North State Journal — Vol. 1., Issue 22

VOLUME 1 ISSUE 22

SUNDAY, JULY 24, 2016

www.NSJONLINE.com

the Sunday News Briefing

Donald Trump with Indiana Gov. Mike Pence and their families celebrates on stage after his speech during the Republican National Convention at Quicken Loans Arena in downtown Cleveland, July 21. Donald Trump spent more than an hour accepting the Republican Party’s nomination for president on the fourth and final day of the RNC.

Multiple deaths reported at Munich shopping mall shooting Munich Multiple people were reported to have been shot during a mass shooting at a shopping mall Friday in Munich. While details were still unfolding during press time, reports from German newspaper Muencher Abendzeitung said up to 15 people were killed, according to Reuters. The shopping mall is adjacent to the Munich Olympic stadium, where in 1972 the Palestinian militant group Black September took 11 Israeli athletes hostage and eventually killed them during the 1972 Olympic Games.

PGA Championship stays in Charlotte while NBA moves All-Star Game over H.B. 2 Charlotte The NBA announced Thursday it is moving the 2017 All-Star Game out of Charlotte, citing its objections to North Carolina’s House Bill 2.

Following that news, PGA of America announced Friday the 2017 PGA Championship will remain at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte.

PGA of America CEO Pete Bevacqua said in June the PGA would consider pulling the event out of the state if H.B. 2 was not overturned, but decided against it. “The PGA of America strongly opposes North Carolina H.B. 2,” the PGA said in a statement. “It contradicts our commitment to create an inclusive and welcoming environment at our events.

We remain hopeful that the law will be changed. As we look to future events, our willingness to consider coming back to the state of North Carolina will be severely impacted unless H.B. 2 is overturned.” For more info on the issue, check out page B1.

EAMON QUEENEY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

NORTH

STATE

JOURNaL ELEVATE THE CONVERSATION

EASTERN NC BOOST

Schurmeier sworn in as SBI director Raleigh Gov. Pat McCrory swore in Robert Schurmeier Jr. as director of the State Bureau of Investigation Friday during a ceremony at the Executive Mansion.

McCrory nominated Schurmeier for the position in April, saying, “As a law enforcement veteran and proven executive, Robert Schurmeier will be a strong leader for the SBI and our state.” Schurmeier has nearly three decades of law enforcement experience from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, which he retired from in 2004 as deputy chief of investigations.

INSIDE

Midseason NASCAR Power Rankings B4 2016 PGA Championship Preview B7 Sports A chat with author Kristy Woodson Harvey, an author crafting stories in familiar N.C. places. C1 the good life

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20177 52016 $2.00

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CONVENTIONs

RNC ends, calling delegates to action

By Jeff Moore North State Journal CLEVELAND/RALEIGH — North Carolina’s GOP delegation rolled back home late Friday, exhausted but motivated for the campaign season. The Republican National Convention wrapped Thursday evening in Cleveland with nominee Donald Trump delivering the longest acceptance speech in four decades focusing on restoring law and order. The N.C. delegation celebrated all week, enjoying a group scavenger hunt through the arena and the N.C. tradition of “seersucker Wednesday” for a group picture.

“This has been the most exciting political convention of my lifetime,” said Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence on Friday. “I’ve spent time with this man and his family, I say with absolute confidence, if we work with all our hearts between now and Election Day, we will make Donald Trump the 45th president

and we will make America great again.”

Not all in the N.C. group were on board the Trump train. N.C. GOP Chairman Robin Hayes emphasized to the group in the weeks ahead of the convention that unity was the word of the day. When a handful of delegates who flew up with Hayes on his private plane broke ranks and voiced public support for Ted Cruz’s controversial non-endorsement speech, they ended up having to find their own way back to N.C. Overall, most in the delegation thought Cruz’s speech was in bad taste and were ready to rally around Trump. Trump’s daughterin-law Lara Trump, a Wrightsville Beach native and NCSU graduate, will be heading the campaign in her home state. One of the first official Trump/Pence campaign stops will be in Winston-Salem on Monday.

For full convention coverage see RNC A3-A5

MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Gov. Pat McCrory announces plans by CSX to build a container shipping hub in Edgecombe County on Tuesday, July 19.

McCrory announces CSX terminal

By Laura Ashley Lamm North State Journal ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. — In what proved to be a monumental week for Edgecombe and Nash counties, Gov. Pat McCrory announced CSX will open a new intermodal terminal on the Edgecombe County side of Rocky Mount. The $272 million rail hub is a crucial infrastructure project that will bring long awaited jobs and growth to Eastern North Carolina. The announcement is being called the best economic news for Eastern N.C. in 20 years.

Dubbed the Carolina Connector, the hub will transfer containerized cargo between trains and trucks, processing more than 260,000 containers per year initially. The building of the facility itself is slated to create 250 to 300 short-term jobs in engineering, technical services and construction. McCrory estimated the hub is expected to create 1,500 jobs throughout North Carolina as a result of the terminal’s operations.

“The Carolina Connector will be a game-changer for our state’s economy, supporting North Carolina’s agriculture, ports and position as the Southeast’s No. 1 state for manufacturing jobs,” said McCrory. “We’re bringing new manufacturing back to Eastern North Carolina. …This is a quiet, environmentally sound

facility which will fit into the landscape of the area and create hundreds upon hundreds of jobs for the people of this area.”

CSX will invest $160 million in the project that is expected to open in 2020. CCX will directly employ 149 workers at salaries averaging $64,047 per year. The estimated salaries are well over Edgecombe County’s annual wage of $32,725.

Sealing the deal for CSX’s choice of North Carolina for the intermodal terminal was the passing of the Job Development Investment Grant by the state’s Economic Investment Committee. Under this grant, CSX is eligible to receive as much as $4.3 million in total reimbursements.

North Carolina’s Department of Transportation will contribute $100 million for track improvements as well as terminal infrastructure through the state’s new Strategic Transportation Initiative (STI) funding formula established by McCrory during his first year as governor. He instituted the STI saying that the old system needed to change because it was too tied to politics.

At the time McCrory faced criticism on the transportation funding reform from Attorney General Roy Cooper, who is now McCrory’s Democratic gubernatorial challenger. Cooper told See CSX TERMINAL, page A2

Focus turns to Clinton, Democratic Convention in Philadelphia

By Cory Lavalette North State Journal PHILADELPHIA — Following the weeklong coronation of Republican Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Hillary Clinton and the Democrats take center stage in Philadelphia for her nomination as Trump’s main opponent.

For Clinton, it marks her rise to the top of the Democratic Party eight years after she lost the nomination to current President Barack Obama, who now says he

is “ready to pass the baton” to his former secretary of state.

While the GOP convention was often about who didn’t come in support of Trump — including both Bush presidents, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, and 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney — the DNC has a who’s who of high-powered Democrats. She will also introduce her running mate, Sen. Tim Kaine from Virginia.

The convention kicks off Monday with keynote speakers MiSee DNCC, page A8

CARLOS BARRIA | REUTERS

Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) wave to the crowd during a campaign rally at Ernst Community Cultural Center in Annandale, Virginia, U.S., July 14.

North State Journal for Sunday, July 24, 2016

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BUSINESS & ECONOMY Booking hotel rooms online?

Look out for scams Online travel bookings are big business. Whether booking holiday travel, a vacation to warmer weather, a trip to hit the slopes, or a spring break getaway, consumers are booking online more and more.

With 30 percent of all online transactions focused on travel and some 480 online hotel bookings taking place each minute, consumers rely on the convenience and competition the online marketplace offers.

It’s clearly an incredibly exciting and dynamic time in the lodging industry, especially because it benefits the consumer.

In fact, the hotel industry was among the first industries to encourage consumers to book online. These transactions, valued at $154 billion a year, create a competitive business model, which drives growth, innovation, convenience and new technologies. From booking options, to variety in hotel types, to the unique experiences offered, hotels are constantly morphing to our guests’ wants and needs and providing new products to the traveling public.

Maintaining open and fair competition in the online marketplace is paramount to the North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association and our partners. So is protecting consumers from online booking scams. Even though hundreds of thousands of bookings occur every day, a new study reveals that one in three people are worried about online booking scams.

Some rogue third-party sites, affiliated with online travel companies, trick consumers into thinking they are booking directly with the hotel’s own website. These websites post misleading photos and logos that mirror the hotel’s trademarks and set up fake reservation call centers to deceive the unsuspecting consumers. Those who have experienced online deception detailed a number of inconveniences including incorrect accommodations, extra fees, no refunds or, at worst, lost reservations.

With these scams impacting millions, the North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association urges guests to stay vigilant when booking online. Consumers deserve transparency in knowing who they are booking with. The best way to avoid scams is to book directly with the hotel.

Double check the URL, and call the hotel directly and ask detailed questions to ensure everything looks right. We continue to work closely with government agencies to warn consumers and encourage online travel companies to do their part and stop rogue affiliates from engaging in these practices. It hurts consumers and confidence in the online booking process. And that’s bad for business.

Lynn Minges is president and CEO of the N.C. Restaurant and Lodging Association.

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

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to North State Journal, 819 W. Hargett St., Raleigh, N.C. 27603.

the DASHBOARD

86,000

20%

10th

N.C. payroll jobs will be added in 2016 with 90,000 forecasted for 2017

Charlotte and Raleigh have expanded their job bases by 20 percent since the end of 2009

N.C. posts tenth fastest output gain among states in 2015

Source: Dr. Michael L. Walden, North Carolina State University, N.C. 3rd Quarter Economic Outlook

Report: NC’s economy continues to outpace nation, showing need for focus on rural areas

By Josh Hyatt North State Journal RALEIGH — In many areas of the state, North Carolina’s economy is strong and growing. In others, there’s still job contraction and room for improvement.

That’s the overall gist of the report from NC State University professor and North Carolina economy expert Michael Walden, who releases “The North Carolina Economic Outlook” biannually following the first and third quarters.

In his Q3 report released Monday, his observations are mixed.

N.C. posted the 10th-fastest output gain among all states in 2015, but that growth rate is low compared to historical standards, partly due to a decrease in the state’s population growth. Overall employment is up, but job expansion is considerably larger in higher-paying and lower-paying jobs, leaving the middle ground a bit behind.

And from a regional standpoint, metropolitan areas have seen huge booms since the last recession ended while several regions of the state have seen little or negative job growth.

A favorite talking point when discussing the economy is job growth rate. In that respect, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, North Carolina has outpaced the national average in employment growth rates since 2010, with this year’s (May 2015May 2016) employment growth rate nearly mirroring that of 2006’s pre-recession levels of more than 3 percent, roughly double of this year’s national average.

And, according to Drew Heath, the state budget director, unemployment levels in the state are down to 5.1 percent, the lowest in eight years, with unemployment levels down in all 100 counties.

Heath said the state government is also economically healthy, ending the last fiscal year with a $425 million surplus compared to what was originally anticipated to be around $237 million. He said that huge and helpful discrepancy is about more than just responsible management of state funds.

“It means that the economy is doing better than we thought it would,” Heath said. “Because what drives revenue is mostly income tax. [The state had] higher-than-anticipated collection of income tax.”

That increase in income tax collection, Heath said, is not a reflection of higher tax rates. In fact it is

CSX TERMINAL from page A1 reporters in 2015 that the governor’s transportation plan set up an unnecessary competition with fast-growing cities, threatening rural prosperity.

“It’s not clear that state leaders understand the challenges of rural communities,” Cooper told the (Raleigh) News and Observer in comments that seemed to be laying the groundwork for his candidacy for the executive mansion.

But this week Cooper joined former governors Mike Easley and Jim Hunt in giving McCrory a standing ovation for the CSX announcement in Cooper’s home county. Cooper has not offered any public comments on the new developments.

“The formula we agreed upon three years ago includes economic development and allows money to not only be spent on roads but also on rail,” said McCrory. “Without that legislation three years ago we probably wouldn’t have had the ability to find the $100 million.”

Property for the site was already

North Carolina and U.S. Household Employment Growth Rates

Percent

LYNN MINGES

4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0 -0.5 -1.0 -1.5 -2.0 -2.5 -3.0 -3.5 -4.0

2002

2003 2004 2005 2006

2007

2008 2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

KEY NC US Diff. NC-US SOURCE: U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. 2016 IS MAY 2016-MAY 2016; THE NORTH CAROLINA ECONOMIC OUTLOOK, 3RD QUARTER 2016

despite them because North Carolina, since 2013, has cut income taxes for both corporations and individuals quite aggressively.

“The reason we’re able to collect more revenue is because so many jobs have been created,” he said.

“So 275,000 jobs in the private sector have been created in North Carolina since 2013. When you put that in perspective, that’s like a job for every resident in the cities of Winston-Salem and New Bern combined.”

The good news for those private sector jobs Heath touted is pay.

Walden’s report shows that N.C.’s private sector jobs averaged roughly $23.50 an hour (from May 2015May 2016), resulting in just shy of $50,000 a year for those on a 40-hour work week schedule. The average weekly hours for private sector workers in North Carolina is 34.5, however, so they’re looking at an annual earnings of about $42,000.

While that may seem adequate for N.C.’s lower-than-average cost of living, private sector jobs of that “average” caliber aren’t everywhere.

Areas like Raleigh and Charlotte, for example, have seen employment increases north of 20 percent since 2010. But areas like Hickory, Goldsboro and Rocky Mount were hit especially hard by the recession, in terms of employment changes, and the latter two areas have actually experienced employment decreases since 2010.

“The major conclusion is that regional difference in North Carolina’s economy have continued in the current economic expansion,”

Walden said in his report. “Indeed these differences have become more pronounced as metropolitan areas such as Charlotte and Raleigh have had employment growth rates far exceeding other regions.”

Walden classifies North Carolina’s regions into four categories: • Super-fast growing, nationally ranked metros (Charlotte and Raleigh) • Above-average growing, medium-sized metros (Asheville, Durham and Wilmington) • Slower growing metros (Burlington, Greensboro, Greenville and Winston-Salem) • Regions dealing with low, no or negative employment growth (Fayetteville, Goldsboro, Hickory, Jacksonville, New Bern, Rocky Mount and rural areas) One of the key economic issues facing the state now, according to Walden, is how it addresses the “continuing geographic disparities in economic growth and opportunities.” He says the state faces a long-standing choice: do you try to bring the jobs to the people, or the people to the jobs?

“That is, should the public policy focus be attracting businesses and employment to regions lagging in economic growth, or should it be to develop skills of individuals living in lagging regions and then facilitate their move to geographic areas with job opportunities,” he questioned. “The answer is not easy.”

Heath, agreeing that this is not an easy or simple issue at all, said the economic policies from Gov. Pat McCrory and the General As-

sembly that have been able to put in place since 2013 have positively impacted the entire state, not just cities and less-urban areas.

“Certainly you’re also seeing, like the CSX announcement in Edgecombe County, that’s going to be a huge boon to their economy, and obviously that’s not in a major urban center,” Heath said. “So you’re seeing some job announcements across the state.”

Some of the governor’s other job announcements from rural parts of the state this year include the Novo Nordisk $1.8 billion expansion in Clayton, expected to create 700 jobs four years from now, and SWELECT’s $4.7 million, 155job investment in Halifax County, among others.

Looking to the future, both Walden and Heath expect the current, overall positive economic growth in the state to continue, at least over the next year or so.

Walden projects the state will add 86,000 jobs this year and another 90,000 in 2017, but anticipates a continuation of uneven unemployment rates, with some regions under 4 percent by 2017 but others having rates of 6 percent or higher.

“The immediate national economic outlook is for growth to proceed at a moderate pace,” Walden said. “With labor markets tightening, wage rates should improve at a faster rate and household buying power should improve. While no official recession is foreseen in the next 18 months, as the economic expansion ages the likelihood of at least a slight economic contraction increases.”

under option before the announcement, which helped secure Edgecombe County as the region for this project over other areas throughout the state including Johnston County as well as the neighboring state of South Carolina.

With an opening date of 2020, the hub and related track improvements are expected to take two years to construct. Carolinas Gateway Partnership, the local economic development organization of the Twin Counties, controls nearly all of the land needed for the facility which is located along CSX’s main rail line in a primarily industrial area.

“CSX is proud to bring this transformational project to Eastern North Carolina which will provide cheaper, faster and more environmentally friendly connections for North Carolina’s businesses and ports to domestic and international markets,” said Michael J. Ward, CSX chairman and chief executive officer. “Rocky Mount’s vision for economic development, strategic location on the CSX network, and our existing rail operations and

long-standing community ties make it an ideal choice for the Carolina Connector.”

CSX serves nearly two-thirds of the American population through a rail network spanning 23 states, two Canadian provinces and D.C. In North Carolina alone, CSX maintains an intermodal terminal in Charlotte; bulk transfer terminals in Charlotte, Raleigh, Wilmington and Winston-Salem; and major rail yards in Hamlet and Rocky Mount.

In addition to the Rocky Mount announcement, McCrory announced a new direct intermodal rail service connecting the Port of Wilmington and Charlotte. Intermodal rail services combine at least two modes of transportation, such as trains, trucks and ships, to deliver goods.

