North State Journal Vol. 8, Issue 38

VOLUME 8 ISSUE 38

|

WWW.NSJONLINE.COM

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2023

the

BRIEF this week

US House pushes off impeachment of Homeland Secretary Mayorkas for handling of southern border Washington, D.C. The U.S. House of Representatives voted Monday to push off a Republican effort to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, ending for now a threat against the Cabinet secretary that has been brewing since Republicans took the House majority in January.

Eight Republicans joined with Democrats to vote 209-201 to send her resolution to committees for possible consideration.

Several prominent Republicans have become outspoken advocates of pushing forward on the GOP’s longstanding effort to impeach Mayorkas. House GOP whip Tom Emmer, the No. 3 House Republican, as well as Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Texas Republican whose congressional district runs along the border with Mexico, voiced support for the resolution.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Famous Toastery takes naming rights to Bahamas Bowl Charlotte Charlotte-based Famous Toastery, which has 25 locations across North Carolina, will become the title sponsor of this year’s Bahamas Bowl that will be played at Jerry Richardson Stadium in Charlotte. The game is scheduled to air on ESPN on Monday, Dec. 18 at 2:30 p.m.

The Famous Toastery Bowl replaces the Bahamas Bowl on the 2023 college football bowl calendar this year due to stadium

AP PHOTO

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in his office at the Department of Education, in Washington, D.C.

renovations in Nassau, Bahamas.

NSJ STAFF

Army Special Operations Command mourns 5 US troops killed in helicopter crash Washington, D.C. The U.S. Army Special Operations Command on Monday identified the five Army aviation special operations forces killed when their helicopter crashed in the Eastern Mediterranean over the weekend, calling each a “national treasure” whose loss cut deeply.

The military’s European Command said the UH-60 helicopter went down during an air refueling mission as part of military training.

The five service members who died were Chief Warrant Officer 3 Stephen R. Dwyer, 38, of Clarksville, Tennessee; Chief Warrant Officer 2 Shane M. Barnes, 34, of Sacramento, California; Staff Sgt. Tanner W. Grone, 26, of Gorham, New Hampshire; Sgt. Andrew P. Southard, 27, of Apache Junction, Arizona; and Sgt. Cade M. Wolfe, 24, of Mankato, Minnesota. They were all part of the Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Atrium Health prescription service reverses policy blocking parental access – with a catch

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

ing with our legal and compliance teams, we are pleased to announce we have restored the system to its prior state and implemented a proxy access procedure which allows us to remain in compliance with state law,” the notice reads. “Effective immediately, the insured teammate and their covered spouse may access prescription records and information and submit refills for all covered minor children, except for specific classifications of prescriptions specifically defined by North Carolina state law for adolescent patients.”

The notice went on to say,

RALEIGH — North State Journal received information on Nov. 9 that Atrium Health’s CarolinaCare prescription service policy previously blocking parental access to their child’s drug prescriptions had been reversed – but there is a catch: the minor can still revoke access at will.

In a letter to subscriber members, CarolinaCare referenced the earlier policy blocking parental access and stated it was changing the policy back to its original status for 12 to 17-year-old minors.

“After considering feedback from members and consult- See ATRIUM, page A8

Three NC districts to receive millions in award funds from US Dept of Education Secretive education non-profit will get largest award, over $8.3 million

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH —The U.S. Department of Education announced awards totaling close to $115 million to support 29 Teacher and School Leader (TSL) Incentive projects.

“Through Raise the Bar: Lead the World, the Department is supporting states and school districts to eliminate educator shortages in our nation’s schools,” per a U.S. Department of Education press release. “The TSL grants help districts to address educator shortages by supporting career advancement and teacher leadership opportunities, increasing compensation, and improving educator retention.”

“All students benefit from a diverse and well-supported educator workforce that can prepare them to lead. While all students benefit from diverse teachers, when students of col-

or see their backgrounds and experiences reflected in their teachers, we see higher levels of academic achievement and student engagement in school, and more students aspiring to be teachers themselves one day,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “That’s why attracting, retaining, and supporting a diverse educator workforce is a top priority in our efforts to Raise the Bar for learning conditions in our schools.”

Three North Carolina School districts will be receiving some of the millions in funding.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will receive $2,826,328, Wake County Public Schools will get $4,579,709, and Montgomery County Schools will receive $8,269,050.

The fourth and the largest recipient of the TSL funding in North Carolina is not a school district.

The Innovation Project (TIP) will be getting $8,330,115.

TIP is an education non-profit that has kept its operations largely a secret while receivSee EDUCATION, page A7

‘Donor’ money funding local journalism Some funding traces back to dark money group Arabella Advisors

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — Over the next five years, a coalition of donors will be funding an initiative to support local journalism in the United States.

“A coalition of 22 donors to-

day announced Press Forward, a national initiative to strengthen communities and democracy by supporting local news and information with an infusion of more than a half-billion dollars over the next five years,” according to a Sept. 7 press release issued by the MacArthur Foundation.

The total five-year funding goal for Press Forward could go higher, with pledges from the MacArthur and Knight Foundations of $150 million each just in

initial start-up money.

Grantmaking through Press Forward is expected to start in 2024.

Per the release, Press Forward will “enhance local journalism at an unprecedented level to re-center local news as a force for community cohesion; support new models and solutions that are ready to scale; and close longstanding inequities in jourSee FUNDING, page A2

$2.00

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

A2 WEDNESDAY

THE WORD: SURELY, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS

11.15.23 #410

“Surely, I am with you always, even to the end of the age!”

Matthew 28:20

“One of One” Visit us online nsjonline.com

North State Journal (USPS 20451) (ISSN 2471-1365) Neal Robbins Publisher Matt Mercer Editor in Chief Cory Lavalette Managing/Sports Editor Frank Hill Senior Opinion Editor Griffin Daughtry Business/Features Editor Jordan Golson Locals Editor Lauren Rose Design Editor Published each Wednesday

by North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607 TO SUBSCRIBE: 336-283-6305 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 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607

Jesus is nearer to me than the closest human friend could be. I know that He is right by me, that He sees me and knows my thoughts and feelings, that He loves me and thinks about me and cheers and inspires and encourages me. So Jesus has become to me, the most real friend in all the world. I try to think of Him continually, and always to love Him — as I would love Him if I saw Him. I tell Him my difficulties, and questions, and temptations, and needs. Thus I try to live all my life with Christ in the closest companionship.

It was said of Moses that “he endured, as seeing Him who is invisible.” Moses never saw God with human eyes — but God was so real to Moses that it was as if he saw Him. The faith of Moses, made God’s presence a constant reality to him.

Such relations with Christ, will establish a very real and personal friendship. We are sure that He is our friend, and, believing in His love, trusting and following Him, living with Him — will soon lead us to love Him in return. Christ hungers for our full confidence, for our most trusting love, and then for our most faithful obedience.

You must believe what Christ says about His love and care for you, about His presence with you, and His desire to help you. Your faith will thus make Him a reality to you.

Then you and Christ will become such close and familiar friends, that you will soon learn to walk with Him, to live with Him. “He Himself has said: I will never leave you or forsake you!” Hebrews 13:5 J.R. Miller was a pastor and former editorial superintendent of the Presbyterian Board of Publication from 1880 to 1911. His works are now in the public domain.

PUBLIC DOMAIN

“The Good Shepherd” (c. 1889) is a painting by Bernhard Plockhorst.

FUNDING from page A1

nalism coverage and practice.”

The list of “initial partners” of Press Forward include The Archewell Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln, Democracy Fund, Ford Foundation, Mary W. Graham, Glen Nelson Center at American Public Media Group, Heising-Simons Foundation, Henry Luce Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Joyce Foundation, KFF, Knight Foundation, The Lenfest Institute for Journalism, Lumina Foundation, McKnight Foundation, Outrider Foundation, Rita Allen Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Skyline Foundation, and Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

In order to “strengthen local newsrooms” one of Press Forward’s stated priorities is “Advancing public policies that expand access to local news and civic information.”

“Press Forward is independent of ideology and plans to work with More Perfect, a “bipartisan” initiative that is advancing five interrelated democracy goals, one of which is Access to Trusted News and Information,” according to the press release.

More Perfect’s board is «cochaired» by six individuals, most of which have ties to the Democratic Party, such as the group’s executive director Melody Barnes, a former 2008 Obama campaign director, and senior Obama adviser; Stephen Heintz, the President & CEO, Rockefeller Brothers Fund.

Co-chairs also include John Bridgeland, a former adviser to George W. Bush; and former Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal who led JSOC forces in Afghanistan but later resigned following his criticism of former President Barack Obama.

More Perfect is an initiative that “operates under the fiscal sponsorship of The Miami Foundation.”

The Miami Foundation was established in 1967 and is flush with cash according to its tax filings.

In 2020, the organization reported total revenue of over $73.74 million. Gross receipts for 2021 came in at over $316 million.

Among the groups giving money to The Miami Foundation are two offshoots of Arabella Advisors, a dark money group that has been a philanthropic passthrough of billions of dollars into left-leaning causes and organizations.

The Miami Foundation received $250,000 from Arabella’s Hopewell Fund in 2021 and

AP PHOTO

White House Domestic Policy Council Director-designate Melody Barnes, during President-elect Barack Obama’s news conference, announcing members of Obama’s economic team, Monday, Nov. 24, 2008, in Chicago. the New Venture Fund supplied $125,000 in 2019.

Arabella Advisors also has a presence in North Carolina after opening an office in Durham in 2022. Per its own annual report published this past spring, Arabella said the number of grants in North Carolina falling in the “201-800 range” for the period spanning 2017 to 2021.

Donor or grant-driven journalism has become increasingly prevalent in North Carolina.

In January of this year, The National Press Foundation and the National Press Club Journalism Institute announced awards of $73,920 in “Kozik Environmental Justice Reporting grants” to five journalists.

The Kozik grants were specifically designated for stories “on environmental justice.” One of the grant recipients was Adam

Wagner of McClatchy’s Raleigh News & Observer.

McClatchy runs 30 outlets across 14 states and has had financial woes for the better part of a decade. The organization was bought out of bankruptcy for $132 million in September 2020

by Chatham Asset Management.

The News and Observer’s website openly details the paper “increasingly relies on philanthropy to add reporting capacity on key issues,” and that “Roughly 10% of The N&O’s newsroom is supported by philanthropic partnerships.”

The same type of philanthropy-funded journalism is also found at the McClatchy sister organizations in North Carolina, the Durham Herald and the Charlotte Observer.

Per its website, the News & Observer lists almost 30 such part-

nerships the paper has had since 2019. One of those partners, Report for America, has been a seemingly continuous supporter.

Prior to the bankruptcy buyout in 2020, the News and Observer had announced that “two reporters from the nonprofit Report for America organization” would be joining the paper’s “Growth & Housing Lab, set to launch in early 2020.”

Report for America was launched in 2017 as a project of the 501(c)(3) organization “Ground Truth Project,” founded in 2014 by 30-year veteran reporter Charles Sennott.

Many of the same organizations funding Press Forward are also financial backers of Ground Truth Project.

Report for America boasts “300 journalists with 200+ news organizations across 49 states,” as

well as in Puerto Rico, Guam, and Washington, D.C., according to Ground Truth Project’s website.

Report for America funds reporter salaries at 50%, requiring the news outlet to pick up 25% and another 25% coming from “local donors.”

As with the News and Observer, Report for America-funded reporters in North Carolina are also found at The Charlotte Post, NC Health News, WFDD, The Triangle Tribune, WHQR, WFAE, Enlace Latino NC, and the Associated Press.

In addition to donor or grant based funding of journalism, a recent proposal by the Washington, D.C. city council to find local journalism through “government-funded vouchers” allowing city residents to “donate to local journalism,” per a recent report

by Axios.

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

A3

Challenge to law banning gender transition treatment for minors filed

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — A lawsuit has been filed challenging the constitutionality of a recent state law that prohibits various forms of medical assistance for transgender minors.

The primary plaintiff is a 9-year-old boy from Durham who claims to be transgender along with his parents. The 56page complaint refers to the child as Victor Voe due to their age and to safeguard their identity.

The legal action also includes a local physician, Riley Smith, and two LGBTQ rights advocacy organizations; the American Association of Physicians for Human Rights d/b/a “GLMA,” and Health Professionals advancing LGBTQ+ Equality.

At least one of the plaintiffs is not located in North Carolina. GLMA is “ based in Washington, D.C. and incorporated in California.”

A host of attorneys from

out of state are representing the plaintiffs, including attorneys from the National Health Law Program in Washington, D.C., as well as Lambda Legal and Will, McDermott & Avery in New York City. HWG Law, a “boutique” D.C. firm with an office in Raleigh is also listed as one of the firms for the plaintiffs.

“Victor” claims he “knew from a very young age that his gender identity did not match his sex assigned at birth, and he generally lives as the boy he is in every aspect of life.”

The complaint does not name the General Assembly or any member of the legislature as a defendant. Instead, the complaint names N.C. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody Kinsley, and the members of the North Carolina Medical Board including the CEO of that board, Thomas Mansfield.

The language of the complaint describes SL 2023-111 (House Bill 808) as a “health care ban” that “violates the

rights of North Carolina adolescents and their parents under the Fourteenth Amendment and the Affordable Care Act” and “discriminates against transgender minors on the basis of sex and transgender statutes.”

House Bill 808 was one of the bills Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed and was subsequently overridden.

The law prohibits medical professionals from performing surgical gender transition procedures on minors and prescribing, providing, or dispensing puberty-blocking drugs or cross-sex hormones to minors, with some exceptions.

Medical professionals violating the law can have their licenses revoked.

Additionally, state funds can’t be used for surgical gender transition procedures on minors or for giving puberty-blocking drugs or cross-sex hormones to minors.

North State Journal reached out for comment about the lawsuit from the bill’s prima-

ry sponsor Rep. Hugh Blackwell (R-Burke) but has not yet received a response.

The complaint also alleges the law “prevents parents from exercising their fundamental right to obtain medically necessary care for their adolescent children” and “the Ban prohibits doctors from treating their patients in accordance with well-established standards of care, and it also subjects doctors to draconian penalties for doing so—including the loss of their medical license and civil liability.

The N.C. Values Coalition has been a supporter of the law.

“HB 808 provides children with the opportunity to grow up before making life-altering, permanent medical decisions which will medicalize them for life,” Fitzgerald added. “To date, on three occasions, thus far, the Circuit Courts in the 6th Circuit and the 11th Circuit have refused to find that similar laws are a violation of the 14th Amendment or the Affordable Care Act,” said the

coalition’s executive director Tami Fitzgerald in a press release.

“The plaintiffs ignore the growing body of evidence showing that these treatments are, in fact, experimental which is why numerous countries in Europe—Sweden, England, Finland, Norway, France—have either banned or severely restricted these treatments for minors,” Fitzgerald said. “The benefits do not outweigh the risks to bone development, brain development or higher rates of suicide as compared to non-transitioned individuals; what’s more, 8090% of children who question their gender, if left alone, will resolve their confusion in favor of their sex by the time they are adults.”

The lawsuit argues that doctors use “evidence-based, well-researched, and widely accepted clinical practice and medical guidelines.” However, some studies examining tranSee TRANSGENDER, page A6

State, Symphony file motions to dismiss in COVID-19 vaccination discrimination case

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — The state of North Carolina and the North Carolina Symphony have filed motions to dismiss a case brought by former members of the symphony over COVID-19 vaccination mandates.

In late August, three musicians filed a lawsuit against the North Carolina Symphony and the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) after they were fired after their religious exemption requests were denied related to a 2021 COVID-19 vaccine mandate imposed on symphony members.

In addition to the Symphony as an organization, Sandy MacDonald, president and chief executive officer of the North Carolina Symphony, is also named as a defendant.

The musicians’ lawsuit alleges that Symphony leadership had no intention of granting religious exemptions and cites Macdonald as having declared the organization was committed to a “culture” of vaccination.

In its Nov. 3 motion, the

The North Carolina Symphony is featured in this file photo.

PHOTO VIA N.C. DEPT. OF CULTURAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES

Symphony contends that the musicians delayed too much before lodging a complaint, while the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources maintains that the musicians lack a case against the department by claiming they were never employed by the state.

“As explained in the Sym-

phony and Macdonald’s accompanying memorandum of law, Plaintiffs’ Title VII claim is time-barred because they did not file charges of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission within 180 days after the denial of their requested accommodations,” the motion states.

Additionally, the motion argues the plaintiffs’ Section 1983 claim is deemed insufficient because they did not prove that the Symphony or Macdonald acted under state law when making the contested decisions, and thereby failing to establish that the employment actions are attributable to the

State of North Carolina.

In a separate dismissal filing, lawyers representing the state asserted that all claims against DNCR should be dropped, arguing that the plaintiffs’ employer was the North Carolina Symphony Society, Inc., not DNCR or the State of North Carolina.

Durham DA Deberry’s entry shakes up Democratic race for NC attorney general The Associated Press RALEIGH — Durham County District Attorney Satana Deberry announced on Friday that she is running for North Carolina attorney general next year.

Her candidacy shakes up a Democratic primary for the job that had appeared to swing heavily toward U.S. Rep. Jeff Jackson. Now Jackson, who got into the race two weeks ago after the General Assembly, during redistricting, drew his home into a heavily Republican congressional district, will compete with a current top local prosecutor from an urban county that is overwhelmingly Democratic.

Deberry was first elected DA in 2018 and was reelected last year after winning almost 80% of the Democratic primary vote. Her time as district attorney has been marked in

part by efforts to alter how cash bonds are used to reduce what she considers unnecessary jail time before trials, and to promote diversion programs for offenders of nonviolent crimes.

“The people of North Carolina deserve an Attorney General who is fair, firm, and consistent. An Attorney General who will go to work for them every day no matter where they come from or who they are,” Deberry said in a news release. “My life’s work has been dedicated to putting the people above politics and the people’s business first,” she said, adding that “as Attorney General of this state, that’s exactly what I will do.”

Duplin County attorney Charles M. Ingram and Fayetteville lawyer Tim Dunn also have announced bids for the Democratic nomination to become North Carolina’s top

“My life’s work has been dedicated to putting the people above politics and the people’s business first.”

Durham County District Attorney Santana Deberry

law enforcement officer. Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop said in August he would seek the GOP nomination. Primary elections are March 5.

A Republican hasn’t been elected attorney general in North Carolina in well over a century. Current Attorney General Josh Stein, a Democrat, is running for governor.

Bishop and Jackson are con-

sidered strong fundraisers and high-profile names in their respective parties. Jackson ran for U.S. Senate until he left the race in late 2021, deferring to ultimate nominee Cheri Beasley.

Deberry, whose candidacy was first reported by WFAEFM, hasn’t formally run for a statewide position before and would become the first Black woman elected to such a job if she were to win in November 2024. Jackson, an ex-state senator, Afghan war veteran and current lawyer in the National Guard, also was once a former assistant prosecutor in Gaston County.

Jackson’s campaign put out a statement late Friday mentioning his own legal career and saying that “we’re glad to welcome anyone to the race and hope that any primary can be positive and thoughtful.”

Deberry told the Raleigh

News & Observer during her 2022 DA’s campaign that she had “brought a sense of equity and fairness” to the Durham DA’s office.

“Our approach separates out the violent crime from the unnecessary prosecution of the most vulnerable members of our community just because they are poor or mentally ill or have substance abuse issues,” she told the newspaper. She also said at the time she would continue to decline to consider the death penalty in murder cases, calling the punishment “neither fair nor equitable.”

Deberry, who is from Richmond County and graduated from Princeton University and Duke University law school, also previously served as general counsel for the state Department of Health and Human Services and executive director of the North Carolina Housing Coalition.

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

A4

OPINION Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL

An eloquent speech for an inchoate president

We’ll preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we’ll sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness.

WOULD IT BE SO DIFFICULT for President Joe Biden to deliver a speech which would give us confidence during these troubled times?

He doesn’t have to write it. All he would have to do is read it from the teleprompter. His staff could simply cut-and-paste from great speeches of the past as shown below and push him out onto the stage.

Given his predilection for admitted plagiarism during his entire life, he wouldn’t even have to give attribution to the great orators who did write these stirring phrases.

But we would all feel better about our future, that is for sure.

“My fellow Americans: These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated.” 1 “Our form of government does not enter into rivalry with the institutions of others. Our government does not copy our neighbors’, but is an example to them… For we have compelled every land and every sea to open a path for our valor, and have everywhere planted eternal memorials of our friendship and of our enmity. Such is the country for whose sake these men nobly fought and died; they could not bear the thought that she might be taken from them; and every one of us who survive should gladly toil on her behalf.”

2 “We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution.

Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” 3

“I have, myself, full confidence that … we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny…we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our homeland, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.” 4 “It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” 5 “You and I have the courage to say to our enemies, ‘There is a price we will not pay’, ‘There is a point beyond which they must not advance’. ‘There’s something going on in time and space, and beyond time and space, which, whether we like it or not, spells duty.’

You and I have a rendezvous with destiny.

We’ll preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we’ll sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness.”

6 1. Thomas Paine “American Crisis”, 1776 2. Pericles of Athens, Funeral Oration 431 BC 3. JFK Inaugural Speech 1/20/1961 4.Churchill, June 4, 1940 Address to House of Commons after Dunkirk 5. Lincoln, Gettysburg Address 11/19/1863 6. Ronald Reagan “A Time for Choosing”, 1964 GOP Convention

EDITORIAL | BEN SHAPIRO

The Islamophobia lie

What the hell does Islamophobia have to do with antisemitism?

THIS PAST MONTH has seen the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust.

It has also seen the worst global spike in antisemitism since the Holocaust.

According to Reuters, “In countries where figures are available from police or civil society groups, including the United States, Britain, France, Germany and South Africa, the pattern is clear: the number of antisemitic incidents has gone up since Oct. 7 by several hundred percent compared with the same period last year.”

But there’s something peculiar about all the media reports about the extravagant spike in antisemitism: They all carry notes about a supposedly concomitant rise in “Islamophobia.”

This is odd, to say the least.

What the hell does Islamophobia have to do with antisemitism?

The answer is: precisely nothing.

Precisely nothing, that is, unless you wish to suggest that response to antisemitism is linked with Islamophobia — that if you wish to oppose radical Muslim antisemitism, that is an aspect of Islamophobia.

Which, of course, is precisely what antisemites are suggesting these days. Take, for example, Corey Saylor of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. CAIR is the most frequently cited group on “rising Islamophobia.”

CAIR is a group that, by the way, was an unindicted co-conspirator in the trial of Hamas front charity, the Holy Land Foundation. Saylor refuses to condemn boycotts on Jewish businesses; he told The Washington Post that “it is 100 percent on the table to criticize supporters of Israeli apartheid.”

CAIR itself accuses Israel of “textbook ethnic cleansing” and “war crime” for defending itself, trots out antisemite extraordinaire Linda Sarsour, and promotes the Hamas lie that Israel bombed a hospital (it was Palestinian Islamic Jihad). On Oct. 7, the date of the Hamas massacre, CAIR National tweeted, “We join @USCMO and the American Muslim community in reaffirming our support for the Palestinian people’s right to freedom and calling for an end to the Israeli occupation, which kills hundreds of Palestinian civilians every year, subjects millions of Palestinians to racist oppression, and sparks the deadly violence that we see again and again, including today.” On Oct. 7, before any Israeli response, they also called for an end to American aid to Israel and the Abraham Accords.

The group has not offered a single word condemning Hamas.

CAIR is, by any stretch of the imagination, a fomenter of antisemitism.

But that’s the point of focusing on supposed Islamophobia: The goal is to

treat response to antisemitism as a form of Islamophobia. So Saylor claims that it is Islamophobia to publicize the names of students who sign petitions siding with Hamas, while claiming it is not antisemitism to boycott Jewish businesses.

Fascinating.

The legacy media feel the same way. That’s precisely why, since Oct. 7, the media have rushed to link antisemitism and Islamophobia, as though the two phenomena are part of a “cycle of hatred.”

That’s a disgusting and wrong take that excuses antisemitism through false charges of Islamophobia. But it’s extraordinarily common on the Left these days. One variation on the theme comes from Alexandria OcasioCortez, who has emerged as one of the nation’s leading antisemites. She now accuses the American Israel Public Affairs Committee of being an “extremist group” attempting to undermine American democracy and targeting “members of color.”

The Biden administration is falling into the trap of linking antisemitism and Islamophobia — a link that has the purposeful goal of demonizing opposition to Hamas. Fearful of their own base, the Biden administration announced yesterday a White House National Strategy to combat Islamophobia. Karine Jean-Pierre explained, “For too long, Muslims in America, and those perceived to be Muslim, such as Arabs and Sikhs, have endured a disproportionate number of hate-fueled attacks and other discriminatory incidents.”

Why is the White House playing this game? Because they’re attempting to buy back the support of Muslims across the United States who are enraged that the White House has sided with Israel instead of Hamas. The latest polls show that nearly six in 10 American Muslims agree that “Hamas was justified in attacking Israel as part of their struggle for a Palestinian state.”

The White House is trying to buy off the Hamas fans by jabbering about the supposed victimhood to which they are subjected.

It’s perverse. It continues to drive a false narrative that opposition to Hamas is opposition to Muslims — a proposition that Muslims themselves should reject, although precious few have done so publicly. It is not Islamophobic to oppose Hamas and its supporters. It is antisemitic to push that lie.

Ben Shapiro, 39, is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+.

CHIN internati Just in the Chin governm of two ra produce power m products a fighter America airspace Sea, and campaig against t China.

The Ch ruthless everythin believes

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

COLUMN | GREGG THOMPSON

COLUMN

DAVID HARSANYI

Small business Saturday BLACK FRIDAY may be the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season, but I think it pales to the day after, Small Business Saturday.

Small Business Saturday is the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It’s a day dedicated to supporting the local businesses that support their communities throughout the year.

Black Friday is great if you’re looking for cheap TVs and stocking stuffers, but Small Business Saturday is about finding unique merchandise that’s hard to find at chain stores or the mall. And when you shop small, there’s a good chance you’ll be dealing directly with the owner of the business, someone with a vested interest in turning you into a regular customer.

What I like best about Small Business Saturday is that it’s a

chance to support the local stores and restaurants that keep North Carolina’s economy running.

Big corporations get most of the attention, but small businesses account for over 99% of all businesses in the state, and small businesses employ about 44% of North Carolina’s workforce.

And while the chain stores are owned by companies based someplace else, most small businesses are owned by and employ our friends and neighbors.

These businesses sponsor our kids’ sports teams, give to local charities, and keep the local economy healthy and strong.

Small Business Saturday began in 2010 as part of a marketing campaign to support independent shops and restaurants recovering from the Great Recession, but it’s no gimmick. Americans spent an

estimated $17.9 million last Small Business Saturday. And 72 percent of those surveyed planned to shop small throughout the holiday season.

Shopping small also makes our communities strong. Sixtyseven cents of every dollar spent at a small business remains in the community. What’s more, every dollar spent at a small business creates another 50 cents in local business activity because of employee spending and purchases to keep the business up and running.

This year make a difference in your community: Shop local on Small Business Saturday.

Gregg Thompson is the National Federation of Independent Business’ state director for North Carolina.

COLUMN | NEWT GINGRICH

A roadmap from the American people for Congress AT AMERICA’S New Majority Project, we just received the results of a survey on the American people and their reaction to terrorism and those who support terrorism.

The results are stunning.

The American people are prepared to defend civilization and the rule of law from barbarism and terrorism with strong, specific government actions. In some specific attacks on civilization, Americans are prepared to limit First Amendment protections for terrorists and their supporters.

They agree with former Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson’s observation that the Constitution is not “a suicide pact.”

Americans overwhelmingly believe that activities designed to intimidate or frighten Jewish Americans can be punished legally

(66% to 17%) We also believe that expressing support for killing of Jews in America and abroad can be punished (60% to 23%).

Americans believe that calling for destruction of the state of Israel can be punished (51% to 27%).

By a smaller margin (45% to 36%) Americans believe expressing support for Hamas or other terrorist groups is not protected speech.

By 48% to 36%, Americans believe non-citizens do not have the same First Amendment protection as citizens. This would include many of the demonstrators on college campuses and the estimated 100,000 demonstrators in front of the White House who yelled “Allahu Akbar,” smeared the White House fence with red paint,

and defaced statues.

By 66% to 22%, Americans would deport non-citizens who publicly support the killing of Jews or support Hamas or other terrorist organizations.

The hostility to terrorists and people who support terrorists transcends partisan preferences.

By 54% to 28% (almost 2:1) voters prefer a Republican candidate who supports deporting non-citizens who publicly support terrorist groups over a Democrat candidate who opposes it. This is one of the most decisive results we have had in our polling.

The American people have given Congress a clear road map for defending our civilization from terrorism and its allies.

Now it is up to the Congress to act.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR | JOHN BELL

NC must follow lead of Fla. Gov. DeSantis and ban China from buying farmland CHINA REMAINS the biggest international threat to America.

Just in the last few months the Chinese Communist Party’s government has banned exports of two rare minerals needed to produce the semi-conductors that power most American consumer products; aggressively f lown a fighter jet within feet of an American B-52 in international airspace over the South China Sea, and continued a genocidal campaign of ethnic cleansing against the Uyghurs living in China.

The Chinese Communists are ruthless despots who oppose everything America stands for and believes in from personal liberty

to freedom of religion to private property rights.

In the race for President there is one candidate who stands out from the others in taking concrete action to stop the Chinese Communists — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Americans are not allowed to own farmland in China, but most people don’t realize Chinese firms and investors own over 380,000 acres of land in the United States.

In Florida, Gov. DeSantis signed the first law banning Chinese Communists from purchasing land that is close to military installation and other critical infrastructure and from purchasing agricultural land important to our ability to feed our country.

A5

Here in North Carolina, I lead a bipartisan group of state House members who unanimously passed the NC Farmland and Military Protection Act, a bill modeled on Gov. DeSantis’ legislation during the last legislative session.

Hopefully, next spring the State Senate will pass the bill so North Carolina can join Florida and other states that have followed the lead of Gov. DeSantis in taking concrete steps to block China from buying up land in our communities.

John Bell represents NC House District 10 and is Majority Leader in the North Carolina House of Representatives.

BE IN TOUCH

Letters addressed to the editor may be sent to letters@nsjonline. com or 1201 Edwards Mill Rd., Suite 300, Raleigh, NC 27607. Letters must be signed; include the writer’s phone number, city and state; and be no longer than 300 words. Letters may be edited for style, length or clarity when necessary. Ideas for op-eds should be sent to opinion@nsjonline.com.

The populist right is leading the GOP into irrelevancy SINCE THE GOP’S populist turn in 2016, the party has steadily lost ground in the suburbs and among independents. They have not had a single positive election cycle since.

And the electoral failures of 2023 are just another instance of the mythological populist realignment undermining their prospects.

The GOP has perhaps the strongest case to make for taking power in decades. The border is — well, just ask the Democrat mayor in a major city. Crime is a problem. The Left has been defending the mutilation of children and pornography in schools. The president is a doddering, incoherent mess with a growing corruption problem. Those are all big issues.

They matter.

But the top issue in virtually every poll, and it’s not even close, is the economy. The Democrats’ massive welfare expansion and self-destructive energy policy sparked inflation.

According to Gallup, 53% of respondents say the GOP would do a better job at “keeping the country prosperous over the next few years” compared to 39% for Democrats. It’s the widest gap in over 30 years. A recent NBC News poll shows Republicans with a 21-point advantage on the economy, 49% to 28%.

Other than some platitudes about Bidenomics, what was the GOP’s economic message? They don’t have one. The Right’s misplaced obsession with “working-class” voters has led to a watered-down, leftist approach to the economy that creates a muddled, incoherent rhetorical mess on an issue Republicans should be dominating.

In most places, the working class is shrinking, and the middle class keeps growing.

People are moving out of the Rust Belt to Nevada and Florida, and yet a big chunk of the GOP is reluctant to press on tax cuts and deregulation for fear of sounding too much like “Reagan” — the worst sin one can apparently commit these days.

Most suburban families are dispositional conservatives. Many are not strongly ideological. They certainly won’t be galvanized in large numbers by “based” dunks on libs.

And yet, so many Republican candidates tie themselves to the aesthetic and tonal qualities admired by the new Right social media grifter class.

These people live in a hermetically sealed political bubble.

And, of course, Republicans also wrap themselves around the fortunes of Donald Trump. But while the former president is popular with Republicans, he is not particularly popular with Americans. Trump, like him or not, has an inherent grasp of connecting with crowds. Candidates who try and ape him sound like clownish impressionists.

In some ways, Trump’s success is reminiscent of Barack Obama’s, a president who was well liked by Democrats but an electoral disaster for the national party, which lost over 1,000 seats during his presidency.

And Trump might well beat Biden, because the former is a force onto itself and the latter is catastrophically bad at his job, but that doesn’t mean Republicans are going to win the country.

Moreover, the new Right took all the wrong lessons from 2016. Trump’s greatest victories were completely in line with post1980s Reagan conservatism — a tax cut, deregulation, constitutionalist judges, and tougher stances on crime and lawlessness. But when Trump won Michigan and Pennsylvania in 2016, right-wing institutions convinced themselves that populist messaging was the future. In the meantime, those states are gone, and the GOP is going to end up losing Arizona and Georgia and others, as well.

The populist mock antiquated Reaganism — they seem to believe the era’s message was predicated solely on tax cuts and forget the optimistic rhetoric that tied social and economic conservatism to prosperity and security — but it was far more effective than the dour victimhood and statism of the economic populist.

Voters already have a big-spending, prounion, big government, welfare state party.

And Americans who have homes and kids and property taxes and bad schools and high grocery store bills aren’t going to be moved by Trump’s problems with the Justice Department or the plight of “manufacturing” jobs or Matt Gaetz’s hurt feelings, which dominated the news for the month. It doesn’t necessarily mean those issues aren’t important, though some surely aren’t, but that you need a coherent, holistic approach to politics that is completely undercut by opaque and constantly shifting demands of right-populism.

Social and economic conservatives like Brain Kemp, Ron DeSantis and Glenn Youngkin — who, despite conventional wisdom, do well in a redistricted state that Biden won by 10-plus points — are the most successful politicians on the Right. But because they wear the wrong boots, or don’t show enough subservience to Trump, or aren’t interested in relitigating 2020, or because they don’t adopt a choleric tone, they are often dismissed as losers.

Do you know what time it is? It’s going to be 1977 forever if Republicans keep this up.

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

A6

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

Murphy to Manteo

A7

Jones & Blount

November is American Indian Heritage Month

Cooper seeks restraining order in elections board lawsuit

Gov. Roy Cooper signed a proclamation earlier this month naming November as American Indian Heritage Month to observe and celebrate the history and heritage of American Indians in the state and nationwide.

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

North Carolina is home to eight state-recognized tribes: the Coharie, Eastern Band of Cherokee, Haliwa-Saponi, Lumbee, Meherrin, Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, American Indian Heritage Month to observe and celebrate the history and heritage Gov. Roy Cooper signed a proclamation earlier this month naming November as American Indian Heritage Month to observe and celebrate the history and heritage of American Indians in the state and nationwide. North Carolina is home to eight state-recognized tribes: the Coharie, Eastern Band of Cherokee, Haliwa-Saponi, Lumbee, Meherrin, Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, Sappony and Waccamaw- Siouan.

STATE AND FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES Coharie Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians* Haliwa-Saponi Lumbee Meherrin Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation Sappony Waccamaw Siouan

The state also has four urban Indian associations including the Cumberland County Association for Indian People, Guilford Native American Association, Metrolina Native American Association and the Triangle Native American Association. More than 130,000 American Indians reside in North Carolina, making our state the second-largest American Indian population east of the Mississippi River and the seventh largest American Indian population in the nation, according to the N.C. Commission of Indian Affairs.

Urban Indian Organizations Cumberland County Association for Indian People Guilford Native American Association Metrolina Native American Association Triangle Native American Society

*Federally Recognized

WEST

EAST

PIEDMONT Mobile dental clinic offers care in Charlotte

Multiple wildfires continue to plague WNC

RALEIGH — Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is seeking a temporary restraining order to block the implementation of changes to the State Board of Elections’ membership contained in Senate Bill 749, titled, “No Partisan Advantage in Elections.”

Senate Bill 749 was vetoed

by Cooper on Sept. 28. That veto was overridden and the bill became law shortly thereafter.

Under the new plan, legislative leaders from both political parties would select members for an eightperson board, with an even split between Democrats and Republicans. Currently, Democrats hold a majority on the five-member board.

The proposed election board changes are slated to take effect Jan. 1, 2024.

Cooper’s lawyers filed their restraining order motion in Wake County Superior Court

Watauga County Crews continued to battle the latest wildfire in Watauga County over the weekend, but are making progress. On Thursday, brush crews spent part of the day setting backfires trying to slow the blaze’s progress, and they cloud cover and moisture can help. The fire in the Powder Horn Mountain area started last week, leading some residents to voluntarily evacuate due to heavy smoke. For those who remain, they are urged to clear any type of brush away from their homes.

Last week, Gov. Roy Cooper issued a state of emergency for 33 counties as fires continue to spread. Fire risk has only increased due to drought conditions across the Carolinas.

Mecklenburg County The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has announced a mobile dental service for the underserved population in Charlotte, noting that 44% of adults in the state don’t have dental insurance. According to reports, the mobile clinic will have dentists and hygienists to provide screenings, cleanings, fillings and extractions to about 1,000 patients in the first year. The Association of Free and Charitable Clinics has 70 clinics across North Carolina, partnering with the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina Foundation. Five counties in the area are expected to begin using the mobile unit in December. Eventually the goal is to expand to 10 counties across the region.

WBTV

NSJ

Person charged with arson during Lexington BBQ festival

Bicyclist struck and killed by SUV

Davidson County Aimee Lynn Lakey has been arrested in connection to a suspicious fire set at a church during last month’s Lexington BBQ Festival. Lakey was charged last week with one count of felony burning certain buildings after the documents state that she “wantonly set fire to” Jesus Comes First Ministries Church on South Main Street in Lexington. The church had been operating a food pantry and officials helped relocate food that needed to be kept cold, as the church was rendered inhabitable by the water and smoke damage. Fire officials said that while no one was injured, they had deemed the fire suspicious and were continuing to investigate. Lakey was given a $25,000 bond.

Guilford County Greensboro Police say that Donald Edward Keene Jr., 63, was killed when an SUV struck is bicycle from behind and drove away. As a result of the crash, Keene suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to a local hospital, where he died on Saturday. Investigators believe the suspect vehicle is a charcoal gray 2017-2020 Nissan Rogue. The vehicle would have “extensive damage” to its front right side. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Greensboro/Guilford Crime Stoppers at (336) 373-1000. Citizens can also download the mobile P3tips app to submit an anonymous mobile tip.

WGHP

WGHP

Whirlpool donates washer and dryer to school Cumberland County School parents at J.W. Coon Elementary can now schedule times to do laundry at the school for free. According to state data, one reason some N.C. students miss school repeatedly is because they don’t have clean clothes to wear, so school leaders have sought to solve the problem by participating in the Care Counts Laundry Program. Whirlpool donates all of the laundry detergent and fabric softeners and will also offer a $10,000 stipend to purchase additional items students might need. Since the Care Counts Laundry Program started in 2015, schools have reported an increase in students’ attendance rates and grades.

The program is in 154 schools across 40 states. Whirlpool plans to expand it to all 50 states by 2028.

Public-private partnership provides Thanksgiving meals Pitt County The Pitt County Sheriff’s Office along with The Rickhouse restaurant have announced a collaboration to serve their community during the holiday season, a joint effort officials hope will provide Thanksgiving meals for 50 families in need. The Rickhouse will be supplying a Thanksgiving meal that includes turkey/ ham, stuffing, corn, green beans, potato salad, mac and cheese along with rolls.

The meals will be delivered to those families the week of Thanksgiving by the Department of Social Services staff. The Mission of Pitt County Government is to enhance the health, safety, and wellbeing of our community by advocating for and providing quality services in a friendly and cost-effective manner.

WCTI

WITN

Annual Festival of Trees helps community youth

Organization gives free home to veteran

Union County For the second year in a row, community members came together to host the Festival of Trees. During this event decorated Christmas trees were auctioned off, and organizers hope to exceed last year’s total with over $4,000 raised. The trees are decorated by Marshville businesses, and organizers began working on the event in October.

This year, 23 trees were available for auction. The proceeds from this event go toward helping the youth in the community. A large portion is donated to the police department for their annual Be the Light Christmas, offering every participating child a toy. Organizers also give some of the donation money to local schools to help pay for field trips. Tree auction winners will be announced this week.

Madison County This past Veteran’s Day, Kevin Rumley, a Mars Hill Purple Heart veteran, was selected to receive a free custombuilt house from QB1 Enterprises. The builder is committed to providing highquality, affordable housing, and chose Rumley for “committing his life to vet services” as the program director of the Buncombe County Veterans Treatment Court. Rumley told news outlets that he never saw this coming, but told other struggling veterans that the community in Western North Carolina is there to help. Brandon Quinn, Sr., owner of QB1 Enterprises said of Rumley, “He does such great things for recipients.”

NSJ

WBTV

Police chase ends in fatal crash into apartment building Forsyth County According to the N.C. State Highway Patrol, a chase by a trooper last week in Winston-Salem resulted in a fatal crash as the driver lost control and launched into an apartment nearby. Officials say a state trooper attempted to pull over a vehicle for allegedly having “fictitious registration plates.” Investigators say that the driver did not pull over and a pursuit ensued. At one point, the driver struck a curb, lost control of the vehicle and struck an apartment, according to state troopers, and the driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The deceased has since been identified as Brandon Dewayne Walker, of Lexington. No one was inside the apartment at the time of the crash, according to state troopers, and no other injuries were reported.

Fireworks catch house on fire, residents displaced Randolph County The High Point Fire Department responded to a house fire that was caused by fireworks on Friday night. At around 10 p.m. on Friday, firefighters came to the 2400 block of Bearded Iris Lane after getting a report of a house fire. The fire was in the garage area at the front of the house, according to the fire department. The occupants were launching fireworks and placed them in their trash can without them being fully extinguished which led to the blaze. No one was injured as a result of the fire.

The residents have been displaced as the meter had to be pulled from the house, according to officials.

WGHP

Bids for empty elementary school up to $250K

RDU adds Mexico City to nonstop destinations Wake County Aeromexico has announced a nonstop service from Raleigh-Durham International Airport to Mexico City Benito Juarez International Airport beginning in July 2024. According to airport officials, Aeromexico will be the 17th airline at RDU and the first to serve Mexico’s capital city. The route is operated under Aeromexico and Delta Air Line’s joint Cooperation Agreement that offers a network of flights as well as frequent flyer benefits with lounge access. Nonstop Aeromexico service will begin July 1 and will operate daily out of Terminal 2 on an Embaer E-190 with 99 seats. Mexico City becomes RDU’s ninth international destination.

Lenior County The empty Teacher’s Memorial School went up for public auction in July with a starting bid of $10,000, and bids have now reached a quarter of a million dollars. According to the school system, the school shut down in 2008 and was used as storage and pre-K classrooms but was declared as a surplus property last year. The gym is now owned by the City of Kinston, but the latest bid of $250,000 is for the remainder of the buildings and seven acres of land. Officials say an upset bid of at least $262,550 is required.

Those interested have until November 27 at 4 p.m. to put up an offer. Officials also note that the school board reserves the right to reject any and all offers at any time.

WITN

NSJ

NSJ

TRANSGENDER from page A3

sitioning showed increases in suicidal ideation and actual attempts at suicide after a transition has begun.

A report by the conservative Heritage Foundation found a “14% increase in suicide rates among young people by 2020 in states that have a provision allowing minors to access care without parental consent relative to states that do not.” The report also said easier access to puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones by minors “actually exacerbated suicide rates.”

Over the past few years, individuals who have undergone a transition have begun publicly speaking out against the process and are often referred to as “destransitioners.”

Lawsuits over “gender-af-

firming care” have also begun to crop up, such as one recently filed on Oct. 23 against the American Academy of Pediatrics (APA) and several doctors by Isabelle M. Ayala (f.k.a.

Giovanni Ayala). The lawsuit was first obtained and reported on by the Daily Wire.

The 21-year-old Ayala began transitioning at age 14. She is suing the APA and the doctors for “civil conspiracy, fraud, medical malpractice, and other related causes of action in connection with their collective failure to treat her properly in the name of a so-called “gender-affirmative” model of care.”

This past July, a 25-year-old North Carolina woman who was medically transitioned filed a civil lawsuit containing fraud and malpractice allegations against multiple doctors

and individuals from Piedmont Plastic Surgery and Dermatology, Family Solutions PLLC, Tree of Life Counseling, and Cone Medical Services, Inc. Charlie Mosley, who goes by the name Prisha Mosley, filed the civil case in the Gaston County Superior Court, asserting that the defendants consistently provided her with misinformation by claiming that transitioning from female to male would resolve her mental health concerns.

The lawsuit details Mosley’s significant mental health struggles as a teenager that included anorexia, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder and engaging in self-harm actions such as “cutting.” Mosley attributes most of her mental health issues to being the victim of a sexual assault at age 14.

Mosley and the lawsuit have received support from N.C. Values Coalition.

On Oct. 27, officials with the Biden administration filed a “statement of interest” in the federal lawsuit filed by a 9-year-old and his family over North Carolina’s law blocking gender surgeries and hormone blocking drugs for minors.

“H.B. 808 prohibits the care and coverage of medically necessary care for transgender minors, while leaving non-transgender minors free to receive the same procedures and treatments and have them paid for with state funds,” the filing states. “H.B. 808 violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, and Plaintiffs are likely to succeed on the merits of their equal protection claim.”

The filing by Biden administration officials claims the law “warrants heightened scrutiny” under the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution because it “discriminates against transgender people, a Quasi-Suspect Class,” and discriminates on the basis of sex.

“H.B. 808’s ban on the provision and coverage of gender-affirming care for transgender minors subjects them to a categorical ban based on their sex and their transgender status,” the filing says. “Accordingly, the law is subject to heightened scrutiny, which it fails because it is not substantially related to an important government interest. Plaintiffs are likely to succeed on the merits of their claim that the statute is unconstitutional.”

EDUCATION from page A3

ing millions in taxpayer money through membership dues paid

by North Carolina public school districts.

North State Journal uncovered dues payments to TIP totaling almost $1.35 million that came from 21 districts and spanned the years 2017 through 2021.

Further investigation revealed an additional nine districts that made combined payments of $680,915 to TIP during the same period, bringing the overall total of taxpayer dollars flowing to TIP between 2017 and 2021 to $2,048,800.

Former Guilford County Public Schools Superintendent Sharon Contreras was named the CEO of TIP in January 2022.

“All students benefit from a diverse and well-supported educator workforce that can prepare them to lead.”

U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardone Contrera’s former Chief of Staff Nora Carr had departed the district in August 2021 for a job at the Z. Smith Reynold Foundation, a left-leaning organization which provided TIP its start-up funding. Carr’s main role was overseeing all of the Foundation’s grantmaking.

In a related email obtained

by North State Journal dated Nov. 24, 2021, former TIP

CEO Joe Ableidinger announced to members that TIP had been approved for a ZSR “State-level Systemic Change” grant in the amount of “$300,000 for three years.”

The U.S. Department of Education award is not the first time TIP has received federal money.

TIP received two loans totaling $115,187 through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) during the pandemic. One was an ongoing loan of $60,940 and the other was for $54,247 with a status of “paid in full or forgiven.” Information for both loans lists just two applicable employees.

To date TIP has not responded to North State Journal’s repeated requests for more information about its operations, programs, funding, and staff.

on Nov. 6 which contends allowing the changes to take effect “will result in immediate and irreparable harm, loss, or damage to the Governor.”

The filing also urges a single Superior Court judge to address the plea before the case advances to a three-judge panel, with his legal team arguing, “This Court possesses the authority to resolve this motion.”

Wake County Superior Court Judge Vince Rozier issued a short two-page order moving the case to a three-judge panel on Nov. 8.

“The deadlocks that will be created on these new Boards of Elections at the state and local levels likely will reduce early voting and create longer lines at the polls,” Cooper said in a statement announcing the lawsuit.

Cooper went on to say the law will “also undermine fair elections and faith in our democracy by sending disputes to our highly partisan legislature and courts.”

Republicans counting on supporters to ‘bank’ votes in 2024

By Matt Mercer North State Journal RALEIGH — Determined to continue a streak of winning close races in North Carolina, Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel announced North Carolina’s state buildout for “Bank Your Vote” and introduced the state leadership team for next year’s elections on Friday, Nov. 10.

The operation is making a concerted effort to encourage voters to “bank” their votes before Election Day. “To beat Joe Biden and North Carolina Democrats in 2024, we must ensure that Republicans bank as many pre-Election Day votes as possible. The RNC is proud to work with Republican leaders across the state to encourage voters to Bank Your Vote and deliver Republican victories up and down the ballot next November,” said McDaniel in a statement.

In addition to hiring fulltime staff and activating a statewide volunteer network, North Carolina will have a state-specific voter resource page, which includes key election dates, pre-Election Day voting processes, links to state government sites, and options to sign up to receive digital reminders for preElection Day voting options.

The RNC published a video featuring over a dozen Republicans supporting the effort, including former President Donald Trump.

Republicans nationally have made improving absentee ballot return rates, early inperson voting and ballot harvesting a priority. That

has also been a focus of North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Michael Whatley, who led the party through winning the presidential race in 2020, two U.S. Senate races, reclaiming supermajorities in the General Assembly and retaking both the North Carolina Supreme Court and Court of Appeals.

“More than half of all Republicans and Independent voters in North Carolina will vote before Election Day in 2024 and we must focus on communicating with them to lock in as many Republican votes as possible,” said Whatley, who also serves as the RNC general counsel.

Republicans involved in the effort say improving on the overall number of preElection Day voters is the key to ultimately securing victory in 2024.

Rep. Richard Hudson (NC-09), who is leading the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) this year, said, “Republican voters must know how, when, and where to ‘bank’ their votes before Election Day, making a difference in mustwin races.”

The Bank Your Vote North Carolina leadership team comprises of Sen. Ted Budd, Reps. Hudson, Patrick McHenry (NC10), Greg Murphy (NC-03), Virginia Foxx (NC-05), David Rouzer (NC-07); Whatley, who is also leading election integrity efforts; the state’s RNC committeeman and committeewoman, Ed Broyhill and Kyshia Brassington; and former state Rep. Carolyn Justice (R-Pender), who is leading the grassroots effort.

A8

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

NATION & WORLD South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott ends 2024 presidential bid

AP PHOTO

Chinese coast guard and suspected Chinese militia ship block the Philippine coast guard ship BRP Cabra as they approach Second Thomas Shoal, locally known as Ayungin Shoal, during a resupply mission at the disputed South China Sea on Friday Nov. 10, 2023.

Dozens of Chinese ships chase Philippine vessels as US renews warning it will defend its treaty ally The Associated Press ABOARD THE BRP CABRA — As a U.S. Navy surveillance plane flew in circles, keeping a close watch, dozens of Chinese coast guard and accompanying ships chased and encircled Philippine vessels in the latest confrontation in one of the most dangerous flashpoints in the South China Sea. At the height of last week’s four-hour faceoff in the high seas, a Chinese coast guard ship blasted a water cannon toward a Philippine motorboat delivering food and other supplies to Filipino forces on a marooned, rusting warship that serves as the country’s fragile territorial outpost at Second Thomas Shoal.

China has steadfastly stood by its claim to virtually the entire strategic waterway, clashing with its smaller neighbors and drawing in the United States, Manila’s treaty ally and China’s main rival in the Asia-Pacific region. Washington and its allies have deployed navy ships and fighter aircraft to promote freedom of navigation and overflight, build up deterrence and reassure allies like the Philippines.

There are fears that the recurring confrontations at Second Thomas Shoal, which lies within the U.N.-sanctioned Philippine exclusive economic zone but is claimed by China and surrounded by its flotilla, could ignite an armed conflict pitting the U.S. against China. Philippine officials said they would never take any step that could ignite a larger conflict but would not be deterred in defending the country’s sovereign rights in the

ATRIUM from page 1 “Generally speaking, those prescriptions are for the treatment of certain types of reproductive health, communicable diseases (including sexually transmitted diseases, HIV and AIDS), substance abuse and behavioral health-related conditions.

The document directed subscribers to check with their own doctors or pharmacists to “determine if specific drugs prescribed for adolescents covered under your health plan

South China Sea. Despite the Chinese blockades and coercive maneuvers, the Philippine contingent managed to deliver supplies to the handful of Filipino marines aboard the BRP Sierra Madre and left without incident. The slightly listing Philippine warship, donated by the U.S., has been crumbling with age but is still actively commissioned, meaning an armed attack would be considered by Manila as an act of war.

Two Associated Press journalists and several other members of the media who were invited on board three Philippine coast guard ships securing two supply boats witnessed the dangerous cat-and-mouse maneuvers in rough waves. It’s part of a shame campaign Philippine officials said they would press on to expose China’s growing aggression in one of the world’s most important trade routes.

