and three plays later, Darwin Bonilla was trapped for a safety in the left corner of the end zone to knot the game at 14-14.

WRH forced another Panthers punt near midfield that Glover took to the house before getting called back by the trailing official. The Bulldogs’ final four offensive plays decided the outcome of a hard-fought affair.

“Toward the end of the half we started mashing them, and it took its toll,” said Motsinger, whose team exploited the middle of ED’s defense in the second half. “But at the end of the day it comes down to execution, and we’re a very young and very inexperienced team.

“But I can tell you this, we’re better on offense and defense than we were last year. If our young puppies grow up just a little, we have a chance to win every Friday night dog fight.”

ED emerged victorious but also learns about its team.

“We had a lot of people step up who had never been in this type of atmosphere,” Holley said. “We need to improve in so many areas, with us going to Princeton next week where we’ve never won.

“But this gives us a good kick-start and good feelings about trying to get better each week.”

Extra points ED outrushed WRH 160-120 via its committee of Cruz (10-59), LeBlanc (8-40), Mckinnie (10-35), Esiah Banner-

man (7-13) and Bonilla (4-12) averaging 3.5 yards per carry. WRH also had five backs — Glover (9-64), Kaleb Carr (6-28), McCrimmon (11-24), Jarrod Miller (4-24) and Josiah Faison (3-19) — who were held to a 2.7-yard average by the Panthers defense. ED was 4 of 13 on third down and 1 of 5 on fourth down. WRH went 4 of 10 on third down and 1 of 2 on fourth down.

WRH’s lone pass came on the first play of the game and told Motsinger plenty about what his team had to do.

“If we don’t overthrow that, it’s a touchdown,” he said.

Holley said he was pleased with the play of his quarterback.

“We were 4 of 5, so efficient, but on the interception, we had a man wide open in the middle of the field,” he said. “But he did a great job the rest of the game.”

Davis, ED’s Player of the Game, made a key tackle on WRH’s 2-point conversion attempt. He was filling in at SE for Dominic Hall.

WRH hosts defending East Region champ Kinston on Friday.

ED travels to play on artificial turf at Princeton the same night.

The Panthers have won nine of the past 13 games. WRH has a 41-25-1 lead in the all-time series. Eleven of the last 12 games have been decided by eight points or less.

LeBlanc, a Richlands transfer who missed all of ’25 with an injury, led ED in tackles with 18.

James Matas had nine, Semaj Scott and Mckinnie with seven apiece and Schuddekopf six.

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TIGERS from page B1 cluded a 65-yard score early in the fourth quarter after it was 42-0.

The loss went quicker for Southern Wayne as the clock ran continuously in the third quarter with JK in front 35-0 at halftime. The Tigers scored on their first four possessions and then again with 18 seconds before halftime.

“Our lines played physical, and our offensive line is a close group that has experience,” Grady said.

Sophomore Sherrod King paced the defense with 11 tackles and the lone sack of the game. Morrisey added seven tackles, and Alex Vasquez, Torrence McClain and Jaden Garner-Emanuel each had a half-dozen stops.

Josh Benjamin and Kingston Dunn had interceptions, while Morrisey forced two fumbles. Dunn returned his pick 65 yards for a score.

JK will host Southern Nash (1-0) on Sept. 4. Seven days later it will renew its rivalry with East Duplin in Beulaville.

Pearsall’s penetration into the Saints’ backfield forced a

WRH’s Tyran Boney and Adrian Glover cling to ED’s Zachary Cruz. The Panthers won the defensive battle for the second straight season, 16-14.

Anderson Caldwell, Agent anderson.caldwell@ncfbins.com

14-yard loss on the fourth play of the game.

Morrisey scored from the 8-yard line four plays later, and Ismael Covvaruibus hit his first of seven PATs. Ten plays after SW’s three-and-out it was 14-0 as the Tigers’ quarterback scored from the 2. Morrisey helped keep the drive going with a first-down run on third-and-4 and then again on fourth-and-2 when he bolted for 20 yards to reach the 2.

Allen had a 32-yard scamper off a jet sweep to set up the third score. Murray bolted for 29 yards and then the score from the 9 as JK marched 85 yards in six plays, which included a 15-yard flag on SW on the first play.

It ballooned to 28-0 six plays later as Murray ran for 15 yards and then hit Allen for the score.

Allen caught four passes for 60 yards.

The signal caller scored from the 5 after a pair of 18-yard connections with Allen during the six-play march.

Davion Woodard scored in the fourth quarter after the two teams exchanged fumbles.

Dunn’s late pick-six was icing on a sweet opener.

Kentrell Morrisey (3), Jaden Garner and Zyquan Twitty (14) put the brakes on a Southern Wayne running back.

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

NOTICE – TOWN OF WALLACE, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF QUASI-JUDICIAL PUBLIC HEARING September 10, 2026, After 6:00 P.M. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Wallace Town Council will conduct a Quasi-Judicial Public Hearing at the Wallace Women’s Club, located at 216 N. East Railroad Street, Wallace, North Carolina 28466, on Thursday, September 10, 2026, after 6:00 P.M., to consider the following application: Request: Special Use Permit for a Group Care Facility located at 800 N. Teachey Rd.

The applicant is seeking approval of a Special Use Permit to operate a Group Care Facility pursuant to the requirements of the Town of Wallace Unified Development Ordinance.

This hearing will be conducted as a quasi-judicial proceeding. All persons wishing to present testimony or evidence shall be sworn prior to speaking. Testimony must be competent, material, and relevant to the standards applicable to the requested Special Use Permit. The Town Council’s decision will be based solely upon the evidence presented during the hearing and the applicable provisions

of the Unified Development Ordinance.

Any person who believes they have standing as a party to the proceeding may appear in person or be represented by legal counsel. Parties may present evidence, call witnesses, and cross-examine witnesses as permitted by law.

The application and supporting materials are available for public inspection at Wallace Town Hall during normal business hours.

Persons having questions may contact Rod Fritz, Planning Director, at (910) 285-4136 or by email at rfritz@ wallacenc.gov.

B4

Duplin Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

REBELS from page B1

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

SPONSORED BY BILL CARONE

needed to stay in the game with 1:53 remaining.

Three plays later, Smith had his first interception of the night and returned it 26 yards for a score.

Cole Grady galloped into the end zone for ND’s first conversion points of the night to give the Rebels a two-score advantage with 1:20 to play.

Smith’s second pick came two plays after his score and officially ended Southside’s hopes.

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Rebels take lead early North Duplin fumbled away a scoring chance on its first possession following a drive deep into Seahawks territory.

Its first score was set up by a Jackson Lee interception that came two plays after the Rebels’ fumble.

The next play, Brock hit a wide open Jayden Pope for a 30yard strike and 6-0 lead with 7:45 left in the opening quarter.

Southside’s offense was then stymied by Noa Quintanilla for a 10-yard loss. Lee followed with a sack, and Noah Bennett roared into the backfield on third down to create a fourth-and-28 problem for the Seahawks.

ND picked up momentum in the second quarter after Pope ran for 37 yards on third-and-9.

Yet the Rebels faced a fourthand-16 at the 24 and got rescued via Cole Grady’s best run of the game, a 21-yard push that moved the ball to the 3.

Fullback Quintanilla was untouched after taking the handoff from Brock, who faked out Southside and nearly everyone in the stands.

Messiah Cooper ran for the 2-point conversion as ND went up 14-0.

ND’s defense continued to lead the way in the rest of the second quarter and into the third.

Another punting mistake put ND in a position to run away with the game.

A bad snap forced the kicker to drop the ball with Quint-

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

Jayden Clemens and Noa Quintanilla wrap up Southside’s Keyshaw Rouse.

2

Interceptions by freshman Demarion Smith anilla running him to the sidelines as ND took over at the Southside 36.

But a holding penalty put ND behind the yardsticks and facing a fourth-and-13. Pope ran 121⁄2 yards but did not hit the first-down marker.

The Seahawks’ Devonelle Brimage returned the ensuing kickoff 73 yards and then ran in the conversion to cut the margin to 14-8.

It remained that way until the fifth possession of the third quarter after ND fumbled the ball to Southside. Then quarterback Jahiem Moore connected with Brimage for a 54-yard score. But ND’s de-

fense stopped the conversion to deadlock the affair at 14-all.

Gridiron notebook Pope (10-69) led ND in rushing, though he got help from Grady (7-50), Devin Carlton (6-30) and Quintanilla (6-19) as ND rushed for 188 yards on 37 attempts. Pope also motored 22 yards after a reception. Brock completed both of his passes.

The senior got hurt just before ND scored its third touchdown.

His status remains unknown.

ND hosts Rosewood on Aug. 28. The Eagles did what they normally do on opening night, losing 20-0 to Charles B. Aycock. ND won last year’s game 39-19 and in 2024 (39-32), though that hardly makes a difference given the graduation turnover by the Rebels. Rosewood won the previous five meetings. ND has a 13-9 lead in series since 2004. ND leads the all-time series 53-51.

Busch shares emotional last moments with late brother Kurt Busch did an interview with “Today” about Kyle’s death The Associated Press NEW YORK — NASCAR Hall of Famer Kurt Busch wiped tears from his eyes in recalling the final day he spent at his younger brother’s hospital bedside in his first public comments about Kyle Busch’s death.

“I was at the hospital. I was there all day, hoping, praying, hoping for a turnaround,” Busch said in an interview on NBC’s “Today” show last Friday.

“I said, ‘I got you man. Come on, I got you. I got you. Come on, be strong,’” an emotional Busch added, before a brief pause. “It just wasn’t fair.”

The interview marked Busch’s first comments since Kyle Busch died May 21 after severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming complications. Busch’s death at the age of 41 devastated the racing community and one of NASCAR’s most accomplished families. The brothers were born in Las Vegas.

Kyle Busch won Cup Series championships in 2015 and 2019 for Joe Gibbs Racing, and he holds the record in winning 234 combined races across NASCAR’s top three national series. His older brother was a Cup champion in 2004 and inducted this year into the Hall of Fame.

In the interview, Busch outlined how his brother became increasingly ill while practicing in a simulator May 20.

Asked by his crew chief whether he was OK, Busch responded no, and he was taken to a hospital by ambulance.

Kyle Busch initially believed he was dealing with a sinus cold while racing at Wat-

Demarion Smith

EDWARDO PUAC / DUPLIN JOURNAL

North Duplin, football Demarion Smith could have many milestones ahead of him on the football field.

But for now, he’ll settle for accolades from his first varsity encounter.

The Rebels freshman had two fourthquarter interceptions during a 28-14 win over Southside-Chocowinity on Aug. 24.

His first pick turned out to be the winning score.

His second interception sealed the win with under a minute to play and the Seahawks near midfield.

NOTICES NOTICE TO CREDITORS

PHELAN M. EBENHACK / AP PHOTO

Kurt Busch, front, gets a hug from his brother, Kyle Busch, after announcing his retirement before a NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona in 2023.

“It just wasn’t fair.”

Kurt Busch kins Glen, New York, on May 10. He continued competing, including winning a Truck Series race at Dover, Delaware, less than a week before he died. Kurt Busch said their father, Tom Busch, chose not to be at the hospital in order to “remember him the way he wanted to remember him.”

“There is no book, there is no outline on what we’re supposed to do right now,” Kurt Busch said, before recalling the on-track chemistry he had with his brother.

“Him and I were carbon copies of each other. We could speak on track without say-

ing a word,” he said. “I miss the words we never spoke to each other, and the vibe that we had on track.”

Busch said he’s now mentoring his nephew, Kyle’s 11-year-old son Brexton, who has taken up racing.

“He’s a prodigy,” Busch said.

“He can be a big star in the world of motorsports. He’s 11, but he’s already racing like an 18-year-old.”

As for his brother’s legacy, Busch said the achievements speak for themselves.

“It’s already there. Winningest driver in NASCAR history in all the series,” Busch said.

“The tenacity that he had.

It was every day, 24-7, to help people in the latter part of his career, to be a great father like he was,” he added. “It will all shine as time puts different things in spotlights.”

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA DUPLIN COUNTY

NORTH CAROLINA DUPLIN COUNTY

FILE#26E000306-300

FILE#26E000358-300

The undersigned, LYDIA JUDD CARROLL, having qualified on the 21ST DAY of JULY 2026, as EXECUTOR of the Estate of ARTHUR LOWENBACK CARROLL, JR., 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 6TH Day of NOVEMBER 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

The undersigned, REBECCA C. WALKER, having qualified on the 19TH DAY of AUGUST 2026, as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of GRAHAM WALKER, 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 27TH Day of NOVEMBER 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 27TH Day of AUGUST 2026.

This the 6TH Day of AUGUST 2026.

REBECCA C. WALKER, ADMINISTRATOR 104 BILL BLAKE DR. WILLARD, NC 28478

LYDIA JUDD CARROLL, EXECUTOR 1235 N NC HWY 41 PINK HILL, NC 28572 Run dates:A6,13,20,27p

Run dates:A27,S3,10,17p

B5

Duplin Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

obituaries

SPONSORED BY QUINN MCGOWEN FUNERAL HOME

Eleanor Lozirk McKinnon

James Edward Leak

Harley Angus Phillips Jr.

Sophie Marie Owens Wells

Terry Leamon Rivenbark

Feb. 11, 1945 – Aug. 16, 2026

Nov. 25, 1946 – Aug. 16, 2026

May 14, 1951 – Aug. 16, 2026

Oct. 10, 1935 – Aug. 18, 2026

April 30, 1951 – Aug. 19, 2026

Eleanor Lozirk McKinnon, 81, passed away on Sunday, August 16, 2026.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Frances & Charles Lozirk; son, Michael McKinnon; sister, Elizabeth Conte; brother, Samuel “Butch” Lozirk; and a great-grandchild, Mila Grace Huygens.

The funeral service is Friday, August 21, 2026, at 7 p.m. followed by visitation at Community Funeral Home in Beulaville, NC. A graveside service is Saturday, August 22, 2026, at 9 a.m. at Cedar Fork Community Cemetery on Cedar Fork Church Rd in Beulaville, NC. She is survived by son Sam McKinnon (Wendy) of Goldsboro, NC; daughter Danielle Murray (Brian) of Beulaville, NC; grandchildren Matthew McKinnon, Ashley Huygens, Kathrine McKinnon, Callie Mullen and Jackson Murray; six greatgrandchildren and lifelong friend Kathy Restuccia.

Community Funeral Home of Beulaville is honored to serve the McKinnon family.

James Edward Leak, 79, of Rose Hill, NC, passed away August 16, 2026, at Campbell Health and Rehabilitation in Burgaw, NC. Funeral service will be 11:00 am Saturday, August 22, 2026, at First Assembly of God in Wallace. Interment following the service at Carr Cemetery in Rose Hill.

Harley Angus Phillips Jr., 75, of Carolina Beach, passed away on Sunday, August 16, 2026, at home surrounded by his loving family.

He was born on May 14, 1951, in Wilmington, to the late Harley Angus Phillips and the late Beth Middleton Phillips and was raised in Wallace, NC. Angus was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather who loved his family deeply. He cherished the time he spent with his grandchildren and took great joy in watching them grow.

His family was the center of his world, and he would do anything for the people he loved. He was the kind of person who would give you the shirt off his back and never think twice about it.

Angus loved being outdoors and especially enjoyed fishing.

In his younger years, he also enjoyed coaching his daughters and many other young ladies in softball, sharing his love of the game and the lessons that came with it. As the years went by, he found happiness in the simple things—being outside, riding his tractor, spending time with family, and making memories with the people he loved. He will be remembered for his generous heart, his love for his family, and the many ways he made those around him feel cared for. His presence will be deeply missed, but his love and the memories he created will remain with his family forever.

Angus is survived by his wife, Rebecca Hooper Phillips; his daughters, McKenzie Phillips Brummond and husband, Tyler, Mallory Phillips Smith and husband, Travis; his grandchildren, Fuller Jackson, Campbell Jackson, Grady Smith, Harley Sutton Smith, Samuel Brummond, Madelyn Brummond; his two brothers; and many other family members and friends.

A private celebration of life will be held by the family. Details will be announced by the family at a later date.

Sophie Wells, 90, of Watha, passed away peacefully to her heavenly home on August 18, 2026 at her home with her family by her bedside.

She was born on October 10, 1935, the daughter of the late Donnie and Exie Owens of Pender County. She was predeceased by her precious husband, JP Wells of 67 years at the time of his passing. She has two sisters, Gertie Wells of Wallace, NC and Linda Allen of Newport News, Virginia; and brother Alfred Owens of Watha, NC who preceded Sophie in death. She has a special “sister/ aunt”, Barbara Honeycutt of Watha, NC, who always held a special place in her life.

Sophie is survived by her daughters Joan Johnson (Bob, deceased), Glenda Knowles (David), and Roxane Denny(Danny); sons Jeffrey Wells (Angela) and Bryan Wells (Tina); grandchildren James Johnson, Brian Johnson, Shawn Knowles (Meredith), Lisa Jones (Ashley), Phillip Knowles (Janessa), Jacob Denny (Lauren), Josh Denny (Amber), Jeremy Wells (Stacy), Ashley Reynolds (Ryan), Amanda Scott (Josh), Alexa Bieber (Zach) and Brittney Brown (Brandon); and 21 great grandchildren.

Sophie was a devoted wife and mother. Her life centered around God and her family. She was kind and loving and happiest when she was doing for others.

She took great care of her family and was a wonderful homemaker — sewing her own clothes, filling the freezer with fresh food from their garden, making mouthwatering homemade biscuits and delicious meals every day, and baking delicious desserts to share with others.

She enjoyed crocheting, knitting, and crafting, and she enjoyed gifting away her homemade treasures to others. After raising five children, she went to work at Walmart for 20 years and worked as department manager of crafts and fabrics. She enjoyed helping others with their projects as much as she enjoyed doing it herself.

Sophie will be greatly missed by her family and friends. In the words of Sophie, she would often say, “I have no more words.”

Funeral service will be 2:00 p.m. Friday, August 21, 2026 at Quinn McGowen Funeral Home Burgaw Chapel with Rev. David Knowles conducting the service.

The family will receive friends at 1:00 p.m., one hour prior to funeral service.

Burial will follow in Riverview Memorial Park.

The family wishes to thank Lower Cape Fear Hospice staff for their wonderful care, support, and comfort to Sophie and her family in the weeks preceding her death. They also wish to give a special thank you to Sarah Simpson, of Meals on Wheels, for the loving kindness she gave to Sophie on each of her daily stops.

A service of Quinn-McGowen Funeral Home Burgaw Chapel.

Terry Leamon Rivenbark, age 75, of Wallace left this earthly life for his eternal rest on Wednesday, August 19, 2026.

He was born on April 30, 1951 in Duplin County; the son of Lucille Garriss Rivenbark of Wallace, North Carolina and the late Joseph Rivenbark. Terry was also preceded in death by his son Jacob “Jake” Rivenbark and grandson Jesse James Ferrell.

Surviving along with his mother, is his children Tammy Jo Zwettler and husband Al of Illinois, Todd Rivenbark and wife Michelle of Pink Hill and Jeffrey Rivenbark of Pink Hill; grandchildren Kayla Nicole Ferrell, Dakota Rivenbark and wife Brianna, Dessa Montana, Zoe Laken Rivenbark, Mylee Nicole Rivenbark and Kaiden Rivenbark; brothers Kenneth Randy Rivenbark and Glenn Rivenbark and wife Pamela, all of Wallace; sister Ava Jo Richard and husband Gary of Wallace; great granddaughter Reanna James Ferrell and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends that loved Terry dearly.

Terry was a simple man who enjoyed the simplest things in life. He was an avid outdoorsman who loved to hunt and fish. He enjoyed taking his boat out on the Northeast River just enjoying nature and also sitting around the “old bus” with a campfire going and enjoying each others company.

Terry was an excavator operator for many years. With his CDL license, he hauled equipment and helped several farmers haul corn during the corn season. Terry loved to work and until his health drastically failed he continued to keep his CDL license active. Terry also worked at the State Port in Wilmington for over 10 years.

Terry loved his family and was proud of his children and grandchildren. He was the happiest when he was at the river and spending time with family and friends. He will surely be missed but treasured memories will forever remain in the hearts of those who knew and loved Terry.

Graveside service will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, August 21, 2026 at Riverview Memorial Park in Watha.

Quinn-McGowen Funeral Home of Wallace is serving the Terry Rivenbark family.

Janet Lynn Vann Oct. 20, 1958 – Aug. 19, 2026 Janet Lynn Vann, 67, of Magnolia passed away on Wednesday, August 19, 2026 at Lower Cape Fear LifeCare in Wilmington.

She was born on October 20, 1958 in Pender County, NC; the daughter of Joyce Rooks Brown Rackley of Raleigh and the late Virgil Norris.

Surviving in addition to her mother and step-father Ralph Rackley, are her daughters Tracie Hanchey and husband Eddie of Wallace, Monica Hughes of Wallace and Beckie Blanton and husband Bradley of Magnolia; her grandchildren Alyessa Hughes and Kora Hanchey; special cousins Shelia DeBose, Kathy McMillan, Sue Keene and Peggy Jones; her precious canine companion “Pepper” whom she adored and numerous extended family and friends that loved Janet dearly.

Janet was a loving daughter and caring mother and grandmother who loved her family with all her heart. She was a simple woman who enjoyed simple things such as fishing, sitting outside in her swing, and spending time with her family.

She was a private person who kept to herself and didn’t care to be around large crowds.

Janet will surely be missed but treasured memories of her will forever remain in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.

A memorial service will be announced at a later date.

Quinn-McGowen Funeral Home of Wallace

Harry “Graham” Kilpatrick Sr. Nov. 28, 1941 – Aug. 18, 2026 Mr. Harry “Graham” Kilpatrick Sr., of Wallace, died Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at Campbell Health Center of Burgaw, North Carolina, following an extended illness. Funeral services will be held Saturday, August 22, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at Quinn-McGowen Funeral Home Chapel in Wallace with Reverend John McIntyre officiating. A private burial will follow. The family will receive friends immediately after the funeral service at the funeral home.

Mr. Kilpatrick was born November 28, 1941, to his parents, John Burton Kilpatrick Sr. and Dolly Teachey Kilpatrick of Teachey. He is preceded in death by his parents; his sisters Dororthy K. Peterson and Lois K. Cooper; his brothers John Burton “JB” Kilpatrick Jr. and Stanley Kilpatrick; and niece Karen Cooper Neuwrith.

Mr. Kilpatrick is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Shelby McIntyre Kilpatrick; his son Harry Graham “Rick” Kilpatrick Jr. and wife Kim of Apex; his daughters Shannon K. Styles and husband Todd of Wilmington and Amanda K. Hawes and husband David of Rose Hill; grandchildren Allyson, Lindsey and Sarah Kilpatrick, Gavin and Ryanne Claire Puryear and Brantley Hawes; step-grandchildren Chloe, Todd Jr. and Ceighlee Styles; sister-in-law Mildred Fort Kilpatrick; numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

Mr. Kilpatrick graduated from Wallace-Rose Hill High School in 1960 and from East Carolina College (now ECU) in 1964, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in history. Over a span of 40 years, he was a teacher at various Duplin County schools, of which Wallace-Rose Hill High School was the stint of his career, where he taught History, Drivers Education and was an Assistant Football Coach. His biggest and proudest moment of his coaching career was in 1994 when WallaceRose Hill won their first State Championship. He also served on the Wallace Town Council from 1997 to 2013. Being an avid sports fan, he enjoyed following the football teams of the East Carolina Pirates and North Carolina Tar Heels. He was also an animal lover of both cats and dogs and was often seen around the neighborhood taking his dogs for walks.

Mr. Kilpatrick touched many lives during his lifetime, and he will surely be missed.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Pet Friends of Duplin County, P.O. Box 152, Wallace, NC 28466, or to the charity of your choice.

Angel Kay LeGrand Morton March 28, 1973 – Aug. 17, 2026 It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Angel Kay LeGrand Morton on August 17, 2026, a cherished Christian lady who loved and lived among us on this earth. She was born March 28, 1973, in Walton County, Georgia.

A full obituary will be forthcoming.

A service of Quinn-McGowen Funeral Home Burgaw Chapel.

Shirley Marie Smith July 8, 1937 – Aug. 18, 2026 Shirley Marie Smith, 89, passed away on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. Shirley is survived by her son, Ray Smith; granddaughter, Lindsay Rouse (Chancey); great-granddaughter, Holland Rouse (Joseph Ives); great-great granddaughters, Payton Ives and Molly Ives; grandson, Jason Smith (Lisa Boothe); great-great-grandson, Nick Smith; brother-in-law, Diesel Stroud; niece; Tracie Nash; nephew, Billy Ray Smith (Lisa) and Mike Smith.

Visitation will be held from 5-6 p.m. on Friday, August 21, 2026.

Graveside service will follow at the Turner Cemetery on Seth Turner Road in Albertson.

B6

Duplin Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

Preservationists working to extend life of rare Revolutionary War ‘witness tree’ The same cables meant to save the tree are now slowly killing it

By Allen G. Breed The Associated Press EUTAW SPRINGS, S.C. — Standing beneath the spreading branches of a massive live oak, historian Garrison Marcoux tries to imagine what this scarred, struggling tree saw 245 years ago.

Did one of the British soldiers encamped at this South Carolina crossroad near the end of the Revolutionary War sit in the oak’s shade to recuperate from the series of attacks in American Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene’s “war of posts?” Did he or his comrades take cover behind its then slender trunk and fire at the onrushing Continental Army?

Perhaps a soldier took his last breath beneath its canopy, watering its roots with his blood.

“I’m a spiritual person,” Marcoux, with the South Carolina Battlefield Preservation Trust, said as workers clamber among the limbs above. “To say that a place that experienced a lot of violence and intense emotion and things like that doesn’t hold some kind of energy is probably

not likely. I think that energy exists where something like this happened.”

This is a “witness tree.” And it now faces its own fight for survival.

After multiple attempts to stave off its death over the decades, it is being choked by the chains and cables meant to support it. Preservationists are working to save this unique, living reminder of an oft-overshadowed chapter in U.S. history.

What the oak witnessed during the Revolutionary War Arborists estimate that the tree was about 50 years old on Sept. 8, 1781, when British and Colonial forces clashed during the Battle of Eutaw Springs — considered by historians to be the last open field engagement of the American Revolution.

“It’s very rare to have a witness tree, especially from the Revolutionary War,” Marcoux said on a recent sultry morning as gnats and mosquitoes buzzed around his head. “To have the tree that witnessed this battle and still standing is short of a miracle.”

Among the officers were famous names like Lt. Col. Hen-

ALLEN G. BREED / AP PHOTO

The sun rises behind a Revolutionary War “witness tree” at the Battle of Eutaw Springs, South Carolina. ry “Light-Horse Harry” Lee and Brig. Gen. Francis Marion, better known as the “Swamp Fox.” About 2,500 Americans attacked the roughly 2,000 British and Loyalist troops camped around a fortified brick house.

Greene, who had a horse shot out from under him during the battle, called Eutaw Springs “by far, the hottest action I ever saw, and the most bloody for the numbers engaged.”

Lt. Col. Alexander Stewart, the British field commander that day, later wrote to Gen. Charles Lord Cornwallis, “I assure you the Action was bloody and obstinate.”

There were 1,461 killed, wounded, captured or missing.

Both sides would claim victory.

“That tree probably took a few lead balls itself,” said arborist Aron Landsaw.

The combatants would move on. The oak remained — and faced several more battles of its own.

The supports to help the tree are now choking it Hung with swaying Spanish moss, its branches festooned with bright-green resurrection fern, the tree reaches 45 feet into the sky, its canopy spreading about 130 feet. Its trunk is 72 inches in diameter at breast height.

The twin springs that gave the Revolutionary War battle its name are no more, inundated by the 1940s project that flooded the Santee River basin for hydroelectric power and flood control. Development in the 1960s swallowed up much of what the lake project spared.

The tree survived it all.

Then, about 50 years ago, lightning struck the oak’s crotch, splitting the tree nearly in two. Workers lashed the broad branches together with steel cables and chains.

But the mechanisms that saved the oak are now slowly killing it.

As the tree grew, the metal bands cut into the trunk and branches, in some places disappearing beneath a scar-like covering of bark.

“The chains and cables are actually choking it out,” said Landsaw. “It can’t pull nutrients up from the soil.”

Preservationists hope to reverse that.

A supersonic air tool and a kelp mixture offer a lifeline South Carolina 250 and the American Battlefield Trust joined forces to hire New York state-based SavATree for the project as the U.S. marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Crews recently used a supersonic air tool to decompact the ground around the tree’s roots, then injected a kelp mixture to add nutrients to the soil.

The day of Marcoux’s visit, SavATree workers hammered little blunt lightning rods into the main branches, connecting them with shiny copper cables that converge on a longer copper rod pounded deep into the ground about 10 feet from the trunk.

“If lightning does hit it, it’ll run down the copper cables and dissipate into the ground,” said Landsaw, a consulting arborist with SavATree.

Next, workers will install new cables, bolted into the five main branches, to stabilize the tree before removing the old supports.

“There’s going to be a center hub in the middle that connects all these cables and allows the tree to sway with the wind and move around when it needs to,” Landsaw explained.

Landsaw said this is the most significant project he’s ever worked on.

While he can’t promise the tree will live another three centuries, Landsaw is confident it will be around to inspire new generations of Americans.

“We’re focusing on another 100 years at least,” he said.

“Hopefully longer.”

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TOWN OF WARSAW The Board of Commissioners of Warsaw NC has scheduled a Public Hearing to be held on Thursday evening, 14 Sep 2026 at 6:00 PM. The public hearing will take place at the Town of Warsaw Town Hall. The purpose of the public hearing is to receive comments from interested people with respect to the Town’s draft Unified Development Ordinance.

NOTICE TOWN COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING TOWN OF WALLACE September 10, 2026, after 6:00 PM NOTICE IS HEARBY GIVEN that the Town Council of the Town of Wallace has called for a Public Hearing at the Wallace Women’s Club, located at 216 N. East Railroad Street, Wallace, NC 28466, on Thursday, September 10, 2026, after 6:00 PM for the following: The applicant is seeking to rezone 7.52 acres, Pin 09-5327 located off of High School Road near Interstate 40 from R-20MH (residential, minimum lot size 20,000 sq. ft., mobile homes allowed); to HB (highway business). Persons wishing to speak on the issues are invited to attend and be heard at the scheduled public hearing.

Persons having questions may contact Rod Fritz, Planning Director at (910) 285-4136 or rfritz@wallacenc.gov.

PUBLIC HEARING TOWN OF ROSE HILL ZONING MAP AMENDMENT REQUEST FOR A ± 0.851 ACRE PORTION OF TAX PARCEL 11-1955 FROM I-1 TO R-1 Day: Tuesday Date: September 8, 2026 Time: 6:00 pm Place: Rose Hill Town Hall: Main Meeting Room, 103 SE Railroad Street, Rose Hill, NC 28458 Purpose: To hear and record public comments regarding the Zoning Map Amendment Request for a ± 0.851 acre portion of tax parcel 11-1955 from I-1 to R-1. This map amendment may be adopted after the public hearing at this regular meeting of the Town Board, held for legislative purposes.

The Zoning Map Amendment Request is available for public inspection in the office of the Rose Hill Town Clerk, located in the Town Hall during normal business hours, Monday-Friday from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm.

Written comments on this request will be accepted two (2) business days prior to September 8, 2026 to the Town Clerk, Mrs. Keren Parker.

Any person needing special accommodations, please contact 910-289-3159 at least 48 hours prior to the meeting.

Angela Smith, Town Administrator

ROBERT F. BUKATY / AP PHOTO

A man views a lunar eclipse March 3 in Portland, Maine.

Americas in prime position for near-total lunar eclipse If there are clear skies, people in North Carolina will be able to view the entire event

By Marcia Dunn The Associated Press CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Now it’s the moon’s turn to pull a disappearing act.

After being shut out of this month’s total solar eclipse, the Americas will have the best seats in the celestial house when Earth’s shadow briefly envelops the moon. Almost the entire lunar surface will be masked Thursday night into Friday — a whopping 96% — making it an especially deep partial eclipse.

The moon is already in the spotlight. NASA sent the Artemis II astronauts on a record-breaking lunar flyby in April, the prelude to eventually landing on the surface and building a base swarming with people and robots over the next several years.

“This is a great time to be part of the space program, right? We’re not slowing down,” NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway told The Associated Press from the International Space Station last week.

It’s the second act of the greatest show in the solar system, coming two weeks after a total solar eclipse paraded through Greenland, Iceland and Spain.

3

Eclipses so far this year, with Thursday’s being the fourth Eclipses always travel in pairs as the sun, moon and Earth align so precisely that one obscures the other. That’s because the moon is 400 times smaller than the sun, which is 400 times farther away, making them appear the same size — a cosmic coincidence and gift from the universe.

Unfolding at a more leisurely pace, the upcoming lunar eclipse will have a much bigger audience than Europe’s solar show. The eclipsed moon will be visible to billions across North and South America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, provided the skies are clear.

The lunar eclipse may also be visible to Hathaway and the nine other people living off the planet — seven astronauts at the International Space Station and three aboard China’s orbiting outpost.

Space provides a “unique perspective” for viewing cosmic wonders like eclipses and auroras, said the space station’s commander, Jessica Meir.

In this case, Earth will pass between the moon and the sun,

casting a reddish-orange shadow onto our closest neighbor.

Because this is a partial eclipse, the lineup won’t be perfect, and it won’t be a true blood moon.

The partial phase of the eclipse will last more than three hours.

But the entire eclipse, from the time the full moon enters the faintest, outermost edge of Earth’s shadow until it leaves, will stretch 5½ hours.

The eclipse will peak just after midnight EDT. Nearly 1 billion people in the U.S., Canada, and Central and South America will have front-row views for the entire eclipse. More than 3 billion people — 44% of the world’s population — will be in position to catch at least part of it.

The eclipsed moon will be setting in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, cutting the show short. It will be rising in Hawaii, getting the eastern Pacific off to a late start along with northwestern sections of the U.S. and Canada.

This is the year’s second lunar eclipse and the fourth eclipse overall. A total lunar eclipse graced the skies over the Americas, Australia and eastern Asia in March.

The next complete lunar blackout won’t be until New Year’s Eve 2028, with Asia and Australia at center stage. And it will be 2029 before stargazers across North and South America are treated to another full eclipse of the moon.

VOLUME 146 ISSUE 68 | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2026 | STANLYNEWSJOURNAL.COM

SUBSCRIBE TODAY: 704-982-2121

Stanly NewS Journal THE STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

WHAT’S HAPPENING ICE arrests jumped to nearly 50K in July, highest monthly total of Trump’s term Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested nearly 50,000 people in July. That marks the highest single-month total during the second Trump administration. The numbers come from the U.C. Berkeley Deportation Data Project. The spike follows a recalibrated immigration enforcement approach after Homeland Security officers shot two protesters in Minneapolis in January. The increase began in June and accelerated in July, with less public exposure than during Trump’s first year.

Texas and Florida accounted for nearly 20,000 of the July arrests. The agency has been bolstered by billions of dollars from Congress and has hired 12,000 new deportation officers and agents.

Consumer confidence falls to lowest level in 7 months with gas stuck above $4 per gallon Americans’ confidence in the economy declined this month as the ongoing Iran conflict has kept gas prices elevated at more than $4 per gallon. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index dipped to 89.4 in August from 90.2 in July. That’s the lowest level in seven months but essentially in the same lukewarm range its been in since the beginning of the year.

In late 2024 and early 2025, the readings were consistently above 100. Respondents’ views of their present situation improved, but their outlook for the near-term future soured.

Economists don’t expect reopening U.S. to Mexican cattle imports to lower high beef prices The U.S. has reopened a border crossing in Arizona to cattle from Mexico as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to reduce near-record-high beef prices. But economists doubt the move will mean much to prices shoppers see at grocery stores. The USDA has said concerns about the New World screwworm’s spread lessened enough to allow Mexican cattle to cross the border at Douglas, Arizona, starting Monday.

While Mexico has traditionally exported 1.1 million head of cattle a year to the U.S., economists say the biggest problem is that the U.S. cattle herd is the smallest in 75 years.

$2.00

PJ WARD-BROWN / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL

Kicking off a new season West Stanly sophomore Aiden Lovin blocks a South Stanly punt during the Colts’ opening-night win on Saturday in Norwood. West beat South 34-13. For more, turn to Sports.

Albemarle council approves incentive grant for Carlie C’s The grocery store plans to open at the former Harris Teeter site

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — Family-owned grocery chain Carlie C’s is set to move into the former Harris Teeter location on North First Street af-

ter city leaders approved up to $250,000 in incentives for the company.

Following a public hearing, the Albemarle City Council voted unanimously Monday night to approve a performance-based business development grant for Carlie C’s.

The chain plans to open a 32,000-square-foot store at First Street Station Shopping Center, where Harris Teeter

permanently closed June 11.

The city may provide annual payments of up to $25,000 for as many as 10 years from general fund revenues. Each installment will depend on Carlie C’s meeting performance requirements in its incentive agreement.

Grant money may support building improvements, equipment, site work and other eligible expenses. City officials

Pfeiffer announces 9/11 Patriot Day Memorial Stair Climb “With every step, we honor the fallen and the enduring spirit of service, courage and sacrifice.”

Pfeiffer University

Community event will mark 25th anniversary of Sept. 11 attacks

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — Pfeiffer University will host a 9/11 Patriot Day Memorial Stair Climb on Sept. 11, giving community members an opportunity to honor those who died and responded in the 2001 terrorist attacks.

Announced Aug. 18, the

event will be held in partnership with local first responders at the Pfeiffer University Center for Health Sciences, 245 E. Main St. in Albemarle.

Participants have the opportunity to complete 37 laps of the building’s four-story stairwell, representing a symbolic tribute to the first responders who climbed the World Trade Center towers on Sept. 11, 2001.

“Whether you participate as an individual or as part of a team, your presence helps See MEMORIAL, page A5

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expect new tax revenue generated by the project to offset the incentive.

“This is not simply an opportunity to recruit a new business,” Albemarle Economic Development Director Lindsey Almond said. “It is an opportunity to reactivate a significant vacant commercial space, retain the vitality of an established retail center, and protect the surrounding businesses and neighborhoods that depend on that activity.”

The project is expected to create 62 jobs, including 25 full-time and 37 part-time positions, and generate about $10 million in annual taxable See GRANT, page A2

inside It won’t be out until November, but Rockstar Games and Netflix have teamed up to show a preview of GTA VI, the most highly anticipated game of the year (or decade?). See more in The Stream on page B5.

COURTESY ROCKSTAR GAMES

A2

Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, August 26, 2026

WEDNESDAY

8.26.26 #139

Bessent says new US sanctions STANLY happening aim to block all potential sources of revenue for Iran Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in and around Stanly County:

Iran’s rial hit record lows as U.S. sanctions and blockade deepen economic crisis

“Join the conversation” North State Journal (USPS 518620) (ISSN 2471-1365) Trip Hoffend Publisher Jim Sills VP of Local Newspapers Cory Lavalette Senior Editor Jordan Golson Local News Editor Shawn Krest Sports Editor Dan Reeves Features Editor Lauren Rose Design Editor Jesse Deal Reporter PJ Ward-Brown Photographer ADVERTISING Kateland Treece Advertising Representative Published Wednesday and Sunday as part of North State Journal 1548 NC 24-27 BYP W Albemarle NC 28001 TO SUBSCRIBE OR PLACE LEGAL NOTICE: 704-982-2121 STANLYNEWSJOURNAL.COM Annual Subscription Price: $100.00 Periodicals Postage Paid at Albemarle N.C. and at additional mailing offices POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh NC 27607

r #¬Å Å SEARCH. SEE. LOVE WWW.KIMREYLASH.COM

By Farnoush Amiri, Christopher Rugaber and Aamer Madhani The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a new round of sanctions aimed at Iran on Monday and warned every country that does business with the Islamic Republic to sever those financial ties or face retaliation from the United States.

The new warnings to further cut off Iran from the rest of the world economy were issued after President Donald Trump pledged last week to unleash an “economic D-Day” against Tehran as the administration struggles to find an off-ramp after nearly six months of war.

“We are level-setting with every country to tell them our expectations. We know who they are. They know who they are,” Bessent told a news conference. “So when the hammer of U.S. Treasury actions falls upon them, they will have no one to blame but themselves.”

Washington has promised the new sanctions would put even more pressure on an Iranian economy already battered by previous sanctions and a U.S. naval blockade.

But the announcement Monday provided little detail and did not name which countries could face secondary sanctions. China, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates are Iran’s largest trade partners.

Bessent said Trump has been “making phone calls to world leaders with specific requests to cease their interactions” with Iran and has already seen results. The UAE announced last week that it was suspending all trade, commercial exchanges and financial transactions with Iran until further notice after a reported missile attack on the Gulf country.

“I am confident the presi-

GRANT from page A1

(704) 984-8837 Phyllis Kimrey & Adrian Lash

sales. Carlie C’s also plans to offer grocery delivery, which city officials said could particularly benefit seniors and residents facing transportation or mobility challenges.

Elwyn Murray, president of Carlie C’s, told council members the company hopes to bring a hometown grocery experience to Albemarle, emphasizing its fresh-cut meat, daily bakery items, hot Southern deli food and local produce.

“I’ve gotten a very good feel for our concept and how it differentiates from the other chains,” Murray said. “I am

dent, as you all know, is quite persuasive,” Bessent said, adding that the UAE decision was “not a coincidence.”

Shortly before the announcement, Iranian parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said the U.S. is not in an economic position to further restrict Tehran’s relations with other countries.

“Iran’s trading partners, both in the media and through messages sent to us, have made it clear that they don’t take these statements into account anywhere,” Qalibaf, who has been Iran’s lead negotiator over the past six months, posted on X.

which a fifth of the world’s traded oil transited before the conflict. Iran is now refusing to fully reopen it unless it can charge ships.

Iran and Oman, which is on the opposite side of the strait, are reportedly in the final stages of agreeing on a plan for joint management of the waterway.

Aug. 27 Meet and Greet with the Stanly County Chorale 6-9 p.m.

Pakistani delegation visits Iran

Stop by and say hello and learn more about the group.

Uwharrie Brewing 121 N. Third St. Albemarle

Hours before Bessent’s announcement, Iran’s currency hit a record low.

The rial dropped to 2.02 million to the U.S. dollar as trading opened on currency markets. Iran’s official Central Bank rate stood at around 1.5 million rial to the dollar, but the market rate is what most Iranians pay.

The currency had already been under pressure before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, as Iran faced double-digit inflation and negative growth. The rial has repeatedly hit new lows as nearly six months of war have taken an even greater toll.

Iranians find daily staples increasingly unaffordable.

Since the war began, rice is up some 60% and beef prices are more than 150% higher. The International Monetary Fund forecasts that gross domestic product will contract more than 5%.

Still, economic pressure has not yet translated into political pressure. Iran retains a key strategic advantage: Its attacks and threats on ships in the Strait of Hormuz have brought traffic in the vital waterway to a near halt, damaging the world economy and heaping pressure on Trump ahead of congressional elections.