“The introduction of the Queen City Express fulfills a critical part of Gov. McCrory’s 25-year vision for transportation in North Carolina by strengthening freight movement throughout the state,” he said. “Enhancing North Carolina’s rail service will decrease transpor-

tation costs for businesses and provide numerous statewide economic and environmental benefits,” said N.C.DOT Secretary Nick Tennyson.

The North Carolina State Ports Authority is moving forward with a $100 million investment in infrastructure improvements, including new cranes, an enhanced berth and a wider turning basin.

The state budget signed by McCrory includes $70 million over two years for modernization at the state ports.

CSX will eventually provide direct access from the Port of Wilmington to the Carolina Connector intermodal terminal in Edgecombe County.

The Carolina Connector and the Queen City Express will lower transportation costs for businesses while taking trucks off the road.

Transporting goods by rail will reduce congestion on the highways, wear and tear on the state’s roads, and will improve safety and air quality for everyone. One intermodal train can eliminate as many as 280 trucks from the highway.

North State Journal for Sunday, July 24, 2016

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ELEVATE THE CONVERSATION

REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION

EAMON QUEENEY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Police create barriers to make sure a protest heads in one direction in downtown Cleveland on Sunday.

RNC protests lighter than expected amid high profile security

By Donna King North State Journal

EAMON QUEENEY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

North Carolina delegates vote for Donald Trump to be the next Republican presidential nominee on the floor of the Republican National Convention on Tuesday.

Republican platform and Trump offer varied insight on party goals

By Liz Moomey North State Journal

C

LEVELAND — On the first day of the Republican National Convention, party leaders unveiled the Republican platform entitled “Restoring the American Dream,” intended to shape national legislation.

Trump’s acceptance speech backed up some of the fiscal and trade points in the agenda, but departed from some of the social conservative elements.

The platform called for support of Second Amendment gun rights, stopping judicial activism, and improving job development and economic growth — but it also rejects expansion of Title IX protections through federal directives, calls for eliminating voter fraud with identification laws and making sanctuary cities illegal — issues that N.C. lawmakers have tackled on a state level.

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) was cochair of the platform committee, which consisted of a Republican man and woman from every state. She said any similarities between the final platform and recent N.C. legislation are coincidental, especially when it comes to the controversial bathroom bill, H.B. 2.

The platform states federal bureaucrats were expanding sex discrimination to include sexual orientation and gender identification without going through the legislative process.

“People are trying to make a connec-

tion, but what happened in North Carolina is that the Charlotte City Council violated the state constitution by passing an ordinance and had no authority to pass it and so the North Carolina legislature passed a bill,” Foxx said.

“What the Charlotte City Council did was simply wrong in its process, but we did not discuss North Carolina law at the platform committee as far as I know.”

On voter identification, the platform states “Every time that a fraudulent vote is cast, it effectively cancels out a vote of a legitimate voter.” The platform calls for laws requiring a photo ID. 2016 is the first year that N.C.‘s voter ID law took effect. Opponents of the law say it prevents minorities from voting.

Foxx acknowledged some Republicans don’t agree with all of the platform, but said it’s intended to guide candidates and policy. The Log Cabin Republicans who support LGBT rights put a full-page ad in USA Today calling out the GOP Platform Committee for “drafting the most anti-LGBT platform in the Republican Party’s 162-year history.”

“The platform was passed by the majority of the people on the platform committee,” Foxx said. “It’s hard to argue with majority rules.”

On Thursday, Trump took the stage at the Republican National Convention having been billed as “the future of the Republican party,” but he did not address some of the more traditional

and socially conservative parts of the party platform, such as abortion, and remained committed to free trade but called for added protections for American companies. He also did not address the support for traditional marriage in the platform, instead inviting the first openly gay speaker ever at the RNC to take the stage ahead of him, and discussed the Orlando shootings.

“The terrorist targeted our LGBT community,” Trump said. “As your president, I will do everything in my power to protect our LGBT citizens from the violence and oppression of a hateful foreign ideology.”

In Cleveland, Republican leaders promoted Trump’s candidacy and welcomed his supporters, many of whom are younger and new to politics, but wondered how and if his candidacy will shift the party.

“I don’t know the answer to that question. I really have no idea,” said U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan. Trump had changed the party, he said, but “how specifically and in what direction, I don’t know.”

Foxx said the success of the platform will ultimately be determined by the outcome of November elections.

“The platform is for the national Republican Party,” she said. “We hope that there will be if there is a Republican president if Mr. Donald Trump is elected, we have a Republican House and a Republican Senate. Our philosophy can get turned into legislation.”

CLEVELAND — The U.S. Secret Service began planning security for this year’s party conventions in 2014, long before recent terror attacks in Paris, Nice, Belgium, Orlando and long before the police shootings and ambushes on police captured headlines. As the RNC convention wrapped, for the security organizers, no news was good news.

While a maze of barricades, multiple entry points and security on rooftops surrounded the Quicken Loans Arena all week, 50,000 visitors waited patiently in line, most relieved to see public attention turn to what was going on inside the arena instead of potential threats outside.

As of July 1, 10,867 people were registered to protest in Cleveland with permits to march and rally. However, protestors were fewer than expected and largely peaceful despite early concerns about riots or efforts to disrupt the convention.

Three women were arrested Tuesday after climbing a flagpole near the convention site and hanging an anti-Trump banner.

Inside a 1.7-square-mile perimeter authorities banned items such as tennis balls, steel-pointed umbrellas and wood posts, but firearms are permitted under state law. In a smaller “hard zone” surrounding the convention hall, which is temporarily under federal jurisdiction, guns were banned. The city of Cleveland also banned drones, limited the size of bags and removed opaque garbage cans from around the convention site. Concrete traffic dividers and tall metal fences also surrounded the arena, meant to stop a car or truck bomb.

“A vehicle-borne attack is always something you’re concerned about,” said Jason Porter, vice president for the central region of security provider Pinkerton, which is advising private sector clients on security around the convention.

However, the most noticeable security presence this week was a lesson learned from the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte.

More than 300 officers were on mountain bikes in Cleveland, using them as portable barriers and quick transportation as they led demonstrators through the streets. The security teams took more than 80 hours of training on policing by bike.

The city of Charlotte lent some of the bikes to the Cleveland operation.

As security coordinators of the Democratic National Convention prepare for crowds next week, they are communicating with the Cleveland staff on lessons learned. The city of Philadelphia also took out a law enforcement liability policy in case it or its police officers are sued during the convention. The Department of Justice provides a $50 million security grant for both host cities to cover such costs.

So far the RNC will have cost Cleveland an estimated $60 million, while Philadelphia expects to have spent $84 million. However, both cities are expected to gain from the events, mostly through sales tax. Past party conventions have injected anywhere from $150 to $200 million into the local economies.

Small NC town has big town politics

By Brett Honeycutt For the North State Journal CLEVELAND, N.C. — Less than an hour from Charlotte, nestled between Salisbury and Statesville and I-85 and I-77, the small, quiet town of Cleveland sits on U.S. Highway 70, seemingly away from the political turmoil and unrest the rest of the nation has been experiencing recently.

The 870 people who call Cleveland home are also light years from the metropolis of Cleveland, Ohio, which boasts more than 390,000 residents and hosted the Republican National Convention this past week at Quicken Loans Arena amid some protests.

The peacefulness that comes with a small town, which has picturesque farmland surrounding it and a Daimler Freightliner truck manufacturing plant that employs 3,000 people, doesn’t mean that North Carolina’s Clevelanders care less about politics than their namesakes in Ohio, though.

Tar Heel Clevelanders, who have a median household income of $39,474, turned out in huge

numbers for this year’s Republican and Democratic primaries on March 15, with 610 of 870 casting votes — 70 percent of the population — according to the North Carolina Board of Elections. Sixty percent (366) voted Republican.

The turnout was more than double Rowan County’s turnout (33.6 percent) and nearly double the statewide average (35.69 percent), according to the N.C. Board of Elections. The national average was 28.5 percent according to Pew Research.

“I’ve never really felt the urge to [vote] until this year,” said 26-year-old Republican Stephanie Sprinkle. She is the owner of Love is in the Hair Beauty Salon on South Depot Street, just off Old Highway 70 in a part of Cleveland that has several businesses, including two barber shops, a consignment store, a town hall and a one-room, unmanned library that bases its book exchange on the honor system.

“It’s a little different this year. ...

Our country’s a lot different this year than it was, and this year’s election is kind of important,”

Sprinkle said. “With the candidates that are up, that are running, I think who gets in there’s gonna make a big difference in how our country’s going to be in four to eight years.”

About Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, Sprinkle admits she has mixed feelings.

“He’s got business savvy,” she said. “He’s smart money-wise. I just think he has to learn how to talk to people, ’cause he has to reign it in a little bit with him being the president. It’s not his company he’s running any more, it’s the nation.”

Sprinkle, who watched the Republican National Convention on TV, said she’s scared about the direction of the country.

“I have a 4-year-old, so I just worry about how it’s going to be when he gets older,” she said.

Republican Melanie Blackwelder, who works at On Second Thought Consignment on West Main Street in Cleveland, shares Sprinkle’s sentiments about being scared this election year.

“I don’t really know Hillary Clinton, and Trump’s just a loud

Brett Honeycutt | for the north state journal

mouth,” she said quietly, admitting that politics isn’t something she gets into or normally discusses with people. “Hopefully one of them can help our country.”

Like Sprinkle, 60-year-old Republican Mary Taylor watched the Republican National Convention on TV. “Mike Pence last night made me feel good about the situation,” said Taylor, who had just dropped off some books with her 3-year-old grandson, Weston, at the small library. “I think he would be a good president. His speech was right on.”

In Cleveland’s primaries, 178

The water tower in Cleveland, North Carolina on Thursday.

voted for Trump and 153 voted for Clinton.

There was a long pause when Taylor was asked if she supported Trump.

“Let’s just say I don’t support Hillary,” she said.

“It’s like that song [lyric], “clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right,” she concluded, referencing the song Stuck in the Middle With You by Stealers Wheels, a 1970s Scottish folk/rock band.

Mary’s husband, R.C. Taylor, 65, was jokingly veiled in his support of Trump: “I will not vote for Trump, but I will certainly vote against Hillary.”

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North State Journal for Sunday, July 24, 2016

North State Journal for Sunday, July 24, 2016

2016 Republican National Convention

Cleveland — The North Carolina GOP delegation headed to Cleveland last week for the Republican National Convention, and North State Journal was with them every step of the way. From protests outdoors to speakers indoors, the event culminated with

A5

Donald Trump, along with newly minted running mate Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, accepting the party’s nomination. Here’s a four-day look — in words and pictures — of the convention. For more stories and photos from the convention, visit NSJonline.com.

Stories by Jeff Moore and photographs by Eamon Queeney North State Journal

Day 1: ‘Stop Trump’ snuffed, Melania speech causes controversy

Day 3: Burr, Walker meet with NC delegates, Cruz booed off stage

T

T

he Republican National Convention kicked off Monday with a final futile effort to derail Donald Trump’s nomination and a controversial speech from his wife.

The afternoon included votes on party rules and platforms, which yielded a mild level of controversy. Though it was reported widely in media outlets that a vote on rules about the binding of delegate votes caused a stir on the floor, several delegates said it was more confusion than controversy.

James Snyder, a North Carolina delegate-at-large from Raleigh, said the media may have made a mountain out of a molehill.

“I think it was much more about having everyone’s voice heard,” said Snyder. “Some of the things that were going on on the other side of the floor we didn’t know about too much until we either saw it on Twitter or heard it from another delegation.”

The heightened security at the event matched very well with the day’s theme: Make America Safe Again.

The Republicans looked to former New York mayor Rudy Guiliani, who guided the city after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, to

set the tone for the day’s theme, but it was Melania Trump’s speech — and the charges that it was plagiarized from first lady Michelle Obama’s 2008 Democratic convention speech — that made the biggest news.

By Wednesday morning, a Trump employee took the blame for the seemingly lifted passages. Meredith McIver, a staff writer with the Trump Organization, said Melania Trump mentioned her admiration for Michelle Obama and parts of the 2008 speech made their way into Monday’s appearance.

“This was my mistake,” she wrote in statement released by the Trump campaign where she said she offered her resignation, which was rebuffed by the GOP nominee. “Mr. Trump told me that people make innocent mistakes and that we learn and grow from these experiences.”

Other speakers during the evening session focused on the need to combat Islamist terrorism and ideology, lambasted presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton for her alleged failings related to the 2012 Benghazi terrorist attack, and highlighted the dangers posed by illegal immigration.

Ty Turner, an alternate delegate from Charlotte, shows off his tie and seersucker suit after a group photograph at Progressive Field during the Republican National Convention in downtown Cleveland on Wednesday.

photos by Eamon queeney | north state journal

Christian evangelist and artist, Julian Raven, of Elmira, N.Y., talks about the lights in the eyes of Donald Trump in a 15-foot painting he created inspired by his support of the candidate and a message from God in downtown Cleveland on July 17. Thousands descended on Cleveland on Sunday as delegates, protestors, members of the media and more converged on the city for the Republican National Convention.

A delegate wipes aways tears as she listens to Karen Vaughn, who lost her Navy SEAL son Aaron Vaughn in 2011, speak during the North Carolina Delegate Breakfast at the Marriott Cleveland East on Monday.

he convention’s third day, Wednesday, started with a bang when Sen. Richard Burr announced at the North Carolina delegate breakfast that he would not run again for re-election after he faces Democratic candidate Deborah Ross in November.

Burr called for party members to come together and support Republican nominee Donald Trump.

“What Donald Trump has is a record of surrounding himself with extremely talented people, and I expect that in his role as president, to embrace exactly that, he will surround himself with people who will feed him the information he needs to make a sound decision, and I think no one doubts his ability to make a decision,” said Burr.

Burr spoke to the group of N.C. Republicans ahead of Wednesday’s convention activities, the first day after Trump’s official nomination as the Republican candidate.

“I think that Donald Trump has a message that will permeate our state from one end to the other. ...

It’s about growth, it’s about creating new opportunities, expanding the economy,” said Burr.

The junior senator from North Carolina, Thom Tillis, said in an interview he is also behind Trump despite initially supporting Flori-

da Sen. Marco Rubio.

“I think that people need to recognize that the Supreme Court, economic recovery, national security and homeland security trump anything — pun not intended — that they could possibly be harboring as resentment for not having their nominee elected. It’s absurd,” Tillis said. “Withholding a vote for Donald Trump is casting a vote for Hillary Clinton.”

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who ran against Trump for the nomination, also addressed the delegation, encouraging them to keep hold of the governor’s mansion.

“Your governor has been under more attack of any other governor since, well, me,” he told the crowd, praising Gov. Pat McCrory.

One person who didn’t fall in line with the rest of the party was Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. Like Walker, Cruz was bested by Trump in the primary, but he was met by boos from the crowd when he failed to endorse Trump during his speech.

To some, Cruz’s Wednesday evening speech overshadowed that of Trump’s running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence.

Pence took the floor later that evening, giving a speech intent on unifying the party around Trump, arguing that “he’s a doer in a game usually reserved for talkers.”

Day 2: Trump officially nominated, Christie makes the case against Clinton

Day 4: Republican platform and Trump offer varied insight on party goals

O

O

n Tuesday morning the N.C. delegation welcomed House Speaker Paul Ryan at the state delegation breakfast.

Ryan called for unity in the party, congratulating the delegates on their hard work to build an influential Washington representation. He thanked N.C. GOP Chairman Robin Hayes for leading the party, pointing out that he and Hayes were part of the same freshmen class in Congress.

“We are losing the principles that make this country so special,” said Ryan. “We have got to unify to get it right so we can get the job done.”

Later that evening, Donald Trump and Gov. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) were officially nominated as the Republican ticket.

The day’s theme, “Make America Work Again,” was complemented by a range of fellow en-

trepreneurs and family, but also some of Trump’s earliest and most outspoken political advocates.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, former rivals Dr. Ben Carson and Gov. Chris Christie, along with Trump’s son Donald Jr. and daughter Tiffany, called for a new era that brings business leaders into public service, ends career bureaucrats, reduces regulations, and lessens the burden of taxes on business.

Christie stole the show, the former prosecutor laying out a case against Hillary Clinton accusing her of illegal activity and poor judgment in deals with Iran, China and Russia, saying after each one “guilty or not guilty?” with the crowd chanting “lock her up.”

“Hillary Clinton cared more about protecting her own se-

crets than she cared about protecting America’s secrets,” Christie said.

State delegations, in alphabetical order, announced their vote totals with some deferring so that New York, and delegate Donald Trump Jr., would deliver the votes that put Trump over the 1,237 threshold to secure the nomination.

“It is my honor to be able to throw Donald Trump over the top in the delegate count tonight,” said Trump Jr. “Congratulations, Dad. We love you!”

The North Carolina delegation led their pledges with a partial toast to the Old North State, the land of the long leaf pine, casting 29 delegate votes for Trump, 27 for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, nine for Ohio Gov. John Kasich, six for Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and one for Carson.

