North State Journal - Vol. 1, Issue 13 by North State Journal

VOLUME 1 ISSUE 13

SUNDAY, MAY 22, 2016

WWW.NSJONLINE.COM

the Sunday NEWS BRIEFING

Jake Metz of Urbana, Ill., interacts with a sphere, which is part of the IDEO’s interactive sound installation “Play–Sound,” in Durham on May 19. The three-day MoogFest is held to celebrate the intersection of technology, art, music and ideas.

Tillis sponsors bill honoring fallen officers Washington The U.S. Senate passed a bi-partisan resolution this week designating May 15-21, 2016, as “National Police Week.” Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) was among the cosponsors of the bill, which honors 123 law enforcement officers across the nation killed in the line of duty in 2015, including Inspector Robert James Bowling of the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles.

FDA introduces new food label guidelines Silver Spring, Md. On Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced new food label regulations. Serving sizes will be adjusted to reflect how much people actually eat, and for the first time labels will list the amount of added corn syrup, white and brown sugar. Information about calories from fat will be removed because the type of fat is more important than the amount, the FDA said. About 20 percent of all package labels will be adjusted. Manufacturers will have until July 2018 to comply.

Maroon 5 cancels NC shows over H.B. 2; civil rights group supports McCrory Raleigh This week Maroon 5 joined the list of artists that have cancelled N.C. stops on their concert tours citing H.B. 2 as the reason. Meanwhile the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an AfricanAmerican civil rights organization, announced that it supports Gov. Pat McCrory and the bathroom bill. “This is a religious issue, where the U.S. government is attempting to force the people in North Carolina to change their spiritual and moral beliefs,” SCLC said in a statement.

Two Nigerian school girls found Abuja, Nigeria The first two of more than 200 schoolgirls held by Boko Haram militants from Chibok in northeast Nigeria for over two years has been found, a parent’s spokesman said on Wednesday. The first girl rescued, teenager Amina Ali, was found near the Sambisa forest by the border with Cameroon. The circumstances of their discovery have not yet to be officially confirmed.

CHRISTINE T. NGUYEN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

NORTH

STATE

JOURNaL ELEVATE THE CONVERSATION

COAL ASH

DEQ sets deadlines for coal ash pond closures By Cory Lavalette North State Journal ROXBORO, N.C. — The view looking down on Mayo Lake is picturesque, with waterfowl soaring over the landscape and boats skipping across the blue surface of the tree-lined water. “Mayo Lake really is one of the best hidden gems,” Danielle Peoples said. There is no denying the beauty of this body of water tucked away in Person County. But what concerns many is what is right around the corner: Duke Energy’s Mayo Plant, home of one of the electric and gas company’s coal-fired facilities. The Mayo Plant facility includes one of 33 coal ash ponds the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) said Wednesday Duke Energy must excavate to ensure environmental safety and public health. At the same time, DEQ asked the North Carolina General Assembly to revisit the Coal Ash Management Act of 2014 (CAMA), which requires high risk ponds to be excavated by 2019 and intermediate risk ponds by 2024. Duke had already agreed to excavate the eight See COAL ASH, page A2

SUPREME COURT

NC justices hit the road for historic session By Donna King North State Journal MORGANTON, N.C. — The North Carolina Supreme Court makes history regularly, but this week they were upstaged by the rich history of the Burke County Courthouse. The justices held session there Tuesday and Wednesday for the first time since August of 1861. The building was constructed in 1835 and captured by northern forces in the Civil War. The session lasted two days and justices heard five cases. “It was a real treat and a privilege,” said Justice Bob Edmunds. “It was a chance to let people see what we do, and it fits neatly in with the Chief JusSee HISTORIC SESSION, page A8

Attendees enter the Burke County Courthouse in Morganton, N.C., for the May session of the Supreme Court of North Carolina on May 18.

800K estimated truckloads it would take to remove coal ash from just one of 33 coal ash ponds in the state.

KATIE BAILEY | FOR THE NORTH STATE JOURNAL

BUDGET

NC House passes budget with teacher raises and tax cuts By Jeff Moore North State Journal RALEIGH — The North Carolina House of Representatives passed their version of the state budget on Thursday after two days of voting on proposed amendments. The 2016 Appropriations Act, H.B. 1030, contains raises for teachers and other state employees and increases the the standard income tax deduction. It now heads to the North Carolina Senate where appropriations committees are already working on their own substitute budget bill. “This bill does continue us on that path of progress in North Carolina,” said Senior Appropriations Chairman Rep. Nelson

INSIDE

Bulls’ Varona ventures back to Cuba B1 Get to know ECU’s Olympic hopeful B3 Sports Rev. Richard Joyner and his students are growing goodness by the bushel in Edgecombe County C1 the good life

CHRISTINE T. NGUYEN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

20177 52016 $2.00

Steam rises from a smoke stack at Duke Energy’s Mayo Plant on May 1 in Roxboro, N.C.

It’s been 154 years since the N.C. Supreme Court heard cases in the historic Burke County Courthouse.

Dollar (R-Cary). The $22.225 billion budget would increase spending from last year by 2.3 percent, while leaving more than $128 million in unappropriated funds. It contains salary raises for most state employees, but in particular a raise for teachers up to about 5 percent of their salary, with an average raise of just more than 4 percent each. Teachers with more than 25 years experience would get 2 percent raises with $1,000 bonuses, while a teacher with less than five years experience would just get the bonus. The highest raises are in the 10- to 14-year experience level, a point where workforce analysts See BUDGET, page A8

Republican 2nd congressional district battle out ahead primary On Murphy to Manteo, page A5

North State Journal for Sunday, May 22, 2016

NS J

THE BACKSTORY

datebook

The ash basin at Duke Energy’s Mayo Plant on May 1 in Roxboro, N.C.

COAL ASH from page A1

May 25, 8:30-9:15am Hickory, N.C. Exit 121 overpass above I-40 The Run For The Wall motorcycle procession, L.A. to D.C.

May 23-26 Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte Special Operations Medical Association, Scientific Assembly

WE STAND CORRECTED To report an error or a suspected error email corrections@nsjonline.com with “Correction request” in the subject line.

North State Journal ISSN: 2471-1365 Neal Robbins Publisher Donna King Managing Editor Drew Elliot Opinion Editor Will Brinson Sports Editor Jennifer Wood Features Editor Published each Sunday by North State Media, LLC 819 W. Hargett Street, Raleigh, N.C. 27603 Inquiries: 866-458-7184 Annual Subscription Price: $250.00 Periodicals Postage Paid at Raleigh, N.C. and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to North State Journal, 819 W. Hargett St., Raleigh, N.C. 27603.

high risk ponds: two each at North Carolina plants in Wilmington, Skyland, near Mount Holly, and at the Dan River facility in Eden where a week-long coal ash spill in 2014 dumped approximately 38,000 tons of coal ash into the river, according to a DEQ fact sheet. The DEQ’s report Wednesday classified the other 25 ponds as intermediate risk, which under CAMA requires excavation. But both Duke and the DEQ said the logistics of excavating the intermediate risk ponds within eight years are nearly impossible and called for the legislature to step in before the 60-day period makes the classifications final. Peoples, a coal ash communications consultant at Duke Energy, said Duke is committed to being a “friendly neighbor” at its sites, but agrees with the DEQ’s assessment that repairs to dams at the plants with intermediate risk ponds and other improvements could lead to a low risk reclassification — DEQ wants to revisit the classifications in 18 months, which would require changes to CAMA — that would allow Duke to drain the pools and seal the top of the remaining coal ash with a liner, commonly called cap-in-place. Peoples and Duke cite the Environmental Protection Agency’s classification of coal ash as a nonhazardous material, though the EPA does regulate it because it contains contaminants such as mercury, cadmium and arsenic. “There’s a lot of hysteria out there about coal ash being toxic,” Peoples said. “Coal ash is not toxic. It’s been ruled by the EPA as a nonhazardous material. And it’s only 1 percent of coal ash that contains trace elements [of the aforementioned contaminants], which are [similar to what is] also found in the soil and rock.” Therese Vick of the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League vehemently disagreed. “That’s utter nonsense,” she said. “The EPA took the easy way out [by categorizing coal ash as nonhazardous]. … Just because they didn’t legally classify it as toxic waste doesn’t mean it’s safe. Saying it’s the same as soil is disingenuous.” Vick also pointed to Duke being open to potentially providing alternative water supplies to residents near their sites as an indictment of coal ash’s safety. All of Duke’s coal ash ponds will be closed, the sticking point is how many will be excavated and how many will use cap-in-place. At Mayo, Duke is already using a coal ash monofill — a landfill containing only one substance — for its newly produced coal ash waste. The

CHRISTINE T. NGUYEN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

current 35-acre landfill, which went into use in November 2014, can hold five to six years of coal ash. In all, the Mayo site has 107 years of monofill space available, Duke on-site systems manager Rob Miller said. Peoples also said Duke monitors their sites to confirm the coal ash isn’t contaminating the groundwater. “We know an awful lot about what’s going on with groundwater at our sites,” Peoples said. “Here at Mayo, we know groundwater is flowing away from neighbors’ private wells, and that we are not impacting their wells based on all the information we’ve collected to date.” Vick said she doesn’t even consider transporting coal ash to other monofills safe, never mind the option to cap-in-place. “It’s like a shell game, Vick said. “You’re just taking coal ash from one contaminated site, and moving it and contaminating another site. “Eventually it’s going to leak into the groundwater,” she continued. “It’s a temporary solution to a permanent problem.” Duke also points to new research and cost — which would likely be passed on to customers — as a consideration, with cap-in-place being significantly less expensive over excavating and moving the coal ash. Duke maintains that cap-in-place is the best solution for any low risk coal ash ponds. “Making decisions based on incomplete information could lead to expenditure of billions of dollars, when spending millions now would provide equal or better protection,” Lynn Good, CEO of Duke Energy, said in a confer-

ence call Wednesday. Good said she was recently at the Marshall Steam Station, located on Lake Norman, where a coal ash pond — one of Duke’s largest in the state — is classified as intermediate risk, and estimated that excavating would require 800,000 truckloads. If 100 truckloads per day were removed, Good said, it would take 20 years to move the ash. Both Good and Peoples pointed to new research and recycling technologies that could change how to best deal with coal ash. “There’s some neat technologies that we’re evaluating that maybe down the road we could have the option to have more on-site recycled ash,” Peoples said. “But if we have a timeline of 2019 or 2024, that doesn’t really give us time.” Now the focus switches to the legislature and whether they will act to change CAMA before the 60-day deadline that began ticking Wednesday. “The focus of the coal ash law was to safely close all coal ash ponds in North Carolina,” DEQ Secretary Donald R. van der Vaart said in a statement. “The intent was not to set pond closure deadlines based on incomplete information.” Vick said both Duke and the state ignored the coal ash issue until the Dan River spill forced their hand. She’s still not convinced either entity is committed to looking beyond the bottom line. “I’m not sure what their motive is,” Vick said. “I wish I thought that their best motive was the best thing for the community in North Carolina. But I don’t.”

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North State Journal for Sunday, May 22, 2016

BUSINESS & ECONOMY the DASHBOARD

1 million

jobs that higher education in North Carolina account for

LYNN MINGES

An Economic Development Investment That Works for all NC OV. Pat McCrory has included an additional G investment of $3 million in

statewide tourism promotion in his 2016-17 budget. The House Agriculture and Natural and Economic Resources Committee has recommended an additional $1.5 million for tourism promotion in their appropriations bill. And Senate leaders Ralph Hise (R-Mitchell), Rick Gunn (R-Alamance) and Harry Brown (R-Onslow) have also indicated an interest in increasing the state’s investment in tourism promotion by including an additional $12 million in S.B. 862. Though much work remains as policy makers sort through the details of the state’s 2016-17 budget, it appears that promotion of our state as a premier travel destination may be a shared priority among policy makers. That’s good news for our state because investment in statewide tourism promotion is a smart economic development strategy that benefits all of North Carolina.

We have been blessed with abundant natural resources, beautiful landscapes, incredible history, unique culture and heritage. Research has consistently demonstrated that every dollar invested by the state in tourism promotion generates increased visitation and visitor spending and yields an additional $10 in new state tax revenue. And, even if the return were a mere 2:1, who wouldn’t take those odds? While more visitors and increased visitor spending are good for state tax coffers, the big winners are the more than 40,000 small businesses located all across our state in both rural and urban areas alike. The primary benefactors of that spending are restaurants, lodging establishments, retail stores and recreational venues. Other winners include the 200,000 North Carolinians who depend on our state’s robust tourism economy for jobs. Additionally, local governments across the state benefit from the injection of new spending in communities and an increase in local tax revenues. As North Carolinians, we have been blessed with abundant natural resources, beautiful landscapes, incredible history, unique culture and heritage. Fortunately for us, those assets are fairly equitably distributed across our state from the mountains to the coast. More than 50 million visitors — 70 percent from outside the state — travel to and within North Carolina annually and inject nearly $22 billion of new money into our state’s economy. Our urban centers benefit, but so do small towns and rural areas. In this highly charged political season, it’s refreshing to see policy makers align around a common sense strategy that benefits us all. Lynn Minges is president an CEO of the N.C. Restaurant and Lodging Association

15%

$63 billion

of the state gross product

in state income

Source: 2015 report by Economic Modeling Specialists International

the

Military leaders: Energy security is key to national security

BRIEF NC’s unemployment rate drops to the lowest point since 2008

By Liz Moomey North State Journal

URRICANES, bullet holes and power plant failures all have something in common — they can shut down a military base. From 2012-2014, the Department of Energy faced 1,131 cyber attacks and of those 159 resulted in system breeches. “If that doesn’t bother you, it should,” Lt. General Ken Eickmann said. “We have to address those issues designing and building the grid.” Eickmann, an energy expert and member of the Military Advisory Board, stressed the aging power grids are problematic for national security at a panel on May 12. He gave an overview of the National Security and Assured Electrical Power report, which offers several solutions. The recommendations included updating the grid to prevent future attacks, creating regulations and allowing new energy technologies to emerge. A fourperson panel added feedback. Rob Currey, the director of corporate business development at the Swedish engineering firm ABB, concentrated on the security of the grids. After a 2013 sniper attack on a transmission substation in Metcalf, California, in which 17 electrical transformers were fired upon and seriously damaged, Currey and ABB studied the event and engineered a “transformer hardening” or bulletproof coating for transformers. “We are very focused on the fact that you can shoot holes in transformers to potentially take down the grid in one of the most important tech areas in the country,” Currey said. Ed White, the chairman and CEO of software company Field2Base, said the concentrated solutions could also answer other energy problems. “You are dealing with the same thing whether it is a man-made event or a natural disaster,” White said. Rick Feathers, vice president and associate general counsel for North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation, added, “Industry is not sitting on its hands.” FREEDM Systems Center at NC State is providing alternatives to the power grid with power electronics. The center is also focusing on how sustainable energy plays into the future of electricity and national security. One technology is creating a way to stop energy from crashing due to just one problem. “The way we do it today, which is called masterslave methodology, is where you have a master telling everyone underneath what to do,” Ewan Pritchard, the associate director of FREEDM Systems Center said. “We are operating more like a school of fish—or

MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Dong Chen solders a part for his research project at the FREEDM Systems Center at N.C. State University.

maybe like how the internet operates—where that school of fish is able to quickly readily adapt and there is no one clear leader. They are together and if one starts acting a little goofy, everyone follows the ones that aren’t acting goofy.” This grid technology could be a significant development for military bases, especially. “If the grid goes down, the base goes down,” Eickmann said. Eickmann added every base handles their energy demands differently, especially their electricity reserves, if they lose power. Bases have a required back up for “critical infrastructure,” which the Department of Defense doesn’t define. He explained some installation commanders consider the entire base to be critical infrastructure, while others consider only 5 percent to be. “Without some kind of guidance, you get varying degrees of definition of what’s critical,” Eickmann said. Eickmann said power grid technology could prevent an energy disaster, and that some targeted regulations could improve back-up response from other sources as well. “I’m not advocating for big government control of everything, far from it,” he said. “The fact is we have to have a system approach to the grid and renewables, so it can respond to an epidemic.” Eickmann added various sectors need to work together to improve the security of the grid. “This isn’t a partisan issue at all,” Eickmann said. “It is a national security issue. We need to work together.”

Raleigh North Carolina’s unemployment rate dropped to 5.4 percent in April, its lowest point in eight years. The N.C. Department of Commerce released figures that showed N.C.’s labor force at 4.88 million, with 4.61 million employed. The report also showed that the state lost 2,700 manufacturing jobs while the professional and business services sector added 4,100 jobs and Information technology added 1,300 jobs.

Fed may raise rate in June Washington, D.C. The Federal Reserve suggested in a statement this week that economic conditions may warrant an interest rate hike at its June 14-15 policy meeting. Fed funds futures prices, which are financial bets on the probability of interest rate moves, spiked afterward, indicating as high as a 34 percent likelihood of a June increase, up from just 4 percent the day before the statement. The Federal Reserve raised rates from zero in December 2015 for the first time since 2009, followed by a historic early 2016 stock slump.