“Regardless how dangerous the maneuver that they’re going to throw at us, whether they use water cannon, whether they use military-grade laser, we are not going to allow them to make Philippine coast guard personnel on board our vessels to escalate the tensions,” Philippine coast guard Commodore Tarriela said.

At least 38 Chinese ships were spotted in Second Thomas Shoal’s vicinity on Friday, including a Chinese navy fast assault craft and a hospital ship, the Philippine coast guard said.

One of the Philippine coast guard ships, the BRP Cabra, was surrounded five times by the Chinese coast guard and other ships, but managed each

time to move away until it was hemmed in near the shoal.

The campaign to expose China’s aggression at sea would continue, Tarriela said in a news conference, where photographs, video and drone shots of the confrontations were shown.

“I believe that our effort in transparency initiative has been very successful in rallying support from the international community to condemn the illegal actions of China and to make the Filipino people aware of what’s happening,” Tarriela said.

Washington reacted by repeating that it stands with its oldest ally in Asia “in the face of the People’s Republic of China’s repeated harassment in the South China Sea.” The U.S. State Department renewed a warning that Washington is obligated to defend the Philippines under a 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty if Filipino forces, public vessels or aircraft, including those of its coast guard “face an armed attack “anywhere in the South China Sea.” “The PRC’s actions are inconsistent with international law and follow a pattern of dangerous operational behavior in the South China Sea,” the State Department said in a statement. It cited a 2016 international arbitration decision that invalidated China’s expansive claims to the waterway on historic grounds, including Second Thomas Shoal.

China refused to participate in the arbitration, which was brought up by the Philippines in 2013, after Chinese ships took control and surrounded another disputed area, Scarborough Shoal. Beijing dismissed the

2016 ruling as a sham and continues to defy it.

A Philippine government task force said that vessels belonging to China’s coast guard and its paramilitary maritime militia “recklessly harassed, blocked and executed dangerous maneuvers in another attempt to illegally impede or obstruct a routine resupply and rotation mission.”

China’s coast guard said it “followed the Philippines ships in accordance with the law, taking necessary control measures, and made temporary special arrangements for the Philippines side to transport food and other daily necessities,” spokesperson Gan Yu said in a statement.

It urged the Philippines to stop actions that infringe upon China’s rights and said China would continue to uphold its national sovereignty.

“China urges the Philippine side to immediately stop making trouble and provocation at sea and to tow away the illegal grounded vessel as soon as possible,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said at a briefing in Beijing.

China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a 10-nation bloc that includes the Philippines, have stepped up efforts to hasten negotiations for a nonaggression pact called a code of conduct that aims to prevent war from breaking out in the South China Sea. But the skirmishes at Second Thomas Shoal would likely continue on a regular basis with Chinese ships, including its navy, surrounding the shoal and the Philippines vowing to defend it at all cost and keep its forces there.

are among those covered by the privacy shield law.”

The notice also contained a “Consent for Access acknowledgement form” that may be signed for “your adolescent may waive their statutory right to privacy when receiving these types of medications, allowing full access by permitted household users to the CarolinaCARE portal, including the ability to order refills online.”

The full notice including the form required for parents to complete in order to restore ac-

cess to their child’s prescription information was sent to North State Journal by CarolinaCare. That form also allows minors the ability to block their parent’s access at will.

“Parent/guardian unrestricted access via CarolinaCARE can be revoked at any time by the Adolescent Patient,” the Consent for Full Access form states.

The section the child must sign gives the child a phone number they can call at any time to block their parent from

accessing their account.

“I understand I can stop my parents/legal guardians and others who have access to view the CarolinaCARE account, collectively, from looking at this information at any time by revoking access by contacting 1-866-697-6800,” the form states.

The full notice and access forms sent to North State Journal can be accessed under the original article published on Nov. 9 on www.nsjonline.com.

Columbia, S.C. Republican presidential candidate Tim Scott that he was dropping out of the 2024 race, a development that surprised his donors and stunned his campaign staff just two months before the start of voting in Iowa’s leadoff GOP caucuses.

The South Carolina senator, who entered the race in May with high hopes, made the surprise announcement on Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Night in America” with Trey Gowdy, one of his closest friends. The news was so unanticipated that one campaign worker told The Associated Press that campaign staff found out Scott was dropping out by watching the show.

“I love America more today than I did on May 22,” Scott said. “But when I go back to Iowa, it will not be as a presidential candidate. I am suspending my campaign. I think the voters who are the most remarkable people on the planet have been really clear that they’re telling me, ‘Not now, Tim.’” Scott is the second major candidate to leave the race since the end of October. Former Vice President Mike Pence suspended his campaign two weeks ago, announcing at a Republican Jewish Coalition gathering in Las Vegas that “This is not my time.”

Scott said he wouldn’t immediately be endorsing any of his remaining Republican rivals.

“The voters are really smart,” Scott said. “The best way for me to be helpful is to not weigh in on who they should endorse.”

Scott’s next political move is unclear. He has said his 2022 Senate reelection would be his last and has at times been mentioned as a possible candidate for South Carolina governor, which is next up in 2026. Gov. Henry McMaster is term-limited.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ex-leader David Cameron makes shock return to UK government London With his country mired in economic doldrums and his party trailing in the polls as an election nears, U.K. leader Rishi Sunak rolled the dice and shook up his government, appointing former Prime Minister David Cameron to the post of foreign secretary.

The move — called bold by Sunak’s supporters and desperate by his critics — came in a Cabinet overhaul that saw Sunak jettison his powerful but controversial interior minister, Home Secretary Suella Braverman, in a bid to reset his faltering government.

The government hailed Cameron’s experience, acquired as U.K. leader between 2010 and 2016, and said Sunak was building “a strong and united team.”

It’s rare for a non-lawmaker to take a senior government post, and it has been half a century since a former prime minister held a Cabinet job. The government said Cameron had been appointed to Parliament’s unelected upper chamber, the House of Lords, alongside his new job.

“I know it’s not usual for a prime minister to come back in this way,” the now-Lord Cameron acknowledged. “But I believe in public service.”

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

A7

normal

The comfo How China will payThe for this can 3 bigCOVID-19 questions

WITH MOST STATES under either shelter-in-place or stay-at-h hina lied about the origin of the ONE THING IS CERTAIN; after thisthanks COVID-19 virus cavalierofmanner in orders to local ordissipates state governments,The a majority America WEEK, virus, according to members ied to tell the world there were only “THIS ISof around the globe and in the United will to pay forTHIS this covered up its spre areStates, havingChina to adjust what is being called the “new normal.” and state and local governments, America rldwide panic, economic collapse and (Psalm catastrophe one way or another.

3,341 related has Some of these orders extend at least through the endindeaths ofit”this mon ce or stay-at-home fallen into place. I understand the seriousness of the virus and the need the curve in the novel coronavirus outbrea being thrown out of work.

I know In order to put the crisis causedVirginia’s

by Chinastay-at-home in perspective, zero go into June. millions of Americans th ne orders ty of at Americans to take precautions, but I’m uneasy with how people who simply ask — after all, trends canhas easily ayer least $2.4 trillion in added working from worldwide pandemics can trace their source to theCarolina, Unitedmuted States over costrever the Here in North Democratic Gov.The Roycrisis Cooper stated dur normal.” questions back tohistory. At least four in the 20th century alone have abided by recommendations and ord Reserve backup liquidity to the about the data, and when things can start getting be glad” t our 231-year be that debt plus trillions more a recent coronavirus press can briefing “we just don’t know yet”asifin nd of this month. are treated in some circles with contempt. to stay at home; they’ve practiced social d he U.S. dollar were notnormal the reserve and dad, the directly traced to China: flu,” 1968 “Hong orders Kong flu,” markets state’s stay-at-home will 1977 extend into May. and financial ou Since when1957 did “Asian They’re treated as though we as a society simply must accept flu” without they’ve donned masks. fund any of these emergency have tonot beth th “Russian and the 2002 SARS outbreak.

There is evidence that the currency, would b Perhaps If he does decide to extend it, questions should bewe asked as to We need WALTER E. WILLIAMS questioning per stated during question what the government tells us about when it’s massive safe to begin the The result: a reduction in expected hosp Lenten and of rampant inflation and currency pandemic.

1918 “Spanish flu” pandemic also had its origins in China. measures without immed justification for it.

And the answers should not be vague ones like “ COVID-19 t know yet” if the process of returning back to normalcy.

According to theseasons University of Washingto For me, m government There is 100% agreement, outside oftransparency China, thatofCOVID-19 depreciation. must do this out an abundance Easter of caution.” is China’s No. The government works for us, and we have the right to askin those Metrics and Evaluation model most oftAs ci ant ways and decisions through and honesty originated Wuhan Province probably from the has to pay for th provide a China at all levels It will need tocompletely be explained in detail to the people ofmaking. this state w asked as to the And the longer stay-at-home orders are in place all over the Trump administration, the expected need plomacy has obviouslyquestions. not worked Corinthians Chernobyl. unregulated and unsanitary wet markets.

Some believe it came out of a economic and financial m from our are being told to remain jobless and at home for an undetermined message of become a gue likecentury “we health, country, and the stricter some of them get in states, such as Michigan, peak outbreak was revised down by over 1 orldones of 21st hygiene affliction, so biowarfare lab run by the communist Chinese army. to bring China into the ci scientific experts amount of time why models predicting hundreds of thousands of c hope that we13,000 will and bad thing? thethe more people, sitting at home feeling isolated and/or anxious about ventilators by nearly the num unist regimes never take blame affliction, wi Until China adopts rigorous verifiable policing and regulation of and fair trade. Totalitaria are reliable.

— we need to again enjoy sincere of this state who when will demand August byonce nearly 12,000. orse, because that is not whatthey can get back to providing for their families,their God.” That is what food safety and health protocols, American business has nowhat other or express To know date, what I’ve gone along with the state has asked andregret then they answers.

Here’s the problem: We still don’t know sporting events, yndetermined take advantage of every weakness If you are choice than tofree build redundant manufacturing totalitarian citizens mandated thatplants we do,elsewhere but alongpurely the way I’ve also had governments questions ab housands of cases at the local and state levels should be as forthcoming as they know, what they questions that will allow the economy tothar pushing until they win orLeaders the reflect on concerts, family for national security and safety reasons as well as supply and delivery they find in adversaries the data.

State Republican leaders have, too. living in a free can be with those answers — and again, not vague answers, but concerns. answer First, what is the true coronavirus fatal God’sback. examp don’t and when reliability adversaries gatherings, Unfortunately, when certain types of questions get push asked, there AMERICA’S COLLEGES are rife with society were kedhappens and then with details that give their statements believability. important because it determines whether ent such as the Chernobyl this difficult The most direct way to make China “pay”hope for this is to offer That is, unless an exog they to disaster corruption. The financial squeeze resulting sometimes a disturbing tendency among people to treat thos church some services questions about We should families, be open or closed,meltdown whether we oughtSome to we pu believe that event, not the Star Warsall continue confident supposed from COVID-19 offers opportunities for a to do what we can to keep our U.S. tax credits to companies whosimply willknow source at least halfdata of their in 1986. what they questioning the and asking when we can start getting and many more that presumes Sponsored

by Union and our communities safe. But we still continue more liberalized society wi Sponsored by should also o the dissolution of theourselves, Soviet In this sam bit of remediation.

Let’s first examine what production back in the States.

There is though approximately programor of are Reagan, led d to do, lastUnited I to normal they are$120 conspiracy theorists people wh don’t.as afterdown our own asked, there to of ask questions about the data, because while reasonable stay-at-home ought to lock further. neighbors he mightisbe the root academic corruption, billion worth checked. of American direct investment in plants and equipment inor1989. otherwise don’t care if they get themselves others sick. title of a recent study, ehernobyl. to treatsuggested those by the measures are understandable, they should also have an date. direct investment in the U.S. is about $65We’ve seen rates — Concor the num temporary In inexpiration China. Chinese billion by case fatality Perhaps COVID-19 C Since when did questioning government at all levels become aisba “Academic Grievance Studies and theAmericans, and it is not normal. Not in any way, North State Journal for Wednesday, April 15, 2 starttalking gettingabout back the possibility This is all new to the number of identified COVID-19 cases eady money to bu sacrifices are comparison.

Senators in Washingto thing?

That is what free citizens living in a free society were suppo Corruption of Scholarship.”

The study was are people who shape, safe, at and in theChina denominator are likely wrong.

We debt we owe them as one wayor toform. get So while we should remain vigilant and stay health care An investment tax credit of 30% U.S. investment forgiving $1.2 trw over. of China toon do,half lastof I checked. done

by Areo, an opinion and analysis Tanger announces sick. the same time we shouldn’t get comfortable with this so-called “new people have actually died of coronavirus. y have caused the US. Don’t hold your today, or $60 billion, applied to repatriated China to “pay”isfor dam digital magazine. By the way, Areo is short My first American concern asmanufacturing we go along in all this, of course, mythe famil acquisition of ls become aAreopagitica, badbut ask normal.” number beenbreath overestimated, given th lee” to happen your elected for a speech delivered by investment to the U.S. would costworried the U.S.about Treasury billion in has waiting Ifor a Chin them$18 catching the virus, and I’m worried will.

Afte ty were supposed Not one little bit. of death, particularly among elderly patie ountable in tangible financial ways for John Milton in defense of free speech.

Asheville Outlets tax revenue spread over a few years. $18 billion lost revenue hold C suffering fromin the H1N1 virusis(swine flu) representatives during the 2009topandem Authors Helen Pluckrose, James A. sources suggest the number is dramatical decimal dust compared to the $6 I’ve trillion+ Marshall Plan extra we areprecautions, now this disaster. been trying to take because all of this brings Lindsay and Peter Boghossian say has that also written under the pseudonym Sister Toldjah e, to is my family.

Stacey Matthews manyas people are dying home. ed operate as I’m responsible citizens of undertaking to save our own economy, notmany of defeated enemies in the It is at about timenot they Tanger, a North Carolinaway too memories of a painful experience I’ d prefer to ar re something drastically wrong ied I will.

After has gone and is a regular contributor to RedState and Legal Insurrection.

Even more importantly, we have no clue ation. past. the world like any other based shopping mall chain But what also makes me lose sleep is how easily most everyone hm in academia, especially within certain 2009 pandemic, actually have coronavirus. Some scientist China has been cheating, stealing, pirating and pillaging American fields within the humanities. known for offering a varietyThey call l of this brings up of identified business now for the past 30 years. They have made no secret that theycases could be an order of ma these fields “grievancedesigner studies,” where of Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill,coronavir senior refer notscholarship tobrand-name repeat. is notand number of people who have had so much based upon intend to replace the U.S. as the premier superpower in the world and outlet stores, announced ost everyone hastruth but upon attending to finding replace the dollar as the reserve currency with their renminbi.

Tuesday that it has acquired social grievances.

Grievance scholars its 38th shopping center, bully students, administrators and other departments into adhering to their Asheville Outlets, as part of worldview. The worldview they promote is Jason the continued execution of the neither scientific nor rigorous. Grievance EDITORIAL | STACEY MATTHEWS company’s external growthsuch as studies consist of disciplines strategy. Tanger acquired the studies, sociology, anthropology, gender COLUMN | REP. RICHARD HUDSON queer studies, sexuality and race center for $70 million in ancritical allstudies. cash, off-market transaction, In 2017 and 2018, authors Pluckrose, making and it the second fully Lindsay Boghossian started owned addition the submitting bogusto academic papers to academic journals cultural, queer, company’s outletin portfolio this AP PHOTO race, gender, fat and sexuality studies quarter, following the grand to determine if they would pass peer U.S. President Joe Biden, right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands before a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 opening ofbe Tanger Outlets Bali, Indonesia.

“THIS IS THEfallen DAYinto the lord has made seriousness of and the virus and the review accepted for need publication.summit meeting on Nov. 14, 2022, in WITH MOST STATES under either shelter-in-place or stay-at-home place.

I unders Nashville in Tennessee last Acceptance of dubious in it” (Psalm 118:24). y with how people who simplyresearch ask that orders thanks to local or state governments, a majority of Americans to take precautions, but I editors found sympathetic to their month. this challenging tim n thingsjournal can start getting back to are having to adjust to what is being called the “new normal.”I know that during questions about the data, intersectional or postmodern leftist vision Asheville Outlets is a working from home or losing a job, it may with contempt.

Some of these orders extend at least through the end of this month. normal are treated in som of the world would prove the problem of be glad” as the Bible tells us to do. as Howev a societylow simply must accept without 382,000-square-foot, Virginia’s stay-at-home orders go into June.

They’re treated thou academic standards.openand dad, the Easter holiday has reminded ls us about when it’s safe to begin the airSeveral shopping center located Here in North Carolina, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper stated during question what the govern of the fake research papers and of hopeful for, even alcy. were publication. in theaccepted popularfor tourist marketThe Fat a recent coronavirus press briefing that “we just don’t knowhave yet”to if be thethankful process returning back Lenten and pandemic. us, and we have the right to ask those Studies journal published a hoax paper state’s stay-at-home orders will extend into May. No. The government w of Asheville, North Carolina.

Since when did particularly whenis wean disagree.” align, particularly on transna- recent months aimed at easing For that argued the term wasThe Associated Press me, my faith important part o home orders are in place all bodybuilding over the Easter seasons If he does decide to extend it,tensions. questions should be asked as to the questions.

And the longer The established center is tional challenges that affect the The Biden-Xi meeting is not questioning andas should be replaced making.

As Itocelebrated Easter my f hem get exclusionary in states, such Michigan, justificationcommunity.” for it. And the answers should vague ones like “we country, and thewith stricter provide abe during Yellen saidnot that the expected lead to many, if any, WASHINGTON — President international currently 95 percent occupied with “fat bodybuilding, as a fat-inclusive government Corinthians 1:4, which reminds us our eeling isolated and/or anxious about must do Foreign this outMinistry of an abundance of she caution.” the moreand people, a emphasized China’s said talks dif- sittingLo message of that the major announcements, by a diverse mix of brands politicized performance.”

One reviewerJoe Biden and Chinese President affliction, so that we may be able toback comfo ng for their families, will demand U.S. seeks a healthy economin a statement last Friday that Xi ferences between the two powXi Jinping will meet today in at all levels It will need to be explained in detail to the people of this state who when they can get t said, “I thoroughly enjoyed reading this hope that weChina. will She that includes leading home affliction, with the comfort which we our relationship attend APEC from Tuestalks on trade, Tai- would ers certainly won’t be resolved. are being told to remain joblessicand at home with for an undetermined answers. article and believe it has an important California for become a furnishings providers as well once again enjoy called on China to crack down to Friday at Biden’s invitawan and fraught U.S.-Chinese day Instead, one official said, Biden God.” vels should be as forthcoming contribution to make to as thethey field and this amount of time why models predicting hundreds of thousands of cases Leaders at the local an bad Chineseevents, firms and fi- Ifisyou relations in the firstthing? engagement tion and would take part in the on private looking toward “managing asvague popular apparel,but footwear sporting are celebrating the Easter season again, not answers, answer journal.” are reliable. can be with those answer nancial institutions that the U.S. in a year between leaders of U.S.-China summit. the on competition, preventing the and accessories “Our Struggle Isbrands.

My Struggle: Solidarity Thatthe is what reflect this message and be comforted ents believability. concerts, family To date, gone along withbelieves what the hasinternationasked and then details arestate skirting Two seniorI’ve Biden administradownside risk with of conflict andthat en- give the Feminism an Intersectional Reply tothe world’s two largest econoAccording tofamilies, a press release God’s example andWe comfort in n hat we can to keep as our free citizens mandated that we do,briefed but alongalthe way I’ve also had questions about shouldallallthose continue gatherings, sanction to do business with tion officials, who earlier mies. suring channels of communicaNeoliberal and Choice Feminism,” was this difficult time.

Through faith and by h afe. But we should alsomanagement still continue from Tanger, the data.on State have, too. and our comm Russia and she services raised concerns tion are open.”ourselves, theRepublican condition ofleaders The White living House in hasasaid The officials said church freefor reporters accepted for publication by Affilia, a confident we will emerge out of this pand ecause while reasonable stay-at-home expects the center to deliver a about Chinese export controls on anonymity under ground rules weeks that it anticipated Biden they believed it would be Xi’s first Unfortunately, when certain types ofand questions get asked, there is to ask questions about th feminist journal for social workers. The many more society were thistosame I continue y shouldpaper also have an expiration in some other critical by the White House, saidtendency the graphite visit San spirit, Francisco since he to be ins first-year return the of midsometimes a disturbing among peopleminerto treatInthose measures are understand consisted ininpart adate. rewritten and Xi would meet on the side- set afterisour own als.

Graphite a key raw materileaders would meet in the San lines of the Asia-Pacific Economwas a young Communist Party supposed neighbors helping neighbors. nd it is not normal.

Not in any way, passage from Mein Kampf.

Two other simply questioning the data and asking when we can start getting back This is all new to Amer eight percent range, with vehicle batteries. summit in San Francisco Bay area but declined al in electric temporary Inleader.

Concord, a shape, high school senior name d remainhoax vigilant and stay safe,growth at including ic Cooperation papers were published, to do, last I to normal as though they are conspiracy theorists or are people who ornoform.

So while potential for additional Yellen, who visited China in Francisco, but negotiations went to offer further details because The agenda includes short“Rape and Queer Performativity money to buy a 3-D printer and plastic to mfortable withCulture this so-called “new sacrifices are don’t care if they getJuly, themselves or othersansick. same time we should over time. checked. said she accepted invita- age of difficultthe security concerns.

Thousands down to the eve of the gathering, ofotherwise issues. at Urban Dog Parks.” This paper’s subject health care workers out of his own home.

Since when questioning all levels a Differences bad normal.” over.aat tion to make return trip tobecome Beiof protesters are did expected to de- government in the already are excited toBut addthe dog rape which kicked off Saturday. was“We dog-on-dog rape. thing?

That is what free citizens living in a free society were supposed Not one little jing next year. scend on San Francisco during White House press secrecomplicated U.S.-Chinese re-bit. paper eventually Asheville Outletsforced to theBoghossian, Tanger “There is no substitute for lationship have only sharpened tary Karine Jean-Pierre said in the to summit. do, last I checked.

Pluckrose and Lindsay to prematurely out portfolio,” said Sister Stephen Yalof, under the pseudonym Toldjah in-person diplomacy,” saidisYelMeanwhile, Treasury Secrea statement the leaders would in theI’m last year, with Beijing has also My first concern as we go along in all this, of course, my family.

Stacey Matthews themselves.

A Wall Street Journal writer President and CEO of Tanger. len, who added that she believed Janet Yellen and Chinese bristling over new U.S. export contribu dState and Insurrection. hadLegal figured out what they were doing. discuss the “continued impor- tary worried about them catching the virus, and I’m worried I will. After and is a regular Premier He Lifeng met for the two laid the groundwork for controls on advanced technolo“Asheville is a dynamic Some papers acceptedand for publicationtance of maintaining open lines Vice suffering from the H1N1 virus (swine flu) during the 2009 pandemic, of communication” and how a second day of talks on Friday a productive meeting between gy; Biden ordering the shooting in academic journals growing market withadvocated outsized training I’ve been trying to extra because of disthis brings Biden and Xi. “Duringallour in San Francisco, thetake latest in precautions, they “can continue to responsibly down up of a Chinese spy balloon men like dogs and punishing potential.

Asheville Outlets white male way too many memories of a painful experience I’ d prefer not to repeat. cussions, we agreed in-depth a string of senior level engagemanage competition and work college students for historical slavery by is the dominant shopping Butbetween what also meinloseand sleep is how easily most everyone frank discussions matter, themakes nations where our interests ments See has CHINA, page A11 asking them to sit in silence on the floortogether in experience inclass the market chains during and to be expected to and will benefit from the Other papers learn from the discomfort. y celebrated morbidresidential obesity as a healthy life rapidly growing choice and advocated treating privately population and tourist visits for conducted masturbation as a form of years to come.against As partwomen. of the Typically, sexual violence Tanger platform, we willsend drivesubmitted s academic journal editors papers out to referees for review. In additional value by increasing recommending acceptance for publication, center productivity through many reviewers gave these papers glowing selective re-merchandising, praise. elevating center’s food Politicalthe scientist Zach Goldberg ranThe Associated Press certain grievance studies and concepts through and beverage offerings WASHINGTON — Federal the Lexis/Nexis database, retail to see how often adding high-performing Reserve Chair Jerome Powell they appeared in our press over the years. partners.”

He found huge increases in the usages suggested this past Thursday Currently, Asheville Outlets bias,”that the Fed is in no hurry to of “white privilege,” “unconscious “critical theory” and “whiteness.” further raise its benchmark is homerace to 70 stores, including All of this is being taught to college interest rate, given evidence top apparel and footwear that inflation pressures are students, many of whom become primary brands such as Nike, Under continuing to ease at a gradual and secondary school teachers who then pace.

Armour, American Eagle, indoctrinate our young people.

At the same time, in a panel I doubtJ. whether the coronavirusCOACH, Crew, Vera Bradley, discussion at the Internationcaused financial will give college Abercrombie &crunch Fitch, and and university administrators, who areala Monetary Fund, Powell did Bath & Body Works, as well not rule out another rate hike crossbreed between a parrot and jellyfish, to help reduce inflation to the as national furnishings the guts andhome backbone to restore academic Fed’s 2% target level. Inflation, providers including West respectability.

Far tooRH, often, they get much as measured by the U.S. conof their political support Elm, Crate & Barrel andfrom Le campus sumer price index, has sunk grievance people who are members of the Creuset. The center also faculty and diversity and multiculturalfrom a 9.1% peak last year but is still 3.7%. offers two anchor department administrative offices.

“We are not confident,” Powstores, including Sportsman’s The best hope lies with boards of ell trustees, though serve as yes-men said, that the Fed’s benchWarehouse andmany a separately mark rate is high enough to for the university president. a owned Dillard’s Clearance I think that steadily reduce inflation to 2%. good start would be to find 1950s or 1960s Center. Look at the course offerings at He added: “We know that catalogs. ongoing progress toward our Tanger will officially a time when college graduates knew how to read, write compute, transition theand center to and make 2% goal is not assured. Inflathem today’s curricula.

Another helpfultion has given us a few head become Tanger Outlets fakes.” tool would be to give careful consideration Asheville in early January to eliminating all classes/majors/minors Powell noted, for example, AP PHOTO 2024, withthe hopes containing wordthat “studies,” such as that inflation had declined for Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell speaks before climate protestors interrupted his women, Asian, black or queer studies. five straight months during the Tanger name, brand 2021 before reversing later speech at the 24th Jacques Polak Research Conference at the International Monetary Fund on I’d bet that by restoring the traditional and platform will further that year and heading higher.

Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023 in Washington, D.C. academic mission to colleges, they would strengthen and He said that “if it becomes put a seriousleasing, dent intosales, the COVID-19 appropriate” to raise rates furtraffic for the center. budget shortfall.

business & economy Fixingn.c. college corruption FAST

FACTS

A6

Approved Logos

north STA

VISUAL VOICES

It’s okay to ask questions about when The comfort and ho we begin to get back to normal

Biden and Xi meet for talks on trade, Taiwan and fraught US-China relations

Powell reinforces Fed’s cautious approach toward further interest rate hikes

ther, “we will not hesitate to do Walter E. Williams is a professor of so,” a phrasing that suggests that for now it isn’t appropriate economics at George Mason University. to increase the Fed’s bench-

mark rate.

For now, the Fed chair said, he believes the central bank faces nearly equal risks of

raising its benchmark rate too high, which could derail the economy, or not raising it high enough, which could allow in-

flation to persist or worsen.

“We will continue to move See INTEREST, page A10

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

A10 NCDOT CASH REPORT FOR THE WEEK ENDING NOV 8

Total Cash & Bond Proceeds

$2,355,959,672 Add Receipts

$107,187,103 Less Disbursements

$112,753,158 Reserved Cash

$125,000,000 Unreserved Cash Balance Total

$6,312,010,266 Loan Balance

$0

INTEREST from page A9

carefully,” he said, a phrase he has used often that is widely interpreted to mean that the Fed will closely monitor incoming data, but it isn’t leaning toward a hike.

Powell’s remarks were interrupted by climate-change protestors, and he was briefly escorted off stage. He resumed his remarks several minutes later.

The Fed has raised its key rate 11 times since March 2022, leading to much higher rates on many consumer and business loans. Last week, at a news conference, Powell suggested that higher longer-term interest rates, including a higher yield on the 10-year Treasury note, could help slow the economy and cool inflation without further rate hikes.

The central bank’s benchmark short-term rate, now about 5.4%, is at its highest level in 22 years. Yet the Fed has raised rates only once since May, and most economists have said they think the central bank is likely done tightening credit.

Powell, though, has continued to hold out the possibility of another rate hike. During a question-and-answer session Thursday, he said the Fed is still considering how high it will need to raise its benchmark rate. Then it will turn to how long to leave it at that rate.

Since the Fed held its policy meeting last week, the government reported that hiring in the United States slowed in in October and that the unemployment rate ticked up again, to a still-low 3.9%.

Though employers added a solid 150,000 jobs last month, the data pointed to a cooler job market and more modest pay growth. Fast-growing wages are good for workers but can lead employers to raise prices and perpetuate inflation.

On Thursday, Powell’s remarks followed those of several other Fed officials who generally expressed the view that the central bank should closely monitor upcoming economic data before taking any further action on interest rates.

Tom Barkin, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, said he expects the economy to slow in the coming months and bring inflation back down toward the Fed’s 2% target. Whether a reduction in inflation “requires more from us remains to be seen,” Barkin said, “which is why I supported our decision to hold rates at our last meeting.”

Kathleen O’Neill Paese, the interim president of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, also expressed support for a wait-and-see approach to observe whether inflation continues to ease in the coming months. O’Neill Paese said, “it would be unwise to suggest that further rate hikes are off the table.”

But she added that the Fed’s benchmark rate is “exerting modest downward pressure on inflation,” so officials “can afford to await further data before concluding” that more rate hikes might be needed.

Top US accident investigator says close calls between planes show that aviation is under stress The Associated Press THE NATION’S TOP accident investigator said Thursday that a surge in close calls between planes at U.S. airports this year is a “clear warning sign” that the aviation system is under stress.

“While these events are incredibly rare, our safety system is showing clear signs of strain that we cannot ignore,” Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, told a Senate panel.

Homendy warned that air traffic and staffing shortages have surged since the pandemic. She said there has been a “lack of meaningful” training — and more reliance on computer-based instruction — by the Federal Aviation Administration and airlines, and too many irregular work schedules among pilots and air traffic controllers.

“Where you end up with that is distraction, fatigue,” she told the aviation subcommittee.

“You are missing things; you are forgetting things.”

The NTSB is investigating six close calls, or what aviation insiders call “runway incursions.”

The FAA identified 23 of the most serious types of close calls in the last fiscal year, which ended Oct. 1, up from 16 the year before and 11 a decade ago.

Independent estimates suggest those figures grossly understate such incidents.

Thursday’s hearing included only a momentary discussion of pilot mental health, which is on travelers’ minds because of the arrest of an off-duty pilot accused of trying to disable a plane in midflight and a co-pi-

AP PHOTO

The National Transportation Safety Board logo and signage are seen at a news conference at NTSB headquarters in Washington, Dec. 18, 2017. lot who allegedly threatened to shoot the captain. Critics have pointed out that federal screening relies on pilots to disclose whether they are taking medication or being treated for mental illness including depression.

The FAA said separately that it will appoint a committee of medical experts and aviation and union leaders to make recommendations “on breaking down the barriers that prevent pilots from reporting mental health issues to the agency.”

The Senate hearing produced no new ideas for increasing safety but brought a new warning about the potential for travel disruptions over the upcom-

ing holidays because the FAA doesn’t have enough air traffic controllers.

“We are not healthier than we were last year, controller-wise,” said Rich Santa, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. “I think FAA’s own numbers indicate we have potentially six more air traffic controllers than we had last year.”

The union president said many controllers are forced to work 10-hour days or six-day weeks.

The Transportation Department’s inspector general criticized the FAA in a report this summer, saying the agency has made only “limited efforts” to fix

a shortage at staffing at critical air traffic control centers.

Among the close calls in recent months, the scariest occurred in February in Austin, Texas. During poor visibility in the early morning hours, a FedEx cargo plane preparing to land flew over the top of a Southwest Airlines jet that was taking off. The NTSB has estimated that they came within about 100 feet (30 meters) of colliding.

An air traffic controller had cleared both planes to use the same runway. In other recent incidents, pilots appeared to be at fault by failing to follow orders from controllers.

New rule would make it easier for millions of Americans to unionize, but businesses are pushing back The Associated Press A NEW FEDERAL rule that goes into effect next month could make it easier for millions of workers to form unions at big companies like McDonald’s.

But it’s already facing significant pushback from businesses and some members of Congress.

The rule — announced late last month by the National Labor Relations Board –- sets new standards for determining when two companies should be considered “joint employers” under the National Labor Relations Act. It sounds wonky. But essentially, the rule could widen the number of companies that must participate in labor negotiations alongside their franchisees or independent contractors. For example, it might require Burger King to bargain with workers even though most of its U.S. restaurants are owned by franchisees. Or it could require Amazon to negotiate with delivery drivers who are employed by independent contractors.

“It’s trying to take in the realities of today’s workforce, when many employers subcontract out work and say, ‘Oh, we’re not the employer,’” said Cathy Creighton, director of the Buffalo Co-Lab at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations. “It’s the employer who is really calling the shots and has the money.”

The NLRB says the new rule changes a 2020 rule that made it too easy for joint employers to avoid their responsibility to negotiate with workers. The 88-year-old National Labor Relations Act guarantees the right of U.S. workers to form or join unions.

But critics say the new rule is an overreach by the labor-friendly Biden administration that undermines independent business owners. Some — including the American Hotel and Lodging Association — have already sued to block it.

“The franchise business model is a really great American innovation. It’s created wealth for thousands, particularly underrepresented minorities and women,” said McDonald’s President and CEO Chris Kempczinski during a recent conference call with investors.

FDA VIA AP PHOTO

Workers and family members take part in a 15-city walkout to demand $15 per hour wages on May 19, 2021, in front of a McDonald’s restaurant in Sanford, Fla. “This is something we think needs to be supported, not attacked.”

U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin, a West Virginia Democrat, and Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican, have introduced a Congressional Review Act resolution that would overturn the rule. The resolution must pass both houses of Congress and be signed by President Joe Biden.

Biden hasn’t said whether he supports the new joint employer rule, but he has cast himself as the most pro-union president in history. The new rule is scheduled to go into effect Dec. 26.

Richard Eiker, 54, has worked in fast food for 25 years and now works at a McDonald’s in Kansas City, Missouri. He said McDonald’s clearly controls its franchised stores and is sidestepping its responsibilities to workers.

Eiker, a leader in the prounion group Stand Up KC, said unionizing could improve his pay, benefits and working conditions. Eiker has foot pain and high blood pressure but said his job doesn’t offer affordable health care or paid time off to see a doctor. He often cuts his prescription medicines in half because he can’t afford to refill them.

“McDonald’s made almost $15 billion in profits over the last two years. They can certainly afford to treat us better, and with a union we could make them do

right by us,” he said.

The new joint employer rule had its origins in the Obama administration. In 2015, the NLRB ruled that Browning-Ferris Industries, a waste management company, should be considered the joint employer of contract workers who were sorting its recycling because it had authority over their working conditions. A federal court upheld the NLRB’s decision in 2018.

But during the Trump administration, the Republican-controlled labor board narrowed the definition of a joint employer. Under the 2020 rule, companies could be considered a joint employer only if they had “substantial direct and immediate control” over employment conditions.

The latest rule – passed by a board now controlled by Democrats -- more closely resembles the Browning-Ferris ruling from 2015. It says companies may be considered joint employers if they have the authority to control – directly or indirectly – at least one condition of employment. Conditions include wages and benefits, hours and scheduling, the assignment of duties, work rules and hiring.

The rule only applies to labor relations. The Department of Labor sets its own joint employment standards for issues like meeting minimum wage requirements.

Still, the new rule could have a major impact. Local franchise owners employ more than 8 million people in the U.S., according to the International Franchise Association. Millions more work for subcontractors or temporary agencies.

John Motta, who owns 32 Dunkin’ locations in New Hampshire and Virginia, said franchisees must meet certain brand standards and use Dunkin’ uniforms and signage.

But beyond that, they want to run their businesses independently.

“We don’t want our corporate partners to be telling us, ‘You have to pay this much per hour,’” he said. “That’s not why I came into this business. I wanted to make all those decisions by myself.”

Motta leads the Coalition of Franchisee Associations, which represents around 46,000 franchisees. He’s worried the rule will prompt Dunkin’ and other companies to stop working with franchisees and run stores themselves so they won’t be held responsible if a franchisee commits labor violations.

Michael Kaufman, an attorney who represents companies in labor disputes, said the rule has other potential complications. If a business hires temporary workers through a contractor but then asks the contractor to fire a temporary worker for harassing someone, the new rule might allow the temporary worker to bring unfair labor charges against the business, Kaufman said.

“The NLRB thinks they are holding more people accountable, but they’re holding the wrong people accountable,” he said.

Labor unions say the NLRB will consider such circumstances on a case-by-case basis, but the rule is still necessary to ensure all workers can negotiate wages and working conditions.

“Workers’ right to collectively bargain cannot be realized if the entity that has the power to change terms and conditions of employment is absent from the bargaining table,” the AFL-CIO, the Teamsters and the Service Employees International Union wrote in a letter sent this month to members of Congress.

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

A11

1.2 million chickens will be slaughtered at an Iowa farm where bird flu was found The Associated Press An additional 1.2 million chickens will be slaughtered to prevent the spread of the bird flu after the virus was confirmed on an Iowa egg farm in the second massive case in just one week.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship announced the latest bird flu infection at a farm in Taylor County Friday, and Iowa’s governor immediately declared a disaster there to make sure the state has the resources to respond quickly.

The Iowa case is just the latest one in the outbreak that began early last year and has prompted officials to kill a total of nearly 63 million birds. Earlier this week, 1 million chickens were killed on a Minnesota egg farm.

But the vast majority of the cases, or nearly 58 million birds, occurred last year.

Anytime a case of bird flu is found the entire flock is killed to help keep the highly contagious

virus from spreading to another farm.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been finding fewer wild birds carrying the virus this year, which suggests that some ducks and geese may be developing immunity. Farmers also have been working hard to keep the virus off their farms, and the government has been trying to respond quickly anytime bird flu is found.

Iowa remains the hardest hit state in the nation, with more than 17 million birds killed there since the outbreak began. The state is the nation’s leading egg producer and egg farms tend to have the most birds. In one case last year, 5 million chickens were slaughtered on a single Iowa egg farm.

Nebraska comes next with more than 6.7 million birds killed, followed by Colorado’s 6.26 million and Minnesota’s 5.6 million.

Most of the recent cases this

AP PHOTO

Chickens walk in a fenced pasture at an organic farm in Iowa on Oct. 21, 2015.

fall have been found in Minnesota, South Dakota and Iowa along one of the major migratory paths ducks and geese follow as they fly south for winter.

The virus is spread easily by the droppings of those wild birds that can be tracked onto farms, and there has been an expected uptick in cases since the fall migration began.

Poultry and egg farmers try

to keep the virus from reaching their farms by requiring workers to shower and change clothes before they enter barns. Trucks are also sanitized before they enter the farm, and separate sets of tools are kept for each barn.

The losses last year contributed to higher egg and poultry prices, but those prices have dropped significantly this year.

Bird flu isn’t believed to be

their homes after locking in ultralow mortgages at or below 3%.

The average rate on the benchmark 30-year home loan is more than twice that now.

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes in September fell for the fourth month in a row, grinding to their slowest pace in more than a decade. Sales of new homes are falling, too, but for much different reasons.

The lack of existing homes for sale has forced more people into the new home market, or out of

the housing market completely as prices skyrocket. Both can impact a company like Home Depot negatively.

The impact of inflation and monetary policy on a company like Home Depot played out in real time Tuesday after the U.S. released the latest data on inflation, which eased in October.

Shares of Home Depot that had been trading flat jumped in early trading.

Third-quarter revenue slipped 3% to $37.71 billion, Home Depot

Inc. said Tuesday, which is better than the $37.52 billion that Wall Street was expecting, according to a survey of analysts by Zacks Investment Research.

Sales at stores open at least a year, a key gauge of a retailer’s health, dropped 3.1%. In the U.S., they declined 3.5%.

Customers, compared with several years ago when they were taking on major renovations at home, focused instead on smaller, less expensive projects.

“Similar to the second quarter,

we saw continued customer engagement with smaller projects, and experienced pressure in certain big-ticket, discretionary categories,” Chair and CEO Ted Decker said in a prepared statement.

Big-ticket items include appliances that many customers buy through credit, which has grown very expensive as a result of the fight by the U.S. Federal Reserve to rein in inflation. The Fed has raised its benchmark interest rate 11 times in the past year and a half, to about 5.4%, the highest level in 22 years.

That has raised the cost of mortgages, credit cards typically used to acquire refrigerators, and loans for home improvement.

Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, said that because more people are staying put in their homes, it’s taking a bite out of spending on do-it-yourself projects, most of which are taken up after a move. Those who aren’t moving aren’t spending on larger projects, like major remodels, either.

“A lack of financing, softer confidence, and higher interest rates which impact borrowing to fund such activity, are all underpinning the decline,” Saunders said. “In our view, the situation will only remedy itself once the economy picks up or the backlog of work builds to an extent that it fuels latent demand – which will not happen any time soon.”

Home Depot earned $3.81 billion, or $3.81 per share, topping the $3.76 per share that industry analysts had expected, but it’s down from last year when the Atlanta company earned $4.34 billion, or $4.24 per share.

Shares rose slightly before the opening bell Tuesday. Shares of competitor Lowe’s, which releases quarterly earnings a week from today, rose as well.

donesia. In the nearly three-hour meeting, Biden objected directly to China’s “coercive and increasingly aggressive actions” toward Taiwan and discussed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and other issues. Xi stressed that “the Taiwan question is at the very core of China’s core interests, the bedrock of the political foundation of China-U.S. relations, and the first red line that must not be crossed in China-U.S. relations.”

The Chinese foreign ministry said this time Biden and Xi would focus on “in-depth communications on the strategic, overall and directional issues of the China-US relations as well as major issues concerning world peace and development.”

This Wednesday’s meeting comes as the United States braces for a potentially bumpy year for U.S.-Chinese relations, with Taiwan set to hold a presidential election in January and the U.S. holding its own presidential election next November.

Beijing sees official American contact with Taiwan as encouragement to make the island’s decades-old de facto independence

permanent, a step U.S. leaders say they don’t support. Under the “One China” policy, the U.S. recognizes Beijing as the government of China and doesn’t have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, but it has maintained that Taipei is an important partner in the Indo-Pacific. Biden intends to reaffirm the U.S. wants no change in the status quo, one official said.

Disinformation experts testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee have warned that Beijing could aim to target the U.S., sowing discord that might influence election results at the local level, especially in districts with large numbers of Chinese-American voters.

The Biden administration has sought to make clear to the Chinese that any actions or interference in the 2024 election “would raise extremely strong concerns from our side,” according to one official.

The officials also noted that Biden is determined to restore military-to-military communications that Beijing largely withdrew from after then-House

Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in August 2022.

All the while, the number of unsafe or provocative encounters involving the two nations’ ships and aircraft have spiked.

Last month, the U.S. military released a video of a Chinese fighter jet flying within 10 feet (3 meters) of an American B-52 bomber over the South China Sea, nearly causing an accident.

Earlier that month, the Pentagon released footage of some of the more than 180 intercepts of U.S. warplanes by Chinese aircraft that occurred in the last two years, part of a trend U.S. military officials call concerning.

Gen. CQ Brown Jr., the top U.S. military commander, told reporters in Tokyo on Friday that restoration of military-to-military contacts is “hugely important” to “ensure there is no miscalculation” between the sides.

He said he conveyed his desire to restart the dialogue in a letter to his Chinese counterpart.

The officials also said Biden would underscore U.S. commitment to the Philippines, following a recent episode in which Chinese

ships blocked and collided with two Filipino vessels off a contested shoal in the South China Sea. The Philippines and other neighbors of China are resisting Beijing’s sweeping territorial claims over virtually the entire sea.

“I want to be very clear,” Biden said in October. “The United States’ defense commitment to the Philippines is iron clad.”

Both sides appeared to be carefully considering security for the meeting, declining to publicize the venue of the much-anticipated talks.

Thousands of people protesting climate destruction, corporate practices, the Israel-Hamas war and other issues are expected to descend on San Francisco during the summit.

San Francisco Police Department Chief Bill Scott said his department expects several protests a day but doesn’t know which ones will materialize where and when. He said the city respects people’s right to mobilize peacefully but will not tolerate property destruction, violence or any other crime.

Home Depot sales continue to slide but the biggest home improvement chain still tops expectations The Associated Press Home Depot sales continue to slide as Americans wrestle with persistent inflation and the company narrowed its outlook for the year. But the nation’s biggest home improvement retailer still topped expectations for the quarter and shares jumped more than 6% at the opening bell Tuesday.

Home Depot now expects an earnings per share to decline between 9% and 11% in 2023 and same store sales to fall 3% to 4%.

The company previously anticipated an earnings per share drop between 7% and 13% and a samestore sales decline of 2% to 5%.

It’s the first time that Home Depot has projected a decline in annual sales since 2009, when the U.S. economy was decimated by a massive housing bubble.

Inflation is hitting Home Depot on a number of fronts.

Americans are more closely watching where they spend money as costs rise. The average receipt at Home Depot declined 0.3% from last year during the same period, and customer transactions are down 2.4%. It is also getting more expensive to put big-ticket items on credit cards or to take out a loan to buy them, a result of the fight by the U.S. Federal Reserve against inflation.

Secondly, as the Fed has raised interest rates to cool the economy and inflation, it has fractured the real estate market, the health of which is a big determinant in Home Depot’s fortunes.

Few people are moving from

CHINA from page A9

after it traversed the continental United States; and Chinese anger over a stopover in the U.S. by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen earlier this year, among other issues. China claims the island as its territory.

Biden will also likely press Xi on using China’s influence on North Korea, during heightened anxiety over an increased pace of ballistic missile tests by North Korea as well as Pyongyang providing munitions to Russia for its war in Ukraine.

The Democratic president is also expected to let Xi know that he would like China to use its burgeoning sway over Iran to make clear that Tehran or its proxies should not take action that could lead to expansion of the Israel-Hamas war. His administration believes the Chinese, a big buyer of Iranian oil, have considerable leverage with Iran, which is a major backer of Hamas.

Biden and Xi last met nearly a year ago on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Bali, In-

a threat to food safety because officials slaughter all the birds on farms where the disease is found before they can enter the food supply, and properly cooking poultry and eggs to 165 degrees Fahrenheit (73.89 degrees Celsius) will kill any viruses.

Infections in humans are rare and usually come only in people with prolonged exposure to sick birds.

AP PHOTO

A view of the exterior of the Home Depot improvement store, in Niles, Ill., Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022.

A12

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

Hollywood’s strikes are over, but a painful industry-wide transition isn’t The Associated Press NEW YORK — Hollywood’s months of labor unrest are coming to an end, but the poststrike landscape that awaits actors and writers may be far from happily-ever-after.

The film and television industry could rightly celebrate the conclusion this week of a bruising, protracted work stoppage that began in May when the Writers Guild hit the picket lines and gathered more force when Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists members walked out in mid-July.

The strikes were historic in their length and cost, causing an estimated $6 billion in economic loss and leaving hundreds of thousands out of work.

As Hollywood on Thursday began rushing back to production and stars again hit red carpets, many were surely still nursing wounds from a bitter feud with the studios, even after a deal that the guild says won actors a hefty boost to minimum pay and protections over the use of artificial intelligence.

SAG-AFTRA’s board was to vote on approving the contract last Friday afternoon.

But as actors swap their picket signs for audition sides and call sheets, they’ll be returning to an industry still in the midst of painful transformation and streaming upheaval.

The strikes were prompted largely by the streaming wars, a digital land-rush to populate platforms like Disney+ and HBO Max (now just “Max”) with enough content to rival Netflix. That helter-skelter transition threw much of the economics of entertainment out of whack. One of the most contentious issues of SAG-AFTRA’s negotiations with the studios was the union’s attempt to win a percentage — 1 or 2%

AP PHOTO

SAG-AFTRA captain Mary M. Flynn rallies fellow striking actors on a picket line outside Netflix studios, Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, in Los Angeles.

— of streaming revenue, to replace lost residuals. In the end, the actors accepted a bonus tied to viewership.

But even before the strike, every studio was reexamining its streaming strategy. After several years of rampant green lights, most are pulling back, looking to make fewer series and movies, cutting staff and desperately seeking a path toward profitability. Wall Street, no longer enamored with subscriber numbers, wants to see profit, too.

The aftermath of the strike may look less like a party and more like a streaming hangover.

“The streaming business is completely screwed up. There’s too much content and nobody seems to be able to make any profit from it,” says Jonathan Taplin, director emeritus of the USC Annenberg Innovation

Lab and author of “The End of Reality: How Four Billionaires are Selling a Fantasy Future of the Metaverse, Mars, and Crypto.”

Both strikes, Taplin says, were successful because the guilds gained bulwarks against potential decimation by artificial intelligence. But the road ahead, during which he expects linear television to collapse and some streaming services to go out of business, will be strained.

“The whole business is in a complete uproar,” says Taplin.

“It will sort itself out in the next three to five years, but it’s going to be painful.”

This is the world that awaits actors as they rush back to sets: Better pay but fewer jobs and intense competition. Puck’s Matt Belloni wrote: “What should be a time of relief and celebration in Hollywood is more akin

to what soldiers experience in countless war movies — the horrors of battle give way to the equally grim reality of the new world for which they fought.”

Still, the strikes recalibrated power in Hollywood, winning gains for actors and writers and rallying union support throughout the industry. More battles loom. The contract for International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, which represents crew members, expires at the end of July.

Meanwhile, for months studios have signaled they’re downsizing. Earlier this week, Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger in an earnings call where he touted the financial benefits of more than 8,000 job cuts, said the company is focused on consolidating: “Make less, focus more on quality.”

“At the time the pandemic

YouTube creators will soon have to disclose use of gen AI in videos or risk suspension The Associated Press YOUTUBE is rolling out new rules for AI content, including a requirement that creators reveal whether they’ve used generative artificial intelligence to make realistic looking videos.

In a blog post Tuesday outlining a number of AI-related policy updates, YouTube said creators that don’t disclose whether they’ve used AI tools to make “altered or synthetic” videos face

penalties including having their content removed or suspension from the platform’s revenue sharing program.

“Generative AI has the potential to unlock creativity on YouTube and transform the experience for viewers and creators on our platform,” Jennifer Flannery O’Connor and Emily Moxley, vice presidents for product management, wrote in the blog post.

“But just as important, these opportunities must be balanced

with our responsibility to protect the YouTube community.”

The restrictions expand on rules that YouTube’s parent company, Google, unveiled in September requiring that political ads on YouTube and other Google platforms using artificial intelligence come with a prominent warning label.

Under the latest changes, which will take effect by next year, YouTubers will get new options to indicate whether they’re

posting AI-generated video that, for example, realistically depict an event that never happened or show someone saying or doing something they didn’t actually do.

“This is especially important in cases where the content discusses sensitive topics, such as elections, ongoing conflicts and public health crises, or public officials,” O’Connor and Moxley said.

Viewers will be alerted to al-

Hyundai joins Honda and Toyota in raising wages after auto union wins gains in deals with Detroit 3 The Associated Press SOUTH KOREAN automaker Hyundai has joined Honda and Toyota in raising factory worker wages after the United Auto Workers union reached new contract agreements with Detroit automakers.

Hyundai said Monday it will raise factory worker pay 25% by 2028, matching the general wage increase won by the UAW during that period. Toyota raised factory pay 9% to 10% starting in January, while Honda said it will increase wages 11% during the same period.

Labor experts say the increases are at least in part aimed at thwarting UAW President Shawn Fain’s strategy of trying to organize U.S. auto plants run by foreign automakers and Tesla in order to increase the union’s bargaining power. Fain said terrified auto executives at nonunion plants are raising wages, and he called Toyota’s pay increase the UAW bump.

AP PHOTO

SAG-AFTRA captain Mary M. Flynn rallies fellow striking actors on a picket line outside Netflix studios, Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, in Los Angeles.

“UAW, that stands for ‘You Are Welcome,’” he said.

About 146,000 UAW members are voting on new contracts with General Motors, Ford and Jeep maker Stellantis that give

them 25% general wage increases over the next four years and eight months. When cost of living wages are factored in, workers will get about 33% raises, with the top assembly

line employee making about $42 per hour.

Toyota and Honda also accelerated the time it takes for a starting employee to reach the top pay rate, also matching or coming close to the time period in the new UAW contracts.

Harry Katz, a professor of collective bargaining at Cornell University, said it’s likely the UAW settlement contributed to the raises at the nonunion factories.

