North State Journal — Vol. 2., Issue 24

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VOLUME 2 ISSUE 24

WWW.NSJONLINE.COM |

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14, 2017

Inside Golden State, Pittsburgh clinch titles. Sports

MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Brandon Warren, left, walks through a wheat field with his sons Brady, 8, and Cullen, 9, on their family farm in Newton Grove on June 9. Brandon and his extended family collectively farm more than 7,000 acres.

the Wednesday

NEWS BRIEFING

Tillerson signals tough Trump administration stance on Cuba Washington, D.C. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Tuesday said Cuba “must begin to address human rights challenges” if it wants Washington to normalize relations. His comments come days before Trump is expected to visit Miami to announce a new Cuba policy that could tighten rules on trade and travel, rolling back parts of his Democratic predecessor’s opening to the island. Many of Trump’s fellow Republicans, and some Democrats, objected to Obama’s policy shift, saying Cuba has not done enough to allow any easing of the 50-year-long U.S. embargo.

U.S. high court speeds copycat biologic drugs to market Washington, D.C The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday cut the time it will take for copycat versions of biologic drugs to get to the market in a pivotal ruling about an expensive class of medicines that can yield billions of dollars in sales for drug companies. The justices, in a 9-0 ruling, overturned a lower court decision that had prevented Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis AG from selling its copycat version of Californiabased Amgen’s Inc’s Neupogen until six months after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved it.

NORTH

STATE

The Warren family of Sampson County is the real face of “Big Ag” in a time when the term is often used to vilify farmers.

JOURNaL

By Mollie Young North State Journal

ELEVATE THE CONVERSATION

House Republicans focused on budget, despite political pressure from Cooper

By Jeff Moore North State Journal RALEIGH — As the 2017 legislative session approaches its conclusion with the budget conference process starting in earnest this week, North State Journal sat down with N.C. House Majority Leader Rep. John Bell (R-Wayne) to ask him about Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s latest calls for special elections and expedited redistricting, as well as budget prospects and remaining policy priorities before the session adjourns.

Cooper called for special elections last Tuesday, despite higher court opinions framing such early elections as constitutionally unsound.

“We’re disappointed in the way he’s playing politics, but it’s our job

to deal with those battles when they come up, but right now our focus is on delivering a budget for the citizens of the state,” said Bell.

“It’s very interesting because the governor, when he first got elected, was all over the state saying he wanted to work with the General Assembly and try to do what’s right for the state of North Carolina ... and instead of working with us, he is now trying to play politics.

“And it’s very interesting that over the last couple years when he was attorney general he couldn’t go in a courtroom and now that he’s governor he’s spending an awful lot of time in the courtroom,” Bell added.

Further, Bell indicated there is not enough time to properly traSee BUDGET, page A2

Farmers and fathers: 5 generations on Warren Swine Farms

NEWTON GROVE — When Blake and Matilda Warren purchased a plot of land outside of Clinton in the mid-1800s, they hoped it would help provide for their children. Four generations later, the Warren family is still prospering off the property their ancestors settled on, and then some.

Brandon Warren is just one of five decedents who currently works the land.

“I just always knew what I wanted to do,” said Brandon. “As soon as I was old enough to go with my dad, I wanted to come see what he was doing and figure out how to do stuff. I just always had a desire to be a farmer.”

Today, the Warrens farm 7,000 acres of row crops: corn, soy beans, wheat, cotton, sweet potatoes and tobacco, while also raising beef cows and hogs. With that much diversity and land, they have divided up their duties: Brandon’s uncle and cousin look after the sweet potatoes and tobacco, Brandon’s father and brother manage the grains and cotton, and Brandon rears the livestock.

Besides being a full-time farmer, Brandon has three young children: Cullen (9), Brady (8) and Caroline (2).

As newlyweds, Brandon and his wife, Mandy, lived in the original home place on the land — a picturesque white farmhouse with a wide open front porch that overlooks the silos. Today, Brandon’s brother, wife and 4-month-old son reside there.

It’s a place that Blake and Matilda Warren built and raised Brandon’s grandfather, Emerson. A photo of the three still hangs in the farm’s main office.

“They’re buried out there,” Brandon’s 9-year-old son Cullen said, pointing behind him. “So they never really left the farm then,” I say. “Not really,” Cullen replies with a silliness in his voice.

The boys are full of life and jokes. “How did the

Sessions: I was never even briefed on Russian investigation

Millennials in the state legislature set their own course

By Mollie Young North State Journal

Jones & Blount

20177 52016 $2.00

8

— Brandon Warren

See FARMERS, page A3

INSIDE

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“I’m hoping so, that’s what I’d like to instill in my kids — the value of hard work, earning what you get, not expecting someone to give it to you.”

AARON P. BERNSTEIN | REUTERS

Attorney General Jeff Sessions (L) is greeted by Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) before testifying before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on June 13.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, appearing at a high-stakes Senate hearing on Tuesday, called accusations that he colluded with Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential campaign “an appalling and detestable lie.”

Sessions testified about his dealings with Russian officials and commented on concerns following the testimony of former FBI Director James Comey on Thursday.

“I have never met with or had any conversation with any Russians or any foreign officials concerning any type of interference with any campaign or election in the United States,” Sessions told the Senate Intelligence Committee. “Further, I have no knowledge of any such conversations by anyone connected See SESSIONS, page A8

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 14, 2017

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7 family homes, and a community, get new life in Fayetteville

WEDNESDAY

06.14.17 #80

200 volunteers descend on the Hollywood Heights neighborhood to raise homes and spirits

By Donna King North State Journal

“Elevate the conversation” Visit North State Journal online! nsjonline.com jonesandblount.com nsjsports.com carolinabrewreview.com chickenbonealley.com

We stand corrected In the June 7 edition of the North State Journal, Dennis Allen of the N.C. Pistol and Rifle Association was incorrectly identified in an image on page A1. Allen and lobbyist Anthony Roulette of the National Rifle Association were featured walking past a black bear mount at the Legislative Building in Raleigh. The bear was part of a display for the annual wildlifefocused day for the N.C. General Assembly.

To report an error or a suspected error, please email: corrections@nsjonline.com with “Correction request” in the subject line.

North State Journal (USPS PP 166) (ISSN 2471-1365) Neal Robbins Publisher Donna King Managing Editor Drew Elliot Opinion Editor Will Brinson Sports Editor Published each Wednesday and Saturday by North State Media, LLC 819 W. Hargett Street, Raleigh, N.C. 27603 TO SUBSCRIBE: 866-458-7184 or online at nsjonline.com Annual Subscription Price: $100.00 Periodicals Postage Paid at Raleigh, N.C. and at additional mailing offices.

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

FAYETTEVILLE — Elaine Turnipseed’s dad, William Graham Jr., has lived in their home in Fayetteville for more than 50 years. Now 94 years old and legally blind, he’s raised nine kids there. Most of his neighbors have lived in the Hollywood Heights that long too, raising their children and building a community. The street has been silent for nearly a year now, ever since Hurricane Matthew swept through the area tearing off roofs and submerging decades of memories. But this week the sound of hammers, construction and laughter is filling the air again.

“When we brought him back after the storm he couldn’t see the damage, but he could smell it and hear the squish of the carpet and feel the damp furniture. He’s a sensitive man and he just cried,” said Turnipseed. On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week 200 volunteers — most of them employees from four Fayetteville area Lowe’s stores — will be helping Graham and six of his neighbors rebuild.

They’re replacing windows, installing gutters, replacing damaged surfaces and elevating the homes in preparation for future storms.

“Today is super special, we have so many people out here working,” she said. “We are all so excited — the neighbors who are getting help and even those who aren’t. Everyone wants want us to rebuild and move back in because it’s such a close-knit community.”

Rebuilding Together of the Triangle with Lowe’s Home Improvement committed $100,000 to rebuild this part of Hollywood Heights.

“A lot of people are still displaced from their homes as we speak, even the seven houses we are working on, there are houses right next door to them that have been vacated because of unlivable conditions,” said Tyrone Holliday, store manager of Lowe’s in west Fayetteville. “It’s kinda remarkable what nature can do, but it’s also at times remarkable what we can do to assist those in need.”

The help comes at no cost to the homeowners. The project this week is one of 20 in 14 states that Lowe’s and Rebuilding Together have tackled since 2007. They focus on areas that have been hit hard by either disaster or just circumstances.

“We are going to be doing 100 homes this year in N.C,” said Daniel Sargent, executive director of Rebuilding Together of the Triangle. “It doesn’t have to be related to a disaster, sometimes it’s just folks who are aging and having trouble keeping their homes maintained and we are just making sure it’s a safe place for them,” he added. “We take volunteer applications yearround and we are always looking for people who want to help support the work. We are excited to partner with Lowe’s and we also partner with churches, civic groups

PHOTOS COURTESY OF REBUILDING TOGETHER

David Johnson’s home in the Hollywood Heights neighborhood in Fayetteville is one of seven to be repaired by Rebuilding Together and Lowe’s Home Improvement.

The Hollywood Heights project leaders gather with neighborhood kids at the kickoff of a two-day Rebuild-a-Block project. (L to R) Fayetteville City Councilman Kirk deViere, Tai Phoenix of Rebuilding Together, Natia Walker of Lowe’s Home Improvement, west Fayetteville Lowe’s store manager Tyrone Holliday, Cumberland County Commissioners Chairman Glenn Adams, Fayetteville Mayor Nat Robertson, and Dan Sargent, executive director of Rebuilding Together of the Triangle.

“This whole neighborhood is a network of people who grew up there, have stayed together and helped each other. We are excited to be able to come and help them in a small way as they try to get back on their feet.”

— Daniel Sargent, executive director of Rebuilding Together of the Triangle and others who want to make sure their neighbors have safe, healthy places to live.”

Eastern N.C. was struck by Hurricane Matthew in October 2016, causing a 1,000-year flood event and $1.5 billion in flood damage to 100,000 homes, businesses and schools. Fifty of the state’s 100 counties qualified for Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster assistance. The storm claimed 28 lives, nearly 4,000 people were displaced to 109 shelters across eastern N.C., and 34 school systems were closed. More than 80,000 North Carolinians regis-

tered for emergency help from federal and state agencies.

Coming back from a storm like that is expensive. In the immediate aftermath of Matthew, Congress approved a funding bill with more than $334 million for emergency help to families, repairs to infrastructure, and help for small businesses. N.C.’s congressional delegation also worked to get an additional $750 million in federal help for ongoing Matthew recovery.

The N.C. General Assembly passed the Disaster Recovery Act in 2016 just after the storm which allocated more than $200 million for hard-hit communities. Right now, lawmakers are working on a state budget that allocates $150 million more in state assistance.

The process to bring eastern N.C. back will be a long one. With 2017’s hurricane season closing in, volunteers want to secure roofs and windows quickly.

“This is such a big help for us and the community,” said Turnipseed, who is looking forward to seeing her father return to his home. “It’s not just our parents it’s all of us, we want to come back together. This is very big for all of us and it’s a big step for him to be able to come back home.”

BUDGET from page A1 verse the redistricting process and hold elections.

“What I would like to see and what I hope we do is have a transparent, open process,” said Bell. “Go around the state and have community forums to talk about redistricting to get input from the entire state like we’ve done in the past.”

Bell also addressed some notable legislation recently passing the N.C. House, such as energy reform and concealed carry reforms.

“This was about a nine-month process of working with stakeholders to try to find some type of agreement,” said Bell of the energy compromise. “At the end of the day, what it did do is it protected the ratepayers, it allowed for energy prices for businesses and everyday citizens to not skyrocket through the roof and it’s a step in the right direction.”

However, Bell said the work on energy reform is far from over.

“I’d like to move further. I’d like to address some of the other issues like the property tax abatement in the counties for renewable energy ... to address encroachment issues such as with the wind turbines.” stated Bell.

“We still have to look at this — I just believe [renewable energy] should be able to stand on its own and not be subsidized by taxpayers.”

Bell is hopeful the N.C. Senate will pick up the recently passed concealed carry bill and that popular misconceptions of the bill are put to rest.

“The most interesting thing about the bill itself is not the bill itself,” said Bell. “When you read the bill and see the language and actually take the time to understand the bill, critics will see that this is pretty good policy and a pro-Second Amendment bill.

“When you look at the false narratives that have been put out there — even to the point where it says it’s getting rid of concealed carry, getting rid of pistol purchase permits — those things are simply not true.”

The budget reconciliation process remains the biggest hurdle to clear before lawmakers adjourn for the year, and Bell is confident differences between the two chambers’ proposals will be resolved.

“The two big issues left on the table are how are we going to address the salary increase for state employees and teachers, and the tax plan,” said Bell. “The other stuff we should be able to work out in a timely manner, but those are the two big-ticket items that we have a little bit of difference on between the House and the Senate.

“On the House side we put together a tax plan that doesn’t do as deep of tax cuts [as the Senate]. Both chambers want tax cuts. How we get to the same goal is completely different — the Senate wants to take a more aggressive approach, we want to take a more gradual approach.

Our caucus is pretty united behind that.”

Even when a consensus budget is passed, it could face a veto from the governor.

“The narrative the governor’s already starting is that he’s going to veto the budget,” said Bell. “That’s the direction I feel he’s probably going to end up going in, just because it’s a Republican budget it’s probably not going to matter what’s actually in the budget. If he vetoes that he’s playing politics, not actually dealing with policy.”

Lawmakers hope to complete budget negotiations and remaining policy priorities in time to adjourn before the July 4 holiday.

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North State Journal for Wednesday, June 14, 2017 FARMERS from page A1

CHRISTINE T. NGUYEN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Ashley Burnette, 13, of Raleigh was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma in August 2010. Ashley is now cancerfree and her father, Hunter, credits UNC’s Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center for her recovery.

Real-life results lead UNC doctor to top cancer post Dr. Norman “Ned” Sharpless, who led university’s cancer center since 2014, on path to being named director of National Cancer Institute

By Cory Lavalette North State Journal RALEIGH — This fall Ashley Burnette will be a freshman at Millbrook High School in Raleigh.

It wasn’t that long ago she and her family were facing a much more uncertain future.

In August 2010, 7-year-old Ashley was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma, a cancer that affects nerve cells and is found primarily in children younger than 10.

“When she was diagnosed, I think the two-year survivorship for kids with what she had was about 20 percent,” Hunter Burnette, Ashley’s father, said.

Nearly seven years later Ashley is cancer-free, and the Burnettes credit the University of North Carolina for saving her life.

“After two years of treatment, she was clear,” Hunter said, “So we have a 13-year-old cancer survivor running around the house.”

Positive outcomes like Ashley’s are why President Donald Trump looked to UNC’s Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center for the next director of the National Cancer Insititute (NCI), selecting Dr. Norman “Ned” Sharpless for the post.

Sharpless, 50, received his undergraduate and medical degrees from UNC and has been with UNC’s cancer center since 2002.

“He’s at the top of the chain of command, and he’s got great people in position under him.”

— Hunter Burnette on Dr. Normal “Ned” Sharpless He was named director in 2014.

NCI is one of 11 federal government agencies that makes up the Department of Health and Human Services. In the role, Sharpless would oversee the federal government’s cancer research and training, which includes a team of more than 4,000 people.

“The thing that excites me is if Ned does get this position, which it sounds like he will, is he comes from the side of patient care and research,” Burnette said. “He understands that they go hand in hand, and he understands that patient care is a top priority, but he also understands the need for more research. Every dollar we can put toward research is a dollar put toward hopefully people not having to deal with some life-threatening illness.”

Sharpless, a native of Greensboro, would replace Dr. Douglas Lowy as director of NCI. Lowy has served as acting director since April 2015.

“Dr. Sharpless is a visionary leader and a truly gifted scientist and clinician, and we strongly agree he would be an excellent choice to lead the National Cancer Institute into the future,” UNC Chancellor Carol L. Folt said in a statement.

Your Partner in Precision Agriculture

UNC Lineberger Cancer Center director of communications Bill Schaller said Sharpless would not comment on the forthcoming appointment at this time since Trump has thus far only announced his intent to appoint him to the post.

“This is a wonderful honor for Dr. Sharpless — and for UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and UNC overall — to be considered for this extremely important position,” Schaller said in an email. “He is most deserving.”

Burnette said Sharpless’ experience in care, research and administration makes him an ideal choice to be the country’s top doctor in battling cancer.

“In my opinion — which is a little biased — Ned runs the top place in the country,” he said of Sharpless and UNC. “He’s treated people over the years, he’s also done research, and he’s run a world-class institution. I can’t imagine them making a better pick.”

The state-of-the-art facility and cutting-edge research all played a role in Ashley’s care, but her father said it is the people Sharpless and Dr. H. Shelton “Shelley” Earp — who was Sharpless’ predecessor at UNC’s cancer center and will return to the role on an interim basis should Sharpless join NCI — put in place that made all the difference.