Financing education: tips for college bound students By Laura Ashley Lamm North State Journal

ORTH CAROLINA has no shortage of strong academic institutions. Yet as students and families seek enrollment in higher education, the financial obligations can be heavy. Understanding the financial aid process and the resources available in the state can be helpful for families with college bound students. “CFNC is a service to the state of North Carolina as it provides college access information to students and families,” said Amy Denton, regional representative for the College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC). CFNC’s website offers students the ability to submit college applications, complete career assessments, obtain information on paying for college, connect with links to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, take ACT prep tests, research resume building tips and more. When it comes to choosing a college, one of the biggest factors in a student enrolling is the financial aid package he or she receives from the institution. “Financial aid is a major deciding factor for many incoming freshmen,” said Bridget Ellis, director of financial aid at Barton College. “100 percent of Barton College students receive financial aid,” she added. Financial aid consists of institutional funds, endowed scholarships, and loans or grants at the federal and state level. Cost for attending college includes tuition and fees, books and supplies, and room and board. The Institute for College Access and Success, in a 2014 national study, found that seven in 10 seniors who graduated from a public or nonprofit college in 2014 had student loan debt of an average $28,950 per borrower. The study determined North Carolina graduates had an average debt of $25,218, placing the state 37th

MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Students use the Talley Student Union at NC State on April 8.

in the nation. CFNC is under the umbrella of the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority. During the 2014-2015 academic year, the authority administered 141,284 student grants, scholarships and loan awards totaling more than $294 million. “I can’t stress this enough to families — completing the FAFSA is the best place to start for understanding the state grants and federal grants and loans you may be eligible for receiving,” said Denton. “People often ask, ‘Do I really need to complete the FAFSA?’ The answer is, ‘yes.’ Most colleges cannot award any other need based or non-need based financial assistance if the FAFSA is not on file,” she added.

In a new national change that will begin Oct. 1, 2016, families can begin completing the FAFSA for students enrolling in college in the fall of 2017 and use tax records from two years prior. In addition to researching financial aid assistance, Denton also offers several tips to help college bound students and families prepare. Students in 10th or 11th grade should begin looking at scholarships and schools. As students near their senior year, they should begin completing career assessments, researching majors and forming an idea career options. North Carolina is home to 16 public colleges and universities, 36 independent colleges and universities, and 58 community colleges.

North State Journal for Sunday, May 22, 2016

Murphy to Manteo

Watering Holes As the temperature spikes and humidity creeps up, finding a cool spot to dip your toes, put in a paddle or splash to your heart’s content becomes our statewide pastime . This week, NSJ has mapped out some of the best places in N.C. to beat the heat. From multi-slide waterparks, to lazy, winding rivers, we’ve got it. Don’t forget your towel!

Jones& Blount

Lake Gaston

Hyco Lake

Gaston

Kerr Lake

Person/Caswell County

jonesandblount.com @JonesandBlount

Albemarle Sound

Elk River Falls Elk Park

Wet ‘n’ Wild at Emerald Point Greensboro

Falls Lake

Wake Forest

Lake James

Lake Tahoma

Hickory

Apex

Asheboro

Bryson City

Lake Lure Lake Lure

Lake Norman

Great Wolf Lodge

Uwharrie Lakes Region

Sliding Rock Brevard

Lake Mattamuskeet

Tucker Lake

Concord

Benson

Pamlico Sound

Lions Water Adventure Looking Glass Falls

Kinston

U.S. National Whitewater Center

Brevard

Charlotte

Carolina Harbor at Carowinds Charlotte

Lake Glenville Glenville

Fantasy Lake Water Park Hope Mills

Water Boggan

White Lake

Emerald Isle

White Lake

Deer breaks into Bethel Elementary School around dismissal

west Asheville man charged with killing mother, unborn child Asheville Police charged Nathaniel Elijah Dixon, 24, on May 16 for the murders of a mother and her unborn child and the attempted murder of her 3-year-old son. Candace Pickens and her son Zachaeus Latese Waters were found at a park at Ira B. Jones Elementary School by a runner the following morning. According to a friend of Pickens, Dixon, who was her boyfriend, had previously threatened her saying he would kill her if she did not get an abortion. On the night of murders, a resident near the park reported gunshots heard, but police said they found nothing unusual. The Washington Post

Land of Oz to open for Journey with Dorothy Beech Mountain, N.C. Land of Oz, an amusement park that was open from 1970-1980, will host the “Journey with Dorothy” on every Friday in June. The tour will feature a Ski Beech chairlift and a tour guided by Dorothy.

North State Journal

Midland, N.C. On Tuesday, Bethel Elementary School students had to stay in school longer due to an injured deer running down the hallways. At around dismissal, a deer ran full speed through a window, ran up and down a hall and went inside an empty room. Animal control officials were called, and the deer was pronounced dead due to injures sustained from glass wounds. The students were later released.

The Mountaineer

Lake Waccamaw

piedmont

Jungle Rapids Family Fun Park Wilmington

$100K anonymous donation keeps homeless facility open Kannapolis, N.C. An anonymous donation will keep the Cooperative Christian Ministry’s Mothers and Children Housing Ministry open. The donor gave $100,000 to the 18-bed facility that serves Cabarrus County’s homeless mothers and children. The donation ensured the MaC would stay open for two months.

Independent Tribune

72-year-old man, dog escape vehicle fire Todd, N.C. Lloyd Doug Houseworth, 72, and his dog escaped a vehicle fire Friday. Houseworth said he noticed smoke coming from the air vents in his 1998 Toyota Tacoma and pulled over on Todd Railroad Grade Road. By the time firefighters responded the truck was engulfed in flames. Neither Houseworth nor the dog were injured. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Ashe Mountain Times

Infographic by LAUREN ROSE

Raleigh-based company to give away Teslas to their employees Raleigh Practichem, located in Raleigh, announced Thursday the company will reward each employee with a Tesla Model 3. The boss will supply the electric car to current and future employees upon its 2017 release. The company is also looking to fill 10 positions, expanding from its 10-15 employees.

The Huffington Post

Town of Bailey police chief charged with DWI after car accident Knightdale, N.C. The Town of Bailey’s police chief was charged with driving while impaired after he was involved in a collision Monday. Police said they smelled a strong odor of alcohol on John Arthur Ennis’ breath and he had slurred speech. According to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Ennis’ blood alcohol content was .21. Ennis, who has been with the department for four years, has been suspended with pay.

WRAL

Greensboro, Durham named one of the 50 Invest Health cities Greensboro & Durham Three cities, Greensboro, Durham and Asheville, were selected by Reinvestiment Fund and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Invest Health. The initiative’s goal is to gather diverse leaders from mid-sized U.S. cities to improve health in lowincome neighborhoods.

North State Journal

Ellmers, Holding, Brannon duke it out in 2nd Congressional District debate By Liz Moomey North State Journal

Jordan Lake

KidsZone at the N.C. Zoo

Nebo

McDowell County

Nantahala River

Lake Hickory

east Report highlights economic value of Coast Albemarle, N.C. Natural resources in the AlbemarlePamlico Sound region provide a variety of diverse economic benefits, according to a report by RTI International. Estimated economic benefits are valued at more than $475 million for commercial sectors depending on natural resources that include agriculture, forestry and commercial fishing. Approximately 36,000 workers are employed in these areas of the Sound region generating, $672 million in wages each year.

North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality

Judge rules man must represent himself in murder trial Wilmington, N.C. A judge has ruled a man charged in a 2012 killing has forfeited his right to counsel and must represent himself when his first-degree murder trial goes to court later this month. Nashua Porter, 38, of Duplin County is charged in the July 2012 shooting death of Brian Grant, 32, of Wilmington. New Hanover County

Superior Court Judge Charles Henry released a report denoting Porter’s “purposeful conduct and ‘tactics’ has delayed and frustrated the court to bring this matter to trial.” Porter has asked for the dismissal of three courtappointed attorneys. His trial is set for May 31. Wilmington StarNews

Governor learns about technology in Greene County Schools Snow Hill, N.C. Gov. Pat McCrory visited Greene Middle School this week to witness how teachers and students were using technology in the classrooms. McCrory cited Greene Middle has being a model school for the state due to its emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), education, and jobreadiness training to students at a young age. Greene Middle has been on the cutting edge of technology as it already offers students Wi-Fi access.

RALEIGH — Representatives Renee Ellmers (R-2nd) and George Holding (R-13th), and Dr. Greg Brannon, a Cary obstetrician, faced off Thursday during WRAL’s 2nd Congressional District debate. The candidates answered questions on topics including House Bill 2, the War on Terror, immigration, endorsing the presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, Obamacare, and the definition of conservatism. Much of the debate was focused on attacks and rebuttals between Ellmers and Holding, which caused Brannon to comment about the lack of time he was getting. The two dueled over their voting records, especially dealing with military spending legislation, Holding’s travel costs, and his residency. A question from a viewer at the end of the debate asked: “Can all three of the candidates run a clean campaign without mudslinging at each other?” The three candidates shook off the question, saying the debate was healthy. Ellmers responded with, “The truth is a very great thing.” Brannon framed the back and forth between the two incumbents as a fault of being Washington insiders. “What’s awesome is they are talking and showing why an outsider will win the race,” Brannon said. As endorsements for Trump, who is a Washington outsider, are rolling in, the candidates addressed whether they will stand behind Trump despite criticism about his perceived lack of political correctness and insults directed toward women, Hispanics and Muslims. “[Trump] has a different style than I have,” Holding said. But he stressed a November win by Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton would be akin to a third term for the Obama administration, which would be “unacceptable.” Ellmers, who endorsed Trump previously, said she chose to be a leader among Republicans by giving him her early

support. She also said she believed he was dialing down his aggressive rhetoric. “His tone is better,” Ellmers said. “We are getting to a better place.” Brannon attributed Trump’s success with primary voters to his promises to change the double talk and status quo in Washington. He also pointed out the similarities between himself and Trump. “Americans and North Carolinians are tired of the establishment,” he said. “They’re tired of the status quo. They’re looking for an outsider, period.” Brannon also discussed how legislation put forth by the Obama administration has negatively impacted his life and his medical practice. “Obamacare destroyed my practice,” Brannon said. “This is personal to me. I would repeal it, defund it, kill it and never replace it. It is not the role of the federal government.” The role of the federal government came into play when discussing whether they agreed with House Bill 2. “This is a state issue,” Ellmers said. It needs to be handled by the General Assembly and our governor.” Holding argued the state government had to respond because the president and his administration failed to. “If my daughter goes into a bathroom, a public bathroom, and encounters someone who makes her feel uncomfortable or afraid, that is my daughter’s problem under Obama and the administration’s view, and H.B. 2 tries to address that,” Holding said. Moderator and WRAL anchor David Crabtree asked Brannon why voters should vote for him despite his lack of congressional experience. “This is personal,” Brannon said. “I live here.” Ellmers took the opportunity to attack Holding on his choosing to run in a different congressional district this election year. Holding is not a resident of District 2. “He doesn’t even live in District 2,” Ellmers said. “He can’t even vote for himself.” Holding responded saying he grew up in Wake and Johnston counties and his residence is close to the District 2 line. Republicans in the race for North Carolina’s 2nd Congressional District prepare for their debate with anchor David Crabtree at WRAL News’ studio in Raleigh on May 19.

Kinston Free Press

EAMON QUEENEY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

CHARLOTTE | 704.556.7747 WINSTON-SALEM | 336.721.1768 WINDSOR-JEWELERS.COM

North State Journal for Sunday, May 22, 2016

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

Raising the standard of fairness Income tax should be based on one’s income, not on the time and expertise required to fill out government forms.

IN DISCUSSIONS OF tax policy, increasing the standard deduction often gets short shrift as a topic for reform. It does not sound as powerful as “slashing rates” or even “closing loopholes.” Noting this rhetorical infirmity, many have begun to refer to the standard deduction as the “zero tax bracket,” which is accurate. But regardless of what it is called, boosting the standard deduction is a great way to add fairness to the tax code. Currently, the standard deduction on state income taxes means that taxpayers don’t pay anything on the first $15,500 of income (for married filers who file jointly). The North Carolina House this week passed — with broad bipartisan support — its version of the budget. The bill includes a boost to $17,500 over the next four tax years. (Single and other filers get proportional increases as well.) The state Senate is also looking to expand the standard deduction, getting to a $17,500 threshold too but on a more aggressive schedule. Before Republicans took control of the legislature, the standard deduction was a paltry $6,000 for married filers. With this in mind, legislators should index the level to inflation so that the real value of the zero bracket does not decrease over time — even if that means increasing the deduction more slowly. Liberals love to take the hard-earned income of the lower middle class and return it to them in ways only enlightened progressives see fit. But even they would find it hard to take an affirmative vote to halt the nominal annual increase in the threshold. The boost is a good idea for several reasons. But I should start by admitting what increasing the standard deduction does not accomplish before I examine what it does do. No tax policy expert will say the expanding the standard deduction is the most pro-growth way to reform the tax code. When tax policy changes are compared, increasing the standard deduction will almost always lose out to ideas such as reducing top marginal rates or slashing rates that directly affect investment — such as the capital gains rate — when one is looking for ways to spur the economy and help create jobs. But looking solely at economic and revenue projections ignores some other benefits of expanding the standard deduction. Obviously it will eliminate the tax bills of the lowest-income taxpayers, but what else? Raising the standard deduction will raise the number of filers who take it instead of itemizing. That’s important because there is disparity in who uses the standard deduction. Most taxpayers take the standard deduction — about 70 percent, according to staff at the General Assembly. Usually taxpayers use the standard deduction because it saves them money, but according to an analysis of federal returns by the Tax Policy Center, not all use it for this reason. Some choose it because it is easier, both in terms of record-keeping throughout the year and in terms of filing all the forms and schedules required. Others simply don’t know that they would save money by itemizing. It’s a matter of fairness. Younger, poorer, and less sophisticated taxpayers are more likely to skip itemization. Consider that on the federal level, a nonpartisan Congressional Research Service study found that 2.2 million federal filers in the 1998 tax year could have saved a cumulative $1 billion by itemizing, but didn’t. (True, that data is old. But it’s safe to say that the tax code has not gotten simpler since then.) A taxpayers’ income tax burden should be based on one’s income, not on the time and expertise required to fill out government forms. Expanding the zero bracket is the right thing to do. During a surplus year, it’s a great way to boost fairness in the tax code and add to the historic reforms conservatives have made to state taxes.

LETTERS Undermining patient safety and raising cost in N.C. Prescription drug abuse is a serious problem that deserves real solutions. Unfortunately, a proposal before the North Carolina legislature would put patients at risk and raise costs for employers and public health programs. The mandate, House Bill 1048, would force employers and others providing coverage to pay for expensive brand-name opioid medications — known as abuse-deterrent formulation (ADF) opioids — even when equally effective generics are available. In Illinois, lawmakers recently rejected an identical bill that would have raised premiums and increased costs at the federal, state, and local levels of government, including $55 million for Illinois Medicaid alone. Even worse, a recent study highlighted in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that

the ADF OxyContin often increased abusers’ use of alternative opioids, like heroin. Another problem is that H.B. 1048 would eliminate “step therapy,” one of the most proven tool employers use to protect patients and reduce costs. Step therapy is used to manage medications that may pose a safety risk, have a high potential for off-label or experimental use, or are much more expensive than competing options. Since H.B. 1048 would force employers to make it easier for ADF opioids to be prescribed despite how dangerous they are and regardless of costs, the big winner would only be the brand drug makers of ADF opioids, who could raise prices at will. North Carolina lawmakers should protect patients and employers by resisting this dangerous and costly proposal. Mark Merritt President and CEO, Pharmaceutical Care Management Association

BE IN TOUCH Letters addressed to the editor may be sent to letters@nsjonline.com or 819 Hargett St. Raleigh, N.C. 27603. Letters must be signed; include the writer’s phone number, city and state; and be no longer than 300 words. Letters may be edited for style, length or clarity when necessary. Ideas for op-eds should be sent to opinion@nsjonline.com.

VISUAL VOICES

EDITORIALS | RAY NOTHSTINE

The case against a stale, corrupt Hillary Clinton Clinton is the ultimate status quo candidate with little to offer America but a bland liberalism of the past with more corruption.

THE NOTORIOUSLY CORRUPT Edwin Edwards was pitted against former Klansmen David Duke in the infamous 1991 Louisiana governor’s race. Bumper stickers started popping up across the state saying, “Vote for the Crook. It’s Important.” Edwards, who went on to trounce Duke, later spent over eight years in federal prison. Despite wild comparisons of Donald Trump to Duke by some pundits, the semblance falls flat. But many have suggested, some even on the right, that Hillary Clinton deserves support because of her more measured tone, stability, and her strong ties to the political establishment. However, there is a solid case against Clinton given her stale politics and endless corruption. “If you crave presidential lawlessness, war crimes, and international mayhem, you should adore Democratic presidential aspirant Hillary Clinton,” declared legal scholar Bruce Fein. Clinton continues to laugh off the email scandal against her calling it a “security inquiry.” FBI Director James Comey immediately corrected the former senator and first lady,

saying, “I don’t know what that means. We’re conducting an investigation.” While its unknown if the probe has been expanded to include criminal charges against Clinton, over 100 FBI agents on the case testify to its seriousness and complexity. Those who remember the 1990s would do well to recall Whitewater, Travelgate, the FBI file controversy, and Clinton impeachment — among so many others. With current scandals such as Benghazi, which resulted in the death of four Americans, and the Clinton email controversy, why would Americans foist so much corruption and drama back on the national political stage? Long groomed for the White House, Clinton’s ideas and policies are stale, especially for a morally broken and declining federal government almost $20 trillion in debt. The English historian Paul Johnson summed Clinton’s candidacy for the White House this way in Forbes last month: The Democratic nomination seems likely to go to the relic of the Clinton era, herself a patiently assembled model of political correctness, who is

carefully instructing America’s most powerful pressure groups in what they want to hear and whose strongest card is the simplistic notion that the U.S. has never had a woman President and ought to have one now, merit being a secondary consideration. Even the economically illiterate Bernie Sanders has been consistently sounding the alarm about our rigged system of cronyism in government. While many of his solutions are worse than the disease, Sanders at least correctly diagnoses the problem. Clinton is the ultimate status quo candidate with little to offer America but a bland liberalism of the past with more corruption. American culture and decline will ultimately ensure it gets the president it deserves, a fate all but cemented by our current choices. But a return to the recent past is a sure guarantee of continued malaise and decline.