The war, as a result, has devolved into a fight over who controls the strait, through

Pakistan, which played a key role in brokering a 60day ceasefire in June, sent a high-level delegation to Iran on Monday to encourage the U.S. and Iran to return to negotiations, two senior officials said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media on the record.

The military confirmed only Field Marshal Asim Munir’s visit, saying it was aimed at de-escalating tensions in the region.

Trump spoke with Munir ahead of the army chief’s visit to Iran, according to a person familiar with the discussion.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity to confirm a private conversation. Reuters, citing Pakistani sources, first reported the call.

Munir met Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni in Tehran, according to the two senior officials. Munir was accompanied by Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and other officials. Munir was expected to remain in Iran overnight and meet the Iranian president and other senior officials before returning to Pakistan.

His previous visit to Tehran in May helped pave the way for a memorandum of understanding signed by the U.S. and Iran in June.

In downtown Tehran, 73-year-old Sadegh Mahmoudi did not hold out hope for a resolution. He joined a line of about a dozen people to purchase U.S. dollars with his remaining savings to hedge against further declines.

“There is no hope for a deal and peace,” he said.

very confident that in a town like Albemarle, it will thrive well.”

Murray said the company’s meat departments and deli-bakeries set it apart from larger competitors, while its customer service is intended to feel familiar and personal.

“While folks here have never heard of Carlie C’s, I’m confident folks here know what a good hometown supermarket looks and feels like, and that’s what we do really well,” he said.

When asked about his store’s pricing, Murray estimated that its prices will be lower than those at Food Lion and Harris Teeter but higher

than Walmart’s. He hopes to open the Albemarle location

by Thanksgiving, estimating the company can prepare the site within 30 to 45 days after agreements are finalized.

Founded in February 1961

by Carlie C. McLamb Sr. and his wife, Joyce, as a small Johnston County country store, Carlie C’s now operates 33 locations — 32 in North Carolina and one in South Carolina.

The company describes itself as the state’s fastest-growing independent grocery chain.

The Albemarle City Council will hold its next regular meeting on Sept. 8 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers.

Iranian currency falls to record low

Aug. 29 Back-to-School Storybook Market 5-9 p.m.

An evening of music, food and shopping. Whether you are picking up those final items on your back-to-school list or want to take advantage of the chance to peruse handmade vendor goods, including quilts and other crafts, this is your opportunity.

The Whimsy Wagon Bookshop 20232 Claude Drive Albemarle

Sept. 4-6 Uwharrie Bigfoot Festival 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Lots of family-friendly fun rides, including the Bigfoot Monster Truck. Kids and family activities and plenty of opportunities to purchase fresh local food favorites.

Tickets range from $5 to $40. Kids 4 and under are admitted for free.

44184 Cannon Road New London

SCUSA Transportation General Public Service is available to all Stanly County residents.

Providing service to people in need of transportation to Medical Appts, Work Personal Business & other locations.

Wheelchair accessible vehicles. available.

Give us a call Mon-Fri 8am-5pm to schedule transportation.

(704) 986-3790

A3

Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, August 26, 2026

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

COLUMN | RICH LOWRY

Trump’s fondness for Kim Jong Un sends the wrong signal Trump has been careless of the goodwill of our allies.

IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE that Kim Jong Un is really this charming. President Donald Trump touted his fond relationship with the North Korean dictator in a Truth Social post calling for scaling back a long-running annual military exercise with the South Koreans.

“Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un,” Trump wrote, “I am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea.” According to Trump, the exercises “send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile, to a Country that, as long as Donald J. Trump has been President, has been unthreatening and respectful.” Then he added that South Korea had recently declined to take a role in the Iran war, clearly irking Trump, as he subsequently explained to reporters at the White House.

The joint exercises have been a key element of the U.S.-South Korea military alliance for decades. They are meant to ensure that the two countries are prepared in the event of a North Korean assault, and perhaps now have an added importance given the experience North Korea has gained in high-intensity modern warfare by bolstering Russian forces in Ukraine.

Much more important than the practical effect of Trump’s fusillade, though, is the signal it sends, yet again, that he is easily disenchanted with longtime allies whose friendship should be

considered a strategic boon to the United States.

Whether musing about making Canada the 51st state, briefly campaigning to take control of Greenland, imposing tariffs on friend and foe alike, or hammering NATO, Trump has been careless of the goodwill of our allies.

They need us more than we need them, which means they are willing to put up with a lot, but sowing dissension unnecessarily is a foolhardy game at a time of growing international threats.

South Korea has been a treaty ally since 1953 and is a wealthy, technologically advanced democracy that occupies strategically important ground in Northeast Asia. It is obviously both threatened by and a bulwark against potential North Korean adventurism.

Pete Hegseth visited South Korea last year and said, “Our alliance is stronger than ever before, 72 years strong.” He described the inspiring sight of U.S. and South Korean soldiers standing “shoulder to shoulder working together.” South Korea has been committed to increasing its defense spending to 3.5% of GDP. In light of this, Hegseth subsequently averred, “Model allies that step up, like Israel, South Korea, Poland ... will receive our special favor.”

Such assurances by administration officials are always subject to change, depending on Trump’s animosities at any given time.

It’s certainly true that South Korea owes its existence to us. We fought to preserve its

independence at a great cost in blood and treasure during the Korean War, and we have nearly 30,000 troops on the peninsula to deter North Korea from assaulting the South again.

Seoul has lent support to recent U.S. military operations, typically in noncombat roles, but it’s understandable that it wouldn’t be enthused about taking part in an Iran war that hasn’t gone as planned and that has no clear endgame.

As for the North, it isn’t our friend. It is firmly within the China-Russia axis and has been developing its nuclear and missile arsenal apace. There is no reason to believe that any blandishments from Trump will change its behavior, and Kim has been clear that the U.S. needs to abandon its “obsession” with denuclearization.

What we most need from South Korea is for it to be as strong as possible to deter North Korea, and we shouldn’t be lending any credence to its claim that U.S.-South Korean exercises are provocations or sowing doubt about our commitment to allies.

Such diplomatic episodes, though, are an inherent part of Trump’s governance. To paraphrase the Roman writer Publilius Syrus: Prosperity makes friends, adversity tries them, and Trump distresses them — unnecessarily.

Rich Lowry is editor of the National Review.

(Copyright 2026 by King Features Synd., Inc.)

COLUMN | BONNER COHEN

No, MIT, ‘Clean Energy’ isn’t the future — nor is it really clean According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, by 2030, the nation could have as much as 1 million tons of solar panel waste on its hands.

IS THE WORLD still transitioning to green energy in the era of Donald Trump and in the midst of, yet again, geopolitical unpleasantness in the oil-rich Middle East?

While climate activists bewail the Trump administration’s embrace of fossil fuels and its corresponding disdain for solar panels and wind turbines, a new report released by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Center for Energy and Environmental Research says greener days may yet be in our future.

The report, “Glass Half-Full: Building a Decarbonized U.S. Power Sector,” sees a green light at the end of Trump’s dark tunnel of dismantling Biden-era climate policies. Focusing exclusively on electricity generation over the next decade, the report uses a mathematical model to compare how much “clean power” will survive the Trump administration’s phase-out of wind and solar subsidies and its scuttling of other green-energy initiatives with what would have been produced under Biden-era climate policies.

According to the model, the energy transition is alive and well, with about three-quarters of the “clean electricity capacity” that would have come online under the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act and power plant regulations surviving the Trump onslaught. Yes, onshore wind power will take a hit, and other decarbonization initiatives will be delayed.

But the headwinds that the vaunted transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy is encountering show no sign of letting up. A recent report from the BlueGreen Alliance, a partnership between labor and environmental organizations, found that the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act and other Trump energy

initiatives have already delayed or canceled 223 wind and solar projects representing at least $82 billion in capital investment and 111,000 green-energy jobs. While a few coastal wind facilities survive, since March, developers have canceled five leases for offshore wind projects in coastal California, New York, Maine, Louisiana and North Carolina valued at more than $3.9 billion. In accordance with agreements developers negotiated with the Trump administration, most of that money will be redirected to oil and gas projects, geothermal development and upgrading the power grid.

Furthermore, “deep decarbonization” has been aggressively pursued in Europe, with disastrous results. “From 2015-2025, the first decade of the Paris Agreement on climate change, global energy consumption rose by more than 14%, with sharply contrasting dynamics,” notes Samuel Furfari, professor of energy geopolitics at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. “Europe’s decrease in energy use is no triumph of ecological heroics but rather the outcome of the assault of the EU Green Deal on competitiveness and its predictable deindustrialization and economic decline.”

Citing a recent Energy Institute report showing fossil fuels make up 86% of global primary energy consumption, with wind and solar accounting for just 3%, Furfari, writing in The Center Square, throws cold water on the idea of an energy transition. “The dominance of fossil fuels in the world energy system persists even as wind and solar, expensive and intermittent, expand. The world is undergoing an energy addition, not a transition, as new technologies supplement the growing capacity of legacy sources.”

Japan, the world’s fourth-largest economy and once a champion of decarbonization, has responded to the recent Middle East energy bottlenecks by reducing its liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from that troubled region (while increasing LNG imports from the U.S.), ramping up coal-fired generation and restarting nuclear power plants. Wind and solar power, along with battery storage, are being pushed aside.

In addition to failing to meet the soaring global demand for affordable and reliable energy, what is billed as “clean energy” — in the MIT report and elsewhere — isn’t really clean. Wind turbines and solar panels may not produce carbon emissions, but they do create waste — lots of it. Disposal of giant wind turbines in landfills is often the only way to deal with equipment that is no longer serviceable.

“Blades are frequently buried in fragments in several landfills throughout the Great Plains, transforming sites in Wyoming, Iowa, and South Dakota into wind turbine graveyards.

By 2050, the cumulative decommissioning material from wind turbines could reach 133 million tons,” noted Ariel Cohen in Forbes.

Out-of-service solar panels, laden with lead, cadmium and other heavy metals, pose their own environmental problems. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, by 2030, the nation could have as much as 1 million tons of solar panel waste on its hands.

These not-so-clean, weather-dependent energy sources will never be more than bit players in today’s fast-moving, technology-driven industrial revolution.

Bonner Russell Cohen is a senior policy analyst with the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT).

(Copyright Daily Caller Foundation 2026)

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Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, August 26, 2026

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But with a wife and a widowed mother to help support, he needed a quick solution.

So the laid-off web developer turned to one of a growing number of three-year degree programs.

“I can’t afford to be out of the workforce for four years. That just seems like forever, and the three-year made it seem less daunting,” said Sims, a student at Ensign College, a private Salt Lake City school that recently changed all its bachelor’s degrees to require fewer classes than a traditional four-year degree.

The condensed programs have exploded in popularity.

As of this spring, 26 U.S. states have a college that offers at least one reduced-credit, three-year bachelor’s degree, according to the nonprofit research group RAND. Advocates say these programs are a solution to the college affordability crisis and a godsend for nontraditional students like Sims.

Critics, however, worry that they’ll narrow too much what students learn, confuse employers, limit graduate school options and create headaches in fields that require state licenses.

The American Association of University Professors, for one, says the programs devalue the meaning of a college credential.

“This is not innovation.

This is just cutting corners,” said Todd Wolfson, AAUP’s president.

New option to graduate more quickly, but with reduced credit

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For decades, colleges have offered accelerated programs that let students finish faster, often by forgoing long summer breaks, maximizing transfer credits and condensing semester-long courses into shorter, five- to 10-week terms.

But those programs maintained the same course load, measured as credits. The new programs let students finish faster by completing as few as 90 credit hours. That shaves a year off the typical 120-hour bachelor’s degree.

Three-year bachelor’s degrees are common in other countries including the United Kingdom, India, France and Italy. But they can create complications for graduates seeking admission to U.S. graduate schools, which sometimes require extra coursework.

Some of the earliest colleges in Colonial America, modeled after English institutions like

Oxford and Cambridge, initially had three-year degrees, said John Thelin, the author of “A History of American Higher Education.” By the 19th century, the four-year format had taken hold, partly because there wasn’t an established system of public high schools to prepare students, Thelin said.

“The colleges would have to kind of start from scratch,” he said.

Change in accreditation opened door to shorter degrees The idea of bringing three-year degrees to the U.S. got attention in 2009 when Robert Zemsky, the founding director of the Institute for Research on Higher Education at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, argued in a Newsweek cover story that three-year degrees could shake up a broken system.

But there was a roadblock, he recalled recently. “Accreditors said, ‘College is 120 credits, not 90 credits,’” he said.

Years passed. And in 2022, amid mounting concerns about college affordability, Zemsky helped revive the idea. The College-in-3 Exchange was born, and dozens of higher education institutions joined the network to look for ways to help students get degrees faster.

The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities was the first accreditor to say yes in 2023, when it approved reduced-credit programs at Ensign and Brigham Young University-Idaho. Other accreditors quickly followed.

As of May, 119 reduced-credit programs had been publicly announced, according to the RAND analysis, which was conducted to help education officials in Ohio as they weigh the feasibility of reduced-credit degrees.

It comes at a time when tuition and fees averaged $11,950 for in-state students at public schools and $45,000 at private nonprofits last school year, although many students get discounts that reduce the price, according to a report from the College Board, the nonprofit that oversees the SAT. Some degrees easier to compress Private nonprofit schools offer three-quarters of the reduced-credit programs, frequently online. Typically, they compress the majors by reducing electives. Business degrees in fields such as marketing and management are the most common, followed by computer and information sciences.

Other majors, such as engineering, with its extensive math requirements, have been harder to shrink. And RAND found just six reduced-credit degrees in teacher education, which involves real-world experience requirements and state licensure.

Jill Cohen, 42, lives on a ranch in rural Yoder, Colorado,

and is completing her teaching degree through one such program at Indiana Wesleyan.

She quit her old job selling life insurance and turned to teaching after a farming accident nearly claimed her life. Already, she is in the classroom, teaching middle school English, as she works on the degree through a special “Grow Your Own” program designed to address staff shortages.

Because her home is busy — she has twin 12-year-olds, along with a menagerie that includes horses, goats and chickens — she appreciates the streamlined degree.

“Why do I need to take, you know, underwater basket weaving when I could just take the evolutionary structure of the English language — what I’m going to be teaching,” she said.

However, programs with state licensing requirements are one of the biggest worries for Jenna Kramer, a policy researcher at RAND. Indiana Wesleyan, which has a growing slate of reduced-credit offerings, said its education programs are specifically designed to meet Indiana licensing requirements. Students from elsewhere will need to check if the programs meet their state requirements, said Pam Downing, the school’s director of communications, in an email.

The RAND report also found the programs are so new that there are no standard practices for admitting three-year degree recipients into graduate school.

Students acknowledge gamble on degrees Gabriella Staten, a 20-year-old student in the reduced-credit digital marketing program at Mount Mary University, a Catholic women’s institution in Milwaukee, estimates it will save her at least $20,000. While she sometimes wonders whether employers will take her degree as seriously as a four-year degree, she decided she could prove herself.

“Even if they were to look a little bit down on the three-year pathway, I can show them otherwise with the work,” she said.

Wesley Hardy, who is three semesters into a bachelor’s degree in applied science in accounting at Ensign, also sees the pros and cons. He likes that the three-year format will get him into the workforce faster.

But he noted that the requirements to become a certified public accountant — something he has considered — vary by state. Many require 120 semester hours to sit for the exam and 150 to become licensed. Graduate school often is needed.

Bruce Kusch, president of Ensign, said he has talked to multiple college presidents and doesn’t anticipate that graduate school will be a problem. But Hardy, 22, has questions about how it would work.

“Would I have to take extra classes?” he asked. “It’s definitely something I’ve thought of.”

A5

Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, August 26, 2026

US, Canada fall deeper into trade war with new tariffs as talks collapse, blame spread The breakdown jeopardizes $880 billion in annual trade between two historic allies

Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, and President Donald Trump hold a press conference at the White House on Oct. 7, 2025.

By Paul Wiseman and Rob Gillies The Associated Press TORONTO — The United States and Canada, historic allies along an undefended border, fell deeper into a trade war Saturday marked by angry recriminations and new tariffs that are expected to raise prices for products in both countries.

Each side blamed the other for the collapse of negotiations in Washington, D.C., late Friday, leading the U.S. to impose 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods and Canada setting Sept. 8 as the start of its retaliatory penalties.

President Donald Trump’s import taxes will hit about 5% of what Canada ships to the United States every year, ranging from hockey sticks to tongue depressors. Prime Minister Carney said Ottawa would respond with targeted tariff protection for industries exposed to the new U.S. duties, including some steel products.

He also mentioned the dairy, appliance, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper, and electronics sectors.

No further talks were planned. Whatever the eventual outcome, a loss of trust seems one of the earliest casualties.

Carney accused Washington of using “economic integration as a weapon” and said “its signature was written in pencil.” Resorting to the language of battle, he said his country had been “attacked” by the new American tariffs. “You’re at war when you get attacked,” he said, adding that Canada had the reserves, resilience and plan to respond.

But to Trump’s chief trade negotiator, Jamieson Greer, the U.S. was compelled to act after a year of retaliation by its longtime partner.

“We’ve said enough, and so we’ve taken countermeasures.

Our interest is in protecting American workers and protecting American supply chains,” the U.S. trade representative told “Fox & Friends Weekend.”

Canada cites “unacceptable demands” as U.S. says it offered favorable terms Carney said Canada had been willing to drop remaining retaliatory tariffs on steel, aluminum and autos if the U.S. substantially lowered its own, and to encourage provinces to restore U.S. alcohol sales. But he said Washington’s final demands went too far. “They asked too much and offered too little,” Carney said.

Greer said the Republican administration was offering to cut tariffs on steel, autos and lumber, “things that are sensitive for them. And they’ve always had the best deal, and they still would have an even better deal, but they didn’t want that.”

As a result, he said, “We’re

MEMORIAL from page A1 ensure that the sacrifices made on 9/11 are never forgotten,” the university said in a statement.

“With every step, we honor the fallen and the enduring spirit of service, courage and sacrifice.”

Registration check-in will run 7-8:30 a.m., followed by a memorial presentation at 8:46 a.m., the time the first plane struck the World Trade Center’s North Tower. The program will also include the national anthem and a memorial bell ringing.

The official stair climb will begin at 9:03 a.m., the time the second plane struck the South Tower.

Event attendees may register individually or as part of a team of two to five people. Individual climbers may complete all 37

ADRIAN WYLD / THE CANADIAN PRESS VIA AP

“You’re at war when you get attacked.”

Carney, Canadian prime minister

NICK IWANYSHYN / THE CANADIAN PRESS VIA AP

Rolled coils of steel sit in the yard at the ArcelorMittal Dofasco steel plant in Hamilton, Ontario, last week. moving forward with measures that respond to Canadian retaliation.”

Carney said the U.S. added last-minute terms that would have reduced tariff relief for Canadian-made vehicles, restricted Canada’s ability to strike trade deals with other countries and weakened protections for language, culture and sovereignty.

He said such demands were “unacceptable.”

The breakdown in negotiations marked a sharp reversal from two days earlier, when officials from the two countries sounded as if they were headed toward a compromise.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who leads Canada’s most populous province, praised Carney for rejecting the deal, saying it would have hurt Ontario’s auto, steel and manufacturing sectors. Ford urged Canada to use “every tool in our toolbox” to fight the U.S. tariffs.

The moves also call into question the future of a North American trade agreement covering the United States, Canada and Mexico that is crucial to industry in all three countries.

Carney said the breakdown was “certainly not good news”

laps themselves, while members of a team may divide the laps among the group.

Participants are welcome to challenge themselves physically, but the event is intended primarily as an opportunity for remembrance and reflection. Climbers may complete the stairs at their own pace, and previous running or athletic experience is not required.

A brief memorial ceremony will precede the climb, with organizers seeking to provide a respectful atmosphere.

There is no registration fee, but participants must be at least 18 years old and bring a valid photo ID. All climbers are also required to review and sign a release of liability form before participating.

Each participant must check in at the registration tent

for the review of that agreement and that the failed negotiations had given Canada “a new perspective” on what Washington wants from the broader economic relationship.

Typically cooperative alliance goes sour The political impact will likely be even bigger than the economic fallout. The countries sold each other $880 billion worth of goods and services last year.

The tariffs were initially supposed to kick in at 12:01 a.m. last Wednesday. Trump extended the deadline for three days to allow talks to continue, but the countries could not reach an agreement in time.

The U.S. and Canada have wrangled for decades over trade, poking each other over sore spots such as Canadian softwood lumber imports and U.S. access to Canada’s protected dairy market.

Somehow, they still managed to remain friends, allies and trading partners. Canadian soldiers fought alongside Americans in Afghanistan after 9/11. The 5,525-mile U.S.-Canada border is undefended, and nearly 330,000 people and

$2 billion worth of goods cross it every day; 800,000 Canadians live in the United States.

Trump’s approach to dealing with Canada marks an extraordinary departure from the traditionally cooperative relationship between the two countries.

Trump has imposed tariffs on Canadian goods in a push to bring manufacturing back to the United States and made inflammatory comments about turning Canada into America’s 51st state.

Carney said Canada had recognized that “America has changed” and that the two countries would “not return to our old relationship.”

Canadians, Americans frustrated The Canadian public is fed up. A petition to expel U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra, a Trump ally, has collected nearly 248,000 signatures since July 21. It accuses the former Republican congressman from Michigan of having “normalized” Trump’s talk of annexing Canada, among other things.

The two countries had good reasons to find a compromise.

Nearly 72% of Canada’s goods exports last year went to the United States. The Trump administration might be wary of imposing new tariffs — paid

by U.S. importers who try to pass along the cost to consumers via higher prices — before the November midterm elections. American voters are already frustrated with the high cost of living.

“Both sides will be under immense pressure in the coming days to still find an off-ramp,” said Ryan Majerus, a partner at King & Spalding and a former U.S. trade official.

Joshua Bolten, CEO of the Business Roundtable, which represents leaders of major U.S. companies, warned the tariffs and retaliation risk “raising costs for American businesses and families” and disrupting vital supply chains, and urged both governments to resume negotiations.

Trump turned to Depression-era trade penalties Trump has made tariffs the centerpiece of his second-term economic agenda. Last year, he imposed double-digit import taxes on almost every country, justifying them by declaring the long-standing U.S. trade deficit a national emergency. The Supreme Court in February ruled that he had overstepped his authority. The justices struck down the trade penalties and set the stage for the federal government to pay refunds to importers.

So Trump has looked for other legal authority to justify tariffs.

For Canada, Trump invoked Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, a rarely used Depression-era provision allowing tariffs of up to 50% against countries deemed to discriminate against U.S. businesses.

The provision is part of the Smoot-Hawley tariff law, widely blamed by economists and historians for worsening the Great Depression by restricting global trade. Section 338 has never previously been used to impose tariffs.

The rift comes as the United States, Mexico and Canada are trying to renew a trade agreement that Trump negotiated in his first term and once praised as a triumph. The United States has begun formal talks with Mexico over revamping the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, known as USMCA. But talks with Canada have not begun and escalating trade conflict casts doubt on whether they will.

COURTESY PFEIFFER UNIVERSITY

Pfeiffer University will hold a 9/11 Patriot Day Memorial Stair Climb event on Sept. 11.

Sept. 11. After a climber’s photo ID and release form are verified, the participant will receive a wristband. No one will be per-

mitted to take part in the climb without an event wristband.

Advance registration is available at pfeiffer.edu/stairclimb

and remains open until 8:30 a.m.

Sept. 11. The required release form is available at pfeiffer.edu/ stairclimbrelease.

A6

Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, August 26, 2026

OBITUARIES IN MEMORY

CHARLES MAX MORTON

GLORIA “JEAN” GRANT THOMPSON

DEC. 29, 1937 – AUG. 16, 2026

JULY 20, 1950 – AUG. 21, 2026

Charles Max Morton, 88, of Locust, North Carolina, passed away Sunday, August 16, 2026.

Funeral service will be at 11 am on Thursday, August 20, 2026, at the Stanly Funeral Home Chapel of Locust, with Pastor Jeremy Hyde officiating. Burial will follow in the Mission Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 10 am until 11 am prior to the hour of service.

Max is survived by his beloved wife, Myra Morton of 67 years, his children, Paula (Randy) Huneycutt, Perry (Leslie) Morton, and Lori (John) Sell; and his grandchildren, Randi (Ken) Covington, Chase (Shannon) Morton, Jessica (Jamerson) Mosby, Tucker Morton, Miranda (Ben) MacDougall, Aaron Sell, and Jack Morton; and his 9 great-grandchildren.

Max was preceded in death by his parents, John and Jane Morton, and his siblings, Selma Bowers, Rayvon Morton, Loys Morton, and Vernon (Joe) Morton.

Born and raised in the Endy community and graduated from Endy High School, class 1956 as valedictorian. Max spent his life rooted in the people, places, and traditions he held dear. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and greatgrandfather whose quiet presence and steady love meant so much to his family.

Max was a man who found joy in simple things. He could often be found tending to his garden or reading his almanac, Bible, and various books on history. His curiosity and willingness to learn stayed with him throughout his life. He was an avid golfer, hunter, and fisherman.

A talented and creative man, Max taught himself the crafts he loved. He created beautiful stained-glass lamps and windows, each reflecting his patience and attention to detail. He also enjoyed winemaking, another skill he taught himself and pursued with the same quiet dedication.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Tillery Compassionate Care (960 N 1st St, Albemarle, NC 28001).

His life was marked not by grand gestures but by the everyday moments that become the memories a family treasures most - a garden carefully tended, a book being read in his favorite chair, something newly created by his hands, and time spent with the generations he loved. His family will remember him with gratitude and love and will carry his memory forward for generations to come.

Gloria “Jean” Grant Thompson, 76, of Albemarle, NC, passed away peacefully on Friday, August 21, 2026.

Born July 20, 1950, in Kinston, NC, Jean was the daughter of the late Jim and Lucy Grant.

She is survived by her husband, Robby Thompson; her son, Michael Russell and wife Carol of Bellevue, Washington; her daughter Stephanie Russell of Davidson, NC; and her “like a daughter” niece Misty Jean Walston of Snow Hill, NC. She also leaves behind five adorable grandchildren, Emory, Justin, Amelia, Anna and Winston; her brother Timmy Grant and wife Debbie, and sister Patsy Grant and husband Brooks, both of Snow Hill, NC; along with many nieces and nephews.

Jean devoted her career to caring for others as a Registered Nurse. She retired after working for Dr. F. Green, Dr. C. Lakin and Dr C. Ballenger. She was an adventurous, fierce, hardworking, loyal and very talented woman. She loved decorating her home, her sister’s classrooms and her church for every holiday and celebration. All who passed by her home enjoyed seeing large lit-up hearts for Valentine’s Day or a cross for Christmas and Easter. Her decorations are more than a hobby; they were one of the many ways Jean shared her creativity and joy with those around her.

She enjoyed attending her grandchildren’s school activities and sporting events.

She took great pride in being present for the moments that mattered to them.

She looked forward to her nightly phone call from her niece Misty, a simple gesture that became a cherished part of each day. She was very creative and had a special gift for writing plays and poetry.

Jean was a devoted wife, mother, sister, grandmother, aunt and friend who will be deeply missed.

To the celebrations she made more beautiful, to the everyday moments she made more meaningful, she leaves her family and friends many cherished memories and a legacy that will continue to shine brightly in our hearts.

A private graveside service will be held at a later date in Snow Hill, NC.

SYBIL PRESLAR MABRY MARCH 19, 1951 – AUG. 22, 2026

EVELYN CRISCO BURGESS MAY 10, 1936 – AUG. 17, 2026 Evelyn Crisco Burgess, 90, of Oakboro, passed away peacefully on Monday, August 17, 2026, at her home, surrounded by her loving family.

The family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. on Friday, August 21, 2026, at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care in Albemarle. A private graveside service will follow. The family will also gather informally at Evelyn’s home on Friday afternoon to share memories and spend time together.

Evelyn was born May 10, 1936, in Stanly County, a daughter of the late Claude and Bessie Crisco.

A devoted mother, Evelyn found her greatest joy in her family. She loved spending time outdoors, especially tending to her flowers, and she found great pleasure in cooking for those she loved. She also had a special fondness for cardinals, whose bright presence brought her joy.

Evelyn is lovingly survived by her sons, Brent Burgess and Trent Burgess, as well as many dear friends and loved ones whose lives were touched by her kindness and caring spirit.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Lonnie Kent Burgess, who passed away in 2010; her son, Bryon Burgess; and her brothers, Edwin Crisco and Kenneth Crisco.

The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the staff of Tillery Compassionate Care for the kindness, comfort, and support they provided to Evelyn and her family during her declining health.

Evelyn will be remembered for the love she gave so freely, the home and family she cherished, and the simple things that brought her happiness: flowers in bloom, a meal prepared with love, and the sight of a cardinal nearby. Her family will carry those memories, and the love behind them, in their hearts for years to come.

Sybil Preslar Mabry, 75, of Norwood, passed away Saturday, August 22, 2026, at her home, surrounded by her loving family.

Funeral services will be held at 3:00 PM on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at Porter Baptist Church. Rev. Flynn Richardson and Dr. Kinney Wallace will officiate.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 PM on Tuesday, August 25, 2026 at Edwards Funeral Home.

Mrs. Mabry was born on March 19, 1951, in Stanly County to the late Clyde and Edna Mae Smith Preslar. She worked at Norwood Fabric Store as the Fabric Manager and was a member at Porter Baptist Church, where she taught Sunday School. Sybil loved and cherished her family. She always made sure that they were taken care of.

She enjoyed flowers, crafts, watching her hummingbirds, and her beloved canine companion, Pug. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother, TC Preslar.

She is survived by her loving husband of 57 years, Donald Mabry; her son, Shellie Mabry (Candy); brother, Lee Preslar; sister, Gail Tucker (Pat); sisters-in-law, Carolyn Preslar and Jovanne Faulkner; and many nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank Tillery Compassionate Care for their kindness and care.

The family requests that memorials be made to Tillery Compassionate Care, 960 N First Street, Albemarle, NC 28001.

Shelley Fabares, ‘Johnny Angel’ singer and actor in ‘The Donna Reed Show’ and ‘Coach,’ dead at 82 Beyond her decades-long acting career, she advocated for Alzheimer’s awareness

By Lindsey Bahr The Associated Press SHELLEY FABARES, an actor who was a fixture on television for decades from her days as a young teenager on “The Donna Reed Show” through “One Day at a Time” and “Coach,” has died. She was 82.

She died Saturday in Los Angeles, her family said in a statement to The Associated Press.

No cause was given.

“To her family and friends, Shelley was a source of love, strength, laughter, and comfort,” her family wrote. “She had a remarkable ability to make people feel welcomed, valued, and cared for.”

Fabares was born in Santa Monica, California, in 1944, and started acting as a young child. Her first television credit came at age 10 when she appeared on “The Loretta Young Show.” Many movies and television shows followed: She acted with Paul Newman, Frank Sinatra and Eva Marie Saint in a Producers Showcase production of “Our Town,” was in the Rosalind Russell movie “The Girl Rush” and the Rock Hudson drama “Never Say Goodbye.” Other early credits include “Annette,” “Captain Midnight”

Shelley Fabares, left, poses for a group photo with other Screen Actors Guild Awards committee members, from left, Paul Napier, Chairwoman JoBeth Williams, Vice Chair Daryl Anderson and Scott Bakula, during a tasting of the proposed menu and alternatives for the SAG Awards

by Lucques Catering in September 2009 in Los Angeles.

“I am not trying to make her sound like a saint, but she had the most profound influence on me. I carry her with me today.”

Shelley Fabares on Donna Reed and the “Black Leather Jackets” episode of “The Twilight Zone.”

Her biggest break came when she was cast as Mary Stone on “The Donna Reed Show,” where she was a regular from 1958 through 1963. During that time, she also got a recording contract and had two Top 40 hits, including “Johnny Angel.” In the early 1960s, she also co-starred in three movies with Elvis Presley: “Girl Happy,” “Spinout” and “Clambake.”

“I think the years on ‘The Donna Reed Show,’ the years from 14 to 19, were so incredibly important,” Fabares told the Los Angeles Times in 1993.

“Donna Reed was simply an extraordinary woman, a woman of great strength, kindness, integrity and compassion. I am not trying to make her sound like a saint, but she had the most profound influence on me. I carry her with me today.”

In the late 1970s, Fabares made an impression as Francine Webster on the CBS sit-

MATT SAYLES / AP PHOTO

com “One Day at a Time.” She also played James Caan’s wife in “Brian’s Song.” One of her biggest roles came when she was cast as Christine Armstrong in “Coach,” although the show took a minute to find its audience.

“I did always feel from the very beginning if they could find the right spot for us, this was a show that would last,” she said in the 1993 Los Angeles Times interview.

Fabares married twice, first to producer Lou Adler in

1964. She had been married to “M*A*S*H” actor Mike Farrell since 1984. She was also a devoted advocate for Alzheimer’s awareness, which affected her mother.

In early 1999, a visit to the emergency room for an esophageal bleed revealed that she had progressive liver failure. After spending 22 months on a waiting list, she had liver transplant surgery in October 2000.

In an interview with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in

Los Angeles three years after the transplant, she said she’d been “changed by the experience” and was eternally grateful to Farrell, who was with her “every step of the way.”

Her family, in their statement, said “we will remember Shelley for her kindness, loyalty, wit, courage, and beautiful spirit. We will miss her deeply — not only as a celebrated performer, but as the loving and extraordinary person she was in our everyday lives.”

STANLY SPORTS Comets return home to host rival Colts North Stanly and West Stanly are both 1-0 to open the season

PJ WARD-BROWN / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL

West Stanly’s Javier Padilla gives a thumbs up during the Colts’ game at South Stanly on Aug. 22.

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — The second week of the high school football season brings another head-to-head matchup between a pair of Stanly County teams, while the two other local squads will be hitting the road following their home openers.

Three of the four Stanly teams opened up the 2026 campaign over the weekend with season-opening wins.

West Stanly at North Stanly Fresh off a 24-21 road victory at Community School of Da-

vidson, the North Stanly Comets (1-0) will return home to New London to host the West Stanly Colts (1-0) on Friday night.

The Colts, riding high off a 34-13 road win over South Stanly, will now face a Comet team that defeated them 21-14 last season in Red Cross. With four consecutive losses to the Comets, West Stanly hasn’t topped North Stanly in a game since 2019.

The reigning Yadkin Valley Conference champion Comets are now 1-0 for the fourth season in a row, led by a ground attack that racked up nearly 500 rushing yards in Davidson. Sophomore running back RJ Brooks kicked off his season with 24

carries for 219 yards and two touchdowns.

South Stanly at Piedmont Looking to bounce back from their home loss to the Colts, the South Stanly Rowdy Rebel Bulls (0-1) will head to Monroe to challenge the Piedmont Panthers (0-1) in Week 2.

Piedmont’s defense had a tough night this past weekend as Parkwood came away with a 4732 road win over the Panthers, providing the Bulls’ offense a chance to get its team back in stride. Last fall, Piedmont defeated South Stanly 33-27 in Norwood.

Sophomore Bulls running back Andre Dockery was a bright spot for his team to open the season, finishing with 123 yards and a touchdown from a team-high 20 carries.

Albemarle at Chase The Albemarle Bulldogs (1-0) will aim to start the season 2-0 as they square off with the Chase Trojans (1-0) in Forest City.

Albemarle is coming off a 19-13 home victory over TCPLA, while Chase has some early offensive momentum after its 45-24 home win over Polk County. Friday’s matchup will mark the

4

Consecutive wins for North Stanly over West Stanly first meeting between the schools.

One week in, the Bulldogs have already shown their ability to rise up in the second half of games, coming back from a 13-0 halftime deficit to reel off 19 unanswered points against the Royals for their win on Saturday night.

West Stanly blasts South Stanly in season opener The Colts had five rushing touchdowns in their win

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal NORWOOD — West Stanly’s varsity football team entered Saturday night’s season opener with something to prove after being shut out by South Stanly a year ago.

The Colts supplied a convincing response at K.L. Young Stadium, riding a dominant ground game to a 34-13 victory over the Rowdy Rebel Bulls.

West Stanly (1-0) rushed 30 times for 264 yards and all five of its touchdowns, giving second-year coach Ralph Jackson an encouraging start to a season in which the Colts are seeking a turnaround.

Senior running back Sam DeFreitas led the charge with 120 yards and three touchdowns on 10 carries, an average of 12 yards per attempt. Senior Logan Faile added 59 yards and a score on four carries, while junior Holden Pope gained 61 yards on 13 attempts.

West Stanly averaged 8.8 yards per rushing attempt across its 30 carries in the season-opening victory.

Junior quarterback Brody Clontz completed 6 of 9 passes for 58 yards and contributed a rushing touchdown. Junior wide receiver Javier Padilla paced West Stanly’s passing attack with four receptions for 33 yards.

KIA DAVIS FOR STANLY NEWS JOURNAL

West Stanly’s Brody Clontz escapes the pocket for a gain during the Colts’ game at South Stanly on Aug. 22.

The offensive outburst offered an early sign of progress for a team that exceeded 30 points only once during the 2025 season. West Stanly finished 2-10 and went winless in five Rocky River Conference games, placing last in the league standings. The Colts have not posted a winning record since the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign.

Saturday’s result flipped the script on last year’s opener, when South Stanly blanked

West Stanly 27-0 in Red Cross.

The 34 points were an uncharacteristic total for a Bulls defense that allowed that many only once last season.

South Stanly (0-1) found its strongest production on the ground from sophomore running back Andre Dockery, who carried a team-high 20 times for 123 yards and a touchdown.

Sophomore quarterback Matt Crawford completed 11 of 15 passes for 91 yards, including a touchdown connection with ju-

nior Carter Biles. Senior Carter McCormick caught three passes for a team-best 25 yards.

The loss provided a difficult opening for fourth-year coach Terry Shankle and the Bulls, who are trying to secure their third consecutive winning season. South Stanly went 8-3 last year, finished third in the Yadkin Valley Conference and posted a 5-1 league record.

Both teams are set to return to the field Friday. West Stanly will travel to New London for a

3

Touchdowns in the season opener by West Stanly running back Sam DeFreitas county matchup against North Stanly (1-0), while South Stanly will visit Piedmont (0-1) in Monroe.

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Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, August 26, 2026

$1)1

SIDELINE REPORT TRACK & FIELD

Simpson reveals rare heart condition caused collapse; will not return to running Boulder, Colo.

World champion runner Jenny Simpson revealed it was a rare heart condition that threw her into cardiac arrest at a race in June and that she will not return to running. The 39-year-old Simpson was diagnosed with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, which caused her heart to stop. Simpson was pacing a group of mile runners at an event in Raleigh when she collapsed. She underwent CPR at the track and an automated external defibrillator was also used before taking her to the hospital.

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NCAA BASKETBALL

Jury says New York Times defamed Alabama basketball player Tuscaloosa, Ala. An Alabama jury found The New York Times defamed a college basketball player by incorrectly reporting he was at the scene of a fatal shooting. Jurors awarded $9.25 million in damages. Kai Spears, who played for the University of Alabama men’s team, sued the Times in 2023 after it published a report that falsely indicated he was a passenger in a car involved in the shooting.

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MLB

Diamondbacks star Marte moves to 10-day injured list after mysterious absence Phoenix Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte will be transferred to the 10-day injured list from the restricted list, three days after he failed to show up for a game in Boston. General manager Mike Hazen confirmed Marte will return once he’s healthy. The three-time AllStar traveled back to Phoenix for tests on his left knee last Tuesday. Manager Torey Lovullo said he has struggled to get information from the veteran slugger throughout the process.

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NFL

Cowboys, Saints fined $500K apiece

by NFL after brawl-filled joint practice Los Angeles The Dallas Cowboys and the New Orleans Saints were fined $500,000 apiece by the NFL after their brawl-filled joint practice. The league announced the fines after requesting video of the tumultuous workout at the Cowboys’ training camp base in Oxnard, California.

Players on both teams threw punches and helmets during several skirmishes throughout the joint practice, which was conducted in uncommonly hot, humid weather. A lowlight of the brouhaha was Saints tight end, and son of pro wrestler Scott Steiner, Brock Rechsteiner’s suplex of Cowboys safety Jalen Thompson.

WNBA

Sex toys tossed on court interrupt WNBA games in Chicago, LA The Chicago Sky’s home game against Golden State was interrupted when multiple sex toys were thrown on the court, the second consecutive night for a disruption similar to what occurred in several WNBA games last season. Players stayed on the court while arena personnel removed the items. There was a delay for the same reason in Atlanta’s victory at the Los Angeles Sparks last Thursday. There were similar incidents last season in Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles.

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B3

Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, August 26, 2026

Blaney wins second consecutive Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway The Team Penske driver overcame a big mistake by his pit crew

“It takes me five or 10 seconds to move on.”

Ryan Blaney on the problem on pit row

The Associated Press LOUDON, N.H. — Ryan Blaney and his team wound up making the most of a major mistake at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The Team Penske star just needed a moment to vent on his team radio about a pit crew blunder before charging from 17th to first for his second consecutive NASCAR Cup Series win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

“Whenever I say those things after something bad happens, it’s my relief valve,” Blaney said about scolding his team with an expletive. “I have to get it out in the open, or I’ll be stewing over it a while. That’s how I have to get over things. I wish I wasn’t that way, but I’d rather it be that way than have it be in the back of my mind the rest of the race, not thinking of the main goal.

It takes me five or 10 seconds to move on.”

After shaking it off, Blaney recovered to lead the final 74 laps on the 1.058-mile oval, fending off runner-up Bubba Wallace by 0.586 seconds.

Josh Berry, who is trying to find a ride for the 2027 season, finished a season-best third, the fourth consecutive top 10 for the Wood Brothers Racing driver.

The top five was round-

STEVEN SENNE / AP PHOTO

Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney celebrates his victory in the NASCAR Cup Series race at New Hampshire. ed out by Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson. Ryan Preece finished ninth and kept his Chase hopes alive by gaining 19 points on Shane van Gisbergen, who finished 20th and remains in the 16th and final spot for the 10-race title run.

It’s the 20th career victory and third this season for Blaney, who led a race-high 115 of 301 laps. He had cruised to a

big lead when a lug nut fell off the left-front tire of his No. 12 Ford during a pit stop under caution with 111 laps remaining.

The 2023 Cup Series champion picked his way through traffic and was back up to seventh when the yellow flag flew on the 226th lap for a three-car crash.

Crew chief Jonathan Hassler made an aggressive strategy

call for two right-side tires, and Blaney gained six spots in the pits to retake first place.

Hassler said the error “maybe was a little bit of a blessing in disguise” because Blaney emerged several spots ahead of the contenders who took four tires. Of the top 12 finishers, Blaney was the only driver who took two tires on his last stop.

His crew struggled often on

stops earlier this season, losing 128 spots in the pits, but has been better with three top-five finishes in the past six races.

“It’s really competitive on pit road, and if you’re going to have any speed, you’re going to have these sort of miscues,” Hassler said. “With the speed we’ve had, our goal has certainly been to eliminate those, even if we give up a little bit of speed to do that. But it’s still going to happen to each of the best teams.