“It was an experience that none of us would ever want to go through again and would never want to wish on anyone, but Ashley’s attitude and the attitude of the wonderful people at UNC made her illness bearable and made it an experience that we all got through together,” he said.

farmer find his wife?” Cullen asks me, “He tractor down!”

Brandon credits his family’s hard work and investment for the fact they have grown from the original deed to the large operation they are today.

“My family has worked their whole lives to get to where we are,” said Brandon. “Hard work, trying to live conservatively, putting profits back into growing the business — it’s a product of determination and blessings from the Lord.”

His father, Gerald, also had the foresight of diversifying their crops. In farming, any year could be a bad harvest for a particular plant, but diversity helps cushion the blow if one crop is underperforming.

Farming is tough work, but it has certainly advanced since the days Emerson Warren spent in the fields. Machines like the combine harvester and paid laborers help turn over a plot of land quickly.

On Friday morning Warren Swine Farms picked a field of wheat; by the late afternoon, workers will have planted soy beans in the wheat’s place.

But Brandon knows too well that modern times have also brought in a new wave of issues for families in the agriculture business. At their current size, the Warrens are entering the territory of “Big Ag” — a term often used in a negative connotation by environmental and animal rights activists.

In late April, the N.C. General Assembly passed House Bill 467: Agriculture and Forestry Nuisance Remedies to cap the compensatory damages that plaintiffs can sue farms for to no more than the fair market price of the farm. The Republican-led legislature overturned a veto from Gov. Roy Cooper (D) to make the bill law in early May. Opponents say the change silences mostly low-income minority neighbors of big farms; particularly hog farms, but farmers like Brandon support the measure.

“This is a family operation — my dad started growing the farming business when he got out of school,” Brandon said while watching a tractor move through one of his tobacco fields.

“We work here every day, we raise our families here. The last people

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Percent of North Carolina’s pork farms are owned and operated by individual farm families who would ever want to pollute the land or the water would be us, because we live here. It’s our livelihood.

“To be able to have a future here for my children to come back to, if they want to, we need to protect our land,” he continued. “Frivolous lawsuits make you wonder what’s going to happen in the future.”

For now, the fifth generation Warren boys are a little more interested in sports and country music. Cullen says he’d like to be the next Luke Bryan.

“If he’s not going to be a singer, he’s a soccer player. If he’s not a soccer player, he’s a origamist,” Brady jokes about his older brother’s many talents. “If he’s not an origamist, he’s going to be a cornhole player.”

“I’m not sure that’s a paid professional,” their father laughs.

They do; however, say that jumping between hay barrels could be an Olympic sport.

Caroline, who joined her brothers on the fields after her nap, is one of few Warren-born girls. “When I found out we were having a girl, I said, ‘Really? You better check again, Warrens don’t have girls,’” joked Brandon.

As of Friday, Cullen and Brady are out of school for the summer.

Their dad hopes, in between soccer games, that they’ll begin to spend more time learning the trade he cherishes.

“I spent a lot of time growing up on the tobacco field when I was their age and a little older.

In the summers that is what we did,” Brandon recalled. “When I was 16, my dad helped me get a used vehicle — I worked and helped pay for it.”

When asked if he thinks his children will continue the tradition and go into the family business, Brandon replied, “I’m hoping so, that’s what I’d like to instill in my kids — the value of hard work, earning what you get, not expecting someone to give it to you.”

MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Brandon Warren, right, holds his 2-year-old daughter, Caroline, on their family farm in Newton Grove on June 9. Brandon hopes that one day his children will work on the farm and he says that currently Caroline is the one who likes to be outside the most.

Helping farmers grow with technology www.vantagesouthatlantic.com

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 14, 2017

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North State Journal for Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Murphy to Manteo

Jones & Blount jonesandblount.com @JonesandBlount

It’s a sweet life

Young lawmakers establish the Future Caucus

indicates where sweet potatoes are grown

By Jeff Moore North State Journal

Sweet potatoes are a versatile and nutritious food for people of all ages. With naturally occurring sugars, nature’s candy will satisfy and nourish even the pickiest eaters. Despite their candy-like flavor, sweet potatoes possess a bevy of nutrients that give you a healthy boost any time of the year.

North Carolina is the No. 1 sweet potato producing state in the United States. N.C. farmers harvest nearly 60 percent of the sweet potatoes grown in the United States.

The sweet potato is the North Carolina state vegetable and several varieties of sweet potatoes are grown, ranging from white and mild to deep red and super

sweet. Unsure of how to prepare a sweet potato? They can be baked, roasted, boiled and prepared in a variety of ways; served as a main entrée, side dish or even as a beverage.

When selecting sweet potatoes it is important the sweet potato is firm to the touch,and shows no signs of decay. Store your sweet potatoes in a cool, dry, wellventilated container. Avoid storing raw sweet potatoes in the refrigerator which will produce a hard center and unpleasant taste.

Available 52 weeks of the year, this nutritious vegetable is low in calories and high in taste.

TINT OF CORN: COUNTY NAMES: C:WEST 0 Benton Sans Bold, Beloved restaurant closes M: 12hawk statue severely 12pt.

Black doors after 51 years damaged after senior prank Y: 59.4 Haywood County Joey’s Pancake House, a Maggie Valley Buncombe County K:An 6 staple, has closed after 51 years in iconic fixture at North Buncombe High School was damaged last week after a senior prank went wrong. For 41 years the black hawk statue was a landmark of the school and beacon of entrance. During a prank, certain students stole the fiberglass structure and sometime overnight Thursday left it perched on a pole. The process of bringing the statue down left it severely damaged. The five students involved were punished but larceny charges were dropped. The landmark was donated to the school by the Class of 1974.

business. On Friday morning, nearly 100 people waited outside to dine at the restaurant while 150 ate inside.

What’s been called “the best restaurant in Haywood County” was owned and operated by Brenda O’Keefe, who says despite several inquiries into selling the business, it’s not for sale. O’Keefe’s rheumatoid arthritis has forced her to retire. Joey’s hosted a customer appreciation event Saturday before shutting its doors on Tuesday.

ASHEVILLE CITIZEN-TIMES

ABC13 WLOS

Singing on the Mountain returns for 93rd year

Assistant principal arrested for DWI at graduation Catawba County Bunker Hill High School assistant principal Jonathan Andrew Stiles was arrested Saturday at Catawba Valley Community College, charged with driving while impaired. The school’s graduation was scheduled to start at 4 p.m., and Stiles was arrested at 4:10 p.m. after allegedly hitting two parked cars in the parking lot. Police said Stiles blew a 0.16, twice the legal limit.

WSOCTV

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Avery County For nine decades, Singing on the Mountain has brought free gospel music to MacRae Meadows, located at the base of Grandfather Mountain. This year the festival returns on June 25 with a full lineup of notable gospel artists. The music begins at 8:30 a.m. and will run until 3 p.m. The festival also spotlights speakers, and this year’s sermon will be delivered by celebrated evangelist Anne Graham Lotz. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets with concessions offered.

GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN STEWARDSHIP FOUNDATION

BLACK RULE: SolidPIEDMONT black, .5 pt weight School district considers ‘racially intimidating’ clothing ban Orange County The Orange County School board has given initial approval to ban “racially intimidating” clothing after students wore images of Confederate flags on school campuses. The Orange County NAACP asked the board to ban the Confederate flag on campus after someone objected to seeing one flying from a truck in a county high school parking lot. Protesters claimed students were using the flag to intimidate classmates, while supporters said they were exercising their rights. Schools spokesman Seth Stephens said the new policy does not address Confederate flags being displayed on vehicles.

Did you know?

A medium sweet potato baked in its skin is 103 calories and has four grams of dietary fiber. It includes vitamin A, vitamin C, manganese and antioxidants.

Western region: Piedmont Green Piedmont region: NState EAST Red Concord woman loses arm Eastern region: NState Kill DevilNavy Hills now first priority from shark bite Cabarrus County Tiffany Johnson of Concord made national headlines suffering a shark bite that cost her her arm. Last week, Johnson and her husband, James, were on the last stop of their Bahamas cruise snorkeling in a shallow reef when she was attacked by a shark. Doctors in the area were able to stop the bleeding but issues with passports and customs left the family stuck. A medevac company called and agreed to cover the cost and pick up Johnson and transport her to Carolinas Medical Center. Johnson will undergo surgery Friday to prepare for her prosthetic arm.

ABC13 WLOS

** All counties have a 1.5 pt. white stroke

for nourishment

Audit confirms delayed notification on abnormal test results

Dare County The ongoing $38.5 million beach nourishment project along Dare County’s shoreline is taking advantage of a scheduling change to move KDH nourishment to the front of the line. Great Lakes Dock and Dredge announced two of the three dredges involved in the project will now be available in June. In order to maximize production, they will construct a portion of the project closest to the borrow area off Kill Devil Hills. The project is set to start immediately and expected to last around 40 days as 2.6 miles of beach is widened.

Cumberland County Cumberland County Commissioners held an emergency meeting Monday to discuss whether the county’s health department failed to alert women in regard to abnormal results from breast and cervical cancer exams. In May, a nurse manager who had been with the department for 30 years notified ABC11 that the department failed to notify hundreds of women between 2010 and 2015 of abnormal results. County Manager Amy Cannon said her audit team found eight women who weren’t notified. Officials have yet to comment on how or why the women weren’t notified.

ABC11

OUTER BANKS VOICE

CHARLOTTE OBSERVER

Free summer meals offered for children Guilford County Starting June 20, children will be able to get free meals across Greensboro.

Anyone in search of free breakfast, lunch or dinner can text “FoodNC” to the phone number 877-877 to receive a list of nearby locations. The summer meal program is a partnership between Guilford County School’s Nutrition Department, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program, and the city of Greensboro.

North Carolina soldier one of three killed in Afghanistan Franklin County On Monday the Department of Defense announced three soldiers were shot and killed Saturday supporting Operation Freedom Sentinel in Peka Valley in the Nangarhar Province, including Cpl. Dillon Baldridge, 22, from Youngsville.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack and the Department of Defense said the incident is under investigation.

WSOCTV

Diver rescued by Coast Guard New Hanover County The Coast Guard received reports Sunday of a diver 35 miles southeast off the Wilmington coast that had resurfaced and was experiencing shortness of breath and dizziness. An MH-60 Jayhawk Helicopter was sent to respond to the scene. The diver was then transported to Air Station Elizabeth City where emergency medical personnel transferred him to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Virginia.

WITN

Body of missing Emerald Isle swimmer found Carteret County Two days after the U.S. Coast Guard suspended the search for the missing 17-year-old swimmer his body was found off Emerald Isle. On Saturday, two swimmers disappeared off the 7900 block of beach strand. a 16-yearold was pulled from the water by lifeguards and remains in critical condition at Vidant Medical Center in Greenville. The Coast Guard’s search covered around 129 square nautical miles.

CITY OF GREENSBORO

It’s a sweet life.

RALEIGH — Thomas Jefferson was 33 when he wrote the Declaration of Independence. James Madison 36 when he spearheaded the writing of the U.S. Constitution. That realization was one of the motivations for Steven Olikara founding the Millennial Action Project (MAP), an effort to form bipartisan caucuses of millennial lawmakers in state capitals around the country and even the U.S. Congress.

“The point is to bring together this group of legislators and to issue an invitation to the more than 2 million North Carolinians to engage in this process, to submit their ideas to the legislators here, to be part of the coalition building here, and ultimately we expect the caucus to come together around a few key pieces of legislation,” said Olikara at a press conference announcing the formation of the caucus last week.

North Carolina is now among the 20 states with such “Future Caucuses” that have formed to engage and represent the causes of young people who are increasingly disengaged with politics and the efficacy of public service.

The N.C. Future Caucus is chaired by Reps.

Chaz Beasley, 31, (D-Mecklenburg) and Kyle Hall, 26, (R-Rockingham) and also includes Sens. Jay Chaudhuri (D-Wake) and Chad Barefoot (R-Wake).

“Basically our goal is to make sure that people who are on the younger side of the spectrum when it comes to what’s going on here in the General Assembly, not only are represented, but can get together in a bipartisan fashion and make sure that we’re talking about issues that affect the future of our state,” said Beasley. “As we know it’s critical in this current time that we have more bipartisanship and that we’re willing to work across the aisle. And we also know that it is tremendously important that people who are going to be the future of our state feel like they have ownership in what we’re doing.”

Hall echoed Beasley’s bipartisan focus when it comes to identifying the issues important to young people, even if the solutions may differ, “As a conservative I believe that our millennial generation expects to have the same promise that was envisioned to us by our founding fathers, which is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” said Hall. “I believe that our millennials, the one issue their most concerned about in the future is the prospects of having a job.”

In describing the mission of the Future Caucus, Olikara lamented the current state of extreme bipartisanship that he regards as a threat to the health of our democracy as well as a source of the apathy often held by the millennial generation.

“Indeed, a majority of millennials today do not believe that politics can solve the problems we face,” said Olikara. “Less than a third of millennials see public service as an appealing career track, but at the same time we cannot forget the potential that this generation has to offer. I think what’s happening at the point is a change in narrative. If the narrative has been cynicism — you can’t make a difference in politics, why does my vote even matter — this is meant to be a change in that destructive narrative.”

The millennial lawmakers that make up the Future Caucus hope to lead by example in changing that narrative while also encouraging young men and women to get involved in the important decisions that will shape the future of the Old North State.

Olikara thinks a bipartisan effort is key to accomplishing those goals.

“James Madison talked about in the Federalist Papers the violence of faction,” said Olikara. “He was very concerned, as George Washington and many others were, about the impact that extreme partisanship can have on our country, the tribalism that doesn’t work for us and has never worked for us in this country. Worth mentioning, by the way, is that the Founding Fathers were young people.”

$18 million awarded to increase psychiatric care in rural areas

By Donna King North State Journal RALEIGH — Two rural N.C. hospitals recently received grants allowing them to increase inpatient psychiatric and substance abuse beds. The grants were awarded by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to Duke LifePoint Maria Parham Medical Center in Henderson, and Charles A. Cannon Jr. Memorial Hospital in Linville.

The $18 million in grants was appropriated by the N.C. General Assembly from the Dorothea Dix Hospital Property Fund. The state sold the property to the city of Raleigh last year on the agreement that the funds would go to improve mental health services in the state, one of the missions of the original Dorothea Dix Hospital.

“These hospitals will provide critical access to individuals needing inpatient mental health care in these regions

WRAL

LEARN MORE ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA SWEET POTATOES AT WWW.NCSWEETPOTATOES.COM

of our state,” said Dr. Jason Vogler, interim senior director of the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services.

Duke LifePoint Maria Parham Medical Center LLC in Henderson was awarded $10,010,350 to renovate and convert 33 licensed psychiatric inpatient beds for adults at the site of the closed Franklin Medical Center. Charles A. Cannon Jr. Memorial Hospital in Linville was awarded $6,503,478 to convert 27 acute medical beds into licensed psychiatric inpatient beds for adults.

The Department of Health and Human Services says the projects will help reduce travel distances to inpatient beds and decrease wait times for crisis behavioral health care. At least half of the beds will serve people who are unable to pay for care, or have Medicaid, Medicare or TRICARE, a benefit of veterans and military families.

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 14, 2017

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

Visual Voices

EDITORIAL | Drew Elliot

Josh Stein should follow Jeff Sessions’s lead on slush funds Roy Cooper has been the chief beneficiary of the slush fund that Mike Easley set up.

Believe it or not, Washington just took a significant step forward last week in fighting corruption, and North Carolina is getting left behind. D.C.’s blow to cronyism came via the Trump administration, with a directive from Attorney General Jeff Sessions to Department of Justice staff to cease requiring donations to third parties in lawsuit settlements.

As corruption goes, second only to getting bags of cash for yourself is getting money for your friends. That is a practice Sessions is ending at the federal level. No longer will the feds be able to sue a corporation, then require, via a legal settlement, that a third party receive the penalty funds instead of the government.

Here’s an example of how the scheme worked. (It’s an example with a North Carolina connection, but there are plenty of others.)

First, the DOJ under Obama sued banks following the subprime mortgage crisis, including Bank of America. Then, the two reached a settlement which included money for consumer victims and the government.

But, according to a Congressional investigation into these settlements, also included were stipulations that BoA donate money to nonprofit groups, including $1.5 million to the National Council of La Raza, a left-wing group. There were no strings attached to the money or oversight of its use. And last — and I’m sure this is pure coincidence — La Raza “receives millions in government grants each year and between 1989 and 2014, the organization’s political action committee, its employees, and their

family members made approximately $100,000 in campaign contributions, predominantly to Democratic politicians,” the report said.

Trump and Sessions could have merely turned the tables and started funneling money to right-of-center groups, so it it good to see them abandon the practice entirely.

