VOLUME 2 ISSUE 55
|
WWW.NSJONLINE.COM |
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2018
Inside Tom Dundon takes over Hurricanes, Sports
PHOTO COURTESY OF NCDOT
Division 7 crews depart from Orange County, N.C. to clean roads after winter weather.
the Wednesday
NEWS BRIEFING
Wintery weather due in central N.C. Wednesday Central N.C. The National Weather Service issued a Winter Weather Advisory from 11 pm Tuesday through 7pm Wednesday for parts of central and eastern N.C. A low-pressure system and arctic cold front were expected to meet over the state dropping temperatures to the low 30s and leaving 3 to 5 inches of snow through Wednesday evening. The N.C. Department of Transportation worked Monday and Tuesday ahead of the weather to cover state roads with a salt and water mixture called brine. Still, drivers are advised to stay off the roads during the icy weather. Visit drivenc. gov and readync.org for the latest information.
NORTH
STATE
JOURNaL ELEVATE THE CONVERSATION
Officers treated at Charlotte hospital after shooting Charlotte Four York County, S.C. police officers are being treated at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte after a shooting early Tuesday morning. Officials say the officers were responding to a domestic violence report when suspect, 47-year-old Christian Thomas McCall, shot one officer and took off. Deputies were searching for him with K-9 units when McCall allegedly shot three more officers and was shot himself and transported to the hospital. The conditions of McCall and the officers have not been released.
Trump in “excellent health” Washington, D.C. President Donald Trump had a normal score on a cognitive exam and is in excellent health, although he could benefit from a lower-fat diet and more exercise, the White House physician said on Tuesday. “In summary, the president’s overall health is excellent,” Dr. Ronny Jackson told reporters. “He continues to enjoy the significant longterm cardiac and overall health benefits that come from a lifetime of abstinence from tobacco and alcohol.” The doctor reported that Trump had performed well on a cognitive assessment, which the president had requested. “The president is mentally very sharp, very intact. ... He is fit for duty,” Jackson said.
PHOTO ICOURTESY OF THOR PORRE
Mitragyna Speciosa, or Kratom, tree is shown.
As kratom use surges, some states enact bans Kratom is one of the 3 K’s (kava, kratom and khat) identified by the National Institutes of Health as herbals that can induce liver injuries By Christine Vestal Stateline
ers. Some addiction experts also argue the plant could be used as an alternative to methadone, buprenorphine and Vivitrol in medication-assisted therapy for opioid addiction. Used for centuries to fight fatigue, pain and anxiety in Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea and Thailand, kratom was rarely taken in the United States until recently. Now, with growing concerns about the dangers of prescription painkillers, an estimated 3 to 5 million people are using kratom and reporting positive results, based on information from retailers. But worries that the unregulated plant product could be abused for its mild euphoric qualities and users could become addicted are spurring federal officials to issue public health warnings — and a handful of states and cities to impose bans. North Carolina is among several states to have considered a study or ban on the plant product, including Florida, Kentucky, New Hampshire, New Jersey
CARRBORO — On a sunny November afternoon, a steady stream of customers walks through the doors of a Carrboro cafe called Oasis for a cup of an increasingly popular herbal beverage. The menu offers coffee, black tea, beer, wine and pastries, but nearly everyone opts for a $5 mug of kratom (pronounced KRAY-dum). A powder ground from the leaves of an indigenous Southeast Asian tree related to the coffee plant, kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) offers pain relief and mood enhancement, similar to prescription painkillers. Advocates say the substance could help reduce the nation’s reliance on highly addictive and often deadly prescription painkill- See KRATOM, page A2
Washington scrambles for a fix as shutdown looms Immigration deal standoff threatens federal jobs and services By Donna King North State Journal RALEIGH — The federal government will shutdown Friday night if lawmakers on Capitol Hill do not pass a spending bill or another continuing resolution. A trillion dollars in spending needs to be approved to avoid the shutdown; money officially ran out Dec. 8, but was extended with continuing resolutions, most recently to Jan. 19. With that deadline looming and political tension high, the Republican majority is working to get a deal pulled together quickly, while the Democrat minority tries to balance getting what they want for undocumented immigrants with a strategy to use a shutdown against President Donald Trump and Republicans in 2020 midterms. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said he is confident that there will not be a government shutdown, as lawmakers scramble to negotiate spending legislation to keep it operating. The last time the government was shut down was in 2013 and previously in 1996. Federal government shutdowns can stop many federal services, but postal service, Social Security and other benefits generally continue. Processing of passport applications, mortgages and small business loans can be delayed among other things. National parks and museums generally close and many non-defense federal employees are furloughed. In 2013, 40 percent, or 850,000 federal workers, were told to stay home for two weeks without pay. The disruption looks bad regardless of which party is in power, so lawmakers are working on a fix, but bipartisanship is in short supply, according to those on Capitol Hill. In the House a spending bill would pass with Republican votes but in the Senate, a spending bill needs 60 votes to pass, and Republicans hold a slim 51-49 majority there. At least some Democratic votes are needed to pass
INSIDE N.C. is already preparing for the 2020 census. Jones & Blount
5
20177 52016 $2.00
8
a measure. However, Democrats say they won’t sign a spending measure without protection for 800,000 recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a program created by executive order under President Barak Obama in 2012. A Trump executive order sunsets the program in March, and on Tuesday the White House said they’ll ask the Supreme Court to overturn the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision last week that said the administration had to keep taking DACA applications while lawsuits over it continued. “It defies both law and common sense for DACA ... to somehow be mandated nationwide by a single district court in San Francisco,” said U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Trump has said he’s willing to make a deal to help the Dreamers, but he has insisted that funding for border security, including the wall along the U.S. border with Mexico he promised as a presidential candidate, be included in any legislative package. “We just got to back up a little bit and say we’re not that far away on border security, we’re not that far away on the diversity lottery, we’re not that far away from a reasonable, sustainable DACA provision and program for this population that’s worried sick about what happens on March 5,” Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said in an interview on Fox News Tuesday. The head of the Department of Homeland Security, Kirstjen Nielsen, told lawmakers on Tuesday that even if there is not a fix by March for so-called Dreamers, those who have registered with federal authorities will not be a top target for deportation. “If you are a DACA that’s compliant with your registration — meaning you haven’t committed a crime and you in fact are registered — you are not a priority of enforcement for ICE should the program end,” she said. Lawmakers are expected to try to pass a spending bill before Friday that includes a $4.7 billion increase for missile defense and ship repair and $81 billion in additional disaster aid.
North State Journal for Wednesday, January 17, 2018
A2 WEDNESDAY
01.17.18 #111
“The whole state. The whole story.” Visit North State Journal online! nsjonline.com jonesandblount.com nsjsports.com carolinabrewreview.com chickenbonealley.com
We stand corrected To report an error or a suspected error, please email: corrections@nsjonline.com with “Correction request” in the subject line.
Charlotte Pipe gives tax reform bonuses By Donna King North State Journal CHARLOTTE — Charlotte Pipe and Foundry joined the growing list of companies to deliver pay bonuses to their employees after the Republican-led tax cut dropped corporate and individual income taxes for most Americans. Charlotte Pipe will give all associates $1,000 each on March 15. “We are excited to share the benefits of our associates’ diligent efforts, loyalty, and dedication to Charlotte Pipe, and the benefits that will accrue from The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” said Roddy Dowd, Jr., CEO of Charlotte Pipe and Foundry. The company is based in Charlotte with seven plants across the U.S. making cast iron and plastic pipe fittings. The majority of their 1,400 employees are in North Carolina. More than 130 other large and small companies across the country have committed bonus pay for two million employees after the new law cut the corporate rate to 21 percent from 35 percent. Some of the other companies include Walmart, Southwest Airlines, American Airlines Group Inc, Comcast, JetBlue, AT&T, U.S. Bank, Nationwide In-
KRATOM from page A1 North State Journal (USPS 20451) (ISSN 2471-1365) Neal Robbins Publisher Donna King Editor Cory Lavalette Managing/Sports Editor Frank Hill Senior Opinion Editor
Published each Wednesday by North State Media, LLC 819 W. Hargett Street, Raleigh, N.C. 27603 TO SUBSCRIBE: 704-269-8461 or online at nsjonline.com Annual Subscription Price: $25.00 Periodicals Postage Paid at Raleigh, N.C. and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: North State Journal 819 W. Hargett Street Raleigh, N.C. 27603.
Get in touch!
www nsjonline.com
North State Journal
@nsjnews
and New York. Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Tennessee, Vermont, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia have already banned kratom, along with at least three cities — Denver, San Diego and Sarasota, Fla. Sen. Tom McInnis (R-Scotland) filed legislation to add kratom to the Schedule 1 controlled substance list, and the N.C. House filed a measure to study kratom’s effects and availability, but neither measure was passed into law. The Drug Enforcement Administration last year said it intended to classify the herbal supplement as an illegal Schedule 1 drug, along with heroin, LSD and marijuana. But after public demonstrations, letters from Congress and a petition with more than 142,000 signatures, the agency put the proposal on hold. Last month, Food and Drug Administration chief Scott Gottlieb issued a public health warning, citing 36 deaths in which kratom was present, but not necessarily the cause. About 50,000 Americans die of drug overdoses each year. In addition, the FDA, which has been seizing imports of kratom at U.S. ports since 2013, stepped up import enforcement. The agency also cited a 10fold increase in kratom-related calls to poison centers between 2010 and 2015 — from 26 calls to 263, out of roughly 2.2 million calls a year. And Gottlieb warned about the unknown risks of using kratom to treat opioid addiction, saying he fears some kratom may have been laced with opioids, and that the FDA needs to conduct
surance, AT&T Inc, Fiat/Chrysler, Old Dominion Freight Line, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America, also based in Charlotte. The tax cuts and bonus announcements came just after holiday spending jumped 5.5 percent — its biggest gain since 2005. Sales in November and December rose to $691.9 billion, compared with $655.8 billion the previous year, excluding sales at restaurants, automobile dealers and gasoline stations, the National Retail Federation said. NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said a number of factors contributed to surging economic confidence including a pickup in income, a rising stock market, unemployment levels at 17-year lows and the timing of the taxcuts. "When that got passed and companies started to announce bonuses and wage increases, the consumer felt very much more at ease going into the holiday season and spending," Kleinhenz said in an interview. The nation’s largest retailer, Walmart, announced a minimum pay hike to eleven dollars, a onetime cash bonus based on length of service, and expanded maternity and parental leave benefits.
more study on the plant’s potential benefits. Oasis owner Robert Roskind says the controversy has only improved business by focusing attention on what he says is still a little-known plant with huge benefits and few drawbacks. “Except for the rare upset stomach or lightheadedness, it has helped nearly everyone,” he said. “And it’s cheap. I have about 300 customers and most come here several times a week. Some buy take-home packages.” A group of UNC Chapel Hill students sit on floor pillows in a corner, reading and working on laptops. Kratom sharpens their focus when they need to study for an exam, one student said. “It’s like coffee without the jitters.” Bob Whyte, a well-dressed 80-year-old businessman from Chapel Hill, stands out. A self-described straight-laced “boy scout,” he said he’s been drinking kratom three times a day to relieve severe back pain from failed surgery. “I’d been taking tramadol and hydrocodone consistently for two years when I found out about kratom,” he said. Whyte said his doctors didn’t want him to keep taking the highly addictive prescription painkillers, and they had no objections when he told them he was switching to kratom. The American Society of Addiction Medicine said that the plant’s primary active ingredients, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, should be researched for their pain relief and addiction treatment potential, but also argued in comments to the DEA last year that the whole botanical product, like the powder sold at Oasis, should be made illegal.
PHOTO COURESTY OF CHARLOTTE PIPE AND FOUNDRY
However, Walmart also took heat because it is closing ten percent of their Sam’s Club locations, two in N.C. The company said that the closures are part of an increasing focus on online sales and a dozen of the locations will be converted to fulfillment centers. Senate Democrats, none of whom voted for the tax cut, are still critical of the changes, saying they benefit the wealthy and add to the federal deficit. Senate Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called the employee bonuses “crumbs.” However, employers say that the bonuses are likely just the begin-
ning. “Our corporate tax rate, which has been the highest of any country in the developed world, will now be on par with the average tax rate of these same countries,” said Dowd. “Investments in new machinery and equipment will be more attractive, and opportunities to expand our business should increase.” The changes to tax brackets took effect on January 1st, while changes to withholdings in paychecks will begin as early as February. The doubling of the standard deduction will be in effect for 2018 taxes filed in April 2019.