Dressed as Abraham Lincoln, George Engelbach, of Jefferson County, Mo., poses for a photograph with Dallas Woodhouse, executive director of the North Carolina Republican Party on Monday.

Steve

Protestors march down Prospect Avenue as they chant against numerous ideas including Donald Trump and the RNC in downtown Cleveland, July 17. Thousands descended on Cleveland on Sunday as delegates, protestors, members of the media and more converged on the city for the Republican National Convention.

n Thursday evening, Donald Trump formally accepted the Republican nomination for president of the United States.

He delivered what his campaign called “an American Manifesto for our troubled times.” The acceptance speech was a notable departure from the Republican speeches in recent history with few references to the party’s socially conservative platform and a call to protect, specifically the LGBTQ community along with all Americans from terror attacks.

Saying he would be “the law and order president,” Trump spoke directly to the frustrations and concerns that many Republicans feel about the direction of the nation amid decreasing retirement accounts, increasing high-profile violence and a faltering middle class job market.

Trump accused Democratic

rival Hillary Clinton of a legacy of “death, destruction, terrorism and weakness” as U.S. secretary of state and vowed to be tough on crime and illegal immigrants.

Trump’s 75-minute speech was designed to set the tone for the general election campaign against Clinton, an answer to Republicans who say the best way he can unify the divided party is to detail why the Democrat should not be elected on Nov. 8.

As the crowd chanted: “Lock her up” for her handling of U.S. foreign policy, Trump waved them off and said, “Let’s defeat her in November.” Thousands of supporters who were gathered in the convention hall roared their approval.

Much of the late night and early morning chatter after the speeches is focusing on Trump’s

daughter Ivanka Trump, who introduced her father and presented a view of Trump as a magnanimous business leader and supportive father.

“I have seen him fight for his family. I have seen him fight for his employees. I have seen him fight for his company and now I am seeing him fight for our country,” she said.

An executive in Trump’s organization and mother of three, Ivanka talked about Trump’s companies and the high number of women executives, saying he hires, pays and promotes based on talent — not race, gender or political correctness.

“Politicians talk about wage equality, but my father has made it a practice at his company,” she said. “He will work for equal pay for equal work, and I will fight for it, too, right alongside of him.”

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Raleigh, N.C.

North State Journal for Sunday, July 24, 2016

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

Do conservatives have a political future?

The rise of secularism and broad rejection of free markets among many millennial Americans spells troubling times for the conservative movement.

OF ALL THE CANDIDATES in 2016, Sen. Ted Cruz came closest to articulating the clearest ideological view of what America should look like. He delivered a tour de force of limited government and conservative principles during his speech Wednesday. Donald Trump rarely articulates those kinds of principles and largely proposes to fix America by the force of his own personal strength and bravado. The problem with Cruz is that he is not very well liked. While masterful at articulating conservatism, he is loathed by his own Senate colleagues and many in his party. Often viewed as an opportunist with his own agenda, his political future remains unclear.

There were drawbacks and strengths during his controversial convention speech that did not endorse the nominee. Cruz, a talented politician, but clearly no Ronald Reagan, tried to recapture the magic of the 1976 Republican convention. It was in North Carolina and during Reagan’s fledgling primary campaign where conservatism was resurrected under the guidance of Jesse Helms and activist Tom Ellis. Reagan came roaring back from the dead to win the Tarheel state by championing limited government and railing against the Panama Canal treaty.

The race, where he challenged an incumbent president, was ultimately a successful defeat for Reagan and conservatism.

At this convention, Cruz tried to become Reagan, an heir apparent to conservative America. Conservatives had once largely been shut out of the Republican Party. During the 1976 convention, many on the floor realized they had nominated the wrong man after Reagan delivered an impromptu address about a time capsule that enthralled delegates and viewers alike. Reagan too, did not specifically endorse Gerald Ford during his speech but appeared with him on the stage. And it’s understandable why Cruz would not endorse Trump, considering the verbal abuse foisted on him and his family. Still, the moment seemed contrived.

It was a genial Reagan who was able to popularize what was largely before an intellectual movement by eventually winning two landslide elections.

Despite gains in Congress, many conservatives feel they are on the outside looking in with the rise of Trump. Even before Trump, their own party betrayed them with empty rhetoric and broken promises. Party apparatchiks and even self-described conservatives on Capitol Hill mimicked voters while doing the bidding of the well-connected elite.

It’s possible that without the Trump ascendancy, Cruz would have been the figure accepting the Republican nomination.

Nobody else, except for the GOP nominee, rightly read the dissatisfaction by the grassroots of the Republican Party’s inaction and empty rhetoric in Washington. Time and time again they capitulated to President Obama and did little to halt runaway deficits and federal corruption.

It’s now unclear what political future conservatives have in a national election. Cruz, with all his deficiencies, probably speaks for millions who are troubled by the prospect of supporting Trump. New York Times columnist Ross Douthat declared on social media that the rise of Trump and the social justice warriors on the left is a picture of what “post Christian politics might look like.” As conservatives well know, it’s the culture that creates and sustains virtue that allows liberty and selfgovernment to flourish. That culture has shifted dramatically and there is little doubt that the values of many popular 20th century candidates would be widely ridiculed today.

It was the intellectual conservative icon Russell Kirk who warned, “It is possible to win at the polls even while being overwhelmed by social circumstances; and material prosperity may mask, for a time, moral dissolution.” It’s probable that today’s culture might readily reject a conservative icon like Ronald Reagan.

The rise of secularism and broad rejection of free markets among many millennial Americans spells troubling times for the conservative movement. In his speech Cruz declared, “We the people constrain government,” but if people don’t demand that government is constrained, it won’t be.

Trump has skillfully capitalized on Republican fragmentation and sent the party down a more secular, populist, and protectionist path. Many of the things he says are desperately needed. He’s right about securing borders, the terrorist threat, and the rigged and corrupt system that has created “the forgotten men and women of our country.” His strength lies in being an unknown quantity against a known figure of corruption and the status quo.

Conservatives, of course, have had their obituary written before. But to remain more than a regional bloc or sect within the Republican Party, it will first require changes to the culture.

It was former New York senator and Democrat Daniel Patrick Moynihan who noted, “The central conservative truth is that it is culture, not politics, that determines the success of a society.”

Politics has its limits, and with two candidates that alienate so many Americans, it’s time that Americans relearn that fundamental truth.

VISUAL VOICES

STATEMENTS THAT MATTER Newt Gingrich

MARK KAUZLARICH | REUTERS

“In contrast to Donald Trump, our national security and foreign policy elites, led by Hillary Clinton, are incapable of speaking with... honesty.

While they lie about the threat, we need to tell the truth about the danger.

If our enemies had their way, not a single woman in this room could define her future.

If our enemies had their way, gays, lesbians and transgender citizens would be put to death as they are today in the Islamic State and Iran.

If our enemies had their way, every person on earth would be subject to conversion by the sword and to a cruel and violent system of laws.

There would be no individual liberty. There would be no equality.

There would be no freedom. If you doubt we are at war — if you doubt that this threat is as real as I say, let me refresh your memory: On Monday, an Afghan refugee in Germany used an ax and knives to slash and wound train passengers while shouting “Allahu Akbar.”

Last week, ISIS claimed responsibility after a Tunisian man drove a cargo truck into crowd in Nice, France. He murdered 84 people, including at least 10 children and

three Americans, and injured over 300 others.

Two weeks ago, more than 300 people were killed and more than 200 were wounded in bombing attacks in Baghdad.

Two days before that, radical Islamists in Bangladesh killed 20 hostages, including three American college students.

A few days before that, at the Istanbul airport in Turkey, ISIS attackers armed with guns and bombs killed 44 people and injured hundreds more.

Last month, a radical Islamist in Paris stalked a French police officer to his home, where he murdered the officer and tortured his wife to death in front of their three-year-old son, while streaming it all on social media.

He was pondering out load whether to kill the three-year-old when he was killed by police.

Two days before that, an attacker pledging allegiance to ISIS killed 49 people in an Orlando nightclub and wounded dozens more.

All this in just the past 37 days.

We cannot let ourselves grow numb to these accumulating atrocities.

One analysis estimated that since January of 2015, some 30,000 people have been killed at the hands of terrorists.

Let’s be clear: Donald Trump is right, we are at war with radical Islamists, we are losing the war, and we must change course to win the war.”

An excerpt from historian, author, and former speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich’s speech to the Republican National Convention, given Wednesday evening in Cleveland, Ohio.

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

North State Journal for Sunday, July 24, 2016

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GUEST OPINION | EMMANUEL TURNER

The puzzling differences between support for H.B. 2 and Black Lives Matter

M If we abbreviate people into the adjectives we use to describe them, it’s easy to forget their humanity and our own humanity toward them.

ANY CORPORATIONS, businesses and groups in North Carolina and nationwide take a public stance on the morality and ethos of the controversial House Bill 2.

Any legislation enacted to grant or protect the freedoms, liberties and civil rights of a protected group will cause supporters and opponents to rally their respective sides. The Charlotte Observer lists a total of 225 organizations that have spoken out for or against H.B. 2 as of March. Only a small percentage of the groups were social, religious, or civil rights groups. The unexpected revelation is to see non-North Carolina cities, states, local businesses, and even national and global companies take a stance on the North Carolina law.

With the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement, we are finding out that not all movements are created equal when it comes to government and corporate support.

Adam Silver, NBA commissioner, has decided to move the 2017 NBA All-Star Game from Charlotte, saying the “climate created by H.B. 2” would not make for a successful event. Recently, at the sports-themed ESPY Awards, four black NBA players spoke out and in support of Black Lives Matter.

So some may say the league is on the record on both issues. But the truth is, the players are the celebrity faces of the NBA, not the corporate face of the NBA — that is a huge difference. Some of these men live and work in the cities and states that spoke out in opposition to H.B. 2; some have endorsement deals with corporations that spoke out in opposition to H.B. 2. Where are these cities, states and corporations to speak out on their behalf?

The corporations that had the courage to take a stance on H.B. 2 are to be commended. The decision to speak out, for or against H.B. 2, could change public perception and thus their bottom line. Presumably,

JAMES LEUTZE

Turkish coup raises important questions he SITUATION IN TURKEY following the failed coup is so complex and so T cloudy that it may be best to examine it via a MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Shaw University students and community members hold signs during a march that led from the university to the Raleigh Courthouse on March 3.

there was some degree of analysis taken on the potential impact before they came out publicly.

Where are these corporations and what is their stance on the murders of unarmed black men by police, the lack of indictments and convictions? Is their silence an indication of their stance? Is their moral obligation limited to certain freedoms? Or after the analysis of the potential impact on the bottom line, would taking a stance be too great a liability? In today’s social climate and global economy, consumers have to be more discerning in choosing where to spend or withhold their dollars.

There have been very few reports of corporations speaking out in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Google donated $500,000 to Black Lives Matter.

Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, reportedly held a town hall meeting with his employees to educate them about the movement.

Starbucks owner Howard Schultz spoke out after customers reported their names as “Black Lives Matter” for their orders. Some baristas were uncomfortable with this practice,

but Shultz said “We can’t leave this for someone else.”

As long as there is disparity, exclusion, and bigotry, we have to be reminded of the pieces of the sum that make the whole. Historically, the United States has used the word ‘all’ in an exclusionary manner. Our Constitution stated that all men are created equal during a time when those men owned slaves. The fact is, ALL LIVES MATTER: black, white, gay, straight, Christian, Muslim, American, foreign.

If we abbreviate people into the adjectives we use to describe them, it’s easy to forget their humanity and our own humanity toward them. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Companies that choose to take a stand for the civil rights of one group should feel the moral obligation to take that same stand for the civil rights of all groups, especially if those groups include their employees, patrons and communities in which they operate.

Emmanuel Turner lives in Charlotte and works in logistics.

STATE OF THE NEWS | DREW ELLIOT

Rocky Mount

series of questions.

How will President Recep Tayyip Erdogan react?

If he was a wise leader, Erdogan would savor his victory, realize that his policies had alienated a portion of the military – the historical protector of pluralism and democracy – as well as other, more Westernized Turks, and modify his course.

I doubt he will do that. Instead I think he will become more paranoid; he has already declared a state of emergency and more than 60,000 soldiers, police, judges, civil servants and teachers have been suspended, detained or placed under investigation. .

Erdogan has also vowed to rid the Turkish military of what this week he called the “cancer” that led to the coup attempt, which he blames on U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who has denied involvement. There will be further crackdown on the press and anyone suspected of disloyalty. “The usual suspects,” the Kurds will be more obsessively pursued at home and abroad.

“We will continue the fight ... wherever they might be. These people have infiltrated the state organization in this country and they rebelled against the state,” Erdogan told Reuters Thursday, in reference to the Gulen network. Erdogan, who has been in power in Turkey since 2003, has reportedly called on Turks worldwide to report people and organizations that support Gulen.

The harsher the crackdown the harder it will be for his Western allies to support him. Should he reinstate the death penalty, it would hazard Turkey’s membership in the European Union. (Turkey is not currently an EU member but is trying to join.) In other words, a period of internal turmoil and uncertainty which, in an area with already enough turmoil and uncertainty, is disturbingly bad news.

In an area that badly needs stability, there will be one more failing state.

Charlotte

What does it mean for the U.S.?

Wilmington

N.C. engineers rail win Not only do those jobs bring welcome relief to the most economically depressed area of the state, but the hub also will turn on a shiny beacon to the rest of the world.

By Drew Elliot North State Journal

O

N TUESDAY in Rocky Mount, Gov. Pat McCrory announced CSX will open a new intermodal terminal, the $272 million Carolina Connector (CCX) project. Construction of the cargo-transfer facility will create 250 to 300 shortterm jobs and 149 permanent jobs in Edgecombe and Nash counties.

But that’s just the beginning. A corrollary to the CCX is taking shape in Wilmington, called the Queen City Express. An investment of $100 million by the state and $160 million by CSX will lead to overnight freight rail service from the state port to the existing intermodal hub in Charlotte.

The state estimates the projects will create 1,500 jobs throughout North Carolina. The following are excerpts about the projects from editorials in two local newspapers.

Rocky Mount Telegram: “CSX news a plum for Twin Counties” Short of plans to build a major automobile factory and give away cars to everyone in a 20-mile radius, it would be difficult to think of a better announcement for Edcombe and Nash than news of a multimillion-dollar CSX trains-and-trucks terminal. ...

Not only do those jobs bring welcome relief to the most economically depressed area of the state, but the hub also will turn on a shiny beacon to the rest of the world.

The message will be clear: The Twin Counties (Edgecombe and Nash) soon will have the most technologically modern transportation hub in the country, capable of moving freight by truck, train, air and sea in a couple of hours and change at the most.

(The regional public-private partnership) dodged some of the sticky issues that doomed an earlier plan for Johnston County. The partnership optioned parcels with receptive landowners on the Edgecombe County side of U.S. 301, near N.C.

Wesleyan College. No need for the “eminent domain” bullet that left the folks in Johnston County howling.

The result is a giant plum for Eastern North Carolina. Folks already are calling it the best economic news in 20 years… and it likely will hold that title for another 20 years.

Wilmington StarNews: “Rail links a big boost for port” While the connection to the planned CSX hub in Rocky Mount is still a ways off, the so-called Queen City Express to and from Charlotte is on the fast track, with service set to begin in September.

(Tracks already exist between Wilmington and Charlotte, but there is no direct service. Tracks will have to be added to complete the WilmingtonRocky Mount route).

The Queen City Express will be double-stacked with shipping containers and provide overnight, nonstop service, giving shippers using the Port of Wilmington quick and easy access to the hub in Charlotte, which is served by rail, truck and air.

This and projects like extending Interstate 74 into Southeastern North Carolina and a plan to extend the Carolina Bays Parkway from the Myrtle Beach area into Brunswick County are the types of infrastructure investments our state needs to promote commerce. Governor McCrory and his administration should be commended for helping keep the CSX hub project alive after it met strong resistance in Johnston County.

It looks like the express service to Charlotte is a done deal. The Wilmington-Rocky Mount connection will be more complicated and time consuming, and officials still are short on public details, like the exact route. CSX tracks currently connect Rocky Mount to Wallace, but a gap exists between Wallace and Wilmington after track was pulled up in the 1980s.

Wilmington has waited a long time to reverse its downfall as a railroad town. It will be important that state leaders, our local legislators as well as municipal and business officials ensure this ambitious plan stays on track.

We have long relied on a stable Turkish democracy as an anchor in the Mideast. Not only do we have military bases there, but it has been an ideal intelligence-gathering post and they have been a restraint on Russian adventurism in the Black Sea region. For a while, at least, those benefits will be lost — or at least weakened. Furthermore, the closing of our access to the base at Incirlik, even if temporary, was meant as a warning to us to not meddle in Turkish affairs.

