VOLUME 3 ISSUE 12
|
WWW.NSJONLINE.COM |
WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 2018
Inside Hornets hire Borrego as new coach, page B1
NORTH
STATE
JOURNaL ELEVATE THE CONVERSATION
RONAN ZVULUN | REUTERS
IBRAHEEM ABU MUSTAFA | REUTERS
Left, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin unveils the seal for the new U.S. embassy standing next to Senior White House Adviser Ivanka Trump. Right, a female demonstrator holds a Palestinian flag during a protest against U.S. embassy move to Jerusalem.
the Wednesday
NEWS BRIEFING
State legislature gavels in at noon Raleigh The North Carolina General Assembly returns to work at noon on Wednesday for what is expected to be a short legislative session. The House and Senate leadership have already agreed on a spending target of $23.9 billion for the fiscal year 2018-19 state budget, including a fifth consecutive teacher pay raise. Leadership says they are working toward adjournment by the end of June.
U.S. Embassy opens in Jerusalem, violent protests leave 60 dead Trump Administration backs Israel, says it has a peace plan under construction
By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Jeffrey Heller Reuters GAZA/JERUSALEM — The high-profile opening of the U.S. embassy to Israel in Jerusalem raised tensions to the boiling point this week. With officials from around the world scheduled to attend the opening ceremony, including Ivanka Trump and Jared
Kushner, Israel bolstered security ahead of planned mass protests. In addition to increased military force, Israel dropped leaflets from planes over Gaza that urged residents to stay away from the fence on Monday. “You deserve a better government. You deserve a better future,” the leaflets said. “Do not approach the security fence nor participate in the Hamas display that is putting you in risk.” Still, in stark contrast to the dignitaries in Jerusalem, tens of thousands of rioters on Monday burned tires, attacked the cargo trucks carrying supplies between
Israel and Gaza and did millions of dollars in damage. It became the bloodiest single day for Palestinians since 2014, Palestinian Health Ministry officials said 58 protesters were killed and 2,700 injured by live gunfire, tear gas or other means. “Today is the big day when we will cross the fence and tell Israel and the world we will not accept being occupied forever,” said Gaza science teacher Ali, who declined to give his last name. The bloodshed drew calls for restraint from some countries, including France and Britain, and stronger criticism from others,
Warsaw probing officer seen choking black man in prom attire Fayetteville Lawyers for a man seen on social media being chocked and pinned to the ground by a Warsaw police officer say Waffle House, where the incident happened, discriminated against their client. Police are investigating the incident involving Officer Frank Moss. The video of the incident involving Anthony Wall, 22, dressed in prom attire has been viewed more than 6,000 times online. Wall had just attended his sister’s prom, authorities say, before stopping Saturday night at a Waffle House. Wall has admitted to being irate and disruptive in the restaurant over a dirty table and threatening employees, who called police to intervene.
Melania Trump treated for benign kidney condition in hospital Washington, D.C. Melania Trump underwent a surgical procedure on Monday to treat a benign kidney condition and will remain at Walter Reed medical center for the rest of the week, the first lady’s office said. Spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said in a statement that Trump, 48, underwent an embolization procedure to treat the kidney condition.
U.S. to consider expanding Medicare drug price negotiation Washington, D.C. The Trump administration is considering expanding Medicare’s ability to negotiate the cost of drugs by giving private payers a role in setting the price of medicines administered in hospitals and doctors’ offices, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said on Monday.
INSIDE The N.C. Supreme Court heads west Jones & Blount
5
20177 52016 $2.00
with regional power Turkey calling it “a massacre.” The White House declined to join in urging Israel to exercise caution and pinned the blame squarely on Gaza’s ruling Hamas group, backing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who described the Israeli military’s actions as self-defense of his country’s borders. In siding squarely with Israel, Washington put distance between itself and its European allies for the second time in a week, after angering France, Germany and See ISRAEL, page A2
NC joins whistleblower case against Insys over opiod kickbacks NORTH STATE JOURNAL STAFF
Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) and House Speaker Tim Moore (R-King’s Mountain) announce a new website to detail education funding in North Carolina on May 15 in Raleigh.
Lawmakers ready for Wednesday’s rally, armed with new website The Republican-led General Assembly launched ncteacherraise.com Tuesday to get their word out on education funding By Donna King North State Journal RALEIGH — According to the N.C. Fiscal Research Division, the average North Carolina public teacher will earn $53,600 next year, up an average of $8,600, or 19 percent, since 2014. Its report says more than half of the state’s educators have gotten a raise of at least $10,000 over that time. State lawmakers are trying to get that word out through a new website, ncteacherraise.com, as more than 10,000 teachers prepare to descend on the legislative building on Wednesday for the first day of the short session. “Despite these facts we know there is a lot of politically motivated rhetoric and misinformation out there, so that’s why we want people to check the numbers for themselves … to understand the total increase to base teacher pay since 2014 under Republican leadership,” said Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham). Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Kings Mountain) announced the website and the numbers in a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, a day ahead of the return of the full legislative body for the short session. “Last year we were the No. 1 state in America for increasing teacher pay, this year we were No. 2,” said Moore. “You can’t go in and try to deal with a mess that we inherited in 2011 in just one swoop.”
A rally organized by the N.C. Association of Educators, the state teachers union, is expected to draw tens of thousands of teachers demanding higher salaries and more spending on education. The plans have made national news and forced the closure of dozens of school districts across the state as educators take the school day off. “We all listen to the teachers that talk with us, but I would say that the fact that a million kids are not going to be in school tomorrow because a political organization wants to have folks come here, to send a message or whatever, is probably going to be the front and center thing about this,” said Berger. The NCAE has instructed the demonstrators to gather outside the NCAE building and march to the state capital and gather in the third-floor rotunda overlooking the N.C. Senate and N.C. House chambers. The lawmakers say they have left room in their schedule to visit with teachers from the districts they represent and said they look forward to telling them that a 6.2 percent raise is already in the budget for this year, but they also say that rolling back the scheduled tax cuts to free up more money is not on the table. “We’ve heard people like Gov. (Roy) Cooper push for a return to the same failed approach that required the furloughing of teachers and the freezing of their salaries by Democrats when they were last in control,” said Berger. “It led them to … supplementing millions of dollars in state funding with one-time federal stimulus money, leaving a massive hole in our state budget that we’ve been working for years to backfill.” The legislative building will be using new X-ray machines and metal detectors as the crowds file into the building.
The government’s case includes a former sales rep who said the powerful drug was often prescribed off-label By Donna King North State Journal RALEIGH — The N.C. Department of Justice joined in whistleblower litigation led by the U.S. Department of Justice accusing Insys Therapeutics of trying to generate more profit by paying kickbacks to doctors to prescribe powerful opioid medications. The government’s involvement was disclosed in a filing made public on Monday. Six U.S. other states— California, Colorado, Indiana, New York Federal and Virginia — have also joined prosecutors the case against Insys, according to the filing in U.S. District in Boston Court in Los Angeles. have said The litigation comes amid a Kapoor and wave of related criminal cases against medical practitioners, six other and former executives and sales former Insys representatives employed by Insys, including its billionaire executives founder John Kapoor. and In a separate filing, the Justice Department asked that the managers litigation be put on hold until the schemed criminal cases were resolved. to bribe Subsys is an under-thetongue spray approved to treat doctors to severe pain in cancer patients prescribe who are already receiving and tolerant to around-the-clock opi- Subsys and oid therapy. The government ac- to defraud cused Insys of having since 2012 offered “sham” speaking fees and insurers into lavish meals to induce doctors to paying for it. prescribe Subsys. It also said Insys knowingly caused Medicare to pay for Subsys by encouraging doctors to prescribe it when it was not needed, or by misrepresenting patients’ diagnoses. Federal prosecutors in Boston have said Kapoor and six other former Insys executives and managers schemed to bribe doctors to prescribe Subsys and to defraud insurers into paying for it. The litigation that the government joined included a 2013 lawsuit by Maria Guzman, a former Insys sales representative who said doctors improperly prescribed Subsys for off-label uses such as treating back pain. She sued under the False Claims Act, which lets private whistleblowers sue on the government’s behalf and share in recoveries. Reuters News Service contributed to this report.
North State Journal for Wednesday, May 16, 2018
A2 WEDNESDAY
5.16.18 #128
NATION & WORLD UK, France, Germany to discuss ways to shield firms after U.S. exits Iran deal
“The whole state. The whole story.”
London Britain’s foreign minister Boris Johnson said this week that he will discuss ways to protect companies doing business with Iran at a meeting with counterparts from France and Germany on Tuesday after President Donald Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal. Trump’s decision last week to re-impose sanctions against Tehran came with the threat of penalties against any foreign firms involved in business there.
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.
North State Journal (USPS 20451) (ISSN 2471-1365) Neal Robbins Publisher Donna King Editor Cory Lavalette Managing/Sports Editor Frank Hill Senior Opinion Editor Lauren Rose Design Editor
Published each Wednesday by North State Media, LLC 3724 National Dr., Suite 210 Raleigh, N.C. 27612 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 3724 National Dr., Suite 210 Raleigh, N.C. 27612
Get in touch!
www nsjonline.com
North State Journal
@nsjnews
ADREES LATIF | REUTERS
Attendees walk past a sign at the annual National Rifle Association (NRA) meeting in Dallas, May 4.
NRA sues NY governor, regulator for ‘blacklisting campaign’ The organization says Cuomo’s efforts violate its right to free speech and cost the group millions By Suzanne Barlyn Reuters NEW YORK — The National Rifle Association on Friday sued New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state’s financial regulator for engaging in what it said was a “blacklisting campaign” aimed at swaying banks and insurers to stop doing business with the gun advocacy group, according to a complaint. Cuomo and the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) aimed to deprive the NRA of its right to “speak freely about gun-related issues and defend the Second Amendment,” the group said in the suit, referring to part of the U.S. Constitution that protects the right of Americans to bear arms. “The NRA’s lawsuit is a futile and desperate attempt to advance its dangerous agenda to sell more guns,” Cuomo said in a statement, calling the suit “frivolous.” The NRA’s lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York, follows a $7 million fine on May 2 imposed by NYDFS against insurance broker Lockton Companies, which administered an
ISRAEL from page A1 others last Tuesday by abandoning an international nuclear deal with Iran. Trump said the embassy relocation from Tel Aviv fulfilled a pledge by multiple U.S. presidents, including George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, by recognizing the holy city as the Israeli capital. Netanyahu thanked Trump for “having the courage to keep your promises.” Palestinians seek East Jerusalem as the capital of a state they hope to establish in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Israel regards all of the city, including the eastern sector it captured in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed in a move that is not recognized internationally, as its “eternal and indivisible capital.” Peace talks aimed at finding a two-state solution to the conflict have been frozen since 2014. The Trump administration says it has nearly completed a new Israeli-Palestinian peace plan but is undecided on how and when to roll it out. Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December outraged Palestinians, who said the United States could no longer serve as an honest broker in any peace process. A senior Hamas leader, Khalil Al-Hayya, said at a border en-
“We have seen how Hamas continues to incite violence. The activities that are taking place there ... would certainly stop if violent protests were to stop.” — State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert campment that Monday’s protest was timed to coincide with the “deplorable crime of moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem.” He said: “Our people went out today to respond to this new Zionist-American aggression, and to draw by their blood the map of their return.” Clouds of black smoke from tires set alight by demonstrators rose in the air. Demonstrators, some armed with slingshots, hurled stones at the Israeli security forces, who fired volleys of tear gas and intense rounds of gunfire. Netanyahu blamed Hamas for the Gaza violence. “Every country has an obligation to defend its borders,” he wrote on Twitter. “The Hamas terrorist organization declares it intends to destroy Israel and sends thousands to breach the border
NRA-branded insurance program known as “Carry Guard.” On May 7, NYDFS fined insurer Chubb Limited and its Illinois Union Insurance Company unit $1.3 million for having “unlawfully provided liability insurance to gun owners for acts of intentional wrongdoing,” the regulator said. The fines were part of settlements between the companies and the regulator, outcomes that are the “culmination of years of political activism by Cuomo against the NRA and gun rights organizations,” an NRA lawyer said in a statement. National debate has heated up over the issue of gun control, and the NRA’s role in opposing it, since Feb. 14, when a former student killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., using an AR-15 assault rifle he had purchased legally. Cuomo, NYDFS and its superintendent, Maria Vullo, whom the NRA also named as a defendant, engaged in a “campaign of selective prosecution, backroom exhortations, and public threats” to coerce banks and insurance companies to withhold services from the NRA, the group said in the suit. The suit also cites an April letter issued by NYDFS to heads of banks and insurance companies doing business in New York encouraging them to manage “reputational risk” posed by dealings
fence in order to achieve this goal. We will continue to act with determination to protect our sovereignty and citizens.” Hamas denied instigating the violence, but the White House backed Netanyahu. “The responsibility for these tragic deaths rests squarely with Hamas. Hamas is intentionally and cynically provoking this response,” White House spokesman Raj Shah told reporters. Kushner said it was possible for both sides in the conflict to gain more than give in any peace deal. “Jerusalem must remain a city that brings people of all faiths together,” he said in a speech. But Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the United States had opened an “American settlement outpost in East Jerusalem.” He announced a general strike on Tuesday. Unlike the Obama administration which had a strained relationship with Netanyahu, Trump has firmly supported the Israeli leader. The Pentagon confirmed it had deployed additional U.S. Marine guards to temporarily bolster security at several U.S. embassies after the violence but declined to say which ones. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the deployments bolstered security at U.S. embassies including Israel, Jordan and Turkey.
Puerto Rico bondholders propose debt deal, oversight board rejects New York Puerto Rico’s biggest bondholder groups this week unveiled a proposal to settle a dispute covering around half of the bankrupt U.S. territory’s $71.5 billion in debt. The deal they pitched would have given bondholders certificates entitling them to 52.5 percent of the islands sales tax revenue. However, the terms of the deal were immediately rejected by Puerto Rico’s federally appointed financial oversight board. The board called it a “completely unaffordable” plan to settle a dispute covering about half the bankrupt U.S. territory’s $71.5 billion in bond debt.