North State Journal for Sunday, May 22, 2016

GUEST OPINION | ANDY POLK

North Carolina’s history of independence

F By this act, Mecklenburg declared itself “a free and independent people,” over a year prior to the Declaration of Independence.

OR THOSE who may not be familiar with why our state flag bears the date May 20th, 1775, this is a perfect time to learn and reflect on state history. May 20th should be a point of pride for all North Carolinians. Thomas Polk was the first to settle Charlotte, in 1755. He traveled to North Carolina in search of land to settle and raise a family. He found just that at the intersection of present-day Trade and Tryon streets, in now-uptown Charlotte, where he purchased the land and built a home. The first settlers named the city “Charlottetown,” after their British king’s wife, and the county was named Mecklenburg, after the queen’s birthplace in Germany. As loyal citizens to the crown, they hoped this would curry favor. However, Polk and other settlers across North Carolina soon found that any favor gained would not last long. In 1771, regional leaders were able to secure a charter for Queens College – what would have been the first college in the area — only to have the king strip the charter in 1773. Citizens in North Carolina, like others across the colonies, began hurting from the crippling taxes and harsh laws imposed by the king. Once loyal subjects, newly identified “Americans” began speaking out publicly against this harsh rule. By 1775, disputes between American colonists and the British were at a tipping point. Thomas Polk, commander of the Mecklenburg militia, called for a council of leaders to gather at the Mecklenburg courthouse on May 19, 1775 to discuss grievances against the crown. That same day, news arrived that Americans had been killed by British troops at the previous month’s battles at Lexington and Concord. This news spurred the predominantly Scots-Irish leaders across the Carolinas, who already had a long history of fighting British rule, to move beyond debate to action. That night in Charlotte, local leaders drafted and signed a document called the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, now

SAMUEL SON

Captain James Jack rode to Philadelphia with news of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. This statue now stands in his honor in Charlotte’s Thompson Park.

JIM DEDMON | FOR THE NORTH STATE JOURNAL

more fondly known as the “Meck Dec.” At noon on May 20, 1775, Thomas Polk stood at the Mecklenburg Courthouse and read aloud the declaration to the public: “…the citizens of Mecklenburg County do hereby dissolve the political bands which have connected us to the Mother Country, and hereby absolve ourselves from all allegiance to the British Crown…” By this act, Mecklenburg declared itself “a free and independent people,” over a year prior to the Declaration of Independence. Original copies of the Mecklenburg Declaration were lost in a fire in 1800, causing some historians to question the validity of the document, even while many point to sources such as newspaper articles to prove its existence. As a proud descendant of Thomas Polk, I don’t need a document to prove the “Meck Dec” existed. The independent spirit of our state and local forefathers proves its

existence. It is this spirit and our fierce determination for freedom that caused English General Cornwallis to call Charlotte a “hornet’s nest” as he came to hate our state’s brave resistance during the Revolutionary War. It is this same spirit that moved our state leaders to put May 20th, 1775 on our state flag, and why it remains there today. We should be proud of our history and independent spirit, teaching it to our children and to newcomers. Only by knowing where we come from can we know who we are and the great things we are capable of accomplishing as a state and community. Andy Polk is Senior Vice President at Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America. A Monroe, N.C. native, he previously worked for nearly a decade on Capitol Hill as senior adviser to Congresswoman Sue Myrick. And yes, he is kin to James K.

COLUMNIST | GLENN JONAS

Obama: one of the greatest presidents ever? N 2014 the American Political Science Association surveyed 162 members of its Presidents & IExecutive Politics section, asking them to rate the

One other thing that deserves mention about Obama’s presidency is that it has been relatively free of scandal, restoring dignity to the White House.

American presidents. According to the survey, the top five presidents in American history were: Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Teddy Roosevelt, and Thomas Jefferson. A somewhat different ranking appeared earlier, in 1996, directed by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., which surveyed a select number of historians and observers of the presidency. That list ranked the American presidents in terms of “Great,” “Near Great,” “High Average,” “Average,” “Below Average,” and “Failure.” According to Schlesinger’s poll, the three presidents that achieved the status of “great” were Abraham Lincoln, George Washington and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Both polls agreed on the top three presidents in American history. These polls came to mind about a month ago when I saw an article by Jim Nelson in GQ magazine titled, “Why Obama Will Go Down as One of the Greatest Presidents of All Time.” The crux of Nelson’s argument is that great presidents like Washington, Lincoln, and Roosevelt “were dealt sucky hands, won big, and left the country better off than it was before.” Obama inherited two wars and the greatest economic collapse since the Great Depression, definitely a challenge as he took the oath of office in 2009. Nelson also points out that while the Obama haters did all they could do to thwart his efforts, he always remained above the fray as “the adult in the room.” Nelson isn’t alone. In January 2015, New York Magazine polled 53 historians about Obama’s legacy. Their responses varied, but historian Joseph Ellis had one of the boldest predictions: “Over the next 20 years, Obama’s standing will move from the top of the bottom third to the bottom of the top third of presidents.”

The problem with Nelson and Ellis is that it is too soon to predict how Obama will be viewed by historians. Historians interpret the past. It goes against our instincts when we try and interpret the present, although that rarely stops us from trying. There are some things about Obama that might suggest that some day historians will regard him with greatness. The economy has recovered. His single greatest domestic achievement, the Affordable Care Act, has provided millions of Americans affordable health insurance, many of them for the first time. In fact, the percentage of Americans without health insurance has now fallen into the single digits. He presided over the national conversation and ultimate acceptance of gay marriage (although the ripples from the discussion continue). In the area of foreign policy, he rid the world of Osama bin Laden, opened Cuba to American society for the first time since the Kennedy presidency, and helped formulate an international agreement to keep the Iranians from developing nuclear weapons. One other thing that deserves mention about Obama’s presidency is that it has been relatively free of scandal, restoring dignity to the White House. Will Obama be judged as one of the greatest presidents in American history? That question will have to be answered by historians decades from now. But any objective observer in the present will have to admit that he was dealt “a sucky hand, won big,” and will leave the country better off than before. Glenn Jonas is associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Campbell University in Buies Creek, N.C., as well as the Charles Howard Professor of Religion. The views expressed here are his own and may not reflect the views of Campbell University.

Conversation and compromise brings purpose to government MAY 2 Washington Post article argued that Donald Trump’s popularity could A be riding the wave of dissatisfaction with

our “messy” democratic process, namely, endless talks and compromises bogging down movements. A Gallup Poll in 1998 showed that 86 percent believed “elected officials would help the country more if they would stop talking and just take action.” Sixty percent agreed “compromise is really just selling out on one’s principles,” and 32 percent were convinced the U.S. government would “run better if decisions were left up to successful business people.” A more recent poll done by political scientists David Fortunato and Matthew Hibbing showed similar numbers. People want less talk and more action. Business is all about efficiency and action. Trump, preening his towers and companies, promises to bring business practices into government. But there is a cost to corporatizing American government. Because with practices come principles that ground those practices. Methods not only change how you do things, but what you do. Michael J. Sandels, political philosopher at Harvard, in “What Money Can’t Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets,” lauds the brilliance of the market economy at organizing productivity. But he warns against Market Society, which flips all organizations into a market. What is efficiency in a business environment can be corruption in a different environment. Would a family be better if it was run like a business? Families that run businesses work hard not to bring work home. Husbands and wives don’t want their relationship reduced into a business partnership. The point is not the moral nature of any method, but the fitness of each method to its respective environment and the danger of imposing it on a foreign environment. Midas’s touch teaches that as useful as gold is, you don’t want everything you touch to turn to gold.

Would we hold up any of the presidential debates as models for conversations?

When American churches were stagnating in the 1970s, a church growth movement ignited calling churches to be more like companies. Senior pastors became Executive Pastors, new church launches required submission of a five-year strategy, and annual ranks of the 20 fastest growing churches were published, going toe to toe with Fortune 500’s list mania. Eugene Peterson, author of The Message translation of the Bible, says that even before the ink dried on his ordination certificate, he was sent to learn from business leaders on how to run a church. Peterson is all about relevance. His most recent project is reading Psalms with the rock star Bono. But in an interview he previses: “We’ve got all these churches that have turned themselves into consumer churches. But, if we use consumer methods to develop our congregations, we almost guarantee immaturity.” If we make government more businesslike, we risk selling “the soul,” i.e. purpose, of government. We already know this peril so we rail against the power of lobbyists. So it is ironic that as Trump touts he is not beholden to any business money since he is self-funding for the primary, what he wants to bring to the oval office is business tactics. A great definition of America’s democracy was given by Lincoln in his Gettysburg address when he said, “government of the people, by the people, for the people.” That definition implies a method since method invariably springs from purpose. Governing is about people and not products. A government of people requires what any human relationships require, lots of talk and compromise. Those very things that makes democracy messy is what actually makes democracy thrive. We disdain talk and compromise because we haven’t seen much of it. Both parties crucify anyone crossing the aisle. What passes for conversation is really commercial slogans. Would we hold up any of the presidential debates as models for conversations? What has made democracy messy is that it has already been smitten by business. We are not talking and not compromising enough. In the next few columns I want to talk about conversations and why compromise is a good thing. Because “government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” Samuel Son is a teaching pastor at New Life Triangle church in Raleigh and a leader in Micah Groups.

North State Journal for Sunday, May 22, 2016

NATION& WORLD U.S. increases Zika funding with Rio Olympics approaching

NEWS IN IMAGES

By Donna King North State Journal

THOMAS PETER | REUTERS

People carry a portable shrine, a Mikoshi, near the Senso-ji Temple during the Sanja festival in Tokyo’s Asakusa district, Japan on May 15.

YVES HERMAN | REUTERS

Guests use their smartphones while arriving on the red carpet Monday for the screening of the film “Hands of Stone” out of competition at the 69th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France.

WASHINGTON — An election-year fight over addressing the spreading Zika virus intensified in the U.S. Congress this week as the Senate on Thursday approved $1.1 billion in emergency money one day after the House of Representatives voted $622.1 million financed through cuts to existing programs. The two chambers would have to reach agreement on a spending level before they can send it to President Barack Obama, who in February requested $1.9 billion and called the House measure “woefully inadequate.” The Senate goes into the negotiations with the House with a strong hand: a bipartisan 68-30 vote in favor of the emergency funds to battle Zika, a virus that has been spreading rapidly through the Americas, with more than 100 confirmed cases in Florida and 10 in North Carolina. According to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, none of the cases were contracted in the state. Both senators from North Carolina, Sen. Thom Tills (R-N.C.) and Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), voted for the measure. “Zika is a very serious public health threat, and we need to act. ... The CDC has indicated that the mosquitoes responsible for spreading the virus could be found in a significant portion of the United States, including my state of North Carolina,” said Burr on the Senate floor Tuesday. “It is concerning that we do not have drugs to prevent or treat Zika, and we will likely not have them until after the summer when mosquitoes are present in many of our communities back home.” What is Zika?

GLEB GARANICH | REUTERS

Members of the Ukrainian national guard “Azov” regiment and activists of the Azov Civil Corps take part in a protest Friday against local elections in pro-Russian, rebel-held areas of eastern Ukraine under the Minsk peace agreement, in Kiev, Ukraine.

HISTORIC SESSION from page A1 tice’s goal to make what we do known.” The courthouse was regularly used by the N.C. Supreme Court for summer sessions during the 1800s to make it easier for people to get there. However train travel changed the game and they began having session in Raleigh year-round. Last summer, the N.C. General Assembly passed a bill that allows the court to regularly hold sessions in Edenton and Morganton as a way to improve citizen access to the court. Due to the size of the courtroom, residents lined up both days this week to catch a bit of the courtroom drama. “The courtroom was packed, the cases were all interesting, and arguments were all very well presented. It was an unqualified success,” Edmunds said. The docket included a case over control of the Asheville water system. A 2013 law

U.S. health officials have concluded that Zika infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to severe developmental problems in babies. Zika has been around for some time, but its known connection to birth defects is relatively new. Outside of pregnant women, most people in-

passed by the General Assembly moved control of the system away from the city of Asheville and put it under the direction of a board of representatives from Bumcombe and Henderson counties. The city objected, saying it hurt them financially because of the number of employees and infrastructure they already have in place. The state said that water customers outside of the city deserved more of a say in the system’s operation. Another case heard this week is Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy versus Cleveland County Schools. State law requires that school systems provide charter schools with a per-pupil amount for each student attending a public charter. Thomas Jefferson and two other charter schools sued CCS, saying it underfunded them by moving money into a “special revenue fund” to make it inaccessible to charters. No decisions on the cases heard this week will be issued until later in the year.

U.S. States

U.S. Territories

544

832

836

544

Travelassociated cases reported

Locally acquired vector-borne cases reported

total

Sexually transmitted

Guillain-Barré syndrome

Travelassociated cases reported

Locally acquired vector-borne cases reported

total

Sexually transmitted

Guillain-Barré syndrome

fected with it experience a temporary and mild rash, itchy eyes or joint pain, although the World Health Organization has said said there is strong scientific consensus Zika could be linked to Guillain-Barre, a rare neurological syndrome that causes temporary paralysis in adults. The National Institutes of Health is working on a Zika vaccine that was originally developed for West Nile Virus, another mosquito-borne ailment. They plan to begin testing it in September. In North Carolina, the N.C. DHHS recommends pregnant women not travel to regions where Zika is spreading, including South America and the Caribbean, and not have unprotected sexual contact with anyone who has. Some coastal communities are instituting widespread precautionary spraying for mosquitoes, but those programs vary by municipality. In an April Zika meeting before

BUDGET from page A1 say most teachers decide whether or not to stick with the profession. In addition, the budget offers teachers of advanced courses and courses leading to industry certifications bonuses of up to $50 for each student that scores three or higher on Advanced Placement exams or attains an industry certification. Bonuses per teacher are not to exceed $2,000 per year. State employees other than teachers would also get across-the-board raises averaging 2 percent in this budget with a $500 one-time bonus. Governor Pat McCrory’s budget, released last month, gave state employees a 3 percent bonus with raises for just corrections officers and other high-risk jobs. Also in the House proposed budget is a gradual increase in the standard income tax deduction of $2,000, phased in over four years. The standard deduction, also known as the zero tax bracket, is for those who choose not to itemize their deductions on their tax return. The proposal would raise the tax-free earnings amount to $17,500 by 2020 for a married couple filing jointly. A similar proposal in the Senate would reach the same increased level three years sooner, effective for the 2017 tax year. Governor, Senate React

KATIE BAILEY | FOR THE NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Attendees fill the chambers of the Burke County Courthouse in Morganton for the May session of the Supreme Court of North Carolina on Wednesday, May 18, 2016. It was the first time the court has held a session in the historic courthouse since 1861.

“We are encouraged by how closely the House budget aligns with the governor’s proposal. We remain focused on increasing average teacher pay to more than $50,000 and are concerned about further tax reform. We look forward to working with the House and Senate throughout the appropriations process,” State Budget Director Andrew Heath told the North State Journal. In a letter this week, Heath applauded the House for their basic alignment with the governor’s budget and adding to the rainy-day fund. The letter also emphasized the points of unease for the McCrory administration. Heath outlined his concerns over potential revenue impact from further tax cuts, specifically the increased zero tax bracket.

the Joint Legislative Emergency Management Oversight Committee, state epidemiologist Dr. Megan Davies at DHHS told lawmakers North Carolina has made “significant progress in the past few months and our state of readiness is similar to other states in the Southeast.” The agency is working with universities across the state to identify the best mosquito control methods and spread the word among obstetricians to educate women on preventing infection. Funding for statewide “Vector control” spraying programs was scaled back significantly in 2010 under thenGov. Beverly Purdue and eventually eliminated under current Gov. Pat McCrory. However, Davies told lawmakers the most typical “backyard breeder” type of mosquito may not respond to mass spraying anyway. The best offense appears to be a good defense, so DHHS is advising pregnant women to avoid being bitten by using a repellent with 20 percent DEET, covering exposed skin, eliminating outdoor standing water, and making sure windows and doors have functioning screens. What about the Olympics? The Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro are right in the middle of the Zika crisis, adding to the scramble for the government there to be ready for the games. Buffeted by political crisis and a severe economic recession, Brazil is working to prepare for the Aug. 5 opening ceremonies, but an outbreak there of the mosquito-borne virus threatens to keep visitors and even some athletes from attending Rio 2016. The World Health Organization issued guidelines this week for people traveling to the Olympic Games, including advising pregnant women to stay home. Athletes and visitors were told to avoid impoverished or overcrowded urban areas to prevent catching Zika. They should also stay in air-conditioned accommodations, use insect repellent and clothing on as much of their body as possible, and practice safe sex or abstain during their stay and for at least four weeks after their return.