We’re fortunate that we’re fast enough and up front enough that people take notice when that’s going to happen.”

NASCAR started the race on wet-weather tires after a midafternoon rain shower, but the track dried quickly, and drivers switched back to slick tires after 40 laps.

Points leader Denny Hamlin also rebounded from a pit stop miscue that dropped the Joe Gibbs Racing driver outside the top 15 with less than 100 laps remaining. Hamlin rallied for a seventh place that clinched the top seed for the Chase.

“We were just pedestrian today,” Hamlin said. “We just didn’t quite have it, but ultimately a decent crawl back.”

STEVEN SENNE / AP PHOTO

Ryan Blaney spins the wheels of his car after winning Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race in Loudon, New Hampshire.

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Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, August 26, 2026

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NOTICE

NOTICE

Estate of: Timothy Franklin Huneycutt SR Case Number:26e000281-830 Court: Stanly County Clerk of Superior Court NOTICE TO CREDITORS All persons having claims against the Estate of Timothy Franklin Huneycutt, Sr. are hereby notified that all claims must be presented to the Personal Representative, through the attorney listed below, on or before November 12, 2026, or the claims will be forever barred. Claims should be delivered to: Attorney for the Executor: Charles W. Parnell, Jr. Parnell & Scales Law Office P.O. Box 2300 Albemarle, NC 28002 Phone: (704) 985-1332

Having qualified as Executrix of the Estate of Ann Blackmore Key, late of Stanly County, North Carolina, the undersigned hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the Estate of said Decedent to present them to the undersigned, in care of the undersigned’s attorney, at the address below, on or before 20th day of November, 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to the Estate will please make immediate payment.

This the 19th day of August, 2026.

Judith Workman Executrix of the Estate of Ann Blackmore Key c/o Andrew W. Cave Cave Law, PLLC 219 W Stanly St. P.O. Box 30 Stanfield, NC 28163

NOTICE Estate of: Stella Redfearn Dase Case Number:26E000381-830 Court: Stanly County Clerk of Superior Court NOTICE TO CREDITORS All persons having claims against the Estate of STELLA REDFEARN DASE are hereby notified that all claims must be presented to the Personal Representative, through the attorney listed below, on or before November 26, 2026, or the claims will be forever barred. Claims should be delivered to: Attorney for the Executor: Charles W. Parnell, Jr. Parnell & Scales Law Office P.O. Box 2300 Albemarle, NC 28002 Phone: (704) 985-1332

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Clerk Before the Clerk 26E000048-830 Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of BOBBIE LOWDER LEE FRICK, deceased, late of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the Estate of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before November 9, 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment.

This the 12th day of August, 2026.

LESIA MAYHEW EXECUTRIX OF THE ESTATE OF BOBBIE LOWDER LEE FRICK MARK T. LOWDER ATTORNEY AT LAW PO Box 1284 206 E. North St. Albemarle, NC 28001 Telephone (704) 982-8558 Please run Notice: August 12, 19, 26 and September 2, 2026

NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, STANLY COUNTY In the General Court of Justice Before the Clerk of Superior Court IN RE: CHANGE OF NAME

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FROM: KENDALL LANE DAVIS TO: KENDALL LAYNE HUDSON Vs. HOLLY ERIN HUDSON, Petitioner.

TO: FATHER OF KENDALL LANE DAVIS: TAKE NOTICE that a pleading seeking relief against you was filed May 20, 2026 in Stanly County, North Carolina in the above-entitled action.

The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: PETITION FOR NAME CHANGE (MINOR) (25SP000155-830) You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than September 22, 2026 to the Stanly County Clerk of Court, P.O. Box 668, Albemarle, NC 28002, Attn: Special Proceedings and upon your failure to do so, the party seeking service against you will apply to the Court for the relief sought.

This the 12th of August, 2026.

PARNELL AND SCALES, PLLC Andrew T. Scales Attorney for Petitioner P.O. Box 2300 Albemarle, NC 28002 PUBLISH: August 12, 2026, August 19, 2026 and August 26, 2026

PUBLIC NOTICE The Oakboro Rural Volunteer Fire Department will hold its regular scheduled business meeting at 119 W Fourth St. Oakboro NC 28129 on September 3rd 2026, 7:00 Pm to vote on the refurb of our 2006 Sutphen Engine (E-441).

Board of Director President Josh Russell

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 26E000359-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Administratrix of the Estate of Linda Harwood Burleson deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Linda Harwood Burleson to present them to the undersigned on or before November 6, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment.

This the 5th day of August 2026.

Cheri Lindsay 2223 Kenwood Drive Kannapolis, NC 28081 Administratrix

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Grady O’Neal Cook, Jr. deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Grady O’Neal, Jr. to present them to the undersigned on or before November 19, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment.

This the 19th day of August 2026.

Cynthia A. Cook a/k/a Cynthia C. Yandle 13402 Five Point Road Locust, NC 28097 Executor

Notice to Creditors Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Ruth Ann Goodwin, late of 604 N 6th Street, Albemarle, Stanly County, North Carolina 28001, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate of same decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at 2610 Hwy 218 E, Monroe, NC 28110, on or before the 6th day of November 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons, firms, corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 5th day of August, 2026 Cindy G. Fisher Administrator of the Estate of Ruth Ann Goodwin 2451 Roundabout Lane Charlotte, NC 28210 Barry R. Howard Attorney for the Estate PO Box 176 Monroe, NC 28111

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 26E000377-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Richard F. Hayes, Jr. a/k/a Richard Floyd Hayes, Jr. deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Richard F. Hayes, Jr. a/k/a Richard Floyd Hayes, Jr to present them to the undersigned on or before November 27, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment.

This the 26th day of August 2026.

Melony S. Doyle 151 Anderson Road Albemarle, NC 28001 Executor

HIRING Stanly County Reporter Stanly County Advertising Representative jobs@stanlynewsjournal.com

704-982-2121

B5

Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, August 26, 2026

the stream

AMY HARRIS / INVISION VIA AP PHOTO

Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes performs during the second weekend of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 2026. The band’s new album, “I Must Be Dreaming,” drops Friday.

Alabama Shakes, ‘The Whisper Man,’ ‘Leanne,’ ‘Star Wars Zero Company’ Beastie Boy Mike D and son drop “Thank You” on Friday The Associated Press “THE WHISPER MAN” film adaptation and a new album from the Alabama Shakes are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also, among the streaming offerings worth your time this week, as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: a new tactical “Star Wars” game, the Netflix adaptation of “The Whisper Man” and Season 2 of the comedy series “Leanne.”

MUSIC TO STREAM A lot can happen in a decade.

And here’s a great example: Alabama Shakes, the beloved Southern rock band that introduced the world to its electrifying frontwoman Brittany Howard (in addition to many other accomplishments) will release its third album Friday. “I Must Be Dreaming” is the now-trio’s first in 11 years and their first since they parted ways with drummer Steve Johnson, who had a child abuse charge that was dismissed against him in 2021. The new record is 10 tracks of psychedelic soul — ambitious instrumentation from the best in the biz — and just what the doctor ordered.

SERIES TO STREAM Season 2 of “Leanne,” the comedy starring comedian Leanne Morgan, premieres Thursday on Netflix. Morgan plays a woman starting over after splitting from her husband of three decades. She co-created the series with Chuck Lorre, known for hits like “The Big Bang Theory” and “Two and a Half Men.” VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

MOVIES TO STREAM Based on Alex North’s bestselling novel, “The Whisper Man” (Netflix, Friday) stars Adam Scott as a widowed crime writer whose 8-year-old son is abducted. He looks to his estranged father, a retired detective (Robert De Niro) for help, leading to a new connection to a decades-old serial killer case.

“Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World” pays tender tribute to the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet. Sasha Waters’ documentary is streaming now as part of “American Masters” on PBS and the PBS App. Along with profiling the life of Oliver, who died in 2019, the film features poetry recitations

by Oprah Winfrey, Stephen Colbert, Steve Buscemi and others.

day / Someone who loves you should speak up / And tell you to mind your own teacup before breaking mine.”

NETFLIX VIA AP

The comedy series “Leanne,” left, and the film “The Whisper Man” are both streaming on Netflix this week.

“Someone who loves you should speak up / And tell you to mind your own teacup before breaking mine.”

J Mascis, Dinosaur Jr. Mike D 5D, the project by Beastie Boy Mike D joined by his sons Skyler and Davis Diamond, as well as Eddie Ruscha, Will Graefe and Milo Ruscha, will release “Thank You” on Friday. The 13-track album rejects easy genre categorization.

There are elements of Mike D’s old school hip-hop but also The Beastie Boys’ punk rock spirit and even elements of acid rock (“True Colors.”) Expect the unexpected.

Fans of jangly indie rock are likely already familiar with Velocity Girl, prescient performers born from the late-’80s and early-’90s new pop underground music scene largely headquartered in Washington, D.C. A new collection, courtesy of the indie label Slumberland Re-

AMY HARRIS / INVISION VIA AP PHOTO

J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. performs during the Bourbon & Beyond music festival in 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky. The band’s new album, “There Near,” is out now. cords, dives deep into the band’s earliest years (before they signed to Sub Pop Records, previously home to Nirvana.) “1989 – 1992” is the all-too appropriate name of the album, out Friday — 12 tracks of fuzzy, hooky, addictively ramshackle guitar pop.

The hugely influential American indie rock band Dinosaur

Jr. returns with “There Near,” four decades on since the release of its debut album. Those in the know will find J Mascis’ guitar as unmistakable as ever.

Those who are not: It’s never too late to dive in. Or to get the opening verse of “Blowin’ Up” lodged in your brain: “You’re about as dumb as they come / And telling stupid stories every

“Star Wars Zero Company” seems like an easy pitch: Take a team-based tactical game and drop it into Lucasfilm’s popular franchise. Ideally, you’d want to hire some of the people who worked on tactical gems like “XCOM” and “Marvel’s Midnight Suns” — and that’s exactly what Electronic Arts has done with the new studio Bit Reactor.

This chapter takes place during the Clone Wars, and your mission is to stop “an emerging threat that will consume the galaxy.” You can recruit all sorts of soldiers, scoundrels, droids and maybe even a Jedi for your scrappy squad. The force is strong Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC. The Plague Tale series from France’s Asobo Studio recreates one of the bleakest periods in history, the Black Death that consumed much of Europe in the 14th century. “Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy” introduces a new protagonist: a “fierce young plunderer” named Sophia who travels to Minotaur Island in search of an ancient myth.

While the previous games were stealth-focused, Sophia is more aggressive and ready to fight her pursuers rather than just running away. Who knows if the hordes of plague-carrying rats will return? Find out Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC. “Grand Theft Auto VI” is still three months away, but the buzz is so loud that even an announcement of a preview makes the news. So if you’re dying to know what publisher Rockstar Games has been up to since “GTAV” came out 13 years ago, you’ll want to tune into Netflix at 3 p.m. Thursday for “Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look.” If you don’t get Netflix, you’ll have to wait six hours for the footage to show up on YouTube and Rockstar’s website. The suspense is almost criminal.

B6

Stanly News Journal for Wednesday, August 26, 2026

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VOLUME 8 ISSUE 39 | THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026

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THE FORSYTH COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

COURTESY FCSO / FACEBOOK

Rain or shine The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Car Show & Food Truck Festival on Aug. 15 was a success despite rain, with prizes awarded and funds raised for Foundation 34’s Employee Relief Fund.

WHAT’S HAPPENING ICE arrests jumped to nearly 50K in July, highest monthly total of Trump’s term Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested nearly 50,000 people in July. That marks the highest single-month total during the second Trump administration.

The numbers come from the U.C. Berkeley Deportation Data Project. The spike follows a recalibrated immigration enforcement approach after Homeland Security officers shot two protesters in Minneapolis in January. The increase began in June and accelerated in July, with less public exposure than during Trump’s first year. Texas and Florida accounted for nearly 20,000 of the July arrests.

The agency has been bolstered by billions of dollars from Congress and has hired 12,000 new deportation officers and agents.

Consumer confidence falls to lowest level in 7 months with gas stuck above $4 per gallon Americans’ confidence in the economy declined this month as the ongoing Iran conflict has kept gas prices elevated at more than $4 per gallon. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index dipped to 89.4 in August from 90.2 in July. That’s the lowest level in seven months but essentially in the same lukewarm range its been in since the beginning of the year.

In late 2024 and early 2025, the readings were consistently

$2.00

Search underway for interim WS/FCS superintendent Superintendent Don Phipps’ final day will be Sept. 30

By Ryan Henkel Twin City Herald WINSTON-SALEM — The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Board of Education has officially begun its interim superintendent search.

Earlier in the month, Superintendent Don Phipps announced his intention to retire before the end of the year, citing family matters as the reason for his sudden departure, after serving in the role for approximately nine months.

While the district does need to bring in a new permanent superintendent, the interim will fill the void created by Phipps when he departs the district at the end of September while the search goes on.

“We are seeking an experienced, steady leader with strong school finance and budgeting

expertise who can provide stability, strengthen district operations, support our employees and remain focused on serving our students and families,” said Board Chair Deanna Kaplan at the board’s Aug. 25 meeting.

According to the board’s legal counsel, Dionne Jenkins, the board has flexibility in who it can select for an interim as it is not required to have any specific licensure.

“There’s generally wide latitude and discretion on who you select and what criteria you use to select that person,” Jenkins said.

The deadline for the submission of resumes is tentatively set for Sept. 2, with an anticipated swearing in of a candidate projected for late September.

In terms of actions taken at the board’s meeting, a cost-sharing agreement with Forsyth Futures involving the district’s data sharing project was approved.

The project is a long-standing partnership between the

“There’s generally wide latitude and discretion on who you select and what criteria you use to select that person.”

Dionne Jenkins, WS/FCS general counsel district, United Way and Forsyth Futures that allows the school system to share data with its partners that provide after-school services to students.

The only change to the contract is that the people who run the project will no longer be employees of WS/FCS. “This is not new money,” said Assistant Superintendent of Accountability Andrew Kraft.

“This is exactly the same money that we’ve been spending over the last few years. It’s just that instead of them being employees of the school system, they’re em-

ployees under Forsyth Futures.”

The board also approved a contract with Safe and Civil Schools for site-based coaching support.

The district was cited in 2023-24 for discipline disproportionality impacting black students identified as exceptional children, and in total, 21 schools were cited.

Due to this, WS/FCS was mandated to allocate 15% of its FY 2026 IDEA federal funds (around $1.9 million) to directly target the identified problem of out-of-school suspension for the specific students identified and the school population as a whole, and the Safe and Civil School contract is a part of that.

“This is not the first time we’ve been cited, so we’ve got to do it,” said board member Richard Watts. “Otherwise, we’ll continue to be cited, and (Office for Civil Rights) complaints will continue to become a part of our district.”

The WS/FCS Board of Education will next meet Sept. 22.

Winston-Salem approves kennel development The animal rescue will be located on Chatham Road

By Ryan Henkel Twin City Herald WINSTON-SALEM — The Winston-Salem City Council met Aug. 17 with an agenda full of rezoning requests.

The primary hearing at the meeting was for a special use permit petition for just under two acres of property located on the west side of Chatham Road and north of Buxton Street that was intended for the purpose of establishing an outdoor enclosure for a kennel.

According to the applicant, the project is intended

to be an animal rescue, which doesn’t have a specific UDO designation.

The property is currently located in a general industrial zoning, which would allow an indoor-use kennel by right, however, as the applicant is intending to add an outdoor run as well, a special use permit is required.

The applicant’s request states that they intend to utilize an existing 10,400-square-foot warehouse for the indoor space and that they will construct a 5,000-square-foot outdoor enclosure area.

“This property has the broadest zoning you can imagine: general industrial,” said Councilmember Robert Clark.

“Cement plants, asphalt plants.

We have a hard time getting those sited because they are not good neighbors. You could have a lot of things here.”

The council held a public hearing for a rezoning request for approximately 0.33 acres of property located on the south side of Country Club Road, between South Cliffdale Drive and Harper Street, to go from residential to neighborhood business.

“The proposed request is compatible with the residential development pattern of the area and would accommodate reuse of the existing single-family home on the site,” said Planning Director Chris Murphy.

The zoning request is a limited-use request with the allowable uses requested being offices, adult daycare, child daycare and residential single family.

Following both hearings, the council approved the requests.

In addition, the council also approved requests for: • 0.5 acres of property located east of the intersection of Andrews Drive and Wabash Boulevard to rezone multiple residential zoning parcels to a higher density zoning.

• 0.4 acres of property located on the west side of Home Road and north of Indiana Avenue to go from residential to general business.

See KENNEL, page A2

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Twin City Herald for Thursday, August 27, 2026

THURSDAY

8.27.26 #415

How to help your kids make friends at a new school Even one strong friendship can meaningfully improve student well-being and school success

“Join the conversation” North State Journal (USPS 20451) (ISSN 2471-1365) Trip Hoffend, Publisher Jim Sills, VP of Local Newspapers Cory Lavalette, Senior Editor Jordan Golson, Local News Editor Shawn Krest, Sports Editor Dan Reeves, Features Editor Ryan Henkel, Reporter PJ Ward-Brown, Photographer BUSINESS David Guy, Advertising Manager Published each Thursday as part of North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607 TO SUBSCRIBE: 919-663-3232 NSJONLINE.COM Annual Subscription Price: $100.00 Periodicals Postage Paid at Raleigh, NC and at additional mailing offices POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607

KENNEL from page A1 • 0.8 acres of property located at the southeast intersection of South Main Street and Arnold Avenue to go from residential to limited industrial for additional low-intensity commercial and institutional uses.

• 2.4 acres of property located along the southeast side of South Stratford Road and at the terminus of Ashwood Drive to go from limited business to general business for the purpose of a wholesale trade use utilizing existing structures.

• 4.5 acres of property located on the north side of East Hanes Mill Road to go from general industrial and corporate park office to general business to accommodate commercial options compatible with the University/Hanes Mill Activity Center.

• 0.9 acres of property located on the northeast intersection of University Parkway and Laura Avenue to go from residential to highway business.

The Winston-Salem City Council will next meet Sept. 21.

By Cheyanne Mumphrey The Associated Press FOR STUDENTS starting at a new school, the first day holds many questions: Will they see any familiar faces? Who will they sit with at lunch? Who will they play with at recess?

“I’m this much nervous,” said Iman Fair-Seldon, 5, holding her hands about 4 inches apart. Iman will start first grade next month at a new school in southern New Jersey, near Philadelphia. Despite the nerves, she said she is excited to make new friends.

Starting at a new school or making a big transition, such as moving from elementary school to middle school, can be challenging. Parents may want to help but aren’t always sure what to say or do. Here’s some advice from both grown-ups and the ultimate experts: kids who have gone through transition themselves.

Schedule playdates and go to birthday parties Parents of young children have significant influence over where their children spend time and with whom, experts say. They can seek out activities that create opportunities for connection, such as parks, playgrounds and birthday parties, and decide when their children are ready for activities like sleepovers.

“Initially, parents have a huge impact when it comes to the friends that children have,” said Asha Barber Sutton, a licensed marriage and family therapist and an associate dean of academic affairs at National University in San Diego.

“More than we would like to believe, our actions as caregivers make a difference in terms of how children experience the world.”

Amira Fair, Iman’s mother, said she prefers to keep to herself, but she pushes past those feelings to help her daughter develop relationships.

“I make it my business to exchange numbers and try to schedule monthly playdates,” she said. “One thing I tried to do, especially at her old school,

By Marcia Dunn The Associated Press

forsythcommunity@ northstatejournal.com Weekly deadline is Monday at Noon

Students from Thomas Leadership Academy play on the school’s playground in Eatonville, Florida, in August 2023. was go to every single birthday function, say hi to the parents, get a present, see the family.”

Let kids navigate their friendships Parents can’t manage every friendship for their children, experts say. Instead, they can help children develop their own sense of what makes a good friend: Are they kind?

Are they honest? Can you be yourself around them? Some difficult interactions can help children learn what they value in a friend and how to handle conflict, Sutton said.

Parents can also ask questions to help their children think about what they value in friendships: What qualities do you like in your friends? Who makes you feel comfortable being yourself? Those conversations can give children a framework for evaluating their friendships when problems arise, experts say.

Jaiden Journet, a 14-year-old starting at a new high school in North Carolina, suggests parents ask their kids: “Have you found anything you have in common with anyone?”

Help kids get involved Parents also can support their children through encouragement, especially if they are shy or anxious. Encouraging children to get involved in extracurricular activities or to try something new can help them meet people with similar interests.

Shia Watts, 16, said trying something new led her to some of her friends at Notre Dame

“Even if you only have one really strong friendship or one strong trusted adult, one strong sense of belonging, that can be enough to really positively affect your well-being and your trajectory through school and life.”

Nicole Hockley, co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise High School in Sherman Oaks, California.

“Last year, I was part of theater production. I’d never done that before, but I met so many amazing people,” she said.

When Jamir Gonzalez transferred last year to Uncommon Camden Prep High School in New Jersey, he joined the basketball and debate teams.

“If you have any hobbies, find out if they have that at your school, and if they do, talk to the people that are there,” said Jamir, now a 16-year-old senior.

Once students find opportunities to connect, starting the conversation is the next step, experts say. Smiling, complimenting others and asking questions can help start a conversation and keep it going.

Iman, the New Jersey 5-year-old, remembers how she met her now “B-F-F-F-F-F.” It started with a compliment.

“I think I said, ‘I like your shirt,’ and then she said, ‘Thank

Put down cellphones — sometimes Students may find it harder to start conversations when their peers are on their phones, wearing headphones or focused on screens. Experts say parents can encourage children, particularly teens, to put devices away at times so they can be more present and engaged with the people around them. One way to help: Stop texting your child at school, some teachers and experts say.

But being too harsh with older children’s tech limits can isolate them socially, Sutton said. Still, parents should talk with their teens about expectations around technology, social media and gaming, including knowing who kids are interacting with online.

Technology can also help children maintain friendships when circumstances separate them, Sutton said. “If you move away, it’s no longer like, ‘Hey, I moved out of state, and I can never see you,’ ” she said. “We have FaceTime, and we can still stay connected to friends in that way.”

Even one friendship counts Feeling connected and having a sense of belonging at school can have an important effect on students’ well-being. If a student feels staff and peers at their school care about them, they are less likely to have poor mental health, use substances or be involved in violence, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and they are more likely to have better grades and attendance.

But a student needn’t have a large friend group to feel connected. Even one relationship can make a meaningful difference, said Nicole Hockley, co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise, a nonprofit that focuses on gun violence prevention in schools.

“Even if you only have one really strong friendship or one strong trusted adult, one strong sense of belonging, that can be enough to really positively affect your well-being and your trajectory through school and life,” she said.

For students who are nervous about starting over, Hockley said, it can help to remember that other students may be looking for connection, too.

“There’s also someone else just like you in that same space who’s also saying, ‘I would like to meet someone. I’d like to make a friend,’ ” she said. “It can be intimidating, but it’s not hard once you practice it.”

Americas in prime position for near-total lunar eclipse If skies are clear, people in N.C. will be able to view the entire event

Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements:

REBECCA BLACKWELL / AP PHOTO

you.’ And I said, ‘So what’s your name?’” she recalled.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Now it’s the moon’s turn to pull a disappearing act.

After being shut out of this month’s total solar eclipse, the Americas will have the best seats in the celestial house when Earth’s shadow briefly envelops the moon. Almost the entire lunar surface will be masked Thursday night into Friday — a whopping 96% — making it an especially deep partial eclipse.

The moon is already in the spotlight. NASA sent the Artemis II astronauts on a record-breaking lunar flyby in April, the prelude to eventually landing on the surface and building a base swarming with people and robots over the next several years.

“This is a great time to be part of the space program, right? We’re not slowing down,” NASA astronaut Jack Hatha-

way told The Associated Press from the International Space Station last week.

It’s the second act of the greatest show in the solar system, coming two weeks after a total solar eclipse paraded through Greenland, Iceland and Spain.

Eclipses always travel in pairs as the sun, moon and Earth align so precisely that one obscures the other. That’s because the moon is 400 times smaller than the sun, which is 400 times farther away, making them appear the same size — a cosmic coincidence and gift from the universe.

Unfolding at a more leisurely pace, the upcoming lunar eclipse will have a much bigger audience than Europe’s solar show. The eclipsed moon will be visible to billions across North and South America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East, provided the skies are clear.

The lunar eclipse may also be visible to Hathaway and the nine other people living off the planet — seven astronauts at the International Space Station and three aboard China’s orbiting outpost.

ROBERT F. BUKATY / AP PHOTO

A man views a lunar eclipse March 3 in Portland, Maine.

Space provides a “unique perspective” for viewing cosmic wonders like eclipses and auroras, said the space station’s commander, Jessica Meir.

In this case, Earth will pass between the moon and the sun, casting a reddish-orange shadow onto our closest neighbor.

Because this is a partial eclipse, the lineup won’t be perfect, and it won’t be a true blood moon.

The partial phase of the eclipse will last more than three hours.

But the entire eclipse, from the time the full moon enters the faintest, outermost edge of Earth’s shadow until it leaves, will stretch 5½ hours.

The eclipse will peak just after midnight EDT. Nearly 1 billion people in the U.S., Canada, and Central and South America will have front-row views for the entire

eclipse. More than 3 billion people — 44% of the world’s population — will be in position to catch at least part of it.

The eclipsed moon will be setting in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, cutting the show short. It will be rising in Hawaii, getting the eastern Pacific off to a late start along with northwestern sections of the U.S. and Canada.

This is the year’s second lunar eclipse and the fourth eclipse overall. A total lunar eclipse graced the skies over the Americas, Australia and eastern Asia in March.

The next complete lunar blackout won’t be until New Year’s Eve 2028, with Asia and Australia at center stage. And it will be 2029 before stargazers across North and South America are treated to another

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Twin City Herald for Thursday, August 27, 2026

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

COLUMN | RICH LOWRY

Trump’s fondness for Kim Jong Un sends the wrong signal Trump has been careless of the goodwill of our allies.

IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE that Kim Jong Un is really this charming. President Donald Trump touted his fond relationship with the North Korean dictator in a Truth Social post calling for scaling back a long-running annual military exercise with the South Koreans.

“Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un,” Trump wrote, “I am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea.” According to Trump, the exercises “send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile, to a Country that, as long as Donald J. Trump has been President, has been unthreatening and respectful.” Then he added that South Korea had recently declined to take a role in the Iran war, clearly irking Trump, as he subsequently explained to reporters at the White House.

The joint exercises have been a key element of the U.S.-South Korea military alliance for decades. They are meant to ensure that the two countries are prepared in the event of a North Korean assault, and perhaps now have an added importance given the experience North Korea has gained in high-intensity modern warfare by bolstering Russian forces in Ukraine.

Much more important than the practical effect of Trump’s fusillade, though, is the signal it sends, yet again, that he is easily disenchanted with longtime allies whose friendship should be

considered a strategic boon to the United States.

Whether musing about making Canada the 51st state, briefly campaigning to take control of Greenland, imposing tariffs on friend and foe alike, or hammering NATO, Trump has been careless of the goodwill of our allies.

They need us more than we need them, which means they are willing to put up with a lot, but sowing dissension unnecessarily is a foolhardy game at a time of growing international threats.

South Korea has been a treaty ally since 1953 and is a wealthy, technologically advanced democracy that occupies strategically important ground in Northeast Asia. It is obviously both threatened by and a bulwark against potential North Korean adventurism.

Pete Hegseth visited South Korea last year and said, “Our alliance is stronger than ever before, 72 years strong.” He described the inspiring sight of U.S. and South Korean soldiers standing “shoulder to shoulder working together.” South Korea has been committed to increasing its defense spending to 3.5% of GDP. In light of this, Hegseth subsequently averred, “Model allies that step up, like Israel, South Korea, Poland ... will receive our special favor.”

Such assurances by administration officials are always subject to change, depending on Trump’s animosities at any given time.

It’s certainly true that South Korea owes its existence to us. We fought to preserve its

independence at a great cost in blood and treasure during the Korean War, and we have nearly 30,000 troops on the peninsula to deter North Korea from assaulting the South again.

Seoul has lent support to recent U.S. military operations, typically in noncombat roles, but it’s understandable that it wouldn’t be enthused about taking part in an Iran war that hasn’t gone as planned and that has no clear endgame.

As for the North, it isn’t our friend. It is firmly within the China-Russia axis and has been developing its nuclear and missile arsenal apace. There is no reason to believe that any blandishments from Trump will change its behavior, and Kim has been clear that the U.S. needs to abandon its “obsession” with denuclearization.

What we most need from South Korea is for it to be as strong as possible to deter North Korea, and we shouldn’t be lending any credence to its claim that U.S.-South Korean exercises are provocations or sowing doubt about our commitment to allies.

Such diplomatic episodes, though, are an inherent part of Trump’s governance. To paraphrase the Roman writer Publilius Syrus: Prosperity makes friends, adversity tries them, and Trump distresses them — unnecessarily.

Rich Lowry is editor of the National Review.

(Copyright 2026 by King Features Synd., Inc.)

COLUMN | BONNER COHEN

No, MIT, ‘Clean Energy’ isn’t the future — nor is it really clean According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, by 2030, the nation could have as much as 1 million tons of solar panel waste on its hands.

IS THE WORLD still transitioning to green energy in the era of Donald Trump and in the midst of, yet again, geopolitical unpleasantness in the oil-rich Middle East?

While climate activists bewail the Trump administration’s embrace of fossil fuels and its corresponding disdain for solar panels and wind turbines, a new report released by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Center for Energy and Environmental Research says greener days may yet be in our future.

The report, “Glass Half-Full: Building a Decarbonized U.S. Power Sector,” sees a green light at the end of Trump’s dark tunnel of dismantling Biden-era climate policies. Focusing exclusively on electricity generation over the next decade, the report uses a mathematical model to compare how much “clean power” will survive the Trump administration’s phase-out of wind and solar subsidies and its scuttling of other green-energy initiatives with what would have been produced under Biden-era climate policies.

According to the model, the energy transition is alive and well, with about three-quarters of the “clean electricity capacity” that would have come online under the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act and power plant regulations surviving the Trump onslaught. Yes, onshore wind power will take a hit, and other decarbonization initiatives will be delayed.

But the headwinds that the vaunted transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy is encountering show no sign of letting up. A recent report from the BlueGreen Alliance, a partnership between labor and environmental organizations, found that the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act and other Trump energy

initiatives have already delayed or canceled 223 wind and solar projects representing at least $82 billion in capital investment and 111,000 green-energy jobs. While a few coastal wind facilities survive, since March, developers have canceled five leases for offshore wind projects in coastal California, New York, Maine, Louisiana and North Carolina valued at more than $3.9 billion. In accordance with agreements developers negotiated with the Trump administration, most of that money will be redirected to oil and gas projects, geothermal development and upgrading the power grid.

Furthermore, “deep decarbonization” has been aggressively pursued in Europe, with disastrous results. “From 2015-2025, the first decade of the Paris Agreement on climate change, global energy consumption rose by more than 14%, with sharply contrasting dynamics,” notes Samuel Furfari, professor of energy geopolitics at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. “Europe’s decrease in energy use is no triumph of ecological heroics but rather the outcome of the assault of the EU Green Deal on competitiveness and its predictable deindustrialization and economic decline.”

Citing a recent Energy Institute report showing fossil fuels make up 86% of global primary energy consumption, with wind and solar accounting for just 3%, Furfari, writing in The Center Square, throws cold water on the idea of an energy transition. “The dominance of fossil fuels in the world energy system persists even as wind and solar, expensive and intermittent, expand. The world is undergoing an energy addition, not a transition, as new technologies supplement the growing capacity of legacy sources.”

Japan, the world’s fourth-largest economy and once a champion of decarbonization, has responded to the recent Middle East energy bottlenecks by reducing its liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from that troubled region (while increasing LNG imports from the U.S.), ramping up coal-fired generation and restarting nuclear power plants. Wind and solar power, along with battery storage, are being pushed aside.

In addition to failing to meet the soaring global demand for affordable and reliable energy, what is billed as “clean energy” — in the MIT report and elsewhere — isn’t really clean. Wind turbines and solar panels may not produce carbon emissions, but they do create waste — lots of it. Disposal of giant wind turbines in landfills is often the only way to deal with equipment that is no longer serviceable.

“Blades are frequently buried in fragments in several landfills throughout the Great Plains, transforming sites in Wyoming, Iowa, and South Dakota into wind turbine graveyards.

By 2050, the cumulative decommissioning material from wind turbines could reach 133 million tons,” noted Ariel Cohen in Forbes.

Out-of-service solar panels, laden with lead, cadmium and other heavy metals, pose their own environmental problems. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, by 2030, the nation could have as much as 1 million tons of solar panel waste on its hands.

These not-so-clean, weather-dependent energy sources will never be more than bit players in today’s fast-moving, technology-driven industrial revolution.

Bonner Russell Cohen is a senior policy analyst with the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT).

(Copyright Daily Caller Foundation 2026)

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Twin City Herald for Thursday, August 27, 2026

Federal officials announce water cuts as Colorado River supplies continue to plunge snowpack on record for the Colorado River Basin, adding more stress on farmers, industry, wildlife and hydropower producers, as well as tens of millions of people who rely on the waterway, including in dozens of Native American tribes and in two Mexican states.

Years of overuse combined with drought and rising temperatures due to climate change have depleted the country’s two largest reservoirs, which are both fed by the Colorado. Lake Mead recently plummeted to its lowest level since it began filling nine decades ago, and Lake Powell did the same about a week later. Their combined storage is the lowest it has been in nearly seven decades.

Negotiators in Arizona thanked California and Nevada for their collaboration on sharing the cuts.

“For 2027 and 2028, the reductions that are now memorialized here will provide substantial stability for folks,” said Tom Buschatzke, Arizona Department of Water Resources director. “We’ll continue to negotiate and figure out how we’re going to operate over a longer-term peri-

od, which is what we all want.”

JB Hamby, California’s chief Colorado River negotiator, said the plan brings “some badly needed near-term certainty at a moment of extraordinary risk,” though he called it “a bridge, not a permanent solution.”

Officials in Nevada applauded their collaboration with Arizona and California and said a seven-state consensus remains their preferred path for the river.

In Southern Nevada, Kyle Roerink, senior adviser at the conservation group Great Basin Water Network, said efforts to build a new airport and shopping malls and some public land sales have not progressed, reflecting the dire hydrology inked in the federal documents. Further cuts could slow real estate development in metro Las Vegas, he said.

“When the Hoover Dam, a symbol of American fortitude and American power, drops and loses its shine, it can be scary,” Roerink said. “But it can also pose itself as a great opportunity for us to prepare for the next hundred years in a meaningful way.”

Bessent says new US sanctions aim to block all potential sources of revenue for Iran

are reportedly in the final stages of agreeing on a plan for joint management of the waterway.

Arizona faces the steepest reductions while upstream states avoid immediate cuts

By Dorany Pineda and Wufei Yu The Associated Press FEDERAL OFFICIALS announced sharp water cuts for the next two years last Friday for three Western states that rely on the imperiled Colorado River.

Under the Bureau of Reclamation’s plan, California, Nevada and Arizona will collectively reduce water use by 1.25 million acre-feet annually during that period, with the possibility of larger cuts depending on conditions.

Arizona will see the biggest cuts, while states upstream — Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico — do not face any for now.

Meanwhile neighboring Mexico will reduce its intake by 250,000 acre-feet under a U.S.-Mexico treaty.

“We’ve been in this 26-year prolonged drought period,” said Andrea Travnicek, the Interior

Iran’s rial hit record lows as U.S. sanctions and blockade deepen economic crisis

By Farnoush Amiri, Christopher Rugaber and Aamer Madhani The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a new round of sanctions aimed at Iran on Monday and warned every country that does business with the Islamic Republic to sever those financial ties or face retaliation from the United States.

The new warnings to further cut off Iran from the rest of the world economy were issued after President Donald Trump pledged last week to unleash an “economic D-Day” against Tehran as the administration struggles to find an off-ramp after nearly six months of war.

“We are level-setting with every country to tell them our expectations. We know who they are. They know who they are,” Bessent told a news conference. “So when the hammer of U.S. Treasury actions falls upon them, they will have no one to blame but themselves.”

Washington has promised the new sanctions would put even more pressure on an Iranian economy already battered by previous sanctions and a U.S. naval blockade. But the announcement Monday provided little detail and did not name which countries could face secondary sanctions. China, Turkey and the United Arab Emir-

JOHN LOCHER / AP PHOTO

Boats are moored at a marina on Lake Mead at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area on June 30 near Boulder City, Nevada.

Department’s assistant secretary for water and science. “We continue to see a prolonged drought in our future. So continuing to work together as a whole within the basin is going to be extremely important.”

ates are Iran’s largest trade partners.

Bessent said Trump has been “making phone calls to world leaders with specific requests to cease their interactions” with Iran and has already seen results. The UAE announced last week that it was suspending all trade, commercial exchanges and financial transactions with Iran until further notice after a reported missile attack on the Gulf country.

“I am confident the president, as you all know, is quite persuasive,” Bessent said, adding that the UAE decision was “not a coincidence.”

Shortly before the announcement, Iranian parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said the U.S. is not in an economic position to further restrict Tehran’s relations with other countries.

“Iran’s trading partners, both in the media and through messages sent to us, have made it clear that they don’t take these statements into account anywhere,” Qalibaf, who has been Iran’s lead negotiator over the past six months, posted on X. Iranian currency falls to record low Hours before Bessent’s announcement, Iran’s currency hit a record low.

The rial dropped to 2.02 million to the U.S. dollar as trading opened on currency markets.

Iran’s official Central Bank rate stood at around 1.5 million rial to the dollar, but the market rate is what most Iranians pay.

The currency had already been under pressure before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran

The current rules governing the use of the river’s water are set to expire in October, and the seven states have been unable to reach a consensus on sharing it over the long term.

Last winter saw the worst

VAHID SALEMI / AP PHOTO

Current and prerevolution Iranian banknotes are displayed by a street money exchanger at Ferdowsi square, a hub for foreign currency trading in downtown Tehran, Iran, on Monday. on Feb. 28, as Iran faced double-digit inflation and negative growth. The rial has repeatedly hit new lows as nearly six months of war have taken an even greater toll.

Iranians find daily staples increasingly unaffordable. Since the war began, rice is up some 60% and beef prices are more than 150% higher. The International Monetary Fund forecasts that gross domestic product will contract more than 5%.

Still, economic pressure has not yet translated into political pressure. Iran retains a key strategic advantage: Its attacks and threats on ships in the Strait of Hormuz have brought traffic in the vital waterway to a near halt, damaging the world economy and heaping pressure on Trump ahead of congressional elections.

The war, as a result, has de-

“We know who they are. They know who they are. So when the hammer of U.S. Treasury actions falls upon them, they will have no one to blame but themselves.”

Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury secretary

volved into a fight over who controls the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil transited before the conflict.

Iran is now refusing to fully reopen it unless it can charge ships.

Iran and Oman, which is on the opposite side of the strait,

Pakistani delegation visits Iran Pakistan, which played a key role in brokering a 60-day ceasefire in June, sent a high-level delegation to Iran on Monday to encourage the U.S. and Iran to return to negotiations, two senior officials said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media on the record.

The military confirmed only Field Marshal Asim Munir’s visit, saying it was aimed at de-escalating tensions in the region.

Trump spoke with Munir ahead of the army chief’s visit to Iran, according to a person familiar with the discussion. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to confirm a private conversation. Reuters, citing Pakistani sources, first reported the call.

Munir met Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni in Tehran, according to the two senior officials. Munir was accompanied by Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and other officials. Munir was expected to remain in Iran overnight and meet the Iranian president and other senior officials before returning to Pakistan.

His previous visit to Tehran in May helped pave the way for a memorandum of understanding signed by the U.S. and Iran in June.

In downtown Tehran, 73-year-old Sadegh Mahmoudi did not hold out hope for a resolution. He joined a line of about a dozen people to purchase U.S. dollars with his remaining savings to hedge against further declines.

“There is no hope for a deal and peace,” he said.

JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON / AP PHOTO

MAHMOUD HOSSEINI / ICANA VIA AP

Left, Iran’s Parliament Speaker and top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, right, speaks with Pakistan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Gen. Asim Munir during their meeting in Tehran, Iran, on Monday. Right, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks at a news conference Monday, at the Treasury Department in Washington, D.C.

Forsyth SPORTS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Peyton Connolley Mount Tabor, volleyball Peyton Connolley is a senior middle hitter for Mount Tabor volleyball. The Spartans have split their first six matches this season.

Connolley was all-conference last season and is picking right back up this year. She leads Mount Tabor in kills and blocks, and she ranks third in hitting percentage and assists. She leads the Piedmont Triad 5A/6A conference in blocks and is third in all of N.C. 6A. In a win over Lexington, Connolley had 13 kills to lead the team, six of the Spartans’ 10 blocks and added two service aces and six digs.

By David A. Lieb The Associated Press

Blaney wins second consecutive Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway The Team Penske driver overcame a big mistake by his pit crew The Associated Press LOUDON, N.H. — Ryan Blaney and his team wound up making the most of a major mistake at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The Team Penske star just needed a moment to vent on his team radio about a pit crew blunder before charging from 17th to first for his second consecutive NASCAR Cup Series win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

“Whenever I say those things after something bad happens, it’s my relief valve,” Blaney said about scolding his team with an expletive. “I have to get it out in the open, or I’ll be stewing over it a while. That’s how I have to get over things. I wish I wasn’t that way, but I’d rather it be that way than have it be in the back of my mind the rest of the race, not thinking of the main goal.

It takes me five or 10 seconds to move on.”

After shaking it off, Blaney recovered to lead the final 74 laps on the 1.058-mile oval, fending off runner-up Bubba Wallace by 0.586 seconds.

Josh Berry, who is trying to find a ride for the 2027 season, finished a season-best third, the fourth consecutive top 10 for the Wood Brothers Racing driver.

The top five was rounded out by Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson. Ryan Preece finished ninth and kept his Chase hopes alive by gaining 19 points on Shane van Gisbergen, who

STEVEN SENNE / AP PHOTO

Ryan Blaney spins the wheels of his car after winning Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race in Loudon, New Hampshire. finished 20th and remains in the 16th and final spot for the 10-race title run.

It’s the 20th career victory and third this season for Blaney, who led a race-high 115 of 301 laps. He had cruised to a big lead when a lug nut fell off the left-front tire of his No. 12 Ford during a pit stop under caution with 111 laps remaining.

The 2023 Cup Series champion picked his way through traffic and was back up to seventh when the yellow flag flew on the 226th lap for a three-car crash.

Crew chief Jonathan Hassler made an aggressive strategy call for two right-side tires, and Blaney gained six spots in the pits to retake first place.

Hassler said the error “maybe was a little bit of a blessing in disguise” because Blaney emerged several spots ahead of the contenders who took four tires. Of the top 12 finishers, Blaney was the only driver who took two tires on his last stop.

His crew struggled often on stops earlier this season, losing 128 spots in the pits, but has been better with three top-five

States pour taxpayer dollars into college sports as athlete pay, soaring costs squeeze budgets UNC, NC State are now getting a share of gambling revenue

COURTESY MTHS_VOLLEYBALL / INSTAGRAM

finishes in the past six races.

