VOLUME 1 ISSUE 21
SUNDAY, JULY 17, 2016
WWW.NSJONLINE.COM
the Sunday NEWS BRIEFING Sen. Tillis introduces bill to increase penalties for targeting police Washington, D.C. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) with Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) introduced a bill Wednesday that would increase penalties against criminals who target law enforcement officers. The Back the Blue Act would also provide tools to help law enforcement protect themselves and create grant funding to improve relationships between police and their communities. According to the bill, the proposed provisions would create stiffer penalties for killing, an attempt to kill or conspire to kill a member of law enforcement, and those convicted would be subjected to a minimum sentence of 30 years for murder and 10 years for attempted murder.
NC receives top bond rating for Connect NC Raleigh Moody’s Investor Services, Standard and Poor’s and Fitch Ratings, three major bond agencies, gave North Carolina’s first issuance of the Connect NC an AAA bond rating, the highest possible rating. The $2 billion bond was approved in March and will fund statewide projects in education, parks, agriculture, the National Guard, and water and sewer infrastructure.
Workers install parts of the stage of the Republican National Convention at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland July 13. RICK WILKING | REUTERS
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ELECTION 2016
Triangle transportation tech company to add dozens of jobs this year Durham TransLoc, a transportation technology provider based in Durham, announced Thursday its expansion into not only its renovated office space in RTP but also its intention to increase its workforce by more than 40 people before the end of 2016. “TransLoc’s strong national growth has been fueled by our valuable relationship with the Raleigh-Durham area,” said Doug Kaufman, the company’s CEO. “We’ve been working with seven local transit agencies in the community for a decade, doing everything from helping deliver a superior riding experience to hiring dozens of graduates from leading institutions in the area.” The company currently houses a headcount of 60 employees — the company says it wants to eclipse 100 workers by early next year.
Charlotte hosts Triple-A All-Star Game and Home Run Derby. B4 Blue Devils voice Bob Harris looks back on 41 years at Duke. B1 Sports We have your Destination Dix event guide to navigate and celebrate the day. C1 the good life
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McCrory signs Coal Ash cleanup bill into law By Cory Lavalette North State Journal RALEIGH — On Friday, Gov. Pat McCrory signed the North Carolina Drinking Water Protection and Coal Ash Cleanup Act into law. “This new law is a significant improvement over the bill I vetoed,” said McCrory. The previous bill only required a plan to provide water connections with no deadline for actually installing them, and it had no requirements for fixing dams or recycling coal ash. The new law protects the environment while also protecting consumers from higher electricity prices.” The law ends a nearly two-year battle between the governor’s office and the Republican-led legislature over cleanup of Duke En-
ergy’s coal ash ponds. McCrory’s veto of House Bill 71 turned back legislative efforts to revive the Coal Ash Commission, which had been ruled unconstitutional in a previous form by the N.C. Supreme Court. The new legislation, House Bill 630, requires Duke Energy to provide a permanent water supply to each household with a drinking water well within a half mile of a coal ash pond or has any with well water that has been contaminated by one by Oct. 15, 2018. Also Friday, the Department of Environmental Quality released a five-minute video on YouTube that features DEQ Secretary Donald van der Vaart outlining the new See COAL ASH, page A8
CLEVELAND
Republicans prepare for debate and high security at the RNC JOHN SOMMERS II | REUTERS
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump (R) and Indiana Governor Mike Pence (L) address the crowd during a campaign stop at the Grand Park Events Center in Westfield, Indiana, on July 12.
Trump picks Pence as running mate ahead of RNC By North State Journal Staff
INSIDE
ENVIRONMENT
NEW YORK — Republican Donald Trump announced Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as his vice presidential running mate Friday, putting a seasoned conservative politician at his side who could help rally more party loyalists behind his White House bid. Republican sources said Thursday that Trump had decided on Pence, but the campaign did not confirm until Trump tweeted at 10:50 a.m. Friday that Pence was his choice. Trump had postponed a Friday event to announce his decision following the deadly terror attack in France. “I am pleased to announce that I have chosen Governor Mike Pence as my Vice Presidential running mate. News conference tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.,“Trump said in the tweet. Considered a safe choice by pundits, Pence, 57, has diverging views with Trump on his proposed Muslim ban
and trade, and is more socially conservative. He served twelve years in Congress before running for Governor in 2012. A low-key, Christian conservative who rarely engages in negative campaigning, Pence has drawn cheers from supporters who believe he could help unify a Republican party divided by Trump’s campaign to win the nomination ahead of the Nov. 8 election. Trump had faced a midday Friday deadline to announce Pence because the governor had to declare by then whether he would be on the ballot in his home state for re-election. Trump, a New York businessman who has never held elected office, had chosen Pence from a short list that included two other finalists, former House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, both early supporters and See ELECTION, page A8
By Jeff Moore North State Journal RALEIGH — Staff and volunteers at N.C. Republican headquarters spent last week packing boxes full of signs and T-shirts for the road to Cleveland. Buses pulled out late Saturday night, loaded with the North Carolina GOP faithful headed to the 2016 Republican National Convention that kicks off Monday. This year, North Carolina is sending a delegation of close to 300 people, making it the sixth largest delegation in the country. "“This is the largest delegation we’ve ever taken to the convention. We are always a swing state, so the eyes of the nation are definitely on us,” said Kami Mueller, communications director for the NCGOP. “There is a different heartbeat this time, a different energy. People are really excited.” Despite the enthusiasm of the delegates, the convention itself is
a high-security event amid a tense political atmosphere. There are well-publicized plans among protesters to cause disruptions and a movement to try to open a back door nomination of a candidate other than Trump. Last week, a group called Citizens for Choice helped win a lawsuit for an anti-Trump Virginia delegate over a state law that said a delegate broke their voting commitment could be fined or jailed. The court said the law violated free speech protections. The controversies in this election year added an extra layer of last-minute work on top of event planning that has been years in the making. “We have had security officials on the ground here in Cleveland for well over a year and a half,” said Alee Lockman, director of regional media for the 2016 RNC. See CLEVELAND, page A8
CECE PASCUAL | NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Emily Weeks, left, and Maha Nafees, right, pack up supplies for the Republican National Convention on Thursday, July 14, at the North Carolina GOP Headquarters in Raleigh.
Seven-term senator Tom Apodaca formally retires On Murphy to Manteo, page A5
North State Journal for Sunday, July 17, 2016
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NS J playlist
THE BACKSTORY
Tunes for your RNC road trip
Top 5 GOP convention speeches of the modern era
Hitting the highway to the Republican National Convention? NSJ assembled a playlist for you.
Modern political party conventions often serve to introduce voters to their presidential nominee. Conventions too have offered some poignant remarks that have dramatically shaped the American political culture. Often they even evoke deeper truths about the human person and his relationship to God and government. Below is a list of great speeches that are often referenced today for their political impact. They not only influenced the political party but the wider American culture.
It’s the End of the World as We Know It
Ronald Reagan in 1976
R.E.M.
All My Rowdy Friends are Coming Over Tonight Hank Williams Jr.
It’s All About the Benjamins Sean Combs
Change Your Mind Sister Hazel
Pinball Wizard The Who
You Can’t Always Get What You Want The Rolling Stones
Immigrant Song Led Zepplin
Fortunate Son
It was for good reason that Reagan was called “The Great Communicator.” After unsuccessfully trying to wrestle the nomination from an incumbent president, Reagan was asked by President Gerald Ford to offer some impromptu remarks to the delegates. The off-the-cuff speech concerning a time capsule caused many delegates to break out in tears and was an iconic moment for Reagan’s popularity. “…I believe the Republican Party has a platform that is a banner of bold, unmistakable colors, with no pastel shades,” said Reagan.
Barry Goldwater in 1964 The nomination of Goldwater signaled a gradual realignment of Republican politics oriented more toward modern conservatism. Goldwater, who was defeated handedly by former president Lyndon B.
Johnson, helped to create the rise of Reagan. “I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue!”
Ronald Reagan in 1980 The Reagan Revolution descended on Detroit in 1980. Reagan won the election in a landslide. In his acceptance speech, Reagan deftly worked at casting a broad appeal while maintaining loyalty to conservative principles. “Can we doubt that only a Divine Providence placed this land, this island of freedom, here as a refuge for all those people in the world who yearn to breathe freely: Jews and Christians enduring persecution behind the Iron Curtain,” declared Reagan. “The boat people of Southeast Asia, of Cuba and Haiti, the
Creedance Clearwater Revivial
victims of drought and famine in Africa, the freedom fighters of Afghanistan and our own countrymen held in savage captivity.”
Elizabeth Dole in 1996 This was not the first or last time Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina spoke at the convention, but it was the first time she spoke as a potential first lady. Dole wowed some delegates and media members for leaving the podium in a carefully choreographed tribute highlighting her husband’s character. While spouses of candidates had addressed the delegates before, Dole has essentially turned it into a prerequisite. “In fact at one point, when Bob [Dole] was a boy, they had to move their family parents and four children into the basement, and rent out their small home upstairs just to make ends meet. But while they were perhaps poor in material
things, they were rich in values. Values like honesty, decency, respect, personal responsibility, hard work, love of God, love of family, patriotism — these are the values that led Bob to risk his life in the battlefields of Italy.”
Pat Buchanan in 1992 Often called the “culture war speech,” many felt Buchanan’s address was too extreme and they argued it cost President George H.W. Bush votes. However, it gave a voice to many conservatives who felt alienated from what they argued was a rising tide of moral chaos and cultural liberalism. “There is a religious war going on in our country for the soul of America. It is a cultural war, as critical to the kind of nation we will one day be as was the Cold War itself.” By Ray Nothstine North State Journal
Red White and Blue Lynyrd Skynyrd
I’d Rather Be in Carolina General Johnson and The Chairman of the Board
Mexico James Taylor
Musta Had a Good Time Parmalee
The Fishing Hole Andy Griffith
Kid Rock Born Free
Like a Wrecking Ball Eric Church
We’re Not Gonna Take It Twisted Sister
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Nearly 50 years later, will the 2016 Republican Convention resemble 1968? By Donna King North State Journal RALEIGH — There is rare agreement between those on the left and the right that the 2016 presidential election season is bearing some resemblance to the 1968 presidential campaign. However, according to some political analysts the similarities may not run as deep as first glance might indicate. “In 1968, there was a bitterly fought primary campaign, with fierce public debates over the Vietnam War, race relations and law and order. The campaign led to a divisive and volatile Democratic National Convention in Chicago, with tens of thousands of Vietnam War protesters clashes with police outside the arena,” said Maurice Isserman, co-author of “America Divided: The Civil War of the 1960s”. On the floor of the 1968 convention, fights broke out over whether the U.S. should stay in Vietnam, with delegates and reporters being punched and pushed to the ground. The mayhem outside the arena spread inside, but eventually the delegates on the side of the status quo, championed by thenVice President Hubert Humphrey, won out. But the images from the convention seriously weakened the party as the Democratic ranks divided. In November, Republican Richard M. Nixon was elected to the presidency. The GOP went on to win the White House in all but one of the next six presidential elections. This time around, however, it is the Republicans who are struggling with a changing identity and leadership. Donald Trump’s insurgency has struck a chord with millions of frustrated people, some becoming engaged in the political process for the first time. His popularity steered the primaries away from candidates who most Republicans were expecting to see at next week’s convention. “Trump’s supporters, like many liberal, anti-war Democratic primary voters did in 1968, view the race in apocalyptic terms,” said Isserman. Isserman said there are three ways 1968 and 2016 resemble each other while retaining significant dissimilarities. First, the nominating process was significantly different nearly 50
RICK WILKING | REUTERS
Workers install lighting for a giant banner in downtown Cleveland near the site of the Republican National Convention July 13.
years ago. In 1968, the Democratic establishment’s candidate, Humphrey, did not run in a single primary. Only 14 states and the District of Columbia held primaries that year, and the victories were largely divided between two insurgent, anti-war candidates: Minnesota Sen. Eugene McCarthy and New York Sen. Robert Kennedy. The overwhelming majority of delegates who gathered at the convention in Chicago in August 1968 were thus chosen by party leadership, chiefly elected officials, rather than primary voters. So it should not have been surprising they proved overwhelmingly pro-Humphrey — and awarded him the nomination on the first ballot. The choice meant many liberal voters didn’t turn out for the fall presidential campaign. There were reforms in both parties’ nominating process during the 1970s — most Republican and Democratic delegates today are chosen by primary and caucus voters, allowing presidential candidates to claim a popular mandate. If, for some reason, Trump fails to win on the first ballot and a subsequent ballot steers the nomination to an alternative candidate,
it could be perceived as more akin to politics-by-coup-d’etat. Political analysts like Isserman say angry Trump voters are likely to abandon the Republican Party, but opinions are divided on whether they would vote for Hillary Clinton. Second, the gap between party insiders and insurgent candidates in 1968, while wide in terms of specific issues like the Vietnam War, was far narrower in terms of the candidates’ experience and capabilities. The candidates had a lot in common. In 1968, McCarthy had served in Congress for 20 years, while Kennedy, in addition to being the brother of an associated Democratic president, had been U.S. attorney general and spent four years as a senator. Humphrey had served a term as mayor of Minneapolis before serving three terms as a senator and taking his place as President Lyndon B. Johnson’s vice president. In 2016, however, the original slate of 17 Republican candidates varied in experience. Real estate developer Trump has never held elective office. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio have backgrounds in Republican state
politics, but none have served long in national office. The backdrop for the 1968 presidential campaign included the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Kennedy, campus occupations and urban riots, as well as the protests in the streets of Chicago outside the convention. While the rancor displayed at Trump rallies on both sides bears some resemblance to the “old days” of 1968, many historians say it is a stretch to compare it to the turmoil of the 1960s. However, should Trump be denied the Republican nomination in Cleveland, the tension is likely to escalate. “His supporters, with either his overt or implied approval, are likely fill the streets outside the convention hall in protest.” said Isserman. As the convention approaches, dissent and a viable effort to bring forward a different nominee seems less likely. The list of speakers was released this week and includes some surprise names. The list, combined with the choice of Indiana Gov. William Pence as running mate, indicates to many Trump is working to use the convention to pull the entire party behind his
North State Journal for Sunday, July 17, 2016
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BUSINESS & ECONOMY ANDY ELLEN
NC General Assembly brings clarity to business owners ERTAINTY. One simple word, but one that businesses C small and large need to build
and expand their business operations — as well as to create and maintain jobs. In the 2016 Short Session, the North Carolina General Assembly provided some certainty for businesses by enacting important clarifying legislation, increasing the State’s Rainy Day Fund and also deciding to leave other legislation on the curb for this year. Sales Tax Clarity: A major example of certainty provided through legislation in the 2016 Short Session was a clean-up of the application of a sales tax, enacted in 2015, that applied to repairs, maintenance and installation of tangible personal property. The 2015 law went into effect March 1, 2016 and was confusing from the start. It required businesses, classified as retailers, to collect sales tax on repairs, maintenance and installation but it exempted nonretailers from collecting sales tax for providing the same exact service for the same customer. At times it was very difficult to determine if a business was a retailer and therefore if they were required to collect sales tax on these services. This left many businesses potentially subject to liability for sales tax not collected. The changes made
in the Short Session checked four major boxes – 1) held businesses that made a good faith effort to comply with the 2015 law harmless from liability for failure to correctly collect sales tax; 2) clarified the law so that it is easily understandable for businesses; 3) removed inequities between retailers and non-retailers who provide the same service and 4) ensures that capital investment in the State is not hindered. Legislators including Senators Bill Rabon and Bob Rucho and Representatives John Szoka, Bill Brawley, Jason Saine and David Lewis recognized that it was necessary to make these changes to provide certainty to North Carolina businesses. Rainy Day Fund: Businesses build reserves to prepare for a downturn in their businesses or for an unexpected equipment repair in an effort to avoid eliminating employees when those situations arise. The General Assembly exemplified this same business mantra by adding $300 million to the State’s “Rainy Day” Fund (bringing its current balance to $1.4 billion). This increase in the Rainy Day Fund provides certainty to businesses that if and when the next recession comes that the General Assembly will hopefully not be required to reverse course on recent tax cuts to personal and corporate income tax. No state mandates: With many North Carolina businesses still struggling to comply with the Affordable Care Act and facing new federal overtime rules, the General Assembly’s decision not to enact legislation to increase the minimum wage, requiring paid sick leave and restrictive scheduling requirements means that North Carolina businesses are not scrambling to figure out how to pay for these measures while still being expected to create jobs. Certainty — just one word, but an important one to North Carolina’s businesses.