“The House budget includes $92 million in additional proposed tax changes, including an increase in the individual income tax standard deduction that reduces revenue by approximately $200 million annually once fully phased-in.” Heath said. Sen. Bob Rucho (R-Mecklenburg) is sponsoring an even more aggressive zero bracket expansion bill, Senate Bill 818, and thinks the caution is unwarranted. “There is no reason to delay this for years. It is important and imperative because of the fact that we’ve seen dollars in excess of what we anticipated. That [money] belongs to the tax payers and we believe that this $2,000 zero bracket [increase] will exactly do what we hope and that is go to the tax payer,” Rucho said. “Specifically last year we created $1.3 billion in new money above the previous year and out of that was about $450 million surplus. This year we achieved about a $320 million surplus above what we expected. What that means is something that we’re doing is right.” Sen. Ben Clark (D-Raeford) wants to see tax cuts stop, and instead reward state employees. “I think we oughta prioritize in such a way that we’re providing raises for all state employees, as well as teachers,” Clark said. “We can continue on and on, year after year, after year with more tax breaks, but we don’t need to do that at the expense of providing for those that work for the state.” Finally, Heath’s letter urged the General Assembly to consider future infrastructure needs, including the financing of bonds. "[We] must plan for the infrastructure needs of our rapidly growing state. Our state is growing at a rate of 285 people per day. To that end, we urge your members to fund transportation and infrastructure reserves, including reserves to cover obligations for future transportation infrastructure bonds,” Heath said. Budget committee meetings will continue in earnest in the Senate next week before their own full budget is presented by the body and further divergences from the House and McCrory budget priorities are revealed.

the Sunday Sideline report

durham bulls

Dayron Varona’s heroic return to Cuba

1. NC State brings back Abdul Malik-Abu, signs Turkish big man Omer Yurtseven 2. Philadelphia 76ers land first pick in NBA Draft lottery, may target Duke’s Brandon Ingram 3. Justin Jackson announces return to UNC basketball for 2016-17 4. WaPo poll says 9/10 Native Americans approve of “Redskins” name 5. Braves fire manager Fredi Gonzalez after slow start, first manager fired by Atlanta since 1990

@MalikAbu_: Sorry for the scare love y’all lets do it together! @CJ12_: About time, I’ve been waiting on that 5 dollars too long, pay up lol congrats (@EzekielElliott) @DangeRussWilson: I Love @NCState Too! Many TDs & Games won, Many classmates, fans & friends. Most importantly, a degree! Congrats ‘16 Class! #TurnNoIntoYes

Eamon queeney | north state journal

Dripping wet, Durham Bulls center fielder Dayron Varona (3) tries to keep his jersey from getting stripped as the Bulls celebrate their 2-1 win over the Norfolk Tides at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park on May 7.

SPORTS NC state basketball

GOLF

Mullinax picks up first tour victory at Rex Hospital Open Trey Mullinax picked up the first Web.com tour victory of his career at TPC Wakefield. The 23-year-old shot a 3-under 68 to win by two strokes despite playing the front nine at 2-over par. He moved from 33rd on the Web.com money list to fourth overall -- the top 25 players will receiver PGA Tour cards next season.

College Football

Pack picks up extra QB The NC State football program added another quarterback on the depth chart this week when Boise State graduate transfer Ryan Finley joined the team. Finley played for current OC Eli Drinkowitz while with the Broncos. NCSU also picked up center Joseph Scelfo.

NHL

Former Canes coach hired as Panthers GM Tom Rowe, who served as an assistant coach with the Hurricanes as recently as 2010, was named the new general manager of the Florida Panthers. Rowe was previously with the Portland Pirates before jumping back to the NHL and joining Florida as associate GM.

College baseball

Avent returns from snakebite with win Coming off a deflating series where they were swept by Louisville, the Wolfpack took a 6-4 win over rival UNC at Doak Field. The victory was the first with Elliott Avent back at the helm after suffering a snakebite from a Copperhead after missing the Louisville trip.

Glenn Beil | USA TODAY SPORTS images

Mark Gottfried head coach for the NC State Wolfpack reacts from the sidelines prior to the game against the Florida State Seminoles at Donald L. Tucker Center.

Gottfried’s big offseason sets up Pack well in 2016 By R. Cory Smith North State Journal

ALEIGH — Somehow, Mark Gottfried always seems to make it work in the offseason. And this year, he may have outdone himself in managing moving pieces to assemble an intriguing roster for NC State. Heading into his sixth season at the helm of the Wolfpack, Gottfried looked on a collision course for another tumultuous campaign. All-ACC point guard Cat Barber departed for the NBA Draft. Caleb and Cody Martin announced their collective transfer. Abdul-Malik Abu tested the NBA Draft waters. More than a few outside critics questioned the direction of the program and plenty of NC State fans had Henny Penny attitude about 2016-17. Then Gottfried worked his magic and, almost overnight, a once-ravaged roster looks quite promising. It started with a brief trip to Istanbul, Turkey — Gottfried described it as, “I left on Friday and was in my own bed on Sunday” — led to the signing of intriguing overseas talent and 5-star center Omer Yurtseven. Before that, power forward Darius Hicks committed to the Pack. Then on Thursday, both Abu and BeeJay Anya an-

See NCSU, page B8

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

urham -- Bulls outfielder Dayron Varona’s long journey from Cuba to the U.S. and back Dayron Varona stepped up to the plate for the most significant and memorable at bat of his life. He shook the hand of catcher Frank Morejon and home plate umpire Elver Ibarra. President Barack Obama and Cuban president Raul Castro clapped as he was introduced to the crowd. His teammates came out of the dugout and gave him a standing ovation as he stood, ready to become the first MLB player to play a game in Cuba in 19 “When I defected years. It was also Varona’s first game on his from Cuba I never home island nation since he left on a rick- thought I would ety boat in the dark of night some three see them so soon years earlier. Ibarra, the ump, told him to relish the after leaving. I moment, maybe take a few pitches. really didn’t think “He told me, ‘Look, it’s up to you if you I would see them hit the ball or not,’” Varona recalled. There was no question what Varona again.” planned to do. “I told him, ‘Si la pelota viene, voy a Dayron Varona golpearlo,’” If the ball comes my way, I’m going to hit it. Varona wasn’t the first Cuban player to risk arrest, and far worse, in an attempt to reach freedom. He was, however, the first to return -- the first to get to see again everything he thought he’d left behind three years earlier. “When I defected from Cuba, I never thought I would see them so soon after leaving,” Varona said of his family and friends. “I really didn’t think I would see them again.” Varona played professionally in Cuba for seven years and was chosen for the Cuban National Team that toured the United States in 2013. In their final game of the exhibition series, Team Cuba lost to the Carlos Rodon-led Team USA in an exhibition game at the DBAP, where Varona now plays his home games as a member of the Durham Bulls. Varona and the other Cubans on the trip were impressed by the luxuries available in the states. On a shopping spree at Walmart, they bought televisions, strollers and other luxuries to ship home to their families. Players on the team also asked Bulls employees for their worn, dirty Nikes, kept in the tunnel leading to the field, to change into when they had to pull the tarp for rain delays. Despite a taste of American life, Varona wasn’t tempted to

See Varona, page B8

inside

“I never dialed 911 this year. I know a lot of people probably did. But I never did.” NCSU basketball coach Mark Gottfried Kyle Terada | USA TODAY SPORTS images

If Steph Curry can overcome the Thunder and the Raptors can mount a comeback the two-time MVP might get a shot at coming back to his other home. No, not NC — Toronto, where he spent time playing ball while dad Dell finished his career. Shawn Krest talks to folks who witnessed Curry’s childhood in Toronto. B5

North State Journal for Sunday, May 22, 2016

NS J beyond the box score

05.22.16

POTENT QUOTABLES

Clayton Kershaw: Dodgers pitcher struck out 11 batters in Tuesday start to become just fifth pitcher since 1900 to strike out 10 or more batters in at least six-consecutive games (along with Nolan Ryan, Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson and Chris Sale). Cam Newton: A trio of political media members received a softball “question” on Jeopardy (This Panthers player was the first NFL rookie to throw for 4,000 passing yards) and completely whiffed on correctly guessing Newton. Lenny Dykstra: Former Phillies star admitted to taking PerformanceEnhancing Drugs during his MLB career. “Nails” played for both the Phils and the Mets and said that he put HGH “in [his] cereal” in order to make more money.

Kevin Harvick had some choice words for folks who wondered if he might make a leap to Hendrick Motorsports, saying that any rumor

Russell Wilson: The former NC State baseball and football standout drew the ire of folks in Raleigh when he appeared to throw his former coaches under the bus while speaking at the University of Wisconsin’s commencement ceremony. Kobe Bryant: A piece of Staples Center floor specially made for the Mamba’s final game —the former Lakers star scored 60 points on 50 shots —sold for $179,100. Proceeds will go to the Lakers Youth Foundation.

nascar

about that is coming from a “bunch of people who make s--- up.”

David W Cerny | reuters

“They can’t catch me.” Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt when asked if he’s worried about mosquitos with Zika in Rio

Jasen Vinlove | USA TODAY SPORTS images

mlb

Nba draft

The number of picks owned in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft (total 30) by three different teams — the 76ers, Nuggets and Celtics.

nba playoffs

The number of 20-point triple doubles in the playoffs for LeBron James, the most in NBA history. James finished with 23 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.

Noah K. Murray | USA TODAY SPORTS images

Mets ace Matt Harvey struggled mightily against the Nationals in his last start, prompting manager Terry Collins to suggest he might skip Harvey’s next start. Bryce Harper said he noticed Harvey’s velocity was down and said “I feel bad for him” after getting booed.

golf

Courtesy paul simson, Carolina’s golf association

Tim Heitman | USA TODAY SPORTS images

Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor was suspended eight games by MLB for decking Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista during an ugly fistfight at the close of the Toronto-Texas series. Joey Bats also got a one-game ban for his involvement.

Paul Simson of North Ridge Country Club in Raleigh came from 6 strokes back to win the 31st North Carolina Senior Amateur, carding a final round of 66, his 8th win in eleven years. Jim Grainger of Charlotte finished 5 under par, tying Doug Owens of Albamarle for second place. Ed Byman of Raleigh finished third, shooting a 71 in the final round at Porters Neck Country Club.

North State Journal for Sunday, May 22, 2016

ECU

photos Courtesy Rob Taylor Photography & Design

Get to know ECU star and Olympic hopeful

Avion Jones, who recently pulled off an impressive 7-7 high jump, is turning into a track and field star for East Carolina University and has high hopes for making the Olympic team..

Avion Jones

By Sean Labar North State Journal ast Carolina high jumper Avion Jones made a splash E on the national landscape at the

American Athletic Conference Championship last weekend. Jones’ eye-catching leap of 7-feet, 7-inches was more than enough to earn the conference title. It was deemed the highest jump by any NCAA athlete during the 2016 season. But even more significant, the feat granted Jones an instant invitation to the Olympic Trials set to take place on July 1-10. If the Pirate standout performs well and lands in the top three, he will represent the United States in Brazil at the Summer Olympic Games beginning Aug. 5. The North State Journal caught up with Jones to discuss his hate for high jumping (we aren’t making this up), his love for basketball, and a chance to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming an Olympian. North State Journal: As a jumper, you must need a ton of lower body strength. What’s your training regimen like? Avion Jones: For me, really all of my training is done in the weight room. I’m doing lunges, power cleans, Olympic lifts, and then I’ll jump like once or twice a week. But I try not to jump too much. I’m not using heavy weights though, I use a lot of light weights and do stuff really quick to make sure I’m explosive. What’s your background? Did you play any other sports growing up? Basketball was actually my main sport and track and field just kind of came out of nowhere. At first, it was awful. In 9th and 10th grade I was horrible. My coaches wouldn’t even let me jump because they were scared I was going to hurt myself. Shoot, I was scared I would hurt myself. What position did you play in basketball before moving to track and field? Small forward, but I pretty much played everything. I’d bring the ball up the court, and of course I did the jump ball because I was the highest jumper on the team. I still play all the time. In the fall, playing basketball was a big part of my workout. It can be pretty hard for us to practice depending on

Avion Jones the weather. My practice would be playing basketball every day. You are getting pretty high on these jumps. Are you just fearless by nature? I’m actually really scared of heights. I would never go in a skyscraper. I go on roller coasters just because I don’t want my friends to talk bad about me. But my eyes are closed the whole time so I don’t really see what’s going on. You know how they have ropes courses going through trees with harnesses? I almost got stuck in one of those because I was so scared. And I was only like 10 or 12 feet in the air. Do you think you have a real shot to place in the top-three and go to the Olympics? If I jump 7 feet, 7 inches again, I’ll definitely be going. That would be crazy. I’ve always had dreams of it, but it didn’t really become a reality until about four or five days ago when I made that jump. Other people have always told me I’d be good in the Olympics. But I was still stuck in that 7 feet, 4 inches area. I didn’t think it would happen. What will you do to train between now and the trials? I’m going to continue to do what

I’ve been doing. I might up it a little bit and try to do everything extremely fast. But I’m not going to make any drastic changes. So I’m sure this week has been kind of nuts. Did it all kind of come out of nowhere? Yeah, it was a huge shock. It took me a few days to realize it wasn’t a dream. All of a sudden my coach is telling me that all these people want to talk to me. I did a radio interview on Tuesday. Later on today I have an interview with the local TV station. It’s crazy, really. Is high jumping your favorite event? No, I hate it. I really do. I hate every second of it. A lot of people don’t understand high jump is really difficult. I’ve felt all along I could get a 7-foot, 7-inch jump and that’s why I get so frustrated. But something would go wrong every time. Playing basketball takes my mind and frustration off of high jump. That way when I go to do it I’m more relaxed.

Age: 22 Hometown: Virginia Beach, Va. College: East Carolina Class of: 2016 Favorite musician: Gucci Mane Major: Physical Education Twitter: @BanginOnEmm

what I am messing up on right there on the spot. What do you want to do after school? I actually just switched to a physical education major. But honestly, I have no clue what I want to do. I’m still pretty young so trying to figure out what I’ll do for the rest of my life is pretty mind blowing. What kind of music do you like? I like rap for the most part. The newer artists are a little iffy to me though. I like some of the older stuff. I’m a big fan of Gucci Mane.

How can you be so successful at something you hate?

If you could have one meal what would you pick?

I hate losing. I’m scared to lose. I’m so scared that at the meets, I try to do anything I can to fix

I’m a big fan of Chinese food and hibachi. I probably eat it three times a week.

North State Journal for Sunday, May 22, 2016

B4 braves baseball

Possible candidates for next Braves manager By R. Cory Smith North State Journal n the midst of an abysmal start to the 2016 season, the Atlanta IBraves announced Tuesday the

firing of manager Fredi Gonzalez and promoted Triple-A Gwinnett manager Brian Snitker to interim manager . Atlanta’s start to the 2016 season wasn’t historically bad, but it was close. Gonzalez, 52, finishes his tenure with the Braves at 434-413 after an MLB-worst 9-28 start to 2016. Despite winning the NL East in 2013 at 96-66, Atlanta has endured two straight losing seasons with a combined record of 155-208 since 2014. He is the first Braves manager to be fired since 1990, when Atlanta ditched Russ Nixon and hired a fella by the name of Bobby Cox. The Braves can only hope their newest hire works out half as well. Serving as the third base coach from 2006 to 2013, Snitker knows the ins and outs of the major league club despite spending the last few seasons in Gwinnett. His work with Triple-A might be his biggest asset right now with the Braves stripped down to the level of a high-minors team at the moment. With a farm system that includes Dansby Swanson, Ozzie Albies, Sean Newcomb, Aaron Blair and Braxton Davidson, the Braves now need a stable manager to lead the way through the rebuilding project. Let’s look at five (mostly) realistic candidates.

Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez (33) is shown in the dugout during the eighth inning of their game against the New York Mets at Turner Field.

Brian Snitker

Terry Pendleton

Eddie Perez

Bud Black

Chipper Jones

The interim manager has a chance to work his way into the job this season if he can turn the club around. No, that doesn’t mean miraculously making the playoffs after Gonzalez’s 9-28 start, but a respectable finish wouldn’t hurt. A two-time Carolina League Manager of the Year and champion with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Snitker has a long history as a quality skipper. Given his service with the Braves since 1977 as a player, minor league manager, bullpen coach and third base coach, Snitker has a great shot to work his way into the fold with around a .500 finish the rest of the way in Atlanta.

At just 55 years old, Terry Pendleton has spent 20 of those years with the Braves organization. As a coach in some capacity since the 2002 season (and currently the Braves first base coach), Pendleton has paid his dues in Atlanta and is deserving of a look. He was passed over as the manager for Gonzalez in 2011, but stuck with the organization through all of the struggles of Fredi’s tenure. Spending time under Hall of Fame manager Bobby Cox as a player and coach, Pendleton should be a leading candidate for the position in 2017.

Former catchers are all the rage in the MLB right now, and Perez, the Braves current bullpen coach, was a backstop for Atlanta during the glory years. He normally played behind Javier Lopez, but the personal catcher for Greg Maddux throughout the late 1990s knows how to manage superstar personalities. Similar to Pendleton and Snitker, Perez has nearly a decade of service as a coach for the Braves after eight years of playing in Atlanta. At 48 years old, the former catcher has a chance to be at the helm for a long time in Atlanta after sticking with the organization throughout the ups and downs.

There’s no guarantee the Braves stay inside the organization for their next manager. Bud Black is a solid, if unspectacular, option for Atlanta after being relieved of his duties with the Padres last season. He didn’t exactly lead San Diego to the promised land, but won NL Manager of the Year and led the lowly Padres to their first 90-win season since 1998 during the 2010 campaign. As a former MLB pitcher with 15 years of service, Black could impart some knowledge on the Braves’ strong young arms in the system.

OK, this one is a long shot, but hear us out! Chipper Jones makes perfect sense for the Braves managerial spot. Given his lore with the fans and history as one of the greatest ballplayers to ever step on a diamond in Atlanta, Jones knows a thing or two about leading the Braves. Sure, he’s not the most experienced possible candidate with exactly zero years of managing, but Jones would bring a fresh take to a young ball club. Sticking with the Braves for 23 years, Jones would most want to see this team on top again. After all, the last former third baseman to lead the Braves did a fairly decent job.