“There’s also a strong labor market, the companies are doing very well,” Katz said.

“They’ve always wanted to stay nonunion, and they try to stay close to the Detroit top-tier wages.”

In announcing its factory pay increases, Hyundai wouldn’t say how much the hourly wage is at its factory in Montgomery, Alabama, or how much it will pay at an electric vehicle factory under construction near Savannah, Georgia. By early next year the company said it will have in-

hit, we were leaning into a huge increase in how much we were making,” Iger said. “And I’ve always felt that quantity can be actually a negative when it comes to quality. And I think that’s exactly what happened.

We lost some focus.”

Netflix, which earlier set its sights on a new original movie every week, has said it’s now aiming for about half that. Hulu, which Disney plans to bundle with Disney+ after acquiring Comcast’s stake, is slimming down. Peacock lost $2.8 billion this year, Comcast has said; it announced layoffs to its marketing department Thursday.

Warner Bros. Discovery chief executive David Zaslav has taken drastic steps to get Max in order while the studio post-merger carries $43 billion in debt.

“This is a generational disruption we’re going through,” Zaslav said Wednesday. “Going through that with a streaming service that’s losing billions of dollars is really, really difficult to go on offense.”

Cancellations have grown more commonplace as streamers get more selective. Due in part to the strikes, series production will dip for the first time in years in 2023 after reaching an all-time high last year, when 599 original series were made.

Peak TV, some say, is over.

But there are still huge amounts of money being thrown around. Apple Studios, for one, is behind two of the fall’s biggest budget films in Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” and Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon.”

Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA’s lead negotiator, remains optimistic about what’s ahead.

“I recognize that during a strike, sometimes rhetoric gets heated. People sometimes say things with the intention of sort of generating a reaction,” Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said Wednesday. “And so I think really we will see over the coming days, weeks and months what the industry’s real intentions are. But my expectation is that they do really want to get people back to work and that they’ll do so.”

tered videos with labels, including prominent ones on the YouTube video player for sensitive topics.

The platform is also deploying AI to root out content that breaks its rules, and the company said the technology has helped detect “novel forms of abuse” more quickly.

YouTube’s privacy complaint process will be updated to allow requests for the removal of an AI-generated video that simulates an identifiable person, including their face or voice.

YouTube music partners such as record labels or distributors will be able to request the takedown of AI-generated music content “that mimics an artist’s unique singing or rapping voice.”

creased factory worker pay 14% in the past year.

Katz estimated that Hyundai now pays around $25 per hour, and he says the nonunion plants’ retirement, health care and other benefits are typically not as good of as what UAW workers get.

“Hyundai continuously strives to maintain competitive wages and benefits commensurate to industry peers,” Jose Munoz, Hyundai’s chief operating officer, said in a statement.

With its increases, Toyota’s top factory worker pay will go to $34.80 per hour in January.

Honda wouldn’t say what its hourly rate will be, but analysts say it likely is comparable to Toyota’s.

Katz said the UAW’s new contract probably won’t help the union get workers at the nonunion plants to join. The plants, he said, are in areas of the country that are often suspicious of unions.

“Detroit’s wage has been higher than the nonunion before,” he said. “There’s always been a difference and they just haven’t been able to organize them. It doesn’t hurt them to have won such a large deal, but I don’t think it’s going to make that big of a difference.”

App State readies for unbeaten JMU, B3

AP PHOTO

Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman will face his old team when Wake Forest visits South Bend to play the Irish.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Duke men drop 7 spots, UNC down 1 in latest men’s poll

Awkward reunion awaits Hartman, Wake Forest The team and former franchise quarterback are both enduring hard times as they meet again

how are you doing?”

When the 2023 schedule came out and Wake Forest and Sam Hartman saw that the Demon Deacons would be playing at Notre Dame on senior day for the Irish, both sides of football’s biggest offseason transfer envisioned something similar for their side of the reunion.

Instead, this will the football equivalent of throwing on sweatpants to head to the doctor to see if you have the flu, then bumping into your ex when you stop to get gas on the way.

Hartman decided to transfer for his final season of eligibility, leaving Wake as the school’s career and single-season record holder in completions, attempts, touchdowns, yardage and 300-yard games. With Hartman, Dave Clawson’s Demon Deacons offense became one of the most explosive in football. Wake was one of nine

“Right now, we’ve lost our way. ... On offense, we’re broken.”

New York Duke’s loss to Arizona dropped the Blue Devils from No. 2 to No. 9 in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll released Monday. The Wildcats moved up to No. 3 — behind top-ranked Kansas and new No. 2 Purdue — after they beat Duke (1-1) 78-73 Friday at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils were scheduled to play No. 18 Michigan State in the Champions Classic on Tuesday in Chicago. UNC won its only game last week, a 90-68 victory over Lehigh on Sunday, but still fell one spot to No. 20 in this week’s poll. The Tar Heels (2-0) host UC Riverside on Friday.

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

Vitale: Vocal cord cancer “is gone”

Robinson makes subdued, but triumphant, return to Triangle

Sarasota, Fla. Legendary Hall of Fame college basketball announcer Dick Vitale’s vocal cord cancer “is gone,” he said in a statement released Monday. The longtime ESPN broadcaster added he will take more time to recover and there is no timetable yet for his return to the sidelines. The 84-year-old was diagnosed with cancer in July and had initially targeted the end of November for his return. Vitale joined ESPN in 1979 and has been the enthusiastic voice of college basketball since. He also sits on the board of directors for the V Foundation for Cancer Research, which was founded by former NC State basketball coach Jim Valvano, Vitale’s close friend and colleague who died from cancer in 1993 at age 47. Valvano posthumously joined Vitale in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this year. Vitale, who coached four years at the University of Detroit Mercy for four seasons before going into broadcasting, was enshrined in 2008.

THIS IS NOT the way either side of the breakup wanted things to go.

Normally when a long-term relationship ends, everyone involved hopes that the next time their paths cross, they’ll be looking and doing great — lost weight, making money, happy and content in all facets of life.

“I was just on my way to dinner with my new significant other,” you’d say when you run into your ex. “Perhaps you’ve seen them on Instagram?

They’re a well-known influencer. We’ve got a table at the hot new restaurant downtown to celebrate my promotion. So,

Dave Clawson, Wake Forest coach teams to score 1,000 points over the last two seasons combined, and the Deacs are the only team in the ACC to average 30 points a game over the last six years.

This year, however, they’ve missed Hartman dearly. Wake has averaged just 20.5 points per game, a drop of more than 16 from last year’s average and exactly half of the record-setting 2021 team’s output.

The Deacs have lost three straight and six of seven. They haven’t topped 21 points since

The longtime Roy Williams assistant joined Caleb Love in helping Arizona win at Cameron Indoor

By Shawn Krest North State Journal DURHAM — After Arizona upset No. 2 Duke, the local media crowded the tiny walkway leading to the visiting locker room, waiting for a chance to talk to one former Tar Heel, returning triumphant after winning at Cameron Indoor once again.

Meanwhile, another former Tar Heel was already in the Cameron lobby, talking quietly with a small group of family and friends he’d made over his two decades working in the area.

When Caleb Love, the player the media horde was waiting to see, first found out Arizona would be heading to Cameron, he relished the chance to once again battle his former

AP PHOTO

Steve Robinson joined Arizona’s coaching staff after UNC coach Hubert Davis didn’t retain him when he took over the Tar Heels in 2021. archrival.

“Obviously, it was on my mind for a little minute,” he said. “As soon as I saw they were on the schedule, my eyes got bigger.”

As he was when he visited as a Tar Heel, Love was a target of the Cameron Crazies’ wrath from the outset. They heckled him from the first time he came

Sept. 16 and managed just six in a loss to NC State last week.

“Right now, we’ve lost our way,” Clawson said after that game. “On offense, we’re broken. This isn’t anything like the offense that was put out there the last six years.

“If you look at the things we’re now doing — turning the ball over, personal fouls — that has not been the brand of Wake Forest football the last seven years. We were the team that didn’t do those things. …

I’m embarrassed how poorly we played. I’m embarrassed at our lack of discipline. I’m embarrassed at the false starts on offense on our first three drives where we go to first-and-15. I’m embarrassed we turned the ball over three times, and I blame myself for that. We’ve lost our way, and there’s evidence that’s the case.”

This isn’t just a reunion with your ex when you aren’t feeling your best. This is bumping into them while having a full-throated shouting match with your new significant other in the Walmart parking lot.

With Wake’s woeful state, Hartman should be tenting his fingers and saying, “Excellent” See HARTMAN, page B4

out onto the court to shoot. He didn’t pay any attention to them all night until his two crunchtime free throws and an impressive assist off a loose ball leading to a teammate’s dunk helped clinch the win. At that point, he turned toward the student section and began to wave, calling out, “Bye-bye!”

Love struggled through a tumultuous season for the Tar Heels in 2022-23 as the team went from preseason No. 1 to the wrong side of the NCAA Tournament bubble, with selfishness and chemistry issues blamed for UNC’s struggles.

Love chose to transfer after the season, as both sides had seemingly worn out their welcome with each other.

Still, Love wrote “Tar Heel 4L” (for life) on his shoes for his return game in the state and made it clear there was no bitterness.

“That’s what I am,” he explained. “I’m a Tar Heel for life, regardless of what our differences are or what happened in the past. I’ve still got love for Tar Heel Nation. I love them.”

While Love wore his emotions on his sleeve — or sneakers — one of his coaches played things far closer to the vest.

See ROBINSON, page B4

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

B2 WEDNESDAY

11.15.23

TRENDING

Zach Arnett: The Mississippi State football coach was fired less than one season after he took over the Bulldogs following the tragic passing of Mike Leach from a heart issue. He leaves the university with a 5-6 record, including a 4-6 mark this season and with the program tied for last in the SEC West at 1-6. Arnett, 37, was in the first year of a four-year contract that paid $3 million annually plus incentives.

Craig Counsell: The former Brewers manager was introduced in that role with the Cubs on Monday, becoming the team’s 56th manager. Chicago lured Counsell with a record contract after it fired David Ross, who was a fan favorite as a player but went 262-284 in four seasons as the Cubs’ skipper.

Counsell became the majors’ highest paid manager with a five-year deal worth more than $40 million.

Novak Djokovic: The 36-year-old tennis legend finished the year ranked as the No. 1 men’s player in the world for a record-extending eighth time.

Djokovic needed only one match win at the ATP Finals to be sure of keeping the top spot, and the 24-time Grand Slam champion secured it in his opener by beating Holger Rune in a match that started Sunday and ended Monday morning.

Beyond the box score POTENT QUOTABLES

SOCCER

North Carolina Courage forward Kerolin was named the NWSL’s most valuable player on Friday. The speedy Brazilian-born attacker scored a career-high 10 goals and added three assists in 19 games with the Courage this season. The 23-year-old Kerolin, who was also on the roster for Brazil at this summer’s Women’s World Cup, is the 11-year-old league’s first MVP from South America.

CHRIS SEWARD | AP PHOTO

“If you’re going to be here, you’ve gotta beat Duke.”

UNC football coach Mack Brown after the Tar Heels beat the rival Blue Devils 47-45 in double overtime on Saturday.

BEN MCKEOWN | AP PHOTO

NBA

NFL

MATT SLOCUM | AP PHOTO

CHUCK BURTON | AP PHOTO

“I really didn’t expect that.”

NC State football coach Dave Doeren on starting quarterback MJ Morris’ decision last week to redshirt for the rest of the season.

PRIME NUMBER

Sixers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. suffered a broken rib after being struck by a vehicle that fled the scene Saturday night in Philadelphia’s Center City.

The 27-year-old Oubre, who played the past two seasons with the Hornets, was taken to a hospital in stable condition after being hit. He was released a few hours later.

ADAM HUNGER | AP PHOTO

Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers says his goal is to return from a torn Achilles tendon by mid-December.

Rodgers suffered the injury Sept. 11 against Buffalo in his first game with New York. Normal recovery from the injury is approximately six months, but Rodgers is aiming to come back after three.

MLB

5 Career shutouts for Hurricanes goalie Pyotr Kochetkov, just the sixth rookie goaltender in the last 50 years with that many in their first 31 appearances. The other five goalies are Elvis Merzlikins, Jordan Binnington, Martin Jones, Steve Mason and Chico Resch.

DAVID J. PHILLIP | AP PHOTO

Joe Espada was introduced as manager of the Astros on Monday, replacing the retired Dusty Baker. It’s the first managerial position for the 48-year-old Espada, who has been Houston’s bench coach since 2018. Espada began his coaching career in the Marlins organization, serving as the Greensboro Grasshoppers’ hitting coach in 2006.

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

B3

Mid-major players to watch across NC Drew Pember is back at UNC Asheville to try and help the Bulldogs return to the NCAAs

By Cory Lavalette North State Journal AS THE COLLEGE football regular season starts to wind down and Tobacco Road basketball heats up, 15 mid-major teams across the state tipped off their nonconference schedules.

For most of those schools, the only way to earn an NCAA Tournament bid is by winning their conference tournament, as Big South champion UNC Asheville did a year ago. Here are the players to watch on each of those 15 teams as they begin their postseason quest.

Donovan Gregory, App State: The Charlotte native was named to the preseason Sun Belt first team after making the second team at the end of last season.

He averaged 12.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists last season. The Mountaineers were picked to finish second in the Sun Belt, and Gregory will be key to their postseason chances.

Anthony Dell’Orso, Campbell: The Camels guard was the Big South’s top freshman last season, averaging 12.5 points and 5.8 rebounds. The 6-foot-6 Australian guard had already set a new career high in scoring this season, dropping 35 points in a loss to East Carolina on Saturday.

Campbell was picked 12th in the Big South.

Igor Milicic, Charlotte: The 49ers were picked 13th out of 14 teams for their first season in the AAC, and they’ll the 6-foot-10 Croatian to stay out of the bottom of the league. A transfer from Virginia, Milicic shot 67.9% from the field for Charlotte last season.

He’s already matched his one double-double from a year ago, scoring 13 with 10 rebounds in a loss to Liberty last Friday.

Angelo Brizzi, Davidson: After two seasons at Villanova — one as a redshirt and last year as a little-used reserve — Brizzi transferred to Davidson for a bigger role. He’s struggled in his first three games, making just 23.3% of his shots and 1 of 14 3-pointers,

AP PHOTO

Big South Player of the Year Drew Pember returned for another season at UNC Asheville and a chance to take the Bulldogs to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments. but the Virginia native has been able to get to the free-throw line and also had six steals in a win over Maryland.

RJ Felton, East Carolina: The junior guard is already off to a good start after being named to the AAC’s preseason second team.

He scored a career-high 30 points against Campbell on Saturday for the Pirates, who were picked to finish fifth in the conference.

Max Mackinnon, Elon: The CAA’s top rookie last year also made the conference all-defensive team. The 6-foot-5 Australian has scored 14, 17 and 17 in his first three games this season after averaging 11.4 points and 5.1 rebounds a year ago for Elon, which is picked to finish 10th in the conference.

DQ Nicholas, Gardner-Webb: Picked fourth in the Big South, the Runnin’ Bulldogs bring back their leading scorer in Nicholas.

The senior made the conference’s preseason first team in his first year at Gardner-Webb but strug-

gled in losses against Power Five foes Arkansas and Baylor to start this season, making a combined 6 of 23 shots.

Kimani Hamilton, High Point: After playing in just 12 games as a freshman at Mississippi State, Hamilton transferred to High Point, which was picked seventh in the Big South but did earn a first-place vote. He had 23 points and nine rebounds in the Panthers’ one-point loss at Wofford on Saturday.

Landon Glasper, North Carolina A&T: The Aggies were picked 14th in the CAA and have dropped their first two games of the season. Glasper, who averaged 13.2 points per game last year for Coffeyville Community College in Kansas, scored 32 points in a loss to UNC Greensboro last Friday, making 5 of 11 3-pointers.

Fred Cleveland Jr., NC Central: The Eagles are always a threat to make the NCAA Tournament and were picked to finish third in the MEAC before the season.

Cleveland, named to the preseason third team, won’t be the No. 1 scoring option, but he should be a steadying force on a team with several new faces.

AJ McKee, Queens: A thirdteam selection last year, McKee was one of 11 players selected to the all-Atlantic Sun preseason team. The Charlotte native was second on the 49ers — picked to finish ninth in the conference — in scoring last season at 15.4 points per game in the Royals’ first Division I season.

Drew Pember, UNC Asheville: Named the Big South’s best defensive and top overall player last season, Pember was the easy pick for the conference’s preseason player of the year after he led the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament. UNCA is picked to finish first in the conference, and Pember will look to take the school to its second straight Big Dance.

Keyshaun Langley, UNC Greensboro: UNCG is picked second in the Southern Conference,

and Langley was an all-conference preseason pick after averaging 14.3 points per game last season. The fifth-year senior and High Point native is one of a handful of returning players trying to help the Spartans back to the NCAA Tournament.

Trazarien White, UNC Wilmington: The 6-foot-6 junior forward scored in double digits in 24 of 34 games last season for the Seahawks, who were picked third in the CAA before the season. White was named to the preseason first team — he made the second team following last season — and is averaging 18 points and 6.5 rebounds through two games.

Vonterius Woolbright, Western Carolina: The Catamounts, picked to finish third in the SoCon, have already shown what they’re capable of by beating Notre Dame on Saturday. The fact they did it with a subpar performance from Woolbright, the conference’s preseason player of the year, is even more encouraging.

App State hits stride in time for unbeaten James Madison The Mountaineers, winners of three straight, travel to face the 18th-ranked Dukes

By Jesse Deal North State Journal AFTER A ROCKY first half of the season, Appalachian State has reeled off three consecutive wins and clinched bowl eligibility. The Mountaineers’ next challenge? A visit to Harrisonburg, Virginia, to face undefeated James Madison.

ESPN’s “College GameDay” will make an appearance on JMU’s campus as the No. 18 Dukes (10-0, 6-0 Sun Belt) host the Mountaineers (6-4, 4-2 Sun Belt) in Saturday’s conference showdown at 2 p.m.

It’s a chance for a surging App State squad to take its best shot at the top team in the Sun Belt.

The Mountaineers rolled over Georgia State last weekend in a balanced 42-14 road win. Quarterback Joey Aguilar passed for three touchdowns, App State running backs had three scores, and six different Mountaineers scored touchdowns as the team improved to 10-0 all time against GSU. “We still have a lot to clean up, but our players are playing at a high level right now and we’re eager to keep digging and keep chipping away because we have a lot to play for,” App State coach Shawn Clark said at his weekly Monday press conference. “We look forward to the challenge of competing against James Madison this weekend on a national stage.”

With the 34th-ranked offense and 26th-ranked defense in the country, the Dukes present a difficult test for a Mountaineers team that likes to run the ball — JMU’s rush defense ranks first in the country at only 61.6 rush-

AP PHOTO

Appalachian State quarterback Joey Aguilar has thrown for 875 yards while completing 70.3% of his passes for 10 touchdowns and just two interceptions during the Mountaineers’ three-game winning streak. ing yards allowed per game.

At the same time, App State’s 14th-ranked offense has been on a roll and averaged more than 40 points per game over the past three weeks. The one-two punch of running backs Nate Noel — recovered from a midseason ankle injury — and redshirt freshman Kanye Roberts has solidified the Mountaineers’ running game.

Aguilar, meanwhile, has gotten better as the season has gone on, assisted by a receiving corps led by juniors Kaedin Robinson and Christan Horn.

On defense, inside linebacker Andrew Parker Jr. and safe-

“It’s going to be challenging for us to go up there and play our best game for us to have a chance to win the game.”

App State coach Shawn Clark on facing unbeaten James Madison on Saturday ty Nick Ross have anchored a group that has struggled at times to stay off the field but

improved in November, holding Marshall and GSU to a combined 21 points the past two weeks.

On Monday, Clark spoke highly of the JMU team built by fifth-year coach Curt Cignetti, a former NC State assistant under Chuck Amato who later made an in-conference jump from Elon to the Dukes when JMU played at the FCS level in the Colonial Athletic Conference. Cignetti has since helped JMU make the leap to FBS and the Sun Belt, and Clark cited the dual-threat ability of quarterback Jordan McCloud, the playmaking skills of wide re-

ceiver Reggie Brown and running back Kaelon Black, and the Dukes’ stout defense as reasons for the team’s success.

“With their coverages, they’re in the right spot at the right time and there’s not many holes in their defense. We cannot even identify them right now,” Clark said. “And then with their offense, it starts at the quarterback. He can do it all — he can run, he can throw and get the ball out of his hands quickly.

“They have three or four great receivers, and their offensive line is playing well. You have to have a great running back, and that’s why they’re undefeated right now and ranking 18th in the AP poll and they get all the credit.”

McCloud has thrown 26 touchdowns along with a teamhigh six rushing scores, while JMU’s top two wideouts, Brown and Elijah Sarratt, have combined for 1,744 receiving yards.

The senior quarterback completed 33 of 37 passes for 457 yards and four touchdowns in the Dukes’ 44-6 home win over UConn last weekend.

Clark added that while JMU has proven to be a force to be reckoned with this season, his team is up for the challenge of attempting to upset the home team in front of a large national audience.

“They’ve been able to win some games and go on the road to beat a Virginia football team for a Power Five win and do all the right things right now,” Clark said. “So it’s going to be challenging for us to go up there and play our best game for us to have a chance to win the game.”

The Dukes came out of Kidd Brewer Stadium with a 32-28 win over the Mountaineers last season. Overall, App State is 8-2 against JMU in 10 head-tohead matchups since 1985.

B4

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

Governor’s Cup puts fierce Tobacco Road rivalry between NC State, UNC on ice The Tar Heels won four of six meetings last season

By Ashley White For North State Journal CHAPEL HILL — The Wolfpack and Tar Heels will put their rivalry on ice ahead of their annual season-ending gridiron matchup next week.

Club hockey teams from the two rivals will face off Monday at 7 p.m. for the seventh annual Governor’s Cup at PNC Arena.

“Having a big stage where a lot of fans show up, it’s a big deal,” UNC senior captain Henry Foster said of playing at the home of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes.

“It’s a ton of fun to play in such a lively and exciting arena.”

NC State’s Ice Pack has won five of the previous Governor’s Cup matchups, losing for the first time last year.

“While the loss was not great for NC State hockey, for the sake of the rivalry it was probably not the worst thing to happen,” NC

AP PHOTO

UNC’s Henry Foster lifts the Governor’s Cup in celebration after the Tar Heels won the title for the first time in 2022.

State coach Tim Healy said. “It really had not been much of a rivalry in years, so this helped bring passion and fire back to it.”

While the Ice Pack has his-

torically dominated the rivalry, the Tar Heels have had success against NC State the past two seasons. UNC beat its rivals four out of six times last season, in-

cluding winning the Governor’s Cup and ending the Ice Pack’s season in the American Collegiate Hockey Association Southeast Regionals in Springfield, Virginia.

After losing the series and the cup last year, the Ice Pack is looking to bounce back against the Tar Heels. “(The Governor’s Cup) is a big opportunity, and it’s the next step to reaching our goal of ultimately sweeping them,” said Ice Pack senior captain Garret Auriene.

One of NC State’s two wins over the Tar Heels last season came outdoors when the teams faced off at Carter-Finley field in February, two days after the Hurricanes hosted the Washington Capitals in an NHL Stadium Series game. The Ice Pack captured a 7-3 win over UNC in front of an estimated 24,000 fans in Raleigh.

The Ice Pack and the Tar Heels most recently faced off Oct. 27 at Wake Competition Center in Morrisville, with NC State top-

Rivers, NC State shock No. 2 UConn

conference weekly honor from the ACC. Aziaha James added 18 points

for the Wolfpack (2-0), hitting the corner 3-pointer that started an 11-0 burst early in the fourth

quarter to stretch out a 14-point lead and take control.

The game was a rematch of

an NCAA Elite Eight matchup from 2022, with the Huskies (11) beating the Wolfpack in double overtime backed by a home crowd despite NC State being a No. 1 regional seed. That, along with Auriemma’s program long being one of the standards of the sport, drew a boisterous and often ear-ringing sellout to Reynolds Coliseum.

Wolfpack coach Wes Moore said the 2022 game “will haunt me forever.” On Sunday, at least, he could savor watching his players mobbing each other at midcourt once the horn sounded.

Preseason Associated Press All-American Paige Bueckers scored 27 points for UConn, while Aaliyah Edwards added 21. But the Wolfpack shot 56.8% after the first and dominated the glass for the game (41-29).

“I think getting rebounds is just an attitude, and we’ve got a (expletive) attitude toward rebounding, because it’s hard work,” Auriemma said. “It’s hard work, and everybody’s got to be engaged in it.”

UConn had won six straight meetings since NC State’s last win, a 1998 regional final sending late Hall of Famer Kay Yow to what stands as the program’s lone Final Four.

It was the Wolfpack’s first win as an unranked team against a top-five opponent since December 2016. And it marked the most points allowed by UConn in game ending in regulation since then-No. 3 Tennessee scored 92 in February 2001, according to ESPN Stats & Info.

Tulsa and Florida State. Perhaps some of the chemistry problems that wracked the Tar Heels last season could have been dodged had there been a voice of experience in the locker room.

If the decision to dump Robinson was questionable, the rationale was downright sketchy.

After Matt Doherty earned the scorn of Tar Heels’ boosters two decades earlier when he chose not to retain retiring head coach Bill Gutheridge’s assistants, Davis chose to create a policy that all of his assistants had to have played at the school.

“You can’t do this job unless you’re a Carolina guy,” Davis said at the time. “You can’t coach here. You can’t recruit here. You can’t work here unless you have been here. You’ve experienced it.

You have lived it.”

It’s a policy that excluded Robinson. It’s worth noting that it also would have excluded Dean Smith and Bill Guthridge.

After spending the summer deciding what he wanted to do, Robinson accepted an offer to join the Arizona staff.

“I wasn’t ready to stop coaching,” he said. “And my wife told me I needed to take the job.”

At the time, Williams called Robinson the best hire he’d ever made and declared that his former assistant had “plenty of gas left in the tank.”

Robinson, understandably, didn’t want to talk about Davis’ policy or the end of his tenure with the Tar Heels. He was happy to talk about Williams and the latest win over the Blue

Devils.

Like Love, he had a reaction when he saw the Duke trip on the Arizona schedule.

“So, I’m going home,” Robinson remembers thinking. “Tickets are gonna be a problem.

Why’d you do that to me?”

Turning serious, Robinson clearly relished his ninth victory at Cameron Indoor Stadium as an assistant coach.

“I’m excited, happy, all of that,” he said. “Stressed, whatever else you want to call it, because this is a hard game. I know how hard it is to win a basketball game here and how much you have to put into it. I know our preparation and everything we had to do. It’s always good to come out with a victory over here because you have to earn it.

“Having an opportunity to play against other good quality programs is something that Tommy likes to do. And, you know, being with Coach Williams at North Carolina and Kansas, that’s what he did.”

While Love spoke to several of his former teammates before the game and promised “I’m going to get this win for them,” Robinson was more subdued about returning to his old stomping grounds.

“I spoke to several of the guys,” he said. “Sean May and (UNC Director of Basketball Operations) Eric Hoots. I told everybody, ‘This is a business trip for me.’ So I came in with a focus of being prepared so we could try to have success.”

If anyone knows about it being all business, it’s Steve Robinson.

Hartman led the Irish to 98 points in the first two games and 86 points in the next two.

Since then, however, he’s struggled. The Irish have gone 3-3 since that explosive start, and the Irish have averaged just 30.7 points per game over that stretch.

There are plenty of factors that go into an offense’s scoring totals, but Hartman’s performance has clearly been a big part of the drop-off. Through

four games, his passer rating was 217.8. In the six games since, it’s 120.4. His completion percentage has fallen from 71.1% to 58.3%, and after throwing 13 touchdowns with no interceptions through Week 4, he’s had five touchdowns with seven picks since.

With the Irish out of the playoff picture, there has been talk — getting louder by the week — that it may be time to look toward the future, and that means

replacing the one-year rental at quarterback with someone who could use the reps to develop for next year.

ESPN just released its quarterback draft rankings and had Hartman at No. 14, slotted as a “late day three pick,” meaning the sixth or seventh round — not what he expected when he made the jump to the Irish.

“The biggest thing I think with Sam is that he’s still in the first year of a completely

different system,” said Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman.

“There’s a reason why he has so much success at Wake Forest because you’re in that same system for five years.”

The end of a relationship is never easy. It’s even harder when you’re the one who’s not in a good place. When Wake Forest and Sam Hartman make eye contact across the field on Saturday, both would be excused for longing for the good old days.

The Wolfpack got their long-awaited revenge on the Huskies The Associated Press RALEIGH — Saniya Rivers stayed on the attack all Sunday. Her NC State teammates followed her lead to a stunning takedown of No. 2 Connecticut.

Rivers had a career-best 33 points to go with 10 rebounds and a dominant overall floor game to help the Wolfpack beat the Huskies 92-81, earning the program’s first win against the Huskies in more than a quarter-century.

Rivers, a rangy 6-foot-1 guard in her second year after transferring from South Carolina, has the size to shoot over defenders, operate as a playmaker and attack the basket. She finished with five assists, three blocks and three steals in 38 minutes as UConn Hall of Famer Geno Auriemma called her “by far the most dominant player on the floor today.”

“I just knew I had to show up today for my teammates,” Rivers said. “Whether it was scoring, on the defensive end, giving assists to my teammates, it didn’t matter.”

She was named NCAA national player of the week on Monday and also earned the top

ROBINSON from page B1

One of the reasons Love ended up at Arizona is that the coach who recruited him to Carolina — Steve Robinson — is now an assistant on coach Tommy Lloyd’s staff.

Robinson spent 26 seasons as an assistant to Roy Williams, including the Hall of Fame coach’s entire tenure with the Tar Heels.

When Hubert Davis took over as head coach following Williams’ retirement, he chose not to retain Robinson. In hindsight, the decision should have raised more eyebrows. Davis, who had never served as a head coach other than with the Carolina JV team, could certainly have used a veteran coach with seven years of experience as the head man at

HARTMAN from page B1

as his date with the Deacs approaches. Instead, he’s fighting for his job.

The plan was for Hartman to use his final season to take the Irish back to the College Football Playoff and make a run at the Heisman Trophy while showcasing his skills for the NFL Draft in a pro-style offense instead of the Wake slow mesh.

Things started out well.

ping UNC with a 5-4 overtime win on a goal from freshman Nick Shook.

UNC has won four of five since, and the Tar Heels are looking to prove that they are the team to beat in North Carolina.

“We truly feel we’re the better team overall,” Michael Vaglia, Tar Heels forward and team president, said. “We’re going to come out and prove to everyone that we’re the better team and that was just a fluke.”

Ahead of the game, the Tar Heels revealed a new jersey.

Each team member had the opportunity to design a jersey, with the players voting on their favorite design to bring to life.

The navy jersey was designed by former UNC hockey player Simone Malone and is inspired by the Hurricanes’ warning flag pattern.

“We’ll have a piece of Hurricanes history on the jersey playing in their arena, which is gonna be cool,” said Vaglia.

Tickets for the Governor’s Cup are available on Ticketmaster.

AP PHOTO

NC State guard Saniya Rivers (22) celebrates with teammate Madison Hayes (21) during the Wolfpack’s win Saturday over No. 2 UConn in Raleigh.

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

B5

TAKE NOTICE

CUMBERLAND

NEW HANOVER

NEW HANOVER

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE FILE NO: 2023 E 001702 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Theo Melvin Brown, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all creditors of the decedent are notified that all claims against the estate will be forever barred unless presented to Anthony Brown, 1702 Gilmore St. Fayetteville, North Carolina 28301, named Executor of the Estate of Theo Melvin Brown, or to both the probate court and the named Executor within 90 days after the date of publication of this notice, on or before February 16, 2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to the Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. Dated this 15th day of November 2023.

Anthony Brown, Executor of the Estate of Theo Melvin Brown 1702 GILMORE ST. FAYETTEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 28301 803-463-7717

The undersigned having qualified as Executors of the Estate of Audrey M. Morse, deceased, late of New Hanover County, North Carolina, Estate File Number 2021 E 01429, this is to notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate to present such claims to the undersigned at 247 Charlotte Street, Suite 205, Asheville, North Carolina on or before the 24th day of January, 2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment.

This the 25th day of October, 2023.

Jennifer Carol McCullough & Becky Lynne McClure, Executors c/o John C. Frue, Attorney 247 Charlotte Street, Suite 205 Asheville, NC 28801 (828)255-0309

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS

NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ESTATE FILE NO. 23-E-1841 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Ronald Eugene McKay, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at 2517 Raeford Road, Fayetteville, NC 28305, on or before February 15, 2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

Dated this 15th day of November 2023.

OF BRIAN M LINDSAY, DECEASED SEPTEMBER 27, 2023 The undersigned having qualified as Administrator of the estate of Brian M Lindsay, deceased, late of New Hanover County, this is to notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 24nd day of January 2024, or be barred from their recovery.

All persons indebted to said estate are asked to please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

Clyde M Lindsay, Jr. Administrator P. O. Box 1887 Lumberton, NC 28359

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE BEFORE THE CLERK FILE # 23 E 1413

Edward Sullins, Jr., Executor of the Estate of Ronald Eugene McKay NICOLE A. CORLEY MURRAY, CRAVEN & CORLEY, L.L.P. N.C. BAR NO. 56459 2517 RAEFORD ROAD FAYETTEVILLE, NC 28305 – 3007 (910) 483 – 4990 COUNSEL FOR EXECUTOR

Having qualified as EXECUTOR of the Estate of Ian R. Moseley, deceased, the undersigned does hereby give notice to all persons, firms or corporations having claims against the said Estate to present them by giving evidence of same to the undersigned on or before the 7th day of February, 2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the deceased or said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO CREDITORS STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 2021E000084 In the matter of the Estate of Paul Edward Hankins Sr. Deceased The undersigned,qualified as Executor of the Estate of Paul Edward Hankins, deceased.

Notify all creditors of said estate to file their claim against same on or before January 31,2024, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of same all persons indebted to said Estate will please make payment of such indebtedness at once.

All claims against said Estate are to be paid to the undersigned : Paul Edward Hankins Jr., Executor of the Estate of Paul Edward Hankins Sr. of 104 Berry Rd Castle Hayne NC 28429 This is 25th day of October,2023 PAUL EDWARD HANKINS JR. Executor of the Estate of Paul Edward Hankins Sr. Deceased 843-670-7810 5323 Hunt Course lane Hollywood SC 29449

NOTICE TO CREDITORS STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA NEW HANOVER IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION 23E 1231 Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of James Thompson Sidbury, deceased, late of New Hanover, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the Estate of said James Thompson Sidbury to present them to the undersigned on or before the 27th day of January, 2024 (which date is at least three (3) months from the first publication of this notice) or same will be pleaded bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment.

This the 25th day of October, 2023 Christopher Ray Sidbury 505 Wendover Court Wilmington, NC 28411 Executor of the Estate of James Thompson Sidbury Oct 25, Nov 1,8,15 2023

This, the 1st day of November, 2023.

NEW HANOVER NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY MELVIN W. MILLER AND MISHA N. MILLER DATED APRIL 27, 2004 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 5318 AT PAGE 317 IN THE CABARRUS COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, CABARRUS COUNTY 23 SP 466 Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Pam Lyne and Kenneth Lyne, in the original amount of $225,000.00, payable to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc as nominee for Guaranteed Rate, Inc. , dated March 7, 2008 and recorded on March 10, 2008 in Book 8108, Page 76, modified by Loan Modification recorded on February 6, 2014 in Book 10855, Page 0334, Cabarrus County Registry.

Default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Anchor Trustee Services, LLC having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Cabarrus County, North Carolina, and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION CABARRUS COUNTY 23sp144 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY GRADY D TUCKER DATED JULY 22, 2005 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 6139 AT PAGE 345 IN THE CABARRUS COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION

Having qualified as the Administrator on the estate of Alouise L. Fenstermacher, deceased 14-Sept-2023, late of New Hanover County, NC, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned at 503 S. Dixon Ave, Cary, NC 27511 on or before 14-Feb-2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

This, the 15th day of November 2023.

Dale Edward Fenstermacher (aka Ted Fenstermacher) Executor of the estate of Alouise L. Fenstermacher 503 S. Dixon Ave Cary, NC 27511 Run dates: 11/15/2023, 11/22/2023, 11/29/2023, 12/6/2023.

RANDOLPH NOTICE TO CREDITORS File Number 23 CR 612 NORTH CAROLINA RANDOLPH COUNTY The undersigned, Andrew W Davis, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Eddie W Davis, deceased, late of RANDOLPH County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the date of January 31, 2024, or this notice will be plead in bar of their recovery.

All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 27th Days of October, 2023.

Andrew W Davis Title: Executor 200-J Worth Street Asheboro, NC 27203 Run Dates: 11/01/2023, 11/08/2022, 11/15/2023, 11/22/2023.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as executor on the estate of Hazel Marie Metz, deceased, late of Randolph County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the estate of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned at 4546 Riveroaks Drive, Randleman, NC 27317, on or before February 10, 2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment.

This 8th day of November, 2023.

Denise M. Saunders Executor of the Estate of Hazel Marie Metz

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE BEFORE THE CLERK

WAKE

FILE # 23 E 1472

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE BEFORE THE CLERK FILE # 23 E 1486

Having qualified as EXECUTRIX of the Estate of Robert Leodore Hamel, deceased, the undersigned does hereby give notice to all persons, firms or corporations having claims against the said Estate to present them by giving evidence of same to the undersigned on or before the 7th day of February, 2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the deceased or said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This, the 1st day of November, 2023.

Having qualified as EXECUTRIX of the Estate of Joan Murphy Vayo, deceased, the undersigned does hereby give notice to all persons, firms or corporations having claims against the said Estate to present them by giving evidence of same to the undersigned on or before the 14th day of February, 2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the deceased or said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

Martha Lynn Hamel, Executrix of the Estate of Robert Leodore Hamel c/o PAUL A. NEWTON, ATTORNEY P.O. Box 1807 Wilmington, North Carolina 28402 910-769-2896

This, the 8th day of November, 2023.

Having qualified as Executor of the estate of Betty Jean Hossfeld deceased of New Hanover County, North Carolina, this is notify all persons, firms, corporations, having claims against the Estate of Betty Jean Hossfeld to present to the undersigned on or before January 25, 2024.

This is the 25th day of October, 2023.

Leslie Hossfeld, Executor of the Estate of Betty Jean Hossfeld 110 Crestwood Drive Clemson, SC 29631

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION CABARRUS COUNTY 23sp520

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS

Justin Smith, Executor of the Estate of Ian R. Moseley c/o PAUL A. NEWTON, ATTORNEY P.O. Box 1807 Wilmington, North Carolina 28402 910-769-2896

Having qualified as Personal Representative of the Estate of Gregory Mark Griffith, deceased, late of New Hanover County, North Carolina, the undersigned hereby notifies all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them, duly verified, to the undersigned, care of their attorney, on or before January 26, 2024 (which date is at least three (3) months from the first publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to said Estate will please make immediate settlement with the undersigned, care of their attorney.

This the 25th day of October, 2023.

Emily Ware Griffith, Administratrix of the Estate of Gregory Mark Griffith, Deceased c/o Addison T. Palanza Atlantic Coast Law 314 Walnut Street, Suite 100 Wilmington, NC 28401-4160 Please publish 10/25, 11/01, 11/08, 11/15

CABARRUS

NEW HANOVER

Ann Vayo Geraci, Executrix of the Estate of Joan Murphy Vayo c/o PAUL A. NEWTON, ATTORNEY P.O. Box 1807 Wilmington, North Carolina 28402 910-769-2896

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Alison Woodruff Bewley (23E005424-910), late of Wake County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 11th day of February 2024 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 8th day of November 2023.

Emily Beth Bewley Melton Executor of the Estate of Alison Woodruff Bewley c/o Lisa M. Schreiner Attorney at Law P.O. Box 446 114 Raleigh Street Fuquay Varina, NC 27526 (For publication: 11/8, 11/15, 11/22, 11/29/2023)

because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Cabarrus County courthouse at 10:00AM on November 29, 2023, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Melvin W. Miller and Misha N. Miller, dated April 27, 2004 to secure the original principal amount of $125,519.00, and recorded in Book 5318 at Page 317 of the Cabarrus County Public Registry.

The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record.

Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 5 0 1

Delco St, Kannapolis, NC 28081 Tax Parcel ID: 0 4 062A-0012.00 Present Record Owners: Melvin William Miller and Misha Nadine Miller The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Melvin William Miller and Misha Nadine Miller.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are

disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS

residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is November 10, 2023. _________ ________________ ____________ Jason K. Purser, NCSB# 28031 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.LOGS. com Posted: By:

of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door or other usual place of sale in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, at 1:00PM on November 28, 2023, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property, to wit: Being all that lot or parcel of land situated in the City of Concord, No. 3 Township, Cabarrus County, North Carolina and more particularly described as Lot 84 as shown on that plat entitled “ Final Plat, Moss Creek Village, PH. 1A, Willow Glen at Moss Creek, Map 2” as recorded in Map Book 44, Page 14 in the Cabarrus County Registry, to which plat reference is hereby made for a more particular description.

Together with improvements located hereon; said property being located at 1282 Gambel Drive NW, Concord, NC 28027. Tax ID: 03-016A-0084.00 Third party purchasers must pay the recording costs of the trustee’s deed, any land transfer taxes, the excise tax, pursuant North Carolina General Statutes §105-228.30, in the amount of One Dollar ($1.00) per each Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or fractional part thereof, and the Clerk of Courts fee, pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §7A-308, in the amount of Forty-five Cents (0.45)

per each One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or fractional part thereof with a maximum amount of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00). A deposit of five percent (5%) of the bid or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale and must be tendered in the form of certified funds. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts will be immediately due and owing.

Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS WHERE IS. There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, special assessments, land transfer taxes, if any, and encumbrances of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owners of the property are Pam Lyne and Kenneth Lyne.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §45-21.29 in favor of

the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the Clerk of Superior Court of the county in which the property is sold.

knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the Substitute Trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Cabarrus County courthouse at 11:00AM on November 30, 2023, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Grady D Tucker, dated July 22, 2005 to secure the original principal amount of $58,000.00, and recorded in Book 6139 at Page 345 of the Cabarrus County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record.

Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 298 Kerr St Nw, Concord, NC 28025 Tax Parcel ID: 56204849660000

Present Record Owners: T h e Estate of Grady D. Tucker The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are The Estate of Grady D. Tucker.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments

including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination (North Carolina General Statutes §45-21.16A(b)(2)).

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of termination. If the Trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the

11-012344

Anchor Trustee Services, LLC Substitute Trustee By: _____________________________________ ___ David W. Neill, Bar #23396 Brian L. Campbell, Bar #27739 McMichael Taylor Gray, LLC Attorney for Anchor Trustee Services, LLC 3550 Engineering Drive, Suite 260 Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 404-474-7149 (phone) 404-745-8121 (fax) dneill@mtglaw.com bcampbell@mtglaw.com

for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is October 5, 2023. _________ ________________ ____________ Jason K. Purser, NCSB# 28031 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.LOGS. com Posted: By: 23-115507

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

B6 TAKE NOTICE

CUMBERLAND IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION CUMBERLAND COUNTY 22SP219 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY EDNA S. CUMMINGS AND KAREL A. CUMMINGS, SR. DATED DECEMBER 23, 2011 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 8798 AT PAGE 242 IN THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION CUMBERLAND COUNTY 23sp554 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY VINCENT BUFANO AND BETTY H. BUFANO DATED JANUARY 25, 2008 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 7798 AT PAGE 136 IN THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, CUMBERLAND COUNTY 23 SP 925 Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Ciji Arriane Patterson, in the original amount of $143,944.00, payable to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. as nominee for Cornerstone Home Lending, Inc., dated May 19, 2020 and recorded on May 19, 2020 in Book 10768, Page 0558, Cumberland County Registry.

Default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Anchor Trustee Services, LLC having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Cumberland County, North Carolina, and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, CUMBERLAND COUNTY 23 SP 890 Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Douglas Luke Maloley and Vira Joyce Spellman, in the original amount of $148,854.00, payable to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems Inc. as nominee for Cornerstone Home Lending, a division of Cornerstone Capital Bank, SSB., dated January 31, 2023 and recorded on February 2, 2023 in Book 11664, Page 0223, Cumberland County Registry.

Default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Anchor Trustee Services, LLC having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Cumberland County, North Carolina, and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door or other usual place of sale in Cumberland County, North Carolina, at 1:30PM on November 29, 2023, and

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION CUMBERLAND COUNTY 23sp810 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY WILLIAM L. CLAYTON, II AND TYRONNIA T. CLAYTON DATED SEPTEMBER 22, 2011 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 8730 AT PAGE 750 IN THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of

22 SP 829 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, CUMBERLAND COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Elizabeth Ann Sosniak to Kathryn Richards & Jerry B. Flowers III, Trustee(s), which was dated February 1, 2013 and recorded on February 1, 2013 in Book 09102 at Page 0449, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on November 29, 2023 at 01:30 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property

22 SP 1019 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, CUMBERLAND COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Eddie G. Burgess to Hutchens, Senter, Kellam & Pettit, PA, dba Hutchens Law Firm, Trustee(s), which was dated November 15, 2017 and recorded on November 16, 2017 in Book 10205 at Page 0410, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located,

23 SP 538 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, CUMBERLAND COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Samantha McKnight to Hutchens, Senter, Kellam & Pettit, P.A. dba Hutchens Law Firm, Trustee(s), which was dated March 24, 2022 and recorded on May 2, 2022 in Book 11461 at Page 0473, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on November 29, 2023 at 01:30 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property

After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice

of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances, and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law.

sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Cumberland County courthouse at 10:00AM on November 27, 2023, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Vincent Bufano and Betty H. Bufano, dated January 25, 2008 to secure the original principal amount of $82,000.00, and recorded in Book 7798 at Page 136 of the Cumberland County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 1 0 2 0 Miller Ave, Fayetteville, NC 28304 Tax Parcel ID: 0416-662667 Present Record Owners: T h e

Heirs of Betty H. Bufano The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are The Heirs of Betty H. Bufano.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the

amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised

that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is November 7, 2023. _________ ____________________________ Jason K. Purser, NCSB# 28031 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.LOGS. com Posted: By:

will offer for sale at the courthouse door or other usual place of sale in Cumberland County, North Carolina, at 1:30PM on November 29, 2023, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property, to wit: Being all of Lot 93, in a subdivision known as Village Hills, Section One, and the same being duly recorded in Book of Plats 49, Page 26, in the Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

Together with improvements located hereon; said property being located at 7004 Bostic Court, Fayetteville, NC 28314. Tax ID: 9487-02-0103 Third party purchasers must pay the recording costs of the trustee’s deed, any land transfer taxes, the excise tax, pursuant North Carolina General Statutes §105-228.30, in the amount of One Dollar ($1.00) per each Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or fractional part thereof, and the Clerk of Courts fee, pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §7A-308, in the amount of Forty-five Cents (0.45) per each One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or fractional part thereof with a maximum amount of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00). A deposit of

five percent (5%) of the bid or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale and must be tendered in the form of certified funds. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts will be immediately due and owing.

Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS WHERE IS. There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, special assessments, land transfer taxes, if any, and encumbrances of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner of the property is Ciji Patterson.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in

possession by the Clerk of Superior Court of the county in which the property is sold.

knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the Substitute Trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property, to wit: Beginning at a new P.K. nail in the center of State Road No. 2000 (Sapona Road), said new P.K. nail being South 61 degrees 48 minutes 29 seconds East 608.85 feet from an existing P.K nail at the intersection of the centerline of said State Road No. 2000 and L.A. Dunham Road, and running thence South 33 degrees 34 minutes West 30.02 feet to an existing iron stake in the Southern right-of-way margin of said State Road No. 2000; thence South 33 degrees 34 minutes West 190.45 feet to an existing iron stake in the center of a ditch; thence South 58 degrees 28 minutes East 200.54 feet to an existing iron stake; thence North 33 degrees 34 minutes East 190.45 feet to a new iron stake in the said Southern right-of-way margin of State Road No. 2000; thence North 33 degrees 34 minutes East 30.02 feet to a new P.K. nail in the said center of State Road No. 2000; thence with said center of State Road No. 2000 North 58 degrees 28 minutes West 200.54 feet to the point and place of BEGINNING, containing 1.01 acres more or less and being the property described in Deed Book 2351, Page 63 as recorded in the Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

Together with improvements located hereon; said property being located at 2870 Sunnyside School

Road, Fayetteville, NC 28312. Tax ID: 0456-24-4882 Third party purchasers must pay the recording costs of the trustee’s deed, any land transfer taxes, the excise tax, pursuant North Carolina General Statutes §105-228.30, in the amount of One Dollar ($1.00) per each Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or fractional part thereof, and the Clerk of Courts fee, pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §7A-308, in the amount of Forty-five Cents (0.45) per each One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or fractional part thereof with a maximum amount of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00). A deposit of five percent (5%) of the bid or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale and must be tendered in the form of certified funds. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts will be immediately due and owing.

Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS WHERE IS. There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, special assessments, land transfer taxes, if any, and encumbrances of

record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owners of the property are Douglas Luke Maloley and Vira Joyce Spellman.

the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Cumberland County courthouse at 11:00AM on November 20, 2023, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed William L. Clayton, II and Tyronnia T. Clayton, dated September 22, 2011 to secure the original principal amount of $262,604.00, and recorded in Book 8730 at Page 750 of the Cumberland County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record.

Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 6 0 1 3 Pink Dr, Fayetteville, NC 28314 Tax Parcel ID: 9477-40-

2169 Present Record Owners: William L. Clayton, II and Tyronnia T. Clayton The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are William L. Clayton, II and Tyronnia T. Clayton.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments

including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in

favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is October 31, 2023. _________ ________________ ____________ Jason K. Purser, NCSB# 28031 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.LOGS. com Posted: By:

situated in Cumberland County, North Carolina, to wit: Beginning at a stake in the northeastern margin of Newport Road South 38 degrees 40 minutes East 225 feet from the point of curvature as said margin curves to intersect the southeastern margin of Moriston Road and running thence with the dividing line between Lots 237 and 236 North 51 degrees 20 minutes East 150 feet to a stake; thence South 38 degrees 40 minutes East 80 feet to a stake; thence with the dividing line between Lots 235 and 236 South 51 degrees 20 minutes West 150 feet to a stake in the northeastern margin of Newport Road; ‘thence with said margin North 38 degrees 40 minutes West 80 feet to the point of beginning, and being all of Lot 236, Section IV of Montclair according to a plat of the same duly recorded in the Cumberland County Registry in Book of Plats 26, Page 48.

purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b)(2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale

is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 File No.: 22-12255-FC01

Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 733 Newport Rd, Fayetteville, NC 28314.

A Certified Check ONLY (no personal checks) of

five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale.

Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED. Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS WHERE IS.” There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are ALL LAWFUL HEIRS OF ELIZABETH ANN SOSNIAK. An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the

or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on November 29, 2023 at 01:30 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Cumberland County, North Carolina, to wit: BEING all of Lot 67, in a subdivision known as Green Valley Estates, Section Two, Part Two, and the same being duly recorded in Plat Book 40, Page 37, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 1563 Boros Dr, Fayetteville, NC 28303.

A Certified Check ONLY (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale.

Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING

COSTS FOR THEIR DEED. Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS WHERE IS.” There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are All Lawful Heirs of Eddie G. Burgess.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after

October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b)(2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void

and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 File No.: 22-04576-FC01

situated in Cumberland County, North Carolina, to wit: SITUATED IN THE COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND, STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA:

prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 1296 N Forest Dr, Fayetteville, NC 28303.

A Certified Check ONLY (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale.

Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED. Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS WHERE IS.” There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Samantha McKnight.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b)(2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the

knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 File No.: 23-07617-FC01

Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Cumberland County courthouse at 11:00AM on November 29, 2023 the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Address of property: 318 Nugget Court, Fayetteville, NC 28311 Tax Parcel ID: 0520-61-4124 Present Record Owners: The Heirs of Edna S. Cummings and Karel A. Cummings, Sr.

BEING ALL OF LOT NO. 93 IN A SUBDIVISION KNOWN AS “KAREN LAKE TOWNHOMES, PHASE 5”, ACCORDING TO A PLAT OF THE SAME DULY RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 66, PAGE 47 IN THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA REGISTRY. BEING THE SAME PROPERTY CONVEYED

BY DEED RECORDED IN BOOK 08697, PAGE 0356 OF THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA RECORDS. SUBJECT TO ALL EASEMENTS, COVENANTS, CONDITIONS, RESERVATIONS, LEASES AND RESTRICTIONS OF RECORD, ALL LEGAL HIGHWAYS, ALL RIGHTS OF WAY, ALL ZONING, BUILDING AND OTHER LAWS, ORDINANCES AND REGULATIONS, ALL RIGHTS OF TENANTS IN POSSESSION, AND ALL REAL ESTATE TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS NOT YET DUE AND PAYABLE. Save and except any releases, deeds of release or

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS: If you are a tenant residing in the property, be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon written notice to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination (North Carolina General Statutes §45-21.16A(b)(2)).