“It’s really competitive on pit road, and if you’re going to have any speed, you’re going to have these sort of miscues,” Hassler said. “With the speed we’ve had, our goal has certainly been to eliminate those, even if we give up a little bit of speed to do that.

But it’s still going to happen to each of the best teams. We’re fortunate that we’re fast enough and up front enough that people take notice when that’s going to happen.”

NASCAR started the race on wet-weather tires after a midafternoon rain shower, but the track dried quickly, and drivers switched back to slick tires after 40 laps.

Points leader Denny Hamlin also rebounded from a pit stop miscue that dropped the Joe Gibbs Racing driver outside the top 15 with less than 100 laps remaining. Hamlin rallied for a seventh place that clinched the top seed for the Chase.

“We were just pedestrian today,” Hamlin said. “We just didn’t quite have it, but ultimately a decent crawl back.”

STEVEN SENNE / AP PHOTO

Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney celebrates his victory in the NASCAR Cup Series race at New Hampshire.

SPONSORED BY

WIN OR LOSE, the UNC Tar Heels already will be in elite company when they kick off the college football season against Texas Christian University in a game played in Dublin. They will be among a small but growing number of athletic programs receiving taxpayer funding from their home states.

With universities competing to pay athletes millions of dollars, some states now are propping up their strained sports budgets in ways not previously seen. The state dollars aren’t going directly to star athletes. But by funding facilities and administrative costs normally borne by the schools, states are freeing universities to use their own dollars for other purposes.

The athletics program at UNC Chapel Hill, for the first time, is receiving $3 million earmarked from state sports betting taxes. Wisconsin lawmakers approved $15 million for athletic costs at the University of Wisconsin. And Connecticut and Louisiana also are using tax dollars to support college athletics. Even more states have considered it.

Sports business analysts see an emerging trend.

“Once one state provides that kind of assistance, schools in competing states can argue that they are being placed at a competitive disadvantage, which could create additional pressure on legislatures to respond,” said Daniel McIntosh, faculty director of the sports business program at Arizona State University.

NCAA rules long barred college athletes from getting paid by schools and boosters. But under pressure from lawsuits and states, the NCAA cleared the way in 2021 for athletes to receive money from private entities for the use of their name, image or likeness (NIL). Then a legal settlement last year allowed higher education institutions to directly pay athletes a total of about $20.5 million annually — on top of any scholarships and other NIL deals they receive.

That cap rose to $21.3 million for this school year and is set to rise again the following year.

Many mid-level programs cannot afford that much. But almost all NCAA Division I athletic programs are trying to generate more money to pay athletes in a bid to remain competitive with their peers.

At the same time, schools have been incurring greater costs for facilities, coaches’ salaries and travel amid conference realignments that discarded old geographic-based rivalries.

Over the past four years, athletic operating expenses at public Division I institutions shot up by nearly a third — notably outpacing revenue and running up deficits, according to an Associated Press analysis using the Knight-Newhouse College Athletics Database.

Federal legislation could drive athletic costs even higher The Protect College Sports Act, pending in the U.S. Senate, has been promoted as a way to put guardrails on college sports spending. But it could potentially allow even greater spending by schools.

The latest version would allow institutions to pay up to an additional $27.5 million annually to retain players on their rosters, pushing the overall athlete payment cap close to $50 million. The higher ceiling could reduce the demand for third-party NIL deals.

States routing money to schools in creative ways When North Carolina launched online sports wagering in 2024, it earmarked part of the tax revenue for athletic departments at 13 public universities. But the two largest institutions — UNC and NC State — were excluded.

That changed in July under a new state budget that raises the sports betting tax. Those two schools now are projected to receive $3 million each this year and $5.8 million next year.

In the meantime, Louisiana also hiked its sports wagering tax and earmarked about $2.2 million to each of its 11 public universities in conferences with Division I football programs.

Seeking to drum up athletic revenue, Connecticut lawmakers authorized the University of Connecticut to issue vouchers for state tax credits equal to half the amount of donations, sponsorships and licensing endorsements. The program generated $1.7 million in its first four months, according to a university report.

New Jersey’s new budget allots $5 million for “events attraction and marketing” at Rutgers’ flagship campus.

Lawmaker: Bad football team bad for state The Wisconsin budget provides $14.6 million for athletic facility debt payments at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and $200,000 each for the Milwaukee and Green Bay campuses.

“Having a bad football team, having uncompetitive college sports in general, would not be beneficial to our state, both culturally or economically,” state Rep. Alex Dallman said. “So we decided as a state we’d help out.”

JASON JACKSON FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

UNC cheerleaders lead the team onto the field for a home game last season.

the better pa ing to earn a stitutions,” U don’t know w now.”

The outbre for millions taking virtu while also d about tuition

B2 SIDELINE REPORT TRACK & FIELD

Simpson reveals rare heart condition caused collapse; will not return to running Boulder, Colo.

World champion runner Jenny Simpson revealed it was a rare heart condition that threw her into cardiac arrest at a race in June and that she will not return to running. The 39-year-old Simpson was diagnosed with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, which caused her heart to stop. Simpson was pacing a group of mile runners at an event in Raleigh when she collapsed. She underwent CPR at the track and an automated external defibrillator was also used before taking her to the hospital.

NCAA BASKETBALL

Jury says New York Times defamed Alabama basketball player Tuscaloosa, Ala. An Alabama jury found The New York Times defamed a college basketball player by incorrectly reporting he was at the scene of a fatal shooting.

Jurors awarded $9.25 million in damages. Kai Spears, who played for the University of Alabama men’s team, sued the Times in 2023 after it published a report that falsely indicated he was a passenger in a car involved in the shooting.

MLB

Diamondbacks star Marte moves to 10-day injured list after mysterious absence Phoenix Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte will be transferred to the 10-day injured list from the restricted list, three days after he failed to show up for a game in Boston. General manager Mike Hazen confirmed Marte will return once he’s healthy. The three-time All-Star traveled back to Phoenix for tests on his left knee last Tuesday. Manager Torey Lovullo said he has struggled to get information from the veteran slugger throughout the process.

NFL

Cowboys, Saints fined $500K apiece by NFL after brawl-filled joint practice Los Angeles The Dallas Cowboys and the New Orleans Saints were fined $500,000 apiece by the NFL after their brawl-filled joint practice. The league announced the fines after requesting video of the tumultuous workout at the Cowboys’ training camp base in Oxnard, California.

Players on both teams threw punches and helmets during several skirmishes throughout the joint practice, which was conducted in uncommonly hot, humid weather. A lowlight of the brouhaha was Saints tight end, and son of pro wrestler Scott Steiner, Brock Rechsteiner’s suplex of Cowboys safety Jalen Thompson.

Twin City Herald for Thursday, August 27, 2026

Busch shares emotional last moments with late brother Kurt Busch did an interview with “Today” about Kyle’s death The Associated Press NEW YORK — NASCAR Hall of Famer Kurt Busch wiped tears from his eyes in recalling the final day he spent at his younger brother’s hospital bedside in his first public comments about Kyle Busch’s death.

“I was at the hospital. I was there all day, hoping, praying, hoping for a turnaround,” Busch said in an interview on NBC’s “Today” show last Friday.

“I said, ‘I got you man. Come on, I got you. I got you. Come on, be strong,’” an emotional Busch added, before a brief pause. “It just wasn’t fair.”

The interview marked Busch’s first comments since Kyle Busch died May 21 after severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming complications.

Busch’s death at the age of 41 devastated the racing community and one of NASCAR’s most accomplished families.

The brothers were born in Las Vegas.

Kyle Busch won Cup Series championships in 2015 and 2019 for Joe Gibbs Racing, and he holds the record in winning 234 combined races across NASCAR’s top three national series. His older brother was a Cup champion in 2004 and inducted this year into the Hall of Fame.

In the interview, Busch out-

PHELAN M. EBENHACK / AP PHOTO

Kurt Busch, front, gets a hug from his brother, Kyle Busch, after announcing his retirement before a NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona in 2023. lined how his brother became increasingly ill while practicing in a simulator May 20. Asked by his crew chief whether he was OK, Busch responded no, and he was taken to a hospital by ambulance.

Kyle Busch initially believed he was dealing with a sinus cold while racing at Watkins Glen, New York, on May 10. He continued competing, including winning a Truck Series race at Dover, Delaware, less than a week before he died. Kurt Busch said their father, Tom Busch, chose not to be at the hospital in order to “remember him the way

he wanted to remember him.”

“There is no book, there is no outline on what we’re supposed to do right now,” Kurt Busch said, before recalling the on-track chemistry he had with his brother.

“Him and I were carbon copies of each other. We could speak on track without saying a word,” he said. “I miss the words we never spoke to each other, and the vibe that we had on track.”

Busch said he’s now mentoring his nephew, Kyle’s 11-year-old son Brexton, who has taken up racing.

“He’s a prodigy,” Busch said.

“He can be a big star in the world of motorsports. He’s 11, but he’s already racing like an 18-year-old.”

As for his brother’s legacy, Busch said the achievements speak for themselves.

“It’s already there. Winningest driver in NASCAR history in all the series,” Busch said.

“The tenacity that he had. It was every day, 24-7, to help people in the latter part of his career, to be a great father like he was,” he added. “It will all shine as time puts different things in spotlights.”

Hurricanes, who have never won ACC title, picked as league’s headliner in ‘26 The league is in a transition year as the schedule starts to expand

By Aaron Beard The Associated Press MARIO CRISTOBAL got Miami back inside the top 10

by Year 3 and within a victory of a national championship in his fourth. Yet the Hurricanes are still chasing a first Atlantic Coast Conference championship after more than two decades in the league.

His team is picked to accomplish that goal this year, which would put it right back in the mix for the College Football Playoff, too.

“We’ve had steady progress over the last four years,” Cristobal said. “It’s been due to the commitment and the level of just care of these players and their coaches.”

The seventh-ranked Hurricanes are the headliner, with Duke transfer quarterback Darian Mensah as the preseason player of the year and Miami claiming a third of the spots on the preseason all-conference team. That list includes Mark Fletcher Jr. (1,192 yards, 12 TDs) as last year’s top league rusher and versatile big-play receiving threat Malachi Toney.

Miami joined the league ahead of the 2004 season but has reached the ACC championship game just once (2017).

No. 19 SMU is the top challenger, with the Mustangs launching a Heisman Trophy push for veteran starting quarterback Kevin Jennings — who led them to the ACC title game and a CFP bid in 2024. No. 24 Louisville is next up after adding Ohio State transfer Lincoln Kienholz at quarterback to an offense featuring running back Isaac Brown, the ACC rookie of the year in 2024 who played nine games last year due to injury.

The league is transitioning to a nine-game football schedule to align with fellow power conferences. But the odd number of teams means there will be variables, with 12 teams playing nine games and five — Boston College, Clemson, Flor-

MARTA LAVANDIER / AP PHOTO

Miami head coach Mario Cristobal speaks following a team practice. ida State, Georgia Tech and UNC — staying at eight.

This will be a bridge year toward having 16 of 17 teams regularly playing nine games by 2027. The schedule concludes with the ACC title game Dec. 5 in Charlotte.

Clemson, Florida State try to return to elite status Clemson and Florida State have gone from ranking among the nation’s elite to also-ran status. It’s unclear whether either can change that trajectory.

Dabo Swinney’s Tigers won two national titles and eight ACC crowns between 2015-24 but slid to 7-6 last year for their worst record since 2010. Clemson was unranked in the preseason AP Top 25 for the first time since 2011.

“This year, ain’t none of y’all going to pick us,” Swinney told reporters in July.

Clemson is picked to finish fourth in the ACC, while FSU is picked 11th.

ACC finalists Duke, Virginia picked in league’s middle third Duke beat Virginia in last

year’s title game for its first outright ACC championship since 1962. Those finalists are picked in the ACC’s middle third.

Mensah’s transfer was the biggest hit for the Blue Devils, who also lost their top three receivers while having uncertainty as to who will fill leading defensive roles.

“I think people just went back to labeling us as the same old Duke just because of the people that walked out this door,” 1,100-yard rusher Nate Sheppard said. “But you have dudes walk out the door every year.”

The Cavaliers are coming off a breakthrough 11-win season under Tony Elliott after managing just 11 wins in his first three seasons combined.

The Cavs are picked to finish sixth, the Blue Devils 10th.

Notre Dame gets high-profile tests in ACC scheduling deal Notre Dame again has six games against ACC teams through its scheduling partnership with the league, with the football independent being a member of all other league sports. One stands out:

“This year, ain’t none of y’all going to pick us.”

Dabo Swinney, Clemson coach

a home game against Miami.

The Hurricanes visit Nov. 7 in a rematch of last year’s opener; Miami won that game to ultimately claim a CFP bid instead of Notre Dame.

Georgia Tech, Clemson make 1st cross-country ACC trips Clemson and Georgia Tech are making their first cross-country trips since the league expanded to add California, Stanford and SMU for a coast-to-coast footprint for the 2024 season. The Tigers are playing at California on Sept. 25, while the Yellow Jackets visit Stanford a day later.

Miami, NC State, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest are the other teams to touch all four U.S. continental time zones for a league game this year.

B3

Twin City Herald for Thursday, August 27, 2026

the stream

AMY HARRIS / INVISION VIA AP PHOTO

Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes performs during the second weekend of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 2026. The band’s new album, “I Must Be Dreaming,” drops Friday.

Alabama Shakes, ‘The Whisper Man,’ ‘Leanne,’ ‘Star Wars Zero Company’ Beastie Boy Mike D and son drop “Thank You” on Friday The Associated Press “THE WHISPER MAN” film adaptation and a new album from the Alabama Shakes are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also, among the streaming offerings worth your time this week, as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: a new tactical “Star Wars” game, the Netflix adaptation of “The Whisper Man” and Season 2 of the comedy series “Leanne.”

MUSIC TO STREAM A lot can happen in a decade.

And here’s a great example: Alabama Shakes, the beloved Southern rock band that introduced the world to its electrifying frontwoman Brittany Howard (in addition to many other accomplishments) will release its third album Friday. “I Must Be Dreaming” is the now-trio’s first in 11 years and their first since they parted ways with drummer Steve Johnson, who had a child abuse charge that was dismissed against him in 2021). The new record is 10 tracks of psychedelic soul — ambitious instrumentation from the best in the biz — and just what the doctor ordered.

SERIES TO STREAM Season 2 of “Leanne,” the comedy starring comedian Leanne Morgan, premieres Thursday on Netflix. Morgan plays a woman starting over after splitting from her husband of three decades. She co-created the series with Chuck Lorre, known for hits like “The Big Bang Theory” and “Two and a Half Men.” VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

MOVIES TO STREAM Based on Alex North’s bestselling novel, “The Whisper Man” (Netflix, Friday) stars Adam Scott as a widowed crime writer whose 8-year-old son is abducted. He looks to his estranged father, a retired detective (Robert De Niro) for help, leading to a new connection to a decades-old serial killer case.

“Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World” pays tender tribute to the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet. Sasha Waters’ documentary is streaming now as part of “American Masters” on PBS and the PBS App. Along with profiling the life of Oliver, who died in 2019, the film features poetry recitations

by Oprah Winfrey, Stephen Colbert, Steve Buscemi and others.

day / Someone who loves you should speak up / And tell you to mind your own teacup before breaking mine.”

NETFLIX VIA AP

The comedy series “Leanne,” left, and the film “The Whisper Man” are both streaming on Netflix this week.

“Someone who loves you should speak up / And tell you to mind your own teacup before breaking mine.”

J Mascis, Dinosaur Jr. Mike D 5D, the project by Beastie Boy Mike D joined by his sons Skyler and Davis Diamond, as well as Eddie Ruscha, Will Graefe and Milo Ruscha, will release “Thank You” on Friday. The 13-track album rejects easy genre categorization.

There are elements of Mike D’s old school hip-hop but also The Beastie Boys’ punk rock spirit and even elements of acid rock (“True Colors.”) Expect the unexpected.

Fans of jangly indie rock are likely already familiar with Velocity Girl, prescient performers born from the late-’80s and early-’90s new pop underground music scene largely headquartered in Washington, D.C. A new collection, courtesy of the indie label Slumberland Re-

AMY HARRIS / INVISION VIA AP PHOTO

J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. performs during the Bourbon & Beyond music festival in 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky. The band’s new album, “There Near,” is out now. cords, dives deep into the band’s earliest years (before they signed to Sub Pop Records, previously home to Nirvana.) “1989 – 1992” is the all-too appropriate name of the album, out Friday — 12 tracks of fuzzy, hooky, addictively ramshackle guitar pop.

The hugely influential American indie rock band Dinosaur

Jr. returns with “There Near,” four decades on since the release of its debut album. Those in the know will find J Mascis’ guitar as unmistakable as ever.

Those who are not: It’s never too late to dive in. Or to get the opening verse of “Blowin’ Up” lodged in your brain: “You’re about as dumb as they come / And telling stupid stories every

“Star Wars Zero Company” seems like an easy pitch: Take a team-based tactical game and drop it into Lucasfilm’s popular franchise. Ideally, you’d want to hire some of the people who worked on tactical gems like “XCOM” and “Marvel’s Midnight Suns” — and that’s exactly what Electronic Arts has done with the new studio Bit Reactor.

This chapter takes place during the Clone Wars, and your mission is to stop “an emerging threat that will consume the galaxy.” You can recruit all sorts of soldiers, scoundrels, droids and maybe even a Jedi for your scrappy squad. The force is strong Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC. The Plague Tale series from France’s Asobo Studio recreates one of the bleakest periods in history, the Black Death that consumed much of Europe in the 14th century. “Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy” introduces a new protagonist: a “fierce young plunderer” named Sophia who travels to Minotaur Island in search of an ancient myth.

While the previous games were stealth-focused, Sophia is more aggressive and ready to fight her pursuers rather than just running away. Who knows if the hordes of plague-carrying rats will return? Find out Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC. “Grand Theft Auto VI” is still three months away, but the buzz is so loud that even an announcement of a preview makes the news. So if you’re dying to know what publisher Rockstar Games has been up to since “GTAV” came out 13 years ago, you’ll want to tune into Netflix at 3 p.m. Thursday for “Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look.” If you don’t get Netflix, you’ll have to wait six hours for the footage to show up on YouTube and Rockstar’s website. The suspense is almost criminal.

B4

Twin City Herald for Thursday, August 27, 2026

STATE & NATION

US, Canada fall deeper into trade war with new tariffs as talks collapse, blame spread The breakdown jeopardizes $880 billion in annual trade between two historic allies

By Paul Wiseman and Rob Gillies The Associated Press TORONTO — The United States and Canada, historic allies along an undefended border, fell deeper into a trade war Saturday marked by angry recriminations and new tariffs that are expected to raise prices for products in both countries.

Each side blamed the other for the collapse of negotiations in Washington, D.C., late Friday, leading the U.S. to impose 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods and Canada setting Sept. 8 as the start of its retaliatory penalties.

President Donald Trump’s import taxes will hit about 5% of what Canada ships to the United States every year, ranging from hockey sticks to tongue depressors. Prime Minister Carney said Ottawa would respond with targeted tariff protection for industries exposed to the new U.S. duties, including some steel products.

He also mentioned the dairy, appliance, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper, and electronics sectors.

No further talks were planned. Whatever the eventual outcome, a loss of trust seems one of the earliest casualties.

Carney accused Washington of using “economic integration as a weapon” and said “its signature was written in pencil.” Resorting to the language of battle, he said his country had been “attacked” by the new American tariffs. “You’re at war when you get attacked,” he said, adding that Canada had the reserves, resilience and plan to respond.

But to Trump’s chief trade negotiator, Jamieson Greer, the U.S. was compelled to act after a year of retaliation by its longtime partner.

“We’ve said enough, and so we’ve taken countermeasures.

Our interest is in protecting American workers and protecting American supply chains,” the U.S. trade representative told “Fox & Friends Weekend.”

Canada cites “unacceptable demands” as U.S. says it offered favorable terms Carney said Canada had been willing to drop remaining retaliatory tariffs on steel, aluminum and autos if the U.S. substantially lowered its own, and to encourage provinces to restore U.S. alcohol sales. But he said Washington’s final demands went too far. “They asked too much and offered too little,” Carney said.

Greer said the Republican

ADRIAN WYLD / THE CANADIAN PRESS VIA AP

Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, and President Donald Trump hold a press conference at the White House on Oct. 7, 2025.

“You’re at war when you get attacked.”

Mark Carney

NICK IWANYSHYN / THE CANADIAN PRESS VIA AP

Rolled coils of steel sit in the yard at the ArcelorMittal Dofasco steel plant in Hamilton, Ontario, last week. administration was offering to cut tariffs on steel, autos and lumber, “things that are sensitive for them. And they’ve always had the best deal, and they still would have an even better deal, but they didn’t want that.”

As a result, he said, “We’re moving forward with measures that respond to Canadian retaliation.”

Carney said the U.S. added last-minute terms that would have reduced tariff relief for Canadian-made vehicles, restricted Canada’s ability to strike trade deals with other countries and weakened protections for language, culture and sovereignty.

He said such demands were “unacceptable.”

The breakdown in negotiations marked a sharp reversal from two days earlier, when officials from the two countries sounded as if they were headed toward a compromise.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who leads Canada’s most populous province, praised Car-

ney for rejecting the deal, saying it would have hurt Ontario’s auto, steel and manufacturing sectors. Ford urged Canada to use “every tool in our toolbox” to fight the U.S. tariffs.

The moves also call into question the future of a North American trade agreement covering the United States, Canada and Mexico that is crucial to industry in all three countries.

Carney said the breakdown was “certainly not good news” for the review of that agreement and that the failed negotiations had given Canada “a new perspective” on what Washington wants from the broader economic relationship.

Typically cooperative alliance goes sour The political impact will likely be even bigger than the economic fallout. The countries sold each other $880 billion worth of goods and services last year.

The tariffs were initially sup-

posed to kick in at 12:01 a.m. last Wednesday. Trump extended the deadline for three days to allow talks to continue, but the countries could not reach an agreement in time.

The U.S. and Canada have wrangled for decades over trade, poking each other over sore spots such as Canadian softwood lumber imports and U.S. access to Canada’s protected dairy market.

Somehow, they still managed to remain friends, allies and trading partners. Canadian soldiers fought alongside Americans in Afghanistan after 9/11. The 5,525-mile U.S.-Canada border is undefended, and nearly 330,000 people and $2 billion worth of goods cross it every day; 800,000 Canadians live in the United States.

Trump’s approach to dealing with Canada marks an extraordinary departure from the traditionally cooperative relationship between the two countries.

Trump has imposed tariffs on Canadian goods in a push to bring manufacturing back to the United States and made inflammatory comments about turning Canada into America’s 51st state.

Carney said Canada had recognized that “America has changed” and that the two countries would “not return to our old relationship.”

Canadians, Americans frustrated The Canadian public is fed up. A petition to expel U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra, a

Trump ally, has collected nearly 248,000 signatures since July 21. It accuses the former Republican congressman from Michigan of having “normalized’’ Trump’s talk of annexing Canada, among other things.

The two countries had good reasons to find a compromise.

Nearly 72% of Canada’s goods exports last year went to the United States. The Trump administration might be wary of imposing new tariffs — paid

by U.S. importers who try to pass along the cost to consumers via higher prices — before the November midterm elections. American voters are already frustrated with the high cost of living.

“Both sides will be under immense pressure in the coming days to still find an off-ramp,” said Ryan Majerus, a partner at King & Spalding and a former U.S. trade official.

Joshua Bolten, CEO of the Business Roundtable, which represents leaders of major U.S. companies, warned the tariffs and retaliation risk “raising costs for American businesses and families” and disrupting vital supply chains, and urged both governments to resume negotiations.

Trump turned to Depression-era trade penalties Trump has made tariffs the centerpiece of his second-term economic agenda. Last year, he imposed double-digit import taxes on almost every country, justifying them by declaring the long-standing U.S. trade deficit a national emergency. The Supreme Court in February ruled that he had overstepped his authority. The justices struck down the trade penalties and set the stage for the federal government to pay refunds to importers.

So Trump has looked for other legal authority to justify tariffs.

For Canada, Trump invoked Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, a rarely used Depression-era provision allowing tariffs of up to 50% against countries deemed to discriminate against U.S. businesses.

The provision is part of the Smoot-Hawley tariff law, widely blamed by economists and historians for worsening the Great Depression by restricting global trade. Section 338 has never previously been used to impose tariffs.

The rift comes as the United States, Mexico and Canada are trying to renew a trade agreement that Trump negotiated in his first term and once praised as a triumph. The United States has begun formal talks with Mexico over revamping the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, known as USMCA. But talks with Canada have not begun and escalating trade conflict casts doubt on whether they will.

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Randolph record THE RANDOLPH COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

Game on Southwestern Randolph quarterback Levi Dalke comes up short of the end zone as high school football got underway in Randolph County. The Cougars still managed to trounce East Davidson on Saturday, winning 45-0 at home.

WHAT’S HAPPENING ICE arrests jumped to nearly 50K in July, highest monthly total of Trump’s term Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested nearly 50,000 people in July. That marks the highest single-month total during the second Trump administration.

The numbers come from the UC Berkeley Deportation Data Project. The spike follows a recalibrated immigration enforcement approach after Homeland Security officers shot two protesters in Minneapolis in January. The increase began in June and accelerated in July, with less public exposure than during Trump’s first year. Texas and Florida accounted for nearly 20,000 of the July arrests.

Consumer confidence falls to lowest level in 7 months with gas stuck above $4 per gallon Americans’ confidence in the economy declined this month as the ongoing Iran conflict has kept gas prices elevated at more than $4 per gallon. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index dipped to 89.4 in August from 90.2 in July. That’s the lowest level in seven months but essentially in the same lukewarm range it’s been in since the beginning of the year.

In late 2024 and early 2025, the readings were consistently above 100. Respondents’ views of their present situation improved, but their outlook for the near-term future soured.

$2.00

Another round of military exercises winds down The territory used for the training has again included Randolph County Randolph Record staff THE LATEST Robin Sage training exercises for the U.S. Army’s Special Warfare Center and School are winding down this week.

The candidates are based out of Fort Bragg.

The exercises have been taking place throughout a chunk of North Carolina and small areas in South Carolina. There are 24 North Carolina counties, including Randolph, that are in the territory that might be in use.

Robin Sage is the final training exercise for students completing the Special Forces qualification course. A previous

Robin Sage exercise took place in the spring, ending in early April.

“We appreciate the support and consideration the citizens of North Carolina and South Carolina extend to the soldiers participating in the exercise and thank them for their understanding of any inconveniences the training may cause,” the school said in a statement.

The exercises are sometimes

Veteran Asheboro broker joins NC Real Estate Commission Vickie Gallimore will serve through July 2029

By Dan Reeves Randolph Record ASHEBORO — When Vickie Gallimore started selling real estate nearly four decades ago, buyers couldn’t pull up dozens of listings on a phone before ever talking to an agent.

There was no DocuSign, no social media and no texting a client from the driveway. Buyers spent more time riding from house to house with their agents, often seeing a property for the first time when they pulled up in front of it.

A lot has changed since then.

Gallimore, a lifelong Randolph County resident and longtime broker and owner of RE/MAX Central Realty in Asheboro, has now been appointed to the North Carolina Real Estate Commission, bringing decades of experience in a business she has watched change from the ground up.

The General Assembly appointed Gallimore upon the recommendation of Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berg-

COURTESY

Vickie Gallimore er (R-Eden). Her term runs through July 31, 2029.

“I’m looking forward to passing along my practical experience and knowledge of the business to the commission,” Gallimore said. “I think that will certainly be beneficial to the commission.”

Gallimore has spent 39 years in real estate and joined RE/MAX in 1989. Her work has included residential and commercial real estate, along with involvement in the Asheboro/Randolph Chamber, Ran-

dolph County Economic Development and Randolph Community College.

The nine-member Real Estate Commission regulates North Carolina brokers and brokerage firms, oversees licensing and education, and handles disciplinary matters.

Gallimore said protecting consumers and regulating the industry go hand in hand.

“Protecting the consumer, the public is very important, which are buyers, sellers,” she said. “I think the agents are part of that too.”

She hopes her experience in day-to-day transactions will give the commission another view of the work involved in bringing a real estate deal together.

“I’m excited to give back a little bit of insight on the agents’ part as well,” she said.

Gallimore also brings a perspective rooted almost entirely in Randolph County.

Born and raised in Asheboro, she has spent her career working in a market far removed from the scale of Raleigh or Charlotte.

In some cases, clients she worked with years ago have

conducted multiple times in a year. Randolph County has been among the areas listed in the past.

The Robin Sage exercises put candidates in simulated armed conflict, represented by a fictional country.

Upon successful completion, the students will receive their first Special Forces assignments.

The exercises have been coordinated with public safety officials. Training areas and vehicles in the exercises have clear labels.

Residents in participating areas might have heard blank gunfire and/or have seen flares.

The school said controls have been put in place to prevent any risks to people and property in these areas.

been followed by their children.

“It’s a relationship business, and honesty and integrity are just very important in this industry,” Gallimore said. “I think you build trust and relationships easier because people know you.

They know your parents, they know your grandparents.”

That was also true when she was starting out.

“When I first started, everybody knew my father and my mother and then my aunts and my uncles,” she said. “It’s been good for me.”

The mechanics of the job, however, bear little resemblance to those early years.

“Technology has changed the most,” Gallimore said.

Online listings now allow buyers to see photos and details before visiting a property. Electronic signatures move contracts along without an in-person meeting, while texting and social media have changed how agents communicate and market homes.

“We don’t put people in our car as much as we used to,” Gallimore said. “People can look at the internet and see everything about a house before they make a trip here, and sometimes decisions are made way before they get here.”

Gallimore has watched Randolph County change as well.

She pointed to new development, Toyota’s investment See GALLIMORE, page A2

A2

Randolph Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

THURSDAY

8.27.26

New school year begins in RCSS The superintendent has stressed the importance of parental support

“Join the conversation”

North State Journal (USPS 20451) (ISSN 2471-1365) Randolph Record (ISSN 2768-5268) Trip Hoffend Publisher Jim Sills VP of Local Newspapers Cory Lavalette Senior Editor Jordan Golson Local News Editor Bob Sutton Randolph Editor Shawn Krest Sports Editor Dan Reeves Features Editor Lauren Rose Design Editor Ryan Henkel Reporter PJ Ward-Brown Photographer BUSINESS

Randolph Record staff CLASSES BEGAN this week for another school year for most students in the Randolph County School System.

Stephen Gainey, the district superintendent, wrote a letter addressing students, parents and staff members at the dawn of the 2026-27 school year.

Gainey said that a high energy level from students and staff members on the school campuses “will serve as major factors in relation to the start of another positive school year for our school system.”

Gainey’s letter brought par-

Published each Thursday as part of North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607 TO SUBSCRIBE: 919-663-3232 RANDOLPHRECORD.COM Annual Subscription Price: $100.00 Periodicals Postage Paid at Raleigh, NC and at additional mailing offices POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607

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• Catherine Rose Bonner, 38, of Myrtle Beach, was arrested by RCSO for assault inflicting serious bodily injury.

• Robert James Eddinger, 65, of Trinity, was arrested by RCSO for being a registered sex offender on premises where children are present.

• Ryan Lynn Gaines, 40, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for possession of a firearm by a felon; trafficking in cocaine; and possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver cocaine, and other charges.

• Bradly Colan Honeycutt, 42, of Archdale, was arrested by Davidson County Jail/Lexington for nonsupport of a child.

• Brianna Mikayla Knox, 24, of Randleman, was arrested by RCSO for simple assault.

• Kristopher Kermit McDuffie, 38, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for felony possession of a controlled substance; possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a controlled substance; and possession of drug paraphernalia, and other charges.

• David Anthony Reese, 32, of Durham, was arrested by Asheboro PD for second-degree trespassing.

Aug. 18

THURSDAY AUG. 27

mentary schools started classes this week.

Open houses across the district were held last week in advance of Monday’s first day of classes.

There were two administrative appointments within RCSS that went into effect this month.

Jennifer Davis was promoted from a transportation supervisor to assistant transportation director.

Krista Gurgainus moved from a teacher at Southwestern Randolph High School to assistant principal at Randleman Elementary School.

• Eric Dillon Jacobs, 34, of Trinity, was arrested by RCSO for assault inflicting serious injury.

• Laketta Malourica Hussain, 47, of Seagrove, was arrested by Asheboro PD for second-degree trespassing and resisting a public officer.

Bishopville, was arrested by RCSO for trafficking in opium or heroin.

Aug. 19 • Kurtis Steven Barber, 40, of Franklinville, was arrested by Asheboro PD for possession of methamphetamine; manufacturing, selling, delivering or possessing a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school; and possession of drug paraphernalia, and other charges.

• Gracie Melissa Brown, 24, of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO for defrauding a drug or alcohol test.

• Said Bladimir Cortes Gonzales, 30, of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO for possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Jason Roosevelt Edwards, 45, of Sophia, was arrested by RCSO for misdemeanor crime of domestic violence and assault on a female.

• Kelly Jean Harvey, 48, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for trafficking in methamphetamine; possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a controlled substance; and possession of methamphetamine, and other charges.

• Kirsten Nichole Seal, 35, of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO for possession of methamphetamine, exposing a child to a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, and other charges.

• James Archie Strickland, 45, of Randleman, was arrested by Asheboro PD for possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver methamphetamine; possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver fentanyl; and possession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana, and other charges.

• Ramon Soto Vasques, 31, of Ramseur, was arrested by RCSO for trafficking in methamphetamine; possession of drug paraphernalia; and maintaining

• Rakeem Devante Miller, 27, of

a vehicle, dwelling or place for controlled substances.

• Courtney Blair Williams, 33, of Sophia, was arrested by RCSO for misdemeanor child abuse.

HI 81 LOW 66 PRECIP 57%

SATURDAY AUG. 29 HI 83 LOW 66 PRECIP 37%

SUNDAY AUG. 30 HI 85 LOW 67 PRECIP 24%

TUESDAY SEPT. 1 HI 91 LOW 69 PRECIP 11%

WEDNESDAY SEPT. 2 HI 91 LOW 69 PRECIP 18%

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

Aug. 27 Asheboro Downtown Farmers Market 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

A growers-only market with local produce and home-processed goods.

Also Tuesday and Saturday through October.

134 S. Church St. Asheboro

Aug. 28 7:30 p.m.

The Blue Comets host Northwood. GoFan lists tickets at $10 plus a $1 fee.

Lee J. Stone Stadium 1221 S. Park St. Asheboro

Aug. 20

Aug. 29

• Jordan Hamilton Bryarley, 39, of Siler City, was arrested by Liberty PD for felony larceny, driving on a revoked license and resisting a public officer, and other charges.

• Abdulaziz Radhwan Ali, 20, of Randleman, was arrested by NC ALE for selling or delivering a controlled substance to a child under 16; manufacturing, selling, delivering or possessing a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school; and possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver marijuana, and other charges.

• Victor Earl Austin, 35, of Greensboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for first-degree murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon, and other charges.

• Amanda Luisa Lopez, 43, of Ramseur, was arrested by Asheboro PD for misdemeanor child abuse.

• Leon Williams Phillips, 45, of Hopewell, was arrested by RCSO for possession of a firearm by a felon, possession with intent to sell or deliver cocaine and carrying a concealed gun, and other charges.

• Ashley Shanae Smith, 32, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for misdemeanor larceny and possession of stolen goods or property.

13th Annual North Carolina Food Truck State Championship 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The city’s largest food truck competition and street festival in Commerce Square.

Live music starts at 11 a.m.

Commerce Square 128 Commerce Square Randleman

Consumed By Fire 7 p.m.

A concert presented by the NC Foster Adopt Mission.

Sunset Theatre 234 Sunset Ave. Asheboro

Sept. 2 Archdale Farmers Market 2-6 p.m.

GALLIMORE from page A1 in Liberty, restaurants and growth at Randolph Community College, where she serves on the foundation board.

“Asheboro has really grown a lot since I started being in the business world,” she said.

That growth has brought newcomers. Gallimore said she regularly works with people moving to Randolph County from other states in search of something they are finding harder to get in larger cities.

“They want a simpler way of life without all the stress,” she said. “They can move here, move out in the country, just get lost in the quietness.”

Still, she said, Asheboro has

retained much of what has kept her there.

“It’s nice to visit some of the larger cities, but it’s always great to come back home.”

Real estate has also become a family business. Her husband works in commercial real estate, son Brian works in residential real estate and land, daughter-in-law Sarah recently earned her license and daughter Sarah Beth is also licensed.

“We all have a lot to talk about when we go out to eat and do things together,” Gallimore said. “Real estate is just what we talk about other than our kids and the family.”

Now, some of those conversations will likely include the commission.

“It’s a relationship business, and honesty and integrity are just very important in this industry.”

Vickie Gallimore Gallimore said she hopes that when her term ends, she can point to decisions where her years in Randolph County helped shape the outcome.

“I hope some of my input can be exercised into rules,” she said. “I hope I can make an impact, and I hope I can see that I’ve made some changes at the end of my third year.”

MONDAY AUG. 31 HI 90 LOW 68 PRECIP 8%

Guide

• Greg Allen Woodard, 54, of Mount Gilead, was arrested by Asheboro PD for possession of drug paraphernalia, reckless driving to endanger and driving on a revoked license, and other charges.

HI 82 LOW 66 PRECIP 42%

FRIDAY AUG. 28

Randolph

Asheboro vs.

Northwood football

• Anthony Tyrone Williams, 33, of High Point, was arrested by RCSO for uttering a forged instrument, attempting to obtain property by false pretenses and possession of stolen goods or property.

CALL OR TEXT 336-629-7588

Stephen Gainey, RCSS superintendent

CRIME LOG Aug. 17

David Guy, Advertising Manager

ticular attention to the role of parents.

“Without the continued support of the parents over the years, our school system’s success would not have been a reality,” Gainey wrote.

Gainey challenged everyone to work as a team to take another step in the educational experience.

“The school system’s staff members will give our students our best efforts to help them continually improve over the next 10 months, as well as future school years, in terms of academic performance and overall development as individuals,” Gainey wrote.

Randolph Early College opened Aug. 6 for the school year, while other high schools plus middle schools and ele-

“The school system’s staff members will give our students our best efforts to help them continually improve over the next 10 months.”

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Fresh produce and local goods in the parking lot by the roundabout, weather permitting. The 2026 Wednesday market runs through Sept. 9.

Creekside Park 214 Park Drive Archdale

Sept. 4 Randleman vs.

Asheboro football 7:30 p.m.

The Tigers host the Blue Comets.

Randleman High School 4396 Tigers Den Road Randleman

A3

Randolph Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

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

COLUMN | RICH LOWRY

Trump’s fondness for Kim Jong Un sends the wrong signal Trump has been careless of the goodwill of our allies.

IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE that Kim Jong Un is really this charming. President Donald Trump touted his fond relationship with the North Korean dictator in a Truth Social post calling for scaling back a long-running annual military exercise with the South Koreans.

“Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un,” Trump wrote, “I am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea.” According to Trump, the exercises “send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile, to a Country that, as long as Donald J. Trump has been President, has been unthreatening and respectful.” Then he added that South Korea had recently declined to take a role in the Iran war, clearly irking Trump, as he subsequently explained to reporters at the White House.

The joint exercises have been a key element of the U.S.-South Korea military alliance for decades. They are meant to ensure that the two countries are prepared in the event of a North Korean assault, and perhaps now have an added importance given the experience North Korea has gained in high-intensity modern warfare by bolstering Russian forces in Ukraine.

Much more important than the practical effect of Trump’s fusillade, though, is the signal it sends, yet again, that he is easily disenchanted with longtime allies whose friendship should be

considered a strategic boon to the United States.

Whether musing about making Canada the 51st state, briefly campaigning to take control of Greenland, imposing tariffs on friend and foe alike, or hammering NATO, Trump has been careless of the goodwill of our allies.

They need us more than we need them, which means they are willing to put up with a lot, but sowing dissension unnecessarily is a foolhardy game at a time of growing international threats.

South Korea has been a treaty ally since 1953 and is a wealthy, technologically advanced democracy that occupies strategically important ground in Northeast Asia. It is obviously both threatened by and a bulwark against potential North Korean adventurism.

Pete Hegseth visited South Korea last year and said, “Our alliance is stronger than ever before, 72 years strong.” He described the inspiring sight of U.S. and South Korean soldiers standing “shoulder to shoulder working together.” South Korea has been committed to increasing its defense spending to 3.5% of GDP. In light of this, Hegseth subsequently averred, “Model allies that step up, like Israel, South Korea, Poland ... will receive our special favor.”

Such assurances by administration officials are always subject to change, depending on Trump’s animosities at any given time.

It’s certainly true that South Korea owes its existence to us. We fought to preserve its

independence at a great cost in blood and treasure during the Korean War, and we have nearly 30,000 troops on the peninsula to deter North Korea from assaulting the South again.

Seoul has lent support to recent U.S. military operations, typically in noncombat roles, but it’s understandable that it wouldn’t be enthused about taking part in an Iran war that hasn’t gone as planned and that has no clear endgame.

As for the North, it isn’t our friend. It is firmly within the China-Russia axis and has been developing its nuclear and missile arsenal apace. There is no reason to believe that any blandishments from Trump will change its behavior, and Kim has been clear that the U.S. needs to abandon its “obsession” with denuclearization.

What we most need from South Korea is for it to be as strong as possible to deter North Korea, and we shouldn’t be lending any credence to its claim that U.S.-South Korean exercises are provocations or sowing doubt about our commitment to allies.

Such diplomatic episodes, though, are an inherent part of Trump’s governance. To paraphrase the Roman writer Publilius Syrus: Prosperity makes friends, adversity tries them, and Trump distresses them — unnecessarily.

Rich Lowry is editor of the National Review.

(Copyright 2026 by King Features Synd., Inc.)

COLUMN | BONNER COHEN

No, MIT, ‘Clean Energy’ isn’t the future — nor is it really clean According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, by 2030, the nation could have as much as 1 million tons of solar panel waste on its hands.

IS THE WORLD still transitioning to green energy in the era of Donald Trump and in the midst of, yet again, geopolitical unpleasantness in the oil-rich Middle East?

While climate activists bewail the Trump administration’s embrace of fossil fuels and its corresponding disdain for solar panels and wind turbines, a new report released by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Center for Energy and Environmental Research says greener days may yet be in our future.

The report, “Glass Half-Full: Building a Decarbonized U.S. Power Sector,” sees a green light at the end of Trump’s dark tunnel of dismantling Biden-era climate policies. Focusing exclusively on electricity generation over the next decade, the report uses a mathematical model to compare how much “clean power” will survive the Trump administration’s phase-out of wind and solar subsidies and its scuttling of other green-energy initiatives with what would have been produced under Biden-era climate policies.

According to the model, the energy transition is alive and well, with about three-quarters of the “clean electricity capacity” that would have come online under the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act and power plant regulations surviving the Trump onslaught. Yes, onshore wind power will take a hit, and other decarbonization initiatives will be delayed.