“The NRA’s lawsuit is a futile and desperate attempt to advance its dangerous agenda to sell more guns.” — Andrew Cuomo, New York governor
with “gun promotion organizations.” NYDFS has an obligation to “supervise and guide regulated entities to mitigate the risks to their safety and soundness that may derive from a variety of sources, including reputational risk,” said Vullo. NYDFS must also enforce New York law, Vullo said. The Lockton and Chubb settlements addressed unlicensed and unlawful activity connected with “Carry Guard.” The NRA has suffered tens of millions of dollars in damages, the group said. The lawsuit comes a week after the organization announced that its new president will be retired U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Oliver North, a conservative commentator best known for his central role in the 1980s Iran-Contra affair. North, 74, already served on the NRA’s board of directors.
U.S. Supreme Court puts brakes on police searches of rental cars Washington, D.C. The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday limited the ability of police to search rental cars driven by someone other than the person who signed the rental agreement, shoring up privacy rights behind the wheel. The nine justices unanimously threw out a lower court ruling that had approved of a search by Pennsylvania police of a Ford Fusion driven by Terrence Byrd, whose girlfriend had rented the car. State troopers told Byrd they could search the car because he was not listed as an authorized driver, and they found heroin and a bulletproof vest in the trunk.
NC officers added to national memorial NSJ Staff WASHINGTON, D.C. — Six N.C. officers were added to the National Peace Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, including four prison staff members murdered by inmates in 2017. Those North Carolinians honored are part of 360 officers who will be added to the memorial this year. “Law Enforcement officials make tremendous sacrifices each and every day to protect and serve the public. This calling requires them to always put the safety of others ahead of their own well-being,” said Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).
• Zach C. Ramsey, 54, Cherokee County, S.O. • Jay Russell Memmelaar Jr., 49, Goldsboro, P.D. • Meggan Lee Callahan, 29, NCDPS, Div. of Prisons • Justin James Smith, 35, NCDPS, Div. of Prisons • Veronica Skinner Darden, 50, NCDPS, Div. of Prisons • Wendy Letitia Shannon, 49, NCDPS, Div. of Prisons National Police Week runs from May 13-19. On average, one law enforcement officer is killed in the line of duty somewhere in the United States every 58 hours. President Donald Trump arrives to give remarks at the 37th Annual National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service at the Capitol.
KEVIN LAMARQUE | REUTERS
North State Journal for Wednesday, May 16, 2018
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
A3
JOSHUA ROBERTS | REUTERS
The supreme court stands before a decision was released allowing the legalization of sports betting in Washington, May 14.
n.c. FAST FACTS Sponsored by
Gov. Cooper highlights recommendations within new job training and skills fund
U.S. states look to cash in on new era for sports betting Supreme Court rules in favor of New Jersey sports gaming, effectively allowing other states to pursue legalization as well By Emily Roberson North State Journal
Approved Logos
Ahead of the release of his short session budget, Governor Roy Cooper shared recommendations to create the N.C. Job Ready Fund to train and grow North Carolina’s workforce to fill the jobs of today and tomorrow. In February, Gov. Cooper laid out his key principles for improving North Carolina’s workforce: providing education and skills training, partnering with employers to prepare workers for evolving industries, and tapping into local innovation. “Business leaders and CEOs across the state and the globe say that their number one need for creating new jobs is a well-trained workforce,” said Gov. Cooper. “The programs in the N.C. Job Ready Fund will help North Carolinians get the training and education they need to compete for jobs available today as well as those that we will recruit to North Carolina. These good-paying, skilled jobs will put more money in the pockets of North Carolina families.” The fund would be divided among three primary areas of focus: NC GROW (financial assistance for jobs in high demand fields); Finish Line Grants (helping students complete higher education degrees); Employer Education Grants (support for employer innovation and workforce training).
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Supreme Court struck down a 1992 federal law on Monday that effectively banned commercial sports betting in most states, opening the door to legalizing the estimated $150 billion in illegal wagers on professional, collegiate and amateur sports Americans make each year, an enticing new revenue stream for state budgets that have been pressured by years of slow economic growth. Now a handful of U.S. states are in position to capitalize quickly on the court’s decision to will allow New Jersey to legalize sports betting, and more than a dozen others could follow suit before long. Five states - Connecticut, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia - already have sports betting laws in place that would allow them to move quickly following the Supreme Court’s decision, according to Fitch Ratings. Fourteen others have introduced sports-gaming legislation in recent legislative sessions. “This new opportunity for states may result in 2018 being the single largest year for gaming expansion,” S&P Global Ratings said in a report released after the ruling. The high court’s ruling did not legalize sports gambling nationwide, but instead paved the way for states to pursue it as they wish. The result is likely to be a patchwork of distinct state regulations and programs, and outside of New Jersey, will not hap-
pen immediately. “It’s going to take years. Every state obviously is different. It’s not something that happens overnight,” said Irwin Kishner, who practices sports law in New York. Ronald Rychalk, a University of Mississippi law professor and member of the editorial board of The Gaming Law Review, noted that there many intersecting interests who either strongly support or oppose the idea of sports betting, which is why “there will be lots of compromising and politics surrounding the decisions at a state level.” Also, he stated, “there are so many layers to this. The [professional sports] leagues and the NCAA have come out against the ruling, but there is some scrambling going on right now to see what slice of the proceeds they could potentially get.” Much of this, he said, would go to cover the supervisory and regulatory structures that would need to be in place before anything could legally move forward. Rychalk sees outcomes that will likely be specific from state to state, based on locations of strong collegiate sports programs and the presence of professional teams. In North Carolina, for example, with both robust college sports rivalries and professional teams, there are multiple possibilities in legislating statewide sports gambling. Depending on demand, revenue projections, and input from the NCAA and pro leagues, “there could be a split scenario that could allow betting on professional sports, but not college games,” he said. Some analysts cautioned that expectations for massive windfalls for states were overblown. Emily Raimes, a Moody’s Investors Service analyst, said in
n.c.
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT Sponsored by
“This new opportunity for states may result in 2018 being the single largest year for gaming expansion.” — S&P Global Ratings report a statement that state and local governments could “see minor benefits from the incremental tax revenues.” How much any state benefits from the shift will depend on an array of complicated factors. One big hurdle that could slow implementation is conflict between sports leagues and the casino industry over an “integrity fee” that would give the leagues themselves a portion of the bets taken, said Daniel Wallach, a Florida sports and gambling attorney. States in which Indian tribes control or heavily influence casino development may also move more slowly, including Connecticut and Florida. In Connecticut, for instance, two tribes said they would have exclusive rights to run any authorized sports betting operations. Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy said after Monday’s ruling that he was prepared to call the legislature into special session to consider how to proceed. Some state constitutions also require voter referendums to legalize sports wagering. New Jersey voters overwhelmingly approved it back in 2011. Political opposition is also sure to persist. The Stop Predatory Gambling nonprofit group said New Jersey’s cause was a “naked money grab ... cloaked as a ‘states’ rights’ case.” Reuters contributed to this report.
Listen Live Weekdays 9am - 11am
CHADADAMSSHOW.COM
Listen to the north state journal staff every monday at 10:05am
Providing a Helping Hand and Much More As a biomedical engineering student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which is a member of the public power services organization ElectriCities, Jeff Powell was looking for a project to help him build his skills. That skills-building quest led him to create the Helping Hand Project, a nonprofit run mostly by student volunteers who use 3-D printing to make free, customized prosthetic devices for children with limb abnormalities. The team recently delivered their 30th device. Powell explains, “3-D printing showed me that, even though I was just a student, I had the ability to create things that would make a difference in the world.” The technology enables Powell and his team to make a prosthetic hand for $40 or less—especially important for children who may grow out of a device after a year. The Helping Hand Project doesn’t stop at providing devices. They also host events that connect the kids and their families with others in similar situations. Powell says that support network is often as important as the devices. To learn more about the Helping Hand Project, visit www.helpinghandproject. org. Don’t miss the inspiring video that Our State magazine created about the organization at: http://bit.ly/OS-HelpingHand.
North State Journal for Wednesday, May 16, 2018
A4
Murphy
School district closings in North Carolina on May 16 On Wednesday more than one-third of N.C. public school students have a day off school as more than 10,000 public school teachers statewide chose to demonstrate in Raleigh instead. At the N.C. General Assembly the “Rally for Respect,” organized by the N.C. Association of Educators union forced the closure of these school systems. In some areas the YMCA has stepped in with emergency childcare options for parents on a space-available basis. The N.C. Republican Party in Wake County rented out Coconut Charlie’s Bump-n-Bounce and has volunteers on hand to help students with homework. In some counties, including Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and Johnston County Schools, child nutrition teams have stepped in to fill gaps for students who would normally receive a free or reduced lunch. The teachers demonstrating are demanding an increase in state spending on education including higher wages for teachers. This year, the General Assembly has already built in a fifth consecutive pay raise for teachers, an average increase of $4,412 annually, bringing the average teacher salary to $51,420. The NCAE has objected to the raises being weighted more to mid-career teachers. For example, a teacher with 25 years of experience has gotten a 21 percent raise since 2014, while a teacher with 12 years of experience has had a 48 percent raise over that same time. Currently, the state’s public school system. According to the N.C. Department of Fiscal Research, teacher and higher education staff salaries and benefits account for 48 percent of the state budget.
North State Journal for Wednesday, May 16, 2018
to
Jones & Blount
Manteo
Orange County Schools Alamance-Burlington Schools Guilford County Schools Thomasville City Schools Lexington City Schools Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Rowan-Salisbury School System
jonesandblount.com @JonesandBlount
Shred days held across the state
Chapel Hill-Carrboro Schools Durham Public Schools Wake County Public School System
NSJ Staff
Granville County Schools Franklin County Schools Warren County Schools Nash Rocky Mount
Davie County Schools Iredell-Statesville Schools
This weekend, the State Employees’ Credit Union is sponsoring paper shredding events to allow residents to shred personal papers for free. Shredding the documents can help protect against identity theft. Among the personal items recommended for destruction are preapproved credit card offers, old bills, out-of-date account statements and other personal documents that include confidential information. To find a location near you visit the calendar at ncsecu.org.
Hickory City Schools Asheville City Schools Buncombe County Schools
Pitt County Schools
Pender County Schools New Hanover Schools
Overcrowded Marion animal shelter may need to euthanize
Tennessee football coach arrested in Elk Park Avery County Michael Lunsford, head football coach and girls basketball coach at Tennessee’s Cloudland High School, was arrested in Avery County and charged with communicating threats of physical harm. The 56-year-old Lunsford allegedly told 73-year-old Ballard Jennings that he would “knock out every one of his teeth.” Lunsford is also athletic director at the school, who said they were investigating the matter.
McDowell County The McDowell County Animal Shelter in Marion is overcrowded with dogs and may need to put healthy dogs to sleep for the first time in seven months. The shelter has “a few dozen dogs” but just 10 dog runs and kennels, meaning that each kennel is housing multiple dogs. The shelter last euthanized an “adoptable dog” (one that wasn’t critically sick or injured) in October, but unless it finds homes for several dogs soon, it may need to resort to it to help manage the population.
ELIZABETHTON.COM MY FOX 8
Haywood Medical Center starting new paramedicine program Haywood County A $200,000 paramedicine program will help improve medical care in the area. Haywood County and Haywood Regional Medical Center are teaming up to provide the new service, which allows paramedics to take a larger role in community medicine, helping identify high-risk community members and provide them with services. Officials hope the program will cut down on hospital readmissions and reduce the strain on the county’s emergency medical services. EMS1.COM
PIEDMONT
Hunter bags four-bearded turkey
Mooresville fugitive arrested after accidentally calling 911 Iredell County Police investigating a 911 hang-up near Rochester, N.Y., last week found a North Carolina fugitive, wanted on several charges from the Mooresville Police Department. Jesse Graham, 53, accidentally dialed 911, which led to his arrest by the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office. He was deemed a “fugitive of justice” and also charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. He’s currently in jail in New York, being held without bail while awaiting extradition.
Person County Tim Warren brought down one of the most impressive turkeys in North Carolina hunting history when he got a rare four-bearded turkey in Person County on May 2. The 20-pound bird ranked No. 18 all-time, based on a points system that takes into account weight, beards and spur length. The turkey had 1.75-inch spurs, second largest in state history and best since 2005. Warren tracked and shot the bird without using a call. NORTH CAROLINA SPORTSMAN
EAST
Dare County A large alligator was found and caught in a canal in Kitty Hawk last week. When first seen, between Pineway Drive and Ivy Lane, the gator was reported to be between 10 and 15 feet long. Officials from Coastal North Carolina Alligator Research caught it later in the day and reported that it was about 9½ feet long. The gator was later released in the same area. Police cautioned residents to keep an eye on small children and pets near the canal.
USA TODAY
Moped driver dies in hit-runreturn accident
Cherokee County Twenty grants, totaling $2.5 million, were awarded by the Cherokee Preservation Foundation to help improve the quality of life for the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indian. The money will be used to support Cherokee language instruction at Cherokee Central Schools next year, provide a six-week Cherokee culture summer camp, develop an exhibit on Cherokee women for the Appalachian Women’s Museum and provide training and low-interest loans for entrepreneurs in the area.
Warren County A moped driver died in an accident on the Highway 158 bypass in Warrenton on Sunday night, after it was rearended by a car. Lee Benjamin Hargrove was knocked off the bike, and the 53-year-old died at the scene of the accident. The driver of the car, 24-yearold Randy Conner West, initially fled the scene but came back later. Police are still investigating the crash, and charges are pending. WRAL
Nash County Robert Williams Jr. was elected mayor of Sharpsburg, defeating incumbent Randy Weaver, 169 votes to 162. Williams apparently celebrated his victory a little too hard — hours later, he was arrested for DUI. Police booked Williams in the Nash County Jail at 11:30 p.m. on election evening. He spent the night there and bonded out on Wednesday morning. In addition to DUI, he was charged with several counts of carrying a concealed weapon and obstruction of a police officer. WTVD
CBS 17
Franklinton voting not extended after election day shootout, lockdown
Cherokee Preservation Foundation awards 20 grants
Newly elected mayor arrested for drunk driving
10-foot gator caught in Kitty Hawk canal
Franklin County A “gang retaliation” incident led to a shootout a few blocks from the Franklinton Elementary School at about 10:55 a.m. on election day. Two vehicles engaged in a “running gun battle” with bullets hitting a house and other vehicles in the area. The school, which was being used as a voting location, was placed on lockdown for about 15 minutes. The North Carolina Board of Elections decided not to extend voting hours. CBS 17
Frying Pan Tower off coast is up for sale
Gatesville deputy charged with stealing from evidence
Brunswick County The Frying Pan Tower, located about 34 miles off the North Carolina Coast, is up for sale, with a high bid of about $45,000. The tower was built in 1964 as a Coast Guard light station to help ships avoid the Frying Pan Shoals. It housed up to 20 Coast Guard cadets until 1979, when it fell into disuse. The tower was sold for $85,000 in 2010 and transformed into a luxury $598 a night hotel.