Jason Getz | USA Today sports

nascar

Greg Olsen believes he’s still got plenty left in tank for Panthers “I don’t anticipate slowing down anytime soon. I anticipate playing for a good number of years.” Greg Olsen

By R. Cory Smith North State Journal HARLOTTE — Greg Olsen has played the best C football of his career over the

last two years. He’s the Celebrity Jeopardy question for “This Panthers player is the reason why you shouldn’t worry about Cam Newton’s receiving corps.” Olsen led the Panthers in receptions and receiving yards in 2015 and the two-time Pro Bowler was the driving force for a team that fell just short of a Super Bowl 50 victory. So why have the Panthers added five tight ends to the roster over the last three weeks? An unfazed Olsen believes it’s just a product of Father Time catching up to him. “The reality is I’m not 25 anymore,” Olsen said Wednesday from Charlotte Motor Speedway. “But I’m also going to make it hard for these young guys to take time away from me. I don’t anticipate slowing down anytime soon. I anticipate playing for a good number of years.” After finishing last season with just three tight ends on the roster — Olsen, Ed Dickson and Scott Simonson — Carolina added a plethora of young players. The Panthers drafted Beau Sandland and have signed Jake McGee, Andrew Bonnet and former Duke tight end Braxton Deaver. Marcus Lucas, who like Olsen is another former Bears tight

end, was claimed off waivers. Lucas spent time with the Panthers last offseason before being released in September. That much size —Bonnet is the smallest at 6-3 —made for a tight first meeting in Carolina. “Our meeting room’s not very big,” Olsen said. “So we had to pull in some extra cafeteria chairs today to get everybody in the room for the install. Maybe it’s the phase out of Greg Olsen.” Let’s be clear: This is far from the phase out of Olsen. At 32 years old, he still has plenty of tread on his tires, even after carrying the team in 2015. But in such a demanding position that includes going across the middle against linebackers and hard-hitting, modern NFL safeties, asking tight ends to play an explosive pass-catching role for a long time is tough. In a perfect world, Olsen won’t be relied on as heavily this season. Kelvin Benjamin returns from an ACL injury and Devin Funchess should continue his development with Cam Newton. But as the unquestioned veteran leader in the receiving corps, Olsen is embracing his new role. “It’s kind of fun having some young guys in the room for the first time in years,” Olsen said. “I haven’t really had those rookies or those drafted guys come in to take under my wing and watch them develop.” Olsen reflected on his own rookie season and learning from Desmond Clark. The 12-year vet-

R. Cory Smith | north state journal

Greg Olsen prepares to drive the pace car at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Olsen was selected as the honorary pace-car driver in the All-Star Race on Saturday night.

eran spent four seasons with Olsen before he retired after 2010 and Olsen was traded the same offseason to the Panthers. Rather than getting shut out by Clark, Olsen said the former Wake Forest tight end was a mentor for him at the start of his career. “I understand what that was like to have an older guy kind

of not look at you as a threat and look at you as somebody who they can help along,” Olsen explained. “I welcome that opportunity and will always do everything in my power to help them improve and be the best they can. “And at the same time make it really hard for them to ever beat me out.”

North State Journal for Sunday, May 22, 2016

NBA

Growing up

Curry By Shawn Krest North State Journal

ormer NBA players of NBA arenas, as father Dell remember the MVP as finished his 16-year career with a pre-teen, underfoot at the Toronto Raptors. practice. “All good memories,” Steph Stephen Curry dribbles full- said of his days north of the speed down the court in Toron- border. “There are still a lot of to, weaving from one side to familiar faces I see, every time I the other. He comes to a jump come back to play [in Toronto] stop just outside the arc and — all the ushers and people that unleashes his trademark silky- worked in the back that used to smooth jumper. see me and my brother running Nothing but net. around like little rugrats, with Steph’s got the ball again, a basketball, just dribbling like this time at half court. One crazy.” dribble and a step later, he The Currys also used to launches a deep shot from just shoot like crazy. They were on outside the Raptors mid-court the court and underfoot at Tologo. ronto practices Splash. and while Raptors “I had to guard players were shootThere’s nothing surprising about eiing around before [Stephen] ther play. Except for home games. the fact that Curry, seriously when he “I remember the back-to-back was 11 or 12 years them shooting afNBA MVP, is doold, because he ter practice,” said ing it in the eighth former Raptors could fire from center and current grade. Shown on grainy footage and UNC radio andeep. And it dug up by the Tonouncer Eric Monwas consistent, tross. “Certainly, ronto Raptors video crew, the footage man. He was the we were all struck of a young Steph by their ability to real deal way burying deep balls shoot long range at back then from such a young age.” 14 years ago is remarkably familiar. NBA three-point Montross and And with Golden the other Toronto range.” State in the NBA big men usually Western Conferended up watching Jerome Williams ence Finals and the the Currys from a Raptors advancing distance, although to the Eastern Fipower forward Jenals, the possibility of Curry re- rome Williams recalls an earuniting with his old home away ly lesson on Steph’s shooting from home, with the league title prowess when he offered to reon the line, still looms. bound for the pre-teen. While Curry calls Charlotte “Steph tells me he’s going to his home and went to school make five threes in a row, and at nearby Davidson, he spent I’m thinking, ‘Oh man, I’m goparts of three middle-school ing to be here all day waiting years traveling back and forth on this little kid to make five to Toronto, including one sea- straight NBA threes,’” Williams son living in Canada full time. told the Globe and Mail. “But Last year, in the NBA Finals, then he went right out and did Curry’s two-year-old daughter it. I thought, ‘Wow, this kid Riley captured America’s hearts is shooting threes better now and dominated social media as than some of the pros.’” she climbed all over the podium “My recollections of Steph during her father’s post-game are him being the second-best press conferences. shooter in the organization, beShe learned from the master. hind his father,” Raptors media At the turn of the millen- relations director Jim Labumnium, Curry and his younger bard recalls. “Even at age 12, or brother Seth also had the run whatever he was.”

Cary Edmondson | USA TODAY SPORTS

“He was always upstairs, in our practice court, shooting before and after practice.” Muggsy Bogues, a teammate of Dell’s both with Charlotte and Toronto, also recalls Steph always being around, shooting with the team. While the kid always had the shooting touch, Bogues credits the early experience with NBA players for teaching Curry how to play the game “the right way.” Bogues and the other Raptor guards were frequently drawn into competitions with Steph, and they agreed as a group never to let the kid win. (Literally a group of grown athletes teaming up to ensure no one got beaten by a preteen.) “I played with Vince [Carter],” Curry said prior to the All-Star Game in Toronto two years ago. “Played with Tracy [McGrady]. Even Mark Jackson when he was there. Muggsy Bogues. It made me feel pretty special out there, just dribbling around and having fun with them.”

Curry confirmed he didn’t win a single time against any of the guards. “I had to guard him seriously when he was 11 or 12 years old, because he could fire from deep,” Williams told the Toronto Star. “And it was consistent, man. He was the real deal way back then from NBA threepoint range. If I let him get to nine, I knew he could beat me with one shot.” During Dell Curry’s first two years with the Raptors, his family stayed at home in Charlotte, visiting on weekends when Toronto had home games. In 2002, Curry’s final year in the NBA, the kids moved to Toronto for the year. Steph averaged 50 points for his middle school team and was a fixture at the Air Canada Center during his year in Toronto. Curry and the former Raptors also agree he never won any of the shooting competitions, including some spirited games of HORSE against McGrady and Carter. These sessions frequent-

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) reacts after a Warriors basket against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the fourth quarter in game two of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Thunder 11891.

ly attracted small crowds of media members and arena workers, drawn to courtside hours before opening tip to witness the showdown between NBA All-Stars and a 12-year-old. Carter’s go-to HORSE move was a shot from the tunnel leading to the floor, a good 60 feet from the basket and at an angle behind the basket leaving him nearly blind to the rim. It’s the same shot that Curry now takes, and frequently makes, upon leaving the floor after every pregame shootaround. “Once I finished my pregame workout, I’m telling Steph to come on,” Carter recalled during an interview on ESPN. “We used to play one-on-one before each game. Now, all of a sudden, in the NBA, we play against him. To see him win the MVP, to see him win a championship, I’m just like, man, this is the same kid that I used to play one-on-one against. “He had it all then. His mindset is that, ‘Hey, this time I’m gonna beat you.’”

This bear does more than dance: Draymond Green is Golden What’s the inverse?

By Brian Geisinger North State Journal ven though he plays in the shadow of MVP E Stephen Curry, it’s hard to miss

Draymond Green. When he’s in action on the floor, no one’s louder. Green is constantly in motion, exchanging words with opponents, barking at referees, and encouraging teammates — hence why he’s nicknamed The Dancing Bear. Green is more than just a vocal blur causing havoc defensively, however. He’s one of the most skilled players in the NBA, and his versatility is a big reason why the Warriors, amid a heated Western Conference Finals battle against the Oklahoma City Thunder, are favorites to return to the NBA Finals for a second consecutive season.

Kyle Terada | USA TODAY SPORTS

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) shoots the basketball against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) and forward Serge Ibaka (9) during the second half in game one of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs.

PowerPoint LeBron James is the gold standard for point forwards: a frontcourt player whose ubiquitous skill set allows him to become the chief playmaker on the court. But Green, an AllStar for the first time in 2016, made a strong two-year run at the throne. Green averaged a team-leading 7.4 assists per game, which was also good for seventh in the entire league. What gets lost in the shuffle

with Golden State’s high-powered offense is how often Green is the link in the chain for a successful play. The most famous example of this is when Draymond sets a screen for Curry, and both defenders involved in the pick have to double and trap Steph — the threat of his long range shooting is too much to risk. As a result, Curry can slip a little pocket pass or loft the ball over the top of the defend-

ers to Green, who is running a delayed roll to the basket. One of the NBA’s most gifted playmakers is suddenly sprinting to the basket with the ball, a 4-on3 advantage, and the perimeter dotted with deadly shooters, like Klay Thompson, who shot 44.1 percent on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers this season. There’s a reason Curry led the league with 2.5 secondary assists per game (the numbers of passes

made to the player who in turn records an assist, which is also known as the “hockey assist”), and it’s because there really isn’t a good defense for this play. With Golden State’s pristine shooting and spacing, there just isn’t a great answer: you rotate as well as you possibly can and hope the greatest shooting team in NBA history misses.

It defies conventional basketball wisdom, but the most dangerous screeners are shooters. Fail to guard a solid shooter off a screen and the result is a wideopen look from deep. Golden State employs the two best shooters in the NBA: Curry and Thompson. The Warriors like to harness their talents in different ways. When they set a screen, the opposing defense is thrown into a state of panic, because one of the defenders involved in screen-roll defense has to hang with Curry or Thompson. Golden State leverages that gravity further by having Green handle the ball in these type of scenarios. The opposing big man set to guard Green isn’t accustomed to navigating ball screens 30 feet from the basket, which begets miscommunication and blown defensive assignments, which begets open shots for the Dubs. Golden State’s motion offense isn’t all about simple pick-androll action. The team’s constantly in motion, a whirling dervish of pin-downs, back cuts and flair screens while the ball pings around the perimeter. Green is a key cog in this system because he can post up and look for cutters and shooters. See Green, page B6

North State Journal for Sunday, May 22, 2016

B6 Carolina

UNC to renovate Fetzer Field, other facilities By Brooke Pryor North State Journal HAPEL HILL, N.C. — The UNC athletics department C is already ahead of the curve in

the college athletic arms race in very visible ways: specialized uniforms, cutting edge technology and enhancements to facilities like Carmichael Arena, Boshamer Stadium and Kenan Stadium. The department is adding even more threats to its arsenal, the North State Journal learned, with a major renovation planned for Fetzer Field, a relocation of the outdoor track and addition of numerous practice fields, along with the previously announced addition of an indoor football practice facility. “You look at soccer and lacrosse and at Fetzer, between all four teams, we’ve won about 30 national championships, and yet you have to go to Eddie Smith to go to the restroom and the concession stand is a plywood box,” said UNC Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham, who estimated the project would cost around $75 million. “So to create a nice venue for soccer and lacrosse just seems appropriate.” Upgrades and additions have been in the works since master planning phase began in 2013, Cunningham said. Renovations to Fetzer Field, which was built in 1935, were approved in concept along with the indoor practice facility in November 2015. Thursday morning, the university’s board of trustees approved the addition of an outdoor track and five practice facilities where the current Finley practice facilities exist on Old Mason Farm Road. “Obviously, if you have an athletic facility built in 1935, I think it should be one of the facilities you should consider renovating,” women’s soccer coach Anson Dorrance said. “It’s not like it was one of these ‘Eureka!’ moments and everyone sort of decided that our stadium needed renovating. It’s had an incredible amount of service to the university athletic teams.” The four sports — men’s and women’s lacrosse and soccer — that call Fetzer home have combined for 29 national titles, and Cunningham said their self-sufficient success may have resulted in a delay of improvements to

Bob Donnan | USA TODAY SPORTS images

UNC Chapel-Hill students should be excited about renovations coming to Fetzer Field, which has been home to almost 30 national championship teams. their facilities as the university spent money to improve other programs. “I think it’s long overdue,” Cunningham said. “I think that their success has actually continued to push them to the back of the line. We’ve invested heavily in baseball, football, basketball with Carmichael, and Fetzer hasn’t gotten the attention that I think it deserves. We’ve had other priorities, I guess. It has had attention, but other priorities have cut ahead of it.” Most of the renovations will occur in the space between South Road and Boshamer Stadium in the center of campus. The football indoor practice facility will be located where the grass practice field currently sits between Fetzer Field and the Navy practice field. The project also includes plans to reorient Navy Field to run parallel to Fetzer and turn the adjacent Henry Stadium, home to the field hockey program, into a grass practice field and a turf practice field. In turn, that would likely relocate the field hockey facilities to Ehringhaus Field, which is included in long-term renovation plans. Eddie Smith Field House, with

its indoor track, will remain in its current location next to Fetzer Field, while McCaskill Soccer Center will likely be replaced with a new building that will house offices for the lacrosse and soccer programs. “The design that we have talked about — we don’t have it done yet — would be a new building in the end zone of the soccer field,” Cunningham said. “So it would be kind of behind the goal between the goal and the pool.” To accommodate the Fetzer renovations, Belk track will move from its central campus location to the new construction at Finley fields about two miles away, where there will also be five new practice fields. The timeline for the Finley facilities, which is the first phase in the project, is still being finalized, but it’s likely to begin in the next 60 days with construction on the other projects likely beginning in the near future, Cunningham said. The improvements to the central campus facilities aren’t likely to displace any of the fall sports in 2016, but it may impact programs in 2017. And while ground hasn’t been broken in these major projects,

the athletics department has already started a couple other minor jobs at the Smith Center with renovations to the men’s basketball locker room and media workspace. The improvements to Fetzer Field and addition of the indoor practice facility also won’t impact the possibility of Smith Center renovations. “I think at some point we’ll look at premium space [in the Smith Center],” Cunningham said, “but that’s not part of this project.” The renovations to Fetzer Field have been a long time coming, but orchestrating all of the changes required a combination of creativity and patience to get the timing just right. “With football needing an indoor facility to compete with everyone else that has these flashy and spectacular indoor facilities, we were bundled with this football venture,” said Dorrance, who’s been coaching the women’s team since it began in 1979. “I think the timing is wonderful for me because I’m 65, and obviously I would love to be a part of leaving the university with an extraordinary facility that will not only recruit for the university but drive performance.” The designs for Fetzer aren’t

2016 summer olympics

Green from page B5

‘National treasure’ Kirsty Coventry will chase Olympic record in Rio

Green can punish opposing defenses if left alone beyond the arc and his shooting proficiency rose in the playoffs — he’s launching nearly five 3-pointers per game and connecting on 39.3 of those attempts.

Reuters APE TOWN — Charlotte’s Kirsty Coventry could become C the first female Olympian to win

eight individual medals when she competes at the 2016 Games in Rio this summer, swimming for her home country of Zimbabwe. However recent doping scandals have made the swimmer wonder if her races will be clean. The 32-year-old moved to Charlotte in 2014 with her husband to train with SwimMAC’s Team Elite for the Olympics in Rio. She made her Olympic debut as a 16-year-old in Sydney in 2000, won gold, silver and bronze medals in Athens in 2004 and added a gold and three silvers in Beijing four years later. Coventry will be competing in her fifth successive Olympics in Rio after coming away empty-handed in London. She also serves as an athletes’ representative for the International Olympic Committee and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). With world sport battling to overcome a series of doping scandals, Coventry said she was stunned when she learned about the extent of cheating going on. “I used to say ‘I know my sport is clean’ but all the recent revelations from China and Russia make me unsure that the swimmer in the lane next to me is clean,” she told Reuters in an interview. “It makes me really sad, I had no idea about this level of doping in the past. I guess dopers are good at covering up and hiding.