But the headwinds that the vaunted transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy is encountering show no sign of letting up. A recent report from the BlueGreen Alliance, a partnership between labor and environmental organizations, found that the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act and other Trump energy

initiatives have already delayed or canceled 223 wind and solar projects representing at least $82 billion in capital investment and 111,000 green-energy jobs. While a few coastal wind facilities survive, since March, developers have canceled five leases for offshore wind projects in coastal California, New York, Maine, Louisiana and North Carolina valued at more than $3.9 billion. In accordance with agreements developers negotiated with the Trump administration, most of that money will be redirected to oil and gas projects, geothermal development and upgrading the power grid.

Furthermore, “deep decarbonization” has been aggressively pursued in Europe, with disastrous results. “From 2015-2025, the first decade of the Paris Agreement on climate change, global energy consumption rose by more than 14%, with sharply contrasting dynamics,” notes Samuel Furfari, professor of energy geopolitics at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. “Europe’s decrease in energy use is no triumph of ecological heroics but rather the outcome of the assault of the EU Green Deal on competitiveness and its predictable deindustrialization and economic decline.”

Citing a recent Energy Institute report showing fossil fuels make up 86% of global primary energy consumption, with wind and solar accounting for just 3%, Furfari, writing in The Center Square, throws cold water on the idea of an energy transition. “The dominance of fossil fuels in the world energy system persists even as wind and solar, expensive and intermittent, expand. The world is undergoing an energy addition, not a transition, as new technologies supplement the growing capacity of legacy sources.”

Japan, the world’s fourth-largest economy and once a champion of decarbonization, has responded to the recent Middle East energy bottlenecks by reducing its liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from that troubled region (while increasing LNG imports from the U.S.), ramping up coal-fired generation and restarting nuclear power plants. Wind and solar power, along with battery storage, are being pushed aside.

In addition to failing to meet the soaring global demand for affordable and reliable energy, what is billed as “clean energy” — in the MIT report and elsewhere — isn’t really clean. Wind turbines and solar panels may not produce carbon emissions, but they do create waste — lots of it. Disposal of giant wind turbines in landfills is often the only way to deal with equipment that is no longer serviceable.

“Blades are frequently buried in fragments in several landfills throughout the Great Plains, transforming sites in Wyoming, Iowa, and South Dakota into wind turbine graveyards.

By 2050, the cumulative decommissioning material from wind turbines could reach 133 million tons,” noted Ariel Cohen in Forbes.

Out-of-service solar panels, laden with lead, cadmium and other heavy metals, pose their own environmental problems. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, by 2030, the nation could have as much as 1 million tons of solar panel waste on its hands.

These not-so-clean, weather-dependent energy sources will never be more than bit players in today’s fast-moving, technology-driven industrial revolution.

Bonner Russell Cohen is a senior policy analyst with the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT).

(Copyright Daily Caller Foundation 2026)

A4

Randolph Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

Federal officials announce water cuts as Colorado River supplies continue to plunge Arizona faces the steepest reductions while upstream states avoid immediate cuts

By Dorany Pineda and Wufei Yu The Associated Press FEDERAL OFFICIALS announced sharp water cuts for the next two years last Friday for three Western states that rely on the imperiled Colorado River.

Under the Bureau of Reclamation’s plan, California, Nevada and Arizona will collectively reduce water use by 1.25 million acre-feet annually during that period, with the possibility of larger cuts depending on conditions.

Arizona will see the biggest cuts, while states upstream — Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico — do not face any for now.

“When the Hoover Dam, a symbol of American fortitude and American power, drops and loses its shine, it can be scary. But it can also pose itself as a great opportunity for us to prepare for the next hundred years in a meaningful way.”

Kyle Roerink, Great Basin Water Network senior adviser Meanwhile neighboring Mexico will reduce its intake by 250,000 acre-feet under a U.S.-Mexico treaty.

“We’ve been in this 26-year prolonged drought period,” said Andrea Travnicek, the Interior Department’s assistant secretary for water and science. “We continue to see a prolonged drought in our future. So continuing to work together as a whole within the basin is going to be extremely important.”

The current rules governing the use of the river’s water are

set to expire in October, and the seven states have been unable to reach a consensus on sharing it over the long term.

Last winter saw the worst snowpack on record for the Colorado River Basin, adding more stress on farmers, industry, wildlife and hydropower producers, as well as tens of millions of people who rely on the waterway, including in dozens of Native American tribes and in two Mexican states.

Years of overuse combined with drought and rising tem-

peratures due to climate change have depleted the country’s two largest reservoirs, which are both fed by the Colorado. Lake Mead recently plummeted to its lowest level since it began filling nine decades ago, and Lake Powell did the same about a week later. Their combined storage is the lowest it has been in nearly seven decades.

Negotiators in Arizona thanked California and Nevada for their collaboration on sharing the cuts.

“For 2027 and 2028, the reductions that are now memorialized here will provide substantial stability for folks,” said Tom Buschatzke, Arizona Department of Water Resources director. “We’ll continue to negotiate and figure out how we’re going to operate over a longer-term period, which is what we all want.”

JB Hamby, California’s chief Colorado River negotiator, said the plan brings “some badly needed near-term certainty at a

Bessent says new US sanctions aim to block all potential sources of revenue for Iran Iran’s rial hit record lows as U.S. sanctions and blockade deepen economic crisis

By Farnoush Amiri, Christopher Rugaber and Aamer Madhani The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a new round of sanctions aimed at Iran on Monday and warned every country that does business with the Islamic Republic to sever those financial ties or face retaliation from the United States.

The new warnings to further cut off Iran from the rest of the world economy were issued after President Donald Trump pledged last week to unleash an “economic D-Day” against Tehran as the administration struggles to find an off-ramp after nearly six months of war.

“We are level-setting with every country to tell them our expectations. We know who they are. They know who they are,” Bessent told a news conference. “So when the hammer of U.S. Treasury actions falls upon them, they will have no one to blame but themselves.”

Washington has promised

the new sanctions would put even more pressure on an Iranian economy already battered by previous sanctions and a U.S. naval blockade. But the announcement Monday provided little detail and did not name which countries could face secondary sanctions. China, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates are Iran’s largest trade partners.

Bessent said Trump has been “making phone calls to world leaders with specific requests to cease their interactions” with Iran and has already seen results. The UAE announced last week that it was suspending all trade, commercial exchanges and financial transactions with Iran until further notice after a reported missile attack on the Gulf country.

“I am confident the president, as you all know, is quite persuasive,” Bessent said, adding that the UAE decision was “not a coincidence.”

Shortly before the announcement, Iranian parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said the U.S. is not in an economic position to further restrict Tehran’s relations with other countries.

“Iran’s trading partners, both in the media and through messages sent to us, have made it clear that they don’t take these statements into account any-

where,” Qalibaf, who has been Iran’s lead negotiator over the past six months, posted on X. Iranian currency falls to record low Hours before Bessent’s announcement, Iran’s currency hit a record low.

The rial dropped to 2.02 million to the U.S. dollar as trading opened on currency markets.

Iran’s official Central Bank rate stood at around 1.5 million rial to the dollar, but the market rate is what most Iranians pay.

The currency had already been under pressure before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, as Iran faced double-digit inflation and negative growth. The rial has repeatedly hit new lows as nearly six months of war have taken an even greater toll.

Iranians find daily staples increasingly unaffordable. Since the war began, rice is up some 60% and beef prices are more than 150% higher. The International Monetary Fund forecasts that gross domestic product will contract more than 5%.

Still, economic pressure has not yet translated into political pressure. Iran retains a key strategic advantage: Its attacks and threats on ships in the Strait of Hormuz have brought traffic in the vital waterway to a near

halt, damaging the world economy and heaping pressure on Trump ahead of congressional elections.

The war, as a result, has devolved into a fight over who controls the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil transited before the conflict.

Iran is now refusing to fully reopen it unless it can charge ships.

Iran and Oman, which is on the opposite side of the strait, are reportedly in the final stages of agreeing on a plan for joint management of the waterway.

Pakistani delegation visits Iran Pakistan, which played a key role in brokering a 60-day ceasefire in June, sent a high-level delegation to Iran on Monday to encourage the U.S. and Iran to return to negotiations, two senior officials said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media on the record.

The military confirmed only Field Marshal Asim Munir’s visit, saying it was aimed at de-escalating tensions in the region.

Trump spoke with Munir ahead of the army chief’s visit to Iran, according to a person familiar with the discussion. The

moment of extraordinary risk,” though he called it “a bridge, not a permanent solution.”

Officials in Nevada applauded their collaboration with Arizona and California and said a seven-state consensus remains their preferred path for the river.

In Southern Nevada, Kyle Roerink, senior adviser at the conservation group Great Basin Water Network, said efforts to build a new airport and shopping malls and some public land sales have not progressed, reflecting the dire hydrology inked in the federal documents. Further cuts could slow real estate development in metro Las Vegas, he said.

“When the Hoover Dam, a symbol of American fortitude and American power, drops and loses its shine, it can be scary,” Roerink said. “But it can also pose itself as a great opportunity for us to prepare for the next hundred years in a meaningful way.”

“We know who they are. They know who they are. So when the hammer of U.S. Treasury actions falls upon them, they will have no one to blame but themselves.”

Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury secretary person spoke on condition of anonymity to confirm a private conversation. Reuters, citing Pakistani sources, first reported the call.

Munir met Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni in Tehran, according to the two senior officials. Munir was accompanied by Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and other officials. Munir was expected to remain in Iran overnight and meet the Iranian president and other senior officials before returning to Pakistan.

His previous visit to Tehran in May helped pave the way for a memorandum of understanding signed by the U.S. and Iran in June.

In downtown Tehran, 73-year-old Sadegh Mahmoudi did not hold out hope for a resolution. He joined a line of about a dozen people to purchase U.S. dollars with his remaining savings to hedge against further declines.

“There is no hope for a deal and peace,” he said.

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A5

Randolph Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

obituaries Nancy Kassebaum Baker, former US senator from Kansas, dead at 94 Lavon Canoy Needham

Dennis Clyde Siegfried

Oct. 16, 1946 – Aug. 18, 2026

Nov. 21, 1944 – Aug. 19, 2026

Lavon Nonivee Canoy Needham, 79, of Asheboro, passed away Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at Randolph Health in Asheboro.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m., Sunday, August 23, 2026, at Asbury Baptist Church, 218 Asbury Church Road, Seagrove, NC, where she was a lifetime member, with Preacher Wayne Bryson officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Born October 16, 1946, in Guilford Co., NC, Mrs. Needham was the daughter of the late D.W. and Margaret Deaton Canoy.

Gardening, cooking, solving crossword puzzles, and riding motorcycles with her husband were some of her favorite things to do. But spending time with her grandkids meant more than anything.

Mrs. Needham retired from Klaussner Furniture, where she was an upholstery sewer.

In addition to her parents, Mrs. Needham was preceded in death by her husband, Johnny Paul Needham Jr.; her brothers, Shelby Canoy, Johnny Canoy, and Kenneth Canoy; and her sister, Debra Canoy.

She is survived by her children, Johnny Paul Needham, III, Gena Parker (Adam), Jason Needham (Jillian); sister, Karen Dorman; brothers, Mark Canoy, Herman Canoy; grandchildren, Stephanie Needham, Ethan Needham, Evan Needham, Ella Needham, Elijah Needham, Eden Needham, Mackenzie Parker; and great-granddaughter, Josephine Needham.

The family will receive friends from 6 8 p.m., Saturday, August 22, 2026, at Ridge Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Asheboro.

Dennis Clyde Siegfried, age 81, of Siler City, passed away on August 19, 2026, at his home.

Dennis was born in Los Angeles, CA, on November 21, 1944, to Arlo and Mary Alice Borror Siegfried. Dennis served his country in the U.S. Army. He was formerly employed in sales with Harrelson Rubber Company, which later became Oliver Rubber Company. Dennis retired from Klaussner Furniture and more recently retired as Head of Security at Randolph Mall. Dennis was a 4th degree black belt in karate. He loved hot rods and classic cars, and he restored his 1936 Ford Truck.

In addition to his parents, Dennis was preceded in death by his children, Deanna McDougall, Lisa Ross, and Denise Ross; granddaughter, Keisha Brower; and siblings, Evelyn, Shirley, Charles, Arlo and Richard.

He is survived by his wife of 29 years, René Siegfried; children, Greg Ross (Anita) of Asheboro, Kim Jarrell (Stevie) of Asheboro, Danielle Allred (Scott) of Asheboro, April Mitchell of Siler City, Steven Mitchell of Siler City, and Chad Mitchell (Courtney) of Siler City; grandchildren, Jeremy, Mark, Sherrie, Maranda, Tyler, P.J., Letisha, Nikkie, Alisha, Forrest, Xavier, Isreal, Michael, Ethan, Brandon, Scottie, Jordan, Uriah, Shyheed, Nesiah, Noble, Brodee, Josh, Laileigh, Nolan and Connor; and 38 greatgrandchildren.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, from 6-8 p.m. at Pugh Funeral Home, 437 Sunset Avenue in Asheboro. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at 2 p.m. at the Glenn “Mac” Pugh Chapel with Rev. Rodney Foxx officiating. Entombment will follow at Randolph Memorial Park with military honors by the Randolph County Honor Guard.

Memorials may be made to Gentiva Hospice, 533 S. Fayetteville Street, Asheboro, NC 27203.

Gary Earliwine May 5, 1953 – Aug. 19, 2026 Gary Earliwine, age 73, of Asheboro, passed away on August 19, 2026, at Asheboro Rehabilitation & Healthcare.

Gary was born in Pittsburgh, PA, on May 5, 1953, to Ray and Teresa Kelly Earliwine. Gary was a very generous and giving man.

He loved farm life and animals, especially horses. He loved being outdoors-hiking and fly fishing.

Gary loved woodworking, making pens and knives. He built and raced his own dragster. Gary loved Hallmark movies, and Christmas was his favorite time of the year. Breakfast was his favorite meal of the day, and he frequented Franklinville Diner and CJ’s.

He is survived by his children, Jason Earliwine (Cleveland) of High Point, Scott Earliwine (Jenn) of West Mifflin, PA, Bryan Earliwine of Asheboro, and Lesley Earliwine (Joe) of Asheboro; grandchildren, Shelby, Lane, and Wyatt; brother, Mark Earliwine (Colleen); and numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, Gary was preceded in death by his loving wife of 49 years, Melissa Earliwine.

The family will receive friends and family on Sunday, August 23, 2026, from 12-2 p.m. at Pugh Funeral Home, 437 Sunset Avenue in Asheboro. A celebration of Gary’s life will be held at Jason’s house in High Point immediately following the visitation.

Memorials may be made to Gentle Giants, which is the organization that helped re-home Gary’s beloved horse, Hallie, with her wonderful new owner, Pam.

Kathy LaVerne Debty Spaulding Aug. 21, 1959 – Aug. 19, 2026 Kathy LaVerne Debty Spaulding, 66, of Randleman, NC, passed away Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at The Randolph Hospice House in Asheboro.

No services are scheduled at this time.

Born in Gaston Co., NC, on August 21, 1959, Mrs. Spaulding was the daughter of the late Charles and Audrey Lovingood Debty. She had worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant for over 40 years and loved going to the mountains when she could get a chance. Mrs. Spaulding was the matriarch of the family, always taking care of everyone.

Her modest, selfless life was reflected in the way she treated others.

Mrs. Spaulding was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald Spaulding, and four siblings, in addition to her parents.

Survivors include her sons, Jason Spaulding, Jeremy Spaulding (Lianna); siblings, Larry Debty, Jean Kuykendall, Diane Debty; grandchildren, Zach, Hailey, Kellar, Selah, Nathaniel, Magdaline, Jubileigh; and her beloved dogs, Harley and Ernest.

Her moderate Republican politics won support from voters of all political stripes

By John Hanna The Associated Press TOPEKA, Kan. — Nancy Kassebaum Baker, a Kansas governor’s daughter who became the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate without following a spouse into office, has died. She was 94.

Kassebaum Baker died Friday of natural causes, according to her son, Bill Kassebaum.

“She loved Kansas. She loved people from Kansas and representing Kansas for 18 years in the U.S. Senate,” he told The Associated Press. “She was an independent-minded Republican who was willing to stand up for what she thought was right, even if that meant going against the party.”

She was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1978 and served three terms. Her modest demeanor endeared her to voters of all political stripes, though she shared the moderate, progressive Republican politics of her father, Gov. Alf Landon, the unsuccessful 1936 GOP nominee for president. Even after leaving the Senate early in 1997, she continued taking on public service roles.

She married former Sen. Howard Baker, a Tennessee Republican, in 1996. He died in 2014.

Kassebaum Baker remained an icon for Kansans generally. She could work with Senate colleagues of all political philosophies, and a 1996 health insurance law bore her name, along with that of liberal Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy.

Centrist politician from America’s heartland Her election to the Senate brought her immediate national attention. When she announced her retirement, she was among eight women senators and the only one to chair a Senate committee, the Labor and Human Resources panel.

She was also in a dwindling bloc of moderate-to-liberal Republicans, having supported for example a ban on assault weapons championed

by President Bill Clinton, a Democrat.

Yet she never polarized Kansas conservatives as other GOP moderates did. She connected with voters because she never seemed caught up in the trappings of power, and when she retired, she acknowledged, “I’d rather cuddle up and do needlepoint all day.”

She was born July 29, 1932, as her father, an oilman from Independence, was running for the first of his two terms as governor. She earned a political science degree from the University of Kansas and a master’s degree in diplomatic history from the University of Michigan in the mid-1950s.

She was a radio-station executive, spent a year in the 1970s on the staff of Kansas Sen. James Pearson and served on the school board in the Wichita suburb of Maize.

She had four children with her first husband, Phil Kassebaum, including Bill, who served a term in the Kansas House. The marriage ended in divorce in 1979.

Moderate who sought sensible solutions When Kassebaum Baker decided to run for the U.S. Senate, she figured that “a woman with a background different from a man might be appealing” to people growing weary of politics. Pundits at the time estimated a Sen-

CHARLES W. HARRITY / AP PHOTO

Sen. Nancy Kassebaum (R-Kan.) reflects on her first year as the junior senator from Kansas in her Washington, D.C., office in December 1979. ate race would require the then-huge-for-Kansas sum of $1 million. In the first quarter of 1978, she spent less than $12,000 on her campaign and saw herself “at the bottom of the totem pole.”

However, nine candidates crowded the primary field, including three state senators and a prominent Wichita businessman. Kassebaum Baker won the GOP nomination with less than 31% of the vote.

Running as Nancy Landon Kassebaum, she won almost 54% of the vote that November against former two-term Democratic congressman Bill Roy. Her moderate politics quickly came to the fore when only months later she refused to endorse an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to require a balanced budget.

“We should be wary of the seemingly simple solution,” she said.

Her father, who would die at age 100 in 1987, still cast a long political shadow during her first years in office. Though he’d overwhelmingly lost the 1936 presidential race to Democratic incumbent Franklin Roosevelt, he later became an elder statesman for the party.

A lecture series named for him at Kansas State University attracted presidents and foreign leaders.

Kassebaum Baker became even more popular in her time.

She won reelection in 1984 with 76% of the vote and in 1990 with 74% of the vote.

But she frustrated conservative activists despite her popularity. She said her vote in favor of the assault weapons ban inspired the angriest mail of her career.

Public servant to end She’d contemplated not seeking a third term, but Republican leaders had prevailed upon her to run one more time.

In 1996, when she decided not to seek reelection, she said she would return to a ranch and 90-year-old farmhouse in Kansas’ scenic Flint Hills and babysit her grandchildren — she had seven, as well as two great-grandchildren.

When there briefly was talk of naming a new highway in Topeka after her, she said, “Oh, goodness. Absolutely not — no.”

She and Baker kept their ro-

“She was an independent-minded Republican who was willing to stand up for what she thought was right, even if that meant going against the party.”

Bill Kassebaum, son mance low-key, and speculation about a possible marriage didn’t emerge until mid-1996, in a Washington Post story.

They married that December.

It was the first time a man and a woman who had both served in the Senate had wed.

Baker was elected to three terms and served from 1967 to 1985 before becoming President Ronald Reagan’s chief of staff. His first wife, Joy, had died in 1993 after a long battle with cancer.

After the marriage, public service still beckoned, including as a member of a bipartisan commission on campaign finance reform under Clinton and on a British commission in Africa in 2004-05.

President George W. Bush named her husband ambassador to Japan in 2001, and she went with him for the four-year posting. Baker said she became an important figure in the Asian nation.

Before she left for Tokyo, she told a reporter she saw her stint in Japan as an adventure but added, “All I can say is, I will miss the Kansas prairie.”

Not a fan of Trump Later in life, Kassebaum Baker broke with the Republican Party as it became more conservative, endorsing Democratic candidates for Kansas governor and U.S. senator, including Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly both times — even though Kelly’s 2022 GOP opponent, then-state-Attorney General Derek Schmidt, had worked on her Senate staff.

She also declared in 2021 that President Donald Trump should be impeached after Trump supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol hoping to stop congressional certification of Trump’s defeat in 2020 by Democrat Joe Biden.

“This just has gone too far,” she told Kansas City’s KMBC.

A6

Randolph Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

STATE & NATION US, Canada fall deeper into trade war with new tariffs as talks collapse, blame spread The breakdown jeopardizes $880 billion in annual trade between two historic allies

By Paul Wiseman and Rob Gillies The Associated Press TORONTO — The United States and Canada, historic allies along an undefended border, fell deeper into a trade war Saturday marked by angry recriminations and new tariffs that are expected to raise prices for products in both countries.

Each side blamed the other for the collapse of negotiations in Washington, D.C., late Friday, leading the U.S. to impose 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods and Canada setting Sept. 8 as the start of its retaliatory penalties.

President Donald Trump’s import taxes will hit about 5% of what Canada ships to the United States every year, ranging from hockey sticks to tongue depressors. Prime Minister Carney said Ottawa would respond with targeted tariff protection for industries exposed to the new U.S. duties, including some steel products.

He also mentioned the dairy, appliance, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper, and electronics sectors.

No further talks were planned. Whatever the eventual outcome, a loss of trust seems one of the earliest casualties.

Carney accused Washington of using “economic integration as a weapon” and said “its signature was written in pencil.” Resorting to the language of battle, he said his country had been “attacked” by the new American tariffs. “You’re at war when you get attacked,” he said, adding that Canada had the reserves, resilience and plan to respond.

But to Trump’s chief trade negotiator, Jamieson Greer, the U.S. was compelled to act after a year of retaliation by its longtime partner.

“We’ve said enough, and so we’ve taken countermeasures.

Our interest is in protecting American workers and protecting American supply chains,” the U.S. trade representative told “Fox & Friends Weekend.”

Canada cites “unacceptable demands” as U.S. says it offered favorable terms Carney said Canada had been willing to drop remaining retaliatory tariffs on steel, aluminum and autos if the U.S. substantially lowered its own, and to encourage provinces to restore U.S. alcohol sales. But he said Washington’s final demands went too far. “They asked too much and offered too little,” Carney said.

Greer said the Republican

ADRIAN WYLD / THE CANADIAN PRESS VIA AP

Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, and President Donald Trump hold a press conference at the White House on Oct. 7, 2025.

“You’re at war when you get attacked.”

Carney, Canadian prime minister

NICK IWANYSHYN / THE CANADIAN PRESS VIA AP

Rolled coils of steel sit in the yard at the ArcelorMittal Dofasco steel plant in Hamilton, Ontario, last week. administration was offering to cut tariffs on steel, autos and lumber, “things that are sensitive for them. And they’ve always had the best deal, and they still would have an even better deal, but they didn’t want that.”

As a result, he said, “We’re moving forward with measures that respond to Canadian retaliation.”

Carney said the U.S. added last-minute terms that would have reduced tariff relief for Canadian-made vehicles, restricted Canada’s ability to strike trade deals with other countries and weakened protections for language, culture and sovereignty.

He said such demands were “unacceptable.”

The breakdown in negotiations marked a sharp reversal from two days earlier, when officials from the two countries sounded as if they were headed toward a compromise.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who leads Canada’s most populous province, praised Car-

ney for rejecting the deal, saying it would have hurt Ontario’s auto, steel and manufacturing sectors. Ford urged Canada to use “every tool in our toolbox” to fight the U.S. tariffs.

The moves also call into question the future of a North American trade agreement covering the United States, Canada and Mexico that is crucial to industry in all three countries.

Carney said the breakdown was “certainly not good news” for the review of that agreement and that the failed negotiations had given Canada “a new perspective” on what Washington wants from the broader economic relationship.

Typically cooperative alliance goes sour The political impact will likely be even bigger than the economic fallout. The countries sold each other $880 billion worth of goods and services last year.

The tariffs were initially sup-

posed to kick in at 12:01 a.m. last Wednesday. Trump extended the deadline for three days to allow talks to continue, but the countries could not reach an agreement in time.

The U.S. and Canada have wrangled for decades over trade, poking each other over sore spots such as Canadian softwood lumber imports and U.S. access to Canada’s protected dairy market.

Somehow, they still managed to remain friends, allies and trading partners. Canadian soldiers fought alongside Americans in Afghanistan after 9/11. The 5,525-mile U.S.-Canada border is undefended, and nearly 330,000 people and $2 billion worth of goods cross it every day; 800,000 Canadians live in the United States.

Trump’s approach to dealing with Canada marks an extraordinary departure from the traditionally cooperative relationship between the two countries.

Trump has imposed tariffs on Canadian goods in a push to bring manufacturing back to the United States and made inflammatory comments about turning Canada into America’s 51st state.

Carney said Canada had recognized that “America has changed” and that the two countries would “not return to our old relationship.”

Canadians, Americans frustrated The Canadian public is fed up. A petition to expel U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra, a

Trump ally, has collected nearly 248,000 signatures since July 21. It accuses the former Republican congressman from Michigan of having “normalized” Trump’s talk of annexing Canada, among other things.

The two countries had good reasons to find a compromise.

Nearly 72% of Canada’s goods exports last year went to the United States. The Trump administration might be wary of imposing new tariffs — paid

by U.S. importers who try to pass along the cost to consumers via higher prices — before the November midterm elections. American voters are already frustrated with the high cost of living.

“Both sides will be under immense pressure in the coming days to still find an off-ramp,” said Ryan Majerus, a partner at King & Spalding and a former U.S. trade official.

Joshua Bolten, CEO of the Business Roundtable, which represents leaders of major U.S. companies, warned the tariffs and retaliation risk “raising costs for American businesses and families” and disrupting vital supply chains, and urged both governments to resume negotiations.

Trump turned to Depression-era trade penalties Trump has made tariffs the centerpiece of his second-term economic agenda. Last year, he imposed double-digit import taxes on almost every country, justifying them by declaring the long-standing U.S. trade deficit a national emergency. The Supreme Court in February ruled that he had overstepped his authority. The justices struck down the trade penalties and set the stage for the federal government to pay refunds to importers.

So Trump has looked for other legal authority to justify tariffs.

For Canada, Trump invoked Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, a rarely used Depression-era provision allowing tariffs of up to 50% against countries deemed to discriminate against U.S. businesses.

The provision is part of the Smoot-Hawley tariff law, widely blamed by economists and historians for worsening the Great Depression by restricting global trade. Section 338 has never previously been used to impose tariffs.

The rift comes as the United States, Mexico and Canada are trying to renew a trade agreement that Trump negotiated in his first term and once praised as a triumph. The United States has begun formal talks with Mexico over revamping the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, known as USMCA. But talks with Canada have not begun and escalating trade conflict casts doubt on whether they will.

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Southwestern Randolph’s Kenan Sugg runs away from East Davidson’s Nakii Brown after making a catch in Saturday’s game.

Cougars heat up right away for big opening win There was a record set during Southwestern Randolph’s romp past East Davidson

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record ASHEBORO — Southwestern Randolph’s football team had to wait a day to start its season, but it was well worth it.

The Cougars put up big num-

bers in a 45-0 romp past visiting East Davidson on Saturday afternoon.

Kenan Sugg caught all three of Levi Dalke’s touchdown passes, and Asher Haggerty rushed for two touchdowns.

“It’s just what we’ve been doing in practice and executing it,” Sugg said. “When you do your job, good things happen.”

Dalke’s 298 passing yards eclipsed a 32-year-old sin-

gle-game school record that had been held by Toby Strider. Dalke completed 14 of 16 passes.

Sugg finished with five catches for 97 yards, and Nathan Garner made five receptions for 89 yards.

The game was postponed from Friday to mid-afternoon Saturday because of weather-related concerns. So it wasn’t difficult for the Cougars to work up a good sweat.

“It’s not ideal at 3 o’clock

PREP SOCCER

Asheboro’s results vary; Cougars’ long streak ends The Southwestern Randolph team had gone almost a year without suffering a loss Randolph Record staff ASHEBORO’S BOYS’ soccer team had an array of results last week — a win, loss and tie.

The Blue Comets capped the stretch by defeating Cape Fear 3-1 on goals by Milton Ramos, Sebastian Silva and Manuel Alarcon on Saturday at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary.

Asheboro tied 2-2 with visiting Atkins earlier in the week. Zamire Bush had both goals for the Blue Comets.

The Blue Comets also lost 3-2 at Piedmont despite goals from Ramos and Alarcon.

• Southwestern Randolph suffered its first loss in nearly a year with an 8-1 defeat to visiting Western Alamance in a matchup of two 2025 state champions.

Southwestern Randolph, which won the 4A state crown a day before Western Ala-

A matchup between teams that had won 2025 state championships didn’t turn out close, but there will be a rematch. mance’s Class 5A championship last November, had a 23-game winning streak snapped.

The teams are scheduled for a Sept. 10 rematch. Yael Rebollar-Ortiz had last week’s goal for Southwestern Randolph, while the Warriors picked up their first victory of the season.

The Cougars hadn’t lost since a 2-1 setback to Western Alamance on Sept. 4, 2025.

Western Alamance’s season began with a loss at Cardinal Gibbons, snapping a 53-game winning streak that was the longest active string in the state.

Southwestern Randolph, which won its first two games this season, rebounded by de-

feating visiting Winston-Salem Carver 2-0 last Thursday on a pair of first-half goals and Hayden Morrow’s four-save shutout.

• Easton Dewitt tallied six goals and two assists as Wheatmore drilled visiting Albemarle 9-0.

Grayson Carter scored two goals and Dewitt had the other in the Warriors’ 6-3 loss at Central Davidson.

• Trinity topped visiting Southern Guilford 4-1.

• Randleman fell 2-1 at North Forsyth. Then the Tigers tied Wake Prep 2-2 on Saturday in Cary.

• Providence Grove, playing in its season opener, and host Uwharrie Charter Academy tied 2-2. Caleb Golden had both goals for UCA. Gray Stone handled host UCA 4-0 later in the week.

• Jesus Rodriguez Chacon had two goals and two assists when Eastern Randolph rolled past visiting Revolution Academy 7-0.

The Wildcats then fell 2-0 at Greensboro Page.

coming out here, and we adjusted,” Dalke said.

Southwestern Randolph didn’t waste time getting the season off to a roaring start.

They scored on the game’s opening possession, with Dalke’s 39-yard pass to Sugg accounting for the first touchdown.

“Come out here and do our best,” Sugg said. “We wanted to come out the gate hot.”

Indeed, the Cougars settled in quickly.

“Scoring on that first drive really got us going,” Dalke said.

“We’ve got a veteran group.”

The Cougars drove 46 yards for their second touchdown, with Dalke rifling a 7-yard strike to Sugg for what the receiver called his favorite play of the game.

“That was the most exciting

“Scoring on that first drive really got us going.”

Levi Dalke, Southwestern Randolph quarterback one,” Sugg said. “A great ball by Levi.”

The final Dalke-to-Sugg hook-up went for 31 yards for the final touchdown of the first half, which ended with a 38-0 score.

“We took what they gave us,” Southwestern Randolph coach Seth Baxter said. “We’ve got some kids who can catch the ball and do something with it when they catch it.”

See COUGARS, page B2

Wildcats stall in opening football loss The Eastern Randolph team was out of sync on offense in the first game of the season

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record RAMSEUR — Eastern Randolph’s expected potent offense never got cranked up, and it cost the Wildcats in their season opener.

The result was a 28-7 loss to visiting Southern Alamance on Saturday night.

“We just couldn’t string plays together,” Eastern Randolph coach Burton Cates said.

That wasn’t a problem for Southern Alamance. Sincere Thompson ran for the game’s final three touchdowns as the Patriots avenged a loss from a year ago.

Kobe Walker ran for 124 yards and one touchdown for the Wildcats, who played without two-way standout James Combs because of a knee injury.

Eastern Randolph led 7-6 at the end of the first quarter, but then the troubles really kicked in.

Already, the Wildcats’ first

“We couldn’t get them off the field. But we knew what they were going to try to do coming in here.”

Burton Cates, Eastern Randolph coach big blunder of the game had been costly on the second snap of their first possession of the season. Southern Alamance’s Dennis James returned a fumble 12 yards to the Eastern Randolph 1-yard line, resulting in quarterback Tustin Johnson’s 1-yard touchdown run.

Walker’s 6-yard run and Gio Perez’s extra-point kick put Eastern Randolph ahead.

Thompson completed Southern Alamance’s 48-yard scoring drive on a 2-yard run on the first play of the second quarter.

CJ McAdoo intercepted Eastern Randolph’s Cade McCallum in the third quarter.

Soon after, the Wildcats lost See WILDCATS, page B2

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Randolph Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

PREP FOOTBALL BEST OVERALL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

+20( 3/$7( 027256

Carly Rush

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

UCA’s Carly Rush reacts during last fall’s state championship.

Uwharrie Charter Academy, volleyball Rush has been a force on the front line as the Eagles have started the season strong.

Rush, an outside hitter, was the team’s leader in kills in a pair of victories last week. She also has been strong at the service line.

Uwharrie Charter is coming off last year’s berth in the Class 4A state final. Entering this week, its six victories this year have all come via sweeps.

Rush is also a past all-conference selection in softball for the Eagles.

COUGARS from page B1 In between the scoring strikes in the air, Haggerty ran for touchdowns from 13 yards and 7 yards out.

TJ Schneider was good on a 24-yard field goal. Southwestern Randolph also scored a safety when Braxten Proctor tackled an East Davidson ball carrier in the end zone.

Backup quarterback Brady Combs ran in from 9 yards out for a second-half touchdown.

The shutout was Southwest-

ern Randolph’s second blanking in a three-season span. The other came in last year’s opener, also against East Davidson.

The Cougars lost running back Carter Edmonds to an apparent kneecap dislocation in the second quarter. He was taken from the field on a stretcher.

Otherwise, Baxter said he hopes the outing can set the tone for the season.

“High expectations is a good thing,” Baxter said. “Our kids feel like they’re supposed to be successful.”

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Blue Comets, Patriots notch opening victories There were impressive results for a pair of teams to start the season Randolph Record staff ASHEBORO AND Providence Grove secured notable football results in the first week of the season.

And they did so a night earlier than expected.

The teams both won last Thursday night in games moved up a day because of concerns about the weather forecast for Friday night.

Asheboro 25, Scotland 22: At Asheboro, quarterback Dallas Brinton ran for three touchdowns as the Blue Comets won.

Connor Brinton gained 66 yards on the ground and posted a two-point conversion run as Asheboro won its opener for the fourth year in a row.

Dallas Brinton completed 8 of 13 passes, with Garrison Cheek making three receptions for 30 yards.

The matchup came about in the winter after Asheboro’s would-be opponent, High Point Central, announced it was nixing its varsity program for this year. Scotland, which

has been a longtime power on the state level, became the replacement opponent.

Providence Grove 27, Randleman 19: At Climax, Nick Straughn ran for two touchdowns as host Providence Grove beat neighboring Randleman in the season opener.

The Patriots snapped a four-game skid in the series with Randleman, winning the matchup for the first time since 2021.

“It’s a good Game 1 for us,” Providence Grove coach Cody Moran said. “A rivalry game, it can help set the tone for the year.”

Connor Haithcock returned the opening kickoff 72 yards for a touchdown.

“When the first play of the year is a touchdown, that’s pretty good,” Moran said.

Straughn picked up 161 yards on 21 carries. Quarterback Logan Fox also ran for a touchdown.

Randleman’s Reid Herring threw for three touchdowns and 207 yards in his first start, completing 13 of 31 passes.

Trey Burnett, Jamari Rice and Henry Frye made touchdown catches for the Tigers. Kayden Saunders rush-

Friday’s Week 2 schedule • Eastern Randolph at Randleman • Trinity at Southwestern Randolph • Northwood at Asheboro • Providence Grove at Eden Morehead • Wheatmore at Forbush ed for 109 yards on 13 carries.

South Davidson 35, Trinity 13: Thursday at Trinity, the visiting Wildcats scored 21 second-quarter points to take control before Trinity scored in the second half.

Kaden Abernathy had two touchdown catches and ran for another score. Myles Scercy threw for three South Davidson touchdowns.

East Rowan 21, Wheatmore 7: Friday at Trinity, the Mustangs posted two second-half touchdowns for the road victory.

Both teams scored on their first possessions, with JuJu Banks running in for Wheatmore’s touchdown.

PREP VOLLEYBALL

Patriots add to season’s strong start feated North Moore 25-12, 25-12, 21-25, 25-14 aided by Whitaker’s 29 kills and Kolbi Jo Lineberry’s 18 kills.

• Southwestern Randolph withstood visiting Trinity for a 25-17, 25-23, 21-25, 25-18 triumph as Cheyenne Dixon provided 16 kills and 14 digs, and Mary Kathryn Coltrane delivered 24 assists and 10 digs.

• Trinity overcame visiting Central Davidson 25-19, 21-25, 25-20, 25-23 behind Emma Nance’s 38 assists and 16 service points and Hayli Cox’s 14 kills.

• Kailey Brown had 48 assists and Lily Hunt notched 20 digs when Asheboro prevailed 25-20, 23-25, 19-25, 25-14, 15-12 against visiting Ledford.

The Blue Comets also beat host Wheatmore 25-21, 25-14, 27-25.

• Wheatmore needed five sets to dispatch host North Moore.

• Uwharrie Charter Academy’s 25-14, 25-15, 25-17 sweep of visiting South Rowan came with Carly Rush’s 16 kills along with six blocks apiece from Kam Leach and Amya Brewer.

UCA secured a 25-18, 25-16, 25-17 home triumph against Bishop McGuinness as Rush posted 16 kills and Caroline Way racked up 10 kills and seven digs.

• Randleman fell 25-20, 25-16, 25-27, 26-24 at Oak Grove.

Randleman recovered later in the week to upend host North Davidson 23-25, 25-20, 26-24, 25-20 and then toppled visiting Eastern Randolph 25-6, 25-19, 25-21.

• Eastern Randolph defeated visiting Chatham Central 28-26, 12-25, 25-21, 25-22.

NCAA BASKETBALL

MLB

WNBA

Jury says New York Times defamed Alabama basketball player

Diamondbacks star Marte moves to 10-day injured list after mysterious absence

Sex toys tossed on court interrupt WNBA games in Chicago, LA

Tuscaloosa, Ala. An Alabama jury found The New York Times defamed a college basketball player by incorrectly reporting he was at the scene of a fatal shooting.

Jurors awarded $9.25 million in damages. Kai Spears, who played for the University of Alabama men’s team, sued the Times in 2023 after it published a report that falsely indicated he was a passenger in a car involved in the shooting.

Phoenix Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte will be transferred to the 10-day injured list from the restricted list, three days after he failed to show up for a game in Boston. General manager Mike Hazen confirmed Marte will return once he’s healthy.

The three-time All-Star traveled back to Phoenix for tests on his left knee last Tuesday. Manager Torey Lovullo said he has struggled to get information from the veteran slugger throughout the process.

WILDCATS from page B1

1:49 left in the third quarter.

Southern Alamance then kept the ball for almost 9½ minutes. So by the time Thompson ran in from 23 yards out, the Wildcats were nearly out of chances.

“We couldn’t get them off the field,” Cates said. “But we knew what they were going to try to do coming in here.”

Eastern Randolph’s next possession ended inside Southern Alamance territory.

The Asheboro and UCA teams won multiple matches last week without a loss Randolph Record staff PROVIDENCE GROVE’S volleyball team improved to 5-0 with three home victories last week.

Providence Grove held off Chatham Charter 25-20, 26-28, 25-23, 25-19 with Adalyn Whitaker smacking 35 kills.

The Patriots swept Jordan-Matthews 25-8, 25-2, 25-14 as Whitaker had 18 kills and Cailyn York supplied 25 assists.

Providence Grove also de-

SIDELINE REPORT

Dayveion Ford for the rest of the game as he was disqualified for a second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

Southern Alamance converted on Thompson’s 2-yard touchdown run and his two-point conversion run.

Eastern Randolph drove to the Southern Alamance 18-yard line, but Walker was stopped on a fourth-down run with

The Chicago Sky’s home game against Golden State was interrupted when multiple sex toys were thrown on the court, the second consecutive night for a disruption similar to what occurred in several WNBA games last season.

Players stayed on the court while arena personnel removed the items. There was a delay for the same reason in Atlanta’s victory at the Los Angeles Sparks last Thursday.

There were similar incidents last season in Atlanta, New York and Los Angeles.

McCallum, a third-year starter who sat out much of the preseason because of a back ailment, never got rolling. He completed nine of 19 passes.

In Combs’ absence, Cates said the Wildcats received a boost from freshman Nolan Houston on defense. It’s possible Combs will be available for the Week 2 game at Randleman, Cates said.

“He’s the glue,” the coach said of Combs.

Randolph Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

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pen & paper pursuits this week in history “Mary Poppins” premieres, Hurricane Katrina devastates, Nazis invade Poland The Associated Press AUG. 27 1883: The island volcano Krakatoa erupted with a series of cataclysmic explosions.

The explosions (which could be heard 3,000 miles away) and resulting tsunamis in Indonesia’s Sunda Strait claimed some 36,000 lives in Java and Sumatra.

1894: Congress passed the Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act. 1964: The film “Mary Poppins” had its world premiere in Los Angeles.

AUG. 28 1862: The Second Battle of Bull Run began in Prince William County, Virginia, during the Civil War; the Union army retreated two days later after suffering 14,000 casualties.

1898: Pharmacist Caleb Bradham of New Bern changed the name of the carbonated beverage he’d created five years earlier from “Brad’s Drink” to “Pepsi-Cola.”

1963: During the March on Washington, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech before an estimated 250,000 people in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

AUG. 29 1814: During the War of 1812, Alexandria, Virginia, formally surrendered to British military forces, which occupied the city until Sept. 3.

1862: The Bureau of Engraving and Printing began op-

erations at the United States Treasury.

2005: Hurricane Katrina struck the U.S. Gulf Coast in southeast Louisiana, devastating New Orleans. Katrina caused nearly 1,400 deaths and an estimated $200 billion in damage.

AUG. 30 1916: On his fourth attempt, British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton rescued all 22 remaining crew members stranded for more than four months on Elephant Island in Antarctica after the sinking of their ship, the Endurance.

