North State Journal Vol. 2, Issue 25

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VOLUME 2 ISSUE 25

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 2017

the good life Miss North Carolina celebrates 80 years

EAMON QUEENEY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

North Carolina Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, center, speaks during a press conference on the House and Senate budget compromise at the Legislative Building in Raleigh on June 19. The two bodies came together to make a deal on the $23 billion spending plan that includes raises for state employees and teachers. Votes on the budget are expected later this week.

the Wednesday

NEWS BRIEFING

State Department holds North Korea responsible for student death Cincinnati U.S. officials demanded Tuesday the release of three other U.S. citizens currently being held in North Korea prisons. The message came after student Otto Warmbier, who was imprisoned in North Korea for 17 months, died Monday in a Cincinnati hospital just days after being returned to the U.S. He had been in a coma for more than a year. U.S. officials say they and his family hold North Korea responsible for Warmbier’s death.

Death row inmate dies of natural causes Raleigh Death row inmate Malcolm Geddie, 70, died Sunday of natural causes at a Raleigh hospital, according to the N.C. Department of Public Safety. Geddie was convicted in Johnston County and sentenced to death for the 1994 robbery and shooting death of Reginald Dale Emory in Clayton. Geddie also received an additional sentence of 40 years for the robbery.

Health care, tax reform bills expected soon Washington, D.C. U.S. Senate leaders say they plan to have a revised health care bill before the body by the end of the week. They told reporters it takes a “different approach” than the House version. Democrats staged all-night speeches on the Senate floor Monday in protest of the process. White House economic adviser Gary Cohn also said Tuesday that congressional Republicans plan to have a tax reform bill ready by mid-September.

NORTH

STATE

JOURNaL ELEVATE THE CONVERSATION

SCOTUS strikes NC ban on sex offenders using social media

By Donna King North State Journal WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday struck down an N.C. law banning convicted sex offenders from Facebook and other social media services.

The court, in an 8-0 ruling, handed a victory to Lester Packingham, who is a registered sex offender due to a conviction for the statutory rape of a 13-year-old girl when he was 21. Packingham challenged the law as a violation of the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment guarantee of free speech.

“This case is one of the first this court has taken to address the relationship between the First Amendment and the modern Internet. As a result, the court must exercise extreme caution before suggesting that the First Amendment provides scant protection for access to vast networks in that medium,” Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote for the court.

See SUPREME COURT, page A3

RALEIGH — After only two weeks of closed door negotiations, Republican lawmakers introduced their state budget compromise on Monday and promptly passed it in the state Senate Tuesday. The $22.9 billion biennium budget appears to include significant personal and corporate tax cuts, incremental pay raises for teachers, and a large deposit into the state rainy day fund.

“I want to thank all those who worked really exceptionally hard, I think we have a really good relationship — we spent a lot of time together, know each other a little bit better, and we’re happy with the results,” House budget chair Nelson Dollar (R-Wake) said, followed by laughs from his colleagues, during a press conference Monday evening.

The quick compromise is a departure from the conference processes of years past. In 2015, for example, Senate and House leaders signed three continuing resolutions, drawing negotiations out for more than four months before adjourning in late September.

The full budget was posted around 11:30 p.m. Monday night.

The Senate passed the bill Tuesday evening, and the House should vote on it in the coming days. One week ahead of the fiscal year deadline, the Republican-led legislature

By Cory Lavalette North State Journal

Jones & Blount

$2.00

By Mollie Young North State Journal

Glyphosate is widely used by farmers who utilize pesticideresistant seed

William Barber banned from state legislative buidling

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Supreme Court decision against N.C. law banning sex offenders from using social media

Compromise includes teacher and state employee raises, 1 percent COLA increase, cuts pre-K waiting list, bolsters state reserves

EAMON QUEENEY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

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is ready to face a new governor that doesn’t share their enthusiasm for conservative budgeting.

“Last time I stood before you, I told you the General Assembly’s budget and Gov. [Roy] Cooper’s budget contain many of the same funding priorities — the same is true today,” said Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham). “In fact, I understand that he sent an email to his supporters over the weekend calling for a budget that spends more in education — this one does; more in health care — this one does; funds economic development — this one does; and funds public safety — this one does.”

Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) were said to have briefed the governor Monday night on their budget proposal in a private meeting at the Executive Mansion.

By Tuesday morning, Cooper blasted Republicans in a press conference. He stopped short of saying he would veto the proposal but called it the ”most fiscally irresponsible budget” he’d ever seen.

“This budget chooses tax breaks for the wealthy and corporation an short changes education and economic development,” said Cooper.

“It does pick winners and losers.

The wealthy win but the average middle class family loses.”

With or without the governor’s approval, lawmakers are seeking to make significant strides to reduce the taxpayer burden, offering around $530 million in both personal and business tax cuts this budget cycle. However, the vast majority of the changes will not go into effective until the end of the See BUDGET, page A2

Group’s classification of Roundup chemical as carcinogen tainted

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NC Senate passes nearly $23B budget, House vote expected soon

A detail look at Roundup weed and grass killer on the shelf at a hardware store in Raleigh on June 20.

RALEIGH — Nothing gets rid of that stubborn patch of grass in the crack in your driveway easier than a squirt or two of Roundup, but the active chemical that does the heavy lifting has far-ranging uses and has faced its share of criticism.

Glyphosate, discovered in 1970, has evolved into much more than a weekend weedkiller. Missouri-based Monsanto, along with other companies that utilize the world’s most-used pesticide, has developed genetically engineered seed that is resistant to the chemical, meaning farmers can spray fields with glyphosate, wiping out unwanted plants

without harming their crops.

“It’s certainly a popular product,” said Mitch Peele, senior director of public policy at North Carolina Farm Bureau.

But in 2015 the International Agency for Research on Cancer — known as IARC and part of the World Health Organization — determined glyphosate was a “probable human carcinogen” that could cause blood cancers.

However, those findings are now in question.

The rise in genetically modified seeds, called GMOs, has led to skepticism over their safety, helping usher in the billion-dollar organic food era that has often been marketed as Big Ag vs. small family farmers.

The classification by the IARC two years ago was a blow to Monsanto’s stance that glyphosate is safe, even though several other groups, including the U.S.’s Environmental Protection Agency, deemed it so.

See ROUNDUP, page A3

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 21, 2017

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06.21.17 #81

Trump to sign law cracking down on bad employees at Veterans Affairs Legislation is latest step toward reforming VA

By Donna King North State Journal

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North State Journal (USPS PP 166) (ISSN 2471-1365) Neal Robbins Publisher Donna King Managing Editor Drew Elliot Opinion Editor Will Brinson Sports Editor Published each Wednesday and Saturday by North State Media, LLC 819 W. Hargett Street, Raleigh, N.C. 27603 TO SUBSCRIBE: 866-458-7184 or online at nsjonline.com Annual Subscription Price: $100.00 Periodicals Postage Paid at Raleigh, N.C. and at additional mailing offices.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump is expected to sign legislation this week that makes it easier to fire employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill passed the U.S. Senate last week and is part of a focus of the Trump administration to reform the ailing agency.

“We’re going to make the VA great again and we’re going to do it by firing the corrupt and incompetent VA executives who let our veterans down,” Trump said at a campaign rally in front of battleship USS Wisconsin in Norfolk, Va. The bill, called the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, speeds the process and lowers the bar for firing a VA employee from a “preponderance” of evidence to “substantial” evidence of wrongdoing. Higher level officials within the organization would be held to a stricter standard. It would also forbid VA employees from getting bonuses or benefits for being relocated. Further, it puts a supervisor’s commitment to protecting whistleblowers on their performance evaluations.

“I recognize there are many good, hard-working people at our local VA hospitals — many of them are veterans themselves,” said Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), who supports the legislation. “It’s the unaccountable bureaucracy that hurts veterans and makes it impossible for them to get the timely care and benefits they deserve. What’s more, VA employees who are responsible for the backlogs, lying or manipulating wait times aren’t held accountable. Only in Washington would it take an act of Congress to fire employees who aren’t doing their jobs, and today we’re getting it done.”

On Tuesday at a breakfast in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor, Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin pushed back on speculation that the measure was a step toward privatizing the VA or erosion of federal worker protections. He did say, however, that the agency

EAMON QUEENEY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin speaks during a press conference after touring the Durham VA Medical Center in Durham.

will be looking more to the private sector for new hires.

“This is not a move towards privatization,” said Shulkin. “This is doing what is right by our veterans. ... If I am going to change this organization, the ability to remove the employees that clearly in my view no longer should have the privilege of serving our veterans take a different path.”

Shulkin visited Durham’s veteran’s hospital in April, just a day after Trump issued an executive order that created the Office of Accountability and Whistleblower Protection within the VA. The EO ordered the review of disciplinary and other processes that critics say led to the problems within the agency.

The focus follows years of reported misconduct within the VA. In 2014, at least 35 veterans died while waiting for appointments at the VA Hospital in Phoenix, sparking an investigation that uncovered mishandled paperwork and efforts to cover up the problems.

In a briefing on the state of the department last month, Shulkin, who served as undersecretary of Veterans Affairs for Health in the Obama administration, said that veterans’ access to medical care had improved significantly since the scandal over wait times, but said he needed a law that would let him respond more quickly to employee misconduct.

“We currently have 1,500 disciplinary actions that are pending, meaning people that either need to

be fired, demoted (or) suspended without pay for violating our core values,” Shulkin told reporters.

“Our accountability processes are clearly broken. We have to wait more than a month to fire a psychiatrist who was caught on camera watching pornography using his iPad while seeing a veteran,” Shulkin said.

A VA news release on March 31 said an internal review recommended that the person be dismissed, but the previous law required a 30-day waiting period before a final decision can be carried out. It said the psychiatrist was removed from patient care and placed on administrative duties.

“We need new accountability legislation, and we need that now,” Shulkin said.

In a case in Puerto Rico, he said, the department was forced to take back an employee who had been convicted of driving under the influence several times and had served a 60-day jail term.

Shulkin also warned that Veterans Affairs computer systems needed modernization and buildings were falling into disrepair, needing more than $18 billion worth of work. VA buildings on average are 60 years old and include 449 from the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. He said 591 others are from the World War I era.

The VA spends $25 million a year maintaining 400 vacant buildings and 735 underutilized facilities, Shulkin said.

Explosion in tattooing, piercing tests state regulators State legislators and health officials across the country are trying to keep up with the growing popularity and evolving trends of body art

An outdoor view of Mad Ethel’s Tattoo in downtown Raleigh on June 20.

By Marsha Mercer Reuters RALEIGH — Anyone who goes into a tattoo parlor in N.C. can be assured that it has a permit from the state health department and that inspectors have checked the premises for safe and sanitary conditions.

But go for a body piercing in the Tarheel State and there’s no such protection. A state law, approved in the 1990s, regulates tattoos but doesn’t apply to other forms of body art.

“Most people think it’s all regulated,” said state Rep. Kevin Corbin (R-Cherokee). “But we found out there’s no law on the books.”

N.C. is not alone. State legislators and health officials across the country are trying to keep up with the growing popularity and evolving trends of body art.

Health officials worry that unregulated body art studios may not follow safe practices, which can lead to scarring, nerve damage and infections, including hepatitis C, the leading cause of liver cancer in the U.S. “The body art industry is much more nimble than the government,” said Doug Farquhar, who tracks body art legislation in the states as the director of environmental health for the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Nearly four in 10 people born after 1980 have a tattoo and one in four have a piercing some place other than an earlobe, the Pew Research Center has reported.

Besides tattoos and pierced navels, today’s self-expression through body art may include branding, scarification (scratching, etching or cutting to produce a design in the skin), or subdermal implants (placing objects under the skin for ornamentation).

Nearly every state has some type of body art law, but laws vary widely.

EAMON QUEENEY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Most states do agree on one thing: age limits. At least 45 states prohibit minors from getting tattoos, and 38 states prohibit body piercing and tattooing minors without parental permission, according to NCSL. In the last four years, states have considered 167 bills on body art and tattooing, and 33 have become law, Farquhar said.

Oregon, for example, extensively rewrote its tattooing regulations in 2012, updated them last year, and in January clarified that “microblading,” in which a practitioner uses fine needles and pigment to create eyebrow hairs, is tattooing and not an esthetic, or cosmetic, practice.

Oregon requires practitioners to have hundreds of hours of training and pass written exams before being licensed for specific types of body art. Georgia is among states that do not regulate or certify the body art industry, but most Georgia counties have adopted ordinances.

Maryland does not license body artists, though it requires them to use sterile instruments, wash their hands, wear disposable gloves during procedures, and cleanse customers’ skin. They also must maintain three years of customer

records and make them available to health officers if requested.

But some Maryland localities, such as Baltimore, do require licenses. In Nevada, which has no state body art regulations, local ordinances, such as in Las Vegas’ Clark County, prevail.

North Carolina is one of at least six states considering body art legislation this year. Corbin co-sponsored a bill updating the tattoo law to include other types of body art.

It passed the state House in April and is under consideration in the Senate.

The sharp increase in hepatitis C cases in the last few years has intensified states’ concern about sterile and sanitized needles and equipment and associated health and safety training.

The number of new hepatitis C infections in the United States tripled between 2010 and 2015, to more than 2,400, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported last month. The CDC blames the increase on the rise of injection drug use associated with the opioid epidemic and says major research studies have not shown hepatitis C to be spread through licensed, commercial tattooing facilities.

“However,” the CDC said, “transmission of hepatitis C (and other infectious diseases) is possible when poor infection-control practices are used during tattooing or piercing.”

Corbin was a Macon County commissioner last year and a candidate for the North Carolina state legislature when he heard from his county health officers about the rising rate of hepatitis C and the gap in state law regulating body art.

Macon County environmental health specialist Jonathan Fouts explained his frustration inspecting a tattoo shop: “Usually beside the tattoo room is the piercing room. I felt like I was only doing half of what I should be doing, since I couldn’t say anything about the piercings and needles.”

Corbin took the problem to the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, which made a body art bill a legislative priority. Then the freshman representative took the issue to Raleigh.

“I don’t personally have any piercings and I don’t plan to have any, but if someone wants to have them, more power to them,” Corbin said. “We want them to be safe.”

The bill is currently in the Senate Rules Committee.

BUDGET from page A1 decade.

Effective Jan. 1, 2019, the personal income tax will drop from 5.499 to 5.25 percent.

On the same timeline, lawmakers will increase the standard deduction — allowing North Carolinians to write off more of their earned income.

Married filing jointly taxpayers and surviving spouses will see a jump from $17,500 to $20,000, heads of household from $14,000 to $15,000, and single and married filing separately taxpayers from $8,750 to $10,000.

Another change will come in the form of child care relief, as lawmakers have moved from a tax credit to a deduction. Parents making up to $120,000 a year will be able to include child care expenses as part of their tax-free income, with the highest potential at $2,500 for families earning $40,000 a year.

With the average household income in N.C. hovering around $47,800 a year, this would mean most families will be able to deduct close to half their taxable income once these changes go into effect.

Piggybacking on the economic success of the last few years, Republicans continue to move toward imposing zero taxes on corporations that set up shop in the state.

Also effective Jan. 1, 2019, the

In Education $100 million from lottery funds for public school buildings in rural counties $11 million more for textbooks and digital resources $27 million for 3,525 new prekindergarten slots $3 million in scholarships for special needs students, plus an increase in Opportunity Scholarship funding

corporate income tax will be reduced from 3.0 to 2.5 percent.

The budget also simplifies and reduces the franchise tax by cutting what is effectively a statewide property tax on small businesses and creating a flat $200 tax on the first $1 million of a business’s net worth.

Also, $4 million in additional funding will go toward tourism, domestic and international advertising to promote economic development in North Carolina. Another $4 million will go toward bolstering revitalization grants to help towns and cities across the state restore property attractive to businesses.

The only tax changes that will occur in 2018 involve business-to-business transactions, including repealing the mill machinery purchasing tax and offering a sales tax exemption to businesses looking to set up large warehouses in the state.

“In the 21st century, fulfillment centers are a key component to economic development, and create hundreds of jobs,” House Finance Committee Cochair Rep. John Szoka (R-Cumberland) said in a statement.

“Increasing our competitive advantage in the region with a lower corporate tax rate will play a significant role in the years to come.”

The proposed teacher pay scale appears to closely resemble the House version, awarding almost all intermediate through veteran career levels increases of some size. Teachers with 17 to 24 years of experience will see the biggest bump; however, starting teachers — who have received the most attention from the legislature in the past couple of years — will not see a pay increase at all.

On average, teachers will see a 9.2 percent pay raise over the next two years, while principals can expect an average 8.6 percent increase and assistant principals a 13.4 percent increase.

Lawmakers will also bolster state reserves with a $363 million deposit into the state rainy day fund, bringing the grand total to $1.838 billion — accounting for an unprecedented 8.2 percent of the total state budget.

An additional $125 million will be set aside to manage vital repairs and renovations to stateowned and university buildings.

The budget also includes Raise the Age legislation, paving the way for 16- and 17-year-olds to be tried as juveniles by Dec. 1, 2019. As a result, lawmakers included in the budget funding for more assistant district attorneys and $13.5 million toward new youth detention center.

The 2017 plan is a 3 percent increase over the base budget.

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 21, 2017 SUPREME COURT from page A1

EAMON QUEENEY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Marvin Wright poses for a photograph in his home in Pinetops, N.C., wearing his cap and gown from his recent graduation at Southwest Edgecombe High School on June 20.

Student denied diploma over speech disappointed but ready to move on Edgecombe County superintendent responds, investigates principal

By Donna King North State Journal RALEIGH — Graduation is supposed to be a day full of celebration and excitement, but for one Edgecombe County senior it included embarrassment and disappointment.

Marvin Wright has made headlines both nationally and internationally as the senior class president who chose to read a speech he wrote himself versus a school provided one on graduation day.

Wright reflected on his four years at Southwest Edgecombe High School as “pretty good years.”

“It was a great high school experience,” said Wright.

Wright played sports, was a member of the Spanish and Science Clubs as well as Future Business Leaders of America, and named prom king. He achieved grades of A’s and B’s while working two jobs.

“I wasn’t given any rules for my speech, instructions on length or content,” he said. “I went online to research speeches, lengths and topics to help me prepare.”

At graduation practice, held several hours before graduation on June 9, Wright learned he needed to read a speech prepared for him by the school administration rather than his own.

As he waited with his class before their formal walk into the ceremony, Wright was encouraged to give his own speech.

Wright texted his mother for advice.

“I wanted him to feel comfortable and confident, and to follow his heart,” said Jokita Wright.

Her son decided to pull out his cell phone and read the speech from his phone. As he did, and shown in the video of his presentation circulating social me-

dia, Principal Craig Harris and senior adviser Shelton Langley are seen whispering in the background.

“I heard them whispering behind me, but I continued on,” said Wright. “After graduation was over, all the graduates went to pick up our packets containing our diploma, final transcript and report card.

“There wasn’t one for me. I was told Mr. Harris pulled my diploma and wanted to see me, but he had already left,” he continued.

“His truck was still outside in the parking lot and another teacher told me he was in his office.”

“I was very upset. Our whole family was upset. ... We didn’t even take pictures after the ceremony,” said Jokita.

On Sunday afternoon, Harris called and came by to deliver a diploma to Wright.

“There wasn’t a conversation or an ‘I’m sorry.’ It was just, ‘The superintendent sent me to deliver your diploma,’” said Jokita.

Wright added that Edgecombe County Superintendent John Farrelly and Assistant Superintendent Marc Whichard jointly called Wright to issue an apology and compliment him on his speech, but said no reasoning for withholding the diploma was given.

An open letter by Farrelly appeared June 18 on the Dancy Communications Network Blog in which he offered three facts related to the June 9 graduation.