33 counties designated for protected land and military training By Laura Ashley Lamm North State Journal
GOLDSBORO, N.C. — Military and agriculture are the backbone of rural North Carolina, two vital industries that continuously propel the state’s economy and provide protection and food, respectively, to people both in the state and across the country. N.C. Agricultural Commissioner Steve Troxler announced Tuesday the federal designation of 33 counties in Eastern North Carolina as the North Carolina Sentinel Landscape, a program designed to protect the farmland and natural resources of the East as well as the vital training ground of the armed forces. In addition, he announced the development of voluntary incentive programs for landowners and local governments who desire to participate. “Eastern North Carolina is home to two major industries — agriculture and the military,” said Troxler. “What North Carolina is doing by partnering with Sentinel Landscapes is protecting the farmland and the forest side around military bases. This prevents encroachment so the military can train and at the same time we are ensuring our natural resources are intact which has a hand in the agriculture business.” North Carolina’s biggest economic contributors are agriculture and agribusiness, adding $84 billion annually to the state’s economy. Behind agriculture, military-related activity is the second largest economic driver in the state, putting $66 billion into North Carolina’s economy. North Carolina partners with the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Interior and Defense to strengthen farms, ranches and forests while conserving the habitat and natural resources of the area, as well as protecting vital training grounds for the state’s military in-
North Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler announces that 33 North Carolina counties will be part of the Sentinel Landscape Partnership. N.C. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES
stallations. More than 90 percent of the land within the 33 counties of the Sentinel Landscape is privately owned, with 60 percent of that landscape designated as forest land. “It is my goal to have the agriculture and agribusiness be a $100 billion industry by the year 2020,” said Troxler. “That’s quite aggressive, but the things we are doing in North Carolina, like protecting farmland, is moving us towards that goal.” Protecting the farmland and forests allows the continuation of the agricultural business in this area of the state, but partnerships with the armed services allows for landowners and military installations to have mutually beneficial plans that allow for preservation of the land, but also specified training sites for the military so they may continue to protect and defend the nation. “All branches of the military need compatible land around installations and ranges, as well as unobstructed and dark airspace, to practice and train,” said Brig. Gen. Thomas Weidley of U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. “The landscape, especially in the eastern half of North Carolina, is dominated by agriculture, forestry and conservation land use and has traditionally been home to a good number of military test and train-
ing areas. “However, as the state urbanizes our ability to train becomes more challenging, necessitating this critical partnership among several entities within North Carolina,” Weidley continued. “Private lands enable essential military training opportunities that are important in protecting the military’s mission. Partnerships like these facilitate agreements with private landowners that may allow mutually beneficial and compatible uses, thus further enabling our ability to conduct realistic training in preparation to go into harm’s way — and win.” In addition to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, Eastern North Carolina is home to several key military installations and ranges, among them Fort Bragg, Dare County Bombing Range, Marine Corps Air Stations Cherry Point and New River and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. The counties included in the North Carolina Sentinel Landscape are: Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Carteret, Chowan, Craven, Cumberland, Currituck, Dare, Duplin, Edgecombe, Greene, Harnett, Hoke, Hyde, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, Martin, Moore, Onslow, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Pitt, Richmond, Sampson, Scotland, Tyrell, Washington, Wayne and Wilson.
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North State Journal for Sunday, July 17, 2016
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North State Journal for Sunday, July 17, 2016
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Jones& Blount New law cuts student loan interest rates
In 1950, one farmer produced enough food to feed 30 people. Today, technology allows one farmer to produce enough food to feed 155 people. By 2050, food production must double on the same amount of land to meet the basic needs of a rapidly growing global population. North Carolina has about 52,000 farms with an average size of 169 acres. More than 98 percent of Yancey them are individual family-owned or family partnerships. Source: North Carolina Animal Agriculture Coalition
Manteo
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west Beaver that bit Asheville paddle boarder tests positive for rabies Buncombe County A beaver that attacked and bit a paddle boarder on Beaver Lake tested positive for rabies. On July 8, a 67-year-old woman was bitten multiple times on her leg and hands. Dr. Richard Oliver, the director of North Carolina’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, confirmed Tuesday the 44-pound beaver had rabies. Oliver said this is the first case he has seen in his 31-year career involving a beaver. Buncombe County had one case of rabies in each 2014 and 2015.
Laurel Park Highway to be repaved this week
Mount Airy couple married on Carowinds roller coaster
Henderson County The town of Laurel Park in Henderson County is scheduled to repave parts of Laurel Park Highway this week. The construction is set from White Pine Drive to Crystal Springs Drive. The highway will be one lane only from Monday through Friday, with the town of Laurel Park urging residents to use alternate routes to get home while the surface of the road is milled, the concrete is repaired at the base, and a new layer of asphalt is put on top. Temporary road striping will be placed until permanent markings are placed in early August.
Mecklenburg County James Music and Cortini Bryant, of Mount Airy, were married Thursday morning aboard the Fury 325 roller coaster at Carowinds. The couple’s minister performed their vows as the coaster climbed the hill, and the couple screamed “I do” as the coaster descended. Why Carowinds? The couple had their first date at the park last spring and rode the Fury ride more than a dozen times. Carowinds advertises Fury 325 as the world’s tallest and fastest giga-coaster.
Blind Squirrel Brewery opens second location Yancey County Blind Squirrel Brewery based out of Plumtree in Avery County has opened a second location in North Carolina. The Burnsville Outpost is a 40-seat restaurant and taproom offering up 10 beers and two hard ciders on tap. Blind Squirrel launched Otway IPA as a tribute to Burnsville namesake Capt. Otway Burns to commemorate the opening of the second location. The brewery has been open four years, and the company’s brewing operations will remain in Plumtree. North State Journal
WXII12 TV
Hendersonville Lightning
Asheville Citizen-Times
Former assistant fire chief charged with embezzling from Burned Children Fund Maggie Valley chamber to decide 3 new board members Haywood County Three members of the Maggie Valley Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors will rotate off of the board next month, opening up those three seats for those seeking an opportunity to lead in the area. Chamber chairman Joe Moody as well as board members Tammy Brown and Mike Patel will leave the board in August. There are six names in contention for the positions that will be voted on by more than 180 businesses that have memberships to the chamber. Smoky Mountain News
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Lincoln County The SBI announced Wednesday the former Lincolnton Fire Department assistant fire chief, William Vernon Fortenberry, plead guilty to nine counts of embezzlement. Fortenberry, 50, was arrested after police officials reported about $30,000 missing from the county chapter of the Firefighters’ Burned Children Fund Inc. According to the investigation, Fortenberry, the treasurer of the fund at the time, embezzled $29,339.49. The SBI also found Fortenberry embezzled $4,809.50 from the Pisgah United Methodist ChurchUnited Men’s while treasurer. WNCN TV
Pender performance mats and a rock wall that juts out so climbers will fall into a foam pit. Altitude Trampoline Park plans to hire five to seven full-time employees and 50-60 part-time staff. The Daily News
City market concept in works for New Bern
east
NC Zoo sets record attendance this year Randolph County More than 750,000 visitors traveled to the NC Zoo in Asheboro this past year between July 2015 and June 2016, notching the highest attendance in 19 years for the zoo. The final tally for the year came in at 755,567 visitors, the fourth highest in the zoo’s history. Zoo officials said interest was aided by the addition of Nikita, a male polar bear, and his interaction with Anana, a female polar bear.
WRAL TV
Capital Boulevard closes due to water main break, repaving
New youth center to open in Kinston Lenoir County The Kinston community will open its doors to a new youth center in the hopes of providing young adults with a positive place to spend their time while learning to make good choices. The Sylvia and Charda Youth Center will open on West Vernon Avenue in downtown Kinston. The center will offer children, ages 5 to 18, tutoring, mentoring and behavioral management services as well as host events, including Stop the Violence and Put Down the Guns. The center is scheduled to open on July 30. The Free Press
Wake County Capital Boulevard reopened Friday morning after a water main break closed the road Wednesday at noon. Three southbound lanes between Huntleigh Drive and Brentwood Road were affected. Crews had to repair the break and repave the roadway, which was delayed because of high temperatures. Officials have not said what caused the pipe to break, but they believe it was not age-related.
ABC 11
Trampoline park to bring new business to Jacksonville Onslow County A new trampoline park is set to open this fall in Onslow County. Altitude Trampoline Park, based out of Fort Worth, Texas, plans to expand its national range with a park in Jacksonville. Geared toward providing activities for children, the park will have a balance beam, high jump,
Craven County The City of New Bern has a new multiuse city market plan that is estimated to bring more money to the city in the next two to three years. The $2.8 million plan would turn a vacant warehouse on Front Street into a large scale market. The market will have an open air space complete with a concert venue, food truck space and 160 parking spaces. Part of the space will also be known as the Workforce Development Training Center to house training and trade programs of Craven Community College.
WCTI TV
Southeast NC districts recruit dozens of teachers Pender County Teachers are in high demand in Southeastern North Carolina. Last week, about two dozen teachers and principals gathered at the Pender County Schools headquarters for training sessions on science and writing. The district is looking to make more hires with 18 vacancies left. Teacher recruitment peaks during the summer when local schools are looking for recent college graduates and teachers eager to make job changes. New Hanover County Schools has 29 vacant teaching positions and Brunswick County Schools has 10. The Star News
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new federal student loan law passed by Congress in 2013 went into effect July 1, lowering interest rates by tying it to the 10-year Treasury note. The Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act, sponsored by Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), means rates on loans taken out last year at 4.29 percent interest are now 3.75 percent. “This is great news for students in North Carolina and across the country,” Burr said. “North Carolina students and families alone are set to save over a billion dollars.” Burr is now working on The Boost College Savings Act, a bill he introduced in May that would increase 529 deductions for college savings and incentivize employers to match contributions. Also on Capitol Hill. the U.S. House of Representatives approved bipartisan legislation sponsored by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) designed to help families make an informed
decision about where to pursue higher education. Foxx’s bill would direct the U.S. Secretary of Education to create a College Dashboard to give a more complete picture of schools, including cost calculators, graduation rates, job placement and other higher education data. “Students must wade through massive and often conflicting amounts of information in order to make an informed choice,” said Foxx, who serves as chair of the House Subcommittee on Higher Education. “Taking time to fully understand the available data can be an aggravating task that may get put off and ultimately ignored, often with disastrous consequences. This bill will improve the information students and their families need to make smart decisions about their education, providing a more complete picture of student populations on our nation’s college campuses.” H.R. 3178, the Strengthening Transparency in Higher Education Act, passed the House by a voice vote and now moves to the U.S. Senate.
Apodaca retires from N.C. Senate By Donna King North State Journal RALEIGH — Powerful seven-term state Sen. Tom Apodaca (R-Buncombe) notified Gov. Pat McCrory of his retirement from the North Carolina Senate Friday morning. Apodaca, 58, who announced he would be retiring in November, has been one of Senate leader Phil Berger’s chief lieutenants. “It has been the honor of my lifetime to represent and serve the people of western North Carolina in the state Senate. It was a privilege to serve in such a special institution, and I am grateful for the many friendships formed with constituents and colleagues on both sides of the aisle,” he said in a statement. “Most importantly, please know how much I value and appreciate my family for their patience, love and unwavering support over the past 14 years.” Apodaca, known for being quick with a colorful, sharp comment on any issue, has been an effective and powerful ally for Berger (R-Guilford) over the years. Berger bid him farewell on the Senate floor during the final days of the short session. “I just wanted to spend a minute to talk about Tom Apodaca and thank him for his work, his friendship, and for how he has handled himself since he first came here,” Berger said on July 1. Berger then presented Apodaca with a large gavel as a farewell present. Among his last pieces of legislation, Apodaca sponsored the N.C. Promise Tuition Plan,
focused on making college affordable by reducing tuition to $500 per semester at Western Carolina University and University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Republicans and Democrats recognized Apodaca’s power and wit. “Of all the people who ever yelled at me, Sen. Apodaca did it with the most class. A genuine person, an irrepressible force,” Sen. Jeff Jackson, a leading Democrat in the chamber, tweeted when Apodaca announced his retirement. Apodaca, who was first elected to the Senate in 2002, has been credited with doing much to wrest control of the body from Democrats. Although Senate districts had been drawn by the Democratic majority to elect members of their own party, Apodaca and others recruited Republican candidates around the state and won control of the chamber following the election of 2010. Berger rewarded the mountain senator by appointing him to the powerful Rules Committee. In June, McCrory awarded Apodaca the Order of the Long Leaf Pine in recognition of his service. Berger and Apodaca joked during the presentation that the governor had agreed to give the award grudgingly, since the Senate and McCrory have often been at odds on policy issues and political tactics since McCrory took office in 2013. McCrory was not present for the presentation, which is customary for General Assembly retirements.
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north STATEment Neal Robbins, publisher | Drew Elliot, opinion editor | Ray Nothstine, deputy opinion editor EDITORIALS | Drew Elliot
Clinton’s email scandal isn’t about ‘too big to jail’ Federal investigators and prosecutors have a bias for cases with a famous name, high rank, or politics attached to them.
Many are misreading the FBI’s treatment of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s grossly negligent handling of classified national security secrets. They say it’s about the rich and powerful getting away with behavior for which an ordinary American would — and has — been prosecuted. Turning a Clinton quote back on her, they say she’s “too big to jail.” dWhile in anything resembling a fair system she would be prosecuted, saying that ‘the rich always get a pass’ is a mistake, both in this case and in American jurisprudence generally. It’s about favoritism, not a moneyed-therefore-lawless class. It is a good and pure impulse that makes us fight for the poor against the rich; for the weak against the powerful. It is a long tradition in our culture. In 1215 at Runnymede, King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta, a seminal document limiting the power of the monarch that has influenced first British, then American, concepts of limited government and individual rights. (Later, when Charles I insisted that kings ruled by “divine right,” the idea was so un-English that they cut off his head.) Americans have taken the impulse to new levels. We rightly abhor any system that treats the rich and connected differently from others, and concepts such as the right to free legal counsel increasingly have been a way we have tried to help those who, by definition, lack the resources to which others have access. Sometimes this anti-elite sentiment leads down silly roads, such as when presidential candidates George W. Bush — a scion of one of the most patrician Yankee families in the land — and Albert Gore Jr. — a senator’s son who attended Harvard — both claimed to be Southern rural Average Joes. Y’all remember that? Back to the federal justice system, where the FBI and U.S. Attorneys mostly do impressive — and often dangerous — work. They do this important work not for the money, but out of a sense of morality, duty, and patriotism. But investigators and prosecutors are also human, and they crave the attention that high-profile cases gain for themselves and their office. This is exponentially true for U.S. Attorneys, who are politically appointed and often have designs on future office. Thus the bias for cases with a famous name, high rank, or politics attached to them. More resources are spent investigating possible crimes in these cases than would attend them otherwise. Sometimes, this works in the interest of the well-connected: going after kidnappers is good; going after the Lindbergh baby kidnappers is very, very good. But it also works against the elite. Does anyone really think that, all else being equal, Martha Stewart’s insider-trading prosecution would have been identical if she were Mary Gordon, junior stockbroker? Bringing the powerful down to size has its place. But the long arm of the federal government can also use its powers and secrecy on elaborate and expensive fishing expeditions that look remarkably like the opposition research of political campaigns — with the addition of a subpoena. And even when politics doesn’t have anything to do with it, the fact-damning zealotry that can accompany prosecutions of the famous, rich, or influential is an unpleasant but recurring feature of our federal judiciary. There is no doubt that Hillary Clinton got a pass because of who she is, but plenty of other rich and powerful Americans face extra scrutiny because of who they are. We should aim to ensure an impartial system just as we strive for a system that treats the powerless equitably.
LETTERS Pass Energy Freedom Act, support solar A common misconception regarding solar energy is that it is more expensive than traditional energy sources like gas. In reality, new technology and smart policies have made solar energy not only affordable, but in some cases cheaper than traditional fuels. On top of that, solar energy does not pollute our environment and will never run out. Solar energy just makes sense. North Carolina is ranked third in the country for total solar-energy capacity. Solar panels should be on every home and business, but this is more difficult in some places. In his July 2 column (“Community solar farms empower cooperative members”), Bob Goodson
highlights the many benefits of solar farms. Community solar farms allow members to buy the energy output from individual solar panels without being responsible for installation and operation, making solar energy more practical for many homeowners. Another way to make solar energy more available is to allow solar companies to compete with Duke Energy for customers. Unfortunately, a bipartisan bill, the Energy Freedom Act, has languished in the General Assembly. The time has come for North Carolina legislators to pass this bill and help grow solar across the state. Caroline Bodie Environment North Carolina
BE IN TOUCH Letters addressed to the editor may be sent to letters@nsjvonline.com or 819 W. 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
Do not question authority! When government regulates citizens’ use of energy, this inevitably becomes a way for the central government to command more control over our lives.