Gates County Brandon Scott Hawkes was indicted on charges that he stole guns and drugs from police evidence. Hawkes, a 33-year-old sergeant with the Gates County Sheriff’s Office, allegedly seized guns during arrests and kept them, rather than logging them into evidence. He was also found in possession of heroin, crack, cocaine, fentanyl, oxycontin, morphine, methamphetamine and marijuana, and charged with planning to distribute them.
WTKR
WAV
CHEROKEE ONE FEATHER
Friday, May 18 from 9 a.m. to noon at State Employees’ Credit Union, on Union Road, Gastonia • Johnston County Shred-a-Thon Friday, May 18 from 2-5 p.m. at the State Employees’ Credit Union, in McGee’s Crossroads, Benson
NSJ Staff
Brunswick County Schools (except ECHS)
NSJ Staff
WEST
• Gaston County Shred-a-Thon
Judge cuts NC Supreme award in lawsuit Court heads against hog west farms
Onslow County Schools
school districts closed for Rally for Respect
Friday, May 18 from 9 a.m. to noon at the State Employees’ Credit Union on Long Shoals Road, Arden
Saturday, May 19 from 9 a.m. to noon at Compost Central & Recycling Center on Valleydale Road, Charlotte.
Gaston County Schools Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Union County Schools Cabarrus County Schools Stanly County Schools Asheboro City Schools Chatham County Schools Cumberland County Schools Johnston County Public Schools
• Buncombe County Shred-A-Thon
• Charlotte Shred-a-Thon
Wayne County Public Schools
Kannapolis City Schools
A5
RALEIGH — A judge has dramatically cut the award to neighbors of an eastern N.C. hog farm, from $50 million to $3.25 million in damages for 10 plaintiffs. U.S. District Court Judge Early Britt reduced the amount of damages in the ruling, saying that a 1990s law caps the amount of damages that a plaintiff can be awarded to three times the amount of compensatory damages or $250,000, whichever is greater. In 2004, the state Supreme Court upheld the cap, saying that it did not impact rulings on fault. This case involving a Bladen County hog farm is one of more than two dozen lawsuits that a Salisbury personal injury attorney is bringing against N.C. hog farmers for the smell of their operations and the method of containing waste in lagoons. Smithfield Foods say they will still appeal the verdict. The next lawsuit gets underway May 29.
Raleigh city hall evacuated NSJ Staff RALEIGH — Raleigh’s main city government building was evacuated Monday afternoon at 2 p.m. after a bomb threat. Employees were allowed to return to the offices after about half an hour. The Raleigh Municipal Building on Hargett Street houses offices for Mayor Nancy McFarlane, the eight-member city council, the city manager, parks and recreation, police, and other key functions of the state’s capital city.
The
98 % of ALL Farms Truth are Family Farms
About Ag
ncfb.org
ASHEVILLE — The Supreme Court of North Carolina held its May session in western N.C., in Morganton, Hendersonville and Asheville this week. The justices heard two cases in each location to expand education and access to the high court. “The Supreme Court is celebrating its 200th anniversary in 2019, and as part of the celebration we are bringing the court to the people,” said Chief Justice Mark Martin. Martin and the six associate justices of the N.C. Supreme Court heard the cases at the Historic Burke County Court House on Monday in Morganton, at the Henderson Court Historic Courthouse in Hendersonville on Tuesday, and on Wednesday at the Buncombe County Courthouse in Asheville. The legal community of each county gathered for the sessions as part of the outreach campaign, but in the historic courthouses seating was limited, so public had access only through ticket distribution. As part of the bicentennial celebration, the court has speakers available on the importance of the judicial system. Visit celebrate.NCCourts.org for more information.
A6
North State Journal for Wednesday, May 16, 2018
north STATEment Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor | Troy Kickler, deputy opinion editor
VISUAL VOICES
EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL
You deserve a gold medal! More federal intake of taxes will never balance the budget as long as Congress and presidents spend more money quicker at a higher rate.
THE CONGRESSIONAL Budget Office estimated that the federal government collected a record amount of your money, er, “taxes,” in April 2018 — $515 billion, a new all-time record! Congratulations! Don’t you feel like you should get a gold medal or something? How about a Congressional Order of Merit to thank you for paying for the programs everyone wants? The $515 billion in taxes collected is $59 billion, or 13 percent, higher than April 2017. Individual income and payroll tax collection was $73 billion higher, or 20 percent, than one year ago. Final payments for taxes in April was $60 billion higher than April a year ago. We collected more tax revenue income from individuals in April 2018 than we ever have in any single month in the 229-year history of the United States of America. Despite this record influx of tax revenue to the U.S. Treasury, the budget deficit for the first seven months of FY 2018 went up by $37 billion over the same period in 2017. How can that possibly be? More federal intake of taxes will never balance the budget as long as Congress and presidents spend more money quicker at a higher rate. Take a look at the makeup of all layers and levels of taxes paid to Washington in 2016: Total tax collected
$3,333,449,083
Business tax
$345,552,427
Individual tax withheld
$2,267,921,604
Individual income tax payments
$577,728,172
Unemployment tax
$8,440,229
Railroad tax
$5,941,448
Estate/trust tax
$29,695,397
Estate tax
$19,879,671
Gift tax
$2,457,466
Excise taxes
$75,832,669
(in thousands)
SOURCE: WWW.IRS.GOV
Those are the only ways to squeeze blood out of your turnip via tax policy. So far, that is. More money going to Washington from your pocket or checking account either through economic growth or higher tax rates is the same thing: More tax revenue. More tax collection doesn’t matter if Washington continues to spend money like drunken sailors. Which, as Ronald Reagan said, was an insult to all drunken sailors. Here is why budget deficits have gone up this year in spite of record tax revenue collection in April: “Outlays for the first 7 months of FY 2018 were up $121 billion or 5 percent over the same period in 2017,” according to CBO. Spending for military programs is up 5 percent due to recent bills passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump. Homeland Security spending is up $17 billion, or 59 percent, due to disaster relief efforts. Social Security spending is up $23 billion, or 4 percent, because of COLA inflation adjustments and more beneficiaries retiring. The “scary” increase over the first seven months of FY 2018 was in outlays for net interest on the public debt. Net interest costs rose $25 billion, or 14 percent, because of higher interest rates and adjustments upwards for their inflationprotected securities issued. Interest rates are still low by historical standards. We know from history that the one thing no government has ever been able to manage fully has been when inflation fears get out of hand and then interest rates escalate to accommodate for those inflation fears. As recently as 1979-81, inflation reached 12 percent in the United States and treasury bill rates peaked at 14.5 percent. A 14.5 percent interest rate on current national debt would mean $2.175 trillion out of our $4.2 trillion federal budget would go solely to pay holders of U.S. bonds. Will this superior generation of tax revenue continue to grow for the rest of the year? Maybe. Perhaps. Some of tax collection depends on timing of payments due to holidays and tax considerations. However, if the Trump/GOP tax cuts work perfectly and the economy continues to grow robustly, we might see a 10 percent increase in tax revenue collection for the rest of the year. But that would only generate $333 billion more in surprise surplus revenue over the course of the year. At current levels of spending, we would still have more than $500 billion in deficit-financing for the rest of the year. The key to fiscal and financial sanity is through serious Congressional control of spending to below 3 percent annual growth per year. Forever.
EDITORIAL | TROY KICKLER
“Fire, fire on them or on me!” To the farmers, the palace symbolized all that was wrong with the North Carolina royal government.
GOV. WILLIAM TRYON issued this order on May 16, 1771. He was frustrated with his reluctant North Carolina militia, most from the eastern part of the state, who had ignored his first command to fire on Piedmont farmers. Obeying Tryon’s command meant that North Carolinians would be fighting fellow North Carolinians. Some of the militia even sympathized with the farmers’ political concerns. After the second command, however, the militia reluctantly fired. The Battle of Alamance commenced. Approximately, 2,000 Piedmont farmers — also known as Regulators — had gathered on a field near Alamance. For the previous three years, many in the backcountry — today the Piedmont — voiced an increasingly louder dissent. They had denounced excessive legal fees and North Carolina royal government meddling in private affairs. They had criticized the cronyism and political corruption between the royal governor and a few sheriffs. The construction of Tryon Palace was the tipping point. Most Piedmont farmers lived in small log cabins — one room, with a loft — while an ostentatious governor’s palace by colonial 1770s standards was being built. At the taxpayer’s expense, construction costs exceeded twice as much as original estimates. To the farmers, the palace symbolized all that was wrong with the North Carolina royal government. As a result, many refused to pay their taxes. The colonial capital — New Bern — was a great distance from the backcountry, and more counties,
and therefore the number of legislators, were in the east. Regulators disliked being underrepresented or ignored. (Imagine walking or riding a horse today from Randolph County to New Bern.) No doubt Herman Husband’s writings — “Shew yourselves to be Freemen!” — cultivated Piedmont grumblings into a growing force of political action. No doubt backcountry poetry and songs, describing “civil robberies” and officials using public office for private gain, also fostered backcountry discontentment. Approximately 1,400 militia met the Regulators on the field near Alamance. To the royal governor and his political allies, Regulators were lawbreakers. Their actions foreshadowed a state of anarchy. The Regulators had refused to pay taxes. They had burned a judge’s house and stable. They had disrupted official court proceedings, kicked out the ruling judge and established a mock court. They had dragged attorneys out of courtrooms and publicly humiliated or beat them. “Thump! Thump! Thump!” banged Sheriff Edmund Fanning’s head on each front step as the Regulators dragged him out of the Hillsborough courthouse and then publicly whipped him. Afterward, they essentially destroyed the sheriff’s house. To Tryon, law and order must prevail. So, the militia arrived in the backcountry to ensure just that. The Battle of Alamance might have been
avoided. While the two opposing forces faced each other, Regulators wanted to negotiate. Many Regulators did not anticipate a battle: some could be seen wrestling during the negotiation attempts, and others later recalled that they brought only enough ammunition to last for a day’s hunting trip. Others only wielded pitchforks or clubs. Tryon, however, refused to negotiate with armed protestors. Later that morning, the Johnston Riot Act was read — yes, back then, sometimes people were actually “read the riot act.” Essentially, Tryon ordered the Regulators to disperse. They had an hour to do so. Minus a key Regulator leader, the pacifist Herman Husband, the Regulators remained. At noon, the battle began. The well-led militia used cannons and traditional field tactics. The Regulators, though, hid behind trees and rocks and fired weapons. Lacking a central commander, they fought as individuals or in small groups. The tide changed when Tryon’s men set the woods ablaze. The ensconced farmers had to flee. Some were captured. In all, 29 died — 20 Regulators and nine militia; 150 were wounded. Tryon, though, wanted to be sure Regulators had received the message. Shortly afterward, six captured Regulators were hanged. On May 16, 1771, the Regulator Rebellion ended.
North State Journal for Wednesday, May 16, 2018
A7
GUEST OPINION | BRIAN JODICE
Good medicine: How school choice benefits education Parents know best what kind of school works for their child, so they should get to choose that school.
IMAGINE IF YOU COULDN’T choose your health care provider. Instead, you’d be zoned to a clinic or hospital based solely on your home address. Medical providers there would supply all your health care needs: annual exams, scans, surgery, treatment. If you received a worrisome diagnosis, you’d need to forego a second opinion from a physician at another facility — unless you could afford to pay all costs out of pocket. It sounds absurd, right? What if you had cancer? What if your child did? You’d likely want the best doctor you could find, who possessed the skills and expertise to meet your specific need. Sure, most of us are accustomed to some limitations on personal choice in our health care. Yet it’s hard to conceive of a system that would restrict choice as severely as the one outlined above. But think about it: That’s what we do in K-12 education today. In our current system, children are assigned to traditional public schools based on where they live. That’s it. In all but the most innovative school districts with open enrollment, parents can’t choose among traditional public schools. Unless families opt out of traditional public schooling altogether — by applying to a public charter or magnet school, choosing to homeschool, or electing to pay tuition at a private school — they’re limited to their child’s assigned school. This curtails choice in practical and powerful ways. Many families cannot afford private school tuition. Others do not have easy access to a public charter school. Still others do not have the financial or work flexibility to homeschool a child. These families are left with no real chance to exercise choice in their child’s education. Fortunately, there’s a major shift happening in education today, and it’s sweeping state legislatures. The revolution, fueled by grassroots support, is based on a simple yet powerful idea: Parents know best what kind of school works for their child, so they should get to choose that school. This is similar to what many of us seek with a health care provider, right? Of course, there are key differences in how we approach health care and K-12 education in this country — especially when it comes to who provides it, who pays for it, and what role government takes. But that does not negate this fundamental truth: like health care, education thrives with personal choice. Parent empowerment through personal freedom, known as school choice, has led to new and innovative policies in North Carolina in recent years. How have families responded?
Was the Blankenship momentum real?
LAUREN ROSE | NORTH STATE JOURNAL | FILE
A teacher holds a sign in support of school choice at an event during National School Choice Week held at the North Carolina Museum of History on Jan. 23. They overwhelmingly favor school choice — and they want more of it! Consider that beginning in 2011, lawmakers removed the cap on public charter schools; since that time, North Carolina has experienced nearly 75 percent growth in these schools. In fact, thousands of students remain on charter school waitlists statewide. Students from 95 counties are enrolled in public charter schools that are physically located in just 61 counties across North Carolina. Since 2011, state lawmakers have also created three state-sponsored scholarship programs. The Children with Disabilities Scholarship Grant, worth up to $8,000 annually, helps more than 1,100 special needs students access private school or other education services. The Opportunity Scholarship Program provides children from low-income families with private school scholarships of up to $4,200. More than 7,200 children currently use Opportunity Scholarships to attend
private schools statewide. For 201819, families submitted more than 7,500 new applications — more than triple the number of new scholarships available. In 2017, state lawmakers established a third scholarship program, the Special Needs Education Savings Account (ESA). The ESA provides the parents of children with more severe disabilities with up to $9,000 annually to pay private school tuition and other educational expenses. For the 2018-19 school year, families submitted more than 1,400 applications — four times the number of scholarships available. Many children are flourishing in their assigned public schools. But other children are not, and they need another option. When it comes to their education, school choice isn’t just a good idea. It’s good medicine. Brian Jodice is the interim president of Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina.