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of termination. If the Trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the Clerk of Superior Court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination (North Carolina General Statutes §45-21.16A(b)(2)).

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of termination. If the Trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of

the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time notice of termination is provided. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is September 25, 2023 Jason K. Purser, NCSB# 28031 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.LOGS. com 00-22241

23-115840

Anchor Trustee Services, LLC Substitute Trustee By: _____________________________________ ___ David W. Neill, Bar #23396 Brian L. Campbell, Bar #27739 McMichael Taylor Gray, LLC Attorney for Anchor Trustee Services, LLC 3550 Engineering Drive, Suite 260 Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 404-474-7149 (phone) 404-745-8121 (fax) dneill@mtglaw.com bcampbell@mtglaw.com

a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the Substitute Trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Anchor Trustee Services, LLC Substitute Trustee By: _____________________________________ ___ David W. Neill, Bar #23396 Brian L. Campbell, Bar #27739 McMichael Taylor Gray, LLC Attorney for Anchor Trustee Services, LLC 3550 Engineering Drive, Suite 260 Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 404-474-7149 (phone) 404-745-8121 (fax) dneill@mtglaw.com bcampbell@mtglaw.com

23-116285

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

B7

TAKE NOTICE

CUMBERLAND AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 23 SP 342 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Cora J. McMillian and Agatha McMillian (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Agatha McMillian and Cora J. McMillian, Heirs of Cora J. McMillian: Agatha McMillian, Maggie McMillian, Alta Kamara, James McMillian, Rosalind McAllister, Linda Faye Hill, Jennings McMillian; Heirs of Agatha McMillian: Maggie McMillian, Alta Kamara, James McMillian, Rosalind McAllister, Linda Faye Hill, Jennings McMillian; Heirs of Maggie McMillian: Frederic McMillian, Cedric McMillian; Heirs of Alta Kamara: Jennings McMillian; Heirs of James McMillian: Uyonda Lovett, Courtney Jones, Marcel Williams a/k/a Henry Marcel Williams, Termona Williams a/k/a Tyrone Termona Williams, Darryl Maurice McMillian; Heirs of Rosalind McAllister: Marcus McAllister, Tavaris McAllister, Marcus L. McAllister, Dameka Godard; Heirs of Marcus McAllister: Tavaris McAllister, Marcus L. McAllister, Dameka Godard; Heirs of Linda Faye Hill: Barry Anthony Hill, Michael Anthony Hill, Carla Antonia Hill) to Brian L. Bazar, Trustee(s), dated May 27, 1998,

DAVIDSON 23 SP 498 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, DAVIDSON COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Joseph John Kaper and Ellen Hughes Kaper to WFG National Title Insurance Company, Trustee(s), which was dated September 25, 2020 and recorded on September 30, 2020 in Book DE 2432 at Page 884, Davidson County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC,

23 SP 411 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, DAVIDSON COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Jeannie Huffham a/k/a Jean Grumm Huffham and Thomas H. Huffham Sr. a/k/a Thomas A. Huffham Sr. to Heather Lovier, Trustee(s), which was dated December 22, 2021 and recorded on December 29, 2021 in Book DE 2523 at Page 395, Davidson County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee

23 SP 494 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, DAVIDSON COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Tonya M. Parker to Biesecker, Tripp, Sink & Fritts, LLP,, Trustee(s), which was dated November 29, 2017 and recorded on November 29, 2017 in Book 2294 at Page 1873 and rerecorded/modified/corrected on October 20, 2023 in Book 2622, Page 2303, Davidson County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION DAVIDSON COUNTY 23sp496 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY MARJORIE D. CARVER DATED JULY 23, 2007 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 1811 AT PAGE 1596 IN THE DAVIDSON COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned

DURHAM IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION DURHAM COUNTY 19sp857 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY DUNCAN C. BROOK DATED MAY 28, 2010 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 6486 AT PAGE 567 IN THE DURHAM COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION 22SP946 NOTICE OF SALE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF DURHAM IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY GRETCHEN WALTON AND MICHAEL WALTON DATED OCTOBER 11, 2018 RECORDED IN BOOK 8525 AT PAGE 963 IN THE DURHAM COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements therein contained and, pursuant to demand of

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION CUMBERLAND COUNTY 23sp995 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY ZACHARY L. JOHNSON DATED DECEMBER 20, 2017 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 10226 AT PAGE 132 IN THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the

and recorded in Book No. 4871, at Page 588 in Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina. The Deed of Trust was modified by the following: A Loan Modification recorded on September 5, 2018, in Book No. 10373, at Page 681 , default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Cumberland County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on November 20, 2023 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Fayetteville in the County of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: All that piece, parcel or lot of land situate, lying and being in Cumberland County, NC and known and designated as Lot No. 31, in a Subdivision known as Emerald Gardens, Section IV, Part I, recorded in Book of Plats 38, at Page 21 of the Cumberland County, NC Public Land Records, reference to which is hereby made for a more particular description. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 6575 Stillwater Drive, Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Being that parcel of land conveyed to William J. McMillian and wife, Cora J McMillian from Fayetteville Wholesale Building Supply, Inc. by that deed dated 05/17/72 and recorded 06/07/72 in Deed Book 2324, at Page 430 of the Cumberland County, NC Public Registry.

NOTE: William J. McMillian, Deceased; Date of Death: 03/15/93 Being that parcel of land conveyed to Cora J. McMillian, unmarried and Agatha McMillian, unmarried, Tenants in Common from Cora J. McMillian, unmarried by that deed dated 05/08/98 and recorded 05/13/98 in Deed Book 4860, at Page 744 of the Cumberland County, NC Public Registry.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. 45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. 7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical,

environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in

possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on November 27, 2023 at 11:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Davidson County, North Carolina, to wit: BEING known and designated as Lot Number 222 as shown on the Final Plat for Friedberg Village, Phase 1, Building 80, as recorded in Plat Book 60, Page 65, in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Davidson County, North Carolina reference to which is hereby made for a more particular description.

Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 601

Friedberg Village Dr, Winston Salem, NC 27127.

A Certified Check ONLY (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED. Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS WHERE IS.” There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record.

To the best of the knowledge and belief of the

undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are ELLEN HUGHES KAPER. An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b)(2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this

property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 File No.: 23-24712-FC01

will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on November 27, 2023 at 11:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Davidson County, North Carolina, to wit: Land situated in the Township of Lexington in the County of Davidson in the State of NC BEING LOT NO. 121 OF WHAT IS KNOWN AS SECTION ONE OF WOODCREST, AS SHOWN ON A MAP OF SAME RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 7, PAGE 78, IN THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTER OF DEEDS OF DAVIDSON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 121 Willowbrook Cir, Lexington, NC 27295.

A Certified Check ONLY (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED. Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS WHERE IS.” There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record.

To the best of the knowledge and belief of the

undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are All Lawful Heirs of Jeannie Huffham.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b)(2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 File No.: 23-13924-FC01

courthouse for conducting the sale on November 27, 2023 at 11:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Davidson County, North Carolina, to wit: BEGINNING at an iron stake on the East right of way of Idlewild Drive, 2.55 feet South of the original corner of Lots 10 and 11, now or formerly, corner to Western Heights Development Corporation; thence with their new line South 88° 15’ East 166.45 feet to an iron stake, common corner of Lots 10 and 11 on line of Lot 8; running thence with the rear line of Lot 11, South 20° 45’ West 74.6 feet to an iron stake, common corner of Lots 8, 11, 12, 13 and 14; running thence North 69° 15’ West 40.0 feet to an iron stake; thence South 73° 20’ West 106.77 feet to an iron stake on the East right of way of Idlewild Drive; thence with the right of way of Idlewild Drive as it curves a chord bearing and distance of North 0° 02’ East 91.2 feet to the point of beginning, containing 10,960 square feet and being the greater portion of Lot 11, Block L and a small portion of Lot 12, Block L, as shown by map of Western Heights Development Corporation,

Section 5, Berrier Property, being duly recorded in Plat Book 11, Page 15, Register of Deeds Office for Davidson County, North Carolina.

Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 315 Idlewild Drive, Lexington, NC 27295.

A Certified Check ONLY (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED. Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS WHERE IS.” There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any

unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record.

To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Tonya M. Parker.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b)(2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the

effective date of the termination.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 File No.: 23-11845-FC01

will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Davidson County courthouse at 10:00AM on November 20, 2023, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Davidson County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Marjorie D. Carver, dated July 23, 2007 to secure the original principal amount of $58,092.00, and recorded in Book 1811 at Page 1596 of the Davidson County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record.

Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 2 7 2 Jeanette Dr, Lexington, NC 27295 Tax Parcel ID: 1800400000049A Present Record Owners: Marjorie

D. Carver The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Marjorie D. Carver.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit

of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted.

This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began

or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is October 31, 2023. _________ ________________ ____________ Jason K. Purser, NCSB# 28031 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.

LOGS.com Posted: By: 23-116389

debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Durham County courthouse at 11:00AM on November 29, 2023, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Durham County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Duncan C. Brook, dated May 28, 2010 to secure the original principal amount of $196,848.00, and recorded in Book 6486 at Page 567 of the Durham County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record.

Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 3 0 0 9 Glendale Ave, Durham, NC 27704 Tax Parcel ID: 106821

Present Record Owners: Duncan C. Brook The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Duncan C. Brook.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit

of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted.

This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007,

be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is September 26, 2023. _________ ________________ ____________ Jason K. Purser, NCSB# 28031 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.

LOGS.com Posted: By:

the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Durham County courthouse at 10:00 AM on November 22, 2023, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Durham County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Gretchen Walton; Michael Walton, dated October 11, 2018 to secure the original principal amount of $243,016.00, and recorded in Book 8525 at Page 963 of the Durham County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record.

Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 4 0 5 Bellmeade Bay Dr, Durham, NC 27703

Tax Parcel ID: 166051 Present Record Owners: Gretchen Walton; Michael Walton The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Gretchen Walton and Michael Walton.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject

to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Cumberland County courthouse at 10:00AM on November 27, 2023, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Zachary L. Johnson, dated December 20, 2017 to secure the original principal amount of $121,300.00, and recorded in Book 10226 at Page 132 of the Cumberland County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record.

Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 4 4 3 0 Trimble Ln, Fayetteville, NC 28312 Tax Parcel ID: 0475-

25-1435 Present Record Owners: T h e Estate of Zachary L. Johnson The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are The Estate of Zachary L. Johnson.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid

taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted.

This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 10300 - 43117

17-095756

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is 9th day of October, 2023.

Grady I. Ingle, Attorney for Substitute Trustee Ingle Law Firm, PA 13801 Reese Blvd West Suite 160 Huntersville, NC 28078 (980) 771-0717 Ingle Case Number: 15061-21159

for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is November 7, 2023. _________ ________________ ____________ Jason K. Purser, NCSB# 28031 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.

LOGS.com Posted: By: 23-116846

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

B8 TAKE NOTICE

DURHAM 23 SP 12 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, DURHAM COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Linda C. Kelly to Spruillco, LTD., Trustee(s), which was dated March 26, 1999 and recorded on April 1, 1999 in Book 2624 at Page 708, Durham County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on November

FORSYTH AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 22 SP 758 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Valerie D. Triplett (Deceased) (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Valerie D. Triplett, Heirs of Valerie D. Triplett: Gabriel Gaines, Christopher Gaines a/k/a Chris Gaines) to Michael Lyon, Trustee(s), dated May 27, 2005, and recorded in Book No. RE 2569, at Page 43 in Forsyth County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Forsyth County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Winston Salem, Forsyth

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 23 SP 422 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Marion R. Davis (Deceased) (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Marion R. Davis and Taurin Eli Davis) to Margaret C. England, Trustee(s), dated December 10, 1993, and recorded in Book No. 1807, at Page 4733 in Forsyth County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Forsyth County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Winston Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:00 PM on November 22, 2023 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated

AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 22 SP 1122 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made

by Daniel Smith (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Daniel Smith) to Michael Lyon, Trustee(s), dated July 13, 2017, and recorded in Book No. RE 3357, at Page 3057 in Forsyth County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Forsyth County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Winston Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:00 PM on November 22, 2023 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Winston Salem in the County of Forsyth, North

JOHNSTON IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION JOHNSTON COUNTY 23SP001367-500 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY ALPHONSO RENE SHIPMAN AND DARCIE LYNN BLALOCK DATED SEPTEMBER 17, 2021 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 6052 AT PAGE 48 IN THE JOHNSTON COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION JOHNSTON COUNTY 23SP001491-500 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY BRANDON TAYLOR DATED JANUARY 30, 2019 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 5286 AT PAGE 690 IN THE JOHNSTON COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual

MOORE IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION MOORE COUNTY 21SP129 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY BRENT L. CARPENTER AND LESLEY B. CARPENTER DATED AUGUST 4, 2008 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 3452 AT PAGE 301 IN THE MOORE COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements

30, 2023 at 11:30 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Durham County, North Carolina, to wit:

Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Linda C. Kelly.

Situated on the south side of East Trinity Avenue, BEGINNING at an iron stake set in the South Rlght-of-way line of East Trinity Avenue, which beginning point is located by measuring from the intersection of the South Right-of-way line of East Trinity Avenue and the West Right-of-Way line of North Roxboro Street North 86 degs. 32’ 43” West 56.1 feet, running thence from the beginning point South 15 degs. 12’ 51” West 133.84 feet to an iron stake; running thence North 75 degs. 57’ 13” West 57 feet to an iron stake; running thence North 14 degs. 13’ East 122.73 feet to an iron stake set in the South Right-of-Way line of East Trinity Avenue; running thence with the South Right-of-Way line of East Trinity Avenue South 86 degrees 32’ 43” East 60.39 feet to the point of BEGINNING, all as shown on a survey entitled “Property of Virginia E. Thomas and William H. Phillips”, by Freehold Land Surveys, Incorporated, dated August 10, 1983, and as shown on a plat entitled “Survey for T. W. Repairs, Inc.”, by George C. Love dated August 12, 1974, which is recorded in Plat Book 82, Page 49, Durham County Registry, to which surveys reference is made for further descriptions.

Said property is commonly known as 116 East Trinity Avenue, Durham, NC 27701-1943.

County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:00 PM on November 29, 2023 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Winston Salem in the County of Forsyth, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being known and designated as Lot No. 26, as shown on the plat of Pinebrook Manor, Section No. 1, as recorded in Plat Book 32, Page 124, in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Forsyth County, North Carolina, reference to which is hereby made for a more particular description.

For further reference see Deed Book 1841, Page 4082, Forsyth County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 5708 Haweswater Road, Winston Salem, North Carolina.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons

of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the

purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the

sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the

sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant

to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the

debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Johnston County courthouse at 11:00AM on November 28, 2023, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Johnston County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Alphonso Rene Shipman and Darcie Lynn Blalock, dated September 17, 2021 to secure the original principal amount of $434,777.00, and recorded in Book 6052 at Page 48 of the Johnston County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 4 1 Hidden Grove Ct, Garner, NC 27529 Tax Parcel ID:

06E02144K Present Record Owners: Alphonso Rene Shipman and Darcie Lynn Blalock The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Alphonso Rene Shipman and Darcie Lynn Blalock.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit

of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted.

This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental

agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is November 8, 2023. _________ ____________________________ Jason K. Purser, NCSB# 28031 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.

LOGS.com Posted: By:

place of sale at the Johnston County courthouse at 11:00AM on November 28, 2023, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Johnston County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Brandon Taylor, dated January 30, 2019 to secure the original principal amount of $137,902.00, and recorded in Book 5286 at Page 690 of the Johnston County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record.

Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 220 Zeb Ln, Benson, NC 27504 Tax Parcel ID: 07E07059W Present Record Owners: Brandon Taylor

The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Brandon Taylor.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever

is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted.

This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the

landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is November 8, 2023. _________ ____________________________ Jason K. Purser, NCSB# 28031 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.

LOGS.com Posted: By:

contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Moore County courthouse at 12:00PM on November 30, 2023, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Moore County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Brent L. Carpenter and Lesley B. Carpenter, dated August 4, 2008 to secure the original principal amount of $337,162.00, and recorded in Book 3452 at Page 301 of the Moore County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record.

Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 2 5 9 Longleaf Dr, West End, NC 27376 Tax Parcel ID: 00025719 Present Record Owners: Brent

Carpenter The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Brent Carpenter.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and

must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted.

This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is November 6, 2023. _________ ____________________________ Jason K. Purser, NCSB# 28031 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.

LOGS.com Posted: By:

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

in Winston Salem in the County of Forsyth, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING KNOWN and designated as lot no. 87 as shown on the Map of STONEWALL, Section 2, which is recorded in Plat book 23 at page 140 in the office of the Register of Deeds of Forsyth County, North Carolina, to which map further reference is hereby made for a more particular description.

Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 3733 Appomattox Drive, Winston Salem, North Carolina.

Also being known and designated as block 3645 lot 87, Forsyth County Tax Maps.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant

Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING KNOWN AND DESIGNATED as Lot 60 of Bethabara Trace, Phase I, as shown on the map recorded in Plat Book 48, Page 16, in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Forsyth County, North Carolina, reference to which is hereby made for a more particular description. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 4987 Brian Center Lane, Winston Salem, North Carolina.

4987 Brian Center Lane, Winston Salem, NC 27106 Parcel ID: 6817-78-3900.00 Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

A Certified Check ONLY (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED. Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS WHERE IS.” There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b)(2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 File No.: 22-21564-FC01

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 3043 - 41059

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 13428 - 58878

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 12102 - 52281

23-116494

19-107638

12-028362

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

B9

TAKE NOTICE

ONSLOW NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 23 SP 299 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made

by Soheedia Alfa Taylor (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Soheedia T. Carthon) to Karen Lamm, Trustee(s), dated March 21, 2006, and recorded in Book No. 2620, at Page 964 in Onslow County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Onslow County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Jacksonville, Onslow County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 10:00 AM on November 22, 2023 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Hubert in the County of Onslow, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: All that certain lot or parcel of land situated in Onslow County, North Carolina and more

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 23 SP 514 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made

by Nicole S. Moncada (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Nicole S. Moncada) to Pamela S. Cox, Trustee(s), dated May 26, 2016, and recorded in Book No. 4458, at Page 97 in Onslow County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Onslow County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Jacksonville, Onslow County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 10:00 AM on November 22, 2023 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Midway Park in the County of Onslow, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEGINNING at an iron stake in the eastern boundary line of Avery Street (40 foot right of way) as shown on a plat entitled “Wynns Country Acres Subdivision No. 1” dated December 1958 and recorded in Map Book 6, Page 47, Onslow County

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 23 SP 205 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made

by Juan M. Valentine and Darlene M. Valentine (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Juan M. Valentine and Darlene M. Valentine) to Netco, Inc., Trustee(s), dated January 5, 2016, and recorded in Book No. 4400, at Page 369 in Onslow County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Onslow County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Jacksonville, Onslow County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 10:00 AM on November 22, 2023 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Jacksonville in the County of Onslow, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows:

AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 22 SP 316 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Steven James Johnson and Kim Sumpter Johnson (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Steven James Johnson and Kim Sumpter Johnson) to Mary A. McDuffie, Trustee(s), dated July 29, 2005, and recorded in Book No. 2494, at Page 247 in Onslow County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Onslow County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in

RANDOLPH AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 21 SP 236 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made

by Michael A. Hornyak (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Michael A. Hornyak) to Neuse, Incorporated, Trustee(s), dated January 27, 2016, and recorded in Book No. 2478, at Page 686 in Randolph County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Randolph County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION RANDOLPH COUNTY 23sp296 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY CHARLES S. BASS AND MARGARET S. BASS DATED APRIL 30, 2003 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 1815 AT PAGE 1166 IN THE RANDOLPH COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned

particularly described as follows:

transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with

Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating

to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor

of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale,

terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the

sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant

to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the

will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Randolph County courthouse at 10:00AM on November 21, 2023, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Randolph County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Charles S. Bass and Margaret S. Bass, dated April 30, 2003 to secure the original principal amount of $93,100.00, and recorded in Book 1815 at Page 1166 of the Randolph County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record.

Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 6 5 2 1 Whites Chapel Rd, Staley, NC 27355 Tax Parcel ID: 872433-2101 / 76225

Present Record Owners: Charles Shannon Bass and Margaret Stanley Bass The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Charles Shannon Bass and Margaret Stanley Bass.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid

taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted.

This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order

for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is November 2, 2023. _________ ________________ ____________ Jason K. Purser, NCSB# 28031 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.

LOGS.com Posted: By:

All of my right, title, and interest in and to the following described tract of land; beginning at a point where Clear Branch intersects with the Northwestern side of the Hubert to Silverdale Public Road, being County Road No. 1432; thence running North 44 degrees West 1.60 chains to the James Taylor corner, formerly Martin Mattox corner thence running with the James Taylor line, formerly Martin Mattox, South 83 degrees 30 minutes West 6.96 chains to a corner of the former Mattox line; thence running due North with the James Taylor (Mattox) line 4.88 chains to Clear Branch; thence running with Clear Branch, its various courses, to a chopped tree at the end of a line of chopped trees on this branch; thence running South 9 degrees East 12.60 chains to a lightwood stake, said stake being North 9 degrees West 17 feet from a blazed pine, said pine being a corner of the late W.J. Taylor tract of land; thence running North 46 degrees East 16.24 chains to the point of beginning, containing 10 acres, more or less, and being the same tract as recorded in Book 343, Page 122, Onslow County Registry.

Together with that 9.33 acres Parkertown Road, Parcel ID 026377, Map Number 1146-39, Hubert, North Carolina. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at Parkertown Road, Map # 1146-39, Parcel 026377,Hubert, North Carolina.

There is herewith excepted from the above described tract of land the following tract:

Beginning at a stake in the northerly right of way line of State Road No. 1432, said beginning point being located 30.0 feet from a point in the centerline of State Road No. 1432 when measured at right angles to said centerline, said point in centerline being located 320.6 feet from the centerline of a 30” concrete culvert understate Road No. 1432; thence with the right of way line of State Road No. 1432 South 51 degrees 45 minutes West 75.0 feet to a stake; thence North 22 degrees 20 minutes West 100 feet to a stake; thence North 51 degrees 45 minutes East 75.0 feet to a stake; thence North 22 degrees 20 minutes West 100 feet to a stake, thence North 51 degrees 45 minutes East 75.0 feet to a stake, thence South 22 degrees 20 minutes East 100.0 feet to the point of beginning.

Tax ID# 1146-39 Parcel ID #: 026377 Property Address: Parkertown Road SR 1432, Hubert, NC, 28539 Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale,

Registry, said iron stake being at the common corner of Lots 21 and 23 as shown on the aforesaid plat; thence along and with the eastern right of way of Avery Street North 16 degrees 05 minutes 25 seconds East 99.92 feet to an iron stake, the terminus of Avery Street on said plat; thence North 16 degrees 13 minutes 37 seconds East 50.10 feet to an iron pipe; thence North 16 degrees 01 minutes 17 seconds East 49.72 feet, a common corner with property either now or formerly owned

by Jacksonville Onslow Ltd., LLC as described in Deed Book 3298, Page 302, Onslow County Registry; thence cornering and running along the southern of said Jacksonville Onslow Ltd., LLC property South 74 degrees 21 minutes 14 seconds East 299.84 feet to an iron pipe; thence cornering and continuing along said Jacksonville Onslow Ltd., LLC property South 15 degrees 52 minutes 33 seconds West 128.35 feet to an iron pipe, a common corner with the northwesternmost corner of Lot 22 and the southeasternmost corner of Lot 23 as shown on the aforesaid plat; thence continuing along the common line of Lot 22 and Lot 23 as shown on the aforesaid plat South 15 degrees 45 minutes 12 seconds West 71.29 feet to an iron stake, the southeastern corner of Lot 23 and the northeastern corner of Lot 19 as shown on the aforesaid plat; thence along and with the common line between said Lot 23 and Lot 18 North 74 degrees 21 minutes 21 seconds West 99.57 feet to an iron stake, the common corner between Lot 18, Lot 19 and the southern line of Lot 23 as shown on the aforesaid plat; thence North 74

degrees 33 minutes 13 seconds West 101.45 feet to an iron stake, the common corner between Lot 20, Lot 21 and the southern line of Lot 23 as shown on the aforesaid plat; thence along the common line of Lot 21 and 23 North 74 degrees 12 minutes 04 seconds West 99.78 feet to an iron stake, the point and place of beginning and containing 1.38 acres according to a survey by Gairy Canady Surveying dated August 11, 2010, said property includes all of Lot 23 as shown on the aforesaid plat and addition acreage located north of said lot. Together with improvements loated thereon; said property being located at 212 Avery Street, Midway Park, North Carolina.

BEGINNING at all iron stake in the eastern edge of Stratford Road, which point lies South 47 degrees 32 minutes West 1460.0 feet from the southern edge of a 20 foot unpaved alley at the point where said alley intersects Stratford Road, running thence South 42 degrees 28 minutes East 149.44 feet to an iron stake; thence South 48 degrees 25 minutes West 7.84 feet; thence South 35 degrees 12 minutes West 66.5 feet to an iron stake; thence North 41 degrees 45 minutes West 164.97 feet to an iron stake located in the eastern edge of the curve of Stratford Road; thence along and with the eastern edge of the curve of Stratford Road, which curve has a radius of 506.5 feet, 24.71 feet to the end of said curve; thence North 47 degrees 32 minutes East 45.29 feet to the beginning, and being all of Lot 22 in Block 3, as shown on a map of Bayshore Estates Subdivision, which map is recorded in Map Book 2, Page 55, Onslow County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 108 Stratford Road, Jacksonville, North Carolina.

County records.

Being the same property or a portion of the same property conveyed to Juan M. Valentine and wife, Darlene M. Valentine by Instrument dated April 20, 2007 from Jesus F. Huerto filed on May 11, 2007 in Book 2872 at Page 81 in the Onslow

Jacksonville, Onslow County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 10:00 AM on November 29, 2023 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Jacksonville in the County of Onslow, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot 5, Section II, Acorn Forest Subdivision, as shown on map recorded in Map Book 17, Page 59, Onslow County Registry.

Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 110 Laran Road, Jacksonville, North Carolina.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant

undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Asheboro, Randolph County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 10:00 AM on November 21, 2023 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Trinity in the County of Randolph, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being known and designated as Lot 29 of Forest Manor Subdivision, as recorded in Plat Book 17 at Page 72 in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Randolph County, North Carolina. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 4302 Forest Manor Drive, Trinity, North Carolina.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

BEING the same property described in that deed recorded in Deed Book 1905, Page 647, Onslow County Registry.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement,

Commonly known as: 108 Stratford Road, Jacksonville, NC 28540 Parcel Number: 421-25 Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 3482 - 60055

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 13803 - 60586

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 13480 - 59199

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 1264675 - 26425

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 5397 - 21278

23-116832

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

B10 TAKE NOTICE

RANDOLPH IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION RANDOLPH COUNTY 21SP245 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY JANET MYERS AND WILLIAM PROCTOR DATED MAY 27, 2005 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 1923 AT PAGE 130 IN THE RANDOLPH COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 23 SP 223 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made

by Mark Scheutzow (Deceased) (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Mark Scheutzow, Heirs of Mark Scheutzow a/k/a Mark Howard Scheutzow: Jean Scheutzow; Heirs of Jean Scheutzow: Walter Kania; Heirs of Walter Kania: Jill Kania; Heirs of Jill Kania: Scott Kania) to Hutchens, Senter, Kellam & Pettit, PA dba Hutchens Law Firm, Trustee(s), dated September 16, 2016, and recorded in Document No. 20028493, in Book No. 2512, at Page 469 in Randolph County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Randolph County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Asheboro, Randolph County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 10:00 AM on November 21, 2023 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Asheboro in the County of Randolph, North Carolina, and being more particularly described

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 23 SP 284 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made

by Clifford E. Latham, II (Deceased) (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Clifford E. Latham, II, Heirs of Clifford E. Latham, II a/k/a Clifford Edward Latham, II: Michael Latham, Dakota Latham) to Jennifer Grant, Trustee(s), dated July 3, 2017, and recorded in Book No. 2553, at Page 323 in Randolph County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Randolph County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Asheboro, Randolph County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 10:00 AM on

ROBESON IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ROBESON COUNTY 22sp69 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY MICHAEL J HOFFMAN AND DARLENE HOFFMAN DATED JANUARY 26, 2000 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 1096 AT PAGE 147 IN THE ROBESON COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements

UNION NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 23 SP 512 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Jackie E. Caldwell (Deceased) (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Jackie E. Caldwell, Heirs of Jackie E. Caldwell: Jacquelyn Caldwell a/k/a Bernadette Jacqueline Caldwell, Wanda White a/k/a Ann Wanda White, Robin Polk, Billy Caldwell, Vicky Dixon) to Hilton T. Hutchens, Jr. Esq., Trustee(s), dated August 4, 2022, and recorded in Book No. 08544, at Page 0365 in Union County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Union County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION 23SP480 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF UNION NOTICE OF SALE IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY MARK LEE BRYANT, III AND TABITHA YOUNG BRYANT DATED JULY 10, 2019 RECORDED IN BOOK 7414 AT PAGE 274 IN THE UNION COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements therein

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION UNION COUNTY 22sp499 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY ANNA C JOHNSON DATED JUNE 15, 2011 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 5548 AT PAGE 810 IN THE UNION COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale

debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Randolph County courthouse at 10:00AM on November 21, 2023, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Randolph County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Janet Myers and William Proctor, dated May 27, 2005 to secure the original principal amount of $123,068.00, and recorded in Book 1923 at Page 130 of the Randolph County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record.

Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 3 1 9 Aldridge Road, Archdale, NC 27263 Tax Parcel ID:

7718961896 Present Record Owners: Janet Myers and William Proctor The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Janet Myers and William Proctor.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit

of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted.

This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental

agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is November 2, 2023. _________ ____________________________ Jason K. Purser, NCSB# 28031 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.

LOGS.com Posted: By:

as follows: The following described property:

Mark Scheutzow, separated, warranty Deed Book 2188 Page 1824 dated 03/13/2010 recorded 07/02/2010, in Randolph County Records.

be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded

releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to

to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note

secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior

contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Robeson County courthouse at 11:00AM on November 30, 2023, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Robeson County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Michael J Hoffman and Darlene Hoffman, dated January 26, 2000 to secure the original principal amount of $75,660.00, and recorded in Book 1096 at Page 147 of the Robeson County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record.

Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 5 9 8 Southfork Dr, Parkton, NC 28371 Tax Parcel ID: 090101022 / 948392688900 Present Record Owners: Maresa

Denee Moore The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Maresa Denee Moore.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and

must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted.

This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is October 10, 2023. _____________________________________ Jason K. Purser, NCSB# 28031 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.

LOGS.com Posted: By:

will offer for sale at the Judicial Center in Monroe, Union County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:00 PM on November 30, 2023 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Monroe in the County of Union, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: All that certain lot or parcel of land situated in Monroe Township, Union County, North Carolina and more particularly described as follows:

the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale,

terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law.

After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

the effective date of the termination.

All that certain parcel of land situated in County of Randolph, State of North Carolina., being known and designated as follows: Beginning at a right of way monument located at the junction of the southern right of way of SR 2817 (Croomcrest Street) with the western right of way of SR 2816 (Bray Blvd.); thence with the western right of way of Bray Blvd. South 23 degrees 39’ West 104.69 feet to an existing iron pipe, the northeast corner of Lot 26; thence with the northern line of Lot 26 North 83 degrees 48’ 40” West 155.67 feet to an existing iron pipe; thence a new line in Lot 25 North 17 degrees 40’ 29” East 101.94 feet to an existing iron pipe in the southern right of way of Croomcrest Street; thence with the southern right of way of Croomcrest Street South 83 degrees 48’ East 166.78 feet to the point of beginning, containing .370 acre, and being a part of Lot 25 of Eastview Subdivision as per plat recorded in Plat Book 7, Page 80, the same being according to a plat by Henley Surveying dated May 6, 1996 and entitled “Survey for Michael D. Carpenter & Tabitha L. Dixon.” Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 900 Bray Boulevard, Asheboro, North Carolina.

Being the same property conveyed from Yvette Scheutzow a/k/a Yvette Becksted, separated to

November 28, 2023 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Ramseur in the County of Randolph, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot 30 of Reed Creek Farms Property, as shown by plat recorded in Plat Book 79, Page 5, Randolph County Registry, to which plat reference is hereby made for a more definite description.

Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 6050 Griffin Drive, Ramseur, North Carolina.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

BEGINNING at an iron stake on the East Side of East Park Drive; Northeast corner of East Park Drive and Cherry Street intersection, and runs thence with East Park Drive, North 38 East 70 feet to an iron stake, Preslar’s corner; thence with his line South 52 East 209 feet to an iron stake in Sanders (formerly Tucker’s) line; thence with Sanders line South 38 West 70 feet to an iron stake in the North side of Cherry Street; thence with North Side of Cherry Street, North 52 West 209 feet to the BEGINNING. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 517 East Park Drive, Monroe, North Carolina.

County: Union Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay

contained and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Union County courthouse at 12:30 PM on November 28, 2023, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Union County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Mark Lee Bryant, III; Tabitha Young Bryant, dated July 10, 2019 to secure the original principal amount of $242,500.00, and recorded in Book 7414 at Page 274 of the Union County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Assessor’s Parcel No: 0012970 Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of

The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Mark Lee Bryant, III and Tabitha Young Bryant.

Address of property: 9509 Sweetbay Ct, Waxhaw, NC 28173 Tax Parcel ID: 05114287

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars

at the Union County courthouse at 11:00AM on November 30, 2023, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Union County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Anna C Johnson, dated June 15, 2011 to secure the original principal amount of $155,694.00, and recorded in Book 5548 at Page 810 of the Union County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 4006 Farm Pond Rd, Indian Trail, NC 28079 Tax Parcel ID: 7003116 Present Record Owners: Anna C. Johnson The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Anna C.

Johnson.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of

06-82307

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 15456 - 69662

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 12370 - 75900

22-112853

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 16291 - 75318

The date of this Notice is 2nd day of November, 2023.

Grady I. Ingle, Attorney for Substitute Trustee Ingle Law Firm, PA 13801 Reese Blvd West Suite 160 Huntersville, NC 28078 (980) 771-0717 Ingle Case Number: 20202-30127

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to

certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to

the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is October 17, 2023. _____________________________________ Jason K. Purser, NCSB# 28031 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.LOGS. com Posted: By: 22-114082

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

B11

TAKE NOTICE

UNION NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 23 SP 531 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Darlene Gallaway McCurdy (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Darlene Gallaway McCurdy) to Brock and Scott, Trustee(s), dated August 9, 2021, and recorded in Book No. 08213, at Page 0872 in Union County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Union County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the Judicial Center in Monroe, Union County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure

WAKE IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION WAKE COUNTY 22SP001088-910 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY MARSHALL WAYNE CARROLL AND MICHELLE KIBLER DATED JUNE 29, 2016 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 16438 AT PAGE 2414 IN THE WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority

AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 23SP001666-910 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Anna Laura Reed (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Anna Laura Reed) to Jennifer Grant, Trustee(s), dated January 28, 2014, and recorded in Book No. 15568, at Page 164 in Wake County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Wake County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the Wake County Courthouse door, the Salisbury Street entrance in Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on November 27, 2023 and will

23SP003055-910 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, WAKE COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Joyce M. Young to Investors Title Insurance Company, Trustee(s), which was dated May 1, 2006 and recorded on May 5, 2006 in Book 11944 at Page 747, Wake County Registry, North Carolina.

sales, at 1:00 PM on November 30, 2023 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Monroe in the County of Union, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Beginning at an iron stake on the southern edge of Leewood Drive, the NE corner of Dr. F.B. Lee’s Lot No. 1 (now or formerly) and running thence with the edge of said Leewood Drive S 76-15 E 155 feet to an iron stake, the northwesterly corner of Emmett Lee’s Lot No. 3 (now or formerly); thence with the westerly line of Lot No. 3, S 5-30 W 190.1 feet to an iron stake, the SW corner of Lot No. 3; thence N. 85-10 W 160 feet to an iron stake, the SE corner of Dr. F.B. Lee’s Lot No. 1 (now or formerly); thence with the easterly line of Lot No. 1, N 7-15 E 214.5 feet to the point of beginning, and being all of Lot No. 2 of Club Acres (same is shown on Plat thereof recorded in Plat Cabinet 5, at Page 15 in the Union County Public Registry, North Carolina).

Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 805 Leewood Drive, Monroe, North Carolina.

Assessor’s Parcel No: 09159005 Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S.

contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Wake County courthouse at 11:00AM on November 29, 2023 the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Wake County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Address of property: 27511 Tax Parcel ID: 0035992 Present Record Owners: and Gregory P. Murphy

813 Ellynn Dr, Cary, NC 0763843271

/

Michelle L. Murphy

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors,

sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Raleigh in the County of Wake, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Lying and being in the City of Raleigh, Raleigh Township, WAKE County, North Carolina and more particularly described as follows: All of Lot 82 in Ramblewood Subdivision, as shown on the maps recorded in Book of Maps 2013, Pages 742-747, Wake County Registry, to which maps reference is hereby made for a more particular description. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 217 Penley Circle, Raleigh, North Carolina.

Property Adress: 217 Penley Circle, Raleigh, NC 27609 Tax ID # 0415766 Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents

29, 2023 at 10:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Wake County, North Carolina, to wit: BEING ALL OF LOT 1, UMSTEAD GLEN SUBDIVISION AS SHOWN ON PLAT ENTITLED “RECOMBINATION, RIGHT-OF-WAY DEDICATION AND SUBDIVISION PLAT OF UMSTEAD GLEN SUBDIVISION” DATED FEBRUARY 27, 2000, PREPARED BY G.R. BROWN SURVEYING AND THEREOF RECORDED IN BOOK OF MAPS 2000, PAGE 1128, WAKE COUNTY REGISTRY.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on November

Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION WAKE COUNTY 23SP002091-910 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY LUTHER MCKINLEY SMITH AND GLORIA O. SMITH DATED FEBRUARY 22, 2002 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 9304 AT PAGE 275 IN THE WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Wake County courthouse at

AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 23SP002639-910 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Sara Burns and James Burns (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Burns Asset Management, Inc.) to Judy H. Woody, Trustee(s), dated November 3, 2005, and recorded in Book No. 011670, at Page 01943 in Wake County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Wake County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the Wake County Courthouse door, the Salisbury Street entrance in Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 23SP002956-910 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Luanne Tesoriero (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Luanne Tesoriero as Trustee of the Luanna Pemble Tesoriero Family Trust, dated November 7th, 2015) to United General Title Insurance Company, Trustee(s), dated September 26, 2006, and recorded in Book No. 012186, at Page 02017 in Wake County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Wake County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the Wake County Courthouse door, the Salisbury Street entrance in Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, or the

Said property is commonly known as 7131 Ebenezer Church Road, Raleigh, NC 27612.

§45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of

the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale,

terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 16598 - 77351

attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances, and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at

the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at

least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED.

county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b)(2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS WHERE IS.” There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record.

To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Joyce M. Young.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS: If you are a tenant residing in the property, be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser.

Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon written notice to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time notice of termination is provided. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Jason K. Purser, NCSB# 28031 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.

LOGS.com 22-113483

The date of this Notice is September 25, 2023

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 8575 - 33245

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 File No.: 19-15485-FC02

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the

11:00AM on November 30, 2023, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Wake County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Luther McKinley Smith and Gloria O. Smith, dated February 22, 2002 to secure the original principal amount of $53,545.09, and recorded in Book 9304 at Page 275 of the Wake County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record.

Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 8 3 6 Campanella Dr, Raleigh, NC 27610 Tax Parcel ID: 1712170588 Present Record Owners: J u d y Mangum The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Judy Mangum.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted.

This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset

period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is October 10, 2023. _________ ________________ ____________ Jason K. Purser, NCSB# 28031 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee

LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.

LOGS.com Posted: By:

for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on November 27, 2023 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Raleigh in the County of Wake, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot Number 7, Fairview Hills as recorded in Book of Maps 1981, Page 566, Wake County Registry. Including the Units located thereon; said Units being located at 829 A and B Barringer Drive, Raleigh, North Carolina.

directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If

the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental

agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior

to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

A Certified Check ONLY (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale. Following the expiration of the statutory

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers,

customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on November 20, 2023 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Raleigh in the County of Wake, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot 14, Gresham Hills Subdivision, as shown in Book of Maps 2001, Pages 16741675, Wake County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 7655 Greshamm Hills Drive, Raleigh, North Carolina.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note

23-115479

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 15128 - 67687

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 14941 - 66689

B12

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

PEN & PAPER PURSUITS

sudoku

solutions LAST WEEK

VOLUME 7 ISSUE 1 | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2023 | STANLYJOURNAL.COM

SUBSCRIBE TODAY: 336-283-6305

THE STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF THE NORTH STATE JOURNAL

COURTESY PHOTO

Sen. Ford visits Gray Stone Day School Gray Stone Day School, a public charter school in Stanly County, welcomed Sen. Carl Ford earlier this m month. Ford helped the school obtain from the North Carolina Outdoor Heritage Advisory Council “Go Outside Grant” to create a multi-purpose outdoor garden and greenhouse. This funding gives students the opportunity to learn more about the environment of the area, recycling components, and research soil composition. The project was designed by Heather Ferguson’s Advanced Placement Earth Environmental Science class.

“We are so appreciative of Senator Ford taking time to visit our campus. His diligent efforts to secure these grant funds provide our students the opportunities to not only explore the great outdoors but solve real-world problems and learn by doing. We are grateful for his support in furthering our mission to engage students in highly challenging courses requiring them to work diligently in and out of the classroom,” said Helen Nance, Chief Administrative Officer.

WHAT’S HAPPENING SCC and City of Albemarle celebrate apprenticeship partnership Stanly Community College (SCC) and the City of Albemarle marked a significant milestone in their ongoing efforts to establish apprenticeship opportunities for the city’s fire and police departments to benefit both the student community and the residents of Stanly County.

Dr. John Enamait, SCC’s president, expressed his enthusiasm for the results of the collective effort to create a robust apprenticeship program over the past few years.

“What we’re celebrating today is the results of our efforts to build a strong apprenticeship program over the last few years. It is certainly gaining traction, not only here with the City of Albemarle but across Stanly County. Apprenticeship opportunities demonstrate our strategic plan’s commitment to student and community success and help provide our community with a safe environment to live, work, and play,” added Enamait.

Apprentices will receive on-the-job training with the city’s Fire or Police Department and theoretical and practical training through SCC’s Fire Academy or Basic Law Enforcement Training program, respectively. The result will graduate be highly qualified and credentialed firefighters and police officers for the City of Albemarle.

Albemarle Police Chief Jason Bollhorst sees the apprenticeship program as an opportunity to build relationships with potential members of the Albemarle Police Department.

O.B. Builders chooses Stanfield for new facility The company to invest $6.7 million and create jobs in Riverstone Industrial Park

By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal STANFIELD — O.B. Builders, a Concord-based manufacturer specializing in residential building components, has announced plans to construct a new facility in the Riverstone Industrial Park in Stanfield, marking a significant investment in the local economy.

The company, a key supplier for the multi-family hous-

ing sector, has grown over the past 25 years from a labor-focused installation subcontractor to a comprehensive material provider. O.B. Builders will take up residence at the intersection of Browns Hill Road and Riverstone Drive within the industrial park.

Bryan Dauzat, the president of O.B. Builders, expressed a sense of belonging in Stanly County. “Stanly County felt like home,” Dauzat said. “Being from Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, I know what it is like to be a part of a community that focuses on true down-home roots and investing back in itself.”

Reflecting on the company’s evolution, Dauzat emphasized his continued hands-on approach. “A lot has changed from the day of putting on a tool belt and swinging a hammer, but I still make it a point to visit job sites and spend time in my door shop,” he said. “I am excited for this new milestone and look to continue our growth not just for the business, but for the employees who make it the company it is.”

The relocation and expansion come with the support of an economic development incentive grant approved by the Stanly County Board of Com-

Stanly County Schools Board tackles budget and security updates Board reviews financial challenges and safety measures, approves early start calendar for 2024-25

By Ryan Henkel Stanly County Journal ALBEMARLE – The Stanly County Schools Board of Education convened on Tuesday, Nov. 7, to address upcoming fiscal challenges and security enhancements, along with approving the 2024-25 school calendar.

During the meeting, the finance committee informed the board of several budgetary considerations for the next fiscal year. Vicki Lisk, a member of the committee, highlighted the need to increase compensation for coaches and athletic directors to remain competitive with

nearby counties. The board also deliberated on the potential outsourcing of mowing and landscaping responsibilities, as well as adjustments to certain activity fees.

Lisk emphasized the urgency of revising the classified pay scale, in line with the Department of Public Instruction’s adoption of the Office of State Personnel pay scale. “The largest item that’s going to take some serious discussion is the classified pay scale,” Lisk said. “We’ve been given one more fiscal year to adopt that. For simplicity purposes, that’s about another $1.2 million in recurring funds we’ll need from the county to support that pay scale.”

She also noted that despite prior requests for funds to address this issue, the county commissioners had provided approximately $1 million in total,

The revised agreement includes a non-solicit clause to protect Stanly County Schools (SCS) employees from recruitment by ESS. which falls short of the $1.2 million required solely for the pay scale update. This figure does not account for the forthcoming state budget, which is expected to raise certified pay, further impacting retirement and insurance costs that the county must cover.

Additionally, the finance committee proposed an amendment to the contract with Educational Staffing Solutions

missioners. On Nov. 6, the commissioners unanimously agreed to an eight-year, 75% grant to aid O.B. Builders in creating 11 new jobs and relocating 47 employees, with an investment of approximately $6.7 million in both real and business personal property.

Chairman Scott Efird welcomed the company, saying, “This project demonstrates Stanly County’s vision for Riverstone and our commitment to creating opportunities for new and expanding businesses which will provide high-quality jobs for our citizens.”

Additionally, Stanly commissioners approved a land conveyance, selling 12.122 acres to O.B. Builders for $728,738.27. Candice Lowder, the director of the Stanly County Economic Development Commission, noted that See COMMISSIONERS, page 2

(ESS) for the remainder of the year. The revised agreement includes a non-solicit clause to protect Stanly County Schools (SCS) employees from recruitment by ESS. “We have run the amendment by the law firm representing the school system on the non-solicit part of the agreement,” Lisk stated. “They were comfortable with it, the committee was comfortable with it, and if the board is comfortable with it, the amendment will carry us through to the end of the school year.”

Board member Rufus Lefler updated the board on various safety and security measures underway. The district plans to replace intercom systems, which See EDUCATION, page 2

$2.00

Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

2 WEDNESDAY

11.15.23

WEEKLY FORECAST

#313

WEDNESDAY

NOV 15

HI LO PRECIP

“Join the conversation”

Stanly County Journal ISSN: 2575-2278 Neal Robbins Publisher Matt Mercer Editor in Chief Jordan Golson Locals Editor Cory Lavalette Sports Editor Shawn Krest Sports Editor Frank Hill Senior Opinion Editor Lauren Rose Design Editor Published each Wednesday as part of North State Journal 1550 N.C. Hwy 24/27 W, Albemarle, N.C. 28001 TO SUBSCRIBE: 336-283-6305 STANLYJOURNAL.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 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607

EDUCATION from page 1

will be able to connect directly with the central office, install additional cameras, and update communication devices such as walkie talkies and radios. Lefler also mentioned that the district is close to fulfilling its School Resource Officer (SRO) needs, with one more position yet to be filled.

Concluding the session, the board approved an early start calendar for the 2024-25 academic year. The calendar sets August 8, 2024, as the first day of school, with the first semester concluding on December 20 and the school year ending on May 21.

The Stanly County Schools Board of Education is scheduled to reconvene on December 5.

58° 41° 10%

THURSDAY

NOV 16

HI LO PRECIP

FRIDAY

NOV 17

68° 36° 2%

HI LO PRECIP

66° 48° 3%

SATURDAY

NOV 18

64° 43° 4%

HI LO PRECIP

SUNDAY

MONDAY

NOV 19

HI LO PRECIP

60° 36° 2%

NOV 20

HI LO PRECIP

Hoke cotton fields reflect global economic trends Local farmers adapt to market changes and technological advancements

By PJ Ward-Brown North State Journal RAEFORD — As autumn’s crisp air replaces summer’s heat, the fields of Hoke County undergo their seasonal transition. The county’s cotton fields transform as white bolls are harvested and rolled into large bales, awaiting transport to local gins. Throughout North Carolina, cotton farming stands as a symbol of both tradition and change.

Historically known for its livestock, Hoke’s farmers have diversified their agricultural portfolio to include corn, peanuts, soybeans, sweet potatoes, and cotton. This shift reflects a broader trend in North Carolina’s farming sector, where adaptation and diversification are key to sustainability.

Farmers like Marvin McDonald, his son Daniel, and veteran Johnny Boyles are at the forefront of this evolving landscape. They navigate the complexities of a crop deeply intertwined with the global

economy. Marvin McDonald, who transitioned to cotton farming in 1989, was driven by the need for financial sustainability amid fluctuating grain markets. “Cotton farming is not just about growing a crop; it’s about understanding and adapting to market trends,” he says.

Daniel McDonald, set to continue the family legacy, stresses the importance of public awareness and appreciation for the impact that farmers and agriculture have on every citizen. “Many don’t realize where their food comes from,” said McDonald. “They see farming, but they don’t understand the challenges and hard work involved.” He says a commitment to educating the public and encouraging the next generation’s involvement in farming is vital for the industry’s future.

Johnny Boyles, with four decades in farming, joined the McDonalds to discuss cotton crops with the North State Journal last week. Boyles reflected on the shift from tobacco to cotton as his entry into the cotton industry. “Tobacco was once the mainstay, but cotton has proven more sustainable and less controversial,” said Boyles. “It’s about adapting

to the times and the market.”

Boyles also pointed to technological advancements that have transformed cotton farming.

“The industry has evolved, but the essence of farming – resilience and hard work – remains unchanged,” he adds.

The global cotton industry is significant to the world economy, with major producers like the United States, India, China, and Brazil shaping the market. The U.S. remains a key exporter, with states like Texas, Georgia, and Mississippi leading in production. The international supply chain of cotton, stretching from cultivation to textile manufacturing, involves countries like China and Bangladesh, requiring stable trade relations to maintain practices and production.

In North Carolina, the major players in cotton production are concentrated in the northeast of the state. Counties like Halifax (95,000 bales), Northampton (71,400 bales), Bertie (70,000 bales), Martin (56,000 bales), Edgecombe (47,500 bales), and Hertford (34,000 bales) lead in production. While Hoke County doesn’t rank among these top producers, its agricultural diversity, including row crops and livestock, provides a buf-

55° 34° 6%

TUESDAY

NOV 21

HI LO PRECIP

55° 37° 14%

fer against market volatility, strengthening the local economy and contributing to the resilience of the state’s agricultural sector.

These farmers face challenges including fluctuating market prices, weather, and evolving consumer demands as part of the broader industry. The value of global and state cotton economies underscores the crop’s significance. The U.S. is a leading cotton producer, with an estimated annual production value exceeding $6 billion. In North Carolina, the state ranks sixth nationally in cotton production.

The latest U.S. Department of Agriculture cotton projections for 2023 show China accounts for nearly half of global cotton stocks, with India, Brazil, and the United States combining for an additional 25 percent. World cotton production is forecast at 112.6 million bales in 2023, 3.2 percent below the previous year, as the global yield is projected to decrease, while the global cotton trade is projected to rise 17 percent in 2023-24.

Local North Carolina farmers like the McDonald family are committed to the future of global crops like cotton and hope the demand and innovation help keep them in business. Recognizing their position as part of a larger supply chain, Daniel McDonald said, “I just hope that textiles and things can improve around this area so we can continue to afford to do it.”

COMMISSIONERS from page 1

the county retains a right of first refusal and can reclaim the land if the company diverts from the agreed plans before the building’s completion.

Lowder emphasized the county’s objectives: “Our goal was to create new investment and create jobs. Once that’s fulfilled, the board — with counsel from the county manager and our attorney — said that they will have met their obligations at that point once the investment and jobs are created.”

The project has garnered widespread support, with the Stanly County EDC acknowledging contributions from the Town of Stanfield, state and local authorities, educational institutions, and economic development organizations.

Stanfield Mayor James Kluttz extended a heartfelt welcome to O.B. Builders.

“Their decision to establish its presence in our community is a testament to the endless possibilities and potential our town and county holds,” Kluttz stated. “We are honored to be chosen as the new home for their operations, and we eagerly anticipate the positive impact they will have, both economically and socially.”

Kluttz assured the community’s support for O.B. Builders, committing to a collaborative effort to ensure the company’s success and the resulting benefits for the wider community.