“The valedictorian and salutatorian are the only two individuals who were asked to write a speech, sign an agreement and had a ‘deadline,’” wrote Farrelly. “There were several speakers that were provided scripts.

The scripts were developed so that students could be involved in various roles in the program.

This has been customary for several years at SWEHS. “There was a violation of school rules during the ceremony. Following the ceremony, a student revealed via social media

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that their diploma was withheld after the ceremony,” Farrelly continued. “When a student violates school rules, consequences are almost always assigned. This situation was unique in that there was not an opportunity to assign traditional consequences because it’s obviously the last day of the students (sic) K-12 tenure. Thus, a decision was made to withhold an individual’s diploma.

“The student earned the right to receive the diploma. In my opinion, what should have happened was a private conference with the student/family to address the rules violation and share disappointment in not following school expectations. Withholding the diploma was not the proper step. Once I found out that the diploma was withheld, I asked stakeholders to setup an immediate appointment with the family to discuss the rules violation and to provide the student with the diploma. I did apologize to the family and student on behalf of the school because I felt that the situation was mishandled. It’s not the first time that I have apologized to stakeholders on behalf of the district. If we have erred, then I believe we have a responsibility to own it.”

The Edgecombe County school system did not respond to calls and messages asking to confirm the veracity of the letter.

In the two weeks since, Harris has been suspended with pay

by Edgecombe County Public Schools as an investigation into his handling of the diploma is underway.

The Wright family is choosing to move forward following this situation and is grateful for the support that had flooded in from around the country.

“I’m glad he received his diploma, but he was robbed of this special time,” said Jokita.

“I choose to stand up for what I believe in and I appreciate everyone supporting me and sharing my story,” said Wright.

The 2008 N.C. law made it a felony for people on the state’s sex offender registry to use online services that can lead to social interactions with minors. It banned the use of leading social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter among others. The case forced the justices to weigh free speech rights of sex offenders against a state’s interest in protecting its citizens, specifically from sexual abuse of minors.

The state said the law came out of concern that convicted sex offenders would use such social media platforms to anonymously gather information about minors and identify future victims.

Opponents had raised concerns that the measure could be interpreted as covering other online activity, including some news sites, in which users must create profiles and can interact with other users.

“By prohibiting sex offenders from using those websites, North Carolina with one broad stroke bars access to what for many are the principal sources for knowing current events, checking ads for employment, speaking and listening in the modern public square and otherwise exploring the vast realms of human thought and knowledge,” Kennedy wrote.

Packingham was on N.C.’s sex offender list because of his 2002 statutory rape conviction but was then convicted in 2010 of violating the statute banning registered sex offenders from using some social media outlets when he posted a message on Facebook expressing his surprise at a traffic citation against him being dismissed.

The N.C. law did not require proof that the registered sex offender in-

ROUNDUP from page A1 Lawsuits like a 184-plaintiff case in California claim the product causes cancer, and the IARC’s labeling of glyphosate as a carcinogen gave footing to critics.

However, last week Reuters published a story revealing an epidemiologist from the National Cancer Institute knew years-old research determined glyphosate showed no evidence of causing cancer, but the results were not published and therefore not considered when he met with the IARC about the chemical.

That research came from the Agricultural Health Study, which has followed more than 89,000 farmers and their spouses in North Carolina and Iowa who have participated in the research since 1993. It has found links to non-Hodgkin lymphoma in farmers who used certain chemicals, but not when using glyphosate, according to a March deposition by Aaron Blair, the scientist who met with the IARC without presenting the findings.

A 2006 update from the study found spouses of farmers had slightly less incidence of breast cancer compared to other women in North Carolina and Iowa, and the chemical most used by them was glyphosate. A 2009 update did show women have a higher risk of asthma with allergies if they used several pesticides, including glyphosate.

“It’s a long-term study where they’ve looked at people, actual farmers,” Peele said. “So it’s real-world data, so that’s always good when you have real-world data that you can cite in those type of studies.”

Peele was also quick to point out the IARC’s classification of glyphosate as a “probable carcinogen” —

A3 tended to use a particular social media service for an illegal purpose. It also exempted chatrooms and photo sharing sites. The N.C. Supreme Court sided with the state on the issue saying the inconvenience imposed on registered sex offenders did not outweigh the concern to protect potential victims from online predators.

Packingham was convicted of violating the law after local police saw the Facebook post he wrote upon avoiding a traffic citation. “Praise be to GOD. WOW! Thanks JESUS,” he wrote.

During February’s argument in the case, Justice Elena Kagan mentioned Donald Trump’s Twitter feed as an example of how social media has become indispensable in the political sphere.

Eight justices were unanimous in their ruling; Justice Neil Gorsuch joined the court after arguments in the case took place, so he did not join in the opinion.

However, Justices Alito, Roberts and Thomas did not sign on to Kennedy’s opinion saying that some of its language was too sweeping, indicating a more targeted ban on social media for sex offenders may be well-received by the high court.

Monday’s decision is one of 17 expected to come from the court this week on closely watched cases ranging from free speech to religious liberties and if constitutional rights extend to illegal aliens. Justices released several Monday and are scheduled to release more June 26.

With the addition of Gorsuch to the bench, cases that are tied 4-4 among the eight justices serving after the death of Justice Antonin Scalia last year could be scheduled for a new hearing next year with Gorsuch breaking the tie.

even before the revelations about Blair’s deposition — represented just one opinion of many, with most determining the chemical was safe.

“When you’ve got EPA and several other regulatory bodies here in the U.S. that are doing that sort of thing already, if they had come out in addition to this international body under the World Health Organization, then I think that’s something entirely different,” he said. “But this is just one out of several that are looking at that and I think you have to look at things in totality.”

At this juncture, that totality points to glyphosate as safe and the IARC’s determination as an outlier, especially after the recent revelations about the Agricultural Health Study’s unpublished findings.

“I don’t know what the policy is for the IARC going back and reviewing data based on new information,” Peele said. “So maybe that will take place and maybe they will come to the findings of so many other regulatory bodies like the EPA, the European Food Safety Authority and this European Chemicals Agency and others and agree that it should not be classified as a probable carcinogen.”

Glyphosate’s use — in your driveway and in farms across the world — has more than doubled in the last decade compared to the previous decade, so research like the ongoing Agricultural Health Study will continue to look at how the chemical impacts the health of now older farmers.

“Farmers need critical crop-protection tools, so we’ve been supportive of those efforts,” Peele said. “But we have also said all along we want to make sure the products they’re using are safe and have gone through all the regulatory checks and balances and all.”

Helping farmers grow with technology www.vantagesouthatlantic.com

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 21, 2017

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North State Journal for Wednesday, June 21, 2017

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State to test Cape Fear River for GenX chemical

By Donna King North State Journal RALEIGH — The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality announced Monday that it will begin testing water in 13 spots along the Cape Fear River this week and continue for the next three weeks. Regulators are looking for a chemical compound called GenX, a byproduct in the production of nonstick coatings, food packaging, electronics and firefighting foam. They will collect water samples from the lower Cape Fear River, at the Chemours plant near Fayetteville, at the International Paper intake and finished water supply, and other spots in Pender, Bladen and Brunswick counties.

The testing comes after a report presented by researchers at NC State University and other institutions last year that found low

A summertime favorite Come summer, grocery stores, farmers markets and possibly your own backyard garden is bursting with fresh, juicy tomatoes. Its use as food originated in Mexico, and from heirloom to cherry, the tomato is used in a variety of ways; from making fresh salsa, adding flavor to a sandwich, topping on a salad, or eating it straight up in thick slices with a pinch of sea salt. In North Carolina, the tomato is a warm season crop and commonly grown for production from June to November.

The two major production areas in North Carolina include the western region and the Piedmont with production scattered throughout the coastal plain.

west

2 families, dog rescued from river

Driver could face charges in fatal wreck Transylvania County According to a N.C. Highway Patrol trooper, the driver of a single-vehicle accident that killed two teens Sunday could face charges. The accident occurred on Tanasee Gap Road in Balsam Grove. Three people were in the truck bed of the older model Toyota Tacoma with two in the front.

The driver was allegedly speeding, lost control around a curve, overcorrected and overturned. The two fatalities included Cole Owen, who had just completed ninth grade, and Austin Rhoden, a rising ninth-grader. Owen was in the front passenger seat and not wearing a seatbelt. Rhoden was thrown from the bed of the truck during the accident.

Catawba County Members of the Pedro and Gomez families had to be rescued from the Catawba River Wednesday morning after the river’s access wheels turned on, leaving them stranded with five children and a dog. Upon realization of rising water, Magdelan Gomez was able to bring two children safely back to land and bystander Destiny Good called for help. Good entered the river herself to help rescue the children while waiting on the arrival of Burke County EMS and the Burke County Rescue Squad. Rescue workers used life jackets and ropes to retrieve the two remaining children and the dog.

Both parents said they had no prior knowledge the river’s wheels were going to turn on.

Hickory Daily Record

Asheville Citizen-Times

Hayesville woman accused of impersonating lawyer

Country club burns down Jackson County The Country Club of Sapphire Valley burned down Monday night in a fire started by a propane leak. Blue Ridge Public Safety said an employee hit an outside propane tank with a golf cart causing the tank to leak. The tank was ignited causing it to explode.

Authorities ruled the fire as accidental with no injuries reported, but the country club appears to be a total loss.

WLOS

Clay County Melissa Sue Arrendale of Hayesville was arrested in Towns County, Ga., after authorities said she pretended to be a lawyer at the Towns County Detention Center. The sheriff’s office reported Arrendale had been under investigation for months. Her charges include forgery, making false statements and writings, and practicing law without a license.

Towns County is 100 miles northeast of Atlanta.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Cooper meets at White House for Trump’s opioid commission

N.C. counties with tomato farms

Did you know?

N.C. counties without tomato farms

Tomatoes are high in lycopene, an antioxidant beneficial for heart health and effective against certain cancers. Cooked tomatoes are actually more beneficial than raw tomatoes as more chemicals are released.

By Brian Shurney North State Journal

PIEDMONT Authorities work to find escaped inmate Davidson County Authorities are currently trying to track down escaped inmate Benjamin Lee Small after he assaulted a female guard and ran from officers. Small was being held ahead of a court appearance next month for charges that include felony breaking and entering. Small is 5-foot-1, weighs around 135 pounds and is regarded as dangerous. He has brown hair, hazel eyes, fair skin and tattoos on both arms. The injured guard is currently recovering in the hospital from her injuries.

EAST

Family sues U.S. National Whitewater Center Mecklenburg County The family of Lauren Seitz has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the U.S. National Whitewater Center. Seitz died last summer after contracting meningoencephalitis, caused by the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri.

The lawsuit claims Seitz contracted the amoeba after being thrown overboard while whitewater rafting at the park. The family is seeking punitive damages of more than $1 million and the lawsuit claims the center failed to properly chlorinate the water, regulate temperature and warn visitors of the possible danger.

Board says no to taller hotels

Cut fiber leads to widespread outages Onslow County / New Hanover County / Bladen County Residents in New Bern, Jacksonville and Wilmington experienced widespread cable and cell phone outages Monday after a cut fiber led to Verizon, Spectrum and AT&T customers experiencing massive outages. Many were unable to make calls, use cell phones, process credit card transactions or get online. The issue was resolved by the end of the day.

WWAY3

WWMT / U.S. News & World Report WRAL

UNC Chapel Hill gets $1 million Orange County UNC Chapel Hill announced Monday it had received $1 million in money and honors from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation for enrolling and graduating low-income students.

Chancellor Carol Folt said the university plans to raise another $1 million from combined funds and private donors. Currently, the school provides debt-free financial aid for its lowest income students.

Associated Press

Red wolf pups returned to habitat Durham County Three rare red wolf pups have been returned to their habit at the Durham Museum of Life and Science’s after three of the four 7-week-old pups escaped. The pups departure was discovered Monday morning and staff believe they might have exited through a small space in the enclosure gate or a large opening in the enclosure fence.

Two pups were found Monday, and the third was found Tuesday afternoon.

WRAL

Dare County During a June 12 meeting, Kill Devil Hills commissioners unanimously voted down a request to allow oceanfront hotels an additional eight feet of height. At a public hearing, 10 out of a dozen speakers spoke against the proposal, and commissioners reported multiple emails and general backlash from the community. The planning board and staff also recommended a vote against. Zoning on the west side of N.C. 12 allows heights up to 50 feet.

The last hotel built in Kill Devil Hills was in 1988, before the limit was in place. Since then, about 1,000 houses have been built with the most recent 25 averaging around 14 bedrooms.

Outer Banks Voice

Emerald Isle says swimming is a no-go Carteret County In 10 days, four deaths and 80 incidents have occurred along Emerald Isle beaches due to strong rip currents.

Monday morning, the town put out a warning advising beachgoers to stay out of the water. Town Manager Frank Rush said the warning is for the entire 12-mile stretch of beach and remains in effect until further notice.

Almost simultaneously, the Emerald Isle Police Department announced the teenage swimmer who was rescued and hospitalized last week had died. The town is hosting multiple information sessions on the dangers of rip currents.

ABC12

levels of GenX in a concentration of 4,500 ppt (parts per trillion) in the Cape Fear River. The data used in the study was from water samples taken in 2013 and 2014.

The Environmental Protection Agency does not have any drinking water standards currently for this class of chemical. However, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, a two-year chronic toxicity and cancer study with rats was performed and determined no toxic effect of GenX. N.C. DHHS released a statement June 12, stating that “Based upon these data, the GenX levels detected in 2013-2014 would be expected to pose a low risk to human health.”

The new water samples taken by DEQ staff are being sent to a lab in Colorado and to the EPA lab in Research Triangle Park. he Colorado lab’s results are expected back within four weeks.

RALEIGH. — Gov. Roy Cooper went to the White House last week for the first meeting of President Donald Trump’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, a group established in March by executive order. Cooper, as a member of the commission, pushed for federal spending and new efforts to target illegal drug trafficking.

This commission meets at a desperate time for N.C. as opioid deaths have increased 265 percent statewide since 2000 and heroin deaths have increased 800 percent according to the state’s Department of Health and Human Services. There have been almost 10,000 deaths from these drugs in North Carolina since 1999.

“We can’t arrest our way out of the opioid crisis,” Cooper said. “Too many people are going through a revolving door of emergency rooms into prison.”

During the meeting, Cooper recommended that the federal government

NAACP president Barber banned from NC Legislative Building

By Mollie Young North State Journal

Whale washes up on N.C. coast Carteret County An 18-foot-long Cuvier’s beaked whale washed onto the beach Monday at Fort Macon State Park. While it is the most commonly sighted of the beaked whales, the species is usually found in the deep sea often at depths of 1,000 feet or more. Scientists planned a necropsy on the whale, which did not show any signs of trauma, to determine the cause of death but said results could take months.

Carteret County News-Times

should work to stop fentanyl and similar opioids from coming into the country by stopping drug kingpins and traffickers.

He praised law enforcement who practice diversion, a tactic where people with minor drug offenses have the opportunity to complete a course instead of going through a typical court process.

He also urged that pharmaceutical companies make drugs that are more “tamper-resistant” as well as finding drugs that are not as addictive as many current opioids are.

The North Carolina budget compromise proposed by the Senate and House Monday night included $10 million to support opioid and substance abuse treatments centers.

The commission is chaired by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and also includes Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, former congressman Patrick Kennedy, Harvard professor Dr. Bertha Madras and Cooper.

In the meeting, nine different experts in treatment, prevention and education testified and were then questioned by the commission members.

RALEIGH — The Rev. William Barber, the current North Carolina NAACP president, has been banned from entering the N.C. Legislative Building after his latest arrest there during an act of civil disobedience on May 30.

Barber was arrested along with 31 other protesters during a sit-in demanding that the state expand Medicaid coverage. After refusing to clear the hallways around Senate leadership offices or quiet down during legislative session, Barber was handcuffed with zip ties and led out of the building by N.C. General Assembly Police. The entire group was charged with second-degree trespassing.

The ban, which only includes the inside of the building but not the General Assembly

grounds, was a condition of the protesters’ release set by a Wake County magistrate.

However, it is unclear whether the ban will remain permanent. In 2013, a similar order on arrested protesters was thrown out.

Elected to head the N.C. chapter in 2005, Barber has helped organize “Moral Monday” protests at the General Assembly for the last decade — drawing progressives to Raleigh for issues as wide ranged as voter ID laws, fracking and House Bill 2. He and other supporters have been arrested several times for failing to obey building and loitering laws.

The ban comes just weeks before Barber will step down as head of the organization to kickstart a 20-state poor people’s campaign.

The NAACP says he will remain on their national board of directors, and he will continue to serve as pastor of Greenleaf Christian Church in Goldsboro.

Farm Facts

#4

1,496

North Carolina ranks fourth in the nation for fresh-market tomato production.

In 2012, North Carolina counted 1,496 farms growing tomatoes.

$47M In 2015, North Carolina’s fresh-market tomatoes earned the state $47.05 million.

To learn more about North Carolina tomatoes visit www.ncfarmfresh.com

3,464 According to the most recent Census of Agriculture, N.C. harvested 3,464 acres of tomatoes for fresh market in 2012.

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 21, 2017

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north STATEment Neal Robbins, publisher | Drew Elliot, opinion editor | Ray Nothstine, deputy opinion editor

Visual Voices

EDITORIAL | Drew Elliot

Term limits for legislators? Fine, but here’s a better idea As we discuss limiting those in the legislative branch, we should not ignore a much less accountable group of public servants.

North Carolina voters may soon be asked whether limiting terms of office for politicians is a good idea. It’s certainly not a new idea.

The National Conference of State Legislatures reports that 15 states have laws that set limits on the time state legislators can serve. These term limits vary from eight to 16 years, and some are consecutive limits while others are lifetime limits. States on the list with term limits vary greatly from each other, from Maine to California and from Louisiana to Ohio. But it’s fair to say that there does not seems to be a strong correlation between term limits and clean government. Or efficient government. Or strong economic performance.

Perhaps that is why the term-limit movement has fizzled: all the laws limiting service were passed from 1990-2000, and two legislatures, Idaho (2002) and Utah (2003), have repealed their term-limiting laws.

But the move to set term limits in the Old North State has a twist. The bill putting a constitutional amendment on the 2018 ballot would limit only the leadership terms for the two chambers. The speaker of the House and the president pro tempore of the Senate would be able to serve no more than four consecutive two-year terms as leaders. They could continue to serve in the General Assembly, just not in the top spot.

Sponsors say that the effect would be to make leadership less of a governing cabal and more responsive to the elected representatives as a body.

In the House, new speakers are the norm. In the latter half of the 20th century, there have been 19 different speakers elected, with only five of those serving more than two sessions.

The big exception was Madison County’s Liston

B. Ramsey, who was speaker from 1981-1988.

More recently, the chamber has elected two speakers since 2011: Thom Tillis for four sessions; and Tim Moore, currently leading his third.

The Senate has elected 17 different presidents pro tempore between 1951-2000. Until the 1990s, most served for one or two sessions. But since 1993, the state has had just two Senate leaders: Marc Basnight from 1993-2010 and Phil Berger since 2011.

Is the limit on leadership needed? It is probably a sound idea as a statement of principle, although it is doubtful it would have much practical effect.

During discussion of the bill, Wake County Rep. Grier Martin made a good point. A Democrat, Grier noted his concern that “if you rotate legislative leadership too often, that might result in some reduction in the legislature’s power vis-à-vis the governor.”

Martin has the right branch in mind, but the wrong target. The office of the governor, after all, has term limits already.

To see the problem more clearly, consider the words of U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher. Writing about term limits for Congress recently, the Wisconsin Republican said that they would help in “avoiding a disconnect between those who make policy and those who have to live with its consequences.” A worthy goal, to be sure. But is Congress really the most unaccountable source of policy decisions that affect everyday people?