Third-party donations spiked under Obama, but he did not invent them. In fact, before anyone outside of Chicago had heard of Obama, North Carolina’s very own Mike Easley was putting in place a golden goose for Democratic politicians right here in North Carolina.

As this page has detailed, when Easley was running for governor he negotiated a $65 million settlement with hog-farming companies to address water-quality concerns.

As part of the settlement, the hog producers contribute up to $2 million annually to fund “environmental enhancement” projects. And the settlement makes clear who gets to pick the recipients of the $2 million: “The funds will be paid to such organizations or trusts as the Attorney General will designate.”

Some may be thinking about North Carolina’s constitutional provision that mandates that all penalties and fines be given over to the public schools. (That’s in Article IX, Section 7.) But Mike Easley was sneaky, and claimed that since the settlement was “voluntary,” the law does not apply.

That interpretation is in dispute, but what is indisputable is that Roy Cooper has been the chief beneficiary of the slush fund that Easley set up. For 16 straight years, Cooper has been able to dole out the money to

favored groups. At least one of those groups — and I’m sure this is pure coincidence — then paid for TV ads critical of then-Gov. Pat McCrory during the 2016 gubernatorial campaign that pitted McCrory against Cooper.

Easley’s multi-year settlement scheme makes Obama’s money-funneling look like child’s play. Obama’s DOJ got a one-time shot at helping its political friends. But Easley was setting up a little tin box that was magically replenished every year. And every year, the A.G. gets to reward his friends. Or not. Haven’t been a good boy this year? Don’t come asking for more dough.

Sessions has stopped these shenanigans at the federal level, and now that Cooper has moved on the the governor’s mansion, Attorney General Josh Stein has the ability to stop them in North Carolina. Francis X. DeLuca of the conservative-leaning Civitas Institute has sued the attorney general’s office over the slush fund, and the matter will come before a judge on June 27.

Stein’s hands are clean, and he can agree unilaterally to amend the settlement to direct the funds to the public schools as the constitution directs and as good government requires. Then he should disavow all future slush funds, as Sessions has.

As I have noted before, slush funds always give the appearance of, and usually are, vehicles for corruption. It’s time to end them in North Carolina.

EDITORIAL | Ray Nothstine

A deeper discussion on Afghanistan One of the harshest indictments against the conflict in Afghanistan is that so few Americans pay any attention to what is happening there.

In a 1939 radio broadcast, Winston Churchill called Russia “a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.” It is a crafty phrase that has frequently been used to describe the country of Afghanistan too.

After 16 years of war in Afghanistan, more are starting to ask: Why are we still there? To what end? After all, close to a trillion dollars has been spent on America’s longest war, and more importantly, it has cost the lives of 2,400 of our best citizens. Rep. Walter B. Jones of North Carolina, who no longer toes the line on much of anything, introduced his own bill in March to defund the war, calling on Congress, at the very least, to debate and clarify the mission.

“Speaker Ryan, he can initiate this today if he wanted to,” Jones declared in a May 24 press conference. He notes that the last time Congress has had a “legitimate” debate on the conflict in Afghanistan was 2001. “He doesn’t seem to want to take the responsibility of the blood that comes from my soldiers and Marines dying in a country that will never change, no matter what you do,” Jones added in admonishing Speaker Paul Ryan.

If Jones has strong words for Ryan, he also has strong words for himself. Jones, of course, had a well-publicized change of heart for his lockstep support for war, specifically saying of Iraq: “I helped kill 4,000 Americans, and I will go to my grave regretting that.” Regardless of your views on America’s recent conflicts or Jones,

his deeply sincere apologies are a marked contrast from the debased political blaming games practiced by most national politicians in both parties during America’s War on Terror. Just by watching videos of Jones, one can clearly see the enormous weight he carries for the lives that were lost.

As Jones and others note, one of the key arguments against Afghanistan is that it’s a “graveyard of empires.” Meaning, to engage in conflict in that region is to expedite national decline or fragmentation through an overextension of forces, as the Soviet invasion in 1979 and British invasion in the 19th century can well attest.

But many experts call the “graveyard of empires” reputation only a popularized myth.

Luke Coffey of the Heritage Foundation recently pointed out much of the progress made in Afghanistan. “No major terrorist attack originating from Afghanistan has been successful in the United States since 2001,” wrote Coffey. Al Qaeda is increasingly isolated and the Islamic State is in an ever-weaker position in Afghanistan. The Taliban, while exerting more influence and control, is still a “shadow of its former self today, controlling about 9 percent of the population, per the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.

Anybody paying attention to Afghanistan knows that American military casualties have dwindled in the region too. And Secretary of Defense James Mattis briefed lawmakers Monday night saying he would

offer Trump options for success. “There will be no turning a blind eye to it, we’ve got to determine what level of support is necessary.”

For a nation that is $20 trillion in debt, spending $43 billion annually seems to justify serious debate going forward. While it is not a part of Jones’s bill, a few lawmakers who side with him suggest a surcharge tax to pay for the conflict. For them, at least more Americans would feel some sense of sacrifice. One of the harshest indictments against the conflict in Afghanistan is that so few Americans pay any attention to what is happening there. And as Jones and others point out, the conflict serves as an invaluable reminder to the danger of open-ended appropriations for the use of force.

The nation lost three more soldiers Saturday, including the life of Cpl. Dillon C. Baldridge, 22, of Youngsville, North Carolina. He was due to return home at the end of July. Vice President Mike Pence stood watch over the return of his remains Monday. “Five U.S. soldiers killed in Afghanistan by so-called friendly fire.

What are we doing?” tweeted Trump in 2014.” It’s a great question and one we must better answer, especially for the families that sacrifice too much.

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 14, 2017

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Guest Opinion | JENNA ROBINSON

Easing federal regulations for higher ed In addition to sexual assault, federal bureaucrats now dictate campus policies regarding academics, athletics, technology, employment, campus construction, student health, and even campus dining.

Last week, the Department of Education announced that Adam Kissel will serve as the next deputy assistant secretary for higher education programs. His appointment is welcome news.

Kissel, who has worked at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) and the Koch Foundation, is a vocal opponent on federal overreach in higher education, particularly as it affects students’ due process rights. He has criticized the Office for Civil Rights’s mandate that universities adjudicate sexual assault cases using loosened standards for conviction.

That policy is one of many burdensome and unjust regulations affecting the nation’s colleges and universities. Kissel, in his new role, won’t be in a position to decrease universities’ regulatory burden.

But his appointment may signal a new direction in the Department of Education.

Such a reform is badly needed. In addition to sexual assault, federal bureaucrats now dictate campus policies regarding academics, athletics, technology, employment, campus construction, student health, and even campus dining. Any school that accepts federal funding, including accepting students with federal student loans, must adhere to the policies.

Many in Congress have already acknowledged the problem. In 2013, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators created the Task Force on Federal Regulation of Higher Education. In 2015, the Task Force’s official report denounced the “jungle of red tape” produced by the Education Department. The report cited analysis by George Mason’s Mercatus Center showing that federal higher education mandates increased by 56 percent from 1997 to 2012.

Despite the Task Force’s indictment of the overregulation of higher education, little has changed. Federal regulations remain, in the words of the Task Force, “unnecessarily voluminous,” “inordinately costly,” and “overly complex.”

The Higher Education Compliance Alliance, a membership organization for university compliance officers and organizations, provides a comprehensive list of key federal laws and regulations governing colleges and universities. The list includes 268 statues

and more than 1,000 regulations and standards that must be followed each year. The Task Force estimated that these documents comprise “approximately 2,000 pages of text ... the Department of Education issues official guidance to amend or clarify its rules at a rate of more than one document per work day.”

The volume of the regulations is not the only problem. Individual regulations are also problematic.

The rules for verifying student aid eligibility, for example, are extremely convoluted. The current regulations force universities to act as middlemen between the federal government and students when determining the accuracy of families’ financial information on student loan applications.

The costs of over-regulation represents a significant portion of university spending. Vanderbilt University estimated in 2013 that the cost of compliance with federal regulations “equate to approximately $11,000 in additional tuition per year.” And a 2015 Boston Consulting Group study of 13 colleges and universities found that federal compliance amounts to between 3 and 11 percent of yearly expenditures (6.4 percent was the median).

This is a significant burden on schools and on parents and students who struggle to pay ever-increasing tuition bills.

During his campaign, Donald Trump promised regulatory reform. Now, the White House and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos are poised to make changes. In February, Trump issued an executive order directing all federal agencies to set up a “regulatory reform task force” to identify rules for potential elimination. DeVos said in a recent hearing in the U.S House that the department plans to carry out recommendations of the Congressional Task Force on Federal Regulation of Higher Education.

Easing the burden of federal regulations on higher education would save universities and students considerable money and time and would restore the vital task of educating future citizens and leaders to local control.

Jenna A. Robinson is the president of the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal. She lives in Raleigh.

U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington.

walter williams

Rewriting American history eorge Orwell said, “The most effective way to destroy people G is to deny and obliterate their own

understanding of their history.” In the former USSR, censorship, rewriting of history and eliminating undesirable people became part of Soviets’ effort to ensure that the correct ideological and political spin was put on their history.

Deviation from official propaganda was punished by confinement in labor camps and execution.

Today there are efforts to rewrite history in the U.S., albeit the punishment is not so draconian as that in the Soviet Union. New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu had a Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee monument removed last month. Former Memphis Mayor A C Wharton wanted the statue of Confederate Lt. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest, as well as the graves of Forrest and his wife, removed from the city park.

In Richmond, Virginia, there have been calls for the removal of the Monument Avenue statues of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and Gens. Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson and J.E.B. Stuart. It’s not only Confederate statues that have come under attack. Just by having the name of a Confederate, such as J.E.B. Stuart High School in Falls Church, Virginia, brings up calls for a name change. These history rewriters have enjoyed nearly total success in getting the Confederate flag removed from state capitol grounds and other public places.

Slavery is an undeniable fact of our history. The costly war fought to end it is also a part of the nation’s history. Neither will go away through cultural cleansing. Removing statues of Confederates and renaming buildings

The job of tyrants and busybodies is never done. When they accomplish one goal, they move their agenda to something else.

AARON P. BERNSTEIN | REUTERS

column | JONATHAN FELTS

The perseverance of Adam West No one wanted to cast Batman in their serious movie. Adam West couldn’t land the next gig.

“That’s a wonderful photo you have there, citizen.”

The tone and inflection of that voice was easy to identify after countless hours watching our heroes defend Gotham City. And, I had after all, travelled to the comic book convention specifically to meet the guy.

But I was still shocked to turn around and confirm that yes, it was Adam West looking over my shoulder at a photo of me and…

Adam West.

I tell political leaders what they don’t want to hear. I’ve met with Afghans who had, earlier in the day, pontificated on the merits of shooting me. And I’ve done more press interviews than I should admit on topics I knew nothing about. Through it all, I’m never rendered speechless.

But, looking back at West and his bemused but subtle smirk, I stood there for a moment in stunned silence before finally offering an eloquent, “Thank you sir. This is… it’s just a really cool picture, man.”

The news of West’s passing has already launched numerous columns filled with fond memories and anecdotes from the iconic ’60s era TV show. We can all agree the show is great, deftly combing campy humor with a subtle wit under West’s Bat-leadership.

The show would leave children fearing for their heroes’ fate while wondering why their parents kept laughing at the same episode. The show worked on multiple levels.

But equally important and often overlooked is how West handled things after the show.

West rose from relative obscurity to international fame almost overnight. By all accounts, he enjoyed the perks of that fame.

According to Hollywood lore, West earned his reputation as a ladies’ man at the height of his Bat-fame.

But much like a great campaign or a politician’s term in office, it’s great fun while it lasts. And when it’s over, it’s over.

In West’s case, it ended almost as abruptly as it started, but with a significant complication. West the actor had been indelibly linked to the character: no one wanted to cast Batman in their serious movie. Adam West couldn’t land the next gig.

West has openly discussed the bitterness he felt during this time.

There was a family history with alcohol abuse and depression, and West fell prey to that. It was here he could have embraced the cliché of Hollywood burnout.

But he didn’t.

West decided to embrace that he was forever linked to an American icon. Rather than being bitter about it, he would make the most of that role. He travelled the country for special appearances and gave voice to Batman in multiple cartoon series.

Some of these appearances were humbling, appearing at the opening of a new car dealership or showing up at a third-rate wrestling match in a cowl — sans Bat symbol. But he persevered.

A large part of his popularity was restored when the Batman show got renewed attention in 1989 when his Batman was

remembered, and appreciated for its import, as the world focused on Michael Keaton’s portrayal of a darker Batman.

This left West perfectly positioned to rebound when ’60s kitsch evolved into Hipster Retro cool in the ’90s and 21st century.

West’s renewed popularity culminated in a successful (political) comeback when he joined the show “Family Guy” giving voice to none other than The Honorable Adam West, mayor of Quahog, Rhode Island.

West’s perseverance through the humbling appearances, the continued popularity of the show for new generations of fans, and then new fans courtesy of “Family Guy” yielded a surprising evolution. The mantle of American icon was transferred from Batman the character to Adam West the person.

As we mourn Adam West, we should remember not only his signature role of Batman but also how he faced hardship. Rather than ignoring it, West eventually embraced it with a bit of quiet confidence and understated humor, but also a subtle smirk to let everyone know he was in on the joke.

As our Bright Knight goes quietly into the night, we can all learn from Adam West. He chose to be a victor rather than a victim.

One doesn’t become an American icon doing something easy, but by facing down adversity.

Jonathan Felts works in Raleigh at The Results Company, a public affairs firm.

are just a small part of the true agenda of America’s leftists. Thomas Jefferson owned slaves, and there’s a monument that bears his name — the Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C. George Washington also owned slaves, and there’s a monument to him, as well — the Washington Monument in Washington. Will the people who call for removal of statues in New Orleans and Richmond also call for the removal of the Washington, D.C., monuments honoring slaveholders Jefferson and Washington? Will the people demanding a change in the name of J.E.B. Stuart High School also demand that the name of the nation’s capital be changed?

These leftists might demand that the name of my place of work — George Mason University — be changed. Even though Mason was the author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights, which became a part of our Constitution’s Bill of Rights, he owned slaves. Not too far from my university is James Madison University. Will its name be changed?

Even though Madison is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution,” he did own slaves.

Rewriting American history is going to be challenging. Just imagine the task of purifying the nation’s currency.

Slave owner George Washington’s picture graces the $1 bill. Slave owner Thomas Jefferson’s picture is on the $2 bill. Slave-owning Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s picture is on our $50 bill.

Benjamin Franklin’s picture is on the $100 bill.

The challenges of rewriting American history are endless, going beyond relatively trivial challenges such as finding new pictures for our currency. At least half of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence were slave owners. Also consider that roughly half of the 55 delegates to the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia were slave owners.

Do those facts invalidate the U.S. Constitution, and would the history rewriters want us to convene a new convention to purge and purify our Constitution?

The job of tyrants and busybodies is never done. When they accomplish one goal, they move their agenda to something else. If we Americans give them an inch, they’ll take a yard. So I say, don’t give them an inch in the first place. The hate-America types use every tool at their disposal to achieve their agenda of discrediting and demeaning our history. Our history of slavery is simply a convenient tool to further their cause.

Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University.

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Protesters rally against Islamic law in U.S. cities Chicago Protesters held rallies across the U.S. on Saturday to denounce Sharia law, the Islamic legal and moral code that organizers say poses a threat to American

Delta, Bank of America pull sponsorship of ‘Julius Caesar’ production over Trump-like portrayal New York Delta Air Lines and Bank of America pulled financial support on Sunday for the Shakespeare in the Park production of “Julius Caesar” in New York over its portrayal

Warren Buffett charity lunch sells for $2.68 million on eBay San Francisco An anonymous fan of Warren Buffett agreed to pay $2,679,001 at an online charity auction to have lunch

Britain’s May brings back foe, aiming to unite party before Brexit London Prime Minister Theresa May reappointed most of her ministers on Sunday but brought a Brexit campaigner and party

Victims honored at ceremony on anniversary of Florida club shooting Orlando The names of the 49 people killed in a Florida nightclub last June were read aloud on Monday in a

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Nation & WORLD freedoms. ACT for America, a grassroots organization focusing on national security, staged rallies in New York, Chicago, Boston, Denver and Seattle, and smaller cities.

Hundreds pledged to attend an event that ACT billed as “March against Sharia.”

of the assassinated ancient Roman leader that resembles President Donald Trump.

The contemporary staging of William Shakespeare’s tragedy, by the nonprofit Public Theater, portrays Caesar as a powerful, blond-haired man wearing a business suit with an American flag pin, while his wife, Calpurnia, has a Slavic accent and dresses in designer fashions. with the billionaire chairman of Berkshire Hathaway. The winning bid came in the closing seconds of the five-day eBay auction, which drew 41 bids before ending on Friday night.