What about the war on ISIS? We have been launching attacks on ISIS both with fighter jets and drones from Turkish territory. Theoretically, and that is a big word in the Middle East, Erdogan has been supporting the U.S./NATO war on ISIS – except when he hasn’t been. He has been hesitant to go after the Caliphate because it is the most effective fighting force against his arch-enemy Bashar Assad. However, while verbally supporting us, he has allowed ISIS recruits to cross the border into Assad’s Syria.

With attention shifting to internal concerns, the Turkish military will have less time and resources to devote to ISIS. What does it mean for the region?

In an area that badly needs stability, there will be one more failing state. There was time when we could count on Iran (prior to 1981), Saudi Arabia, Egypt (prior to 2013) and Turkey as stable, westward leaning, moreor-less modern states. Now it may be Saudi Arabia, hardly an exemplar of modernity, that we can reliably turn to. So, what we have seen is a slow but steady erosion of U.S. influence in the region. Hopefully the Turkish military will continue to cooperate with the U.S. and NATO, but at best, the relationship will be more complicated.

President Obama has already signaled a pivot of U.S. priorities to Asia and a distinct unwillingness for deeper involvement in Middle East wars. Should Turkey spiral out of control, it will only further erode U.S. influence and appetite for involvement in the region, leaving a dangerous vacuum.

James R. Leutze is chancellor emeritus of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and a former history professor at UNC Chapel Hill. He lives in Wilmington.

North State Journal for Sunday, July 24, 2016

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NATION& WORLD NEWS IN IMAGES

Turkey’s president cracks down after coup investigation, demands extradition of US-based Muslim cleric

By Ayesha Rascoe Reuters

MATHIAS LOEVGREEN BOJESEN | REUTERS

Participants from all over the world gather for the 59th World Santa Convention in Copenhagen, Denmark, July 19.

NACHO DOCE | REUTERS

An airplane flies past Olympic rings ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, July 19.

MICHAEL DALDER | REUTERS

Police secure a street near to the scene of a shooting in Munich July 22.

DNCC from page A1 chelle Obama and Sen. Bernie Sanders focusing on the Day 1 theme of “United Together.”

Clinton’s husband, former President Bill Clinton, is the highlight of Tuesday’s schedule, which will also feature Mothers of the Movement speakers — an offshoot of the Black Lives Matter movement consisting mothers whose children have died.

More big names come to bat for Clinton Wednesday, with former Clinton 2008 primary adversaries Obama and Vice President Joe Biden speaking under the day’s “Working Together” theme.

Thursday, the final day of the convention, will feature Clinton herself, along with daughter Chelsea Clinton.

Clinton enters convention week as one of the most experienced politicians to ever win a nomination. The former secretary of state, U.S. senator and first lady boasts the varied experience Trump — who has never held political office — lacks, but also has the baggage of several controversies, both from her own political career and her husband’s presidency.

Throughout last week in Cleveland, speakers painted Clinton as a liar and distrustful, and continued to pin blame on her for the 2012 attack of the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, when she was secretary of state.

Clinton has attempted to steer voters away from focusing on Benghazi and the probe into her use of a private email server by criticizing Trump for his business failings, lack of political experience, and brash rhetoric.

The convention will give her the opportunity to move the conversation to policy, a strength for both her and the presumed running mate.

Kaine, the 58-year-old Virginia senator, emerged as a frontrunner to be Clinton’s choice ear-

ly on. He was one of the finalists to be Obama’s running mate in 2008, but was passed over for Biden.

Clinton considered several candidates, including U.S. senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sherrod Brown (D-Fla.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and three Obama cabinet members: Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Labor Tom Perez and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro.

In the end, Clinton went with arguably the most experienced in Kaine. Prior to being elected senator in 2012, Kaine served four years as governor of Virginia (2006-2010) and four more as the state’s lieutenant governor (2002-2006). He was also mayor of Richmond, the state capital, from 1998 to 2001, and served on the city council there prior to that. Kaine was chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2009-2011.

Kaine strikes a balance between the others considered for running mate.

While his choice won’t mobilize the left wing of the party who supported Sanders and might have mellowed if Warren or Booker had been picked, Kaine could help Clinton hold on to Virginia — where Obama won in his both his campaigns despite 10 straight Republican wins from 1952 to 2004.

Both Castro and Perez could have swayed the Latino vote, but Kaine is also fluent in Spanish and gave the first ever full speech — on immigration reform — in the Senate in a language other than English.

Kaine might have been the “safest” pick for Clinton, but there are some differences in ideology — for example, Kaine personally opposes abortion though, like Clinton, is against overturning Roe v. Wade — but Kaine’s experience at several level mirrors Clinton’s and strengthens their contrast to Trump.

ANKARA, TURKEY — Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan pledged to overhaul the army in response to last week’s failed coup, a sign that a newly imposed state of emergency would be used to investigate at a level that has alarmed the West. Erdogan also accuses Fethullah Gulen, a charismatic U.S.-based cleric, of masterminding the coup and has asked the U.S. to extradite him, a request that President Barack Obama has said must come through diplomatic channels with evidence of Gulen’s involvement.

In a crackdown on Gulen’s suspected followers, more than 60,000 soldiers, police, judges, civil servants and teachers have been suspended, detained or placed under investigation.

Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States for years, has denied any role in the attempted coup and accused Erdogan of orchestrating it himself. Obama warned that Turkey’s actions could threaten “a critical alliance and partnership between the United States and Turkey.”

“America’s governed by rules of law, and those are not ones that the president of the United States or anybody else can just set aside for the sake of expediency,” Obama said.

He also said the United States supported Erdogan’s democratically elected government and that any reports that Washington had prior knowledge of the attempted coup, or that there was any U.S. involvement, were completely false.

In a sign of Turkey’s dismissal of outside criticism over how it has responded to the coup, the justice minister said Turkey would not bow to pressure from the European Union to rule out restoring the death penalty to ex-

Supporters of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan hold an effigy of U.S.based cleric Fethullah Gulen in Ankara, Turkey, July 17.

BAZ RATNER | REUTERS

ecute the plotters.

Western countries backed Turkey’s government during last week’s failed putsch, but are increasingly worried about Turkey’s subsequent crackdown against thousands of members of the security forces, judiciary, civil service and academia.

On Wednesday, Erdogan announced a state of emergency, a move he said would allow the government to take swift action against those who plotted the coup that killed more than 246 people and wounded more than 2,100 before it collapsed within hours.

Turkey outlawed capital punishment in 2004 as part of its bid to join the bloc and European officials have said backtracking on the death penalty would effectively put an end to the EU accession process. But crowds at rallies have demanded the coup plotters be executed, and the government says it must at least consider it.

Erdogan told Reuters the government’s Supreme Military Council, which is chaired by the prime minister and includes the defense minister and the chief of staff, would oversee the restructuring of the armed forces.

“It is very clear that there were significant gaps and deficiencies in our intelligence, there is no point trying to hide it or deny it,”

Erdogan said.

Erdogan also said there was no obstacle to extending the state of emergency beyond the initial three months — a comment likely to spark concern among critics already fearful about the pace of his crackdown. Emergency rule permits the president and cabinet to bypass parliament in enacting new laws and to limit or suspend rights and freedoms as they deem necessary. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the reaction to the coup must not undermine fundamental rights.

“What we’re seeing especially in the fields of universities, media, the judiciary, is unacceptable,” she said of detentions and dismissals of judges, academics and others.

Since the state of emergency went into effect on Thursday, around a third of Turkey’s roughly 360 serving generals have been detained since the coup attempt, a senior official said, with 99 charged pending trial and 14 more being held.

The Defence Ministry is investigating all military judges and prosecutors, and has suspended 262 of them, broadcaster NTV reported, while 900 police officers in the capital, Ankara, were also suspended on Wednesday.

The purge also extended to civil servants in the environment and sports ministries.

Top 5 Democratic convention speeches of the modern era

By Ray Nothstine | North State Journal

The Democratic Party has had many climactic and tumultuous moments during their conventions. The chaos in the streets of Chicago and on the floor in 1968 powerfully depicted American fragmentation and a changing country. Two Democratic candidates for president were gunned down during the party’s race for the presidency. Robert F. Kennedy was killed in 1968 and former Alabama governor George Wallace, who was leading the race in 1972, was shot and paralyzed. Bill Clinton and Barack Obama brought unity, stability, and victory to their party in more recent years. Below are five of the top speeches in the modern era of Democratic Conventions.

Robert F. Kennedy, 1964

Edward Kennedy, 1980

After the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963, Robert Kennedy addressed the Democratic Party Convention in Atlantic City, N.J. President Lyndon B. Johnson was the nominee but in many ways it was still the Kennedys’ party and the brother of the slain president was a rising star. Kennedy received a thunderous and sustained applause before his address:

Former Sen. Edward “Ted” Kennedy challenged unpopular incumbent President Jimmy Carter for the Democratic nomination in 1980. He was ultimately unsuccessful but delivered one of the best convention concession speeches in modern memory.

“When there were difficulties, you sustained him.

When there were periods of crisis, you stood beside him. When there were periods of happiness, you laughed with him. And when there were periods of sorrow, you comforted him. I realize that as individuals we can’t just look back, that we must look forward. When I think of President Kennedy, I think of what Shakespeare said in Romeo and Juliet: When he shall die take him and cut him out into stars and he shall make the face of heaven so fine that all the world will be in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun.”

Barbara Jordan, 1976 Jordan was the first African-American female from the South elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Jordan’s keynote address at the 1976 convention in New York is often considered one of the great political speeches of the 20th Century. Jordan received praise from many for using her speech to attempt to rise above partisan politics and address national problems.

“A spirit of harmony will survive in America only if each of us remembers that we share a common destiny; if each of us remembers, when bitterness and self-interest seem to prevail, that we share a common destiny.”

“For me, a few hours ago, this campaign came to an end. For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.”

Bill Clinton, 1996 Early during Clinton’s first term it may have seemed he was a long shot for re-election due to his unpopularity, but he lived up his title as “the comeback kid,” just one of his many political titles.

“The real choice is whether we will build a bridge to the future or a bridge to the past; about whether we believe our best days are still out there or our best days are behind us; about whether we want a country of people all working together, or one where you’re on your own.”

Barack Obama, 2004 Before Obama ran for president he was praised widely for his 2004 keynote address at the convention in Boston. The speech propelled him to national prominence.

“There is not a liberal America and a conservative America — there is the United States of America. There is not a black America and a white America and Latino America and Asian America — there’s the United States of America.”

the Sunday Sideline report

nba

1. ACC and ESPN announced plans to launch ACC Network beginning in 2019 and ACC Extra beginning in August 2016.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell reportedly suspended four games for missing offseason drug test.

3. NCAA granted UNC’s request for a one-week extension to respond to the amended Notice of Allegations and will respond by August 1.

4. ECU athletic director Jeff Compher pushed hard for Big 12 expansion, claims school can “deliver the entire state of NC.” 5. Former Vikings and Cardinals Coach Denny Green died Friday morning from cardiac arrest at the age of 67.

@tomfornelli: Wish Kim and Taylor could settle this like adults: A Pokemon battle.

Peter Llewellyn | USA TODAY SPORTS images

Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan (R) holds a jersey as Chairman of the board, MLSE Larry Tanenbaum (L) looks on during a stoppage in play in the second half during the NBA All Star Game between the Western Conference and the Eastern Conference at Air Canada Centre on February 14.

SPORTS carolina railhawks

By NSJ Staff North State Journal

@J2Manziel: chills* I love A&M with all my heart I’m truly sorry. I’ll do whatever I can to make it right.I’m an AGGGIE for life

he NBA announced its decision to relocate the 2017 NBA All-Star Game Thursday, moving the weeklong T affair out of Charlotte to an as-yet-determined location.

@ESPNStatsInfo: This is the 1st time Tiger Woods will not play in any of the majors in a year since playing his 1st major in 1995

MLB

Correa sentenced to 46 months for hacking crime Former St. Louis Cardinals scouting director Chris Correa was sentenced to 46 months in prison stemming from his hacking of the Houston Astros prospect and player database.

NFL

Dolphins sign running back Foster The Miami Dolphins inked veteran running back Arian Foster to a one-year deal worth a reported $1.5 million. The veteran back and long-time Texans standout ruptured his Achilles against Miami in 2015. He can reportedly earn up to $2 million in incentives as well.

College Sports

NCAA implements non-discriminatory host site process A day after the NBA moved the All-Star Game, the NCAA announced the creation of a process for vetting future championship host sites, requiring a nondiscriminatory questionnaire to be filled out and submitted to the NCAA by Aug. 12.

NFL

Raiders ink former NCSU star to extension Greensboro product and former NC State star David Amerson agreed to a fouryear, $38 million extension with the Oakland Raiders.

Amerson first signed with the Raiders after being waived by the Washington Redskins in September 2015.

NBA moves All-Star Game out of Charlotte

Christine T. Nguyen | north state journal

Former Mexican international star Oscar Bravo (99) defends West Ham United’s Declan Rice (12) on July 12 during a friendly between the Carolina RailHawks and West Ham United F.C. at WakeMed Soccer Park.

Bravo to RailHawks for big international signing

By Josh Hyatt North State Journal ARY, N.C. — Assuming you’re not already a diehard C Carolina RailHawks or Mexican

soccer fanatic, you might be more familiar with Johnny Bravo than Omar Bravo.

But you should know about the latter, because he’s a very big deal in terms of an international addition to an American soccer roster.

Bravo’s signing to the RailHawks, who are under relatively new ownership, is the first of what the Triangle soccer team hopes will be many high-profile signings, and it brings one of Mexico’s most prolific goal scorers to the town of Cary, N.C. Carolina debuted Bravo, the all-time leading goal scorer (132) for Mexico’s Club Deportivo Guadalajara (Chivas), at halftime of the RailHawks’ exhibition game against England’s West Ham United on June 12. With his family in tow, Bravo stepped out to thunderous applause from a packed WakeMed Soccer Park, marking not only the first time an English Premier League team played in the Triangle but also the RailHawks’ largest-ever crowd, with 10,125 in attendance.

Curt Johnson, president and GM of the RailHawks, believes the night was a major milestone but also thinks steps like these can create a springboard for achieving some seriously lofty goals.

“Professional soccer in North Carolina has never seen a night like last night. The game, the event, and the introduction were and are national and global stories,” Johnson said. “We can have that in the Triangle every day. Soccer will be a leading story in our daily lives here. North Carolina deserves, and many believe needs, a nationally recognized, internationally respected, championship professional soccer team. Our owner Steve Malik has a vision that takes us to the highest levels of soccer. But words don’t get you there, as you all know. Actions get you there.”

If anyone knows soccer in the Triangle, it’s Johnson. A Raleigh native, he was brought up in the Capital Area Soccer League and led both Ravenscroft School and his CASL club team to multiple state championships in the 1980s.

In college, he would help take the NC State men’s soccer team to No. 2 in the nation before winning an See Railhawks, page B8

The league hopes to bring the game back to North Carolina in 2019, “provided there is an appropriate resolution” to the situation with House Bill 2.

“Since March, when North Carolina enacted H.B. 2 and the issue of legal protections for the LGBT community in Charlotte became prominent, the NBA and the Charlotte Hornets have been working diligently to foster constructive dialogue and try to effect positive change,” the league said in a statement.

“We are H.B. 2 has created heated arguments for months both in North Carolina and confident that around the country, and Governor.. Pat they will be just McCrory quickly fired back at the NBA as supportive for the decision.

“The sports and entertainment elite, and enthusiastic Attorney General Roy Cooper and the liberal media have for months misrepre- for the 2019 sented our laws and maligned the people NBA All-Star of North Carolina simply because most people believe boys and girls should be Game.” able to use school bathrooms, locker Hornets owner rooms and showers without the opposite Michael Jordan sex present,” McCrory said in a statement.

McCrory also cited “21 other states” who had “joined North Carolina to challenge the federal overreach by the Obama administration mandating their bathroom policies in all businesses and schools instead of allowing accommodations for unique circumstances.”

“Left-wing special interest groups have no moral authority to try and intimidate the large majority of American parents who agree in common-sense bathroom and shower privacy for our children,” McCrory added.

The Hornets expressed disappointment about the decision, but owner Michael Jordan sounded optimistic about the 2019 opportunity.

“We understand the NBA’s decision and the challenges around holding the NBA All-Star Game in Charlotte this season. There was an exhaustive effort from all parties to keep the event in Charlotte, and we are disappointed we

See ASG, page B8

inside

Eamon queeney | north state journal

The NASCAR season reached its midway point (including Chase for the Sprint Cup races) following Matt Kenseth’s win at New Hampshire. Things are getting tight, with just seven races remaining before the Chase kicks off. Who’s in the pole position to take home the title? R. Cory Smith looks at the top drivers and their chances in our NASCAR Power Rankings. B4-B5

North State Journal for Sunday, July 24, 2016

B2

NS J beyond the box score

07.24.16

Roger Goodell: NFL commish reportedly called Mark Wahlberg to try and get the director to stop putting NFL players on the HBO show “Ballers.” The NFL denied any such call actually took place.

Jonny Gomes: Royals outfielder said he was “sent down” from his team’s visit to the White House and called not being able to go “the worst news of my professional baseball career.”