As state Rep. Harry Warren (R-Rowan) said recently, legislators “are all here on a two-year contract.” “We don’t have ‘job security.’”

Lastly, consider one of the arguments against term limits for Congress. Modern governance is so complex, the theory goes, that if we limit

the time legislators can spend learning about issues, it will only empower the lobbyists. Right argument, wrong target.

Lobbyists certainly are unaccountable to the citizenry — but they can only influence, not make decisions. No, the most unaccountable decision-makers in government are in the agencies. Due to state and federal civil-service systems that reward longevity over all else and effectively prevent firing anyone, the vast, faceless bureaucratic state is the worst threat.

The regulatory state pumps out rules that cost Americans $1.9 trillion annually — or onetenth of the nation’s gross domestic product.

And that’s just the federal bureaucracy.

So before we spend a great amount of effort calling for those in the legislative branch to be limited in their years of service, we should discuss limiting those in the executive branch.

There are many ways to accomplish this: employing smaller, better paid agency staffs who have the same accountability to management as in the private sector; instituting a portable, defined-contribution retirement system; setting a mandatory retirement age for some employees, as is used in the military and the state judicial branch; or even setting outright service limits on many public-sector positions.

It is a conversation worth having. After all, if legislators are willing to limit their own branch, why in the world should they not discuss common-sense checks on the unaccountable parts of the executive branch?

EDITORIAL | Ray Nothstine

Why Otto Warmbier’s death should be avenged While we don’t have to strike militarily, we should not avoid a conflict if unnecessarily provoked.

Otto Warmbier died Monday in Ohio, but he was undoubtedly murdered in North Korea.

Americans need to muster more anger for North Korea’s treatment of student and fellow citizen Otto Warmbier. After his June 12 release from a brutal and pathetic regime, Warmbier’s condition was announced as “unresponsive wakefulness,” and later clarified by other medical experts as a “persistent vegetative state.” While it may never be known what exactly happened to Warmbier while he was in custody, somehow he was starved of oxygen.

USA Today noted, “His situation represents the worst outcome for any American whom North Korea has detained.”

Warmbier’s nightmare started in January 2016 when he was detained for allegedly trying to remove a propaganda poster. He entered North Korea via China through “Young Pioneer Tours,” a travel organization that markets their tours of the repressive and secretive nation as “the trip your mother would rather you stay away from.”

His family and his British roommate during his North Korean tour deny the charge. In March 2016, a show trial was aired by the state news agency where Warmbier was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor. This is the same news agency that declares, “There is no ‘human rights issue’ in this country, as everyone leads the most dignified and happy life.” However, the reality for its subjects is the world’s largest concentration camp. The government enslaves hundreds of thousands, while starving millions.

Unsurprisingly, Wambier was used as an unwilling puppet for the regime’s propaganda purposes. “I never, never should have allowed myself to be lured by the United States administration to commit a crime in this country,” Warmbier declared during his confession at the show trial. “I wish that the United States administration never manipulate people like myself in the future to commit crimes against foreign countries.” He was then seen begging for forgiveness, adding it was the “worst mistake of my life.”

Some pundits and commentators blamed Warmbier, who was then a student at the University of Virginia, for his plight. They essentially said anybody who goes to North Korea deserves whatever fate they receive.

While there is not an official travel ban for Americans in North Korea, the State Department strongly suggests against visiting since they can’t guarantee a return for those detained. Whatever lapses in judgement Warmbier made, he certainly did not deserve death.

Warmbier’s father credited President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for helping to secure his son’s release, where at least he spent his last days with the ones who love him and took care of him best. “Otto had been terrorized and brutalized for 18 months by a pariah regime in North Korea, we are thrilled to have him home,” his father recently told Tucker Carlson before his son’s death.

Warmbier’s father, who appears remarkably

stoic but is certainly broken inside, was asked about what lesson can be taken from his son’s detainment. He mostly demurred, saying that is for others to decide. However, the main lesson is that it is long past time to get even tougher on North Korea’s brutal and criminal regime.

After Warmbier’s death, Trump condemned North Korea’s “brutality” and lack of respect “for the rule of law” and “human decency.”

There is lots of talk now, but more action is required. While our government is rightly worried about North Korea’s nuclear capabilities, too little attention and punishment is applied considering their massive human rights abuses.

Sanctions must be tightened even further.

Our government should put additional ultimatums on China to help rein in North Korea, perhaps as a requirement to keep doing business with the United States. China must be pressured economically to implement an oil embargo against the rogue and petulant nation. While we don’t have to strike militarily, we should not avoid a conflict if unnecessarily provoked. Warmbier was an American citizen, and his status as such demands a measured but forceful response. His death is another symbol of a sick and twisted dictatorship that has been allowed to exist for far too long.

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 21, 2017

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Guest Opinion | Richard Childress Sens. Norman Sanderson, Danny Britt and Andrew Brock speak on June 6 about Senate Bill 677, which would add protections for hunting and fishing to the state constitution.

Susan Estrich

Whiner in chief ou think you’ve got problems — health issues, money worries, Y trouble in the family?

Christine T. Nguyen | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Conservation and wildlife restoration hinge on our right to hunt and fish

Protecting our rights to hunt and fish through legislation is an important step toward passing our hunting and fishing heritage along to the next generation.

From the mountains to the coast, the strong hunting and fishing heritage in North Carolina runs deep. It began for me when my stepfather took me out in the woods near Winston-Salem to squirrel hunt and fish for bluegill and largemouth bass. Since then, I’ve been fortunate to see God’s creations throughout my home state while trout fishing in the Blue Ridge Mountains, turkey hunting in the Piedmont, striper fishing on the Roanoke River, red drum fishing on the Pamlico Sound, quail hunting in the Sandhills, and duck hunting on the Outer Banks.

Some of my greatest memories come from hunting and fishing experiences with great friends, like Dale Earnhardt, and family. Sharing time with my grandsons, Austin and Ty Dillon, and letting them experience the great outdoors, just like I did when I was their age, is always time well spent.

As I grow older, I realize that as a North Carolina sportsman I play a role for the greater good of our state’s wildlife and natural resources. I’m committed to passing along our fishing and hunting heritage to our next generation through conservation and wildlife restoration.

Sportsmen and women are the backbone to conserving our lands and waterways. In 2016, 1.87 million people bought hunting and fishing licenses in North Carolina generating $27.2 million in revenue for the state. This money is critical to maintaining our fish and wildlife agencies and all the conservation work they do.

But what’s more important is federal legislation like the Pittman-Robertson Act (enacted in 1937) and Dingell-Johnson Act (enacted in 1950) that were spearheaded by sportsmen and women — both call for an excise tax on firearms, ammunition, fishing equipment, tackle, and motorboat fuel. In 2016, these programs generated $29.1 million of revenue for North Carolina and support wildlife habitat management, construction of public shooting ranges and boat ramps, hunter education, public land acquisitions, and fish and wildlife management programs in the state.

Through this “user-pays, public-benefits” approach, sportsmen and women in North Carolina are the lifeblood of conservation. They are critical not only to fisheries and wildlife management, but also to restoring populations of animals like white-tailed deer, brook trout, turkey, waterfowl, numerous non-game species, and more recently, elk. They provide an economic

impact to the state of over $2.3 billion and create more than 35,000 local jobs.

If it weren’t for hunters, anglers, recreational shooters and boaters — who would foot the bill?

That’s why I was thrilled to see a constitutional amendment, Senate Bill 677, introduced by Sens. Danny Britt, Andrew Brock, and Norman Sanderson to protect our right to hunt and fish. If passed, it would let voters in the November 2018 general election decide whether to amend the constitution to safeguard our right to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife — something that 21 other states already guarantee in their constitutions.

Protecting our rights to hunt and fish through legislation is an important step toward passing our hunting and fishing heritage along to the next generation. This constitutional amendment will ensure that our time-honored traditions of hunting and fishing are protected in perpetuity.

Another important bill under consideration is House Bill 559, “Outdoor Heritage Enhanced,” sponsored by Rep. Chris Millis. H.B. 559 would increase access and opportunity for sportsmen and women by allowing Sunday hunting on North Carolina’s 2 million acres of game lands and removing other restrictions that limit the ability for hardworking families and youth to enjoy the great outdoors seven days a week. Removing barriers to participation in hunting is critical to recruiting, retaining and reactivating hunters.

Of all the accomplishments I’ve had in my life time — winning the Daytona 500, 17 NASCAR championships, winning over 200 races, being a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame and raising a family that has supported me along the way — I’m most proud of being a North Carolina sportsman and directly contributing to our sporting traditions. I’m honored to be part of the future of conserving our state’s wildlife and natural resources.

These bills are important. The constitutional right to hunt and fish and expanded Sunday hunting opportunities will ensure a fish and wildlife legacy for our future generations.

Richard Childress is the chairman and CEO of Richard Childress Racing Enterprises in Welcome, N.C. He is also the 2017 National Hunting and Fishing Day Honorary Chairman and serves as the first vice president of the National Rifle Association where he is chairman of the Hunting, Wildlife and Conservation Committee.

column | cal Thomas

Why so much rage?

The Saul Alinsky playbook remains the Bible of the political left. Obama and Hillary Clinton are, and have long been, Alinsky disciples.

“Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing?”

(Psalm 2:1 KJV) That didn’t take long. Less than 48 hours after the shooting rampage targeting Republican members of Congress in Alexandria, Virginia, followed by the picture of Republicans and Democrats kneeling in prayer at Nationals Park before their annual charity game, things returned to normal... or abnormal.

On Friday, the Drudge Report ran these headlines: “Shots fired at a truck flying ‘Make America Great Again’ flag;” “Starbucks staff harasses Trump supporting customer;” “Time Warner defends funding ‘assassination play,’” in which Julius Caesar is presented as a Trump look-alike in Shakespeare’s classic.

Can it get any worse? Probably.

Should it? No. How do we turn this caustic and crude language and behavior around? That is the ultimate question. I am not sure anyone can provide the answer. If they could, they would have by now. Or would they? There is money to be made and power to be preserved by keeping the pot stirred.

While some conservatives do not have clean hands when it comes to stoking the partisan fires, it is the left that is mostly responsible for taking us to new depths in political, verbal, and behavioral abuse. They just can’t

accept their losses, not only in the last presidential election, but in governorships and state legislatures as well.

It never occurs to them that their policies, forged in the era of Franklin Roosevelt, have exceeded their “sell-by” date, and so they lash out, trying to undermine the duly elected president by focusing on things that have nothing to do with average people.

When Republican presidents leave office they mostly do not comment on their successors. Not so with Democratic ex-presidents, who often behave as if their terms never ended. Organizing for Action, a community organizing project, which is a spinoff of President Obama’s Organizing for America, appears to operate only to cause harm to and ultimately impeach Trump. The Saul Alinsky playbook remains the Bible of the political left. Obama and Hillary Clinton are, and have long been, Alinsky disciples.

So many of us identify as members of tribes — right, left, religious, secular, Republican, Democrat, socialist. No member of one tribe seems willing to speak to any member of another tribe, or find out how and why the other came to their point of view.

Apparently, many people are fine with this, at least the political activists among them. They demand 100 percent conformity from members of their tribe. If one

compromises in the smallest way in order to achieve something, they are denounced as insufficiently liberal or conservative.

Let’s employ a sports example.

When a visiting baseball team is at bat, fans usually express themselves in loud voices hoping the batter will strikeout. When the batter hits a home run and puts his team ahead, or wins the game, the crowd becomes quiet.

Success is also the easiest way to quell loud criticism in politics.

Trump is having some successes, though they are taking him longer to achieve because of all the noise about obstruction of justice. He should continue on that path, pointing out where old policies and programs have failed and are wasting taxpayer money and noting where a different approach is succeeding, or can succeed. Ideology quickly becomes secondary if you can show the public your ideas are producing real and measurable results.

The noise, fortunately, doesn’t seem to be working, at least in “flyover country.” The latest Rasmussen Poll shows the president’s approval rating at 50 percent, though other polls put that percentage far lower. Still, if the left and their media acolytes continue to rage, it will likely be to their detriment.

Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist.

Your problems are nothing compared to America’s whiner — I mean commander — in chief.

For all his complaints about the media, you know what he is doing in the early hours of the morning? Not sleeping. Not thinking about that poor boy who came home from North Korea in a coma, God help him, and what kind of a nation would do that to someone for trying to take a poster.

Not thinking about the poor people of Mosul, trying to flee under clouds of white phosphorous. Not even about the shooting at the congressional baseball practice, although he did say nice things in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.

No, the most powerful man in the free world was up all night thinking about how unfairly he was being treated, how bad it was that he was the target of an investigation that anyone who has been in Washington more than 20 minutes prior to the Trump era would tell you he brought upon himself.

This is what he tweeted at 6:55 Eastern time Thursday morning.

“They made up a phony collusion with the Russians story, found zero proof, so now they go for obstruction of justice on the phony story. Nice.”

“Who are ‘they’?” you might ask. Oh, just the former director of the FBI, the former director of Central Intelligence, presumably the widely respectedon-all-sides current special counsel, Robert Mueller. And everyone who works for those people.

If there was no wrongdoing, Mueller will find none. He is not a Democratic operative. He is not a dirty trickster.

But wait. An hour passed, and the whiner in chief was whining again.

“You are witnessing the single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history — led by some very bad and conflicted people!”

Who are these “very bad and conflicted people?” Would that be his appointed deputy attorney general, who in turn appointed Mueller? Would it be Mueller himself and the other intelligence officers he is consulting?

Why are these public servants “very bad and conflicted people”?

If there was no wrongdoing, Mueller will find none.

He is not a Democratic operative.

He is not a dirty trickster.

Or does he just mean the Democrats on the various Congressional committees who are doing their jobs in asking why various officials failed to disclose meetings with the Russians when asked by the Senate or during background-check interviews?

Are the agents very bad people?

Are the Senators? Who exactly are the “very bad people” who hold positions powerful enough to investigate the president of the United States? And why is the president defaming them?

And then came the mention of Hillary Clinton. What in the world does Hillary Clinton have to do with anything? Donald Trump is the luckiest man on the planet. He should be thanking Clinton for everything she isn’t and thanking James Comey for reminding people of the email mess a week before the election. In light of all this, you would think Trump should move on, should have already moved on, long, long ago.

No way.

By Thursday afternoon, the president was back on his favorite topic: how badly and unfairly he is being treated.

“Why is that Hillary Clintons family and Dems dealings with Russia are not looked at, but my non-dealings are?” he tweeted, and then, 13 minutes later: “Crooked H destroyed phones w/ hammer, ‘bleached’ emails, & had husband meet w/AG days before she was cleared- & they talk about obstruction?”

Hillary Clinton is not president. And if she were, she’d know better than to start asking the director of the FBI about an ongoing investigation of a former close aide.

But even more importantly, on a day like any other, when millions of Americans and tens of millions of people around the world are facing heartache and hard times, the president of the United States should be thinking, even tweeting, about something — someone — other than himself.

Susan Estrich is an author and law professor, and was campaign manager for 1988 Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis.

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North State Journal for Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Nation & WORLD

WEEK IN IMAGES

THE BRIEF ‘Real victory will be in 5 years,’ Macron camp says after election win Paris President Emmanuel Macron’s government on Monday promised to renew politics in France as final official results showed he had won the commanding parliamentary majority he wanted to push through his far-reaching pro-growth reforms. Macron’s centrist Republic on the Move (LREM) party and its centerright Modem ally won 350 seats out of 577 in the lower house, the results showed after a vote that saw a record low turnout for a parliamentary poll in the postwar Fifth Republic.

MOHSIN RAZA | REUTERS

Pakistani cricket fans cheer after Pakistan defeated India in the Champions Trophy finals, in Lahore, Pakistan, June 18.

KYLE TERADA | REUTERS

Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) hoists the MVP trophy during the Warriors 2017 championship victory parade in downtown Oakland on June 15.

Champs Elysees attacker was Islamic State loyalist, on French watchlist Paris A man who rammed a car into a police van in Paris stored a cache of weapons at his home and held a gun permit despite being on a secret service list of people linked to radical Islam, police sources and French officials said on Tuesday. A source close to the investigation said the 31-year-old assailant, who died in the attack, had sworn allegiance to Islamic State in a letter to his brotherin-law. Police arrested four of his close relatives in a raid south of Paris on Monday, including his father and brother.

AKHTAR SOOMRO | REUTERS

Shiite Muslims reach out to touch the gold-ornamentation of sword and shield, placed on a symbolic sacred horse, for good luck, during the Youm Ali procession in Karachi, Pakistan, June 17.

TONY GENTILE | REUTERS

Pilgrims hold candles during the Corpus Domini procession led by Pope Francis at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome on June 18.

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald, damaged by colliding with a Philippineflagged merchant vessel, is seen off Shimoda, Japan, in this photo taken on June 17.

How a math formula could decide fate of endangered U.S. species Washington, D.C. The Trump administration is considering a proposal that could effectively let some plants and animals become extinct so cash-strapped agencies can use more of their funds to save others. At a closed-door meeting last month, Arizona State University ecologist Leah Gerber presented a plan to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials that would use a mathematical formula to direct government money away from endangered and threatened species she calls “overfunded failures” and toward plants and animals that can more easily be saved.

North Korea accuses U.S. authorities of ‘mugging’ its diplomats at NY airport

KYODO | REUTERS

Investigators look for cause of deadly Navy collision in Japan Accident was not reported for nearly an hour; seven U.S. sailors dead

By Kaori Kaneko and Tim Kelly Reuters TOKYO — The United States Coast Guard on Tuesday started interviewing the crew of a Philippines-flagged container ship which collided with a U.S. warship in Japanese waters, killing seven American sailors.

The U.S. Coast Guard investigation is one several into the incident on Saturday involving the guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald and the much larger ACX Crystal.

The U.S. Navy confirmed that all seven missing sailors on the USS Fitzgerald were found dead in flooded berthing compartments after the destroyer’s collision.

The cause of the nighttime collision in clear weather is not known. Investigators will also gather electronic data and ship tracking information from both vessels, looking into, among other things, a time discrepancy in the ACX Crystal’s initial report of the incident south of Tokyo Bay. “There is a contradiction. It will be part of the investigation,” said

Coast Guard Lt. Scott Carr.

Nearly an hour elapsed before the ACX Crystal reported the collision, according to a report by the Japanese coast guard.

Shipping data in Thomson Reuters Eikon shows that the ACX Crystal, chartered by Japan’s Nippon Yusen KK, made a complete U-turn between 12:58 a.m. and 2:46 a.m. on June 17.

The collision happened at around 1:30 a.m. but it was not until 2:25 a.m. that the container ship informed the Japanese coast guard of the accident, said coast guard spokesman Takeshi Aikawa told Reuters.

He declined to elaborate on why the ship took nearly an hour to report the accident but said it could take ships time to notify authorities as they dealt with more urgent matters.

Right after being notified of the accident by the container vessel, the Japanese coast guard made contact with the U.S. ship and confirmed it, Aikawa said.

A significant portion of the crew on the U.S. ship was asleep when the collision occurred, tearing a gash under the warship’s waterline and flooding two crew compartments, the radio room and the auxiliary machine room.

A large dent was clearly visible

This incident was the greatest loss of life on a U.S. Navy vessel since the USS Cole was bombed in Yemen’s Aden harbor in 2000, when 17 sailors were killed and 39 injured. in its right midsection as the destroyer limped back to Yokosuka naval base south of Tokyo, home of the 7th Fleet, on Saturday evening.