It was lower than the record $3,456,789 bid in the 2012 and 2016 auctions.

rival into government to unite her Conservatives after last week’s election sapped her authority, days before Brexit talks begin.

May appointed Michael Gove, a long-serving cabinet minister who had clashed with May when she was home secretary, as agriculture minister.

predawn remembrance marking the anniversary of when a gunman opened fire in Orlando’s Pulse nightclub at 2:02 a.m. The event was the first in a series where victims’ names will be memorialized with performances, prayers and candlelight vigils on “Orlando United Day.”

NEWS IN IMAGES

ARND WIEGMANN | REUTERS

Raphael and Mirjam, right, pose as first guests in the bedroom of the Null-Stern-Hotel (Zero-star-hotel) land art installation by Swiss artists Frank and Patrik Riklin on an alp mount Saentis near Gonten, Switzerland, on June 1.

REBECCA NADEN | REUTERS

Sand artist Marc Treanor creates a work on the North Beach at Tenby Harbour, Pembrokeshire, Wales, Britain, June 7.

ALESSANDRO BIANCHI | REUTERS

Historical parade arrive as Verdi (green) San Giovanni supporters light flares before the Calcio Fiorentino (historic football) semifinal match against Rossi (Red) Santa Maria Novella at Santa Croce Square in Florence, Italy, on June 10.

PHOTOS BY ALVIN BAEZ | REUTERS

Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosello, center celebrates after the economically struggling U.S. island territory voted overwhelmingly on Sunday in favour of becoming the 51st state, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on June 11.

Puerto Ricans hope for statehood Adding another star to the U.S. flag likely faces an uphill battle in Congress

By Tracy Rucinski Reuters SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The economically struggling U.S. island territory of Puerto Rico voted overwhelmingly on Sunday in favor of becoming the 51st state, although turnout was low. A government website for the non-binding referendum, Puerto Rico’s fifth such plebiscite since 1967, showed 97 percent supported statehood.

Only 23 percent of the 2.2 million eligible voters participated in the vote.

Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello campaigned for statehood as the best avenue to boost future growth for the island, which has $70 billion in debt, a 45 percent poverty rate, woefully underperforming schools and near-insolvent pension and health systems.

“From today going forward, the federal government will no longer be able to ignore the voice of the majority of the American citizens in Puerto Rico,” Rossello said in a statement.

“It would be highly contradictory for Washington to demand democracy in other parts of the world, and NOT respond to the

SESSIONS from page A1 with the Trump campaign.

“The suggestion that I participated in any collusion or that I was aware of any collusion with the Russian government to hurt this country, which I have served with honor for over 35 years, or to undermine the integrity of our democratic process, is an appalling and detestable lie,” he added.

Committee chairman Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) told Sessions that the hearing was an “opportunity to separate fact from fiction” and “set the record straight on a number of allegations reported in the press.”

Comey testified last week before the same panel, revealing that President Donald Trump was never under investigation for involvement with Russian interference in the election, and that he had personally notified Trump of this fact in January. He called several media reports that linked the Trump campaign with Russia “dead wrong.”

Sessions also revealed on Tuesday that he had not even been briefed on the criminal investigation prior to his recusal.

“I was sworn in as attorney general on Thursday, Feb 9,” said Sessions. “The very next day ...

I met with career Department [of Justice] officials, including a senior ethics official, to discuss some things publicly reported in the press that might have some bearing on whether I should recuse myself in this case. From that point, Feb. 10, to my formal recusal on March 2, I was never briefed on any investigative details and did not have any access to the investigation.

legitimate right to self-determination that was exercised today in the American territory of Puerto Rico,” he added.

Puerto Rico’s hazy political status, dating back to its 1898 acquisition by the United States from Spain, has contributed to the economic crisis that pushed it last month into the biggest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.

“I voted for statehood,” Armando Abreu, a 74-year-old retiree, said after voting. “Even if it’s still a long way off in the distance, it’s our only hope.”

Those in favor of statehood for the mainly Spanish-speaking Caribbean island hope the new status would put the territory on equal standing with the 50 U.S. states, giving them more access to federal funds and the right to vote for U.S. president.

Under the current system, Puerto Rico’s 3.5 million American citizens do not pay federal taxes, vote in presidential elections or receive proportionate federal funding on programs like the Medicaid health insurance system for the poor. The U.S. government oversees policy and financial areas such as infrastructure, defense and trade.

Rossello will ask Congress to respect the result, but Puerto Rico is seen as a low priority in Washington.

The island’s two main opposi-

tion parties boycotted the vote, which gave Puerto Ricans three options: becoming a U.S. state; remaining a territory; or becoming an independent nation, with or without some continuing political association with the United States.

Puerto Rico’s former governor, Rafael Hernandez Colon, said in a statement: “A contrived plebiscite fabricated an artificial majority for statehood by disenfranchising hundreds of thousands of Commonwealth supporters.”

Rather than heading to the polls, some 500 Puerto Ricans marched on the streets of San Juan, waving Puerto Rico’s flag and burning the American flag while chanting in support of independence.

“This is a bogus plebiscite. Our future is independence. We need to be able to decide our own fate,” said Liliana Laboy, one of the organizers of the protest.

Boycotters were also angry about the costly referendum at a time when more than 400 schools have closed and many Puerto Ricans are struggling to make ends meet. Schools where voting took place were in poor condition, with cracked paint and bare-bones playgrounds.

Puerto Rico spent an estimated $8 million on the campaign and election process, according to a government spokesman.

“As such, I have no knowledge of this investigation as it is ongoing today,” continued Sessions, testifying that he also has had no interaction with Robert Mueller since he was appointed as special prosecutor for the case, other than a mass email sent to DOJ employees to announce his recusal.

Comey testified last week that while the president never asked him outright to stop the Russian investigation, he believes he was fired for his conduct involving the case.

On Tuesday, Sessions pointed instead to dissatisfaction with Comey’s performance as head of the FBI and links to high-profile leaks as the momentum behind his recommendation to let him go.

“We both agreed that a fresh start at the FBI was probably the best thing,” he recalled about his discussions with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

“We need to restore ... the classic discipline in the department,” Sessions said in response to a probe from Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine). “There’s been too much leaking and too much talking publicly about investigations.”

Sessions disclosed that he never addressed these concerns with Comey prior to sending a letter to the president on May 9 to recommend Comey’s dismissal.

When addressed with a question of why he involved himself in the firing, despite having recused himself from all Russia-related cases, Sessions replied that “it did not violate my recusal.”

The attorney general defended his “professional” interactions with Russian officials both before and after the election, and pointed to a DOJ regulation as justifica-

tion for his decision to recuse himself from the Russia investigation.

“I recuse myself, not because of any asserted wrongdoing ... but because a Department of Justice regulation, I felt, required it,” explained Sessions.

Holding up a piece of paper, Sessions said, “Department employees should not participate in investigations of a campaign, if they served as a campaign adviser.

“My recusal does not and cannot interfere with my ability to oversee the Department of Justice,” he added.

Sessions, a former senator from Alabama and an early supporter of Trump’s election campaign, is the most senior government official to testify to the committee on the Russia issue.

Sessions refused to answer questions on more intimate conversations with the president, stating “it’s a longstanding policy in the Department of Justice not to comment on conversations that the attorney general has had with the president of the United States.”

When asked directly, Sessions avoided ever calling it executive privilege.

During the hearing, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) stressed Comey’s testimony that the president was not under investigation, and called any theories that Trump and the attorney general were involved in a Russian collusion an “elaborate plotline” that you’d see in a James Bond or Jason Bourne movie, but not reality.

Russia has denied interfering in the U.S. election.

Julia Edwards Ainsley and Patricia Zengerle from Reuters contributed to this article.

wednesday, june 14, 2017

Dubs down LeBron It took the addition of a former league MVP in Kevin Durant, but Steph Curry and Golden State finally got redemption against the Cavaliers with a 4-1 series win in the NBA Finals.

Curry let loose in a multitude of ways while LeBron James was left to lick his wounds for a fifth time in eight attempts in the Finals.

the Wednesday Sideline report

SPORTS

baseball

Warmoth wins Brooks Wallace Award One day after being drafted in the first round of the 2017 MLB Draft, Logan Warmoth was named the winner of the Brooks Wallace Award, given to the nation’s best college shortstop. After hitting .336/.404/.554 with 10 homers as a junior, Warmoth was taken 22nd overall by the Blue Jays Monday night. Warmoth joins Trea Turner (2014), Brad Miller (2011) and Buster Posey (2008) as the fourth winner from the ACC. Read more about how in-state prospects fared in the MLB draft in Brett Friedlander’s story on B7.

The Sports XChange

James Michael McAdoo wins second title

CFB

Clemson visits White House for CFP title Clemson got the entire gang back together on Monday as the Tigers visited President Donald Trump at the White House. The visit was to celebrate the team’s 2016 College Football Playoff championship, reuniting the current players with current Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. Carlos Watkins, a North Carolina native, received a shoutout from the current president after making the special trip from OTAs in Houston.

CFB

Chubb named to ‘Perfect Defense’ team When trying to shape the perfect defense for the 2017 college football season, Bleacher Report listed six players from the ACC to its list of 11 players. Bradley Chubb, a potential first-round pick in next year’s NFL draft, was listed as a starter at defensive end. Chubb finished last season with 21.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks and three forced fumbles, earning him plenty of offseason buzz. His backup, per B/R, was Wake Forest’s Duke Ejiofor.

2 out of 3 ain’t bad: Warriors top Cavs for another NBA title Curry, Warriors clinch second title in three years over Cavaliers

NBA

Former UNC forward James Michael McAdoo was an unsung hero in Golden State’s second NBA Finals win in three years. By unsung hero, we mean that JMM tallied a total of 56 minutes as the Warriors went 16-1 during postseason play and added 24 total points during his 10 games played. Regardless of his minutes, McAdoo still added to the Tar Heels list of championships, which now stands at 48 total. Take that, Harrison Barnes.

Kyle Terada | usa today sports images

Christopher Hanewinckel | USA TODAY Sports

Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) hoists the Stanley Cup after defeating the Nashville Predators in game six of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on June 11.

Penguins travel tough road for back-toback Stanley Cups Pittsburgh’s path to a second consecutive title was riddled with adversity, making this one even sweeter The Sports XChange NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Winning one Stanley Cup is hard. Winning two in a row is almost impossible, underscored by the fact that the Pittsburgh Penguins are the first to accomplish the feat since the Detroit Red Wings did so in 1998.

And doing it the way Pittsburgh did it? Well, that’s a road no NHL team has taken since the league changed the playoff format to require teams to win four best-ofseven series.

Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Matt Murray and Co. worked harder to win their back-to-back titles than any NHL team. Of a possible 56 playoff games the last two years, the Penguins played 49. They won three Game 7s, including two this year, and swept exactly none of their eight series.

Which, according to some Penguins, made Sunday night’s 2-0 Cup-clinching win over the Nash-

ville Predators in Bridgestone Arena even more rewarding.

“Just to be able to do this with the guys back-to-back is an unbelievable feeling,” forward Carl Hagelin said. “The fact that (the Predators) are so good here at home, to be able to finish it off here is unbelievable. I’m almost speechless.”

Depth has been a big factor in Pittsburgh’s consecutive championships. It made this run without its top defenseman, Kris Letang, relying on a group of unheralded blue-liners who mostly came from other places.

Murray, Crosby, Nick Bonino and Game 6 hero Patric Hornqvist all missed at least one playoff game with injuries. Into the breach stepped guys like Marc-Andre Fleury, who threw a Game 7 shutout in Washington, and rookie winger Jake Guentzel, who scored 13 playoff goals, including four in the Stanley Cup Final.

“I’ve said all along here that you don’t win championships without character,” said coach Mike Sullivan, who is 8-for-8 in playoff series.

“I believe we have it in abundance in our dressing room. We really believe we have a unique chemistry See penguins, page B2

OAKLAND — After the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers traded championships in 2015 and 2016, they could never agree on one key thing.

Who was the better team?

The third time around, there was no doubt.

The Warriors used a 28-4 flurry in the second quarter to take a lead they never relinquished, then relied on the scoring of Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry down the stretch to hold off the Cavaliers en route to a 129-120 victory Monday night, claiming their second NBA championship in seasons.

Durant, the MVP of the Finals, had 39 points, and Curry added 34 for the Warriors, who captured the best-of-seven series 4-1 against the defending champions.

“We did it together,” said Durant, a first-time champion. “Call us a super team, but it’s been a lot of super teams that hasn’t worked. We came together and we continued to just believe in each other and we sacrificed, and we’re champions now.”

Golden State completed an unprecedented 16-1 run through the NBA playoffs, registering the second-best average playoff point differential (plus-13.5) in league history.

Completing a perfect 9-0 run at home during the postseason, the Warriors became the first San Francisco Bay Area team to win a championship at home since the Oakland Athletics won the 1974 World Series.

“This is history,” Warriors forward Andre Iguodala said. “We’re going down as one of the best teams ever, and that’s a special thing you cannot take away from us.”

Led by LeBron James’ game-high 41 points,

“Golden State (was) the best team this year ...

We left everything on the floor, and it still wasn’t enough.”

LeBron James, Cavaliers small forward

See warriors, page B2

Inside

Rafael Suanes | USA TODAY Sports

The Clemson Tigers visited the White House Monday to celebrate its 2016 College Football Playoff title with a slew of North Carolina natives making the trip. North State Journal writer Shawn Krest was on hand to speak with Carlos Watkins, a Mooresboro, N.C. native, about getting the chance to shake hands with President Donald Trump.

Watkins, now a Houston Texan, made the special trip and was singled out by Trump during the ceremony. B7

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 14, 2017

B2 WEDNESDAY

06.14.17

Trending

Ron Hainsey: Former Hurricanes defenseman who was traded to the Penguins received the Stanley Cup first from Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby.

Prior to this season, Hainsey had never played in a single playoff game despite playing in 907 career games.

USA Soccer: Michael Bradley scored the lone goal for the U.S. men’s national team in a 1-1 draw against Mexico in a World Cup qualifier.

Under new head coach Bruce Arena, the team is now level with Costa Rica in World Cup qualifying.

Royce Lewis: High school shortstop from California selected No. 1 overall in the 2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft by Twins. Lewis was considered the top prep bat by multiple sites, but was considered lower on several boards behind ACC Player of the Year Brendan McKay. Lewis was part of a slew of high school talent that went early on, with the first three picks all coming from high school ranks for the first time since 1990.

DeShaun Watson: Current Texans and former Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback for the Clemson Tigers visited the White House with teammates on Monday afternoon.

President Donald Trump even mentioned Watson during his speech, noting Waiitson’s “going to be a great NFL player.” Is Trump drafting him in fantasy?

Jeremy Maclin: Former Pro Bowl wide receiver agreed to a two-year deal with the Ravens. After being released by the Chiefs earlier in the offseason, Maclin lands with a team that needs help at the reciever postion in a big way.

beyond the box score POTENT QUOTABLES

NBA Finals

Two-time NBA MVP and four-time All-Star Stephen Curry won his second title with the Golden State Warriors Monday night. To celebrate, the former Davidson guard whipped out a year-old cigar and smoked it ... on live television in the middle of the court. It was originally intended for 2016 when the Warriors were up 3-1, but was just as sweet Monday.

Kelley L Cox | Usa Today Sports images

“We’re at the start of the Kevin Durant era and the end of the LeBron era.”

ESPN analyst Paul Pierce, doubling down after calling Durant the ‘best player in the league.’

Cary Edmondson | Usa Today Sports images

boxing

NASCAR

Matthew O’Haren | Usa Today Sports

“Let my wife and kids and my mom know that I’m okay and I will go change my underwear and get ready to go home.”

Andrew Couldridge | reuters

NBA

Floyd Mayweather and Mayweather Promotions reportedly requested Aug. 26 as the date for the bout between Mayweather and Conor McGregor. If the fight does come to fruition, it will reportedly be held in Las Vegas, the site of Money’s last 14 fights.

$133K

nhl

NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson

Robert Laberge | courtesy of nascar media

After a gnarly crash at Kansas earlier this year caused Aric Almirola to suffer a T5 fracture in his back, the Richard Petty Motorsports driver is aiming to return in July. Darrell “Bubba” Wallace, the first black driver in the Cup Series since 2006, is filling in for now.

Former Hurricanes General Manager Jim Rutherford sipped from the Stanley Cup for a second straight season with the Penguins Sunday night. It was Rutherford’s third title overall after winning one with the Canes back in 2006, the franchise’s lone title with now-Predators head coach Peter Laviolette leading the team. Meanwhile, Carolina is still toiling around in rebuild mode and hasn’t made the postseason in the last eight seasons.

Amount of money spent on two floor seat tickets to Game 5 of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena with hopes to see the Warriors win their second title in a three-year span.

The two seats are the most expensive in NBA history, according to ESPN, and were sold by a Warriors season-ticket holder.