COLUMN | WALTER E. WILLIAMS
Kanye and Democrats
Democrats never want blacks to seriously ask questions about what the party has done for them.
IN THE AFTERMATH of the Kanye West dust-up, my heart goes out to the white people who control the Democratic Party. My pity stems from the hip-hop megastar’s November announcement to his packed concert audience that he did not vote in the presidential election but if he had, he would have voted for Donald Trump. Then, on April 21, West took to his Twitter account, which has 28 million followers, to announce, “I love the way Candace Owens thinks.” Owens is Turning Point USA’s director of urban engagement and has said that former President Barack Obama caused “damage” to race relations in the United States during his two terms in office. West’s support for Trump, along with his criticism of the “plantation” mentality of the Democratic Party, has been met with vicious backlash from the left. In one song, West raps, “See, that’s the problem with this damn nation. All blacks gotta be Democrats. Man, we ain’t made it off the plantation.” Rep. Maxine Waters said West “talks out of turn” and advised, “He should think twice about politics — and maybe not have so much to say.” The bottomline sin that West has committed is questioning the hegemony of the Democratic Party among black Americans. The backlash has been so bad that West had to hire personal security to protect him against threats made against his life. Fortunately, the police are investigating those threats. West is not saying anything
SCOTT RASMUSSEN
different from what Dr. Thomas Sowell, Larry Elder, Jason Riley, I and other black libertarians/ conservatives have been saying for decades. In fact, West has tweeted quotations from Sowell, such as “Socialism in general has a record of failure so blatant that only an intellectual could ignore or evade it” and “The most basic question is not what is best but who shall decide what is best.” Tweeting those Sowell quotations represents the highest order of blasphemy in the eyes of leftists. The big difference between black libertarians/conservatives and West is that he has 28 million Twitter followers and a huge audience of listeners, whereas few blacks have even heard of libertarian/ conservative blacks outside of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. (I might add in passing that Dr. Thomas Sowell is one of the nation’s most distinguished and accomplished scholars alive today.) The Kanye problem for the Democratic Party is that if the party doesn’t keep blacks in line and it loses even 20 to 25 percent of the black vote, it can kiss any hope of winning any presidential and many congressional elections goodbye. Democrats may have already seen that threat. That’s why they support illegal immigration and voting rights for noncitizens. Immigrants from south of the border who are here illegally may be seen as either a replacement for or a guarantee against the disaster of losing the black vote.
Keeping blacks blind to the folly of unquestioned support for the Democratic Party by keeping blacks fearful, angry and resentful and painting the Republican Party as racist is vital. Democrats never want blacks to seriously ask questions about what the party has done for them. Here are some facts. The nation’s most troublesome and dangerous cities — Indianapolis, Stockton, Oakland, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Kansas City, Baltimore, Memphis, St. Louis and Detroit — have been run by Democrats, often black Democrats, for nearly a halfcentury. These and other Democraticrun cities are where blacks suffer the highest murder rates and their youngsters attend the poorestperforming and most unsafe schools. Democrats could never afford for a large number of black people to observe, “We’ve been putting you in charge of our cities for decades. We even put a black Democrat in the White House. And what has it meant for us? Plus, the president you told us to hate has our unemployment rate near a record low.” It turns out that it’s black votes that count more to black and white politicians than black well-being, black academic excellence and black lives. As for black politicians and civil rights leaders, if they’re going to sell their people down the river to keep Democrats in power, they ought to demand a higher price. Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University.
IN THE FINAL DAYS before the West Virginia primary, breathless media coverage suggested that businessman Don Blankenship was gaining ground rapidly and had a real shot at winning the Republican Senate nomination. ABC News quoted a “national Republican operative” who said it’s “down to the wire,” and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the controversial candidate won. All this concern even prompted President Donald Trump to tweet that Blankenship “can’t win the General Election” and encouraging West Virginia voters to cast their ballots for someone else. But Blankenship didn’t win or even come close. Instead, he finished a distant third with just 19 percent of the vote. It’s possible that the presidential tweet turned the tide. But it’s even more likely that there wasn’t any real Blankenship momentum to unwind. A couple of weeks before the primary, public polls showed Blankenship a distant third, trailing two quality candidates — Attorney General Patrick Morrissey and Congressman Evan Jenkins. A Fox News poll showed Blankenship picking up 16 percent of the vote, not far from the 19 percent he actually received on Election Day. It certainly doesn’t provide any sense of pro-Blankenship momentum. The Blankenship-was-surging storyline came from “internal polling” leaked to the media. As a general rule, it’s wise to be very skeptical of such internal polls and to remember that the leaker has an agenda. But such skepticism was missing in the run-up to primary day as Politico reported that victory was “within reach” for Blankenship. Not only that, there were reports of “finger-pointing” going on behind the scenes in GOP circles. Some were blaming the White House, some the other West Virginia candidates, and some Mitch McConnell.
I suspect the story took off because elite journalists and national Republican political operatives were predisposed to believe it.
How did this happen? I suspect the story took off because elite journalists and national Republican political operatives were predisposed to believe it. Blankenship was a horrible candidate. He recently spent time in prison on charges relating to a mining disaster that killed 29 miners. His campaign rallies and comments included racist and hateful commentary. Many in the national media believe that conservative voters are primarily driven by racial resentment, especially in places like West Virginia. So, it made sense to them that a candidate like Blankenship was surging. On top of that, the West Virginia Senate race represents a prime pick-up opportunity for the GOP. Incumbent Democrat Joe Manchin is vulnerable in a state that President Trump won by 42 percentage points. A good candidate could defeat Manchin and help the Republican party retain control of the Senate. Blankenship could not. Sadly, many national Republican political operatives also have a condescending view of their party’s voters. They were ready to believe in a Blankenship surge because they feared those voters weren’t smart enough to understand what was at stake. When the votes were counted, however, it was the journalists and operatives who looked foolish. Their frenzied speculation in the election’s final days were as far off the mark as their discussions about how big the Hillary Clinton landslide victory would be in 2016. Once again, the elites demonstrated how little they understand the American people. Scott Rasmussen is a political analyst and publisher of ScottRasmussen.com.
Results illustrate the ECU story. ncellor Office of the Cha 8-4353
nville, NC 2785 a University l Gree lin ro Ca st Ea l 1 ing l Mail Stop 10 105 Spilman Build
rdinary history of ao tr ex ’s U C E t u o s ab new es of newspaper ad ri se a in Every day, exciting al . n fi ld e fo n th u to es This is u n ti universities. r story con u al o n d io n at A n t e. ea ic gr rv s se a’ d ic mer leadership an aim to be one of A cl r u o g in one er h rt fu e t work was being d ea gr developments ar ch u m so ea id no o tell me they had proof that supports h e w th y e an ar m sh m to o fr s: ad rd er I’ve hea with these newspap t n te in r u o as w at here. And th its nal excellence. s a place alongside ve er es our claim for natio d n o ti u it st in is iversity’s legacy. m. But to suggest th n u ai cl is th ld o b ow a n k ’s t at n’ th o , d o Granted ld only to those wh o b s em se gs n li b si anged individual ch at th s n io better-known at ov n of in ed many examples ar sh ve e’ w s, th n o Over recent m n a state. s of people in easter ve li e th lives, a region and ve ro p im to : for a noble purpose ld prosper only u d o te w ea at cr th as s w ie it n o n u ti u m m This instit ts teachers in rural co re o m g in r beyond those roo tt fa u p ed y d b a an n p li ex o ar as C h h n sio Nort tion. Today, its mis ols across the ca o u h sc ed in to rs ss to ce ca ac u r ed te re with grea Still, ECU puts mo s. er h ac te te ca u ed as a college to to y other. in North Carolina ay st o h entire state than an w rs o ct o d re ntage of primary ca ost rural areas, ce m s er e’ p r at te st e ea th gr a in es d ar te ca ECU prep s learning centers, lo e ic rv se l ta arning opportunitie le en d y ar U in C E rd e ao h tr T ex e. ic te ea pract dents majoring been without and cr u d st o’ re h o w m le p es eo rv p se to U C bring care ege of Business at E ll o C e th d track to prepare n l A ia . ec ts sp en a d g u st in l er ta ff o en hile for d state institution, w er th o y an an th s in busines r own businesses. ei th t ar st to ed ir sp y are in who overcame man s entrepreneurs who er ad le y ar n o si vi ed ical kable success requir ar m re s n’ o sts, educators, phys ti ti u en it d st , in es rs u n This , rs o ams for doct , scientists and ts gr n ro ta p n p u to co te ac ea s, cr er h to ap obstacles eople, artists, geogr sp es n si u b s, st gi lo io therapists, aud was expected. an th re o m o d to n leadership is defined id sa , er others who are drive ck ru D F. er Pet lts. leader on business, t gh u o th eat university: resu gr ed n is th ow es en h is gu n ti is A world-r d e core attribute that th ’s at th d n A s. lt su for North Carolina. t by re en m st ve in n o rn edible retu It’s provided an incr ared a challenge. fe er ev as h U C E at n easy, but no one ee b s ay w al t n’ as h It
Chancellor Cecil P.
Staton
www.ecu.edu
C.S. 18-2535
WEDNESDAY, MAY 16, 2018
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHARLOTTE HORNETS
Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak, right, introduced new coach James Borrego on Friday. Borrego was previously an assistant coach in San Antonio.
the Wednesday SIDELINE REPORT
SPORTS
PGA
N.C.’s Simpson wins The Players Championship Ponte Verde, Fla. Webb Simpson, a Raleigh native who played collegiately at Wake Forest, was nowhere near as sharp or aggressive as he was in the first three rounds at The Players Championship, but his 1-over-par 73 final round gave him a four-shot win at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Simpson’s 18-under 270 bested Charl Schwartzel, Jimmy Walker and Xander Schauffele, who tied for second at 14 under. The victory was Simpson’s fifth of his PGA Tour career, his first since he captured the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas in 2013, and his biggest since he won the 2012 U.S. Open.
AUTO RACING
Caraway Speedway up for sale, cutting back on weekly events Sophia Caraway Speedway, a halfmile racetrack just outside of Asheboro, is up for sale by the Hackett family, which has owned the track for more than 40 years. The dirt track was built in 1966 and paved in 1972. Caraway Speedway has cut back the rest of its 2018 schedule to just six events. Russell Hackett, who bought the track in 1977, died in February, and his son Darren — who has operated the track for his father since 2011 — said the track needs to be sold to settle his father’s estate. Bobby Labonte was track champion in the late model division at Caraway in 1987, and Dale Earnhardt Sr. won a Busch Series race there in 1982.
Hornets name Borrego next head coach Spurs assistant served as interim coach for Orlando in 2015 By Brett Friedlander North State Journal
about the former captain’s dedication to hockey, commitment to the Triangle and how he hadn’t “been this impressed by many people in my life.” Also tacked on to the announcement was that Don Waddell — the man who orchestrated the sale of the team from Peter Karmanos Jr. to Dundon — would have “interim” removed from his title and become the full-time general manager and team president. It’s impossible to question Waddell’s dedication to hockey: The Detroit-born defenseman spent nearly a decade playing professionally, bouncing from Houston to Germany to Flint, Mich., to New Haven, Conn., and often back again, playing
THERE IS no more respected organization in the NBA, both for its stability and on-the-court success, than the San Antonio Spurs. So it only makes sense that the Charlotte Hornets, a franchise that has yet to win its first playoff series, would turn to the Spurs in hopes of recreating their successful formula. That’s what they did last Thursday by hiring James Borrego as the 11th coach in their 14-year history as the Hornets and Bobcats. The 40-year-old Borrego spent the past three seasons as an assistant to Spurs coaching legend Gregg Popovich. He replaces Steve Clifford, who was fired last month after going 196-214 during a five-year tenure that produced only two postseason appearances. “We are thrilled to have James join our franchise,” Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak, himself a new hire, said upon announcing Borrego’s hiring. “He brings a wealth of experience and a strong track record of player development from his time as a coach in San Antonio, New Orleans and Orlando. “He has been a part of teams that have ascended to the highest levels of success in our league and understands what it takes to win in the NBA. James is considered one of the NBA’s most well-regarded assistant coaches, and it’s great to have him as part of our team. I look forward to working with him in the years to come.” A native of Albuquerque, N.M., Borrego spent seven seasons with the Spurs, first as an assistant video coordinator in 2003 before working up the ranks to become an assistant coach. He left the organization in 2010 to spend time in both New Orleans and Orlando, and gained his first head coaching experience when he took over the Magic on an interim basis for the final 30 games of 2014-15, before eventually returning to the Spurs the following season. In his 15 NBA seasons, Borrego has been associated with teams that have made 11 playoff appearances. He was part of the Spurs’ league championship teams in 2005 and ’06, and has been to the Western Conference Finals four times. Borrego also has coaching experience as an as-
See HURRICANES, page B4
See HORNETS, page B4
CORY LAVALETTE | NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Don Waddell was named the Hurricanes’ full-time general manager during a press conference last Wednesday that also introduced Rod Brind’Amour as the team’s next coach.