The U.S. Navy on Monday identified the dead sailors as: Dakota Kyle Rigsby, 19, from Palmyra, Va.; Shingo Alexander Douglass, 25, from San Diego; Ngoc T. Truong Huynh, 25, from Oakville, Conn.; Noe Hernandez, 26, from Weslaco, Texas; Carlos Victor Ganzon Sibayan, 23, from Chula Vista, Calif.; Xavier Alec Martin, 24, from Halethorpe, Md.; and Gary Leo Rehm Jr., 37, from Elyria, Ohio.

Two of three injured crew members who were evacuated from the ship by helicopter, including the ship’s commanding officer, Cmdr.

Bryce Benson, were released from the U.S. Naval Hospital in Yokosuka, the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet said on its Facebook page on Monday.

The last sailor remained in hospital and no details were given about his condition.

Vice Adm. Joseph P. Aucoin, the 7th Fleet commander, was asked on Sunday if damage on the starboard side indicated the U.S. ship could have been at fault, but he declined to speculate on the cause of the collision. Maritime rules suggest vessels are supposed to give way to ships on their starboard.

Japanese authorities were looking into the possibility of “endangerment of traffic caused by professional negligence,” Japanese media reported, but it was not clear whether that might apply to either or both of the vessels.

Japanese chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga said the government was investigating with the cooperation of the U.S. side and every effort would be made to maintain regional deterrence in the face of North Korea, which has recently conducted a series of missile tests.

“It is extremely important to maintain U.S. deterrence in the light of an increasingly severe regional security situation,” he told a news conference.

“We will maintain close contact with international society, including the United States and South Korea, to maintain vigilance and protect the safety of our people.”

This incident was the greatest loss of life on a U.S. Navy vessel since the USS Cole was bombed in Yemen’s Aden harbor in 2000, when 17 sailors were killed and 39 injured.

New York City North Korea accused U.S. authorities on Sunday of “mugging” its diplomats at the John F. Kennedy airport in New York, forcibly confiscating a diplomatic package which it said raised questions about the city as the seat of the United Nations. The North’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said a delegation returning from a U.N. conference on the rights of persons with disabilities “was literally mugged” at the airport in “an illegal and heinous act of provocation.”

Death toll in London tower block fire rises to 79 London The death toll in the fire that ravaged a London tower block last week has risen to 79, police said on Monday, and the government said it was working to get a public inquiry into the disaster up and running promptly. Fire broke out in the 24-story Grenfell Tower, a social housing block in west London, in the early hours of June 14 and spread with terrifying speed, tearing through the building with residents trapped inside.

Argentina police seize cache of Nazi artifacts Buenos Aires Argentine police have seized a cache of Nazi artifacts hidden behind a library in the house of an art collector in Buenos Aires. The artifacts will be donated to the city’s museum dedicated to remembering the Holocaust, officials said. Police said they discovered the hidden cache behind a bookshelf and down a secret passageway. The roughly 75 artifacts included boxes, daggers and other objects bearing swastikas and depictions of Hitler.

Chevy turns out the lights with new SUVs, Page 3

wednesday

06.21.17

NORTH

STATE

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play list

June 21–24 Miss North Carolina Pageant Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, Raleigh

the good life PHOTO COURTESY OF CHEVROLET

This year is the 80th anniversary of the Miss North Carolina Scholarship Pageant. The Miss North Carolina program provides personal and professional opportunities for young women to promote their voices in culture, politics and the community. Miss North Carolina will be crowned live on ABC11 on June 24 at 7 p.m. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.

June 23–25

IN A NORTH STATE OF MIND

NC Sunflower Festival Chocowinity

chasing the crown | 80th anniversary

The festival features large stage concerts on Friday and Saturday nights, contests, pageants, animals and food.

Sunday features a special church worship at the farm event for community churches. Bring your blankets, towels and lawn chairs.

June 23–25 Cape Fear Blues Festival Wilmington

MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL | FILE

Miss Mecklenburg County McKenzie Faggart, center, is crowned Miss North Carolina 2016 by Miss North Carolina 2015 Kate Peacock, left, and Miss North Carolina’s Outstanding Teen 2016 Catherine White, right, on June 25, 2016, at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts.

Miss North Carolina 2017 will be crowned Saturday night “The group of young women competing to become Miss North Carolina is so very impressive.

They are dedicated to completing their educations and determined to make an impact in their communities.”

— Beth Knox, executive director of the Miss North Carolina Organization

By Laura Ashley Lamm North State Journal RALEIGH — A long-standing tradition of empowering women, serving communities and providing scholarships is taking center stage this week as women from across the state flood the Capital City.

It’s competition week for the Miss North Carolina Organization. Celebrating 80 years, the organization will crown a new titleholder Saturday.

Looking back eight decades, the first Miss North Carolina pageant was held in 1937. Ruth McClean Covington was named first runner-up at the Bathing Beauty Contest at Charlotte’s Williamette Swimming Pool.

When the winner chose to attend college, Covington took over the title and went on to be named second runner-up to Miss America.

Only one Miss North Carolina has become Miss America.

Maria Beale Fletcher, formerly Miss Asheville and a Radio City

Rockette, took home the ultimate crown in 1962.

“I cannot help but feel honored as I reflect on the 79 incredible women who have served this state as Miss North Carolina,” said Beth Knox, executive director of the Miss North Carolina Organization. “The group of young women competing to become Miss North Carolina is so very impressive.

They are dedicated to completing their educations and determined to make an impact in their communities,” The Miss America organization and its subsequent programs aim at helping women further their personal and professional goals while implementing a spirit of community service around the state.

Each contestant has a platform ranging from topics such as substance abuse, domestic violence, healthy living, self-confidence building, and bullying See CROWNING, page C2

The Cape Fear Blues Festival is a cultural fixture in the region and an up-andcoming festival throughout the national blues industry where blues fans can satisfy their soulful cravings! This year’s lineup includes touring blues artists, noted regional performers and talented local blues musicians performing in a variety of genres.

Wilmington’s premier blues music venues — the Rusty Nail Saloon and Ted’s Fun on the River — will host the 2017 Cape Fear Blues Festival.

The three-day all-blues celebration features live concerts, a blues workshop and an all-day blues jam.

June 23–July 8 Annual Lumbee Homecoming Pembroke This weeklong festival recognizes the heritage of the Lumbee people in Robeson County. There is a daily outdoor market selling local foods and products, Little/ Junior Miss Pageant, Teen/ Miss Lumbee Pageant, a golf tournament, 5K/10K runs, bike rides, a parade, a car and antique farm equipment show, live outdoor concerts, and fireworks.

Venus Ramey, war bond-selling, gun-toting Miss America of 1944, dies at 92 Venus Ramey, who used her victory as Miss America in 1944 to sell war bonds and make appearances on the vaudeville stage, died on Saturday at the age of 92, a funeral home in her native Kentucky said on Sunday.

Ramey, at age 82 in 2007, thwarted an attempt to steal equipment at her Kentucky farm by balancing with a walking stick and shooting out the tires of the suspects’ vehicle, local news reports at the time said.

After the incident, she appeared on national TV programs including “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” where she quipped that she liked to start things with a bang.

Ramey left Kentucky for the U.S. capital in the 1940s to help with the war effort during World War Two and represented the District of Columbia when she was crowned Miss America. During her tenure, she worked with members of Congress to help enact women’s rights legislation, the Miss America organization said.

REUTERS

June 24 Fire Truck Festival Spencer Local and regional fire departments and firetruck collectors will join in for a huge gathering of antique and classic trucks, firefighting equipment, and demonstrations. Now in its third year, the event represents one of the largest gatherings of firetrucks in the state.

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 21, 2017

C2

NeCessities! history marked

maybe someday soon ...

June 20, 1921 First furniture market

it’s summertime in N.C.

High Point had already established itself within the furniture manufacturing industry when the first Southern Furniture Exposition opened. In 1900, there were 33 furniture plants in the city and by 1904 there were 107. The market was established in 1909 as a local, smallscale effort but reorganized in 1921 as Southern Furniture Exposition.

Designed by William Rose, the showroom cost more than $1 million to build and featured a 10-story building with 249,000 square feet of exhibition space. At the opening furniture market, 700 dealers sold more than $2 million in merchandise. Today, the semi-annual High Point Furniture Market is the largest in the world encompassing 180 buildings across the city and attracting more than 80,000 attendees.

June 21, 1963 UNC School of the Arts chartered More than a half century ago what is now known as UNC School of the Arts was chartered by the General Assembly as the nation’s first public arts conservatory.

The idea for the school came from Gov. Terry Sanford and Asheville-born author John Ehle. Winston-Salem was selected for the site of the school after citizens raised more than $850,000 during a two-day phone drive. In September 1965, high school and undergraduate classes began. The school’s first chancellor was composer and Julliard School instructor Vittorio Giannini. A $1.5 million grant from Ford Foundation helped the school expand class offerings and in 1972 it became part of the UNC system. Today, UNCSA is one of the premier creative and performing art conservatories offering disciplines in dance, design and production, drama, filmmaking and music.

EAMON QUEENEY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL | FILE

The summer solstice occurred this morning at 12:24 a.m. While most in the Old North State have been celebrating summertime since Memorial Day or the last day of school, it’s now official. North Carolina lives up to its moniker “the variety vacation land” best during summer. From Lake Lure to Wrightsville Beach and Grandfather Mountain to Jockey’s Ridge, there is a place to “sit there in the sand” or “watch those golden tans” in every county in North Carolina. Happy Summer!

June 22, 1924 A&R Railroad Moore County resident and Civil War veteran John Blue was seeking a line to transport timber and turpentine he was harvesting from the largest holdings in the Aberdeen area, leading to the Aberdeen & Rockfish Railroad Company. Construction began immediately and the original line reached Rockfish, a small community in Hoke County.

While the company’s logging business declined, the line began two extensions: one southwest from Raeford to Wagram, and another northeast from Rockfish to Fayetteville. While the first was sold, the second remains part of the Aberdeen & Rockfish line to this day. During World War II, the A&R line was vital for transporting soldiers to Fort Bragg and continued to thrive during the 20th century. It was one of the first to use diesel power for freight trains, computerize accounting systems and utilize radio for train operations. Today, 46 miles of track are still owned by Blue descendants.

June 24, 200 First resident at new American Tobacco campus 4GlaxoSmithKline became the first business to move into the recently renovated and repurposed American Tobacco Campus, helping establish a new era for downtown Durham. Originally the home of W.T. Blackwell & Company Factory, the building was once considered the world’s largest tobacco factory. In 1977, the building was designated a National Historic Landmark and after American Tobacco ceased cigarette manufacturing in 1987, it became desolate and vacant.

The revitalization of the campus cost $200 million and is today features a man-made river and waterfall, restaurants and a lawn for outdoor concerts. Anchor tenants include North Carolina Public Radio, Duke University, Burt’s Bees and the YMCA. The renovated campus helped usher in a new era for downtown Durham that is still growing today.

Information courtesy of N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources

CROWNING from page C1 prevention to name a few. Contestants have completed service projects in their communities supporting their platforms.

Competition includes a 10-minute interview with a panel of judges, and onstage competitions in the areas of evening gown, talent, lifestyle and fitness (swimsuit), and an onstage question.

Scholarships are a vital component in helping these women further their educational and career goals. More than $70,000 in cash scholarships and more than $300,000 of in-kind donations will be awarded to participants this year.

“In 1996, my daughter Jennifer Roberts was crowned Miss N.C.,” said Amanda Roberts, a Miss N.C. parent and longtime volunteer with the organization. “At that time she was attending High Point University. There were some trying times occurring with our jobs, both my husband and mine, and the future was a bit uncertain.

“With the scholarship Jennifer was awarded, she graduated debt-free. From that moment forward I vowed to give back to this program as long as I could. This year marks my 20th anniversary

MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

McKenzie Faggart, crowned Miss North Carolina 2016, prepares for the talent portion of the 2016 competition.

serving as a hostess, State Traveling Companion to Miss America and Official Awards Chairperson.”

Roberts continued, “I’ve loved growing this area to ensure our Miss North Carolina has one of the most amazing awards package ever. It is such a pleasure to witness these young women transform during their journey to Miss North Carolina, and it just makes my heart fill with joy to be a small part of their journey.”

What to watch While the contestants are spending the week preparing for competition, residents across North Carolina are invited to at-

tend a variety of events.

Preliminary competitions are running this week beginning at 7 p.m. from June 21-23 at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh.

The finals for the Miss North Carolina’s Outstanding Teen begin at 2 p.m. on June 24 at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts followed by the Miss North Carolina finals at 7 p.m.

The annual Cardinal Ball, complete with Miss N.C. memorabilia from the organization’s 80-year span, will be 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. on June 24 in the third-floor ballroom of the Raleigh Convention Center.

In the last several years, the tradition of People’s Choice Voting has continued to grow in popularity. You can cast your votes for your Miss N.C. once a day on ABC11. com.

The pageant will be televised live on ABC11 on June 24. Once the winner is crowned, she will begin a yearlong statewide speaking tour which includes meeting residents, riding in parades, reading to school children, participating in Children’s Miracle Network events and much more. Tickets for all events can be purchased through Ticketmaster.com.

Want to learn more about North Carolina Agriculture?

The First Furrow www.FirstFurrow.com

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 21, 2017

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behind the wheel | midnight edition

Base model The new Midnight Edition Chevy Tahoe and Suburban are at home on any street in the world

By Neal Robbins North State Journal FAYETTEVILLE — For many on the roads of North Carolina, an approaching Chevrolet Suburban usually carries an implied “Child On Board” sign. That Chevy Tahoe wheeling through the parking lot is a symbol of its older sibling’s origins — the suburbs. But, when you see a black Suburban or Tahoe approaching in a downtown area, perceptions change. Could that be the governor? A celebrity? The ubiquitous large SUVs from Chevrolet are the mode of transportation favored across the country because of the legroom and cargo space they provide, from soccer moms toting their VIPs to security details moving elected officials.

Chevrolet brought a group of journalists from across the country to North Carolina to experience these vehicles in a new light — or lack thereof. In September 2016, Chevrolet announced that it was expanding its special Midnight Edition package to the Tahoe and the Suburban for the 2017 model year. The blacked-out package includes special wheels, roof rack rails, grill inserts, and Chevrolet bow-tie badges. The Midnight Edition models can be paired with only one exterior color — black.

These new-look people movers are now available for purchase at dealerships across North Carolina.

But the testing and inspiration for these vehicles has a backstory that starts in Baghdad and ends in the backcountry of Cumberland County outside Fayetteville.

While the new Premier luxury package on the Suburban and Tahoe is aimed at the “about town” crowd, the Midnight edition is aimed at a more aggressive audience. Beyond the color features, the Z-71 off-road package on the Midnight SUVs features off-road tires and high front end clearance to give the Midnight Z-71 the meanest front end of any stock Chevy.

To showcase these rugged features, Chevrolet brought former members of the Army’s 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, also known as Delta Force, to put the Midnight Edition through the paces in a less-than-conventional dirt road track on the grounds of TigerSwan, a North Carolina company focused on global security and stability operations. Before that experience, journalists would be taking a more conventional distance drive from Raleigh to Fayetteville with retired special operators along to discuss their experience with Chevy’s large SUVs. The first of these operators, Jim Reese, the founder and chairman of TigerSwan, gave the intro to the Midnight Editions and provided a new perspective on suburban travel in a Chevrolet. While introducing the Delta Force operators that would be riding to Fayetteville, Reese said that Delta Force training was about “brilliance in the basics.”

Basic tasks — such as shooting and driving — are the most-used skills of a special forces operator.

Performing these actions under mounting stress is the difference in life or death situations for elite soldiers. Reese said his unit eschewed the complicated so that they could win with simple plans executed perfectly.

Reese, who retired from the Army as a Lt. Col., told the audience of journalists about a short drive he took from Baghdad International Airport to downtown Baghdad while he was serving in Delta Force.

Reese said the drive into town was uneventful along Route Irish, a 7.5-

PHOTOs COURTESY OF CHEVROLET

Clockwise from top: Midnight edition SUVs arrive at The Range Complex.

Former Delta Force Commander and founder of TigerSwan, Jim Reese, speaks to reporters before a simulated battle.

Chevy Tahoe prepared for a night ride in Cumberland County.

mile stretch of highway that links the Green Zone to the Baghdad Airport. The ride back, however, was reminiscent of “Blackhawk Down.”

Reese recalled that a senior officer and he were traveling at more than 100 mph on “the most dangerous highway in the world” when his Suburban took heavy fire and Reese was shot in the arm. With the entire front end of the Chevy shredded, Reese said his basic, but enhanced, Delta Force training took over. Delta operators are trained that when you are taking fire or are in trouble, the first thing you do is “get off the X, whatever X is.” Reese forced his passenger’s head down in the passenger seat and got off the X. On run-flat tires, Reese traversed the remaining distance on Route Irish and got himself and his lucky passenger to a medical unit. Reese said the block of the engine was riddled with bullet holes, but ran long enough to get them to safety.

In the field For most North Carolinians, the drive from Raleigh to Fayetteville in a Suburban is familiar, even if you haven’t taken U.S. 1 in a while. The action started when we pulled into TigerSwan’s elite training complex called “The Range Complex” (not exactly at an undisclosed location since TigerSwan provides custom training there to law enforcement, corporate clients and the public, in addition to its unique employees).

After a shock-and-awe entry by the Midnight Editions that included a simulated attack on a terrorist safe house and a demonstration and brief training session at the firing range, the event turned toward a more familiar eastern North Carolina tradition — barbecue. For many out-of-town journalists, Southern hospitality and good N.C. barbecue was possibly the biggest treat of all. As day turned to night, the journalists wondered when we

would see the SUVs in real action.

As the banana pudding was served, Reese emerged with a new piece of non-Chevy technology — night vision goggles.

What ensued was a master class on driving in tough conditions.

Journalists were fitted with night vision helmets, and the retired operators showed off their training in Midnight Edition Tahoes and Suburbans that were specially programmed by Chevrolet to have no light in the cabin or outside. On an overcast night, we experienced the Midnight SUVs under stress that no one suffers on their shopping trip or even a climb up Grandfather Mountain. With speeds up to 85 mph on loose gravel and sand, the TigerSwan team gave us a taste of Reese’s escape down Route Irish.

Then it was our turn at the wheel. All I can say is that I have never been that fast in a cornfield in my life — and I am from Randolph County where trucks and cornfields

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mix on a regular basis. But as a person who has experienced Suburban and Tahoe in more comfortable surroundings, I recognized that these SUVs were performing their basic tasks under mounting stress.

Chevy accomplished the goal of displaying the “brilliance in the basics” for these vehicles, which account for one out of every two large SUVs sold in the U.S. each year. The same basic functions that families and VIPs trust on our highways are the same necessities that the government requires to keep State Department officials, military commanders and elite warriors on schedule and safe throughout the world.

While the styling of the Midnight Edition will appeal to those new car shoppers looking to dial up the aggressiveness of their vehicle, the basic capabilities of the 2017 Suburban and Tahoe, regardless of trim level, are the real features that shoppers keep coming back to.

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At UnitedHealth Group, we’re honored to serve those in North Carolina working to improve health care. How? By rewarding quality and affordability, by providing doctors with data and insights to prevent and treat illness, and by developing technology that helps consumers manage their own health care. These are just a few of the ways the more than 5,000 of us in North Carolina are working to make health care more modern, high-performing and simpler.

UnitedHealthGroup.com/NC

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the BRIEF

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 2017

Historic Rocky Mount Mills expands renovation with Envolve Vision

Joe skipper | reuters

President Donald Trump signs a document after announcing his Cuba policy at the Manuel Airtime Theater in Miami on June 16.

BUSINESS

No más: Trump restores restrictions on communist Cuba Decision won’t end U.S.-Cuba commercial flights, but will tighten eligibility for personal travel to the island

By Molly Young North State Journal

Whole Foods’ market of urban, upscale customers and fresh, organic foods.