“But all the revelations are good and it’s a very interesting time for sport and I’m proud to be part of the fight against doping.” While Coventry says she is now driven by the chance to win that eighth Olympic medal, she did not realize she was on the brink of a record until competing in London four years ago. “I didn’t know that until a reporter told me in at the London Games,” she said. “I think that’s kind of cool and being competitive, I like to set goals. “And that is now a massive goal to try and get back on the podium, regardless of gold, silver or bronze.” Coventry, who shares the record of seven individual medals with Hungarian swimmer Krisztina Egerszegi, is focused on the 200 meters backstroke in Rio, though she has also qualified for the 100m backstroke and 200m individual medley. She said she might not compete in all three races and would firm up her plans closer to the time. “I’ll make that decision closer to Rio but I’ll do a minimum of two,” she said. “The 200 back is my baby, I so like racing that one, but I might just do all three. “London should have been my last Olympics if things had gone differently and I’d not dislocated my knee four months before. “Then I got pneumonia two months before and at that point I knew I wasn’t going to end my career the way I would want to. “I had a definite goal to win a medal in London and after I made a

decision that I wanted to end my career in the best condition possible and having left everything in that pool, regardless of the result.” Training has become tougher, Coventry confessed, but her love for swimming may see her push on after Rio. “When I made the decision to carry on swimming after London, Rio was to be the last one, and now that I’m fit and back to being in good shape and having consistency in my training, I’m thinking maybe I’ll keep going for a year afterwards. “You’ve got to allow more time for recovery, it’s a priority,” she added. “I don’t like doing nothing but I’ve realized I can’t keep hammering away every day and then I’m not getting any efficiency out of my practices. “I’ve had to make adjustment and it has been a bit of a learning curve.” One of her training partners in Charlotte is 11-times Olympic medalist Ryan Lochte, who at 31 is facing many of the same training issues as Coventry. “We are going through the same things and can share a lot and so it’s been a very good experience,” added Coventry, who is seen as a bridge in the racial divide back home and has been called a ‘national treasure’. “When you’ve been an elite athlete for a length of time, you always find reasons and things that keep you motivated and for me it’s my love of the sport and seeing the positive impact it has on the community in Zimbabwe.”

Defensive menace Green is a brilliant offensive talent, but what separates him from other frontcourt playmakers is his unparalleled ability to defend every position, 1-5, without failure. Leonard was named the league’s top defensive player, and deservingly so, but you easily could’ve made a case for Draymond. Teams must adjust their normal game plans to hopefully neutralize the destruction that Green causes. So far in these playoffs, Golden State gives up 14.1 more points per 100 possessions, according to NBA.com, when Green’s on the bench. It was mesmerizing to watch him in their second round series against Portland. He looked like a free safety flying around the court, shutting down the Trail Blazers screen-roll action with Damian Lillard and Mason Plumlee. His anticipation skills are absurd; Green routinely beat Plumlee to passes in space that were intended for him, which handcuffed Portland’s offense. Lillard and C.J. McCollum are phenomenal shot-makers, but getting into a shooting contest with the Warriors is a losing proposition. Why Golden State remains the title favorite For the past two seasons, there hasn’t been a better lineup in the NBA than when

finalized yet, but as the coaches work closely with architects to make their wish lists come true, Dorrance hopes the new stadium will both serve fans and advance the programs that use the facilities on a daily basis. “What we wanted to do is make a statement about the future of development,” he said, adding that he’s trying to find ways to include futsal courts and small 5-v-5 turf areas to be used by lacrosse and soccer programs. “We think the stadium can make a statement to that effect. I think too often, if you look at the construction of stadiums historically, they’re built basically to try and generate revenue if it’s football and basketball. “But also if you look at a lot of soccer and lacrosse stadiums, the statement it’s making, is it hasn’t taken the player into consideration. We want our players to look at this thing and say, ‘Oh my gosh, yup, look at the statement the University of North Carolina is making to attract the best of the best to come and develop here.’” Dorrance, who’s won 22 national titles with the women’s soccer program, has an “aggressive” number in mind for the capacity of the future stadium, but more importantly, he hopes the renovations will keep his sport and the other three flourishing for a long time. “I think our sport has the potential to become a revenue producer, and I genuinely feel like I would love to contribute the way that football and men’s basketball does to our revenue stream,” he said. “Because I think the only way sports, long term, is going to survive at the collegiate level is if all of us try to do our duty to try and attract enough of a support system so that whether or not we can become a self-sustaining sport, at least we become revenue neutral where we’re covering a lot of our expenses. And I’d like to take a shot at that before I retire. “I take it as a personal challenge to see if we can build a stadium that people would love to come to, to attract at the gate and to charge a ticket price where people that support our sport will also contribute to sustaining it,” Dorrance added. “And I’ve certainly had a really enjoyable career, and I would love to do what I can before I try to get my 18 handicap down to single digits.”

Golden State downsizes, and benches center Andrew Bogut in favor of swingman Andre Iguodala — a move that’s possible because of Green, listed at only 6-7, and his ability to defend centers. No one else in the league can do this. Defensively, it turns Golden State into a positionless ameba capable of switching across the board at every position. On one possession, Green will thwart a 7-footer’s post-up. Then on the following possession, he’ll switch out onto a point guard and stymie a driving lane to the basket. Offense in the NBA is all about moving the ball and creating mismatches to generate open spaces and clean shots at the hoop. However, when a team can switch and rotate flawlessly, like the Warriors do with Green quarterbacking their defense, scoring becomes increasingly harder to come by. The five-man group of Green, Curry, Thompson, Iguodala and Harrison Barnes scored 1.42 points per possession this season — a comically high number. On the defensive end, they only gave up .95 points per possession, which would rank as the No. 1 defense in the NBA. Of lineups that played at least 150 minutes together this season, Golden State’s “Death Lineup” was far and away the best. The Warriors and their small-ball mastery put defenders in space, which open cutters and lanes to the rim. Their combination of deadly skill on offense and defense is precisely why they remain the NBA’s scariest team. Curry makes them go but it would be impossible to pull off without Green in the lineup as well.

North State Journal for Sunday, May 22, 2016

NBA

76ers land win NBA lottery, Duke’s Brandon Ingram in play By Brian Geisinger North State Journal n Tuesday evening, the NBA held its annual draft O lottery, where the arbitrary

bounce of a ping pong ball can have a profound impact on the trajectory of multiple franchises. This year’s winner was none other than the Philadelphia 76ers, one of the worst teams professional basketball’s ever seen. Philly’s won just 47 games — and lost 199 — in three years of a full-blown rebuilding process. This is impressively terrible. Former GM Sam Hinkie, trusted with the “process,” abruptly stepped down from his post back in April of this year amid some reshuffling in the team’s front office. He should feel somewhat vindicated — his approach was designed to minimize winning while acquiring a bundle of assets, mostly draft picks and hope for some luck. It happened when Philly landed the No. 1 pick, he just wasn’t there to witness it. So who does organization draft with that first selection? There is a debate but it’s only between two prospects: Ben Simmons of LSU and Brandon Ingram of Duke. Until a few short months ago, Simmons was a near certainty to be the top pick. But Ingram, thanks to a strong second half during his lone campaign in Durham, closed the gap quickly. It didn’t help Simmons ‘case when his team missed the NCAA Tournament, which — fair or unfair — caused skeptics to question his impact on a full roster. The two teenagers come from different parts of the globe — Simmons is from Australia, Ingram hails from Kinston, N.C. — but they’re both coming off freshmen seasons where they announced themselves as the top two amateur players in America. They get the job done in different ways, too. Simmons, at 6-10, is as gifted a big man product that you’ll ever see; he’s an exceptional passer and rebounder. He racked up 11.8 boards and 4.8 assists per game. However, he’s currently devoid of a skill that Ingram possesses in spades: shooting. Simmons attempted only three 3-pointers during his 33 games for the Tigers. Ingram, on the other hand, shot 41 percent from deep, connecting on 80 3-pointers while playing under Mike Krzyzewski. Both players are capable of initiating pick-and-roll action, which is critical. NBA offenses are centered around that play, and if you have multidimensional athletes who can function on both ends of the pick-and-roll, then your team’s really in busi-

Brad Penner | USA TODAY SPORTS images

Duke Blue Devils former guard Brandon Ingram (right) is interviewed by ESPN broadcaster Heather Cox during the NBA draft lottery at New York Hilton Midtown. The Philadelphia 76ers received the first overall pick in the 2016 draft. ness. Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors are unreasonably challenging to guard for this very reason. Draymond’s an interesting comparison, too, because some see Simmons modeling his game after Green’s. Ingram’s only an inch shorter than Simmons, but he likes to operate in different areas. Even though he was frequently asked to defend bigger players while at Duke, Ingram, who’s a terrific isolation player, projects to being a wing on the next level. This is another reason why some believe he’ll be Philadelphia’s pick. Since 2013, the 76ers have had four first round draft picks who would be categorized as big men: Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid, Dario Saric and Jahlil Okafor. There’s a school of thought that it’d be redundant to select another big man, like Simmons. Saric, the No. 12 selection in the 2014 draft, has yet to suit up for the 76ers (he’s plays for a club team in Turkey), but he and Simmons have similar skill sets. Here’s the thing, though: I’m not sure how committed Philadelphia is to any of these players. They’re all talented, high-end draft picks, but they have glaring

holes. Noel is a gifted defender, but his shooting range doesn’t extend beyond his wingspan from the rim. Unless he’s skying for an alley-oop slam, Noel can look like a lost puppy on offense. Two years since he was drafted No. 3 overall, Embiid still hasn’t played a game for the 76ers because of various injuries. Okafor’s the reincarnation of Al Jefferson, which is good and bad: a back-tothe-basket force on offense, but a complete liability defensively. (In other words, don’t rule out a possible trade of someone to acquire more draft capital.) Philadelphia is most likely to draft whichever player they believe to be the better prospect, regardless of position. Again: The draft is the best way to acquire star players. Take the most talented player available, worry about fit later. I don’t have a clue which player the 76ers covet more, but if that’s Simmons, who should be able to improve his jumper and expand his range, then they should draft him. Vice versa for Ingram. It took Philadelphia several years of doom and gloom to get here. All they have to do now is make an agonizing decision in front of the entire world.

Lottery order Pick No.

Team

Philadelphia

Los Angeles Lakers

Boston (via Brooklyn)

Phoenix

Minnesota

New Orleans

Denver (via New York)

Sacramento

Toronto (via Denver)

Milwaukee

Orlando

Utah

Phoenix (via Washington)

Chicago

ECU football

duke basketball

Transfers battling to be ECU’s starting QB for 2016

Duke adds Marques Bolden to loaded recruiting class

By Sean Labar North State Journal he first starting quarterback for Scottie Montgomery’s T ECU Pirates will likely be a new

face for fans. With about four months until the start of the regular season, the ECU quarterback situation is in flux. Kurt Benkert -- believed to be the frontrunner under center in 2016 — abruptly transferred to Virginia to reunite with former Pirates head coach Ruffin McNeill, who is now a defensive assistant for the Wahoos. Let’s be honest though. There was a ton of hype surrounding Benkert, but he never really did anything in Greenville. He played well in a couple spring practices and caught eyes with a pretty deep ball. But he never saw the field. In his ECU career, the Florida native only attempted 10 passes. Sure, there was a bunch of upside. But Pirate nation shouldn’t lose any sleep over this. In his first year as head coach, Scottie Montgomery needs to lock down a starter. A quarterback carousel is the last thing anyone wants. Let’s take a look at the options: Philip Nelson: Nelson sat out

“The coaches did a good job of recruiting him and we are really happy to have him. This isn’t something we worked on for a short period. This has been a long time working on this young man.” Scottie Montgomery

the 2015 season after transferring from Minnesota. At 6’1, 213 pounds, he doesn’t have overwhelming size. Nelson has jumped around in his college career, losing the starting job at Minnesota then getting kicked out of Rutgers after an assault charge. He is really an unknown at this point, though Montgomery has been pleased with what he has seen. “I didn’t know much about Philip before I got here,” Montgomery said. “But I knew once I started watching some of the things he can do physically that he was a leader. I saw our kids gravitate towards him.” Right now, it seems like it’s Nelson’s job to lose. Gardner Minshew: This kid

has garnered a ton of hype, no pun intended. The JUCO transfer comes from Northwest Mississippi, where he racked up 3,000 yards through the air last season. He was highly sought after so Montgomery and his staff moved quickly. “We had to strike fast,” Montgomery said. “The coaches did a good job of recruiting him and we are really happy to have him. This isn’t something we worked on for a short period. This has been a long time working on this young man.” BYU, Iowa, Kansas, Nevada and others were hot on the Mishew trail. This might be a steal for ECU, and he could easily be starting this fall. John Jacobs: There is a ton of potential here. But it’s doubtful Jacobs will be polished enough to make any impact anytime soon. The three-star recruit was the No. 19 player out of the state of Oklahoma in 2015, but he may be better suited in a backup role in the near future. Reid Herring: He’s an incoming true freshman that turned down offers from Miami and Boston College. But starting right away after coming out of high school is a monumental task. Herring will likely be the guy a few years down the road.

By Shawn Krest North State Journal he Blue Devils added the nation’s top high school big T man to a class that was already best in the nation. Duke wrapped up the top recruiting class in the nation by landing five-star center Marques Bolden on Thursday. The Blue Devils already had a claim to the No. 1 spot in the recruiting rankings, after landing power forward Harry Giles, small forward Jayson Tatum and point guard Frank Jackson — all five-star prospects —as well as two other forwards. Bolden, rated the nation’s top senior center by most recruiting services, put an exclamation point on Mike Krzyzewski’s banner haul. It’s the third straight year that Duke has landed the nation’s best recruiting class, and Bolden’s addition makes the Blue Devils two deep at every spot on the floor heading into next season. The 6-11, 250-pounder made the announcement in a ceremony at DeSoto High

School in Dallas (also the alma mater of current Blue Devil Matt Jones) choosing Duke over Kentucky. Bolden unzipped his windbreaker to reveal a Duke T-shirt. Seated next to him, his mother shouted, “I didn’t know!” and hugged him. The deciding factor for Bolden was his relationship with Krzyzewski and assistants Jeff Capel and Nate James. “I felt best at home at Duke,” he said. Bolden described himself as “a versatile player, the energy player on the team, the spark on the court with the five guys.” As a senior, Bolden averaged 23.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.6 blocked shots while leading DeSoto to a state title. He was chosen to the McDonald’s and Jordan Brand postseason All-American games. Bolden is immediately penciled in as Duke’s starting center, backed up by 2015 McDonald’s All-American Chase Jeter. His signing allows Giles to move to his natural position of power forward.

North State Journal for Sunday, May 22, 2016

Durham bulls

NCSU from page B1

Bulls honor legendary manager Montoyo By Brooke Pryor North State Journal URHAM — Thursday night was undoubtedly an occasion D to celebrate and thank former

Durham Bulls manager Charlie Montoyo for his eight-year tenure and upcoming International League Hall of Fame induction. And the Bulls did it right, with video board screensavers and ribbon banner graphics shouting congratulatory messages throughout DBAP. But Montoyo, now the third base coach of the Tampa Bay Rays, didn’t come back to his old stadium to stand in an individual spotlight. Instead, he wanted to use the trip as a chance to remember and honor the people who helped him become the winningest manager in Durham Bulls history. “When [IL president] Randy [Mobley] and [Bulls General Manager] Mike [Birling] called me in the offseason to tell me I was going into the Hall of Fame, the first thing that came to my mind was ‘awesome!’ because I’m going to go back to Durham to thank people,” Montoyo said. “That’s what I want to do, thank you. I was going to write a long list because I’m going to forget names and stuff. But I really just want to say thank you to the front office, ownership, entire staff, Patrick. See, I start mentioning names so I don’t want to forget names.” As he stood near his name and old jersey number painted behind home plate for the pregame ceremony, Montoyo thanked the fans and as many people in the organization and his life as he could think of, even pausing to point out mentors and friends braving the cold and drizzly weather to be in the crowd. But when he was done recognizing others, the Bulls presented Montoyo with a surprise momento and another individual honor as they announced the retirement of his No. 25 jersey. With the honor, Montoyo becomes the fifth person — and second manager after Bill Evers — to have his jersey retired by the Bulls.