Can Waddell lead the Hurricanes? Longtime hockey man has the support of owner Tom Dundon to be the team’s GM, even if he originally didn’t want the job By Cory Lavalette North State Journal RALEIGH — At last Wednesday’s press conference that announced the hiring of new coach Rod Brind’Amour, Tom Dundon — the Hurricanes’ new owner — cited several reasons for wanting Brind’Amour as his first coaching hire. “One of the things I liked about him was he wanted it, but he didn’t need the job,” Dundon said. Furthermore, Dundon talked
“There is a reason why people around the league love him and keep trying to hire him away from me.” Gregg Popovich, Spurs coach
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
NC State lands Kentucky transfer Raleigh NC State coach Kevin Keatts has added another transfer to his program, earning a commitment from Kentucky sophomore Sacha Killeya‑Jones. The 6-foot-10, 200-pound forward played just under 14 minutes a game for the Wildcats last season, averaging 3.3 points and 2.9 rebounds. Killeya‑Jones will have to sit out the upcoming season and then have two years of eligibility remaining with the Wolfpack starting with the 2019-20 campaign.
INSIDE It looks like the Charlotte Panthers have their new owner. David Tepper, a billionaire hedge fund manager, reportedly has a deal in place to purchase the NFL team from Jerry Richardson. The sale is valued at $2.2 billion, making it the highest price paid for an NFL team. The Buffalo Bills were bought for $1.4 billion in 2014, and the NBA’s Houston Rockets also sold for $2.2 billion last year. Tepper, currently a minority owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, has reportedly agreed to keep the team in Charlotte. B3 JIM DEDMON | USA TODAY SPORTS
North State Journal for Wednesday, May 16, 2018
B2 WEDNESDAY
05.16.18
TRENDING
Fozzy Whittaker: The Panthers running back was placed on injured reserve Thursday with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee suffered in a noncontact, on-field drill last Monday. Whittaker appeared in 12 games with the Panthers last season. Whittaker joined the Panthers after stints with the Cleveland Browns and San Diego Chargers in 2013. Chuck Knox Chuck Knox, a longtime NFL coach who won 186 regular-season games, died Sunday at age 86, the Seattle Seahawks confirmed. Knox coached for the Los Angeles Rams (twice), Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks during his 22 seasons as a head coach. He guided four teams to conference championship games — the Rams three times in the 1970s and the Seahawks in 1983 — but never reached a Super Bowl. Knox was selected NFL Coach of the Year three times (1973, 1980 and 1984) and was nicknamed “Ground Chuck” for his run-first offenses. Greg Hardy: The former Carolina Panthers and Dallas Cowboys defensive end will be facing another former NFL player when he makes his MMA debut as part of the “Dana White Tuesday Night Contender Series” in a heavyweight fight June 12. Austen Lane, a defensive end who had a career that spanned from 2010-14, will be Hardy’s opponent and is 4-0 as a professional fighter. The fight was announced during the broadcast of UFC 224 Saturday night in Brazil. Hardy has gone 3-0 in his amateur fights since his last game in 2015.
beyond the box score POTENT QUOTABLES
NASCAR
Kevin Harvick is on another streak after winning at Kansas for his second straight win. He won three consecutive races earlier in the season and leads the Monster Energy Cup Series with five wins. The Cup series will spend the next two weekends in Charlotte. First, the All-Star Race will take place Saturday followed by the Coca-Cola 600 on May 27. Harvick has twice won the series’ longest race (2011 and 2013), and he has finished in the top-10 in 13 of the last 15 points races at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
JASEN VINLOVE | USA TODAY SPORTS
“I think I was too closedminded and just tried to learn a lot about putting and what’s important.” Webb Simpson on earning the first win of his career without using the nowbanned belly putter at The Players Championship.
EAMON QUEENEY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL
NHL
NBA
CORY LAVALETTE | NORTH STATE JOURNAL
“It’s a job, but it’s not — it means more to me.” Rod Brind’Amour after he was named the next coach of the Carolina Hurricanes last Wednesday. NFL
$2.2B The amount David Tepper will pay to purchase the Carolina Panthers from Jerry Richardson, setting the record for the highest sale price for an NFL franchise. The amount is 57 percent more than the $1.4 billion paid for the Buffalo Bills in 2014. The Panthers’ sale price matches the amount paid for the NBA’s Houston Rockets in 2017.
TERRENCE LEE | USA TODAY SPORTS
TROY TAORMINA | USA TODAY SPORTS
Kevin Durant had a team-high 37 points and Klay Thompson chipped in 28 as the Golden State Warriors claimed the opener of the Western Conference finals and snatched homecourt advantage with a 119-106 win in Houston on Monday. James Harden led the Rockets with 41 points and seven assists while Chris Paul chipped in 23 points and 11 rebounds.
After stumbling to a Game 1 loss, the Vegas Golden Knights regained their footing in Monday’s Game 2 of the Western Conference finals, topping the Jets 3-1 in Winnipeg to even the series. Jonathan Marchessault scored twice and Marc-Andre Fleury made 30 saves to earn his 71st career playoff win, tying him with Jacques Plante for the ninth-most in NHL history.
MLB
GARY A. VASQUEZ | USA TODAY SPORTS
Former Mets and Tar Heels ace Matt Harvey shined in his Cincinnati Reds debut Friday, allowing just one hit in four scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Harvey struck out two and threw 55 pitches, 32 for strikes. It was his first start since being demoted to the bullpen by the Mets after a rough outing against the Atlanta Braves on April 19.
The Ultimate in Puzzles and Nostalgia MAIL-IN ORDER FORM Yes! Sign me up for 2 years (BEST DEAL ) (24 issues) of ReMIND magazine for only $42.76.
ReMIND magazine offers fresh takes on popular entertainment from days gone by. Each issue has dozens of brain-teasing puzzles, trivia quizzes, classic comics and monthly themed features from the 1950s-1980s!
✦ Time Capsule ✦ Pinups ✦ Puzzles ✦ Color Comics
✦ Movie Stars ✦ Fashion ✦ Collectibles ✦ Music
Special Introductory Rate For The North State Journal Readers. Get ReMIND magazine for as low as $1.78 an issue!
YOUR PRICE
YOUR PRICE Sign me up for 1 year (12 issues) $23.88 of ReMIND magazine SAVINGS for only $23.88. $36.00
$42.76 SAVINGS
$77.00
Option #1 - Pay by check or money order (Make check or money order out to: ReMIND magazine) Option #2 - Charge my credit card Credit Card # ❏Visa
❏MC
❏ Discover
❏AmEx
Exp. Date:
Signature Required:
NAME: ADDRESS: CITY:
STATE:
EMAIL:
ZIP:
TELEPHONE:
Cut out and mail this coupon with payment to: ReMIND magazine, 213 Park Drive, Troy, MI 48083 Allow 4-6 weeks for delivery of your first issue.
All subscriptions are delivered via U.S. mail.
Subscribe today!
SAVE OVER
60
% OFF THE
COVER
PRICE
Promo Code: RMCP
www.remindmagazine.com 1-855-322-8784
North State Journal for Wednesday, May 16, 2018
B3
Duke walk-on starts cross-country charity ride Brennan Besser’s 3,400-mile trip will raise money for IDD community By Shawn Krest North State Journal Brennan Besser didn’t get into any games for Duke this past season, but the Blue Devils walk-on was on the bench, with the best seat in the house for the team’s run to the Elite Eight. Besser will be sitting for much of the next two months, as he attempts to ride his bike across the country. “This summer, we’re launching Walk-On! America, a national effort to raise awareness and charitable donations for the organizations that help support the IDD (intellectual and developmental disabilities) community,” Besser said. The rising senior will hop on his bike Wednesday in Seattle. He plans to pedal to New York City, with a targeted arrival date of July 22. The winding trip through the country will take 69 days and cover 3,400 miles. He hopes to raise a million dollars in donations. “In roughly 70 days we’re going to try to stop in somewhere near 50 cities,” he said. “In each city, we hope to connect with the community by hosting a basketball clinic or community event — maybe a walk or a run.” He hopes to have former and future Duke teammates join him in his quest. He’ll have Timberwolves reserve Amile Jefferson and Minnesota natives Tyus and Tre Jones join him when he reaches that state. He also hopes to hook up with Harry Giles when the trip hits Sacramento, and, assuming his NBA Draft prep schedule allows, Grayson Allen plans to join Besser
SHAWN KREST | NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Duke basketball walk-on Brennan Besser is biking from Seattle to New York with the goal of raising $1 million for his recently launched charity to benefit those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. for the final event, when he reaches New York City. One of Besser’s older sisters, 23-year-old Jacqueline, is the inspiration for his charitable effort. “She has special needs,” he said. “She’s nonverbal and developmentally delayed. She’s really one of my best friends and made me the person I am today.” For years, Besser has wanted to do something to support the IDD community and honor his sister. “It’s a very important subset of the American population,” he said. “It’s commonly hidden. We’re really hoping to shine a light on the part of the American community that
“It’s going to be challenging — I know that.” Brennan Besser doesn’t necessarily have that strong of a voice.” Besser’s time at Duke has given him the platform, and the level of physical fitness, to be able to pull it off. “Since I’ve been a part of the Duke basketball program, I’ve developed some sort of elite athleti-
cism,” he said. Still, running up and down the court in practice is a far cry from a cross-country ride. “With the end of finals this semester, I started to ramp up my physical activity, especially on a bike,” he said. “I’ve been on the bicycle, getting used to that sort of level of intensity. You’re moving different muscles than when you’re on the court. It’s going to be challenging — I know that. We’ll truly see how difficult it will be, once we get started, but I think I’ll be prepared.” Before Wednesday, his longest bike ride was three hours, around Durham. “I’m not an avid lifelong
cyclist by any means,” he said. Besser plans to average about 60 miles a day. He’ll start off slowly and build up over the first few weeks, and he’ll have support on the road following him the entire way. “We’ll have a team of roughly four to five people, including two support vehicles,” he said. “We’ll have somebody that has medical training, just in case anything were to go wrong. We’re going to have communications and P.R. people, as well as a general manager for the project who’s going to be based in Chicago. We’ll also have some alternate bikes for anyone that wants to do this with me, just to get a workout in.” In addition to his classes and basketball practice, Besser spent the last semester making calls and organizing this trip—and charity. It’s the same level of dedication he shows on the practice court. “Brennan has contributed in so many ways to our program, whether it be in preparation, spirit, or work ethic,” coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “He’s a one-of-a-kind walk-on. I love him, and the spirit he brings is infectious on this team. Nothing he does surprises me, because almost everything he does is not about him. It’s about his talents, his emotion and his effort to help others. This is a terrific thing that he’s doing this summer and he’ll accomplish so much for so many people.” Besser said he’s nervous and daunted by the challenge, but his sister will keep him moving forward and eastward. “When I was biking around Durham, I tried to envision when I’m on the road and I’m in the middle of South Dakota, what’s that going to feel like,” he said. “(Jacqueline) will be in my heart all the way through it.”
Report: David Tepper finalizing Curry ‘all right’ deal to buy Panthers being Harden’s target on defense The Carolina Panthers should have a new owner very soon, according to a report by WBNG
Golden State won Game 1 despite game-high 41 points from Rockets’ star
By Shawn Krest North State Journal David Tepper, a Florida hedge fund manager and minority owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, is in the process of finalizing his purchase of the Carolina Panthers. Tepper is worth an estimated $11 billion, and his bid is believed to be on a $2.2 billion valuation, according to multiple reports. Tepper will take over the 48 percent of the team previously held by Jerry Richardson, who put his stake in the team up for sale following the season in the wake of an investigation into his alleged sexual harassment and racial misconduct. The 60-year-old Tepper was born in Pittsburgh and attended Pitt and Carnegie Mellon, where the business school is now named after him. He left a job at Goldman Sachs in 1992 to found Appaloosa Management. In recent years, Appaloosa has been named Institutional Hedge Fund Firm of the Year, and Tepper was honored as the top-earning hedge fund manager by the The New York Times and Forbes Magazine. Tepper’s bid was not the highest. That honor went to local businessman Ben Navarro, whose group was rumored to have offered $2.6 billion. Navarro founded Charleston, South Carolina-based Sherman Financial Group, the nation’s largest privately held finance company. Last week, Navarro was rumored to have reached out to former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning to join his ownership group. With the league hoping to wrap up the sale of the team quickly, Richardson and the team were willing to give up some money to have the known commodity in Tepper. Since he already owns 5 percent of the Steelers, he’s been vetted by the league and is familiar to Richardson and the other owners, making approval of his bid a likelihood. Tepper bought his share of the Steelers in 2009. He’ll need to sell his share before he can purchase the Panthers. Owners will vote, with a threefourths majority needed to approve it, at the league’s spring meetings on May 21-23. Prior to that, the finance committee must
By Field Level Media
STEPHEN LEW | USA TODAY SPORTS
Quarterback Cam Newton and the Panthers will likely be playing for a new owner in 2018.