For Whole Foods, the acquisition allows them to tap into a successful distribution network and a partnership with deep-pockets.

Kim Forrest, a senior equity analyst for Fort Pitt Capital Group in Pittsburgh, says this is an opportunity for Whole Foods to remain profitable in a time when the grocery industry is struggling due to food deflation.

“I think supermarkets should be very, very worried. It has not been a particularly good decade for them because of deflation,” said Forrest. “Amazon is going to deliver. This is the thing they’ve been missing, an ability to get fresh food closer to people.

“Whole Foods is everywhere Amazon wants to be in cities where people spend money,” she continued. “They’re going to use Whole Foods as a distribution method to get fresh food to the home.”

In March, Whole Foods had a big board shakeup, tapping a new chairman and chief financial officer for the company. Stock has remained sluggish since early 2015.

MIAMI — President Donald Trump on Friday announced plans to tighten restrictions on Americans traveling to Cuba and clamp down on U.S. business dealings with the island’s military, rolling back parts of former President Barack Obama’s open door to Havana after five decades of silence with the island nation.

“Effective immediately, I am cancelling the last administration’s completely one-sided deal with Cuba,” Trump said in a speech from the Manuel Artime Theater in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood.

Surrounded by Castro exiles, Trump signed a presidential directive to reverse parts of the 2014 breakthrough deal that loosened restrictions between the two former Cold War foes, demanding that Cuba improve its dysfunctional political and human rights record before future progress can be made.

“We will not lift sanctions on the Cuban regime until all political prisoners are free, freedoms of assembly and expression are respected, all political parties are legalized and free, and internationally supervised elections are scheduled,” Trump demanded.

Furthermore, he said the Obama deal has done little to improve diplomatic relations or the lives of those still living under Communist control.

“They made a deal with a government that spread violence and instability in the region ... they fought for everything and we just didn’t fight hard enough, but now, those days are over,” Trump said Friday.

“We now hold the cards. The previous administration’s easing of restrictions of travel and trade does not help the Cuban people. They only enrich the Cuban regime.”

The president, who promised to be tough on Havana during the presidential campaign, outlined stricter enforcement of a longtime ban on Americans going to Cuba as tourists and will seek to prevent U.S. dollars from being used to fund what he sees as a repressive military-dominated government.

The new policy will ban most U.S. business transactions with the Armed Forces Business Enterprises Group (GAESA), a sprawling conglomerate involved in all sectors of the Cuban economy.

However, Trump avoided turning back the clock completely, leaving intact many steps toward normalization. For one, embassies will remain open to continue diplomatic relations

See WHOLE FOODS, page C7

See CUBA, page C6

CARLO ALLEGRI | REUTERS

A Whole Foods Market is pictured in New York City.

Amazon to acquire Whole Foods for $13.7 billion “Amazon is slowly dominating every spectrum right now.”

— Brian Culpepper, portfolio manager

Online retail giant continues expansion into urban, upscale markets, offering solid backing and wide distribution network

By Molly Young North State Journal SEATTLE — Amazon announced on Friday that it will buy Whole Foods Market for approximately $13.7 billion, at $42 a share, as the online giant looks to conquer the grocery aisle.

Amazon.com, a Seattle-based corporation, was one of the first successful online stores, initially competing with brick and mortar bookstores like Barnes & Noble and Borders. Since 1994, Amazon has grown to become the largest internet-based retailer, expanding to include a wide range of products that include not only everything from home goods to fashion items, but also television, movie and music streaming services.

In the past few years, Amazon has been testing perishable grocery delivery to its Prime subscription members. Friday’s deal will allow the retailer to access

Rocky Mount Rocky Mount Mills, a 150-acre mixed use development on the Tar River, announced last week that Envolve Vision, the vision benefits division of Envolve, Inc., an integrated health care solutions company, will relocate its operational headquarters to the campus. Renovations are already underway to transform a 22,887-square-foot portion of the 200,000-square-foot historic mill into an office space for Envolve Vision, and the company expects to relocate around 120 employees, including its CEO and leadership team, to Rocky Mount Mills by late summer 2018. Capitol Broadcasting Company (CBC) is leading the reinvention of Rocky Mount Mills — the same development team that transformed Durham’s American Tobacco Campus into an award-winning national model for historic rehabilitation. The move to the reinvented mill community also allows Envolve Vision, which was founded more than 30 years ago in Rocky Mount, to remain in its hometown.

Textile firm to create 260 jobs, revitalize former plant Winston-Salem HPFabrics Inc., a manufacturer of raw fabrics, has selected Forsyth County for a new production and product development facility, creating 260 jobs over three years, Gov. Roy Cooper announced Monday. The company plans to invest $1.1 million over the next two years in a plant in Winston-Salem that formerly housed Microfibres, a company no longer operating in the city.

“The specialized experience our workers bring to the table is known around the world, and that stellar reputation played an important role in the company’s decision to come to our state, Gov. Cooper said of the project. HPFabrics is a subsidiary of Tukek Holdings, A.S., headquartered in Istanbul.

The Winston-Salem facility will produce raw fabrics for a variety of commercial and consumer goods, including upholstery.

The company expects to create additional jobs and investment at the facility over a five-year period.

Accenture, Microsoft team up on blockchain-based digital ID network New York Accenture and Microsoft are teaming up to build a digital ID network using blockchain technology, as part of a United Nations-supported project to provide legal identification to 1.1 billion people worldwide with no official documents. The companies unveiled a prototype of the network on Monday at the UN headquarters in New York during the second summit of ID2020, a public-private consortium promoting the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goal of providing legal identity for everyone on the planet. The project aims to help individuals such as refugees prove who they are in order to gain access to basic services such as education and health care. Blockchain, first developed as a public ledger of all transactions in the digital currency bitcoin, is increasingly being used to securely track data in other fields. The new platform will connect existing record-keeping systems of commercial and public entities through blockchain, allowing users to access to their personal information wherever they are.

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North State Journal for Wednesday, June 21, 2017

n.c.

statewide spotlight

Shortage of pilots could hinder airlines’ growth Pilot training company reveals alarming 10-year forecast among industry elite at Paris Air Show

Sponsored by

By Alana Wise Reuters Welcome to summer!

Remember when we longed for it during that icy snow storm in January? As much as we may adore summer’s warm sunny days, it’s doubtful that any of us longed for the higher electric bills that can accompany them. Help keep your summer electric bills from burning through your budget:

• Set a monthly reminder to check your air filters, and change them when they’re dirty.

NEW YORK — The worldwide commercial aviation industry will need an extra 255,000 pilots by 2027 to sustain its rapid growth and is not moving fast enough to fill the positions, according to a 10year forecast published by training company CAE Inc. More than half of the required pilots have not yet begun training, the report adds, storing up potential problems as the industry braces for an increase in passenger air traffic that is expected to double the size of the commercial air transport industry in the next 20 years.

“Rapid fleet expansion and high pilot retirement rates create a further need to develop 180,000 first officers into new airline captains, more than in any previous decade,” said the report by CAE, which

• Use a ceiling fan along with your air conditioner. A fan can make you feel 4 degrees cooler and costs pennies to operate.

CUBA from page C5

• Set your thermostat at 78 F. For every degree above 78, you’ll save 3 to 5 percent.

• Get your central AC system checked by a professional once a year.

• Close drapes or window shades, especially during the hottest times of the day.

• Properly insulate your home to keep hot air out and cold air in.

For more tips, visit the NC Public Power channel on YouTube, and follow @ ElectriCitiesNC on Twitter and @ElectriCities on Facebook.

reignited after years of hostility.

Likewise, Trump will not cut off recently resumed direct U.S.-Cuba commercial flights, but will impose additional restrictions for personal travel to the island 90 miles south of Key West.

Under the revised travel policy, U.S. officials say there will be tighter enforcement to make sure Americans legally fit the 12 authorized categories they claim to be traveling under, which could spook many visitors, wary of receiving a hefty fine.

While tourism to Cuba is banned by U.S. law, the Obama administration had been allowing people to travel to Cuba as part of “people to people” educational trips for visitors, a popular classification that a White House official said was “ripe for abuse” by those looking for beach vacations.

trains pilots for airlines around the world.

“The shortage of pilots is a problem today. There’s demand today, so people need to start building a strategy with us or other professional academies to be able to build that pipeline,” Nick Leontidis, CAE’s Group President for civil aviation training solutions told journalists at the Paris Airshow on Tuesday.

Rival L3 also operates pilot training academies.

To meet demand, Leontidis said CAE would seek to grow its own training academy business, rather than make acquisitions.

Pilot unions in the United States have said low wages and limited benefits for entry-level positions are deterring a new generation of potential aviators from pursuing the career.

In the United States, training requirements also are a hurdle for many would-be pilots.

The United States is the only country to require co-pilots to have at least 1,500 flight hours unless they have experience flying planes in the military or are graduates of

MICHEL EULER | REUTERS

French President Emmanuel Macron sits in the cockpit of an Airbus A400M turboprop transport plane.

certain specialized programs.

According to the U.N.‘s aviation agency, which sets global standards typically adopted by regulators from its 191-member countries, it takes a minimum of about 250 hours to obtain a commercial pilot license for work as a co-pilot.

By contrast, 1,500 hours is the minimum required to become a captain under norms set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the U.N. agency that supports the development of global aviation.

While the U.S. Federal Avia-

Tourists eat in a restaurant in Havana.

ALEXANDREW MENEGHINI | REUTERS

Trump’s new policy will eliminate such self-certified visits by individuals while still allowing them to be done as group tours, and also retaining some individual travel under other authorized categories such as religious, artistic and journalistic activities, officials said.

The administration, according to one White House official, also

does not intend to “disrupt” existing business ventures such as one struck under Obama by Starwood Hotels, which is owned by Marriott International, to manage a Havana hotel. Nor are there plans to reinstate limits that Obama lifted on the amount of the island’s coveted rum and cigars that Americans can bring home for

tion Administration previously had followed ICAO norms, the 1,500-hour requirement for co-pilots was imposed following the crash of Colgan Air Flight 3407, a regional jet, in 2009, that killed 50 people.

The 1,500-hour mandate is supported by pilots’ unions as a way to improve air safety. However, regional airlines and some aviation experts say the tougher standard does not make flying any safer and has exacerbated the pilot shortage by making the training process longer and more costly.

personal use.

In a statement read out on the evening news on Friday, the Cuban government reiterated its willingness to “continue the respectful dialog and cooperation on matters of mutual interest” with the United States.

In a statement read out on the evening news Friday, the Cuban Communist government said Trump was resorting to “coercive methods of the past” that hurt the Cuban people and prevented economic development but would not weaken the revolution.

“The Cuban government denounces the new measures hardening the blockade that are destined to fail ... and that will not achieve their aim of weakening the revolution,” Havana said.

Steve Holland, Matt Spetalnick from Reuters News Service contributed to this article.

For generations, we’ve given doctors, nurses, firefighters, soldiers, scientists, shopkeepers, farmers, mechanics, moms and dads a ride to school.

A small-town company can make big dreams come true. At Thomas Built Buses, we’re proud of our contribution to the educational system. Each and every day, we put our hearts into the quality and durability of our buses. We’re so proud of the millions of young Americans who sat in a Thomas seat and are now incredible success stories. None of it would have happened without the communities where we live and work. You, our friends and neighbors, are part of the Thomas family. We sincerely thank you for working with us to make our communities and businesses the very best they can be.

Through the DaimlerCares program, Thomas Built Buses and Daimler work to support charities and philanthropies in the communities they serve, by encouraging employees to give back in both time and company-matched funds.

1408 Courtesy Road, High Point, NC 27260 | thomasbuiltbuses.com TBB/MC-A-105. Thomas Built Buses, Inc. is registered to ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004. Copyright © Daimler Trucks North America LLC. All rights reserved. Thomas Built Buses Inc. is a subsidiary of Daimler Trucks North America LLC, a Daimler company.

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Piedmont Triad Partnership shapes ‘ideal location’ for business Executive VP Penny Whiteheart addresses ways to boost jobs

Penny Whiteheart, executive vice president, Piedmont Triad Partnership

By Emory Rakestraw For the North State Journal Piedmont Triad Partnership is a regional economic agency focused on leveraging economic growth and assets within the Triad. For 15 years, Penny Whiteheart has directed economic development programs at PTP and currently serves as executive vice president. She discusses with North State Journal how PTP has contributed to economic growth in the Triad and what she is seeing now and for the future.

North State Journal: Can you talk a bit about Piedmont Triad Partnership?

Penny Whiteheart: Piedmont Triad Partnership (PTP) is a private sector leadership organization looking to enhance the economic prospects of the Piedmont Triad. In short, that means to grow jobs in this region.

To do that we’ve identified a series of assets our region we call job development platforms.

1. Aerospace cluster, specifically prime land at Piedmont Triad Airport for aerospace and aviation manufacturing.

2. Wake Forest Innovation Corner 3. Whitaker Park Campus,

a former RJR (R.J. Reynolds) manufacturing campus located inside downtown Winston-Salem with 7 million square feet of industrial space and 120 acres.

Reynolds gifted it to a community development authority which will use it to attract employers and grow jobs.

4. Megasites: large sites for transformational industrial development at the GreensboroRandolph Megasite and the Chatham-Siler City Megasite NSJ: What are some businesses that will go at Whitaker Park?

PW: They’re targeting data centers, advanced manufacturing, distributors, most will be medium-sized because of the nature of the campus including residential development there.

The developer will take a cool multistory tobacco warehouse from the late 1800s and turn it into multifamily condos, more than industrial redevelopment but will return that important part of Winston-Salem into an economic engine.

NSJ: What kind of small to midsized businesses do you see happening in the Triad?

PW: Small to midsize is where a lot of regional economic growth lies. Two different categories that have a lot of potential and impact.

Manufacturers — the Triad still has a strong manufacturing base that supports hundreds of small and medium-sized manufacturers working globally.

The other side would be services — professional services, health services. The Triad is the ideal location, it’s in the center of North Carolina and midAtlantic seaboard, combined with excellent ground transportation and infrastructure, perfect location for professional services firms in engineering, accounting, health services or any professional services.

NSJ: Working with aviation and aerospace, what kind of economic development does this bring to the Triad? Is there a market for small to midsized businesses in this arena?

PW: For aerospace, the Triad has more than 18,000 jobs in aviation and aerospace and includes large employers like Honda Aircraft, HAECO and BE Aerospace. With 1,800 employees per company, these three create their own economic activity and advantage in the Triad — it’s a tremendous opportunity for suppliers and service providers for those companies. We have over 200 of those companies in the aviation and aerospace industry, and I bet 192 of them are small and medium-sized.

NSJ: With a background in nonprofit, can you discuss that development a bit within the Triad?

PW: I have worked in the Triad my whole career. I started working in local economic

development and have been working regionally at PTP for 17 years and there have been a lot of changes. I’ve been able to work in a number of different roles and environments even in the same organization. The thing I like about regional economic development is the ability to work with a lot of different people who have aligned interests and genuine passion for what we’re trying to accomplish, which is economic growth for our community.

Over that time there’s been a tremendous change in the viewpoint inside the region. There’s widespread understanding that the fortunes of Winston-Salem, High Point, Greensboro and other cities here are all linked together and that by understanding assets at a regional level each community will be more successful.

NSJ: How has economic development grown in the Triad over the last 25 years?

What are you seeing for the future?

PW: The job development platforms I mentioned will be transformational for the region and we understand that workforce will be a fundamental support for these platforms. PTP is beginning to look at its role in articulating the workforce assets and current situation in the region. This includes increasing focus on talent and telling the story of the talent pipeline in the Triad.

Most of the platforms we are pushing and supporting are manufacturing oriented. There’s also a need to attract and retain young professionals who will work in these service industries, so a duel view on the workforce pipeline as both manufacturing and technical skill training, and that the younger workforce feels excited and proud of living in the Triad.

C7

n.c.

FAST FACTS Sponsored by

With summer movie season here, it is worth noting the increasingly expansive role our state plays in the film industry.

From the mountains to the coast, filmmakers have found a variety of studio options with breathtaking scenery and down home charm.

Wilmington, Charlotte, Asheville, Raleigh, and areas surrounding Greensboro and WinstonSalem all offer stage options for filmmakers.

And if you’d like to see a little movie magic, you can step behind the scenes of movies and TV shows filmed in North Carolina, including “The Longest Ride,” “Iron Man 3,” “The Hunger Games,” “Safe Haven,” “Homeland,” “One Tree Hill,” “The Last of the Mohicans” and “Dirty Dancing.”

Wilmington, known as Hollywood East, has 400-plus film credits to its name and features tours by land and water. Go to hollywoodnc.com for more info.

And the Asheville and Charlotte areas offer the ultimate chance to recreate the action with Hunger Games Unofficial Fan Tours that teach archery and wilderness survival. Go to hungergamesunofficialfantours. com for more info.

Approved Logos

WHOLE FOODS from page C5 Brian Culpepper, a portfolio manager based in Ohio, says the purchase is all about the distribution, not the physical stores.

“You might still have people who like to physically go to a Whole Foods and pick out their produce, but if Amazon can figure out a way to deliver fresh organic produce at a price that is better than Kroger’s it will hard for others to compete.”

Culpepper says that the deal might also allow the two companies to compete with premade home delivery services such as Blue Apron and Hello Fresh.

“Amazon is slowly dominating every spectrum right now,” said Culpepper.

However, not everyone thinks that domination is a good thing.

The Food and Water Watch, a nonprofit organization based out of Washington, D.C., says this mega-merger could translate to less access and higher prices for consumers.

“Too few companies already exert outsized influence over our food choices,” said the nonprofit

CHARTS COURTESY OF REUTERS

in a statement. “This is extreme consolidation of the food system in action, which will lead to higher prices, fewer choices for consumers, and bigger profits for billionaires like its owner, Jeff Bezos.

“The top four grocery retailers already control 62 percent of food sales, raising prices and reducing

choices for consumers.”

The group called for the Federal Trade Commission to block the merger, but many point out that Amazon crosses socioeconomic lines, and this deal is simply their opportunity to tap into a new clientele.

“Everybody orders from Am-

azon, right?” said David Tawil, president of Maglan Capital in New York. “Amazon doesn’t have a particular emphasis on the luxury consumer, and maybe they want that exposure.

“At least as it relates to groceries, we now have an answer that Amazon is serious — and when

Amazon is serious, frankly there is no limit to what they can do in terms of disrupting the space ... essentially relegating everything that currently exists in the business obsolete,” added Tawil.

Reuters News Service contributed to this article.

Piedmont Tirad Partnership is the private sector leadership organization working to advance the economy of the Piedmont Triad region. PTP does this by connecting, convening, advocating, and marketing. We are supporting regional development platforms including megasite development, the aeroplex anchored by Piedmont Triad International Airport and the redevelopment of Whitaker Park Complex. We believe supporting these transformational projects will prepare the Triad to compete for major economic development job generators.

OUR MISSION as a private leadership organization is to connect and leverage the region’s leaders and assets to drive increased economic growth and jobs.

OUR VISION is to be globally recognized as a dynamic and prosperous region where collaborative culture, emerging innovation and thriving talent generate sustainable, significant economic growth outpacing the southeast United States.

Visit www.PiedmontTriadNC.com | Contact us at info@ptpnc.com

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 21, 2017

C8

pen & Paper pursuits Janric classic sudoku

Solutions from 6.14.17

DISCOVER

SUMMER

Discover exciting things to do across all 100 North Carolina counties!

ncdcr.gov/discoversummernc

NC DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES

wednesday, June 21, 2017

Local flavor shines in NBA Draft A number of different players from the state of North Carolina, including former Duke star Jayson Tatum, could be selected in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft.

the Wednesday Sideline report

SPORTS

NFL

Butler rumored as trade candidate to Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers are rumored to be contemplating a trade for Chicago Bulls star Jimmy Butler, according to a report from the Chicago Sun-Times. After coming up short against the Warriors in the NBA Finals, Cleveland is expected to make a push to add another star to LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, and multiple players, per the SunTimes, have reached out to Butler through back channels to gauge his interest in playing for Cleveland. Any trade would likely require a third team to facilitate, since the Cavaliers do not have the type of assets that rebuilding team like the Bulls would be interested in taking back in exchange for Butler.