Asheville country club faces discrimination lawsuit Two employees sue for workplace violations By NSJ Staff RALEIGH — An exclusive golf club near Asheville is facing allegations of discrimination based on disability and age and has been sued by a current employee and a former employee over alleged workplace violations. The Biltmore Forest County Club (BFCC) has been sued by a former employee of its Men’s Grill and by its current golf shop manager. The club, according to its website, is a private, invitation-only club located in Asheville. Last month, Carlos Rodeia, a former server and manager of the Men’s Grill at BFCC, sued BFCC alleging wrongful discharge and violations of the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967. On Jan. 5, 2018, longtime golf shop manager Sheila Fender sued BFCC and 14 John Doe defendants who are, according to a civil complaint, members of the club’s board of governors, alleging violations of the N.C. Wage & Hour Act and federal Fair Labor Standards Act for failure to pay her overtime. “All Mrs. Fender seeks is to put a halt to the discrimination and retaliation alleged in recent legal actions filed by multiple longtime Biltmore Forest Country Club employees and to rectify the club’s failure to pay her overtime wages as required by state and federal wage laws so that she can continue her work for a club that she loves and has faithfully served for more than 44 years,” said Fender’s attorney,
Kellam Warren of Mainsail Lawyers. Within the pleadings filed by Fender, Exhibit A was a letter addressed to the club’s board of governors on Dec. 5, 2017, in which she reiterated her allegations related to wage and hour claims and made allegations of workplace discrimination by the club’s golf pro, Jon Rector. She also alleged in her letter that the club’s management now forbids her from attending the club’s annual shareholder meeting though she is a shareholder. Fender’s letter asked the board to terminate Rector immediately. Biltmore Forest Country Club responded to Fender’s Dec. 5 letter through its lawyer, Jon Yarbrough of the law firm Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete LLP of Asheville, on Jan. 1, 2018. Yarbrough’s letter, addressed to Fender’s lawyer, Kellam Warren of Mainsail Lawyers of Asheville, said “the Board appreciates Ms. Fender’s long service to the club,” but that Fender’s demand for “the termination of Head Golf Professional Jon Rector is unacceptable.” Yarbrough’s letter also noted that Rector “has the full and continued support of the board of governors” and that “the club is not going to terminate his employment.” When reached for comment by North State Journal, Yarbrough stated that the club “prevailed at the EEOC level” with respect to allegations by Rodeia and that the club had removed Rodeia’s lawsuit “to a federal court and filed the appropriate motion to dismiss.” With respect to Fender’s lawsuit, Yarbrough said, “we are aware of it, but it hasn’t been served.”
Want to learn more about North Carolina Agriculture?
The First Furrow www.FirstFurrow.com
North State Journal for Wednesday, January 17, 2018
n.c.
BUSINESS
A3
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT Sponsored by
Two Shelby Treasures: Earl Scruggs and the Center that Honors Him It’s a widely held belief that without Earl Scruggs, there simply wouldn’t be bluegrass music. Even if you’re not a bluegrass fan or you’ve never heard of playing a banjo “Scruggs style,” you can’t go wrong with a visit to the Earl Scruggs Center. Located in the restored 1907 Cleveland County Courthouse, in the heart of the public power city of Shelby, the center isn’t your typical somber museum full of relics. It is a vibrant, interactive tribute to this treasure of a man and the community where he grew up and developed his innovative style. You don’t just look at exhibits; you hear, see and experience the impact Scruggs had on the world. You can pick up a banjo and play, or get a full interactive experience on the touch-screen tabletop display. Brownie Plaster, one of the driving forces behind the center, says, “This isn’t just a place you visit once. You’ll want to come back again and again, and you’ll learn something new every time.” PHOTOS COURTESY OF HALIFAX COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Students in Halifax and Northampton counties will benefit from new technicial training facility.
n.c. FAST FACTS
Plan your first visit at earlscruggscenter.org.
Halifax CC receives $2m to boost advanced manufacturing training opportunities in NC
Sponsored by
The Economic Snapshot series from the N.C. Department of Commerce provides a look into the condition of North Carolina’s economy, based on 14 indicators. The Snapshots also compare North Carolina to other states. There are currently four indicators available: State GDP, Occupational Mix, Industry Mix and Labor Force.
Eastern N.C. benefits from federal grant for development of corporate training facility expected to bring jobs and private investment to the area
Approved Logos
This week, NSJ focuses on the Occupational Mix snapshot:
Overall, North Carolina’s top employing occupational groups were similar to those of comparison states and the nation. Many of these top occupational groups experienced a decline in employment over the last five years, in addition to significant employment declines in traditional occupational groups such as Construction and Production. However, strong employment growth occurred in occupational groups such as Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations, Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations, and Computer and Mathematical Occupations. When ranked by employment, each of the top five occupation groups in North Carolina had median hourly earnings of $15.21 or less. These occupations accounted for 51 percent of the state’s total jobs. When looking at the top occupational groups among comparison states, North Carolina had the same top five employing occupation groups as the nation and multiple comparison states including Georgia, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina.
By Laura Ashley Lamm North State Journal WELDON — As part of training the workforce in Halifax and Northampton Counties, Halifax Community College is preparing for the building of a new facility aimed at increasing the job market and improving the local economy while improving the quality of life for students through training and development in Advanced Manufacturing. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced the Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $2 million grant to Halifax Community College to assist in the building of the college’s Advanced Manufacturing and Corporate Training Center. The project is expected to create more than 120 jobs and generate approximately $19 million in private investment. “A key focus of the Trump Administration is ensuring that American workers have the skills to succeed in the face of global competition,” said Ross. “The new Halifax Community College Advanced Manufacturing and Corporate Training Center will help provide local businesses with an able workforce, stimulating future growth in the community.” The training center will house curriculum and short-term training programs for industrial systems technology, welding technology and automotive systems technology. In addition, the center will serve as a creative space where businesses and in-
dustries can upgrade the skills of their current employees and new hires. The Small Business Center, which offers assistance to residents at no cost, will expand offering more opportunities to create new small businesses in the area. In addition, Halifax will create a career development and placement center for students. This project was made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments. EDA funds allow the Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments to bring together the public and private sectors to create an economic development roadmap to strengthen the regional economy, support private capital investment, and create jobs. "This EDA Grant award is the culmination of the efforts of many individuals who are committed to the economic advancement of Halifax and Northampton counties. We anticipate that this state-of-the-art facility will, among other things, significantly improve the college's ability to meet the future workforce needs of our community,” said Dr. Michael A. Elam, president of Halifax Community College. “This facility is going to let us practically double in size each of the three programs – welding, automotive technologies, and industrial technologies. So, we will be able to offer more training to more residents that will lead, ultimately, to more jobs,” added Elam. The core programs of welding, automotive technologies and industrial technologies provides students with a hands-on curriculum designed to prepare them for successful careers as technicians in fields where workers are needed. In welding technology, students are provided with an understanding of the science, tech-
nology, and applications essential for employment in the welding and metal industry as an entry-level technician. Students completing industrial technology courses are prepared to safely service, maintain, repair, or install equipment. Instruction includes theory and skill training needed for inspecting, testing, troubleshooting, and diagnosing industrial systems. “The first thing I tell my students is in 14.5 seconds, the sun provides enough energy to power the world for the rest of the day. This is a huge opportunity for our students,” said Jason Bone, Industrial Systems Technology instructor and solar energy program instructor. “Being a new energy, there aren’t many people trained in it right now. If you have a credential in solar, you’re going to get snagged up in a heartbeat,” he added. Upon completion of this curriculum, graduates should be able to safely install, inspect, diagnose, repair, and maintain industrial process and support equipment. In the Automotive Systems Technology, students are prepared for employment as automotive service technicians. This program provides an introduction to automotive careers and increases student awareness of the challenges associated with this fast and ever-changing field. Through the building of the new training facility, Halifax Community College will be able to double its current offerings to students. “We’re excited. This is a great opportunity for our region to benefit economically from this center. We’re going to build the best one we can possibly build and continue to serve the workforce needs of northeastern North Carolina,” said Elam.
Listen Live Weekdays 9am - 11am
CHADADAMSSHOW.COM
Listen to the north state journal staff every monday at 10:05am
Happy New Year from Sparky the Safety Squirrel! Sparky has come a long way since leading a scurry of repugnant rodents that caused nearly 3,500 power outages to almost 195,000 U.S. electric customers back in 2016. Now, Sparky is full of tips for staying safe around electricity and for reducing your energy bill. Kicking off the new year, Sparky asks, “What will you resolve to do to save energy in 2018?” • Replace all your traditional light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps. They use 75 percent less energy and last much longer. • Keep your refrigerator set at 37-40 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer set at 5 F. • Set a monthly reminder to check your air filters. If they’re dirty, replace them. • Ensure your home is fully insulated. If the R-value of your attic insulation is R19 or lower, add more insulation. • Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120 F, and insulate the storage tank. • Use foam sealant around pipes under sinks and in your attic. For more tips, visit the NC Public Power channel on YouTube, and follow @ElectriCitiesNC on Twitter and @ElectriCities on Facebook.
North State Journal for Wednesday, January 17, 2018
A4
North State Journal for Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Murphy to Manteo
Jones & Blount jonesandblount.com @JonesandBlount
NC to start verifying addresses ahead of 2020 Census
Bike the Blue Ridge Parkway Visit the House of Mugs (or Collettsville Cup House)
Hike to the top of Hanging Rock
Visit the observation tower at Clingman’s Dove
Take in a movie or concert at the outdoor theater at the N.C. Art Museum Weekend tour of N.C. lighthouses, Currituck to Old Baldy
Skim down Sliding Rock Benson Mule Days
Take a dip in Looking Glass Falls The dawn of a New Year is ripe with possibilities. Where will we go, what will we do, what new sights are there to see and new experiences to be had? While the start of a new year is usually filled with resolutions that don’t quite make it to February, one resolution that offers year-long motivation is tackling items on your bucket list. When it comes to North Carolina, a state filled with more than a few bucket list items, who’s best to ask about their 2018 must-do adventures than those who write about the state each day? North State Journal staff contributed their bucket list items for 2018 — a few you might want to try yourself.
Donor gives 21 acres for Blue Ridge Parkway Jackson County Five undeveloped home sites were donated to the Blue Ridge Parkway by a Florida man this week. The property known as Woodfin Creek Headwaters will go to the Conservation Trust for North Carolina. The trust says they will give the property to the National Park Service, along with 25 acres of adjoining property in Jackson County.
Roaster leads others to coffee business after fire Watauga County Bald Guy Brew in Boone is reopening off of Old U.S 421 to offer classes to the public in the art of roasting coffee beans. Owner Don Cox started the Coffee Roasting Institute Blue Ride Campus last year for professionals after his business suffered a fire in 2016. Now, starting in 2018, the general public can take the roasting workshops approved by the Specialty Coffee Association.
CITIZEN TIMES
PIEDMONT Raleigh’s economy named No. 2 in the nation Wake County Raleigh gained new recognition this week for attracting and keeping quality jobs. The Milken Institute, a California think tank, named the City of Oaks the second best performing city in the nation in terms of economic vitality. The ranking measures wages, jobs and technology. In 2015 and 2016, Raleigh held the No. 6 spot.
Charlotte woman kills self and two children Mecklenburg County Detectives say 34-year-old Christina Treadway, of Charlotte, killed herself jumping off a bridge and onto Interstate 485 on Saturday, after killing her two children. Charlotte Mecklenburg Police say they were called to the scene on I-485 and then went to the woman’s home where they found her children. Her 3-year-old-daughter and 7-year-old son later died at a hospital.
FAYETTEVILLE OBSERVER
Charlotte march remembers MLK
Buncombe and Jackson counties N.C.’s tourism division is promoting a three-day tour of sites where Fox Searchlight’s award-winning “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” was filmed. The three-day trip planner leads visitors through Sylva, Dillsboro, Black Mountain, Asheville and Maggie Valley. “Three Billboards” won four Golden Globes, including best dramatic film and acting awards for Frances McDormand and Sam Rockwell. It is the story of a grieving mother who fights with local authorities over solving the murder of her daughter. The state organized a similar promotional tour for 2012’s “The Hunger Games,” also filmed in western N.C. WWW.VISITNC.COM
Changes to deer hunting season are on the table Burke County The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is proposing changes to white-tailed deer hunting seasons in the mountains. Proposed rules would make the opening of western N.C. gun season for deer the Saturday after Thanksgiving and it would last for six weeks, closing the first Sunday in January. For this year, the dates would be Nov. 24, 2018 to Jan. 6, 2019. The Wildlife Commission will hold public hearings to take comment on the proposed rule changes. For more information visit ncwildlife.org. WCNC.COM
Drink a Pepsi at its birthplace in New Bern
Beaufort Maritime Museum
Big Rock Blue Marlin Fishing Tournament
DAILYCOFFEENEWS.COM
NC promotes “Three Billboards” sites
By Donna King North State Journal
Watch a performance at Snow Camp Outdoor Theatre
lake lure
WEST
A5
Drug ring arrests in Greensboro Guilford County A six-month investigation brought down a major drug ring in Greensboro this month. Federal and state agents seized a Rolls-Royce, a Corvette Stingray and about $1 million worth of narcotics, they say. Officials say Jaquate Javon Simpson, 33, of Greensboro, led an “impressive” operation and was arrested along with 10 other people last week on charges of drug trafficking in the areas of Greensboro, High Point, Winston-Salem, Thomasville and the surrounding counties. WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL
Mecklenburg County Crowds gathered Monday morning at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte and marched to Marshall Park to lay a wreath at the Martin Luther King Jr. statue. Newly sworn-in Mayor Vi Lyles laid the wreath with other community leaders and joined the crowd in singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Over the weekend, N.C. joined other states in launching a new website that maps a “civil rights trail” to help promote civil rights tourism in the South. The map has more than 100 locations and three in N.C. WSOC-TV
EAST Pastor and wife killed in SUV by oncoming train Edgecombe County A Whitakers couple was killed after their vehicle tried to cross railroad tracks ahead of an oncoming Amtrak train over the weekend. Eugene and Dorothy Lyons, who were in their 60s, were killed Sunday afternoon about 70 miles east of Raleigh. Whitakers Police Chief Darrell Cofield told local media that they were not sure why Dorothy Lyons drove their SUV around a lowered crossing arm and into the path of the passing train. WRAL.COM
Summer camping with the wild ponies on Shackleford Banks
Students take a virtual field trip to D.C. with C-SPAN Nash County Students at Northern Nash High School got an inside look at making the news when C-SPAN’s 45-foot customized motor coach visited last week as part of its “50 Capitals Tour.” C-SPAN is heading to every U.S. state capital so students can explore the vehicle’s interactive experience with 11 large-screen tablets featuring C-SPAN programming, a high-definition TV production studio for taped and live programming, a 360-degree video station featuring C-SPAN’s coverage of high-profile events and behind-thescenes tours of U.S. landmarks. GREENVILLE DAILY REFLECTOR
Board of Commissioners seat gets attention ahead of filing period Dare County A seat on the Dare County Board of Commissioners has multiple Republicans throwing their hats in the ring. Two local GOP officials, Avon Precinct Leader Ed Danko and Party Treasurer Anne Petera, say they will run for the board’s at-large seat, currently held by Republican Jack Shea. Shea has reportedly not announced whether he will run again. Both Danko and Petera describe themselves as conservative Republicans. The filing period for candidates is from Feb. 12 through Feb. 28.