$11B Estimated worth of David Tepper. approve his bid. Other bidders involved in the process included Alan Kestenbaum, the chief executive of Bedrock Industries, and Fanatics owner Michael Rubin, whose group included Sean “Diddy” Combs and Stephen Curry as potential minority owners. Like Navarro, Kestenbaum was believed to be willing to meet the team’s $2.5 billion price tag, while Tepper and Rubin were not, according to an April report from The New York Times which said that Tepper had dropped out of the bidding process. However, NFL.com reported that there were “significant questions” facing Navarro and Kestenbaum, which opened the door for Tepper’s lower bid. One issue that could have impacted the larger bids was the NFL’s strict limits on financing for new majority owners. The new majority owner must own at least 30 percent of the team, and the NFL has a debt ceiling for owners of $350 million. That means that Tepper, Navarro or Kestenbaum would need to have at least $300 million in cash to put down at the time of the sale. Sources close to Tepper told Ian
Rapoport of the NFL Network that he wants the team to remain in Charlotte because he “believes in the market.” His desire to leave the team in place was reportedly another reason the league was favorable toward his bid. Richardson sold the team after a Sports Illustrated article reported on his alleged workplace misconduct, including sexist comments and actions toward female employees and racial epithets directed at African-American employees, including a former scout for the team. Richardson gave up day-to-day operation of the team in December, turning control over to chief operation officer Tina Becker. Tepper has no allegations of workplace impropriety. A 2009 profile of him by New York Magazine raised some eyebrows, however. The story depicted him as a renegade, compared to straight-laced bankers in the hedge fund industry. Among the details reported in the story were the fact that Tepper displayed a large brass replica of male genitalia in his office as well as silicone breast implants that he kept on his desk and “loved to toss around.” Those reports don’t seem to have soured the NFL on his bid, however, and approval by the owners is considered a formality according to several reports. The $2.2 billion bid sets an NFL record for franchise sale price. The Buffalo Bills sold for $1.4 billion in 2014. Carolina, however, sold for less than the team’s valuation — Forbes estimated Carolina’s value at $2.3 billion.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry understands he’s a primary target for James Harden when the Houston Rockets have the ball, and he seems to be just fine with that. Houston was committed to that approach in Game 1 of the best-of-seven series on Monday, as Harden racked up 41 points while repeatedly going after Curry. Despite the tactical effectiveness, the Warriors prevailed, 119106. “If that’s the game plan they want to stick with, my job is just to make it as tough as possible,” Curry said. “You’ve got two great scorers over there in [Chris Paul] and James. You know how they get shots off in isolation-type situations, and they’re tough to stop. So I’m going to get scored on; they’re going to get scored on. There’s going to be a lot of backand-forth. “But as long as we — I should say, as long as I’m in the right spot at the right time and defend and just try to make it as tough as possible, I can be all right with that and just have that competitiveness that we need.” The Rockets repeatedly got Curry — who has said lateral agility is the biggest challenge for
the healing sprained MCL in his left knee — isolated on Harden by bringing Curry’s man into pickand-rolls with Harden, forcing a switch. In 13 isolations guarded by Curry, Harden scored 17 points. However, Harden struggled to create 3-pointers for teammates. After averaging 3.4 assists per game on 3-pointers during the regular season, Harden had none on Monday. Paul averaged 4.68 such assists during the regular season but finished with just two, as Houston assisted on only four 3-pointers all night. Despite the results, the Rockets don’t plan to ease up on the gas pedal. “It doesn’t matter who has a bad game, who’s missing shots, whether it’s myself or Chris or anybody,” Harden said. “Keep going. Keep shooting your shot and keep being aggressive. We’ve got this far doing that and having that mindset, so we’re just going to continue with it.” Houston head coach Mike D’Antonio joked that Harden “needs about 55 next time” to keep up with Golden State. Curry (18 points) and Kevin Durant (37) combined for 55 as a pair in Game 1, and Klay Thompson racked up 28 while going 6-of-15 from 3-point range. D’Antoni isn’t as worried about adjusting to Durant as he is about more attainable goals, like limiting Thompson’s space to shoot and improving defensive rotations.
TROY TAORMINA | USA TODAY SPORTS
The Rockets tried to get guard James Harden in isolation against Warriors guard Stephen Curry during Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.
B4
North State Journal for Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Basketball, surfing carry Ballou Fitzpatrick to NC Hall The three-time All-American point guard at South Carolina went on to be a championship surfer
“I feel like I was raised by a lot of Hall of Fame-level people.”
By Brett Friedlander North State Journal RALEIGH — It took a free T-shirt to help Mindy Ballou Fitzpatrick become a Hall of Famer. Actually, her accomplishments on the basketball court at West Carteret High School and the University of South Carolina were noteworthy in their own right. But what set her apart and ultimately caught the attention of the N.C. Sports Hall of Fame was her record as a champion surfer. It’s a success she might not have attained without the aforementioned shirt. “I wasn’t real competitive about it, which isn’t like me because I’m a competitive person,” Ballou Fitzpatrick said of her early surfing career on the Outer Banks. “I just loved it. It was kind of a breakaway from basketball and I got a T-shirt if I entered a contest. That’s when it started.” The Morehead City native’s competitive juices started flowing again once those contests began, and she went on to win the Women’s Amateur National Championship at Sebastian Inlet, Fla., in 1994. She followed that up by winning five Eastern Surfing Association titles, along with numerous district and regional championships. Her performance on the waves, combined with the record-setting numbers she put up on the basketball court, were rewarded earlier this month with her induction as one of the 15 newest state athletic Hall of Famers. In the process, Ballou Fitzpatrick became both the first surfer and first athlete from Carteret County to be honored by the shrine — a fact that left her both humbled and surprised. “It doesn’t make sense to me, basically,” she said. “I feel like I was raised by a lot of Hall of Fame-level people. I think I’m lucky, with the combination of being a national surfing champ, too. I know a lot of surfers who are better than me that could be in this, and I hope someday they will. I feel this is a gateway for other people from Carter-
Mindy Ballou Fitzpatrick
LAUREN ROSE | NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Mindy Ballou Fitzpatrick, who was a three-time All-American basketball player at South Carolina and a championship surfer, became the first inductee into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame from Carteret County.
Mindy Ballou Fitzpatrick became a championship surfer after her collegiate basketball career was over.
PHOTO COURTESY OF N.C. SPORTS HALL OF FAME
et County to get the chance to be looked at.” Though her surfing skills were likely the element that put her over the top as a Hall of Famer, it was Ballou Fitzpatrick’s basketball talent that first began to get her noticed. She was named all-conference in all four of her high school seasons, earning three county Player of the Year honors while setting single-game, season and career scoring records. She was an All-American her senior year and became the first — and still only — West Carteret athlete to have his or her jersey retired. At South Carolina, she scored
1,199 points between 1982-86. But it was her prowess as a playmaker that helped her become a threetime All-American and the No. 6 player in a recent ranking of alltime Gamecock women’s basketball greats. Ballou Fitzpatrick still holds the school record for assists in a season with 219, and her career total of 595 is still the second-most in school history nearly three decades later. “I’ve had a way of attracting people better than me,” Ballou Fitzpatrick said. “I’ve been very lucky at that. “I was a point guard at South Carolina, and I had one of the best
Three state schools selected to NCAA D2 baseball tournament Belmont Abbey, UNC Pembroke and Wingate will play in the Southeast Regional in hopes of reaching the D2 World Series in Cary By Brett Friedlander North State Journal NORTH CAROLINA’S status as the most dominant state in college baseball this season was confirmed again this week. Not only are four of its teams — NC State at No. 4, North Carolina at No. 7, East Carolina at No. 9 and Duke at No. 10 — ranked among the nation’s top 10 in the D1Baseball.com poll, but three others were selected Sunday to play in the Division 2 NCAA tournament. UNC Pembroke, Belmont Abbey and Wingate are among the 56 teams earning a shot at advancing to the Division II College World Series two weeks from now at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary. The state teams will begin play as part of the Southeast Regional in Greenville, S.C. Play is scheduled to get underway Thursday at 11 a.m. with third-seeded Belmont Abbey and No. 6 Wingate facing off against one another in the opening game of the double elimination event. Fifth-seeded UNCP will take on No. 4 Columbus State at 7 p.m. on Thursday, with the winner facing off against top-seeded North Greenville the following day. The other teams involved are second-seeded Georgia College and seventh-seeded Lincoln Memorial. Belmont Abbey (37-12) figures to have an advantage in the matchup of state teams, having won both regular season meetings against Wingate — 5-4 on the road on Feb. 20 and 10-5 at home on March 7. The Crusaders are led by Conference Carolinas Player of the Year Luke Cureton, who hit .376 with 12
PHOTO COURTESY UNC PEMBROKE ATHLETICS
UNC Pembroke third baseman Trey Jacobs was named the Peach Belt Conference Freshman of the Year and is second on the Braves with 11 home runs. homers and 56 RBI. The Bulldogs (34-17) are making their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2015 thanks to a strong pitching staff anchored by junior Austin Turgeon and senior Hunter Morgan. Turgeon led the South Atlantic Conference with a 2.70 ERA while holding opponents to a .210 batting average while Morgan was a workhorse, who has pitched 79⅓ innings with complete game victories in each of his last two starts. “Getting an at-large bid in such a tough region is a quite an honor. We played challenging schedule this year and won some big games, getting respect from the committee,” Wingate coach Jeff Gregory said. “The guys are excited to get a chance to continue to play. I'm excited for the program and for the guys. They worked hard all year and we look forward to the opportunity." UNCP (38-12) is batting .340 as a team and ranks third nationally with an average of 9.4 runs per game. Three of its players — third baseman Trey Jacobs, left fielder Luke Jackson and right fielder Ethan Baucom — have hit 10 or more homers.
The Braves had won 10 straight before falling to Georgia College in the semifinals of last week’s Peach Belt Conference tournament. All three teams will have their work cut out for them to advance in a region hosted by North Greenville, the nation’s second-ranked team at 44-8. As far as the state’s top Division I programs, it was a good week for NC State, Duke and East Carolina, with each winning its respective conference series. The Wolfpack continued its resurgence from a midseason slump by sweeping Wake Forest to extend its winning streak to eight. The Pirates rallied from four runs down in the final two innings Sunday to take two of three from Cincinnati and enhance their chances of hosting an NCAA regional. The Blue Devils, meanwhile, beat rival UNC on Friday and Saturday at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park to inch closer to the Tar Heels atop the ACC Coastal Division standings before UNC managed to maintain its lead by salvaging Sunday’s series finale with an 8-6 victory. The Division I regular season ends next weekend.
players ever on my team. She’s the reason I have that assist record. Brantley (Southers) couldn’t always remember the offensive plays, but she was incredible. So I just got her the ball and she scored a lot.” Ballou Fitzpatrick said her ability to handle the ball and feed her teammates came from her early years playing pickup games with and against boys. “My advantage of playing with guys was being a point guard,” she said. “If I was a three or a four, I couldn’t compete with that size. But I worked hard at handling the basketball, and nobody could take it from me. And I liked to make sure I was a good teammate and give the ball up a lot. That’s why I was always picked, even with the guys, because they knew I was going to give them the ball.” Because Ballou Fitzpatrick came along before the WNBA, her professional options were limited after college. She had opportunities to play overseas, but she turned them down to stay close to her elderly parents. She had another chance to return to the court when the WNBA was established in 1996 and the Charlotte Sting offered her a spot as their starting point guard at the age of 33. This time she passed for a different family reason. “I was pregnant with Matt Jr. when I got the call to come back, and thank God I was, because I’d have gone and played,” she said of the first of her two children. “I’d had enough out of basketball.” Instead she was lured back to surfing, a sport on which she first became hooked through her three brothers while growing up on the coast. All it took to get her back into the water was a free T-shirt. “Surfing was something I kind of did and loved,” she said. “But in competition we were pretty relaxed out there which I think that made us compete at a much higher level.”
HORNETS from page B1 sistant at the University of San Diego, a school at which he played three seasons, earning West Coast Conference All-Academic honors as a senior in 2000-01. “I’m very excited to serve as the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets,” Borrego said. “I want to thank (owner) Michael Jordan, Mitch Kupchak and (assistant GM) Buzz Peterson for this opportunity. I’m confident in the coaching foundation I’ve had the opportunity to develop during my time in San Antonio, Orlando and New Orleans, and I cannot wait to get to work in Charlotte.” Borrego reportedly turned down the head coaching position at the University of New Mexico last year in hopes of landing an NBA job. It turned out to be a good decision when he began to garner interest from several teams following the Spurs first-round playoff elimination at the hands of the Golden State Warriors. He interviewed for the head coaching jobs with the Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks and was scheduled to talk with the Milwaukee Bucks about their opening until deciding to take the Hornets position late last week. The only other confirmed finalist for the Charlotte job was Boston Celtics assistant Jay Larranaga, son of University of Miami coach Jim Larranaga. “There are so many things he does well as a teacher,” Popovich said of Borrego recently. “There is a reason why people around the league love him and keep trying to hire him away from me.” The Hornets have finished 36-46 and missed the playoffs in each of the past two seasons. They have never finished higher than third in the NBA’s Southeast Division and have qualified for the postseason only three times (in 2010, ’14 and ’16) since being reincarnated in 2004.
HURRICANES from page B1 in one NHL game on Jan. 28, 1981, for the Los Angeles Kings. He was a player-coach in Flint for a season in 1987-88 before hanging up his skates and moving to coaching and management full time. But after handling the sale of the Hurricanes and working with Dundon both before and after Ron Francis’ demotion and eventual termination as general manager, Waddell — like Brind’Amour — earned the trust and confidence of the new owner. Waddell represented the Hurricanes in Toronto at the televised NHL Draft Lottery, where Carolina surprisingly jumped from 11th to second overall, earning the right to have their pick of anyone not named Rasmus Dahlin on June 22 in Dallas. “We won the lottery to pick No. 2,” Waddell recalled. “Tom called me that night and said, ‘You’re the GM.’” It’s a simplified anecdote that doesn’t tell much of the story. Waddell — who repeatedly said previously he did not want to be GM — didn’t get the job by being, as he put it after the lottery, “lucky.” He got it by proving to be the type of lead man Dundon wanted to guide his hydra-like front office, one where many voices will give input and be heard, but Waddell will carry out the decision of the group — and, specifically, Dundon. “I think the bigger thing for me that I've seen is, right from Day 1, everything we
“This is going to be done by a group of people. We have very, very good people.” Don Waddell do, it's a collaboration,” Waddell, citing Dundon’s hands-on involvement, said after the press conference. “It's not one, two, three people in a group making a decision, it's 15 people, getting input from everybody.” Be that as it may, it’s Waddell who will carry the title, and the reception to the announcement was met with some skepticism due to his lack of success in Atlanta. He was GM of the expansion team for 10 seasons — including stepping in as coach for 85 games in parts of two seasons — and then served as team president with longtime friend and new Hurricanes hire Rick Dudley below him as GM until the franchise was sold and relocated to Winnipeg. Under his guidance, the Thrashers reached the postseason just once, winning the Southeast Division in 2006-07. Atlanta picked first overall in 1999 and took Patrik Stefan ahead of the Sedin twins — a noteworthy misstep, but the draft was unkind to just about any team not named the Canucks that year. Despite the on-ice struggles, Waddell was positive about his time with the Thrashers while also reiterating that working for Dundon is — despite perception — easier than what he dealt with in Atlanta, which included juggling nine owners and public lawsuits that plagued the team for most of its time there. "I could go back and tell you lots of things that went on in Atlanta,” Waddell said. “It doesn't matter one bit. Yes, you always want to have more success when you're leading a team. … Great people, but it was a tough situation.” Many in hockey circles call the Hurricanes’ situation tough as well. But Waddell is encouraged by the team’s future, its new coach — “I knew he was a leader; this Captain America guy. But honestly, the thing I'm most impressed with is how good of a person he is.” — and won’t let his past define his new role. “I know it's going to be out there,” he said. “You can't change the past, you can only try to learn from those experiences and try to be better from them.”
the good life
WEDNESDAY
05.16.18
NORTH
STATE
JOURNaL
play list
IN A NORTH STATE OF MIND
May 17-20 Moogfest 2018 American Underground, Durham Discover the unique exchange between engineering and music in a tribute to electric musician Dr. Robert Moog. Hear performances by Kelela and Mouse on Mars and many more, and a keynote conversation with Chelsea Manning. Visit moogfest.com for a full schedule of performances.