NBA

NBA D-League rebranding

By NSJ Staff

Timothy T. Ludwig | USA Today Sports

Last year, Hurricanes general manager Ron Francis, right, and head of amateur scouting Tony MacDonald, left, chose Julien Gauthier with their second of two first-round picks. They pick 12th in Friday’s first round and hold 10 picks overall.

Hurricanes pick 12th in first round of NHL Draft

Golf

For the second straight year, the Carolina Hurricanes enter the NHL Draft with a wealth of picks.

Ten selections — including the 12th pick overall, three second-rounders and two thirds — could be used to further bolster Carolina’s prospect pool, or swapped in trades to improve the NHL lineup immediately.

Former world No. 1 golfer Tiger Woods is getting help for medications and has checked into treatment, the golfer announced in a statement this past week. “I’m currently receiving professional help to manage my medications and the ways that I deal with back pain and a sleep disorder,” Wood said in a statement. “I want to thank everyone for the amazing outpouring of support and understanding especially the fans and players on tour.” nfl

Sapp to donate brain to concussion research NFL Hall of Fame defensive tackle Warren Sapp will donate his brain to concussion research, the former Buccaneers and Raiders star announced on The Players Tribune this week. Sapp, who is 44 years old, said he is experiencing memory loss and made the decision because he wants the league and football to “be better when I left than when I got into it.”

Rumors, trades abound ahead of 2017 NBA Draft The 2017 NBA Draft looks like it’s going to be a wild ride with one big deal going down already

Say goodbye to the NBA D League, which will no longer exist in its current name and state moving forward. The league is rebranding as the “G League” after picking up a massive sponsorship from Gatorade. “The league is experiencing unprecedented success both on and off the court, and our partnership with Gatorade is helping drive momentum and create exciting opportunities for innovation, sports performance and player development,” G League president Malcolm Turner said.

Woods checks into treatment for medication

bob donnan | usa today sports

A look at NSJ’s top 12 prospects in this year’s draft, plus eight other players worth knowing

By Cory Lavalette North State Journal

1. Nolan Patrick, C 6’2, 199 pounds, Brandon (WHL) Patrick has been the frontrunner to go first overall in 2017 for years, but an injury-plaqued draft year has led to second thoughts. He’s still the big center every team craves, and there are no weaknesses in his game, even if he lacks a standout attribute.

2. Nico Hischier, C 6’1, 179 pounds, Halifax (QMJHL) Hischier is poised to be the highest Swiss player ever selected, the only question is if he’ll go No. 1. Hischier’s performance with Switzerland at the World Juniors cemented his top prospect status, and his 200-foot game and puck skills are the elite aspects of his game Patrick lacks.

3. Gabriel Vilardi, C 6’3, 203 pounds, Windsor (OHL) Vilardi is big and physical, plus

The 2017 draft, being held in Chicago, is considered thin: there is no Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews or Patrik Laine at the top, and opinions vary on everything from who should go first overall (Nolan Patrick? Nico Hischier? Someone else?) to where players slot throughout the first two rounds.

Luckily, Carolina will get plenty of kicks at the proverbial draft can in the top 62 picks. They are scheduled to pick 12th on Friday, then hold Nos. 42, 52 and 62 in Round 2 on Saturday, plus six more picks in Rounds 3-7. Here’s a look at North State Journal’s Top 12 NHL Draft Prospects, plus another handful to watch.

The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers made their agreed-upon trade official Monday, a deal that will see the teams swap the Nos. 1 and 3 picks in Thursday night’s NBA Draft.

The 76ers acquired the top overall pick from Boston in exchange for their No. 3 selection and a future first-round pick, according to statements released by both teams.

The Celtics and 76ers had agreed on the parameters of a deal on Saturday night after Philadelphia held a workout with point guard Markelle Fultz, who will become the fourth No. 1 overall pick in franchise history by the 76ers on Thursday night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. “We are very pleased with the outcome of this trade, which puts us in the enviable position of selecting first overall in consecutive draft years,” Philadelphia president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo said. “History suggests that No. 1 has the greatest odds of producing franchise-level talent and we are confident that this year’s draft class has that very potential. Thursday night will see us take another significant step toward building a successful and sustainable basketball program.”

Boston, with leading scorer Isaiah Thomas already manning the point guard position, was equally thrilled to drop down two spots and receive what they expect to be a high first-round pick in either 2018 or 2019.

“We’re thrilled to be able to select what we expect be an impact player with the third pick in this year’s very talented draft class, while also adding a highly valuable future asset as we continue to build towards Banner 18,” Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said.

Boston will receive the 2018 first-round pick of the Los Angeles Lakers — if that selection falls between the No. 2 to No. 5 range. Otherwise, the Celtics will have a choice of first-rounders in 2019 — either from Sacramento or Philadelphia, whichever

“We are very pleased with the outcome of this trade, which puts us in the enviable position of selecting first overall in [multiple] draft years.”

Bryan Colangelo, Philadelphia Sixers president

See NBA Draft, page B2

Inside

he overcame an early season appendectomy to help the host Spitfires win the Memorial Cup. But scouts worry about his subpar skating, with concerns ranging from “should he play wing?” to “can he keep up in the NHL?” 4. Cody Glass, C 6’2, 178 pounds, Portland (WHL) Like Vilardi, there are some questions about Glass’ skating, plus he needs to get stronger to play the middle at the next level.

Still, he has fantastic vision and hockey IQ, and the fact he grew from a 5’9, 138-pound bantam pick into his current size bodes well for his strength.

5. Casey Mittelstadt, C 6’0, 199 pounds, Green Bay (USHL) Mittelstadt split time between his Minnesota high school team and See nhl Draft, page B8

Michael Madrid | USA TODAY Sports

Erin Hills was not the most challenging course ever to host a U.S. Open, but the Wisconsin golf course did provide plenty of challenges for the golfers who showed up, thanks in large part to wind that finally reared its head on Sunday afternoon. The lengthy course (more than 7,800 yards in total) provided a challenge few could conquer, except for Brooks Koepka. Relive the best action from 2017 U.S. Open. Pages B4 and B5

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 21, 2017

B2 Wednesday

06.21.17

Trending

Boston Celtics: After winning the draft lottery and earning the No. 1 overall pick, the Celtics traded the top selection to the 76ers, who are reportedly set to take Markelle Fultz.

Chauncey Billups: The former All-Star point guard could be a candidate to fill the general manager role in Cleveland that was made vacant when the Cavaliers parted ways with David Griffin.

beyond the box score POTENT QUOTABLES

golf

After 25 years together on the bag, Phil Mickelson and Jim “Bones” Mackay are mutually parting ways, the two announced in a joint statement released on Tuesday. “I will always be grateful that I was around to witness so much of Phil’s career,” Bones said. Mickelson’s brother Tim is expected to take over for Mackay for the rest of 2017.

Rob Schumacher | USA TODAY Sports

“I think so.

I think I’ll be all right.”

US Open champion Brooks Koepka when asked if he made the right decision to pursue golf instead of baseball

Phil Jackson: Turmoil continued to roll around the Big Apple, and the Knicks president is reportedly floating the idea of trading Kristaps Porzingis, the No. 4 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.

Cristiano Ronaldo: Coming off his eighth season with Real Madrid, the club’s president Florentino Perez is confident Ronaldo will remain with the team, saying, “An offer hasn’t arrived and what we think is Ronaldo is a Real Madrid player and he is going to continue.”

Josh Jackson: Former Kansas standout forward is drawing interest from both the Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks, with the two franchises likely to consider trading up in the 2017 NBA Draft in order to acquire Jackson.

Conor McGregor: UFC champion sparred in front of mural depicting him knocking out Floyd Mayweather to train for blockbuster match. The two fighters will meet in the ring on Aug. 26, 2017.

Pat McAfee: Former Colts punter turned Bartsool Sports podcaster and comedian continues to trash exColts GM Ryan Grigson, saying the decision by the Browns to bring in Grigson as part of the front office made them a worse franchise.

Kyle Terada | USA TODAY Sports

“I think I answered that I wouldn’t go. I still feel like that today.”

joe Maiorana | USA TODAY Sports

nba

mlb

NBA champion Stephen Curry when asked whether he’d visit the White House with Warriors

boxing

$90K

Lowest current price for ringside seats to Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather match in August at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The only issue? The venue is currently booked by rapper Ice Cube.

Brian Spurlock | usa today sports

Indiana Pacers star Paul George has more or less opened himself up to be traded after the forward let it be known through back channels that he does not intend to stay with Indiana after he becomes a free agent next year. Los Angeles is his likely landing.

nfl

7

Kirby Lee | USA TODAY SPORTS

NBA draft from page B1

pick is higher.

Philadelphia will pair Fultz, a high-scoring point guard out of the University of Washington, with Ben Simmons, last year’s No. 1 overall pick who missed the entire season with a foot injury.

In his only season with Washington, the 6-foot-5, 186-pound Fultz averaged 23.2 points and 5.9 assists. He shot 47.6 percent, averaged 5.9 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals over 25 games during his freshman season with the Huskies, who posted a 9-22 record.

Boston, meanwhile, could potentially own the draft rights to seven first-round selections over the next three seasons.

The Celtics have been linked with either Josh Jackson of Kansas or Jayson Tatum of Duke at No. 3, although multiple media outlets reported the team may be willing to deal the pick.

Lonzo Ball of UCLA is expected to go No. 2 to the Lakers, although the sides have yet to reach an agreement on a deal. Ball hosted a second workout for the Lakers on Friday.

Where will former Pack star Smith land?

The 2016-17 season did not do

Brad Penner | USA TODAY Sports

North Carolina State Wolfpack guard Dennis Smith Jr. (4) drives against Clemson Tigers forward Elijah Thomas (14) and Clemson Tigers guard Marcquise Reed (2) during the second half of an ACC Conference Tournament game at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on March 7.

wonders for Dennis Smith Jr.‘s draft stock, with the freshman phenom unable to will NC State to the NCAA Tournament despite high expectations. Still, Smith is all but a lock to hear his name called in the lottery and probably has a floor at No. 9 to the Dallas Mavericks, although No. 8 to the New York Knicks could make plenty of sense as well.

Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo is drawing heat from fans and potentially the Major League office after sliding hard into San Diego Padres catcher Austin Hedges on Monday night. MLB is likely reviewing the play for any discipline.

Former Cowboys and Dolphins coach and current FOX Sports analyst Jimmy Johnson will be a presenter at the 2017 Hall of Fame ceremony in Canton this coming August. But it will not be for his old boss Jerry Jones, who Johnson has had a longstanding rift with after the two battled over credit for the Cowboys Super Bowl victories. Instead, Johnson will present for former Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor, part of the same class as Jones.

cfb

Number of recruits who committed to UNC’s football program during Larry Fedora’s “Freak Show” this past Saturday.

Before the event, Fedora landed four-star QB Tyler Shough and Saturday he netted three-star DB DeAndre Hollins.

Patrick Gorski | USA TODAY Sports

After all, despite the poor play from the Wolfpack last year, Smith still averaged 18.1 points per game, 6.2 assists per game and 4.5 rebounds per game. And he did that on a team where he was the primary focus on the offensive end, while coming off a torn ACL he suffered during high school.

Smith is an explosive scorer and the prototypical point guard ca-

pable of slashing to the hoop and dishing off to shooters in the right offensive setup.

The Celtics should be considered a darkhorse for Smith at No. 3 overall after making their move down from the top spot. Ainge spent plenty of time in Raleigh this past season watching Smith, although he was traveling around the country looking at top prospects, knowing the Celtics would end up with a high pick thanks to the Nets struggles.

If Smith does fall, don’t be surprised to see someone trade up ahead of New York at No. 8 overall.

He’s been heavily rumored to land there, and would be a prize outside of the top five for a team in need of a point guard.

Who could Hornets target at No. 11?

This is a deep draft when it comes to point guard, which is good news for the Hornets, who already have Kemba Walker on the roster. Should something crazy happen and a prospect like Smith fall, Charlotte could try and swoop in to grab him as depth with Walker and/or best player available.

The more likely scenario playing out in most mock drafts has the Hornets looking for a shooting

guard such as Donovan Mitchell out of Louisville or Duke small forward Luke Kennard, both of whom would add a serious offensive boost for Buzz City in the coming season.

Mitchell scored 15.4 points per game for the Cardinals last year while shooting 35 percent from three-point land and averaging 4.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists. Kennard was a lights-out scorer for the Blue Devils last season, averaging 19.5 points per game while shooting 43.8 percent from three-point range with 5.1 rebounds per game.

Other local prospects The 2017 draft features a pile of players from around the state of North Carolina, with John Collins of Wake Forest projected as a likely top-20 pick and a sleeper to creep towards the lottery. Justin Jackson of North Carolina projects as a top20 pick too, with some mock drafts pushing him to the Atlanta Hawks.

Harry Giles of Duke looks like a good bet to land in the first round as well, with his athleticism overcoming his injury history for some team hoping to land a steal late in the first round. Don’t be surprised to see either Frank Jackson of Duke or Tony Bradley of North Carolina creep into the back end of the first round either.

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 21, 2017

B3

Griffin out as Cavs GM after Finals loss The Cavaliers removed David Griffin as GM and could look at ESPN analyst Chauncey Billups The Sports XChange

photos courtesy big rock blue marlin tournament

A crowd gathers for the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament.

Run-Off wins massive haul with Big Rock triumph After reeling in the first 500-plus pound blue marlin, the Run-Off maintained its lead for six days to win the Big Rock Tournament

By R. Cory Smith North State Journal Wire-to-wire victories are rare in any sport. Winning an offshore fishing tournament with a record amount of money on the line is one for the record books at the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament.

That’s exactly what the Run-Off crew accomplished on Saturday, netting a grand total of $1,161,450 — a new record for the 59-year-old tournament.

“I just couldn’t be happier.

I’m so proud my crew,” Run-Off captain Brian Harrington said.

“We’ve had tremendous support. I have never ever in my life had anything even close to grasping what that ($1,161,450) would be like.

That’s going to take some time to get used to.”

Harrington will share the prize money with first mate Marty Hiatt and angler Matt Hanley. It was Hanley who reeled in the 533.8-pound mammoth, which was his first ever blue marlin caught.

Bringing in the first 500-plus pound marlin of the tournament initially earned the trio $467,500 for winning the Level V Fabulous Fisherman’s “Winner Take All” division. After pulling in an additional $693,950 for finishing first with the largest blue marlin, the Run-Off prize tops the previous Big Rock record held by Sea Striker captain Adrian Holler of

A year ago, David Griffin was celebrating the Cleveland Cavaliers’ first championship and the city’s first title since 1964.

Now Griffin is the former general manager of the Cavaliers after the team announced Monday that his contract will not be renewed when it expires June 30.

The Cavaliers announced it was a mutual decision. The announcement coincided with the one-year anniversary of Cleveland’s 93-89 victory over the Golden State Warriors in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals. The victory made the Cavaliers the first team to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the finals and was the city’s first title since the Browns won the NFL championship in 1964 “On behalf of the entire organization, I would like to thank Griff for his leadership and many contributions during his time here, including most recently his role in the franchise’s first NBA championship,” Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert said in a statement.

The Cavaliers did not immediately name a replacement for Griffin, who reportedly could not agree with Gilbert on the team’s future direction for roster construction.

Griffin took the job on an acting basis in February 2014 after Chris Grant was fired. Griffin was named the permanent GM in May 2014 and his first moves were hiring David Blatt to coach and drafting Andrew Wiggins.

After the Cavaliers signed LeBron James in July 2014, he

traded Wiggins to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Kevin Love.

He also acquired J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert from the New York Knicks in January 2015, fired Blatt on Jan. 22, 2016, due to a “lack of fit” and replaced him with Tyronn Lue. According to reports, negotiations broke down despite James telling ESPN in April that Griffin deserved a new contract.

Multiple reports stated James was not consulted about the decision to let Griffin go, and Bleacher Report said James is “disappointed” with Griffin’s departure and “concerned” about what the move means for the Cavaliers. James signed a multiyear contract with the team last summer and the deal contains a $35.6 million player option following the 2017-18 season.

The move occurred as rumors surfaced about the Cavaliers attempting to get Paul George in a trade from the Indiana Pacers and Jimmy Butler from the Chicago Bulls. Reports said the Cavaliers’ front office encountered trouble in trade talks because of the uncertainty about Griffin.

According to the Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski, 2004 Finals MVP Chauncey Billups is a candidate for the job based on his relationship with Lue and Gilbert.

Whoever gets the job will become the fifth GM since Gilbert purchased the team in 2005.

Gilbert inherited Jim Paxton and fired him in April 2005.

Danny Ferry held the position from 2005 to 2010, coinciding with the team’s first appearance in the NBA Final in 2007.

Ferry left the team about a month before James departed to Miami via free agency and, like Griffin, reportedly disagreed with Gilbert about the team’s direction.

The crew of Run-Off, winners of the 2017 Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament, celebrate with their big pay day after claiming a victory.

$942,100 in 2001.

After an entire week of being on top of the leaderboard, the RunOff crew was nervous late Saturday evening. Bull Frog captain Bob Eakes was working on reeling in a blue marlin with just over an hour remaining in the competition, but announced with 10 minutes remaining it had released the fish.

“Bull Frog had us on edge a little bit,” Hanley said. “They had it for about an hour before they released it. There weren’t many words spoken in that hour. We all just sat there and looked at the wall.”

Not all was lost for Bull Frog, though. Bull Frog’s blue marlin release — the one that the RunOff celebrated with 10 minutes remaining in the competition — was worth $48,520 in the daily release

“I just couldn’t be happier.

I’m so proud of my crew.

We’ve had tremendous support.”

Brian Harrington, captain of Run-Off

division.

Rehab won $250,720 for finishing second with a 506-pound blue marlin caught Friday by angler Ryan Howard. Weldor’s Ark, captained by Mike Taylor, finished third to win $166,480 for the 484.9-pounder landed Monday by angler John Roberts.

Cary Edmondson | USA TODAY SPORTS IMAGe

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James at a press conference after game five of the 2017 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Calif on June 12.

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 21, 2017

B4

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 21, 2017

B5

Koepka rides birdie spree to Erin Hills U.S. Open win The 27-year-old shredded Erin Hills on Sunday to capture his first major

out,” Harman said.

Justin Thomas, who shot a 9-under 63 on Saturday — a record in relation to par — to reach Sunday’s final pairing while in a second-place tie with Koepka and Fleetwood, struggled in the final round with a 3-over 75 and tied for ninth at 280.

Like Harman, Thomas couldn’t match Koepka’s final-round mastery, which came on Father’s Day. It was an accomplishment that wasn’t lost on golf’s newest major champion, even if his father and other family members weren’t in attendance at Erin Hills on Sunday and missed one of Koepka’s appearances at a major for the first time.

“That’s probably one of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced and to do it on Father’s Day, it’s pretty neat,” Koepka said. “I didn’t exactly get my dad a card, so this works.”

By Jeff Arnold The Sports XChange

E

RIN, Wis. — As Brooks Koepka made the walk up the 18th fairway to a standing ovation early Sunday evening, he was aware that his first major championship was well within his grasp.

The 27-year-old American didn’t realize, however, just how close he was to making history.

Koepka strung together three consecutive late birdies and shot a 5-under-par 67 in the final round of the U.S. Open at Erin Hills.