Varona from page B1 leave Cuba behind at the time. “When I first came to this country I never thought I would defect from my country,” he said. “I always thought if I left Cuba I would do it legally, the normal way so that I could go back and forth if I chose to.” After returning home to abject poverty, however, Varona changed his mind. “The conditions I lived in were dreadful,” he said. “When it rained outside, it rained inside our house as well. We would have to walk around with plastic bags on our heads in the house.” As he became one of the best players in the country, he asked for an upgrade, but none was forthcoming. “I think if they had been more considerate to my requests for a better place to live, which I asked for on many occasions, maybe I would have stayed,” he said. “I didn’t ask for a building just a house that had the necessities; a roof, some windows and a door. A place so that my mother could have had a safe place to rest her head. Every time I asked for a decent place to live in, I was told to wait, that a house was going to be vacant soon.” A taxi driver helped Varona make up his mind about the future. “I went out one day and had a taxi bring me back home,” he said. “When we pulled up, the driver asked me where I lived. I responded, ‘I live here.’ He asked me if I was serious. He said he couldn’t believe that I lived where I lived, being one of the best baseball players.” “I made the decision to leave Cuba in two days,” he said. “It wasn’t something I thought about over a long period of time or I contemplated. Within two days I made the decision. I told my mother, ‘Let’s go.’ I brought my mother with me. “I was not going to leave her behind!” A Google search of Varona’s

Christine T. Nguyen | north state journal

Former Durham Bulls manager and 2016 International League Hall of Fame inductee Charlie Montoyo smiles after an on-field ceremony where his uniform number was retired on Thursday at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Montoyo, the all-time winningest manager in Bulls history, is currently the third base coach for the Tampa Bay Rays. Montoyo’s tenure with the Bulls represented one of the most successful eras of the Rays’ Triple-A club as he won 633 games, seven IL South Division titles, two IL Governors’ Cup titles and the 2009 Triple-A National Championship Game crown. Even with so many impressive numbers, it was Montoyo’s knack for creating a supportive atmosphere and winning culture that cemented his place among Bulls greats. “Usually when you think of Hall of Fames or why people get into Hall of Fames, it’s because of numbers: 600 whatever wins, championships,” Birling said. “But with Charlie, when you look back, as much as we love the champagne showers and the rings and the championships, that’s honestly not what most of us here at the Bulls think of when we think of Charlie. We think of the relationships that we have with him. “Obviously, the trials that he had to go through while he was here and still win, it just naturally brought everyone close togeth-

name shows several stories about his unsuccessful attempts to leave the country. He says they’re all false. “It only took one attempt for me to leave Cuba,” he said. “It took one night. It’s been reported that I was caught on previous attempts and put in jail, but that is not true. I think that report was a scare tactic. I was never caught.” That doesn’t mean the trip was easy. After spending a day being shuttled to different houses, in an effort to get to the rendezvous point with the boat, including a harrowing few hours where their scheduled ride never arrived, Varona and his mother finally set sail. “The boat we were on was the worst in the world,” he said, pointing to a beat-up leather ball bag sitting on the floor of the Bulls’ dugout. “It looked like that bag, with a motor. There were six people on the boat: The four bags, my mother and myself.” They left Cuba at 9:45 PM and headed for Haiti. Eleven hours and 15 minutes later, at 9:00 AM the next morning, they arrived on shore. “We never thought the trip was going to be like being on a cruise ship,” Varona said. “But that trip was not good. I said to my mother, ‘No matter what happens, we’re going to be all right. We’re going to make it.’ I never allowed any negative thoughts to enter my mind. We knew there would be a reward for this sacrifice.” Varona signed with the Rays, and while he didn’t get the large signing bonus many Cuban defectors have received, he’s still making more playing baseball than he ever dreamed of in Cuba. In his first season in the Tampa system, he quickly moved through Class A and AA, arriving at Triple-A Durham this year, where he currently leads the Bulls in doubles. This spring, he was invited to Major League camp with the Rays, although he wasn’t on the 40-man roster. When the team announced that it would be playing a histor-

er here. It’s not just the full time staff, it’s going to be really interesting tonight to see all these people come back, from the seat hosts to police officers to front office staff, it doesn’t matter. They all had a special relationship and still have a special relationship with Charlie.” Before the end of the first inning Thursday night, a new sign already adorned the front entrance of the DBAP. Next to the retired No. 20 jersey of former manager Evers hung the newly retired No. 25 to honor Montoyo. “This part of the country, the Triangle, has no shortage of athletic superstars, whether they be players, coaches, in this case managers,” Mobley said. “And in my opinion, Charlie belongs right in here with anybody else you put in that category. To do what he did and to have the success that his teams had, in this day and age in professional baseball and especially at the Triple-A level where, as everyone knows, is a revolving door, is phenomenal.”

“Obviously, the trials that he had to go through while he was here and still win, it just naturally brought everyone close together here.” Mike Birling, Bulls General Manager

nounced they withdraw from the draft and return to Raleigh. To Gottfried’s credit, he never blinked. “I never dialed 911 this year,” Gottfried joked Thursday. “I know a lot of people probably did, but I never did. ... I just think this is kind of the state of the game. It’s kind of where we are. And I think this is more of the norm than anything else.” Abu’s decision to return was due, in large part, to his development under Gottfried. “If somebody told you that your dreams are right there, maybe a decision away, I think that’s something you’d take the time to think about,” Abu explained. “I was that close, and I feel like I’m still that close. I feel like with another year of maturity, another year to get my game where it needs to be, I’ll be able to more comfortably enter the draft.” Gottfried’s addition of Dennis Smith in January gives the Wolfpack a budding superstar to take over Barber’s role. Add Terry Henderson — who Gottfried said was “close to 100 percent” — and Torin Dorn to that mix and the backcourt is ready to compete with any in the ACC. The post was the problem. After this past week, it is now a presumed strength. The return of Abu and Anya coupled with Yurtseven (who still needs to be cleared by the NCAA) makes the frontcourt rotation deep and diverse. The Turkish Terror manning the center position gives Gottfried a 7-footer in the paint alongside Abu’s offensive presence and Anya’s defensive prowess. There are questions as to whether or not Yurtseven will be eligible to play. But after doing his homework, Gottfried feels he will be in the lineup during the season opener. “He’s a very skilled, very talented guy. We’re really excited about him,” Gottfried said of Yurtseven. “As far as eligibility goes, I think it’s common that most international players — especially European kids — there’s a process they’re going to have to go through to make sure their amateurism and everything is in order. “We feel good, but at the same time you have to go through the process with the NCAA. Hopefully that’ll all work out and he’ll be ready to go the first day we start.” So where does NC State rank in the ACC after these offseason moves? Scout.com now has the Wolfpack as the No. 6 recruiting class with the additions of Yurtseven and Darius Hicks. With Duke adding Harry Giles and Jayson Tatum, the Blue Devils remain at the top in that respect in the ACC. What Gottfried has done is suddenly make the Triangle hoops conversation enthralling again. Between the returning players for Duke, UNC and NC State along with the incoming freshmen for all three schools, the ACC will be decided on Tobacco Road next year. So is Gottfried happy with his current roster construction? Sure. But he isn’t done yet. “I think we’re in a position where we’d still like to add some guys to this roster,” Gottfried said. “We went through this past year where we were shorthanded to begin with and had injuries on top of that. That’s not a fun place to be in at all. Having done that, we have the mindset to add as much depth as possible.”

Eamon queeney | north state journal

Durham Bulls center fielder Dayron Varona (3) watches his winning hit in the eleventh inning of the baseball game between the Durham Bulls and the Norfolk Tides at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park on May 7. ic exhibition in Havana, Varona thought he would be left behind in the States. “I never thought I’d be going,” he said. “Because I wasn’t part of the roster. I didn’t ask to go. I didn’t push the issue.” But a pair of Rays stars — and former Bulls — in Evan Longoria and Chris Archer lobbied the team to include him on the trip. The Rays set to work on the paperwork challenge of getting him into — and out of — the country. “I was told there was a possibility that I could be going with the team,” Varona said. “I was given the paperwork to complete, and the very day of the [team’s] flight I received the return letter. You see, I was able to go into Cuba, but I had to have that letter that said I would be able to

LEAVE Cuba.” Varona was met at the airport by his extended family, including nieces, aunts, uncles and cousins. They spent an emotional two days and a night with him at the team hotel, and then it was time for the game. “The day before the game (Rays manager Kevin Cash) said to me, ‘Hey Dayron, tomorrow you’re leading off,’” Varona recalled. “As I stood at the plate, all I was thinking was that I was back in Cuba, in my country, playing ball,” he continued. “I was amazed and surprised by the reaction of the Cuban people. From the moment I got off the plane, everywhere I went, all I heard was, ‘Where’s the Cubano? There he is! That’s the Cubano!’”

The ball came his way, and, as he told the umpire he would, Varona swung. He hit the first pitch he saw, popping out to second base. Upon his return to the States, Varona was assigned to the minor leagues and found himself playing in Durham, site of his last game on the national team’s U.S. tour. “I remember saying to my mother that the Rays’ [Triple-A team] plays in Durham, where I’d played before. She asked if I thought I’d get to go there,” he said. “I told her yes,” Varona added. “Todo es posible, y mírame. Estoy aquí.” Everything is possible. And look at me. Here I am. Special thanks to Sharon Dixon for Spanish translation

timeless

Reenactors bring the Battle of Alamance to life from the hearth to the battlefield for the 245th anniversary of the fight between the Regulators and Governor William Tryon’s militia. See page C4

the good life IN A NORTH STATE OF MIND

NS J SUNDAY

5.22.16

playlist May 26 Midtown Beach Music Series, North Hills Raleigh Dust off your shaggin’ shoes and get ready for summer with a warm evening of dancing under the stars. In it’s 9th season, this popular event is always a fun way to gather with friends, either located by the CapTrust Tower or the newly completed Bank of America Tower. Be sure to check their site weekly for location. visitnorthhills.com

bright side

May 27 Centennial Scavenger Hunt Connelly Springs Make some memories this Memorial Day weekend. South Mountains is full of “naturally wonderful” things for you to discover, while you celebrate the North Carolina State Parks Centennial. Go on an exploration as you search for 100 different natural items marked with special tags by park rangers. It will be fun for the whole family and a challenge for all ages. ncparks.gov

May 27-29 PHOTOS BY MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Kelan Harvey, 13, left, of Conetoe, and Shaikevyis Hopkins, 13, right, of Tarboro, plant vegetables at the Conetoe Family Life Center farm on Wednesday, May 18. Reverend Richard Joyner and others started the program to teach students about healthy eating, social skills and to expand their opportunities.

Rev. Joyner and Conetoe Family Life Center The Rev. Richard Joyner can preach a sermon just by digging in the dirt. It is hard to be around Joyner and his students without sharing in the joy they are spreading in Edgecombe County.

ore than a decade ago, Rev. Richard Joyner stood before his church congregation and saw a community in need. Members of his congregation were dying from diabetes and high blood pressure. In one year alone, he presided over 30 funerals for people in his church, all from deaths that were preventable had they had access to nutrition. Joyner knew something needed to be done to help his people, his community — so as any minister would, he began to pray. “I was praying about it, and I heard God say, ‘open your eyes and look around you,’” said Joyner. “I opened my eyes, and there was nothing but land.” Joyner took the land, and with the help of the community and especially the youth he began a nonprofit. Conetoe Family Life Center is a community garden that once was a

Inside

Featuring two and a half days of great live music, the White Squirrel Festival in Downtown Brevard is the perfect way to experience everything this charming mountain community has to offer. Free concerts right on Main Street, over eight blocks of street vendors, food vendors, merchants, artists, craftsmen, potters, painters, games, kid’s activities, homemade derby cars, and loads of plain oldfashioned fun! whitesquirrelfestival.com Mint Hill Madness Mint Hill

By Laura Ashely Lamm North State Journal

See CONETOE, page C6

White Squirrel Festival Brevard

A festival to celebrate the founding of the town, Mint Hill Madness has something for everyone in the family. There will be delicious food, great music ranging from country to rock, a family carnival, an arts/ crafts fair, an all-American parade, and of course, a spectacular firework show. minthillmadnessfestival.org

Zion Weathersbe, 9, of Conetoe, holds a tomato plant before putting it in the ground during the Conetoe Family Life Center after school program on Wednesday, May 18.

Before it is reduced to rubble, NC State University’s Harrelson Hall is being recycled — piece by piece. We visited with the sustainability office for one last look around. See page C3

North State Journal for Sunday, May 22, 2016

necessities more happy. less hassle.

OM, do I have to do all those camps and activities again this summer?” She was only asking a question, but it stopped me in my tracks. Summer is supposed to be fun. Camps are meant to ignite passions, teach our children lifelong lessons, and, create joy. Summer is a time that kids are kids and great memories forged. Yet, she’d used the words “have to.” How did these “fun” recreations become obligations? Where did I go wrong despite my good intentions? During the past few summers, she participated in many activities and camps. She even attended a sleep away camp in Eastern North Carolina. I’d hit the refresh button countless times at 11:59 p.m. vying for one of its highly prized slots, and she only thought of it as a box checked off for the summer?! If you can imagine it, she probably did it. Play should be encouraged for our children’s social, cognitive, and emotional development. As parents, we often confuse that with scheduling more—more camps, more trips, and more activities. We forget to take time for our children, families, and ourselves. Our children don’t know how to relax! For us, that is changing THIS summer. We are going to ease our family into summer by being intentional with our time. We will reclaim old-fashioned summer by:

Cutting down on travel Outside of one large trip to California to run a race as a family, our trips will be limited to the beach and mountains to visit grandparents.

Scheduling free time We’re taking time to just be and allow for organic playtime.

Staying home We will grill out with friends and invite the neighbors over for s’mores. Maybe we will finally break out that bocce ball set or play croquet!

Choosing one camp Lacrosse camp it is!

Remaining flexible while we remember how to fill free time. So, here’s to summer! If you need me, check the shores of Jordan Lake, look for my Pendleton blanket on one of the hills at Duke Gardens, or head over to the Eno River. I will be there getting my toes muddy with my two little ones. Jennie Minges-Hobbs is a native North Carolinian, wife, mom, and real foodist. As a passionate mother of a tween and a toddler, she’s finding balance as The Real Momist on Facebook, Twitter, and blogging at therealmomist.com.

Voices Contributors to this section this week include: Samantha Gratton Josh Hyatt Laura Ashley Lamm Alison Miller Jennie Minges-Hobbs Amy Richards Shelby Stephenson

Tell us Know a North Carolina story that needs telling? Drop us a line at features@nsjonline.com.

history marked

just a pinch

May 22, 1926

bring the

President Calvin Coolidge signed the bill that established the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

May 24, 1775

Josiah Martin, the last royal governor of North Carolina, fled Tryon Palace under cover of darkness.

May 26, 1884

The Watauga Club was founded. Comprised of a number of influential young leaders under the age of 30, including William Joseph Peele, Josephus Daniels, and Walter Hines Page, the organization championed several causes that its members hoped would set the state on a positive course into the future. Improved roads, more effective farming and agricultural techniques, and better schools were all touted by the club as it attempted to bring the state into a more modern era. But perhaps the most important and successful of the group’s goals was the establishment of the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts. That institution was founded three years later, in 1887, and went on to become North Carolina State University. Information courtesy of N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

turn the page As summer approaches and school comes to a close, it is important to keep those new and young readers engaged in a book! Thanks to Letters Bookshop in Durham, here are some great suggestions for elementary and middle school readers who are just discovering their love of books.

inside We know the joy a bright window box brings to the exterior of a home — imagine the surprise of an interior window box. English ivy and zinnias planted in an interior window box in a window that faces south will make even a rainy day shine.

accolades

Echelman aerial sculpture exhibit to open in Greensboro By Josh Hyatt North State Journal An ever-changing, 90-foot-by-70-foot aerial sculpture is scheduled to open in Greensboro, next to the Greensboro Historical Museum this summer. Janet Echelman is the artist creating the sculpture titled “Weaving Wonder with Historical Threads: Janet Echelman’s Aerial Sculpture at LeBauer Park.” Echelman studied the textile and railroad history of the Triad city interweaving those threads into the living, breathing public art display that will grace the new Carolyn & Maurice LeBauer Park also scheduled to open this summer According to Museum Director Carol Ghiorsi Hart, many Greensboro volunteers are respon-

sible for working to bring the massive aerial artwork, inspired by the “threads of local history” project to fruition. The working models already on display at the Historical Museum explore the ways local history can inspire art and its audience, including local public art. Starting Saturday, visitors can interact with art at the exhibit, where they will be able to play with ideas of history and art and “weave their own wonder.” Included in the exhibit are an interactive map kiosk of Greensboro public art and a station where visitors can create their own “AhHa!” moment inspired by Greensboro’s history. The exhibition is supported by grants from the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro and will remain open through Sept. 11, 2016.

“Maybe a Fox”

by Kathi Appelt and Alison McGhee released March 8, 2016 grade level 5-9

“Pax”

by Sara Pennypacker released February 2, 2016 grade level 4-7

“The Thank You Book” by Mo Willems

released May 3, 2016 grade level 1-3

“Raymie Nightingale” by Kate Dicamillo

released April 12, 2016 grade level 5 and up

“I am Princess X”

by Cherie Priestpaperback released April 26, 2016

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GREENSBORO HISTORICAL MUSEUM

Pictured is the interactive art station where visitors can create their own Ah-Ha! moment inspired by Greensboro’s history.

grade level 7 and up

stir it up “Spruce Pine Batch is actually the name of a specific type of blowing glass that’s used all around the world, and it’s manufactured right here in Spruce Pine, North Carolina. A couple weeks ago I was at my friend John Geci’s glass studio, and he put a glass in my hand and asked me to come up with a cocktail that would perfectly complement the glass. It was the beginning of spring, arugula had just started coming in, and I had this awesome strawberry tincture I made last summer. Defiant whisky, made in Bostic, gives you that nice, malty profile without being overbearing, and I had been working on things to do with it. The glass was a black and crystal clear swirled deep rocks glass, and I wanted to get a bright, vivid green in there, so I decided to muddle the whisky with arugula and build the other flavors on top, and it worked wonderfully.” — Nate Allen, Spoon, Spruce Pine

Spruce Pine Batch 1½ ounces Defiant American Single Malt Whisky 4 leaves fresh arugula 1 teaspoon strawberry tincture* 1 teaspoon rosemary syrup**

*Place 1 cup hulled and halved fresh strawberries in a 1-quart mason jar and fill to the brim with 100-proof vodka. Cover and place in a cool dark spot for one year. (Should you not have a spare year to prepare a strawberry tincture before enjoying this drink, substitute 1 muddled fresh strawberry. But go ahead and get started on next year’s!) **Heat and stir equal parts sugar and water, plus a few sprigs of fresh rosemary, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool, then strain. In a mixing glass, muddle arugula and whisky. Add strawberry tincture and rosemary syrup. Shake with ice and strain into an ice-filled, locally sourced, hand-blown glass, preferably one made in Bakersville by John Geci. Garnish with an arugula leaf.