Fire kills 1, damages 5 mobile homes Wilson County A fire that killed one person is under investigation by the Wilson Fire Department. According to officials, on Tuesday morning firefighters were called to the 300 block of Harper Street in Wilson to find a singlewide mobile home engulfed in flames and four other mobile homes damaged. Crews discovered a fatality at the scene. The victim has not been identified and investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire and the cause of death.
OUTER BANKS SENTINEL WTVD-TV
RALEIGH — North Carolina is joining other states as lawmakers consider spending state money to help verify addresses ahead of the 2020 U.S. Census, said Todd Graham, chair of the Census State Data Centers network, which polled states last year on their readiness for the count. Amid fears that a lack of money will prevent an accurate count, states are gearing up to identify the people the 2020 count is most likely to miss. Residents of isolated rural areas, immigrants and people who just don’t trust the government are among those who tend to be undercounted in the decennial census. The apportionment of U.S. House seats and nearly $590 billion in annual federal funding depend on the count, so state and local officials have a keen interest in making sure their residents don’t fall through the cracks. The current task for state and local officials is to verify the Census Bureau’s residential address list: Starting in February, the bureau will turn over address lists to states and local governments for double-checking that must be finished within 120 days. Federal census takers, paid with federal money, are the only authorized counters, so states and localities will have a limited role once the actual counting begins in 2020. However, for the first time, people will be able to fill out census forms online, and state and local officials can help boost response rates by providing internet access, at libraries and other sites, to people who don’t have it at home. While Census officials have requested a
record $15.6 billion to conduct the count, they hope that the shift to online responses and new strategies such as using aerial photography to inspect new housing developments will save money. But the changes are untested. “This will be the first high-tech census,” said Terri Ann Lowenthal, former staff director of the U.S. House panel that oversees the census. “Nobody’s arguing with the need to automate in this day and age. There will be new economies of scale but there will be new risks as well.” Robert Rhatigan, associate director of Geospatial and Population Studies at the University of New Mexico, said the financial uncertainty means states will have to pick up some of the slack. Republican Gov. Susana Martinez tapped Rhatigan to lead the address checks in New Mexico. “What we’re realizing now with these new funding concerns is that we need to do more,” he said. “We can’t depend on the federal government to do everything it did in the past.” Other states are also allocating money to support the double-checking of census records, including Massachusetts and Minnesota, which have each set aside $190,000, and Michigan has devoted two full-time jobs to its effort. In New York, where state lawmakers have not allocated any money for address checks, Cornell University’s Program on Applied Demographics has set up a computer system called NYBBLES to enable local officials to compare census address lists to a variety of state data and imagery. Pew Research Center contributed to this report.
House GenX bill sent to Rules in Senate By NSJ Staff The N.C. General Assembly resumed session on Tuesday after session last week saw some appointments to the utilities commission and movement on a GenX bill in the House. The measure creates the Committee for N.C. River Quality and would require state agencies to open more lines of communication between them on water quality and study man-made chemical compounds, including GenX, that are showing up in water around the state. It passed the House unanimously, but was referred to the Rules Committee in the Senate. The bill requires that the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality study the federal Pollutant Discharge Elimination System and share water pollution data with neighboring states. H.B. 189 also allots more that $2 million for water quality sampling operations, something that drew criticism from Senate Republicans. “Senate Republicans have already
shown we are serious about finding real solutions that will actually improve water quality in the Cape Fear River and hold violators accountable for dumping GenX into the region’s water supply,” Senate leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) said in a statement to reporters. “That’s why several months ago we passed legislation to immediately and directly address the problem of GenX contamination in the lower Cape Fear region.” H.B. 189, Short-Term Response to Emerging Contaminants, quickly passed the House last Wednesday and passed first reading in the Senate before it was referred to Rules. The money in the bill was partially intended to allow DEQ to buy equipment, including a high-resolution mass spectrometer to identify chemicals in state drinking water. The Senate is expected to bring its own version of a GenX bill during spring’s short session, when studies commissioned by the state legislature last year are due to be presented.
North State Journal for Wednesday, January 17, 2018
A6
north STATEment Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor | Troy Kickler, deputy opinion editor
VISUAL VOICES
EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL
Ending the Sisyphean task of recruiting car companies to N.C.
The last time a U.S. senator from N.C. served on the all-powerful Senate Appropriations Committee for any appreciable length of time was a decade before World War.”
WANT TO GET a major car manufacturing plant to come to North Carolina? Vote for a U.S. senator who will get on the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee first. Then a car manufacturing plant may follow sometime in the future. North Carolina has spent a lot of time, money and effort to get an automobile company to come to the state over the past 25 years with nothing to show for it yet. North Carolina just lost out to Alabama for the Toyota Mazda plant after losing to South Carolina for the crucial BMW plant long ago and then to Alabama for a Mercedes-Benz operation soon after. Volvo and Volkswagen deals have come and gone to other states along with others over the years. We might as well save our taxpayer money, time and effort for other projects that have a higher chance of actually coming to North Carolina. Until we get a U.S. senator on Senate Defense Appropriations, that is. North Carolina is the only Southern state that does not have a major defense manufacturing facility building military jets, tanks or ships. There is a direct correlation between that fact and the absence of a North Carolina senator sitting on Senate Defense Appropriations. North Carolina is the only Southern state without a major automobile manufacturing facility such as BMW in South Carolina or VW in Tennessee. There is an indirect but strong correlation between that fact and no defense facilities due to the inconvenient fact that no North Carolina senator currently is sitting on Senate Defense Appropriations and hasn’t for what seems like an eternity. It has only been close to a century. The last time a U.S. senator from N.C. served on the all-powerful Senate Appropriations Committee for any appreciable length of time was a decade before World War II. 1931. Sen. Lee Overman. He retired 87 years ago. North Carolina has sent more U.S. senators to Washington since World War II than perhaps any other state in the South. Perhaps the entire nation, exempting Hawaii and Alaska. Twenty North Carolinians have served in the U.S. Senate since WWII. None have served on Senate Defense Appropriations. Not Sens. Reynolds, Hoey, Broughton, Graham, Smith, Lennon, Scott, Ervin, Jordan, Helms,
Morgan, East, Broyhill, Sanford, Faircloth, Edwards, Dole, Hagan, Burr or Tillis. Lots of economic and business factors go into the decision-making for any major corporation to move to a new state to set up manufacturing facilities. However, when it comes to defense manufacturing plants and jobs, nothing is more important than having a U.S. senator on Senate Appropriations to steer investments to their state and support the appropriations necessary to build and sustain the program. States such as South Carolina, Alabama and Mississippi have elected and kept U.S. senators in office long enough to get on Appropriations and then serve on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee where all the major defense programs and materiel production are considered every year. Once a U.S. senator gets on Defense Approps and steers a few defense contracts to their home states, then the level of specialized training for defense workers goes way up in that state and other companies such as automobile companies can come in and poach qualified workers and technicians for their manufacturing facilities. As one missile defense engineer told me in Sen. Elizabeth Dole’s office: “Why would we come to North Carolina when we can go to Alabama and throw a rock into Huntsville and hit hundreds of highly trained and skilled aerospace and metallurgical engineers in their helmets and recruit them to come work for us after the federal government has basically paid for all of their training in these specialized areas?” Electing a U.S. senator from North Carolina to serve on the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee would end this Sisyphean effort for good. Footnote: Cameron Morrison was on the Senate Appropriations Committee for two short years from 1931-1933. Lauch Faircloth was the last N.C. senator on Senate Appropriations, for two short years as well from 1997-1999 and served on the District of Columbia subcommittee.
EDITORIAL | TROY KICKLER
North Carolina’s history helps us to be rather than to seem
Recently I was asked: Why should one emphasize North Carolina’s cultural and political history? Here are some answers.
THE STUDY of North Carolina can help North Carolinians understand who they are. Many people are interested in genealogy. To be sure, it’s interesting to learn that one’s great-great-great-great-great grandfather was revered (or maybe notorious). But, people are interested in genealogy to learn more about their roots and possibly about past influences regarding their present circumstances. In essence, they want to have a more thorough understanding of who they are. Studying about one’s home state — news, politics, culture or history — can help the North Carolinian, whether newcomer or native, learn more about whom he or she is. Also, generally speaking, such study can foster a better understanding of North Carolina’s current political and cultural environments. That said, there are more and more people moving to North Carolina, to name two reasons, for the growing economy and our beautiful natural resources. To be sure, the Old North State is an attractive place on many levels. But a familiarity with the state’s history and culture is needed to ensure that its identity and historical lessons — good and bad — are not forgotten. A study of North Carolina is also entertaining. Why not study, as North Carolina was referenced in 1900, “the vale of humility between two mountains of conceit”? (The evolution of that phrase’s usage
provides a fascinating history.) One can learn about the Halifax Resolves and the Wright Brothers. One can learn about the great divide regarding barbecue, or the numerous fascinating characters that comprise North Carolina’s past and culture. I am currently reading, for instance, a book about Col. David Fanning, a Tory who conducted raids in the Piedmont during the Revolutionary War. It seems one man’s hero can be another man’s villain. On a different level, the study of North Carolina history, culture and politics fills a void. Many are concerned with what their neighbors are doing in their communities. Many are interested in the national news and the happenings in Washington, D.C., and in other states. And they should be! For some, one or two economic or social issues motivate a passionate yet limited focus on North Carolina and its current policy without any, or little, attention to a broader North Carolina. The comprehensive study of North Carolina, as a distinct state, is equally important, and can help provide solutions to problems. Let me take this a step further. Within the context of the United States, more and more decisions that affect our daily lives, over the years, seem to be made at the national level. In American polity, however, there is something between the individual and national matters: the individual’s respective
state. Of course, as the political philosopher Edmund Burke would remind us, there are other institutional intermediaries, such as civic and religious ones. (There should also be local intermediaries between an individual and a state government.) So then, the study of North Carolina reminds one that the Old North State is a particular place, with distinctive cultures comprising a distinct history. By studying North Carolina more comprehensively, one then may learn how an imperfect intermediary can offer lessons to defend liberty. Finally, one learns that the state motto is Esse Quam Videri, or “to be rather than to seem.” The phrase comes from Cicero’s essay regarding friendship. Inevitably, serious discussions regarding politics and culture will include disagreements. I hope that all North Carolinians can agree that it’s best to avoid misrepresentation — whether pretentiousness or flattery — and invoke honesty.
North State Journal for Wednesday, January 17, 2018
A7
COLUMN | TED RALL
‘The Post’: No way today’s newspapers would publish the Pentagon Papers What reception would a Daniel Ellsberg (who leaked the Pentagon Papers) or an Edward Snowden get if they contacted a Post reporter today, under Bezos?
STEVEN SPIELBERG’S new movie “The Post” depicts a newspaper’s decision to defy the government, risk its financial health and imprisonment of its editors in order to report a hard truth and defend the press’ First Amendment rights by publishing the Pentagon Papers. After the Washington Post’s decision to inform the American people that top government officials had known that the Vietnam War was unwinnable yet had repeatedly lied about it for years, editor Ben Bradlee (played by Tom Hanks) dumps a pile of out-of-town newspapers on a desk for publisher Katherine Graham (Meryl Streep) to see. We’ve started a “rebellion,” Bradlee informs Graham. We’re no longer in speaking truth to power. No way would that happen today. I was pleased to see that “The Post” highlights the pressures and biases that weighed against publication: a publisher undermined by sexism and low expectations, a paper trying to raise capital under the eye of nervous bankers, the Nixon Administration’s take-noprisoners prosecutorial abuse by a vicious attorney general, and — not least — the Post’s cozy establishmentarianism, centered around Graham’s famous harddrinking salons where reporters hobnobbed with the officials they were supposed to cover objectively. After a lot of wavering and gnashing of lawyerly teeth, Graham finally makes the call: go to press. The key point of this story, which isn’t made in the movie and few younger moviegoers are likely to be aware of, is that it was her decision to make. The Graham family held controlling interest in the Washington Post Company. Great newspaper families like the Grahams, the Chandlers and the Sulzbergers were quirky and often had bad politics. But they also had something today’s corporate, publicly traded media outlets do not: editorial freedom.
Is ‘Fire and Fury’ fizzling? HE MOST disappointed people in America this past week must be those T Trump execrators who opened their Amazon
SHANNON STAPLETON (LEFT) JONATHAN ERNST (RIGHT) | REUTERS | FILES
A combination photo shows Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, left, in New York and President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, DC, on December 14, 2016 and on December 20, 2017 respectively.