Rob Gronkowski: Patriots tight end attended a Paul McCartney-Bob Weir concert at Fenway Park and joined the two rock and roll legends on stage for a rocking rendition of “Helter Skelter.”

Pat Riley: Miami Heat president held a press conference where he admitted he dropped the ball on keeping Dwyane Wade in town.

Denzel Valentine: Former Michigan State star matched ex-Duke player Tyus Jones’ three-pointer in the Las Vegas Summer league championship game to force overtime, then hit a game-winning shot in the extra period.

Harold Varner III: The former ECU star was named as the replacement for Tiger Woods in the 2016 PGA Championship field.

Johnny Manziel: Former Browns QB stayed in the news after reportedly punching a man at a wedding. Manziel sent him a note and mimosas to apologize.

POTENT QUOTABLES

Jerry Richardson Statue

The Carolina Panthers honored the only owner in the franchise’s history on his 80th birthday by revealing a statute celebrating Jerry Richardson out in front of Bank of America Stadium.

Jason Getz | USA TODAY Sports

“I can’t ever make it seem like I’m putting more time into music than I am baseball.”

Braves IF Chase d’Arnaud, who hit a walk-off single the day after playing a concert at Turner Field

golf

DAN LATORRACA | COURTESY CAROLINA PANTHERS

Big 12 exploring expansion Ian Rutherford | USA TODAY SPORTS

63 Final score for Henrik Stenson in the 2016 Open Championship, tying Johnny Miller for the lowest score ever in the final round of a major. To put what Stenson did into perspective, Phil Mickelson entered Sunday the Swedish golfer by one stroke for the lead.

Mickelson promptly went out and shot a bogey-free 65 — by itself one of the best final rounds you’ll ever see at a major — and ended up losing by three strokes.

Stenson was brilliant in pursuit of his first major, shook any concerns people might have about him holding up under pressure and honored a friend of his who lost the battle with cancer earlier in the week.

Kevin Jairaj | USA TODAY SPORTS

The Big 12 will formally explore adding two or four teams, the league’s presidents decided unanimously on Tuesday at the league’s Media Days.

BYU, Cincinnati, Colorado State, Houston, Memphis, UCF and UConn have all been mentioned as potential candidates.

Brock Lesnar fails drug test

Lesnar, 39, failed a fight night drug test at UFC 200 on July 9 in Las Vegas. The former heavyweight champion and WWE star came out of retirement for the event and defeated Mark Hunt via unanimous decision.

“We will get to the bottom of this,” Lesnar told the Associated Press.

Joshua Dahl | USA TODAY SPORTS

North State Journal for Sunday, July 24, 2016

B3

college football

Photos by Bob Donnan | USA TODAY SPORTS images

Virginia Tech Hokies head coach Frank Beamer is carried off the field by his players.

The Tar Heels defeated the Hokies 30-27 in overtime at Lane Stadium on November 21, 2015.

Frank Beamer reflects on retiring,

his love of pedicures and the Hokies’ future

By Sean Labar For the North State Journal ollowing the 2015 football season — his 29th at Virginia F Tech — Frank Beamer retired as

head coach of the Hokies. Beamer leaves as one of the all-time great college football coaches, winning three Big East titles, 4 ACC titles (plus five Coastal Division titles) and coming close to a National Championship in 1999, when the Hokies and Michael Vick lost to Florida State in the Sugar Bowl.

Beamer is relinquishing an on-field role but he’s hardly out of the spotlight in Blacksburg, as the long-time coach moved into the athletic department where he serves as a Special Assistant to the Athletic Director.

In his place is newly-hired Justin Fuente, who comes from Memphis and is tasked with replacing a legend.

Beamer recently spoke about the upcoming season, his love of pedicures, what his new role will be and Virginia Tech’s future.

Virginia Tech Hokies head coach Frank Beamer greets fans during the Hokie Walk before the game at Lane Stadium.

North State Journal: Are you missing coaching yet?

Frank Beamer: I feel like the most fortunate person in the world to have stayed at the same place for 29 years. This is a place that I love, a place that has meant so much to me and my family. That relationship has just been fantastic. I’ve been busy, maybe too busy. I’ve done a lot of coaching clinics and run a lot of sports clubs. And of course being around the grandkids.

My son Shane has three now, and my daughter has a boy on the way. Between balancing the grandkids and the projects that I have going on, it’s been a busy time. But I do feel extremely important to be in this position.

Did you ever think about leaving Tech?

There were a couple offers I was very serious about. But you know, this is a tough place to leave. Every time I think about it, I can look around and see that I was part of building all these wonderful facilities. All of these other places, I didn’t have anything to do with that. I saw it grow, getting bigger and better.

How much did you know about Justin Fuente before he was hired?

I didn’t know a lot. I knew the name. I knew he had some quick success at Memphis. I wasn’t really associated with him other than the fact that he went to

Frank Beamer Age: 69 Hometown: Mt. Airy, N.C. College: Virginia Tech Position: Cornerback Years coached: 44 Record: 280-143-4 Notable Honors: 1999 AP Coach of the Year

Murray State, and I coached at Murray State. I said, well, this guy has a chance to be OK. Since I’ve gotten to know him, and my wife has gotten to know his wife, I think they did a great job in who they hired. He’s solid, and just the right kind of guy for Virginia Tech. They made a great hire.

Now that you’re friends with Coach Fuente, if you see a play that might not be working on the field during the season, is it your place to say something?

I’ve worked really hard to stay out of it. With a new guy coming in, the last thing I want to do is have him looking over his shoulder. He put together a great staff. He knows what he’s doing.

He’s going to do just fine.

This year’s team was a roster that you built. If you had to

be an ESPN analyst and give a preseason outlook of this year’s team, what would you say?

I think they have some great leadership. That senior class coming up are not only great players, but outstanding guys. Developing that kind of chemistry is a great place to start. A lot of it depends on the schedule, and when guys get hurt or if the other team has guys that are hurt. But I think they have a chance to have a good season.

Wide receiver Isaiah Ford has been getting a lot of national attention. How good is he?

Oh, I think he is really good. I’ve been saying it since I recruited him. Part of the deal was we were going to let him play basketball too. I had a chance to see him on the court before the field. There are a lot of guys that want to come in and play two sports. He was one guy that I actually thought had the chance to do that. He realized that his real future was in football, and I think he has a great future.

Talk about the in-state rivalry. Do you really hate UVA? I thought it was great for the

state. You have two great Universities in the same state and in order to really want to beat someone, you’ve got to have respect for them and want to beat them. Your fan base wants to beat them and have bragging rights. That was always a big game. We made it a big game.

I was proud the last few years that we’ve been able to win that game, and keep our alumni fan base happy for a little while at least.

You love to golf. Who is a coach or player that is a really good golfer?

Steve Spurrier is a good golfer.

He grinds at it. They took us on these Nike trips and we would play golf in the mornings with coaches from across the country.

There are a lot of good golfers out there.

People were shocked to see you “dabbing,” in the locker room last year. Are you a big dancer?

I had no clue what I was doing.

We had a lot of fun. I think one of the greatest moments is in the locker room after a game where you just won. To share that with your coaches and players just having some fun. I never underestimated winning. It’s hard to win on Saturday, things

have gotten a lot more even. I appreciated every win and I was going to enjoy every win.

There have been photos surfacing of you getting pedicures. Is that a regular thing for you?

It is. I like clean nails. I get strange looks sometimes when I walk in. I think times are changing, I think you’ll see more and more people do that in years to come. It used to be you would never hear of a man getting a massage. But it’s a way to relieve tension and stress. I fully expect more men to be getting pedicures in the near future.

If you had to pick your most special game while coaching at Virginia Tech, what would it be?

I’d probably say the national championship. It wears at you, because we really had a team that was good enough to win that game. I took some chances, went for it on fourth down, did a couple of fakes. If I had to do it over, I don’t know if I would have done all of those. Because in reality, we were good enough to win it. And I’m disappointed we never made it back to that point. That loss stung, but the good memories will always far outweigh the bad memories.

North State Journal for Sunday, July 24, 2016

B4

North State Journal for Sunday, July 24, 2016

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Greg Biffle (16) leads Martin Truex Jr. (78) and Brad Keselowski (2) during the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

Jasen Vinlove | USA TODAY SPORTS images

NASCAR Midseason Power Rankings

By R. Cory Smith North State Journal

At exactly the halfway point in the NASCAR season (including the Chase), several drivers set themselves apart from the rest of the pack. Only

1

2

one driver, Brad Keselowski, has already locked in a spot in NASCAR’s postseason, making the decision to put him atop the inaugural NSJ

3

4

5

Kevin harvick

Carl edwards

Kurt Busch

Kyle Busch

2016 Statistics: 4 wins, 8 top fives, 12 top 10s Most recent result: 15th

2016 Statistics: 1 win, 8 top fives, 15 top 10s Most recent result: 4th

2016 Statistics: 2 wins, 7 top fives, 12 top 10s Most recent result: 20th

2016 Statistics: 1 win, 6 top fives, 15 top 10s Most recent result: 22nd

2016 Statistics: 3 wins, 10 top fives 11 top 10s Most recent result: 8th

6

“I’m disgusted to tell you the truth,” Kevin Harvick said. “It’s the same thing every week. We just make mistake after mistake, and until we clean that up, we don’t have a chance to win races by putting ourselves in a hole every time we make a mistake.”

That’s how good Harvick’s season is going — he finished fourth at New Hampshire and still lashed into his team for not being good enough. Currently leading in the points standings and already locked into the Chase, Harvick’s team is just toying around with setups at this point. When they get it all figured out, the No. 4 team could be terrifying for everyone else.

7

Carl Edwards hasn’t done a backflip since Richmond, but has remained competitive in just about every race this season. On the short list for places he struggled is New Hampshire, as Edwards slipped to 20th for his second finish outside the top 10 in the last six races. The lull shouldn’t be too concerning: Edwards looked like he had the strongest car at Kentucky, and if Keselowski had run out of fuel, Edwards would have his third checkered flag of the year. A strong finish in 2016 could put Edwards in position to win his first-ever Sprint Cup Championship.

8

Jasen Vinlove | USA TODAY SPORTS images

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. looks on during practice for the Coke Zero 400 powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway.

Retired Gordon replaces concussed Earnhardt In one of the more shocking announcements of the 2016 season, Hendrick Motorsports revealed Jeff Gordon, who retired after the 2015 season, will replace Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Indianapolis and Pocono. The news came after Junior missed the New Hampshire race due to lingering concussion symptoms.

Gordon returns to the cockpit at a track he dominated during his career, winning a NASCAR-record five

times at Indianapolis. He also has a record six victories there, along with a third-place finish at the track last August.

Having Gordon back is huge for NASCAR fans, but it hurts Earnhardt over the long haul. Junior currently holds down the final spot on the Chase Grid, but won’t earn any points for two-straight races and returns with just five events left before the postseason begins.

NASCAR Power Rankings an easy one.

Here’s a look at the top 10 drivers in the sport at the midway marker.

brad keselowski

New Hampshire wasn’t exactly Brad Keselowski’s best showing, but he can afford it after two-straight wins. Checkered flags have been coming in bunches for Keselowski, who won at both restrictor-plate tracks, and picked up victories at two intermediate tracks as well.

In order for Kes to compete for a second championship, he’ll need to continue dominating to guarantee a spot in the Homestead. With previous top-five finishes at Martinsville and Charlotte, plus a win at Talladega — three of the final six tracks before the championship race — Keselowski has a legitimate chance to build on an already sensational season.

B5

Kurt Busch has 15 top-10 finishes out of the 19 races he’s started so far in the 2016 season. His win at Pocono all but guarantees a Chase berth, and NASCAR’s most consistent driver is emerging as a leading candidate to knock off his younger brother as the champion. Though he’s never won at Indianapolis, Busch can still collect more checkered flags at Bristol, Michigan or Richmond — all three tracks where he has multiple wins — before the Chase. While Harvick may be ahead of him in the Stewart-Haas stable, the No. 41 team is more than holding his own in 2016.

9

After being on top of the NASCAR world earlier this season with five-straight, top-two results, Kyle Busch is trying to find his footing again. Though he usually runs well at the Kentucky and New Hampshire tracks, Kyle has just a 12thand eighth-place finish, respectively, to show for his runs. Indianapolis could be a turning point for the defending Sprint Cup Champion who picked up a win at the Indiana track last season. After leading 133 laps last weekend, the Joe Gibbs Racing team might be celebrating a second-straight victory at the Brickyard on Sunday.

Jasen Vinlove | USA TODAY SPORTS images

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin (11) beats NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr. (78) to win the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.

New aero package brings photo finishes The aerodynamic package NASCAR introduced this season produced some sensational results throughout the first half of the season. It wasn’t implemented until after the Daytona 500, but even the Great American Race saw Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. bashing into each other as Hamlin sealed his first Harley J. Earl Trophy.

Since that win by .01 seconds for Hamlin, races at Phoenix, Richmond, Dover and Sonoma have all pro-

duced thrilling last-lap battles for the win. Whether the finish has been memorable or not, the action throughout the races in Atlanta, Bristol and Fontana also proved the growth under the new package.

With NASCAR returning to three of those tracks this summer and races at Bristol, Darlington, Charlotte and Martinsville still on the schedule, the potential for photo finishes down the stretch is high.

10

Joey Logano

matt kenseth

Martin Truex Jr.

Denny Hamlin

Tony Stewart

2016 Statistics: 1 win, 8 top fives, 12 top 10s Most recent result: 3rd

2016 Statistics: 2 wins, 3 top fives, 8 top 10s Most recent result: 1st

2016 Statistics: 1 win, 3 top fives, 8 top 10s Most recent result: 16th

2016 Statistics: 1 win, 5 top fives, 8 top 10s Most recent result: 9th

2016 Statistics: 1 win, 3 top fives, 5 top 10s Most recent result: 2nd

After a poor showing at Kentucky, Logano responded with his fifth top-five finish in the last six races in Loudon. Already a perennial championship contender at the age of 26, the Team Penske driver isn’t showing any signs of slowing down heading into Indianapolis.

Thanks to his win at Michigan, Logano doesn’t need another checkered flag to make the Chase. Sliced Bread isn’t going away, and his performance in last year’s Chase means he’s nearly a lock for the Championship Four.

Much like the rest of the Joe Gibbs Racing team, Matt Kenseth is no stranger to winning races. He’s been especially dominant at New Hampshire since switching to JGR, and that continued Sunday with a second victory on the year. Kenseth has now won three of the last six at the track since switching teams.

Kenseth isn’t the strongest driver on his own team, and he may have failed post-race inspection after his win at NHMS, but there’s no question Kenseth is still one of the drivers to watch approaching the Chase.

2016 hasn’t been quite as strong as Martin Truex Jr.’s breakout season last year, but he is still one of the best drivers in the sport on a single-car team. Given the rise of Toyota and Furniture Row Racing, the expectation is for Truex to return to the final four again this season. One of five Toyota drivers inside our top 10, Truex’s success should translate to another long run in NASCAR’s postseason. Thanks to Furniture Row Racing’s alliance with JGR, getting to the final four could mean having several strong teammates on his side at Homestead.

Denny Hamlin makes it all four Gibbs drivers inside our top 10 at the midpoint, an impressive feat indeed. Hamlin hasn’t won since the Daytona 500, but was one turn away from taking down Stewart at Sonoma. Another top 10 at NHMS pushes Hamlin into the power rankings with seven races remaining in the regular season. Hamlin has been warm lately too, finishing in the top-20 of his last four races, including a pair of top-10 results as well. Worth noting: Jimmie Johnson and Chase Elliott of Hendrick are nipping at his heels.

Tony Stewart hasn’t raced the full first half of the season, but he has been one of the best drivers since his return. Not only does Stewart have his win at Sonoma, but he also has four top-10 finishes in the last five races. Had Kenseth not enjoyed some questionable alterations to his car in Loudon, Stewart might have clinched the second victory of his final season. Given his recent success and overall strength of SHR, Smoke is on fire with a Chase berth all but sealed despite missing the first eight races.

Eamon queeney | north state journal

Cruz Aguina, left, and Corporal Urbano Guerrero Jr., right, watch from the top of Bryan Ballard’s bus as the cars head through turn four during the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 29.

Truex dominates during Charlotte military tribute Three hundred and ninety-two. Out of 400 total trips around Charlotte Motor Speedway during the Coca-Cola 600, that’s how many laps Martin Truex Jr. led. Truex takes blame for “stinking up the show” by making the race boring, but he was plenty thrilled about his domination.

Plus, the real story of the weekend was NASCAR’s tributes to the military. Drivers like Dale Earnhardt Jr.,

Kyle Busch and Danica Patrick unveiled completely new paint schemes for the Memorial Day holiday.

Whether it was honoring fallen service members on every single car, the myriad patriotic paint schemes or countless soldiers at the track, Charlotte did a fantastic job once again paying tribute to both the military and the sport.