Dave Sandford | Usa Today Sports images

penguins from page B1

warriors from page B1

within our room.”

Chemistry is one thing. Icing lines centered by Crosby and Malkin are another. Not only are they the most talented players on the ice nearly every night, they also have the ability to find an extra gear few can match in the postseason.

“They’re generational players,” Sullivan said.

“They’re different players, but they’re both elite in their own way.”

Even though Nashville was the lowest-seeded of the 16 playoff teams, one might make a mistake if they look at its first Stanley Cup Final as an outlier.

Check out the Predators’ roster. When next season starts in four months, forwards Viktor Arvidsson, Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen, Kevin Fiala and playoff standout Colton Sissons will still be 25 or younger.

Defensemen Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis, P.K. Subban and Mattias Ekholm will all be between 26 and 28.

Simply put, this team isn’t close to its peak, something that has its core excited, even as it mourned Sunday night’s defeat.

“For some of those guys, that was their second or third Cup,” Subban said of Pittsburgh. “I think we gained a ton of experience from this run. We had some guys stepping up that hadn’t played a lot of games in the NHL, let alone the playoffs.

“Listen, it’s going to sting, it’s going to hurt for a while. At the end of the day, there’s a lot of guys in the league that don’t understand what it takes to get here.

We know what it takes to get here now, and we have to learn from this experience.”

There is room under the salary cap, although some of that is probably going toward a new contract for Johansen, a restricted free agent. As a true No. 1 center, Johansen will command big coin, and his absence during the Stanley Cup Final after emergency thigh surgery was a difference-maker.

Assuming this team keeps Johansen and its young but mature core continues to improve, Nashville is in position to contend for years to come.

the Cavaliers hung within 108-102 with 8:29 to play on a 3-pointer by Kyle Korver.

However, Iguodala assisted a Durant dunk and added one of his own off a Curry feed, reopening a double-digit lead and making the final 7:42 an extended celebration among the Oracle Arena fans.

“Golden State (was) the best team this year,” James said. “They showcased that throughout the postseason, and we were another opponent in their way.

“We left everything on the floor, and it still wasn’t enough.”

Durant shot 14 of 20 overall and 5 of 8 on 3-pointers, hitting three of his threes during the critical second-quarter run that lasted more than seven minutes and turned a 41-33 deficit into a 61-45 advantage.

Curry shot 10 of 20, converted 12 of his 15 free throw attempts, found time for six rebounds and completed a double-double with a game-high 10 assists.

When the game became two-ontwo, Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue observed, his team had little chance.

“They started to go with the pickand-roll with Steph Curry and Durant, which might be one of the most unstoppable pick-and-rolls in our league,” Lue said. “And they waited until late to do it. That’s a tough play to stop.”

The Warriors, who were playing a Game 5 for the first time in the postseason, shot 51.1 percent from the field and 36.8 percent on 3-pointers.

Iguodala chipped in with 20 points off the bench and Draymond Green had

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrates with his daughter Riley Curry after beating the Cleveland Cavaliers in game five of the 2017 NBA Finals at Oracle Arena in Oakland on June 12.

Kelley L Cox | USA TODAY Sports

a 10-point, 12-rebound double-double for the Warriors, who topped 100 points for the 17th straight time in the playoffs.

“There was never any question in my mind that this was going to work,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of the addition of Durant to a Curry-led core that already was good enough to make consecutive Finals. “This was the culmination of a year where (Durant and Curry) grew together and learned each other’s games and got better and better all year. It was phenomenal to be a part of.”

James collected a game-high 13 rebounds, eight assists and two steals to go with his 41 points in becoming the first player ever to average a triple-double in the Finals.

“I have no reason to put my head down,” said James, who finished with

averages of 33.6 points, 12.0 rebounds and 10.0 assists in the five-game series.

“I have no reason to look back at what I could have done or what I shouldn’t have done or what I could have done better for the team. I left everything I had out on the floor every single game for five games in this Finals, and you come up short.”

Kyrie Irving, fighting through back tightness late in the game, had 26 points and J.R. Smith 25 for the Cavaliers, who, like the Warriors, were competing in their third straight Finals.

The Cavaliers shot 53.4 percent from the field and 45.8 percent on 3-pointers, but were outrebounded 42-40 and outscored 23-15 at the free-throw line.

“A lot of guys cried because they wanted it bad,” Lue reported of the postgame scene in the Cleveland locker room. “That’s all you can ask.”

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 14, 2017

B3

Run-Off jumps out to Big Rock lead with record purse on the line With numerous late Sunday registrations to the tournament, anglers vying for more than $2.4 million in prize money

By R. Cory Smith North State Journal There’s nothing like a little home cookin’ for one Morehead City-based boat at the Big Rock.

Following the first day of competition in the 59th Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament, Run-Off literally ran off with the lead with one of the earliest weigh-ins of the competition. In a year where the purse has reached record heights, the massive marlin could net the Run-Off crew a more than $1 million pay day.

Run-Off captain Brian Harrington and first mate Marty Hiatt worked with Matt Hanley during the reported 92-minute fight. While the trio had never fished together aboard the RunOff, Hanley noted it was extra special to haul in his first blue marlin with the crew.

“I’ve fished different places in the world and Marty and the other mates cleared the other lines just like that,” Hanley said. “Everything went perfect. It was extra special because my son was on board. To have him be there to see my first blue marlin … and to have it be something really special. It’s been a great day.”

After entering the Level V Fabulous Fisherman’s competition, the Run-Off crew already nabbed a $467,250 prize for weighing in the first fish at more than 500

“Everything went perfect. It was extra special because my son was on board. To have him be there to see my first blue marlin … and to have it be something really special. It’s been a great day.”

Matt Hanley, crew member on Run-Off pounds. If the 533.8-pounder holds as the largest blue marlin in the competition, the catch could be worth a total of $1,161,450.

Last year, the crew on the Ashley Lauren pocketed $662,925 for a 621.4-pound blue marlin reeled in by Doug Phillips. However, the largest total sum went to Marlin Gull, which won the Fabulous Fisherman’s competition and finished second overall to rake in $671,900 in prize money.

The suspense wasn’t over after the Run-Off’s huge haul, though.

White Caps from Wilson weighed in a blue marlin at 417.7 pounds later in the afternoon, topped only

by Run-Off and Weldor’s Ark, out of Swansboro, which hauled in a 484.9-pounder. There were also 35 blue marlin releases.

With teams only allowed to fish four of the six days through Saturday, the Run-Off will have three more days to top their own mark. But with a record purse on the line, don’t expect any crew to sit idly by in the crown jewel of the Governor’s Cup Billfish Tournament.

photos courtesy Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament

Members of the Run-Off boat crew celebrate after weighing in a 533.8-pound blue marlin at the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament’s opening day. Photo courtesy of Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament.

Crew of the Run-Off boat poses with a check for $463,250 after winning the Fabulous Fisherman’s Level V prize for having the first blue marlin weighing in at more than 500 pounds.

Photo courtesy of Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament.

Duke returning to classic point-guard offense in 2017-18 Coach K setting aside the “positionless” concept from last season

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski reacts during the game against Pitt on February 4 at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham.

Duke defeated Pitt 72-64.

By Shawn Krest North State Journal Last season, positionless basketball was all the rage at Duke.

The Blue Devils’ roster was filled with versatile players who were capable of playing multiple roles on the floor.

Prior to the season, coach Mike Krzyzewski said that everyone from guard Grayson Allen to power forward Amile Jefferson was capable of bringing the ball up the court and running the offense.

As soon as Duke took possession, the team could be off to the races, without needing to find the point guard to set things up.

At the time, Duke seemed to be the prototype of the future, a position-free game. That future has been put on hold, for at least one season, however.

christine t. nguyen | North State Journal

Injuries to key players, including freshmen Harry Giles and Jayson Tatum — two of the best potential positionless stars — as well as Jefferson, slowed the Blue Devils’ ability to run. And, when the game slowed down, particularly in conference play, the lack of a true point guard occasionally came back to haunt Duke.

So this year, Duke is ready to go

back to the more traditional offensive model. Of course, signing a five-star point guard like Trevon Duval helps make that decision a bit easier.

“I do know that Trevon is going to have the ball, and he knows what to do with it,” Krzyzewski said last week.

That doesn’t mean last year’s positionless experiment was a fail-

ure. It’s just a matter of finding the scheme that fits best with the roster.

“What we try to do with our offense is personalize it to the people we have,” Krzyzewski said. “We’ve done that since 1986. When someone says ‘Their offense’ or whatever … I don’t know what our offense will be. I do want to look at our talent.”

Right now, however, Krzyzewski knows that his freshman point guard will most likely be one of the team’s strengths.

“Will he have it all the time? No,” Krzyzewski said. “He shouldn’t have it all the time. Will he have it a lot? Yeah.”

That doesn’t mean Duke will be a step slow in transition. In fact, Krzyzewski thinks having a well-defined playmaker role will help speed things up.

“One difference you’re going to see is (last year) we would have multiple guys bring the ball up,” Coach K said. “Get a rebound and go. That type of thing. Pretty much, I want (Duval) to get the ball. Then

we’re going to be able to have more guys being ready to shoot. We’ll run early post, stuff like that.”

The new look will also benefit Grayson Allen. The lone senior on Duke’s roster and the only returning player who had a significant role last year, Allen will have one less thing to worry about with Duval running the show on offense.

“I don’t think (leadership) is as much a burden as it is an opportunity,” Krzyzewski said of Allen. “I think a burden would be if he had that and then all the ball-handling and running of the team. I like for him to do that at times, but (I’d rather) him be more of who he naturally is.

“He can score the ball. I think he can be one of the leading scorers in the country.”

Duke will experiment with various offensive looks on its exhibition trip to the Dominican Republic, but the classic point guard look seems to have the Hall of Fame coach excited.

“That’s going to be interesting to put that together,” Krzyzewski said. “It’s interesting if you have talent, and we have talent. A lot of it is young, but physically, it’s mature.“

Always Dry. Always Comfortable.

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B4

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 14, 2017

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 14, 2017

B5

The American flag flaps in the wind by the clubhouse during the opening practice round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Erin Hills.

Golf spectators walk across the 18th fairway during a practice round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Erin Hills.

Rob Schumacher | USA TODAY Sports images

Rory McIlroy walks up the path toward the sixth tee during the opening practice round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Erin Hills in Erin, Wis., on June 12.

U.S. Open players cautiously optimistic about Erin Hills The Wisconsin course will be long and challenging for many of the golfers

By Tom LaMarre The Sports XChange

J

Amateur golfer Mason Andersen drives off the first tee during his practice round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Erin Hills.

ordan Spieth claims Erin Hills in Hartford, Wis., site of the 117th U.S. Open this week, is a bit like Chambers Bay, and that’s just fine with him because he won the national championship there two years ago.

Spieth also sees some differences between the two layouts.

“Chambers Bay, you had big mounds to play off onto the greens,” said Spieth, who is at Chambers Bay two months after capturing his first major title at the Masters. “(Erin Hills) is kind of rolling hills, although neither one has a tree that I remember on the golf course. It was kind of a new-style American links type. They both are. But I think they’ll play tremendously different.”

The United States Golf Association needs a U.S. Open without controversy after the greens at Chambers Bay were substandard, something officials did not admit to until the tournament was over, and last years champion Dustin Johnson overcame a questionable penalty when his golf ball moved slightly on the fifth green.

And Adam Scott has some more advice for tournament officials.

“Let’s just have something that’s a challenge and interesting, not just playing brutal,” said Scott, indicating that the perceived goal of the USGA to have a winner at even par is flawed. “The ball is in their court. Hopefully they get it right this time, just from a playability standpoint.

“If their major pinnacle event requires courses to be the way they are, it doesn’t set a good example. ... (The USGA has) taken criticism for the last two years; I’m sure they’re not liking it. ... Let’s just have something that’s a challenge and interesting, not just playing brutal.”

Erin Hills is built on farmland in central Wisconsin and opened in 2006, even though it appears to have been there forever. It is an American course with a bit of a Scottish feel and if the wind blows, as it often does, the USGA will have all the difficulty it seeks with the U.S. Open.

So far, the players who have been there seem to like the course, but of course none of them have yet to hit a shot in competition.

“Had a good couple of practice rounds at Erin Hills and really like the course,” Johnson wrote in a Twitter post after taking a reconnaissance trip to Wisconsin last week.

“Looking forward to defending next week.”

Erin Hills, located about 35 miles northwest of Milwaukee, has no water hazards and only a few trees, its defense coming from intricate bunker complexes, tricky plateau greens and the traditionally thick U.S. Open rough — this time in the form of fescue grass.

Wind should make the course play firm and fast, not to mention that the USGA has set the yardage at 7,693 yards.

“If there’s no wind for four days, that would be highly unusual, but they’ll definitely shoot lower scores,” said Executive Director Mike Davis of the USGA, who set up the U.S. Open course.

“These greens are so good. They’re going to make putts, and then you’ve got a par 72.

But listen, at the end of it, contrary to what so many think, we’re not after a certain winning score. What we really are after is to see if we can set the golf course up in such a way that tests every aspect of the game.”

Erin Hills hosted the 2008 Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship, won

by Tiffany Joh, who now plays on the LPGA Tour. In 2011, the USGA returned to the course for the U.S. Amateur, won by Kelly Kraft, who plays on the PGA Tour.

Kraft, who failed to make it into the field through Sectional Qualifying last week in Columbus, Ohio, said the course doesn’t play as long as the listed yardage because, “The ball can really run and get moving out there.”

The course is located at southern end of the Kettle Moraine, a dramatic landscape that was shaped by glacier activity millions of years ago. The terrain at Erin Hills, which will be the first par-72 course to host the U.S. Open since Pebble Beach in 2010, features difficult side-hill lies, and the players will face some unusual stances because of the slopes.

The USGA’s Davis had called it, “Shinnecock Hills on steroids.”

For what it’s worth, the USGA got exactly what it wanted at Shinnecock Hills in 1996, when Corey Pavin won at even par.

Of course, that’s not necessarily what the players and fans want.

The U.S. Open Championship Trophy seen in the Lexus fan experience during the opening practice round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Erin Hills.

The Rolex clock tower seen in front of the clubhouse during the opening practice round at the U.S. Open golf tournament at Erin Hills.

Detail view of an Erin Hills logo golf ball for the U.S. Open golf tournament at Erin Hills.

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 14, 2017

B6

Jake Gatewood headlines Mudcats’ six Carolina League All-Stars Loaded with top 25 prospects from the Brewers system, Carolina places a half-dozen players on midseason All-Star roster

By R. Cory Smith North State Journal Throughout his brief career, Jake Gatewood struggled with consistency prior to the 2017 season. Despite being the No. 41 pick in the 2014 MLB Draft — the final pick in the first compensatory round — Gatewood had never hit better than .244 over his first three seasons at the minor league level.

He’s changing that perception with the Carolina Mudcats.

On Sunday, Gatewood was one of six players from Zebulon selected to the Carolina League All-Star Game after starting the season at .295/.366/.500 with nine home runs. Gatewood joins Corey Ray, Isan Diaz, Nate Griep, Freddy Peralta and Cody Ponce on the All-Star roster.

“I’m very thankful,” Gatewood said of the All-Star nod. “That was one of my goals before the season was to make the All-Star Game.

I’m very blessed to have made that. Now it’s just keep working and keep making more All-Star rosters from here on out. I’m very fortunate to make that team with the players we have.”

For Carolina manager Joe Ayrault, it wasn’t about develop-

ing the tools for Gatewood, but rather fine tuning them to help Gatewood find that consistency at the plate.

“We knew coming in, even when he was drafted, that the tools were in place for him,” Ayrault said. “Now he’s really starting to command the [strike] zone and learning the pitches that he can drive. We’re not preaching that he has to get his walks up, but that’s a sign of a quality atbat.

“He’s using the whole field and driving the ball to every part of the ballpark. He’s really been fun to watch.”

Just how consistent has Gatewood been this season? He put together a 23-game hitting streak that saw him hit .372/.443/.628 (32-for-86) with 18 runs, four homers, 14 RBI, 11 walks and a 1.071 OPS. It also helped catapult him to the Brewers Minor Player of the Month honor in April.

That hitting streak was not only the longest of Gatewood’s career, but also tied the franchise record for Carolina, matching Bryson Myles of the 2013 Mudcats. Suffice to say, that wasn’t exactly on his to-do list prior to the start of the year, so not snapping the streak was far from disappointing.

“Actually I had no idea that was going to happen,” Gatewood said with a laugh. “I didn’t have a hitting streak of any kind as part of my goals prior to the season. It was kind of random, but it was

Madeline Gray | North State Journal

The Mudcat’s Jake Gatewood (7) high fives his teammates after scoring a run against the Down East Wood Ducks at the Five County Stadium on April 27. The Mudcats defeated the Wood Ducks 9 - 7.

awesome. I tried to keep it out of my head, but you hear it from everywhere.