They didn’t always do the right thing. But they could. So sometimes they did. Sadly, those days are gone. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, reportedly a right-leaning libertarian, bought the Post in late 2013. What reception would a Daniel Ellsberg (who leaked the Pentagon Papers) or an Edward Snowden get if they contacted a Post reporter today, under Bezos? Snowden’s case is indicative. The Post and three other papers published Snowden’s NSA leaks in 2013, months before Bezos took over. In 2016, the Bezos-owned Post called upon President Barack Obama to refuse Snowden’s pardon application. In so doing, wrote Glenn Greenwald, the Post “achieved an ignominious feat in U.S. media history: the first-ever paper to explicitly editorialize for the criminal prosecution of its own source — one on whose back the paper won and eagerly accepted a Pulitzer Prize for Public Service.” Even more obnoxiously, the Post’s Snowden editorial didn’t mention its major conflict of
interest related to intelligence agencies like the NSA. Amazon — the Post’s sister company under Bezos — had the CIA (where Snowden also worked) as a client. Given the Trump Administration’s attacks against “fake news” and the news media, it may seem paradoxical to suggest government action as a solution to the corruption of the news media as we’re seeing at outlets like The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times. But the evidence is clear. Outrageous deals such as these amount to government censorship of the news media — a violation of the First Amendment’s fundamental principle. Congress should prohibit such arrangements. Ted Rall’s (@tedrall) brand-new book is “Meet the Deplorables: Infiltrating Trump America,” co-written with Harmon Leon. His next book will be “Francis: The People’s Pope,” the latest in his series of graphic novel-format biographies. Publication date is March 13, 2018.
COLUMN | WALTER E. WILLIAMS
Constitutional ignorance — perhaps contempt
Many people whine that using the Electoral College instead of the popular vote and majority rule is undemocratic. I’d say that they are absolutely right.
HILLARY CLINTON blamed the Electoral College for her stunning defeat in the 2016 presidential election in her latest memoirs, “What Happened?” Some have claimed that the Electoral College is one of the most dangerous institutions in American politics. Why? They say the Electoral College system, as opposed to a simple majority vote, distorts the one-person, one-vote principle of democracy because electoral votes are not distributed according to population. To back up their claim, they point out that the Electoral College gives, for example, Wyoming citizens disproportionate weight in a presidential election. Put another way, Wyoming, a state with a population of about 600,000, has one member in the U.S. House of Representatives and two members in the U.S. Senate, which gives the citizens of Wyoming three electoral votes, or one electoral vote per 200,000 people. California, our most populous state, has more than 39 million people and 55 electoral votes, or approximately one vote per 715,000 people. Comparatively, individuals in Wyoming have nearly four times the power in the Electoral College as Californians. Many people whine that using the Electoral College instead of the popular vote and majority rule is undemocratic. I’d say that they are absolutely right. Not deciding who will be the president by majority rule is not democracy. But the Founding Fathers went to great lengths to ensure that we were a republic and not a democracy. In fact, the word democracy does not appear in the Declaration
MICHAEL BARONE
of Independence, the U.S. Constitution or any other of our founding documents. How about a few quotations expressed by the Founders about democracy? In Federalist Paper No. 10, James Madison wanted to prevent rule by majority faction, saying, “Measures are too often decided, not according to the rules of justice and the rights of the minor party, but by the superior force of an interested and overbearing majority.” John Adams warned in a letter, “Remember democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet, that did not commit suicide.” Edmund Randolph said, “That in tracing these evils to their origin, every man had found it in the turbulence and follies of democracy.” Then-Chief Justice John Marshall observed, “Between a balanced republic and a democracy, the difference is like that between order and chaos.” The Founders expressed contempt for the tyranny of majority rule, and throughout our Constitution, they placed impediments to that tyranny. Two houses of Congress pose one obstacle to majority rule. That is, 51 senators can block the wishes of 435 representatives and 49 senators. The president can veto the wishes of 535 members of Congress. It takes two-thirds of both houses of Congress to override a presidential veto. To change the Constitution requires not a majority but a two-thirds vote of both houses, and if an amendment is approved, it requires ratification by threefourths of state legislatures.
Finally, the Electoral College is yet another measure that thwarts majority rule. It makes sure that the highly populated states — today, mainly 12 on the east and west coasts, cannot run roughshod over the rest of the nation. That forces a presidential candidate to take into consideration the wishes of the other 38 states. Those Americans obsessed with rule by popular majorities might want to get rid of the U.S. Senate, where states, regardless of population, have two senators. Should we change representation in the House of Representatives to a system of proportional representation and eliminate the guarantee that each state gets at least one representative? Currently, seven states with populations of 1 million or fewer have one representative, thus giving them disproportionate influence in Congress. While we’re at it, should we make all congressional acts be majority rule? When we’re finished with establishing majority rule in Congress, should we then move to change our court system, which requires unanimity in jury decisions, to a simple majority rule? My question is: Is it ignorance of or contempt for our Constitution that fuels the movement to abolish the Electoral College? Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University. To find out more about Walter E. Williams and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.
package only to find that the copy of “Fire and Fury” they had ordered was subtitled “The Allied Bombing of Germany, 19421945.” It’s a well-regarded 2009 volume by University of Toronto historian Randall Hansen, who is surely grateful for the unanticipated royalties. But it’s not the red meat the customers were looking forward to consuming. Author Michael Wolff, whose royalties from a million sales in a week are much greater than Hansen’s, has made no secret that he expects that his book will “end” the Donald Trump presidency. He apparently thinks his book will reveal to millions of Americans, for the first time, that their emperor has no clothes. That’s unlikely to happen, for two reasons. One is that his “Fire and Fury” is laced with errors that reveal that the author, however knowledgeable he is about Manhattan media moguls, doesn’t know much about national politics. Dick Armey was never speaker of the House. Kellyanne Conway was not a down-ballot pollster. Trump was not ignorant of John Boehner’s existence. Wolff affects a Trump-like insouciance about such inaccuracies. “If it rings true, it is true,” he told NBC News’ Katy Tur. She responded, “Congratulations on the book, and congratulations on the president hating it.” The other reason Wolff’s ambitions may prove to be as unfulfilled as those of the former Trump aide who appears to have been his chief source, Steve Bannon, is that the gist of his indictment — to the extent it’s not fake news — is simply not news. Americans today, like American voters in November 2016, are aware that Trump makes outrageous and inaccurate statements. They know that his White House, like his campaign, is often in shambles, as have been many other presidential campaigns (read Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes’ “Shattered,” on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign) and first-year White Houses (go back and read about the Bill Clinton White House in 1993). No one supposes Trump has the discipline and gravitas of Dwight Eisenhower. But neither have most of his successors. “Fire and Fury” can be seen as the latest attempt to overturn the result of the 2016 election. Others have not fared well. Entertainers’ attempts to persuade presidential electors not to vote for their pledged candidate failed. And the charges that Trump secured his victory by collusion with Vladimir Putin’s Russia seem to be fizzling out. Instead, evidence suggests that the Obama FBI used Christopher Steele’s dossier — commissioned by Fusion GPS, which was hired by the Clinton campaign for opposition research — to undermine Trump. As Hillary Clinton said before her defeat, acquiescence in the peaceful transfer of power is one of the strengths of a representative democracy. Yet the impulse of many Democrats and never-Trumpers is to style themselves the “Resistance” and to attempt to overturn an election result they consider deplorable. The Wolff book is the latest example — and perhaps one that discredits the enterprise. “The anti-Trump movement, of which I’m a proud member, seems to be getting dumber,” writes New York Times columnist David Brooks in response. It suffers from “insularity,” he goes on, and from “lowbrowism.” As Brooks points out, Trump and the Republican-majority Congress are making attempts to govern. He sees, behind Trump’s tweets and tantrums, “a White House that is briskly pursuing its goals: the shift in our Pakistan policy, the shift in our offshore drilling policy, the fruition of our ISIS policy, the nomination for judgeships and the formation of policies on infrastructure, DACA, North Korea and trade.” Trump’s opening up to cameras his White House meeting with congressional leaders of both parties on immigration may have been an attempt to counter the picture Wolff presents. The president seemed knowledgeable about the issues and respectful in eliciting and listening to the views of others. He also seemed to be accepting contrary views and to be relinquishing his leverage as a chief executive with the power to veto legislation. That’s disturbing to those who want him to insist on legislative enactment of restrictions on chain migration, an end to the visa lottery, a requirement that employers use E-Verify and funding of the border wall. Also, it’s not clear that his administration is coming up with an infrastructure proposal in line with his campaign rhetoric or that it’s producing nominees for many important administrative positions. There’s plenty of room for criticism — which is likely to be more productive than attempting somehow to overturn an election.
North State Journal for Wednesday, January 17, 2018
A8
Charlotte Pipe and Foundry is proud to reward its associates with a $1,000 bonus. Thanks to the recent passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) by President Trump and the Republican Congress, Charlotte Pipe and Foundry is pleased to reward each of its hardworking associates with a special $1,000 bonus. The TCJA is already helping to boost manufacturing and strengthen the economy, as companies like ours are using the tax savings to provide bonuses and increase investment. These tax cuts will ultimately allow American manufacturing and craftsmanship to thrive more and more, year after year. The best part: it’s not only corporations that benefit from these tax cuts. American workers will likely see increases in their take-home pay from lower tax rates and increases in the standard deduction and child care credit. And that’s good news for everyone.
You can’t beat the system.®
91360_CPF_BuyAmerican_TCJA_NorthStateJournal.indd 1
1/16/18 10:19 AM
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2017
SPORTS
NC State’s Lennard Freeman is thriving under coach Kevin Keatts. Page B3
the Wednesday SIDELINE REPORT NASCAR
Danica Patrick dating QB Rodgers Danica Patrick on Monday confirmed the rumors that had been swirling for weeks — she is dating Aaron Rodgers. The famed auto racer told The Associated Press, “Yes, Aaron and I are dating.” The two met at the 2012 ESPYs, Patrick told the AP. She is an avid Bears fan but said, “Now I’m going to cheer for the Packers.” Patrick was previously dating fellow racer Ricky Stenhouse Jr., while Rodgers had broken off a three-year relationship with actress Olivia Munn last year.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Virginia moves to No. 2 in AP poll, Duke fifth, UNC 15th Virginia, picked to finish sixth in the ACC preseason poll, moved up another spot to No. 2 behind top-ranked Villanova in The Associated Press Top 25 poll released Monday. After wins against Syracuse and NC State last week, the Cavaliers received a first-place vote from a media panel in reaching their highest ranking since getting to No. 2 in the 2014-15 season. Villanova remained No. 1 for the second straight week, receiving 63 of 65 first-place votes after wins over Xavier and St. John’s. Purdue received the other firstplace vote and was third. Duke moved up two spots to fifth, and UNC climbed five spots to No. 15. The other ranked ACC teams are Clemson (20) and Miami (25).
Dundon: ‘I’m not going to be patient’
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
NC State backup QB transferring Wolfpack backup quarterback Jalan McClendon said Monday that he will leave for another school after receiving his degree from NC State in May. As a graduate transfer, he will be eligible to play immediately. McClendon appeared in 20 games during his three seasons at State, completing 26 of 47 passes for 262 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 223 yards and two scores. He has not yet decided at which school he will complete his college career.
Kenan Stadium to add chair backs, arm rests The University of North Carolina athletics department announced last week that it will install chair backs with arm rests throughout Kenan Stadium in an effort to “create a more comfortable and fan-friendly game day experience” for Tar Heels football games. The improvements will cost $6-6.5 million and will be paid for in part by a $6 “facility improvements fee” on each ticket. The seats, which will be 22 inches wide, will drop seating capacity at Kenan Stadium by approximately 12,000 — from the current 63,000 to about 51,000. Work on the improvements will begin in February, and the stadium bleachers will be replaced in both the upper and lower bowl, with the exception of the the student section. “I’m excited to see us continuing to work to enhance the fan experience at Kenan Stadium,” UNC football coach Larry Fedora said in a statement. “I know this is something that our fans wills enjoy and I appreciate the hard work of the athletic department and our facility management staff to make this happen.”
New Hurricanes owner promises sweeping changes to the fan experience and wants to build a winner LAUREN ROSE | NORTH STATE JOURNAL
By Cory Lavalette North State Journal RALEIGH — “This sweet tea is sweet. It’s not a thing at home.” Tom Dundon had joined one final group of reporters after a long day Friday being introduced as the new majority owner of the Carolina Hurricanes, giving a slight head turn as he sipped his drink. For the New York-born Texas billionaire, the Southeast’s beverage of choice will probably be an acquired taste. Hockey — which took time to take root in North Carolina — is already flowing through his veins.
The transfer of 61 percent of the NHL team — valued at more than $500 million — from Peter Karmanos Jr. to Dundon officially took place Thursday. The next day he was ushered around PNC Arena, speaking to a large crowd of media and employees at the official press conference on the second floor of the building he now operates, doing a live radio spot, and taking time to answer questions from a line of television crews getting their first chance to meet the man who now runs the Hurricanes. The stop at this table was his last of the event. But rather than
look tired or overwhelmed by the flurry of certainly repetitive questions, Dundon seemed determined to make clear his vision for his latest venture. “What’s fascinating to me ... is everything’s so close,” Dundon, 46, said. “If we do a really good job creating slight advantages across the organization, we can give ourselves a really good chance to compete, make the playoffs and, ultimately, win. And I think that makes the sport investable.” “Investable” might sound like a business term, but Dundon clearly
“We’re going to make good, rational decisions and we’re going to win, and I value winning more than money, but it doesn’t mean I want to burn it.” — Tom Dundon, Hurricanes majority owner
See HURRICANES, page B4
NC native Sampson rebuilds his coaching career at Houston Pembroke native has polished his tarnished reputation with off-the-court compassion and on-the-court success
By Brett Friedlander North State Journal
PETER G. AIKEN | USA TODAY SPORTS
Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson reacts during the Cougars game against the Wichita State Shockers.