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

McDonald’s family Cotton harvest in Dundarrach, on November 9.

Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements: community@stanlyjournal.com Weekly deadline is Monday at Noon

Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

3

OPINION Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | MICHAEL BARONE

Young voters spring (contradictory) political surprises

Analyst Nate Cohn points out that nonwhite respondents under 45 said they favored Biden over Trump, 68% to 29%, in 2020, but they now say they would favor him by 49% to 42%.

WHAT’S WITH YOUNG VOTERS? It’s a question prompted by two surprising and perhaps contradictory developments that are out-of-line with conventional wisdom and prevailing expectations among political observers.

One is the sharp difference in opinion between young voters and their elders on the Hamas atrocities against Israel. A postOct. 7 poll by Quinnipiac University showed respondents under 35 disapproving of Israel’s response to Hamas’ atrocities, 52% to 32%, while those over 35 approved by a wider margin.

Young voters’ views are out of line with President Joe Biden’s strong rhetorical support of Israel, which has been attacked by multiple young staffers, media personnel and activist leaders. There’s evidence it is costing him young people’s votes.

The other development is a shift, compared to 2020, away from Biden and toward former President Donald Trump among black and Hispanic people under the age of 45, according to a New York Times/Siena College poll focusing on six target states.

Analyst Nate Cohn points out that nonwhite respondents under 45 said they favored Biden over Trump, 68% to 29%, in 2020, but they now say they would favor him by 49% to 42%.

Among nonwhites over 45, support for Biden fell by a smaller amount, from 73%26% to 63%-29%. Movement among white respondents was about the same among those under 45 and statistically insignificant among those above 45.

These two developments seem to be pointing in opposite directions, with young voters veering left on Israel/Hamas and right on Biden/Trump. My tentative explanation is that we’re looking at different halves of the young age cohort, with the college-educated (or -indoctrinated) voter standing to the left of the larger electorate and noncollege young people (black, Hispanic and Asian as well as white) moving to the right.

The leftward lurch among college-

indoctrinated young people is something I have picked up in city elections. Just as we’ve seen since the 1970s a graduate student proletariat dominant in university towns from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Berkeley, California, in the last decade, we’ve seen an emerging barista Left in large central cities.

The New York Times’ superb interactive map shows the neighborhoods where such voters predominated in New York City’s decisive June 2021 mayoral primary — in lower-rent neighborhoods within commuting distance of Manhattan, such as Astoria, Queens, and Williamsburg and Bushwick, Brooklyn. These are the same places where white voters favored Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) over Hillary Clinton in the April 2016 Democratic presidential primary.

In 2021, these areas were the base for leftwinger Maya Wiley, while more affluent whites in Manhattan favored the more centrist Kathryn Garcia. But both were narrowly edged by the black former police officer Eric Adams, who carried almost all black and Hispanic precincts.

The race was similarly tight but the result different in Chicago this year. In the March primary, centrist former schools chief Paul Vallas carried the white ethnic bungalow wards and affluent Lakefront precincts, while incumbent Lori Lightfoot carried the black South and West sides.

But former teachers union official Brandon Johnson won a runoff spot by carrying racially mixed lower-rent wards north of and inland from the high-rent Gold Coast. And in the April runoff, he added just enough votes from black precincts to edge Vallas, 52% to 48%.

That puts a leftist who wants to raise taxes and cautions against calling violent criminals a “mob” at the head of government in a city wracked with violent crime.

That doesn’t seem to bother barista leftists in marginal-wage jobs who choose to live in edgy, high-crime neighborhoods such as Bushwick, where, tragically, young residents were recently killed. One suspects that such neighborhoods

have been seeing many more Hamas than Israeli flags.

Outside university towns and the hip neighborhoods of central cities, barista leftists are relatively scarce and dispersed widely over culturally less congenial landscapes.

Meanwhile young people with little or no exposure to campus indoctrination and not much interest in or knowledge of political issues are scattered around the country, with whites predominant outside major metropolitan areas and blacks and Hispanics in modest-income exurbs and suburbs.

Such voters haven’t been attracted by Biden Democrats’ COVID-era handouts, college loan forgiveness and support for transgender teenagers. Instead, they’re increasingly attracted to Trump specifically and Republicans generally for reasons explained by two books that, with fortuitous timing, were just published this week.

In “Where Have All the Democrats Gone?,” John Judis and Ruy Teixeira examine how the Democratic majority they predicted, with fair accuracy, two decades ago has been split by white and nonwhite working-class voters’ aversion to the exotic preoccupations of the party’s increasingly dominant and incessantly noisy college graduate bloc, barista leftists included.

And in “Party of the People,” Republican consultant Patrick Ruffini describes the formation of a Republican “multiracial working class coalition” that is “eroding one of the core pillars of the Democratic coalition, the nonwhite working class.”

Young people are springing some surprises on what has been looking like a stale contest between two septuagenarians who are the two oldest men to enter the presidency. More surprises may be in store.

Michael Barone is a senior political analyst for the Washington Examiner, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and longtime co-author of The Almanac of American Politics.

COLUMN | MAGGIE HORZEMPA

NC crime: a need for data-driven, targeted solutions Data from the City of Raleigh reveals that violent crimes and property crimes are on the rise. Data also shows that CharlotteMecklenburg saw an increase in crime from 2020 to 2022.

WE’VE ALL FELT THE FEAR as we see media coverage hyper-focusing on crimeridden cities like Philadelphia, San Francisco, and New York City. In North Carolina, even one crime victim is too many, but the emotional fearmongering of local and national media often dominates news and public opinion.

We all want to know: Are our cities safe?

What are the facts? Recent reports are debunking the perception that North Carolina is a state plagued by increasing violent crime while also exposing the complex issues shouldered by some of our biggest cities.

According to the most recent FBI report, The 2022 Crime in the Nation Statistics, violent crimes decreased across North Carolina and, on average, across the nation to pre-pandemic levels. The report averaged the decreases in crime from states like North Carolina and Florida with states that saw crime rates go up in places like Alabama and Massachusetts.

Other reports reinforce this good news. The NC Bureau of Investigation’s Index of Offenses and Clearances shows crime rates dropped by 5.75% since 2020. Violent crimes declined by 5.62% and property crimes declined 5.77% from 2020 to 2022.

So why are our news channels and social feeds bombarded by crime and unfavorable

stories about law enforcement? Taking a look at our urban areas in North Carolina, big cities like Raleigh and Charlotte experienced increases in violent crime while cities like Los Angeles and Chicago saw declines. Data from the City of Raleigh reveals that violent crimes and property crimes are on the rise. Data also shows that Charlotte-Mecklenburg saw an increase in crime from 2020 to 2022.

While public safety in our big cities must be addressed, it’s important to maintain the perspective of North Carolina citizens from all corners of the state. A recent Civitas poll by the John Locke Foundation, showed 33.9% of voters are concerned about crime in their neighborhoods, but most voters expressed confidence in the job their local police force is doing.

Demographics make a huge difference when addressing concerns about crime in North Carolina. According to the Civitas poll, young voters aged 18 to 34 were the least likely to express concern about their safety, while voters aged 65 and above were the most worried. This disparity in perception may be attributed to generational differences, life experiences, or variations in media consumption. It’s essential to recognize that public safety concerns are not static and can evolve as individuals and their

communities change.

When voters were asked about their top crime concerns, drug-related crimes emerged at the forefront, followed by property crime and then violent crime. Surprisingly, gang activity was the least cited issue. These preferences highlight the diverse nature of crime concerns in North Carolina, which require tailored approaches to effectively address criminal justice policies in all communities.

The most intriguing aspect of these polls is the juxtaposition between public concerns, media coverage, and the actual crime trends in North Carolina. Recognizing the multiplicity of community concerns within North Carolina’s population is vital for crafting effective public safety policies and maintaining our confidence in law enforcement’s hard work and dedication.

By tempering the barrage of media and political misinformation, these report findings can help foster productive conversations and help underscore the importance of understanding what crimes are impacting citizens most so that targeted solutions can be developed.

Maggie Horzempa is the NC Director & Development Manager, Right on Crime for the Texas Public Policy Foundation

4 SIDELINE REPORT

Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

SPORTS

NHL

Biden honors Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights at White House Washington, D.C. President Joe Biden honored the Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights in a ceremony Monday at the White House. The Golden Knights’ visit to the White House marked a return of an NHL tradition after the 2022 champion Colorado Avalanche were unable to make it work amid scheduling conflicts. The last hockey team honored

by Biden was the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrating back-to-back titles in 2020 and 2021 during the pandemic. Players said politics never came up in their private meeting with Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Hoke to retire as San Diego State coach at end of season San Diego San Diego State coach Brady Hoke says he will retire from leading the Aztecs after this season, having guided the program for six years over two stints that included three bowl appearances. The 65-yearold Hoke is 39-31 at San Diego State, but just 3-7 this year. He is in the fourth season of his second term as Aztecs head coach. Hoke went 13-12, turning around a long struggling San Diego State program in 2009-10 before becoming head coach at Michigan. Hoke went 3121 in four years with the Wolverines. He was fired during the 2012 season.

SOCCER

Gotham win NWSL title, Rapinoe injured in finale San Diego World Cup winner Esther González scored the goahead goal on a header in first-half stoppage time and Gotham FC survived a wild finish to beat OL Reign 2-1 in the National Women’s Soccer League championship match.

In the opening minutes, Megan Rapinoe hobbled off the pitch with an apparent Achilles injury in a heartbreaking end to her career. The noncontact injury the Reign’s star took some of the wind out of the crowd at San Diego State’s Snapdragon Stadium. Ali Krieger of Gotham FC ran over to hug her former teammate on the U.S. women’s national team before Rapinoe left the field.

MLB

Mendoza gets threeyear deal to manage Mets manager New York Carlos Mendoza was officially hired Monday as manager of the New York Mets with a three-year contract and the task of leading a turnaround from 2023’s huge failure. The 43-year-old was introduced Tuesday at Citi Field. His deal includes a team option for 2027. Mendoza spent the past four seasons across town as Aaron Boone’s bench coach with the New York Yankees. He replaces Buck Showalter, fired by the Mets on the final day of the season after two years as manager. Mendoza becomes the major leagues’ second Venezuelan-born manager after Ozzie Guillén.

AP PHOTO

UConn’s Paige Bueckers walks off the court as NC State players celebrate after the Wolfpack knocked off the No. 2 Huskies on Sunday in Raleigh.

Gamecocks back at No. 1 in women’s poll NC State went from unranked to No. 14 after knocking off then-No. 2 UConn

The Associated Press SOUTH CAROLINA had a historic jump to No. 1 in the AP Top 25 after a chaotic opening week in women’s basketball that saw nine of the top 14 teams in the preseason poll lose, including defending national champion and preseason No. 1 LSU. The Gamecocks weren’t the

only teams making history in the season’s first regular-season poll, either. UConn and Colorado did too and it was a milestone poll for the Pac-12 Conference.

South Carolina was sixth in the preseason before vaulting up to the top spot in The Associated Press women’s basketball poll released Monday. No team has made a bigger leap to No. 1 in the history of the poll that dates to 1977.

South Carolina received 23 first-place votes from the 36-member national media panel. Iowa was second with the other 13 first-place ballots. UCLA,

Utah and Colorado rounded out the first five.

LSU fell to seventh after losing its opener to then-No. 20 Colorado. The Buffaloes now have their best ranking since closing out the 1995 season at No. 2 and made the biggest leap in poll history, moving up 15 spots, according to the website “Across the Timeline.”

UConn fell from second to eighth after losing to NC State, which jumped into the poll at No. 14. The Wolfpack’s entrance matched the highest for an unranked team, tying Kansas State in 2003. Despite the loss, the Huskies now have been ranked for 566 consecutive weeks, breaking a tie with Tennessee for the longest streak ever.

“The consistency we’ve had over those 30 years despite how much the game has changed is quite remarkable,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “The magnitude of it doesn’t hit me until someone points it out.”

This was only the second time when the poll’s preseason 1-2 teams did not remain in the

top two spots in the first regular-season poll. It also happened at the start of the 1998-99 season: Purdue knocked off No. 1 Tennessee to open the season and vaulted up from five to one the next week. That was the biggest jump to the top spot until South Carolina’s move this week.

South Carolina had a run of 38 straight weeks at No. 1 end in the preseason poll. That was the second-longest streak behind UConn’s 51-week run (2008-10).

Stanford climbed to sixth, Virginia Tech is ninth and USC is 10th. This is Southern Cal’s best ranking since the final poll of the 1994 season when the team was seventh. That gave the Pac-12 five teams in the top 10, the first time a conference has done that since the SEC accomplished in the final poll of the 1997 season.

Ole Miss had the biggest fall in the poll this week, dropping from 12 to 23 after losing to Oklahoma. The Sooners entered at No. 25. Mississippi State and Illinois dropped out of the rankings.

Texas A&M fires Fisher, school owes him $75M Duke coach Mike Elko has been named as a potential replacement

The Associated Press COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Landing Jimbo Fisher, a coach with a national title on his resume, seemed like just what Texas A&M needed to finally become a championship contender.

But Fisher failed to replicate his success at Florida State in six years with the Aggies and athletic director Ross Bjork fired the coach Sunday despite owing him more than $75 million.

“That’s the hard part in all of this,” Bjork said. “How many sitting head coaches won national championships? So, everyone had tons of optimism. But it just goes back to the last couple of years. Do we have momentum? Do we have hope? How do we see things trending? And we just didn’t see the trend lines improving.”

Instead of winning a title, Fisher went 45-25 and 27-21 in the Southeastern Conference, never winning more than nine games in any season. The Aggies are 6-4 with two games left, coming off a 51-10 victory against Mississippi State on Saturday night.

Bjork met with university president Mark Welsh and Tex-

AP PHOTO

Jimbo Fisher was fired as football coach at Texas A&M on Sunday. as A&M system chancellor John Sharp earlier this week and told them that a coaching change was “absolutely necessary.”

“The assessment that I delivered was that we are not reaching our full potential,” Bjork said. “We are not in the championship conversation and something was not quite right about our direction and the plan.”

Assistant Elijah Robinson will serve as interim coach for

the last two games.

Bjork delivered the news to Fisher on Sunday morning at Kyle Field in a meeting the AD called “quick and cordial.”

Fisher was lured away from Florida State, where he had won a national championship in 2013, by a massive 10-year, fully guaranteed contract at the end of the 2017 season.

That contract was extended back to 10 years after he led the

Aggies to a 9-1 record during the 2020 pandemic season, by far A&M’s best year under Fisher.

According to his contract, Fisher is owed the entirety of what remains on his deal — regardless of whether he gets another job in coaching — a staggering buyout that is more than triple the largest known given to a fired head coach.

Bjork said 25% of what Fisher is owed — about $19 million — is due within 60 days and the first of several installments of about $7 million must be paid within 120 days.

“We will use unrestricted contributions within the 12th Man Foundation for the first onetime payment and the athletic department will fund the annual payments for the remaining portion by growing our revenues and adjusting our annual operating budget accordingly,” he said.

He added that the school “has to learn a lesson” from Fisher’s contract and that the finances involving his firing are “monumental.”

“Although this is a major, major financial decision that comes with many consequences, we have a plan and we will not let this impact the performance or the culture of our entire athletics program,” Bjork said.

Duke coach Mike Elko is among the potential candidates rumored to be a target for the Aggies.

Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Lefler McManus

Albemarle, North Stanly lose in second round of football playoffs The Bulldogs lost to Thomasville, and the Comets were beaten by Brevard

By Jesse Deal North State Journal

COURTESY PHOTO

West Stanly graduate, track and field Lefler McManus is a graduate of West Stanly high school and a former track and field athlete for UNC-Wilmington. At West Stanly, she was MVP of the track and cross country teams all four years and made All-State twice.

McManus turned in a time of 3:16:40 at the New York City Marathon last week, finishing in the top 6% of more than 51,000 runners. She finished with the 401st best time among more than 22,000 women runners and was No. 17 in her age group. Her time qualified her for next year’s Boston Marathon.

5

SIXTH-SEEDED Albemarle came up short at home in the second round of the 1A state football playoffs, losing 41-13 to Thomasville in a battle of the Bulldogs on Friday.

Albemarle (6-6) managed to hold Thomasville (9-3) scoreless through the first quarter, but four second-quarter interceptions gave Thomasville running back Kevin Robinson a series of short-field situations that he turned into three touchdowns in five minutes, setting the tone for the rest of the night.

With Albemarle down 21-0 entering the third quarter, quarterback Ander Artis tossed his third interception of the night that resulted in a 60-yard picksix for Thomasville. The visiting Bulldogs’ lead then jumped to 34-0 when Thomasville picked up another rushing score early in the fourth quarter.

Albemarle was able to get on the board with two touchdowns late in the game. Artis first connected with Ja’Zyion Geiger — the Yadkin Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Year — in the end zone, and Jaylen Pinkney notched a fumble recovery for a touchdown 11 seconds later.

Despite the loss, Albemarle coach Richard Davis told SCJ he was impressed with his team’s season, including winning the Yadkin Valley Conference crown.

“We started out 0-4 and we ended it with a conference title,” Davis said. “We fell short of getting to the mountaintop, but there are a lot of things for them to keep their heads up and be

proud of. Everybody had counted us out, and then we ended the regular season with a victory over North Stanly and a conference title.”

Davis is hopeful the Bulldogs can build on their successful 2023 season.

“The boys just kept believing in one another, kept trusting the process and kept showing up working every day,” he said.

“Then things started clicking for us and then we got on the roll.

The foundation has been laid, and now we just have to keep working and build upon this.”

Albemarle had shut out No. 27 South Davidson 49-0 in the first round.

Thomasville will now face No. 3 Eastern Randolph (11-1), which defeated No. 14 Hayesville 39-10 on Friday.

Brevard 36, North Stanly 7 North Stanly’s postseason came to an end Friday as the ninth-seeded Comets (84) suffered a 36-7 road loss to eighth-seeded Brevard in the second round of the 2A bracket.

The Blue Devils (10-2) struck early and often against the Comets (8-4), adding a touchdown to their lead every quarter as Brevard vaulted to a 21-0 lead by the third quarter before pulling away for a 29-point win.

Brevard quarterback Benjamin Kessinger finished with two touchdown passes, while running back Braylon Thompson added two scores on the ground.

The Comets had a 34-32 win over No. 24 T.W. Andrews in the first round and had won five of seven games before losing to the Blue Devils.

Brevard will look for its 11th straight win when it faces No. 1 Reidsville (11-1), which took down No. 16 West Stokes 42-7 at home in the second round.

Oilers fire coach Woodcroft, name Knoblauch as replacement Considered a Stanley Cup favorite before the season, Edmonton has lost 10 of its first 13 games

Jay Woodcroft is out as coach of the Oilers after the supposed Stanley Cup contenders lost 10 of their first 13 games this season.

Woodcroft was fired Sunday, and Kris Knoblauch, Connor McDavid’s junior hockey coach, was named his replacement.

The Associated Press JAY WOODCROFT is out as coach of the Edmonton Oilers after a team that was supposed to be a Stanley Cup contender lost 10 of its first 13 games.

Woodcroft was fired Sunday at the end of the team’s road trip, which wrapped up with a 4-1 win at Seattle on Saturday night. That victory was not enough to save Woodcroft’s job in the aftermath of a four-game losing streak, including an embarrassing 3-2 loss at the NHLworst San Jose Sharks earlier in the week.

Kris Knoblauch, Oilers superstar Connor McDavid’s junior hockey coach, was named Woodcroft’s replacement, and Hall of Famer Paul Coffey joins his staff as an assistant. Assistant coach Dave Manson was also dismissed. Knoblauch becomes the organization’s 10th coach in 15 seasons and the fifth since McDavid joined the team in 2015.

After the loss in San Jose on Thursday night, Woodcroft said he wasn’t worried about his job security.

“No one’s happy with where we’re at,” Woodcroft said. “We all own it. We can be better, and that’s where my focus is.”

The Oilers have had leagueworst goaltending this season, leading to goalie Jack Campbell being demoted to the AHL. “I don’t really know what to say,” Draisaitl said Thursday night. “We tend to outshoot other teams consistently, probably out-chance other teams consistently. Not in sync right now.”

Goaltenders Stuart Skinner and Campbell have combined for a save percentage of .866.

AP PHOTO

Call us today!

Edmonton has allowed nearly four goals a game and at 3-91 is above only San Jose in the standings with seven points.

“We can’t really be looking at the standings right now,” said forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the organization’s longest-tenured player. “Just because it’s the start of the season it feels a little different. But we’re the same team that we’ve always been. It feels weird right now.”

Even weirder? McDavid — whose 153 points last season were the most of any player since 1995-96 — was held off the scoresheet in the past two games.

McDavid did miss time last month with an undisclosed upper-body injury but still has 10 points in 10 games, while Draisaitl leads the team with 15.

Still, only six teams have averaged fewer goals than the Oilers’ 2.69.

This was seen as the season

for the Oilers to get over the hump in the playoffs and win the franchise’s first championship since 1990. Instead, the brutal start has significantly hampered their chances of even making the postseason.

The job now falls to Knoblauch, who had been coaching the American Hockey League’s Hartford Wolf Pack. He coached McDavid with the Erie Otters for three seasons from 2012-15 and led them to an Ontario Hockey League championship and trip to the Memorial Cup in 2017.

Knoblauch, 45, was in his fifth season with Hartford, the top affiliate of the New York Rangers, after spending two years as an assistant with the Philadelphia Flyers. He served as acting coach for a handful of NHL games with the Rangers in 2021 and 2022.

Former Hurricanes assistant coach Steve Smith takes over as the Wolf Pack’s interim coach.

Serving the community since 1961

bboilinc.com

B.B. Oil, Inc. Year Round Home Comfort

B.B. Oil, Inc. provides quality service, including; oil changes, oil delivery, oil furnace repairs, heating and air repairs, and much more.

Call us today for information about our furnace services!

Call or visit our website today to make an appointment: 704-463-7543 • bboilinc.com • Hours: 7am - 4:30pm, M-F

128 N HIGHWAY 49, PO BOX 185 • RICHFIELD, NC 28137

6

Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says DeSantis, not Trump, is the best Republican to win the 2024 election The Associated Press DES MOINES, Iowa — After seven months of hosting Republican presidential candidates in Iowa, Gov. Kim Reynolds said it “feels good to get in the game” with her endorsement of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

But the popular Iowa governor declined to say whether other candidates should concede and throw their support behind him as well, even as she acknowledged that a wider field could advantage former President Donald Trump.

“At some point, if we don’t narrow the field, it’s going to be hard to ... maybe, you know, that helps Trump,” Reynolds said in an interview with The Associated Press. “But I think that is for them to decide.”

In making the endorsement last week, Reynolds broke with a longstanding tradition of Iowa governors staying neutral in their party’s presidential contests, the first in the GOP nomination calendar.

With the Jan. 15 caucuses fast approaching, the DeSantis campaign hopes the endorsement will fuel momentum for the candidate, once seen as the most plausible Republican alternative to Trump but now locked in second place with former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. DeSantis has so far failed to close the polling gap with Trump or set himself apart as the clear choice for voters who either didn’t like Trump or were

AP PHOTO

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, second from left, joins Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on stage during a rally, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. uneasy about the former president’s prospects in November 2024.

Still, Reynolds said DeSantis is best poised for victory in the general election, a race she doesn’t think Trump can win without attracting voters beyond his base. DeSantis “won in demographics that Republicans have never really won in Florida,” she said.

Reynolds and DeSantis often

commend each other for their robust wins in last year’s midterm elections, when Republicans struggled elsewhere, and their parallel policy accomplishments in formerly purple states.

Trump continues to dominate polls of Republican voters in states that vote early in the nomination process, Iowa included, but Reynolds predicted “a lot of movement” over the next two months. She cit-

ed the Des Moines Register/ NBC News/Mediacom late October poll that showed DeSantis identified as a frequent second choice or candidate that voters were “actively considering.”

“I didn’t see that same opportunity with some of the other candidates when you looked at where they ranked for second choice,” Reynolds said. “I thought Ron was in a really good place for that.”

Long before the formal endorsement, Trump had accused Reynolds of disloyalty for her cozy relationship with DeSantis and tried to take credit for her winning the governorship.

“If and when Kim Reynolds of Iowa endorses Ron DeSanctimonious, who is absolutely dying in the polls both in Iowa and Nationwide, it will be the end of her political career in that MAGA would never support her again, just as MAGA will never support DeSanctimonious again,” he wrote in a social media post Sunday after reports of her endorsement surfaced.

Reynolds initially promised that she would remain neutral in the race and she joined most candidates for campaign events throughout the spring and summer, though her close relationship with DeSantis and his family was on display in regular appearances they made together.

She changed her mind because “there’s just too much at stake,” she said, though it wasn’t a decision she made lightly, adding that she called Haley, who she said was “a good friend,” to let her know.

While she said it’s not her place to suggest others drop out of the race, Reynolds said Iowa’s role in the nominating process is to start to winnow the field, which will happen naturally.

“It’s not really about always picking the winner,” she said, “but it’s about helping narrow the field.”

After indictment, North Carolina’s state auditor says she’ll resign The Associated Press RALEIGH — North Carolina State Auditor Beth Wood announced on Thursday that she will resign from her elected post next month, a decision coming two days after she was indicted on charges that she misused her state-owned vehicle for personal activities.

Wood, a Democrat who was first elected auditor in 2008, had already announced last week that she wouldn’t seek reelection in 2024. That was revealed before a Wake County grand jury formally accused her of a pair of misdemeanors.

“I will step down as State Auditor on December 15, 2023, completing 30 years of service to the State of North Carolina,” Wood said in a written statement, “I made this decision because we have such a great team doing incredibly important work and I don’t want to be a distraction. It has been an honor and privilege to work with such a talented staff and to serve the citizens of this great state.”

The indictment followed an eight-month investigation by state agents that appeared to germinate after she was cited last December for leaving the scene of a crash when she drove her state-owned vehicle into a parked car. Wood pleaded guilty in March to misdemeanor hitand-run involving the crash and paid fines and court costs. She

AP PHOTO

North Carolina State Auditor Beth Wood makes an appearance in Wake County Court earlier this year in Raleigh. apologized, telling the presiding judge that she had made a “grave mistake” by leaving the accident scene.

The state constitution directs Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper to appoint someone to fill the remainder of her four-year term through the end of 2024. Cooper also could initially name an interim auditor before making a full appointment. The appointee could decide to run for the job next year. Several people had already announced they’re running. Candidate filing begins next month, with primary elec-

tions in March.

Wood informed Cooper of her resignation decision on Thursday afternoon, the governor’s office said.

Cooper “respects her decision and thanked her for her years of service to North Carolina,” spokesperson Jordan Monaghan said in a text message. “Our office will have more information about the appointment process for this position in the coming days.”

This week’s indictment alleged that in 2021 and 2022, Wood used an assigned state-

owned vehicle for “hair appointments and dental appointments out of town, traveling to shopping centers and spa locations where she was not engaged in business in her official capacity.”

Wood, 69, said on Tuesday that she was “very disappointed” that Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman had brought the charges against her.

Wood said that she had reimbursed the state to cover personal use of the car by purposely overpaying for miles in which she commuted to her job.

A Craven County native,

Wood is a certified public accountant who worked in the State Auditor’s Office for nearly 10 years before she defeated incumbent Auditor Les Merritt in 2008.

The state auditor is one of 10 positions within the Council of State, which also includes the governor, attorney general and other statewide elected executive branch officials. Her office issues audits often critical of state government operations and what it considers mismanaged local governments and taxpayer money — leaving her with both friends and enemies on both sides of the political aisle.

The Dec. 8 accident, which happened in downtown Raleigh after she said she left a holiday party, resulted in car damage but no injuries. Her police citation became public weeks later. The accident led to examinations of her use of a state vehicle.

The state’s motor fleet management director suspended her vehicle assignment in January as the crash investigation continued.

In June, Wood said she would seek reelection next year. When reversing her decision last week, Wood didn’t mention specifically any legal troubles except to say that she has “made mistakes along the way, but I have acknowledged them and have learned from them.” She said she wanted to now embark on a public speaking career.

Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

obituaries obituaries

BarbaraN.Jean George Rudar (Taylor) Drye April 9, 1947 — November 3,

2023 14, 2023 April 17, 1936 ~ January

Dwight SharonFarmer Mason January 24, 1939 ~ January 15, Crayton 2023

February 19, 1980 — November Dwight Britten Farmer Sr., 83, 10, 2023 George N.Taylor Rudar, 76,86, of Barbara Jean Drye, of Norwood died Sunday morning, Albemarle, passed Friday, January 15, 2023 at Forrest Oakes. of Oakboro, passed awayaway Saturday, Sharon Mason Crayton, November 3,at 2023, at Atrium January 14, 2023 her home.

Dwight was bornpassed Januaryaway 24, 43, of Stanfield, Health was Stanly in Barbara bornHospital April 17, 1936 1939 in Stanly County to the late Friday, November 10, 2023 Albemarle. in North Carolina to the late Robert Walter Virgil Health and Martha Adkins at Novant Matthews He was inEva Rochester, Lee Taylor and born the late Belle Farmer.

He was a 1957 graduate Medical Center.

Watts PA,Taylor. on April 9, 1947. He was of Norwood High School and was Sharon was born February She preceded in death thewas sonalso of George and Rose a United States Army Veteran.

19,1980 in North Carolina to by husband of 61are years, Keith Furr Rudar who deceased.

He was a member of Cedar Grove the late William Bryan Mason Drye, Robert Lee Heand wasbrothers, married on January United Methodist Church where he and the late Connie Efird Taylor, Jr. and Kenneth 5, 1978, toGeorge Patricia Baucant had served as church treasurer and Mason.

Taylor.

Rudar who survives. choir member. He began his career was a wonderful Survivors include children, He graduated in 1965 withSharon the Stanly County Sheriff’s wife, mother, andtosister.

She Debbie Williams from(Mike) Lincoln Highof School in Department moving the Norwood enjoyed camping, cooking, Albemarle, Teresa (Tom) Curry Midland, PA. He graduated Police Department and retiring as crocheting, and the taking care of Oakboro, Douglas (Tammy) from Life Christian University Chief of Police with Town of of her dogs.

But most of Drye of Oakboro; grandchildren, Norwood after many years ofall, service. from the Greensboro Campus Melissa Parrish of Albemarle, Sharon time Dwight loved was anspending avid gardener, with(Don) a Masters Degree in Samantha (Destiny) Smith of with her family, especially bird watcher and Carolina fan.

Theology.

He has an Associate Oakboro, Bradley Smith of Oakboro, going to the ball field to Hilda watch He is survived by his wife Degree in Accounting and Jonathan StoverScience of Peachland, her children sports.

Whitley Farmer;play one son D. Britten Computer from and Jessie Stover of Institute, Lylesville; sisterSharon a hard worker. She Jr. was (Mary) of McLeansville, Computer Pittsburg, Farmer in-law, Beatrice Goodman; many earned 3 Associate degrees NC; one daughter Sharon Farmer PA. nieces and nephews; and her beloved Lowe from StanlyofCommunity (David) Norwood; one He served as Children's cats, Bo and Garfield.

College and then went on totwo sister Geraldine Dennis of Troy; Pastor at Spirit and Truth for Barbara was a member of earn her Bachelors grandchildren, Dwight degree Britten “Dee” over 13 years, and served in Oakboro Baptist Church for over in Business Western Farmer III andfrom Whitley Rose Hui Children's ministry 60 years.

She worked overfor 30 over years42 Lowe.

Carolina University. years,Knitting both inMills.

PA and in just NC. at Stanly After HeSurvivors was preceded in death by include husband, served on committee for twoHe years of retirement, she began his son Alex, brothers, Tommy and Jason Crayton of Stanfield, Albemarle Correction Institute managing the Oakboro Senior Jimmy, sisters, Nancy, Cornelia NC.; Son, Michael Crayton; andand Ministered to18inmates.

Center did that for years Annabell, Glennie Mae,Crayton; and Betty. daughter, Makayla Survivors include wife, until this past week.

Barbara was Memorials may be made to Cedar sister, Casey (Derrick) Helms; Patricia Rudar of Albemarle, known for her good cooking and Grove United Methodist nephew River Helms,Church, and NC, daughter, Carin Rudar always taking care of others. She also Cemetery or Choir Fund c/o Pam niece, Heidi Helms. of going Phoenix, AZ, son, George loved on day long shopping Smith 36071 Rocky River Springs Thomas Rudar of Denver, trips - she could out walk and outCO, Road, Norwood, NC 28128. son, Charles (Christa) shop people half her age. SheRudar kept herand mindgrandchildren and body activeCharles through Rudar and Arbaugh gardening, wordChloe searches, and of Vandergrift, PA, son, various other hobbies.

Christopher Paul (Cici) Rudar of Monroe, NC.

James MelvinRoseboro Stanback

June 23, 1967 ~ January 10, 2023 April 13, 1943 ~ November 7, 2023 James Arthur Roseboro, 55, of Albemarle, passed away Tuesday, Melvin Stanback, known January 10, 2023 at Anson Health to Rehab. many as "Mel Hawk," left and this plane to serve Mr.earthly Roseboro was born on the Kingdom of Heaven on June 23, 1967 to the late Robert Tuesday, 7, 2023. and Delena November Shipp Roseboro.

He In the Bible, number graduated from the South Stanly (7) represents completion and by an High School and was employed idea ofBrick. resting. soulwatching is now Triangle He His enjoyed at rest.and Hebasketball, was 80 years old. the football especially Mel TarHeels was bornand onMiami.

April 13, Carolina 1943 to Arthur Anna In addition to hisand parents he is Stanback.

He was educated preceded in death by his brothersin thesisters: Richmond County school and Barbara Lee Roseboro, system.Brown, He then relocated to Dorothy Verna Roseboro, VirginiaIngram, where he the Henrietta andspent Harold majority of his early years. He Roseboro.

He is survived by hisCarolina sisters: in returned to North Helen Edwards as 1995(James) where Roseboro he was employed ofaAlbemarle, Mary Roseboro truck driver until his health ofbegan Washington to fail.DC, and Marion Morrison of Albemarle; In addition to his brothers: parents, Thomas D. Roseboro Mel was precededofinCharlotte, death Robert (Patricia) of (1) by hisRoseboro wife, Jean, (1) son, Norwood, and Horne; aand special daughter, (8)Van brothers, (4) friend of over 40 years, Michelle sisters.

McLendon of the home; He is survived by special nieces: Nybrea Montague, his daughters, DaphneKnya Little, and Laquanza Crump; special Pemberton, of Asheboro, nephews: Robert Jr., Desmond NC; Kosha Medley John Roseboro, Marcus Lilly; (Paul) ofand Maryland, and and God daughter, Daphne Johnson; Kay Armstrong; son, Ray and special friends,of Vetrella and Armstrong Troy, Johnson NC, sisters: Ben McLendon.

Eva Dykes of Mt. Gilead, NC, and Sandra Barnaby of Brooklyn, NY; seven grandchildren, three great grandchildren, a very special friend, Viane "Sis" Medley, as well as numerous family members and friends. Melvin will be greatly missed. We hate that you are gone, but we are happy that you are home free and painless.

Darrick Baldwin

Doris Auten Martin

May 10, 1935 — October 30, 2023

Bonnie Mae Dunn

January 16, 1950 — October 31, 2023 Bonnie Mae Dunn, 73, of Albemarle, passed away Tuesday, October 31, 2023 at Atrium Health Stanly Hospital in Albemarle.

Bonnie was born January 16, 1950 the late Ernest Smith and Elizabeth Smith.

She was also preceded in death by husband Clyde Dunn, Sr., son, Joseph Freeman, and three brothers.

Survivors include daughters, Cristy Smith (Brian), Carol Dunn, Telia Dunn, and son Clyde Dunn,Jr. grandchildren Tyler Freeman, Trevor Freeman, Madison Smith, great children Raelyn Freeman and Kaisly Freeman, also seven sisters and one brother.

Doris Auten Martin, 88, of Harrisburg, passed away Monday, October 30, 2023 at Atrium Health Cabarrus.

Doris was born May 10, 1935 to the late Johnnie Harrison Auten and the late Verdie Lee Johnston Auten.

She was also preceded in death by daughter, Sheila Martin King; and 6 siblings.

Most of all, Doris was a loving wife, mother, and Maw Maw. Survivors include beloved husband of 67 years, Joe "Bobby" Martin of Harrisburg; daughter, Cheryl Martin Almond and husband, Chris, of Harrisburg; daughter, Michelle Martin of Harrisburg; son-inlaw, Terry King of Charlotte; 3 grandchildren, Jay (Chelsea) King, Amanda (Evan) Smith, and Stacy (Ezekiel) Slobodiuk; 2 great-grandchildren, Noah Smith and Jayson King; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in SCJ at obits@stanlyjournal.com

January 7, 1973 ~ January 8, 2023

Darrick Vashon Baldwin, age 50, entered eternal rest, Sunday, January 8, 2023, Albemarle, North Carolina.

Born January 7, 1973, in Stanly County, North Carolina, Darrick was the son of Eddie James Baldwin Sr. and the late Phyllis Blue Baldwin.

Darrick enjoyed life, always kept things lively and enjoyed making others smile. His presence is no longer in our midst, but his memory will forever live in our hearts.

March 21, 1948 ~ November 4, He was educated in the Stanly 2023 County public schools and attended Albemarle Senior High School, Essie Crump of Salisbury, Albemarle.

North Carolina passed away on He was a great conversationalist Nov 4, 2023. and loved meeting people. Darrick never met a stranger and always showed love and compassion for his fellowman. He also loved his dog, Rocky.

He is survived by his father, Eddie J. Baldwin Sr.; sisters: Crystal (Eric) Jackson, LaFondra (Stoney) Medley, and Morgan Baldwin; brothers: Eddie Baldwin Jr., Anton Baldwin, and Lamont Baldwin; a host of other relatives and friends. A limb has fallen from our family tree.

We will not grieve Darrick’s death; we will celebrate his life. We give thanksgiving for the many shared memories.

Essie Mae (Peterson) Crump

John B.Anne Kluttz Sandra MarchWallace 23, 1935 - January 9, 2023

October 5, 1940 — November John grew6,up2023 in the Millingport community where he drove a school bus and worked the local gas Sandra AnneatWallace, station during his High School years.

83, of Albemarle, passed He graduated from away peacefully onMillingport Monday, High in 1954 entered November 6,and 2023, at into service with the US Airforce Bethany Woods Nursing immediately afterward.

Upon & Rehabilitation Center in return from the he and Albemarle.

Sheservice, was born in his high school sweetheart Julie were New York on October 5, 1940, married in 1956.

He graduated from to the late Norman Paparo and Nashville Auto Diesel College later the late Margaret Cicci Paparo. in 1959 andwas began hispreceded career as aindiesel Sandra also mechanic at Mitchell Distributing death by her loving husband, Company, moving his growing Martin Edward Wallace. family to Charlotte where they lived Her warm and caring nature until their retirement. made her a beloved figure in When John purchased his first our lives.

Sheat possessed Model A Ford the age of an 17, he unwavering lovethe forcar her said that he took tofamily the and friends,mechanic and we are truly community when he had blessed to have hadmechanic such a told a small problem.The fantastic in ourtolives. him that ifwoman he was going keep the Left to cherish herto memory car, he needed to learn work on are herisdaughter, Dava Annfor it. This when John’ s passion Sierra/Wallace of Albemarle, Model A Fords began and how he NC; Sierra spentSon-in-law, his happiest Jesse days with his best of Albemarle, NC; daughter, friends from around the globe for the Genene of Orange rest of hisWallace life!

County, grandson, At ageCalifornia; 50, after years as a Detroit Zachuary Wallace; brother, Diesel Mechanic he and Julie Michael Las Vegas, decided toPaparo take theofplunge and Nevada; open a fullsister, ModelConstance A Restoration Lynch; brother-in-law, Shop. They thrived at theirAlfred shop in Lynch of Riverside, California; Cornelius, NC until their retirement in 1998Susan when they moved sister, Utay; and back to Cabarrus County.William John once again brother-in-law, Utay setLos up shop in hisCalifornia. back yard garage of Angeles, where he attracted a loyal group of friends who visited almost daily.

While on the farm in Gold Hill, John also began a lifelong love with Alis Chalmers tractors after he restored his Dad’s tractor and began amassing his collection of tractors as well.

John restored many cars of his own and had the crowning achievement of winning the most prestigious award from MARC, The Henry for a restoration that garnered top points. He was also presented with the Ken Brady Service Award the highest award given to members at the national level.

This is what John’s Model A Community had to say upon learning of his death: He was an active member of Wesley Chapel Methodist Church where he16, loved serving as greeter October 1958 — October 29,on Sunday mornings.

2023He also belonged to the United Methodist Men. John is survived by his wife Donna Kay Strickland Julie Ussery for 66 years Caudle, 65, Kluttz, of Albemarle, of the home.

He is also survived passed away peacefully by a son John David Kluttz (Kim) Sunday, October 29, 2023, of Oakboro, NC; two daughters, at home surrounded by her Sally Simerson of Denver, CO and family.

Betsy Tusawas (John) of Lafayette, Donna born October CO; three grandchildren, Bonnie 16, 1958, in North CarolinaKluttz Sammons (Ben) of Richfield, NC to the late Ed Strickland and John Alexander McKinnon (Sarah) Peggy Sue Strickland. of Asheville, NC and Seth William She was a devoted wife, McKinnon (Amanda) of Germany; mother and grandmother. five great-grandchildren, Charlotte, Donna was a Christian Meredith, Grant, Victoria woman and who loved the Lord.

She in Ronan.

John is also preceded always of theJ.S. glorious death bytalked his parents, Kluttz and day it would be when she got Mary Wyatt Clayton Kluttz; a large to meet hergroup Lordofand Savior. and loving brothers and Survivors includeKluttz, her Annie sisters, Jack Methias beloved husband of 47 years Lou Kluttz Honeycutt, Jake Nelson Darrell Caudle; herMary children Kluttz, Julius Kluttz, Patricia Gabby Vanhoy and Phillips(Tim) and a grandson, Kevin Daniel (Savanna) Caudle; Fowler Kluttz. grandchildren TJ, Brettleigh, Skyla Vanhoy, and McKayla Carpenter.

Donna Kay Caudle

7

7

Doris Jones Angela Page Coleman Morgan

October 11, 1944 - January 10, April 11, 1969 — November 5, 2023 2023 Doris Elaine Jones Coleman, 78, Angela Morgan, 54, of went homePage into God’ s presence on Stanfield, passed away Sunday, January 10 after a sudden illness and November 5, 2023fight at Atrium a valiant week-long in ICU. Health Medical DorisCarolinas was born on October 11, Center Charlotte.

1944, ininthe mountains of Marion, Angie born was April 11, NC whilewas her father away 1969 in Concord, NC to Jerry fighting in the US Navy during Cecil GlorettaJones Jeanwas WorldPage War and II. Raymond Morgan. so proud to return after the war and Angie spent herDoris life being meet his little girl! grew up in aDurham, homemaker, building a from NC and graduated nurturing home for her Durham High School.

Shefamily, furthered filled with love, delicious food, her studies at Watts Hospital beautiful flowers in and the and School of Nursing Durham simple things make Nurse your in graduated as athat Registered 1966. happy. heart Doris married Rev. Dr. Angie had a knack forTed Coleman inthose 1966 and two embracing thathad others daughters Amy and Doris may turn away andLaura. showing raisedthe Amy andthey Laura in North them love deserve.

She Augusta, SC. mother to her two was a loving Doris was incrediblewife neonatal daughters, a an wonderful to intensive care nurse foramazing most of her her husband, and an career, and thistowas passion. grandmother herher three The Augusta Chronicle did a feature granddaughters.

She taught on her inhow 1985.to She a clinical her girls bewas protective, nurse manager in Augusta, Georgia nurturing Mothers. How to at University NICUthey and care for theirHospital babies when worked there for 20 years.

During are sick or just needing extra this time, mentored young love, how Doris to feed the soul.

She nurses and assisted in saving always knew just what yourthe lives of so many babies. She also heart needed when you were worked for Pediatrician Dr. William feeling empty.

A. Wilkes in Augusta for several Survivors include husband, years prior to her NICU career. Doris Gary Morgan of Stanfield, retired from the mother/baby area at NC; daughters, Raborn Atrium Stanly inHolly 2007 after over 40 (Kory) and Misty Morgan; years of nursing. father, Jerry Page Doris was aCecil gentle and and sweet stepmother, Alice; mother spirit and loved her Lord. She never Gloretta Jean Morgan and left met a stranger, and she always stepfather, Arnold;after andtalking you feeling uplifted granddaughters, Adalyn, with her. She would often claim that Ansley Ember. she hadand “adopted” friends into her She was family, preceded death she immediate andin honestly, by hermade olderasister, Latissua never distinction between “Tish” Hartsell and mother-inthe two.

Positivity radiated from her law likeShirley sunlight.Morgan.

She was selfless, funny, smart, and sentimental. During her lifetime she was an active member of First Baptist Church of Durham, First Baptist Church of Augusta, Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Augusta, and Palestine United Methodist Church in Albemarle.

She especially loved helping at church with older adults, youth, and children.

She was especially talented at sewing from a young age and made gifts for friends, Christmas ornaments, Halloween Costumes, doll clothes, pageant dresses, prom dresses, coats, tote bags, scarves, outfits for Amy and Laura, and Christening gowns for each of her grandchildren.

Doris was preceded in death by her father Arthur Raymond Jones, her mother Mary Ellen Cameron Jones, and her sister Maryanne September 28, 1935 ~ NovemJones Brantley. ber 3, 2023 Survivors include her two precious daughters: Amy Cameron Clyde Davis of Albemarle, Coleman (partner Dr. Edward Neal North Carolina passed away on Chernault) of Albemarle, NC, and Nov 3, Lindahl 2023. Coleman Oliverio Laura (husband David) of Cincinnati, Ohio; seven grandchildren: Cameron David Oliverio, Stephanie Jae Dejak, Luca Beatty Oliverio, Coleman John Dejak, Carson Joseph Oliverio, Ryan Nicholas Dejak, and Jadon Richard Oliverio; and numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, and loved ones.

Clyde Albert Davis

Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

8

STATE & NATION Biden’s movable wall is criticized by environmentalists and those who want more border security The Associated Press

be temporary.

An example of the style of barrier his administration will use can be seen in Brownsville, about 100 miles southeast of Starr County. Metal bollards embedded into 4-foot-high cement blocks that taper toward the top sit along the southern part of a neighborhood not far from the curving Rio Grande.

Over the last year, the Rio Grande Valley region was the fourth-busiest area for the number of people crossing into the U.S. illegally, though it was the busiest in previous years.

With the design planned for Starr County, federal border agents will be able to move around the fencing, said Democratic U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, who represents Starr County. “So it’s one of those things where if they want to direct traffic, they can move it.”

Scott agreed that the “moveable” fences can be used as an emergency stopgap measure to block off access in some areas.

But he warned that if the fencing isn’t placed far enough into the ground, someone might be able to use a vehicle to shove it out of the way, provided they don’t mind damaging the vehicle.

Laiken Jordahl, a conservation advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity, said mountain lions, bobcats, javelinas, coyotes, white-tail deer, armadillos, jack

rabbits, ground squirrels, and two endangered, federally protected plants — Zapata bladderpod and prostrate milkweed — may be affected.

Jordahl said the design the Biden administration is using “will block even the smallest species of animals from passing through the barrier.”

“The one advantage for making it shorter is, I guess if somebody falls while they’re climbing over it, they aren’t falling as far,” Scott Nicol, a board member of the Friends of the Wildlife Corridor, said.

Nicol, who lives in the Rio Grande Valley, is familiar with the type of barriers Biden’s administration will use, the terrain, and the weather in Starr County.

He is concerned about unintended consequences, particularly on the Rio Grande that separates U.S. and Mexico.

“You know, if Starr County gets hit by a big rainstorm and the water has to drain into the river, these walls — whether it’s the bollard walls or the Jersey barrier walls — are going to block the movement of that water and dam it up,” Nicol said.

Last month, the Center for Biological Diversity along with about 100 other organizations sent the U.S. government a letter pleading for reconsideration of environmental protection laws. To date, they have not received an answer.

FBI head cites a ‘potential conflict of interest’ in selection process for new headquarters

home to the FBI Academy, criticized the government’s decision.

Congress last year directed the administration to consider three sites for the new headquarters: Greenbelt and Landover in Maryland or Springfield, Virginia.

A board that included representatives from the GSA and the FBI unanimously agreed on Springfield, Wray wrote. But a senior GSA executive changed course and went with Greenbelt, the FBI director said.

“The FBI observed that, at times, outside information was inserted into the process in a manner which appeared to disproportionately favor Greenbelt, and the justifications for the departures from the panel were varied and inconsistent,” Wray wrote.

The land in Greenbelt is owned by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, which once employed the senior GSA executive, according to Wray’s note.

“Despite our engagement with GSA over the last two months on these issues, our concerns about the process remain unresolved,” Wray wrote. “There are still a lot of open questions, and we’ve still got a long way to go.”

Carnahan said the GSA had listened to the FBI: “At every step, the GSA team has worked to incorporate the FBI’s feedback and appropriately address their concerns, including conducting a legal review of each concern raised.”

McALLEN, Texas — The Biden administration’s plan to build new barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border in South Texas calls for a “movable” design that frustrates both environmentalists and advocates of stronger border enforcement.

The plans for the nearly 20 miles of new barrier in Starr County were made public in September when the federal government sought public input. The following month, the administration waived 26 federal laws protecting the environment and certain species to speed up the construction process.

“The United States Border Patrol did not ask for this downgraded border wall,” Rodney Scott, a former U.S. Border Patrol chief said.

Construction is moving forward despite President Joe Biden’s campaign promise not to build more wall and amid an increase in migrants coming to the nation’s southern border from across Latin America and other parts of the world to seek asylum.

Illegal crossings topped 2 million for the second year in a row for the government’s budget year that ended Sept. 30.

People such as Scott who want more border security believe the barriers won’t be strong enough to stop people from crossing ille-

AP PHOTO

Dusk begins to fall at a section of border fence in Brownsville, Texas, on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023. gally. Environmentalists, meanwhile, say the design actually poses a greater risk to animal habitat than former President Donald Trump’s border wall.

Biden has defended the administration’s decision by saying he had to use the Trump-era funding for it. The law requires the funding for the new barriers to be used as approved and for the construction to be completed in 2023.

Most barriers on the border were erected in the last 20 years under Trump and former President George W. Bush. Those sections of border wall include Normandy-style fencing that resembles big X’s and bollard-style fencing made of upright steel posts.

Biden’s barrier will be much shorter than the 18- to 30- foot concrete-filled steel bollard panels of Trump’s wall. It also could

The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — The contentious debate over a new FBI headquarters intensified further as the director said he was concerned about a “potential conflict of interest” in the site selection and the White House defended the process as “fair and transparent.” But a senator said there a clear need for a federal investigation.

FBI Director Christopher Wray’s unusually sharp criticism came in an internal email to agency employees that was obtained by The Associated Press. It was the latest twist in a vigorous competition among jurisdictions in the national capital region to land America’s premier law enforcement agency.

That General Services Administration selected Greenbelt, Maryland, a Washington suburb, as the home for a new facility to replace the crumbling J. Edgar Hoover Building, which is blocks away from the White House.

Wray said his objections were about the process rather than the Greenbelt site itself.

The GSA, which manages the government’s real estate portfo-

AP PHOTO

FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on Oct. 31, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. lio, said that site about 13 miles northeast of Washington was the cheapest one with the best access to public transit. But Wray asserted in his note that the choice came after a GSA executive overruled a board and picked land owned by a former employer.

Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, which also vied for the project, urged an investigation. “I had felt that this has been grossly political with efforts to try to change the criteria, but I was

astounded when we found out that three career officials unanimously picked Virginia and a political appointee overturned it.

Clearly, there needs to be an inspector general investigation,” he said.

In a joint statement, Virginia’s elected leaders called for the determination to be reversed, asserting that their state’s site remains the best choice under “any fair weighing of the criteria.”

But GSA Administrator Robin

Carnahan stood behind the agency’s work, saying officials followed all laws and ethical considerations. “Any suggestion that there was inappropriate interference is unfounded,” she said.

White House principal deputy press secretary Olivia Dalton also defended the process. She did not comment on whether did Biden had any direct involvement in the final site decision.

“I can tell you it was a fair and transparent process,” Dalton told reporters on Air Force One as Biden traveled to Illinois on Thursday. “The 61 acres in Greenbelt is both the lowest cost to taxpayers, most transportation options for FBI workers, and we had the most assurances about the expeditious means with which a project could get underway.”

Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said Wray has previously indicated he would prefer to stay in Washington, but maintained that experts found a suburban location is a better choice for the agency’s long-term security. “To say somehow this process was skewed is wrong,” Hoyer said.