Earlier this week, 19 partisan senators in Washington spoke of a secret “web of denial” and “dark money” operating in America. This supposed web includes foundations, think tanks, and advocacy organizations that are pushing back against increased environmental regulations. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat and senator from Rhode Island, spoke against Raleigh’s John Locke Foundation as part of this supposed secret web. He ranted and raved about Locke and like-minded organizations for their “filthy” tactics on climate change. “Filthy,” meaning they disagree that government and partisan environmental organizations possess the only policy answers to a complex issue. In fact, many of the organizations listed in the “web of denial” do not deny that there is human-influenced climate change. They merely disagree that massive government intervention and regulation are the right prescription. Despite the circus-like political theater that erupted, the broader danger is that some in government want to work toward criminalizing opposition to what they say is “settled science.” Companies, many of them in fossil fuel industries, donate to think tanks and nonprofits that have similar views on environmental policy. It’s not free speech if it’s fraud, the
politicians shout. Their accusation is that these companies misled their shareholders. There is a call by some to investigate the groups to unravel the sordid web. The Koch brothers, and North Carolina’s Art Pope, are mentioned as presumed agents in the conspiracy. “The Kochs blow their dog whistle and the hounds appear,” fretted Whitehouse. The accusations and smears are ludicrous. Americans have the right to support organizations that reflect their values and what they feel are the proper policy solutions. There is scientific evidence that the earth has warmed slightly, but scientists are not in agreement if this is a worsening or even a catastrophic trend. Additionally, it’s unclear, even with dramatic shifts in environmental policy, that humans could make a dent in altering a warming trend in any meaningful way. For instance, the EPA’s massive plan to restructure America’s power plants (and raise electricity prices for every family in the nation) would have only a 0.018 degrees Celsius effect by 2100 — and that’s according to the plan’s own authors. When government regulates citizens’ use of energy, this inevitably becomes a way for the central government to command more control over our lives. Even if the “climate skeptics” are wrong,
they have the right to question government policy. The First Amendment protects this. The government has never had a monopoly on what is good or bad public policy. Competitive Enterprise Institute President Ken Lassman, one of the groups named by the senators, had the perfect response: Apparently, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse is the new Senator Joe McCarthy and green is the new blacklist. It is unhealthy for democracy and abusive when members of Congress create an enemies list based on policy positions... Courts decide whether someone has broken the law, not political parties. I worked for a free-market think tank for part of my professional career, and one of the reasons I enjoyed the work is it provided broad freedom to write on topics that interest me, and I was not required to violate my conscience. Free expression is the cornerstone of society. The fact that our nation and especially leaders today struggle in their commitment to this fundamental freedom says a lot about the impending perils we face.
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Guest Opinion | JACK BOYNE A honeybee visits a sunflower in Wake County. In the 1980s, honeybee populations in the U.S. declined significantly. But bee populations have held relatively steady since the mid-1990s, at between 2.4 and 2.6 million.
SAMUEL SON
A story in the midst of tragedy he violent tragedies of the deaths of two black men and the five T police officers shattered my heart, as it did
JENNIFER WOOD | NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Science, simplicity, and honeybees
T Largescale field studies show that poor colony health is correlated with the presence of parasites and diseases, but not with the use of agrichemicals.
he recent letter (“Rally to protect the bees,” June 19) claiming that honeybee populations are plummeting in part due to the use of pesticides is similar to many others I’ve seen over the past decade. It implies that stopping the sale of these products will help save the bees. Sounds simple, but is it true? Before answering that question, it seems appropriate to consider the words of the writer H.L. Mencken, who said “For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.” It may surprise readers to learn that there is no bee apocalypse. Despite reports of high losses in spring surveys, the total number of U.S. colonies has been trending upward over the past 20 years. Annual loss estimates generally do not include the net increase in colony numbers that occurs each year as beekeepers prepare for the upcoming season. Globally, United Nations statistics show the world’s honeybee population has been rising almost continuously since 1950. This doesn’t mean that all is well with our bees. Experts agree there are multiple factors affecting honeybee health, including parasites, diseases, lack of forage, genetics, and pesticides (used on crops and in bee hives). Perhaps the greatest threat is the Varroa mite, an invasive parasite that has wreaked havoc on colonies since it entered the U.S. in 1987. Entomologists have likened Varroa to a dirty hypodermic needle, transmitting deadly viruses as it feeds on bees. Describing the difficulty in managing this parasite, one beekeeper recently told me that he must do twice the work for half the reward. So what about pesticides? Large-scale field studies conducted in Europe and North America show that poor colony health is correlated with the presence of parasites and diseases, but not with the use of agrichemicals. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do all we can to protect bees. Honeybees are a vital part of agriculture and the industry takes great care to steward crop protection products so that we avoid potential harm. In fact, there are
remarkably few bee-related incidents associated with pesticide use, especially when one considers the tens of millions of acres that are treated each year. Pesticides are among the most highly regulated products in use today. It takes an average of 11 years from the time a new pesticide is discovered until it is approved for registration and can be sold. The EPA requires a battery of more than 120 different baseline studies to assess the safety of these products to humans, wildlife and the environment. Additionally, currently registered pesticides are required to undergo periodic reevaluation and testing to ensure they meet ever-evolving standards of safety. The letter writer suggests there are “less harmful, more environmentally friendly ways” to protect our crops, but that ignores the reality of today’s technologies. Since 1950, the average number of people fed by a single farmer has jumped from 27 to 155. Not only is modern agriculture more productive, it’s also more sustainable. With precision treatments, integrated pest management and reduced tillage practices, we are minimizing environmental exposures and preserving beneficial species, while reducing soil erosion, water loss, and fuel consumption. With a world population expected to exceed 9 billion by 2050, we will need to do even better in the coming years if we intend to feed them all. The letter writer concludes by saying “If we care about food, we should care about the bees.” I agree. But we should also care about what it takes to grow our food and not be so quick to discard these essential tools based on a premise that is clear, simple… and wrong. Jack Boyne has been involved in the agricultural industry for more than 30 years and earned a doctorate in entomology from N.C. State University. He is a senior vice president for Porter Novelli in Raleigh.
Columnist | FRANK HILL
If vouchers are good enough for veterans in the GI Bill… eople express concern from all sides of the political spectrum about the quality of our P public education system.
What exactly is the problem with vouchers again when it comes to public education?
Some say the answer is paying our teachers more money. Others believe the size of classes need to be reduced. Others say we need more modern curricula. Still others say we need to go back to basics and a classical education. How about injecting a full dose of freedom of choice into public education nationwide? In Milton Friedman’s seminal book, “Free to Choose,” he wrote about the dynamics of such freedom of choice in education in 1979. At the time, the experiments with vouchers and educational choice were very limited. We have had 37 years since then to evaluate the established public education model with “big box” schools and heavy administrative overhead. You can decide for yourself whether it has worked well or not. Before you completely go bonkers about vouchers in public education, though, consider two things that might pop your opposition balloon: 1) The GI Bill allows veterans to get funding from the federal government to use at any institute of higher learning, whether it is public, private, religious, or graduate school. Any school. Anywhere in the country. Millions of veterans have taken advantage of the GI Bill, which is nothing but a voucher any way you slice or dice it. No restrictions on using federal taxpayer money for any purpose other than letting the veteran get a college or graduate degree at any college or university of his or her choice. Not the government’s choice. 2) Have you ever heard of the North Carolina Legislative Tuition Grant Program, funded by North Carolina state tax dollars since 1975? According to its official description, the program “pays a grant to eligible undergraduate North Carolinians enrolled at an approved private
institution.” That’s right. Your North Carolina tax dollars are annually appropriated for the targeted purpose of helping North Carolina undergraduates pay for expenses at approved, eligible private universities in the state. Here’s a short list of the private universities your tax dollars have been going to help students pay their tuition for the past 41 years: Duke, Davidson, Mars Hill, Wake Forest, Shaw, Lenoir-Rhyne, Guilford, Belmont Abbey. Virtually every private college or university in North Carolina is eligible for a student to use this tuition grant of just under $2,000 annually. If that is not a form of a full-choice voucher to pay for higher education at private universities, some of which still maintain some form of religious affiliation, then there is no such thing as a true voucher anywhere in the country. Close to 50,000 students are given this state grant subsidy — to the tune of $88.4 million this year. To summarize: The GI Bill has worked well for the past 81 years and has enjoyed bipartisan support every year. North Carolina has long been using taxpayer funds to subsidize college tuition at private colleges and universities. What exactly is the problem with vouchers again when it comes to public education? The key point for everyone to remember is that the only objective we must achieve is educating our youth in the best way possible. If the current status quo has failed to achieve that objective over the past 50 years, isn’t it time to change and do something different? Injecting more parental choice in public education might be the way to go. It works for veterans and North Carolinians who go to private colleges. Why not schoolchildren? Frank Hill is director at the Institute for Public Trust in Raleigh.
many Americans. The tragedy called for words but also made words feel useless. A column can’t dispense any advice worth holding, but I have two tiny stories that have framed the tragedies for me. Perhaps they can be chairs for people to sit and converse. No healing happens without sharing, and no useful action is birthed without conversation. I was watching the Facebook stream of Philando Castile, his white shirt soaking red, body slipping down the passenger chair, his neck arched, ridges of his Adam’s apple pushing through the taut skin as his head slumped, and Diamond Reynolds looking through her phone camera directly at me, giving witness, with the surprising distance of a journalist, with only a slight tremble hinting at the wreckage of her heart. On a replay, my 10-year-old son saw the clip over my shoulder and asked, “What’s happening?” My protectiveness was about to close the laptop, but I wondered what exactly I was trying to shelter him from. He was old enough to witness this. “This was the second black man that was shot by a cop this week.” I told him at the end of the clip. “I feel sorry for them,” his eyes said.
I asked myself, “What if the two were two Korean-American men? How would you feel?”
He offered sympathy, which is what I was feeling. But hearing it from another voice, I felt it inadequate. Sympathy created a safe distance. It was “their problem.” Questions arose which I asked him, but I was really asking myself. “What if the two were two Korean-American men? How would you feel? Wouldn’t you be afraid for me? Wouldn’t I be afraid for you? Wouldn’t I have to sit you and tell you what you must do when you get stopped and that you must pray that even after you have done everything you were supposed to do that you will escape with your life?” After the Dallas murders, I thought of an old friend, Andy, from my youth group years at my home church back in Flushing, New York. We liked the same girl so we competed until she liked another boy and we became good friends. I met him four years ago when I went to speak at a retreat. He greeted me with a smile and a lingering Korean accent, “You remember me?” I didn’t until he gave me his name. It was fun catching up and finding out about all our friends from our youth group, who they married, what work they got. Then he told me his story. He served as a New Jersey cop for 15 years. Not anymore. “Why not?” He told me his story on the last night of the retreat. One night his unit was called because a black homeless man was threatening a CVS clerk with a knife. When he went in, the homeless man’s eye were red and body tense, high on cocaine. Andy and three other cops told him to put down the weapon. The man brandished it then charged at them with the knife. “I don’t know Sam who shot the first bullet,” Andy’s voice was trailing, “but once I pulled the trigger, it was hard to pull my fingers back. We shot him 24 times.” He could still smell the smoke from the muzzle. He got a leave of absence. He was exonerated and asked to come back to the force. He could not pick up the badge again, or another pistol. He was wracked with guilt. I sprinkled water and said, “Remember your baptism.” As I left the retreat, I told him to consider moving down to Raleigh. He visited a month later, with his wife and a toddler girl. They looked at some housing in North Raleigh. In the end, he did not move down. He stayed in New Jersey but not as a cop. When I heard of the five sniped, I thought of him, and his wife and daughter. Samuel Son is a teaching pastor at New Life Triangle church in Raleigh.
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NATION& WORLD Dozens still fighting for their lives after Nice attack kills 84, including Americans
IMAGES FROM NICE
By Donna King North State Journal
PHOTOS BY ERIC GAILLARD | REUTERS
French police secure the area as the investigation continues at the scene near the heavy truck that ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores who were celebrating the Bastille Day July 14 national holiday on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France, July 15.
People gather near flowers and candles left in tribute to victims the day after a truck ran into a crowd at high speed killing scores and injuring more on the Promenade des Anglais who were celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday, in Nice, in Nice, July 15.
CLEVELAND from page A1 The RNC is designated a national special security event, the same designation given to the Super Bowl or the pope’s recent visit to Philadelphia. Just hours before the terror attack in Nice, France on Thursday, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and FBI Director James Comey told lawmakers on the House Homeland Security Committee that they were preparing their agencies for the possibility of violence, both from unruly demonstrators and terrorists, at the upcoming Republican and Democratic nominating conventions. They are sending 3,000 security personnel to both conventions. “Anytime there is a national spotlight on a political event in the United States, there is a risk that groups that aspire to do just that, engage in acts of domestic terrorism, will be attracted,” Comey said. The agencies have been working closely together to provide security both inside and outside the convention center for the tens of thousands of people who will be in attendance, including high-profile politicians and speakers. Delegates and media were required to pass Secret Service background checks to receive access credentials, and even transport between convention sites will be over highly secure routes. “We anticipate that there will be 50,000 people coming to Cleveland specifically for the convention,” said Lockman. “This includes 5,000 delegates and alternate delegates, and it also includes 15,000 members of the media.” The remainder will consist of
COAL ASH from page A1 law and then Assistant Secretary for the Environment, Tom Reeder, pointing out specific instances he says might have prevented the 2014 coal ash spill into the Dan River in the first place. Pointing to political maneuvering in previous administrations he said led to the spill, Reeder said that the Easley administration “changed landfill laws and specifically exempted coal ash ponds from many environmental requirements.” He also said that “they [the Perdue Administration] exempted Duke Energy from having to show that its coal ash ponds were structurally sound. If that information had been required, the corroded pipe under the Dan River coal ash pond may have been found and the spill could have been avoided.”
NICE, FRANCE — French President Francois Hollande said about 50 people were still fighting for their lives following the attack that killed at least 84 people in Nice on Thursday, including an American father and son, Sean Copeland and son Brodie, 11, of Lakeway, Texas. In addition, three Berkeley students on a 15-day study abroad program in France were wounded and another was missing following the attacks. The university identified the missing student as Nicolas Leslie, 20. Two of the other students suffered broken legs and a third had a broken foot, the university said. “About 50 people are in an absolute urgency between life and death,” Hollande said after visiting victims at a hospital in the French Riviera city. He added there were a lot of foreigners and children among the dead and warned that the fight against extremist groups would be long, because they would continue to try to strike at Western values. A local 31-year-old, Tunisian-born Frenchman with a record of violence but unknown to counter-terrorism agencies drove the rented heavy truck for over a mile along the palm-fringed Promenade des Anglais seafront, which was closed to traffic and filled with thousands of revelers watching fireworks. The attacker came from the Tunisian town of Msaken which he last visited four years ago, Tunisian security sources said on Friday. The man, identified by French police sources as Mohamed Lahouaiej Bou-
elected officials, staff, volunteers and representatives from myriad organizations. After checking into hotels over the weekend, delegates will attend a big welcome party Sunday evening to start off the week. Official convention business begins mid-afternoon Monday, while the rest of the week’s official convention activities will commence in the evening. “That’s where the big name speakers will happen, that’s when delegates will vote on things like the convention platform,” said Lockman. Some of the official business items and rules to be voted on are decided in the week leading up to the convention by special GOP committees that consist of select delegates from around the country. Some of those rules could relate to whether or not delegates are bound to a certain candidate while casting ballots for a nominee, introducing some uncertainty to the voting process and raising questions as to the likelihood of anti-Trump movements at this late stage in the game. Aside from the unprecedented political races for the 2016 GOP nomination and the possible protests surrounding the event, Lockman said he thinks this year’s convention will be a departure from past conventions in other ways as well. “One of the biggest differences is the changes in technology,” said Lockman. “We’re able to use technology in a lot of different ways to keep people informed of what’s going on and ultimately to make the convention more transparent and accessible to every American.”
The final bill requires that Duke prove to state regulators that it has provided repairs and new water connections. It also allows for the reclassification of coal ash ponds to low-risk — meaning Duke could use cap-in-place technology to close a pond versus what many say is a risky and lengthy excavation and relocation process — if Duke has followed through on providing permanent water supplies for affected residents and properly repaired deficient dams. It also allows for at least 30 years of water monitoring. Despite signing the bill, McCrory expressed concern over new structures of the Mining Commission and the Oil & Gas Commission. “While I can appoint a majority of the members, my appointees are now subject to confirmation. These
hlel, was married with three children and was not known by the Tunisian authorities to hold radical or Islamist views. The fallout over security As the investigation continues, the current socialist government in France, led by Hollande, is getting strong criticism for what many are calling security lapses. Security hardliner Christian Estrosi, president of the Riviera region in which Nice lies, asked how the truck could have been able to plow through crowds gathered to watch fireworks on Nice’s beach-side Promenade des Anglais. “As far as I’m concerned, I demand answers, and not the usual stuff,” Estrosi said on Friday morning, questioning whether the government had provided enough national police officers for the fireworks display. Best known as a Riviera tourist destination, Nice has been struggling to get a grip on its less-prized distinction as France’s prime recruiting ground for would-be jihadis. Estrosi, who has warned in the past of a fifth column of “Islamo-fascists” operating in France, happened to write to Hollande on the eve of the massacre demanding more funds for police. He recently turned the city into one of France’s most heavily policed with nearly 600 municipal officers and other agents in a city of 342,000 people, with 1,200 video surveillance cameras in public places. When France hosted the Euro soccer championship this month, Estrosi wanted face-recognition technology
ELECTION from page A1 trusted advisers of his campaign. Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee campaigned with Trump July 5 in Raleigh, but withdrew his name from consideration the next day. In a Fox News interview Thursday night, Trump said Pence had done a great job in Indiana and that of all the people he had interviewed for the job, “there’s nobody that agrees with me fully on everything.” U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan welcomed Pence as a running mate Friday, saying the Indiana governor comes from “the heart of the conservative movement.” “I can think of no better choice for our vice-presidential candidate,” Ryan said in a statement. “We need someone who is steady and secure in his principles, someone who can cut through the noise and make a compelling case for conservatism. Mike Pence is that man,” Ryan said in a statement. His choice was slammed by the campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. “By picking Mike Pence as his running mate, Donald Trump has doubled down on some of his most disturbing beliefs by choosing an incredibly divisive and unpopular running mate known for supporting discriminatory politics and failed economic policies that favor millionaires and corporations over working families,” said Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta.
commissions can also act within a cabinet department without supervision by me or my Secretary. Furthermore, removal authority is unclear. With these deficiencies, I do not believe that these commissions conform to the constitutional principles established by the McCrory v. Berger decision. However, I have committed to working with the General Assembly during the next legislative session to address these issues.” The back and forth over what to do about the spill and cleanup has been a ongoing battle between McCrory and legislature. The legislature lost to the governor in court earlier this year over the creation of the Coal Ash Management Commission in 2014. The governor successfully argued that oversight of coal ash cleanup should belong to DEQ, saying the commission
to be used for people to be allowed into special fan zones, but was refused access to national police record databases to make it work. The French government said at the end of last year 236 individuals around Nice had been monitored over several months as part of a surveillance program and that it was tracking five new individuals every week. The region of just over a million people is thought to be home to 10 percent of all of French citizens gone abroad to wage jihad. Back in 2014 the regional government cited one case where 11 members of a single family were reported missing, believed to have left for Syria. The Tour de France resumes While France has declared three days of national mourning after the attack in Nice, the famed bike race continued as planned on Friday. Under heightened security, riders observed a moment of silence in tribute to the victims. Thousands of fans lined the roads at the starting line in the town of Bourg-Saint-Andeol, France, amid reinforced security. The killings on France’s national holiday followed attacks in November in Paris that killed 130. Defending champion Chris Froome of Britain, seeking his third Tour title in four years, tweeted a picture of the blue, white and red French flag. “Thoughts are with those affected by the horrific terror attack in Nice,” Froome wrote on Twitter. Reuters contributed to this report.