1941: During World War II, German forces approaching Leningrad cut off the remaining rail line out of the city.

1945: U.S. Gen. Douglas MacArthur arrived in Japan to set up Allied occupation headquarters.

AUG. 31 1881: The first U.S. tennis championships (for men only) began in Newport, Rhode Island.

1886: An earthquake with an estimated magnitude of up to 7.3 devastated Charleston, South Carolina, killing at least 60 people.

1997: Diana, Princess of Wales, was killed after the car she was riding in crashed in Paris; her partner Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul (who was found to have been intoxicated at the time of the accident) also died.

SEPT. 1 1715: Following a reign of 72 years, King Louis XIV of France died four days before his 77th birthday; he was succeeded by his 5-year-old

AP PHOTO

British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton led the rescue of all 22 crew members stranded on Elephant Island in Antarctica on Aug. 30, 1916, months after the Endurance sank. great-grandson, Louis XV. 1939: Nazi Germany invaded Poland, an event regarded as the start of World War II. 1972: American Bobby Fischer won the international chess crown in Reykjavik, Iceland, as Boris Spassky of the Soviet Union resigned before the resumption of their 21st and final game.

1985: A U.S.-French expedition located the wreckage of the Titanic on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean roughly 400 miles off the coast of Newfoundland.

SEPT. 2 1666: The Great Fire of London began, which would destroy more than 13,000 homes and hundreds of structures, including St. Paul’s Cathedral, over the ensuing three days.

1789: The United States Treasury Department was established.

1864: During the Civil War, Union Gen. William T. Sherman’s forces occupied Atlanta.

COURTESY WIKIPEDIA

The Great Fire of London began Sept. 2, 1666, ultimately destroying more than 13,000 homes and hundreds of buildings, including St. Paul’s Cathedral.

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Randolph Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

MUSIC REVIEW

Weezer’s ‘Gold Album,’ bands 20th, delivers faithful, nasal power pop For fans of: Barenaked Ladies and other heady, smart-aleck bands

By Ron Harris The Associated Press ATLANTA — Weezer, kings of nasal power pop, will release their 20th studio album Friday. It is also known as “Weezer (Gold Album),” continuing a tradition of self-titled, color-identified records. And rest assured, it delivers the band’s signature energy for the faithful.

That said, no boundaries are pushed here. But really, does Weezer need to push boundaries? It should be acceptable by now — 30-plus years removed from the destroyed sweaters of 1994’s “Blue Album” — that the talented foursome, with lead vocalist Rivers Cuomo at the helm, does what it does best: clock in and jam.

Opener “Say Yes” is an easy earworm, where Cuomo questions his place and his worth.

It’s a thinly veiled reflection that can’t help but be read in reference to the Weezer career journey: “Somebody here’s gonna slip me a happy pill / Make me feel dumb if I just can’t seem to feel the thrill.”

Cuomo and the boys have made it, and their “Gold Album” is good. Sure, there are filler tracks like “C.E.O.” and “Nowhere,” which went exactly there with its redundant hook and shallow premise. But even those missteps are overpowered by stellar efforts, such as “We Might as Well Be Strang-

CLAUDIA ROSEL / AP PHOTO

Weezer’s frontman Rivers Cuomo performs during the Corona Capital music festival in Mexico City, on Nov. 16, 2025.

“Happy birthday / Thanks for the Valium.”

Rivers Cuomo, Weezer ers” featuring the alt-country indie rock band Wednesday. Something has been lost, and Cuomo sings believably about it in the lament: “Happy birthday / Thanks for the Valium.”

There’s a pattern to the Weezer song matrix. Something awkward is said, Cuomo sings his way toward the predicament, and the band breaks through it all with a furtive blast of memorable hooks and trusty chord progressions. “We Might as Well Be Strangers,” is a solid song and a perfect ex-

ample, with its examination of a relationship giving way to nicely soaring guitar work. It’s one of the top tracks.

Weezer has always had one foot in the room of stardom and the other waiting outside, laughing about how they’ve been accepted. They’ve long taken wry shots at the fame machine (think 2014’s “Eulogy for a Rock Band,” or this album’s “The LA Sound”) while basking in the oddity that a band of their ilk was ever allowed in to begin with. On their “Gold Album,” fans of Weezer will appreciate their consistency and longevity.

That’s because Weezer is in a retrospective mode now: Still joking. Still rocking. Still touring. Their self-described meta songs about aging will probably age just fine.

SOLUTIONS FOR THIS WEEK

5 books to read this fall, from James to Biden Emma Cline’s “Switzy” is out Sept. 8

“Trump answered our cold calls on his personal cell on several occasions.”

By Hillel Italie The Associated Press NEW YORK — Book lovers this fall can look forward to a wealth of fiction, biographies, memoirs, poetry collections and topical nonfiction. Here are five upcoming works you’ll likely be hearing about.

Kai Bird “Music Against the Night,” Yiyun Li

“The Disappearers,” Marlon James Marlon James’ fantasy series “Dark Star” was a showcase for his extraordinary and boundless imagination.

In “The Disappearers,” he returns to his native Jamaica and to the murderous reality of his Booker Prize-winning “A Brief History of Seven Killings.” The new novel, longlisted for the Booker, is framed around the horrifying beating in 1988 of eight gay men who had been rehearsing for a play.

James weaves together humor, popular culture, compassion and some very hard experience. (Sept. 1) “American Scoundrel,” Kai Bird and Susan Goldmark Kai Bird is best known as the co-author with Martin J. Sherwin of “American Prometheus,” the biography of nuclear scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer that became the basis for Christopher Nolan’s Oscar winner “Oppenheimer.” In “American Scoundrel,” he and Susan Goldmark (his wife) trace the influence of the late political operator Roy Cohn, from his early years as the top aide to Sen. Joseph McCarthy to his mentorship of a young Donald Trump. “American Scoundrel” draws upon government documents, ar-

SCRIBNER VIA AP

“American Scoundrel: Roy Cohn’s Dark Journey from Joe McCarthy to Donald Trump” by Kai Bird with Susan Goldmark comes out Sept. 1. chival material and dozens of interviews, including, to the authors’ surprise, Trump, who “answered our cold calls on his personal cell on several occasions,” Bird writes in the acknowledgments section.

(Sept. 1) “Switzy,” Emma Cline Emma Cline has well established her mastery of inhabiting the alienated mind, of dramatizing youthful transience, aspiration and deception, most famously in her celebrated debut, “The Girls.”

In “Switzy,” longlisted for the Booker Prize, Cline gives us a retired businessman with failing mental capacity en route to an assisted dying facility in Zurich. Cline breaks up the story into brief, affectless passages as a once-“Valuable Person” reckons with his memories and concludes “He had always stayed on the surface.

His whole life.” (Sept. 8)

“Music Against the Night” is Yiyun Li’s sixth novel and first book since last year’s Pulitzer Prize-winning “Things in Nature Merely Grow,” her unsparing memoir about the suicides of her two sons. Li this time appears to have written a very different narrative — about a late 18th-century piano prodigy whose fame barely outlasted his lifetime and the orphaned wanderer-musician who makes the ill-fated decision to marry him. The novel is a story of music, but also a meditation on “the night,” death — parents, friends, children, everybody. (Oct. 13) “Promise Me, America,” former President Joe Biden Memoirs are often presidents’ best chance to define their legacy, although readers and critics may have different priorities, whether Richard Nixon and Watergate or Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky. Joe Biden will understandably want to focus on his defeat of Donald Trump in 2020, the passage of landmark legislation on green energy and the appointment of the first black woman to the Supreme Court, Ketanji Brown Jackson, among other achievements. But the public will likely be seeking answers to more unwanted questions.

(Nov. 17)

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famous birthdays this week Rebecca De Mornay is 67, Sen. Thom Tillis celebrates 66, Violinist Itzhak Perlman is 81 The Associated Press THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week.

AUG. 27 Author William Least Heat-Moon is 87. Actor Tuesday Weld is 83. Actor G.W. Bailey is 82. Rock musician Alex Lifeson (Rush) is 73. Fashion designer and filmmaker Tom Ford is 65.

AMY HARRIS / INVISION VIA AP PHOTO

Singer Van Morrison turns 81 on Monday.

AUG. 28 Actor Ken Jenkins (“Scrubs”) is 86. Former MLB manager and player Lou Piniella is 83. Former MLB pitcher Ron Guidry is 76. Actor Jennifer Coolidge is 65. Country singer Shania Twain is 61.

AP PHOTO

Jimmy Connors turns 74 on Wednesday.

AUG. 29 Actor Elliott Gould is 88.

Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin is 88. Olympic gold medal sprinter Wyomia Tyus is 81. Olympic gold medal long jumper Bob Beamon is 80. Actor Rebecca De Mornay is 67. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch is 59.

AUG. 30 Investor and philanthropist Warren Buffett is 96. Actor Elizabeth Ashley is 87. Actor John Kani is 84. Cartoonist Robert Crumb is 83. Olympic gold medal skier Jean-Claude Killy is 83. Comedian Lewis Black is 78. Basketball Hall of Famer Robert Parish is 73. U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) is 66.

Actor Cameron Diaz is 54 AUG. 31 World Golf Hall of Famer Isao Aoki is 84. Violinist Itzhak Perlman is 81. Singer Van Morrison is 81. Rock musician Rudolf Schenker (The Scorpions) is 78. Actor Richard Gere is 77.

Actor Stephen McKinley Henderson is 77. Attorney and author Marcia Clark is 73.

PHIL MCCARTEN / INVISION FOR THE TELEVISION ACADEMY

Actor and comedian Lily Tomlin turns 87 on Tuesday.

SEPT. 1 Attorney and law professor Alan Dershowitz is 88. Comedian-actor Lily Tomlin is 87.

Singer Barry Gibb is 80. Talk show host Dr. Phil McGraw is 76. Singer Gloria Estefan is 69.

TV host-author Padma Lakshmi is 56. Actor Ricardo Antonio Chavira is 55.

SEPT. 2 Football Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw is 78. Basketball Hall of Famer Nate Archibald is 78. Actor Mark Harmon is 75. Tennis Hall of Famer Jimmy Connors is 74.

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Randolph Record for Thursday, August 27, 2026

the stream

AMY HARRIS / INVISION VIA AP PHOTO

Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes performs during the second weekend of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 2026. The band’s new album, “I Must Be Dreaming,” drops Friday.

Alabama Shakes, ‘The Whisper Man,’ ‘Leanne,’ ‘Star Wars Zero Company’ Beastie Boy Mike D and son drop “Thank You” on Friday The Associated Press “THE WHISPER MAN” film adaptation and a new album from the Alabama Shakes are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also, among the streaming offerings worth your time this week, as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: a new tactical “Star Wars” game, the Netflix adaptation of “The Whisper Man” and Season 2 of the comedy series “Leanne.”

MUSIC TO STREAM A lot can happen in a decade.

And here’s a great example: Alabama Shakes, the beloved Southern rock band that introduced the world to its electrifying frontwoman Brittany Howard (in addition to many other accomplishments) will release its third album Friday. “I Must Be Dreaming” is the now-trio’s first in 11 years and their first since they parted ways with drummer Steve Johnson, who had a child abuse charge that was dismissed against him in 2021. The new record is 10 tracks of psychedelic soul — ambitious instrumentation from the best in the biz — and just what the doctor ordered.

SERIES TO STREAM Season 2 of “Leanne,” the comedy starring comedian Leanne Morgan, premieres Thursday on Netflix. Morgan plays a woman starting over after splitting from her husband of three decades. She co-created the series with Chuck Lorre, known for hits like “The Big Bang Theory” and “Two and a Half Men.” VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

MOVIES TO STREAM Based on Alex North’s bestselling novel, “The Whisper Man” (Netflix, Friday) stars Adam Scott as a widowed crime writer whose 8-year-old son is abducted. He looks to his estranged father, a retired detective (Robert De Niro) for help, leading to a new connection to a decades-old serial killer case.

“Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World” pays tender tribute to the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet. Sasha Waters’ documentary is streaming now as part of “American Masters” on PBS and the PBS App. Along with profiling the life of Oliver, who died in 2019, the film features poetry recitations

by Oprah Winfrey, Stephen Colbert, Steve Buscemi and others.

day / Someone who loves you should speak up / And tell you to mind your own teacup before breaking mine.”

NETFLIX VIA AP

The comedy series “Leanne,” left, and the film “The Whisper Man” are both streaming on Netflix this week.

“Someone who loves you should speak up / And tell you to mind your own teacup before breaking mine.”

J Mascis, Dinosaur Jr. Mike D 5D, the project by Beastie Boy Mike D joined by his sons Skyler and Davis Diamond, as well as Eddie Ruscha, Will Graefe and Milo Ruscha, will release “Thank You” on Friday. The 13-track album rejects easy genre categorization.

There are elements of Mike D’s old school hip-hop but also The Beastie Boys’ punk rock spirit and even elements of acid rock (“True Colors.”) Expect the unexpected.

Fans of jangly indie rock are likely already familiar with Velocity Girl, prescient performers born from the late-’80s and early-’90s new pop underground music scene largely headquartered in Washington, D.C. A new collection, courtesy of the indie label Slumberland Re-

AMY HARRIS / INVISION VIA AP PHOTO

J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. performs during the Bourbon & Beyond music festival in 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky. The band’s new album, “There Near,” is out now. cords, dives deep into the band’s earliest years (before they signed to Sub Pop Records, previously home to Nirvana.) “1989 – 1992” is the all-too appropriate name of the album, out Friday — 12 tracks of fuzzy, hooky, addictively ramshackle guitar pop.

The hugely influential American indie rock band Dinosaur

Jr. returns with “There Near,” four decades on since the release of its debut album. Those in the know will find J Mascis’ guitar as unmistakable as ever.

Those who are not: It’s never too late to dive in. Or to get the opening verse of “Blowin’ Up” lodged in your brain: “You’re about as dumb as they come / And telling stupid stories every

“Star Wars Zero Company” seems like an easy pitch: Take a team-based tactical game and drop it into Lucasfilm’s popular franchise. Ideally, you’d want to hire some of the people who worked on tactical gems like “XCOM” and “Marvel’s Midnight Suns” — and that’s exactly what Electronic Arts has done with the new studio Bit Reactor.

This chapter takes place during the Clone Wars, and your mission is to stop “an emerging threat that will consume the galaxy.” You can recruit all sorts of soldiers, scoundrels, droids and maybe even a Jedi for your scrappy squad. The force is strong Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC. The Plague Tale series from France’s Asobo Studio recreates one of the bleakest periods in history, the Black Death that consumed much of Europe in the 14th century. “Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy” introduces a new protagonist: a “fierce young plunderer” named Sophia who travels to Minotaur Island in search of an ancient myth.

While the previous games were stealth-focused, Sophia is more aggressive and ready to fight her pursuers rather than just running away. Who knows if the hordes of plague-carrying rats will return? Find out Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC. “Grand Theft Auto VI” is still three months away, but the buzz is so loud that even an announcement of a preview makes the news. So if you’re dying to know what publisher Rockstar Games has been up to since “GTAV” came out 13 years ago, you’ll want to tune into Netflix at 3 p.m. Thursday for “Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look.” If you don’t get Netflix, you’ll have to wait six hours for the footage to show up on YouTube and Rockstar’s website. The suspense is almost criminal.

VOLUME 11 ISSUE 27 | THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2026 | HOKE.NORTHSTATEJOURNAL.COM

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HOKE COUNTY THE HOKE COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

HAL NUNN FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

New year, new school Hoke County Schools held its annual kickoff to the school year convocation inside the new high school gymnasium last week, with speeches from Superintendent Kenneth Spells, center, and others, plus awards for teachers, staff and more.

WHAT’S HAPPENING ICE arrests jumped to nearly 50K in July, highest monthly total of Trump’s term Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested nearly 50,000 people in July. That marks the highest single-month total during the second Trump administration. The numbers come from the U.C. Berkeley Deportation Data Project. The spike follows a recalibrated immigration enforcement approach after Homeland Security officers shot two protesters in Minneapolis in January. The increase began in June and accelerated in July, with less public exposure than during Trump’s first year.

Texas and Florida accounted for nearly 20,000 of the July arrests. The agency has been bolstered by billions of dollars from Congress and has hired 12,000 new deportation officers and agents.

Consumer confidence falls to lowest level in 7 months with gas stuck above $4 per gallon Americans’ confidence in the economy declined this month as the ongoing Iran conflict has kept gas prices elevated at more than $4 per gallon. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index dipped to 89.4 in August from 90.2 in July. That’s the lowest level in seven months but essentially in the same lukewarm range its been in since the beginning of the year.

In late 2024 and early 2025, the readings were consistently above 100. Respondents’ views of their present situation improved, but their outlook for the near-term future soured.

$2.00

Nothing changes yet with Supreme Court’s elections order New postal service rules require election officials to overhaul procedures with no time to spare

By Nicholas Riccardi The Associated Press THE SUPREME Court’s decision giving preliminary approval for President Donald Trump’s order restricting mail voting may not lead to a single election procedure changing during the November midterms, but it has already thrown into uncertainty the method that nearly one-third of the country uses to vote.

Rather than saying Trump’s order is legal, the high court said Monday it was too early for Democratic-run states to challenge it in June, when they convinced a federal judge in Boston to freeze the order for

November’s election. That effectively restarts the legal fight over the order in an incredibly compressed timeline, with initial ballots scheduled to be sent to North Carolina’s overseas and military voters in just over a week, on Sept. 4.

A second injunction barring the U.S. Postal Service from making changes to comply with Trump’s directive remains in effect. Still, the administration late Monday filed a motion asking that the second hold be removed and has posted new regulations from the Postal Service that would go into effect if the legal pathway is fully cleared.

That new rule requires specific formatting for envelopes containing mail ballots — which may force some jurisdictions to completely revise theirs — and makes states use an electronic system to identi-

“There isn’t a single state that does their elections in a way that this postal rule lays out.”

agreed, saying the majority “seemed to create complete chaos leading up to the midterm elections” and it’d be “impossible” for states to comply with the new rules at this late date.

Tammy Patrick, Elections Center chief program officer

Some ballots for November election set to go out within days

fy to the Postal Service who is voting by mail. If states don’t comply with the rule, their mail ballots won’t get sent.

The prospect of such a potential sweeping overhaul in mere days boggled critics’ minds.

In her dissent, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson warned that the decision “needlessly injects chaos and uncertainty into the upcoming midterm elections.”

David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation & Research,

Jesse Salinas, the registrar of Yolo County in California and president of that state’s association of election officers, noted that ballots in his state start going out in 11 days, and his county already printed its envelopes.

“You look at the timeline, and it’s a bit chaotic,” Salinas said, noting he doesn’t know precisely which envelope designs comply with the new rules.

See ELECTIONS, page A2

Amazon set to expand drone delivery of lightweight packages to 500 US cities The expansion intensifies Amazon’s competition with Walmart for the fastest delivery times

sites it is planning to begin flying from.

By Josh Funk The Associated Press

Hundreds of thousands of packages have already been delivered by Amazon drones this year. But even after the expansion, drones will still only handle a fraction of the hundreds of millions of package deliveries each year. In addition to only being able to carry 5 pounds, the drones Amazon builds face countless challenges from tree cover to landscaping and inflatable pools that can make it hard to find a good drop zone.

There are also regulatory hurdles to overcome in every community where Amazon wants to set up operations.

Noise concerns also pose a potential challenge.

“It’s still an experiment. It’s still in test and learn mode,” said Sucharita Kodali, who

MILLIONS MORE people may be able to get smaller, lightweight Amazon packages delivered by drones by the end of the year under a plan the company announced last Wednesday to expand the airborne shipping to suburban areas in nearly 500 U.S. cities.

Customers could receive the drone deliveries in as fast as 30 minutes, Amazon said in a news release. The drones can carry packages up to 5 pounds.

The plan will intensify the battle between Amazon and Walmart to provide consumers with the fastest delivery times. Both giants rely on a mix of drones and drivers to deliver everything consumers have ordered.

Drone delivery growing fast but remains small factor

COURTESY AMAZON

Amazon’s new MK30 delivery drone delivers double the range and half the noise of its prior generation.

The goal is not necessarily about cutting costs by replacing drivers and trucks — and drones that can only carry one package at a time would have a hard time doing that. But instead, the companies are using drones as one tool to help keep customers happy with quicker deliveries, banking on a faster delivery system attracting more shoppers.

Amazon’s plan would ex-

pand its drone delivery operation more than sixfold nationwide into hundreds of new communities, including the Chicago, Atlanta, Cleveland and Boise metro areas. The drones will primarily fly in the suburbs well away from skyscrapers and major airports that could cause problems. Each drone site serves multiple cities in a metro area, and Amazon would not say exactly how many new

See DRONES, page A2

A2

North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

THURSDAY

8.27.26

“Join the conversation”

North State Journal (USPS 20451) (ISSN 2471-1365) Trip Hoffend, Publisher Jim Sills, VP of Local Newspapers Cory Lavalette, Senior Editor Jordan Golson, Local News Editor Shawn Krest, Sports Editor Dan Reeves, Features Editor Ryan Henkel, Reporter PJ Ward-Brown, Photographer BUSINESS David Guy, Advertising Manager Published each Thursday as part of North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607 TO SUBSCRIBE: 919-663-3232 HOKE.NORTHSTATEJOURNAL.COM Annual Subscription Price: $100.00 Periodicals Postage Paid at Raleigh, NC and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607

DRONES from page A1 is a retail analyst with Forrester.

More than two decades have passed since Amazon founder Jeff Bezos first described his vision for drone deliveries in an interview on “60 Minutes,” which shows how hard it has been to develop the service, get all the needed approvals and prove the concept works.

Kodali said Amazon’s expansion plan “does seem aggressive, but remember that lots of the 500 may be small towns located close to one another. The coming soon list is actually only a handful of metro areas. Also ‘launching’ in a town doesn’t mean they are getting any meaningful sales.”

Walmart already offers drone delivery at more than 75 stores across Arkansas, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia and Texas, but the core part of its network relies on drivers to bring orders directly from its stores to custom-

ELECTIONS from page A1 He dismissed the idea of a last-minute revision in procedures. “The capacity to do that, I just don’t see it,” Salinas said.

Tammy Patrick, chief program officer at the Elections Center, an association of 2,500 election officers, warned that it’s impossible for any state to comply with the rule and that no one she talked to has tried.

“There isn’t a single state that does their elections in a way that this postal rule lays out,” Patrick said in an interview. “There has been this assumption that this is not going to happen because it could not happen the way it’s laid out because no one does it this way.”

Cisco Aguilar, the Democratic secretary of State in Nevada, where every registered voter gets a mail ballot, noted the post office had already misdelivered three dozen mail ballots from his state’s June primary.

“They’re going to come in within seven days and build a massive database that has 100% accuracy?” Aguilar said in disbelief. “It is impossible to implement this system in that time frame.”

Trump votes by mail, seeks to curb it for others Trump has long sought to make voting by mail largely impossible, though he himself has repeatedly cast his ballots by mail.

Trump falsely blamed his 2020 loss on mail voting and spun up baroque conspiracy theories that he’s tried to prove while back in office.

Judges blocked him from creating new voting restrictions by executive order last year, and he only issued his latest order after his bill to revamp voting procedures stalled in the Senate amidst Democratic opposition.

ers. The retail giant said earlier this year that it planned to expand drone delivery service to 150 more stores in partnership with Wing, a division of Alphabet, to give it 270 drone delivery locations by 2027.

Walmart declined to comment on Amazon’s announcement last Wednesday because it came one day before the company was scheduled to report earnings.

Novelty of drone delivery may attract orders at first Initially, consumers might order something delivered by drone because they are curious about it, but it’s not clear how often they will continue to use the service, and Amazon is still working out the economics, Kodali said.

The service will be free for Amazon Prime members who are ordering more than $50 worth of goods, but smaller orders will cost members $2.99.

LYNNE SLADKY / AP PHOTO

Election workers sort vote-by-mail ballots at the Miami-Dade County Supervisor of Elections Office for the Florida primary election Aug. 18 in Doral, Florida.

The Election Assistance Commission found that 29% of voters in 2024 cast their ballots through the mail. Democrats are more likely to use mail voting than Republicans, a reflection of how the process has become polarized since Trump began attacking it in 2020.

Still, the president has to date been unable to make the sweeping changes he’s sought because the Constitution grants control of voting rules to states, and in federal elections, to Congress — not the president.

Legal experts stressed that’s why they view it as unlikely Trump’s order will actually be implemented. Not only did the majority in the Supreme Court’s unsigned order note that it hasn’t determined whether the measure is constitutional, but every victory the administration has won so far has only been because it’s argued that it’s premature to talk

“It’s still an experiment.

It’s still in test and learn mode.”

Sucharita Kodali, Forrester retail analyst Nonmembers will pay $4.99 for drone delivery.

Prime members get free deliveries while nonmembers pay a flat fee if the shipment is under $35 for standard delivery or up to $12.99 for same-day shipments when available.

Kodali said drones could prove more useful for certain lightweight deliveries that are needed urgently like prescription medications.

DoorDash and other delivery companies also are experimenting with using drones to deliver foods and other goods.

about its constitutionality. Opponents are already weighing new lawsuits since the final rule was published Friday night.

More litigation expected Becker, a former Department of Justice lawyer who co-wrote a book debunking Trump’s 2020 election lies, added that he expects the next round of litigation to keep the order from being implemented in November. Rick Hasen, a UCLA law professor, said after the ruling, “This doesn’t necessarily mean anything in terms of November.”

Derek Muller, a Notre Dame law professor, said the Supreme Court still ensured a fraught court battle in the coming days.

“It puts courts in a terrible place because whatever happens is super close to the election,” Muller said. “If it

Amazon CEO believes drone delivery will be part of mix Amazon’s CEO Andy Jassy told shareholders in his annual letter in April that the company has learned a great deal by flying drones in 11 sites across Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, and Texas. In each location, the drones launch from an Amazon warehouse and cover about 175 square miles, so it takes multiple drone launching locations to serve a large metro area.

“Prime Air now has a design that’ll scale, plans to serve communities with 30 million customers by year-end, and expects to deliver half a billion packages by the end of this decade (with an aim to deliver inside 30 minutes),” Jassy wrote.

Amazon is also continuing to invest in its warehouses, smaller fulfillment centers

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

A podcast local to Hoke-Raeford, NC, with Ruben Castellon and Chris Holland.

permits it, it creates super disruption for the states. If it suspends it, it visibly angers the administration.”

Hasen said it’s inconceivable that the regulation will impact voters in November.

“Both legal and practical reasons make this practically impossible to enforce,” he said of Trump’s mail voting order.

Elections are run by local officials in thousands of scattered offices, many of which don’t even have a full-time employee. Patrick said that those who work in the field have been left reeling.

“Election officials just feel like punching bags at this moment because they plan one way of conducting their elections and have contingency plans if a fire breaks out or one location loses power,” Patrick said. “But how do you plan for something that affects one-third, one-half or all of your voters?”

closer to customers and its fleet of trucks as the company competes to deliver packages within minutes or hours instead of just days.

It’s not clear that drone delivery is cheaper than trucks at this point because a team of people is needed to make drone delivery possible, and those people might even earn more than a truck driver since they may have to be licensed drone pilots.

Amazon is already certified by the Federal Aviation Administration and the company has been awarded waivers to fly drones beyond the line of sight of the pilots. Amazon has invested in safety measures to help drones avoid collisions with anything else in the sky while they are making deliveries.

The federal government has proposed a rule that would allow more drone operators to fly beyond the horizon, but that hasn’t been finalized yet.

A3

North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

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

COLUMN | RICH LOWRY

Trump’s fondness for Kim Jong Un sends the wrong signal Trump has been careless of the goodwill of our allies.

IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE that Kim Jong Un is really this charming. President Donald Trump touted his fond relationship with the North Korean dictator in a Truth Social post calling for scaling back a long-running annual military exercise with the South Koreans.

“Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un,” Trump wrote, “I am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea.” According to Trump, the exercises “send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile, to a Country that, as long as Donald J. Trump has been President, has been unthreatening and respectful.” Then he added that South Korea had recently declined to take a role in the Iran war, clearly irking Trump, as he subsequently explained to reporters at the White House.

The joint exercises have been a key element of the U.S.-South Korea military alliance for decades. They are meant to ensure that the two countries are prepared in the event of a North Korean assault, and perhaps now have an added importance given the experience North Korea has gained in high-intensity modern warfare by bolstering Russian forces in Ukraine.

Much more important than the practical effect of Trump’s fusillade, though, is the signal it sends, yet again, that he is easily disenchanted with longtime allies whose friendship should be

considered a strategic boon to the United States.

Whether musing about making Canada the 51st state, briefly campaigning to take control of Greenland, imposing tariffs on friend and foe alike, or hammering NATO, Trump has been careless of the goodwill of our allies.

They need us more than we need them, which means they are willing to put up with a lot, but sowing dissension unnecessarily is a foolhardy game at a time of growing international threats.

South Korea has been a treaty ally since 1953 and is a wealthy, technologically advanced democracy that occupies strategically important ground in Northeast Asia. It is obviously both threatened by and a bulwark against potential North Korean adventurism.

Pete Hegseth visited South Korea last year and said, “Our alliance is stronger than ever before, 72 years strong.” He described the inspiring sight of U.S. and South Korean soldiers standing “shoulder to shoulder working together.” South Korea has been committed to increasing its defense spending to 3.5% of GDP. In light of this, Hegseth subsequently averred, “Model allies that step up, like Israel, South Korea, Poland ... will receive our special favor.”

Such assurances by administration officials are always subject to change, depending on Trump’s animosities at any given time.

It’s certainly true that South Korea owes its existence to us. We fought to preserve its

independence at a great cost in blood and treasure during the Korean War, and we have nearly 30,000 troops on the peninsula to deter North Korea from assaulting the South again.

Seoul has lent support to recent U.S. military operations, typically in noncombat roles, but it’s understandable that it wouldn’t be enthused about taking part in an Iran war that hasn’t gone as planned and that has no clear endgame.

As for the North, it isn’t our friend. It is firmly within the China-Russia axis and has been developing its nuclear and missile arsenal apace. There is no reason to believe that any blandishments from Trump will change its behavior, and Kim has been clear that the U.S. needs to abandon its “obsession” with denuclearization.

What we most need from South Korea is for it to be as strong as possible to deter North Korea, and we shouldn’t be lending any credence to its claim that U.S.-South Korean exercises are provocations or sowing doubt about our commitment to allies.

Such diplomatic episodes, though, are an inherent part of Trump’s governance. To paraphrase the Roman writer Publilius Syrus: Prosperity makes friends, adversity tries them, and Trump distresses them — unnecessarily.

Rich Lowry is editor of the National Review.

(Copyright 2026 by King Features Synd., Inc.)

COLUMN | BONNER COHEN

No, MIT, ‘Clean Energy’ isn’t the future — nor is it really clean According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, by 2030, the nation could have as much as 1 million tons of solar panel waste on its hands.

IS THE WORLD still transitioning to green energy in the era of Donald Trump and in the midst of, yet again, geopolitical unpleasantness in the oil-rich Middle East?

While climate activists bewail the Trump administration’s embrace of fossil fuels and its corresponding disdain for solar panels and wind turbines, a new report released by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Center for Energy and Environmental Research says greener days may yet be in our future.

The report, “Glass Half-Full: Building a Decarbonized U.S. Power Sector,” sees a green light at the end of Trump’s dark tunnel of dismantling Biden-era climate policies. Focusing exclusively on electricity generation over the next decade, the report uses a mathematical model to compare how much “clean power” will survive the Trump administration’s phase-out of wind and solar subsidies and its scuttling of other green-energy initiatives with what would have been produced under Biden-era climate policies.

According to the model, the energy transition is alive and well, with about three-quarters of the “clean electricity capacity” that would have come online under the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act and power plant regulations surviving the Trump onslaught. Yes, onshore wind power will take a hit, and other decarbonization initiatives will be delayed.

But the headwinds that the vaunted transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy is encountering show no sign of letting up. A recent report from the BlueGreen Alliance, a partnership between labor and environmental organizations, found that the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act and other Trump energy

initiatives have already delayed or canceled 223 wind and solar projects representing at least $82 billion in capital investment and 111,000 green-energy jobs. While a few coastal wind facilities survive, since March, developers have canceled five leases for offshore wind projects in coastal California, New York, Maine, Louisiana and North Carolina valued at more than $3.9 billion. In accordance with agreements developers negotiated with the Trump administration, most of that money will be redirected to oil and gas projects, geothermal development and upgrading the power grid.

Furthermore, “deep decarbonization” has been aggressively pursued in Europe, with disastrous results. “From 2015-2025, the first decade of the Paris Agreement on climate change, global energy consumption rose by more than 14%, with sharply contrasting dynamics,” notes Samuel Furfari, professor of energy geopolitics at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. “Europe’s decrease in energy use is no triumph of ecological heroics but rather the outcome of the assault of the EU Green Deal on competitiveness and its predictable deindustrialization and economic decline.”

Citing a recent Energy Institute report showing fossil fuels make up 86% of global primary energy consumption, with wind and solar accounting for just 3%, Furfari, writing in The Center Square, throws cold water on the idea of an energy transition. “The dominance of fossil fuels in the world energy system persists even as wind and solar, expensive and intermittent, expand. The world is undergoing an energy addition, not a transition, as new technologies supplement the growing capacity of legacy sources.”

Japan, the world’s fourth-largest economy and once a champion of decarbonization, has responded to the recent Middle East energy bottlenecks by reducing its liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from that troubled region (while increasing LNG imports from the U.S.), ramping up coal-fired generation and restarting nuclear power plants. Wind and solar power, along with battery storage, are being pushed aside.

In addition to failing to meet the soaring global demand for affordable and reliable energy, what is billed as “clean energy” — in the MIT report and elsewhere — isn’t really clean. Wind turbines and solar panels may not produce carbon emissions, but they do create waste — lots of it. Disposal of giant wind turbines in landfills is often the only way to deal with equipment that is no longer serviceable.

“Blades are frequently buried in fragments in several landfills throughout the Great Plains, transforming sites in Wyoming, Iowa, and South Dakota into wind turbine graveyards.

By 2050, the cumulative decommissioning material from wind turbines could reach 133 million tons,” noted Ariel Cohen in Forbes.

Out-of-service solar panels, laden with lead, cadmium and other heavy metals, pose their own environmental problems. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, by 2030, the nation could have as much as 1 million tons of solar panel waste on its hands.

These not-so-clean, weather-dependent energy sources will never be more than bit players in today’s fast-moving, technology-driven industrial revolution.

Bonner Russell Cohen is a senior policy analyst with the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT).

(Copyright Daily Caller Foundation 2026)

A4

North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

Federal officials announce water cuts as Colorado River supplies continue to plunge Arizona faces the steepest reductions while upstream states avoid immediate cuts

By Dorany Pineda and Wufei Yu The Associated Press FEDERAL OFFICIALS announced sharp water cuts for the next two years last Friday for three Western states that rely on the imperiled Colorado River.

Under the Bureau of Reclamation’s plan, California, Nevada and Arizona will collectively reduce water use by 1.25 million acre-feet annually during that period, with the possibility of larger cuts depending on conditions.

Arizona will see the biggest cuts, while states upstream — Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico — do not face any for now.

Meanwhile neighboring Mexico will reduce its intake by 250,000 acre-feet under a U.S.-Mexico treaty.

“We’ve been in this 26-year prolonged drought period,” said

JOHN LOCHER / AP PHOTO

Boats are moored at a marina on Lake Mead at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, near Boulder City, Nev. Andrea Travnicek, the Interior Department’s assistant secretary for water and science.

“We continue to see a prolonged drought in our future. So continuing to work together as a whole within the basin is go-

ing to be extremely important.”

The current rules governing the use of the river’s water are set to expire in October, and the seven states have been unable to reach a consensus on sharing it over the long term.

Last winter saw the worst snowpack on record for the Colorado River Basin, adding more stress on farmers, industry, wildlife and hydropower producers, as well as tens of millions of people who rely on the waterway, including in dozens of Native American tribes and in two Mexican states.

Years of overuse combined with drought and rising temperatures due to climate change have depleted the country’s two largest reservoirs, which are both fed by the Colorado. Lake Mead recently plummeted to its lowest level since it began filling nine decades ago, and Lake Powell did the same about a week later. Their combined storage is the lowest it has been in nearly seven decades.

Negotiators in Arizona thanked California and Nevada for their collaboration on sharing the cuts.

“For 2027 and 2028, the reductions that are now memorialized here will provide substantial stability for folks,” said Tom Buschatzke, Arizona Department of Water Resources director. “We’ll continue to negotiate and figure out how we’re going to operate

Bessent says new US sanctions aim to block all potential sources of revenue for Iran Iran’s rial hit record lows as U.S. sanctions and blockade deepen economic crisis

By Farnoush Amiri, Christopher Rugaber and Aamer Madhani The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a new round of sanctions aimed at Iran on Monday and warned every country that does business with the Islamic Republic to sever those financial ties or face retaliation from the United States.

The new warnings to further cut off Iran from the rest of the world economy were issued after President Donald Trump pledged last week to unleash an “economic D-Day” against Tehran as the administration struggles to find an off-ramp after nearly six months of war.

“We are level-setting with every country to tell them our expectations. We know who they are. They know who they are,” Bessent told a news conference. “So when the hammer of U.S. Treasury actions falls upon them, they will have no one to blame but themselves.”

Washington has promised

the new sanctions would put even more pressure on an Iranian economy already battered by previous sanctions and a U.S. naval blockade. But the announcement Monday provided little detail and did not name which countries could face secondary sanctions. China, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates are Iran’s largest trade partners.

Bessent said Trump has been “making phone calls to world leaders with specific requests to cease their interactions” with Iran and has already seen results. The UAE announced last week that it was suspending all trade, commercial exchanges and financial transactions with Iran until further notice after a reported missile attack on the Gulf country.

“I am confident the president, as you all know, is quite persuasive,” Bessent said, adding that the UAE decision was “not a coincidence.”

Shortly before the announcement, Iranian parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said the U.S. is not in an economic position to further restrict Tehran’s relations with other countries.

“Iran’s trading partners, both in the media and through messages sent to us, have made it clear that they don’t take these statements into account any-

where,” Qalibaf, who has been Iran’s lead negotiator over the past six months, posted on X. Iranian currency falls to record low Hours before Bessent’s announcement, Iran’s currency hit a record low.

The rial dropped to 2.02 million to the U.S. dollar as trading opened on currency markets.

Iran’s official Central Bank rate stood at around 1.5 million rial to the dollar, but the market rate is what most Iranians pay.

The currency had already been under pressure before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, as Iran faced double-digit inflation and negative growth. The rial has repeatedly hit new lows as nearly six months of war have taken an even greater toll.

Iranians find daily staples increasingly unaffordable. Since the war began, rice is up some 60% and beef prices are more than 150% higher. The International Monetary Fund forecasts that gross domestic product will contract more than 5%.

Still, economic pressure has not yet translated into political pressure. Iran retains a key strategic advantage: Its attacks and threats on ships in the Strait of Hormuz have brought traffic in the vital waterway to a near

halt, damaging the world economy and heaping pressure on Trump ahead of congressional elections.

The war, as a result, has devolved into a fight over who controls the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil transited before the conflict.

Iran is now refusing to fully reopen it unless it can charge ships.

Iran and Oman, which is on the opposite side of the strait, are reportedly in the final stages of agreeing on a plan for joint management of the waterway.

Pakistani delegation visits Iran Pakistan, which played a key role in brokering a 60-day ceasefire in June, sent a high-level delegation to Iran on Monday to encourage the U.S. and Iran to return to negotiations, two senior officials said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media on the record.

The military confirmed only Field Marshal Asim Munir’s visit, saying it was aimed at de-escalating tensions in the region.

Trump spoke with Munir ahead of the army chief’s visit to Iran, according to a person familiar with the discussion. The

over a longer-term period, which is what we all want.”

JB Hamby, California’s chief Colorado River negotiator, said the plan brings “some badly needed near-term certainty at a moment of extraordinary risk,” though he called it “a bridge, not a permanent solution.”

Officials in Nevada applauded their collaboration with Arizona and California and said a seven-state consensus remains their preferred path for the river.

In Southern Nevada, Kyle Roerink, senior adviser at the conservation group Great Basin Water Network, said efforts to build a new airport and shopping malls and some public land sales have not progressed, reflecting the dire hydrology inked in the federal documents. Further cuts could slow real estate development in metro Las Vegas, he said.

“When the Hoover Dam, a symbol of American fortitude and American power, drops and loses its shine, it can be scary,” Roerink said. “But it can also pose itself as a great opportunity for us to prepare for the next hundred years in a meaningful way.”

“We know who they are. They know who they are. So when the hammer of U.S. Treasury actions falls upon them, they will have no one to blame but themselves.”

Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury secretary person spoke on condition of anonymity to confirm a private conversation. Reuters, citing Pakistani sources, first reported the call.

Munir met Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni in Tehran, according to the two senior officials. Munir was accompanied by Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and other officials. Munir was expected to remain in Iran overnight and meet the Iranian president and other senior officials before returning to Pakistan.

His previous visit to Tehran in May helped pave the way for a memorandum of understanding signed by the U.S. and Iran in June.

In downtown Tehran, 73-year-old Sadegh Mahmoudi did not hold out hope for a resolution. He joined a line of about a dozen people to purchase U.S. dollars with his remaining savings to hedge against further declines.

“There is no hope for a deal and peace,” he said.

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9/7/22 3:42 PM

HOKE SPORTS Bucks drop football opener Hoke County falls 28-6 at Monroe North State Journal staff HOKE OPENED the season with a 28-6 loss at Monroe, managing just a pair of field goals to drop to 0-1 on the year.

It was a step forward after dropping a 35-0 decision to the same team at home to start last season. The Bucks trailed 7-3 at half, and it was a one-possession game heading into the fourth quarter at 14-6. Monroe pulled away with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns, however.

The Bucks struggled to contain Monroe’s ground game. Senior Kylan Polk had 111 yards on eight carries and scored once, while senior Jamir Jackson had 68 yards and two touchdowns.

Monroe averaged 5.8 yards per carry.

Hoke also struggled on the offensive line as Monroe racked up 15 tackles for loss and recovered a Hoke fumble.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Kam Campbell

COURTESY SPORTSBLAST / FACEBOOK

The Bucks play Monroe close in the first half of the season opener.

For the Bucks, senior Darrell Baria had 105 rushing yards, averaging 5.0 yards per carry. Senior Machai Brown had 68 receiving yards on six catches.

Junior Peyton Price was 7-for15 passing for 75 yards and an interception.

The Bucks will try to even

their record on the road at South View this week in a game that has been moved to Thursday due to a troubling weather forecast for Friday. It will kick off at 7 p.m. The Bucks beat South View 21-15 last season, and the Tigers went on to a 5-6 season.

Busch shares emotional last moments with late brother Kurt Busch did an interview with “Today” about Kyle’s death

COURTESY HUDL

Hoke, football

The Associated Press NEW YORK — NASCAR Hall of Famer Kurt Busch wiped tears from his eyes in recalling the final day he spent at his younger brother’s hospital bedside in his first public comments about Kyle Busch’s death.