GREENVILLE — It’s a good 2½-hour drive from Pembroke to East Carolina’s Minges Coliseum, too far for Kelvin Sampson to make the trip in the short time he was in North Carolina last weekend. So instead of visiting his hometown just this side of the South Carolina border, Sampson had a little piece of his hometown venture up Interstate 95 to visit him.
As satisfying as his team’s 65-49 victory against ECU might have been from a professional standpoint, the Houston basketball coach was never happier Sunday than the few moments he got to spend after the game catching up with the large group of family and friends that came to Greenville to see and support him. “I love Pembroke,” Sampson said. “I think the older I get, the more I love it. A lot of my role models and people that really helped me have died and so when I come back I always think about them. “My greatest role model was my mother. My hero was my dad and I’ve lost both of them. As soon as our charter landed in Greenville, I started thinking that they’d be See SAMPSON, page B4
North State Journal for Wednesday, January 17, 2018
B2 WEDNESDAY
1.17.17
TRENDING
Cam Lindley: The Chicago Fire is on the verge of trading the rights to the North Carolina Tar Heels midfielder to Orlando City SC because the team has reportedly been unable to reach a deal with Lindley, one of their top prospects. The trade to Orlando City would reportedly be in exchange for fullback Rafa Ramos and allocation funds. Lindley, a sophomore and ACC Midfielder of the Year, has helped the Tar Heels reach the College Cup semifinals in both of his seasons there.
Keith Jackson: The legendary sportscaster, who brought a folksy, excitable demeanor and downhome exclamations such as “Whoa, Nellie!” to 40 seasons of playby-play calling as the authoritative voice of college football for ABC Sports, died Friday at age 89. He was surrounded by his family, ABC reported.
Christian Wilkins: The Clemson standout defensive lineman has elected to return for his senior season. Wilkins, a two-time All-American, was considered to be a first-round pick if he entered the NFL draft with some forecasts tabbing him as a potential top-10 pick. Wilkins made 55 tackles in 2017 with 8.5 going for losses, including 4.5 sacks.
Mike Mularkey: The Tennessee Titans and their head coach mutually agreed to part ways in a surprise move Monday morning. The news comes just 36 hours after the Titans were routed by the New England Patriots 35-14 in a divisional playoff game on Saturday night.
beyond the box score POTENT QUOTABLES
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Everything was looking up for the Wolfpack when quarterback Ryan Finley announced he would be coming back for his final year of eligibility, but tailback Nyheim Hines’ decision to enter the NFL Draft left NC State without its two biggest backfield weapons — Hines and departing senior Jaylen Samuels — for 2018. He was followed by offensive tackle Will Richardson, a second-team AllACC performer, who will also forgo his senior season for the draft.
LAUREN ROSE | NORTH STATE JOURNAL
“I’ve already proven I’ll make an irrational financial decision if it means we can win.” New Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon on coming back to Peter Karmanos with a second offer to buy the team. IVAN PIERRE AGUIRRE | USA TODAY SPORTS
NFL
TENNIS
STEVE MITCHELL | USA TODAY SPORTS
“Fist bumps around here. No shaking hands.” Duke senior Grayson Allen on the Blue Devils trying to keep an illness from further infiltrating the team.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
100 Wins at NC State for women’s basketball coach Wes Moore, who hit triple digits with the Wolfpack’s 60-56 win over conference foe Syracuse on Sunday. Moore is in his fifth season at NC State after 15 years at Chattanooga. Moore has taken the Pack to the NCAA Tournament twice in his first four seasons, reaching the second round last year, and was named the Blue Ribbon Panel ACC Coach of the Year.
ISSEI KATO | REUTERS
BRACE HEMMELGARN | USA TODAY SPORTS
Greensboro native John Isner, the No. 16 player in the world, was bounced from tennis’ first Grand Slam tournament of the season, losing to native Matthew Ebden 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 at the Australian Open. The 32-year-old has reached one quarterfinal (2011 U.S. Open) in 39 career Grand Slam tournaments.
The NFL is down to four teams, and this weekend will determine who will play in Super Bowl LII on Feb. 4 in Minneapolis. The defending champion Patriots will host upstart Jacksonville at 3:05 p.m. (CBS) on Sunday, followed by Minnesota traveling to Philadelphia (FOX) at 6:40 p.m.
NBA
Hornets coach Steve Clifford is medically cleared to return to the sideline, the team announced last Thursday. Clifford, in his fifth year as the Hornets coach, has been away from the team since Dec. 6 to deal with an undisclosed health issue. The 56-year-old rejoined the team for practice Tuesday and is set to coach Charlotte against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday. The Hornets went 9-12 without Clifford and are 17-25 on the season. JEREMY BREVARD | USA TODAY SPORTS
Always Dry. Always Comfortable.
w w w . a l b e m a r l e b o at s . c o m
Find us on
North State Journal for Wednesday, January 17, 2018
B3
Can’t miss: Lennard Freeman’s uncanny shooting accuracy NC State’s fifth-year big man hitting nearly 70 percent under new coach Kevin Keatts By Shawn Krest North State Journal RALEIGH — Lennard Freeman missed all of last season, recovering from a leg injury. This year, he can’t miss at all. One of NC State’s big men, in his fifth year of college, Freeman has made nearly 70 percent of his shots — 75 of 110. He would lead the ACC in shooting accuracy by 40 points, if he had enough shots to qualify — he’s 15 made baskets short of the cutoff. Assuming he qualifies and maintains his shooting, Freeman would post the second-highest field goal percentage in conference history. “He’s big and strong and physical around the basket,” said Kevin Keatts, who has raved about Freeman’s work ethic and improvement since he was hired as NC State’s coach this past offseason. “From the time that I’ve taken the job, I’ve really concentrated on him scoring with his back to the basket. There are not a lot of guys that have the size he has. He’s becoming a really good post player for us. … He’s a guy we feel comfortable throwing the ball inside to.” Freeman’s on-court rebirth under Keatts almost didn’t happen. After redshirting last season, he considered finding a new school for his final season of eligibility when the Wolfpack made a coaching change. Then he did some research.
“I watched all the tape of UNCW,” Freeman said. “I feel like I got a good sense of it.” His conclusion? “It’s going to benefit me the most,” he recalled thinking. As Wolfpack fans and opponents have seen, Keatts plays an up-tempo style that is fed by an aggressive defense. A player that can pay attention and run the floor can pick up plenty of baskets in transition. “This system is good for bigs if they duck in and rim run,” Keatts said in December. “They get easy buckets.” A look at the types of shots Freeman is getting makes it clear just how much Keatts’ style has paid off for him. Of Freeman’s 110 shots, 97 have been layups, dunks or tip-ins. His 13 jumpers have all been inside the paint as well. The shot selection is typical of a Keatts big man. Last season, UNCW sophomore center Devontae Cacok led the nation with an .800 shooting percentage. He also set a school record with 82 dunks, out of 184 made shots. Prior to the Seahawks’ NCAA matchup with Virginia, he joked that he’d taken one jump shot — from the freethrow line — all season. “I’m onefor-one,” he said, adding that his shooting range was “about twoand-a-half feet.” In a near upset of the Cavaliers, Cacok went 5-of-6 from the field, with two dunks, two layups, a tipin and a missed jump hook near the basket. With a new head coach this season, Cacok has an expanded role, which means the opportunity to shoot from farther out. In UNCW’s most recent game, he missed
“This system is good for bigs if they duck in and rim run. They get easy buckets.” — Kevin Keatts, NC State coach five jump shots, and just four of his 12 shots were dunks or layups. As a result, his shooting percentage has fallen 177 points from last season. Including Cacok, the six holdover Seahawks from last year are shooting a combined .473 this year, down from .550 under Keatts last season. Meanwhile, the seven holdover Wolfpack players (including since-transferred Sean Kirk) are shooting .569 under Keatts, after combining for a .488 accuracy last year. Freeman is up 156 percentage points — from .526 to .682. Omer Yurtseven went from .457 to .606. Torin Dorn is at .555, up from .500. Of course, it’s easier to fatten a shooting percentage on dunks and layups against Bryant (Freeman went 8-of-11), Presbyterian (9-of-12) and South Carolina State (7-of-7) than against ACC competition. Through five conference games, Freeman has already seen it’s tougher to make shots. After shooting .744 in the nonconference schedule, he’s made just 17 of 32 ACC shots for a .531 percentage. On layups, he’s seen his accuracy fall from .762 in nonconference to .522 in ACC games. Freeman has also found it more difficult to find layups against the ACC. He’s getting 10 percent fewer
MATT CASHORE | USA TODAY SPORTS
NC State forward Lennard Freeman has taken to new coach Kevin Keatt’s system that rewards big men who get to the basket. layups, dunks and tips per game and already has seven jump shots in ACC play, after shooting just six in the 13-game nonconference slate. In the ACC, defenses are more physical, defenders more talented, and there are no secrets or surprises in the familiarity of the league. Since the 2010 season, the ACC leaders in field goal percentage for each season has seen his accuracy fall from .591 in the nonconference
Guard Kenny Williams and the Tar Heels have been a more perimeterbased offense this season.
slate to .570 in league games. It remains to be seen whether Keatts and Freeman will be able to make the adjustment to the new season, or whether Freeman’s shooting will go from other-worldly to merely human. Freeman doesn’t seem to be agonizing over it, however. “After sitting out last year, everything is fun,” he said. “The bus ride here is fun. Warming up is fun. Everything is fun.”
Longtime UNC Charlotte AD to retire Judy Rose will step down in May after 28 years running 49ers athletics By Brett Friedlander North State Journal
MATT CASHORE | USA TODAY SPORTS
UNC, Duke take on each other’s style Tar Heels switch to a perimeter game while Blue Devils, normally known for sharp shooting, are pounding the ball inside By Brett Friedlander North State Journal NORTH CAROLINA basketball coach Roy Williams is stubborn, He’ll tell you that himself, especially when it comes to his favored inside-out style of play. “I had three NBA coaches this summer tell me, ‘I hope you keep playing the same way you’re playing, because about everybody has gone to an open offense with nobody in the post,’” Williams said earlier this season. “They say, ‘Why are you doing that?’ I said, ‘Because I’m stubborn, but it’s what I believe in.’” To that end, Williams has tried as hard as he can to stick with his belief, even though the unexpected departure of Tony Bradley to the NBA Draft after just one college season left his roster devoid of experienced big men. But even as set in his ways as the Hall of Fame coach might be, he’s smart enough to know that you can only pound a round peg into a square hole so many times before you realize that it’s just not going to fit. You don’t win 829 games without being at least a little flexible. So while he continues to give young bigs Garrison Brooks and Sterling Manley as many minutes as possible, Williams has begun using a smaller, perimeter-oriented lineup increasingly more over the past few games. It’s a pattern that’s likely to continue as he looks to give
his Tar Heels their best chance at winning. “We want to have two big men because of the rebounding, but it’s just a different team this year,” said senior guard Joel Berry, who has started recent games alongside fellow guards Theo Pinson and Kenny Williams, wing Cameron Johnson and 6-foot-8 forward Luke Maye. “That small lineup is something that’s just hard to guard. When you have four guys out on the perimeter and one guy in, it spaces out the floor and they have to cover us going to the basket.” It’s a similar philosophy to the one usually associated with different Triangle team with a Hall of Fame coach and uniforms a slightly darker shade of blue. But not this year. In a coincidental reversal of roles, Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski has also stepped out of character in the way he has his team playing. Instead of playing positionless basketball with four or sometimes even five players on the court that are ready, willing and able to shoot from beyond the 3-point arc at every opportunity, Krzyzewski’s Blue Devils have taken a page out of rival UNC’s book by pounding the ball inside as much as possible. The reason is the arrival of 6-11, 234-pound freshman Marvin Bagley III and his 6-10, 258-pound classmate Wendell Carter Jr. — two of the nation’s best big men. “We’re a much different team than last year in that we’re big,” Krzyzewski said. “We’re very big and athletic. That doesn’t mean we can’t shoot, but we’re not the outside shooting force that we’ve been in some of these previous years.” It’s an adjustment that has been much easier for Krzyzewski to im-
plement than Williams’ switch to small ball because of the makeup of his team. With the exception of senior guard Grayson Allen, everyone in the Blue Devils’ rotation is either a freshman or his first season as a significant contributor. And Allen hasn’t had to adjust his game much. He still has the green light to shoot from the perimeter, knowing that even a miss is sometimes a solid offensive option considering the rebounding prowess of his teammates waiting underneath the basket. “It’s either going to go in or I guess Marvin or Wendell is going to get it, right?” Allen said. “That’s what we’d like to think. But at the same time, we also know that while those guys are down there in rebounding position, they’re also in scoring position. So our offense needs to go through them. “The outside-in approach we used to have was mainly guards penetrating and kicking. Now entering the ball into the bigs is basically just a new form of penetration to the hoop.” Allen said he’s not surprised that Krzyzewski so willingly embraced the change of style to fit his personnel. “He’s the GOAT,” Allen said, referring to the acronym for Greatest of All Time. “He’s going to play to our strengths and he trusts us as basketball players to make plays.” Though a tad more begrudgingly, Williams has done the same at UNC — even if it means taking a page out of a rival’s playbook. “Duke for years survived on 3-point shot after 3-point shot,” Williams said. “Now they’ve got a lot of guys inside. I don’t remember them finishing last in the league anytime that was going on.”