“If you would have told me I was going to have a 23-game hitting streak and tie the record, I’d be pretty happy. So I wasn’t upset about not breaking it at all.”

While some players might begin to press or get anxious at the plate, Ayrault noted there was no such added pressure that Gatewood put on himself.

“The greatest part about that hitting streak was that he was the exact same every day he came in,” Ayrault said. “He was on fire,

but he didn’t let it change him as a player or his approach. The day he didn’t have a hit, he just said, ‘Hey, time to start a new one tomorrow.’”

In the Brewers long history, only 11 shortstops have ever been selected in the first round. With names like Robin Yount, Gary Sheffield, B.J. Surhoff and current Twins manager Paul Molitor on that list, Gatewood is hoping to be the newest name on that list to make his way to the major leagues.

At 21 years old, Gatewood might still have a lot of developing

to do to reach that next level, but he’s confident that he’s turning a corner through an old adage in every sport.

“I know it’s cliche, but I’m just taking it one day at a time, one atbat at a time and even one pitch at a time,” Gatewood said. “Whether it’s the 15th inning or we’re up by a lot, I can’t afford to give away atbats. I’m not even thinking about the All-Star Game right now. I’m just concerned with the first pitch of tonight’s game.

“If I can just keep that approach, I know I can accomplish any goals I set for myself.”

UNC gets good news with addition of hoop transfer Johnson The graduate transfer forward from Pittsburgh will be eligible to play immediately for the Tar Heels

By Brett Friedlander North State Journal North Carolina basketball coach Roy Williams needed an athletic wing who could fill the void left by the departure of ACC Player of the Year Justin Jackson to the NBA draft.

He found one in graduate transfer Cameron Johnson.

There was only one problem.

Johnson’s former school, Pittsburgh, would not release him to play for a conference rival without sitting out a year.

Johnson and the Tar Heels got good news on Thursday, though, when just two days after committing, the redshirt junior received word that he would would be eligible to play for UNC during the 2017-18 season.

Pittsburgh granted him his waiver after receiving clarification on the graduate transfer rule from the NCAA The school issued a statement wishing Johnson “the very best as he pursues his graduate degree.”

Thursday’s development provided a major boost to UNC’s hopes of making a third straight trip to the Final Four.

Although not as talented or accomplished as Jackson, a similarly-built junior who left for the NBA draft after leading the Tar Heels to the national championship in April, Johnson’s addition provides Williams with a veteran complement to returning senior point guard Joel Berry.

The former Panther will help both with his perimeter game — he shot 41.5 percent from 3-point range last season — as well as on the boards, where the Tar Heels lost their top four rebounders. Johnson averaged 11.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists last season.

UNC got a glimpse of his potential last season when he nearly led Pitt to an upset victory at the Smith Center on Jan. 31 by going 6 for 9 from 3-point range on his way to 24 points. The Tar Heels held on to win 80-78.

“No. 23 had a number of threes that were just wide-open practice shots,” Berry said of his now-teammate Johnson after that game.

“I expected him to knock them

UNC’s J.B. Bukauskas fires a pitch against Davidson during last week’s NCAA tournament regional in Chapel Hill.

The junior right-handed was drafted by the Houston Astros on Monday.

Cam Johnson’s 2016-17 stats (with Pitt):

33.3

minutes per game,

11.9

points per game

2.3

assists per game

41.7

3-point percentage down.”

Now Johnson will be knocking them down for UNC instead of against it.

But there wasn’t a guarantee that would happen right away when the former Panther announced his intention to join the Tar Heels last week.

Under NCAA rules, transfers that have already received their undergraduate degree are allowed to compete for their new school right away. Johnson, who sat out his first college season as a medical redshirt, earned his diploma in April after just three years.

Pitt, however, refused to grant him his release, citing an internal policy that restricts transfers to another conference school or an opponent on the following season’s schedule. Two years ago, UNC allowed football player T.J. Thorpe to transfer to ACC rival Virginia under similar circumstances without restrictions.

Johnson issued a lengthy statement on Tuesday, scolding Pitt for misinterpreting the NCAA rule by holding up his release. The school ultimately relented, according to its release, after receiving “an official interpretation of the rules regarding graduate transfers” from the NCAA. “Given this NCAA interpretation, we have decided to take a less restrictive approach and grant Cameron Johnson the opportunity to transfer to another ACC school with immediate eligibility for competition,” the statement reads. “We were proud to have Cameron as a student-athlete and are now proud to have him as a graduate of our institution.”

Johnson will have two seasons of eligibility remaining at UNC.

madeline gray | North State Journal

First round of MLB draft has strong North Carolina flavor Two state high school stars were selected in the first six picks Monday while three UNC juniors also had their names called in the opening round

By Brett Friedlander North State Journal The first round of the Major League Baseball draft took on a distinct North Carolina flavor Monday, with two in-state high school stars selected in the first six picks and three UNC juniors hearing their names called.

Left-handed pitcher MacKenzie Gore, who was recently named Gatorade National Player of the Year after leading Whiteville to its third Class 1A state championship in four years, was taken by the San Diego Padres with the third overall pick.

Three teams later, the Oakland Athletics made outfielder Austin Beck of North Davidson High their first round selection at No. 6.

Gore went 11-0 with a miniscule 0.19 earned run average and 158 strikeouts in 74.1 innings for the Wolfpack this season.

The 6-foot-3, 180-pound southpaw has a fastball that has been clocked as high as 96 MPH to go along with three other plus-quality pitches.

He is the third player from Whiteville taken in the first round of the draft, joining fellow pitcher Tommy Green in

1985 (14th overall by the Atlanta Braves) and outfielder Patrick Lennon in 1986 (eighth overall by the Seattle Mariners).

“It’s overwhelming right this minute,” Gore said during conference call shortly after his selection. “I’m just enjoying it.”

Beck is a talented right-handed slugger who rebounded from a knee injury that kept him out of the summer showcase circuit last year to hit .590 with 12 home runs during his senior season. He finished his high school career with 23 long balls in 103 games, to go along with a .457 average.

While the early selections of Gore and Beck served as an affirmation of the quality of high school baseball in the state this year, their good fortune is destined to be a major blow to the recruiting classes of the local colleges that signed them.

Gore is committed to East Carolina signee while Beck was headed to UNC. Considering that the No. 3 slot carries an estimated signing bonus of $6.7 million and the No. 6 selection is valued at $5.3 million, it’s unlikely either will set foot on their respective campuses in order to begin their professional careers this summer.

“I committed (to UNC) as a freshman,” Beck told Athletics. com. “But it’s always been my dream to get drafted real high and play for a spot on the 40-man roster.”

Coach Mike Fox’s Tar Heels will also lose three current players with the first-round selec-

tions of pitcher J.B. Bukauskas, shortstop Logan Warmoth and center fielder Brian Miller.

Bukauskas, the ACC’s Pitcher of the Year after going 9-1 with a 2.53 ERA for the Tar Heels this season, was taken by the Houston Astros at No. 15. Warmoth, who hit .336 with 10 homers, went to the Toronto Blue Jays at No. 22 while Miller was the final pick in the first round at No. 36 to the Miami Marlins. Miller led UNC in hitting this season at .343 and in stolen bases with 24.

“I think when you have the stuff and the skills, it doesn’t matter what size you are,” Astros assistant general manager Mike Elias said of Bukauskas’ 6-foot frame. “I think that’s been proven over and over. And he’s plenty big. But it’s all about for us the results and the stuff coming of your hand.”

Wake Forest got into the act early in the second round with both center fielder Stuart Fairchild and first baseman Gavin Sheets being selected. Fairchild was taken by the Cincinnati Reds with the 38th overall pick while Sheets, whose father Larry played in the Major Leagues, went to the Chicago White Sox at No. 49.

Two picks later, NC State had its first player drafted when Joe Dunand, the nephew of Alex Rodriguez, was chosen by the Miami Marlins. Dunand, a Miami native, finished his junior campaign with a team-leading 18 homers and 51 RBI while being tabbed as a second team All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.

After the first two rounds on Monday, the draft will continue with rounds 3-10 on Tuesday before concluding on Wednesday with rounds 11-40.

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Carlos Watkins, Clemson visit White House Mooresboro defensive star gets singled out by President Trump

By Shawn Krest North State Journal The ACC crowned national champions in football and men’s basketball last season, and both came from the Carolinas.

Immediately after the University of North Carolina won the NCAA basketball tournament in early April, Roy Williams was noncommittal about whether he would take his team to the White House.

While the visit to D.C. to meet the president is a tradition among title-winning teams, Williams, who had criticized President Trump in the past, said he would have to “think on” it.

At the moment, no visit from the Tar Heels is on the White House schedule.

That doesn’t mean that college athletes from the state North Carolina will be shut out on White House visits, however. Trump hosted the College Football Playoff champions Clemson on Monday, June 12, and the Tigers had plenty of players from the Old North State.

A total of 19 players from North Carolina were on Clemson’s roster last year, second only to Clemson’s home state of South Carolina.

In the national title game, Clemson started two offensive linemen — right guard Tyrone Crowder (Marston) and right tackle Sean Pollard (Southern Pines) from North Carolina — as well as two defensive linemen — tackles Dexter Lawrence (Wake Forest) and Carlos Watkins (Mooresboro) — as well as free safety Van Smith (Charlotte). Mark Fields (Charlotte), Tanner Muse (Belmont) and Andy Teasdall (Winston-Salem)

Derek Brunson snaps UFC losing streak Wilmington Middleweight gets quick stoppage in New Zealand

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

Rafael Suanes | Usa Today Sports Images

United States President Donald Trump (center) gestures towards Clemson Tigers linebacker Ben Boulware (left) and nose tackle Carlos Watkins (right) during a ceremony to celebrate winning the 2016 NCAA Football National Championship on the White House South Lawn on June 12.

also saw action in the game.

Six months later, they joined their teammates in braving the 90-plus degree temperatures to officially close the book on the championship season.

“It’s great to be back together, get the chance to reminisce with some of these guys that I haven’t seen in awhile,” coach Dabo Swinney said. “It’s great to be back one more time.”

Swinney also took time to thank Houston Texans owner Bob McNair for helping make sure the entire team got back together.

Houston drafted a pair of players from the team — quarterback De-

shaun Watson in the first round and Mooresboro’s Watkins in the fourth. Both players were in Houston, training for their rookie season, but McNair flew them both out and accompanied the players on the South Lawn.

Watkins earned a mention from President Trump during the South Lawn ceremony, one of six Tigers the president singled out by name, and the only one from North Carolina.

“Defensive Tackle Carlos Watkins had an incredible game,” Trump said, “and he’ll be joining Deshaun in Houston. I’m going to be watching that team very closely.”

The president then asked Watkins and defensive MVP Ben Boulware to join him at the podium.

“You think I could take these guys in a fight?” Trump asked the crowd. “I don’t know.”

Prior to the ceremony, the team had the chance to go on a tour and eat lunch at the White House. After presenting the President with two jerseys — one for him and one for his son, Baron — Swinney took his team to the Capitol to meet with the South Carolina congressional delegation. Some members, including Senator Lindsey Graham, attended the South Lawn event as well.

Splitter to Spoiler

Tradition and youth overlap with Blaney’s Pocono triumph yan Blaney won his first race with Wood Brothers R Racing — the oldest team in

NASCAR — with some old school tactics learned from his owners.

Prior to his old school celebration, Blaney and best friend Bubba Wallace rode alongside each other, freaking out the entire way down the backstretch.

Blaney, 23, drove the No. 21 Wood Brothers car to its 99th victory. Wallace, 23, was making his first career Monster Energy Cup Series start in the No. 43 for Richard Petty Motorsports. They may have been two kids driving two of the most iconic cars in the sport, but that moment made you forget all of that.

“Yeah, we need Bubba in the Cup Series more. The one start he makes, I win the damn race,” Blaney said with a laugh. “I know they had problems on pit road or something like that, but I was behind him a little bit and he seemed to be doing a really great job. But that’s special for him.

“Obviously your first win is special, and to do it with the Wood Brothers and at a place where I vividly remember coming and watching my dad race here so much is really special, as well. ... It’s just really neat to be able to get these guys their 99th win and hopefully we can go for 100 here.”

Though his age may be deceiving, Blaney is a throwback driver. When his radio went out during the race, Blaney used hand signals from before spotters and crew chiefs could communicate to their drivers like putting his hand on the door meant the car was tight and thumbs up or down for the handling of the car.

Those were tactics taught to him by his father, Dave Blaney, along with Wood Brothers owners Eddie and Len Wood. Blaney admitted it probably helped to not have communication — joking his team didn’t hear him complaining as much — there was one other old school part of his victory he couldn’t partake in.

“I wanted to pick Eddie and Len up,” Blaney said. “I wanted to find them and pick them up [on the car], but it figures the one race we don’t have radio communication we end up winning it. Maybe we should turn the radio off more often, but I wanted to try to find Eddie and Len. I wanted to give them a ride to Victory Lane. That would have been cool, but maybe if we can get another one we’ll be able to do that.”

B7

R. Cory Smith The Wood brothers now have 99 overall victories. Blaney has one. Before the 2017 season is over, fans of both can expect another win added to both columns.

Wallace collapses after first Cup start Bubba Wallace ran a respectable 26th-place finish on Sunday after several rookie mistakes to start the race. He exited his car, spoke to media then planned to party with his best friend in Victory Lane.

That was when he passed out.

Filling in for Almirola, Wallace had a lot of weight on his shoulders driving the No. 43 car.

He also became the first black driver to get behind the wheel of a Cup car since Bill Lester in 2006.

Yeah, that’s a lot of pressure, but Wallace said his fainting spell is unfortunately a regular occurrence.

“I was looking at something, set to go to victory lane,” Wallace said. “This is the third time this is happened. I get so pissed off at myself that I just pass out. …

Yeah, I’m good.”

On the track, Wallace proved he belonged. Had he not made three minor mistakes on pit road that cost him to fall a lap down, Bubba would have easily been on his way to a top-20 finish.

Other than a late brush with Matt DiBenedetto, Wallace also stayed out of trouble and didn’t ruin any friendships on the track.

“First trip down pit road cost us and put us behind the eight ball the rest of the day,” Wallace said. “I like stage racing, but it just didn’t work out for us.

“I was really conservative today. A lot of people said it’s not my job to set the world on fire or do everything under the sun. My job was to do as good as we could and come out with a clean race car.”

Look, the legacy of the No. 43 car is one thing, but expectations of Wallace with Richard Petty Motorsports have to be tempered.

Even with Almirola behind the

Matthew O’Haren | USA TODAY Sports

NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney celebrates in victory lane after winning the Pocono 400 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Penn. on June 11.

wheel prior to his back injury, he earned two top-five finishes in 11 races, both of which were at crapshoots in Daytona and Talladega.

This isn’t Wallace’s permanent seat, and he’s not treating it as such. But what it is, is a proving ground for Wallace as a future driver of any team in the near future as well as his marketability to sponsors. Getting his feet wet for a team that isn’t trying to make the playoffs is a perfect starting point for Wallace.

“I knew jumping into this it wouldn’t be easy,” he said. “These guys are good, they’re here for a reason. There’s no more climbing.

I’ve been in the ladder runs the last couple years. There’s no higher to go.

“This was a bad-ass day. …

We’ll just get better.”

Hendrick’s horrific day While both Wood Brothers Racing and Richard Petty Motorsports put together memorable afternoons, one of the winningest programs in the sport did not. In fact, out of four cars for Hendrick Motorsports, only one finished the race with Chase Elliott coming in eighth — his second straight top 10 after a string of bad luck.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. missed a shift on Lap 58 and suffered a blown engine. Jimmie Johnson lost his brakes on Lap 95, flew into the grass and slammed into the wall. Kasey Kahne suffered the same fate as Johnson on Lap 140 and headed to the garage early.

It’s not a good day when three-fourths of the team finishes

behind the likes of Jeffrey Earnhardt and Derrike Cope.

Earnhardt’s issue was also what forced him to swap his engine and start from the back of the field after missing a shift earlier in the weekend. Though several Junior fans immediately placed the blame on crew chief Greg Ives, the driver himself immediately took the blame.

“The shifter is not different, the handle is not different, the location, everything is the same,” Earnhardt said. “I don’t know. It’s something about my motion that’s not ... just going in the wrong gear. I wish I could blame it on something else, because this is awful, it feels awful.”

On the bright side, Junior did bow out well in advance of potential brake issues that could have possibly ended his career.

With both Kahne and Johnson being involved in massive wrecks, that could have been a Molotov cocktail for Junior’s issues with concussions.

As for Johnson, the massive hit he took was one of the worst of his career. He sat next to his car at the embankment of a turn trying to collect his breath before he headed to the infield care center.

He may have been in pain, but the seven-time champion still had his wits about him before heading back to Charlotte.