Maryland and Virginia had long been vying to land the FBI, and officials in Virginia, which is

[[Yä kknÊ

È··¸ä äȹºä äȹµä ȸµ½ä ä¾kk 855-910-AMMO

NCammunition.com

VOLUME 8 ISSUE 38 | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2023 | RANDOLPHRECORD.COM

SUBSCRIBE TODAY: 336-283-6305

Randolph record THE RANDOLPH COUNTY EDITION OF THE NORTH STATE JOURNAL

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

‘Our flag was still there’

Pauliana Wible age 2, runs through the flags during the Field of Flags at South Asheboro Middle School in Asheboro, on November 11, 2023.

WHAT’S HAPPENING Hudson names new chief of staff Washington, D.C. Republican U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson (NC09) announced a longtime North Carolina political operative will be leading his Congressional team.

The six-term member of Congress named Luke Blanchat to the post, replacing Elliott Guffin.

Blanchat will be based in North Carolina, Hudson confirmed on Monday.

“Luke has a strong passion for serving the people of North Carolina, and I am confident he will do a fantastic job leading our team as chief of staff,” said Hudson in a statement. “Luke lives in Southern Pines and has served our state for many years—experience that will help my office continue to deliver for our constituents.”

Prior to joining Hudson’s Congressional office, Blanchat served as the Director of Government Relations for FirstHealth of the Carolinas and has an extensive background in government and public service. Over the course of the past decade, Blanchat served in numerous positions with Republican U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, including deputy state director and campaign manager of his successful 2020 reelection effort. In addition, Blanchat was the campaign manager for former Sen. Richard Burr’s final campaign in 2016.

Blanchat is a native of North Carolina and resides in Southern Pines with his wife and two children.

Guffin departed Hudson’s office to serve as Director of Federal Affairs for Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

Asheboro City Council approves new ‘quick response’ fire vehicle Council also OKs rezoning requests, grant application

By Ryan Henkel Randolph Record ASHEBORO – The Asheboro City Council convened on Wednesday, Nov. 8, tackling a series of public hearings and financial decisions aimed at city development and improvements.

The purchase of a quick response vehicle was approved, with Fire Chief Willie Summers highlighted the vehicle’s benefits. “The quick response vehicle will enhance service delivery, maneuverability, flexibility, and operability,” the chief explained. “Especially during storms when it’s not practical to respond with a ladder truck or an engine truck.”

The council approved a contract amendment with WK Dickson, extending the contract time and expanding the scope of duties for work at Asheboro Regional Airport due to an omission in the P-501 concrete testing mix requirements.

City Engineer Michael Leonard noted the contract increase of $8,723 and mentioned potential liquidated damages due to the oversight.

Council member Walker Moffitt expressed frustration with the situation, remarking, “While the FAA has very specific requirements for concrete and asphalt, there are very well known and very published requirements that are uniform throughout the industry, so I really don’t know how we got into this mess.”

Additionally, the council greenlit the acquisition of 3.25 acres at the intersection of Zoo

Parkway and Crestview Road for $113,750, earmarked for an emergency operations center and third fire station. Summers affirmed that the location aligns with the department’s criteria for growth rate, response times, call volume, service delivery, and ISO rating.

At the beginning of the meeting, the council conducted three public hearings, starting with a request to rezone approximately one acre of recently annexed land on W. O. W. Road. Community Development Director Trevor Nuttall explained, “This is an application filed as a result of the recent annexation of this property. It is a request to place the property in the city’s medium-density residential zoning district. Currently, it’s in residential restricted county zoning through the county’s landuse ordinance.”

The second hearing fo-

cused on a rezoning proposal for properties at 639 and 645 North Fayetteville St and 114 Liberty St from B2 and R10 to OA6. Nuttall said, “This is an application to remove these properties from the city’s general commercial designation and a portion of R10 residential zoning to entirely office and apartment zoning. The request is to move this into a mixeduse zoning designation that the city offers. So approval of this application would permit both single, two-family, very limited multi-family development on the property but would also open it up to office and institutional uses and similar commercial uses.”

The third hearing addressed a resolution to apply for $950,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding for neighborhood revitalization, with the intention of supporting Wainman Homes, Inc. in maintaining CASPN Homes for future service.

The council unanimously approved each of the presented requests.

The Asheboro City Council is scheduled to meet again on Dec. 7.

Challengers displace two incumbents in Asheboro New mayor picked in Ramseur

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record ASHEBORO — Not all incumbents were re-elected in Asheboro in the municipal elections.

Joey Trogdon received the most votes for a City of Asheboro council seat and that means only two of three incumbents will stay on the boards.

He’s the son of former Asheboro mayor Joe Trogdon.

With three seats open, Trogdon pulled in 1,079 votes. Eddie Burks with 1,049 and Charles Swiers with 977 will keep their seats.

But Jane Hughes Redding

was knocked off the council by finishing fourth with 924 votes.

Harry Okeke had 381.

In the race for the Asheboro City Schools board of education, there was a similar pattern.

Melissa Calloway received the most votes (1,308), so she’ll be new on the board. The other two seats went to incumbents Ryan Patton (1,253) and Gidget Kidd (1,208).

Incumbent Gwen Williams won’t stay on the board after her fourth-place finish with 945. Todd Dulaney received 650 votes.

There’s a change coming in Ramseur as Hampton Spivey was voted in as the next mayor.

He received 97 votes compared to 66 votes for sitting mayor Vicki Caudle.

There were three seats open

Not all incumbents were reelected in Asheboro in the municipal elections. with three candidates for Ramseur town council. Tresa Cheek Hatchett (117) led the voting, followed by J.C. Parrish (90) and Jay Hubbard (77). Hatchett and Parrish are incumbents.

In Randleman, the alderman at-large position went to Mike Dawkins (180), with Marty Leonard 129) and Kim Grooms Keaton (80) falling short.

In Ward 1, Steve Grooms Jr. (219) was the winner over Renee Bryant (162).

In Liberty, mayor Filmore York was unopposed. For town

commissioner, incumbent Don Herndon (112) and Greg Carpenter (72) were the only candidates for two seats.

In Franklinville, two town council seats went to Priscilla Dunn (31) and Mac Whatley (25).

In Staley, Karen Scotton stays as mayor, winning by a 35-13 margin on challenger Michelle Hooker-Ravenell.

$2.00

Randolph Record for Wednesday, November 8, 2023

2 WEDNESDAY

11.15.23

ELECTION RESULTS

ASHEBORO CITY SCHOOLS BOARD OF EDUCATION (3) Melissa Calloway Ryan Patton Gidget Kidd Gwen Williams Todd Dulaney

1,308 1,253 1,208 945 650

24% 23% 22% 18% 12%

ASHEBORO CITY COUNCIL (3)

“Join the conversation”

Joey Trogdon Eddie Burks Charles Swiers Jane Hughes Redding Harry Okeke

1,079 1,049 977 924 381

North State Journal (USPS 20451) (ISSN 2471-1365) Neal Robbins Publisher Matt Mercer Editor in Chief Jordan Golson Locals Editor Cory Lavalette Sports Editor Shawn Krest Sports Editor Frank Hill Senior Opinion Editor Lauren Rose Design Editor Published each Wednesday as part of North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607 TO SUBSCRIBE: 336-283-6305 RANDOLPHRECORD.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 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607

Get in touch!

www randolphrecord.com

WEEKLY FORECAST SPONSORED BY

CALL OR TEXT 336-629-7588

WEDNESDAY NOV 15 HI 77 LOW 50 PRECIP 0%

THURSDAY NOV 16 HI 78 LOW 53 PRECIP 1%

24% 24% 22% 21% 9%

Randolph

RAMSEUR MAYOR Hampton Spivey Vicki Caudle

97 66

59% 40%

RANDLEMAN ALDERMAN AT-LARGE Mike Dawkins 180 46% Marty Leonard 129 33% Kim Grooms Keaton 80 20%

By PJ Ward-Brown North State Journal RAEFORD — As autumn’s crisp air replaces summer’s heat, the fields of Hoke County undergo their seasonal transition. The county’s cotton fields transform as white bolls are harvested and rolled into large bales, awaiting transport to local gins. Throughout North Carolina, cotton farming stands as a symbol of both tradition and change.

Historically known for its livestock, Hoke’s farmers have diversified their agricultural portfolio to include corn, peanuts, soybeans, sweet potatoes, and cotton. This shift reflects a broader trend in North Carolina’s farming sector, where adaptation and diversification are key to sustainability.

Farmers like Marvin McDonald, his son Daniel, and veteran Johnny Boyles are at the forefront of this evolving landscape. They navigate the complexities of a crop deeply intertwined with the global economy. Marvin McDonald, who transitioned to cotton farming in 1989, was driven by the need for financial sustainability amid fluctuating grain markets. “Cotton farming is not just about growing a crop; it’s about understanding and adapting to market trends,” he says.

Daniel McDonald, set to continue the family legacy, stresses the importance of public awareness and appreciation for the impact that farmers and agriculture have on every citizen. “Many don’t

Steve Grooms, Jr. Renee Bryant

219 162

STALEY MAYOR Karen R. Scotton 35 Michelle Hooker-Ravenell 13

57% 42%

73% 27%

realize where their food comes from,” said McDonald. “They see farming, but they don’t understand the challenges and hard work involved.” He says a commitment to educating the public and encouraging the next generation’s involvement in farming is vital for the industry’s future.

Johnny Boyles, with four decades in farming, joined the McDonalds to discuss Hoke County’s cotton crops with the North State Journal last week. Boyles reflected on the shift from tobacco to cotton as his entry into the cotton industry. “Tobacco was once the mainstay, but cotton has proven more sustainable and less controversial,” said Boyles. “It’s about adapting to the times and the market.” Boyles also pointed to technological advancements that have transformed cotton farming. “The industry has evolved, but the essence of farming – resilience and hard work – remains unchanged,” he adds.

The global cotton industry is significant to the world economy, with major producers like the United States, India, China, and Brazil shaping the market. The U.S. remains a key exporter, with states like Texas, Georgia, and Mississippi leading in production. The international supply chain of cotton, stretching from cultivation to textile manufacturing, involves countries like China and Bangladesh, requiring stable trade relations to maintain practices and production.

In North Carolina, the major players in cotton production are concentrated in the northeast of the state.

Counties like Halifax (95,000 bales), Northampton (71,400 bales), Bertie (70,000 bales),

Martin (56,000 bales), Edgecombe (47,500 bales), and Hertford (34,000 bales) lead in production. While Hoke County doesn’t rank among these top producers, its agricultural diversity, including row crops and livestock, provides a buffer against market volatility, strengthening the local economy and contributing to the resilience of the state’s agricultural sector.

Farmers in Hoke County face challenges like fluctuating market prices, weather, and evolving consumer demands as part of the broader industry. The value of global and state cotton economies underscores the crop’s significance. The U.S. is a leading cotton producer, with an estimated annual production value exceeding $6 billion.

In North Carolina, the state ranks sixth nationally in cotton production.

The latest U.S. Department of Agriculture cotton projections for 2023 show China accounts for nearly half of global cotton stocks, with India, Brazil, and the United States combining for an additional 25 percent. World cotton production is forecast at 112.6 million bales in 2023, 3.2 percent below the previous year, as the global yield is projected to decrease, while the global cotton trade is projected to rise 17 percent in 2023-24.

Hoke County farmers like the McDonald family are committed to the future of global crops like cotton and hope the demand and innovation help keep them in business. Recognizing their position as part of a larger supply chain, Daniel McDonald said, “I just hope that textiles and things can improve around this area so we can continue to afford to do it.”

FRIDAY NOV 17

Nov. 18 Christmas on the Farm 9 a.m.

Join us for our Christmas on the Farm Open House as we celebrate this holiday season at Whitaker Farms. Stop by the bakery, check out our Christmas decor for all your holiday decorating needs, 50 local craft artisans, and more.

2991 Providence Church Road in Climax.

Liberty Rabies Vaccine Clinic 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Get your dogs and cats vaccinated for rabies for $10 at the American Legion Post #81 at 604 S Greensboro Street in Liberty, in partnership with Randolph County Animal Services.

Candlelight Christmas Holiday Market 6 p.m.

Come out and get your Christmas shopping on in Commerce Square, Downtown Randleman, NC. Shop all of our local shops and see what kind of Christmas gifts and goods we have. Shopping local supports the local economy and our neighbors. There will be refreshments and treats. Get in the Christmas Spirit

Nov. 22 Artificial Intelligence Explained 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Come learn about what artificial intelligence is, how the turing test is used to determine if something is truly intelligent, how AI learns and the different types. We will finish with trying out chatbots such as ChatGPT, Bard, and Dall-E together.

Come for a fun, not dense, explanation at the Asheboro Public Library, 201 Worth

HI 65 LOW 49 PRECIP 4%

SATURDAY NOV 18 HI 58 LOW 44 PRECIP 5%

SUNDAY NOV 19 HI 55 LOW 39 PRECIP 35%

Street.

MONDAY NOV 20 HI 33 LOW 58 PRECIP 7%

DEATH NOTICES

TUESDAY NOV 21 HI 58 LOW 31 PRECIP 4%

The Randolph Guide is a quick look at what’s going on in Randolph County.

RANDLEMAN ALDERMAN WARD 01

Hoke cotton fields reflect global economic trends Local farmers adapt to market changes and technological advancements

Guide

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

McDonald’s family Cotton harvest in Dundarrach, on November 9.

x Ricky Wayne Lambert “Bubs”, age 61 of Sophia, died on November 5, 2023 surrounded by his loved ones at his home.

Randolph Record for Wednesday, November 8, 2023

OPINION

de

ES

3

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | MICHAEL BARONE

Young voters spring (contradictory) political surprises

Analyst Nate Cohn points out that nonwhite respondents under 45 said they favored Biden over Trump, 68% to 29%, in 2020, but they now say they would favor him by 49% to 42%.

WHAT’S WITH YOUNG VOTERS? It’s a question prompted by two surprising and perhaps contradictory developments that are out-of-line with conventional wisdom and prevailing expectations among political observers.

One is the sharp difference in opinion between young voters and their elders on the Hamas atrocities against Israel. A postOct. 7 poll by Quinnipiac University showed respondents under 35 disapproving of Israel’s response to Hamas’ atrocities, 52% to 32%, while those over 35 approved by a wider margin.

Young voters’ views are out of line with President Joe Biden’s strong rhetorical support of Israel, which has been attacked by multiple young staffers, media personnel and activist leaders. There’s evidence it is costing him young people’s votes.

The other development is a shift, compared to 2020, away from Biden and toward former President Donald Trump among black and Hispanic people under the age of 45, according to a New York Times/Siena College poll focusing on six target states.

Analyst Nate Cohn points out that nonwhite respondents under 45 said they favored Biden over Trump, 68% to 29%, in 2020, but they now say they would favor him by 49% to 42%.

Among nonwhites over 45, support for Biden fell by a smaller amount, from 73%26% to 63%-29%. Movement among white respondents was about the same among those under 45 and statistically insignificant among those above 45.

These two developments seem to be pointing in opposite directions, with young voters veering left on Israel/Hamas and right on Biden/Trump. My tentative explanation is that we’re looking at different halves of the young age cohort, with the college-educated (or -indoctrinated) voter standing to the left of the larger electorate and noncollege young people (black, Hispanic and Asian as well as white) moving to the right.

The leftward lurch among college-

indoctrinated young people is something I have picked up in city elections. Just as we’ve seen since the 1970s a graduate student proletariat dominant in university towns from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Berkeley, California, in the last decade, we’ve seen an emerging barista Left in large central cities.

The New York Times’ superb interactive map shows the neighborhoods where such voters predominated in New York City’s decisive June 2021 mayoral primary — in lower-rent neighborhoods within commuting distance of Manhattan, such as Astoria, Queens, and Williamsburg and Bushwick, Brooklyn. These are the same places where white voters favored Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) over Hillary Clinton in the April 2016 Democratic presidential primary.

In 2021, these areas were the base for leftwinger Maya Wiley, while more affluent whites in Manhattan favored the more centrist Kathryn Garcia. But both were narrowly edged by the black former police officer Eric Adams, who carried almost all black and Hispanic precincts.

The race was similarly tight but the result different in Chicago this year. In the March primary, centrist former schools chief Paul Vallas carried the white ethnic bungalow wards and affluent Lakefront precincts, while incumbent Lori Lightfoot carried the black South and West sides.

But former teachers union official Brandon Johnson won a runoff spot by carrying racially mixed lower-rent wards north of and inland from the high-rent Gold Coast. And in the April runoff, he added just enough votes from black precincts to edge Vallas, 52% to 48%.

That puts a leftist who wants to raise taxes and cautions against calling violent criminals a “mob” at the head of government in a city wracked with violent crime.

That doesn’t seem to bother barista leftists in marginal-wage jobs who choose to live in edgy, high-crime neighborhoods such as Bushwick, where, tragically, young residents were recently killed. One suspects that such neighborhoods

have been seeing many more Hamas than Israeli flags.

Outside university towns and the hip neighborhoods of central cities, barista leftists are relatively scarce and dispersed widely over culturally less congenial landscapes.

Meanwhile young people with little or no exposure to campus indoctrination and not much interest in or knowledge of political issues are scattered around the country, with whites predominant outside major metropolitan areas and blacks and Hispanics in modest-income exurbs and suburbs.

Such voters haven’t been attracted by Biden Democrats’ COVID-era handouts, college loan forgiveness and support for transgender teenagers. Instead, they’re increasingly attracted to Trump specifically and Republicans generally for reasons explained by two books that, with fortuitous timing, were just published this week.

In “Where Have All the Democrats Gone?,” John Judis and Ruy Teixeira examine how the Democratic majority they predicted, with fair accuracy, two decades ago has been split by white and nonwhite working-class voters’ aversion to the exotic preoccupations of the party’s increasingly dominant and incessantly noisy college graduate bloc, barista leftists included.

And in “Party of the People,” Republican consultant Patrick Ruffini describes the formation of a Republican “multiracial working class coalition” that is “eroding one of the core pillars of the Democratic coalition, the nonwhite working class.”

Young people are springing some surprises on what has been looking like a stale contest between two septuagenarians who are the two oldest men to enter the presidency. More surprises may be in store.

Michael Barone is a senior political analyst for the Washington Examiner, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and longtime co-author of The Almanac of American Politics.

COLUMN | MAGGIE HORZEMPA

NC crime: a need for data-driven, targeted solutions Data from the City of Raleigh reveals that violent crimes and property crimes are on the rise. Data also shows that CharlotteMecklenburg saw an increase in crime from 2020 to 2022.

WE’VE ALL FELT THE FEAR as we see media coverage hyper-focusing on crimeridden cities like Philadelphia, San Francisco, and New York City. In North Carolina, even one crime victim is too many, but the emotional fearmongering of local and national media often dominates news and public opinion.

We all want to know: Are our cities safe?

What are the facts? Recent reports are debunking the perception that North Carolina is a state plagued by increasing violent crime while also exposing the complex issues shouldered by some of our biggest cities.

According to the most recent FBI report, The 2022 Crime in the Nation Statistics, violent crimes decreased across North Carolina and, on average, across the nation to pre-pandemic levels. The report averaged the decreases in crime from states like North Carolina and Florida with states that saw crime rates go up in places like Alabama and Massachusetts.

Other reports reinforce this good news. The NC Bureau of Investigation’s Index of Offenses and Clearances shows crime rates dropped by 5.75% since 2020. Violent crimes declined by 5.62% and property crimes declined 5.77% from 2020 to 2022.

So why are our news channels and social feeds bombarded by crime and unfavorable

stories about law enforcement? Taking a look at our urban areas in North Carolina, big cities like Raleigh and Charlotte experienced increases in violent crime while cities like Los Angeles and Chicago saw declines. Data from the City of Raleigh reveals that violent crimes and property crimes are on the rise. Data also shows that Charlotte-Mecklenburg saw an increase in crime from 2020 to 2022.

While public safety in our big cities must be addressed, it’s important to maintain the perspective of North Carolina citizens from all corners of the state. A recent Civitas poll by the John Locke Foundation, showed 33.9% of voters are concerned about crime in their neighborhoods, but most voters expressed confidence in the job their local police force is doing.

Demographics make a huge difference when addressing concerns about crime in North Carolina. According to the Civitas poll, young voters aged 18 to 34 were the least likely to express concern about their safety, while voters aged 65 and above were the most worried. This disparity in perception may be attributed to generational differences, life experiences, or variations in media consumption. It’s essential to recognize that public safety concerns are not static and can evolve as individuals and their

communities change.

When voters were asked about their top crime concerns, drug-related crimes emerged at the forefront, followed by property crime and then violent crime. Surprisingly, gang activity was the least cited issue. These preferences highlight the diverse nature of crime concerns in North Carolina, which require tailored approaches to effectively address criminal justice policies in all communities.

The most intriguing aspect of these polls is the juxtaposition between public concerns, media coverage, and the actual crime trends in North Carolina. Recognizing the multiplicity of community concerns within North Carolina’s population is vital for crafting effective public safety policies and maintaining our confidence in law enforcement’s hard work and dedication.

By tempering the barrage of media and political misinformation, these report findings can help foster productive conversations and help underscore the importance of understanding what crimes are impacting citizens most so that targeted solutions can be developed.

Maggie Horzempa is the NC Director & Development Manager, Right on Crime for the Texas Public Policy Foundation

Randolph Record for Wednesday, November 8, 2023

4 SIDELINE REPORT

SPORTS

NHL

Biden honors Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights at White House Washington, D.C. President Joe Biden honored the Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights in a ceremony Monday at the White House. The Golden Knights’ visit to the White House marked a return of an NHL tradition after the 2022 champion Colorado Avalanche were unable to make it work amid scheduling conflicts. The last hockey team honored

by Biden was the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrating back-to-back titles in 2020 and 2021 during the pandemic. Players said politics never came up in their private meeting with Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Hoke to retire as San Diego State coach at end of season San Diego San Diego State coach Brady Hoke says he will retire from leading the Aztecs after this season, having guided the program for six years over two stints that included three bowl appearances. The 65-yearold Hoke is 39-31 at San Diego State, but just 3-7 this year. He is in the fourth season of his second term as Aztecs head coach. Hoke went 13-12, turning around a long struggling San Diego State program in 2009-10 before becoming head coach at Michigan. Hoke went 3121 in four years with the Wolverines. He was fired during the 2012 season.

SOCCER

Gotham win NWSL title, Rapinoe injured in finale San Diego World Cup winner Esther González scored the goahead goal on a header in first-half stoppage time and Gotham FC survived a wild finish to beat OL Reign 2-1 in the National Women’s Soccer League championship match.

In the opening minutes, Megan Rapinoe hobbled off the pitch with an apparent Achilles injury in a heartbreaking end to her career. The noncontact injury the Reign’s star took some of the wind out of the crowd at San Diego State’s Snapdragon Stadium. Ali Krieger of Gotham FC ran over to hug her former teammate on the U.S. women’s national team before Rapinoe left the field.

MLB

Mendoza gets threeyear deal to manage Mets manager New York Carlos Mendoza was officially hired Monday as manager of the New York Mets with a three-year contract and the task of leading a turnaround from 2023’s huge failure. The 43-year-old was introduced Tuesday at Citi Field. His deal includes a team option for 2027. Mendoza spent the past four seasons across town as Aaron Boone’s bench coach with the New York Yankees. He replaces Buck Showalter, fired by the Mets on the final day of the season after two years as manager. Mendoza becomes the major leagues’ second Venezuelan-born manager after Ozzie Guillén.

AP PHOTO

UConn’s Paige Bueckers walks off the court as NC State players celebrate after the Wolfpack knocked off the No. 2 Huskies on Sunday in Raleigh.

Gamecocks back at No. 1 in women’s poll NC State went from unranked to No. 14 after knocking off then-No. 2 UConn

The Associated Press SOUTH CAROLINA had a historic jump to No. 1 in the AP Top 25 after a chaotic opening week in women’s basketball that saw nine of the top 14 teams in the preseason poll lose, including defending national champion and preseason No. 1 LSU. The Gamecocks weren’t the

only teams making history in the season’s first regular-season poll, either. UConn and Colorado did too and it was a milestone poll for the Pac-12 Conference.

South Carolina was sixth in the preseason before vaulting up to the top spot in The Associated Press women’s basketball poll released Monday. No team has made a bigger leap to No. 1 in the history of the poll that dates to 1977.

South Carolina received 23 first-place votes from the 36-member national media panel. Iowa was second with the other 13 first-place ballots. UCLA,

Utah and Colorado rounded out the first five.

LSU fell to seventh after losing its opener to then-No. 20 Colorado. The Buffaloes now have their best ranking since closing out the 1995 season at No. 2 and made the biggest leap in poll history, moving up 15 spots, according to the website “Across the Timeline.”

UConn fell from second to eighth after losing to NC State, which jumped into the poll at No. 14. The Wolfpack’s entrance matched the highest for an unranked team, tying Kansas State in 2003. Despite the loss, the Huskies now have been ranked for 566 consecutive weeks, breaking a tie with Tennessee for the longest streak ever.

“The consistency we’ve had over those 30 years despite how much the game has changed is quite remarkable,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “The magnitude of it doesn’t hit me until someone points it out.”

This was only the second time when the poll’s preseason 1-2 teams did not remain in the

top two spots in the first regular-season poll. It also happened at the start of the 1998-99 season: Purdue knocked off No. 1 Tennessee to open the season and vaulted up from five to one the next week. That was the biggest jump to the top spot until South Carolina’s move this week.

South Carolina had a run of 38 straight weeks at No. 1 end in the preseason poll. That was the second-longest streak behind UConn’s 51-week run (2008-10).

Stanford climbed to sixth, Virginia Tech is ninth and USC is 10th. This is Southern Cal’s best ranking since the final poll of the 1994 season when the team was seventh. That gave the Pac-12 five teams in the top 10, the first time a conference has done that since the SEC accomplished in the final poll of the 1997 season.

Ole Miss had the biggest fall in the poll this week, dropping from 12 to 23 after losing to Oklahoma. The Sooners entered at No. 25. Mississippi State and Illinois dropped out of the rankings.

Texas A&M fires Fisher, school owes him $75M Duke coach Mike Elko has been named as a potential replacement

The Associated Press COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Landing Jimbo Fisher, a coach with a national title on his resume, seemed like just what Texas A&M needed to finally become a championship contender.

But Fisher failed to replicate his success at Florida State in six years with the Aggies and athletic director Ross Bjork fired the coach Sunday despite owing him more than $75 million.

“That’s the hard part in all of this,” Bjork said. “How many sitting head coaches won national championships? So, everyone had tons of optimism. But it just goes back to the last couple of years. Do we have momentum? Do we have hope? How do we see things trending? And we just didn’t see the trend lines improving.”

Instead of winning a title, Fisher went 45-25 and 27-21 in the Southeastern Conference, never winning more than nine games in any season. The Aggies are 6-4 with two games left, coming off a 51-10 victory against Mississippi State on Saturday night.

Bjork met with university president Mark Welsh and Tex-

AP PHOTO

Jimbo Fisher was fired as football coach at Texas A&M on Sunday. as A&M system chancellor John Sharp earlier this week and told them that a coaching change was “absolutely necessary.”

“The assessment that I delivered was that we are not reaching our full potential,” Bjork said. “We are not in the championship conversation and something was not quite right about our direction and the plan.”

Assistant Elijah Robinson will serve as interim coach for

the last two games.

Bjork delivered the news to Fisher on Sunday morning at Kyle Field in a meeting the AD called “quick and cordial.”

Fisher was lured away from Florida State, where he had won a national championship in 2013, by a massive 10-year, fully guaranteed contract at the end of the 2017 season.

That contract was extended back to 10 years after he led the

Aggies to a 9-1 record during the 2020 pandemic season, by far A&M’s best year under Fisher.

According to his contract, Fisher is owed the entirety of what remains on his deal — regardless of whether he gets another job in coaching — a staggering buyout that is more than triple the largest known given to a fired head coach.

Bjork said 25% of what Fisher is owed — about $19 million — is due within 60 days and the first of several installments of about $7 million must be paid within 120 days.

“We will use unrestricted contributions within the 12th Man Foundation for the first onetime payment and the athletic department will fund the annual payments for the remaining portion by growing our revenues and adjusting our annual operating budget accordingly,” he said.

He added that the school “has to learn a lesson” from Fisher’s contract and that the finances involving his firing are “monumental.”

“Although this is a major, major financial decision that comes with many consequences, we have a plan and we will not let this impact the performance or the culture of our entire athletics program,” Bjork said.

Duke coach Mike Elko is among the potential candidates rumored to be a target for the Aggies.

Randolph Record for Wednesday, November 8, 2023

Eastern Randolph grad breaks through with Barton Season ends with 403yard rushing performance

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record EASTERN RANDOLPH alum Jordan Terrell’s special season for Barton College’s football team came with a burst of history.

Terrell rushed for 403 yards as Barton thumped host Erskine 48-14 on Saturday at Greenwood, S.C. “Very emotional and exciting,” Terrell said of what he suggested might have been his final college game. “Going into the game, the goal is always to win the rushing battle. It was very satisfying for my offensive line and the whole team.”

Terrell scored four touchdowns in the game with runs of 19, 36, 65 and 5 yards among his 44 carries. His rushing total set a school and South Atlantic Conference record. The effort came short of the NCAA Division II record set at 425 by Connor Silveria of South Dakota School of Mines in 2018 against Adams State.

Terrell, listed as a 5-foot10, 210-pound junior, has been ranked among the top rushers in Division II this season.

He ended up with 1,732 rushing yards this season.

“He has had many of those (big) days,” Barton coach Chip Hester said. “I think it all kind of culminated with Saturday’s game.”

His last run went for 6 yards in the final minute, putting him

BARTON COLLEGE PHOTO

Jordan Terrell above the 400-yard mark.

Barton finished with a 6-5 record and 4-5 in SAC games.

Terrell exceeded the 100-yard rushing mark in eight games this season. His previous top mark was 256 yards vs. Virginia-Wise.

“This is not really unexpected for me,” Terrell said. “It’s exciting when I get to open up my stride and run.”

Terrell has a season of eligibility remaining. He was part of the first Barton team when the program was organized. He was in the program as a redshirted player in 2019, when the Bulldogs practiced but didn’t have games. Then the 2020 fall season, which was to be Barton’s first but that was delayed to an abbreviated 2021 spring slate.

All along, Terrell was Barton’s top running back.

“He was our starter from the very beginning,” Hester said.

“He’s completely locked into getting better.”

Terrell, a 5-foot-1, 215-pounder, said he never assumed he was going to be the first-string back.

“I always had to work,” he said. “Every year they bring in new talent.”

Terrell rushed for 1,843 yards as a sophomore and 1,632 yards as a junior after a four-game freshman total of 280.

Those yards came in various fashions.

“When you’ve put up those kinds of numbers, you’re an allaround back,” Hester said. “He can do a little bit of it all. He is a punishing runner. He has a wicked stiff-arm. Safeties, beware.”

Because the NCAA ruled that participating in the 2020-21 school year didn’t count against eligibility, Terrell can play another season in college if he chooses. He has a degree in social work and is nearing another in criminal justice.

He said he’s most pleased how he has been ready for each opportunity.

“The consistency and proving I could get it done year after year,” he said. “What’s most satisfying is when my O-line is satisfied.

Terrell, 23, played his final high school football season in 2018 for Eastern Randolph after transferring from Lee County. He also participated in track and field for the Wildcats.

At Barton, he has been a three-year captain.

“I’ve been talking to a bunch of scouts about him,” Hester said. “He has that desire. I sure think he’ll have a chance to go on and play professionally.”

Jordan Terrell has gained big yards for the Barton College football team throughout his career.

PREP FOOTBALL

Wildcats cruise to third round RAMSEUR – Eastern Randolph is the last football team standing in Randolph County.

The Wildcats won again in the Class 1-A state playoffs, rolling past visiting Hayesville 3910 on Friday night.

Lucas Smith ran for two touchdowns and Nicah Taylor had two touchdown catches.

Smith also made a pair of twopoint conversion receptions.

The outcome moves third-seeded Eastern Randolph (11-1) to the third round

BEST OVERALL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

+20( 3/$7( 027256

Edison Hernandez

SCOTT PELKEY | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Running back Edison Hernandez of Randleman picks up yards against Southwestern Randolph during a regular-season victory.

Randleman, football The senior running back ran for more than 1,000 yards for the Tigers. He was a big contributor to a high-powered offense.

Hernandez reached the 100-yard mark on the ground in half of the team’s 12 games. He scored touchdowns on 13 rushes.

Hernandez was the man running threat for the Tigers with no other player on the team reaching the 200-yard mark for the season.

Randleman finished the season with a 10-2 record.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BARTON COLLEGE

Randolph Record

5

in the West Region with a home game this Friday night against 11th-seeded Thomasville (9-3), a 41-13 winner against Albemarle.

Quarterback Carter Revelle threw for two touchdowns and the two two-point conversions to go with a rushing touchdown for Eastern Randolph. Kobe Walker also ran for a touchdown.

The Wildcats led 19-3 at halftime.

Class 2-A At Forest Hills, Randleman couldn’t keep up with vis-

iting Forest Hills in a 35-14 second-round loss.

The six-seeded Tigers (10-2) ended the season with losses in two of their last three games, with both defeats coming at home.

No. 11 seed Forest Hills (111) advances to the third round against Community School of Davidson (11-1).

Randleman’s Tyshaun Goldston and Amari Ferdna caught touchdown throws from John Kirkpatrick. Edison Hernandez was charted for 85 rushing yards on 25 carries.

Eastern Randolph’s Jani Norwood makes the sack against Hayesville’s Peyton McGaha during a Class 1-A West Region state playoff game.

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

UCA boys win first under new coach Randolph Record SUMMERFIELD – Preston Steele’s debut as boys’ basketball coach at Uwharrie Charter Academy went well.

The Eagles posted a 53-21 road victory at Bethany Community last Thursday. That was followed by Friday’s 66-34 triumph at Woods Charter.

UCA girls won their opener as well, prevailing 60-48 at Bethany Community behind Nevaeh Staples’ 17 points and Lainey Thomas’ 15 points. Next, the Eagles won 66-21 at Woods Charter with Staples scoring 16 points.

Boys’ soccer Southwestern Randolph’s season ended with a 3-2 home loss to Lincoln Charter in the third round of the Class 2-A state playoffs last week.

The No. 12 seed Cougars never led, but never trailed by more than a goal.

David Lopez Dominguez and Fernando Hernandez scored the goals for Southwestern Randolph (21-4-1).

The game marked only the third time this season the Cougars allowed more than two goals in a game – and they lost each of those.

The No. 13 seed Eagles went to the fourth round for the second year in a row. But they lost last Thursday by 3-1 to top-seeded Black Mountain Owen.

Cross country At Kernersville, Zach Ha-

GENE GALIN | RANDOLPH RECORD

Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Aaron Smith shoots over Woods Charter’s Levi Haygood. zelwood of Wheatmore had the best finish among Randolph County entrants in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s state meet Nov. 4.

Hazelwood placed 14th in the Class 2-A boys’ race at Ivey Redmond Sports Complex. His time was 17 minutes, 19.96 seconds.

In the Class 2-A girls’ race, Providence Grove teammates Laurel Bernhardt (27th, 21:43.08) and Jensen Auman (66th, 23:04.51) were in the upper half of the 132 entrants.

In Class 1-A, Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Victoria Jennings (57th, 23:05.29) and Jazmin Palma (92nd, 24:36.65) were in the girls’ race. UCA’s Chris White (68th, 18:36.33) was in the boys’ race.

Randolph Record for Wednesday, November 8, 2023

6

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says DeSantis, not Trump, is the best Republican to win the 2024 election The Associated Press DES MOINES, Iowa — After seven months of hosting Republican presidential candidates in Iowa, Gov. Kim Reynolds said it “feels good to get in the game” with her endorsement of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

But the popular Iowa governor declined to say whether other candidates should concede and throw their support behind him as well, even as she acknowledged that a wider field could advantage former President Donald Trump.

“At some point, if we don’t narrow the field, it’s going to be hard to ... maybe, you know, that helps Trump,” Reynolds said in an interview with The Associated Press. “But I think that is for them to decide.”

In making the endorsement last week, Reynolds broke with a longstanding tradition of Iowa governors staying neutral in their party’s presidential contests, the first in the GOP nomination calendar.

With the Jan. 15 caucuses fast approaching, the DeSantis campaign hopes the endorsement will fuel momentum for the candidate, once seen as the most plausible Republican alternative to Trump but now locked in second place with former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. DeSantis has so far failed to close the polling gap with Trump or set himself apart as the clear choice for voters who either didn’t like Trump or were uneasy about the former president’s prospects in November 2024.

AP PHOTO

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, second from left, joins Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on stage during a rally, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Still, Reynolds said DeSantis is best poised for victory in the general election, a race she doesn’t think Trump can win without attracting voters beyond his base. DeSantis “won in demographics that Republicans have never really won in Florida,” she said.

Reynolds and DeSantis often commend each other for their

robust wins in last year’s midterm elections, when Republicans struggled elsewhere, and their parallel policy accomplishments in formerly purple states.

Trump continues to dominate polls of Republican voters in states that vote early in the nomination process, Iowa included, but Reynolds predicted “a lot of movement” over

the next two months. She cited the Des Moines Register/ NBC News/Mediacom late October poll that showed DeSantis identified as a frequent second choice or candidate that voters were “actively considering.”

“I didn’t see that same opportunity with some of the other candidates when you looked at where they ranked for sec-

ond choice,” Reynolds said. “I thought Ron was in a really good place for that.”

Long before the formal endorsement, Trump had accused Reynolds of disloyalty for her cozy relationship with DeSantis and tried to take credit for her winning the governorship.

“If and when Kim Reynolds of Iowa endorses Ron DeSanctimonious, who is absolutely dying in the polls both in Iowa and Nationwide, it will be the end of her political career in that MAGA would never support her again, just as MAGA will never support DeSanctimonious again,” he wrote in a social media post Sunday after reports of her endorsement surfaced.

Reynolds initially promised that she would remain neutral in the race and she joined most candidates for campaign events throughout the spring and summer, though her close relationship with DeSantis and his family was on display in regular appearances they made together.

She changed her mind because “there’s just too much at stake,” she said, though it wasn’t a decision she made lightly, adding that she called Haley, who she said was “a good friend,” to let her know.

While she said it’s not her place to suggest others drop out of the race, Reynolds said Iowa’s role in the nominating process is to start to winnow the field, which will happen naturally.

“It’s not really about always picking the winner,” she said, “but it’s about helping narrow the field.”

After indictment, North Carolina’s state auditor says she’ll resign The Associated Press RALEIGH — North Carolina State Auditor Beth Wood announced on Thursday that she will resign from her elected post next month, a decision coming two days after she was indicted on charges that she misused her state-owned vehicle for personal activities.

Wood, a Democrat who was first elected auditor in 2008, had already announced last week that she wouldn’t seek reelection in 2024. That was revealed before a Wake County grand jury formally accused her of a pair of misdemeanors.

“I will step down as State Auditor on December 15, 2023, completing 30 years of service to the State of North Carolina,” Wood said in a written statement, “I made this decision because we have such a great team doing incredibly important work

and I don’t want to be a distraction. It has been an honor and privilege to work with such a talented staff and to serve the citizens of this great state.”

The indictment followed an eight-month investigation by state agents that appeared to germinate after she was cited last December for leaving the scene of a crash when she drove her state-owned vehicle into a parked car. Wood pleaded guilty in March to misdemeanor hitand-run involving the crash and paid fines and court costs. She apologized, telling the presiding judge that she had made a “grave mistake” by leaving the accident scene.

The state constitution directs Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper to appoint someone to fill the remainder of her four-year term through the end of 2024. Cooper also could initially name an interim auditor before making

a full appointment. The appointee could decide to run for the job next year. Several people had already announced they’re running. Candidate filing begins next month, with primary elections in March.

Wood informed Cooper of her resignation decision on Thursday afternoon, the governor’s office said.

Cooper “respects her decision and thanked her for her years of service to North Carolina,” spokesperson Jordan Monaghan said in a text message. “Our office will have more information about the appointment process for this position in the coming days.”

This week’s indictment alleged that in 2021 and 2022, Wood used an assigned stateowned vehicle for “hair appointments and dental appointments out of town, traveling to shopping centers and spa locations

where she was not engaged in business in her official capacity.”

Wood, 69, said on Tuesday that she was “very disappointed” that Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman had brought the charges against her. Wood said that she had reimbursed the state to cover personal use of the car by purposely overpaying for miles in which she commuted to her job.

A Craven County native, Wood is a certified public accountant who worked in the State Auditor’s Office for nearly 10 years before she defeated incumbent Auditor Les Merritt in 2008.

The state auditor is one of 10 positions within the Council of State, which also includes the governor, attorney general and other statewide elected executive branch officials. Her office issues audits often critical of state government operations and what it considers mismanaged local gov-

ernments and taxpayer money — leaving her with both friends and enemies on both sides of the political aisle.

The Dec. 8 accident, which happened in downtown Raleigh after she said she left a holiday party, resulted in car damage but no injuries. Her police citation became public weeks later.

The accident led to examinations of her use of a state vehicle. The state’s motor fleet management director suspended her vehicle assignment in January as the crash investigation continued.

In June, Wood said she would seek reelection next year. When reversing her decision last week, Wood didn’t mention specifically any legal troubles except to say that she has “made mistakes along the way, but I have acknowledged them and have learned from them.” She said she wanted to now embark on a public speaking career.

Blazer 9mm Magpul Ever wish you had a 115gr, FMJ Brass Cased

PMAGs

$299/case 10 for $90 Žƌ Ψϭϲͬ Ždž

local store which has The Best Prices on Cases of Ammo?

The best selection of factory standard capacity magazines?

An AWESOME selection of Modern Sporting Weapons from Leading Manufactures Like, Sig, FN, S&W, etc?

Flamethrowers & Gatlin Guns?

All at better than on-line prices?

You Do! Del-Ton M4 tŝƚŚ &Ƶůů >ĞŶŐƚŚ ZĂŝů͊

9796 Aberdeen Rd, Aberdeen KŶ Zƚ Ϯϭϭ ũƵƐƚ ŝŶƐŝĚĞ ,ŽŬĞ ŽƵŶƚLJ͘ tŝƚŚ YƵĂŶƚŝĐŽ dĂĐƚŝĐĂů

Store Hours: dƵĞ Ͳ &ƌŝ͗ ϭϭĂŵ ʹ ϰƉŵ 910.637.0500 www.ProvenOutfitters.com

$499

DĂĚĞ ŝŶ E ͊

Polish Radom AK-47

$649

Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 Compact

$449

tŝƚŚ >ŝŐŚƚ͊

ϯϴ͟ dĂĐƚŝĐĂů ZŝĨůĞ ĂƐĞ͗ ΨϮϬ

Randolph Record for Wednesday, November 8, 2023

7

obituaries

Eugene Richard Kozlow

December 20, 1929 — November 11, 2023 Eugene Richard Kozlow “Geno” passed away on November 11th, 2023, after living an eventful and wonderful life. He was born in Brooklyn, New York and would have been 94 on December 20th.

Gene said he married the love of his life, Patricia, and he adored her as they were also best friends. They were happily married since 1952 and did everything together…except golf.

He definitely was an athlete becoming the 100yard Freestyle Champion three years in a row in High School and Seton Hall College and continued to swim competitively where he easily won 14 gold medals.

Gene was inducted into the Army where became an officer stationed at Fort Pickett, VA. and participated in an Atomic Bomb experiment in Arizona, which he said was an “Awesome sight.”

He is survived by his wife Patricia E Kozlow, his son and wife; Dr Eric and Betsy Kozlow, his daughter Lesley A Kozlow, 3 grandchildren Hannah, Jessie, and Cameron and 4 great grandchildren Jakeman, Xavier, Oliver, and Maggie.

Geno will join his beloved older son, Craig, in peace and Heaven. We all love you Geno.

Mary Elizabeth Millikan Inman September 20, 1931 — November 7, 2023

Mary Elizabeth Millikan Inman, 92, passed away at home surrounded by loved ones on November 7, 2023.

She was born in Randleman, NC on September 20, 1931 to Edward Franklin Millikan and Aldah Rozier Phillips Millikan.

Mary was a loving mother and provider. She worked for Tyco Electronics for 17 years.

Mary enjoyed going to church and was a faithful member of Midway Wesleyan. Her favorite pastimes were knitting, reading, and being with her family and around those she loved.

Mary is survived by her sons, Roger Earl Inman and Jimmy Lee Inman of Randleman; daughter, Martha Inman White of Randleman; two grandchildren, Jennifer P. Atkins (Sean) of Eden, David Aaron White of Randleman; four greatgrandchildren, Hannah Poindexter of Randleman, Coleman Poindexter of Archdale, Carter Poindexter of Randleman, Kaley Poindexter of Eden; and her sister, Rebecca M. Saunders of High Point. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her brother, Thomas F. Millikan.

Lalah Marie Rush Bowman May 5, 1934 — November 10, 2023

Lalah Marie Rush Bowman, 89, of Sophia, passed away while surrounded by family on Friday afternoon, November 10, 2023, at Randolph Hospital in Asheboro. The daughter of Jefferson Harrison Rush and Nannie Roella Miller Rush, Lalah was born May 5, 1934, at home in Randolph County. She attended Trinity School and enjoyed an upbringing full of love as the youngest of ten.

Lalah met her husband, Allen Millikan Bowman, in 1950 during church at Randleman Friends. They were married in 1952 and shared a long life of love in Sophia.

Lalah was retired only for the last four years of her long and fruitful life.

Her wit and sarcasm played a large part in her amazing care of her family as well. Lalah loved a good laugh, and she was as funny as they come. A wizard in the kitchen, her “apple jack-pies,” baked macaroni & cheese, and persimmon pudding were sought after throughout the area. She lovingly and generously supplied these delicacies to family, friends, co-workers, and church mates alike.

The youngest of her generation in the immediate family, Lalah was preceded in death by her parents and her nine older brothers and sisters.

She is survived by her husband, Allen Millikan Bowman, of Sophia; two daughters: Debbie Bowman Thompson and husband Mike of Sophia and Beverly Bowman Hunt and husband Tom of Trinity; son, James Allen Bowman and wife Ginger of Sophia; grandchildren, Angela Renee Rowland and husband Mike, Michael Leroy Thompson II and wife Ashley, Lane Thomas Hunt and wife Dru, Morgan Hunt Bills and husband Carter, Lindsey Bowman Cooper and husband Ben, Robert Allen Bowman and wife Lauren, and Brett Harrison Bowman; 19 great grandchildren; and one great-great grandchild, named Lalah.

Arlie Rex Hurley

Dyrl Vasquez

November 2, 1931 — November 9, 2023

June 16, 1970 - November 10, 2023

October 22, 1947 - November 8, 2023

Arlie Rex Hurley of Asheboro, went to Heaven on Thursday, November 9, 2023 at his home.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, November 11, 6-8 pm at Pugh Funeral Home in Asheboro. Funeral will be held at Hopewell Friends Meeting on Sunday, November 12 at 2:00 pm with Pastor James Pendell and Rev. Bob Choplin officiating. The burial will follow in the cemetery with military honors by the Randolph County Honor Guard.

Rex was born November 2, 1931 in Randolph County to Archie Raymond Hurley and Sarah Daniel Hurley.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by an infant daughter, sisters, Marjorie Hurley Cross and Carol Hurley Efird. Rex was a member of Hopewell Friends Meeting, had served on many committees, and taught the Adult Sunday School Class for many years. He was an avid Bible reader. Rex played a big role in the building of the church parsonage, fellowship building, picnic shelter and the Meeting House; donating all the concrete and labor. He was drafted into the Army in 1952 and served in Korea.

Rex used the GI Bill to further his education at Asheboro Commercial College and was an active member of the Army Reserve for several years.

Surviving is his wife of 66 years, Rebecca Hinshaw Hurley, son, Randy Hurley (Jana), daughter, Rita Hurley Morton (Greg), brother, Wiley J. Hurley (Patricia), sisters, Rozine Hurley Davis, and Olga Hurley Hogan, grandchildren, Daniel Hurley (Amber), Trenton Dougan, and Renell Fields (Timmy), great grandchildren, Kallie Fields, Holden Fields, Hunter Hurley, and Lily Hurley, brother-inlaw, Larry Hinshaw (Doris), several nieces and nephews, plus many devoted friends.

Dyrl Christopher Vasquez, 53, of Asheboro, passed away Friday, November 10, 2023, at his home.

Dyrl was born on June 16, 1970, in Cumberland County, NC. He honorably served in the US Army during Operation Desert Storm, and was also a paratrooper. Dyrl accepted the Lord over 25 years ago in his car. Through his life he had many challenges but continued to draw close to God. Dyrl was a successful and dedicated owner of Carolina Cable Solutions. He loved his employees and tried to put their needs first. He loved sports especially football and the Carolina Cobras. He and his family are faithful members of Mt. Calvary Independent Baptist Church.

His greatest joys were his wife, Glenda (Piggles) and Abby. He would often say "I want everything in order for them!". Most of all, he loved God and wanted everyone else to have a relationship with God. He was preceded in death by father, Ralph Gontran Vasquez.

Dyrl is survived by his wife, Glenda Lavon Vasquez; daughters, Abigail Leiann Vasquez, Misty Lynn Bunting; son, Daniel Christopher Vasquez (Natalie); mother, Isabel Ann Martinez Vasquez; brother, Ralph Marc Vasquez (Michelle); nieces and nephews, Katie (Kyle), Tiffany (Bryan), Jonathan, Robert, Arizona, Jonah, Kyndra (Daniel), Michael, Charles, Darren; and a host of great nieces and nephews and friends.

Ralph Edward Ward, 76, of Asheboro, died Wednesday, November 8, 2023, at Randolph Health in Asheboro.

Born in Randolph County, NC on October 22, 1947, Ralph was the son of the late George Edward Ward and Alice Wright Ward. He attended Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte and the University of Tennessee. Ralph was an expert on trains. He was an author who wrote poetry, several books about trains and a biography on his mother. He served on the board of the Carolina Association for Passenger Trains, on the board of Train and Transit Advocacy Group for over 20 years. Ralph was a member of the National Railroad Historical Society and the Model Railroad Association.

Ralph is survived by his cousins, Nancy Ward Henderson of Hickory, Ann Ward Graves (David) of Asheboro, Bob White of Charlotte Juanita Dombkowski (Steve) of Stevensville, MD; and friends, Tal Hardin, Vicki Miller (Gary), and Bob Coltrane.

Ralph Ward

October 22, 1947 - November 8, 2023

Wanda Denny Harris

May 14, 1928 ~ November 7, 2023

Jacob Lee Temkey

July 17, 2023 — November 7, 2023 Jacob Lee Temkey, 3 ½ month old infant son of Jessica Coker and Randy Temkey, passed away on November 7, 2023 at Randolph Hospital.

Jacob was cherished by his family. He was a miracle baby and a true fighter.

In addition to his parents, Jacob is survived by his siblings, Jaxson, Jayce, Jonah, and Jeremiah; and several aunts, uncles, and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Thomas and Nellie Temkey and maternal grandparents, Linda and Donald Coker.

Ralph Ward

Celebrate the life of your loved ones.

Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in Randolph Record at obits@ randolphrecord.com

Wanda Denny Harris, beloved sister and cherished friend, passed away peacefully on November 7, 2023, at the age of 95. Born on May 14, 1928, in Louisville, Kentucky, Wanda brought joy and love to all who knew her.

Wanda dedicated many years of her life working as a sewer in the Textile industry.

Her dedication and skill were evident in every stitch she made. She took great pride in sewing her own clothes, creating beautiful garments that showcased her talent and creativity.

Ralph Edward Ward, 76, of Asheboro, died Wednesday, November 8, 2023, at Randolph Health in Asheboro.

Born in Randolph County, NC on October 22, 1947, Ralph was the son of the late George Edward Ward and Alice Wright Ward. He attended Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte and the University of Tennessee. Ralph was an expert on trains. He was an author who wrote poetry, several books about trains and a biography on his mother. He served on the board of the Carolina Association for Passenger Trains, on the board of Train and Transit Advocacy Group for over 20 years. Ralph was a member of the National Railroad Historical Society and the Model Railroad Association.

Ralph is survived by his cousins, Nancy Ward Henderson of Hickory, Ann Ward Graves (David) of Asheboro, Bob White of Charlotte Juanita Dombkowski (Steve) of Stevensville, MD; and friends, Tal Hardin, Vicki Miller (Gary), and Bob Coltrane.

Randolph Record for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

8

STATE & NATION Biden’s movable wall is criticized by environmentalists and those who want more border security The Associated Press

be temporary.

An example of the style of barrier his administration will use can be seen in Brownsville, about 100 miles southeast of Starr County. Metal bollards embedded into 4-foot-high cement blocks that taper toward the top sit along the southern part of a neighborhood not far from the curving Rio Grande.

Over the last year, the Rio Grande Valley region was the fourth-busiest area for the number of people crossing into the U.S. illegally, though it was the busiest in previous years.

With the design planned for Starr County, federal border agents will be able to move around the fencing, said Democratic U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, who represents Starr County. “So it’s one of those things where if they want to direct traffic, they can move it.”

Scott agreed that the “moveable” fences can be used as an emergency stopgap measure to block off access in some areas.