“I was at the hospital. I was there all day, hoping, praying, hoping for a turnaround,” Busch said in an interview on NBC’s “Today” show last Friday.

“I said, ‘I got you man. Come on, I got you. I got you. Come on, be strong,’” an emotional Busch added, before a brief pause. “It just wasn’t fair.”

The interview marked Busch’s first comments since Kyle Busch died May 21 after severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming complications. Busch’s death at the age of 41 devastated the racing community and one of NASCAR’s most accomplished families. The brothers were born in Las Vegas.

Kyle Busch won Cup Series championships in 2015 and 2019 for Joe Gibbs Racing, and he holds the record in winning 234 combined races across NASCAR’s top three national series. His older brother was a Cup champion in 2004 and inducted this year into the Hall of Fame.

In the interview, Busch outlined how his brother became increasingly ill while practicing in a simulator May 20. Asked by his crew chief whether he was OK, Busch responded no, and he

PHELAN M. EBENHACK / AP PHOTO

Kurt Busch, front, gets a hug from his brother, Kyle Busch, after announcing his retirement before a NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona in 2023. was taken to a hospital by ambulance.

Kyle Busch initially believed he was dealing with a sinus cold while racing at Watkins Glen, New York, on May 10. He continued competing, including winning a Truck Series race at Dover, Delaware, less than a week before he died. Kurt Busch said their father, Tom Busch, chose not to be at the hospital in order to “remember him the way he wanted to remember him.”

“There is no book, there is no outline on what we’re supposed to do right now,” Kurt Busch said, before recalling the on-track chemistry he had with his brother.

“Him and I were carbon copies of each other. We could speak on track without saying a word,” he said. “I miss the words we

never spoke to each other, and the vibe that we had on track.”

Busch said he’s now mentoring his nephew, Kyle’s 11-year-old son Brexton, who has taken up racing.

“He’s a prodigy,” Busch said.

“He can be a big star in the world of motorsports. He’s 11, but he’s already racing like an 18-yearold.”

As for his brother’s legacy, Busch said the achievements speak for themselves.

“It’s already there. Winningest driver in NASCAR history in all the series,” Busch said.

“The tenacity that he had. It was every day, 24-7, to help people in the latter part of his career, to be a great father like he was,” he added. “It will all shine as time puts different things in spotlights.”

Kam Campbell is a sophomore defensive lineman for the Hoke County football team.

Hoke dropped its season opener, but Campbell had a big game, recording 11 tackles, 10 of them solo tackles. He also had a pair of tackles for loss, accounting for half the team’s total. He recorded Hoke’s only sack in the game and also had a pair of quarterback hurries.

Last season, as a freshman, Campbell had 26 solo tackles, 42 total tackles, seven TFLs, two sacks and seven hurries. So he’s well on his way to eclipsing last season’s totals.

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North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

Blaney wins second consecutive Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway The Team Penske driver overcame a big mistake by his pit crew The Associated Press LOUDON, N.H. — Ryan Blaney and his team wound up making the most of a major mistake at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The Team Penske star just needed a moment to vent on his team radio about a pit crew blunder before charging from 17th to first for his second consecutive NASCAR Cup Series win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

“Whenever I say those things after something bad happens, it’s my relief valve,” Blaney said about scolding his team with an expletive. “I have to get it out in the open, or I’ll be stewing over it a while. That’s how I have to get over things. I wish I wasn’t that way, but I’d rather it be that way than have it be in the back of my mind the rest of the race, not thinking of the main goal.

It takes me five or 10 seconds to move on.”

After shaking it off, Blaney recovered to lead the final 74 laps on the 1.058-mile oval, fending off runner-up Bubba Wallace by 0.586 seconds.

Josh Berry, who is trying to find a ride for the 2027 season, finished a season-best third, the fourth consecutive top 10 for the Wood Brothers Racing driver.

The top five was round-

STEVEN SENNE / AP PHOTO

Ryan Blaney spins the wheels of his car after winning Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race in Loudon, New Hampshire. ed out by Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson. Ryan Preece finished ninth and kept his Chase hopes alive by gaining 19 points on Shane van Gisbergen, who finished 20th and remains in the 16th and final spot for the 10-race title run.

It’s the 20th career victory and third this season for Blaney, who led a race-high 115 of 301 laps. He had cruised to a big lead when a lug nut fell off the left-front tire of his No. 12 Ford during a pit stop under caution with 111 laps remaining.

The 2023 Cup Series champion picked his way through traffic and was back up to seventh when the yellow flag flew

on the 226th lap for a three-car crash. Crew chief Jonathan Hassler made an aggressive strategy call for two right-side tires, and Blaney gained six spots in the pits to retake first place.

Hassler said the error “maybe was a little bit of a blessing in disguise” because Blaney emerged several spots ahead of the contenders who took four tires. Of the top 12 finishers, Blaney was the only driver who took two tires on his last stop.

His crew struggled often on stops earlier this season, losing 128 spots in the pits, but has been better with three top-five finishes in the past six races.

“It’s really competitive on pit

“It takes me five or 10 seconds to move on.”

Ryan Blaney on the problem on pit row road, and if you’re going to have any speed, you’re going to have these sort of miscues,” Hassler said. “With the speed we’ve had, our goal has certainly been to eliminate those, even if we give up a little bit of speed to do that.

But it’s still going to happen to each of the best teams. We’re fortunate that we’re fast enough and up front enough that people

take notice when that’s going to happen.”

NASCAR started the race on wet-weather tires after a midafternoon rain shower, but the track dried quickly, and drivers switched back to slick tires after 40 laps.

Points leader Denny Hamlin also rebounded from a pit stop miscue that dropped the Joe Gibbs Racing driver outside the top 15 with less than 100 laps remaining. Hamlin rallied for a seventh place that clinched the top seed for the Chase.

“We were just pedestrian today,” Hamlin said. “We just didn’t quite have it, but ultimately a decent crawl back.”

States pour taxpayer dollars into college sports as athlete pay, soaring costs squeeze budgets UNC, NC State are now getting a share of gambling revenue

By David A. Lieb The Associated Press WIN OR LOSE, the UNC Tar Heels already will be in elite company when they kick off the college football season against Texas Christian University in a game played in Dublin.

They will be among a small but growing number of athletic programs receiving taxpayer funding from their home states.

With universities competing to pay athletes millions of dollars, some states now are propping up their strained sports budgets in ways not previously seen. The state dollars aren’t going directly to star athletes. But by funding facilities and administrative costs normally borne by the schools, states are freeing universities to use their own dollars for other purposes.

The athletics program at UNC Chapel Hill, for the first time, is receiving $3 million earmarked from state sports betting taxes. Wisconsin lawmakers approved $15 million for athletic costs at the University of Wisconsin. And Connecticut and Louisiana also are using tax dollars to support college athletics. Even more states have considered it.

Sports business analysts see an emerging trend.

“Once one state provides that kind of assistance, schools in competing states can argue that they are being placed at a competitive disadvantage, which could create additional pressure on legislatures to respond,” said Daniel McIntosh, faculty director of the sports business program at Arizona State University.

NCAA rules long barred college athletes from getting paid by schools and boosters. But under pressure from lawsuits and states, the NCAA cleared the way in 2021 for athletes to receive money from private entities for the use of their name, image or likeness (NIL). Then a legal settlement last year allowed higher education institutions to directly pay athletes a total of about $20.5 million annually — on top of any scholarships and other NIL deals they receive.

JASON JACKSON FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

UNC cheerleaders lead the team onto the field for a home game last season.

“Having a bad football team would not be beneficial to our state.

So we decided as a state we’d help out.”

Wisconsin state Rep. Alex Dallman That cap rose to $21.3 million for this school year and is set to rise again the following year.

Many mid-level programs cannot afford that much. But almost all NCAA Division I athletic programs are trying to generate more money to pay athletes in a bid to remain competitive with their peers. At the same time, schools have been incurring greater costs for facilities, coaches’ salaries and travel amid conference realignments that discarded

old geographic-based rivalries.

Over the past four years, athletic operating expenses at public Division I institutions shot up by nearly a third — notably outpacing revenue and running up deficits, according to an Associated Press analysis using the Knight-Newhouse College Athletics Database.

Federal legislation could drive athletic costs even higher The Protect College Sports Act, pending in the U.S. Senate, has been promoted as a way to put guardrails on college sports spending. But it could potentially allow even greater spending by schools.

The latest version would allow institutions to pay up to an additional $27.5 million annually to retain players on their rosters, pushing the overall athlete payment cap close to $50 million. The higher ceiling

could reduce the demand for third-party NIL deals.

States routing money to schools in creative ways When North Carolina launched online sports wagering in 2024, it earmarked part of the tax revenue for athletic departments at 13 public universities. But the two largest institutions — UNC and NC State — were excluded.

That changed in July under a new state budget that raises the sports betting tax. Those two schools now are projected to receive $3 million each this year and $5.8 million next year.

In the meantime, Louisiana also hiked its sports wagering tax and earmarked about $2.2 million to each of its 11 public universities in conferences with Division I football programs.

Seeking to drum up athletic revenue, Connecticut lawmakers authorized the University of

Connecticut to issue vouchers for state tax credits equal to half the amount of donations, sponsorships and licensing endorsements.

The program generated $1.7 million in its first four months, according to a university report.

New Jersey’s new budget allots $5 million for “events attraction and marketing” at Rutgers’ flagship campus.

Lawmaker: Bad football team bad for state The Wisconsin budget provides $14.6 million for athletic facility debt payments at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and $200,000 each for the Milwaukee and Green Bay campuses.

“Having a bad football team, having uncompetitive college sports in general, would not be beneficial to our state, both culturally or economically,” state Rep. Alex Dallman said. “So we decided as a state we’d help out.”

B3

North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

obituaries Philanthropist Nancy Kissinger, wife of former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, dead at 92 Philip Daley Jan. 14, 1944 – Aug. 14, 2026 Philip Daley passed away on Friday, August 14, 2026, at the age of 82.

A visitation will be held on August 23, 2026, from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm at Crumpler Funeral Home, 131 Harris Avenue, Raeford, NC 2837.

Dora Lavair Oct. 22, 1940 – Aug. 19, 2026 Dora Lavair passed on August 19, 2026, at the age of 85.

Willie McNeill Jan. 19, 1941 – Aug. 20, 2026 Mr. Willie McNeill, age 85, transitioned on Thursday, August 20, 2026.

The Celebration of Life will be held on Monday, August 24, 2026, at 2 p.m. at Mt. Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church.

Willie will be greatly missed.

James “Humpty” Rodney Lee Nov. 24, 1960 – Aug. 12, 2026 James “Humpty” Rodney Lee, of Raeford, NC, passed away on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at the age of 65.

He was born on November 24, 1960, to the late Sammy and Lois Lee. Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his greatnephew, Jett Myles Wade.

James served 28 years in the fire service, including the City of Raeford Fire Department and Hillcrest Fire Department. He was a truck driver for many years and traveled all over the United States. He loved sports since childhood. He played baseball, wrestled, and played football; coached Little League baseball; and had a collection of sports memorabilia. James enjoyed the beach and riding his Harley motorcycle.

He is survived by his three sisters, Barbara Buddin, Belinda Dudek (Randall Scheitler), and Lorie Sanhueza (Luis); his brother, Mark Smith (Christina); his uncle, Howard Barkley; five nieces and nephews; nine greatnieces and great-nephews; and several great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews.

The family would like to thank DaVita Dialysis Care of Hoke County for their exceptional care of James.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Diabetes Association.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2026, from 1-2 p.m. at Crumpler Funeral Home, 131 Harris Avenue, Raeford, NC 28376.

A service will follow at 2 p.m.

The prominent New York philanthropist was Henry Kissinger’s most valued and trusted adviser The Associated Press NEW YORK — Philanthropist Nancy Kissinger, onetime foreign policy researcher and wife of former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, has died. She was 92.

She died last Thursday at her home in Kent, Connecticut, Robert Johnson, manager of the property, told The Associated Press. The cause of her death was not disclosed. Johnson said she will be buried next to her late husband at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.

The daughter of a New York City lawyer, she met Henry Kissinger while working for New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller. The couple wed in 1974.

She was described by one profiler as a brainy, Blass-bedecked blonde. She was often seen at high fashion openings and was a strong presence on the New York philanthropy scene.

“Nancy Kissinger can pick up the phone and get right through to the CEO. Nobody keeps her waiting,” philanthropist Judy Peabody said after chairing a successful hospital charity event in 1989.

Michael Bloomberg — the billionaire founder of the Bloomberg financial-news empire, former New York City mayor and a friend of the Kissingers — said in a social media post that Nancy Kissinger “was a powerhouse of ideas and insights that she put to work throughout her life in government and philanthropy — and as Henry’s most valued and trusted advisor.”

He added, “She was the ultimate diplomat — as wise as she was discreet — and I know how completely Henry admired and loved her. Diana

DIETER ENDLICHER / AP PHOTO

Nancy Kissinger, wife of U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, is shown into the house by Lydia Gromyko, wife of Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko, right, at a meeting of the two ladies in the Soviet mission in Geneva in April 1974. and I were fortunate to call her a dear friend, and to see their extraordinary partnership in action over the decades. We will miss her greatly.”

Nancy Kissinger made headlines in 1982 when she tried to throttle a woman who harassed her and her husband with insulting questions at Newark Airport. The couple was going to Boston, where Henry Kissinger was to undergo bypass surgery.

The woman, a leafleter for a group affiliated with politician Lyndon LaRouche, accused Nancy Kissinger of choking both her throat and her free-speech rights. Nancy Kissinger said she only wanted to protect her husband from upset.

A judge acquitted Nancy Kissinger of assault and called her behavior “a spontaneous and somewhat human reaction to an offensive question.”

The Kissingers met in the mid-1960s when he was a consultant for Rockefeller and she was on the staff of Rockefeller’s

Commission on Critical Choices for America.

Henry Kissinger had joined the Nixon administration and was secretary of state when he and the former Nancy Sharon Maginnes married March 30, 1974, in a civil ceremony in Arlington, Virginia.

After leaving Washington, D.C., they returned to New York and lived in homes in Manhattan and Kent, Connecticut.

The daughter of an Episcopalian Park Avenue lawyer, Nancy Kissinger grew up with two brothers and a horse on an estate in White Plains.

She attended Good Counsel Academy, a Catholic girls school in White Plains, and the exclusive Master’s School in Dobbs Ferry, from which she graduated in 1951. She returned to the school to teach history for two years after graduating from Mount Holyoke in 1955.

Graduate studies at the University of California at Berkeley followed before she went to work for Rockefeller.

Shelley Fabares, ‘Johnny Angel’ singer and actor in ‘The Donna Reed Show’ and ‘Coach,’ dead at 82 Beyond her decades-long acting career, she advocated for Alzheimer’s awareness

By Lindsey Bahr The Associated Press SHELLEY FABARES, an actor who was a fixture on television for decades from her days as a young teenager on “The Donna Reed Show” through “One Day at a Time” and “Coach,” has died. She was 82.

She died Saturday in Los Angeles, her family said in a statement to The Associated Press.

No cause was given.

“To her family and friends, Shelley was a source of love, strength, laughter, and comfort,” her family wrote. “She had a remarkable ability to make people feel welcomed, valued, and cared for.”

Fabares was born in Santa Monica, California, in 1944, and started acting as a young child. Her first television credit came at age 10 when she appeared on “The Loretta Young Show.” Many movies and television shows followed: She acted with Paul Newman, Frank Sinatra and Eva Marie Saint in a Producers Showcase production of “Our Town,” was in the Rosalind Russell movie “The Girl Rush” and the Rock Hudson drama “Never Say Goodbye.” Other early credits include “Annette,” “Captain Midnight”

Shelley Fabares, left, poses for a group photo with other Screen Actors Guild Awards committee members, from left, Paul Napier, Chairwoman JoBeth Williams, Vice Chair Daryl Anderson and Scott Bakula, during a tasting of the proposed menu and alternatives for the SAG Awards

by Lucques Catering in September 2009 in Los Angeles.

“I am not trying to make her sound like a saint, but she had the most profound influence on me. I carry her with me today.”

Shelley Fabares on Donna Reed and the “Black Leather Jackets” episode of “The Twilight Zone.”

Her biggest break came when she was cast as Mary Stone on “The Donna Reed Show,” where she was a regular from 1958 through 1963. During that time, she also got a recording contract and had two Top 40 hits, including “Johnny Angel.” In the early 1960s, she also co-starred in three movies with Elvis Presley: “Girl Happy,” “Spinout” and “Clambake.”

“I think the years on ‘The Donna Reed Show,’ the years from 14 to 19, were so incredibly important,” Fabares told the Los Angeles Times in 1993.

“Donna Reed was simply an extraordinary woman, a woman of great strength, kindness, integrity and compassion. I am not trying to make her sound like a saint, but she had the most profound influence on me. I carry her with me today.”

In the late 1970s, Fabares made an impression as Francine Webster on the CBS sit-

MATT SAYLES / AP PHOTO

com “One Day at a Time.” She also played James Caan’s wife in “Brian’s Song.” One of her biggest roles came when she was cast as Christine Armstrong in “Coach,” although the show took a minute to find its audience.

“I did always feel from the very beginning if they could find the right spot for us, this was a show that would last,” she said in the 1993 Los Angeles Times interview.

Fabares married twice, first to producer Lou Adler in

1964. She had been married to “M*A*S*H” actor Mike Farrell since 1984. She was also a devoted advocate for Alzheimer’s awareness, which affected her mother.

In early 1999, a visit to the emergency room for an esophageal bleed revealed that she had progressive liver failure. After spending 22 months on a waiting list, she had liver transplant surgery in October 2000.

In an interview with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in

Los Angeles three years after the transplant, she said she’d been “changed by the experience” and was eternally grateful to Farrell, who was with her “every step of the way.”

Her family, in their statement, said “we will remember Shelley for her kindness, loyalty, wit, courage, and beautiful spirit. We will miss her deeply — not only as a celebrated performer, but as the loving and extraordinary person she was in our everyday lives.”

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North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

STATE & NATION

US, Canada fall deeper into trade war with new tariffs as talks collapse, blame spread The breakdown jeopardizes $880 billion in annual trade between two historic allies

By Paul Wiseman and Rob Gillies The Associated Press TORONTO — The United States and Canada, historic allies along an undefended border, fell deeper into a trade war Saturday marked by angry recriminations and new tariffs that are expected to raise prices for products in both countries.

Each side blamed the other for the collapse of negotiations in Washington, D.C., late Friday, leading the U.S. to impose 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods and Canada setting Sept. 8 as the start of its retaliatory penalties.

President Donald Trump’s import taxes will hit about 5% of what Canada ships to the United States every year, ranging from hockey sticks to tongue depressors. Prime Minister Carney said Ottawa would respond with targeted tariff protection for industries exposed to the new U.S. duties, including some steel products.

He also mentioned the dairy, appliance, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper, and electronics sectors.

No further talks were planned. Whatever the eventual outcome, a loss of trust seems one of the earliest casualties.

Carney accused Washington of using “economic integration as a weapon” and said “its signature was written in pencil.” Resorting to the language of battle, he said his country had been “attacked” by the new American tariffs. “You’re at war when you get attacked,” he said, adding that Canada had the reserves, resilience and plan to respond.

But to Trump’s chief trade negotiator, Jamieson Greer, the U.S. was compelled to act after a year of retaliation by its longtime partner.

“We’ve said enough, and so we’ve taken countermeasures.

Our interest is in protecting American workers and protecting American supply chains,” the U.S. trade representative told “Fox & Friends Weekend.”

Canada cites “unacceptable demands” as U.S. says it offered favorable terms Carney said Canada had been willing to drop remaining retaliatory tariffs on steel, aluminum and autos if the U.S. substantially lowered its own, and to encourage provinces to restore U.S. alcohol sales. But he said Washington’s final demands went too far. “They asked too much and offered too little,” Carney said.

Greer said the Republican

ADRIAN WYLD / THE CANADIAN PRESS VIA AP

Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, and President Donald Trump hold a press conference at the White House on Oct. 7, 2025.

“You’re at war when you get attacked.”

Carney, Canadian prime minister

NICK IWANYSHYN / THE CANADIAN PRESS VIA AP

Rolled coils of steel sit in the yard at the ArcelorMittal Dofasco steel plant in Hamilton, Ontario, last week. administration was offering to cut tariffs on steel, autos and lumber, “things that are sensitive for them. And they’ve always had the best deal, and they still would have an even better deal, but they didn’t want that.”

As a result, he said, “We’re moving forward with measures that respond to Canadian retaliation.”

Carney said the U.S. added last-minute terms that would have reduced tariff relief for Canadian-made vehicles, restricted Canada’s ability to strike trade deals with other countries and weakened protections for language, culture and sovereignty.

He said such demands were “unacceptable.”

The breakdown in negotiations marked a sharp reversal from two days earlier, when officials from the two countries sounded as if they were headed toward a compromise.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who leads Canada’s most populous province, praised Car-

ney for rejecting the deal, saying it would have hurt Ontario’s auto, steel and manufacturing sectors. Ford urged Canada to use “every tool in our toolbox” to fight the U.S. tariffs.

The moves also call into question the future of a North American trade agreement covering the United States, Canada and Mexico that is crucial to industry in all three countries.

Carney said the breakdown was “certainly not good news” for the review of that agreement and that the failed negotiations had given Canada “a new perspective” on what Washington wants from the broader economic relationship.

Typically cooperative alliance goes sour The political impact will likely be even bigger than the economic fallout. The countries sold each other $880 billion worth of goods and services last year.

The tariffs were initially sup-

posed to kick in at 12:01 a.m. last Wednesday. Trump extended the deadline for three days to allow talks to continue, but the countries could not reach an agreement in time.

The U.S. and Canada have wrangled for decades over trade, poking each other over sore spots such as Canadian softwood lumber imports and U.S. access to Canada’s protected dairy market.

Somehow, they still managed to remain friends, allies and trading partners. Canadian soldiers fought alongside Americans in Afghanistan after 9/11. The 5,525-mile U.S.-Canada border is undefended, and nearly 330,000 people and $2 billion worth of goods cross it every day; 800,000 Canadians live in the United States.

Trump’s approach to dealing with Canada marks an extraordinary departure from the traditionally cooperative relationship between the two countries.

Trump has imposed tariffs on Canadian goods in a push to bring manufacturing back to the United States and made inflammatory comments about turning Canada into America’s 51st state.

Carney said Canada had recognized that “America has changed” and that the two countries would “not return to our old relationship.”

Canadians, Americans frustrated The Canadian public is fed up. A petition to expel U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra, a

Trump ally, has collected nearly 248,000 signatures since July 21. It accuses the former Republican congressman from Michigan of having “normalized’’ Trump’s talk of annexing Canada, among other things.

The two countries had good reasons to find a compromise.

Nearly 72% of Canada’s goods exports last year went to the United States. The Trump administration might be wary of imposing new tariffs — paid

by U.S. importers who try to pass along the cost to consumers via higher prices — before the November midterm elections. American voters are already frustrated with the high cost of living.

“Both sides will be under immense pressure in the coming days to still find an off-ramp,” said Ryan Majerus, a partner at King & Spalding and a former U.S. trade official.

Joshua Bolten, CEO of the Business Roundtable, which represents leaders of major U.S. companies, warned the tariffs and retaliation risk “raising costs for American businesses and families” and disrupting vital supply chains, and urged both governments to resume negotiations.

Trump turned to Depression-era trade penalties Trump has made tariffs the centerpiece of his second-term economic agenda. Last year, he imposed double-digit import taxes on almost every country, justifying them by declaring the long-standing U.S. trade deficit a national emergency. The Supreme Court in February ruled that he had overstepped his authority. The justices struck down the trade penalties and set the stage for the federal government to pay refunds to importers.

So Trump has looked for other legal authority to justify tariffs.

For Canada, Trump invoked Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, a rarely used Depression-era provision allowing tariffs of up to 50% against countries deemed to discriminate against U.S. businesses.

The provision is part of the Smoot-Hawley tariff law, widely blamed by economists and historians for worsening the Great Depression by restricting global trade. Section 338 has never previously been used to impose tariffs.

The rift comes as the United States, Mexico and Canada are trying to renew a trade agreement that Trump negotiated in his first term and once praised as a triumph. The United States has begun formal talks with Mexico over revamping the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, known as USMCA. But talks with Canada have not begun and escalating trade conflict casts doubt on whether they will.

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MOORE COUNTY THE MOORE COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Shot on goal The Pinecrest boys’ varsity soccer team gutted it out in the heat and humidity against Enloe at home last Wednesday but still fell 3-1. Pinecrest keeper Logan Swiger, pictured, makes a save against Enloe.

DAVID SINCLAIR FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

WHAT’S HAPPENING ICE arrests jumped to nearly 50K in July, highest monthly total of Trump’s term Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested nearly 50,000 people in July. That marks the highest single-month total during the second Trump administration. The numbers come from the U.C. Berkeley Deportation Data Project. The spike follows a recalibrated immigration enforcement approach after Homeland Security officers shot two protesters in Minneapolis in January. The increase began in June and accelerated in July, with less public exposure than during Trump’s first year.

Texas and Florida accounted for nearly 20,000 of the July arrests. The agency has been bolstered by billions of dollars from Congress and has hired 12,000 new deportation officers and agents.

Consumer confidence falls to lowest level in 7 months with gas stuck above $4 per gallon Americans’ confidence in the economy declined this month as the ongoing Iran conflict has kept gas prices elevated at more than $4 per gallon. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index dipped to 89.4 in August from 90.2 in July. That’s the lowest level in seven months but essentially in the same lukewarm range its been in since the beginning of the year.

In late 2024 and early 2025, the readings were consistently above 100. Respondents’ views of their present situation improved, but their outlook for the near-term future soured.

Economists don’t expect reopening

$2.00

Nothing changes yet with Supreme Court’s elections order New postal service rules require election officials to overhaul procedures with no time to spare

By Nicholas Riccardi The Associated Press THE SUPREME Court’s decision giving preliminary approval for President Donald Trump’s order restricting mail voting may not lead to a single election procedure changing during the November midterms, but it has already thrown into uncertainty the method that nearly one-third of the country uses to vote.

Rather than saying Trump’s order is legal, the high court said Monday it was too early for Democratic-run states to challenge it in June, when they convinced a federal judge in Boston to freeze the order for November’s election. That ef-

fectively restarts the legal fight over the order in an incredibly compressed timeline, with initial ballots scheduled to be sent to North Carolina’s overseas and military voters in just over a week, on Sept. 4.

A second injunction barring the U.S. Postal Service from making changes to comply with Trump’s directive remains in effect. Still, the administration late Monday filed a motion asking that the second hold be removed and has posted new regulations from the Postal Service that would go into effect if the legal pathway is fully cleared.

That new rule requires specific formatting for envelopes containing mail ballots — which may force some jurisdictions to completely revise theirs — and makes states use an electronic system to identify to the Postal Service who is voting by mail. If states don’t comply

“There isn’t a single state that does their elections in a way that this postal rule lays out.”

Tammy Patrick, Elections Center chief program officer with the rule, their mail ballots won’t get sent.

The prospect of such a potential sweeping overhaul in mere days boggled critics’ minds.

In her dissent, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson warned that the decision “needlessly injects chaos and uncertainty into the upcoming midterm elections.”

David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation & Research, agreed, saying the majority “seemed to create complete chaos leading up to the midterm elections”

and it’d be “impossible” for states to comply with the new rules at this late date.

Some ballots for November election set to go out within days Jesse Salinas, the registrar of Yolo County in California and president of that state’s association of election officers, noted that ballots in his state start going out in 11 days, and his county already printed its envelopes.

“You look at the timeline, and it’s a bit chaotic,” Salinas said, noting he doesn’t know precisely which envelope designs comply with the new rules.

He dismissed the idea of a last-minute revision in procedures. “The capacity to do that, I just don’t see it,” Salinas said.

Tammy Patrick, chief program officer at the Elections See ELECTIONS, page A2

Amazon set to expand drone delivery of lightweight packages to 500 US cities The expansion intensifies Amazon’s competition with Walmart for the fastest delivery times

By Josh Funk The Associated Press MILLIONS MORE people may be able to get smaller, lightweight Amazon packages delivered by drones by the end of the year under a plan the company announced last Wednesday to expand the airborne shipping to suburban areas in nearly 500 U.S. cities.

Customers could receive the drone deliveries in as fast as 30 minutes, Amazon said in a news release. The drones can carry packages up to 5 pounds.

The plan will intensify the battle between Amazon and Walmart to provide consumers with the fastest delivery times. Both giants rely on a mix of drones and drivers to deliv-

er everything consumers have ordered.

The goal is not necessarily about cutting costs by replacing drivers and trucks — and drones that can only carry one package at a time would have a hard time doing that. But instead, the companies are using drones as one tool to help keep customers happy with quicker deliveries, banking on a faster delivery system attracting more shoppers.

Amazon’s plan would expand its drone delivery operation more than sixfold nationwide into hundreds of new communities, including the Chicago, Atlanta, Cleveland and Boise metro areas. The drones will primarily fly in the suburbs well away from skyscrapers and major airports that could cause problems. Each drone site serves multiple cities in a metro area, and Amazon would not say exactly how many new sites it is planning to begin flying from.

Drone delivery growing fast but remains small factor Hundreds of thousands of packages have already been delivered by Amazon drones this year. But even after the expansion, drones will still only handle a fraction of the hundreds of millions of package deliveries each year. In addition to only being able to carry 5 pounds, the drones Amazon builds face countless challenges from tree cover to landscaping and inflatable pools that can make it hard to find a good drop zone.

There are also regulatory hurdles to overcome in every community where Amazon wants to set up operations.

Noise concerns also pose a potential challenge.

“It’s still an experiment. It’s still in test and learn mode,” said Sucharita Kodali, who is a retail analyst with Forrester.

More than two decades have passed since Amazon founder

Jeff Bezos first described his vision for drone deliveries in an interview on “60 Minutes,” which shows how hard it has been to develop the service, get all the needed approvals and prove the concept works.

Kodali said Amazon’s expansion plan “does seem aggressive, but remember that lots of the 500 may be small towns located close to one another.

The coming soon list is actually only a handful of metro areas. Also ‘launching’ in a town doesn’t mean they are getting any meaningful sales.”

Walmart already offers drone delivery at more than 75 stores across Arkansas, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia and Texas, but the core part of its network relies on drivers to bring orders directly from its stores to customers. The retail giant said earlier this year that it planned to expand drone delivery service See DRONES, page A2

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North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

THURSDAY

ELECTIONS from page A1

8.27.26

Center, an association of 2,500 election officers, warned that it’s impossible for any state to comply with the rule and that no one she talked to has tried.

“There isn’t a single state that does their elections in a way that this postal rule lays out,” Patrick said in an interview. “There has been this assumption that this is not going to happen because it could not happen the way it’s laid out because no one does it this way.”

Cisco Aguilar, the Democratic secretary of State in Nevada, where every registered voter gets a mail ballot, noted the post office had already misdelivered three dozen mail ballots from his state’s June primary.

“They’re going to come in within seven days and build a massive database that has 100% accuracy?” Aguilar said in disbelief. “It is impossible to implement this system in that time frame.”

“Join the conversation” North State Journal (USPS 20451) (ISSN 2471-1365) Trip Hoffend, Publisher Jim Sills, VP of Local Newspapers Cory Lavalette, Senior Editor Jordan Golson, Local News Editor Shawn Krest, Sports Editor Dan Reeves, Features Editor Ryan Henkel, Reporter PJ Ward-Brown, Photographer BUSINESS David Guy, Advertising Manager Published each Thursday as part of North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607 TO SUBSCRIBE: 919-663-3232 MOORE.NORTHSTATEJOURNAL.COM

Trump votes by mail, seeks to curb it for others Trump has long sought to make voting by mail largely impossible, though he himself has repeatedly cast his ballots by mail.

Trump falsely blamed his 2020 loss on mail voting and spun up baroque conspiracy theories that he’s tried to prove while back in office.

Judges blocked him from cre-

ating new voting restrictions by executive order last year, and he only issued his latest order after his bill to revamp voting procedures stalled in the Senate amidst Democratic opposition.

The Election Assistance Commission found that 29% of voters in 2024 cast their ballots through the mail. Democrats are more likely to use mail voting than Republicans, a reflection of how the process has become polarized since Trump began attacking it in 2020. Still, the president has to date been unable to make the sweeping changes he’s sought because the Constitution grants control of voting rules to states, and in federal elections, to Congress — not the president.

Legal experts stressed that’s why they view it as unlikely Trump’s order will actually be implemented. Not only did the majority in the Supreme Court’s unsigned order note that it hasn’t determined whether the measure is constitutional, but every victory the administration has won so far has only been because it’s argued that it’s premature to talk about its constitutionality. Opponents are already weighing new lawsuits since the final rule was published Friday night.

More litigation expected Becker, a former Department of Justice lawyer who co-wrote a book debunking

Trump’s 2020 election lies, added that he expects the next round of litigation to keep the order from being implemented in November. Rick Hasen, a UCLA law professor, said after the ruling, “This doesn’t necessarily mean anything in terms of November.”

Derek Muller, a Notre Dame law professor, said the Supreme Court still ensured a fraught court battle in the coming days.

“It puts courts in a terrible place because whatever happens is super close to the election,” Muller said. “If it permits it, it creates super disruption for the states. If it suspends it, it visibly angers the administration.”

Hasen said it’s inconceivable that the regulation will impact voters in November.

“Both legal and practical reasons make this practically impossible to enforce,” he said of Trump’s mail voting order.

Elections are run by local officials in thousands of scattered offices, many of which don’t even have a full-time employee. Patrick said that those who work in the field have been left reeling.

“Election officials just feel like punching bags at this moment because they plan one way of conducting their elections and have contingency plans if a fire breaks out or one location loses power,” Patrick said. “But how do you plan for something that affects one-third, one-half or all of your voters?”

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

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DRONES from page A1 to 150 more stores in partnership with Wing, a division of Alphabet, to give it 270 drone delivery locations by 2027.

Walmart declined to comment on Amazon’s announcement last Wednesday because it came one day before the company was scheduled to report earnings.

Novelty of drone delivery may attract orders at first Initially, consumers might order something delivered by drone because they are curious about it, but it’s not clear how often they will continue to use the service, and Amazon is still working out the economics, Kodali said.

The service will be free for Amazon Prime members who are ordering more than $50 worth of goods, but smaller orders will cost members $2.99.

Nonmembers will pay $4.99 for drone delivery.

Prime members get free deliveries while nonmembers pay a flat fee if the shipment is under $35 for standard delivery or

up to $12.99 for same-day shipments when available.

Kodali said drones could prove more useful for certain lightweight deliveries that are needed urgently like prescription medications.

DoorDash and other delivery companies also are experimenting with using drones to deliver foods and other goods.

Amazon CEO believes drone delivery will be part of mix Amazon’s CEO Andy Jassy told shareholders in his annual letter in April that the company has learned a great deal by flying drones in 11 sites across Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, and Texas. In each location, the drones launch from an Amazon warehouse and cover about 175 square miles, so it takes multiple drone launching locations to serve a large metro area.

“Prime Air now has a design that’ll scale, plans to serve communities with 30 million customers by year-end, and expects to deliver half a billion packages by the end of this de-

cade (with an aim to deliver inside 30 minutes),” Jassy wrote.

Amazon is also continuing to invest in its warehouses, smaller fulfillment centers closer to customers and its fleet of trucks as the company competes to deliver packages within minutes or hours instead of just days.

It’s not clear that drone delivery is cheaper than trucks at this point because a team of people is needed to make drone delivery possible, and those people might even earn more than a truck driver since they may have to be licensed drone pilots.

Amazon is already certified by the Federal Aviation Administration and the company has been awarded waivers to fly drones beyond the line of sight of the pilots. Amazon has invested in safety measures to help drones avoid collisions with anything else in the sky while they are making deliveries.

The federal government has proposed a rule that would allow more drone operators to fly beyond the horizon, but that hasn’t been finalized yet.

moore

happening Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in and around Moore County.

Aug. 27 Small Wonders: More Than Miniatures Noon to 3 p.m.

This exhibit features paintings measuring 10 inches square or smaller and showcases works created in various media. For more info, contact the Artists League of the Sandhills at 910-944-3979.

Exchange Street Gallery of Fine Art 129 Exchange St. Aberdeen

2026 Midweek Mini mART Artists’ Market 5-9 p.m.

Shop local and support area artists at this year’s series of artists’ markets. Five to seven local artisans will display their wares for sale. The event also features alcoholic and mocktail specials, as well as a “Trivia with Brio” friendly competition that begins at 7 p.m.

Rec Room Bar + Arcade 750 SW Broad Street Southern Pines

Aug. 28 August Fridays in the Village of Pinehurst 2026 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Pop-up sales and events happening across the village invite visitors to explore the cultural, shopping and dining scene.

Pinehurst

Live Music in Cameron 6-8 p.m.

An evening of free live music by singer and musician Paige King Johnson. Guests will also be offered choice food and beverages. Seating is limited, so reservations are recommended.

Old Hardware Vintage Depot and Dewberry Kitchen & Tap 485 Carthage St.

CRIME LOG

Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements:

moorecommunity@ northstatejournal.com Weekly deadline is Monday at Noon

Aug. 17

Aug. 19

• Laura Elizabeth Merritt, 32, of Carthage, was arrested by MCSO for interfering with emergency communication and resisting a public officer.

• Gracy Raye Chapman, 26, of West End, was arrested by NCHP for driving while impaired and failure to maintain lane control.

• Nathaniel Dylan Kearns, 32, of Biscoe, was arrested by MCSO for possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Christopher Dutch Robinson, 57, of Eagle Springs, was arrested

by Robbins PD for misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, simple assault and assault on a female.

Aug. 18

• Elizabeth Ann Burgess, 47, of Foxfire, was arrested by NCHP for driving while impaired, reckless driving to endanger and failure to maintain lane control, and other charges.

• Johnny Jovontae Brooks, 33, of Spring Lake, was arrested by MCSO for obtaining property under false pretenses of $100,000 or more, identity theft and common law forgery, and other charges.

• Charles Bruce Comer, 67, of Seagrove, was arrested by MCSO for possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Joshua Adam Garner, 47, of Climax, was arrested by MCSO for possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Craig Lavonte Kershaw, 41, of Eagle Springs, was arrested by Robbins PD for driving while impaired; driving on a revoked license; and driving with a canceled, revoked or suspended registration.

• Owen Edward Shockley, 61, of Parkton, was arrested by MCSO for misdemeanor stalking.

• Christopher Lamont Hampton, 25, of Southern Pines, was arrested by MCSO for misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

• Anthony Ryan Huntley, 46, of West End, was arrested by MCSO for driving while impaired and open container alcohol violation.

• Kathleen Marie Persing, 49, of West End, was arrested by MCSO for possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Braxton Lee Russell, 30, of Southern Pines, was arrested by MCSO for misdemeanor larceny.

•

Aug. 20 • Azahel Alegria Aguilar, 33, of Shannon, was arrested by NCHP for driving while impaired.

• Eric Lamont Barnes, 28, was arrested by MCSO for communicating threats.

• Lauren Nicole Platt, 26, of Southern Pines, was arrested by MCSO for conspiracy to traffic cocaine.

Aug. 21 • Kristopher Lee Richards, 19, of Spring Lake, was arrested by MCSO for possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a controlled substance; possession

of a controlled substance; and carrying a concealed weapon; and other charges.

• Roshenea Renee Bristow, 40, of Rockingham, was arrested by Whispering Pines PD for failing to heed a light or siren, resisting a public officer and speeding.

• Will Hammond Graham, 22, of Southern Pines, was arrested by MCSO for misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

• Raymond Thomas Pope, 40, of Carthage, was arrested by MCSO for assault and battery and misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

• Tyreq Dequan Taylor, 32, of Aberdeen, was arrested by Aberdeen PD for injury to real property.

Aug. 22 • James Anthony Alston, 62, of West End, was arrested by Whispering Pines PD for habitual larceny and misdemeanor larceny.

• Thomas Steven Garner, 43, of Eagle Springs, was arrested by MCSO for assault on a female and misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

Aug. 23 • India Shaneal Uzzell, 24, of Carthage, was arrested by Pinebluff PD for simple affray and disorderly conduct.

• Hilario Cordova Cruz, 60, of Carthage, was arrested by MCSO for contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile.

• Igcela B. Garcia, 30, of Cameron, was arrested by MCSO for misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

Aug. 29-31 School Supply Drive 10 a.m.

Help kids get the school year off to a right start by making sure they have all their recommended supplies.

It’s easy to contribute using the provided Amazon need/ wish list and QR code, ensuring your donation goes toward what students need. Donations can also be dropped off directly at the Learning Center lobby.

Sonshine Learning Center FBCSP 200 E. New York Ave. Southern Pines

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North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

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

COLUMN | RICH LOWRY

Trump’s fondness for Kim Jong Un sends the wrong signal Trump has been careless of the goodwill of our allies.

IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE that Kim Jong Un is really this charming. President Donald Trump touted his fond relationship with the North Korean dictator in a Truth Social post calling for scaling back a long-running annual military exercise with the South Koreans.

“Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un,” Trump wrote, “I am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea.” According to Trump, the exercises “send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile, to a Country that, as long as Donald J. Trump has been President, has been unthreatening and respectful.” Then he added that South Korea had recently declined to take a role in the Iran war, clearly irking Trump, as he subsequently explained to reporters at the White House.

The joint exercises have been a key element of the U.S.-South Korea military alliance for decades. They are meant to ensure that the two countries are prepared in the event of a North Korean assault, and perhaps now have an added importance given the experience North Korea has gained in high-intensity modern warfare by bolstering Russian forces in Ukraine.

Much more important than the practical effect of Trump’s fusillade, though, is the signal it sends, yet again, that he is easily disenchanted with longtime allies whose friendship should be

considered a strategic boon to the United States.

Whether musing about making Canada the 51st state, briefly campaigning to take control of Greenland, imposing tariffs on friend and foe alike, or hammering NATO, Trump has been careless of the goodwill of our allies.

They need us more than we need them, which means they are willing to put up with a lot, but sowing dissension unnecessarily is a foolhardy game at a time of growing international threats.

South Korea has been a treaty ally since 1953 and is a wealthy, technologically advanced democracy that occupies strategically important ground in Northeast Asia. It is obviously both threatened by and a bulwark against potential North Korean adventurism.

Pete Hegseth visited South Korea last year and said, “Our alliance is stronger than ever before, 72 years strong.” He described the inspiring sight of U.S. and South Korean soldiers standing “shoulder to shoulder working together.” South Korea has been committed to increasing its defense spending to 3.5% of GDP. In light of this, Hegseth subsequently averred, “Model allies that step up, like Israel, South Korea, Poland ... will receive our special favor.”

Such assurances by administration officials are always subject to change, depending on Trump’s animosities at any given time.

It’s certainly true that South Korea owes its existence to us. We fought to preserve its

independence at a great cost in blood and treasure during the Korean War, and we have nearly 30,000 troops on the peninsula to deter North Korea from assaulting the South again.