North State Journal for Sunday, July 24, 2016

B6 carolina mudcats

Davidson enjoying home cooking with Mudcats

By R. Cory Smith North State Journal EBULON, N.C. — Braxton Davidson just shook his head Z as he walked back to the dugout.

The third-year player had just hit the first grand slam of his career, but you couldn’t tell it from his body language.

“It was pretty awesome. The only other grand slam I can remember was in high school,” Davidson said. “But I was having a tough day that day. I went 0-for-3 in the first game with two strikeouts and started the second game with a K. ... I got a little frustration out on that swing.”

Davidson’s transition to pro baseball has been anything but smooth. Being drafted straight out of T.C. Roberson High School in Asheville, N.C. and going to the Atlanta Braves in the first round can create some heightened hype.

The expectations for Davidson were overwhelming. When players like Bryce Harper and Mike Trout immediately make the jump to the MLB and perform at MVP levels, it sets a nearly unachievable bar for young stars.

While Davidson struggled with that early in his career, Mudcats manager Rocket Wheeler is happy with the former top pick’s development.

“He’s growing so much as a player,” Wheeler said. “He’s making more solid contact and has big-time power. He’s just got to find that consistency, and he will. I have no doubt about that.

He works his tail off in the cages and he’s seeing that translate into games.

“Believe me, once he gets it, look out. Because he’s got some serious pop in that bat.”

Over the last month, Davidson has reaped dividends at the plate.

Since a three-hit game on June 13, Davidson has produced a .253 average, .408 on-base percentage, 26 RBI and six homers over 33 games leading up to the Lynchburg series.

One key ingredient in Davidson’s turnaround has been sticking close to home. Playing at Five County Stadium is a familiar spot for Davidson. As a freshman at

Carolina Mudcats outfielder Braxton Davidson (24) swings at a pitch during the game against the Fredericks­ burg Keys at the Five County Stadium in Zebulon on Tuesday, July 19, 2016.

The Mudcats defeated the Keys 6-4.

Madeline Gray | north state journal

“Believe me, once he gets it, look out. Because he’s got some serious pop in that bat.”

Mudcats manager Rocket Wheeler on Braxton Davidson

T.C. Roberson, Davidson faced off with Carlos Rodon and Holly Springs in the state championship game. While Rodon came away with the state title, Davidson admitted his first glimpse of the next level came that day in Zebulon.

Though he’s now four hours away from Asheville, Davidson’s mother, Tanya Caldwell, makes

regular trips to Zebulon to spend time with him. Davidson also makes the trip back to the mountains during off days to visit family.

His favorite part of having her visit? The home-cooked meal, obviously.

“I’ve always been a momma’s boy, what can I say?” Davidson said. “She always cooks up those filets with a loaded baked potato and asparagus. That’s my go-to with mom. Can’t get any better than having that on a regular basis.”

Davidson also has close relationships with players and coaches in the organization. One former Braves player keeping tabs on Davidson is Fred McGriff, who regu-

larly texts the Mudcats star after meeting him before the season.

Prior to Davidson’s first grand slam, he received a text from McGriff just to check in with him.

After the grand slam? You better believe he got a text from the Crime Dog. “He just wants me to hit home runs, man. That’s all,” Davidson said. “He sent me a text after the game that said, ‘Two strikeouts and a grand slam? Excellent game!’ ... It was awesome for my confidence to know he watches what I’m doing. It makes me proud to be a Brave.”

While he’s soaking up the experience in Zebulon, Davidson is ready for his shot at making an MLB roster. After playing with

fellow top prospects in Dansby Swanson and Ozzie Albies in the minors and during Spring Training, he has no doubt he’ll be a crucial component of the Braves’ future.

“I love being here, but seeing guys like Dansby and Albies moving on makes me want to get out of here,” Davidson said. “I want to be with them all the way through this process.

Hopefully we can come up together and play in Atlanta together and bring championships back to the Braves.

“We believe that we can bring back what the Braves had in the 90’s again. Hopefully we’ll bring more world championships to the table.”

nba

Three winners and three losers from NBA free agency

By Brian Geisinger North State Journal

A

n unprecedented amount of money was up for grabs in the NBA’s annual silly season.

And teams were not shy about spending it.

Championships aren’t won in July, but the foundations of those title contenders are built in the offseason. This is when teams recruit superstars that alter the course of their franchises, or find the role player that satisfies a missing link. As the league’s new television money finally came into play, the salary cap jumped more than 33 percent over night.

One of the most insane fortnights in league history was headlined

by Kevin Durant’s decision to leave the Thunder and join the Golden State Warriors Here are some organizations that came out on the right end of free agency, and some others that didn’t fare so well.

best players in the NBA, you do it. Golden State then used their room exception to sign veteran Zaza Pachulia as Bogut’s replacement, which was an excellent value. Give them all of the gold stars.

• Boston Celtics The C’s finished third place in the Kevin Durant Sweepstakes, but they didn’t go empty-handed. Boston finished fourth in the league in defensive efficiency last season, and with the addition of Al Horford from Atlanta, that number should only jump. The Warriors, Pacers and Jazz will be monsters defensively, but the Celtics have a chance to be the best unit in the league, after adding the man who anchored Atlanta’s No. 2 defense from a season ago. He will also help diversify a Boston offense that relied too heavily on Isaiah Thomas pickand-rolls. With Horford in Bean Town, the Celtics are now the second best team in the East.

Winners

• Charlotte Hornets

• Golden State Warriors

Save your homer chants for someone else — GM Rich Cho nailed his top two priorities: bringing back forwards Nicolas Batum and Marvin Williams.

He did so, by the way, at a below market value for both players.

Batum’s five-year, $120 million deal was around $33 million less than it could have been, and Williams turned down several $15 million per year offers to sign a four-year, $54.5 million contract. The Hornets weren’t able to retain Jeremy Lin or Courtney Lee, but Lin, set on being a starter again, had to go elsewhere to do so. The last four multiyear contracts Cho has orchestrated — Kemba Walker, Michael KiddGilchrist, Batum and Williams — were all team-friendly deals.

This isn’t even a question — the free agency champs are the same team that last month fell to LeBron James in the Finals.

For a year it’s been hinted Kevin Durant might be interested in Golden State’s style of play, but it was tough to foresee him actually leaving the only franchise he’s ever known. After the Thunder were eliminated in the Western Conference Finals by those Warriors, things changed rapidly.

The Warriors lost several key role players — including rim protectors Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli — to make it work. But if that’s what it takes to get KD, you do it. It’s not even a question.

If you can pair two of the five

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr (left), Kevin Durant (center), and general manager Bob Myers (right) address the media during a press conference after Durant signed with the Warriors at the Warriors Practice Facility.

Kyle Terada | USA TODAY SPORTS images

Charlotte, thanks especially to the reputation of coach Steve Clifford, has established itself as an attractive place to play basketball — retaining your best players only reinforces that. Roy Hibbert and Ramon Sessions were nice, cost-effective additions to fill positions of need, too.

Losers • Oklahoma City Thunder Oh, man. This is a sad one to write. The best player in the franchise’s history, Kevin Durant, left for their chief rival. This team was close to winning the title two months ago, and look where they are now. The Thunder are reportedly exploring trade options for the final cornerstone left standing: Russell Westbrook. Once the shock wears off, they’ll be faced with a harsh reality and a string of difficult decisions to make.

This was an absolutely decimating offseason for OKC.

• Orlando Magic Not sure what this team is doing, and pretty sure that they don’t either. Does Orlando want to win now? Or are they looking three years down the road? Who knows, honestly? The Magic entered free agency with the ability to make room for two max contracts. Orlando isn’t exactly a destination city, but no state income tax and ties to the state for several marquee free agents (Al Horford, Chandler Parsons) had folks thinking they’d be a player in the market. Instead, they spent $15 million on the ever-confusing Jeff Green, and gave Bismack Biyombo $72 million. I love Biyombo and everything he does, but if paying him $18 million per season is what you have to hang your hat on, then things haven’t gone perfectly. The re-signing of Evan Fournier was terrific, but it’s unclear now how they’ll balance the minutes of Biyombo, Serge Ibaka and Nikola Vucevic.

• Dallas Mavericks The Mavs entered free agency with their sights set on two players: big man Hassan Whiteside and point guard Mike Conley.

Dallas, as they have the last few seasons, struck out with both players, who chose to remain with their current teams. Mark Cuban’s Mavs did ink Harrison Barnes to a four-year, $94 million deal. Barnes is a much better player than what he displayed during the Finals, but it’s a signing that won’t inspire much confidence, especially after missing their preferred targets. One positive that came from the lack of a big offseason acquisition: the Mavs gave Dirk Nowitzki, the face of their franchise, a two-year, $40 million deal. After several years of Dirk taking pay cuts so the team had space to unsuccessfully chase free agents, it’s nice to see him get his due. Nowitzki is the greatest international player in NBA history and an amazing ambassador for the game. Give him all the money.

North State Journal for Sunday, July 24, 2016

B7

golf

File Photos by Brian Spurlock | USA TODAY SPORTS images

Left: Jason Day poses with the Wanamaker Trophy after winning the 2015 PGA Championship golf tournament at Whistling Straits last August.

Right: General view as workers adjust the scores on the 17th hole leaderboard during the final round of the 2015 PGA Championship golf tournament at Whistling Straits last August.

2016 PGA Championship Preview Compiled By NSJ Staff | Headshots from USA Today Sports images

Golfers barely get a chance to catch their breath from a thrilling Open Championship finale before turning the corner and tackling the 2016 PGA Championship head on.

Because of the 2016 Olympics in Rio, the major schedule is heavily compressed with less than two weeks between the final two majors of the year.

Three first-time winners (Danny Willett, Dustin Johnson and Henrik Stenson) already captured majors this year.

It wouldn’t be stunning to see someone pop up and steal a major at Baltusrol, a course that is hosting a major for the first time since the 2005 PGA Championship.

Here, we break down four top favorites according to Vegas, why they could win and four more guys to keep an eye on.

THE FAVORITES Jason Day

Rory McIlroy

Dustin Johnson

Jordan Spieth

Best PGA Finish: 1st, 2015 Odds: 8-1

Best PGA Finish: 1st, 2012/2014 Odds: 8-1

Best PGA Finish: T-5, 2010 Odds: 8-1

Best PGA Finish: 2nd, 2015 Odds: 10-1

Day’s 2016 has been notable for his ascension to the top golfer in the world, even though he hasn’t come through in a major yet this season. However, the quiet grinder does have three nice starts, including a top-10 finish at both the Masters and U.S. Open and a T-22 finish at the British Open. He won at Whistling Straights in 2015 for his first major victory and coming through for a second-straight PGA Championship would be a superb capper to an already impressive year. Day knows at this stage of his career golfers are judged by their major totals.

A two-time winner of the PGA Championship, McIlroy is coming off a sneakily impressive outing at the Open Championship where he finished T-5. His game is perhaps best situated for this major, with McIlroy fully capable of overpowering wide-open golf courses. He didn’t play his first PGA Championship until 2009, so he has no experience at Baltusrol, but in seven starts he has two wins, four top-five finishes, five top-10 finishes and has never missed the cut. Bonus: Johnny Miller criticized his clothes at Royal Troon, so he might come in to another major angry.

Another guy who hits the ball a mile, Johnson’s game is a great fit for the PGA Championship as well. His Open Championship might be considered a disappointment after his win at the U.S. Open, but he quietly finished T-9.

Johnson’s not unlike McIlroy — he’s got seven starts at the PGA Championship and has recorded four top-10 finishes.

With the monkey off his back after his first major win, he can likely cut loose and attack Baltusrol. If his wedge game is dialed in, there are not many golfers in the world who can go lower than DJ.

What a horrible turn Spieth’s season took late at Augusta. The reigning Masters champion looked prime to win his second-straight green jacket but melted down. Since then he’s finished T-37 at the U.S. Open and T-30 at the British.

2015 was his only impressive start at a PGA Championship in his young career, when he came up just shy of a third major by finishing second to Day at Whistling Straights. He’s good enough to win any tournament — and certainly a major at Baltusrol — but you could easily argue his major starts this year warrant putting him in the next tier of golfers.

THE NEXT TIER Phil Mickelson

Brooks Koepka

Jason Dufner

Justin Thomas

Best PGA Finish: 1st, 2005 Odds: 20-1

Best PGA Finish: T-5, 2015 Odds: 40-1

Best PGA Finish: 1st, 2013 Odds: 80-1

Best PGA Finish: T-18, 2015 Odds: 80-1

And if you were replacing Spieth, you would put Phil in his place. Not only did Phil win his second career major the last time the PGA Championship was played at Baltusrol in 2005, but he is coming off an incredible performance at the 2016 Open Championship. Phil went into Sunday down one stroke, shot a bogey-free 65 and still lost by three strokes.

Henrik Stenson (who didn’t make this list because we assume he will still be, ahem, celebrating) was that good. Phil only has one top-10 finish at a PGA since 2010, but he has nine in his career and has only missed the cut once (1995) in 23 times playing the event.

An absolute bomber off the tee (12th in driving distance at 303.3 yards and sixth in all drives at 297.3 yards), Koepka recorded his second-best finish at a major during the 2015 PGA Championship, finishing T-5 a year after finishing T-15. He’s built well for this tournament and is due for a breakthrough. He didn’t play in the Open Championship this year but recorded top-25 finishes at both the Masters and the U.S. Open. The one concern is the driving accuracy (129th overall), and what happens if he gets on tilt at all or is forced to deal with the weekend pressure of being in the hunt for a major.

Getting a major winner — with the win coming at the PGA Championship no less — at 80-1 is some serious value. Especially when you consider how Dufner’s played the majors this year, finishing T-8 at the U.S. Open and T-22 at the Open Championship. He’s got a win on tour this season and a pair of recent top-10 finishes in other tournaments too. It’s a pretty high risk/reward proposition given how hit or miss he can be, but Dufner has three top-five finishes at the PGA since 2010, so he’s a little more consistent than you might think. Dufner also has 19 made cuts in 22 events this year and five top-10 finishes on the season.

An interesting name as a very deep sleeper to win the Tournament, Thomas has just one PGA Tour win in his career and only four majors he’s ever played in, period. This season hasn’t gone particularly well for Thomas in those events, but he recorded a T-18 at Whistling Straights during last year’s PGA Championship. He’s a top-25 player in terms of driving distance no matter how you shake it and certainly capable of getting warm around the greens. If he was going to stun everyone and break out for a major win, this is a good spot to pick him. The biggest concern is whether or not he is battle tested enough for a major weekend.

North State Journal for Sunday, July 24, 2016

B8

acc

ACC Basketball

ACC formally announces network launch set for 2019

By Brooke Pryor North State Journal HARLOTTE — Finally, the worst kept secret in sports C media is out: the Atlantic Coast

Sara D. Davis | ACC.com

ACC Commissioner John Swofford announces the launch of the ACC Network — a comprehensive linear and digital network partnering ESPN and the ACC during the 2016 ACC Football Kickoff in Charlotte on Thursday.

ACC to expand to 20 league basketball games by 2019

By R. Cory Smith North State Journal HARLOTTE — In addition to announcing a brand new C ACC television network, ACC

Commissioner John Swofford also announced another critical change for the 2019 season: men’s basketball will move to a 20-game conference schedule.

Beginning in August 2016, the ACC will stream sporting events through ESPN’s mobile platform, but the actual channel will not launch until 2019. Given that timeline, Swofford pushed the scheduling update back to correspond with the change.

“We continue to work toward the launch of the linear ACC Network by August 2019,” Swofford said. “As part of our new network agreement, we will move to 20 league basketball games in 2019, coinciding with the launch of the

asg from page B1 were unable to do so,” Jordan said. “With that said, we are pleased that the NBA opened the door for Charlotte to host All-Star Weekend again as soon as an opportunity was available in 2019. We want to thank the City of Charlotte and the business community for their backing throughout this entire process, starting with the initial bid.

“We are confident that they will be just as supportive and enthusiastic for the 2019 NBA All-Star Game.”

One obstacle for the future:

linear channel.”

Swofford later said only men’s basketball will expand from 18 games to 20 with women’s basketball remaining the same.

There was no word on whether the conference will expand to nine conference football games in the future.

Duke Athletics Director Kevin White said the idea of a ninegame conference schedule in football has been discussed every season he’s been at the helm. As for Mike Krzyzewski’s response to the news, White noted he is ecstatic about the change.

“He couldn’t be more excited about it,” White said of Krzyzewski. “He just sent me a text two days ago because he knew about this press conference.

“He’s euphoric in Vegas. In the midst of all that, he is very ginned up about the network.”

What the 20-game confer-

ence schedule opens up is the opportunity for more competition in the league, thanks to a more balanced schedule. While no team will be able to play every team twice, adding two more conference games to the docket for each program provides another testing ground for teams prior to postseason play.