May 18-19 Annual Pinetops Tractor Pull School Street, Pinetops
KIRSTY WIGGLESWORTH | REUTERS
Britain’s Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle arrive at a Service of Thanksgiving and Commemoration on ANZAC Day at Westminster Abbey in London, on April 25.
When Harry weds Meghan Former N.C. bishop will deliver the address at royal wedding
20th Annual Edenton Music and Water Festival South Broad and Water Streets, Edenton Spend the weekend on the water paddling and sailing with family and friends. Listen to music, enjoy delicious food and see a handmade wooden boat display. Visit visitedenton.com for information.
By Michael Holden Reuters WINDSOR, England — Britain’s Prince Harry weds American actress Meghan Markle this Saturday in a union of youthful royalty and Hollywood glamour expected to reinvigorate the venerable House of Windsor. Harry, grandson of Queen Elizabeth and sixth-in-line to the throne, and Markle, star of U.S. TV drama “Suits,” will tie the knot at Windsor Castle, home to the British royal family for nearly 1,000 years. With celebrities expected to join the queen and senior royals for the ceremony and reception, thousands from across the globe will descend on the picturesque town of Windsor. “It’s absolutely marvelous. It’s going to be a very special day for everybody,” Harry’s father, Prince Charles, said during a visit to France this week. Harry, 33, a former army officer and one-time royal wild child, met his bride-to-be on a blind date in July 2016 after being set up through a mutual friend. Markle, 36, said she knew little about her royal date while Harry said he had never heard of Markle or watched her TV series. However, it was love at first sight, and after just two dates, he whisked her off to Botswana for an intimate holiday, camping under the stars. “The fact that I fell in love with Meghan so incredibly quickly was confirmation to me that all the stars were aligned, everything was just perfect,” Harry said in an interview to mark the engagement last November. “This beautiful woman just tripped and fell into my life, I fell into her life.” Saturday’s wedding will take place at St. George’s Chapel of Windsor Castle, the queen’s home west of London and the oldest and largest inhabited fortress in the world. Some 40 monarchs have called the castle home and the chapel contains the remains of 10 kings, including Henry VIII and George VI, Elizabeth’s father. Set against all this tradition, Markle is a stark contrast in modernity. As a divorcee, with a white father and African-American mother, her background has provided a source of huge interest and comment. Markle is due to arrive at the chapel in a car with her mother,
See the Annual Pinetops 300 Tractor and Truck Pull benefiting the South Edgecombe Rural Fire Department. More than 110 pullers will compete throughout the weekend in categories ranging from 1,700-pound mini rods to 5,000-horsepower jet engines. Visit pinetops300.com for tickets.
30th Annual Beaufort Music Festival Turner Street, Beaufort
FILE PHOTO
St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle
MIKE THEILER | REUTERS | FILE
The Reverend Michael Bruce Curry applauds as he begins his sermon after his Installation ceremony, at the Washington National Cathedral, in Washington, on Nov. 1. Curry became the first African-American Episcopal presiding bishop, after previously serving as Bishop of North Carolina. while her father will escort her down the aisle. This wedding has drawn comparisons with some remarkable episodes of recent royal history: Edward VIII’s relationship with American divorcee Wallis Simpson, which led him to abdicate in 1936, and the queen’s late sister Margaret’s decision to call off her marriage to an equerry Peter Townsend. “Meghan will bring a new perspective to the royal family,” royal biographer Claudia Joseph said. “Obviously she comes from a very different background and ... that’s hugely important to take the royal family into the future.” The younger son of the late Princess Diana, Harry has always been a hugely popular figure member of the royal family. Now a campaigner on mental health issues, he says he was close to a breakdown in his 20s. His frank admissions of frailty have resonated with Britons as has his natural ease when mingling with
the public. “One of the reasons why Prince Harry is so popular is when he was young he was something of a wild child, he got himself into a number of scrapes,” said royal historian Hugo Vickers. “All that has served to do is make him even more popular.” A poll last week found 71 percent of respondents had a favorable view of Harry. That made him the second-highest rated members of the royals, just behind his brother but ahead of the 92-year-old queen. Markle, who was born in Los Angeles, made her first TV appearance in a 2002 episode of the medical drama “General Hospital” and has appeared in other TV shows and films. In 2011, she married film producer Trevor Engelson but they divorced two years later. She achieved greatest fame as an actress for her starring part as Rachel Zane in the legal drama “Suits.” She bowed out of the se-
ries last month, after her character married her long-time love interest. Markle will not become a princess in her own right, but her unlikely marriage to Harry has led many to describing it as a magical children’s story. “The Americans love the British royal family and when you have an American actress marrying a British royal prince, it is the stuff of fairy tales,” biographer Joseph said. The royal couple announced last week that former Episcopal bishop of North Carolina and current presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church Michael Curry has been asked to deliver the address at their wedding. Kensington Palace said the Most Rev. Michael Bruce Curry would join archibishop of Canterbury Justin Welby — the spiritual head of the Anglican communion — for the wedding which is expected to be watched by millions of people around the world. Curry, the 27th presiding bishop and primate of the Episcopal Church, was the first African-American presiding bishop when elected in 2015. Welby will preside over the exchange of vows, while the service itself will be conducted by the Dean of Windsor. “The love that has brought and will bind Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle together has its source and origin in God, and is the key to life and happiness,” Curry said in a statement. “And so we celebrate and pray for them today.” Markle was reported to have been baptized by Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, in March. The United States-based Episcopal Church is a constituent member of the global Anglican Communion, of which the Church of England is the Mother Church.
Enjoy historic downtown Beaufort at the 30th Annual Beaufort Music Festival. The festival features free live entertainment, great food vendors and beautiful waterfront views. Visit beaufortmusicfestival. com for a full event schedule.
May 18-20 2018 N.C. Potato Festival South Water Street, Elizabeth City Join for one of the largest street festivals in northeastern N.C. The N.C. Potato Festival features carnival rides, street food vendors, live entertainment, potatoes and more. Visit ncpotatofestival.com for more information. Wilmington Wine & Food Festival Bellamy Mansion, Wilmington Taste delicious food and wine pairings and celebrate the cuisine, culture and history of southeastern N.C. at the Wilmington Wine and Food Festival. Enjoy the Bourbon and BBQ Derby Friday evening, Saturday’s Corks and Forks Grand Tasting and Bubbles, Brews and Street Eats on Sunday. Visit www.wilmingtonandbeaches.com for more information.
May 19 Charlotte Asian Festival & Dragon Boat Race Ramsey Creek Park, Cornelius Celebrate Asian culture, roots and history at Charlotte’s Asian Festival and Dragon Boat Race. Dragon racing originated more than 2,300 years ago and is an exciting sporting activity that you will want to see. Visit charlottedragonboat. com to learn more.
North State Journal for Wednesday, May 16, 2018
B6
NeCessities! history marked May 17, 1906
May 18, 1947
May 20, 1907
May 21, 2007
May 22, 1939
Textile executive Stuart Cramer and air conditioning
North Wilkesboro and the roots of NASCAR
Worth Bagley memorialized at capital
Chimney Rock acquired by the state
Jennette’s Pier: A Nags Head institution
Stuart Cramer coined the term “air conditioning” during a speech in Asheville. Born in Thomasville and trained as an engineer, Cramer contributed significantly to the cotton mill industry by using his engineering and invention skills. In 1895, he established a textile business and, over the next 10 years, designed and equipped more than 150 cotton mills in the South, or roughly a third of all mills in the region at the time. Cramer invested his profits back into his own mills, especially those in the community that came to bear his name, Cramerton. Though he got his start in cotton, Cramer is best known for the role he played in the development of air conditioning. The holder of more than 60 patents, he pioneered humidity control and ventilating equipment for cotton mills and installed scores of such systems in plants across the South. In a paper read before an American Cotton Manufacturers Association convention in May 1906, Cramer was the first to use the term “air conditioning.” Though credit for the invention of air conditioning does not belong to one person, the biographer of industry giant W. H. Carrier attributes 11 technological advances and “outstanding work which later had a large part in the air conditioning industry” to Cramer.
The North Wilkesboro Speedway opened its doors to a crowd of more than 10,000 spectators who watched Fonty Flock win the first official race held there. The 5/8-mile oval dirt track was wellknown for challenging the best of drivers. Stock car racing fans and scholars have long acknowledged that the roots of the NASCAR are closely tied to the tradition of illegal moonshine production. Races between “runners” evolved into spectator events. The North Wilkesboro Speedway was among the first tracks recognized by NASCAR during its inaugural year of 1949. NASCAR’s first finale took place there, with the crowning of the first points champion, Robert “Red” Byron, in October 1949. The speedway often has been called “The House that Junior Built,” a reference to racing legend Junior Johnson who began his career there at age 16. Johnson earned four of his 50 career NASCAR victories there and continued his success on the track as a team owner. The last NASCAR race at North Wilkesboro, won by Jeff Gordon, was held on Sept. 29, 1996, with more than 60,000 fans in attendance.
The Ensign Worth Bagley monument on Union Square in Raleigh was dedicated. Bagley was the first United States naval officer killed in the SpanishAmerican War in 1898. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, he was Raleigh native and grandson of William Henry Bagley, private secretary to Gov. Jonathan Worth. Bagley’s 1898 death was extolled as a moment of reunion for the nation, the first death in the Spanish-American War coming from a reconstructed Southern state. Bagley laid in state at the State Capitol before his burial in Oakwood Cemetery. The monument dedication in 1907 expanded on the view of reunification. The federal government sent 200 flags to adorn Union Square and the downtown Raleigh area. Official military speakers were authorized. Bagley’s brother-in-law Josephus Daniels, editor of the Raleigh News and Observer, drove publicity and media coverage of the monument dedication. The statue of Bagley, designed by New York sculptor F. H. Packer, was paid for by a nationwide fundraising effort. An estimated 20,000 people attended the dedication. Bagley’s nephew and namesake unveiled the monument. Gov. Robert Glenn honored Bagley by identifying him as the “boy who had so cemented the country together.”
The state of North Carolina purchased Chimney Rock Park in western Rutherford County from the Morse family, which had owned and operated the tourist attraction for more than a century. Two months later, the General Assembly merged the thousand-acre park with neighboring Hickory Nut Gorge State Park and renamed the entire 5,942-acre tract Chimney Rock State Park. The new state park was named after the 315foot granite spire that overlooks Lake Lure and offers spectacular views of the 14-mile gorge carved by the Rocky Broad River. In 1902, Dr. Lucius B. Morse, a Missouri physician diagnosed with tuberculosis and looking for a healthier climate, bought 64 acres on Chimney Rock Mountain, including the “Chimney” and cliffs, from Jerome B. “Rome” Freeman. Freeman already had built a stairway to the mountaintop and opened it to the public in 1885. Over the years, the Morse family constructed a 258-foot elevator shaft inside the mountain, opened a gift shop and snack bar at the top, and developed a nature center and hiking trails, all while expanding the park’s size. Today, the park is managed by the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.
Work began on Jennette’s Ocean Pier in Nags Head, the first fishing pier on the Outer Banks. The 750-foot wooden structure was built by Elizabeth City’s Warren Jennette Sr., who purchased the former site of Camp Weaver, a WPA transient camp that housed workers who built sand dunes in the area. Some buildings were converted into overnight accommodations for fishermen. The pier opened for business that summer with a snack bar, bait stand, guest rooms and restrooms for the public. Located across from Sam and Omie’s restaurant and near Whalebone filling station, the pier helped establish the business district in South Nags Head. Jennette’s Pier suffered damage from sea worms, nor’easters, hurricanes and even a wayward shipwreck, and was rebuilt a number of times. But it was Hurricane Isabel in 2003 that caused its final demise. A new 1,000-foot state-of-the-art green pier with educational exhibits, wind turbines and concrete pilings was built to replace the old pier. The new pier was dedicated in May 2011, with Gov. Beverly Perdue taking part in the opening celebration. Now a facility of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Jennette’s Pier hosted nearly 200,000 anglers and sightseers last year.
entertainment ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ first reactions By Erin Nyren Variety LOS ANGELES — The Star Wars franchise’s latest highly anticipated prequel, “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” had its world premiere Thursday night in Los Angeles and critics’ early reactions are already rolling in. Fans and critics — who will have full-length reviews out this week — were quick to share their thoughts on the movie that reveals the famed pilot’s backstory. Alden Ehrenreich stars as Han Solo, with Emilia Clarke as Qi’Ra and Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian. Woody Harrelson, Thandie Newton and Paul Bettany also topline. IGN’s Jacki Jing wrote that she was “completely floored” by the film and was “on the edge of her seat.” Yahoo Entertainment’s Kevin Polowy wrote that the film was a “straight intergalactic heist movie” and that it was “refreshing to see a Star Wars movie w/o a Death Star or the rebellion’s fate at stake.” Indiewire’s Kate Erbland wrote that “it totally flies” — once Ehrenreich “turns on enough charm.” Collider’s Dennis Tzeng called the film “a mostly fun adventure” but criticized the film’s “predictable” story. Nerdist’s Michelle Buchman said “Solo: A Star Wars Story” is her favorite new Star Wars film. The Wrap’s Umberto Gonzalez called the film “an absolute blast to hyperspace.” The initial reactions came after viewers were treated to an opening only a Star Wars movie could pull off. A giant replica of the Millennium Falcon towered over Hollywood Boulevard and Chewbacca walked the red carpet at Thursday’s world premiere of “Solo: A Star Wars Story.” Producer Walt Disney Co. shut down an entire block and filled
‘Avengers: Infinity War’ stays strong with $61 million third weekend
By Rebecca Rubin Variety
LUCASFILM
Lando Calrissian (Donald Glover) pilots the Millenium Falcon in a scene from Solo: A Star Wars Story. two historic theaters to debut the film for industry guests, fans and VIPs including “Star Wars” creator George Lucas and Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos. Ehrenreich, 28, stepped into the role of Han Solo made famous by Harrison Ford in the original “Star Wars” trilogy that began in 1977. Ehrenreich plays a younger Solo just beginning his pilot training and seeking his own spaceship when he becomes involved in a dangerous mission in the galaxy far, far away. Disney is hoping audiences embrace the movie after reshoots midway through production. Ron Howard finished the film after original directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller were fired. “This was a very unusual circumstance, and I decided to take it on frankly as a kind of a challenge,” Howard said on the red carpet. “I’m so glad that I jumped in.” Box office experts predict fans will turn out in force for “Solo.” The movie could bring in as much as $185 million over Memorial Day weekend, which would be a record
for that holiday period, according to BoxOffice.com. Fans around the world have debated how Ehrenreich, little known beyond a well-received performance in quirky 2016 comedy “Hail, Caesar,” will take on one of the most iconic roles in cinema. At Thursday’s premiere, audience members cheered at key moments such as when Han meets his eventual co-pilot Chewbacca, takes control of the Falcon for the first time, and comes face-to-face with fellow smuggler Lando Calrissian, portrayed by Glover. Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker in five “Star Wars” films, also attended the premiere, as did Billy Dee Williams, who portrayed Calrissian in “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi.” In “Solo,” the younger Lando “doesn’t know what he’s quite doing yet,” Glover said. “I think he understands how to survive and make that look good. He knows how to make surviving look sexy.” The movie begins rolling out in international theaters on May 23.