North State Journal for Sunday, May 22, 2016

landmarks Harrelson Hall | Raleigh By Josh Hyatt North State Journal

R R

emoving the legendary Harrelson Hall from the face of NC State University has been a long time coming. Love it or loathe it, the limestone-shelled, cylindrical classroom building that has been the southeastern cornerstone of the university’s “Brickyard” since the late ‘60s has been slated for demolition for over a decade. Except that demolition will never happen. Much to the dissatisfaction of the vocal majority of Harrelson haters — dreaming of a visceral destruction of the stilted rotisserie of concrete and steel — the building is currently being deconstructed piece-by-piece with a goal of recycling 90 percent of its non-hazardous materials. This includes some marble, limestone, and slate, along with lots and lots of steel and concrete. Roughly 18 months ago, Elizabeth Bowen, the program coordinator at the University Sustainability Office, led the charge to make that green dream a reality. Equipped with hard hats and safety vests, we spoke with Bowen this past week during one of the final tours anyone will ever have through the hallowed halls of Harrelson. “A lot of the work has already been done,” Bowen said, looking up at Harrelson, just a shell of its former glory. “All of the matchmaking work of matchmaking chairs with Habitat for Humanity, doors with the fire department and the police department, matchmaking whiteboards with K-12 schools. A lot of that work, taking material out and taking it to other departments, all of that work is pretty much behind us. So what we’re left with is the structure, so there’s concrete and metal and other things. But mostly concrete and metal. And those both have recycle opportunities in future projects.” Plans for the summer involve whittling Harrelson down to its core, crushing its bones and grinding them into manageable bits before hauling them off to various recycling facilities in the area. If all goes to plan, when students return to campus for their fall semester all that will be left is a large, round patch of dirt. Bowen gave us some of the details on the small park that will be built in the area with an expected completion date of October. “Well, it’s circular,” she said, grinning. “It will have some storm water benefits. And it will be a program space for students when they’re between classes. So there’s an opportunity to infiltrate some storm water in that space. We expect it will be a placeholder until the College of Sciences is able to fundraise to build a new College of Sciences building.” In the spirit of recycling, there are

PHOTOS BY MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

A group takes one of the last tours of Harrelson Hall on NC State’s campus as it is being torn down on Monday, May 16. The building will be sustainably taken apart and a majority of the materials will be reused or recycled.

also aspirations to give new life to the salvaged former skin of Harrelson. “And, hopefully, if this limestone comes off cleanly, we can build some benches out of the limestone,” Bowen said. “We expect to incorporate it into a wall. We haven’t attempted to remove it yet.” One university icon bids farewell to another The ears of Wolfpack alumni from the last four decades will likely perk when they hear the name “Funkhouser.” Dr. Edward Funkhouser, currently phasing into retirement, has been with the university since 1977. The man has worn many hats during his tenure with the university over the last 39 years, including serving as an associate professor of communications and assistant dean and director of undergraduate programs at the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Former students will remember him as their teacher for classes involving media history, communication theory, public relations, and occasionally other subjects. Sports fans will remember

him as the voice backing both Wolfpack football and women’s basketball in recent years. Standing in Harrelson’s sunlit atrium during his final tour on Monday, Funkhouser tried to remember the last time he taught a class in the building more than 30 years ago. One campus icon standing atop another, he’s not sad to see it go. “No, it was never a very good building, let’s face it,” he said. “The heating and ventilation and air conditioning were, first of all, noisy. That was one thing I noticed from teaching in here, the noisy rooms. The uncomfortableness of it and the strange shapes of the classrooms often got in the way of teaching, quite frankly.” Over the decades it had become a bit of a rite of passage to register for a class in Harrelson Hall and get lost trying to find it. As you can imagine, everything in the building, from the classrooms to the bathroom stalls, were wedgeshaped to accommodate the round shape of the structure. Many a student has fallen victim to the steep, spiral ramp that leads from the base of the building to the atrium, which quickly became a springboard for college-aged

antics involving wheeled devices. For those on crutches or in a wheelchair, navigating the building was a bit of a nightmare. Working in the CHASS dean’s office, the status of history classes being held in Harrelson fell into Funkhouser’s purview frequently. “But you remember that there are 59 classrooms in Harrelson Hall. And so it was very hard to ween the campus off of those 59 classrooms. Hard to shut the building down,” he said. “Where are you going to have 59 classes?” In recent years, the university renovated Withers Hall to house the history department and built SAS Hall as the new home for the mathematics department. The building played host to the campus bookstore as well many other various classes and student organizations before everything was cleared out and the building was finally locked for good toward the end of 2015. “I hope it can be replaced with a building that will serve the campus well in the future,” Funkhouser said. “I feel that the building they probably will replace this one with will not be round.”

JUNE 7-12, 2016 Hurry for best seats! Seats start at $25 +& taxes fees

Groups of 12 or more: Groups@DPACnc.com

“I hope it can be replaced with a building that will serve the campus well in the future.” — Dr. Edward T. Funkhouser

North State Journal for Sunday, May 22, 2016

timeless Battle of Alamance | Burlington

A militiaman's hat, with its signature yellow ribbon, sits among other items used during the reenactment of the 1771 Battle of Alamance in Burlington on Saturday, May 14.

Left to right, Tom Imars, of Foxfire, poses for a portrait as the town crier. Anne Rogers, 16 months, of New Bern, poses for a portrait in the militia camp. Joshua Fogleman, of Graham, poses for a portrait as a Regulator. Ainsley Stewart, 13, of Raleigh, poses for a portrait after the reenactment.

By Jennifer Wood North State Journal

HE REGULATORS were angry. They were angry and they were landlocked, subjects of a King and their own circumstances. Among the infractions fueling their discontent were high taxes, dishonest sheriffs, and illegal fees. These backcountry farmers were a world away from the militia Governor Tryon had amassed. Tryon and his militia camped at Alamance Creek with their sights set on tamping down the backcountry farmers looking to regulate their own affairs. In the meantime, just three miles to the west, the Regulators set up camp waiting. There was hesitation, an attempt to avoid bloodshed, but after name calling and as one report has it, Governor Tryon saying to his own men “either shoot them or shoot me,” the fighting commenced. On May 16, 1771, six miles south of present-day Burlington, the culmination of the Regulators’ anger and Governor Tryon and his militia’s fury over dealing with their uprising spilled over onto a battlefield for two hours. On May 14, 2016, 245 years later, we joined reenactors on a postcard perfect Saturday at the Alamance Battleground as they gathered together for the first time to commemorate this major event in North Carolina history. “Between Saturday and Sunday the attendance topped 1,100” said Lisa Cox, Alamance Battleground State Historic Site staff member. The dedication of the reenactors this day extended to a 90-minute march in by Governor William Tryon and his militia from Alamance Creek. The soldiers weren’t the only ones participating in the history lesson. The Allen House is located on the back part of the property and the militia and their families were camped there welcoming visitors for the day. The Allen House is a log dwelling thought to have been built by John Allen in 1780, it is indicative of the type of home lived in by the frontier people of the time. The cooks were warm and welcoming, explaining their cooking site that included fresh North Carolina strawberries, johnnycakes, and stuffed chickens rotating on a spit. Good thing period dress was required to dine. The campsite recreation made it easy to forget we were there for a fight. In the end, 120 minutes spent on the battlefield reflected the superior organization of the militia. Governor Tryon and his men came prepared with a battle plan and more weapons, so their lives lost were at nine, with sixty-one wounded. The Regulators, although clear in their rebellion, were not ready for the militia and the battle. They fired weapons from behind trees and large rocks and their casualty count is unknown. The Battle of Alamance ended the Regulator movement. However, the state historic site has no intention of ending the reenactment of the battle, and according to Cox, “We’re getting on the reenactors calendars for next year, we couldn’t be happier with the turnout.”

PHOTOS BY MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Mark Dappert, left, of Charlotte, keeps an eye on the fire, as Julie Herczeg, right, of Frederick, Maryland, pushes a bucket to go get water in the camp setup for the reenactment of the 1771 Battle of Alamance in Burlington on Saturday, May 14. The original battle took place when the backwoods Regulators rebelled against militiamen under the command of Governor William Tryon.

Left, Julia Younts, 9, of Archdale, works on her calligraphy. Right, Militiamen under the command of Governor William Tryon fire on the Regulators during the reenactment.

North State Journal for Sunday, May 22, 2016

viewpoint

southern impressions | Raleigh By Catherine Lawrence For the North State Journal

NATIVE SOUTHERNER understands that one can leave the South and move far away, but the South never really leaves your soul. There are ever-present reminders of the region’s complexities of history and culture that resonate beyond its geography. Southern Impressions: Paintings from the James-Farmer Collection is an outstanding exhibition at the North Carolina Museum of History that offers a rare honest reflection on the South’s haunting cultural legacy. The 40 paintings, on view until July 4, 2016, are loaned by Dr. Everette James and Dr. Nancy Farmer from their specialized collection of Southern art. The exhibition begins, appropriately, with portraits by and about the Southern people who shaped their region. Portraits of African-Americans were rare in the South, and those created by African-American artists even more so. Two such artists counter racial stereotypes with subjects of dignity and respect. Edwin Augustus Harleston (1882-1931) renders a portrait of “The Cook” with technical skill and realistic detail in vivid pastels on paper. The modest subject, seen in profile, becomes a noble presence. William Arthur Cooper (1895-1974) highlighted the accomplishments of African-Americans in the book “A Portrayal of Negro Life.” No Southern exhibition with historical content can ignore the Civil War. William Cox memorialized the South and Confederacy leaders during and after the war. This tondo-shaped portrait of Robert E. Lee depicts the general gazing into the distance, perhaps contemplating the sacrifices and losses of war. After the War, artists from both the North and South appealed to a market eager to reflect upon “The Lost Cause.” With the deeply complex irony so typical of Southern culture, a Confederate issued Springfield rifle is displayed beside the Lee portrait. The weapon was carried by an enslaved African-American, named Stokes, who reportedly acted as a bodyguard for his owner’s son, Private Applewhite Richardson, in North Carolina’s 24th Infantry. Both survived the war and upon the safe return of the son and newly freed slave, the gun was placed with pride over the family fireplace. The timeless beauty of Southern landscape attracted artists from across the United States as well as many visiting from Europe after the Civil War. Southern artists were equally inspired by this regional beauty. Elliott Daingerfield (1859-1932) connected nature and spirituality in Carolina Wood-

MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

A painting by Augustus Goodyear Heaton, left, hangs with other artwork in an exhibition from the JamesFarmer Collection on display at the North Carolina Museum of History on Wednesday, May 18.

land. Referencing the French Barbizon School, the work is simultaneously pastoral, wild, and isolated. The exhibition also features a surprising number of outstanding female artists. Alice Ravenel Huger Smith (1876 -1958) and Elizabeth O’Neill Verner (1883-1979) were central figures in the Charleston Renaissance of the 1920s. Smith’s “Isle of Palms” evokes moody, mystical and romantic impressions of South Carolina while Verner’s “Tenements Outside Charleston” reflects a grittier, if subdued realism of the region. Lastly, religion is deeply engrained in the history of Southern culture. The faith of African Americans ultimately provided a source of comfort and hope, drawing on the Biblical stories of oppression and freedom, particularly the exodus from Egypt. Christianity provided the foundation and vision for eventual emancipation. Maud Florance Gatewood (1934-2004) of Yanceyville, North Carolina believed that both white and black religious customs

were influenced by African traditions. Her expressionist painting, “A Death in the Family,” captures the raw emotion and fervor of a private, spiritual ritual in the sway of grieving bodies. Many of the Southern artists in this exquisite exhibition are names unknown to the public today. Their collective memories reveal a complex Southern narrative. Thus, it is all the more important to absorb these impressions of the past, and as Harper Lee suggests, “to consider their point of view.” Catherine Lawrence grew up in rural Granville County and recently moved back to her home state after many years in New York City. She currently teaches Art Appreciation at William Peace University. Catherine received a BA from Appalachian State University in Speech and Theatre and two master’s degrees from Columbia University in International Education and Hunter College in Art History.

CONETOE from page C1 mere half-acre but has grown to more than 20 acres and numerous small gardens. “This was definitely a call from God, and I have seen many miracles on this journey,” said Joyner. Miracles have been as plentiful as the vegetables grown on the farm. Conetoe, a small rural town categorized as a food desert and poverty stricken, has seen an increase in healthy living that has catapulted from the prosperity of the harvests. “’We are redefining this community. This is not a place of poverty. This is not a food desert. This is a beautiful intersection where all faiths and all people can unite to work together for the common good,” said Joyner. “We see ourselves moving to a place of sustainability where we can raise vegetables and pay for ourselves,” he added, “We believe we can manage our way out of what is perceived as poverty.” The Conetoe Family Life Center is driven by the 30 youth in the after-school programs and the 60 involved in the summer camps. Children as young as four years old are participating. These youths are completing reading, math, science, and social skills as well as working in the fields planting and harvesting crops. They study local, state, and federal policies on food production and marketing. Soon they will exchange vegetables for fish with other youth from Cape Hatteras. “I believe we can produce the best human beings in the world,” said Joyner. The Center harvests 5,000 pounds of food per season which includes tomatoes, collards, cabbage, peppers, ice potatoes, peas, egg plants, and corn. An all-natural orchard is in progress that will be filled with blueberries and raspberries. “Everything we grow we are able to put on the table for families,” said Joyner. “We used to always have to take food from the food bank for survival. Now we grow food and give it to the food bank.” Hospitals in the area are purchasing vegetables to feed their patients, six restaurants are using the vegetables as a part of their menu, and the school systems are working to do the same. “We are creating human development and the youth are learning how we work together to sustain our community. They are reducing the food bill for their families, learning preventative health care measures, and valuing all faiths,” said Joyner. Aside from vegetables, beekeeping has become another major part of the program. There are 200 beehives and two bee buses. Last year, 2,500 pounds of honey was pro-

PHOTOS BY MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Students from the Conetoe Family Life Center after school program jump excitedly at the chance to use a shovel to plant a garden on Wednesday, May 18 in Conetoe.

duced and this year’s goal is set at 5,000 pounds. Youth care for the bees as well as collect, bottle, and sell the honey themselves. There are a number of youth in the program who have become certified beekeepers. “The faith community is bigger than what they think. We teach them to appreciate each other and not condemn or place blame on others,” said Joyner. “This is a great opportunity for us to live in harmony on this Earth.” The money raised from the sale of vegetables and honey goes directly back into the farm and youth scholarship fund. The youth currently have $26,000 in their scholarship fund. Joyner has witnessed the positive change in the youth, congregation, and community since the garden began. There has been a decline in chronic diseases, lower pain levels for those with chronic diseases, higher nutritional education, and more energy. In the fall, Joyner was recognized as a CNN Top 10 Hero bringing home $100,000 for assistance with the garden and scholarship funds. He was most appreciative of the recognition for the Conetoe Family Life Center and the support the community has received. His work continues seven days a week as he begins each day at 3:30 a.m. with prayer lines for those in need. Around 5 a.m. he arrives at the garden for a morning in the field before heading to Nash Health Care where he is the

chaplain. When his work at the hospital ends, he returns to the fields and continues the work in the garden. “I don’t want to be celebrated for what I’ve done. I just want this work to live on after I’m gone,” said Joyner. The work of the Conetoe Family Life Center will not soon be forgotten as people contribute hand in hand with their fellow neighbor and the community closes the gap between health and hunger.

On what the garden means, Su'Qasia White, 15, of Conetoe said "the garden is good for the environment because it can help us get healthy and feed animals too.” White also says, “now I feel like I should eat more vegetables because it can help my body work better.”

North State Journal for Sunday, May 22, 2016

№13

Sunday Poem C7

Musicians

By Shelby Stephenson EDITOR’S NOTE

In a poem, the words take center stage. The rhythmic quality of language, the break of a stanza — each are chosen by the poet to illustrate the story. For the month of May we invite you to enjoy this verbal music provided by North Carolina’s poet laureate, Shelby Stephenson, in a series of poems for the North State Journal.

I don’t know how to say it all, the words, I mean, they get caught up in our story, A banjo, guitar, the songs, and dirges: “The Knoxville Girl,” “Jimmy Brown, the Newsboy,” The persistent pursuit of fame, urges Beyond any budget, as if the joy Life teaches loses the self in the stars, Those musical heroes of childhood, large, More than life figures, for sure, yet still buoys With waves in time to celebrity’s ball Twisting to advantage the curtain-call, Over, the drawn roll that sees an image loll Another show to prove the business all Living’s about: neon-lights chased for naught?

ILLUSTRATION FOR THE NORTH STATE JOURNAL | AMY RICHARDS

COMING UP in the good life The Corner Shop

We all know the place — the corner ice cream shop that has the best scoop in town. Travel N.C. with us to discover flavors from across the state.

Summer reading

The list used to be assigned and dreaded, but now we dream of having time on our hands and digging our toes in the sand with a good book. We’ve got your North Carolina list of not-to-be-missed reads.

Horses as therapy

Shepherd Youth Ranch is in the business of saving horses and encouraging people. We look forward to riding with them.

North State Journal for Sunday, May 22, 2016

pen & Paper pursuits I reckon . . .

Your guide to what’s what, where, why, and how to say it.

Pisgah

Pronounced piz-GAH, as in Pisgah National Forest. This mountainous terrain lies in parts of 12 counties in Western North Carolina including Transylvania, McDowell, Haywood, Madison, Caldwell, Burke, Yancey, Buncombe, Avery, Mitchell, Henderson, and Watauga counties. There are a range of activities to enjoy here, head on out and enjoy the natural wonders.

COLOR AWAY!

This week we honor the N.C. commercial fishing industry. They bring fresh local seafood to our plate, and summer has our thoughts turning to this maritime mainstay. Color along with us and share your work using #coloraway — bonus if you can name each fish.

JANRIC CLASSIC SUDOKU

SOLUTIONS TO PUZZLES FROM 5.15.16

ILLUSTRATION FOR THE NORTH STATE JOURNAL | AMY RICHARDS