As for the changes to non-conference scheduling, neither White nor ESPN President John Skipper would divulge any information about the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

Several questions are still left unanswered, but we now know the ACC continues moving forward with steps to keep up in the arms race. And with the rapid pace of college sports, moving to 20 conference games in one of the top leagues in the country, the ACC is only helping its product when 2019 rolls around.

the current governor’s willingness to double down on the issue. McCrory appeared on WFAE Charlotte talk radio and called the NBA’s decision “total P.C. BS.” “I strongly disagree with their decision. To put it bluntly it’s total P.C. BS,” McCrory said.

“It’s an insult to our city and an insult to our state.”

McCrory is not alone in his disagreement with the NBA’s move: as the North State Journal reported Thursday, Hornets co-owner Felix Sabates blamed the Charlotte mayor for “open[ing] a can of worms” and blamed the Charlotte city coun-

cil for “losing the NBA All-Star Game.”

Robert Pittenger of North Carolina’s Ninth Congressional District wrote a letter to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, criticizing the league for continuing to hold games in China, where human rights violations are a major concern, while moving a game out of NC..

The city of Charlotte invested $33.5 million into renovating the arena downtown in order to attract the All-Star Game. It was believed the weeklong festivities would have a $100 million-plus economic impact on the city and state.

railhawks from page B1

Why the RailHawks?

ACC Championship and making an NCAA semifinal appearance in 1990.

For a player of Bravo’s caliber, this is another completely legitimate question. So we asked him: when your agent approached you in Mexico, and said, “These are the teams interested in you,” what made you say, “Hey, I’ll move to Cary, North Carolina?”

Bravo acted like it wasn’t a crazy choice at all.

“It was an easy decision,” he said via a Spanish translator.

“Why not go where they want you?

I spoke with my family, they’re the most important thing to me, also spoke with the coach of the team.

He serves to be in the loop as to how I’m feeling … I had to respect the different channels and people involved in the situation. It was an easy decision. There is interest. I just jumped on it.”

With a Latino community approaching 100,000 in the area and large local fan followings for Chivas and their Mexican rivals Club America, it makes sense why the RailHawks would seek a Mexican star.

In fact, a member of the RailHawks’ front office staff shared with the North State Journal earlier this season that the club contracted feasibility studies for the area.

These studies showed driving two hours in any direction from Raleigh would result in drawing the lines for the fifth-largest potential fanbase for a top-level soccer team in the country, fol-

Why Bravo?

Long story short, the RailHawks are in need of consistent finishers in front of goal. After winning the first four games of the 2016 season, the team went winless for seven consecutive league games before getting back on track with wins on July 9 and 16.

Bravo’s record speaks for itself.

Over the last 15 years, his professional career has taken him to six different teams in the top leagues of Mexico, Spain and the United States, where he scored 164 goals over the course of 510 games. He also scored 15 goals during his 65 caps for the Mexican national team, including appearances at the 2004 Summer Olympics and the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The hope in Cary is Bravo will help turn the goal-scoring tide. Thirteen games into their 20-game season, the RailHawks have only converted 17 of their 104 shots — and three of those were penalty kicks.

When asked how he felt about his fitness level just days after the Supercopa win, he responded with a toothy grin in the English language he’s still mastering.

“One-hundred percent. I’m ready.”

Conference will launch its own television network by 2019 through a partnership with ESPN. But what does that really mean? Essentially, 15 member schools are getting a lot more money, security and visibility.

But it’s far more complex than just handing money to the teams who are part of the Atlantic Coast Conference. In order to help sort through the maw, the North State Journal is here to walk you through all the tough questions.

So when can I watch this network?

Very soon — kind of. The linear channel (read: the numbered channel you can use a television remote to find) will roll out by 2019.

Beginning in August of 2016, ACC Network content will be available in a digital-only format by way of “ACC Network Extra,” which will live on ESPN’s previously existing online platform. Put more simply: if you can currently log in to view a sporting event on ESPN3 through the WatchESPN or ESPN apps, you will be able to view more than 600 exclusive live ACC events starting next month.

What exactly will be on this network?

In the first year, those 600 exclusive live events will be distributed through the digital-only platform. When the television channel rolls out in 2019, an additional 450 exclusive events will hit the airwaves, including 40 regular-season football games, more than 150 men’s and women’s basketball games and more than 200 Olympic sports contests.

How much money is being thrown around in this deal?

Great question, and one no one is really answering directly.

Based on the vague answers from the conference and ESPN muckity mucks, it’s a pretty significant amount of money.

“We really don’t answer those questions specifically,” ACC Commissioner John Swofford said. “It’s a situation financially, it certainly should put us in the upper echelon of the Power-5 conferences in terms of revenue.”

Because the network came along with a 20-year extension to the conference’s Grant of Rights,

it also brings more stability to the league and higher rights fees (read: more money to the schools).

“Upwardly,” Swofford said when asked how the new network impacts rights deals. “We don’t announce numbers on the rights fees but the rights fees obviously go up.

There’s a more significant jump during the years before we launch the linear network, the ACC network in 2019. And then we’re very confident in what the network will bring financially.”

What’s happening to Raycom?

Another great question with a not-so-clear answer. The network, which carries exclusive ACC content and also works with Fox Sports, will continue to do so until the 2019 season. Once the linear channel component of the ACC Network launches, Raycom will cease to exist, at least in the role that it holds now. Raycom currently broadcasts ACC Games of the Week along with other live events.

“Raycom will still have an association with ESPN and ACC in some different matters,” Swofford said. “It’ll be a different relationship. I think you’ll see Raycom, and I can’t speak for Raycom, but I think you’ll see sort of a repositioning. Obviously production is a big part of Raycom and will be going forward in Raycom Sports. My understanding is we’ll continue with that vein. They’ll also continue to do our digital network at this point in time. There could be some other longer term things that they get into that they may not be into right now.”

So who benefits the most from this?

Money aside (can it ever really be pushed aside?), Olympic sports benefit the most from the ACC Network. As the structure exists now, Olympic sports aren’t on television airwaves very often. Most non-revenue sports are broadcast behind paywalls on team sites, and the new deal will make the games easily accessible to a larger audience.

“It’s immeasurable,” Duke Athletic Director Kevin White said.

“At Duke, we televised roughly 100 sports last year. 30 or 40 went on ESPN3 and then the other 40 or 50 or 60 were streamed. We’re going to get in a position where we’re kind of producing 150-200 Olympic sports on each campus. This gives us a platform and a place to put them. It’s going to be tremendous. Recruiting, marketing, just not the financial stability, it’s bigger than that.”

Christine T. Nguyen | north state journal

lowing the likes of cities such as Columbus, Seattle, Portland and Los Angeles — all cities that currently have Major League Soccer franchises.

While there’s no official word out on making Raleigh an MLS expansion site, there have been rumors for years now discussing the possible lucrative construction of a downtown Raleigh soccer facility adjacent to other real estate ventures.

One thing is certain: the Rail-

Hawks want to bring a NASL championship to the Triangle.

And they’re hoping Bravo will play a key role.

“This is the beginning,” Johnson said. “This is RailHawks 2.0, which we talked about when Steve Malik became the owner. We mirrored the rest of the United States, places like Kansas City, places like Portland, that in the last five to eight years have become international soccer cities — nationally recognized, internationally recog-

Former Mexican international star Oscar Bravo (center) is introduced after signing with the Carolina RailHawks on July 12 during a friendly between the Carolina RailHawks and West Ham United F.C. at WakeMed Soccer Park.

The game ended in a 2-2 draw.

nized — and we will do that here.

And that means bringing great players.”

Bravo’s only goal now is, well, to score them — and capture the hearts of the locals in the process.

“There is a phrase known that says, ‘You fall in love with the goals,’” Bravo said. “That’s what I’m trying to do.”

Head coach Colin Clarke heard his new star’s words, laughed and nodded.

“I like that phrase.”

timeless “Shagging has been passed down through generations. We have a new group of junior shaggers, kids from three to 21, and then we have 70- and 80-year-olds still doing their thing.”

NS J SUNDAY

7.24.16

— Ocean Drive Pavilion owner, H. Lee Brown

See page C4.

the good life IN A NORTH STATE OF MIND

creators

playlist July 23-31 K-9s in Flight Blowing Rock For nine days, Tweetsie Railroad will host K-9s in Flight Frisbee Dogs. High-energy performances showcases a team of dynamic dogs in acrobatic freestyle routines.

These dogs have dazzled audiences nationwide at halftime shows and on television. Seating is first come, first served. Showtimes are at 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. each day. tweetsie.com

July 26 Light Up The Night Rodanthe Join Kitty Hawk Kites at Waves Village Watersports Resort for the Light Up the Night event. Come enjoy free NOCQUA watersports demos, light up games and toys, and a movie under the stars on the big screen. They will also have plenty of demo stand up paddle boards for you and your group to enjoy on the sound. kittyhawkkites.com

July 27 The Pirate Prince, Snow Camp Outdoor Theatre Snow Camp

PHOTOS BY SCOTT TAYLOR | FOR THE NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Kristy Woodson Harvey sits in her living room in Beaufort where she does much of her writing on Friday, July 15.

Familiar fiction The inspiration of family and pride of place ring through in this prolific young author’s work.

July 28 ‘Off the Bone’ Dinner at Dogwood Southern Table & Bar Charlotte

By Laura Ashley Lamm North State Journal

This family-style, 3-course “Fried Chicken & Champagne” dinner is served sans silverware. Each course is paired with a glass of Moet Champagne. $70 per person. dogwoodsoutherntable.com

I

ntertwining strong female characters that remind us of ourselves, forging through trials that test families, and helping us discover the depths to which we will go for love make Kristy Woodson Harvey’s voice in Southern fiction one to be heard.

Harvey is the author of two Southern fiction novels set in picturesque North Carolina towns.

“Dear Carolina” and “Lies and Other Acts of Love” have quickly circulated as book club selection picks and beach read favorites—moving her into the category of up-and-coming authors to watch.

“I love writing about the South, the South is unique in so many ways, but I also love to write about families,” said Harvey. “Writing about really strong family relationships can be interpreted as writing about the South.

“I’m an only child and close with my family while my mother has three sisters,” she added. “Part of me, subconsciously, has always been analyzing those relationships between siblings and a parent and a child, and the way these relationships shape us and form our lives.”

July 29-31 Summer Sportscard and Memorabilia Show Raleigh

Two of Kristy Woodson Harvey’s books sit at the desk where she writes at her home in Beaufort on Friday, July 15.

See CREATORS, page C8

Inside

Come to the children’s show all about Prince Gerald who doesn’t want to be a prince anymore. After all he’s not very good at it. His older brother and sister are much better at being royalty and his baby brother takes up all the attention. Gerald is quite sure he would much rather be a pirate. snowcampoutdoortheatre.com

DIG IN

To mark the 40th anniversary for the North Carolina Aquariums we’re visiting each location to learn about their education and conservation programs — the second in our series is Fort Fisher.

See page C3.

The State Fairgrounds Kerr Scott Building is happy to host this show featuring vintage to new collectibles, cards, memorabilia of all kinds, toys, hobby items, NASCAR collectibles, modern toys, and games. insidepitchpromotions.com

North State Journal for Sunday, July 24, 2016

C2

necessities sensibility

history marked

Sock it to me...

July 26, 1962

By Jennifer Wood North State Journal

C

olorful, patterned, and with personality is the new black. Thanks to new sock companies like Stance and Happy Socks, men are winning at the sock game. No longer are the fellas exiled to the boring section of men’s furnishings sorting through black, gray and navy ribbed socks.

If you are going for a very formal look wear black socks with a black suit or navy with navy.

For everyday wear, you can match your socks to your slacks but stay away from matching your socks to your shoes – it will look like you have on booties. Then again, if you are sporting your desert boots your sock choice is not a huge concern.

Socks can go rogue. I know a guy who matches his socks to the event, for example heart socks for weddings, holiday socks, etc. This is where you can make a personal statement.

As long as the sock is in the same color family as the rest of your suiting, you’re all set.

You might choose to pick up the spectrum from your tie or you can go for another color altogether – just make sure it’s in line with your overall tone.

This goes without saying, but make sure the socks you’ve selected match each other and have no visible holes.

Dress socks for men should go to the knee. This may seem old fashioned but have you ever been at a meeting across from the guy whose socks are too short, resulting in a flash of hairy skin between the sock and the suit? Distracting. Not recommended.

Socks are not necessarily the furnishing most men think of first, but they can elevate a boring suit or that pair of khakis and everyday white polo. Kick up your heels and try something new.

Thomas Purcell Jr. demonstrated FlightSail at Lake Waccamaw. The Columbus County flight was the first water-based use of the glider that had been adapted by Purcell from technology created by aviation pioneer Francis Rogallo.

The aircraft was a single seat open cockpit parasol-winged glider with skids to facilitate water takeoffs and landings. Purcell, who studied at North Carolina State University, got a job at Bensen Aircraft Corporation, a gyrocopter manufacturer near the RaleighDurham Airport after graduating.

He later opened his own company, Flight Dynamics, which designed and sold plans for a variety of aircraft.

July 28, 1863

A skirmish was fought at Boon’s Mill near Jackson. It marked the end of a federal raid against Weldon, a major railroad hub linking the Deep South to Richmond. The operation began three days earlier, when infantry under Maj. Gen. John G. Foster landed near Winton on the Chowan River. The next day they advanced toward Murfreesboro and defeated a Confederate force at Potecasi Creek.

just a pinch gone to the Not all birds are nuisances in the garden, but some can be destructive, digging up seeds or feeding on seedlings and mature crops.

Three things to try before you resort to playing scarecrow: • Plastic netting, cheesecloth, or wire mesh can be placed over plants or seed rows.

• Stakes and flags. Attach pieces of cloth to the tops of stakes and place them every 15 to 20 feet.

• Fishing line can be stretched across a garden in a grid pattern — you may want to tie reflective tape to the line so you don’t get caught up in it.

the plate Sherpa Rice & Sauce

River’s End Restaurant, Bryson City Start to finish: 45 minutes, plus 1 hour for sauce to marinate Serves: 8

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

Rice

4 cups water ½ teaspoon salt 1½ cup brown rice ½ cup barley ½ cup lentils

turn the page As the slow days of summer settle in recharge your reading rocks mantra with these suggestions from City Lights Bookstore in Sylva perfect for readers 8-12 years old.

“The Land of Stories: An Author’s Odyssey”

by Chris Colfer

released July 2016

“Serafina and The Twisted Staff”

by Robert Beatty released July 2016

“Treasure Hunter: Peril at the Top of the World”

by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein released July 2016

“Race to the South Pole (Ranger in Time #4)

by Kate Messner

released June 2016

Bring water to a boil and add salt.

Stir in rice, barley, and lentils.

Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 40 minutes.

“The Nantahala Outdoor Center started as a guided rafting trip company in 1972, right on the Nantahala River in Bryson City. River’s End Restaurant — in some form or another — has been here since the beginning, when one of NOH’s founders, Aurelia Kennedy, started feeding guests and staff family-style dinners. In the early years, during the off season, Aurelia and her husband Peyson, also a founder, would take guides to do river trips in Tibet and Nepal. The fundamentals of this dish stem from those trips.

We’ve since grown into an operation that spans eight rivers and four states, but Sherpa Rice has endured. Protein, fiber, calories, carbs — if your body needs it to function, Sherpa has it in copious amounts. It’s like a spaghetti noodle — you can throw anything on it to adjust the flavor.”

Sauce

1 cup soy sauce 2 cloves garlic, minced ½-inch piece fresh ginger, minced Stir ingredients together and let sit

for 1 hour. Stir-fry rice with your favorite vegetables and protein.

Add sauce to taste.

— Van Kennedy, Director of Hospitality, Nantahala Outdoor Center

Aaron P. Bernstein | REUTERS

A delegate wears colorful socks on the second day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio.

Voices Contributors to this section this week include: Samantha Gratton Laura Ashley Lamm Parker King Alison Miller

Tell us Know a North Carolina story that needs telling?

Drop us a line at features@nsjonline.com.

accolades

A snow cone and a bike go a long way in southeast Raleigh

By Parker King For the North State Journal Snow cones, traffic cones, and bikes filled the parking lots at Lions Park in southeast Raleigh on Saturday, July 16 for the first Bike Rodeo. Many in attendance hope the event continues for years to come, particularly as national news threatens to create heightened tension between police officers and the communities they serve.

“It’s really important for the community to see the police officers in a positive aspect. Not just answering 911 calls, but also engaging in the community and helping the children with the bicycles. Some don’t even know how to ride, and I don’t mind pushing them on their bikes to get them started, it’s just a great opportunity,” explained A.L. Council, a Raleigh police officer.

Children of all ages were invited to join the Raleigh police force in learning all about bikes and bike safety.

Many parents were relieved and excited to have a safe, bikefriendly environment to enjoy with their children on a hot summer day.

“Evan has never been on a bike before,” said Stacy Holst about her 3-year-old son. “I’m happy that he’ll learn about bike safety, it’ always better when they hear it from someone else, especially a police officer.”

Stations set up around the event taught different bike safety skills such as hand signals, traffic signs, proper bike handling with an obstacle course of cones. Each was overseen by several officers who helped participants through the station.