LOS ANGELES — “Avengers: Infinity War” has maintained its staying power at the domestic box office. The Disney and Marvel blockbuster earned a huge $61.8 million in its third weekend. Combined with its $200 million launch in China, “Infinity War” earned $343.1 million worldwide this weekend, for a global total of $1.6 billion. On Saturday, it became the second-fastest film to cross the $500 million mark at the domestic box office. The superhero adventure has passed “The Avengers” ($1.519 billion), “Furious 7” ($1.516 billion), “Avengers: Age of Ultron” ($1.405 billion), “Black Panther” ($1.229 billion), and “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” ($1.332 billion) to become the fifth-highest-grossing global film of all time. Two mom-led opening releases got a Mother’s Day boost. Me-
lissa McCarthy’s comedy “Life of the Party” debuted in second with $18.5 million from 3,656 locations. The Warner Bros. and New Line film is currently averaging a 41 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, as well as a B CinemaScore. Meanwhile, Gabrielle Union’s “Breaking In” launched in third with $16.5 million in 2,537 locations. The thriller from Universal has a 27 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. The second weekend of Lionsgate and Pantelion’s comedy “Overboard” landed in fourth with $10 million, while the sixth weekend of Paramount’s “A Quiet Place” secured No. 5 with $6.3 million. The thriller directed by and starring John Krasinski has made $169 million at the domestic box office. The year-to-date box office is up 4.9 percent from 2017, according to comScore. The box office is likely to see a boost in coming weeks as “Deadpool 2” opens May 18 and “Solo: A Star Wars Story” bows on May 25.
MARVEL STUDIO
Josh Brolin as the villain Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War
North State Journal for Wednesday, May 16, 2018
B7
TAKE NOTICE CABARRUS AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 12 SP 900 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Claudrick A. Spratt and Parnell M. Massey to Trustee Services of Carolina, Trustee(s), dated the 24th day of November, 2010, and recorded in Book 09390, Page 0047, in Cabarrus County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Cabarrus County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in the City of Concord, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on May 21, 2018 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Cabarrus, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: The land referred to herein below is situated in the County of Cabarrus, State of North Carolina, and is described as follows: Lying in No. Four Township, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, and being all of Lots Nos. 14-16 as shown on map of North Princeton Park, a map of said property being on file in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Cabarrus County, North Carolina in Map Book 14 at Page 3, and being described as follows: Beginning at a stake in the Eastern edge of Princeton Avenue North at the front corner of Lots Nos. 16 and 17, and runs thence N. 6-39 E. 100 feet with the Eastern edge of Princeton Ave. to a stake, front corner of Lots Nos. 15 and 16; thence N. 61-52 W. 161.7 feet with the Northern edge of Princeton Ave. to a stake, front corner of Lots Nos. 13 and 14; thence N. 36-10 E. approximately 515 feet with the line of Lot No. 13 to a stake, back corner of Lots Nos. 13 and 14 in the old line; thence S. 6-39 W. approximately 570 feet with the old line to a stake, back corner of Lots 16 and 17; thence N. 83-21 W. 150 feet with the back line of Lot No. 17 to the point of beginning. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 5066 Bahama Drive, Kannapolis, North Carolina. Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in NCGS §4521.23. Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by NCGS §7A-308(a)(1). The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/ security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy. Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including SingleFamily Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Case No: 1084984 (FC.FAY) PUBLICATION DATES: May 9, 2018 and May 16, 2018
JOHNSTON AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 14 SP 873 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Rosalyn Poston (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Rosalyn E. Poston) to CB Services Corp., Trustee(s), dated the 13th day of February, 2009, and recorded in Book 3657, Page 802, in Johnston County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Johnston County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in the City of Smithfield, Johnston County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 11:00 AM on May 22, 2018 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Johnston, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot 116, Lancaster Place Subdivision, Section IV, Phase III, as recorded in Plat Book 50 Page 431 and re-recorded in Plat Book 50 Page 487, Johnston County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 2330 Sumter Drive, Garner, North Carolina. Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in NCGS §4521.23. Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by NCGS §7A-308(a)(1). The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/ security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser
is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy. Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including SingleFamily Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Case No: 1147679 (FC.FAY) PUBLICATION DATES: May 9, 2018 and May 16, 2018
NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 18 SP 164 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Sandra C. Northup, Stuart Northup and Mary Northup, (Mary M. Northup aka Mary Northup, deceased) (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Mary M. Northup, Sandra C. Northup and Stuart P. Northup, Jr.) to The Law Offices of Lowry & Associates Trust Account, Trustee(s), dated the 9th day of May, 2014, and recorded in Book 4445, Page 510, in Johnston County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Johnston County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in the City of Smithfield, Johnston County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 11:00 AM on May 22, 2018 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Johnston, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot 7, as shown on plat entitled “Taft Woods East - Section 1 Lots 1-8” recorded in Plat Book 77, Pages 278-279, Johnston County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 149 Hadley Lane, Clayton, North Carolina. Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in NCGS §4521.23. Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by NCGS §7A-308(a)(1). The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/ security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy. Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including SingleFamily Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Case No: 1236154 (FC.FAY) PUBLICATION DATES: May 9, 2018 and May 16, 2018
NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 18 SP 163 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by R. D. Batten and Addie T. Batten, (R.D. Batten, deceased) to Brock, Scott and Ingersoll, Trustee(s), dated the 17th day of February, 2005, and recorded in Book 2853, Page 962, in Johnston County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Johnston County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in the City of Smithfield, Johnston County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 11:00 AM on May 22, 2018 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Johnston, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: All that parcel of land in Johnston County, State of North Carolina, as described in Deed Book 569, Page 32, ID# 16K01016D, being known and designated as metes and bounds property: Beginning at a spike in the center of N C Highway No. 231, in the line of the land formerly belonging to R H Richardson; thence along the center of said N C Highway No. 231, South 44 deg. 43 min East 402.65 feet to a spike in the
center of said highway; thence South 29 deg. 49 min West 216.05 feet to an iron stake; thence North 52 deg. 05 min West 258 feet to an iron stake in the lineof the said lands formerly belonging to R H Richardson; thence along said line North 5 deg. East 316.19 feet to the point of beginning, according to a map of a survey made by Pearce Drafting Services, Middlesex, N.C. March 1959, and being part of the tract of land conveyed by Leroy Batten, et al to Leacy Batten, by deed dated November 19, 1957, recorded in Book 552, Page 215, Office of the Register of Deeds for Johnson County, N.C. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 1214 NC Highway 231, Wendell, North Carolina. Less and Except: Beginning at a point in the center of NC Highway No 231, in the line of the land of Mrs R.H. Richardson; thence along the center of said N C Highway No 231, South 44 deg 43 min East, 242.57 feet to a point in the center of said highway, a new corner in the lands of R D Batten and wife, Addie T Batten; thence South 44 deg 13 min West 132.65 feet to a point, a corner of said Batten Lands; thence North 45 deg 23 min West 131.27 feet to a point in the East line of the lands of Mrs R H Richardson; thence along said line North 5 deg East 175.98 feet to the point of beginning; containing .574 acres, more or less , as shown by a map of a survey made by Walter B. Bunn, R S, February 14, 1964 this is part of that tract of land, conveyed by Leacy Batten to R D Batten and wife Addie T Batten by deed dated April 8, 1959, recorded in Book 569, Page 32 Office of Register of Deeds from Johnson County. Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in NCGS §4521.23. Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by NCGS §7A-308(a)(1). The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/ security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy. Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including SingleFamily Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Case No: 1229466 (FC.FAY) PUBLICATION DATES: May 9, 2018 and May 16, 2018
AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 17 SP 606 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by David C. Wolfe and Diane Parker (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Diana Parker and David Wolfe) to Douglas Douglas, Connie Iampieri, Trustee(s), dated the 29th day of March, 2006, and recorded in Book 3092, Page 175, in Johnston County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Johnston County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in the City of Smithfield, Johnston County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 11:00 AM on May 29, 2018 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Johnston, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot 29 of the Horse Creek Subdivision, Phase II, as shown on a plat recorded in Plat Book 50, Page 35, Johnston Count Registry, to which reference is hereby made for a more particular description. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 168 Horse Creek Trail, Middlesex, North Carolina. Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in NCGS §4521.23. Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by NCGS §7A-308(a)(1). The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/ security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy. Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including SingleFamily Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by
providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Case No: 1225195 (FC.FAY) PUBLICATION DATES: May 16, 2018 and May 23, 2018
RANDOLPH
NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 18 SP 116 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Dennie W. Coleman and Deborah L. Coleman, (Deborah L. Coleman, deceased) to , Trustee(s), dated the 9th day of December, 2005, and recorded in Book RE1952, Page 102, in Randolph County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Randolph County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in the City of Asheboro, Randolph County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on May 22, 2018 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Randolph, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot 13 of Brookfield Acres Subdivision, Section 2, as shown by plat recorded in Plat Book 16 at Page 38, in the office of the Register of Deeds of Randolph County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 3142 Meadow Acres Lane, Sophia, North Carolina. Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in NCGS §4521.23. Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by NCGS §7A-308(a)(1). The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/ security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy. Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including SingleFamily Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Case No: 1205869 (FC.FAY) PUBLICATION DATES: May 9, 2018 and May 16, 2018
NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 18 SP 98 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Robert Francis Maye, (Robert Francis Maye, deceased) (Heirs of Robert Francis Maye: Carol Majonis, James Maye, William Maye, Arline O’Brien and Unknown Heirs of Robert Francis Maye) (James Maye, deceased) (Heirs of James Maye: Unknown Heirs of James Maye) (William Maye, deceased) (Heirs of William Maye: Patrick Maye, William Maye, Michelle Maye and Unknown Heirs of William Maye) (Arline O’Brien, deceased) (Heirs of Arline O’Brien: Unknown Heirs of Arline O’Brien) to National Title Network, Trustee(s), dated the 4th day of February, 2011, and recorded in Book RE 2219, Page 1308, in Randolph County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Randolph County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in the City of Asheboro, Randolph County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on May 22, 2018 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Randolph, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: The land referred to herein below is situated in the County of Randolph, State of North Carolina, and is described as follows: Being Lot #15 of Gaddy Place, Phase 3 according to a map or plat of the same which is duly recorded in Plat Book 43 at Page 31 which in turn is a revisal of Plat Book 43 Page 27. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 6570 Leah Justine Drive, Trinity, North Carolina. Parcel ID: 6796621169 Commonly known as 6570 Leah Justine Drive, Trinity, NC 27370 However, by showing this address no additional coverage is provided Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in NCGS §4521.23. Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by NCGS §7A-308(a)(1). The property to be offered pursuant to this notice
of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/ security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy. Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including SingleFamily Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Case No: 1233754 (FC.FAY) PUBLICATION DATES: May 9, 2018 and May 16, 2018
NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 18 SP 105 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Bentley P. Merritt and Patricia K. Merritt to William R. Echols, Trustee(s), dated the 10th day of May, 2012, and recorded in Book RE 2285, Page 692, in Randolph County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Randolph County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in the City of Asheboro, Randolph County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on May 29, 2018 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Randolph, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot 2, containing 5.36 acres, more or less, of a survey entitled “Final Plat for Family Division Estate, rerecorded of Plat Book 51, Page 29” as shown by plat recorded in Plat Book 85, Page 43, in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Randolph County, North Carolina. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 6615 Maplegate Lane, Pleasant Garden, North Carolina. Together with a 50 foot easement for ingress, egress and regress to Whitt Hunt Road more particularly described as “50.0’ access easement for private road” on Plat recorded in Plat Book 85, Page 43, Randolph County Registry. Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in NCGS §45-21.23. Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by NCGS §7A-308(a)(1). The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy. Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including SingleFamily Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Case No: 1238199 (FC.FAY) PUBLICATION DATES: May 16, 2018 and May 23, 2018
CONTINUED ON PAGE B8
North State Journal for Wednesday, May 16, 2018
B8
pen & paper pursuits comic relief
sudoku
SOLUTIONS FROM 05.09.18
UNION NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 18 SP 221 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Alfredo G. Sandoval to North American Title Company, Trustee(s), dated the 27th day of April, 2012, and recorded in Book 05728, Page 0516, in Union County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Union County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the Judicial Center in the City of Monroe, Union County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:00 PM on May 31, 2018 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Union, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot 98 of Charlestown at Brekonridge Subdivision, Phase 2, as shown on a map thereof recorded in Plat Cabinet J at File 366, Union County Registry, reference to which is hereby made for a more particular metes and bounds description. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 4614 Tradd Circle, Monroe, North Carolina. Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in NCGS §45-21.23. Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by NCGS §7A-308(a)(1). The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly
are disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy. Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including SingleFamily Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Case No: 1238342 (FC.FAY) PUBLICATION DATES: May 16, 2018 and May 23, 2018