But he warned that if the fencing isn’t placed far enough into the ground, someone might be able to use a vehicle to shove it out of the way, provided they don’t mind damaging the vehicle.

Laiken Jordahl, a conservation advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity, said mountain lions, bobcats, javelinas, coyotes, white-tail deer, armadillos, jack

rabbits, ground squirrels, and two endangered, federally protected plants — Zapata bladderpod and prostrate milkweed — may be affected.

Jordahl said the design the Biden administration is using “will block even the smallest species of animals from passing through the barrier.”

“The one advantage for making it shorter is, I guess if somebody falls while they’re climbing over it, they aren’t falling as far,” Scott Nicol, a board member of the Friends of the Wildlife Corridor, said.

Nicol, who lives in the Rio Grande Valley, is familiar with the type of barriers Biden’s administration will use, the terrain, and the weather in Starr County.

He is concerned about unintended consequences, particularly on the Rio Grande that separates U.S. and Mexico.

“You know, if Starr County gets hit by a big rainstorm and the water has to drain into the river, these walls — whether it’s the bollard walls or the Jersey barrier walls — are going to block the movement of that water and dam it up,” Nicol said.

Last month, the Center for Biological Diversity along with about 100 other organizations sent the U.S. government a letter pleading for reconsideration of environmental protection laws. To date, they have not received an answer.

FBI head cites a ‘potential conflict of interest’ in selection process for new headquarters

home to the FBI Academy, criticized the government’s decision.

Congress last year directed the administration to consider three sites for the new headquarters: Greenbelt and Landover in Maryland or Springfield, Virginia.

A board that included representatives from the GSA and the FBI unanimously agreed on Springfield, Wray wrote. But a senior GSA executive changed course and went with Greenbelt, the FBI director said.

“The FBI observed that, at times, outside information was inserted into the process in a manner which appeared to disproportionately favor Greenbelt, and the justifications for the departures from the panel were varied and inconsistent,” Wray wrote.

The land in Greenbelt is owned by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, which once employed the senior GSA executive, according to Wray’s note.

“Despite our engagement with GSA over the last two months on these issues, our concerns about the process remain unresolved,” Wray wrote. “There are still a lot of open questions, and we’ve still got a long way to go.”

Carnahan said the GSA had listened to the FBI: “At every step, the GSA team has worked to incorporate the FBI’s feedback and appropriately address their concerns, including conducting a legal review of each concern raised.”

McALLEN, Texas — The Biden administration’s plan to build new barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border in South Texas calls for a “movable” design that frustrates both environmentalists and advocates of stronger border enforcement.

The plans for the nearly 20 miles of new barrier in Starr County were made public in September when the federal government sought public input. The following month, the administration waived 26 federal laws protecting the environment and certain species to speed up the construction process.

“The United States Border Patrol did not ask for this downgraded border wall,” Rodney Scott, a former U.S. Border Patrol chief said.

Construction is moving forward despite President Joe Biden’s campaign promise not to build more wall and amid an increase in migrants coming to the nation’s southern border from across Latin America and other parts of the world to seek asylum.

Illegal crossings topped 2 million for the second year in a row for the government’s budget year that ended Sept. 30.

People such as Scott who want more border security believe the barriers won’t be strong enough to stop people from crossing ille-

AP PHOTO

Dusk begins to fall at a section of border fence in Brownsville, Texas, on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023. gally. Environmentalists, meanwhile, say the design actually poses a greater risk to animal habitat than former President Donald Trump’s border wall.

Biden has defended the administration’s decision by saying he had to use the Trump-era funding for it. The law requires the funding for the new barriers to be used as approved and for the construction to be completed in 2023.

Most barriers on the border were erected in the last 20 years under Trump and former President George W. Bush. Those sections of border wall include Normandy-style fencing that resembles big X’s and bollard-style fencing made of upright steel posts.

Biden’s barrier will be much shorter than the 18- to 30- foot concrete-filled steel bollard panels of Trump’s wall. It also could

The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — The contentious debate over a new FBI headquarters intensified further as the director said he was concerned about a “potential conflict of interest” in the site selection and the White House defended the process as “fair and transparent.” But a senator said there a clear need for a federal investigation.

FBI Director Christopher Wray’s unusually sharp criticism came in an internal email to agency employees that was obtained by The Associated Press. It was the latest twist in a vigorous competition among jurisdictions in the national capital region to land America’s premier law enforcement agency.

That General Services Administration selected Greenbelt, Maryland, a Washington suburb, as the home for a new facility to replace the crumbling J. Edgar Hoover Building, which is blocks away from the White House.

Wray said his objections were about the process rather than the Greenbelt site itself.

The GSA, which manages the government’s real estate portfo-

AP PHOTO

FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on Oct. 31, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. lio, said that site about 13 miles northeast of Washington was the cheapest one with the best access to public transit. But Wray asserted in his note that the choice came after a GSA executive overruled a board and picked land owned by a former employer.

Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, which also vied for the project, urged an investigation. “I had felt that this has been grossly political with efforts to try to change the criteria, but I was

astounded when we found out that three career officials unanimously picked Virginia and a political appointee overturned it.

Clearly, there needs to be an inspector general investigation,” he said.

In a joint statement, Virginia’s elected leaders called for the determination to be reversed, asserting that their state’s site remains the best choice under “any fair weighing of the criteria.”

But GSA Administrator Robin

Carnahan stood behind the agency’s work, saying officials followed all laws and ethical considerations. “Any suggestion that there was inappropriate interference is unfounded,” she said.

White House principal deputy press secretary Olivia Dalton also defended the process. She did not comment on whether did Biden had any direct involvement in the final site decision.

“I can tell you it was a fair and transparent process,” Dalton told reporters on Air Force One as Biden traveled to Illinois on Thursday. “The 61 acres in Greenbelt is both the lowest cost to taxpayers, most transportation options for FBI workers, and we had the most assurances about the expeditious means with which a project could get underway.”

Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said Wray has previously indicated he would prefer to stay in Washington, but maintained that experts found a suburban location is a better choice for the agency’s long-term security. “To say somehow this process was skewed is wrong,” Hoyer said.

Maryland and Virginia had long been vying to land the FBI, and officials in Virginia, which is

[[Yä kknÊ

È··¸ä äȹºä äȹµä ȸµ½ä ä¾kk 855-910-AMMO

NCammunition.com

VOLUME 8 ISSUE 38 | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2023 | HOKE.NORTHSTATEJOURNAL.COM | SUBSCRIBE TODAY: 336-283-6305

HOKE COUNTY THE HOKE COUNTY EDITION OF THE NORTH STATE JOURNAL

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

McDonald’s family Cotton harvest in Dundarrach, on November 9.

WHAT’S HAPPENING Hudson names new chief of staff Washington, D.C. Republican U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson (NC09) announced a longtime North Carolina political operative will be leading his Congressional team.

The six-term member of Congress named Luke Blanchat to the post, replacing Elliott Guffin.

Blanchat will be based in North Carolina, Hudson confirmed on Monday.

“Luke has a strong passion for serving the people of North Carolina, and I am confident he will do a fantastic job leading our team as chief of staff,” said Hudson in a statement. “Luke lives in Southern Pines and has served our state for many years—experience that will help my office continue to deliver for our constituents.”

Prior to joining Hudson’s Congressional office, Blanchat served as the Director of Government Relations for FirstHealth of the Carolinas and has an extensive background in government and public service. Over the course of the past decade, Blanchat served in numerous positions with Republican U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, including deputy state director and campaign manager of his successful 2020 reelection effort. In addition, Blanchat was the campaign manager for former Sen. Richard Burr’s final campaign in 2016.

Blanchat is a native of North Carolina and resides in Southern Pines with his wife and two children.

Guffin departed Hudson’s office to serve as Director of Federal Affairs for Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

Hoke cotton fields reflect global economic trends Local farmers adapt to market changes and technological advancements

By PJ Ward-Brown North State Journal RAEFORD — As autumn’s crisp air replaces summer’s heat, the fields of Hoke County undergo their seasonal transition. The county’s cotton fields transform as white bolls are harvested and rolled into large bales, awaiting transport to local gins. Throughout North Carolina, cotton farming stands as a symbol of both tradition and change.

Historically known for its livestock, Hoke’s farmers have diversified their agricultural portfolio to include corn, peanuts, soybeans, sweet potatoes, and cotton. This

shift reflects a broader trend in North Carolina’s farming sector, where adaptation and diversification are key to sustainability.

Farmers like Marvin McDonald, his son Daniel, and veteran Johnny Boyles are at the forefront of this evolving landscape. They navigate the complexities of a crop deeply intertwined with the global economy. Marvin McDonald, who transitioned to cotton farming in 1989, was driven by the need for financial sustainability amid fluctuating grain markets.

“Cotton farming is not just about growing a crop; it’s about understanding and adapting to market trends,” he says.

Daniel McDonald, set to continue the family legacy, stresses the importance of public awareness and appreciation for the impact that farmers and agriculture have on every citizen. “Many don’t

realize where their food comes from,” said McDonald. “They see farming, but they don’t understand the challenges and hard work involved.” He says a commitment to educating the public and encouraging the next generation’s involvement in farming is vital for the industry’s future.

Johnny Boyles, with four decades in farming, joined the McDonalds to discuss Hoke County’s cotton crops with the North State Journal last week. Boyles reflected on the shift from tobacco to cotton as his entry into the cotton industry. “Tobacco was once the mainstay, but cotton has proven more sustainable and less controversial,” said Boyles. “It’s about adapting to the times and the market.” Boyles also pointed to technological advancements that have transformed cotton farming.

“The industry has evolved, but the

Hoke County school board discusses partnerships and projects New agreements and updates on school improvements take center stage at board meeting

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal RAEFORD – The Hoke County Schools Board of Education gathered on Tuesday, Nov. 7, to address several key topics, including a partnership agreement with Sandhills Community College and updates on school improvement projects.

Assistant Superintendent Dawn Ramseur introduced an updated Career and College Promise (CCP) Partnership Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Sandhills Community College.

She explained, “The state board voted on a policy last year that

said there had to be a CCP Partnership agreement for all of our dual-enrollment programs for high school students. That allows our students to enroll in college courses at the community college and also have those high school courses. In order to implement this, the state board is asking that districts develop an agreement with the entity they’re going to be working with and make that effective by December 2023.”

The agreement, which includes provisions for dual enrollment, student qualifications, entrance guidelines, and support, mandates the appointment of coordinators at SandHoke Early College and Hoke High School to ensure students’ success in transitioning to college-level courses.

Ramseur further detailed the agreement’s focus on facilities, maintenance, and security, especially since SandHoke Early Col-

lege is located on Sandhills Community College property.

In addition to the partnership agreement, the board reviewed a bid from ENCORE for the installation of cameras, wiring, and switches at Hoke High School, totaling $427,426.52. Ramseur justified the selection of ENCORE over In-Telecom, citing the latter’s higher bid and incomplete provisions for the project.

Despite this, the board decided to delay action on the bid due to cost concerns, planning to revisit the issue next month.

John Birth was officially appointed as the project manager for the Hoke County High School Replacement Project, with a contract of $250,400, covering the construction and post-construction phases. The board also approved GMP Package #2 for the project, totaling $42,703,997, which places the

essence of farming – resilience and hard work – remains unchanged,” he adds.

The global cotton industry is significant to the world economy, with major producers like the United States, India, China, and Brazil shaping the market.

The U.S. remains a key exporter, with states like Texas, Georgia, and Mississippi leading in production. The international supply chain of cotton, stretching from cultivation to textile manufacturing, involves countries like China and Bangladesh, requiring stable trade relations to maintain practices and production.

In North Carolina, the major players in cotton production are concentrated in the northeast of the state. Counties like Halifax (95,000 bales), Northampton (71,400 bales), Bertie (70,000 bales), Martin (56,000 bales), Edgecombe (47,500 bales), and Hertford (34,000 bales) lead in production. While Hoke County doesn’t rank among these top producers, its agricultural diversity, including row crops and livestock, See COTTON, page 2

project approximately $81,000 under budget. A representative from MetCon summarized the progress, saying, “After a long one-year process, the project is on budget and ready to go.”

The meeting also addressed the transition of leadership, with Interim Superintendent Rodney Shotwell set to serve until the end of the year before Kenneth Spells takes over on Jan. 3. A proposed contract to compensate Shotwell for a five-day transitional period was tabled due to questions regarding the necessity and amount of the compensation.

Lastly, the board passed a 2023-24 Budget Resolution to appropriate state and federal funds that had been delayed by the general assembly’s slow approval of the state’s budget.

The Hoke County Schools Board of Education is scheduled to reconvene on Dec. 5.

$2.00

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

2 WEDNESDAY

WEEKLY FORECAST

11.15.23 WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

NOV 15

HI LO PRECIP

58° 41° 10%

NOV 16

HI LO PRECIP

SATURDAY

FRIDAY

NOV 18

NOV 17

68° 36° 2%

HI LO PRECIP

66° 48° 3%

HI LO PRECIP

64° 43° 4%

SUNDAY

MONDAY

NOV 19

HI LO PRECIP

NOV 20

60° 36° 2%

55° 34° 6%

HI LO PRECIP

TUESDAY

NOV 21

HI LO PRECIP

55° 37° 14%

“Join the conversation” WEEKLY CRIME LOG Neal Robbins Publisher Matt Mercer Editor in Chief Jordan Golson Locals Editor Cory Lavalette Sports Editor Shawn Krest Sports Editor Frank Hill Senior Opinion Editor Lauren Rose Design Editor Published each Wednesday as part of North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607 TO SUBSCRIBE: 336-283-6305 HOKE.NORTHSTATEJOURNAL.COM

Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements: hokecommunity@northstatejournal.com Weekly deadline is Monday at Noon

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 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607

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

Get in touch

www hoke.northstatejournal.com

COTTON from page 1

provides a buffer against market volatility, strengthening the local economy and contributing to the resilience of the state’s agricultural sector.

Farmers in Hoke County face challenges like fluctuating market prices, weather, and evolving consumer demands as part of the broader industry.

The value of global and state cotton economies underscores the crop’s significance. The U.S. is a leading cotton producer, with an estimated annual production value exceeding $6 billion. In North Carolina, the state ranks sixth nationally in cotton production.

The latest U.S. Department of Agriculture cotton projections for 2023 show China ac-

counts for nearly half of global cotton stocks, with India, Brazil, and the United States combining for an additional 25 percent. World cotton production is forecast at 112.6 million bales in 2023, 3.2 percent below the previous year, as the global yield is projected to decrease, while the global cotton trade is projected to rise 17 percent in 2023-24.

Hoke County farmers like the McDonald family are committed to the future of global crops like cotton and hope the demand and innovation help keep them in business. Recognizing their position as part of a larger supply chain, Daniel McDonald said, “I just hope that textiles and things can improve around this area so we can continue to afford to do it.”

x Malloy, Tajuan Deneal (B/M/27), Trespass - Second Degree, 11/13/2023, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office x Locklear, Latrell Lee (I/M/28), Communicate Threats, 11/13/2023, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office

County Sheriff’s Office x Gonzalez-Gomez, Robert (U/M/20), DWI, 11/11/2023, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office x Collins, Amy Yaroboro (W/F/47), Probation Violation, 11/09/2023, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office

x Dobbins, Bobby Terrell (B/M/30), Assault on a Female, 11/13/2023, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office

x Smith, Ronnie (B/M/27), Cyberstalking, 11/09/2023, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office

x Donovan, Calvin Bernard (B/M/44), Probation Violation, 11/12/2023, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office

x Brooks, Donavan Wayne (I/M/25), Fugitive From Justice, 11/09/2023, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office

x Chavis, Justis Corey (I/M/39), Resisting Arrest / Hinder and Delay, 11/11/2023, Hoke

x Lattimer, Diane Lynn (W/F/43), Fugitive From Justice, 11/08/2023, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office

A weekly podcast getting to the facts across the state, around the world and at home HERE in Raeford, Hoke County, NC.

Hosted by:

Ruben Castellon, Hal Nunn and Chris Holland Available on most Platforms Join Our Facebook Page: The Roundtable Talk Podcast

Vets4Vets Left to right, American Legion Post 20 Commander John McRae, Vets4Vets committee member Freddie McPhaul, VFW Post 10 Commander Dan Nocher, American Legion Post 20 Adjutant Rory Eddings, and Disabled American Veterans Chapter 17 Commander Del Martin. Vets4Vets Hoke County 2023 was a huge success bringing veterans together from across the community.

HAL NUNN FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

3

OPINION Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | MICHAEL BARONE

Young voters spring (contradictory) political surprises

Analyst Nate Cohn points out that nonwhite respondents under 45 said they favored Biden over Trump, 68% to 29%, in 2020, but they now say they would favor him by 49% to 42%.

WHAT’S WITH YOUNG VOTERS? It’s a question prompted by two surprising and perhaps contradictory developments that are out-of-line with conventional wisdom and prevailing expectations among political observers.

One is the sharp difference in opinion between young voters and their elders on the Hamas atrocities against Israel. A postOct. 7 poll by Quinnipiac University showed respondents under 35 disapproving of Israel’s response to Hamas’ atrocities, 52% to 32%, while those over 35 approved by a wider margin.

Young voters’ views are out of line with President Joe Biden’s strong rhetorical support of Israel, which has been attacked by multiple young staffers, media personnel and activist leaders. There’s evidence it is costing him young people’s votes.

The other development is a shift, compared to 2020, away from Biden and toward former President Donald Trump among black and Hispanic people under the age of 45, according to a New York Times/Siena College poll focusing on six target states.

Analyst Nate Cohn points out that nonwhite respondents under 45 said they favored Biden over Trump, 68% to 29%, in 2020, but they now say they would favor him by 49% to 42%.

Among nonwhites over 45, support for Biden fell by a smaller amount, from 73%26% to 63%-29%. Movement among white respondents was about the same among those under 45 and statistically insignificant among those above 45.

These two developments seem to be pointing in opposite directions, with young voters veering left on Israel/Hamas and right on Biden/Trump. My tentative explanation is that we’re looking at different halves of the young age cohort, with the college-educated (or -indoctrinated) voter standing to the left of the larger electorate and noncollege young people (black, Hispanic and Asian as well as white) moving to the right.

The leftward lurch among college-

indoctrinated young people is something I have picked up in city elections. Just as we’ve seen since the 1970s a graduate student proletariat dominant in university towns from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Berkeley, California, in the last decade, we’ve seen an emerging barista Left in large central cities.

The New York Times’ superb interactive map shows the neighborhoods where such voters predominated in New York City’s decisive June 2021 mayoral primary — in lower-rent neighborhoods within commuting distance of Manhattan, such as Astoria, Queens, and Williamsburg and Bushwick, Brooklyn. These are the same places where white voters favored Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) over Hillary Clinton in the April 2016 Democratic presidential primary.

In 2021, these areas were the base for leftwinger Maya Wiley, while more affluent whites in Manhattan favored the more centrist Kathryn Garcia. But both were narrowly edged by the black former police officer Eric Adams, who carried almost all black and Hispanic precincts.

The race was similarly tight but the result different in Chicago this year. In the March primary, centrist former schools chief Paul Vallas carried the white ethnic bungalow wards and affluent Lakefront precincts, while incumbent Lori Lightfoot carried the black South and West sides.

But former teachers union official Brandon Johnson won a runoff spot by carrying racially mixed lower-rent wards north of and inland from the high-rent Gold Coast. And in the April runoff, he added just enough votes from black precincts to edge Vallas, 52% to 48%.

That puts a leftist who wants to raise taxes and cautions against calling violent criminals a “mob” at the head of government in a city wracked with violent crime.

That doesn’t seem to bother barista leftists in marginal-wage jobs who choose to live in edgy, high-crime neighborhoods such as Bushwick, where, tragically, young residents were recently killed. One suspects that such neighborhoods

have been seeing many more Hamas than Israeli flags.

Outside university towns and the hip neighborhoods of central cities, barista leftists are relatively scarce and dispersed widely over culturally less congenial landscapes.

Meanwhile young people with little or no exposure to campus indoctrination and not much interest in or knowledge of political issues are scattered around the country, with whites predominant outside major metropolitan areas and blacks and Hispanics in modest-income exurbs and suburbs.

Such voters haven’t been attracted by Biden Democrats’ COVID-era handouts, college loan forgiveness and support for transgender teenagers. Instead, they’re increasingly attracted to Trump specifically and Republicans generally for reasons explained by two books that, with fortuitous timing, were just published this week.

In “Where Have All the Democrats Gone?,” John Judis and Ruy Teixeira examine how the Democratic majority they predicted, with fair accuracy, two decades ago has been split by white and nonwhite working-class voters’ aversion to the exotic preoccupations of the party’s increasingly dominant and incessantly noisy college graduate bloc, barista leftists included.

And in “Party of the People,” Republican consultant Patrick Ruffini describes the formation of a Republican “multiracial working class coalition” that is “eroding one of the core pillars of the Democratic coalition, the nonwhite working class.”

Young people are springing some surprises on what has been looking like a stale contest between two septuagenarians who are the two oldest men to enter the presidency. More surprises may be in store.

Michael Barone is a senior political analyst for the Washington Examiner, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and longtime co-author of The Almanac of American Politics.

COLUMN | MAGGIE HORZEMPA

NC crime: a need for data-driven, targeted solutions Data from the City of Raleigh reveals that violent crimes and property crimes are on the rise. Data also shows that CharlotteMecklenburg saw an increase in crime from 2020 to 2022.

WE’VE ALL FELT THE FEAR as we see media coverage hyper-focusing on crimeridden cities like Philadelphia, San Francisco, and New York City. In North Carolina, even one crime victim is too many, but the emotional fearmongering of local and national media often dominates news and public opinion.

We all want to know: Are our cities safe?

What are the facts? Recent reports are debunking the perception that North Carolina is a state plagued by increasing violent crime while also exposing the complex issues shouldered by some of our biggest cities.

According to the most recent FBI report, The 2022 Crime in the Nation Statistics, violent crimes decreased across North Carolina and, on average, across the nation to pre-pandemic levels. The report averaged the decreases in crime from states like North Carolina and Florida with states that saw crime rates go up in places like Alabama and Massachusetts.

Other reports reinforce this good news. The NC Bureau of Investigation’s Index of Offenses and Clearances shows crime rates dropped by 5.75% since 2020. Violent crimes declined by 5.62% and property crimes declined 5.77% from 2020 to 2022.

So why are our news channels and social feeds bombarded by crime and unfavorable

stories about law enforcement? Taking a look at our urban areas in North Carolina, big cities like Raleigh and Charlotte experienced increases in violent crime while cities like Los Angeles and Chicago saw declines. Data from the City of Raleigh reveals that violent crimes and property crimes are on the rise. Data also shows that Charlotte-Mecklenburg saw an increase in crime from 2020 to 2022.

While public safety in our big cities must be addressed, it’s important to maintain the perspective of North Carolina citizens from all corners of the state. A recent Civitas poll by the John Locke Foundation, showed 33.9% of voters are concerned about crime in their neighborhoods, but most voters expressed confidence in the job their local police force is doing.

Demographics make a huge difference when addressing concerns about crime in North Carolina. According to the Civitas poll, young voters aged 18 to 34 were the least likely to express concern about their safety, while voters aged 65 and above were the most worried. This disparity in perception may be attributed to generational differences, life experiences, or variations in media consumption. It’s essential to recognize that public safety concerns are not static and can evolve as individuals and their

communities change.

When voters were asked about their top crime concerns, drug-related crimes emerged at the forefront, followed by property crime and then violent crime. Surprisingly, gang activity was the least cited issue. These preferences highlight the diverse nature of crime concerns in North Carolina, which require tailored approaches to effectively address criminal justice policies in all communities.

The most intriguing aspect of these polls is the juxtaposition between public concerns, media coverage, and the actual crime trends in North Carolina. Recognizing the multiplicity of community concerns within North Carolina’s population is vital for crafting effective public safety policies and maintaining our confidence in law enforcement’s hard work and dedication.

By tempering the barrage of media and political misinformation, these report findings can help foster productive conversations and help underscore the importance of understanding what crimes are impacting citizens most so that targeted solutions can be developed.

Maggie Horzempa is the NC Director & Development Manager, Right on Crime for the Texas Public Policy Foundation

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

4 SIDELINE REPORT

SPORTS

NHL

Biden honors Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights at White House Washington, D.C. President Joe Biden honored the Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights in a ceremony Monday at the White House. The Golden Knights’ visit to the White House marked a return of an NHL tradition after the 2022 champion Colorado Avalanche were unable to make it work amid scheduling conflicts.

The last hockey team honored

by Biden was the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrating back-toback titles in 2020 and 2021 during the pandemic. Players said politics never came up in their private meeting with Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Hoke to retire as San Diego State coach at end of season San Diego San Diego State coach Brady Hoke says he will retire from leading the Aztecs after this season, having guided the program for six years over two stints that included three bowl appearances. The 65-year-old Hoke is 39-31 at San Diego State, but just 3-7 this year.

He is in the fourth season of his second term as Aztecs head coach. Hoke went 1312, turning around a long struggling San Diego State program in 2009-10 before becoming head coach at Michigan. Hoke went 31-21 in four years with the Wolverines.

He was fired during the 2012 season.

SOCCER

Gotham win NWSL title, Rapinoe injured in finale San Diego World Cup winner Esther González scored the go-ahead goal on a header in first-half stoppage time and Gotham FC survived a wild finish to beat OL Reign 2-1 in the National Women’s Soccer League championship match.

In the opening minutes, Megan Rapinoe hobbled off the pitch with an apparent Achilles injury in a heartbreaking end to her career. The noncontact injury the Reign’s star took some of the wind out of the crowd at San Diego State’s Snapdragon Stadium. Ali Krieger of Gotham FC ran over to hug her former teammate on the U.S. women’s national team before Rapinoe left the field.

AP PHOTO

UConn’s Paige Bueckers walks off the court as NC State players celebrate after the Wolfpack knocked off the No. 2 Huskies on Sunday in Raleigh.

Gamecocks back at No. 1 in women’s poll NC State went from unranked to No. 14 after knocking off then-No. 2 UConn

The Associated Press SOUTH CAROLINA had a historic jump to No. 1 in the AP Top 25 after a chaotic opening week in women’s basketball that saw nine of the top 14 teams in the preseason poll lose, including defending national champion and preseason No. 1 LSU. The Gamecocks weren’t the

only teams making history in the season’s first regular-season poll, either. UConn and Colorado did too and it was a milestone poll for the Pac-12 Conference.

South Carolina was sixth in the preseason before vaulting up to the top spot in The Associated Press women’s basketball poll released Monday. No team has made a bigger leap to No. 1 in the history of the poll that dates to 1977.

South Carolina received 23 first-place votes from the 36-member national media panel. Iowa was second with the other 13 first-place ballots. UCLA,

Utah and Colorado rounded out the first five.

LSU fell to seventh after losing its opener to then-No. 20 Colorado. The Buffaloes now have their best ranking since closing out the 1995 season at No. 2 and made the biggest leap in poll history, moving up 15 spots, according to the website “Across the Timeline.”

UConn fell from second to eighth after losing to NC State, which jumped into the poll at No. 14. The Wolfpack’s entrance matched the highest for an unranked team, tying Kansas State in 2003. Despite the loss, the Huskies now have been ranked for 566 consecutive weeks, breaking a tie with Tennessee for the longest streak ever.

“The consistency we’ve had over those 30 years despite how much the game has changed is quite remarkable,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “The magnitude of it doesn’t hit me until someone points it out.”

This was only the second time when the poll’s preseason 1-2 teams did not remain in the

top two spots in the first regular-season poll. It also happened at the start of the 1998-99 season: Purdue knocked off No. 1 Tennessee to open the season and vaulted up from five to one the next week. That was the biggest jump to the top spot until South Carolina’s move this week.

South Carolina had a run of 38 straight weeks at No. 1 end in the preseason poll. That was the second-longest streak behind UConn’s 51-week run (2008-10).

Stanford climbed to sixth, Virginia Tech is ninth and USC is 10th. This is Southern Cal’s best ranking since the final poll of the 1994 season when the team was seventh. That gave the Pac-12 five teams in the top 10, the first time a conference has done that since the SEC accomplished in the final poll of the 1997 season.

Ole Miss had the biggest fall in the poll this week, dropping from 12 to 23 after losing to Oklahoma. The Sooners entered at No. 25. Mississippi State and Illinois dropped out of the rankings.

Blazer 9mm Magpul Ever wish you had a 115gr, FMJ Brass Cased

PMAGs

$299/case 10 for $90 Žƌ Ψϭϲͬ Ždž

local store which has The Best Prices on Cases of Ammo?

The best selection of factory standard capacity magazines?

An AWESOME selection of Modern Sporting Weapons from Leading Manufactures Like, Sig, FN, S&W, etc?

Flamethrowers & Gatlin Guns?

All at better than on-line prices?

You Do! Del-Ton M4 tŝƚŚ &Ƶůů >ĞŶŐƚŚ ZĂŝů͊

9796 Aberdeen Rd, Aberdeen KŶ Zƚ Ϯϭϭ ũƵƐƚ ŝŶƐŝĚĞ ,ŽŬĞ ŽƵŶƚLJ͘ tŝƚŚ YƵĂŶƚŝĐŽ dĂĐƚŝĐĂů

Store Hours: dƵĞ Ͳ &ƌŝ͗ ϭϭĂŵ ʹ ϰƉŵ 910.637.0500 www.ProvenOutfitters.com

$499

DĂĚĞ ŝŶ E ͊

Polish Radom AK-47

$649

Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 Compact

$449

tŝƚŚ >ŝŐŚƚ͊

ϯϴ͟ dĂĐƚŝĐĂů ZŝĨůĞ ĂƐĞ͗ ΨϮϬ

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

5

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK:

Peyton Price Peyton Price is a running back for the East Hoke Eagles middle school football team. East Hoke fell just short in the Southeastern Middle School Athletic Conference (SEMSAC) championship game last week, but Price went out on his shield for the Eagles. He was the game’s leading rusher with more than 110 yards. He also scored both of East Hoke’s touchdowns, returned a kick and completed a pass.

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

East Hoke falls just short in Middle School football title game Eagles see potential game-winning pass broken up at buzzer North State Journal EAST HOKE Middle School came within inches of winning the Southeastern Middle School Athletic Conference (SEMSAC) championship game

at Richmond High School’s Raider Stadium in Rockingham last week.

The Eagles had the ball inside the 10-yard line with two seconds left. However, a potential game-winning pass was broken up at the three by the Rockingham defense to clinch a 20-16 win and send East Hoke home disappointed, despite a season for the ages.

East Hoke was seeking its first middle school title since 2015 and entered the game undefeated, as did the Rockingham Middle Rockets, who hadn’t won since 2014.

The Eagles actually had more yards and first downs in the game, but some bad breaks went against East Hoke.

A bad snap on a punt following the game’s first possession

gave Rockingham a short field, leading to the game’s first touchdown and an early East Hoke deficit. Penalties on kickoffs gave the Eagles a long field, and trouble stopping Rockingham on third and fourth down kept the East Hoke offense off the field.

Peyton Price led the way for East Hoke with 112 rushing yards and two scores. He also returned kicks and threw a

pass to help the Eagles move the ball.

Quarterback Mah’Rod Wood only completed one pass, a 22-yarder to the 10 that set up the final play of the game, but he managed the East Hoke running game and added six carries of his own, including a two-point conversion that gave the Eagles their only lead of the day.

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Clockwise from top right: East Hoke’s Jailyin Watkins makes the tackle against Rockingham’s CJ Covington. Covington finished with a touchdown catch for the Rockets, adding an interception on defens; East Hoke’s Geno Keith Jones makes a tackle for loss during the SEMSAC championship game; East Hoke’s Davon Bronson runs the ball up the middle.

Bronson had 34 yards rushing and scored a two-point conversion, while adding a tackle for loss.

INDOOR SKYDIVING FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY 190 Paraclete Dr. Raeford, NC 28376 Call Us: 910.848.2600 INFO@PARACLETEXP.COM

WWW.FLYXP.COM

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

6

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says DeSantis, not Trump, is the best Republican to win the 2024 election The Associated Press DES MOINES, Iowa — After seven months of hosting Republican presidential candidates in Iowa, Gov. Kim Reynolds said it “feels good to get in the game” with her endorsement of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

But the popular Iowa governor declined to say whether other candidates should concede and throw their support behind him as well, even as she acknowledged that a wider field could advantage former President Donald Trump.

“At some point, if we don’t narrow the field, it’s going to be hard to ... maybe, you know, that helps Trump,” Reynolds said in an interview with The Associated Press. “But I think that is for them to decide.”

In making the endorsement last week, Reynolds broke with a longstanding tradition of Iowa governors staying neutral in their party’s presidential contests, the first in the GOP nomination calendar.

With the Jan. 15 caucuses fast approaching, the DeSantis campaign hopes the endorsement will fuel momentum for the candidate, once seen as the most plausible Republican alternative to Trump but now locked in second place with former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. DeSantis has so far failed to close the polling gap with Trump or set himself apart as the clear choice for voters who either didn’t like Trump or were

AP PHOTO

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, second from left, joins Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on stage during a rally, Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in Des Moines, Iowa. uneasy about the former president’s prospects in November 2024.

Still, Reynolds said DeSantis is best poised for victory in the general election, a race she doesn’t think Trump can win without attracting voters beyond his base. DeSantis “won in demographics that Republicans have never really won in Florida,” she said.

Reynolds and DeSantis often

commend each other for their robust wins in last year’s midterm elections, when Republicans struggled elsewhere, and their parallel policy accomplishments in formerly purple states.

Trump continues to dominate polls of Republican voters in states that vote early in the nomination process, Iowa included, but Reynolds predicted “a lot of movement” over the next two months. She cit-

ed the Des Moines Register/ NBC News/Mediacom late October poll that showed DeSantis identified as a frequent second choice or candidate that voters were “actively considering.”

“I didn’t see that same opportunity with some of the other candidates when you looked at where they ranked for second choice,” Reynolds said. “I thought Ron was in a really good place for that.”

Long before the formal endorsement, Trump had accused Reynolds of disloyalty for her cozy relationship with DeSantis and tried to take credit for her winning the governorship.

“If and when Kim Reynolds of Iowa endorses Ron DeSanctimonious, who is absolutely dying in the polls both in Iowa and Nationwide, it will be the end of her political career in that MAGA would never support her again, just as MAGA will never support DeSanctimonious again,” he wrote in a social media post Sunday after reports of her endorsement surfaced.

Reynolds initially promised that she would remain neutral in the race and she joined most candidates for campaign events throughout the spring and summer, though her close relationship with DeSantis and his family was on display in regular appearances they made together.

She changed her mind because “there’s just too much at stake,” she said, though it wasn’t a decision she made lightly, adding that she called Haley, who she said was “a good friend,” to let her know.

While she said it’s not her place to suggest others drop out of the race, Reynolds said Iowa’s role in the nominating process is to start to winnow the field, which will happen naturally.

“It’s not really about always picking the winner,” she said, “but it’s about helping narrow the field.”

After indictment, North Carolina’s state auditor says she’ll resign The Associated Press RALEIGH — North Carolina State Auditor Beth Wood announced on Thursday that she will resign from her elected post next month, a decision coming two days after she was indicted on charges that she misused her state-owned vehicle for personal activities.

Wood, a Democrat who was first elected auditor in 2008, had already announced last week that she wouldn’t seek reelection in 2024. That was revealed before a Wake County grand jury formally accused her of a pair of misdemeanors.

“I will step down as State Auditor on December 15, 2023, completing 30 years of service to the State of North Carolina,” Wood said in a written statement, “I made this decision because we have such a great team doing incredibly important work and I don’t want to be a distraction. It has been an honor and privilege to work with such a talented staff and to serve the citizens of this great state.”

The indictment followed an eight-month investigation by state agents that appeared to germinate after she was cited last December for leaving the

AP PHOTO

North Carolina State Auditor Beth Wood makes an appearance in Wake County Court earlier this year in Raleigh. scene of a crash when she drove her state-owned vehicle into a parked car. Wood pleaded guilty in March to misdemeanor hitand-run involving the crash and paid fines and court costs. She apologized, telling the presiding judge that she had made a “grave mistake” by leaving the accident scene.

The state constitution directs Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper to appoint someone to fill the re-

mainder of her four-year term through the end of 2024. Cooper also could initially name an interim auditor before making a full appointment. The appointee could decide to run for the job next year. Several people had already announced they’re running. Candidate filing begins next month, with primary elections in March.

Wood informed Cooper of her resignation decision on Thurs-

day afternoon, the governor’s office said.

Cooper “respects her decision and thanked her for her years of service to North Carolina,” spokesperson Jordan Monaghan said in a text message. “Our office will have more information about the appointment process for this position in the coming days.”

This week’s indictment alleged that in 2021 and 2022, Wood used an assigned stateowned vehicle for “hair appointments and dental appointments out of town, traveling to shopping centers and spa locations where she was not engaged in business in her official capacity.”

Wood, 69, said on Tuesday that she was “very disappointed” that Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman had brought the charges against her.

Wood said that she had reimbursed the state to cover personal use of the car by purposely overpaying for miles in which she commuted to her job.

A Craven County native, Wood is a certified public accountant who worked in the State Auditor’s Office for nearly 10 years before she defeated incumbent Auditor Les Merritt in 2008.

The state auditor is one of 10 positions within the Council of State, which also includes the governor, attorney general and other statewide elected executive branch officials. Her office issues audits often critical of state government operations and what it considers mismanaged local governments and taxpayer money — leaving her with both friends and enemies on both sides of the political aisle.

The Dec. 8 accident, which happened in downtown Raleigh after she said she left a holiday party, resulted in car damage but no injuries. Her police citation became public weeks later. The accident led to examinations of her use of a state vehicle.

The state’s motor fleet management director suspended her vehicle assignment in January as the crash investigation continued.

In June, Wood said she would seek reelection next year. When reversing her decision last week, Wood didn’t mention specifically any legal troubles except to say that she has “made mistakes along the way, but I have acknowledged them and have learned from them.” She said she wanted to now embark on a public speaking career.

ĕĊē ėĒĘ ĊęĎėĊĒĊēę ĊēęĊė

Caring for Seniors Committed to serving and enriching the lives of every resident Affordable Assisted Living and Memory Care

We are happy to discuss your needs or TXHVWLRQV :H·UH KHUH WR KHOS Integrity Open Arms Retirement Center 612 Health Drive • Raeford, NC

openarmsretirement.com • 910-875-3949

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

7

obituaries

Linda Lee (Fairbanks) Barbus

February 19, 1949 ~ November 7, 2023 Linda Lee (Fairbanks) Barbus, age 74, died Tuesday, November 7, 2023 in Raeford, NC. Born, February 19, 1949 in Brush Valley Township, Indiana County, PA, she was a daughter of the late Orville Ray Fairbanks and Gertrude (Uncapher) Fairbanks.

A graduate of United High School, Linda served oneyear active duty in the U.S. Air Force prior to serving another 23 years in the Air Force Reserves. Through both active duty and the reserves, she worked as an air traffic controller, as a certified nurse’s assistant, a flight line worker and a civil service professional.

Most of her time was spent at Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX. Linda enjoyed playing the card games, spades, solitaire and skippo. She also liked gardening and reading and she fondly remembered her many adventures traveling internationally and throughout the U.S. while in the Air Force.

She was a member of the First United Methodist Church, Laredo, TX where she was a member of the Methodist Women’s Group and the Crochet Club. Linda also attended services at the Raeford First United Methodist Church, Raeford, NC. She is remembered by her three children: Faith A. Gonzalez (Juan), Laredo, TX; Heather Field (Ronnie), San Antonio, TX; and Leonard E. Barbus, Jr., Raeford, NC. Linda is also survived by 11 grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren and the following siblings: Judy Henderson, Altoona, PA; Donald Fairbanks, Commodore, PA; Peg Durst, Penn Run, PA; Richard Fairbanks (Carol), Illinois; Karen Fairbanks, Indiana, PA and Michael Fairbanks, Indiana, PA. Other surviving family members include 3 sisters-in-law, 1 brother-inlaw and numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, Linda was preceded in death by sisters: Elma Bash, Betty Fairbanks, Bonnie Yatsko and 3 other siblings who died in infancy.

Mary McMillian

Marques McRae

June 29, 1931 ~ November 6, 2023

February 7, 2004 ~ November 6, 2023

Ms. Mary McMillian age, 92 went home to rest with her heavenly father on November 6, 2023.

Mr. Marques McRae age, 19 went home to be with his heavenly father on November 6, 2023. He was preceded in death by his mother Monona Archie McRae.

She leaves to cherish her loving memories her children: Gwendolyn Nettles, Lloyd McMillian; ten grandchildren, nineteen great grandchildren along with a host of other family and friends. Mary will be greatly missed.

He leaves to cherish his loving memories his father, Orlanda McRae; mother, Mildred Love; brothers: Antoine McRae, Willie Love, Wymond Love, nephews: Omarion McRae, Siameer McRae; niece, Myisha McRae along with a host of other family and friends. Marques will be greatly missed.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones.

Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in NSJ at obits@northstatejournal.com

Maryanne Trump Barry, the former president’s older sister and a retired federal judge, dies at 86 The Associated Press NEW YORK — Maryanne Trump Barry, a retired federal judge and former President Donald Trump ‘s oldest sister, has died at age 86 at her home in New York.

Until her retirement in 2019, Barry was a senior judge on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, a level below the Supreme Court.

The NYPD confirmed that officers were sent to Barry’s Manhattan home just before 4:30 a.m. and discovered a deceased 86-year-old woman. The cause of death was not immediately clear. Her death was confirmed by a judicial official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the news hadn’t been announced publicly by either the court or Trump’s family.

Trump’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but the former president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., spoke briefly about his aunt as he exited a Manhattan courthouse Monday, calling it a “rough day for myself and my family,” Trump Jr. told reporters after testifying in a civil fraud trial that he had been informed of the news as he pulled up to the courthouse Monday morning.

“I’m very close with her grandson. We hang out all the time. And so it’s obviously a rough day for that,” he said.

Before becoming a judge, Barry became an Assistant U.S. Attorney in 1974. She was nominated to the federal court in New Jersey by President Ronald Reagan. She was later elevated to the U.S. Court of Appeals by President Bill Clinton.

She retired in 2019 amid an investigation into her family’s tax practices.

Barry stayed largely out of the spotlight during her brother’s presidency, but drew headlines after her niece, Mary Trump, revealed that she had secretly recorded her aunt while promoting a book that denounced the former president. In the recordings, Barry could be heard sharply criticizing her brother,

at one point saying the former president “has no principles” and is “cruel.”

Years before her brother became president, Barry wrote in a 2006 immigration case that judges had too little leeway to evaluate who should get to remain in the U.S. because of rigid laws that force “knee-jerk” decisions.

The case involved a man from Northern Ireland, Malachy McAllister, denied asylum by the 3rd Circuit panel on which she sat. Barry urged the federal government to intervene in the case.

“I refuse to believe that ‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free ...’ is now an empty entreaty. But if it is, shame on us,” wrote Barry, who said McAllister’s actions came as the Irish sought to end more than 800 years of British rule.

McAllister, a former member of the paramilitary Irish National Liberation Army, was convicted in the 1981 wounding of a British police officer.

Barry was also known for her wry sense of humor, evident in a 2015 case over fan access to Super Bowl tickets.

When the NFL compared the distribution practice to Catholic parishes that got a bounty of tickets to see the pope in Philadelphia, Barry’s colleagues joked that the pope was skipping New Jersey altogether.

“We’re used to it,” Barry quipped.

Trump, who was one of five children, now has one living sibling, his sister Elizabeth Trump Grau.

The former president’s younger brother, Robert Trump, died in 2020 at 71, and Trump held a service at the White House in his honor.

His older brother, Fred Trump Jr., died of a heart attack at 42, which the family blamed on alcoholism.

Donald Trump’s ex-wife Ivana Trump died in 2022 at the age of 73.

The news of Barry’s death was first reported by the Daily Voice in Nassau County.

Federal judge Maryanne Trump Barry, older sister of Donald Trump, sits in the balcony during Trump’s election night rally in New York in 2016.

AP PHOTO

High-ranking Mormon leader M. Russell Ballard dies at age 95 The Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY — One of the highest ranking leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, M. Russell Ballard, has died. He was 95.

He died Sunday surrounded by family at his home, according to a church statement Monday morning.

Ballard was second-in-line to become church president based on being the second-longest tenured member of a top governing body called the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which he said he was called to join in 1985.

The leadership body sits below the first presidency, and helps

set church policy and oversees the faith’s business interests.

The longest-tenured member of the Quorum becomes the new president in a church tradition established in 1889 to prevent lobbying and ensure a smooth transition in the faith known widely as the Mormon church.

Ballard was a great-great grandson of Hyrum Smith, brother of church founder Joseph Smith. Beginning as a young missionary in England, he rose through church leadership ranks, becoming a bishop, president of the Toronto mission and member of the Presidency of the Seventy.

Speaking at a church confer-

ence last April, Ballard said the most valuable things in life are those that last the longest, including family relationships, which he realized when visiting the victims of natural disasters.

“Many were displaced, hungry and frightened. They needed medical assistance, food and shelter. They also needed their families,” Ballard said. “These relationships are essential for emotional and physical health.”

Recently Ballard was in the news as the church publicly accused Tim Ballard, the unrelated founder of the anti-child-trafficking organization Operation Underground Railroad, of unauthorized use of M. Russell

Ballard’s name for “personal advantage and activity regarded as morally unacceptable.”

Tim Ballard has denied the allegation and a lawsuit claims that he sexually coerced and assaulted women who took part in child-trafficking stings overseas.

M. Russell Ballard was born in Salt Lake City in 1928 to Melvin R. and Geraldine Smith Ballard. His wife, Barbara, died in 2018. He is survived by his seven children, 43 grandchildren, 105 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

In accordance with church traditions, a replacement will be

chosen for Ballard at a yet-tobe determined time. Those announcements are often made at the faith’s twice-yearly conference, the next of which is scheduled for the first weekend of April.

New members can come from anywhere, but in modern history most were already serving in a lower-tier leadership council.

They tend to be older men who have achieved a measure of success in occupations outside the church.

The last five chosen for the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, including three in October 2015 and two in the spring of 2018, fit that description.

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

8

STATE & NATION Biden’s movable wall is criticized by environmentalists and those who want more border security The Associated Press

be temporary.

An example of the style of barrier his administration will use can be seen in Brownsville, about 100 miles southeast of Starr County. Metal bollards embedded into 4-foot-high cement blocks that taper toward the top sit along the southern part of a neighborhood not far from the curving Rio Grande.

Over the last year, the Rio Grande Valley region was the fourth-busiest area for the number of people crossing into the U.S. illegally, though it was the busiest in previous years.

With the design planned for Starr County, federal border agents will be able to move around the fencing, said Democratic U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, who represents Starr County. “So it’s one of those things where if they want to direct traffic, they can move it.”

Scott agreed that the “moveable” fences can be used as an emergency stopgap measure to block off access in some areas.

But he warned that if the fencing isn’t placed far enough into the ground, someone might be able to use a vehicle to shove it out of the way, provided they don’t mind damaging the vehicle.

Laiken Jordahl, a conservation advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity, said mountain lions, bobcats, javelinas, coyotes, white-tail deer, armadillos, jack

rabbits, ground squirrels, and two endangered, federally protected plants — Zapata bladderpod and prostrate milkweed — may be affected.

Jordahl said the design the Biden administration is using “will block even the smallest species of animals from passing through the barrier.”

“The one advantage for making it shorter is, I guess if somebody falls while they’re climbing over it, they aren’t falling as far,” Scott Nicol, a board member of the Friends of the Wildlife Corridor, said.

Nicol, who lives in the Rio Grande Valley, is familiar with the type of barriers Biden’s administration will use, the terrain, and the weather in Starr County.

He is concerned about unintended consequences, particularly on the Rio Grande that separates U.S. and Mexico.

“You know, if Starr County gets hit by a big rainstorm and the water has to drain into the river, these walls — whether it’s the bollard walls or the Jersey barrier walls — are going to block the movement of that water and dam it up,” Nicol said.

Last month, the Center for Biological Diversity along with about 100 other organizations sent the U.S. government a letter pleading for reconsideration of environmental protection laws. To date, they have not received an answer.

FBI head cites a ‘potential conflict of interest’ in selection process for new headquarters

home to the FBI Academy, criticized the government’s decision.

Congress last year directed the administration to consider three sites for the new headquarters: Greenbelt and Landover in Maryland or Springfield, Virginia.

A board that included representatives from the GSA and the FBI unanimously agreed on Springfield, Wray wrote. But a senior GSA executive changed course and went with Greenbelt, the FBI director said.

“The FBI observed that, at times, outside information was inserted into the process in a manner which appeared to disproportionately favor Greenbelt, and the justifications for the departures from the panel were varied and inconsistent,” Wray wrote.

The land in Greenbelt is owned by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, which once employed the senior GSA executive, according to Wray’s note.

“Despite our engagement with GSA over the last two months on these issues, our concerns about the process remain unresolved,” Wray wrote. “There are still a lot of open questions, and we’ve still got a long way to go.”

Carnahan said the GSA had listened to the FBI: “At every step, the GSA team has worked to incorporate the FBI’s feedback and appropriately address their concerns, including conducting a legal review of each concern raised.”

McALLEN, Texas — The Biden administration’s plan to build new barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border in South Texas calls for a “movable” design that frustrates both environmentalists and advocates of stronger border enforcement.

The plans for the nearly 20 miles of new barrier in Starr County were made public in September when the federal government sought public input. The following month, the administration waived 26 federal laws protecting the environment and certain species to speed up the construction process.

“The United States Border Patrol did not ask for this downgraded border wall,” Rodney Scott, a former U.S. Border Patrol chief said.

Construction is moving forward despite President Joe Biden’s campaign promise not to build more wall and amid an increase in migrants coming to the nation’s southern border from across Latin America and other parts of the world to seek asylum.

Illegal crossings topped 2 million for the second year in a row for the government’s budget year that ended Sept. 30.

People such as Scott who want more border security believe the barriers won’t be strong enough to stop people from crossing ille-

AP PHOTO

Dusk begins to fall at a section of border fence in Brownsville, Texas, on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023. gally. Environmentalists, meanwhile, say the design actually poses a greater risk to animal habitat than former President Donald Trump’s border wall.

Biden has defended the administration’s decision by saying he had to use the Trump-era funding for it. The law requires the funding for the new barriers to be used as approved and for the construction to be completed in 2023.

Most barriers on the border were erected in the last 20 years under Trump and former President George W. Bush. Those sections of border wall include Normandy-style fencing that resembles big X’s and bollard-style fencing made of upright steel posts.

Biden’s barrier will be much shorter than the 18- to 30- foot concrete-filled steel bollard panels of Trump’s wall. It also could

The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — The contentious debate over a new FBI headquarters intensified further as the director said he was concerned about a “potential conflict of interest” in the site selection and the White House defended the process as “fair and transparent.” But a senator said there a clear need for a federal investigation.

FBI Director Christopher Wray’s unusually sharp criticism came in an internal email to agency employees that was obtained by The Associated Press. It was the latest twist in a vigorous competition among jurisdictions in the national capital region to land America’s premier law enforcement agency.

That General Services Administration selected Greenbelt, Maryland, a Washington suburb, as the home for a new facility to replace the crumbling J. Edgar Hoover Building, which is blocks away from the White House.

Wray said his objections were about the process rather than the Greenbelt site itself.

The GSA, which manages the government’s real estate portfo-

AP PHOTO

FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on Oct. 31, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. lio, said that site about 13 miles northeast of Washington was the cheapest one with the best access to public transit. But Wray asserted in his note that the choice came after a GSA executive overruled a board and picked land owned by a former employer.

Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, which also vied for the project, urged an investigation. “I had felt that this has been grossly political with efforts to try to change the criteria, but I was

astounded when we found out that three career officials unanimously picked Virginia and a political appointee overturned it.

Clearly, there needs to be an inspector general investigation,” he said.

In a joint statement, Virginia’s elected leaders called for the determination to be reversed, asserting that their state’s site remains the best choice under “any fair weighing of the criteria.”

But GSA Administrator Robin

Carnahan stood behind the agency’s work, saying officials followed all laws and ethical considerations. “Any suggestion that there was inappropriate interference is unfounded,” she said.

White House principal deputy press secretary Olivia Dalton also defended the process. She did not comment on whether did Biden had any direct involvement in the final site decision.

“I can tell you it was a fair and transparent process,” Dalton told reporters on Air Force One as Biden traveled to Illinois on Thursday. “The 61 acres in Greenbelt is both the lowest cost to taxpayers, most transportation options for FBI workers, and we had the most assurances about the expeditious means with which a project could get underway.”

Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said Wray has previously indicated he would prefer to stay in Washington, but maintained that experts found a suburban location is a better choice for the agency’s long-term security. “To say somehow this process was skewed is wrong,” Hoyer said.