The Raleigh Police Department provided bikes and helmets for those who needed them for the event. For those who did not know how to ride, there were police officers standing ready to help to teach anyone who needed help.

The officers say that bikes are an important part of summer time for the kids in their

Officer A.L. Council teaches Zariyah Pulley, 9, the "stop" hand signal during a bike rodeo sponsored by the Raleigh Police Department's Southeast District.

Christine T. Nguyen | north state journal

community; they find them unclaimed regularly along the side of streets. The Raleigh Police Department is working towards creating a tracking system of bar codes on different bikes, so that they can return bikes to their correct owners rather than just collecting them in storage. Often the families can’t afford a bike of their own, so the department works with the Salvation Army, The Harley-Davidson Foundation, and Safe Kids to collect and

distribute wheels for them.

“Our overall goal for this event—especially in today’s times, is to instill trust in the community back into the Raleigh Police Department,” said Officer Charles Kay who created the event after growing up in a disadvantaged neighborhood not far from Lions Park. “That’s what our main focus is and by partnering with the groups that are in the city helps bring the community together, and that’s what we focus on.”

North State Journal for Sunday, July 24, 2016

dig in North Carolina Aquarium | Fort Fisher

PhotoS COURTESY OF the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher

Luna the albino alligator at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher in Kure Beach.

By Donna King North State Journal

TT

he underwater history at the North Carolina Aquariums began in 1976 to preserve, protect, and promote our aquatic treasures, and the system is made up of three public aquariums located in Kure Beach, Roanoke Island, and Pine Knoll Shores. We are celebrating the 40th anniversary by visiting each location, this week we join the researchers and conservationists at Fort Fisher in Kure Beach.

“The goal of this research is to better understand the migration patterns and critical habitats of sand tiger sharks in North Carolina,” said Peggy Sloan, director of N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher.

“There is very little known about this species in our waters. Yet, these animals are so important to the health of our ocean.”

This summer, a team of scientists from the North Carolina Aquarium is partnering with the nonprofit OCEARCH in order to collect scientific data to better understand North Carolina’s sand tiger population. Shark populations are on the decline around the world. The team of researchers gave a presentation at UNC Wilmington on June 15 to share the study with the public. This is just one example of the work Fort Fisher is doing to preserve aquatic populations and educate visitors about the Cape Fear coastal waters.

You don’t have to travel out in deep water with researchers to see the impact the aquarists and staff at Fort Fisher make on the Cape Fear ecosystem. You can get up-close and personal to see Luna, the albino alligator, put your hand in the water to feel stingrays, and little sharks in their touch tanks on-site at Fort Fisher.

“The touch tank is important to us because it helps us change the conversation about animals that we might fear, but are certainly fascinated by,” said Sloan.

The aquarium also just opened the new “Dinosaurs Roar to Life” and “Butterfly Bungalow” exhibits that celebrate the state’s natural beauty and history. The museum is pulling out all the stops to encourage the public to celebrate this 40th anniversary along with them—visitors can get in free when celebrating their own 40th birthday, and the musuem launched a summer-long “40 Acts of Kindness” program, offering North Carolinians 40 ways that they can help keep our coasts clean and beautiful. One example is to skip the straw when you get a drink to-go.

“This is the first of ‘40 Acts of Kindness’ that you can take on to help the ocean. “If you just skip the straw, that is one less piece of throw-away plastic that won’t end up in the ocean,” said Sloan.

Visit www.ncaquariums.com/fort-fisher for the other 39 steps as they are revealed, as well as plans for a big 40th birthday celebration this fall.

Children check out the dinosaur exhibit at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher in Kure Beach.

“The touch tank is important to us because it helps us change the conversation about animals that we might fear, but are certainly fascinated by.”

— Peggy Sloan

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North State Journal for Sunday, July 24, 2016

North State Journal for Sunday, July 24, 2016

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timeless the shag | North Carolina’s official state popular dance

Clark Jones of the Raleigh Shag Club and Cindy Chuey of Durham take part in a shag dance class led

by Don Bunn on Monday, July 18 at T.J.’s Night Life in Raleigh. The shag is the state dance of North Carolina.

20 beach music tunes to get you on your feet: “I Love Beach Music” The Embers

“It Will Stand” The Showmen

“Give Me Just A Little More Time” General Johnson & The Chairmen of The Board

“What Kind of Fool (Do You Think I Am)” The Tams

“Tighten Up” Archie Bell and The Drells

“39-21-46” The Showmen

“Cool Me Out” The Embers

“Shama Lama Ding Dong” The Band of Oz

“Stay”

Top, Jennette Alford and Jimmy Wright take a shag dance class led by Don Bunn. Bottom, Alan Stokes, 2010 National Shag Dance Champion, dances with Debbie Peterson at T.J.’s Night Life in Raleigh.

Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs PHOTOS BY CHRISTINE T. NGUYEN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

“Searchin’” The Coasters

By Laura Ashley Lamm North State Journal

TT

Gary Sarkozi of Clarksville, Virginia laughs as he dances with Mary-Alice Warren of Raleigh during a shag dance class led by Don Bunn.

he smell of the salt air and the sea, the sounds of the legendary classic “Sixty Minute Man” echoing on the radio, and the laughter of friends as you spin across the wooden dance floor are reminiscent of a decades long pastime that North and South Carolinians have adapted as one epitome of the South – the Carolina shag.

The Carolina shag originated on the shores of North Myrtle Beach in the late 1930s. Carolina Beach native, the late Malcom Ray “Chicken” Hicks, is credited with developing the early aspects of the dance in his home state.

“That’s where the term beach music came from.

White kids were going to the beach to hear this music – rhythm and blues music by the black people – that was not accepted in mainstream,” said Alan Stokes, the 2010 National Shag Dance Champion.

“Chicken Hicks would go into jukebox joints of the 1930s, 40s, and 50s and bring the music back to Carolina Beach,” he added.

Over the years, shagging was referred to as “jitterbugging,” “fast dancing” or the “bop” and steps have revolutionized to include everything from simplified and smooth footwork to incorporating the East and West Coast swing.

Who exactly created the first shagging steps and where the name “Carolina shag” came about long remain shrouded in mystery.

“Shagging is a version of the ballroom category of swing dancing combining elements of the East Coast and West Coast swing,” said Don Bunn, a member of the Shaggers Hall of Fame.

“It is a partner dance where the couple is connected following certain patterns and dance steps with the male leading and the female following. The steps are accordion-style in that you move in and away from each other at the same time,” he added.

A place that was once filled with shaggers in bathing suits and flip-flops during the early days still remains a spot flocked by dance lovers as the last true destination for the home of shagging.

“The Ocean Drive Pavilion is a part of history of shagging in the Carolinas,” said owner H. Lee Brown.

“People from all over North and South Carolina have frequented Ocean Drive to have a good time.”

The Roberts Pavilion, built in 1936 by William Roberts, was an early open air oceanfront pavilion on the Grand Strand of Myrtle Beach. After it was destroyed by Hurricane Hazel in 1954, the Ocean Drive Pavilion was built from 1955-1957 with salvaged timbers and the same original foundation in North Myrtle Beach. It now remains as the last open air beach music and shag pavilion.

“When you walk into O.D.’s, you feel like you’re stepping back in time. It dates back to the early days when shagging began, and it’s the last piece of that we have,” added Stokes.

O.D. Pavilion is home to the Shaggers Hall of Fame where portraits of the inductees line the walls. It is the place where 10,000 – 15,000 people from the Carolinas venture three times a year for Shagging on the Strand, otherwise known as several days devoted to fellowship with friends and countless hours of dancing.

“Shagging has been passed down through generations. We have a new group of junior shaggers, kids from three to 21, and then we have 70 and 80-yearolds still doing their thing,” said Brown. “The future will tell, but shagging should be around for a long time.”

Over the years, beach music has evolved to include more mainstream songs and top 40 hits. Popular bands such as The Chairmen of the Board, The Embers, Band of Oz, and Jim Quick and Coastline have joined the mix as favorite “beach music bands” of the South.

“For many people shagging becomes a lifestyle.

Each weekend you look to see where you are going to go shagging and plan the rest around that,” said Bunn. “Shagging provides all different levels of interest from taking lessons to teaching them to dancing at gatherings or festivals.”

With shagging there is something for everyone.

Those wishing to learn the steps can enroll in classes like the ones Bunn and Debbie Petterson teach weekly at TJ’s Night Life in Raleigh, study the dance form to compete in the National Shag Dance Competitions, or simply play a favorite tune and move to the beat as shagging continues to remain a pivotal part of the Carolinas.

“Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um” Major Lance

“Stagger Lee” Lloyd Price

“Hey! Baby” Bruce Channel

“It’s All Right” Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions

“Hold Back the Night” The Trammps

“Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy” The Tams

“Carolina Girls” General Johnson and The Chairmen of the Board

“What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)” Junior Walker and The All Stars

“Use To Be My Girl” The O’Jays

“Under The Boardwalk” The Drifters

North State Journal for Sunday, July 24, 2016

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the table new dish | North Carolina The marquis at H Street Kitchen announces that the restaurant will soon be opening on Hillsborough Street in Raleigh.

MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Moo & Brew

Two Roosters

Charlotte

Raleigh

Word has it that Charlotte’s Plaza Midwood will be getting a UNC bar just in time for March Madness. Owners Ken Thomas and Zach Current aren’t playing around—they’ve brought in a chef from Sullivan’s Steakhouse to help with the menu.

Brent’s Bistro Wilmington

Opened July 20, Brent Williams has cooked in many a kitchen around town and people are overjoyed to see him succeed with his own venture.

H-Street Kitchen Raleigh

The husband and wife ice cream team of Jared and Kelsey Plummer hit the Triangle scene with their innovative flavors and their distinctive blue and white vintage truck in 2015. Bonus— they are now looking for brick and mortar space and July 29 they can be found speaking at Creative Mornings RDU on #love.

Babalu Charlotte

Babalu is set to open in Dilworth on Monday, July 25 and word has it you don’t have to wait for taco tuesday, they’ll have $2 tacos Monday-Friday, 4-6pm plus daily drink specials

Rumor has it that the first week of August is the targeted opening for this highly anticipated addition to the Hillsborough street landscape.

CREATORS from page C1 “Dear Carolina,” her debut novel, takes readers on the journey of Khaki and Jodi, two mothers – one biological and one adoptive – as they find joy in the birth of a child, experience struggles of motherhood, and rediscover themselves along the way.

“When I look at “Dear Carolina” it really captures that time in my life. The book is about motherhood, birth, and babies; and I was really living that moment so I think it was easy to tap into those emotions you have as a mother,” said Harvey.

“You always bring yourself into your characters, even secondary characters, but every character has a little bit of you in them because you are bringing them to life on the page,” she added.

“Lies and Other Acts of Love” which was released this year allows readers to discover the bonds of family, the urge to protect them with lies, and the love between a grandmother and her granddaughter through the eyes of Lovey and Annabelle.

“Some of the things I write about are hard topics— giving away your baby and taking care of an aging husband. If you combine those stories in a way to remember there is life outside of those topics, you can come away with a light and happy feeling,” said Harvey.

The characters inside Harvey’s novels reflect the moments you remember spending with your beloved grandmother or simply remind you of summers spent on the coast, life in a small town, and the memories and moments you long for.

Khaki is an interior designer who longs for a second child, Jodi struggles with becoming a mother, Annabelle moves to Salisbury and adjusts to life in a new town, and Lovey’s memories of life during the war bring you home again to find that love was always right in front of you.

“I try to write books in a way different readers can get different meanings from them,” said Harvey. “I have people say, ‘They are the best beach read. I can sit out there and not think of a thing,’ but then I have others who say, ‘The books touched me so deeply.’ I write so that whichever type of reader you are; you’ll either find a deeper meaning or have a nice time reading.

“Those are the kinds of books I like to read. Hopefully I think about and learn something new, but I come away feeling satisfied at the end, maybe not happy, maybe not everything is tied up in a perfect neat bow, but I feel content when I’ve finished. I tried to give that to my readers.”

Harvey, a Salisbury native, interned with the Salisbury Post during high school which fed her in-

Kristy Woodson Harvey’s home in Beaufort where she does much of her writing on Friday, July 15.

SCOTT TAYLOR | FOR THE NORTH STATE JOURNAL

terest in writing and spurned her on to pursue a journalism degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She later earned her master’s degree in English from East Carolina University. Harvey lives in Kinston with her husband, Will and their son, Will IV. They spend their summers in Beaufort where she is currently writing her third book.

“Slightly South of Simple” is a three-book series that tells the stories of three sisters, their relationships and bonds with one another.

“The novels are set in Georgia in a fictional coastal town that reminds me a lot of Beaufort, North Carolina,” said Harvey.

“The mother is a viewpoint character in the book.

She was raised in Georgia, but raised her daughters in New York for varying amounts of time. We will see the sacrifices she has made as a mother and the secrets she has kept.”

While Harvey continues writing her series, “Dear Carolina” is currently being optioned for film by Emmy award winner and Kinston native Jaime Pressly, who is hoping to produce and star in the film.

Whether you read for pleasure, deeper meaning, or discovery, Harvey’s Southern fiction voice will continue to thrive and remind us of the importance of our own acts of love.

“You always bring yourself into your characters, even secondary characters, but every character has a little bit of you in them because you are bringing them to life on the page,” Kristen Woodson Harvey said.

North State Journal for Sunday, July 24, 2016

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homegrown picnic style July is national picnic month, and we’ve got just the way to celebrate dining outdoors. When packing a basket to head out for an excursion we prefer North Carolina products and we’ve prepared a guide featuring N.C. goodies to help get you going, along with a few spots to spread your blanket and enjoy your meal while taking in the beauty of the Old North State.

illustration by Ally Levine | the north state journal

Sandwiches:

Wash it all down:

PB&J Start with whole wheat bread from Carolina Artisan Bread of Midland (the wheat used in this bread is even grown and milled in N.C.) Spread some peanut butter from Big Spoon Roasters in Durham followed by a heaping spoonful of a fruit jam or jelly from Mrs. Ruth’s Jams of Apex.

Beer For our beer recommendation I turned to our in-house experts at Carolina Brew Review who shared that the Duck Hook Cream Ale from Southern Pines Brewing is a perfect picnic beer.

BLT For those in your group who’d rather have a BLT—head to your local farmers market for your lettuce and tomato and order up a half slab of applewood smoked bacon from Cheshire Pork in Seven Springs. Pro tip: High Point’s Little Black Dressing Co. makes a product called It Takes Three To Tango (incorporating ranch, thousand island, and blue cheese crumbles), and trust me here, this makes for a divine BLT.

Nibbles: Pack those pickles—be it the small batch style of Miss Jenny’s Bread and Butter or legendary Mt. Olive with their handy sweet petites picklepak—no picnic is complete without pickles.

Don’t forget the crunch: Chips The Gourmet Chip Company in Asheville ships their popular potatoes countrywide. Try the Pisgah Wild Herb—they’re dusted with pure beet powder, basil, thyme, lavender, rosemary, oregano, and sea salt.

Cheese Straws The cheese straws from Concord’s Ritchie Hill Bakery make a nice addition to any outing.

Add a little Northeastern N.C. taste to the mix with Bertie County Peanuts, the sea salt and black pepper flavor is highly addictive or you can go sweet and try the chocolate covered.

For dessert: La Farm Bakery does the most important course right—pack one of Chef Lionel Vatinet’s fresh fruit tarts to finish off your meal. Or grab a box of Chapel Hill Toffee or some of WinstonSalem’s famous B&G Pies even though you know they won’t last until dessert.

Wine In the spirit of rosé all day, take along a bottle of Biltmore’s Limited Release Spring Rosé.

Non-spirited choices Go with Pink Hill’s Carolina Wild Juice because it celebrates N.C.’s beloved mother vine muscadine or pack a natural pick-me-up with Winston-Salem’s Legendary Sunshine in Clementine Twist.

If all this proves too taxing, and you’re worn out before you can even get out the door, remember you can always grab a Pepsi or some Cheerwine, takeout Bojangles, and Krispy Kreme for dessert and head to one of the prime picnic spots below.

Prime Spots Coast

Merchants Millpond State Park, Gatesville Croatan National Forest, Cedar Point, Tideland Trail, New Bern Greenfield Lake Park and Gardens, Wilmington

Central

Cedarock Park, Burlington Raleigh Rose Garden, Raleigh Roosevelt Wilson Park, Davidson

Mountains

Grandfather Mountain, Linville Falls Picnic Area, Marion Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, Robbinsville New River State Park, Laurel Springs

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North State Journal for Sunday, July 24, 2016

pen & Paper pursuits

Janric classic sudoku

Solutions from 7.17.16

I reckon . . .

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

As you stroll along the beach this summer shell seeking keep a keen eye out for our official state shell. The General Assembly of 1965 designated the Scotch bonnet (pronounced bon-ay) the state shell of North Carolina as a nod to our early Scottish settlers. The shell is named for its resemblance to a cap worn by the Scots.

Uniquely shaped and ranging in color from white to yellow to brown, it spirals in bands forming a home for a marine gastropod mollusk.