Trump said Thursday he postponed his planned announcement on Friday out of respect for the victims in Nice, France. An attacker in a heavy truck drove into crowds celebrating Bastille Day, killing at least 84 people and injuring scores more in what French President Francois Hollande called a terrorist act. Trump, 70, is set to be formally nominated as the party’s candidate for the November presidential election at this week’s convention in Cleveland. Traditionally, the vice presidential choice is used to build enthusiasm among party loyalists. The Republican National Committee expects the convention to draw 50,000 people to Cleveland and U.S. authorities were preparing for the possibility of violence — whether from demonstrators or planned attacks. The Cleveland gathering and the Democratic Party Convention the following week in Philadelphia has been given the status of special national security event by the federal government for the first time and security will be heightened, said Republican Party spokesman Sean Spicer. “They’re just going to make sure that it’s the safest place on Earth for the guests, the attendees, the delegates and the media,” Spicer told CNN. The Department of Homeland Security will send more than 3,000 personnel to each convention, Secretary Jeh Johnson said on Thursday, speaking before the Nice attack. No spe-
was unconstitutional. That led to the governor dissolving the commission earlier this year, but the legislature passed new legislation, House Bill 71, to bring it back. The governor vetoed those efforts, saying the bill didn’t set water connection deadlines and didn’t require dam repairs. Rather than override McCrory’s veto the two sides worked out a compromise. When the bill passed the legislature in late June, van der Vaart said it addresses the state’s cleanup timeline and dam safety concerns. Van der Vaart said the McCrory Administration “got about 85 percent of what we asked for” in the new bill, saying it was a major improvement over House Bill 71 that “was essentially written by Duke.” With the governor’s signature, van der Vaart pointed out that
cific or credible threat to either gathering has been reported, he said. Clinton is vetting potential running mates ahead of the Democratic Convention, with Sen. Tim Kaine from Virginia being touted as one of the frontrunners. The former civil rights lawyer could help Clinton win Virginia, a battleground state, in the Nov. 8 race against Trump. Such states are hotly contested because their populations can swing either to Republicans or Democrats and play a decisive role in presidential elections. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, a fierce critic of Wall Street, and Julian Castro, a Latino who is the U.S. secretary of housing and urban development, are two possibilities mentioned by Democrats who want to see Clinton go with a bold choice before the convention on July 25-28. Warren would give Clinton the attack dog needed to fend of Trump’s constant “Crooked Hillary” claims. Warren and Trump have exchanged blows several times on Twitter in recent months. Castro, 41, could help Clinton secure the Latino vote while also infusing youth into the campaign. Labor Secretary Tom Perez, Rep. Xavier Becerra of California, Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and, more recently, retired Navy Adm. James Stavridis have also been mentioned as possibilities. Reuters contributed to this report
North Carolina became the first state in the country to order that all coal ash ponds be closed. “The new coal ash law establishes a firm timetable for providing permanent water connections and repairing dams at coal ash ponds,” said van der Vaart. “It also protects customers by allowing for less expensive methods of closing coal ash ponds that won’t be passed on in the form of higher electricity prices.” The administration issued record fines for environmental violations including $7 million for the Dan River spill, and more than four million tons of coal ash have been moved from five Duke Energy facilities to safe storage. While Duke threw its support behind H.B. 71, the energy company said in a statement they were satisfied with the new legislation.
the Sunday Sideline report
Charlotte Hornets
1. The American League defeated the National League in the MLB All Star Game, clinching home field for the 2016 World Series. 2. Jordan Spieth withdrew from Olympics citing health concerns, calls it the hardest decision of his young career. 3. Jeff Gordon will replace Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Indy if Junior misses race due to concussion. 4. NBA reveals new ‘HackA-Shaq’ rules to prevent intentional fouls late in games. 5. Former Clemson basketball star Demontez Stitt died at age of 27 of apparent cardiac arrest.
@pearsoner12: Today is the saddest day of the year. No college sports. No MLB. No NFL. No NBA. No NHL. Im not sure how non sports people wake up each day.
Jeremy Brevard | USA TODAY SPORTS images
Charlotte Hornets forward Marvin Williams (2) reacts after a score in the second half against the Miami Heat in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Time Warner Cable Arena. The Hornets defeated the Heat 89-85.
SPORTS
Duke basketball
By Brian Geisinger North State Journal
@akwbrinson: So Janeane Garofalo is the new QB for the Patriots.
t’s been a busy offseason for the Charlotte Hornets, but the franchise made several moves that should help Ithem improve on last year’s 48-win campaign.
@siomo: Raise your hand if you thought the friggin’ Canadian Tenors were going to be the newsmakers at the AllStar Game #ASG
The Hornets entered free agency with several concerns on the agenda. Here’s a look at how GM Rich Cho navigated the murky waters of the NBA’s silly season, roughly two weeks after free agency began. Nicolas Batum: five years, $120 million
NFL
Miller signs monster deal with Broncos Super Bowl MVP and star pass rusher Von Miller signed a monster deal Friday afternoon that will pay him $114 million over six years and feature $70 million in guaranteed money. The Broncos used the franchise tag on Miller and had until 4 p.m. ET Friday to sign him to a long-term contract.
NFL
Ocho uses Twitter to land Browns gig Former Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson tweeted at the Browns about landing a coaching gig with the team during training camp and shortly thereafter apparently scored a job as an assistant receivers coach with the team.
WNBA
Minny police leave Lynx game over BLM shirts Members of the Minneapolis police force working the Minnesota Lynx WNBA game refused to stay in the arena and walked out after several members of the women’s basketball team appeared during warmups wearing “Black Lives Matter” t-shirts.
NFL
Deflategate finally done Tom Brady’s request for a rehearing before a full panel of judges was denied by the Second Circuit on Tuesday morning, and the Patriots quarterback announced he would not pursue an appeal with the Supreme Court. He will miss the Pats first four games of the 2016 season.
Hornets set for success after smart offseason
courtesy duke athletics
Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski congratulates long-time Voice of the Blue Devils Bob Harris.
Bob Harris looks back on 41 years at Duke By Shawn Krest North State Journal
I
n 1988, Bob Harris had a dilemma. The Duke basketball team was participating in a new event, the Hall of Fame Classic in Springfield, Mass. Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s Blue Devils were playing Kentucky in the season-opening showcase on November 19, kicking off the college basketball season more than a week earlier than usual. That also happened to be the same day as the football team’s season finale, against North Carolina. “I went into the basketball office and told Coach K, ‘Coach, I’ve got a problem.’” Harris recalls now. “I laid the schedules down, side-by-side and said, ‘Unless they master cloning, I won’t be able to be in both places at once.’ He looked at them and then told me, ‘You don’t have a problem. Stay with football.’” “Football only gets you 11 times,” Krzyzewski told The Voice of the Blue Devils. “We get you more than 30. We can live without you for one night.” There was a deeper reason, however. The football team had
endured five straight losing seasons—a streak the 1988 team would snap. Coach K’s basketball program was in the midst of a run of consecutive Final Fours that would end with back-to-back national championships. “They need you more than we do,” Krzyzewski told Harris. “If you choose basketball over football, it’ll look like you’re giving up on the football team.” Harris covered the football game, and he’s made the same decision every time there’s been a conflict during the brief time the two sports overlap. Since September 11, 1976, Harris has called 459 consecutive Duke football games. He’s missed the occasional basketball game but his 1,358 Blue Devils contests is still pretty impressive. Harris announced recently the 2016-17 season would be his last, ending a 41-year run as Duke’s radio play-by-play voice for both sports. “Some athletes and broadcasters I’ve known stayed in the business a little too long,” Harris said. “They were past their prime, and I don’t think they wanted to admit it to themselves. I decided to See Harris, page B8
The Hornets pulled off one of the most important signings in the first 24 hours of free agency, when they agreed to a five-year near max contract worth $120 million, including a fifth year player option. It sounds silly to describe For the second a nine-figure contract — hey, look at all year in a row, those zeros! — as a bargain, but the Batum signing truly was a deal. By working Charlotte’s together, Charlotte saved nearly $33 mil- offense will flow lion in this deal, because Batum could’ve through Walker asked for $153 million over five years. Thanks to his Bird rights, which they and Batum. This acquired in last year’s trade with Port- is a good thing land, Charlotte could sign other players into their cap space, let his smaller cap for the Hornets hold (around $19 million) hang on the and their fans. books, then finalize with Batum. The return of the Frenchman was Charlotte’s primary objective this summer, and they were able to retain his services while also saving some cash. Batum is a gifted playmaker who can run both sides of pick-and-pop action and defend a variety of positions, including point guards and some stretch fours. He’s stronger and more physical than his lanky frame belies. For the second year in a row, Charlotte’s offense will flow through [Kemba] Walker and Batum. This is a good thing for the Hornets and their fans. See hornets, page B8
next week
Christine T. Nguyen | north state journal
The Carolina RailHawks made a massive international signing during the week when the club acquired the alltime leading goal scorer for Chivas Guadalajara, Omar Bravo. The 36-year-old superstar scored 132 goals in his 15-year career and could begin play in Raleigh as soon as July 22. Josh Hyatt details the international importance next Sunday and on NSJOnline.com.
North State Journal for Sunday, July 17, 2016
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NS J beyond the box score 07.17.16
Tenors: Canadian singing group changed lyrics of Canadian national anthem to include “All Lives Matter” phrasing at MLB All-Star Game and quickly apologized, blaming a “lone wolf” singer in the group for the swap. Manny Pacquiao: 37-year-old Filipino fighter is coming out of retirement in order to fight one more time against an asyet-named opponent. Pacman previously retired following an April 9 fight. Dan Mullen: Mississippi State coach drew tons of criticism for defending Jeffery Simmons, a Bulldogs recruit filmed beating a woman earlier in the offseason. Simmons is suspended just a single game. David Ortiz: Red Sox slugger greeted by entire American League All-Star team after reaching base early in the game and getting replaced for a pinch runner. Miko Grimes: Wife of Buccaneers cornerback Brent Grimes launched into racist, unhinged Twitter rant about Dolphins management and then refused to apologize for rant. Noah Syndergaard: Mets pitcher name was misspelled on a gigantic display ahead of the 2016 All-Star Game. It really bummed out his mom, Jord.
POTENT QUOTABLES
gotta catch ‘em all
Pokémon Go continued its world domination over the past week. The Durham Bulls got involved as well, hosting a two-hour Pokémon hunt on the field for fans. Read R. Cory Smith’s story at NSJOnline.com.
Soobum Im | USA TODAY Sports
“People who know me, know I wouldn’t be here without Tim Duncan...I’d be [coaching] in a Budweiser league somewhere in America.” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich
Madeline Gray | north state journal
NFL
golf
nfl
1,200 In case you need a sign that football is right around the corner, there were more than 1,200 credentialed media members for SEC Media Days in Hoover, Ala. to hear Nick Saban, Les Miles and more preview the 2016 season.
Kelvin Kuo | USA TODAY SPORTS images
Jordan Rodgers took to national airwaves of ABC reality dating show “The Bachelorette” to bash his older brother Aaron Rodgers. He said the Packers quarterback doesn’t speak to the rest of the family. Pretty awkward situation.
Thomas J. Russo | USA TODAY SPORTS images
Former British Open winner John Daly is well known for chain-smoking cigarettes, giving few cares on the course and wearing outrageous outfits. He busted out quite a gem for the first round at Royal Troon.
nfl
1.56 Billions the Carolina Panthers are worth, according to Forbes, a 25 percent increase over last year thanks to a 15-1 season, and Cam Newton’s MVP year, even though it ended just shy of a SB ring.
GOLF
Thomas J. Russo | USA TODAY SPORTS images
We cover the whole state.
Phil Mickelson put on an absolute show Thursday during the first round of the 2016 Open Championship, shooting a 63. Phil just missed a major record 62, looking hilariously exasperated after a birdie putt lipped out on 18.
North State Journal for Sunday, July 17, 2016
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MLB
David Banks | USA TODAY SPORTS images
The Atlanta Braves celebrate their win against the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field. The Braves won 2-0.
Braves scouting director Brian Bridges breaks down Atlanta’s draft By Shawn Krest North State Journal he Atlanta Braves went for pitching in the 2016 T Draft, choosing high school
right-hander Ian Anderson with the third-overall pick. The Braves went with left-handers for their next two selections and nabbed pitchers with six of their first seven choices. Atlanta Scouting Director Brian Bridges spoke to the North State Journal about the draft, and profiled some of the Braves’ picks that hailed from North Carolina: fourth-rounder Bryse Wilson, a right-hander from Hillsbrough’s Orange High School and a UNC baseball commit, Gardner-Webb right-hander Jeremy Walker, taken in round five, UNCW southpaw Taylor Hyssong, chosen in the seventh round. The Braves also took UNC southpaw Zachary Rice in the 18th round. North State Journal: Did you meet your goals in the Draft? Brian Bridges: I think so for sure. We really accomplished everything we went out to do. We had to maneuver through the system with what we had to deal with, in terms of financial flexibility, to get out of the top 10 rounds. We were fortunate enough to get some guys with some ability there. Hyssong is up to 94 [mph]. [Seventh rounder, Texas A&M OF] J.B. Moss has ability. He has tools. The kid from Tech that we took [Georgia Tech 2B Matthew Gonzalez, sixth round], he’s pretty good too. So we took some guys from bigger schools that have some upside still to them. You drafted five college seniors in a row. Was there a focus on guys who improved over their career?
They all have kind of moved up. Well, [Gardner Webb’s] Walker kind of grew into it, the second half of the season. We scouted him three or four times. He’s 6-6, probably 210, athletic build. Some guys have seen him up to 96 [mph]. Really good slider. Other guys have seen him 90 to 94. Yeah, some of those guys came on. Hyssong, for sure. He chewed up Carolina [6 IP 1 win, 3 K’s against the Tar Heels in two games]. He’s a left-handed reliever, three-quarters slot, 90 to 94 with a pretty good slider.
Fans do the chop during the Major League Baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the Miami Marlins at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Sunday, July 3, 2016. The game went down in history as the first regular-season professional game of any sport played on an active military base. The Miami Marlins defeated the Atlanta Braves 5 - 2.
Braves draft - Top 10 rounds Pick Player
Pos.
3
Ian Anderson
RHP
40
Joey Wentz
LHP
44
Kyle Muller
LHP
76
Brett Cumberland
C
80
Drew Harrington
LHP
109
Bryse Wilson
RHP
139
Jeremy Walker
RHP
169
Matthew Gonzalez 2B
199
J.B. Moss
LF
229 Taylor Hyssong
LHP
259 Tyler Neslony
RF
289 Marcus Mooney
SS
Pretty loose kid. Why the focus on pitching? We’re going to stay with the arms. One of the guys that has done it for over 50 years is
sitting down there, in that room in [former longtime scouting director] Paul Snyder. It takes 20 [pitchers] to get one. Twenty. That’s reality. In a perfect world, you have a bunch of guys you can trade if everybody stays healthy and it works out that way. For the most part, you’ve got to keep hitting the arms. What did you see in [Hillsbrough’s] Bryse Wilson? This guy — the thing about Wilson is ... the story I got from the ballpark, and I made sure I went in there late to see him, because it was in the [football] playoffs. They needed a running back when the season got going. He ran the ball and was leading in rushing. Then the quarterback went down. The guy played quarterback. Other than that, he’s playing middle linebacker. So the mentality with this kid is he’s a bulldog. I don’t know if you remember Bobby Brownlee — played at Rutgers, right-handed pitcher [drafted in the first round in 2002]. He kind of has that same mentality. This
guy’s a go-getter, a bulldog. 93 to 96 [mph]. He’s got to tighten up the breaking ball a little bit, but he’s a strong kid. Big, strong, physical kid. When did you identify first-rounder Ian Anderson as your pick? The process started last summer. We followed this guy. We targeted this guy. He’s very projectable — 6-4, 170 pounds. We went and saw him in Baltimore at the start of the season. We got on him right away. He went down with a bit of pneumonia, then came back and started looking like himself in his last start. That kind of put everything in perspective for us. The most impressive thing is his command. He’s 17 years old, throws strikes. He has three pitches. Curveball, changeup. Really knows what he wants to do. Very advanced and mature for 17. Some draft boards had him much lower than three. What do you say to that?