“I’m fine. Certainly, a big scare I haven’t had a scare like that since 2000 at Watkins Glen,” Johnson said. “So, just want to let my wife and kids and my mom know that I’m okay and I will go change my underwear and get ready to go home.”

Wilmington’s Derek Brunson snapped a two-fight losing streak at UFC Fight Night in Auckland, New Zealand on Saturday night.

Brunson made short work of Dan Kelly, who was previously 13-1, recording a first-round knockout and announcing loud and clear that he’s still a factor in the UFC Middleweight division.

Brunson’s eight UFC wins since 2012 are tied for the most in the Middleweight division.

He moved to the verge of a title shot with a five-fight winning streak, including four straight first-round knockouts from 2014 to 2016.

I was cheated my last fight ... I have to make sure I come out here and finish guys so it won’t happen again.”

Derek Brunson, UFC Fighter

The streak was snapped in a TKO loss in Australia last November. That was followed by a controversial judges’ decision loss to MMA legend Anderson Silva in February.

“I was cheated my last fight as I’m sure you saw,” Brunson said after Saturday’s win. “I have to make sure I come out here and finish guys so it won’t happen again.”

Rated eighth in the latest Middleweight rankings, Brunson was facing the No. 15-ranked Kelly, who had won four straight fights and was fighting close to his home in Australia, the second time in three fights that Brunson has fought someone with a decided home-area advantage.

A former judo Olympian, Kelly presented an interesting challenge to Brunson, who often charges in swinging, searching for an early stoppage.

Brunson blamed the aggressive strategy for his knockout loss to Robert Whittaker in November.

The Wilmington native prepared for the Kelly fight by moving his training camp to Atlanta and working against several Muay Thai champions.

“I’ve been working in Georgia,” he explained, “putting in a lot of work to keep getting better every fight. I’m just working on my striking. I worked really hard.”

Brunson came out uncharacteristically patient and cautious, spending the first minute faking punches and high kicks, while settling for leg kicks to keep Kelly at bay.

In the second minute of the fight, Brunson saw his opening. The southpaw threw a double jab with his right hand, then landed a huge overhand left that caught Kelly flush on the jaw. Kelly went down and Brunson landed a barrage of hammerfists to the downed Kelly before the referee stopped the fight.

“I just wanted to go out there and be the old Brunson,” he said.

The official time of the win was 1:16 of the first round, Brunson’s fastest win since a 36-second TKO of Ed Herman in January, 2015.

Brunson recorded his ninth career knockout, fifth in the UFC, and improved to 17-5, 8-3 in the UFC. “I’m working on winning my way toward that title shot,” Brunson said after the fight.

He announced that he’d like a rematch with Silva, and also mentioned a possible fight against Antonio Carlos Jr., an up-and-coming middleweight that Brunson said “called me out” after a June 3 win in Brazil.

“Let’s do it, baby,” he said.

While waiting to see what his next UFC date will be, Brunson plans to return to Wilmington.

“I’m going to come home and kiss my kids,” he said. “It’s been a hard couple months, getting over that Anderson fight.”

Client:

Glover Park Group - 427547-02

B: = None

Attn: None

Project:

United Health Group

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E: tony@northstatemedia.com

Campaign: 2017 UHG - HCWH NC

B8

Creative:

Here to Serve

AE:

BH

Proofs:

0

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 14, 2017 T: 10.5”

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Across North Carolina, UnitedHealth Group is partnering to improve health care. By working with employers to offer better care at a lower cost. Helping rural families access affordable care through technology. Improving care for seniors by providing convenient, innovative in-home services. And, partnering with nonprofits that serve the children of our military families. To all those with a passion to improve health care, our question is: How can we help?

UnitedHealthGroup.com/NC

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6/13/17 12:13 PM

wednesday

06.14.17

NORTH

STATE

Enjoy National Bourbon day with N.C.’s Seventeen Twelve

JOURNaL

the good life IN A NORTH STATE OF MIND

timeless | a century in the making “We would look at that plaque on the sidewalk whenever we came to the movies and think about the distant future and said to each other ‘we have to be here when it’s opened’ and we made good on that promise.”

Peyton Reed, Filmmaker and Raleigh native

play list

June 16-17 71st Annual North Carolina Rhododendron Festival Bakersville Celebrating the blooming of the rhododendron on Roan Mountain, Bakersville rolls out the pink carpet for this summer festival. Featuring arts & crafts, a 10K run, car show, ducky derby, street dances and a beauty pageant, come help us celebrate our festival’s 71st year.

June 17th NC Blueberry Festival Burgaw The North Carolina Blueberry Festival provides an opportunity for people to enjoy a full day of family entertainment while experiencing the Southern hospitality of a small town.

More than 30,000 people have been estimated to attend and is one of Southeastern North Carolina’s premier family events, voted one of 2016’s and 2017’s top twenty events! The festival’s events include free admission, entertainment, a car show, a street fair, recipe contest, barbecue cook-off, a 5K run, model train exhibit and a variety of other events.

Carolina BBQ Festival Greenville

Photos by MADELINE GRAY | North State Journal

Bill Yahn, of Hillsborough, cuts open a time capsule from 1967 in front of the former Cardinal Theatre in North Hills.

A half-century-old time capsule is unearthed in midtown Raleigh

By Donna King North State Journal RALEIGH — Hundreds of Raleigh residents, current and former, gathered at North Hills Thursday hoping for a glimpse of their childhood.

The unearthing of a time capsule buried in 1967 was held this week after decades of development in midtown Raleigh area built up around the small plaque marking its location. Inside, the damp items included recordings of WPTF radio programs, film reels and old newspapers. The documents also included a vital statistics record of Raleigh’s police complaints.

“Hopefully no one here is on this list,” joked Bonner Gaylord, managing director of North Hills, as he and developer John Kane delicately pulled the items out one by one.

The documents also included a key to the city, a bank statement from BB&T, and movie tickets to the Cardinal Theatre, an institution once at the site of the time capsule.

The Cardinal was a center of social life in Raleigh’s 1967 but closed in the mid-1980s.

For Peyton Reed, Raleigh native and film maker, the time capsule captured not just a glimpse at

Barbecue festival is in the name and smoked out meat is only part of the game. Located in Greenville, the Carolina BBQ Festival has something for people of all ages. People can “meat” and greet family and friends while creating saucesoaked fingers. Along with plethora of food vendors, there is friendly food competition and live entertainment.

World Oceans Day at the North Carolina Zoo Asheboro Celebrate World Oceans Day at the N.C. Zoo. Learn how you impact the ocean no matter where you live and how you can make a difference with small changes in your daily routines.

Enjoy crafts and children’s activities, all included with General Admission from 10am to 2pm.

class of ‘17 Raleigh Convention Center hosts high school graduates.

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The capsule contained many items including film reels, statistics about Raleigh from 1967, and predictions about the future.

his past, but also pinpointed a time when he saw his future. He drew a lifetime of inspiration from the images on the Cardinal’s two screens.

Reed is best known for directing the comedy films ”Down with

Love,” ”Yes Man,” ”Bring It On" and ”The Break-Up,” as well as the superhero film ”Ant-Man.” But to the crowd at North Hills he is a friend See TIMELESS, page C3

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 14, 2017

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NeCessities! short and sweet

history marked June 12, 1886 Founder of Hanes Knitwear born On June 12 1886 the founder of Hanes Knitwear, James G. Hanes, was born in Winston-Salem. After graduating from the University of North Carolina Hanes returned to his native Forsyth County to join the family textile business. His factory, Hanes Hosiery Mills, became the largest manufacturer in the world for women’s nylon seamless hosiery.

In 1965, a merger with P.H. Hanes Knitting Company led to the internationally-known Hanes Corporation. Hanes was also known for his involvement in the community serving as WinstonSalem mayor for four years and Forsyth County’s Board of Commissioners for 22 years.

Sarandon and Tim Robbins became a Blockbuster hit grossing more than $50 million in the U.S. The saying “Bull Durham” had roots in the postCivil War era with Durham tobacco industrialist John R. Green basing his advertising on a popular brand of mustard from Durham, England that features a bull’s head on the label. Bull Durham brought national and international attention to the famous namesake and the baseball team. Sports Illustrated put it at the top of its list on greatest sports movies of all time.

PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVE GORDON

June 14 National Strawberry Shortcake Day If you think strawberry shortcake is one of those little pre-packaged cake cups and a bag of flavored syrup you find in the grocery store, then you just don’t know what you’re missing. You’ll love this rustic strawberry shortcake recipe, adapted from a 1928 cookbook with it’s crusty bread layers and sugared fresh strawberries. Just add whipped cream topping and dig in.

By Steve Gordon | tasteofsouthern.com Prep Time: 45 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes Yield: 6 Servings

Ingredients 2 ½ cups of All-Purpose Flour 2 cups of Strawberries prepared with sugar 3/4 cup of Whole Milk.

1/3 cup of Shortening, Crisco etc 1 Egg. 4 teaspoons of Baking Powder 2 Tablespoons of Sugar 1 teaspoon of Salt 1 container of Cool Whip or Whipped Cream of choice

Instructions Place all dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a sifter. Sift into a large mixing bowl.

1/2 inch thick or just pat out by hand.

Grease a baking sheet or baking pan with shortening.

Place the rolled out flour dough into the pan.

Sprinkle the top generously with more flour. Brush away any lumps.

Roll out the remaining dough ball and place on top of the first already in the pan.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 2535 minutes, until done.

Remove from oven, place pan on towel or rack and let cool about 5 minutes.

Carefully lift the top layer up from the bottom layer and set aside.

Brush the inside parts of both layers generously with butter.

Break egg into the measured amount of milk. Whisk together.

Place the two pieces back together.

Pour the milk mixture into a well formed in the flour mix.

Cut in half lengthwise, then into thirds to make six servings.

Use a fork and stir together to form a dough.

Place the bottom layer of one section on a serving plate.

Remove from bowl and place on a floured counter top or board.

Top with sugared berries and lots of juice.

Knead the dough until smooth.

Add a good scoop of whipping cream.

Shape the dough into a ball, pat into a circle about one inch thick.

Cut the circle into half.

Shape each half into a ball. Let dough rest for a few minutes.

Flour the surface again. Roll out each half into a rectangle about

June 13, 1940 U.S.S. North Carolina launched The U.S.S. North Carolina Battleship was launched at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Commissioned on April 9, 1941, the ship was the first of ten fast battleships to join the fleet in World War II and was considered the world’s greatest sea weapon. During WWII the battleship was active in every major naval offensive in the Pacific Theater and earned 15 battle stars along the way. Although the Japanese claimed the ship had sunk six times, she survived many close calls and near missiles. Today, the U.S.S. North Carolina is docked on the Cape Fear River across from downtown Wilmington.

June 15, 1988 Bull Durham premiers The film Bull Durham premiered. Centering around the story of Durham’s minor league baseball team, the film starring Kevin Costner, Susan

June 16, 1903 Pepsi-Cola founded in New Bern Brad’s Drink, today known as Pepsi-Cola, received its trademark status from the U.S. Patent Office.

New Bern pharmacist and inventor Caleb Bradham was fond of mixing fresh syrup flavors with soda water at his drugstore’s fountain and named Pepsi-Cola after its two main ingredients, pepsin, a digestive enzyme, and kola nut extract. Bradham worked in his pharmacy’s backroom originally selling his product exclusively to soda fountains.

In 1905 he began bottling and franchising PepsiCola. Today the internationally known soft drink rivals Coca-Cola for popularity and is owned by the multinational corporation PepsiCo, Inc., of Purchase, N.Y. Source: North Carolina Department of Cultural and Natural Resources

A new constellation

Flag day Today is Flag Day which memorializes June 14, 1777, when the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution calling for the creation of the official United States flag.

The resolution read “the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.”

Top this with the top layer of the cake.

Add more berries and juice, a little more whipped cream and, then garnish with a fresh Strawberry, fan sliced.

Serve and Enjoy!

Notes Prepared strawberries with sugar We suggest you use 1 cup of sugar per one quart of fresh strawberries for this recipe. Strawberries must be capped, washed, sliced and combined with sugar.

This recipe is adapted from the cookbook titled “Southern Cooking” by Mrs. S. R. Dull. Publised by Grosset & Dunlap of New York. Copyright 1928 by Mrs. S. R. Dull of Atlanta Georgia. Second Printing, 1941.

EAMON QUEENEY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL | FILE

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duplinwinery.com • 800.774.9634 505 n. sycamore street • rose hill, nc 28458

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 14, 2017

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stir it up | bourbon

On the rocks or neat, celebrate National Bourbon Day

By Laura Ashley Lamm North State Journal

PHOTOS BY MADELINE GRAY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Sue Perry, center, who says she used to come to the Cardinal Theatre every time a new movie came out, sits with her friends before a time capsule that was buried in 1967 is unearthed at the site where the theatre used to stand.

TIMELESS from page C1 from high school, the kid down the street, a college buddy and a piece of the city’s living history.

“I saw ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ here 23 times,” he told the crowd.

“This theater had such a huge influence on me and what I wanted to do for a living, I had to be here to honor it.”

Many of the people there for the unearthing outside what is now a Verizon store and Bonefish Grill remembered visiting the Cardinal during Raleigh’s hot summers, looking for a cool place to sit with $1 bags of popcorn. Mothers used to drop kids off at the theater on hot afternoons while they shopped in the up-and-coming North Hills area. Sue Perry was even there when the capsule was buried in 1967.

“I brought my daughter, who was 6 years old, up the street pulling her in a little red wagon because it was very crowded, but it was very exciting,” said Perry, who now lives in the nearby Cardinal at North Hills senior living facility. “My two big boys and my 6-year-old attended this movie theater every time the show changed.”

Paul Dean, now living in Baton Rouge, La., grew up in Raleigh and was a teenager when his mom used to let him visit the late-night showings at the Cardinal.

“I saw ‘Night of the Living Dead’ here and it scared me,” he said. “I still don’t like zombie movies because of that. But those late night movies were pretty wild. People really let loose.”

A lot of the people on hand for the unveiling were not even a twinkle in someone’s eye at the time that the Cardinal was humming with activity. But they say they will be there for the next unveiling, in 2067. The time capsule will be reburied, this time with items to commemorate 2017. Among them were a copy of Walter Magazine, a lifestyle publication that documents the midtown area.

“It’s a real honor to be a part of it,” said Walter editor Jesma Reynolds. “Who knows if print will be considered a lost art by then.”

Also reburied were a mini Carolina Hurricanes hockey stick, a yearbook from St. Timothy’s School, documents from the Midtown Raleigh Alliance, the Raleigh Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, Kane Realty, and a fidget spinner.

Some of the kids there had some ideas for the next time capsule.

“I think fidget spinners and an iPhone should definitely go in there,” said Emmaline Williams, 11, of Raleigh.

For Raleigh twins Cassidy and Sydney Orr, 16, Birkenstocks, overalls and off-the-shoulder blouses are critical items to represent 2017. Their modern fashion ideas brought chuckles from nearby eavesdroppers who said some parts of fashion and culture never seem to go out of style, just like North Hills itself, whether it’s a movie theater or a coffee shop that is bringing them in.

“Actually, my friends and I still come to North Hills on summer afternoons to hang out, so I guess not much has changed,” said Sydney.

KINSTON — In the United States, where bourbon originates, many are gathering a glass, tossing in some ice and pouring shots of the sweet substance to celebrate National Bourbon Day. There’s something about bourbon that has garnered international attention since the 18th and 19th centuries, when the drink was part of the migration of settlers west from the original colonies. Here in the South, bourbon has joined many as an after-dinner drink of choice and the spirit worth celebrating with.

To classify as bourbon, a whiskey must meet these three elements: it must be made in the United States; the mash, which is the mix of grains from which bourbon is distilled, must comprise at least 51 percent and no more than 79 percent of Indian corn; and bourbon should be aged at least two years in a new, charred oak barrel made from American White Oak. While most bourbon is made in Kentucky, there’s a group of North Carolina natives crafting a bourbon worth sharing and putting the Old North State on the distillery map.

Seventeen Twelve Bourbon in Conover is the first bourbon ever made in North Carolina. The spirit is distilled from corn, rye, and malted barley grown in Catawba County. Founder Zackary Cranford, farmer Russell Hedrick of JRH Grain Farms, and the late Tim Weaver — who served as the master distiller — teamed up to bring this small batch, artisan spirit to life in 2014.

“It’s a myth that bourbon can

COURTESY PHOTO

only come from Kentucky,” said Cranford. “Our grain is grown less than seven miles from where we make Seventeen Twelve. We are a grain to glass distillery where everything comes from North Carolina.”

It a nod to the state, the distillery is named for 1712, the year when North Carolina became a separate colony.

“This is an American made spirit. We take pride that this bourbon is made from locally grown grains;” said Cranford.