Maryland and Virginia had long been vying to land the FBI, and officials in Virginia, which is

[[Yä kknÊ

È··¸ä äȹºä äȹµä ȸµ½ä ä¾kk 855-910-AMMO

NCammunition.com

VOLUME 6 ISSUE 3 | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2023

SUBSCRIBE TODAY: 336-283-6305

THE FORSYTH COUNTY EDITION OF THE NORTH STATE JOURNAL

COURTESY PHOTO

Salem Band hosting Christmas concerts

Join Salem Band for its annual Holiday Concert, Down-Home Christmas, at New Philadelphia Moravian Church on December 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Clemmons First Baptist Church on December 19 at 7:30 p.m. The free concerts (donations accepted) will include pre-concert holiday music by Salem Saxophone Quartet and will feature holiday classics as well as a solo from Salem Band Principal Trumpeter Ken Kline performing A Trumpeter’s Lullaby.”

WHAT’S HAPPENING Winston-Salem Dash announce new alternate jersey Winston-Salem The Winston-Salem Dash have announced their latest uniform for their 2024 season The Golden Age Collection. The team’s new jerseys will feature a black base and gold numbers and lettering inspirited by the golden era of Winston-Salem.

The Dash will debut their new Saturday look on April 13, 2024 against their division and Triad rival, the Greensboro Grasshoppers. The contest will include a post-game fireworks show.

TCH STAFF

Bo Hines, who lost 2022 election in North Carolina, announces another Congress run Mocksville A North Carolina congressional candidate who narrowly lost in the state’s only U.S. House swing district in 2022 is running in 2024 for a seat in another part of the state.

Republican Bo Hines filed candidacy papers with federal elections officials and released a video for his bid in the 6th Congressional District. The district covers all or part of a half-dozen Piedmont-area counties, including portions of Greensboro, Winston-Salem and Concord.

The 6th District is currently represented by Democratic Rep. Kathy Manning, but a redistricting map enacted last month by the GOP-controlled General Assembly retooled its lines so that the district now leans Republican, according to past election results.

Hines, 28, ran in the current Raleigh-area 13th District in 2022, but lost in the general election to Democrat Wiley Nickel by 3 percentage points.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Hoke cotton fields reflect global economic trends Local farmers adapt to market changes and technological advancements

By PJ Ward-Brown North State Journal RAEFORD — As autumn’s crisp air replaces summer’s heat, the fields of Hoke County undergo their seasonal transition. The county’s cotton fields transform as white bolls are harvested and rolled into large bales, awaiting transport to local gins. Throughout North Carolina, cotton farming stands as a symbol of both tra-

dition and change.

Historically known for its livestock, Hoke’s farmers have diversified their agricultural portfolio to include corn, peanuts, soybeans, sweet potatoes, and cotton. This shift reflects a broader trend in North Carolina’s farming sector, where adaptation and diversification are key to sustainability.

Farmers like Marvin McDonald, his son Daniel, and veteran Johnny Boyles are at the forefront of this evolving landscape. They navigate the complexities of a crop deeply intertwined with the global economy. Marvin McDonald, who transitioned to cotton

farming in 1989, was driven by the need for financial sustainability amid fluctuating grain markets. “Cotton farming is not just about growing a crop; it’s about understanding and adapting to market trends,” he says.

Daniel McDonald, set to continue the family legacy, stresses the importance of public awareness and appreciation for the impact that farmers and agriculture have on every citizen. “Many don’t realize where their food comes from,” said McDonald. “They see farming, but they don’t understand the challenges and hard work involved.” He says

After indictment, North Carolina’s state auditor says she’ll resign The Associated Press RALEIGH — North Carolina State Auditor Beth Wood announced on Thursday that she will resign from her elected post next month, a decision coming two days after she was indicted on charges that she misused her state-owned vehicle for personal activities.

Wood, a Democrat who was first elected auditor in 2008, had already announced last week that she wouldn’t seek reelection in 2024. That was revealed before a Wake County grand jury formally accused her of a pair of misdemeanors.

“I will step down as State Auditor on December 15, 2023, completing 30 years of service to the State of North Carolina,” Wood said in a written statement, “I made this decision because we have such a great team doing incredibly important work and I don’t want to be a distraction. It has been an honor and privilege to work with such a talented staff and to

serve the citizens of this great state.”

The indictment followed an eight-month investigation by state agents that appeared to germinate after she was cited last December for leaving the scene of a crash when she drove her state-owned vehicle into a parked car. Wood pleaded guilty in March to misdemeanor hit-and-run involving the crash and paid fines and court costs. She apologized, telling the presiding judge that she had made a “grave mistake” by leaving the accident scene.

The state constitution directs Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper to appoint someone to fill the remainder of her four-year term through the end of 2024. Cooper also could initially name an interim auditor before making a full appointment. The appointee could decide to run for the job next year. Several people had already announced they’re running. Candidate filing begins next month, with primary elections in March.

The indictment followed an eight-month investigation by state agents that appeared to germinate after she was cited last December for leaving the scene of a crash when she drove her state-owned vehicle into a parked car.

Wood informed Cooper of her resignation decision on Thursday afternoon, the governor’s office said.

Cooper “respects her decision and thanked her for her years of service to North Carolina,” spokesperson Jordan Monaghan said in a text message. “Our office will have more information about the appointment process for this position in the coming days.”

This week’s indictment al-

a commitment to educating the public and encouraging the next generation’s involvement in farming is vital for the industry’s future.

Johnny Boyles, with four decades in farming, joined the McDonalds to discuss cotton crops with the North State Journal last week. Boyles reflected on the shift from tobacco to cotton as his entry into the cotton industry. “Tobacco was once the mainstay, but cotton has proven more sustainable and less controversial,” said Boyles. “It’s about adapting to the times and the market.” Boyles also pointed to technological advancements that have transformed cotton farming. “The industry has evolved, but the essence of farming – resilience and hard work – remains unchanged,” he adds.

The global cotton indusSee COTTON, page 2

leged that in 2021 and 2022, Wood used an assigned stateowned vehicle for “hair appointments and dental appointments out of town, traveling to shopping centers and spa locations where she was not engaged in business in her official capacity.”

Wood, 69, said on Tuesday that she was “very disappointed” that Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman had brought the charges against her. Wood said that she had reimbursed the state to cover personal use of the car by purposely overpaying for miles in which she commuted to her job.

A Craven County native, Wood is a certified public accountant who worked in the State Auditor’s Office for nearly 10 years before she defeated incumbent Auditor Les Merritt in 2008.

The state auditor is one of 10 positions within the Council See WOOD, page 2

$2.00

Twin City Herald for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

2 WEDNESDAY

SID RE

WEEKLY FORECAST

11.15.23 #271 WEDNESDAY

NOV 15

HI LO PRECIP

“Join the conversation”

58° 41° 10%

THURSDAY

NOV 16

HI LO PRECIP

FRIDAY

NOV 17

68° 36° 2%

HI LO PRECIP

66° 48° 3%

SATURDAY

NOV 18

64° 43° 4%

HI LO PRECIP

SUNDAY

MONDAY

NOV 19

HI LO PRECIP

60° 36° 2%

NOV 20

HI LO PRECIP

55° 34° 6%

TUESDAY

NOV 21

HI LO PRECIP

55° 37° 14%

COLUMN | MAGGIE HORZEMPA

NC crime: a need for data-driven, targeted solutions Twin City Herald Neal Robbins Publisher Matt Mercer Editor in Chief Jordan Golson Locals Editor Cory Lavalette Sports Editor Shawn Krest Sports Editor Frank Hill Senior Opinion Editor Lauren Rose Design Editor Published each Wednesday as part of North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607 TO SUBSCRIBE: 336-283-6305 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 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607

Get in touch

Twin City Herald

www nsjonline.com

Data from the City of Raleigh reveals that violent crimes and property crimes are on the rise. Data also shows that CharlotteMecklenburg saw an increase in crime from 2020 to 2022.

WE’VE ALL FELT THE FEAR as we see media coverage hyper-focusing on crimeridden cities like Philadelphia, San Francisco, and New York City. In North Carolina, even one crime victim is too many, but the emotional fearmongering of local and national media often dominates news and public opinion.

We all want to know: Are our cities safe?

What are the facts? Recent reports are debunking the perception that North Carolina is a state plagued by increasing violent crime while also exposing the complex issues shouldered by some of our biggest cities.

According to the most recent FBI report, The 2022 Crime in the Nation Statistics, violent crimes decreased across North Carolina and, on average, across the nation to pre-pandemic levels. The report averaged the decreases in crime from states like North Carolina and Florida with states that saw crime rates go up in places like Alabama and Massachusetts.

Other reports reinforce this good news. The NC Bureau of Investigation’s Index of Offenses and Clearances shows crime rates dropped by 5.75% since 2020. Violent crimes declined by 5.62% and property crimes declined 5.77% from 2020 to 2022.

So why are our news channels and social feeds bombarded by crime and unfavorable stories about law enforcement? Taking a look at our urban areas in North Carolina, big cities like Raleigh and Charlotte experienced increases in violent crime while cities like Los Angeles and Chicago saw declines. Data from the City of Raleigh reveals that violent crimes and property crimes are on the rise. Data also shows that Charlotte-Mecklenburg saw an increase in crime from 2020 to 2022.

While public safety in our big cities must be addressed, it’s important to maintain the perspective of North Carolina citizens from all corners of the state. A recent Civitas poll by the John Locke Foundation, showed 33.9%

of voters are concerned about crime in their neighborhoods, but most voters expressed confidence in the job their local police force is doing.

Demographics make a huge difference when addressing concerns about crime in North Carolina. According to the Civitas poll, young voters aged 18 to 34 were the least likely to express concern about their safety, while voters aged 65 and above were the most worried. This disparity in perception may be attributed to generational differences, life experiences, or variations in media consumption. It’s essential to recognize that public safety concerns are not static and can evolve as individuals and their communities change.

When voters were asked about their top crime concerns, drug-related crimes emerged at the forefront, followed by property crime and then violent crime. Surprisingly, gang activity was the least cited issue. These preferences highlight the diverse nature of crime concerns in North Carolina, which require tailored approaches to effectively address criminal justice policies in all communities.

The most intriguing aspect of these polls is the juxtaposition between public concerns, media coverage, and the actual crime trends in North Carolina. Recognizing the multiplicity of community concerns within North Carolina’s population is vital for crafting effective public safety policies and maintaining our confidence in law enforcement’s hard work and dedication.

By tempering the barrage of media and political misinformation, these report findings can help foster productive conversations and help underscore the importance of understanding what crimes are impacting citizens most so that targeted solutions can be developed.

Maggie Horzempa is the NC Director & Development Manager, Right on Crime for the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

COTTON from page 1

try is significant to the world economy, with major producers like the United States, India, China, and Brazil shaping the market. The U.S. remains a key exporter, with states like Texas, Georgia, and Mississippi leading in production. The international supply chain of cotton, stretching from cultivation to textile manufacturing, involves countries like China and Bangladesh, requiring stable trade relations to maintain practices and production.

In North Carolina, the major players in cotton production are concentrated in the northeast of the state. Counties like Halifax (95,000 bales), Northampton (71,400 bales), Bertie (70,000 bales), Martin (56,000 bales), Edgecombe (47,500 bales), and Hertford (34,000 bales) lead in production. While Hoke County doesn’t rank among these top producers, its agricultural diversity, including row crops and livestock, provides a buffer against market volatility, strengthening the local economy and contributing to the re-

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

McDonald’s family Cotton harvest in Dundarrach, on November 9. silience of the state’s agricultural sector.

These farmers face challeng-

es including fluctuating market prices, weather, and evolving consumer demands as part of

the broader industry. The value of global and state cotton economies underscores the crop’s

WOOD from page 1

Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements: forsythcommunity@northstatejournal.com Weekly deadline is Monday at Noon

of State, which also includes the governor, attorney general and other statewide elected executive branch officials. Her office issues audits often critical of state government operations and what it considers mismanaged local governments and taxpayer money — leaving her with both friends and enemies on both sides of the political aisle.

The Dec. 8 accident, which happened in downtown Raleigh after she said she left a holiday party, resulted in car damage but no injuries. Her police cita-

significance. The U.S. is a leading cotton producer, with an estimated annual production value exceeding $6 billion. In North Carolina, the state ranks sixth nationally in cotton production.

The latest U.S. Department of Agriculture cotton projections for 2023 show China accounts for nearly half of global cotton stocks, with India, Brazil, and the United States combining for an additional 25 percent. World cotton production is forecast at 112.6 million bales in 2023, 3.2 percent below the previous year, as the global yield is projected to decrease, while the global cotton trade is projected to rise 17 percent in 2023-24.

Local North Carolina farmers like the McDonald family are committed to the future of global crops like cotton and hope the demand and innovation help keep them in business.

Recognizing their position as part of a larger supply chain, Daniel McDonald said, “I just hope that textiles and things can improve around this area so we can continue to afford to do it.”

tion became public weeks later.

The accident led to examinations of her use of a state vehicle. The state’s motor fleet management director suspended her vehicle assignment in January as the crash investigation continued.

In June, Wood said she would seek reelection next year. When reversing her decision last week, Wood didn’t mention specifically any legal troubles except to say that she has “made mistakes along the way, but I have acknowledged them and have learned from them.” She said she wanted to now embark on a public speaking career.

Twin City Herald for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

SIDELINE REPORT

3

SPORTS

SPONSORED BY

NHL

Biden honors Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights at White House Washington, D.C. President Joe Biden honored the Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights in a ceremony Monday at the White House. The Golden Knights’ visit to the White House marked a return of an NHL tradition after the 2022 champion Colorado Avalanche were unable to make it work amid scheduling conflicts. The last hockey team honored

by Biden was the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrating back-to-back titles in 2020 and 2021 during the pandemic. Players said politics never came up in their private meeting with Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Hoke to retire as San Diego State coach at end of season San Diego San Diego State coach Brady Hoke says he will retire from leading the Aztecs after this season, having guided the program for six years over two stints that included three bowl appearances. The 65-yearold Hoke is 39-31 at San Diego State, but just 3-7 this year. He is in the fourth season of his second term as Aztecs head coach. Hoke went 13-12, turning around a long struggling San Diego State program in 2009-10 before becoming head coach at Michigan. Hoke went 3121 in four years with the Wolverines. He was fired during the 2012 season.

SOCCER

Gotham win NWSL title, Rapinoe injured in finale San Diego World Cup winner Esther González scored the goahead goal on a header in first-half stoppage time and Gotham FC survived a wild finish to beat OL Reign 2-1 in the National Women’s Soccer League championship match.

In the opening minutes, Megan Rapinoe hobbled off the pitch with an apparent Achilles injury in a heartbreaking end to her career. The noncontact injury the Reign’s star took some of the wind out of the crowd at San Diego State’s Snapdragon Stadium. Ali Krieger of Gotham FC ran over to hug her former teammate on the U.S. women’s national team before Rapinoe left the field.

MLB

Mendoza gets threeyear deal to manage Mets manager

New York Carlos Mendoza was officially hired Monday as manager of the New York Mets with a three-year contract and the task of leading a turnaround from 2023’s huge failure. The eeks later. 43-year-old was introduced minations Tuesday at Citi Field. His hicle. The deal includes a team option nagement for 2027. Mendoza spent er vehicle the past four seasons across y as the town as Aaron Boone’s tinued. bench coach with the New she would York Yankees. He replaces ar. When Buck Showalter, fired by the last week, Mets on the final day of the n specifi- season after two years as es except manager. Mendoza becomes made mis- the major leagues’ second ut I have Venezuelan-born manager and have after Ozzie Guillén. e said she on a pub-

the better part of th ing to earn acceptan stitutions,” Ural said don’t know what we’r now.”

The outbreak has for millions of stud taking virtual tou while also dealing about tuition payme

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

UConn’s Paige Bueckers walks off the court as NC State players celebrate after the Wolfpack knocked off the No. 2 Huskies on Sunday in Raleigh.

Brandon Sutton AP PHOTO

Gamecocks back at No. 1 in women’s poll NC State went from unranked to No. 14 after knocking off then-No. 2 UConn The Associated Press SOUTH CAROLINA had a historic jump to No. 1 in the AP Top 25 after a chaotic opening week in women’s basketball that saw nine of the top 14 teams in the preseason poll lose, including defending national champion and preseason No. 1 LSU. The Gamecocks weren’t the only teams making history in the season’s first regular-season poll, either. UConn and Colorado did too and it was a milestone poll for the Pac-12 Conference.

South Carolina was sixth in the preseason before vaulting up to the top spot in The Associated Press women’s basketball poll released Monday. No team has made a bigger leap to No. 1 in the history of the poll that dates to 1977.

South Carolina received 23 first-place votes from the 36-member national media panel. Iowa was second with the other 13 first-place ballots. UCLA, Utah and Colorado rounded out the first five.

LSU fell to seventh after losing its opener to then-No. 20 Colorado. The Buffaloes now have their best ranking since closing out the 1995 season at No. 2 and made the biggest leap in poll history, moving up 15 spots, according to the website “Across the Timeline.”

UConn fell from second to eighth after losing to NC State, which jumped into the poll at No. 14. The Wolfpack’s

entrance matched the highest for an unranked team, tying Kansas State in 2003. Despite the loss, the Huskies now have been ranked for 566 consecutive weeks, breaking a tie with Tennessee for the longest streak ever.

“The consistency we’ve had over those 30 years despite how much the game has changed is quite remarkable,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “The magnitude of it doesn’t hit me until someone points it out.”

This was only the second time when the poll’s preseason 1-2 teams did not remain in the top two spots in the first regular-season poll. It also happened at the start of the 1998-99 season: Purdue knocked off No. 1 Tennessee to open the season and vaulted up from five to one the next week. That was the biggest jump to the top spot until South Carolina’s move this week.

South Carolina had a run of 38 straight weeks at No. 1 end in the preseason poll. That was the second-longest streak behind UConn’s 51-week run (2008-10).

Stanford climbed to sixth, Virginia Tech is ninth and USC is 10th. This is Southern Cal’s best ranking since the final poll of the 1994 season when the team was seventh. That gave the Pac-12 five teams in the top 10, the first time a conference has done that since the SEC accomplished in the final poll of the 1997 season.

Ole Miss had the biggest fall in the poll this week, dropping from 12 to 23 after losing to Oklahoma. The Sooners entered at No. 25. Mississippi State and Illinois dropped out of the rankings.

EAST FORSYTH FOOTBALL

Brandon Sutton, football Brandon Sutton is a senior running back on the East Forsyth football team.

The Eagles saw their playoff run end on Friday with a 34-28 loss to Independence. Sutton led the way with 141 yards on 20 carries, including one touchdown. He also catches two passes for nine yards.

Sutton led the team with 838 rushing yards this year and was third in the conference in scoring with 84 points on 14 touchdowns.

Texas A&M fires Fisher, school owes him $75M Duke coach Mike Elko has been named as a potential replacement

The Associated Press COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Landing Jimbo Fisher, a coach with a national title on his resume, seemed like just what Texas A&M needed to finally become a championship contender.

But Fisher failed to replicate his success at Florida State in six years with the Aggies and athletic director Ross Bjork fired the coach Sunday despite owing him more than $75 million.

“That’s the hard part in all of this,” Bjork said. “How many sitting head coaches won national championships? So, everyone had tons of optimism. But it just goes back to the last couple of years. Do we have momentum? Do we have hope? How do we see things trending? And we just didn’t see the trend lines improving.”

Instead of winning a title, Fisher went 45-25 and 2721 in the Southeastern Conference, never winning more than nine games in any season. The Aggies are 6-4 with two games left, coming off a 51-10 victory against Mississippi State on Saturday night.

Bjork met with university president Mark Welsh and Texas A&M system chancellor John Sharp earlier this week and told them that a coaching change was “absolutely necessary.”

“The assessment that I deliv-

AP PHOTO

Jimbo Fisher was fired as football coach at Texas A&M on Sunday. ered was that we are not reaching our full potential,” Bjork said.

“We are not in the championship conversation and something was not quite right about our direction and the plan.”

Assistant Elijah Robinson will serve as interim coach for the last two games.

Bjork delivered the news to Fisher on Sunday morning at Kyle Field in a meeting the AD called “quick and cordial.”

Fisher was lured away from Florida State, where he had won a national championship in 2013, by a massive 10-year, fully guaranteed contract at the end of the 2017 season.

That contract was extended back to 10 years after he led the

Aggies to a 9-1 record during the 2020 pandemic season, by far A&M’s best year under Fisher.

According to his contract, Fisher is owed the entirety of what remains on his deal — regardless of whether he gets another job in coaching — a staggering buyout that is more than triple the largest known given to a fired head coach.

Bjork said 25% of what Fisher is owed — about $19 million — is due within 60 days and the first of several installments of about $7 million must be paid within 120 days.

“We will use unrestricted contributions within the 12th Man Foundation for the first one-time payment and the athletic depart-

ment will fund the annual payments for the remaining portion by growing our revenues and adjusting our annual operating budget accordingly,” he said.

He added that the school “has to learn a lesson” from Fisher’s contract and that the finances involving his firing are “monumental.”

“Although this is a major, major financial decision that comes with many consequences, we have a plan and we will not let this impact the performance or the culture of our entire athletics program,” Bjork said.

Duke coach Mike Elko is among the potential candidates rumored to be a target for the Aggies.

Twin City Herald for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

4

STATE & NATION

Biden’s movable wall is criticized by environmentalists and those who want more border security The Associated Press

be temporary.

An example of the style of barrier his administration will use can be seen in Brownsville, about 100 miles southeast of Starr County. Metal bollards embedded into 4-foot-high cement blocks that taper toward the top sit along the southern part of a neighborhood not far from the curving Rio Grande.

Over the last year, the Rio Grande Valley region was the fourth-busiest area for the number of people crossing into the U.S. illegally, though it was the busiest in previous years.

With the design planned for Starr County, federal border agents will be able to move around the fencing, said Democratic U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, who represents Starr County. “So it’s one of those things where if they want to direct traffic, they can move it.”

Scott agreed that the “moveable” fences can be used as an emergency stopgap measure to block off access in some areas.

But he warned that if the fencing isn’t placed far enough into the ground, someone might be able to use a vehicle to shove it out of the way, provided they don’t mind damaging the vehicle.

Laiken Jordahl, a conservation advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity, said mountain lions, bobcats, javelinas, coyotes, white-tail deer, armadillos, jack

rabbits, ground squirrels, and two endangered, federally protected plants — Zapata bladderpod and prostrate milkweed — may be affected.

Jordahl said the design the Biden administration is using “will block even the smallest species of animals from passing through the barrier.”

“The one advantage for making it shorter is, I guess if somebody falls while they’re climbing over it, they aren’t falling as far,” Scott Nicol, a board member of the Friends of the Wildlife Corridor, said.

Nicol, who lives in the Rio Grande Valley, is familiar with the type of barriers Biden’s administration will use, the terrain, and the weather in Starr County.

He is concerned about unintended consequences, particularly on the Rio Grande that separates U.S. and Mexico.

“You know, if Starr County gets hit by a big rainstorm and the water has to drain into the river, these walls — whether it’s the bollard walls or the Jersey barrier walls — are going to block the movement of that water and dam it up,” Nicol said.

Last month, the Center for Biological Diversity along with about 100 other organizations sent the U.S. government a letter pleading for reconsideration of environmental protection laws. To date, they have not received an answer.

FBI head cites a ‘potential conflict of interest’ in selection process for new headquarters

home to the FBI Academy, criticized the government’s decision.

Congress last year directed the administration to consider three sites for the new headquarters: Greenbelt and Landover in Maryland or Springfield, Virginia.

A board that included representatives from the GSA and the FBI unanimously agreed on Springfield, Wray wrote. But a senior GSA executive changed course and went with Greenbelt, the FBI director said.

“The FBI observed that, at times, outside information was inserted into the process in a manner which appeared to disproportionately favor Greenbelt, and the justifications for the departures from the panel were varied and inconsistent,” Wray wrote.

The land in Greenbelt is owned by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, which once employed the senior GSA executive, according to Wray’s note.

“Despite our engagement with GSA over the last two months on these issues, our concerns about the process remain unresolved,” Wray wrote. “There are still a lot of open questions, and we’ve still got a long way to go.”

Carnahan said the GSA had listened to the FBI: “At every step, the GSA team has worked to incorporate the FBI’s feedback and appropriately address their concerns, including conducting a legal review of each concern raised.”

McALLEN, Texas — The Biden administration’s plan to build new barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border in South Texas calls for a “movable” design that frustrates both environmentalists and advocates of stronger border enforcement.

The plans for the nearly 20 miles of new barrier in Starr County were made public in September when the federal government sought public input. The following month, the administration waived 26 federal laws protecting the environment and certain species to speed up the construction process.

“The United States Border Patrol did not ask for this downgraded border wall,” Rodney Scott, a former U.S. Border Patrol chief said.

Construction is moving forward despite President Joe Biden’s campaign promise not to build more wall and amid an increase in migrants coming to the nation’s southern border from across Latin America and other parts of the world to seek asylum.

Illegal crossings topped 2 million for the second year in a row for the government’s budget year that ended Sept. 30.

People such as Scott who want more border security believe the barriers won’t be strong enough to stop people from crossing ille-

AP PHOTO

Dusk begins to fall at a section of border fence in Brownsville, Texas, on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023. gally. Environmentalists, meanwhile, say the design actually poses a greater risk to animal habitat than former President Donald Trump’s border wall.

Biden has defended the administration’s decision by saying he had to use the Trump-era funding for it. The law requires the funding for the new barriers to be used as approved and for the construction to be completed in 2023.

Most barriers on the border were erected in the last 20 years under Trump and former President George W. Bush. Those sections of border wall include Normandy-style fencing that resembles big X’s and bollard-style fencing made of upright steel posts.

Biden’s barrier will be much shorter than the 18- to 30- foot concrete-filled steel bollard panels of Trump’s wall. It also could

The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — The contentious debate over a new FBI headquarters intensified further as the director said he was concerned about a “potential conflict of interest” in the site selection and the White House defended the process as “fair and transparent.” But a senator said there a clear need for a federal investigation.

FBI Director Christopher Wray’s unusually sharp criticism came in an internal email to agency employees that was obtained by The Associated Press. It was the latest twist in a vigorous competition among jurisdictions in the national capital region to land America’s premier law enforcement agency.

That General Services Administration selected Greenbelt, Maryland, a Washington suburb, as the home for a new facility to replace the crumbling J. Edgar Hoover Building, which is blocks away from the White House.

Wray said his objections were about the process rather than the Greenbelt site itself.

The GSA, which manages the government’s real estate portfo-

AP PHOTO

FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on Oct. 31, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. lio, said that site about 13 miles northeast of Washington was the cheapest one with the best access to public transit. But Wray asserted in his note that the choice came after a GSA executive overruled a board and picked land owned by a former employer.

Democratic Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, which also vied for the project, urged an investigation. “I had felt that this has been grossly political with efforts to try to change the criteria, but I was

astounded when we found out that three career officials unanimously picked Virginia and a political appointee overturned it.

Clearly, there needs to be an inspector general investigation,” he said.

In a joint statement, Virginia’s elected leaders called for the determination to be reversed, asserting that their state’s site remains the best choice under “any fair weighing of the criteria.”

But GSA Administrator Robin

Carnahan stood behind the agency’s work, saying officials followed all laws and ethical considerations. “Any suggestion that there was inappropriate interference is unfounded,” she said.

White House principal deputy press secretary Olivia Dalton also defended the process. She did not comment on whether did Biden had any direct involvement in the final site decision.

“I can tell you it was a fair and transparent process,” Dalton told reporters on Air Force One as Biden traveled to Illinois on Thursday. “The 61 acres in Greenbelt is both the lowest cost to taxpayers, most transportation options for FBI workers, and we had the most assurances about the expeditious means with which a project could get underway.”

Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said Wray has previously indicated he would prefer to stay in Washington, but maintained that experts found a suburban location is a better choice for the agency’s long-term security. “To say somehow this process was skewed is wrong,” Hoyer said.

Maryland and Virginia had long been vying to land the FBI, and officials in Virginia, which is

[[Yä kknÊ

È··¸ä äȹºä äȹµä ȸµ½ä ä¾kk 855-910-AMMO

NCammunition.com

VOLUME 8 ISSUE 38 | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2023 | MOORE.NORTHSTATEJOURNAL.COM | SUBSCRIBE TODAY: 336-283-6305

MOORE COUNTY THE MOORE COUNTY EDITION OF THE NORTH STATE JOURNAL

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

‘Our flag was still there’

A field of flags planted in honor of Veterans Day by the Moore County Vietnam Veterans Chapter 966, in Hamlet, on Nov 8.

WHAT’S HAPPENING Hudson names new chief of staff Washington, D.C. Republican U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson (NC09) announced a longtime North Carolina political operative will be leading his Congressional team. The sixterm member of Congress named Luke Blanchat to the post, replacing Elliott Guffin. Blanchat will be based in North Carolina, Hudson confirmed on Monday.

“Luke has a strong passion for serving the people of North Carolina, and I am confident he will do a fantastic job leading our team as chief of staff,” said Hudson in a statement.

“Luke lives in Southern Pines and has served our state for many years— experience that will help my office continue to deliver for our constituents.”

Prior to joining Hudson’s Congressional office, Blanchat served as the Director of Government Relations for FirstHealth of the Carolinas and has an extensive background in government and public service. Over the course of the past decade, Blanchat served in numerous positions with Republican U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, including deputy state director and campaign manager of his successful 2020 reelection effort. In addition, Blanchat was the campaign manager for former Sen. Richard Burr’s final campaign in 2016.

Blanchat is a native of North Carolina and resides in Southern Pines with his wife and two children.

Guffin departed Hudson’s office to serve as Director of Federal Affairs for Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

ELECTION RESULTS ABERDEEN BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS (3) Teressa V. Beavers 326 Elease Goodwin 291 Bryan Bowles 259 Ron Utley 181

30% 27% 24% 17%

CARTHAGE MAYOR Jimmy Chalflinch George H. Wilson, Jr. Ian K. Lumgair

48% 37% 15%

177 138 54

CARTHAGE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS (2) Dan Bonillo 249 Al Barber 212 Malcolm Hall 158 Kevin Lewis 28 Marcus Tush 19

37% 32% 24% 4% 3%

PINEBLUFF BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS (3) Mike Thomas 42 Guy McGraw 36 Frank Wanko 34

37% 32% 30%

PINEHURST MAYOR Patrick Pizzella Jeff Morgan Kevin Drum

48% 37% 15%

2,477 1,892 765

PINEHURST COUNCIL MEMBER (2) John Taylor 2,727 Barb Ficklin 2,412 Claire Berggren 2,161 Lydia Boesch 2,124 Cara Mathis 336

28% 25% 22% 22% 3%

SOUTHERN PINES MAYOR Taylor Clement 1,676 Oliver Hines 438

79% 21%

SOUTHERN PINES COUNCIL MEMBER (2) William H. (Bill) Pate 1,714 Debra L. Gray 1,342 Karen Tussing 537

47% 37% 15%

WHISPERING PINES COUNCIL MEMBER (2) Rick Hutchinson 492 Christopher Slyman 353 Lisa Wells 294 James McKinley 117 Sam Wiggs 31

37% 27% 22% 9% 2%

WHISPERING PINES COUNCIL MEMBER (1) Angie Mullennix 286 Dean Kalles 275 Marty Antholzner 85 Matthew Caruso 52

41% 39% 12% 7%

Moore school board reviews calendar, endorses grant application Discussions include school calendar concerns and a potential $10 million renovation project

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal CAMERON – The Moore County Schools Board of Education convened on Monday, Nov. 6, to discuss multiple items, including a review of the 2024-25 school calendar and an endorsement of a grant application for school renovations.

The board revisited the previously approved 2024-25 school calendar, which adheres to the state’s traditional calendar law. Board member David Hensley expressed his dissatisfaction with the mandated schedule, stating, “Everyone knows that I’m not a fan of this politically driven school calendar. I’ve advocated for this board to exhibit civil disobedience and do what’s best for the education of our children, not what’s best for the tourism and travel industry. ... [The required calendar] serves no educational purpose and, in fact, it serves counter to good education and good mental health.”

Although district staff had proposed an alternative early start calendar, which began on Aug. 7 and received positive community feedback, it was not adopted due to concerns about potential legal challenges from the state. The board considered but ultimately decided

against retroactively approving the early start calendar for the 2024-25 school year due to the potential impact on the community and teacher schedules. However, they indicated a likelihood of approving an early start calendar for the 2025-26 academic year.

The board also supported the district’s application for the Needs-Based Public School Capital Projects Grant, which would fund significant renovations at West End Elementary School. Assistant Superintendent for Operations Jennifer Purvis highlighted the necessity of the $10 million project, noting the school’s infrastructure, originally constructed in 1952, is nearing the end of its usable life. Superintendent Tim Locklair tempered expectations for receiving the grant, given the county’s Tier 3 status, but emphasized the importance of applying.

Additionally, the board approved the 2023-25 Selected School Improvement Plans.

Hensley praised the focus and alignment of this year’s plans with the district’s strategic goals, remarking on the improvement over previous years’ See EDUCATION page 2

$2.00

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

2 WEDNESDAY

11.15.23

“Join the conversation”

Neal Robbins Publisher Matt Mercer Editor in Chief Jordan Golson Locals Editor Cory Lavalette Sports Editor Shawn Krest Sports Editor Frank Hill Senior Opinion Editor Lauren Rose Design Editor Published each Wednesday as part of North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607 TO SUBSCRIBE: 336-283-6305 MOORE.NORTHSTATEJOURNAL.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 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607

Get in touch

Hoke County Edition of North State Journal

COLUMN | MAGGIE HORZEMPA

NC crime: a need for data-driven, targeted solutions WE’VE ALL FELT THE FEAR as we see media coverage hyper-focusing on crime-ridden cities like Philadelphia, San Francisco, and New York City. In North Carolina, even one crime victim is too many, but the emotional fearmongering of local and national media often dominates news and public opinion.

We all want to know: Are our cities safe? What are the facts? Recent reports are debunking the perception that North Carolina is a state plagued by increasing violent crime while also exposing the complex issues shouldered by some of our biggest cities.

According to the most recent FBI report, The 2022 Crime in the Nation Statistics, violent crimes decreased across North Carolina and, on average, across the nation to pre-pandemic levels. The report averaged the decreases in crime from states like North Carolina and Florida with states that saw crime rates go up in places like Alabama and Massachusetts.

Other reports reinforce this good news.

The NC Bureau of Investigation’s Index of Offenses and Clearances shows crime rates dropped by 5.75% since 2020. Violent crimes declined by 5.62% and property crimes declined 5.77% from 2020 to 2022.

So why are our news channels and social feeds bombarded by crime and unfavorable stories about law enforcement? Taking a look at our urban areas in North Carolina, big cities like Raleigh and Charlotte experienced increases in violent crime while cities like Los Angeles and Chicago saw declines. Data from the City of Raleigh reveals that violent crimes and property crimes are on the rise. Data also shows that Charlotte-Mecklenburg saw an increase in crime from 2020 to 2022.

While public safety in our big cities must be addressed, it’s important to maintain the perspective of North Carolina citizens from all corners of the state. A recent Civitas poll by the John Locke Foundation, showed

33.9% of voters are concerned about crime in their neighborhoods, but most voters expressed confidence in the job their local police force is doing.

Demographics make a huge difference when addressing concerns about crime in North Carolina. According to the Civitas poll, young voters aged 18 to 34 were the least likely to express concern about their safety, while voters aged 65 and above were the most worried. This disparity in perception may be attributed to generational differences, life experiences, or variations in media consumption. It’s essential to recognize that public safety concerns are not static and can evolve as individuals and their communities change.

When voters were asked about their top crime concerns, drug-related crimes emerged at the forefront, followed by property crime and then violent crime.

Surprisingly, gang activity was the least cited issue. These preferences highlight the diverse nature of crime concerns in North Carolina, which require tailored approaches to effectively address criminal justice policies in all communities.

The most intriguing aspect of these polls is the juxtaposition between public concerns, media coverage, and the actual crime trends in North Carolina.

Recognizing the multiplicity of community concerns within North Carolina’s population is vital for crafting effective public safety policies and maintaining our confidence in law enforcement’s hard work and dedication.

By tempering the barrage of media and political misinformation, these report findings can help foster productive conversations and help underscore the importance of understanding what crimes are impacting citizens most so that targeted solutions can be developed.

Maggie Horzempa is the NC Director & Development Manager, Right on Crime for the Texas Public Policy Foundation

x MCINNIS, HALI DANIELLE, 30, W, F, 11/13/2023, Aberdeen PD, Resisting Public Officer, Unauthorized Use of Motor Vehicle, Misdemeanor Larceny, Possession of Stolen Goods/ Property, Interfere Elect Monitor Dev x LEGRAND, LAMONT JAMAL, 28, B, M, 11/13/2023, Aberdeen PD, Identity Theft, Obtain Property False Pretense (x2), Possess Schedule II CS, Possess Drug Paraphernalia, Possession Stolen Goods/ Property, Resisting Public Officer, Identity Theft

MOORE CITIZENS FOR FREEDOM

MOORE COUNTY Remember that we live in the best country, the best state, and by far the best county.

MOORE COUNTY, WHAT A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE!

x CALL, THOMAS MICHAEL, 48, W, M, 11/12/2023, Out of County Agency, DWI

TUNE INTO

x STIREWALT, CHRISTOPHER ROBERT, 36, W, M, 11/11/2023, Aberdeen PD, Misdemeanor Larceny, Possession Stolen Goods/Property, Assault on a Female, Possess Marijuana up to 1/2oz, Possess Marijuana Paraphernalia

The John and Maureen show

x MORRISON, ANGELA SUSAN, 48, W, F, 11/11/2023, Vass PD, Forgery of Instrument, Uttering Forgedd Instrument, Att Obtain Prop False Pret

1 - 2PM

x VITALE, JOHN RUSSELL, 23, W, M, 11/9/2023, Moore County Sheriff’s Office, Possess Stolen Motor Vehicle

Sundays

x LOPEZ, GRACIELLA SPRING, 34, W, F, 11/8/2023, Moore County Sheriff’s Office, Sell/ Deliver Schedule II CS (x2), Trafficking in Opium or Heroin, Traffick in Methamphetamine, PWIMSD Schedule II CS (x2), Possess Schedule II CS, Simple Possession Schedule III CS, Possess Drug Paraphernalia

Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in and around Moore County:

Nov. 18 Moore County Farmers Market 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.

In Downtown Southern Pines at 156 SE Broad Street, extended this year through Nov.. In appreciation for our customers we will be offering free hot cocoa and apple cider. Thank you for shopping local and making this such an incredible season!

Household Hazardous Waste Day 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Bring your unwanted hazardous materials to Pinecrest High School, including paint, solvents, degreasers, aerosols, light tubes, batteries, propane cylinders, swimming pool chemicals, and used motor oil. Medications accepted in original containers, no injectables or sharps. Paper shredding, too — no explosives or radioactive materials.

Board of Commissioners Meeting 5:30 - 6:30 p.m At the Historic Courthouse, 1 Courthouse Square in Carthage.

Thru Dec. 3 Letters to Santa M-F 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Deliver your letter to Santa at the Aberdeen Parks and Recreation Center! Make sure to include your return address on the envelope and address it to Santa Claus, North Pole.

Aberdeen Parks and Recreation will post them to Santa for you! Make sure to have them in by the deadline so Santa has enough time to write you back. 301 Lake Park Crossing.

WEEB 990 AM 104.1 and 97.3 FM

EDUCATION from page 1

x BOSTIC, ARTHUR JAMAR, 38, B, M, 11/9/2023, Moore County Sheriff’s Office, Violate Domestic Violence Protection Order x MCGILVARY, STANLEY DASHAWN, 27, B, M, 11/8/2023, Southern Pines PD, Common Law Robbery

happening

Nov. 21

CRIME LOG x PERKINS, ALIZABETH HAILEY, 29, W, F, 11/13/2023, Southern Pines PD, Possess Schedule II CS, Simple Possession Schedule II CS

moore

Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements: moorecommunity@northstatejournal.com Weekly deadline is Monday at Noon

plans.

“What I saw in this year’s school improvement programs was programs that were focused on the right things, that made sense, and that were aligned with the strategic plan of the district,” Hensley said.

“And that is in stark contrast with the previous two years. … I wholeheartedly support this year’s school improvement programs because they’re so much better focused, they’re so much better written and they’re focused on the correct things.”

The Moore County Schools Board of Education is scheduled to meet again on Dec. 4.

ing

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

3

SPORTS So close

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

William Miller

Pinecrest receiver Ricardo Mercado just misses catching a pass into the end zone during Friday’s seasonending loss to Clayton.

DAVID SINCLAIR | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Playoff roundup: North Moore football, soccer advance Pinecrest sees end to unbeaten season North State Journal Men’s Soccer playoffs North Moore got goals from Ricky and Christian Betancourt to defeat East Wake Academy in Zebulon, 2-0. The win earned the third-seeded Mustangs a berth in the NCHSAA 1A soccer playoffs final four, where they played the top seed, Hobbton, Tuesday night after press time.

The game was marred by a fracas with just over 11 minutes to go.

North Moore’s leading scorer, Ricky Betancourt was fouled on a play that occurred right in front of the Mustang bench. Several members of the team felt it was an overly violent foul, and a shoving match ensued. North Moore’s coach and one player were ejected, as was one East Wake player. The Mustangs were already playing a man down after a red card earlier in the game.

A report and video of the fracas were sent to the NCHSAA for review to see if additional penalties were warranted.

Football Playoffs: North Moore wins North Moore moved on to the third round of the 1A playoffs with a 58-20 win over Bertie on Friday. The 6-seed Mustangs move on to face 3-seed Wilson Prep, in the

DAVID SINCLAIR | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Pinecrest, football

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Ricky Betancourt celebrates a goal during North Moore’s 2-0 win over East Wake Academy. round of 16 on Friday.

North Moore had three players top 100 rushing yards. Jakarey Gillis had 19 carries for 115 yards and two touchdowns. Nathan Rogers had 11 rushes for 100 yards and two scores. Kolby Ritchie had 10 carries for 101 yards. Colby Pennington didn’t reach the century mark, rushing for just 57 yards, but he scored touchdowns on two of his seven carries. Pennington also caught a 26yard touchdown pass—the only pass completed by North Moore in the game—and returned a fumble 80 yards for a score.

Football Playoffs: Pinecrest falls

The Pinecrest Patriots saw an end to their undefeated run, getting eliminated in the second round of the 4A playoffs. The 4-seed Patriots fell to 13-seed Clayton, 17-10 on Friday.

After falling behind 14-0 on two touchdown runs by Clayton quarterback Johnathan Montague, Pinecrest battled back and had the ball at the one-yard line with seven seconds left. Jaylin Morgan took the ball on a direct snap as a quarterback in the Wildcat formation, but he was unable to cross the goal line as time expired.

Pinecrest scored its lone touchdown on a 38-yard run by quarterback Mason Konen.

William Miller is a junior kicker and defensive back on the Pinecrest football team.

Pinecrest saw its undefeated season end after 11 straight wins with a loss to Clayton in the second round of the playoffs on Friday, but Miller did a bit of everything to try to carry his team into round three.

Miller kicked a 30-yard field goal to move Pinecrest within one score of the lead, while also adding an extra point. On defense, he added an interception, returning it 29 yards.

Miller led Pinecrest in interceptions this year and was third on the team in tackles.

Blazer 9mm Magpul Ever wish you had a 115gr, FMJ Brass Cased

PMAGs

$299/case 10 for $90 Žƌ Ψϭϲͬ Ždž

e1

local store which has The Best Prices on Cases of Ammo?

The best selection of factory standard capacity magazines?

An AWESOME selection of Modern Sporting Weapons from Leading Manufactures Like, Sig, FN, S&W, etc?

Flamethrowers & Gatlin Guns?

All at better than on-line prices?

You Do! Del-Ton M4 tŝƚŚ &Ƶůů >ĞŶŐƚŚ ZĂŝů͊

9796 Aberdeen Rd, Aberdeen KŶ Zƚ Ϯϭϭ ũƵƐƚ ŝŶƐŝĚĞ ,ŽŬĞ ŽƵŶƚLJ͘ tŝƚŚ YƵĂŶƚŝĐŽ dĂĐƚŝĐĂů

Store Hours: dƵĞ Ͳ &ƌŝ͗ ϭϭĂŵ ʹ ϰƉŵ 910.637.0500 www.ProvenOutfitters.com

$499

DĂĚĞ ŝŶ E ͊

Polish Radom AK-47

$649

Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 Compact

$449

tŝƚŚ >ŝŐŚƚ͊

ϯϴ͟ dĂĐƚŝĐĂů ZŝĨůĞ ĂƐĞ͗ ΨϮϬ

North State Journal for Wednesday, November 15, 2023

4

obituaries

Clyde "Duke" Wiblin, II 1936 ~ 2023

Clyde B. Wiblin, II, affectionately known as "Duke" among his friends and family, peacefully passed away on November 10, 2023, at the age of 86. His final sentiment, a testament to his character, was that he expressed to his family his belief that he had lived a good life. Duke was born on November 23, 1936, in Charleston, West Virginia. He now reunites with his beloved wife of 42 years, Juanita F. Wiblin (Davis), his parents, Clyde B. and Iva J. Wiblin (Miller), and step-daughter Brenda G. Wells in eternal rest.

Duke leaves behind a legacy cherished by his survivors, including his step-son Lawrence T. (Melissa) Brown of Lancaster, Ohio, step-granddaughter Aarin (Darin) Brown of Columbus, Ohio, his dear brother Tommy (Linda) Wiblin of Lake Placid, Florida, cousin Glen Faber of Jasper, Georgia, and stepgranddaughter Melissa (Kenny) Mason of Fayetteville, North Carolina. His presence will be sorely missed by numerous family, step-great grandchildren, friends, and acquaintances in Ohio, West Virginia, and North Carolina.

A graduate of Stone Wall Jackson High School in 1954, Duke dedicated seven proud years to the United States Marine Corps before serving an additional two years in Germany with the Army Signal Corps.

Duke and Juanita's marriage embodied enduring love and commitment. Their partnership was a beautiful blend of teasing banter and deep affection, with their joy often found in goodnatured nitpicking and shared laughter. They were known for their selfless generosity, quietly supporting, and assisting those around them. Duke revered Tom as the son he never had, a testament to the bond they have shared for most of Tom’s life. Fondly referred to as 'Pap' by his granddaughter Aarin, he carries the irreplaceable role of treasured grandfather and friend.

The bond between Duke and his brother Tommy was one of immense significance in his life, marked by shared experiences and an unbreakable fraternal connection that brought joy and strength to both their lives.

Duke had an incredible fondness for dogs, especially his beloved Doberman Pinscher, Bruno, who held a special place in his heart.

Duke's laughter, iconic wink, and unwavering love will be deeply missed.

Patricia Strider

Lana Lee Zawaski

March 31, 1962 — November 11, 2023

July 8, 1942 - November 7, 2023

Patricia Marie Strider, 61, of Carthage, passed away on November 11, 2023, at FirstHealth Hospice House.

Patricia was born on March 31, 1962, in Moore County to Rankin and Loraine Wilkes Strider.

She is survived by her daughter Kelly Sanders of Carthage; son Johnathan McKenzie of Carthage; grandchildren Jasmine Sanders, Gavin Sanders, and Liam Sanders.

Lana Lee Zawaski, born July 8, 1942 in Pontiac, Michigan passed away peacefully in the early hours of 7 November 2023. Lana was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and sister during her incredible 81 years of life.

Survived by her husband Gerald Zawaski of 46 years daughters, Tammy (Steve) Davis, Cherie Partlo, Sandee (Tom) Barsalou, Wendy (Andy) Ziegler.

Lana lived her life like an open book. Her love for family, traveling, and chit chat was very apparent. She never met a stranger she couldn’t talk to (or show pictures to) and wore her heart on her sleeve.

Lana welcomed all to her home always replying to the request for extra guest “the more the merrier”.

Lana took pride in being the oldest of the siblings and filled the role of big sister in style.

She is loved and will be missed by sisters Lynn (Vandecar) Farmer and Terry (Derry) Barnett.

Lana’s number one hobby was documenting every event with overloads of live video and picture taking. Her favorite subjects tended to be her 7 grandchildren, Rachel (John) Clifford, Tommy (Rebecca) Barsalou, Hayli Ziegler, Todd (Bonnie) Barsalou, Jessica (Cody) Collins, Mike (Chelsea) Ziegler, Chailyn Partlo, and 12 great grandchildren, Taylor, Raelyn, Tristan, Blakely, Harper, Charlotte, Barrett, Colton, Olivia, Henry, Aspen, and Remington. Not to mention the numerous fur babies with her favorite being Gizmo.

Lana was preceded in death by her son Timothy Zawaski, a great granddaughter Tiffany Partlo, her sister Pamela (Vandecar) Hunter, her mother Avis (Pace) Derry, Stepfather Richard Derry, Father Harry G. Vandecar.

Maria Digna Acosta Hernandez

January 4, 1962 - November 6, 2023 Maria Digna Acosta Hernandez, 61, of St. Paul’s passed peacefully surrounded by her family at the UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill.

Born in Santa Barbara, Hondorus, Jan. 4, 1962, she was the daughter of the late Leonardo Acosta Tabora and Zolia Hernandez Osorio, the oldest of 16 kids. Maria emigrated to America in her late 20’s. She came to the USA all by herself, with no help and no money.

After she came here she found a job at Smithfield food Tar Heel, NC, a career that lasted 29 years. Maria has been a hard working women all her life. When she was young she would help take care of her siblings and help with chores around the house. She was always loving and nice to everyone, she would always call people to check up on them and she would always be smiling and laughing. She loved to joke around as well.

She made the most amazing food and had the softest, warmest caring hands.

SPONSORED BY BOLES FUNERAL HOMES & CREMATORY

Maryanne Trump Barry, the former president’s older sister and a retired federal judge, dies at 86 The Associated Press NEW YORK — Maryanne Trump Barry, a retired federal judge and former President Donald Trump ‘s oldest sister, has died at age 86 at her home in New York.

Until her retirement in 2019, Barry was a senior judge on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, a level below the Supreme Court.

The NYPD confirmed that officers were sent to Barry’s Manhattan home just before 4:30 a.m. and discovered a deceased 86-year-old woman. The cause of death was not immediately clear. Her death was confirmed by a judicial official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the news hadn’t been announced publicly by either the court or Trump’s family.

Trump’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but the former president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., spoke briefly about his aunt as he exited a Manhattan courthouse Monday, calling it a “rough day for myself and my family,” Trump Jr. told reporters after testifying in a civil fraud trial that he had been informed of the news as he pulled up to the courthouse Monday morning.

“I’m very close with her grandson. We hang out all the time. And so it’s obviously a rough day for that,” he said.

Before becoming a judge, Barry became an Assistant U.S. Attorney in 1974. She was nominated to the federal court in New Jersey by President Ronald Reagan. She was later elevated to the U.S. Court of Appeals by President Bill Clinton.

She retired in 2019 amid an investigation into her family’s tax practices.

Barry stayed largely out of the spotlight during her brother’s presidency, but drew headlines after her niece, Mary Trump, revealed that she had secretly recorded her aunt while promoting a book that denounced the former president. In the recordings, Barry could be heard sharply criticizing her brother,

at one point saying the former president “has no principles” and is “cruel.”

Years before her brother became president, Barry wrote in a 2006 immigration case that judges had too little leeway to evaluate who should get to remain in the U.S. because of rigid laws that force “knee-jerk” decisions.

The case involved a man from Northern Ireland, Malachy McAllister, denied asylum by the 3rd Circuit panel on which she sat. Barry urged the federal government to intervene in the case.

“I refuse to believe that ‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free ...’ is now an empty entreaty. But if it is, shame on us,” wrote Barry, who said McAllister’s actions came as the Irish sought to end more than 800 years of British rule.

McAllister, a former member of the paramilitary Irish National Liberation Army, was convicted in the 1981 wounding of a British police officer.

Barry was also known for her wry sense of humor, evident in a 2015 case over fan access to Super Bowl tickets.

When the NFL compared the distribution practice to Catholic parishes that got a bounty of tickets to see the pope in Philadelphia, Barry’s colleagues joked that the pope was skipping New Jersey altogether.

“We’re used to it,” Barry quipped.

Trump, who was one of five children, now has one living sibling, his sister Elizabeth Trump Grau.

The former president’s younger brother, Robert Trump, died in 2020 at 71, and Trump held a service at the White House in his honor.

His older brother, Fred Trump Jr., died of a heart attack at 42, which the family blamed on alcoholism.

Donald Trump’s ex-wife Ivana Trump died in 2022 at the age of 73.

The news of Barry’s death was first reported by the Daily Voice in Nassau County.

Federal judge Maryanne Trump Barry, older sister of Donald Trump, sits in the balcony during Trump’s election night rally in New York in 2016.

AP PHOTO

Proudly supporting you every step of the way on your grief journey.

CONTACT

www.bolesfuneralhome.com Email: md@bolesfuneralhome.com Locations in: Southern Pines (910) 692-6262 | Pinehurst (910) 235-0366 | Seven Lakes (910) 673-7300

@BolesFuneralHomes