Koepka entered Sunday in a three-way tie and a shot behind 54hole leader Brian Harman. He used the pivotal stretch to pull away and finish the championships at 16-under 272.

His finish equaled the scoring record for score in relation to par that Rory McIlroy established in 2011 at Congressional Country Club.

“That’s awesome,” Koepka said.

“I think it’s really cool. It hasn’t sunk in, obviously, and (it) probably won’t for a few days.”

Koepka was four strokes better than Harman, who shot even par on Sunday, and Hideki Matsuyama, who shot 6-under Sunday to finish the championships at 12-under along with Harman.

Tommy Fleetwood of England finished fourth at 277.

After hitting a short par putt on 18, Koepka — playing a group ahead of Harman — pumped his fist twice in celebration.

Koepka moved to 14-under with a birdie at the par-5 14th hole. After his second shot found the bunker,

A special flag on the 18th green commemorating the come from behind win at the 1960 U.S. Open by Arnold Palmer is shown during the final round of the 2017 U.S. Open Championship at Erin Hills in Erin, Wisc. on Jun. 18..

Rob Schumacher | USA TODAY Sports

Brooks Koepka poses with the trophy after winning the U.S. Open golf tournament at Erin Hills in Erin, Wisc. on Jun. 18.

Koepka made an impressive shot to set up a short birdie putt to provide him with a two-stroke lead.

He followed with birdies at 15 and 16 to widen his gap to four shots and close in on theOpen championship.

Koepka carried a one-stroke lead into the back nine after a birdie at No. 8, but quickly fell back into a tie with Harman. Koepka bogeyed the par-4 10th hole, marking the first time he registered a bogey on the back nine during the tournament.

Like Koepka, Harman hadn’t bogeyed a hole on the back nine until Sunday.

Tied with Koepka at 13 under,

Harman missed his par putt at the par-4 12th to fall a shot off the lead. Harman bogeyed his second straight hole at 13 to fall two shots behind Koepka.

Harman finished with a bogey on 18.

“I was pretty content making pars on the front nine because I knew the kind of day it was,” Harman said. “But you’ve got to tip your cap to him. He went and won the golf tournament on the back nine.

I’ve done it before, but he did it today.

“I had an opportunity today and didn’t get it done. At the same time, I don’t feel as if I lost the golf tour-

nament. I just think Brooks went out and won the tournament.”

After his birdie at 14, Koepka wasn’t aware of Harman’s bogey back at 13.

Nonetheless, the birdie that started the string of three straight did wonders for Koepka’s confidence.

But a par at 13, Koepka admitted afterward, meant even more.

“That was kind of the changing point of the round for me,” he said.

As Koepka picked up momentum, Harman began to lose steam.

And once Koepka made his third straight birdie at 16, Harman knew his championship chase was over.

“After that, it was kind of lights

NOTES: Scottie Scheffler, who plays collegiately for the University of Texas, was the top amateur finisher at 287 for the tournament with a Sunday round of 73. Scheffler finished ahead of Texas A&M’s Cameron Champ, who entered Sunday’s final round with a two-shot lead over Scheffler, shot a 4-over 76 to finish at 288. ... The 54-hole leader, Brian Harman, entered Sunday’s final round attempting to become the first left-handed player to win the U.S. Open. Only four left-handers — Bubba Watson, Phil Mickelson, Mike Weir and Bob Charles — have won major championships. ... Jordan Spieth, who shot his lowest round (69) of the championships on the tournament’s windiest day, said he wouldn’t mind seeing the event return to Erin Hills. “I think it’s an awesome golf course. I think that’s been the consensus from everyone,” Spieth said Sunday. “There are so many (courses) to choose from, (but) I’m sure at some point, it will come back here.”

Mark Hoffman | USA TODAY Sports

Michael Madrid | USA TODAY Sports

Rickie Fowler putts on the ninth green during the final round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Erin Hills in Erin, Wisc. on Jun. 18.

Rob Schumacher | USA TODAY Sports

Kevin Chappell walks over to touch the Arnold Palmer pin flag on the 18th green during the final round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Erin Hills in Erin, Wisc. on Jun. 18.

Geoff Burke | USA TODAY Sports

Justin Thomas plays his shot from the 13th tee during the final round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Erin Hills in Erin, Wisc. on Jun. 18.

Rob Schumacher | USA TODAY Sports

Brooks Koepka climbs up to the 15th tee box during the final round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Erin Hills in Erin, Wisc. on Jun. 18.

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 21, 2017

B6

Blaney, Keselowski and Earnhardt Jr. intrinsically tied in NASCAR success Two of NASCAR’s biggest names have not only helped pass the torch, but had a huge part in young drivers’ fledgling careers

By R. Cory Smith North State Journal Ten years ago, Brad Keselowski was trying everything imaginable to make his name known in the Xfinity Series. Driving Keith Coleman Racing, Keselowski saw the team fold midway through the 2007 season, leaving him with no ride and nowhere to go.

That was when Dale Earnhardt Jr. stepped in. The biggest and most popular name in the sport suddenly wanted a driver whose best finish in the Xfinity Series was 24th earlier that season.

Keselowski was thrust into the No. 88 car for JR Motorsports, and he performed at a high level. After finishing with four top 10s in 14 races to close out 2007, Keselowski tallied six victories over the next two seasons and was third in the points standings as the only fulltime driver for the young team.

In 2010, Kes made the switch to Team Penske as a full-time Xfinity and Cup Series driver. But his career was forever changed by the faith Earnhardt showed in him when his career was on life support.

“Dale gave me an incredible opportunity, and I don’t know if I would have made it without him,” Keselowski said. “I don’t know. But I’m glad I didn’t have to find out.

And I’m thankful for the support he gave me in the early days of my career, really the foundational days of my career, because he didn’t have to do that.

“It wasn’t something he had to do. It was something he wanted to do.”

Before Keselowski made the switch, though, his first win came with Phoenix Racing ahead of — you guessed it — Junior in 2009

at Talladega. Earnhardt immediately headed to Victory Lane to congratulate his JR Motorsports driver after a controversial last-lap wreck that led to them crossing the start-finish line together.

Just a few years later, Keselowski won his first championship in 2012 and had a bustling Trucks Series team of his own. The young driver who drove for Keselowski at the end of that season was none other than Ryan Blaney, a 19-yearold driver who had racing in his blood.

Blaney almost immediately thrived with Brad Keselowski Racing, winning in Iowa in his third race and earning five top 10s in nine races. The only thing faster than Blaney on the track was his rise off it, moving up to the Monster Energy Cup Series by 2015 at 21 years old.

“Yeah, I think he’s done a great job,” Keselowski said of Blaney.

“He’s so, so fast. He’s got a tremendous amount of speed, which that’s kind of the foundational or one of the foundational items for any race car driver is: Can he go fast?

“And the rest seems to be more procedural, which comes with time, experience and so forth. So he’s got a great foundation and a great team to build off of. And he’s doing all the right things. So you never know with younger drivers how things are going to turn out.”

Last Sunday, Blaney earned the first career Cup win at Pocono after putting together a stellar season to this point. Leading up to Michigan, he has posted 242 laps led with five top 10s — three of which were top fives — and sits at 12th overall in the points standings with his spot in the playoffs all but sealed.

He may be one of the rising stars for Team Penske, Ford Performance and NASCAR as a whole, but he still credits much of his success to Keselowski taking him under his wing. After Keselowski met Blaney in Victory Lane following his first win with a mic in hand for a playful interview, Blaney made it

photos by Matthew O’Haren | USA today sports images

NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney (right) stands on pit road prior to the Pocono 400 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Penn. on June 11.

“He’s so, so fast. He’s got a tremendous amount of speed, which that’s kind of the foundational or one of the foundational items for any race car driver is: Can he go fast?

Brad Keselowski, talking about Ryan Blaney

NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney celebrates in victory lane after winning the Pocono 400 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Penn. on June 11.

very clear how much Kes impacted his career.

“It was awesome to see him basically just take the microphone from Jaime Little,” Blaney said.

“That was cool to see his support.

I wouldn’t be here without Brad, to be honest with you. ... I would be nothing if it wasn’t for him taking a chance on me.

“He’s been a huge person I’ve looked up to. For him to do that really, really makes me feel good. It’s really cool to see his support still.

He’s a great person.”

On the cusp of the end of Earnhardt’s career and the start of Blaney’s, the two have also been linked together throughout the season.

Earlier in the year, Blaney blamed Junior for losing his tires at Phoenix with some choice words and gave him a case of beer at Martinsville to earn his forgiveness.

Following Blaney’s victory at Pocono, Earnhardt greeted him with four coolers full of beer and partied

throughout the night with a slew of fellow Cup drivers.

After Keselowski was given an opportunity by Earnhardt, he returned the favor to Blaney. Seeing that come full circle at Pocono was an emotional experience for Keselowski, especially since it was Earnhardt who was one of the first to greet him in Victory Lane at Talladega so many years earlier.

“I can never really repay [Earnhardt] for that,” Keselowski said.

“And so what I can do is pay it forward to others and give that same opportunity. So seeing someone like Ryan win is almost like the best thank you I can give to Dale Jr. or to Roger or to my dad and family that gave me opportunities.

“In a lot of ways it feels good for that reason.”

Splitter to Spoiler

NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson (42) reacts after winning the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich on June 18.

Youth uprising is exactly what NASCAR needs for future wo years ago, Jeff Gordon stepped away from NASCAR. T Last season was Tony Stewart’s

swan song. Prior to this season getting underway, Carl Edwards announced he was stepping away. Then two months ago, Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR’s most popular driver, announced he will retire after 2017.

That seemingly leaves a gaping hole for NASCAR, right? Not if you ask the latest youth movement in the sport.

Kyle Larson’s win on Sunday at Michigan was the third of his career after going winless in his first 98 races. His win marked a fifth race out of the last seven that was won by a driver under the age of 30, including first-time winners in Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Austin Dillon and Ryan Blaney.

“I think everybody is kind of nervous about where it’s going to be,” Larson explained, “but I think a lot of us, our fan bases are going to grow as well as NASCAR’s fan base.”

Even with so many legends exiting the sport, Larson isn’t concerned with the state of the sport given the success of himself and fellow young guns.

“Yeah, I keep saying that NASCAR is in a great, great spot,” Larson said. “Even with Dale Jr. retiring this year, I think it’s a huge opportunity for our sport. Dale Jr. has probably three‑quarters of our fan base. You might lose a few thousand of his fans that might disappear. The rest of them are going to pick new drivers.

“I think new rivalries are going to be built. It’s going to bring some excitement back to the racetrack.”

Outside of his two wins, Larson also has five second-place

R. Cory Smith

results and ran out of gas while leading on the final lap to lose the Daytona 500. He shares that last distinction with Chase Elliott, who finished second behind Larson on Sunday in Michigan.

Both Larson and Elliott appear to be at the forefront of the fledgling fan bases in NASCAR when Earnhardt exits given that both drive for Chevrolet and Elliott is a Hendrick Motorsports driver. All Elliott lacks is a win, but he hasn’t been far off and certainly has the equipment to get to Victory Lane soon.

Just behind those two are the likes of Blaney, Daniel Suarez and Erik Jones, each of which are in great equipment with winning teams. While Logano might be in that discussion at just 27 years old, he likely isn’t gaining or losing fans with the recent retirements given his veteran status.

Less than two months ago, I wrote that the remainder of this year was a crucial time for NASCAR to persuade that there are drivers Junior fans can latch onto after he calls it quits prior to the 2018 season. In that span, we’ve seen three first-time winners and Kyle Larson remains at the top of the points standings.

Yeah, that’s pretty persuasive on the part of the young guns in the sport.

Mike DiNovo | USA TODAY Sports

Truex building toward playoffs Martin Truex Jr. doesn’t have the most wins this year. That belongs to Jimmie Johnson with three.

Truex doesn’t even have the best average finish. That belongs to Kyle Larson, who leads him by five points at the top of the standings.

What Truex does have is the most laps led in the Monster Energy Cup Series with 871, which is 264 more than Larson after Michigan. In past seasons, that wouldn’t mean much more than just a useful stat telling of how dominant Truex has been during races.

This season, thanks to the stage system, it means much more.

With his massive number of laps led, Truex has already won 10 stages through the first 15 races.

Throw in his two wins — good for five playoff points apiece — and Truex has a comfortable lead with 20 playoff points, each of which will carry over into the postseason and reset after every round.

“The 78 was by far the class of the field, I thought,” Larson said of Truex. “I know I led a lot of laps. Seemed like whenever he

wanted to get the lead, he hit a nitro button and would cruise up to the lead, then check out. He was the class of the field.”

No offense to Larson, but Truex and Furniture Row Racing have been the class of the field in nearly every race for more than a month.

In the last five points races dating back to Truex’s win in Kansas, the No. 78 machine has finished no worse than sixth with an average result of 3.8. Oh, and he’s led 506 laps — an average of 101.2 per race — during that span.

Truex was already a contender coming into the season, but the new stage system has been perfect for a driver who is looking to lead the Cup Series in laps led for a second straight year. Expect Truex to ride that momentum earned in the regular season to at least a spot in the final four at Homestead-Miami.

No need to question Joe Gibbs Racing Fifteen races into the season, Joe Gibbs Racing has no wins.

Headlined by the experienced trio of Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth along with rookie standout Daniel Suarez, the normally dominant juggernaut

has fallen short of ensuring itself a spot in the playoffs past the midway point in the season.

So JGR has to be on the brink of a disastrous season, right?

Nope. Not even close.

Of the four drivers in the Gibbs stable, the aforementioned veterans are all inside the top 11 in the points standings. Busch, who has four stage wins this season, came up just short of a win for a second straight race due to a debris caution.

Hamlin, who is currently ninth overall in points, is confident the wins are coming for JGR. “Everything we needed to do we did,” Hamlin said. “Had one little hiccup on pit road, but for the most part, we ran really well all day, had good speed in our Camry and pretty happy. ... I mean, you keep battling in the top-five and eventually you’ll have your chance.”

In order for young drivers and first-time winners to reach Victory Lane, some teams have to suffer. To this point, the sport has already seen three first-time winners and a pair of victories from Larson. The wins are coming for Gibbs, and when they get the first, the second, third and fourth won’t be far behind.

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 21, 2017

B7

NFl notebook

Redskins’ trademark boosted by Supreme Court ruling The Sports XChange The U.S. Supreme Court struck down part of a federal law that bans offensive trademark protection in a ruling that could benefit the Washington Redskins in their legal fight over the team’s controversial nickname.

The justices ruled the 71-yearold trademark law barring disparaging terms infringes on free speech rights.

The law used by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to prevent the NFL team from registering trademarks in and relating to the word “Redskins” and the logos used by the team was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

“Holding that the registration of a trademark converts the mark into government speech would constitute a huge and dangerous extension of the government-speech doctrine, for other systems of government registration (such as copyright) could easily be characterized in the same way,” Justice Samuel Alito wrote in his opinion for the court.

“The commercial market is well stocked with merchandise that disparages prominent figures and groups, and the line between commercial and non-commercial speech is not always clear, as this case illustrates. If affixing the commercial label permits the suppression of any speech that may lead to political or social ‘volatility,’ free speech would be endangered.”

WR Decker inks one-year deal with Titans Wide receiver Eric Decker officially signed a one-year deal with the Tennessee Titans on Monday,

calling the union with the team a “perfect storm.”

Decker, 30, has owned a home in the Nashville area since 2012 with his wife, country music star Jesse James Decker.

The former New York Jets and Denver Broncos receiver agreed to terms with the Titans on Sunday night.

“It was kind of a perfect storm,” Decker told the team’s website on Monday. “You only get so many years to play this game, and I wanted to find the right fit. I wanted to come to a place where I can help out, and this is home.

“There were a lot of factors. This is a team on the rise, and I like the coaching staff, the GM, and the philosophy upstairs. I like the quarterback, the locker room and the mentality. When I talked to the GM and the coaches, finding out what they wanted out of me, what my role would be, Tennessee was the best opportunity.”

Decker was released by the Jets last Monday, and two days later he visited with Tennessee officials, including general manager with Jon Robinson and head coach Mike Mularkey.

Brady has ‘dream’ of playing in China New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, making a promotional tour in China, hopes to play an NFL game in the country before his career comes to an end.

Brady almost had a chance to play a preseason game in China in 2007, but the matchup against the Seattle Seahawks was ultimately canceled as the NFL chose to focus on the debut of regular-season games in London, which began

Rafael Suanes | USA TODAY Sports

Washington Redskins helmets are lined up on the sideline during minicamp at Redskins Park in Washington D.C.

later that season.

“My dream is to play a game here in China someday,” Brady said over the weekend, via ESPN. “We had an opportunity, I think, 10 years ago, and my team was going to play here, and unfortunately it didn’t work out. But one day I hope that there are many games here, and over the course of a year, because it’s such a great sport and because I love it so much, to bring that here and to bring the discipline and incredible strategy involved.”

Brady’s trip was part of a promotional tour for Under Armour.

He posted a photo on Instagram of him throwing a football on the Great Wall, and also held up the Lombardi Trophy in another photo.

Browns’ Garrett (foot) expected to be ready for training camp Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, the No. 1 overall

Defending Travelers champion Knox remains in background Russell Knox has been laying low since his win last year at the Travelers’

By Tom LaMarre The Sports XChange Even though he has established himself on the PGA Tour, Russell Knox of Scotland has yet to receive the recognition he deserves.

Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Jason Day and Bubba Watson will get most of the attention heading into the Travelers Championship this week at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn., even though Knox is the defending champion.

“It always feels nice (to be recognized), but at the same time, I blend in with everyone,” said Knox, who has two PGA Tour victories, including the 2015 WGC-HSBC Champions at Shenzhen GolfClub in Shanghai, China. “It’s nice to fly under the radar.

“I don’t know why people love professional golfers so much. We are just the same normal people as everyone else. I’ll never be a person who is super-recognizable. (But) sure I hope I win lots of times and more people recognize me.”

Knox sank a 12-foot putt to save par on the final hole of the Travelers last year to shoot 2-under-par 68, getting up-and-down from a greenside bunker to beat Jerry Kelly by one stroke.

That gave him his sixth victory as a pro and helped him finish fourth in the FedEx Cup point standings at the end of the regular season and 10th following the playoffs.

“That’s a putt I’ll remember forever,” said Knox, who played college golf at Jacksonville University and makes his home in Jacksonville Beach, Fla. “I felt like the Incredible Hulk when it went in. I could have ripped my shirt off.

“I finished second three times since I (last) won. And I mean, I really wanted to get another one.”

Still, Knox was somewhat overshadowed even in victory.

That’s because Jim Furyk stole the show by shooting a PGA Tour-record 58 to finish in a tie for fifth.

“Heck no, I dominated,” Knox said with tongue firmly planted in cheek when asked what it felt like

Joe Maiorana | USA TODAY Sports

Russel Knox tees off on the fifthteenth hole during the third round of The Memorial golf tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio on June 3.

to share the spotlight with Furyk.

“But no, I mean I’m friends with Jim. We live close to each other (in Jacksonville). I was very jealous of him.

“I wanted to be the first person to break 60 two times. I shot 59 a few years back in (the Albertson Boise Open on Web.com tour).

But, no, I’m very happy for him.”

Knox even has been overlooked a bit in his native Scotland, where many people believe he has deserved the Scotland Golfers of the Year Award each of the last two years in favor of players who stay and play at home, because he spends most of the year in the U.S. and rarely plays on the European Tour.

He’s the top-ranked Scot at 39th in the Official World Golf Ranking, down from a high of No. 18 last year.

And there was some outrage back home when captain Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland failed to pick him for the European Ryder Cup team last year.

“I was disappointed not to make the team,” Knox admitted. ”(But) it’s in the past in my mind, to be honest. I try and play well for myself, my family, my sponsors and all of that.