“The outside-in approach we used to have was mainly guards penetrating and kicking. Now entering the ball into the bigs is basically just a new form of penetration to the hoop.” — Grayson Allen, Duke guard
JUDY ROSE didn’t decide to retire from her job as UNC Charlotte’s athletic director because of the public criticism she’s been receiving. But it did play a role in when she decided to announce it. She originally planned to wait until March to say that she was leaving the job she has held for the past 28 years. But after falling out of favor with her school’s fan base because of recent coaching decisions — to the point that disgruntled fans could be seen holding up signs demanding her firing during an ESPN College GameDay broadcast — she changed her mind and revealed her future plans on Jan. 4. She will continue to serve until the end of the academic year in May. “The only effect it played was that it speeded up when I made the announcement,” Rose said at the time, alluding to the criticism she’s received. Rose, 65, has come under fire for her decision to retain fifth-year football coach Brad Lambert after a dismal 1-11 season while dismissing basketball coach Mark Price just nine games into his third year with the 49ers. The emotional response to those decisions, however, has diverted attention away from a remarkable career in which Rose became one of the first women to hold a position of power in major college athletics. “She has left a legacy that will be nearly impossible to match,” Charlotte chancellor Dr. Philip Dubois said in a statement. During her tenure with the 49ers, Rose was the force behind an ambitious expansion program that included the addition of a football program and the construction of more than $100 million worth of new facilities. On the field of play, Charlotte’s teams earned 44 NCAA tournament team appearances in 14 sports and won 70 conference championships under her watch. The school also hosted Final Fours in both men’s and women’s basketball, along with an NCAA College Cup soccer final. Only the third woman to become an athletic director at a Division I school, she was the first female ever to serve as a member of the NCAA men’s basketball selection committee, and in 2003-04 she was elected president of the National Association of College Directors of Athletics. “This is a difficult announcement to make, with the love I have for the university and the athletic program,” she said. “(My husband) Ken and I have talked about this for a while and made the decision that this would be the last year. Of course, I want to honor my commitments on the committees I serve and to hosting the NCAA tournament in March. At the same time, this announcement will allow both myself and the university the opportunity to start to take the next steps.” To that end, Charlotte has already named a 10-member search committee to find Rose’s replacement. “Her work ethic, values, integrity, commitment to student success, and understanding of college athletics,” Dubois said, “will make finding her successor a most difficult challenge.”
B4
North State Journal for Wednesday, January 17, 2018
Panthers offense should improve under Turner Longtime playcalling mastermind joins Ron Rivera’s staff By Shawn Krest North State Journal THE CAROLINA Panthers will have a new look on offense next season. In the team’s first major move after losing in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, the Panthers replaced offensive coordinator Mike Shula with veteran offensive mastermind Norv Turner. The change instantly makes head coach Ron Rivera’s 2018 staff the most experienced in his eight years at the helm. In fact, Turner is the first assistant Rivera has employed who has previous head coaching experience. Turner has been a head coach for nearly half of his 32 NFL seasons. He headed up Washington from 1994 to 2000, Oakland in 2004 and 2005, and San Diego from 2007 to 2012. He won a total of four divisional titles and advanced to the AFC Championship game once. Turner was named Coach of the Year in 2009. Turner has also spent 11 previous seasons as offensive coordinator, most notably with the Dallas Cowboys from 1991 to 1993, a span that included two Super Bowl titles. The change should benefit Cam Newton, who will be the latest promising quarterback talent to benefit from Turner’s approach on offense. When Troy Aikman was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he chose Turner as his presenter, in recognition of the coach’s impact on his career. “Norv was my coach for three years,” Aikman said in his induction speech. “That’s it. I started playing football at the age of 7 and retired when I was 34. Of all those years, Norv and I were together for only three. Yet there’s no doubt in my mind that if Norv Turner had not entered my life, I wouldn’t be joining these men in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.” Aikman also called Turner “the big brother I never had” and “the biggest single influence on my career.” Six years later, Aikman tweeted, “Norv Turner is the best
CHUCK COOK | USA TODAY SPORTS
Panthers quarterback Cam Newton could benefit from the addition of longtime NFL playcaller Norv Turner as Carolina’s new offensive coordinator.
“Norv Turner is the best offensive play-caller in football…not even close.” — Troy Aikman, Hall of Fame quarterback offensive play-caller in football… not even close.” Aikman saw his quarterback rating jump by 20 points after Turner took over the offense, and two of the three highest quarterback ratings of his career came in the three years the two were together. Similarly, Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers has had four seasons with a quarterback rating over 100. Three of them came under Turner. Rivers also praised Turner extensively, at one point going to the owner to lobby for a contract extension for the coach. “Norv has coached Hall of Famers, he’s set a lot of people on the career paths that they’ve had,” Rivera said. “I’m excited about his knowledge and his offensive
prowess. It’s going to be invaluable to us have him evaluate our personnel and help take our quarterback to another level.” Turner hired Rivera as Chargers linebackers coach in 2007, then promoted him to defensive coordinator after a year. Rivera held that position until leaving to take over the Panthers in 2011. Rivera hired Turner’s son Scott as the team’s offensive quality control coach in 2011, giving the younger Turner his first NFL coaching job. While the team hasn’t announced the move yet, Turner is expected to join his father on the Panthers’ staff as quarterbacks coach. Rivera also employs Norv Turner’s brother Ron (offensive consultant) and nephew Cam (assistant quarterbacks coach). Turner’s impact on an offense is immediate. In his nine previous stops as a head coach or coordinator, teams saw big jumps in every offensive category. Before Turner’s Turner Year 1 +/Total yards 4,628 5,112 +10% Yards per play 4.8 5.2 +8% First downs 264 285 +8% Comp. % .563 .574 +2% TD passes 15.2 20 +31% Interceptions 19.4 18.2 +6% QB Rating 67.2 74.5 +11%
If the Panthers show the average improvement under Turner, Cam Newton will post numbers that rival the best seasons of his career. Comp. Att. Pct. Yards TD/Int Rat. Proj. 311.1 515.6 .603 3,767 28.9/15 89.5 2017 291 492 .591 3,302 22/16 80.7 Best 310 517 .617 4,051 35/10 99.4
Shula seemed to struggle at times to find the best way to use Newton’s talents on offense, and, while there was no outright hostility between the two, frustration occasionally crept into Newton’s postgame remarks. After throwing a game-winning touchdown pass to beat Minnesota in December, Newton said, “Everything that I was told not to do, I did. Throwing across your body … But sometimes you have to overcome coaching.” By all accounts, Newton should be able to benefit from coaching under Turner. As Aikman said in his Hall of Fame speech, “(Turner) gave guidance to a young quarterback who was in desperate need of some direction.”
THE N.C.-RAISED ALL-BOWL TEAM Last week, we named the All Bowl team made up of players from the five North Carolina teams that participated in the postseason. However, dozens of players from the state leave North Carolina to play college ball elsewhere. Here’s a look at the best performances of bowl season made up of our expatriates. The N.C.-Raised All-Bowl Team Quarterback: Riley Ferguson, Memphis/Matthews 21-33, 286 yards, 2 TD Running backs: Bryce Love, Stanford/Wake Forest 26 rushes, 145 yards, 2 TD Rico Dowdle, South Carolina/Asheville 6 rushes, 45 yards, TD, 3 catches, 32 yards Wide Receivers: Dominique Heath, Kansas State/Huntersville 5 catches, 49 yards, TD Jonathan Ifedi, Georgia State/ Charlotte 6 catches, 56 yards Tight end: Pharaoh McKever, FIU/ Tabor City/NC State transfer 1 catch, 7 yards Offensive line: Lamont Gaillard, Georgia/Fayetteville (C) Tyrone Crowder, Clemson/Marston (G) Sean Pollard, Clemson/Jackson
SAMPSON from page B1 here tonight. But it was neat to see a lot of friends.” Sampson’s father, Ned, was a standout multisport athlete at what is now known as UNC Pembroke before beginning a long and successful career coaching high school basketball in Robeson County. Kelvin followed in Ned’s footsteps, first by earning induction into the UNCP Athletic Hall of Fame as both a basketball and baseball player, then going into coaching himself. Unlike his father, his path took him far from home -- first to Michigan State as a graduate assistant, then as a head coach at Montana State, Washington State, Oklahoma, Indiana and now Houston. Although Pembroke has remained close to Sampson’s heart throughout his journey up, down and back up the coaching ladder, the only Native American ever to take a team to the Final Four has become just as connected to his current home. It’s a relationship that was solidified under the most difficult of
Springs (T) Brian Chaffin, Stanford/Harrisburg (C) Brandon Council, Akron/Tar Heel (G) Defensive line: Greg Gilmore, LSU/ Hope Mills 2 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack Tyquan Lewis, Ohio State/Tarboro 5 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble Houshun Gaines, Virginia Tech/Rocky Mount 4 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack Nizaire Cromarte, Navy/Greensboro 2 tackles, 2 TFL Linebackers: Greer Martini, Notre Dame/Cary 5 tackles Mike Jones, Temple/NC Central transfer 6 tackles, 1 PBU Peter Kalambayi, Stanford/Matthews 4 tackles, 1 TFL Defensive backs: Van Smith, Clemson/ Charlotte 8 tackles Kahlil Robinson, Toledo/Charlotte 8 tackles Jaylon McClinton, Army/Charlotte 6
circumstances last summer after Hurricane Harvey ripped through East Texas, causing floods that left thousands in and around Houston without food, clean water, shelter or clothing. Sampson was fortunate that his house is built on high ground. But he was moved by images of those who weren’t as lucky and knew he had to do something to help. “I was watching local TV and there was one thing that jumped out at me,” Sampson said. “I saw a young mother and she had a little boy on her hip. The water was up to her waist and there was this fishing boat she was trying to get to. “She kept repositioning the boy higher so he wouldn’t get in the water and she was just trying to get to that boat. God, that really tugged at my heartstrings. So I got on the phone with my son (and assistant coach) Kellen and said we’ve got to use what we have to help.” The Sampsons decided to donate T-shirts, shoes and other items from their program to help the relief effort for those displaced by the storm. Shortly thereafter, Kelvin took to social media challenging his fellow coaches to send
tackles Mike Hughes, UCF/New Bern/UNC transfer 5 tackles Kicker: JD Dellinger, Purdue/ Charlotte 3 PAT Punter: Mitch Lochbihler, Kansas State/Charlotte Long snapper: Mitch Hall, Louisville/ Clayton Return man: Braxton Berrios, Miami/ Raleigh 1 return, 13 yards Other N.C. products that appeared in bowl games for out-of-state teams (based on participation reports from each bowl game): Jeb Blazevich, Georgia/Charlotte, Drake Deluliis, Virginia Tech/Charlotte; Marcelias Sutton, Oklahoma/Warsaw; John Brown III, Navy/Durham; Jahmaal Daniel Navy/Fayetteville; Darryl Bonner Navy/Fayetteville; Tre Harbison Northern Illinois/Shelby; Malik Williams, Louisville/Wilson; Antonio Williams, Ohio State/New London; Kennedy McKoy, West Virginia/Lexington; Larry Rountree, Missouri/Raleigh; Glen Coates, Army/ Davidson; DeAndre Thompkins, Penn State/Hubert; Terrence Laster, Navy/
“We were able to help a lot of people. That’s all that matters.” — Kelvin Sampson on his efforts to help hurricane victims in Houston donations, too. The response he got was overwhelming and made national headlines. “Be careful what you ask for,” he said. The initial delivery consisted of 787 boxes of clothing, sent from college and high school programs — both men and women — from all over the country. “We had an embargo on the City of Houston mail service for two days, but when they finally lifted the embargo, UPS, FedEx, U.S. Postal Service … we had stuff coming in from everywhere,” Sampson said. “I went to my athletic director and said we need a room so we can start stacking these boxes. And that was just the start.”