“You can’t get any more American than bourbon.”

Bourbon has a distinctive taste to the palate. There’s a hint of butterscotch in Seventeen Twelve thanks to the toasted yellow birch wood that’s left in the barrel for a short period of time. The butterscotch adds the sweetness of a finish to the traditional bourbon flavors of rich caramel and smoke.

“There’s a history to bourbon and a lot of time goes into mak-

ing bourbon. It is a hands-on, detailed, artisan spirit aged in barrels,” said Cranford. “However you drink bourbon, we want you to enjoy Seventeen Twelve.”

Americans are savoring the richness of this corn-based spirit.

According to a report released by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, 22 million 9-liter cases of bourbon and Tennessee whiskey were sold in the U.S. in 2016, generating over $3.1 billion in revenue for distillers.

It was President Lyndon B. Johnson who gave bourbon the official seal of approval in 1964, when he signed an Act of Congress by declaring it “The Official Spirit of America.”

Whether you sip it slowly “on the rocks” (over ice), or “neat” (straight), there’s a perfect recipe for you. Seventeen Twelve is helping North Carolinians celebrate the day by providing three recipes below for your drinking pleasure.

Cheers, friends!

North Carolina Old Fashioned 2 oz Seventeen Twelve Bourbon 1 Sugar Cube 3 dashes Bitters 2 Cherries

Add sugar cube, bitters, & cherry into glass. Muddle until dissolved. Fill the glass with ice cubes and Bourbon.

Stir and then garnish with an orange rind.

COURTESY PHOTO

Conover Mule 2 oz Seventeen Twelve Bourbon 1 oz Grapefruit Juice 3 oz Ginger Beer 2 Fresh Lime wedge

Bonner Gaylord reads the contents of an item found in the time capsule that was buried exactly 50 years ago in front of the Cardinal Theatre in North Hills.

Add Bourbon and ice into a copper mug. Squeeze 1 fresh lime, then add grapefruit juice and ginger beer. Stir and garnish with a lime wedge.

Fig Bourbon Fizz Serves four

6 oz Seventeen Twelve Bourbon 2 tbs Brown Sugar 8 Fresh Mint Leaves 4 Fresh Figs 12 oz Ginger Ale

Add mint, sliced figs, sugar, and bourbon. Muddle lightly. Then strain into punch bowl. Add ice and top with ginger ale and garnish with fresh mint.

Want to learn more about North Carolina Agriculture?

The First Furrow www.FirstFurrow.com

BROADWAY’S UNDER THE SEA SPECTACULAR

JULY 18-23 BELK THEATER AT BLUMENTHAL PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

704.372.1000 BlumenthalArts.org

the BRIEF

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14, 2017

BUSINESS

Charleston’s CresCom Bank buying North Carolina lender with 28 branches

SkyNav tours bring the future to Wilmington It is the first city in the nation to introduce interactive, virtual reality tour technology

By Emory Rakestraw North State Journal WILMINGTON — It’s barely the size of a case you’d store your glasses in, yet inside contains the whole universe; well, the universe of Wilmington and surrounding beaches that is. SkyNav has put the Port City on the map as the first in the nation to introduce 3D interactive tour technology, and it’s as easy as slipping your phone into a small cardboard box with virtual reality spectacles to let the journey take hold.

Ty Downing, CEO of SISDigital, the full service digital agency behind SkyNav, said while he can’t give away all their secrets the creation involved a mix of simple and complex.

“We’ve brought multiple technologies into creating SkyNav to create an immersive experience.

Utilizing drone photography and ground-level, the thing that is unique is that we can go from sky to ground back to the sky.” said Downing, “It can be viewed on mobile, tablet, desktop it’s programmed with HTLM5 so it’s capable of handling modern digital assets.”

The tour includes 13 aerial and 14 ground panoramas encompassing the entire Wilmington coastline from the city to its three island beaches: Wrightsville, Carolina, and Kure. SISDigital is FAA Section 107 certified, meaning they have received their drone pilot accreditation.

Downing notes, “These are not hobby drones, these are very high quality. We take a series of multiple images, could be 30 to 40 in the sky in a fixed location and the process is we have to stitch them, color correct them, control points...there’s a lot of fine-tuning to make this globe perfect. It’s a lengthy process.”

The fine-tuning and sheer perfection is noted once you take the visual journey, be it your desktop or mobile phone. The crystal clear image sparkles as if you’re standing right on River Street overlooking the Cape Fear River, or instantly transported to a sunny beach day beside the glimmering turquoise water of Wrightsville. SkyNav is not only visual but educational, viewers can click on landmarks with 54 in-

Wake Forest Law School partners with entrepreneur development group

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SKYNAV

SkyNav uses multiple technologies to create a 3D interactive tour of Wilmington and Wrightsville, Carolina, and Kure Beaches.

Port City Marina: SkyNav creates an immersive experience by using drone and ground level photography.

tegrated info beacons. “We strategically placed all these assets in the spot that they geographically live.” said Downing While the digital aspect is cut-

ting edge, it also ups the ante for the tourism market. People can visualize, plan, and be enticed prior to stepping foot in the city. “It’s a visual inspiration” said Shawn Braden,

Executive Vice President of Marketing for Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau, “People first have to start dreaming about where they want to go...the dreaming part is the critical phase and that’s where this tool comes in.”

Consumer interest in virtual reality is steadily on the rise with exponential growth expected over the next three years. And our brains are actually wired to respond to the VR experience as it appeals to and leverages the three parts of our brain responsible for perception and reaction (neocortex, limbic system, and reptilian brain).

The partnership between SISDigital and the Wilmington area is betting on that natural curiosity. Braden notes, “I’ve heard many people say this could almost be more powerful than the [tourism] website. We’re taking them on a journey not a destination.”

Verizon closes Yahoo deal, Mayer steps down In much anticipated acquistion, embattled Yahoo CEO resigns; Verizon prepares for post-merger job cuts

By David Shephardson Reuters Verizon Communications Inc said on Tuesday it closed its $4.48 billion acquisition of Yahoo Inc’s core business and that Marissa Mayer, chief executive of the internet company, had resigned.

The completion of the acquisition marks the end of the line for Yahoo as a standalone internet company, a storied tech pioneer once valued at more than $100 billion.

Charleston, S.C./ Washington, N.C. The parent of CresCom Bank is doubling its branch network and expanding its North Carolina footprint through another acquisition.

Charleston-based Carolina Financial Corp. announced Monday an agreement to buy First South Bancorp Inc. of Washington, N.C.The all-stock deal is valued at $162 million. First South operates 28 branches across the Research Triangle area and eastern regions of North Carolina.The bank will take the CresCom name after the deal closes, which is expected to take place by the end of the year. After the sale is finalized, CresCom will grow to about $3.2 billion in assets, $2.2 billion in loans and $2.5 billion in deposits. It is second largest bank headquartered in South Carolina behind Columbiabased South State.

Verizon, the No. 1 U.S. wireless operator, is combining Yahoo with AOL, which it bought two years ago, to form a new venture called Oath, led by AOL CEO Tim Armstrong. Oath’s more than 50 brands include HuffPost, TechCrunch and Tumblr.

“Given the inherent changes to my role, I’ll be leaving the company,” Mayer wrote in an email to employees on Tuesday that she also posted on Tumblr. “However, I want all of you to know that I’m brimming with nostalgia, gratitude, and optimism.”

The closing of the deal, announced in July, had been delayed as the companies assessed the fallout from two data breaches that Yahoo disclosed last year.

Reuters reported last week that Verizon plans to cut about 2,000

PHOTO COURTESY OF Denis Balibouse

jobs, or 15 percent, of the 14,000 employees at its Yahoo and AOL units. Verizon is expected to make cuts as early as Wednesday. Yahoo cut 15 percent of its workforce last year and AOL cut 500 jobs.

On June 16, the remainder of

Yahoo not acquired by Verizon will be renamed Altaba Inc, a holding company whose primary assets will be its 15.5 percent stake in Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and a 35.5 percent holding in Yahoo Japan Corp .

Winston-Salem Wake Forest Law is now an official member of the “Winston-Salem Entrepreneurial Ecosystem,” a group of academic, financial and community-based organizations focused on enhancing entrepreneurial growth in Winston Salem in both the for-profit and nonprofit arenas. According to Associate Dean for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Simone Rose1, the law school is also developing the Wake Innovation and Launch Lab (“WILL”), a new initiative that will connect Wake Forest University’s vibrant research and development culture with new and promising commercial opportunities in our region.

The Wake Innovation and Launch Lab (WILL) will exist to bring innovative ideas of promise to fruition and offer academic credit to students in the law school, graduate schools and perhaps the college. The Wake Innovation and Launch Lab will do this by identifying ideas that hold the potential to be profitable enterprises and then assembling teams who will work to engage significant challenges that face commercialization and/or implementation efforts.

GE names John Flannery as CEO, Immelt to step aside Boston General Electric Co on Monday named veteran insider John Flannery as its next chief executive, taking over from Jeff Immelt who is stepping aside after 16 years as the head of the conglomerate he helped steer through the financial crisis but is now worth a third less than when he took over. Under Immelt, GE sold off its finance, broadcasting, appliances and other units in order to focus on higher-margin service and software-related businesses and cut costs, but it failed to deliver profit growth as fast as some investors hoped. GE said John Flannery, a 55-year-old who joined the company 30 years ago and is now the head of its healthcare unit, will replace Immelt as CEO, effective Aug. 1, and as chairman after Immelt retires on Dec. 31. “I want to start with a fresh look around the company overall and I think with a sense of urgency,” Flannery said in a presentation broadcast live on Facebook.

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North State Journal for Wednesday, June 14, 2017

n.c.

Vontrell Scott, center, reacts as his family – wearing shirts with his photo and carrying cut out photos of his face – parade out of the Raleigh Convention Center in downtown Raleigh after the Heritage High School graduation ceremony on June 13. High schools across the state are sending off their seniors in ceremonies full of family and friends this month.

community spotlight Sponsored by

Music fans from around the country will gather June 15-18 in a small coastal town for the Southport Songwriter Festival.

Founded by Grammywinning songwriter Louisa Branscomb and fueled by her passion for “building community one song at a time,” the festival introduces national talent in intimate venues and showcases diversity in songwriting, all while celebrating Southport.

At the southern tip of North Carolina’s mainland, Southport is the quintessential coastal community. While you’re there, must-dos include:

PHOTOS BY EAMON QUEENEY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

All smiles, no frowns in these caps and gowns

• Downtown Historic Riverwalk • North Carolina Maritime Museum • Marsh Walk • Waterfront Park • Paddle-Boarding and Boat Tours

By Brian Shurney North State Journal

Learn more at www.screendooralliance.com and www.southport-nc.com.

Graduates stream out of the Raleigh Convention Center in downtown Raleigh after the Heritage High School graduation ceremony.

Spirits were high and smiles bright in the sweltering heart of Raleigh as Heritage High students and their families and friends gathered outside of the convention center to celebrate the students’ graduation.

As the 2016-17 academic year comes to a close, Wake County students and their families are flocking to Raleigh for their graduation ceremonies. Heritage is just one of 24 schools holding their graduation ceremonies at the convention center this June. Thousands of students will walk across the stage from June 9-14, a testament to Wake County Public School System’s self-reported 87.1 percent graduation rate.

Heritage students were beaming after the ceremony, posing for pictures with their diplomas in hand and proudly displaying their graduation caps with tassels turned left in decades old tradition.

Many new graduates had their minds trained on college. Among the forwardlooking scholars were the motivated twin sisters Katherine and Kylie Quinn.

“I’m going to Meredith College, and my sister is going to NC State,” Katherine said. “We were afraid we’d have to move more than an hour apart, but it’s OK because we’ll only live about five minutes from each other.”

Kylie said that she was excited to study horticulture at NC State, and she has Heritage to thank for giving her a good foundation.

“At Heritage, you can find your passion and really dive deep,” she said. “They even have a great program for agriculture.”

Besides some minor complaints about the venue, many students said they loved the ceremony.

“It kind of looked like a bunker in there,” Kylie said, “but I think the convention center is very pretty, and I think Heritage did a good job of making it look less harsh.”

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 14, 2017

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Routine blood sugar tests may not always help manage diabetes Cathi Kendrick of Durham tests her blood sugar before eating lunch.

Kendrick was diagnosed with diabetes 31 years ago. She takes insulin shots four times a day and checks her blood sugar several times throughout the day.

UNC School of Medicine study suggests glucose self-monitoring offers no measureable change in patient outcomes

By Lisa Rapaport Reuters Some patients with diabetes who regularly prick their fingers to check their blood sugar may not do any better at managing their condition than people who don’t do routine testing on their own, a U.S. study suggests.

Researchers focused on type 2 diabetes, which is often linked to obesity and aging and develops when the body can’t properly use or make enough of the hormone insulin to convert sugar into energy. While regular tests are necessary for the minority of people with type 2 diabetes who take insulin to control their blood sugar, doctors are divided on whether the tests - which consume expensive supplies - are needed for other diabetes patients.

To examine the benefit of home testing, researchers randomly assigned 450 diabetics who weren’t taking insulin to one of three groups: no home testing or once-daily testing with or without motivational messages based on the results. After one year, there wasn’t a meaningful difference in blood sugar control among the groups.

“Glucose monitoring should not be routine,” said senior study author Dr. Katrina Donahue of the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

“The study’s results suggest that self-monitoring of blood glucose in non-insulin treated type 2 diabetes has limited utility,” Donahue said by email. “For the majority, the costs may outweigh the benefits.”

To test blood at home, patients typically prick their finger to get a drop of blood, put the blood on a disposable testing strip, then insert the strip into a glucose monitoring device that reads blood

n.c.

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DID YOU KNOW? The state of North Carolina has 42 official state emblems, as well as other designated places and events. The majority are determined by acts of the North Carolina General Assembly and record in Chapters 144, 145, and 149 of the North Carolina General Statutes.

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“Glucose monitoring should not be routine ... for the majority, the costs may outweigh the benefits.”

— Dr. Katrina Donahue, of

the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

sugar levels. While the study didn’t look at testing costs, the disposable strips can sometimes cost several hundred dollars a year, particularly when patients use several every day.

In theory, tracking blood sugar at home is supposed to help patients stay engaged with their own health, Donahue said. Getting a daily look at their blood sugar levels could tell them if they’re doing a good job of managing their condition, or if they need to cut back on sugary foods to help reduce their blood sugar, she said.

The study did find that people doing daily home tests had better blood sugar control after six months than patients who didn’t do home testing, researchers report in JAMA Internal Medicine.

But the difference disappeared by the end of the yearlong study.

After a year, home testing also wasn’t associated with meaningful differences in patients’ health-related quality of life.

Patients in the study were 61 years old on average and typically had diabetes for around eight years. Most of them had been doing home testing before they joined the study.

One limitation of the study is that because so many participants were already familiar with home testing, it’s possible that the results don’t reflect any potential benefits patients might get when they initially start doing these tests, the authors note. The results don’t apply to insulin users, the researchers caution.

Previous studies have shown that home blood sugar monitoring is crucial for patients who use insulin to treat their diabetes, noted Dr. Elaine Khoong of the University of California, San Francisco, who co-wrote an

editor’s note accompanying the study.

“This study suggests that for patients treated with non-insulin agents, self-monitoring of blood glucose, even when patients are provided with tailored feedback about their results, does not result in better glycemic control,” Khoong said by email.

Patients shouldn’t, however, assume that testing is never useful, said Sheri Colberg-Ochs, a researcher at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, who wasn’t involved in the study.

Some people might benefit from home testing when they’re taking certain medications to control their diabetes or when they’re trying to see how certain foods or activities impact their blood sugar, Colberg-Ochs said by email.

“There will always be some people who benefit from doing more tracking of food, activities, etc., but on the whole most people do not continue to do this long-term,” Colberg-Ochs said.

“People need to have the option to have testing strips covered by their insurance, though, in order to have truly effective diabetes management.”

The state’s nicknames “The Old North State” and “The Tar Heel State” – are both traditional, but have never been passed into law by the General Assembly.

The first symbol was the Seal of North Carolina, which was made official in 1871. The original seal also contained the future state motto. It served as the state’s only emblem for 14 years until the adoption of the state flag in 1885.

Enacted by law in 2013, the newest symbols of North Carolina are the state art medium, clay; the state fossil, the Megalodon teeth; the state frog, the Pine Barrens tree frog; the state marsupial, the Virginia opossum; and the state salamander, the Marbled salamander.

From a stormy day to the everyday Stay safe with tips and information from North Carolina’s electric cooperatives. Follow us on Facebook all month long as we recognize May as National Electrical Safety Month.

Powering and empowering the people and communities we serve.

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5/9/17 4:39 PM

North State Journal for Wednesday, June 14, 2017

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pen & Paper pursuits Janric classic sudoku

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State butterfly: Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Solutions from 6.7.17