“I don’t think about the Ryder Cup. As it gets closer (fall of 2018), it probably will be on mind.”

For now, he’s concentrating on his title defense this week at TPC

River Highlands, where he came from three strokes behind 54-hole leader Daniel Berger to win a year ago.

Knox made a strong showing when he defended his other PGA Tour title in the WGC-HSBC Champions last year in China, finishing in a tie for ninth a year after becoming the first Scot to capture one of the World Golf Championships.

Then he started this season with five straight finishes in the top 20, but struggled for a while before tying for 11th in the RBC Heritage and was 15th in the FedEx Cup standings last week before missing the cut in the U.S. Open.

“I can come here with a lot of confidence to say, ‘Let’s do it again,’” Knox told reporters on Travelers Championship media day. “My game is good. I’ve missed a few cuts. I got a couple of bad breaks in some of the tournaments that caused me to miss the cut. And I didn’t play great for a few weeks.

“I’m very optimistic. I had some equipment issues, but I have that sorted out. I truly expect to have a big (performance) here. ... It will be an awesome feeling (to defend).

I will be nervous, but it’s going to be an honor to be called defending champion.”

Although you can count on several others getting more attention.

pick in this year’s draft, was diagnosed with a sprained left foot but is expected to be ready for training camp, the team announced Saturday.

Garrett was injured during drills at Wednesday’s minicamp and was diagnosed with a lateral foot sprain following an evaluation by Cleveland team physician Dr. James Voos and Dr. Robert Anderson, a foot and ankle specialist.

The Browns signed Garrett to a four-year deal worth $30.4 million.

The 6-foot-4 1/2, 272-pound Garrett registered 8.5 sacks last season at Texas A&M despite playing with a high-ankle sprain.

He collected 141 tackles (47 for loss) and 31 sacks and forced seven fumbles during his three-year career with the Aggies.

During a two-minute drill at Wednesday’s practice, Garrett landed awkwardly on his left foot as he was rushing quarterback Brock Osweiler.

Jets’ Super Bowl winner Grantham dies at 78 Larry Grantham, a defensive standout on the New York Jets’ Super Bowl III championship team, has died, the team announced Sunday night. He was 78.

Grantham played outside linebacker and was an original member of the New York Titans, who became the Jets in 1963 after three seasons. His 43 career takeaways remain a franchise record.

Grantham called the defensive signals in the Jets’ 16-7 upset of the Baltimore Colts in the Super Bowl in January 1969.

A funeral service for Grantham will be held Wednesday in his hometown of Crystal Springs, Miss.

Grantham, who was an undersized 6-foot, 210-pound linebacker, was a five-time AFL All-Star during his 13 years with the team and was inducted into the Jets’ Ring of Honor in 2011.

Pacific transfer will walk on for coach Roy Williams

By Shawn Krest North State Journal The defending national champions will have a very familiar name on its roster next season.

K.J. Smith, son of former Tar Heel point guard Kenny Smith, announced on Twitter that he will be walking on to the UNC basketball team. While he likely won’t be a key contributor, K.J. told Scout.com that he simply couldn’t turn down being a part of a school where both of his parents attended.

“I always was a UNC fan growing up,” Smith said. “It was always in the back of my mind that UNC was the final destination where I wanted to end up. It was always a dream to say ‘I’m a Tar Heel.’

During the process, I got in contact with Roy (Williams) and we just built a Carolina relationship.

I can’t even remember, I just kept thinking ‘What about Carolina?’”

When I told Coach Roy I was accepted he told me ‘Welcome to the family.’”

Kenny Sr., now an NBA announcer for Turner Sports, played for the Tar Heels from 1983 to 1987. A first-team All-American and national player of the year, Smith’s jersey number 30 is honored in the Smith Center rafters.

He averaged 12.9 points with 6.0 assists in his career and broke Phil Ford’s career assists record.

Smith went on to a long NBA career, leading the Houston Rockets to a pair of NBA titles.

K.J. Smith will apparently be taking his father’s number out of the rafters. On Monday, he post-

ed a photo of himself in the UNC 30 jersey on his Twitter account, announcing his decision to join Roy Williams’ program. Eight other Tar Heels have worn the number since Smith left, most notably Rasheed Wallace. "(My dad) was ecstatic just like any dad would be,” Smith told Scout. “The funniest reaction though was probably my mom. She was jumping up and down because she loves Carolina so much. I’m happy, my family is happy. I have a lot of family back in North Carolina so I’m glad a lot of my family can come to games and support me.”

Smith was not heavily recruited out of his school. ESPN had him rated a one-star prospect, and Scout gave him two stars.

Smith played a year on IMG Academy’s post-grad team, averaging 8.2 points and 2.4 assists.

He then joined the University of the Pacific, where he averaged 3.2 points as a freshman last year.

Smith scored a season-high 17 points against Cal-State Fullerton. Against Gonzaga, UNC’s opponent in the NCAA Championship Game, Smith was scoreless in two games, with a total of 18 minutes played.

The 6-foot-2, 160-pounder chose to transfer following the season and will sit out next season before being eligible to play for the Tar Heels.

Smith’s mother also graduated from Carolina, and his father played for coach Roy Williams, who was an assistant on Dean Smith’s staff during his UNC playing career.

North Carolina head coach Roy Williams reacts in the first half of the college basketball game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at PNC Arena in Raleigh on Feb. 15. North Carolina defeated North Carolina State 97 - 73.

eamon queeney | North State Journal file

B8

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 21, 2017

No surprises in Hurricanes’ expansion draft list One of Nordstrom, Stempniak, Dahlbeck, Ward, Lack likely Vegas’ target

By Cory Lavalette North State Journal RALEIGH — Many expected drama and excitement from the Carolina Hurricanes ahead of the NHL trade freeze. Instead, Carolina stood pat and on Sunday morning released their list of exposed and protected players for this week’s expansion draft with no surprises.

The Hurricanes opted to protect seven forwards, three defenseman and a goalie, and the list was as many expected. At forward, Phil Di Giuseppe, Elias Lindholm, Brock McGinn, Victor Rask, Jeff Skinner, Jordan Staal and Teuvo Teravainen were protected. The team also listed Trevor Carrick, Justin Faulk and Ryan Murphy as their defensemen, and new goalie Scott Darling in net.

That left the required two forwards (Joakim Nordstrom and Lee Stempniak) and one defenseman (Klas Dahlbeck) with the required experience mandated by the league, along with goaltenders Cam Ward and Eddie Lack.

Chances are, the Vegas Golden Knights — who will pick one player from each team’s unprotected list — will select one of those five, perhaps with some enticement from Hurricanes GM Ron Francis in the way of a draft pick.

The best-case scenario for the Hurricanes is to get their number of NHL goalies down to two by encouraging Vegas or another team to take on Ward or Lack. But the

Golden Knights and their general manager, George McPhee, have a number of good options in goal based on the lists released at 10:30 a.m.

The odds-on favorite to be the starter in Vegas’ first game is Pittsburgh’s Marc-Andre Fleury, who has been supplanted by Matt Murray in the Penguins net and would give the Golden Knights a legitimate No. 1. Vegas will need to select three goalies, and the other options are intriguing.

Detroit opted to protect Jimmy Howard over Petr Mrazek, and Colorado’s Calvin Pickard could be a solid backup option behind Fleury. Al Montoya, Montreal’s backup behind Carey Price, is a potential choice as well. The Rangers’ Antii Raanta, the Islanders’ Jaroslav Halak, Washington’s Phillipp Grubauer and Philadelphia’s Michal Neuvirth are all established NHLers.

Vegas has reportedly already struck several deals with teams to dictate who they will take, including rumored deals with the Islanders, Columbus, Chicago and Anaheim.

Some of the bigger names that could head to Nevada: former Hurricanes captain Eric Staal, who was left unprotected by the Wild, well-traveled sniper James Neal from Nashville, Sabres defenseman Zach Bogosian, and one of Ottawa’s Bobby Ryan or Marc Methot.

In just three days, Vegas will announce their picks, and then focus will shift to the NHL Draft on Friday and Saturday. Francis may not have made any noise yet, but with 10 draft picks and a stated goal of improving the roster, the fireworks are perhaps on the horizon.

Hurricanes General Manager Ron Francis, left, offers defenseman Jake Bean, right, a contract with the Hurricanes during the team’s annual Summerfest at PNC Arena on July 9, 2016 in Raleigh.

madeline gray | North State Journal file

NHL draft from page B1 the USHL, so the big concern is how he will do against better competition. He has the size and skills, but he struggled with strength events at the combine and some question his all-around game.

6. Owen Tippett, RW 6’1, 203 pounds, Mississauga (OHL) Tippett has no problem filling the net with his pro-level shot, but will he score enough at the next level to justify a top-10 selection?

Teams that don’t take Tippett could come to regret it — or they could be glad they passed over him. He might remind some of former Hurricanes winger Jeff O’Neill.

7. Miro Heiskanen, D 6’2, 172 pounds, HIFK (Liiga) Heiskanen has already played with men in the top Finnish league, and he is a dominant skater and puck mover who was one of few Finns to look OK at this year’s flop at the World Juniors.

He should be the first or second defenseman off the board.

8. Cale Makar, D 5’11, 187 pounds, Brooks (AJHL) Makar’s name has been heard more frequently as the draft approaches. He’s small and plays in the lesser AJHL, but he might be the best skater and most agile player in the draft class.

His offensive talent and skating should propel him on the attack, but can he defend?

9. Michael Rasmussen, C 6’6, 221 pounds, Tri-City (WHL) If a team truly wants a big center, they’ll look to Rasmussen. He plays in all situations and was on pace for a monster season before breaking his wrist in February. He could be a solid net-front presence tomorrow, and his 79.25” wingspan makes him seem even bigger than he is.

eamon queeney | North State Journal file

Carolina Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward (30) blocks a shot from Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones (3) in the first period of the NHL game at PNC Arena in Raleigh on Jan. 10, 2017. The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 5 - 3.

10. Nick Suzuki, C 5’11, 183 pounds, Owen Sound (OHL) Suzuki probably isn’t big enough to be a center in the NHL, but his

Late MLB Draft rounds included large haul of NC selections

By Brett Friedlander North State Journal John Manuel of Baseball America has rated this year’s class of baseball talent as the best the state has ever produced and the results of this week’s Major League Baseball draft has only affirmed that claim.

The Old North State produced a record five first round selections on Monday, including a pair of high school stars going in the first six overall picks. In all, more than 60 players with North Carolina ties representing 17 colleges and numerous high schools had their names called during the 40 rounds that were held over three days.

Here is the list of draftees chosen in rounds 11-40 on Wednesday (arranged by school): NC State (7): Evan Mendoza, 3B, Jr., 11th round (334 overall), St. Louis Cardinals; Josh McLain, OF, Jr., 14th round (430), LA Dodgers; Andy Cosgrove, C, Jr., 17th round (496), Minnesota Twins: Tommy DeJuneas, RHP, Jr., 26th round (792) Cleveland Indians; Brock Deatherage, OF, Jr., 29th (868)

Pittsburgh Pirates; Cody Beckman, LHP, Sr., 30th round (894), Milwaukee Brewers; Tim Naughton, RPH, Jr., 34th round (1,028), Baltimore Orioles.

UNCW (6): Josh Roberson, RPH, Jr., 12th round (359), Miami Marlins; Nick Feight, C, Jr., 19th round (558), San Diego Padres; Casey Golden, OF, Sr., 20th round (596), Colorado Rockies; Brian Mims, IF, Jr., 22nd round (653), Philadelphia Phillies; Robbie Thorburn, OF, Sr., 31st round (938), Baltimore Orioles; Terence Connelly, IF, Sr., 40th round (1,192), Arizona Diamondbacks.

Wake Forest (4): Donnie Sellers, RHP, Jr., 11th round (339) Toronto Blue Jays, Jonathan Pryor, OF, Sr., 19th round (583), Washington Nationals; Connor Johnstone, RHP, Sr., 21st round (620), Atlanta Braves; Griffin Roberts, RHP, Soph., 29th round (856) Minnesota Twins.

Mount Olive (4): Ricky Surum, SS, Sr., 16th round (482), NY Yankees; Zack Mozingo, RHP, Sr., 23rd round 9679), TB Rays; Austin Hutchison, RHP, Sr., 26th round (783), Seattle Mariners; Kodi Whitley, RHP, Jr., 27th round (814), St. Louis

Cardinals Duke (3): Jimmy Herron, OF, Soph., 31st round (932), New York Yankees; James Ziemba, LHP, Sr., 22nd round (655), LA Angels; Justin Bellinger, 1B, Jr., 22nd round (647), Cincinnati Reds.

attention to detail at both ends of the ice makes it a possibility.

Despite putting up more than 90 points this season, some don’t see him as a big point producer in the NHL, but he can be a handful.

11. Eeli Tolvanen, LW 5’11, 189 pounds, Sioux City (USHL) Tolvanen’s stock took a hit with a lackluster World Junior showing, but his speed and shot are undeniable weapons. Like with many snipers there are doubts about his commitment to the defensive zone, but if he can score in buckets teams won’t care.

12. Klim Kostin, C 6’3, 207 pounds, Moscow Dynamo (KHL) Kostin is the complete package: big, strong and able to carry and hold on to the puck. But he also suffers from the “Russian” label, especially after he opted to spend this year in the KHL. That and shoulder surgery in February might scare teams away, but it shouldn’t.

Eight To Watch 13. Elias Pettersson, C 6’2, 164 pounds, Timra (Sweden2nd) Pettersson has to gain weight and strength — and show the willingness to get to the tough areas on the ice. If he does those things, he shows the competitiveness to be an NHL playmaker like another Elias, countryman Elias Lindholm.

16. Martin Necas, RW 6’1, 178 pounds, Brno (Czech) Necas could sneak into the top 10 thanks to his performance at the World Juniors, but his slight frame and up-and-down showings at other events have left some doubts about his upside. He might be the top skater among forwards in the draft.

17. Timothy Liljegren, D 6’0, 188 pounds, Rogle (SHL) This time last year, Liljegren was probably behind only Patrick in many Class of 2017 rankings.

He has since had mono, was cut from Sweden’s World Junior squad, and had a poor season

65. Michael DiPietro, G 6’0, 202 pounds, Windsor (OHL) DiPietro — no relation to former first overall pick Rick — carried the Spitfires to the Memorial Cup with his play in net. The knock on DiPietro, like Hurricanes prospect and former OHL standout Alex Nedeljkovic, is his size. At 6 feet, many wonder if he can thrive in today’s NHL. 73. Cale Fleury, D 6’2, 199 pounds, Kootenay (WHL) DiPietro doesn’t have pro bloodlines, but Fleury does. The younger brother of Carolina’s first-round pick in 2014 isn’t the prospect his brother was in his draft year, but he took over as captain in Kootenay in January and is a big, mobile defender.

For North State Journal’s top-100 NHL Draft prospect list, visit NSJOnline.com.

MacKenzie Gore, LHP, Whiteville HS, Round 1 (3rd overall), San Diego Padres

Lenoir-Rhyne (1): Thomas St. Clair, RHP, Sr., 24th round (724), Toronto Blue Jays

Austin Beck, OF, N. Davidson HS, Round 1 (6), Oakland Athletics

NC A&T (1): Cutter Dyals, RPH, Jr., 17th round (500), Atlanta Braves WCU (1): Brett Pope, SS, Jr., 22nd round (658), Pittsburgh Pirates Wingate (1): Kory Behenna, LHP, Jr., 26th round (761), Boston Red Sox

Here are the state players taken on the first two days of the draft

Catawba (2): Bryan Blanton, RHP, Jr., 21st round (632), NY Yankees; Zachery Almond, C, Jr., 35th round (1,042), Arizona Diamondbacks.

31. Erik Brannstrom, D 5’9, 179 pounds, HV71 (SHL) Brannstrom is a microcosm of this draft. Some see him as a lottery pick, while others pencil him in as a mid-second round pick. If he was Liljegren’s size, he would probably go before the countryman he outperformed.

Elon (1): Jordan Barrett, LHP, Sr., 18th round (549), Toronto Blue Jays.

Davidson (1): Will Robertson, OF, Sr., 30th round (908), Baltimore

UNCG (2): Jack Maynard, RHP, Jr., 21st round (622), Arizona Diamondbacks; Ben Spitznagel, OF, Sr., 27th round (801), Oakland Athletics

21. Kristian Vesalainen, LW 6’5, 209 pounds, Frolunda (SEL) Vesalainen can’t be faulted for being bounced around all year.

He started in the Swedish Hockey League, then went back home to Finland and played in the World Juniors, then back to Sweden.

Vesalainen has the size and skill teams dream of, so a team will grab him in the first.

in rounds 1-10:

Charlotte (1): Zach Jarrett, OF, Sr., 28th round (848), Baltimore Orioles.

Appalachian State (2): Matt Brill, RHP, Sr., 12th round (352), Arizona Diamondbacks; Chandler Seagle, C, Jr., 30th round (888), San Diego Padres.

20. Kailer Yamamoto, RW 5’8, 146 pounds, Spokane (WHL) Smaller players are being considered more and more, and Yamamoto is the smallest among those who could go in the first round. There’s no denying Yamamoto’s skillset, so someone will roll the dice on him, but can he handle the rigors of the NHL game?

Orioles

High school (9): Justin Bullock, RHP, S. Granville HS, NC State signee, 16th round (474), Milwaukee Brewers; Greg Jones, SS, Cary HS NC State signee, 17th round (518), Baltimore Orioles; Jacob Brown, OF, NE Guilford, 18th round (548) Baltimore Orioles; Noah Campbell, SS, Cardinal Gibbons, 19th round (564), Milwaukee Brewers; Kier Meredith, OF, Robert B. Glenn HS, 28th round (855), Chicago Cubs; Gavin Williams, RHP, Cape Fear HS, ECU signee, 30th round (889), TB Rays; Patrick Bailey, C, Wesleyan Christian Academy, NC State signee, 37th round (1,096), Minnesota Twins; Spencer Smith, C, Northern HS, ECU signee, 37th round (1,124), Texas Rangers; Wil Hoyle, 2B, Charles E. Jordan HS, Duke signee, 38th round (1,131), Oakland Athletics.

UNC (2): Cody Roberts, C, Soph., 38th round (1,139), Miami Marlins; Zack Gahagan, 3B, Jr., 39th round (1,157) Cincinnati Reds.

on a worse team. That’s a lot to overlook, but someone will take him based on his raw skills.

J.B. Bukauskas, RHP, Jr., UNC, Round 1 (15), Houston Astros Logan Warmoth, SS, UNC, Jr., Round 1 (22), Toronto Blue Jays Brian Miller, OF, Jr., UNC, Round 1 (36), Miami Marlins Stuart Fairchild, OF, Jr., Wake Forest, Round 2 (38), Cincinnati Reds Gavin Sheets, 1B, Jr., Wake Forest, Round 2 (49), Chicago White Sox Joe Dunand, 3B, Jr., NC State, Round 2 (51), Miami Marlins Brett Netzer, 2B, Jr., Charlotte, Round 3 (101), Boston Red Sox Bruce Zimmerman, LHP, Sr., Mt. Olive, Round 5 (140), Atlanta Braves Parker Dunshee, LHP, Sr., Wake Forest, Round 7 (201), Oakland Athletics Ben Breazeale, C, Jr., Wake Forest, Round 7 (218), Baltimore Orioles Colton Laws, RHP, Jr., Charlotte, Round 7 (219), Toronto Blue Jays Bryan Sammons, LHP, Sr., WCU, Round 8 (226), Minnesota Twins John Curtis, LHP, Sr., Lenoir-Rhyne, Round 8 (230), Atlanta Braves Evan Kruczynski, LHP, Sr., ECU, Round 9 (274), St. Louis Cardinals