Cary; Trevion Thompson, Clemson/ Durham; Diondre Overton, Clemson/ Greensboro; Cornell Powell, Clemson/ Greenville; Jonathan Doerer, Notre Dame/Charlotte; Michael Armstrong, Central Michigan/Greensboro; Julian Okwara, Notre Dame/Charlotte; Dexter Lawrence, Clemson/Wake Forest; Chris Register, Clemson/Greensboro; Duncan Sparks, Southern Miss/ Greensboro; Raymond Wright, Army/ Charlotte; Arthur Williams, Florida State/ Fayetteville; Harold Landry, Boston College/Spring Lake; Kengera Daniel, Kentucky/Raleigh; Anthony Rush, UAB/ Raleigh; Darnell Thompson, Colorado State/Raleigh; Kevin McCoy, Navy/ Fayetteville; Myles Davenport Navy/ Fayetteville; Josh Brown, Florida State/ Charlotte; Trajan Stephens-McQueen, Georgia State/Charlotte; Jake Ellington, Army/Zebulon; Scott Washle, Army/ Raleigh; Daniel Jackson, FIU/Apex; Nick Cuccia, South Florida/Indian Trail; Isaac Wright, Navy/Gastonia; Mook Reynolds, Virginia Tech/Greensboro; Jaire Alexander, Louisville/Charlotte; Mark Fields, Clemson/Charlotte; Cedric Stone, Georgia State/Charlotte; Tanner Muse, Clemson/Belmont; Hamsah Nasirildeen, FSU/Concord; Adonis Alexander, Virginia Tech/Charlotte; Madison Cone, Wisconsin/Kernersville; Jefferie Gibson, Arkansas State/Hope Mills
All told, Sampson’s clothing drive totaled more than 5,000 boxes, 25,000 T-shirts and 35,000 pairs of shoes that his daughter Lauren distributed through six different relief agencies. “We were able to help a lot of people,” Sampson said. “That’s all that matters.” In the process, Sampson also ended up helping himself. Despite a resume that includes a 61.6 winning percentage, 13 NCAA tournament appearances, a national Coach of the Year award and a Final Four appearance with Oklahoma in 2002, Sampson’s reputation in his profession was tarnished by an NCAA violations case that led to his firing less than two seasons into his tenure at Indiana. Sampson was also slapped with a “show-cause” sanction that kept him out of college basketball for five years. Instead of being remembered as “that coach who ran foul of the NCAA,” he’s become more famous for being “that T-shirt guy” — a selfless hero who came to the aid of thousands when they needed it most. His professional reputation
HURRICANES from page B1 isn’t in this to simply turn a profit. He talked about his 16-year-old son joining him on a trip with the team to Nashville, being mostly disinterested at first but, after meeting the players, being all-in when they watched the Hurricanes dispatch the Predators 4-1 on Dec. 21. “The thing that’s great about sports is you get to build an emotional attachment,” Dundon said during the formal press conference, flanked by Karmanos, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, Hurricanes GM Ron Francis and Gale Force Sports & Entertainment President Don Waddell. He brushed off one Karmanos statement — a moment when the at-times cantankerous owner went off message to grind old axes — that “crummy crowds” were due to a season ticket base that needed to be doubled. “If we don’t sell more tickets, it’s not the fans’ fault. It’s our fault,” he responded. “I believe we do certain things, the result will be there.” Among those certain things, Dundon said, was improving the fan experience and bringing value to the games. There have already been tweaks. The Eye, the Hurricanes main team store in PNC Arena, has been better-staffed and, for lack of a better term, more aggressive in trying to push merchandise since Dundon took over. April’s Bon Jovi concert was cross-promoted on Sunday — free tickets were included during in-arena giveaway, and “Livin’ On A Prayer” blared on the speakers during one stoppage, a reminder of the upcoming show and not the team’s recent barebones approach to trying to build a winner while spending as little as possible. On that point, Dundon made it clear he was wiling to spend to not only improve the fan experience, but also on-ice performance. “If (Francis) finds opportunities that create value, and we do our job on the business side, then it won’t be about the money, and it shouldn’t be,” Dundon said. “It should just be about making good decisions.” The Hurricanes are 30th out of 31 teams in payroll this season, more than $15 million under the salary cap. Some player raises are already on the horizon for next season, but Carolina could be a big player this offseason if Dundon is true to his word. Most importantly, Dundon’s ownership puts an end to frequent rumors of the team relocating. “With the things that Tom envisions — not just winning, but being active in the community and, organizationally, the fan experience that’s being provided — those are the things that will drive this franchise to even greater heights,” Bettman said. “There was never a risk of this team moving, and it used to drive us crazy when we’d have to spend hours on the phone refuting stories that were just made up and, in some cases, disposed wishful thinking.” Bettman wasn’t alone. Last season, Waddell was forced to hold a midgame press conference during a matchup with the Canadiens to refute rumors of the team moving to Quebec. The French Canadian media — source of many of the rumors — were not invited. “This puts to rest all those rumors and speculation and now we can concentrate on winning and being successful on the ice and giving our fans and the people of Raleigh something to really be proud of,” Francis said. If Dundon follows through on all his promises, everything will taste even sweeter.
has also been rebuilt through his work on the court. Now 62 years old, Sampson began resurrecting his career as an NBA assistant with the Milwaukee Bucks and Houston Rockets. That led to his current job at the University of Houston, where he has led the Cougars to two straight 20-win seasons. His current team, picked to finish sixth in the American Athletic Conference, is 14-3 after Sunday’s beat down of ECU and is poised to make its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2010. It’s a success built on principles Sampson learned from his father back home in Pembroke. “If you play for Coach Sampson, you have to be a basketball junkie because if you are not and don’t love it, his passion and the time he wants to keep us in the gym, it will wear you out,” said Houston senior guard Rob Gray, himself a North Carolinian from Forest City. “You won’t play as hard and have as much fun because you don’t even want to be there. Playing for coach Sampson, you have to really love the game and love being in the gym.”
WEDNESDAY
1.17.18
NORTH
Rest in peace, Cranberries singer Dolores O’Riordan, Page 7
STATE
JOURNaL
the good life IN A NORTH STATE OF MIND
play list
Jan. 17 “Shopkins Live! Shop It Up!” Durham Performing Arts Center, Durham Come see one of the hottest kid’s toys sold in the United States come to life with “Shopkins Live! Shop It Up!” at DPAC. A new storyline brings Jessicake, Bubbleisha, Peppa-Mint and friends to the stage as they prep for the “Funtastic Food and Fashion Fair” in Shopville. The show begins at 6:30 p.m. and ticket information is available at DPAC online.
Jan. 18 “Musical Thrones — A Parody” High Point Theatre, High Point May all your “Game of Thrones” fantasies come to life at High Point Theatre’s “Musical Thrones — A Parody.” Jon and Al Kaplan have composed the most riveting performance that brings you closer to the Lannister and Stark families. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. and ticket information is available at High Point Theatre online.
Jan. 19
PHOTOS COURTESY OF FOOD NETWORK
The contestants prepare for their first culinary challenge of making cookies.
Small chefs on the big stage Raleigh 12-year-old competes on Food Network By Laura Ashley Lamm North State Journal RALEIGH — With an eye for creativity, a recipe for deliciousness and a competition to jolt the senses, a 12-year-old baker from Raleigh is on the national stage vying for the title of being the best kid baker in the country. Culinary whiz Aditya Pillutla is competing this season on Food Network’s “Kids Baking Championship.” “When I was little, my sister was first interested in baking,” said Pillutla. “She used to make all these substitutions and sometimes they turned out and sometimes they didn’t. She helped me get interested in baking and then we would watch a lot of Food Network on the television. Just by watching videos I taught myself how to cook.” Macarons, cupcakes, cookies and cakes top Pillutla’s list of favorite things to make which helps him fit right in on “Kids Baking Championship.” Hosted by Valerie Bertinelli and Duff Goldman, “Kids Baking Championship” airs every Monday on the Food Network at 9 p.m. through March 5. The season having begun earlier this month has already tasked the competitors with creating extravagant cookies, carnival-themed cupcakes and Bundt cakes that spew smoke. “I try to make each thing as unique as I can because it tastes better when it is not just sticking to the book,” said Pillutla. “I like baking because there is so much stuff you can do with it and so much you can experiment with. The stuff you make also tastes really good,” he
Jan. 20 Pianist: David Osborne Brock Performing Arts Center, Mocksville Discover the remarkably talented David Osborne as he returns to Brock for a second appearance. Regarded as the “Pianist To The Presidents,” Osborne has graced the White House with his musical gifts having played for Presidents Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, G.W. Bush and Obama. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. and ticket information is available at Davie Arts Council online.
“I try to make each thing as unique as I can because it tastes better when it is not just sticking to the book” — Aditya Pillutla added. Pillutla joins contestants, ranging in age from 10 to 13, from around the country. Pillutla can’t divulge the items he has created as part of the competition or how many episodes he appears; however, we know over the course of 10 episodes, contestants compete in lavish desert challenges designed to find the most impressive and creative kid baker in the United States. Contestants must tackle new confectionary challenges, ranging from sweet dessert pizzas using traditional savory toppings to desserts with freezedried astronaut-approved ingredients. “By watching the ‘Kids Baking Championship’ on TV, I realized I could do this to, so I applied, and we went from there,” said Pillutla. “This has been a really cool experience. I’ve made new friends and learned more about baking.” Each week contestants are tasked with showcasing originality in baking as they demonstrate their skills in producing cookies, ice cream and doughnuts. The winner of the competition will take home a prize of $25,000, a feature in Food Network Magazine, and the title of Kids Baking Champion.
Soul of the South Uptown Tour Uptown, Charlotte Gather with family and friends for an unforgettable evening in Uptown Charlotte at the Soul of the South culinary tour. The tour features not only food and beverage pairings from six local restaurants, but also a private tour of a historic Queen Anne home. The evening begins at 4 p.m. and ticket information is available at Feast Food Tours online.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ZACK SMITH
Culinary whiz Aditya Pillutla, 12 of Raleigh, is competing on this season of Food Network’s Kids Baking Championship.
Fayetteville Marksmen Home Game & Pooch Party Crown Coliseum, Fayetteville There’s no better way to cheer (or howl) on the Fayetteville Marksmen as they battle the Mississippi RiverKings than with your dog by your side. That’s right — it’s bring your dog to the hockey game night. The game begins at 6 p.m. and the first 2,000 fans will receive a free Marksmen hat.
Jan. 21
PHOTOS COURTESY OF FOOD NETWORK
Hosts Duff Goldman and Valerie Bertinelli share baking insights with contestants.
Carolina Hurricanes host Vegas for first time PNC Arena, Raleigh Don’t miss the NHL action at PNC Arena as the Carolina Hurricanes take on the Vegas Golden Knights. You will want to bring your camera because after the game fans are invited inside the rink for pictures at the penalty box and center ice. The game begins at 6 p.m. and ticket information is available online.
B6
North State Journal for Wednesday, January 17, 2018
NeCessities! history marked Jan. 19, 1942
Jan. 20, 1840
Jan. 22, 1919
German U-boat attacks three vessels off N.C. coast
Launch of public schools in North Carolina
Littleton College victim to 1919 fire
North Carolina’s first public school opened in Rockingham County. The Common Law of 1839 authorized counties to hold elections in which voters might vote for or against taxes for public schools. During the elections in late 1839, 61 of the 68 counties that were then in existence voted to support school taxes. The remaining seven counties soon followed course. By 1846, every county had at least one public school. Notice of the opening of the Rockingham school first appeared on Feb. 1, 1840, in the Greensborough Patriot and was reprinted the same month in the Raleigh Standard. The story did not specify the location of the school, but it did indicate that the county had been divided up into districts with more schools to be constructed shortly. Tradition holds that the first school was located in what is now the Williamsburg community in the southeastern part of Rockingham County.
Fire consumed a majority of the buildings on the campus of Littleton College in Halifax County. No lives were lost, but the devastation was so complete — damages exceeding $50,000 — that the owner could not raise the money to rebuild and the school closed. Originally opened in January 1882 as the for-profit Central Institute, the school received a legislative charter that same year. It was conceived as a place for “the intellectual, moral, and religious development and training of young ladies.” The all-female institute was affiliated with the Methodist Church. The first principal of the institute was the Rev. James Manley Rhodes, himself a graduate of Trinity College. In 1887, Rhodes left the institute for another female college but he returned in 1889. Upon his return, Rhodes purchased the college property from the original stockholders. In the intervening year, 1888, the charter had been amended to change the name of the school to Littleton Female College. Rhodes created a twoyear program including such courses as chemistry, physics, stenography, languages and history. In 1912, the word “Female” was dropped from the name. Tragically, the fire occurred at the height of the school’s popularity.
A German U-boat, designated U-123, attacked three ships north of Cape Hatteras. The U-boat was part of what was called the “Second Happy Time,” a campaign during which Axis submarines attacked merchant vessels along the Atlantic coast. In the early morning hours, the American passenger-freighter City of Atlanta was sunk and survivors were left floating in the icy water; only three crewmen lived. Just before dawn, the U-123 slipped into a group of Allied ships and attacked. The American tanker Malay was damaged and disabled by gunfire from the U-123’s deck guns. The U-boat then torpedoed a nearby Latvian freighter, killing two of its 32 crewmen and leaving it to sink. The U-123 returned to finish off the wounded Malay, hitting it with its last torpedo before it headed east for home. The Norwegian tanker Kosmos II tried unsuccessfully to ram the fleeing U-boat as it escaped. The tanker Malay, although damaged by cannon fire and a torpedo, survived the attack with the loss of four of its 34 crewmen. The Latvian freighter was abandoned by the crew and floated northward for several days before finally sinking somewhere off Oregon Inlet.
Jan. 19, 1955
Department store magnate Paul H. Rose dies Paul Howard Rose, founder of the chain of Rose’s discount department stores, died at age 73. Born in 1881 in Seaboard, Rose discovered his knack for merchandising early on. At age 12, he set up a wooden packing crate outside his hometown pharmacy and sold bundles of wood, his mother’s homemade cookies and other items. After business school in Virginia, Rose opened a store in Littleton. At times his capital was so limited he used empty shoeboxes to help fill the shelves. For a time, he worked as a traveling salesman. He used that experience to educate himself about competitive pricing strategies. Rose partnered with two businessmen, purchased stock in United 5 & 10 Cent Stores and opened retail outlets in Henderson and Charlotte. The venture failed, but in 1915, Rose borrowed $500, bought a shop in Henderson and opened the first Rose’s store. Rose removed merchandise from behind counters (where it had to be retrieved by stock clerks) to shelves that shoppers could peruse at their own pace. The entrepreneur eventually operated 280 Rose’s stores in 11 southeastern states. Today, about 106 Rose’s stores remain.