I say that I took the best pitcher on the board, that we felt as an organization, as a scouting department. We feel this guy better fits our organization, moving forward. We started the draft process right after the last one ended. We identified this guy the week after the Perfect Game National Showcase [last June], followed him through all the tournaments, through Team USA, all the way to [the All America Classic in San Diego’s] Petco Park. What really sealed the deal was the maturity of this young man. When will fans get to see him in Atlanta? I would say this: You take the kid third overall, the last thing you want to do is put a lot of pressure on a child. It’s going to take time for him to develop. He’s going to have to gain strength. He’s going to have to have maturity. He’s got a lot of things to learn. The journey’s not tomorrow. The journey’s down the road a little bit.
North State Journal for Sunday, July 17, 2016
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North State Journal for Sunday, July 17, 2016
Triple-A All-Star game All the sights and sounds from Charlotte
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Stories by Brooke Pryor | North State Journal Photos by Jason E. Miczek | For the North State Journal
The Triple-A All-Star game is a tricky thing: players involved are obviously talented at baseball and are on the cusp of making the leap to the big leagues. Trea Turner lost out on playing, but it meant playing for the Nationals. Plenty of excellent storylines still abound from Charlotte and we capture them here.
How one man helped a big bat win a Home Run Derby nce the final home run sailed over the centerfield O wall, cementing Chris Marrero’s
Triple-A Home Run Derby championship, Mike Moore jumped from behind the protective L-shaped pitching screen and ran toward the All-Star. The two briefly celebrated in the infield before Marrero turned and jogged toward his friends and family gathering by home plate. While Marrero, a former Charlotte Knight currently playing with Pawtucket, hugged his friends, exchanged numbers with celebrity coach Steve Smith and hoisted the flashy title belt above his head, Moore faded into the background. This was Marrero’s moment, but there’s no doubt Moore, a Charlotte resident, played a pretty big part in helping Marrero get there. “I felt like I gave him good
pitches,” Moore said. “And for him to come through — and he had a task, he had to hit 17 — it’s incredible, the most all night. I just tried to put it where he wanted it, and it was a lot of fun to watch him do it. It was cool to be a part of it.” Though the attention of the crowd was directed toward Marrero at the plate, Moore had an equally important role as he threw to the All-Star from behind the screen. A former catcher at Tennessee, Moore is no stranger to throwing batting practice pitches for big names, but in most cases, there isn’t a crowd of nearly 10,000 watching him. “A lot of guys in college would ask me to throw BP because I threw short darts,” he said. “J.P. Arencibia would take me in the back and say, ‘Hey throw me BP because I know you throw little darts.’
These days, Moore usually works with a younger crowd as a coach at Carolinas Baseball Center, run by former Charlotte Knight Jeff Schaefer. With Schaefer’s connections, Moore got the opportunity to help out with the Home Run Derby. Most of the derby participants were paired with volunteers to throw them BP, but when Moore and Marrero happened to warm up together before the event, they instantly connected. “We came in here before and I just happened to be the guy to warm him up and vice versa,” Moore said. “And he was like, ‘Alright, I like the way you throw it, let’s do it.’ It’s funny how it worked out that way.” With Moore’s help, Marrero smoked Reno’s Kyle Jensen in the finals, rattling off a series of seven home runs on seven consecutive swings. Marrero launched 18 bombs in the final round, hit-
ting the winning home run with a minute left on the clock. “I was nervous the whole night but once you get in a groove — and Chris got in a groove on that last one and hit six or seven home runs in a row — I was like OK,” Moore said. “Then we had a minute left and he needed two more. I knew at that point, I’ve just got to put it over the plate and it’ll be alright. And it worked out.” Moore wasn’t the only hometown guy to assist Marrero as former Carolina Panther Smith stood close by, encouraging him throughout the competition. “My guy throwing was throwing perfect, just throwing in my zone,” said Marrero, who also hit a home run in the ASG game Wednesday and was named the IL’s MVP. “I had fun and had Steve Smith there. That was incredible. That’s a memory I’m going to remember for the rest of my life.”
Players from the Pacific Coast team assemble for the national anthem before the 2016 Triple-A All Star Game at BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte on Wednesday.
Pacific Coast League first baseman Dan Vogelbach gets out International League baserunner Gary Sanchez during the 2016 Triple-A All Star Game at BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte on Wednesday.
Homeward bound, one way or another o matter what, Brian Goodwin was certain he’d N be in North Carolina for the All-
Star break. The Syracuse Chiefs outfielder didn’t have any concrete plans, but he figured he’d spend the three-day baseball hiatus in Raleigh, Durham or even his hometown of Rocky Mount. But when the Triple-A AllStar rosters were announced about a month ago, Goodwin had to alter his plans ever so slightly. Instead of flying back to the eastern part of the state, the former UNC player was informed he’d be heading to Charlotte for his first All-Star game. “It’s exciting,” said Goodwin, who started the All-Star game in center field. “It’s basically a free flight to come and play some ball and get some people to come out and watch me that maybe haven’t seen me in a while or that just got to see me in the last couple of weeks. It’s amazing. ” As a player on an IL team, Goodwin’s been spending a lot of time in his home state recently with trips to play in Durham and Charlotte. The week before going to Charlotte, Goodwin played a three-game series in Durham, and he opened June playing at BB&T Ballpark. “I haven’t been able to spend that much time in North Carolina [in the past],” Goodwin said. “We’ve got a lot of teams but a lot
of the ones that are really close to home are at the lower levels. I got to play in Greensboro and never got to play in Zebulon. As far as having two teams in one league, this has been great.” After working through a shoulder injury that shortened his 2014 season and sent him to Double-A for the entire 2015 season, Goodwin is in the midst of a bounceback year. The centerfielder is batting .284 with 92 hits in 88 games. He also leads the Chiefs with 48 RBI this season. Goodwin, who left UNC in 2011, credits his success to being healthy and playing in the Venezuelan winter leagues before the season. “I think it helped me to kind of get a head start and see where I was at with my body and my recovery and how everything felt,” Goodwin said. “It helped instill the confidence back in me that I could still play at a high level and be successful.” While Goodwin has yet to make his major league debut, earning the All-Star selection is the kind of reassurance and validation needed to keep him going. “I think you play, you grind and you want to do your best,” he said. “And once the numbers start showing and you get recognition like the All-Stars, and titles and games like that, it does something for your confidence.
Pacific Coast League pitcher Brady Rodgers throws against the International League during the 2016 Triple-A All Star Game at BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte on Wendesday.
A home run derby is always worth playing a little hooky
H.B. 2 ‘wasn’t a factor’ for All-Star Game plans
e’s barely through his first session of summer school, but incoming H UNC Wilmington freshman Riley
hile the discriminatory implications of North W Carolina’s House Bill 2 may
Zayicek is already cutting class. Unlike most college freshmen, Zayicek has a pretty good reason for his absence. While his classmates gathered in Wilmington, oversleeping, getting lost en route to a particular building or watching a dog eat homework, Zayicek was on the field at BB&T Stadium, warming up for the Triple-A Baseball Home Run Derby. The recent Lake Norman graduate was the top qualifier out of 10 area high schoolers that competed for two spots in the event. Trent Alley, a Charlotte Country Day product and Furman signee, came in second in the preliminary tournament with three home runs to claim the other spot. “In terms of pressure, I’d say it’s a little less than playoff games,” said Alley, who hit two home runs Monday. “I know in this, I’m just out here to have fun. But playoff games, I’m out there working, stressing a little bit, having fun at the same time, but it’s a little bit more stressful and important.” Alley and Zayicek were happy to just be competing against future big leaguers in the tournament, but Zayicek knew he especially needed to put on a good show to alleviate some of his coach’s wrath for skipping class.
Coached by local celebrity and Charlotte Hornets coach Steve Clifford, Zayicek nearly got the job done, smashing six bombs, including one out of the park. For a brief couple of minutes, it looked like he would grab the final spot in the next round. But Kyle Jensen dashed Zayicek’s hopes, racking up 10 homers before Rob Segedin finished things off by going yard 11 times. “I was back there stretching out my back because I was a little tight and watching it on TV,” Zayicek said. “And he hit it and I was like, ‘Well, I don’t need to stretch anymore.’ I just got up and went to the bathroom and came back out just to talk to some more people and have fun.” Zayicek was just a bit outside when it came to claiming the championship belt, but he did get a pretty good consolation prize: pictures with Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith and Carolina Panthers linebacker Shaq Thompson. Before the derby could end, Zayicek was back on the road to Wilmington Monday night. After all, there’s no way he could miss two classes. “I think my coaches are going to give me crap tomorrow when I show up without the belt,” he said. “I’m not sure what to expect there. I was kind of expecting to hit six. I didn’t really catch fire. I was just ok. “At least I didn’t drop a goose egg.”
Pacific Coast League batter Carlos Asuaje swings at a pitch while facing the International League during the 2016 Triple-A All Star Game at BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte on Wednesday.
cause NBA commissioner Adam Silver to move his league’s All-Star Game out of Charlotte next year, International League President Randy Mobley said the bill didn’t affect planning for the Triple-A All-Star game. “We weren’t going to make it an issue for us,” Mobley said. “We’re just trying to play baseball and provide family entertainment. We knew that we could do that regardless of what might be going on outside the walls of the ballpark so it never really entered into it. It wasn’t a factor.” The game, which alternates between Pacific Coast League and IL host sites, was awarded to Charlotte in February 2015 based on a slew of criteria that made BB&T Stadium an obvious choice. “It’s a combination of seniority, how long clubs have been in the league,” Mobley said. “We factor in new ballparks. We factor in the demonstrated level of support of the community, the fan support. So we had come here a couple years ago with the Triple-A national championship game and it was supported
Last-minute planning W Travis Taijeron gets high fives from his fellow Pacific Coast League baseball players after Taijeron hit a solo home run during the 2016 Triple-A All Star Game at BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte on Wednesday.
hile Brian Goodwin had about a month to anticipate his trip to Charlotte, fellow North Carolina native Jack Reinheimer had much less time to prepare. Thanks to call-ups and injuries, the East Carolina product was a late addition to the roster and found out just days before the festivities began. “I was looking at flights to come home anyway and they were like $1000,” Reinheimer said. “I’ll probably just hang out in Reno for the All-Star break and have a good time. [My] manager called me and let me know I was on the team and it was probably the greatest phone call I’ve gotten in a long time. It’s always great to
come home, especially under circumstances like this.” Reinheimer, a Charlotte native and Ardrey Kell graduate, said he had about 50 people in the crowd supporting him. Though he had an unremarkable All-Star outing with a strikeout in his only plate appearance, Reinheimer is having a solid season in Reno, batting .286 with 23 doubles and 94 hits through 82 games. Reinheimer wasn’t the only player with Charlotte ties to make last minute All-Star plans. Knights pitcher Brad Goldberg found out he was named to the IL squad with a phone call two weeks before the game.
very well. We were in the new ballpark. So we thought what better time to come back with the All-Star game. “The fans continue to support the club and deserve to have this game. So the international league directors decided that that would be our selection. We put that forth to the Pacific Coast League and they endorsed it. The rest is history.” HB2, also known as ‘the bathroom bill’ because it mandates that people can only use public bathrooms that correspond with their biological sex, was passed in March 2016 and caused an uproar locally and throughout the country. Despite multiple concerts and events cancelling North Carolina stops after the passing of HB2, the International League and Triple-A baseball didn’t consider moving the game out of Charlotte. “We tried to not focus on any of that,” Mobley said. “Again, we tried to focus more on the fact that it was the Charlotte Knights support and the fans of this baseball team and that they deserved to have this game. And once we had committed it to them, we were going to stick with it.”
“I got called from Scottie Brown our GM maybe two weeks ago,” he said. “So just kind of called me in the morning. He was my wake up call that morning. I was happy to participate. “It was late, I’m not even going to disclose what time it was. It was great.” Though he didn’t get a trip to a new stadium, Goldberg was thankful for the honor and the chance to show off his home field. “I’m glad everybody gets to experience this city and ballpark,” Goldberg said. “Everyone has been so complimentary. I keep getting the, ‘Man, how lucky are you to play here?’ This is awesome. I honestly am happy that it’s here.”
North State Journal for Sunday, July 17, 2016
B6 Peach Jam | Duke basketball
Duke working on next monster recruiting class By Shawn Krest North State Journal ORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. — As Duke’s top-ranked freshman N class works its way through
summer sessions, Blue Devils coaches were at Peach Jam, putting together a recruiting class that may be even better. Obviously, it’s still early in the recruiting process, and it’s the prerogative of high school players to change their minds, but the Blue Devils are in good shape with three of the biggest names in the class of 2017 and are still working toward a five-man class featuring top players at each position on the floor. The biggest news of Peach Jam week came from five-star power forward Wendell Carter. Considered the fourth-best high school senior in the nation by the 247 Sports Composite Index, Carter was expected to choose between Duke and Kentucky at some point during his senior year. The 6-foot-10, 260-pounder sent shock waves through North Augusta, however, when he told reporters he’s no longer hearing from Kentucky coaches. Carter said he couldn’t remember the last time anyone from the UK staff had called him, but it hasn’t been in recent months. That development could indicate the Wildcats are cutting their losses and conceding Carter to Duke. Which means Harvard University is Mike Krzyzewski’s biggest competition for the big man. Kentucky also appears to be moving away from Gary Trent Jr., who is close with Carter. The two may be considering a “package deal” when they select their college program. Unlike his father, who was a 6-foot-8 dirty worker under the NBA boards, Trent Jr. is a fivestar shooting guard. The 6-foot-5, 190-pounder is from Apple Valley High, the St. Paul, Minnesota school that also produced former Duke point guard Tyus Jones. Trent Jr. is the 10th-best prospect in the class and second-best shooting guard, according to 247’s Composite Index. Kevin Knox is much more up in the air and could swing some
PSA Cardinals player Quade Green (1) goes up for a layup defended by Mokan Elite Carte’are Gordon (24) during the second half of the Nike Peach Jam Finals at the Riverview Park Activity Center. Mokan won 93-65. JOSHUA S. KELLY | USA TODAY SPORTS
rankings. The son of a former Florida State and NFL wide receiver, Knox was a top quarterback prospect before giving up football as a junior to focus on hoops. The 247 Index has Knox slated as the sixth-best prospect in the nation. The 6-foot-8, 195-pound small forward is also strongly considering UNC and dad’s alma mater. When asked about his college choice at Peach Jam, Knox repeatedly answered that he plans to take his time with a decision and likely won’t announce his choice until after his senior season. Knox also repeatedly praised Duke’s ability to land the top players in the nation over the last few years. While Knox said he wouldn’t be a package deal with anyone else, he also seemed excited about Duke’s potential 2017 recruiting class. Coach K still has work to do on the final two players in his poten-
tial class. Mohamed Bamba is a five-star center/power forward who is 247 Sports’ number-two prospect in the class. The 6-11, 205-pounder doesn’t even plan to cut his list of potential colleges down to 10 schools for another month, so things are still wide open in his recruitment. Duke is definitely on Bamba’s radar, however. The Blue Devils are in the pack of schools leading the way at present, a group that also includes Kentucky, Villanova and North Carolina. Bamba considers himself a “positionless” player and indicated it was important to him to find a school that could allow him to play that way. “Duke hasn’t had a player like me in several years,” he said during one group interview at Peach Jam. “Not since Luol Deng.” Kentucky’s John Calipari has also been selling Bamba hard on
the opportunity to play without a position for his team. Bamba’s Peach Jam teammate, point guard Quade Green, is also just beginning to narrow down his college selections. The playmaker is only rated a four-star by many recruiting services, and 247’s Index has him slotted as the 26th-best player in the nation and fourth-best point guard. Duke and Kentucky appear to be in the lead for Green, but he indicated both schools are recruiting the same group of four or five point guards. Louisville, Michigan State, Villanova and Syracuse are also in good position for Green early in the game. Duke also put in work on future recruiting classes at Peach Jam. Tre Jones is the younger brother of Tyus Jones, as well as a high school teammate of 2017 target Gary Trent Jr. The 6-2, 171-pound point guard isn’t rated quite as highly as his
older brother, but Jones is a top-20 player and top-five point guard in the junior class. Duke’s family — and potential high school — connection has the Blue Devils out in front. Arizona appears to be the biggest obstacle for Coach K. Duke coaches also paid close attention to 2018 point guard Immanuel Quickley. The 6-foot3, 175-pounder from Maryland is one spot ahead of Jones on the 2018 point guard rankings and six above him overall. Unlike Jones, Quickley has not yet received a scholarship offer from Blue Devil coaches. It appears Jones is their top choice, but Duke is looking elsewhere, just in case. In the meantime, Maryland, Miami, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest have all offered Quickley, and, based on the attention his games garnered from coaches, he’s likely to pick up additional offers in the very near future.
Peach Jam | Carolina basketball
UNC ramping up recruiting with NCAA issues in rearview By Shawn Krest North State Journal ORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. — Now that the NCAA cloud is N showing signs of lifting from North
Carolina’s basketball program, the only thing keeping coach Roy Williams from landing top prospects is getting outworked. Based on Williams’ performance with some of the bigger names on his recruiting board, that doesn’t seem likely to happen. Williams has been a courtside fixture at his recruiting targets’ games — all of their games — and his commitment is getting noticed. “Roy said he’d be at all my games,” power forward P.J. Washington said. “And he has been.” Center/power forward Mohamed Bamba echoed Washington. “They’ve been to every game they could possibly go to,” he said of North Carolina’s presence at his summer basketball games. This is the first time in recent years Williams and his assistants haven’t had to answer questions about the potential of NCAA sanctions as they tried to get the attention of the nation’s top players. In the spring, the NCAA released an amended version of the Notice of Allegations concerning the school’s paper classes scandal. All references to Williams and the men’s basketball program were removed. That appears to put the Tar Heels in the clear, and Williams has hit the road with renewed vigor. His top targets were all in one place in early July, and Williams saw them all from courtside at the Peach Jam. The biggest win for Williams would be if Kevin Knox commits to the Tar Heels. Carolina has lost several head-to-head battles
PSA Cardinals player Mohamed Bamba (11) runs down the floor during the first half of the Nike Peach Jam Finals against the Mokan Elite at the Riverview Park Activity Center. Mokan won 93-65. JOSHUA S. KELLY | USA TODAY SPORTS
with Duke in recent years, including Brandon Ingram in 2015 and Harry Giles last year. Knox, a five-star small forward, is also considering Florida State, where his father played football, but it wouldn’t surprise anyone if the hat Knox dons at his signing ceremony is blue. It’s just a question of which shade. His comments about the Tar Heels at Peach Jam could be read in a number of different ways. He said that Carolina is “good every year — it doesn’t matter who they get.” He added that, while Williams hasn’t gotten “the top players” like Duke and Kentucky do, “they do well with what they have.” Depending on which fanbase is doing the interpretation, Knox could have been dismissing the Heels, since he considers himself one of the top players, or he could
be setting himself up as a player to break the Duke/Kentucky run. By the time the world knows of Knox’s decision, Williams will already have likely found out whether his work ethic landed Washington and Bamba. Knox plans to wait until late in his senior year to announce his college choice. P.J. Washington could be the top big-man priority for Carolina. The five-star power forward from Dallas is the 16th best senior in the nation, according to the 247 Sports Composite Index. The home-state Texas Longhorns are considered one of Carolina’s biggest challengers for Washington, but Kentucky is also making a push. Washington sees himself as a stretch four, working inside and also playing a strong perimeter
game. He admitted his outside game still needs some work. Carolina has plenty of company for Bamba. The 6-foot-11 big man has dozens of scholarship offers from all of the nation’s top programs. He’ll release a top 10 in August and gave indications North Carolina would be on it. Duke, Kentucky and Villanova are among the early leaders for Bamba, although he shrugged off questions about North Carolina’s recent recruiting slump. “[Incoming UNC freshman] Tony Bradley is pretty good,” he said during his first Peach Jam media availability of the week. “Really good, actually. We’re all different players. We all want different things. I don’t really care about that [slump talk].” Outside of those top three players, UNC coaches checked in on several other prospects at
Peach Jam. Carolina needs outside shooters, and Massachusetts shooting guard Andrew Platek is one of its top targets for help in that area. Platek isn’t highly rated — he’s a consensus three-star — but a strong summer has garnered him plenty of attention, and he’s likely to rise in the ratings soon. Platek visited North Carolina and Stanford in June, and Tar Heel coaches were watching him closely at Peach Jam. Carolina also looked at younger players while in North Augusta. Tar Heel coaches paid particular attention to the 15-and-under team for Team United, based in Charlotte. Team United featured a pair of frontcourt players that Carolina is courting in small forward Juwan Gary and power forward/center B.J. Mack. Both players are in the class of 2019, and both are still waiting for a UNC offer. Mack has an offer from Virginia Tech and is also attracting interest from Duke, NC State and Wake. He plays center at Charlotte Catholic, but at 6-foot7, 250 pounds, he may be better suited for the power forward spot in college. Mack visited North Carolina for the Duke game in February. Gary has an offer from Clemson and has generated interest from Kansas, South Carolina and Virginia. He plays at Gray Academy in Columbia, South Carolina, where his coach is the former AAU coach of Brice Johnson. If recent trends are any indications, Gary and Mack can expect to see a familiar face courtside for most of their games over the next three years. When Roy Williams decides he wants someone, he makes sure they know it.
North State Journal for Sunday, July 17, 2016
B7
mma
Former NC State wrestler a rising MMA star By Tyler Everett North State Journal n March 4, 39-year-old Joe Warren became the latest O established fighter to look out
of his depth while pitted against up-and-coming MMA star Darrion Caldwell. The former national champion wrestler at NC State is now on the rise in Bellator’s bantamweight division, sporting a record of 9-0 heading into his July 22 clash with Joe Taimanglo at Bellator 159. His MMA career is perhaps off to an even better start than his record would indicate, with five of those wins decided by first round-submissions. Caldwell’s latest dominant effort ended in the first round as well, when he delivered a vicious suplex followed by a rear-naked choke that left Warren, a former Bellator champion at bantamweight and featherweight, unconscious. The subsequent move was no surprise to those who have followed Caldwell’s career: a signature back flip that he’s stuck with despite more than one awkward landing. His latest success in Bellator was reminiscent of the highlight of Caldwell’s collegiate wrestling career. Like the win over Warren, he made the triumph against Iowa’s Brent Metcalf in the finals of the 149-pound weight class at the 2009 NCAA Championships look easy. Metcalf’s long list of accolades in college included two national titles and a record of 108-3. But that day, Metcalf – who went on to a stellar career in international wrestling – was overwhelmed. Caldwell led 4-2 after the first period and 7-2 after the second en route to an 11-6 win in a match that has been viewed more than 215,000 times on YouTube. One of the few dramatic moments, aside from a shocking first-period headlock by Caldwell, came in the closing seconds. Caldwell began celebrating with time on the clock, pulling off a back handspring before being shoved in midair by a furious Metcalf. The push by Metcalf derailed that part of the celebration, but failed to dampen the spirits of Caldwell, who immediately returned to his feet to carry on basking in the moment. Proud alum
Seven years later, evidence of Caldwell’s strong connection to his alma mater is not hard to find. His Twitter handle, for example, is @TheWolfMMA. During a recent phone interview, he marveled at the current state of the program under coach Pat Popolizio, whom he called a “wrestling genius.” The Pack finished 19th at the NCAA Championships in 2014, 16th a year ago and 11th this season. In addition to the team’s best finish at the NCAA Champion-
Courtesy of Bellator
Darrion Caldwell celebrates a victory over Joe Warren that improved the former NC State wrestler’s Bellator record to 9-0.
ships since 1993, this season’s milestones included an ACC title and wins over powerhouses like Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Nebraska, Missouri and Iowa. Caldwell said he caught several of NC State’s matches on TV, and was among a number of former wrestlers in attendance for Alumni Day on January 17, when the Pack defeated Virginia. “It was awesome,” Caldwell said. “It was my first time back at NC State since I graduated. To see the crowd as electrifying as it was, they really have something going there at NC State. … They’re a scrappy team. They fight all seven minutes. They’re always scrapping. That’s something I really admired about them.” ‘Completely happy’ in Bellator In May, Caldwell appeared on prominent MMA journalist Ariel Helwani’s “The MMA Hour,” where he announced, and signed, a seven-fight extension to his contract with Bellator. Though many consider UFC the premier promotion, the decision was a no-brainer for Caldwell. “I knew I wanted to be a Bellator fighter,” he said. “They seen my talents early on. For them to do that, it meant a lot to me. Anybody can grab a diamond when it’s a diamond in the store.” Neither Caldwell nor his coach, Jake Behney — who owns a Brazilian jiu-jitsu school called
Pinnacle MMA and trains fighters in both promotions — agree with the popular belief that the fighters in UFC are superior. “The promotion is what really makes people believe that UFC has better fighters than Bellator,” Behney said. Caldwell said of how he would stack up with UFC’s best, “I know I can go in and beat [current UFC bantamweight champion] Dominick Cruz today. I can beat [lightweight champion] Michael Chandler, go in there and beat RDA [Rafael dos Anjos].” And he would love to be able to prove as much without leaving Bellator. “I think there should be some sort of cross-promotional where they let us fight the UFC champs,” Caldwell said. “You know, Bellator champs fight the UFC champs, and we’ll really squash it.” Bantamweight belt within reach Less than four years removed from his MMA debut in September of 2012, Caldwell is now on the verge of a title fight. With a win over Taimanglo, his next match would be a shot at the bantamweight belt versus current champ Eduardo Dantas. Standing between Caldwell and that opportunity is his biggest challenge to date. “Joe is definitely the toughest guy I’ve seen,” Caldwell said. “He’s
the most dynamic guy I’ve seen. He can wrestle, he can defend a takedown. His hands and his legs and his kicks are really good. He’s got other tools in his striking game that are really good. He just brings so much power. I don’t think there’s another 135-pounder with his power.” Caldwell’s quick ascent in Bellator is all the more notable considering the effects of a shoulder injury he sustained in college lingered throughout his transition from wrestling to MMA. Caldwell said it wasn’t until 2013, two years after his second surgery in 2011, that he had full confidence in his shoulder. His coach said the effects of the injury were still apparent when he began coaching Caldwell ahead of his fight against Anthony Dizy in October of 2014. “That was one of the first things that I noticed,” Behney said. “When I was attacking him, he was real protective of his arms.” He added that over time, a series of drills helped Caldwell’s flexibility and boosted his confidence in his shoulders. Behney said he has no doubt Caldwell won a handful of bouts before he was 100 percent healthy, largely because of his mental toughness. “He’s one of those guys, it’s like Mike Tyson, he talked about how everybody gets nervous, everybody gets scared, but as he started walking closer and closer to the ring, he’s becoming a God, he’s becoming this killer,” Behney
said. “Darrion is really like that, to be honest with you. A lot of the things that he does right before his fight and right after his fight, he doesn’t even really remember when we get in the back and we start talking about it.” If there’s one downside to Caldwell’s ability to get locked in, it’s that it can endanger people other than his opponents. Following a win over Shawn Bunch in September, Caldwell’s backflip from the top of the cage ended with him landing on a camerawoman. She was not seriously injured, but it made for a scary moment. It’s also worth mentioning that Caldwell checked on her afterward and apologized. That incident, which made SportsCenter’s Not Top 10, currently stands as one of the few from his career to receive mainstream attention, but Behney doubts that will be the case much longer. “Darrion is a world-class athlete,” Behney said. “There’s very few guys that can do what he does. You put him in the limelight with guys like Daniel Cormier or Jon Jones or [Georges] St-Pierre, this is the level that this kid is going to be at one day. I really, honestly, truly believe he is the Jon Jones of 135 pounds. “I foresee Darrion within the next two years being in the top 10 pound-for-pound best fighters in the world.”
Zika virus
Worried you have Zika? Here’s some first-hand advice By Brooke Pryor North State Journal on’t come into the office.” “Stay away. Don’t spread ‘D your germs.”
“Are you quarantined?” “You better hope you don’t have it!” All very real texts and emails I’ve received in the last week because there’s a decent chance that I brought back a very unique, super-special souvenir from my week-long trip to Barbados. (Ed. Note: We can confirm the first text is very real.) Helllloooo, Zika. If you’ve checked Twitter, watched TV or listened to the radio once in the last two months, you know Zika is a growing problem in tropical, mosquito-rich environments and could have a big impact on this little thing called the Olympics. It’s a virus, transmitted by the blood-sucking bug that can cause major problems for pregnant or soon-to-be pregnant women and their babies. With brain damage and microcephaly among the effects of the virus on newborns,
World Health Organization has suggested women delay pregnancies in Zika-affected areas. So yeah, it’s a scary issue. When I tweeted that my PA at Duke’s Urgent Care said my symptoms were suspiciously similar to the signs associated with Zika, I got plenty of the ‘hope you’re not pregnant’ jokes. To clear that up: I’m not, nor do I plan to be in the near future. Which, for Zika-related purposes, is a very good thing. Reproductive health aside, Zika isn’t as scary as it seems. Disclaimer: at the time I wrote this column, my lab results still weren’t available to confirm the presence of Zika or any other tropical virus. However, whether I do or don’t actually have the much-maligned virus, I’ve done plenty of research on it in the last week — thanks, WebMD! — to give some pretty decent Zika advice, especially if you’re planning to go to the Rio Olympics in a couple weeks. Only 20 percent of cases are symptomatic, which means only one in five people will experi-
ence a low-grade fever, rash, conjunctivitis (pink eyes), headache, chills and joint and muscle pain. Symptoms start to show up about 10 days after an infected mosquito munches on you. Because I’m hashtag blessed, one of the dozens of bug bites all over my body likely caused double pink eye, a 100.5-degree fever, joint and muscle pain, headache and severely sore throat, making me a member of the 20-percent club. Exclusive, I know. But overall, the symptoms — should they show up — are mild. Unlike what many of my friends and family previously thought, they are not life threatening for healthy adults. Most symptoms can be treated with Tylenol, lots of fluids and rest. Doctors recommend staying away from NSAIDs like ibuprofen just in case you’ve got dengue fever, also carried by mosquitoes, that can lead to hemorrhagic internal bleeding. Fun! To my friends that insisted I stay inside and away from people, some earth-shattering news: Zika is not contagious — at least not in a traditional way.
NSJ writer Brooke Pryor was feeling a little rough on her return from the Bahamas. Brooke Pryor | north state journal
I can’t give you my aches, pains or pink eye through a cough or a sneeze. It’s not airborne, and it can’t be transmitted via physical contact. There have, however, been confirmed cases of the virus being sexually transmitted. But in those cases, the men have been vectors. Thus, I still couldn’t give you the virus. So, Zika, while still a scary threat for women who are pregnant or are thinking about becoming pregnant, isn’t exactly the lethal monster that most
people seem to think it is. Even better news: most symptoms clear up in about a week. So if you hit the Olympics or cruise around the Bahamas this summer and forget to bathe yourself in bug spray and then later notice a rash, pink eyes and low-grade fever along with some aches and pains when you get back, grab a big bottle of that extra-strength acetaminophen, secure a six pack of Gatorade, fill up your Netflix queue and prepare to literally chill.
North State Journal for Sunday, July 17, 2016
B8 2016 Rio olympics
NCSU swimmer Ryan Held makes U.S. Olympic team By R. Cory Smith North State Journal he Olympics were a pipe dream for Ryan Held when T he started swimming. And
somehow, at the age of 21, the NC State student-athlete finds himself as one of 46 American swimmers traveling to Rio de Janeiro to compete in the 2016 Olympic Games. “What kid doesn’t say he wants to make the Olympics when he starts swimming? I’ve always said I wanted to go to the Olympics, but the dream never became tangible until last summer at the U.S. Open,” Held explained. “It kind of hit me like, ‘This could be a reality. I could make the Olympic team.’” Held earned his spot in the 100 freestyle after heading to Omaha, Neb. for the Olympic trials with no spot guaranteed. Coming off an NCAA championship in the 400 freestyle relay, Held carried the momentum all the way to Rio. Last summer, he swam a 49.10-second 100 free at the U.S. Open. That gave the rising junior the confidence to compete for more than just a national title. In order to make the Olympic team, Held needed to swim a 48.26 in the same event, just for third place. The only two swimmers behind the 49-second mark finished seventh and eighth. Held believes it speaks to his development at NC State over the last year. “I definitely kicked up my training … and I think that showed from my short course times,” Held said. “I dropped about a half second in the 50 and a full second in the 100 and a full second in the 200 from my freshman to sophomore year.” The only swimmers ahead of Held were Nathan Adrian —
Ryan Held prepares for the finals for the men’s 100 meter freestyle in the U.S. Olympic swimming team trials at CenturyLink Center in Omaha. Erich Schlegel | USA TODAY SPORTS images
who swam a blistering 47.72 in the trials — and Caeleb Dressel. Though he was just .03 seconds away from topping Dressel for individual swim in Rio, Held wasn’t too broken up about simply making the Olympic team. “What went wrong was maybe that last stroke, but what went right was everything,” Held said. “Yes, it would have been nice to be second, but I can’t be disappointed with third. I lost to the two arguably best in the world.” Held is the lone Wolfpack swimmer on Team USA, but he is far from the only partici-
pant from NC State. Anton Ipsen (400m free, 1500m free) and Soren Dahl (4x200m free) will represent Denmark while Simonas Bilis (50m free, 100m free) is swimming for Lithuania. Ipsen, Dahl and Bilis all clinched berths by April 2016 or earlier, but Held needed a strong showing in Omaha just to make the team. It was a performance NC State head coach Braden Holloway believed in all along. “Once I saw the beginning of the meet unfold and some of the older guys that were there weren’t going that fast, I knew the
door was open,” Holloway said. “The question was, ‘Can he hold his nerves?’ … He’s so young to the sport and that scene it’s almost like he doesn’t know any better, so he’s just going to have fun. It worked to his advantage.” Prior to the Rio Olympics, NC State only sent three swimmers to the Olympics once prior in 1976. Sending four is a new high for the program and the Wolfpack narrowly missed out on sending a fifth. Though he’s technically not with NC State yet, incoming freshman Andreas Vazaios will represent Greece for
Hornets from page B1 Marvin Williams: four years, $54.5 million (player option in year four)
photo courtesy duke athletics
Harris from page B1 go another route. I could tell the last little while that things were slipping, and I didn’t want that.” He’ll continue to work with Duke and the IMG Sports Network in some capacity, but there will be a new Voice of the Blue Devils, beginning with the 2017 football season. Duke’s search for candidates begins in April of next year, once Harris calls his final basketball game. Harris began his broadcasting career with WTKY in Albemarle. The station manager happened to mention to Harris that the freelance writer who usually called high school football games for them took another job. “I don’t know why on earth the Good Lord put the words in my mouth, but I said, ‘I’ll do it.’ Therein lies the beginning of my broadcasting career,” Harris said. In his eight years at the station, he covered just about every sport. “High school football, boys and girls baseball. In the summertimes, I did Little League baseball, slow pitch softball. I followed the NASCAR circuit across the state. Any golf tournaments that came around, I’d cover those. If I could sell it, it went on the air. That was the only requirement I had from management,” Harris said. In 1975, he came to WDNC in Durham and was asked to do a weekly call-in sports show. To find content, he began attending Duke football press conferences each Monday. It was good timing, since Duke needed help, after a failed experiment with their football broadcasts. “Duke was going to use guest color commentators that year,” Harris said. “A bunch of former players. It didn’t really work, because there was no cohesiveness between them and Add Penfield, who was the playby-play man at the time. So they had me do four of the last six games. After that,
Bob Costas and Bob Harris pose for a picture after the Duke Blue Devils announcer received an award.
I started to help out with the basketball broadcasts.” In February, Penfield was hospitalized, and Harris finished out the season. When Penfield retired in the summer, AD Tom Butters asked Harris if he’d like the job. “I jumped, jumped, jumped on it,” Harris said. Things were very different back then. “We have more fans than we did in ’76,” Harris joked. They also have more support staff. “That first year, we didn’t have an engineer,” Harris said. “I did it myself. I would go in and hook up the wires and plug them into the phone line. Then I’d try to find a phone and call the radio station to make sure the signal was going through.” In those early days of high school and Duke broadcasting, he also came up with ways to keep his family close. “My wife, Phyllis and the kids would carry some of my equipment, so they could get in for free,” Harris said. “Because I wasn’t making enough money to pay their way.” Decades later, Bob and Phyllis made the trip to the basketball Hall of Fame, in Springfield, the city that football prevented him from visiting in 1988. “We were walking through the Hall, and all of a sudden, I hear my voice,” Harris said. “They throw it the length of the floor ... Laettner catches, comes down, dribbles ... Shoots. Scores! ... Christian Laettner has hit the bucket at the buzzer! The Blue Devils win it 104 to 103. Look out Minneapolis! Here come the Blue Devils!” His call of the 1992 East Regional Final is the second-most recognizable playby-play call in basketball history, behind Celtics announcer Johnny Most’s “Havlicek stole the ball,” from the 1965 NBA Finals. “I turned to Phyllis and said, ‘Well, I may not ever make it to the Hall of Fame, but my voice is here.’”
The Marvin Williams signing was excellent work by Cho and company: four years, $54.5 million (the final year is also a player option). Williams was one of the larger question marks for Charlotte in free agency, and, after Batum, the multidimensional forward was their second priority. There was significant interest in the efficient Williams on the open market, but the Hornets took care of business. According to multiple reports, Williams declined several offers to play elsewhere for $15 million per year. Williams, 30, loves playing in the state where he hooped collegiately. He took far less cash to remain in Buzz City and play with Clifford, who he adores. Houston signed sharpshooter Ryan Anderson to a four-year, $80 million deal. Anderson is two years younger than Williams, and he’s a gifted high-volume shooter at the power forward position. But he’s a DH — he can’t play defense. Williams is a far more complete player, capable of defending multiple positions and offering rim protection. He’s a much better value at $26 million less than Anderson over the same timeframe. Williams’ shooting allows Charlotte to unlock their preferred four-aroundone style of play on offense, without sacrificing defensive acumen. Williams gives the Hornets flexibility and leadership. In a summer that will be remembered for Kevin Durant’s departure from OKC and the flock of television money entering the league and permeating its way to the bank accounts of free agents, Williams’ return was one of the best value signings in 2016. Ramon Sessions: two years, $12.3 million Losing Jeremy Lin to Brooklyn (three years, $36 million) was disappointing but not surprising. Lin flourished last season in Charlotte, including times when he and Walker teamed up in dual point guard lineups. But Lin wanted the opportunity to start again, and the Nets provide that chance. Charlotte will miss his instant grits offense, but his replacement, Ramon Sessions, offers the same skill that Lin’s game is predicated on: attacking the basket. Sessions, who played 116 games with the Bobcats between 2012-14, is the opposite of a flashy signing, but he quietly had a good run for Washington last season: 82 games played, 9.9 points, 56.5 true shooting percentage. He posted a free throw rate of 47.8 percent, which is
the second time in the 200 IM after finishing 26th in the 2012 Olympics. With NC State now sending a school record to Rio, Held believes it’s time to start looking at the Wolfpack as one of the best swimming programs in the country. “I think this is monumental for NC State,” Held said. “I feel like all the news outlets always say, ‘Yeah, NC State’s good,’ but brush us under the rug. … This is now going to change that and NC State’s going to be one of those top teams you always talk about.”
darn good: Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan, who was third in the NBA in free throw attempts, actually registered a lower rate (47.4 percent). Charlotte had less than $7 million to land a backup point, and Cho was able to ink Sessions at two years, $12.3 million, which slots into that space perfectly. Job well done by the front office. Roy Hibbert: one year, $5 million It was just a little over two years ago when we were discussing Roy Hibbert as a max-contract player. So his one-year, $5 million deal is another sign that life comes at you fast. Always remember to stop and smell the roses. His fall from stardom cost the former Georgetown center a lot of money. During the 2013-14 season, Hibbert was tops in the league at defending field goals at the rim; opponents shot just 41 percent against the 7-footer. Two years later, that number ballooned to 51 percent. Last season in Los Angeles, the Lakers gave up 1.13 points per possession, according to NBA.com. Hibbert was also a fouling machine: he was third in the league in fouls (252), and he committed 6.7 fouls per 100 possessions. None of this stuff is great, but Hibbert is still a force at the rim — he was ninth in the league in block rate (4.6 percent) — and the Lakers were a mess last season, particularly on defense. In Clifford’s conservative system, Hibbert will be able to sink underneath ball screens (his preferred location in pick-and-roll defense), and hang around the rim. If the big fella can halfway approach his defensive output from two seasons back, then Dr. Hibbert is a solid dumpster-diving find. LeBron James and the seven dwarves It’s no secret: the Eastern Conference belongs to House LeBron, and has so for the better part of the past decade. No one should bet on the Hornets usurping the Cavaliers atop the conference’s pecking order, but Charlotte did well in free agency, and it will pay dividends in 2016-17 — hopefully in the form of a top-four seed in the East. Boston will be a destructive defensive force, Toronto returns most of their core from a 56-win team from a season ago, Indiana will be much improved and Atlanta added Dwight Howard into the fold. Charlotte put itself into this second grouping of playoff teams, too. Departures of Courtney Lee and Al Jefferson will sting, but if Charlotte is to win their first playoff series in 14 years, we’ll be able to trace the roots of that back to a well-orchestrated offseason.
to market, to market It's peach season in N.C.— we celebrated at the State Farmers Market and we have a recipe for you that employs this tasty summertime treat. See page C4
the good life IN A NORTH STATE OF MIND
the kitchen
NS J SUNDAY
7.17.16
playlist July 21-24 Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands Asheville For four days each July the Civic Center comes alive with traditional and contemporary crafts. More than 200 craftspeople fill the two levels of the center selling their works of clay, fiber, glass, leather, metal, mixed media, natural materials, paper, wood, and jewelry. southernhighlandguild.org
July 21-31 USA Masters Games Greensboro Greensboro hosts the inaugural USA Masters Games. The games mark the launch of a new multisport event for competitive adult athletes ages 21 and over. The USA Masters Games will provide both a national championship level competitive experience in each sport and a fun, entertaining environment conducive to meeting and socializing with fellow Masters athletes from across the U.S. and other countries of the world. usamastersgames.com 33rd Annual Folkmoot Festival Waynesville
MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Lourdes Ramos, right, and Ana Ramos, left, both of Raleigh, prepare hors d'oeuvres at Ladyfingers Caterers in Raleigh on Thursday, July 14.
Raleigh fixture now caters to clients across the state A business built on service, quality, and a family of friends thrives through the years and throughout North Carolina.
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See kitchen, page C6
Inside
July 23-24 Inside OTH Wilmington Get the inside scoop on One Tree Hill with the Inside OTH event. Here’s your chance to experience the behindthe-scenes aspect of your favorite Wilmington TV show complete with the cast and crew, organized by some of the original crew members of the series. Fans will get to enjoy autograph sessions, photo ops, a question and answer session, and a meet and greet with cast members. Fans can also see original props and set pieces from the show and have the chance to purchase tons of OTH memorabilia. insideoth.com
By Dan Reeves For the North State Journal
or almost three decades, Ladyfingers Caterers in Raleigh has sustained its reputation for expertly prepared cuisine and consistently rising to any occasion, be it a bridal shower of 10 or a wedding of 300. Ladyfingers’ signature delights can be found in 17 cities across the state, from Blowing Rock to Southport—including their famous brown sugar butter country ham rolls. As co-owner David Jackson put it, “Ladyfingers is bringing ham rolls to the masses.” Across the state, anyone can now take home freshly prepared Black Bean and Spinach Enchiladas, Chicken, Shrimp & Sausage Creole, and more. In the mid-1980s, Kathie Walton and Caroline Reeves (now Stone), gained prominence serving creative luncheons, as well as events for the North Carolina Museum of Art. The firm quickly built a positive
Folkmoot is a Festival of Folk Dance and World Cultures featuring 275 dancers and musicians from around the globe. Experience dance performances, cultural activities, and folk dance instruction at venues in Asheville, Maggie Valley, Waynesville, Lake Junaluska, Bryson City, Franklin, Clyde, Canton, Hendersonville, and Hickory. folkmoot.org
A fruit tray is prepared for a catering order at Ladyfingers Caterers in Raleigh on Thursday, July 14.
We head to Wake Forest to visit with the one-in-a-million Fradel triplets and their family operating on little sleep, but greeting life with joy and gratitude for a community of support. See page C3
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necessities fixation
history marked
just a pinch
“Pokemon Go” changes world of gaming
July 18, 1670
so your neighbor has a
By Liz Moomey North State Journal otta Catch ‘Em All” has become a reality with ‘theGtake off of the augmented
reality app “Pokemon Go.” Across the state, restaurants are creating lures to bring in new customers, video game lovers are meeting at parks, and police are warning users to be aware of their surroundings when throwing Pokeballs. Released July 6, millions of people in the U.S. have met up or travelled around to collect Pokemon, like magnemite during this week’s RailHawks lightning storm, to catch a magicarp at Le’s Sandwiches and Cafe in Charlotte during lunch, or to capture another Pokemon while venturing around on your phone. John Nguyen, who works for his family business at Le’s Sandwiches and Cafe, decided to use one of his lures, a virtual consumable item that attracts Pokemon within the game and alerts players in the area to a specific geographical location. “Everyone was hopping on Pokemon,” Nguyen said. “I figured I could use the lures to increase our business.” Different from sitting on a couch and staring at a screen, “Pokemon Go” provides a social aspect. Ross Ledford, the president of E-Sports Club at NC State, hosted a “Pokemon Go” Campus Crawl Wednesday night. “It’s really hard to get people to leave their rooms, because it’s so much easier to stay home and play your games,” Ledford said. “And this forces everyone to go out and that’s the thing I like the most is just seeing people out having fun and socializing and just realizing we are all the same.” Zuri Peterkin, a senior in wildlife biology, and Sarah Crawford, a sophomore in international studies, met at the crawl and became fast friends catching Pokemon. For Andrew Burress, who graduated from NC State in May, the app also fulfills a childhood dream of his. “It’s a way to meet new people, and it’s also living the dream, like when you were a kid, you wanted to play Pokemon and catch them all, you can actually do that,” Burress said. “It’s just the best of both worlds.” He added that the game can help individuals with social anxiety have an outlet to interact with others. Most of the attendees said the social aspect of the game was why it is popular, and they hope with the next update it will include more interactions, including trading with friends, person vs. person battles, and a chat feature. When opening the “Pokemon Go” app, it warns users to stay aware of their surroundings, which law enforcement has reiterated after reports of criminals using the app to lure people and distracted users getting hit by cars. Crawford thinks playing “Pokemon Go” is like any other hobby. “You just have to be safe,” Crawford said. “You have to use common sense. Like, say my hobby is basketball, I’m not going to go out and play basketball at night. As long as you don’t do stuff like that, it’s fine.”
voices Contributors to this section this week include: Samantha Gratton Josh Hyatt Alison Miller Liz Moomey Ray Nothstine Dan Reeves
German-born explorer John Lederer ended his trip through the Carolina Piedmont north of what’s now Roanoke Rapids. Lederer’s expedition predated the much better-known trip led by naturalist John Lawson by 30 years. Trained as a physician in Hamburg, Lederer arrived in Virginia in 1669, where Governor William Berkeley encouraged him to search for the Pacific Ocean. His journey helped allay many of the colonists’ fears about the backcountry.
July 19, 1937
Country music star George Hamilton IV was born in WinstonSalem. While a student at UNC, the young Hamilton recorded “A Rose and a Baby Ruth” at the independent Chapel Hill label, Colonial Records. The song eventually became a gold record. Hamilton left Chapel Hill for Nashville to pursue a career in country music and was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry in 1960. Later that year he signed a record contract with RCA.
July 21, 1669
The Lords Proprietors signed and sealed the Fundamental Constitutions of Carolina. The document, perhaps written by John Locke who served as secretary to one of the proprietors, established a framework of government for the nascent colony. Information courtesy of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
turn the page With the freshest of fruit on hand we were inspired to reach out to Duck's Cottage Coffee & Books in Manteo for dessert cookbook recommendations this week.
Perhaps the constant sharing of abundant garden bounty has you feeling just a tinge of jealousy and wishing you had planted something in your yard this year. Fear not—cucumbers, kale and kohlrabi are three items you can plant in late July that will have you handing out prime produce with the best of them.
accolades
Project brings public pianos to Banner Elk By Josh Hyatt North State Journal Visitors to downtown Banner Elk for the next couple of weeks can enjoy both creating and listening to piano music in six locations where they normally would not. Thanks to the Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Lees-McRae College, the “Go Ahead, Play Me” public art project debuted six outdoor pianos on July 9 around downtown and will remain for roughly the next couple of weeks. The outdoor pianos are located at: Hayes Auditorium at Lees-McRae College, Dunn’s Deli, Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce, Banner Elk Cafe, the courtyard near Sorrento’s Italian Bistro, and the field in front of the Historic Banner Elk School. Each piano was painted by Lees-McRae students and local area residents, giving it a unique design. Tom McMurray, the husband of Banner Elk Chamber of Commerce president Jo-Ann
McMurray, was inspired to create the project after reading about similar projects in cities like New York and Chicago. The McMurrays put out word that they were in need of pianos; three were purchased and three were donated. “You’d be surprised how many people will give you a piano,” said Jo-Ann in a statement from the Banner Elk Tourism Development Authority. “One of my goals is to bring art to Banner Elk,” she continued. “We have Lees-McRae College and the theater, a lot of students study art here. The arts can be a positive direction for this little town.” Tom, when trying to purchase tuning software for the project online, found a company willing to donate the software for free after hearing what the project was all about. The Banner Elk TDA provided the covers that will protect the pianos at night and during adverse weather for the next couple of weeks. For more information about the project, visit BannerElk.org.
"Cake Magic!"
The ‘Go Ahead, Play Me’ project encourages visitors to downtown Banner elk to have a seat and make a joyful noise.
by Carolina Wright released 2016
"No-Bake Treats"
by Julianne Bayer released July 2016
"The Cookies & Cups Cookbook" by Shelly Jaronsky released April 2016
"Little Flower Baking" by Christine Moore released April 2016
"Layered: Baking, Building, and Styling Spectacular Cakes" by Tessa Huff
photo courtesy of banner elk chamber
released April 2016
stir it up
Asheville On My Mind
“Being in the South, we wanted to do a sweet tea cocktail—but not the same sweet tea vodka-based drinks everyone else is making. So we took flavors of the South and incorporated them into an Old Fashioned by creating sweet tea bitters and peach-infused bourbon. You still get those notes, but the cocktail remains spirit-forward, as an Old Fashioned should. Imagine sitting on your porch in a rocking chair with a glass of bourbon, while also experiencing subtle flavors of sweet tea. It’s an ode to sweet tea in classic cocktail form.” — Dan Byers, Nightbell, Asheville
2 ounces peach-infused bourbon* 2 dashes sweet tea bitters ¼ ounce demerara simple syrup*
Combine equal parts demerara sugar and water, heat and stir until combined, then cool. Pour ingredients into a rocks glass with an oversized ice cube. Stir, then garnish with a lemon peel. *Peach-infused bourbon ½ pound dried peaches 1 750-ml bottle Bulleit bourbon Let peaches soak in bourbon for five days, then strain.
*Sweet tea bitters 8 ounces Everclear 2 teaspoons loose-leaf green tea 2 teaspoons loose-leaf black tea 2 teaspoons ounce brown sugar zest of 1/2 lemon Fill a half pint Mason jar with Everclear. Add tea, brown sugar, and lemon zest, then cover. Shake once a day for a week, then strain.
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at home with a growing family | Wake Forest Gavin Liam Fradel, 3, watches his two-monthold identical triplet sisters Grace, Stella and Emily on Friday, July 1 in Wake Forest. Gavin Liam's parents Kimberly and Gavin Sr. say that he is eager to help out with the babies.
MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL
By Samantha Gratton North State Journal
Kimberly and Gavin Fradel hold two of their two-monthold identical triplets at their home in Wake Forest on Friday, July 1. Kimberly says that she tries to give each of the girls some type of individual attention every day.
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hree girls made their appearance in North Carolina this past May and got national attention. Why? Because as identical triplets conceived without the use of fertility treatments, they were, statistically, one-in-a-million. Grace, Stella, and Emily were all born within a few minutes of each other at UNC Hospitals at 33 ½ weeks gestation. After spending two weeks in the NICU, they are all home now in Wake Forest with their parents, Gavin Sr. and Kimberly Fradel, and big brother, Gavin Liam, who just turned 3. Born on May 6, the girls are just over two months old now, which means their days are spent figuring out what life is about—whether that’s finding a routine as a family or considering their future. Like many newborns, their schedule revolves around eating, with playtime and constant sleeping in between. With three babies all the same age, keeping everyone on the same schedule is crucial. They all eat at the same time with the help of bottles propped up on Boppy pillows. After feeding comes tummy time or something energetic before they fall asleep and then repeat the process all over again. A natural, non-toxic toenail polish helps distinguish each of the identical daughters quickly, with Grace in yellow, Stella in purple, and Emily in blue. Nights are taken in shifts, so
dad is on duty from 7:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. while mom sleeps and then they switch from 1:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. Between that and a spare bed in the girls’ room, they hope to average about five to six hours of sleep a night before starting the day and taking care of all four children together. “My husband is very hands-on. He is one of those dads that is truly a fifty-fifty partner,” said Kimberly. Without many extended family members nearby, they have been thankful for all of the support they have received locally. After they found out they were expecting triplets, pack ‘n plays, car seats, clothes, and a tower of diapers were given to them by friends and people
throughout their community. Big brother Gavin Liam plays a big part in the lives of the girls as well. While he has Down syndrome, he is all toddler and loves his sisters. Great at adapting to different situations, laughing fully, and loving freely, Kimberly says he is an amazing older brother and will be a great role model for them. As a family, they love being together and emphasize kindness and serving others. Gavin Sr. is a teacher and Kimberly is an oncology social worker, so they want their children to each find their own ways of giving back. Gavin Sr. says his wife is very attentive in making sure everyone’s needs are taken care of both as a
social worker and at home, adding, “With the girls and also my son, she’s going to make sure that we are all open and accepting of one another and being able to communicate.” Although their children are still young, the future is never far off. What big things do they hope for their children? “Number one—to be happy in whatever they do, find joy in everything that they do,” said Gavin Sr. “Don’t be afraid to try new things…I’d encourage that because that’s the only way we can build confidence. I want them to be good people and be accepting of others and just to be happy and confident in life.”
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to market, to market State Farmers Market | Peach Day Peach season is short, but oh so sweet. This week the State Farmers Market in Raleigh held their annual Peach Day and invited patrons to partake of the pale yellow-orange fruit in all its delicious glory. The Peach Queen was even on hand for the festivities—you know there’s a reason for the Southern saying, “pretty as a peach.” Peach Day is sponsored by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the State Farmers Market, the N.C. Peach Growers Society, and the N.C. Dairy Industry Promotion Committee. Each year a dessert contest is one of the main events of the day. While we did not compete in the contest, I'll share my grandmother’s recipe for Peach Pound Cake to encourage you to take advantage of this sweet season. — Jennifer Wood, North State Journal
Peach stickers sit on the counter as free peach ice cream is given away.
Top, Ashley Lawson, of Four Oaks, sells peaches at Michele's Fresh Fruits stand. Bottom, North Carolina Peach Queen Elizabeth Cox, 17, left, of McFarlan, passes out peach stickers to Phoebe Lewis, 3, center, and Luke Manns, 6, right, both of Apex, during Peach Day at the North Carolina State Farmers Market on Thursday, July 14 in Raleigh.
PHOTOS BY MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Cameron Cobb, 5, of Garner, samples peaches at Michele's Fresh Fruits stand during Peach Day at the North Carolina State Farmers Market on Thursday, July 14 in Raleigh.
Peach Pound Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze Start to finish: 1 hour, 20 minutes Servings: 8-10 1 cup butter, softened 2 cups sugar 6 eggs 3 cups flour 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup sour cream 3 cups peaches, peeled, chopped, and well-drained 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon almond extract 1 tablespoon white sugar Brown Sugar Glaze 2 cups powdered sugar 4 tablespoons brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1 tablespoon butter 1/4 cup milk
Heat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 10” tube pan.
Mix together flour, soda, and salt. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour. Gently fold in chopped peaches and extracts. Pour into prepared cake pan. Bake for 60-70 minutes until golden brown and cake tests done in the center. For glaze, melt butter on the stovetop and add brown sugar on low, remove from heat, slowly add milk reserving 1 tablespoon of milk. Whisk in vanilla, followed by powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, whisking briskly to make sure the glaze is smooth. If it becomes too thick add the reserved milk. Once complete, drizzle on cake and enjoy. Serve with vanilla ice cream and more sliced peaches if desired.
Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs individually, beating well after each addition.
(L to R) Dexter Hill, of Deep Run, Nick Augostini, of La Grange, and Linda Bond, of Benson, prepare dishes of peach ice cream that were given away for free during Peach Day.
blishers
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take note
book review | “First Over There” By Ray Nothstine North State Journal
The Battle of Cantigny was the first American battle and offensive of World War I.
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he United States is nearing the 100th anniversary of its entrance into the The Great War. Once called “the war to end all wars,” eventually the conflict saw over two million American troops shipped overseas. Approximately 86,457 of those men were from North Carolina. All the veterans from World War I are gone now and even in life they were soon to be overshadowed by the Second World War, but Matthew Davenport helps to bring them back into focus in his masterful account “First Over There.” Davenport’s book is helpful to Americans and North Carolinians as the World War I centennial draws near, shedding light on what life was like for many at that time. For the Americans, who after a string of events joined the war following President Woodrow Wilson’s vow to stay out, Cantigny in France is where they proved their mettle. The French and English were starting to crack under the German offensives and were in need of a speedy intervention of fresh American troops. American soldiers, nicknamed “doughboys,” led by General “Black Jack” Pershing, began to assemble on the European continent at about 10,000 per day. The first major action by the American Expeditionary Force (AEF) took place at the Battle of Cantigny in May of 1918. Davenport chronicles the bravery and fierce fighting of thousands of American troops of the 1st Division at Cantigny who not only beat the Germans but also helped to turn the tide of a war that wiped out millions of men across Europe. One of the most decorated Americans of the entire war was Samuel
Photo courtesy of First Division Museum
Iredell (SI) Parker from Monroe, North Carolina. A recipient of the Medal of Honor, Parker along with former U.S. Senator Sam Ervin left the University of North Carolina together for officer candidate school. A hundred years ago, Americans were still largely rural, and millions joined up either because of patriotic fervor or were drafted. They knew little of world affairs and many had never ventured further than their own region or state. The casualties at Cantigny were light compared to what was to come during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. A little over 116,000 Americans died during The Great War. American forces at Cantigny learned valuable lessons and Davenport excels in the details of combat, especially at describing the brutal shelling that often made men unrecognizable, assuming remains could be found at all. Major Raymond Austin from Ohio, who died later in the war, wrote home about Cantigny: “Ca-
sualty lists of an attack like this don’t look very large beside those of a German 50 mile drive, but when you see fine, young American boys lying dead in heaps of six or eight or 12 here and there it’s more than enough.” Cantigny was the first time Americans went over the top of their trenches to take the fight to the Germans. Three hundred Americans died and 1,300 were wounded, most of them during German counterattacks. Davenport explains that remembrances of Cantigny were popular in the United States until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 that shifted American focus. For North Carolinians Sam Ervin and Si Parker, the war undoubtedly remained with them for the rest of their life. Davenport explains that Ervin, who went on to have a distinguished career in North Carolina and national government, rarely talked about his heroics at Cantigny or of his
war record. Ervin, who became a household name in the 1970s for chairing the Watergate hearings in the Senate, never even requested all of his war medals according to Davenport. “Senator Sam” however did keep in contact with those he served with on the battlefield and died about a decade (1985) before the last American veteran of Cantigny died in 1996. Parker returned home to Monroe, North Carolina and was a successful businessman in the textile industry before passing away at eighty-three in 1975. A recipient of the Medal of Honor in World War I, he went on to help train soldiers for battle in World War II. For all his medals and accomplishments Davenport declares that Parker cherished his memories of Cantigny most. “As a point of personal pride, I want remembered that I was in the first wave of the first attack that the United States Army made against Germany, and that the operation was entirely successful.”
THE KITCHEN from page C1 reputation around Raleigh and the region, resulting in praise from corporations and community leaders, as well as prominent Raleigh families. Beginning with sandwiches, light desserts, and innovative salads, the two creative and entrepreneurial founders worked from their home kitchens, carting food to events in wood paneled station wagons. Walton and Reeves became known for providing superior food and service to their clientele, along with an air of refinement and elegance to the then limited catering services Raleigh had to offer. As momentum built, and word spread of Walton and Reeves’ catering, a competitor, who will remain nameless, spotted flyers posted statewide advertising a Museum of History event which in bold letters boasted, “Lunch by Ladyfingers!” This led to a call from the health department informing Walton and Reeves that they would no longer be preparing food for this, or any other event out of their home. They found refuge in the kitchen of Jean Hunter Martin’s Simple Pleasures until suitable accommodations were found where it still stands today at 627 East Whitaker Mill Road. In a closed pizza restaurant, next to what locals will remember as The Profile (now Hyde Park Bar and Grill) the two built a functioning, law-abiding kitchen with freezers and coolers in the front. From there, Walton and Reeves began the lasting Ladyfingers tradition of keeping their tarragon chicken salad, pimento cheese, bean salads, and frozen casseroles readily available. The simplicity of popping in to grab and go so you could provide an exquisite meal for your entire family just by heating in the oven created a lasting draw to the storefront side of Ladyfingers. After Reeves’ departure from the business in 1994, Walton continued to work tirelessly to sustain Ladyfingers Caterers, cementing the business as Raleigh’s go-to catering company. With the assistance of many chefs and kitchen managers, Walton was always surrounded by some of the best in the business. Tudi Martin Jackson, an experienced professional in hospitality whose resume includes The Little Nell Hotel in Aspen, and McCrady’s Restaurant, plus other Charleston, South Carolina institutions
Delicious food and the power of word of mouth keeps Ladyfingers Gourmet To Go items stocked in specialty stores statewide: Affordable Chic, Raleigh StUf ‘n SUCh, Raleigh My Girlfriend’s Closet, Apex Almand’s Drug Store, Rocky Mount The Feathered Nest (formerly The Lollipop Shop), Greensboro Uncorked By The Sea, Southport Maritime Market, Bald Head Island Promise’ Land Market, Morehead City Reid’s Fine Foods, Myers Park and South Park locations, Charlotte Blue Moon Gift Shops, Wilmington 692 Olive, Greenville Southern Home and Kitchen, Winston-Salem Thyme and Place Café, Southern Pines Blowing Rock Market, Blowing Rock Caroline’s, Goldsboro River Dunes, Oriental Johnston County Hams, Smithfield Galley Stores and Marina, New Bern
MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Ana Ramos, or Raleigh, sprinkles cheese on tomato pesto mozzarella bruschetta at Ladyfingers Caterers in Raleigh on Thursday, July 14.
joined the Ladyfingers team in 2002 as event coordinator. Owner Kathie Walton saw in Tudi not only a friend, but also a person with the ability and spirit necessary to carry on the Ladyfingers tradition. Ready to retire in 2013, Walton officially sold her the business. With her sharp sense of culinary expertise and extensive event planning experience, Tudi and her husband David brought to Ladyfingers such appealing and innovative ideas as partnering with local cold press company, Humdinger Juice, in order to expand their market share. Additionally, as the head of the wholesale division, David ships signature Ladyfingers delectables all over the country—those famous brown sugar butter country ham
rolls now reach as far as California and Texas. This year, Ladyfingers weathered the blow of a tragic loss in the death of former chef and kitchen manager TJ Donovan, whose lasting legacy of kindness and hard work hit Walton, Tudi, and anyone else who knew the father of two like a ton of bricks. He and so many others add to the color, humor, and spirit of family on which Ladyfingers was built and continues to thrive. Since its earliest days, Ladyfingers has operated as a family of staff—servers, cooks, chefs, bartenders, dishwashers, delivery drivers, and extra hands all in it together to get the job done. Beginning with Walton’s nephew at NC State, the tradition of hiring friends and
family to do just about anything for Ladyfingers continues. Tudi jokes about starting a Facebook group of former and current Ladyfingers employees across the country, “It would be in the thousands.” Whether picking up extra money over the holidays, tending bar, or in the kitchen full-time, countless young people have been and continue to be a mainstay for the Raleigh business. What started out as two young women trying to make some extra money, stands today as a beacon of catering and culinary excellence. Because of its long-lasting tradition of providing the best service and keeping what people want and like on their menu, calling on Ladyfingers is automatic. The forward-thinking direction of the business, steered by the Jacksons, will surely continue to make Ladyfingers grow across North Carolina and beyond. As its earliest customers have grown up and started families of their own, the tradition continues in their celebratory life events.
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gather
eat Bring your appetite because The PIT will be on-site and hosting a Pig Pickin’ It wouldn't be a Triangle gathering without a food truck rodeo—25 local vendors will be stationed at the round-up. A designated picnic area with tables and chairs will be set up for dining.
Destination Dix | Raleigh
drink Enjoy N.C. brews and more craft beer finery at the Beer Garden. For the folks who prefer a spirit distilled from grapes—across the field a Wine Bar will be set-up for your sipping pleasure. Vendors will also be serving non-alcoholic beverages as well.
play
Key things to know: 1. Event planners have planned for the heat, so there will be a misting tent, a water zone, and a shade area along with plenty of places to stay hydrated. 2. Take your transportation into consideration. There will be NO public parking at the Dix Parks grounds during the festival but free shuttles will run from downtown Raleigh and Centennial campus all day. There will be plenty of bike parking, and the city of Raleigh has even partnered with Trek Bicycle Shop to host a bike tune-up station to make sure you’re all set for your journey home.
In North Carolina we mark our big events with celebrations, and that is exactly what Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane, in partnership with the Dix Park Conservancy, is doing on Saturday, July 23 from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the inaugural Destination Dix festival. The event commemorates the anniversary of the sale of the Dorothea Dix campus by the State of North Carolina to the City of Raleigh. In traditional “y’all all come” N.C. style this event is free and designed for the entire family.
Kids rides, inflatables, magicians, lawn games, roaming street performers, aerialists, and live artists plus a ferris wheel and tethered hot air balloon designed to take festival goers up, up, and away to view all 308 acres of the beautiful grounds.
dance 14 bands across three stages with a variety of genres from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. headlined by Chatham County Line.
learn & share Visit the Vision Wall and share your creative thinking for the future of Destination Dix Park's future
shop
3. As senior planner for Dorothea Dix Park, Kate Pearce said, “Memorializing the past is critical to the future of Dix.” An oral history project will begin on the day of the event, and people with connections to the site are invited to come and help secure its history through storytelling.
100 vendors will be there in partnership with Shop Local Raleigh, Got to Be NC, and Artsplosure.
MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL
*For more information visit: destinationdix.com
Dorothea Dix Park in Raleigh on Thursday, July 14.
The City of Raleigh and The Dix Park Conservancy would like to thank all of our sponsors for their generous support of Destination Dix: · Accenture · Bank of America · Capitol Broadcasting Group, Inc. · Duke Health · Empire Properties · First Citizens Bank · Golden Corral Corporation · Gregory Poole Equipment · Highwoods Properties · Kane Realty Corporation · News & Observer · PNC Bank · SAS · WakeMed Health and Hospitals · Wells Fargo
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North State Journal for Sunday, July 17, 2016
pen & Paper pursuits
Janric classic sudoku
Solutions from 7.10.16
I reckon . . .
Your guide to what’s what, where, why, and how to say it.
Doesn’t every state need an official carnivorous plant? N.C. has one in the Venus flytrap. It is threatened by poaching and habitat loss, but our conservancy preserves are working to restore this small perennial plant. One of the oldest and largest preserves of the unusual plant resides in the 17,424acre Green Swamp in Brunswick County.