Seoul has lent support to recent U.S. military operations, typically in noncombat roles, but it’s understandable that it wouldn’t be enthused about taking part in an Iran war that hasn’t gone as planned and that has no clear endgame.

As for the North, it isn’t our friend. It is firmly within the China-Russia axis and has been developing its nuclear and missile arsenal apace. There is no reason to believe that any blandishments from Trump will change its behavior, and Kim has been clear that the U.S. needs to abandon its “obsession” with denuclearization.

What we most need from South Korea is for it to be as strong as possible to deter North Korea, and we shouldn’t be lending any credence to its claim that U.S.-South Korean exercises are provocations or sowing doubt about our commitment to allies.

Such diplomatic episodes, though, are an inherent part of Trump’s governance. To paraphrase the Roman writer Publilius Syrus: Prosperity makes friends, adversity tries them, and Trump distresses them — unnecessarily.

Rich Lowry is editor of the National Review.

(Copyright 2026 by King Features Synd., Inc.)

COLUMN | BONNER COHEN

No, MIT, ‘Clean Energy’ isn’t the future — nor is it really clean According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, by 2030, the nation could have as much as 1 million tons of solar panel waste on its hands.

IS THE WORLD still transitioning to green energy in the era of Donald Trump and in the midst of, yet again, geopolitical unpleasantness in the oil-rich Middle East?

While climate activists bewail the Trump administration’s embrace of fossil fuels and its corresponding disdain for solar panels and wind turbines, a new report released by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Center for Energy and Environmental Research says greener days may yet be in our future.

The report, “Glass Half-Full: Building a Decarbonized U.S. Power Sector,” sees a green light at the end of Trump’s dark tunnel of dismantling Biden-era climate policies. Focusing exclusively on electricity generation over the next decade, the report uses a mathematical model to compare how much “clean power” will survive the Trump administration’s phase-out of wind and solar subsidies and its scuttling of other green-energy initiatives with what would have been produced under Biden-era climate policies.

According to the model, the energy transition is alive and well, with about three-quarters of the “clean electricity capacity” that would have come online under the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act and power plant regulations surviving the Trump onslaught. Yes, onshore wind power will take a hit, and other decarbonization initiatives will be delayed.

But the headwinds that the vaunted transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy is encountering show no sign of letting up. A recent report from the BlueGreen Alliance, a partnership between labor and environmental organizations, found that the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act and other Trump energy

initiatives have already delayed or canceled 223 wind and solar projects representing at least $82 billion in capital investment and 111,000 green-energy jobs. While a few coastal wind facilities survive, since March, developers have canceled five leases for offshore wind projects in coastal California, New York, Maine, Louisiana and North Carolina valued at more than $3.9 billion. In accordance with agreements developers negotiated with the Trump administration, most of that money will be redirected to oil and gas projects, geothermal development and upgrading the power grid.

Furthermore, “deep decarbonization” has been aggressively pursued in Europe, with disastrous results. “From 2015-2025, the first decade of the Paris Agreement on climate change, global energy consumption rose by more than 14%, with sharply contrasting dynamics,” notes Samuel Furfari, professor of energy geopolitics at the Université Libre de Bruxelles. “Europe’s decrease in energy use is no triumph of ecological heroics but rather the outcome of the assault of the EU Green Deal on competitiveness and its predictable deindustrialization and economic decline.”

Citing a recent Energy Institute report showing fossil fuels make up 86% of global primary energy consumption, with wind and solar accounting for just 3%, Furfari, writing in The Center Square, throws cold water on the idea of an energy transition. “The dominance of fossil fuels in the world energy system persists even as wind and solar, expensive and intermittent, expand. The world is undergoing an energy addition, not a transition, as new technologies supplement the growing capacity of legacy sources.”

Japan, the world’s fourth-largest economy and once a champion of decarbonization, has responded to the recent Middle East energy bottlenecks by reducing its liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports from that troubled region (while increasing LNG imports from the U.S.), ramping up coal-fired generation and restarting nuclear power plants. Wind and solar power, along with battery storage, are being pushed aside.

In addition to failing to meet the soaring global demand for affordable and reliable energy, what is billed as “clean energy” — in the MIT report and elsewhere — isn’t really clean. Wind turbines and solar panels may not produce carbon emissions, but they do create waste — lots of it. Disposal of giant wind turbines in landfills is often the only way to deal with equipment that is no longer serviceable.

“Blades are frequently buried in fragments in several landfills throughout the Great Plains, transforming sites in Wyoming, Iowa, and South Dakota into wind turbine graveyards.

By 2050, the cumulative decommissioning material from wind turbines could reach 133 million tons,” noted Ariel Cohen in Forbes.

Out-of-service solar panels, laden with lead, cadmium and other heavy metals, pose their own environmental problems. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, by 2030, the nation could have as much as 1 million tons of solar panel waste on its hands.

These not-so-clean, weather-dependent energy sources will never be more than bit players in today’s fast-moving, technology-driven industrial revolution.

Bonner Russell Cohen is a senior policy analyst with the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT).

(Copyright Daily Caller Foundation 2026)

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North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

Federal officials announce water cuts as Colorado River supplies continue to plunge Arizona faces the steepest reductions while upstream states avoid immediate cuts

By Dorany Pineda and Wufei Yu The Associated Press FEDERAL OFFICIALS announced sharp water cuts for the next two years last Friday for three Western states that rely on the imperiled Colorado River.

Under the Bureau of Reclamation’s plan, California, Nevada and Arizona will collectively reduce water use by 1.25 million acre-feet annually during that period, with the possibility of larger cuts depending on conditions.

Arizona will see the biggest cuts, while states upstream — Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico — do not face any for now.

“When the Hoover Dam, a symbol of American fortitude and American power, drops and loses its shine, it can be scary. But it can also pose itself as a great opportunity for us to prepare for the next hundred years in a meaningful way.”

Kyle Roerink, Great Basin Water Network senior adviser Meanwhile neighboring Mexico will reduce its intake by 250,000 acre-feet under a U.S.-Mexico treaty.

“We’ve been in this 26-year prolonged drought period,” said Andrea Travnicek, the Interior Department’s assistant secretary for water and science. “We continue to see a prolonged drought in our future. So continuing to work together as a whole within the basin is going to be extremely important.”

The current rules governing the use of the river’s water are

set to expire in October, and the seven states have been unable to reach a consensus on sharing it over the long term.

Last winter saw the worst snowpack on record for the Colorado River Basin, adding more stress on farmers, industry, wildlife and hydropower producers, as well as tens of millions of people who rely on the waterway, including in dozens of Native American tribes and in two Mexican states.

Years of overuse combined with drought and rising tem-

peratures due to climate change have depleted the country’s two largest reservoirs, which are both fed by the Colorado. Lake Mead recently plummeted to its lowest level since it began filling nine decades ago, and Lake Powell did the same about a week later. Their combined storage is the lowest it has been in nearly seven decades.

Negotiators in Arizona thanked California and Nevada for their collaboration on sharing the cuts.

“For 2027 and 2028, the reductions that are now memorialized here will provide substantial stability for folks,” said Tom Buschatzke, Arizona Department of Water Resources director. “We’ll continue to negotiate and figure out how we’re going to operate over a longer-term period, which is what we all want.”

JB Hamby, California’s chief Colorado River negotiator, said the plan brings “some badly needed near-term certainty at a

Bessent says new US sanctions aim to block all potential sources of revenue for Iran Iran’s rial hit record lows as U.S. sanctions and blockade deepen economic crisis

By Farnoush Amiri, Christopher Rugaber and Aamer Madhani The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced a new round of sanctions aimed at Iran on Monday and warned every country that does business with the Islamic Republic to sever those financial ties or face retaliation from the United States.

The new warnings to further cut off Iran from the rest of the world economy were issued after President Donald Trump pledged last week to unleash an “economic D-Day” against Tehran as the administration struggles to find an off-ramp after nearly six months of war.

“We are level-setting with every country to tell them our expectations. We know who they are. They know who they are,” Bessent told a news conference. “So when the hammer of U.S. Treasury actions falls upon them, they will have no one to blame but themselves.”

Washington has promised

the new sanctions would put even more pressure on an Iranian economy already battered by previous sanctions and a U.S. naval blockade. But the announcement Monday provided little detail and did not name which countries could face secondary sanctions. China, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates are Iran’s largest trade partners.

Bessent said Trump has been “making phone calls to world leaders with specific requests to cease their interactions” with Iran and has already seen results. The UAE announced last week that it was suspending all trade, commercial exchanges and financial transactions with Iran until further notice after a reported missile attack on the Gulf country.

“I am confident the president, as you all know, is quite persuasive,” Bessent said, adding that the UAE decision was “not a coincidence.”

Shortly before the announcement, Iranian parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said the U.S. is not in an economic position to further restrict Tehran’s relations with other countries.

“Iran’s trading partners, both in the media and through messages sent to us, have made it clear that they don’t take these statements into account any-

where,” Qalibaf, who has been Iran’s lead negotiator over the past six months, posted on X. Iranian currency falls to record low Hours before Bessent’s announcement, Iran’s currency hit a record low.

The rial dropped to 2.02 million to the U.S. dollar as trading opened on currency markets.

Iran’s official Central Bank rate stood at around 1.5 million rial to the dollar, but the market rate is what most Iranians pay.

The currency had already been under pressure before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28, as Iran faced double-digit inflation and negative growth. The rial has repeatedly hit new lows as nearly six months of war have taken an even greater toll.

Iranians find daily staples increasingly unaffordable. Since the war began, rice is up some 60% and beef prices are more than 150% higher. The International Monetary Fund forecasts that gross domestic product will contract more than 5%.

Still, economic pressure has not yet translated into political pressure. Iran retains a key strategic advantage: Its attacks and threats on ships in the Strait of Hormuz have brought traffic in the vital waterway to a near

halt, damaging the world economy and heaping pressure on Trump ahead of congressional elections.

The war, as a result, has devolved into a fight over who controls the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil transited before the conflict.

Iran is now refusing to fully reopen it unless it can charge ships.

Iran and Oman, which is on the opposite side of the strait, are reportedly in the final stages of agreeing on a plan for joint management of the waterway.

Pakistani delegation visits Iran Pakistan, which played a key role in brokering a 60-day ceasefire in June, sent a high-level delegation to Iran on Monday to encourage the U.S. and Iran to return to negotiations, two senior officials said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media on the record.

The military confirmed only Field Marshal Asim Munir’s visit, saying it was aimed at de-escalating tensions in the region.

Trump spoke with Munir ahead of the army chief’s visit to Iran, according to a person familiar with the discussion. The

moment of extraordinary risk,” though he called it “a bridge, not a permanent solution.”

Officials in Nevada applauded their collaboration with Arizona and California and said a seven-state consensus remains their preferred path for the river.

In Southern Nevada, Kyle Roerink, senior adviser at the conservation group Great Basin Water Network, said efforts to build a new airport and shopping malls and some public land sales have not progressed, reflecting the dire hydrology inked in the federal documents. Further cuts could slow real estate development in metro Las Vegas, he said.

“When the Hoover Dam, a symbol of American fortitude and American power, drops and loses its shine, it can be scary,” Roerink said. “But it can also pose itself as a great opportunity for us to prepare for the next hundred years in a meaningful way.”

“We know who they are. They know who they are. So when the hammer of U.S. Treasury actions falls upon them, they will have no one to blame but themselves.”

Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury secretary person spoke on condition of anonymity to confirm a private conversation. Reuters, citing Pakistani sources, first reported the call.

Munir met Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni in Tehran, according to the two senior officials. Munir was accompanied by Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and other officials. Munir was expected to remain in Iran overnight and meet the Iranian president and other senior officials before returning to Pakistan.

His previous visit to Tehran in May helped pave the way for a memorandum of understanding signed by the U.S. and Iran in June.

In downtown Tehran, 73-year-old Sadegh Mahmoudi did not hold out hope for a resolution. He joined a line of about a dozen people to purchase U.S. dollars with his remaining savings to hedge against further declines.

“There is no hope for a deal and peace,” he said.

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MOORE SPORTS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Lawson Barrett Pinecrest, volleyball Lawson Barrett is a senior setter with the Pinecrest volleyball team. The Patriots are 4-0 on the season, and Barrett has been a key factor.

Barrett leads Pinecrest in digs and assists and is second in serving aces and third in kills. Last week, she had 16 of the team’s 26 assists in a win over Chapel Hill and a team-high 19 assists against Union Pines. She also had a combined 16 digs, six aces and 12 kills in the two matches.

In the win over Chapel Hill, Barrett hit the career 1,000-assist mark.

Union Pines gets lone opening day win County teams went 1-2 in Week 1 North State Journal staff UNION PINES got the county’s only football win on opening night as local high schools posted a 1-2 combined record to start the 2026 season.

The Vikings hosted Westover and rolled to a 27-13 win. Junior quarterback Vida Blue completed 16 of 20 for 162 yards and a score, posting a 119.2 quarterback rating. He also rushed eight times for 54 yards, missing the team high in that category by two yards. Senior Adrian Co-

lon had 56 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

Senior Josiah Sandler led the defensive effort with seven solo tackles and three tackles for loss. He also forced a fumble and caught an interception. Union Pines matched last season’s 1-0 start, when they also opened with a win over Westover.

Pinecrest opened the season with a wild 41-40 overtime loss to Cleveland. The Patriots battled back from a 20-0 first-quarter deficit to take a 27-20 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

An extra point ended up being the difference.

Najee Gillis passed for 185 yards on 15-of-23 accuracy,

UNC and NC State are now getting a share of gambling revenue

By David A. Lieb The Associated Press

DAVID SINCLAIR FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

throwing a pair of touchdowns.

Sophomore Marquise McNair had 93 yards rushing and 71 receiving, catching a touchdown pass. Junior Tyler Johnson rushed for three scores. He also had 3.5 tackles for loss and recovered a fumble on defense.

Pinecrest lost to Cleveland 60-19 in last season’s opener, so this season’s nail-biter was a step forward.

This week, Union Pines travels to Pinecrest for a 7:30 p.m.

Friday kickoff. It’s a rematch of last season’s Week 2 game won

by Pinecrest 21-16.

North Moore lost its opener at home to Fike by an 80-0 margin. The Mustangs will try to bounce back with a road game this week at Wake Prep Academy. The teams kick off at 7 p.m.

Friday. North Moore beat Wake Prep last year to even its record after losing the opener to Fike.

The Mustangs will look to repeat history this week.

Blaney wins second consecutive Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway The Team Penske driver overcame a big mistake by his pit crew The Associated Press LOUDON, N.H. — Ryan Blaney and his team wound up making the most of a major mistake at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The Team Penske star just needed a moment to vent on his team radio about a pit crew blunder before charging from 17th to first for his second consecutive NASCAR Cup Series win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

“Whenever I say those things after something bad happens, it’s my relief valve,” Blaney said about scolding his team with an expletive. “I have to get it out in the open, or I’ll be stewing over it a while. That’s how I have to get over things. I wish I wasn’t that way, but I’d rather it be that way than have it be in the back of my mind the rest of the race, not thinking of the main goal.

It takes me five or 10 seconds to move on.”

After shaking it off, Blaney recovered to lead the final 74 laps on the 1.058-mile oval, fending off runner-up Bubba Wallace by 0.586 seconds.

Josh Berry, who is trying to find a ride for the 2027 season, finished a season-best third, the fourth consecutive top 10 for the Wood Brothers Racing driver.

The top five was rounded out by Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson. Ryan Preece finished ninth and kept his Chase hopes alive by gaining 19 points on Shane van Gisbergen, who

STEVEN SENNE / AP PHOTO

Ryan Blaney spins the wheels of his car after winning Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race in Loudon, New Hampshire. finished 20th and remains in the 16th and final spot for the 10-race title run.

It’s the 20th career victory and third this season for Blaney, who led a race-high 115 of 301 laps. He had cruised to a big lead when a lug nut fell off the left-front tire of his No. 12 Ford during a pit stop under caution with 111 laps remaining.

The 2023 Cup Series champion picked his way through traffic and was back up to seventh when the yellow flag flew on the 226th lap for a three-car crash.

Crew chief Jonathan Hassler made an aggressive strategy call for two right-side tires, and Blaney gained six spots in the pits to retake first place.

Hassler said the error “maybe was a little bit of a blessing in disguise” because Blaney emerged several spots ahead of the contenders who took four tires. Of the top 12 finishers, Blaney was the only driver who took two tires on his last stop.

His crew struggled often on stops earlier this season, losing 128 spots in the pits, but has been better with three top-five

States pour taxpayer dollars into college sports as athlete pay, soaring costs squeeze budgets

finishes in the past six races.

“It’s really competitive on pit road, and if you’re going to have any speed, you’re going to have these sort of miscues,” Hassler said. “With the speed we’ve had, our goal has certainly been to eliminate those, even if we give up a little bit of speed to do that.

But it’s still going to happen to each of the best teams. We’re fortunate that we’re fast enough and up front enough that people take notice when that’s going to happen.”

NASCAR started the race on wet-weather tires after a midafternoon rain shower, but the track dried quickly, and drivers switched back to slick tires after 40 laps.

Points leader Denny Hamlin also rebounded from a pit stop miscue that dropped the Joe Gibbs Racing driver outside the top 15 with less than 100 laps remaining. Hamlin rallied for a seventh place that clinched the top seed for the Chase.

“We were just pedestrian today,” Hamlin said. “We just didn’t quite have it, but ultimately a decent crawl back.”

WIN OR LOSE, the UNC Tar Heels already will be in elite company when they kick off the college football season against Texas Christian University in a game played in Dublin. They will be among a small but growing number of athletic programs receiving taxpayer funding from their home states.

With universities competing to pay athletes millions of dollars, some states now are propping up their strained sports budgets in ways not previously seen. The state dollars aren’t going directly to star athletes. But by funding facilities and administrative costs normally borne by the schools, states are freeing universities to use their own dollars for other purposes.

The athletics program at UNC Chapel Hill, for the first time, is receiving $3 million earmarked from state sports betting taxes. Wisconsin lawmakers approved $15 million for athletic costs at the University of Wisconsin. And Connecticut and Louisiana also are using tax dollars to support college athletics. Even more states have considered it.

Sports business analysts see an emerging trend.

“Once one state provides that kind of assistance, schools in competing states can argue that they are being placed at a competitive disadvantage, which could create additional pressure on legislatures to respond,” said Daniel McIntosh, faculty director of the sports business program at Arizona State University.

NCAA rules long barred college athletes from getting paid by schools and boosters. But under pressure from lawsuits and states, the NCAA cleared the way in 2021 for athletes to receive money from private entities for the use of their name, image or likeness (NIL). Then a legal settlement last year allowed higher education institutions to directly pay athletes a total of about $20.5 million annually — on top of any scholarships and other NIL deals they receive.

That cap rose to $21.3 million for this school year and is set to rise again the following year.

Many mid-level programs cannot afford that much. But almost all NCAA Division I athletic programs are trying to generate more money to pay athletes in a bid to remain competitive with their peers.

At the same time, schools have been incurring greater costs for facilities, coaches’ salaries and travel amid conference realignments that discarded old geographic-based rivalries.

Over the past four years, athletic operating expenses at public Division I institutions shot up by nearly a third — notably outpacing revenue and running up deficits, according to an Associated Press analysis using the Knight-Newhouse College Athletics Database.

Federal legislation could drive athletic costs even higher The Protect College Sports Act, pending in the U.S. Senate, has been promoted as a way to put guardrails on college sports spending. But it could potentially allow even greater spending by schools.

The latest version would allow institutions to pay up to an additional $27.5 million annually to retain players on their rosters, pushing the overall athlete payment cap close to $50 million. The higher ceiling could reduce the demand for third-party NIL deals.

States routing money to schools in creative ways When North Carolina launched online sports wagering in 2024, it earmarked part of the tax revenue for athletic departments at 13 public universities. But the two largest institutions — UNC and NC State — were excluded.

That changed in July under a new state budget that raises the sports betting tax. Those two schools now are projected to receive $3 million each this year and $5.8 million next year.

In the meantime, Louisiana also hiked its sports wagering tax and earmarked about $2.2 million to each of its 11 public universities in conferences with Division I football programs.

Seeking to drum up athletic revenue, Connecticut lawmakers authorized the University of Connecticut to issue vouchers for state tax credits equal to half the amount of donations, sponsorships and licensing endorsements. The program generated $1.7 million in its first four months, according to a university report.

New Jersey’s new budget allots $5 million for “events attraction and marketing” at Rutgers’ flagship campus.

Lawmaker: Bad football team bad for state The Wisconsin budget provides $14.6 million for athletic facility debt payments at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and $200,000 each for the Milwaukee and Green Bay campuses.

“Having a bad football team, having uncompetitive college sports in general, would not be beneficial to our state, both culturally or economically,” state Rep. Alex Dallman said. “So we decided as a state we’d help out.”

JASON JACKSON FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

UNC cheerleaders lead the team onto the field for a home game last season.

B2 SIDELINE REPORT TRACK & FIELD

Simpson reveals rare heart condition caused collapse; will not return to running Boulder, Colo.

World champion runner Jenny Simpson revealed it was a rare heart condition that threw her into cardiac arrest at a race in June and that she will not return to running. The 39-year-old Simpson was diagnosed with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, which caused her heart to stop. Simpson was pacing a group of mile runners at an event in Raleigh when she collapsed. She underwent CPR at the track and an automated external defibrillator was also used before taking her to the hospital.

NCAA BASKETBALL

Jury says New York Times defamed Alabama basketball player Tuscaloosa, Ala. An Alabama jury found The New York Times defamed a college basketball player by incorrectly reporting he was at the scene of a fatal shooting.

Jurors awarded $9.25 million in damages. Kai Spears, who played for the University of Alabama men’s team, sued the Times in 2023 after it published a report that falsely indicated he was a passenger in a car involved in the shooting.

MLB

Diamondbacks star Marte moves to 10-day injured list after mysterious absence Phoenix Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte will be transferred to the 10-day injured list from the restricted list, three days after he failed to show up for a game in Boston. General manager Mike Hazen confirmed Marte will return once he’s healthy. The three-time All-Star traveled back to Phoenix for tests on his left knee last Tuesday. Manager Torey Lovullo said he has struggled to get information from the veteran slugger throughout the process.

NFL

Cowboys, Saints fined $500K apiece by NFL after brawl-filled joint practice Los Angeles The Dallas Cowboys and the New Orleans Saints were fined $500,000 apiece by the NFL after their brawl-filled joint practice. The league announced the fines after requesting video of the tumultuous workout at the Cowboys’ training camp base in Oxnard, California.

Players on both teams threw punches and helmets during several skirmishes throughout the joint practice, which was conducted in uncommonly hot, humid weather. A lowlight of the brouhaha was Saints tight end, and son of pro wrestler Scott Steiner, Brock Rechsteiner’s suplex of Cowboys safety Jalen Thompson.

North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

Busch shares emotional last moments with late brother Kurt Busch did an interview with “Today” about Kyle’s death The Associated Press NEW YORK — NASCAR Hall of Famer Kurt Busch wiped tears from his eyes in recalling the final day he spent at his younger brother’s hospital bedside in his first public comments about Kyle Busch’s death.

“I was at the hospital. I was there all day, hoping, praying, hoping for a turnaround,” Busch said in an interview on NBC’s “Today” show last Friday.

“I said, ‘I got you man. Come on, I got you. I got you. Come on, be strong,’” an emotional Busch added, before a brief pause. “It just wasn’t fair.”

The interview marked Busch’s first comments since Kyle Busch died May 21 after severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming complications.

Busch’s death at the age of 41 devastated the racing community and one of NASCAR’s most accomplished families.

The brothers were born in Las Vegas.

Kyle Busch won Cup Series championships in 2015 and 2019 for Joe Gibbs Racing, and he holds the record in winning 234 combined races across NASCAR’s top three national series. His older brother was a Cup champion in 2004 and inducted this year into the Hall of Fame.

In the interview, Busch out-

PHELAN M. EBENHACK / AP PHOTO

Kurt Busch, front, gets a hug from his brother, Kyle Busch, after announcing his retirement before a NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona in 2023. lined how his brother became increasingly ill while practicing in a simulator May 20. Asked by his crew chief whether he was OK, Busch responded no, and he was taken to a hospital by ambulance.

Kyle Busch initially believed he was dealing with a sinus cold while racing at Watkins Glen, New York, on May 10. He continued competing, including winning a Truck Series race at Dover, Delaware, less than a week before he died. Kurt Busch said their father, Tom Busch, chose not to be at the hospital in order to “remember him the way

he wanted to remember him.”

“There is no book, there is no outline on what we’re supposed to do right now,” Kurt Busch said, before recalling the on-track chemistry he had with his brother.

“Him and I were carbon copies of each other. We could speak on track without saying a word,” he said. “I miss the words we never spoke to each other, and the vibe that we had on track.”

Busch said he’s now mentoring his nephew, Kyle’s 11-year-old son Brexton, who has taken up racing.

“He’s a prodigy,” Busch said.

“He can be a big star in the world of motorsports. He’s 11, but he’s already racing like an 18-year-old.”

As for his brother’s legacy, Busch said the achievements speak for themselves.

“It’s already there. Winningest driver in NASCAR history in all the series,” Busch said.

“The tenacity that he had. It was every day, 24-7, to help people in the latter part of his career, to be a great father like he was,” he added. “It will all shine as time puts different things in spotlights.”

Hurricanes, who have never won ACC title, picked as league’s headliner in ‘26 The league is in a transition year as the schedule starts to expand

By Aaron Beard The Associated Press MARIO CRISTOBAL got Miami back inside the top 10

by Year 3 and within a victory of a national championship in his fourth. Yet the Hurricanes are still chasing a first Atlantic Coast Conference championship after more than two decades in the league.

His team is picked to accomplish that goal this year, which would put it right back in the mix for the College Football Playoff, too.

“We’ve had steady progress over the last four years,” Cristobal said. “It’s been due to the commitment and the level of just care of these players and their coaches.”

The seventh-ranked Hurricanes are the headliner, with Duke transfer quarterback Darian Mensah as the preseason player of the year and Miami claiming a third of the spots on the preseason all-conference team. That list includes Mark Fletcher Jr. (1,192 yards, 12 TDs) as last year’s top league rusher and versatile big-play receiving threat Malachi Toney.

Miami joined the league ahead of the 2004 season but has reached the ACC championship game just once (2017).

No. 19 SMU is the top challenger, with the Mustangs launching a Heisman Trophy push for veteran starting quarterback Kevin Jennings — who led them to the ACC title game and a CFP bid in 2024. No. 24 Louisville is next up after adding Ohio State transfer Lincoln Kienholz at quarterback to an offense featuring running back Isaac Brown, the ACC rookie of the year in 2024 who played nine games last year due to injury.

The league is transitioning to a nine-game football schedule to align with fellow power conferences. But the odd number of teams means there will be variables, with 12 teams playing nine games and five — Boston College, Clemson, Flor-

MARTA LAVANDIER / AP PHOTO

Miami head coach Mario Cristobal speaks following a team practice. ida State, Georgia Tech and UNC — staying at eight.

This will be a bridge year toward having 16 of 17 teams regularly playing nine games by 2027. The schedule concludes with the ACC title game Dec. 5 in Charlotte.

Clemson, Florida State try to return to elite status Clemson and Florida State have gone from ranking among the nation’s elite to also-ran status. It’s unclear whether either can change that trajectory.

Dabo Swinney’s Tigers won two national titles and eight ACC crowns between 2015-24 but slid to 7-6 last year for their worst record since 2010. Clemson was unranked in the preseason AP Top 25 for the first time since 2011.

“This year, ain’t none of y’all going to pick us,” Swinney told reporters in July.

Clemson is picked to finish fourth in the ACC, while FSU is picked 11th.

ACC finalists Duke, Virginia picked in league’s middle third Duke beat Virginia in last

year’s title game for its first outright ACC championship since 1962. Those finalists are picked in the ACC’s middle third.

Mensah’s transfer was the biggest hit for the Blue Devils, who also lost their top three receivers while having uncertainty as to who will fill leading defensive roles.

“I think people just went back to labeling us as the same old Duke just because of the people that walked out this door,” 1,100-yard rusher Nate Sheppard said. “But you have dudes walk out the door every year.”

The Cavaliers are coming off a breakthrough 11-win season under Tony Elliott after managing just 11 wins in his first three seasons combined.

The Cavs are picked to finish sixth, the Blue Devils 10th.

Notre Dame gets high-profile tests in ACC scheduling deal Notre Dame again has six games against ACC teams through its scheduling partnership with the league, with the football independent being a member of all other league sports. One stands out:

“This year, ain’t none of y’all going to pick us.”

Dabo Swinney, Clemson coach

a home game against Miami.

The Hurricanes visit Nov. 7 in a rematch of last year’s opener; Miami won that game to ultimately claim a CFP bid instead of Notre Dame.

Georgia Tech, Clemson make 1st cross-country ACC trips Clemson and Georgia Tech are making their first cross-country trips since the league expanded to add California, Stanford and SMU for a coast-to-coast footprint for the 2024 season. The Tigers are playing at California on Sept. 25, while the Yellow Jackets visit Stanford a day later.

Miami, NC State, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest are the other teams to touch all four U.S. continental time zones for a league game this year.

B3

North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

obituaries

Taylor Ann Gillespie

Paul Hunter Davis Jr.

Trevor Lee Diggs

Vicki Marion Comer

Claudette Thompson Viltz

Jan. 29, 1991 – Aug. 18, 2026

Dec. 23, 1937 – Aug. 19, 2026

Dec. 19, 1997 – Aug. 18, 2026

April 5, 1953 – Aug. 16, 2026

Jan. 11, 1932 – Aug. 18, 2026

Taylor Ann Gillespie, age 35, of Vass, passed away on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at FirstHealth Hospice House in Pinehurst, NC, surrounded by her loving family.

Taylor was born in Riverside, CA, on January 29, 1991, to Steven Gillespie and Ann Burkett.

She is survived by her husband, Jake Fowler; daughters, Riley Fowler and Skyler Fowler and father, Steven Gillespie.

Attorney Paul Davis Jr., 88, of Jackson Springs, NC, passed away on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at Pinhurst Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Pinehurst, NC.

Trevor Lee Diggs, 28, of Moore County passed away at his home on August 18, 2026. Born December 19, 1997, to Dianne Allred Jones and Lawrence Davis.

Trevor was a current employee of Sandhills Turf/Buy Sod in Candor.

Trevor lived a great life that was sadly cut short, but he will be remembered for his goofy smile, his sense of humor, his love of guns and diesel trucks, his big and tender heart and the love that he gave to all who knew him.

He was preceded in death by his grandmother Brenda C. Freeman of High Falls, grandfather Ed Davis of Star, honorary grandfather Darrell Cockman of Robbins, and his first cousin Darrin Wayne Allred of Robbins.

He is survived by his parents Frankie and Dianne Jones of Eagle Springs; Lawerence Davis and Lawanna Dunn of Star. His grandmothers Mary Alice Jones of Rockingham and Irene Davis of Star. His brothers Harley and Chase Davis of Eagle Springs. His sister Abigail Davis of Star. His great aunt and uncle Edna and David Stewart of Biscoe, who were more like his grandparents.

His other great aunts Freida Upchurch (Steve) of Robbins, Libby Garner (David) of Robbins.

His aunts and uncles Donna and Carl Smith of Robbins, Anthony Allred of Ether, Kim Davis of Star, Lorie Allred of Robbins, Wayne and Naomie Jones of Norman, Lewis Jones of Rockingham, Donna Crouch of Hamlet. His first cousins Ethan and Hailey Allred of Robbins. With special mention to his best friends Kevin Garner (Kaitlin) of Robbins, Dustin Roth, Dalton Craven, Jonathan Callicutt and Jaffari Whitaker.

He left behind a slew of friends and family that loved him dearly.

Visitation will be Saturday, August 22, 2026, at Kennedy Funeral Home in Robbins from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm A graveside service will be held on Sunday, August 23, 2026, at 3:00 pm, at the family cemetery, 393 Sings Creek Lane, Eagle Springs with William Willard Jr. officiating. We will be doing an old-fashioned service with horse and wagon. If anyone would like to walk behind the procession please come to 429 Sings Creek Lane, Eagle Springs by 2:45 pm. In honor of Trevor please do not dress in somber colors. We are to rejoice when a loved one goes home to be with our Lord and Savior, not mourn.

Friends and family will gather at the home of Frankie and Dianne Jones following the service.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the American Heart Association.

Vicki Marion Comer, age 73, of Cameron, passed away Sunday, August 16, 2026, at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill.

A native of Moore County, she was a daughter of the late Lewis Marion and Pansy Richardson Teague. Vicki worked and thoroughly enjoyed being a teacher’s assistant for Moore County Schools for many years.

She was an active member of Ephesus Baptist Church, where she sang in the choir, played handbells, and loved teaching at Vacation Bible School every summer. She played piano since childhood, and it brought her joy to play every Sunday for church services, especially the old gospel hymns. Vicki loved to read, cook (her family recipe of homemade “chewbread” was beloved), and was a whiz at crossword puzzles and playing Scrabble. She was compassionate, generous, and had the biggest heart for anyone who needed it, often putting others’ needs before her own.

She lived and loved deeply and wholeheartedly, especially in regard to her family and her faith.

She had written in her Bible that her life verse was Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God.” She was preceded in death by her husband, Ronnie Comer, and grandson, Joseph Hardin.

She is survived by her children, Russell Comer and wife Teena of Vass, Beverly Townsley and husband Jason of San Antonio, TX, Phillip Comer and his wife Kerri of Sanford, Amanda Comer of Knightdale; sister Kay Mitchell and husband Jim of Sanford; brother Alex Marion and wife Lisa of Vass; grandchildren Hannah, Jordan, Elijah, and Skylar.

The family will receive friends at Fry & Prickett Funeral Home on Friday, August 21, 2026, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. and other times at the home. A graveside service will be at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 23, 2026, at Cameron Church Cemetery with Pastor Mike Garner officiating.

Services are entrusted to Fry & Prickett Funeral Home.

Claudette Thompson Viltz affectionately known as Mimi, 94, of Pinehurst, North Carolina, passed away peacefully on August 18, 2026, surrounded by family.

Born on January 11, 1932, in Luthersville, Georgia, Claudette was the daughter of Ernest and Josephine Thompson. She spent most of her life in Atlanta, lived briefly in Florida, and eventually returned to her hometown of LaGrange, Georgia, before passing in North Carolina— leaving behind a life filled with love, roots, and quiet strength.

Claudette’s fun-loving and witty personality was everpresent. She was an avid writer, whether jotting thoughts in her journal, creating a poem, or writing to friends and family. She enjoyed bowling and proudly displayed her league trophy for earning a High Series Handicap.

She was also a talented seamstress who could sew and tailor just about anything she touched.

Claudette loved to travel, with Europe and Maine at the top of her list. As much as she enjoyed seeing new places, nothing delighted her more than cooking. She constantly discovered delicious new recipes that caught her eye and tempted her adventurous palate.

Above all, Claudette cherished her family and friends. She will be remembered for her charming, sunny demeanor, her quick wit, and her ability to talk for hours about every topic under the sun.

Claudette was preceded in death by her beloved parents, Ernest and Josephine Thompson, and her daughter, Kathie Gilpin.

She is survived by her son, Philip Goggans; daughter, Kristie Barksdale; 10 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; and 6 greatgreat-grandchildren.

A memorial service celebrating Claudette’s life will be held on September 5, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. at Peachtree Christian Church in Atlanta, Georgia.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the First Health Hospice Home in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Her warmth, strength, and devotion to her family will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who knew her.

Services are entrusted to Powell Funeral Home.

James Weldon Wicker Jr. Nov. 11, 1948 – Aug. 19, 2026 James Weldon Wicker Jr., age 77, peacefully went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at Peak Resources – Pinelake.

James was born in Lee County; he was a kind man who lived a humble life and made friends wherever he went.

A private burial will be held by his family at Creekside Community Cemetery.

Fry & Prickett Funeral Home is serving James’ family.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in NSJ at

obits@ northstatejournal.com

Antonio Lavette Trapp March 4, 1969 – Aug. 18, 2026 Mr. Antonio Lavette Trapp, 57, of Sanford, North Carolina, entered into eternal rest on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at Duke Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina.

Please keep the family and friends of Mr. Antonio Lavette Trapp in your thoughts and prayers.

Arrangements are entrusted to McLeod Funeral Home of Sanford, North Carolina.

Proudly supporting you every step of the way on your grief journey.

CONTACT

www.bolesfuneralhome.com Email: md@bolesfuneralhome.com Locations in: Southern Pines (910) 692-6262 | Pinehurst (910) 235-0366 | Seven Lakes (910) 673-7300

@BolesFuneralHomes

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North State Journal for Thursday, August 27, 2026

STATE & NATION

US, Canada fall deeper into trade war with new tariffs as talks collapse, blame spread The breakdown jeopardizes $880 billion in annual trade between two historic allies

By Paul Wiseman and Rob Gillies The Associated Press TORONTO — The United States and Canada, historic allies along an undefended border, fell deeper into a trade war Saturday marked by angry recriminations and new tariffs that are expected to raise prices for products in both countries.

Each side blamed the other for the collapse of negotiations in Washington, D.C., late Friday, leading the U.S. to impose 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods and Canada setting Sept. 8 as the start of its retaliatory penalties.

President Donald Trump’s import taxes will hit about 5% of what Canada ships to the United States every year, ranging from hockey sticks to tongue depressors. Prime Minister Carney said Ottawa would respond with targeted tariff protection for industries exposed to the new U.S. duties, including some steel products.

He also mentioned the dairy, appliance, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper, and electronics sectors.

No further talks were planned. Whatever the eventual outcome, a loss of trust seems one of the earliest casualties.

Carney accused Washington of using “economic integration as a weapon” and said “its signature was written in pencil.” Resorting to the language of battle, he said his country had been “attacked” by the new American tariffs. “You’re at war when you get attacked,” he said, adding that Canada had the reserves, resilience and plan to respond.

But to Trump’s chief trade negotiator, Jamieson Greer, the U.S. was compelled to act after a year of retaliation by its longtime partner.

“We’ve said enough, and so we’ve taken countermeasures.

Our interest is in protecting American workers and protecting American supply chains,” the U.S. trade representative told “Fox & Friends Weekend.”

Canada cites “unacceptable demands” as U.S. says it offered favorable terms Carney said Canada had been willing to drop remaining retaliatory tariffs on steel, aluminum and autos if the U.S. substantially lowered its own, and to encourage provinces to restore U.S. alcohol sales. But he said Washington’s final demands went too far. “They asked too much and offered too little,” Carney said.

Greer said the Republican

ADRIAN WYLD / THE CANADIAN PRESS VIA AP

Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, and President Donald Trump hold a press conference at the White House on Oct. 7, 2025.

“You’re at war when you get attacked.”

Mark Carney

NICK IWANYSHYN / THE CANADIAN PRESS VIA AP

Rolled coils of steel sit in the yard at the ArcelorMittal Dofasco steel plant in Hamilton, Ontario, last week. administration was offering to cut tariffs on steel, autos and lumber, “things that are sensitive for them. And they’ve always had the best deal, and they still would have an even better deal, but they didn’t want that.”

As a result, he said, “We’re moving forward with measures that respond to Canadian retaliation.”

Carney said the U.S. added last-minute terms that would have reduced tariff relief for Canadian-made vehicles, restricted Canada’s ability to strike trade deals with other countries and weakened protections for language, culture and sovereignty.

He said such demands were “unacceptable.”

The breakdown in negotiations marked a sharp reversal from two days earlier, when officials from the two countries sounded as if they were headed toward a compromise.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who leads Canada’s most populous province, praised Car-

ney for rejecting the deal, saying it would have hurt Ontario’s auto, steel and manufacturing sectors. Ford urged Canada to use “every tool in our toolbox” to fight the U.S. tariffs.

The moves also call into question the future of a North American trade agreement covering the United States, Canada and Mexico that is crucial to industry in all three countries.

Carney said the breakdown was “certainly not good news” for the review of that agreement and that the failed negotiations had given Canada “a new perspective” on what Washington wants from the broader economic relationship.

Typically cooperative alliance goes sour The political impact will likely be even bigger than the economic fallout. The countries sold each other $880 billion worth of goods and services last year.

The tariffs were initially sup-

posed to kick in at 12:01 a.m. last Wednesday. Trump extended the deadline for three days to allow talks to continue, but the countries could not reach an agreement in time.

The U.S. and Canada have wrangled for decades over trade, poking each other over sore spots such as Canadian softwood lumber imports and U.S. access to Canada’s protected dairy market.

Somehow, they still managed to remain friends, allies and trading partners. Canadian soldiers fought alongside Americans in Afghanistan after 9/11. The 5,525-mile U.S.-Canada border is undefended, and nearly 330,000 people and $2 billion worth of goods cross it every day; 800,000 Canadians live in the United States.

Trump’s approach to dealing with Canada marks an extraordinary departure from the traditionally cooperative relationship between the two countries.

Trump has imposed tariffs on Canadian goods in a push to bring manufacturing back to the United States and made inflammatory comments about turning Canada into America’s 51st state.

Carney said Canada had recognized that “America has changed” and that the two countries would “not return to our old relationship.”

Canadians, Americans frustrated The Canadian public is fed up. A petition to expel U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra, a

Trump ally, has collected nearly 248,000 signatures since July 21. It accuses the former Republican congressman from Michigan of having “normalized’’ Trump’s talk of annexing Canada, among other things.

The two countries had good reasons to find a compromise.

Nearly 72% of Canada’s goods exports last year went to the United States. The Trump administration might be wary of imposing new tariffs — paid

by U.S. importers who try to pass along the cost to consumers via higher prices — before the November midterm elections. American voters are already frustrated with the high cost of living.

“Both sides will be under immense pressure in the coming days to still find an off-ramp,” said Ryan Majerus, a partner at King & Spalding and a former U.S. trade official.

Joshua Bolten, CEO of the Business Roundtable, which represents leaders of major U.S. companies, warned the tariffs and retaliation risk “raising costs for American businesses and families” and disrupting vital supply chains, and urged both governments to resume negotiations.

Trump turned to Depression-era trade penalties Trump has made tariffs the centerpiece of his second-term economic agenda. Last year, he imposed double-digit import taxes on almost every country, justifying them by declaring the long-standing U.S. trade deficit a national emergency. The Supreme Court in February ruled that he had overstepped his authority. The justices struck down the trade penalties and set the stage for the federal government to pay refunds to importers.

So Trump has looked for other legal authority to justify tariffs.

For Canada, Trump invoked Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, a rarely used Depression-era provision allowing tariffs of up to 50% against countries deemed to discriminate against U.S. businesses.

The provision is part of the Smoot-Hawley tariff law, widely blamed by economists and historians for worsening the Great Depression by restricting global trade. Section 338 has never previously been used to impose tariffs.

The rift comes as the United States, Mexico and Canada are trying to renew a trade agreement that Trump negotiated in his first term and once praised as a triumph. The United States has begun formal talks with Mexico over revamping the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, known as USMCA. But talks with Canada have not begun and escalating trade conflict casts doubt on whether they will.

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