Jan. 21, 1891
Poached oysters no delicacy for Gov. Fowle Gov. Daniel Fowle declared “war” on northern fishermen poaching on North Carolina’s deep-water oyster beds. The oyster “pirates” had already depleted the Chesapeake Bay’s rich oyster beds during the 1880s. In an effort to meet seafood canneries’ growing demands, they had moved their dredging operations into North Carolina. In 1888, several dredging vessels from Virginia had gathered thousands of bushels of oysters weekly from Hyde County’s waters. The following year, North Carolina banned nonresident dredging, but there was little enforcement. In 1890, Carteret, Hyde and Pamlico counties tried unsuccessfully to oust the oyster pirates using local patrol boats. Then, in early 1891, a small fleet of illegal oyster schooners were reported in the oyster beds of Pamlico Sound and off the coasts of Hyde and Dare counties. Fowle and the General Assembly quickly passed legislation to stop the out-of-state dredgers and halt the shipping of North Carolina oysters to northern markets. Fowle sent an armed patrol boat into Pamlico Sound to seize or sink any illegal oyster dredgers. Within three months, the oyster “war” was over. Only the captain and crew of one ship were ever taken to trial.
Jan. 23, 1950
Light returns to Cape Hatteras beacon After a 14-year hiatus, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse once again shone its beacon over the Atlantic Ocean to warn mariners of the dangers of Diamond Shoals. The 208-foot tower had been abandoned because of the encroaching sea, and its signal was temporarily replaced by a light atop a steel structure, known as the skeleton tower, built near the lighthouse site. At the time of its construction in 1870, the iconic black and white-striped lighthouse was 1,500 feet from the ocean. The lighthouse was constantly at risk from the quickly receding shoreline, but several measures were taken to keep it safe. During the 1930s, a Civilian Conservation Corps crew constructed sand dunes and planted grasses that helped to build up the shoreline in the area. The construction of groins, the placement of sand bags and the installation of artificial seaweed offshore were also tried at the time, but by 1936 waves had reached the structure’s base, forcing the Lighthouse Service to close it. After being saved in 1950, the lighthouse was threatened once again by the Atlantic during the 1980s, when waters came within 200 feet of its red brick base. Because of its historical and cultural significance, several options for preserving the structure were discussed by scholars, public officials and lighthouse lovers. After much debate, the 2,800-ton lighthouse was moved 2,900 feet from the shore in 1999.
on the road Auto world focused on Detroit as new models unveiled By Paul Lienert Reuters
DETROIT — Automakers from the United States, Europe and Asia are rolling out new and redesigned production and concept vehicles at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Among them: Acura RDX: Honda will unveil the redesigned Acura RDX crossover vehicle, hoping to stand out in a crowded field of compact, luxury SUVs. BMW i8 Coupe: An updated edition of BMW’s electrified sports car marries a threecylinder gasoline engine and an electric motor for a combined 374 horsepower. BMW X2: A sporty companion to BMW’s X1 and X3 compact crossovers, the new X2 arrives in U.S. showrooms in March. Honda Insight: Honda reboots this gasoline-electric hybrid model as a sporty sedan this summer after canceling the slowselling previous generation Insight in 2014. Hyundai Veloster: Hyundai’s sporty Veloster gets a new silhouette, while maintaining its trademark three-doors-plushatchback configuration. Jeep Cherokee: Fiat Chrysler has facelifted the midsize Cherokee for model year 2019. Mercedes G-Class: The long-running Gelandewagen gets “the biggest makeover in its history,” according to Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz, but keeps its rugged boxy shape. Toyota Avalon: Toyota’s range-topping Avalon sedan gets a full redesign for 2019, but faces dwindling demand from U.S. consumers for fancy four-doors. Volkswagen Jetta: The compact Jetta range, which shares underpinnings with the Volkswagen AG Golf, is being reworked for model year 2019. Infiniti Q Inspiration: Nissan’s premium Infiniti brand teases a possible successor to its Q70 sedan. Lexus LF1 Limitless: Toyota’s premium Lexus brand provides a sneak preview of a future top-of-the-line crossover model.
REBECCA COOK | REUTERS
Chevrolet Silverado General Motors’ best-selling pickup gets a full redesign for model year 2019. Its companion, the redesigned GMC Sierra, will be unveiled later this year.
BRENDAN MCDERMID | REUTERS
Ram 1500 Fiat Chrysler’s popular full-size pickup gets a topto-bottom overhaul and goes on sale later this year as a 2019 model.
REBECCA COOK | REUTERS
Ram 1500 Ford is reviving the Ranger midsize pickup truck in North America in early 2019, aiming to reclaim market share from rival General Motors, which has scored a hit with its competing Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize pickups.
North State Journal for Wednesday, January 17, 2018
B7
ENTERTAINMENT
ALESSIA PIERDOMENICO | REUTERS
Dolores O’Riordan performs at the Ariston Theatre during San Remo’s 54th Song Festival in northern Italy, on March 6, 2004.
Cranberries singer Dolores O’Riordan dies suddenly at 46
PHOTO COURTESY OF MONIKA FLUECKIGERL
Leonardo DiCaprio speaks during the Crystal Awards of the Annual Meeting 2016 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 19, 2016.
DiCaprio to star in Charles Manson-era Tarantino movie By Jill Serjeant Reuters LOS ANGELES — Leonardo DiCaprio will star in a movie set around the Charles Manson murders, Hollywood entertainment publications reported on Friday, but he will not play the role of the American cult leader. DiCaprio will instead take the part of an aging, out-of-work actor in the as-yet untitled movie being produced and directed by
Oscar-winner Quentin Tarantino, Variety and Deadline.com said. Plot details have not been released but Tarantino said in November that it was not a biographical movie but a story set during the summer of 1969, when a string of gruesome killings in Southern California were carried out by Manson’s followers. Manson, one of the 20th century’s most notorious criminals, died in November at the age of 83. He had been serving a life sentence
Bidder for the Weinstein Company says bankruptcy may be best option By Jessica DiNapoli Reuters NEW YORK — Killer Content, the movie producer that has partnered with philanthropist Abigail Disney in a consortium vying to acquire the Weinstein Company, said on Monday that a bankruptcy may be the best way forward for the U.S. film and TV studio. Killer Content’s comments come as the studio continues to grapple with the fallout of sexual harassment allegations against its former co-chairman, Harvey Weinstein, who left the company three months ago. More than 70 women have accused Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct, including rape. He has denied having nonconsensual sex with anyone. Reuters has been unable to independently confirm any of the allegations. The Weinstein Company has been looking for a buyer or rescue financing since last fall. The company’s investment bankers at Moelis & Co. have been focused on an outright sale, rather than a debt restructuring or bankruptcy. Killer Content said in a statement that it remained interested in acquiring the assets of the Weinstein Company, but that a sale process may not be the best way for the company to address its liabilities. “We can only participate ... if the process is transparent, affords due process, and is 100 percent aligned with the interests of survivors — all most likely to happen in bankruptcy,” Killer Content stated. Killer Content, entertainment company Lions Gate Entertain-
ment and Maria Contreras-Sweet, the former head of the Small Business Administration under President Barack Obama, have made proposals for the company or some of its assets, people familiar with the matter have said. The Weinstein Company and Moelis declined to comment. Lions Gate and Contreras-Sweet representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Harvey Weinstein’s brother and company co-founder Robert Weinstein, and David Glasser, the film studio’s president, remain at the Weinstein Company, which has produced and distributed movies including “The King’s Speech” and “Silver Linings Playbook.” Killer Content, which has produced more than 60 films including “Boys Don’t Cry,” is arguing that a sale of the Weinstein Company outside bankruptcy could benefit some of the executives who allowed Harvey Weinstein’s abuse to continue for years. “We want to do our part to ensure that no matter the outcome, the blood money generated from the systemic protection of alleged rape, abuse and a culture of violence against women will soon be allocated to the prevention, the support and advocacy efforts of anti-discrimination and survivor support organizations,” Killer Content said. The Weinstein Company last year sold its rights to family movie “Paddington 2,” bringing in a cash infusion that would help the studio continue to operate until January, Reuters has reported. The company has $375 million in debt.
for ordering the murders of nine people including pregnant actress Sharon Tate. The Sony Pictures movie is to be released on Aug. 9, 2019, exactly 50 years after Tate and four friends were stabbed or shot dead. Deadline and Variety said that Australian actress Margot Robbie has been asked to play Sharon Tate. Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Al Pacino are also rumored to be interested, or are being sought, for the movie.
Sony Pictures did not return a request for comment on the casting. The movie will be the first Tarantino film to be released without the Weinstein Company following allegations by more than 70 women of sexual misconduct against its former chief executive Harvey Weinstein. Weinstein, who has denied having nonconsensual sex with anyone, was fired last November and his independent production company is currently up for sale.
Google teams with Sony, Lenovo for smart speakers with touchscreens Companies trying to play catch-up to Amazon By Paresh Dave Reuters LAS VEGAS — Google announced that its voice-controlled virtual assistant will show up this year in new tablet-like devices designed by LG and Sony as the technology company seeks to challenge Amazon’s dominance in a fledgling market. Dubbed smart displays by Google, the new devices introduce tablet-like screens to speakers that can obey oral commands to perform tasks like playing music, dimming lights, locking doors and setting alarms. JBL and Lenovo also are developing smart displays, Google said. Amazon kick-started the market for smart speakers in 2014 with its Echo device, which included the Alexa virtual assistant. The company added a screen for the first time in June, calling the device the Echo Show. Neither Apple’s assistant Siri nor Microsoft’s Cortana are currently available on a speaker with a tablet-like display. The new Google Assistant gadgets unveiled at the CES trade show in Las Vegas mark the first challenge to Amazon’s Echo Show and the smaller Echo Spot, which also has a dis-
play. The Show went on sale in June for $230 and the Spot in December for $130. Users of the smart displays being unveiled by Google cannot browse the Web or install apps as they would on a tablet, but the new gadgets are optimized for sound quality and listening to voice commands. Information related to the commands is brought up on the touchscreen. Lenovo’s version of the smart display will come with an 8-inch screen for $200 or a 10.1-inch screen for $250. The device will go on sale “early this summer” and includes a camera that shoots in 720p high definition, Lenovo said. JBL, part of Samsung’s Harman Kardon subsidiary, LG and Sony did not announce pricing and release dates. The partnerships are important for Google as it tries to catch up with Amazon in the new category of smart speakers that both play music and function as voice-controlled electronic assistants. About 45 million people in the United States will use smart speakers in 2018, research firm eMarketer estimates, and Amazon has about two-thirds of the U.S. market. Steep discounts during the holidays on the most affordable models of Google’s Home smart speakers and the Amazon Echo likely meant both companies were taking losses to get them into millions of homes, analysts told Reuters.
Dolores O’Riordan, the lead singer of Irish rock group The Cranberries, died suddenly on Monday at the age of 46 during a recording trip to London, her publicist said. The cause of death was unclear. O’Riordan’s distinctive Irish lilt and yodel helped fuel the Cranberries’ rapid rise in the early 1990s with global hits “Linger” and “Zombie.” The band went on to sell more than 40 million records to become Ireland’s second-best-selling rock band after U2.
Box Office: ‘Jumanji’ dominates MLK weekend, ‘The Post’ leads newcomers Sony’s “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” is dominating the North American box office to easily win the four-day Martin Luther King Jr. weekend with about $33.4 million at 3,849 sites, estimates showed Sunday. Fox’s “The Post” is leading the rest of the pack handily and topped forecasts with $22.2 million at 2,819 locations for Friday-Monday after expanding from 36 sites. The opening of Lionsgate’s Liam Neeson’s thriller “The Commuter” also topped expectations in third place with $16 million at 2,892 venues.
Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa dominate Brit Award nominations Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, Liam Payne and Stormzy are among the nominees for this year’s Brit Awards, Britain’s most prestigious pop music prizes. Sheeran is in the running in four categories — British male solo artist, best video and single for “Shape of You,” and best album.
Brigitte biography says young Macron wrote steamy book about their romance A new biography of French first lady Brigitte Macron says her husband penned a racy novel inspired by their early romance, when he was still a teenager and she his married drama teacher. President Emmanuel Macron, who turned 40 last month, fell for Brigitte during rehearsals for a school play at the Providence high school in Amiens, and defied his parents’ disapproval to pursue the relationship with a woman 24 years his senior.
North State Journal for Wednesday, January 17, 2018
B8
pen & Paper pursuits JANRIC CLASSIC SUDOKU
NORTH
STATE
JOURNaL ELEVATE THE CONVERSATION
The whole state. The whole story. SOLUTIONS FROM 09.27.17
Every Wednesday. To subscribe visit nsjonline.com or call 866-458-7184
WAKE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF WAKE NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS FILE NO. 17 E 2956 Having qualified on the 8th day of November, 2017, as the Co-Administrators of the estate of Rosemary Suszynski, deceased, late of Wake County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the decedent to exhibit the same to Barbara Lavalette and Cory Lavalette, Co-Administrators, on or before April 3, 2018, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the estate should make immediate payment to the above named Co-Administrators. This is the 3rd day of January, 2018. Barbara Lavalette and Cory Lavalette, Co-Administrators 4200 Mallory Glen Circle Raleigh, NC 27616 1/3, 1/10, 1/17, 1/24 CL
Experience It All. All In One Place. #AllinOnePlace 50 Years of NC Arts Council in All 100 Counties State Parks and Recreation Areas North Carolina Aquariums Historic Sites North Carolina ZOO Museums of History, Art and Science Libraries and Archives North Carolina Symphony
dncr.nc.gov/AllinOnePlace
Happy New Year! I wish you all the best in 2018 as you experience everything North Carolina has to offer.
Secretary Susi H. Hamilton
NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
NC DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES