Chatham News & Record Vol. 126, Issue 26

C HATHAM

the BRIEF this week

US Army Golden Knights Parachute Team to appear at Old-Fashioned Farmer’s Day

The United States Army Parachute Team’s (USAPT) Gold Demonstration, led by Sgt. 1st Class Jesse Robbins, will display an extraordinary performance at the Silk Hope Old-Fashioned Farmer’s Day Festival at 1 p.m. on September 2. This event is held every Labor Day weekend at the Farm Heritage Theme Park, located at 4221 Silk Hope Rd. in Siler City. USAPT serves under the leadership of the United States Army Recruiting Command and Marketing Engagement Brigade as the “O cial Ambassadors of the Army.” Nicknamed “the Golden Knights,” USAPT reaches a third of the nation annually through spectacular live parachute demonstrations for the American public, manifesting the “Band of Excellence” as displayed by all U.S. Army Soldiers around the world. USAPT will be honoring 50 years since the fateful Golden Knight airplane crash at Silk Hope. This is an opportunity to experience a community tradition and meet members of the elite U.S. Army Parachute Team.

Chatham Arts Council to accepts proposals for 2023 JumpstART Commissions

The Chatham Arts Council’s JumpstART initiative will be accepting proposals to commission local artists until Saturday, September 19 at 11:59 p.m. Artists interested in creating tin to mediumsized projects for the public are encouraged to apply. This year, artists will have the opportunity to present their works as part of ClydeFEST, which had a record of 2,500 attendees last Spring. This year, commissions will range from $500 to $1,5000. To submit a JumpstART proposal, one must be a performing, visual or literary artist living in Chatham County. Projects can be individual or collaborative as long as one member of the collaboration lives in the county. For additional information, please contact Andrea Akin at andrea@ chathamartscouncil.org or (919) 548-5762.

& R E C O R D

Chatham County football is back!

Seaforth plays their opening game on Friday, Aug. 17, 2023. Read more about Chatham County sports on B1.

Siler City Commissioners honor one of its bravest

By Chuck Thompson Chatham News & Record

SILER CITY – The Siler City Commissioners met for their regular scheduled meeting on Monday, Aug. 21, 2023.

The highlight of the evening was the retirement ceremony of Sergeant Mark A. Gonzalez

of the Siler City Police Department.

Sgt. Gonzalez faithfully served the citizens of Siler City for over 28 years as both a patrolman and detective. He was honored Monday night by a plethora of people, all of whom traveled to Siler City just to congratulate him on his

Sheri Roberson elected NC Sheri s’ Association’s rst vice president at NCSA Conference

Chatham News & Record

RALEIGH — Chatham

County Sheri Mike Roberson joined other sheri s and law enforcement professionals from across North Carolina at the recent North Carolina Sheri s’ Association’s (NCSA’s)

101st Annual Business Conference. Sheri Roberson was elected by his fellow sheri s to serve as rst vice president of the North Carolina Sheri s’ Association for the upcoming 20232024 year.

Also elected to posts on the Association were President, Sheri Darren Campbell, Iredell County; Second Vice, Sher-

i Ricky Buchanan, McDowell County; Third Vice, Sheri Clee Atkinson, Edgecombe County; Secretary, Sheri Alan Jones, Caldwell County; Treasurer, Sheri Van Shaw, Cabarrus County.

Sheri Roberson observed, “Sheri s in every county of North Carolina are facing tremendous challenges in carrying out their responsibilities for law enforcement and the safety of our citizens; maintenance and operation of local jails; recruiting, training and maintaining talented personnel; working with domestic situations, child abuse cas-

See SHERIFF, page A3

retirement and thank him for his many years of dedicated service.

Chief Wagner made the rst comment, thanking him for his many years of bravery and service to Siler City, saying, “It has been a pleasure working with

See SILER CITY, page A3

“The town is in a position where were almost trying to swallow a softball, and if we can change the ordinance to craft an agreement, I highly recommend this.”

Tim Booris

By Chuck Thompson Chatham News & Record

PITTSBORO — The Chatham County Commissioner met at 2 p.m. on Monday afternoon at the Chatham Agricultural & Conference Center for their regularly scheduled workshop ahead of the evening’s business meeting.

The rst item on the working agenda was to select a representative from the county to be a voting delegate and attend the annual North Carolina Association of County Commissioners’ annual conference. The commissioners selected Katie Kenlan of District 4 unanimously to attend.

An update for the Chatham County Early Childhood Community Assessment and Action Plan was discussed, with an alarm that a shortage of quali ed personnel in the child caregiving eld is a ecting parents of Chatham County.

Topics covered under the Early childhood Assessment Action Plan were workforce shortage, parents struggling to nd care, childcare businesses struggling to nd quali ed help and remain viable, Pre-K Discovery & Analysis, and other challenges for Chatham health o cials.

A trailer for a short lm about the Chatham County Early Childhood Action plan was shown to the commissioners Monday afternoon.

This lm will be available to the public and will be shown in Siler City and Goldston. The initial airing took place on Wednesday, Aug. 23 in Pittsboro.

Tara Gregory, a Nutritionist and Extension Agent of Family and Consumer Sciences, presented the commissioners with an update on her food safety and nutrition programs.

She gave updates on the successful summer camp for kids the past summer, and spoke about her video series for Chatham County on YouTube. She also discussed food preservation, canning, fermentation and drying.

The commissioners also spent time discussing climate change as Robbie Cox, Co-Chair of the Climate Advisory Committee spoke to the commissioners in length.

The board spent time discussing electric school buses (EV), with Cox stating that as the county engages more and more into EV travel this committee wants

See WORKSHOP, page A9

NIKKI WITT | CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD Sheri Mike Roberson addresses the issue of mental health within the Chatham police force during the safety meeting on Monday June 26th, 2023.

County workshop gives updates on childcare, nutrition and climate change considerations

Ch ch Ne

Holland Chapel Family & Friends Day

Holland Chapel will host its Annual Family & Friends Day Sunday, September 17, 2023. The church will publish its Annual Family Day Booklet, please see Myrtie Powell for information.

Members, friends, and community are encouraged to place an ad in this year’s booklet.

Corinth AME Zion Church

Women’s Day

Corinth AME Zion Church Missionary Department will celebrate Women’s Day on Sunday, August 27, 2023 during Morning Worship. Reverend Anissa T. Little from Mitchell

Chapel AME Zion Church will be our guest minister. Ms. Lauren Price will also provide information on Mental Health as well. Service will begin at 10:00 AM. The theme for the occasion is: Pearls of Wisdom: Empowering, Engaging, Transforming and Revitalizing the Inner Woman. Everyone is invited to come to this great service. Thank you.

Lassiter Family Reunion

The Lassiter Family Reunion of Chatham County will be held on Saturday, August 26th at 2:00 P.M. Location: Hargraves Center, 216 N. Roberson Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27516. For more information family, please contact Dewayne Barbee, Avon Lassiter or Beverly Barbee.

Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in Chatham County:

Sept. 20

Reunion for Siler City and Pittsboro telephone company

There will be a reunion for all people who worked for the telephone company in Siler City and Pittsboro. It will be held at Best Food Cafeteria on Wednesday, September 20th at 11:00 a.m. Each person will pay for their own meal. If you have questions, you may contact Helen Clark at 919-7423818.

Sept. 28

Small Business Resource Fair

This annual event hosted by Innovate Carolina is designed to provide valuable resources, expert guidance, and networking opportunities to help you thrive in the competitive business landscape. Check it out at the brand-new innovation hub and coworking space, 79°West. 4pm to 6pm.

Do you have a birthday, wedding, engagement or other milestone to celebrate?

Contact: advertising@chathamnr.com

Chatham County Sheri ’s

ON AUGUST 13, Saul Diaz Jimenez, 23, of 309 S. Evergreen Avenue, Siler City, was arrested by Deputy Paul Durazo for driving under the in uence. He was issued a written promise to appear in Chatham County District Court in Pittsboro on September 6.

On August 17, Thomas Eugene Ritter, 26, of 149 Johnson Farm Road, New Hill, was arrested by Deputy Jonathan Frazier, for Assault on a Female. He was held on a 48-hour Domestic Violence hold and scheduled to appear in Chatham County District Court in Pittsboro on August 30.

On August 17, Eric Kelton Jacobs, 32, of 70 Kivett Court, Siler City, was arrested by Deputy John Beach, for Obtain Property by False Pretense, Felony Larceny, Possession of Stolen Goods/Property. He was held on a $1,000.00 secured bond and scheduled to appear in Cumberland County District Court in Fayetteville on September 20.

On August 17, William Clyde Clontz, 51, of 19 William Goins Drive, Siler City, was arrested by Deputy John Beach, for Felony Possession Schedule II Narcotics, Misdemeanor Possession of Marijuana Paraphernalia, Misdemeanor Possession Drug Paraphernalia, and Misdemean-

es, serving civil papers, tracking sex o enders in the state, issuing weapons, permits, providing court security, and in many other areas.

“Our Annual Business Conference allows North Carolina North Carolina sheri s to discuss their experiences and learn from each other, as well as bring ourselves up to date on important law enforcement developments,” Sheri Roberson con-

or Possession Marijuana Up To ½ ounce. He was held on a $1,000.00 secured bond and scheduled to appear in Randolph County District Court in Asheboro on August 21.

On August 17, Gabriel Manjarrez, 18, of 109 Vernie Phillips Rd, Bear Creek, was arrested by Deputy Marlene Gomez for Cyberstalking and Communicating Threats. He was issued a Written Promise to Appear in Chatham County District Court in Pittsboro on September 13.

On August 18, Demetris

Christian Goins, 27, of 19 William Goins Drive, Siler City, was arrested by Deputy Shannon Read for failure to appear – driving while license revoked – impaired revocation. He was issued a written promise to appear in Randolph County District Court in Asheboro on August 24.

On August 18, Eduardo Vasquez, 24, of 260 Airport Road, Siler City, was arrested by Sergeant Ashley Ellington for failure to appear - child support. He was held on a $10,000.00 secured bond and scheduled to appear in Chatham County District Court in Pittsboro on August 25.

On August 18, William Tucker Withington, 47, of 5260 Goldston Glendon Road, Goldston, was arrested by Deputy John Beach for failure to appear – injury to personal property. He was held on a $10,000.00

tinued. “North Carolina sheri s have a complex role as constitutional o cers leading law enforcement within their respective counties. Our duties often require that we be available to personnel and to the public continuously. My sta and I will use this conference training to further serve and protect Chatham County citizens.”

During the Conference, sheri s discussed a wide range of issues including recent changes to law and procedures. They also

secured bond and scheduled to appear in Chatham County District Court in Pittsboro on August 21.

On August 18, Travis Ray Upchurch, 46, of 716 New Hill Olive Chapel Rd, Apex, was arrested by Deputy Matthew Mitchell for possession of rearm by felon, driving while license revoked – impaired revocation, and carrying concealed gun. He was issued a written promise to appear in Chatham County District Court in Pittsboro on August 28.

On August 19, Mitchell Lee Wade, 39, no address, was arrested by Deputy Moises Carvajal for breaking and entering into law enforcement vehicle, attempted larceny of motor vehicle, assault on a law enforcement o cer in icts physical injury, impersonation of a law enforcement or other public ocer, resist, delay, obstruct public o cer, injury to personal property, communicating threats, and possession of marijuana up to half an ounce. He was issued a $100,000.00 secured bond and scheduled to appear in Chatham County District Court in Pittsboro on August 28.

On August 19, Wade was also arrested by Deputy Moises Carvajal for larceny of motor vehicle. He was issued a $10,000.00 secured bond and scheduled to appear in Randolph County District Court in Asheboro on September 11.

received updates on the State Budget and other recent actions by the 2023 General Assembly.

Training opportunities at the Conference included a panel discussion on school safety, an active shooter response program, and a panel discussion about line of duty deaths.

Sheri Brian Chism of Brunswick County and his sta hosted the 2023 Annual Business Conference.

The NCSA’s headquarters is in Raleigh.

TOWN OF PITTSBORO NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

The Town of Pittsboro will hold a public hearing to obtain a Closeout Report on the Town’s 2019 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for Economic Development for Gilero LLC. The Town received a $300,000 CDBG grant to assist in the renovations of a 40,000 square foot building located at 158 Credle Street in Pittsboro. These funds were loaned to Gilero in the form of a forgivable loan in exchange for job creation. To bring the building to the standards needed to operate Gilero, extensive renovations were necessary. Those renovations included internal walls and ooring, extensive HVAC, electrical and air quality work at a cost in excess of $750,000 Other project costs included $5,000 for environmental review and planning and $25,000 for grant administration. Gilero also invested $2 million for building acquisition and $2,176,943 in new machinery and equipment, furniture and building improvements.

The company intended to create 19 new jobs with 60% going to persons residing in low to moderate income households To date, Gilero had created 19 new jobs in Pittsboro with a total of 17 (89.5%) going to low to moderate income individuals.

A Public Hearing will be held on Monday, September 11, 2023 at 7:00 PM in the Pittsboro Town Hall at 635 East Street in Pittsboro. Written comments should be addressed to Carrie Bailey, Town Clerk, 635 East Street, Pittsboro NC 27312. Comments received by 4:00 p.m. on the day of the Hearing will be considered.

This information is available in Spanish or any other language upon request. Please contact Carrie Bailey at 919-542-4621 for accommodations for this request.

Esta información está disponible está disponible en español o en cualquier otro idioma bajo petición. Póngase en contacto con Carrie Bailey at 919-542-4621 de alojamiento para esta solicitud.

Au24,Au31,2tc

SILER CITY from page 1

you, what you’ve endured and the faithful career to Siler City, and all that you could have chosen, you have dedicated your service to Siler City, and I am thankful.”

State House Democratic Leader Representative Robert T. Reives presented to Gonzalez a letter of recognition, and a representative from the o ce of U.S. Congressman Richard Hudson also honored Gonzalez for his unwavering and honorable service to the people of Siler City.

Mark Gonzalez started his career at Siler City on June 22, 1995. Throughout Gonzalez’s tenure, he answered over 11,800 calls, led thousands of reports, made over 450 arrests, and handled almost 200 tra c accidents.

“An inspiring role model for the citizens of Siler City,” Mayor Thomas Price announced as he presented a proclamation to Gonzalez.

A last call ceremony over the radio was held at the meeting, as an emotional Gonzalez could barely speak the words of his Final 10-42.

Twice during the ceremony, the room stood to honor Gonzalez with a thunderous applause.

Jim Renn, the attorney representing Wolfspeed, spoke to the commissioners about the reimbursement agreement ordinance.

Wolfspeed will be spending millions of dollars as they build a lift station for the water needed to be pumped to the location and said they will do what they can to minimize their water usage over time.

“The town is in a position where were almost trying to swallow a softball, and if we can change the ordinance to craft an agreement, I highly recommend this,” said Tim Booris. “I think this is something that needs to be done. My understanding is the town won’t spend a dime, and Wolfspeed is asking to take this on the shoulders.”

The motion was made to approve the amendment, with all commissioners voting with approval.

The Siler City Commissioners’ regular scheduled meetings are on the rst and third Mondays of each month unless stated otherwise. They will meet again on Sept. 4.

SHERIFF from page 1

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

Join the conversation

WELCOME TO THE FIRST ISSUE of the Chatham News & Record featuring full integration with the North State Journal — the only statewide newspaper in North Carolina. The goal of the North State Journal is simple: print the news of North Carolina with truth and beauty. As other newspapers in North Carolina have reduced or eliminated coverage and sta , the North State Journal has recruited some of the best talent from across the country and our own back yard to bring the newspaper to life each day through excellent reporting, modern design, and dynamic photojournalism.

The result of meeting our goal is ensuring North Carolinians have the facts and resources they need to elevate the conversation, make informed decisions, and broaden their awareness of our remarkable state.

In 2017, North State Journal established its rst local edition to begin lling the gaps of news coverage left by the decline of the large metro dailies and the rise of out-of-state ownership of North Carolina’s stable of weekly newspapers. The simple goal of our local editions is to have every local community in our state join the conversation about the operation and leadership of our state and local governments, shared interests in our college and professional sports teams, pride in the accomplishments of our native sons and daughters, and belief in the potential of North Carolina.

Over the past months, we have been hard at work in Chatham County and some change is inevitable. North State Journal is a forpro t newspaper because we believe accountability to readers is the key to a sustainable business model. As we look to improve the Chatham News & Record portion of the newspaper, I am reminded of Article I, Section 35 of the North Carolina Constitution: “A frequent recurrence to fundamental principles is absolutely necessary to preserve the blessings of liberty.” That statement was included in the December 8, 1776, state constitution and persists to this day.

A free and independent press is vital to preserving the blessings of liberty and a recurrence to fundamental principles is necessary to ensure North State Journal is adequately serving the interests

EDITORIAL | BOB WACHS

of the readers in Chatham County. This week’s issue is the true beginning of our process to bring all readers in Chatham County into the conversation.

I have utmost faith in Matt Mercer, editor-in-chief, and Cory Lavalette, managing editor, of the North State Journal to lead a team of journalists that are as strong as any weekly newspaper in the country.

In Chatham County, you will see local bylines from as many as a dozen di erent journalists. We have recently welcomed two new reporters in Chatham County. Chuck Thompson will have a primary beat in news from Chatham County and Asheebo Rojas will focus on local sports.

Beyond the journalists, I am in awe of an amazing business sta in our Siler City o ce. The smiling faces of Karen Pyrtle, Florence Turner, and Doris Beck are still here to help with the day-today business that everyone in Chatham County needs from their hometown newspaper.

In the coming weeks and months you will see more growth in our sta and in the articles you are reading on our pages. This week’s issue is likely one of the thickest newspapers subscribers have encountered in years. The local articles on government decisions, business moves, and gridiron pursuits are still there. Now, you have access to even more information about your region, state, nation, and world in the sections that follow.

I hope you enjoy this rst issue of the new Chatham News & Record and see that it traces its mix of content back to Volume 1, Issue 1 of the Chatham Record in 1878. In that issue, the newspaper included dispatches from Munich, London, Chicago, and Paris along with state and local news. Because we are continuing that tradition, we are reverting the volume number of this newspaper to the original volume numbers recognized by the Library of Congress. Welcome to Volume 146, Issue 26, of your hometown newspaper.

Neal Robbins is publisher of the North State Journal.

Beginning of school year reminder we can start over

It’s been a short summer. Always is, especially if you’re young.

AT THE RISK OF STATING THE OBVIOUS, it’s that time of year again. Unless you’re involved in a year-round school, students have, are or will be heading to classrooms around the time you read this.

For some, it’s back to school; for others, it’s a rst-time event. Some will go with a clear goal while others may be not so sure. Some are excited; others . . . well, you know.

It’s been a short summer. Always is, especially if you’re young. And all across the land there are shrieks and cries and moans and groans as the start of the year nears . . . and that’s just from the teachers and sta .

Reminds me of the story of the mother who came to the door of her son’s bedroom on the rst day of school for the new academic year. He hadn’t arisen despite her repeated pleas and threats that he was going to be late getting there.

Again and again she knocked on the door and called to him and threatened to pour cold water on his noggin and all manner of other things designed to get him out of bed, all to no avail. Finally she stood in the doorway and yelled at the top of her lungs, “Young man, you get up . . . right now!”

“Why, Mama?” he pleaded.

“Well, for one thing,” she said, “it’s almost 8:00 and I’ve got your breakfast ready. For another, you’re 42 years old and for the third, you’re the only principal the school has.”

The farther away I get from that rst day of the year the more I see it with rose-colored glasses. It’s been awhile since those days for me, for either the third grade or the third time I was a freshman in college. Still, no matter what, I think there’s

something good and needed about the start of the year and it has to do with starting over.

Seems like the older I become, the more I need or think I need to start over on some things . . . sometimes lots of things. And that’s one thing the new school year means.

It means you can forget the un nished plans, the unrealized dreams and the mistakes and downsides of the previous year. Of course, conversely it means you can remember the good stu and that’s good because you can build on that. It’s sort of like I couldn’t do multiplication until I learned the numbers.

And I know it’s a di erent world today but, to me, there’s something really bene cial about the social dimension of back to school. When I was a young boy, about the time dinosaurs were roaming the earth, I wanted to start the new school year. One reason was to learn in whose room I would be laboring. Would it be “The Teacher from the Black Lagoon” or would it be Pearl Pureheart?

And with which of my running buddies would I be sharing the year? Would this be the year I push the envelope too far or would it be the one where I nally learned not only some English and history and math but also some sense?

So while the details may change somewhat the principles remain close to the same. And as the 2023-24 academic year gets underway, wish your students well, think kind thoughts about and say a prayer for the teachers and nd a way, even if you’re not a student, to go back to school this year and learn some needed lessons.

Especially if it’s the school of life.

COLUMN | NEAL ROBBINS, PUBLISHER

This week’s issue is the true beginning of our process to bring all readers in Chatham County into the conversation.

Tax increases, year after year

DEAR EDITOR, We moved to Chatham County in May 2017 from Chapel Hill. I spoke to the County Commissioners on Monday evening about the continuing tax increases on our homes, year after year.

The property owners in Chatham County are bearing the brunt of tax increases. As reasonable as Chatham County taxes seemed to me when we moved here about six years ago, it is obvious we are paying more taxes. I was recovering from years of tax increase fatigue in Chapel Hill. Many Chatham County employees cannot a ord to live in Chatham County.

In additions to taxes going up, gas to ll our cars has become a major nancial investment.

I asked the County Commissioners to consider this issue from the citizen’s viewpoint. They may not hear our point of view very often. People are hesitant to stand before them and complain. I believe I am speaking for those who could not be here to let them know how di cult it is to receive higher tax bills every year. The commissioners may hear regularly from county sta or others with di erent perspectives.

When I spoke at the Budget public hearing in 2019, I pointed out the triple whammy of taxes. There was an increased property tax rate, increase in the sales tax, and a

A ordability – not jobs – is the key to the economy

AS THE CHALLENGES to the economy have evolved, politicians have not learned to focus on what’s is really hurting the American people.

Traditionally, unemployment and jobs are key indicators of economic health. In most elections, candidates either tout the jobs that have been created since they were elected or criticize increasing unemployment numbers.

The same model has been applied to analyzing this economy for the upcoming 2024 election. However, it may be the wrong focus.

The real pain in the 2023 American economy is not unemployment. It is a ordability.

President Joe Biden’s policy of pouring debt on the American people, and increasing de cit spending, is creating a crisis of a ordability. People have jobs – they just can’t a ord to pay for anything.

The Winston Group has developed a new measurement to explain this: the Presidential In ation Rate (PIR). Most analysts talk about in ation as an annualized gure, but this obscures how much prices have increased over time.

Winston Group tracks the in ation rate from the day a President takes o ce. The amount in ation has gone up across a presidential term is the key result of the Presidential In ation Rate.

According to the Winston Group analysis, President Biden is second only to President Jimmy Carter in modern in ation rates from inauguration to July of their third year in o ce. Speci cally, in ation has increased 16.9 percent since Biden’s inauguration. That is three times President Donald Trump’s Presidential In ation Rate in the same timeframe (5.7 percent). Carter was at 25 percent in ation over the rst three years – but every other recent president had less in ation than Biden.

The annualized in ation rate understates the pain level experienced by the American people. If you look at the Winston Group’s PIR measurement, you see that food prices under Biden have gone up 19.4 percent. The price of electricity has gone up 25.6 percent. Gasoline prices have gone up 53.4 percent.

In ghting the Biden in ationary surge, the Federal

reappraisal of properties. When properties are reappraised, we hope the tax rate might be lowered to o set the resulting higher taxes. The county appraiser was at our house over the summer.

Another problem is the lost tax revenue to Chatham County when online purchases are made and the taxes erroneously are sent to a bordering county by the company. This situation is repeated over and over again.

Our taxes have increased several times since we moved to Chatham County. We received our tax bill for our house on Thursday. It went up again by a total of 21.5% since 2017.

Citizens in all parts of Chatham County are looking to their commissioners to ease some of their tax burden. As elected o cials, they represent all citizens of Chatham County. This includes those who voted for them, who did not vote for them, and those with di erent viewpoints or political Party. Voters would like them to consider our pleas to not raise taxes.

I received applause from the audience for my comments.

Sincerely,

Terri Tyson Chapel Hill

Reserve has adopted the demand-side strategy of raising interest rates. The theory is simple: Create pain for the American people so we slow our spending. Ultimately, this will reduce in ation.

Under President Biden, this classic demand-side strategy is failing to work. The government is borrowing so much money — and spending it so extravagantly — that demand is sustaining even as the Fed tries to squeeze o the private sector.

Bidenomics is fueling Biden ation and creating a crisis of a ordability for most Americans.

You may have a job — but you have not likely had a pay raise. Meanwhile, the cost of everything you buy has gone up.

In just the last few weeks, the price of gasoline has jumped $.30 a gallon to an average of $3.87 for regular and $4.62 for premium. That is up from $2.42 for regular when President Trump left o ce. It is a 60 percent increase in the cost of something most Americans must buy. It is e ectively, a gigantic tax increase for most working Americans. Yet energy is not the biggest cause of pain.

Traditionally, the sector hit hardest by demand—side interest rate increases is housing. Mortgage interest rates are now above 7 percent, which the New York Times reports is the highest rate in 21 years (1982). As mortgage rates rise, the cost of buying a house goes much higher. Home values decline, because people cannot a ord the now much higher cost of the mortgage. When Trump left o ce in January 2021, mortgages averaged 2.65 percent — the lowest in 30 years. That has now almost tripled. The di erence in cost measured over 20 or 30 years is staggering. It has e ectively closed most people o from the housing market. They just can’t a ord it.

Further, this deliberate Bidenomics hike in mortgage rates has lowered the value of houses for the millions of Americans for whom their home is their primary retirement savings. So, Bidenomics is impoverishing the young who can’t a ord to buy a new house — and seniors who are watching their lifetime savings dwindle from higher costs and lower house values.

This crisis in a ordability is beginning to show up as the biggest threat to how people measure the Biden economy. A new Emerson poll of New Hampshire voters has “housing a ordability” skyrocketing in importance. It is the second biggest issue in the survey.

The economy led the list at 32 percent. However, onein- ve (21 percent) of those surveyed identi ed housing a ordability as their top concern. For voters under 50, housing a ordability was the top issue.

As the 2024 election approaches, many Americans may decide they just can’t a ord Bidenomics.

NC “Sausage” Update

OUR GENERAL ASSEMBLY overrode Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto on House Bill 488 prohibiting 2009 building code updates aimed at improved homeowner energy-e ciency savings and resilience to climate change’s extreme weather events until 2031.

We should closely monitor how the “sausage is made” in our General Assembly!

For example, the powerful special interest group, NC Home Builders Association, lobbied, wrote signi cant parts of the bill, and nally passed HB 488 into law placing their interests over ours.

Furthermore, HB 488’s primary sponsor, a builder, Rep. Mark Brody (Union County Republican) accepted tens of thousands of dollars from residential construction donors in 2022.

Gov. Cooper (7/7/23) wrote: “This bill stops important work to make home construction safer from disaster and more energy e cient, and ultimately will cost homeowners and renters more money. The bill also imperils NC’s ability to qualify for FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] funds by freezing residential building code standards. Not only does the bill wipe out years of work to make homes safer and more a ordable, it also violates the Constitution by rigging the way rules are made. Therefore, I veto the bill.”

Notably, FEMA designates North Carolina as having the weakest building code in southeastern US (https://www.fema.gov/sites/ default/ les/documents/fema_bcat-region-4report_fy2023.pdf).

Since our General Assembly passed HB 488 into law, certain federal funding is jeopardized-FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program [previously, NC received $73.8 million for 25 projects]. North Carolinians now risk ineligibility for In ation Reduction Act’s $1 billion supporting code updates/implementation/enforcement and $225 million in Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Funds incentivizing building code updates to match rapidly developing technology. Such federal grants prioritize funding for states maintaining updated modern codes providing safer, higherperforming homes against climate change and more a ordable power bills.

We North Carolinians will now lose out on federal disaster funds, just as climate change risk of home damage is accelerating, and lose out on new energy-e cient household savings just as Duke Energy is proposing rate hikes. Remember this special interest “sausage” as you vote next election!

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.

AMERICA’S POLITICAL PARTIES are the oldest and third-oldest in the world, and they have competed for votes among a population that has been diverse since colonial times. I

f you have any doubts about that, consult David Hackett Fischer’s 1989 classic “Albion’s Seed” on how settlers from di erent parts of the British Isles brought distinctive “folkways” to the di erent seaboard colonies and the Appalachian backwoods.

Since none of these groups has ever come close to constituting a majority of Americans, the partisan competition has usually been erce and (except for the brief and misnamed “era of good feelings”) unending. And uctuating.

Regional di erences have long been obvious: Di erences between North and South produced the Civil War. But in recent elections, the Midwest has voted more like the South than like the Northeast or the West. Racial and ethnic di erences have often been critical. Black Americans voted almost unanimously Republican, when they were allowed to vote, from the 1860s to the 1930s. Since the 1960s, they have voted almost unanimously Democratic — though that may be changing lately.

And “whites,” treated as a uniform group by many analysts these days, used to have sharp divisions. New England politics for most of the 20th century was a battle, at the ballot box and in birth rates, between Yankee Protestant Republicans and Irish Catholic Democrats.

By the 1990s, evangelical Protestants emerged as a heavily Republican group, and in the 2010s, white college graduates (especially those with post-graduate degrees) as a heavily Democratic group.

And then there is the gender gap, the di erence between male and female voters, which became statistically signi cant in 1980. In the years since, and

despite the quip attributed to Henry Kissinger that “there’s too much fraternizing with the enemy,” it has grown wider.

But not uniformly. As American Enterprise Institute’s ace polling expert Karlyn Bowman together with Ruy Teixeira have pointed out, it’s more of a marriage gap.

The exit poll in the almost even 2022 House (Republicans won the popular vote 50% to 47%) shows that married men voted 59% to 39% Republican, and unmarried men also went Republican by a smaller but signi cant 52% to 45% margin.

Married women, however, also voted Republican by a landslide 56% to 42% margin. So, why was the election so close? Because unmarried women favored Democrats 68% to 31%.

Note that married men and married women both made up 30% of the electorate. But there are a lot more unmarried women voters, 23% of the electorate, than unmarried men, 16%.

That re ects not only longer female lifespans but also female dominance in higher education, with women making up 60% of college and university students these days, and the trend toward later rst marriages.

The upshot is that about one-third of Democratic voters are single women, which helps explain, as the Washington Examiner’s Conn Carroll points out, the 2012 Obama “Life of Julia” cartoons, which showed government helping unattached women through life.

In general, women are more risk-averse than men, and thus more supportive of welfare state measures and more reluctant to support military action. They are also, as we have seen on female-dominated campuses, more willing to suppress speech that is seen as irritating or hurtful. “Highly educated women,” as Australian educator Lorenzo Warby writes, “are proving all too willing to trash other people’s freedoms to protect their emotions.”

Surveys show that, after 50 years of feminism, American women are increasingly likely to report themselves as unhappy, a characteristic especially marked in unmarried young liberal women with no religious connection.

Of course, happiness is a subjective condition, perhaps subject to change in de nition over time. But it’s hard to avoid the conclusion of economist Tyler Cowen that “current political debate in America cannot be understood without the concept of neuroticism — as a formal concept from personality psychology — front and center.”

This nds re ection in Biden-era Democrats’ disguised but rm support for abortion up to the moment of birth (for reasons of “mental health”) and for their eagerness to suppress speech that ran contrary to extreme riskaverseness during the COVID pandemic.

Those with memories ranging back to the 1970s and 1980s will recognize these attitudes as contrary to the positions of liberal Democrats then, including Joe Biden himself, who supported restrictions on lateterm abortions and opposed government suppression of dissenting speech.

All of which undercuts the crude feminist view that everything would be better if women’s views prevailed and provides support for the view that engagement, sometimes respectful and sometimes abrasive, between diverse segments — blacks and whites, North and South, Yankees and Irish, married people and single women — provides a better route to sensible policy and a successful nation.

COLUMN | NEWT GINGRICH

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 | MICHAEL BARONE

Single women are the odd men out, politically

Nancy Elaine Pritchard Wilson

Nancy Elaine Pritchard Wilson, 88, of Siler City, passed into the arms of her Savior on Thursday, August 17, 2023, at UNC Hospital in Hillsborough.

Nancy was born in Cabarrus County on March 6, 1935, to William Hugh and Margaret Faye Payne Pritchard. She loved her family and becoming a grandmother and great grandmother, as well as her special sister bond and their sister trips. Her love of music was evident in not only her beautiful singing voice, but in her gifts of leading the church choir at First Wesleyan Church and later singing in a ladies group, HOPE at Oakley Baptist Church where she was a long time member and choir member until her health would not allow it. She was an amazing artist, loving oil painting, and could sew anything from making her children’s clothes to a wedding gown for her sister, Ellen. She also loved designing and painting sweatshirts and shoes for local festivals.

Nancy co-owned and operated The Pumpkin TreeChildren’s Clothing along with

EILEEN THERESA MARRA

Eileen Theresa Marra, 93, of Pittsboro died on August 2, 2023. She was the daughter of the late Milton J. Robar and Lillian M. Gonyea Robar of Spring eld Massachusetts. She was born in October of 1929 and was one of six children. Eileen was preceded in death by her husband, Owen J. Marra, her brother, Milton Robar and sister, Jacqueline (Robar) Smith. She is survived by her siblings; Neil Robar, Janice (Robar) MacLeod, and Beverly (Robar) Schleicher, as well as sister-in-law, Phyllis Robar, brotherin-law, Jay Smith and many nieces and nephews. There will be no local services but

her sister, Judy. Later in life she graduated from Central Carolina Community College with an Associates Degree in Business. She retired as secretary of United Fire and Safety after many years of faithful service.

Nancy was preceded in death by her parents; sons Greg Wilson and John D. Wilson; daughter-in-law Rachel Wilson; and brother Jack Pritchard.

Mrs. Wilson is survived by her son Marty Wilson (Sarah) of Bennett; daughters Teresa Graves (Ricky) of Siler City, and Carolyn Wilson of Burlington; 8 grandchildren Hillary Graves, Corey Wilson, Cli Graves (Ti any), Nicole Wilson, Adam Wilson, Jessica Ward (Victor), Josh Riggs, and Joel Riggs; 3 great grandchildren Norah Graves, Edith Graves, and Jackie Gri n; brothers Guy Pritchard, of Siler City, and Michael Pritchard (Martha) of Tampa, FL; sisters Marie Marsh (Dalton) of Siler City, Judy Marsh of Siler City, Ellen Holder (Dave) of Indian Lake Estate, FL, and Vicky Justice (PD) of Siler City; and many nieces and nephews.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, August 20, 2023, at Oakley Baptist Church, from 2:00 - 3:00 PM. Other times will be at the home of Teresa and Ricky Graves. The funeral service will follow at 3:00 PM, with Dr. Je Johnson o ciating. Burial will follow in the Church Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Lottie Moon Christmas Fund c/o Oakley Baptist Church.

Smith & Buckner Funeral Home is serving the Wilson family.

Online Condolences may be made at www.smithbucknerfh. com

IN MEMORY

KIRSTIN DENICE (WOMBLE) THOMAS

October 18, 1978 - August 17, 2023

Mrs. Kirstin Denice (Womble) Thomas, 44, of Bear Creek, NC transitioned into eternal rest on Thursday, August 17, 2023, at UNC Hospice House in Pittsboro, NC.

DARRYL EUGENE BYNUM

July 15, 1962 - August 14, 2023

Mr. Darryl Eugene Bynum, age 61 of Pittsboro, NC transitioned into eternal rest on Monday, August 14, 2023, at First Health Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst, NC. Sunday, August 20, 2023, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, Knotts Funeral Home, 113 N Graham Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27516. FUNERAL SERVICE: Monday, August 21, 2023, 12:30 PM, Mt. Zion Baptist Church, 530 Lystra Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27517. BURIAL: Monday, August 21, 2023, Mt. Zion Baptist Church Cemetery, 530 Lystra Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27517. Everyone that enters the funeral home and or attends services must wear a mask.

JENNIFER ANN (CAMERON) DOWDY

April 19, 1970 ~ August 10, 2023

Mrs. Jennifer Ann (Cameron) Dowdy, age 53, of Burlington, NC entered into eternal rest on Thursday, August 10, 2023, at her residence. CELEBRATION OF LIFE: Friday, August 18, 2023, 11:00 AM, Hamlet Chapel CME Church, 2855 Hamlet Chapel Church Rd., Pittsboro, NC 27312

CHRISTOPHER ANDREA TATE

February 11, 1966 - August 16, 2023

Mr. Christopher Andrea Tate, age 57 of Chapel Hill, NC transitioned into eternal rest on Wednesday, August 16, 2023, at Genesis Siler City Center in Siler City, North Carolina. Everyone that enters the funeral home and or attends services must wear a mask.

LEOMIE (LEE) ALSTON

May 17, 1917 - August 16, 2023

Ms. Leomie (Lee) Alston, age 106 of Pittsboro, NC transitioned into eternal rest on Wednesday, August 16, 2023, at her residence. Everyone that enters the funeral home and or attends services must wear a mask. Services: FUNERAL SERVICE: Wednesday, August 23, 2023, 2:00 PM, Alston Chapel United Holy Church, 1832 Alston Chapel Rd., Pittsboro, NC 27312. BURIAL: Wednesday, August 23, 2023, Alston Chapel Cemetery, 1832 Alston Chape lChurch, Pittsboro, NC 27312.

Eileen’s ashes will be buried in Spring eld, Massachusetts at The Gate of Heaven Cemetery. The family request in lieu of owers that memorial donations be made to the St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in memory of Eileen. Donaldson Funeral Home & Crematory is honored to serve the Robar-Marra family.

FRANCES (MATTHEWS) MCCORMICK

April 6, 1949 - July 22, 2023

Reverend Frances Matthews McCormick, age 74, of Providence, Rhode Island, formerly of Goldston, North Carolina, transitioned into eternal rest on Saturday, July 22, 2023. MEMORIAL SERVICE: Saturday, August 19, 2023, 11:00 AM, House of Refuge, 1665 Lower Moncure Rd, Sanford, NC 27330

BRITTANY PENDERGRAPH

On the evening of August 11, 2023, Brittany passed away at UNC Medical Center from complications of an ongoing medical condition. Brittany was 36 years old.

Brittany was born on May 30th, 1987, in Chapel Hill, NC. She was the daughter of Tabatha Dalia and Terry Pendergraph.

Brittany grew up in Pittsboro. She graduated from Northwoods High School in 2005. It was during that time she met her boyfriend, Adam Holmes. Together Brittany and Adam build a life together which included the births of their two precious children Caleb (10) and Carmen (7).

From the time she was a small child

Brittany found joy in the simple pleasures of life. She loved being outdoors with her family. Many weekends they could be found camping or hiking. She was also an avid animal lover. It was not unusual for Brittany to come inside as a child holding an animal and introducing it to her mom as her new pet! She loved all animals, but none as much as her dog Tony who we have no doubt was waiting there for her when she got to heaven.

In addition to her parents, her children and Adam, Brittany is survived by her little sister Courtney Putnam whom she loved and adored very much and her grandparents Robert and Neal Elmore. She is also survived by many friends and family members.

Brittany was preceded in death by several members of her family that meant the world to her. Those people include her nanny Louise Riggsbee, her grandparents Bobby and Theo Pendergraph and her uncle Kevin Pendergraph. We can only imagine what a glorious celebration it was when they were all reunited.

A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, August 19th, 2023, at 11:00 am at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church located at 1309 N. Pea Ridge Road, Pittsboro, NC 27312 with Pastor Robert Elmore presiding.

Brittany’s favorite color was pink, and the family would love if everyone would wear something pink if possible. Whatever you do don’t wear Tarheel blue as Brittany was a faithful Duke Blue Devil fan!

Due to Brittany’s love of animals the best way to honor her memory is to donate in her memory to Chatham Animal Rescue & Education (CARE) P.O. Box 610, Pittsboro, NC 27312. Flowers are also welcome.

CLASSIFIED

REAL ESTATE

LEARN ABOUT LAND - Chatham Land Experts, www.learnaboutland.com - 919-362-6999

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OFFICE SPACE FOR LEASE

O ce, Professional space for lease, now available, in downtown Pittsboro. Call 919-6120596 for details.” Jn15,tfnc

RENTALS, APARTMENTS

POWELL SPRINGS APTS. Evergreen

Construction introduces its newest independent living community for adults 55 years or older, 1 and 2 bedroom applications now being accepted. O ce hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 919-533-6319 for more information, TDD #1-800-735-2962, Equal housing opportunity, Handicapped accessible, A2,tfnc

ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS now for one bedroom apartments, adults 55 years or older. Water included, appliances furnished, onsite laundry, elevator, keyless entry. Section 8 accepted. No security deposit. Application fee $25 per adult. Call Braxton Manor, 919663-1877. Handicap accessible. Equal Housing Opportunity. Jy14,tfnc

AUTO FOR SALE FOR SALE - 2011 Lexus ES 350, 919-742-4561, Jy27, tfnc

RV FOR SALE RV for sale, Damen Daybreak 2000, 75,000 miles, runs great, good tires, good air conditioner, good generator. $10,000, Financing available, 919-828-4247. Jn8,tfncx

YARD SALE

HUGE INDOOR SALE - Friday, Aug.18th - 9amuntil, Sat., Aug 19th - 9am-until - Lots of Avon glassware, pictures, shoes, hats, purses, pocketbooks, linens, towels, bicycles, books and kitchen items. Come See Us!! Several Families and Vendors! 17720 US Hwy.64 West, Siler City.

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WALK THROUGH YARD SALE-CASH ONLY!Aug.26th, 8:00am - until - 49 Roberts Chapel Church Rd.,Goldston, NC 27252. For more information, please call Debra Paige919-742-5750 or 919-799-1088. Pick-Up Only.

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GARAGE SALE - Sat., Aug.19th - 8:00am - until - 159 Pine Forest Dr, Siler City, NC 27344 - For more info, please call Samuel at 919-356-8930. Aug.17,1tp

AUCTIONS

AUCTIONEER SCOTT L. HARRIS at JHA. One Call...We sell it all!!! Real estate, personal property, estate settlement, farms & land, business liquidation. JHA has been conducting auctions in the state of NC since 1989. Fully licensed Real Estate and Auction Firm. NCAL #8420 Firm #8086 www.JerryHarrisAuction. com, 919-498-4077, Jy6,tfnc RICKY ELLINGTON AUCTIONEERSEquipment, business, liquidation, estates, land, houses, antiques, personal property, coins, furniture, consignments, bene ts, etc., NCAL #7706, 919-548-3684, 919-663-3556, rickyellingtonauctions@yahoo.com, Jy6,tfnc

SERVICES

RAINBOW WATER FILTERED VACUUMS, Alice Cox, Cox’s Distributing - Rainbow - Cell: 919548-4314, Sales, Services, Supplies. Serving public for 35 years. Rada Cutlery also available. Au26,tfnc

AUTO BROKERS RECYCLERS - Cash paid for Junk/Wrecked vehicles. Call 919-545-0194. My13,tfnc

CASH PAID FOR JUNK CARS AND PICKUPS - Call Clifton Maness - 336-581-3423. Aug.3,10,17,24.4tp

JUNK CARS PICKED UP Free of charge. Due to many months of low steel prices and unstable steel markets, we cannot pay for cars at this time. Cars, trucks, and machinery will be transported and environmentally correctly recycled at no charge. 919-542-2803. A2,tfnc

LETT’S TREE SERVICE - tree removal, stump grinding, lot clearing. Visa & Master Card accepted. Timber. Free estimates. 919-258-3594. N9,tfnc

HELP WANTED

FOOD SERVICES STAFF, Pittsboro Christian Village is accepting applications for Server, Pantry Cook, and Cook. Apply in person 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday – Friday, at 1825 East St. in Pittsboro. Jy14,tfnc

Chatham Monument Company has an immediate job opening. This is a full time position and involves placing monuments in the cemetery in Chatham and surrounding counties. Job requirements are: Must have a valid NC drivers license, must be able to lift 75 pounds if necessary. Must have a good attitude, the ability to work well with others and be willing to learn. Also needs reliable transportation to and from work. Pay will be based on the individual and their ability to do the work.

Apply in Person to 227 N. 2nd Ave. Siler City, NC 27344

23 E 434 NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY Having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Michael Fred Wilson of Chatham County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against the decedent to present their claims to the undersigned on or before the 30th day of November, 2023 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms, and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

Courtney Wilson, Executrix 1840 Bear Creek Ch Rd Bear Creek, NC 27207 Au 10, Au 17, Au 24, Au 30, 4tc

NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY DISTRICT COURT

FILE NO.: 23-CVD-000565

Mirian Yamileth Reyes Gonzales Douglas Reynaldo Carbajal Reyes v. Luis Alberto Barahona

To: Luis Alberto Barahona

Take Notice that a Complaint has been led against you in the Civil Action described above, in the General Court of Justice, District Court Division, by the plainti herein, the nature of which is as follows:

The Complaint seeks an Order of Permanent Custody of your minor Child, Luis Alberto Reyes Gonzales. You are required to le an Answer including any defenses to this pleading within forty (40) days from the date of rst publication of this Notice with the Clerk of Court of Chatham County. If you fail to do so, you may not receive further notices, and the plainti will seek the relief sought herein.

Publication begins This is the 17th day of August 2023. Yesenia L. Polanco-Galdamez, Attorney for Plainti

411 Andrews Road, Suite 130 Durham, NC 27705 (919) 294-8032

Published August 17, 2023, August 24, 2023, and August 31, 2023.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY

HAVING QUALIFIED as Administrator of the Estate of Abbie

Brice Cothren late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 15th day of December, 2023, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

This the lst day of August, 2023.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

23-E-363 NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY

The undersigned, Kimberly A. Carrigan, having quali ed as Administrator of the Estate of JAMES D. OBERLENDER, deceased, late of Chatham County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the day of November 22nd, 2023, 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 24th of August 2023. Kimberly A. Carrigan Executrix

6721 Beeman Dr Plano, TX 75023 Au24,Au31,Se7,Se14,4tc

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY

QUALIFIED as Executor of the Estate of Joanna Elliott Pearce, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 30th day of November, 2023, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

of the Estate of Joanna Elliott Pearce 3515 Silk Hope Lindly Mill Road Snow Camp, NC 27349 Au17,Au24,Au31,Se7,4tc

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

23-E-443 NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY

The undersigned, Jamelle Emerson, having quali ed as Administrator of the Estate of Michael L. Mineer, deceased, late of Chatham County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the day of November 22nd, 2023, 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 24th of August 2023.

Jamelle Emerson Administrator c/o Marie H. Hopper Attorney for the Estate Hopper Cummings, PLLC Post O ce Box 1455 Pittsboro, NC 27312 Au24,Au31,Se7,Se14,4tc

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY HAVING QUALIFIED as Executor of the Estate of Patricia Antoinette Brown, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 30th day of November, 2023, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. This the 17th day of August, 2023. Derek Louis Brown Executor of the Estate of Patricia Antoinette Brown 1516 Consett Court Raleigh, NC 27613 Au17,Au24,Au31,Se7,4tc

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

All persons having claims against Irma Jean Sa elle (a.k.a. Jean Neville Sa elle) of Chatham County, North Carolina are noti ed to present them to Milton F. Sa elle, Jr., Executor of the Estate of Irma Jean Sa elle, in c/o Dean P. Broz, Attorney for the Estate, at Higgins, Frankstone, Graves & Morris, P. A., 1414 Raleigh Road, Suite 203, Exchange West at Meadowmont, Chapel Hill, NC 27517-8834 on or before November 24, 2023. Failure to present a claim in timely fashion will result in this Notice being pleaded in bar of recovery against the estate, the Executor, and the devisees of Irma Jean Sa elle. Those indebted to Irma Jean Sa elle are asked to make prompt payment to the Estate.

Dean P. Broz Higgins, Frankstone, Graves & Morris, P.A. 1414 Raleigh Road, Suite 203 Exchange West at Meadowmont Chapel Hill, NC 27517-8834 Au24,Au31,Se7,Se14,4tc

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA

CHATHAM COUNTY HAVING QUALIFIED as Executrix of the Estate of THOMAS

CECIL CRAVEN, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 3rd day of November, 2023, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. This the 3rd day of August, 2023. Shoshi Craven aka Shoshe Craven, Executrix of The Estate of Thomas Cecil Craven 686 Adolph Taylor Rd, Pittsboro, NC 27312 Au3,Au10,Au17,Au24,4tc

multi-disciplined professional engineering services to the Town of Siler City. This request for quali cations is intended to provide the Town of Siler City with a exible and e ective way to respond to a range of engineering needs with an available rm ready to help in as many ways as possible. The rms selected shall have experience in, but not limited to; water, wastewater, stormwater, asset condition, transportation, parks and recreation, watershed protection, stream bu er regulations, and public facilities.

The selected rms will help with all potential preliminary and subsequent post-award work (funding application & administration, analytical reports such as environmental/ biological/wetland, engineering design, surveying, Geotech, easements, CA/CO, studies, planning). The selected rms shall also have experience in a variety of funding sources, not limited to but including; SDA, Golden Leaf, NC Commerce, NC DWI, EDA, ARPA, FEMA, and any other funding source. The selected rms shall also be knowledgeable with all state and federal regulations and requirements along with uniform guidance as needed as well as a good understanding of the Town of Siler City Code of Ordinances, State and Federal permit regulations, and all other practices that pertain to various projects.

The initial contract duration will be three (3) years with the option to extend annually up to ve (5) years. Anticipated annual contract amounts for oncall services will be dependent upon speci c needs for supplemental engineering services and available funding. No work is guaranteed under any contract with work assigned on an as needed basis to be determined by the Town of Siler City in its sole and absolute discretion. The Town will only consider one consultant at a time for any speci c project, and should negotiations fail, price negotiations will be terminated with the selected rm and begin negotiations with another rm. The Town reserves the right to assign additional tasks to the selected rms, based on the Town’s need, and the rm’s availability, as well as past and current performance of the rm(s).

The Town of Siler City is an Equal Opportunity Employer and invites the submission of proposals from small and minority and women-owned rms, and historically underutilized businesses.

Federal Uniform Guidance:

If funding for any procurement is awarded from a federal source, whether in whole or in part, all provisions pursuant to 2 C.F.R. 200 will apply and will be followed by the Town of Siler City and the rm.

the outcome of the item are invited to attend the legislative hearing and present comments, testimony, and exhibits on the above referenced item. These are separate hearings: Interested parties may submit evidence and written comments. Written comments or evidence on these applications can be submitted by email to jbaptiste@silercity.org. Individuals desiring to speak must sign up by calling 919-726-8626 before 12:00 p.m. on or before the scheduled public hearing date. The Town of Siler City will make appropriate arrangements to ensure that disabled persons are provided other accommodations, such arrangements may include, but are not limited to, providing interpreters for the deaf, providing taped cassettes of materials for the blind, or assuring a barrier-free location for the proceedings. This information is available in Spanish or any other language upon request. Please contact Jenifer Johnson at 919-726-8624, 311 North Second Avenue, Siler City, North Carolina 27344, or jjohnson@silercity.org for accommodations for this request. Esta información está disponible en español o en cualquier otro idioma bajo petición. Por favor, póngase en contacto con Jenifer Johnson al jjohnson@silercity.org o 919-726-8625 o en 311 North Second Avenue, Siler City, North Carolina 27344 de alojamiento para esta solicitud.

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

A public hearing will be held by the Goldston Town Board on Monday, September 11, 2023 beginning at 7:00 p.m. The hearing will be held at the Goldston Town Hall located at 40 Coral Avenue, Goldston, NC 27252. Additional information is available at the Chatham County Planning Department o ce. Speakers are requested to sign up at the meeting prior to the hearing. You may also request to speak by contacting the town clerk Annie Kay King Gaines at akkgaines@americansouthgc.com or Hunter Glenn at hunter. glenn@chathamcountync.gov.

The public hearing may be continued to another date at the discretion of the Board.

Legislative Hearing on a Proposed Annexation.

Harvey Harman, on behalf of Chatham County Habitat for Humanity, has requested a voluntary satellite annexation of 3.16 acres located on Pinecrest Drive (Parcels 9426,9550, and 71799) Chatham County NC.

Legislative Hearing on a Proposed Annexation. Tracy Ayotte, on behalf of Ricky Beal and High Point Precast Products, has requested a voluntary satellite annexation of 17.826 acres located at 870 and 819 Walter Lambert Rd (Parcels 9617 and 10087) Chatham County NC.

the Estate of Anne Craig Barnes in c/o Dean P. Broz, Attorney for the Estate, at Higgins, Frankstone, Graves & Morris, P. A., 1414 Raleigh Road, Suite 203, Exchange West at Meadowmont, Chapel Hill, NC 27517-8834 on or before November 24, 2023. Failure to present a claim in timely fashion will result in this Notice being pleaded in bar of recovery against the estate, the Executor, and the devisees of Anne Craig Barnes.

Those indebted to Anne Craig Barnes are asked to make prompt payment to the Estate.

Dean P. Broz Higgins, Frankstone, Graves & Morris, P.A. 1414 Raleigh Road, Suite 203 Exchange West at Meadowmont Chapel Hill, NC 27517-8834

Au24,Au31,Se7,Se14,4tc

CREDITOR’S NOTICE

Having quali ed on the 24th of July 2023, as Administrator of the Estate of Cora Lee Womble, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the decedent to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before the 3rd day of November 2023, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms and corporations indebted to the estate should make immediate payment.

This the 27th day of July 2023

W. Woods Doster, Administrator of the Estate of Cora Lee

Womble 206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330

Attorneys: Law O ces of W. Woods Doster, P.A. 206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330

Publish On: August 3rd, 10th ,17th and 24th 2023.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

All persons having claims against Arnold Ezdard Egbert

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY HAVING QUALIFIED as Executor of the Estate of Wallace Roger Stone, Sr., late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 15th day of December, 2023, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. This the lst day of August, 2023. Wallace Roger Stone, Jr., Executor of The Estate of Wallace Roger Stone, Sr.

1935 Goldston Carbonton Road Goldston, North Carolina 27252 MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850 Au 10, Au 17, Au 24, Au 30, 4tc

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY HAVING QUALIFIED as Co-Executrix of the Estate of William Curtis Elmore, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before

Substantial changes may be made following the public hearing due to verbal or written comments received or based on the Board’s discussions. Notice to people with special needs: If you have an audio or visual impairment, unique accessibility requirements or need language assistance, please call the number listed below prior to the hearing and assistance may be provided. If you have any questions or comments concerning these issues, please call Hunter Glenn with the Chatham County Planning Department 919- 542-8284 or write to P.O. Box 54, Pittsboro N.C. 27312.

Advertise: August 24, 2023

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

23-E-407 NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY The undersigned, Lynn Coburn Green, having quali ed as Administrator of the Estate of Beverly J Lafoy Coburn, deceased, late of Chatham County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the day of November 25, 2023, 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 24th of August 2023. Lynn Coburn Green Executor 3711 Mt Gilead Church Rd Pittsboro, NC 27312 Au24,Au31,Se7,Se14,4tc

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

23-E-363 NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY

The undersigned, Kimberly A. Carrigan, having quali ed as Administrator of the Estate of JAMES D. OBERLENDER, deceased, late of Chatham County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the day of November 25, 2023, 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 24th of August 2023.

Kimberly A. Carrigan Executrix 6721 Beeman Dr Plano, TX 75023 Au24,Au31,Se7,Se14,4tc

Sanford man arrested second time for Siler City shooting, charged with attempted rst-degree murder

Chatham News & Record

ON AUGUST 15, Mi’khell Avion Watson, 18, of the 3500 block of Hiawatha Trail, Sanford, NC, was arrested for a second time in connection to a shooting on July 5, 2023. Watson was arrested for possession of a rearm by a felon and charged with attempted rst-degree murder.

While the case is still under investigation, and a court date is still pending, what is known about what occurred at approximately 4 a.m. on July 5, involved a gunshot victim being admitted to Chatham Hospital in Siler City.

The shooting victim told Chatham County Sheri ’s O ce investigators that Mik’hell Avion Watson shot at him while he was attempting to meet up with Alexis Mason of Asheboro.

A search of Watson’s residence

WORKSHOP from page 1

the county to consider appropriate routes to be taken for ranges of EV charges.

Currently, 77 of the EV school buses have been ordered across the state from other school districts and 5 are currently in use.

Cox mentioned that the exhaust from the heavy diesel fumes have caused not only respiratory problems in children, but that it also affects their participation and learning ability in the classroom.

The county has already installed 4 EV charging stations in Siler City and Pittsboro.

Next, Cox talked about “climate resilient” homes.

The commissioners were given information about how to weatherproof low-income homes to close the connection gap and that 17% of all air pollution comes from homes. Cox stressed the importance of the need to forcibly move to climate ef-

found a rearm that matched spent shell casings recovered from the crime scene.

Warrants were originally issued for the arrest of Watson, Mason, and a juvenile suspect.

Watson was arrested in connection to this case for the rst time back in July of this year and was charged with felony conspiracy, felony assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, simple assault, and assault by pointing a gun.

He was issued a $50,000.00 secured bond and was scheduled to appear in Chatham County District Court on July 17, 2023.

Now, Watson is facing attempted rst-degree murder charges and was issued a $10,000.00 secured bond.

He is scheduled to appear in Chatham County Superior Court in Pittsboro on September 18, 2023.

cient appliances in a home, claiming it is more a ordable to change to climate friendly appliances, which was not backed up with any price index research.

“One-third of the amount of energy is used by a heat pump water heater than a regular water heater, helping residents save on energy bills,” said Cox.

The commissioners also learned about lower costs through climate-friendly appliances, and circling back around to EV buses for the county, but nothing was mentioned on how adding a eet of EV buses would a ect power grid performance.

The eagerness to push the county towards mostly EV vehicles, not just for school buses, was called an “exciting potential option” by Board Chair Karen Howard.

Commissioner David Delaney added that, “this is a good positive thing,” and touted the idea of EV school buses.

Apply to join the Chatham Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors

The Chatham Economic Development Corporation (EDC) is seeking applicants for its board of directors.

The Chatham EDC serves as the lead economic development agency for Chatham County and is seeking applicants for its board of directors.

As a nonprofit corporation, the Chatham EDC is looking for candidates who live or work in Chatham County. People with private sector business backgrounds and who are interested in furthering economic growth in the County strongly encouraged to apply. The deadline to apply is August 31st, 2023.

SCAN QR CODE TO APPLY www.chathamedc.org

Chatham County Schools gain two certi ed Nutrition Specialists

By Chuck Thompson Chatham News

Record

&

PITTSBORO — Chatham County Schools announced the completion of School Nutrition Association (SNA) training by two child nutrition employees, who are now School Nutrition Specialists (SNS).

Less than 1,600 school nutrition sta ers across the country have achieved this certi cation, and now CCS Director of Nutri-

tion Services Jennifer Ozkurt and School Nutrition Operations Coordinator Renee Langley have joined the ranks of recognized specialists.

“We spent six months studying for this certi cation. The exam was 220 questions long, and we only had four hours to complete it. It was rigorous,” Langley said.

This achievement requires professional knowledge in nutrition operations, administra-

tion, and marketing of USDA Professional Standards.

“Getting this certi cation was very important to me because I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. It helped me learn so much more about my job, and it will allow me to better help our program districtwide.” Langley added.

“I encouraged my sta to take advantage of this opportunity so that we could all be wellversed and help co-coordinate

di erent aspects of our county’s child nutrition program, said Ozkurt in a statement to the Chatham News & Record, “This certi cation will de nitely help improve our operations as a whole.” The certi cation earned by Ozkurt and Langley is valid for three years, and they must complete 45 hours of continuing education over the threeyear span to maintain their certi cation.

“Getting this certi cation was very important to me because I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it.”

Renee Langley

“We are very proud of this accomplishment,” Ozkurt said, “and now we are one of the nation’s top-tier child nutrition programs. I am just so proud of my sta for taking the initiative to go for this certi cation because they are all so talented. Now they have the accolades to prove it.”

e Chatham Economic Development Corporation is a 501(c)3 nonpro t that contracts with Chatham County and operates with the support of private investors.

e focus of our o ce is to attract and retain businesses in Chatham County to increase the commercial tax base, which in turn helps to keep residential taxes low and improves resident’s quality of life. We strive to recruit companies that match Chatham’s values, such as the VinFast electric vehicle project in Moncure and the Wolfspeed semicondutctor plant in Siler City. Supporting Chatham’s existing industries is a critical part of what we do, ensuring that jobs are always available for those who want them.

With our proximity to the thriving Triangle and Triad regions, Chatham is the next logical spot for growth. Some of that growth is already here, with the promised 9,000 jobs and $9 billion of investment that VinFast and Wolfspeed will bring. Chatham will continue to welcome new residents, new ideas, and new companies and its unique character will continue to shine.

Local teams kick-o season

Chatham News & Record

SILER CITY — The 2023 prep football season is o cially underway, and each of Chatham County’s four varsity football teams were in action Friday

night. Unfortunately, the rst week of the new season umirrored the nal week of last season for the local teams, as none of them could muster a win.

Chatham Central, under new head coach Derrin Little,

opened on the road at North Stokes and had the closest contest of the night, losing 22-20.

The Bears (0-1) open their season with three-straight road games and will next travel to Denton to face South Davidson

(1-0), who defeated Jordan-Matthews last week.

Mitch Johnson’s rst season with Northwood started with a two-touchdown loss to Riverside (Durham) 35-21. The Chargers (0-1) will host a second-straight home game Friday against Union Pines (0-1).

The Seaforth Hawks started their second season of varsity football with a 37-3 loss to the

Purnell Swett Rams. The Hawks (0-1) will travel to Southern Lee (1-0) Friday.

Jordan-Matthews dropped its home opener 49-13 to South Davidson. The Jets (0-1) have won only one game over the past three seasons and have lost 28 of their last 29 games. They will look to break a 12-game losing streak next week at Carrboro (0-1).

Northwood

Chatham County football coaches hold historic media day

as season kicks o

By Chuck Thompson Chatham News & Record

SILER CITY — The head football coaches of Chatham Central, Northwood Jordan-Matthews, Seaforth, and Chatham Central High Schools held a joint press conference at Jordan-Matthews High School on Tuesday, Aug. 15, bringing together all four coaches before the battle of Chatham began with all four schools in the same conference.

Chatham Central’s Derrin Little, who just gained the reins as head coach in July, took to the podium rst, emphasizing that he’s focused on getting his players to work together, taking baby steps towards improvement.

Little re ected upon his mom, giving her credit for her advice as a role model to him. She attended Chatham Central, and Little said she is very

proud of him. Little is proud of his players, and with some playing their last year this coming season, he said, “I have a really good group, and I wish I had them a few more years.”

Little acknowledged that Coach Ryan Johnson’s Jets are a very good team, and the clash will come head-to-head on Sept. 8, when Central faces o against Jordan-Matthews.

When asked what his veyear plan is for the team, he replied, “If ve years from now we can say that we have a functioning JV (junior varsity) team, I will have accomplished that goal.”

Coach Little was credited by his players in attendance for helping them play together as a team, and they’re fortunate to have him as their coach.

For many players at Chatham Central it’s a family tradition, See FOOTBALL, page B2

Northwood girl’s volleyball undefeated in rst week of action

Chatham News & Record

PITTSBORO — Three matches, three wins for the Northwood Chargers girl’s volleyball team.

In their opening week of the

2023 fall season, Northwood took down North Moore, Lee County and Southeast Alamance. The Chargers showed resolve, winning the nal points in each game for the decisive victories. Two of the

three wins took place on the road heading into this week’s action.

A pair of midweek games at home are next for the team, who will take on Union Pines and Bartlett Yancey.

Northwood takes on Southeast Alamance in women’s volleyball on Aug. 17, 2023.

ALL PHOTOS BY GENE GALIN FOR THE CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

and Seaforth played their opening game on Friday, Aug. 17, 2023.

Schau ele earns nal Ryder Cup spot

The Associated Press

OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill.

— PGA champion Brooks Koepka went from a remarkable feat of getting among the six automatic spots on the Ryder Cup to now needing a phone call from U.S. captain Zach Johnson.

Xander Schau ele did enough right Sunday in the BMW Championship that a bogey on thenal hole didn’t cost him. He closed with a 2-under 68 at Olympia Fields and tied for eighth, giving him the sixth and nal automatic spot on the Ryder Cup team.

Koepka fell from No. 5 to No. 7, nishing 29 points behind Schau ele. Max Homa had been in the nal spot and shot 68 to tie for fth.

The BMW Championship was the nal qualifying tournament. After the Tour Championship next week, Johnson will get six captain’s picks.

Scottie Sche er led the points list by such a margin that he had more points than the next two players behind him, U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark and British Open champion Brian Harman. They were followed by Patrick Cantlay, Homa and Schau ele.

Koepka left the PGA Tour for Saudi-backed LIV Golf last June and only had access to Ryder Cup points in the majors. He was a runner-up at the Masters and won the PGA Championship, with points counting double for winners of a major.

Schau ele nished with 9,450 points in 26 qualifying tournaments. Koepka had 9,421 points in 10 counting events.

Any other player who nished just outside qualifying, had won ve majors and was 6-5-1 in his three Ryder Cup appearances would

FOOTBALL from page 1

where fathers, and grandfathers wore the uniform before them, which brings a sense of honor and pride to those that get to wear the Central jersey.

Northwood High School Head Coach Mitch Johnson, also in his rst season, plans to focus on improvements through defense.

“We just need to continue to do our job and work on our defense,” said Johnson. “Every week, we just have to be prepared and treat each game like it’s the Super Bowl and give it our best.”

Seaforth head coach Terrance Gary is currently in his third year at the helm – and Seaforth’s only head coach, so far, being the newest high school football program in the county.

From a freshman team, in more than one way, to coaching the freshmen that started with him in the beginning that are now seniors, Coach Gary has worked hard to establish a foundation for Seaforth’s football program.

“I don’t care about your skill level or height, as long as you put in the e ort I will coach you,” Gary said to those in attendance about his players.

Gary is known for giving everyone a chance and putting the focus on e ort through hard work. He is most proud of the last few years as he builds a team from freshman to know – which has also been his biggest challenge in the program, with sophomore players going up against seasoned, hardened, teams, and yet the held their own, considering the circumstances.

Gary tries to instill leadership and unity in the team to help them play better to -

seem to be a lock. The wild card is Koepka being part of LIV Golf and its 48-man elds over 54 holes.

Since his victory in the PGA Championship, Koepka tied for 17th in the U.S. Open and tied for 64th in the British Open. At LIV Golf, he had only one nish in the top 10 in ve events, and the last two he was near the bottom of the pack.

The last American who nished just outside automatic qualifying and was not picked was Bubba Watson for the 2016 matches at Hazeltine.

Schau ele at least doesn’t have to wait on a phone call. He was bypassed in the standings in favor of Tony Finau for the 2018 matches in France.

“You don’t really want to sit around and wait for the phone call,” Schau ele said. “Been on both sides of it. ... I remember getting a call saying, ‘No’ and a call saying, ‘Yes.’ It’s nice to automatically qualify.”

Jordan Spieth, who has played in every Ryder Cup since 2014, narrowly made it to the Tour Championship. He nished at No. 8, followed by Cameron Young, Collin Morikawa, Keegan Bradley and Sam Burns.

Rickie Fowler, who won the Rocket Mortgage this summer for his rst win in ve years, is at No. 13. Most of the attention is on Justin Thomas, who is No. 15 and did not qualify for the FedEx Cup playo s (top 70) for the rst time in his career. He also has a 6-2-1 record in the two Ryder Cups he has played.

Of the potential captain’s picks, seven will be at East Lake for one last audition. That includes Lucas Glover, who had won his previous two starts to reach No. 5 in the FedEx Cup. Glover nished at No. 16 in the Ryder Cup standings.

gether.

His players complimented Gary on pushing e ort to drive them to do their best to make them a stronger team by giving 100%.

“I’m just trying to win,” Gary said in conclusion.

Jordan-Matthews head coach Ryan Johnson wrapped up the event.

“I was very successful where I was, but when this position became open I jumped on it because this is my city,” Johnson said of Siler City and why he took the position.

Johnson is currently in his third year as head coach at J-M.

Coach Johnson has had several players walk onto the eld without any previous experience in football – which is not uncommon since Jordan-Matthews does not have a JV team, and this year, there will not be a rec league team in Siler City.

This dilemma makes building a foundation –even at a school such as Jordan-Matthews – challenging and encouraging at the same time.

“It’s hard when you’re not winning, but not quitting is an achievement in itself,” Johnson said, encouraging those players in attendance, listening to him speak.

Johnson relies heavily on his faith, saying that, at times, it can be more important than your work history and skill level.

A guiding force in his player’s lives, through inspiration, he doesn’t force anything on anyone, but allows the players a chance to go to F.C.A. camp with him every year, if they want to go.

He coaches his players to not only learn to play together, but to be part of their community, and a community among themselves.

People of Action!

This past weekend, you may have seen area Rotarians collecting trash along the road in Pittsboro. This quarterly endeavor is just one of the many ways we demonstrate our service-oriented philosophy of strengthening our community. Do you have the desire to make a positive contribution both locally & globally and want to know more? Join us for a meeting (Noon on Wednesdays @ Postal Fish Co.), follow us on Facebook, or email us at rotaryofpittsboro@gmail.com

Ad Sponsored By:

SIDELINE REPORT

MLB

3 games in California moved up ahead of Hurricane Hilary

New York

Major League Baseball moved up three Sunday games in California because of the forecast for Hurricane Hilary.

MLB announced the changes as Hurricane Hilary churned o Mexico’s Paci c coast as a powerful Category 4 storm. Each of the games — Arizona at San Diego, Tampa Bay at the Los Angeles Angels and Miami at the Los Angeles Dodgers — were played Saturday as part of split doubleheaders. Major League Soccer’s LA Galaxy and Los Angeles Football Club also rescheduled games.

OLYMPICS

Water quality concerns halt Paris Olympics swimming test

Paris

Another Paris Olympics test run in the Seine River has been canceled because of new concerns about water quality. The swim portion of the paratriathlon was canceled and the event became a duathlon. The cancellation is a fresh blow to 2024 Olympic organizers and to the city’s ambitions to reopen the iconic river to public swimming after next year’s Games. Swimmers took to the Seine in competition on Thursday and Friday but o cials reported worrying results of water quality tests in the hours leading up to Saturday’s events. Heavy rain can cause over ows of untreated waste in the Seine, leaving water quality below safety standards.

Byron dominates at Watkins Glen for 5th Cup win season

The Associated Press

WILLIAM BYRON had the eld covered at Watkins Glen International, delivering such a dominant performance that no other NASCAR driver even got to his bumper in the nal third of the race.

It was usual for the Cup Series and even more rare for Byron at a road course. The 25-year-old Byron won on a serpentine track for the rst time in six Cup seasons, this one being his series-leading fth victory of the season and making him a favorite to win it all.

“We’ve worked years and years for this,” Byron said, crediting veteran open-wheel racer Max Papis

with helping him. “It’s a great win. I don’t know what it means and all that. I don’t read into that. But I think it shows that when we’re at our best, we can perform like this.”

Driving the No. 24 Chevrolet for powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports, Byron overtook Michael McDowell in the rst quarter of the 90-lap event and pretty much remained in controlled the rest of the way. He led 66 laps in all, including the nal 33.

Pole-sitter Denny Hamlin was second, nearly 3 seconds back, in the penultimate race of the Cup Series’ regular season. Christopher Bell was third, followed by AJ Allmendinger and Ty Gibbs.

Martin Truex Jr. nished sixth

but failed to lock up the regular season title for Joe Gibbs Racing. He and Hamlin will vie for the regular season crown next weekend at Daytona.

“It’s doable,” said Hamlin, who trails Truex by 39 points. “You’ve got to have things go your way, but yeah. If we can talk NASCAR into those 25 points they took away earlier in the season, we’d really make it interesting.”

Always-unpredictable Daytona will be the last chance for more than two dozen drivers — most notably 2020 series champion and fan favorite Chase Elliott — to make the 16-car playo s.

Elliott, a two-time winner at the Glen, had hoped to lock up a postseason spot Sunday. But the

Hendrick star quali ed in the middle of the pack and then ruined his chances when he ran out of fuel with 36 laps to go. He lost a lap and all hope of winning.

Elliott will have to win at Daytona to make the playo s for the eighth consecutive season. Bubba Wallace and Daniel Suarez will be equally anxious at Daytona. They are in a tight race along with Gibbs for the 16th and nal spot.

“Still stressful at hell, but that takes a little bit of the edge o for sure,” Wallace said.

Former series champions Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski eased their nerves by locking up playo spots at the Glen, both securing berths because Byron was a repeat winner.

“It’s great to have that o our shoulders,” Keselowski said. “We’re going to race really hard with nothing to lose (at Daytona); that makes us really dangerous.”

The series goes to Daytona for the regular season nale on Saturday night. Austin Dillon is the defending race winner.

AP PHOTO

William Byron celebrates with his crew following his win Sunday in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen.

Teachers, get your applications in for a Bright Ideas education grant!

Teachers, are you looking for new opportunities to fund projects for your classroom? Central Electric is awarding up to $15,000 in Bright Ideas education grants to local educators in K-12 classrooms for the 2023-2024 school year.

e nal deadline for all grant applications is Sept. 15. Scan the QR code or visit NCBrightIdeas.com for more information or to apply!

Potential

new rivalries with BYU becoming Big 12’s 3rd private Christian school

The Associated Press

There could be some new rivalries between Christian schools brewing in the evolving Big 12 Conference.

With BYU coming in this season, the Big 12 has three private Christian schools from di erent denominations. The Cougars, the 1984 national champions who played the past 12 seasons as an independent, are now in the same league with Baylor and TCU — whose 118-game “Revivalry” in Texas dates to a scoreless tie in 1899.

“I think that will be really intriguing to see ... is there more of a long-term interest amongst TCU and Baylor fans in BYU as an opponent compared to some of the other Big 12 teams that are coming in,” said Northern Kentucky professor Joe Cobbs, an expert in sports rivalries.

BYU was founded by and still supported by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church. Baylor is the world’s largest Baptist university, and TCU partners with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). All three schools were founded in the 1800s. There can be commonality among fans from such schools, even of di erent denominations, in valuing what religion adds to higher education, Cobbs said. There also can be the thoughts of “we’re both religious schools, let’s see who’s the best. And that’s where ‘Holy War’ becomes kind of an apt name.”

TCU is the smallest Big 12 school with around 12,000 students, but the Horned Frogs had an undefeated regular season and made the four-team College Football Playo last season before losing to Georgia in the national championship game. That came a year after Baylor was the Big 12 champion and won the

Sugar Bowl.

“I understand that TCU is probably our primary rival, but I’m also really proud of TCU and of Baylor ... smaller private institutions, and we’ve been able to nd a way to navigate,” said Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades, noting the similarities with BYU. “To have three in a conference I think is really cool. And I think it will probably make for some really healthy conversation between the three of us, and how do we continue to navigate our success in the midst of schools that have more alums, maybe even deeper pockets.”

In college basketball, the Big East was formed in 2013 by seven Catholic universities and the league has become one of the strongest in the sport.

There are 14 teams in the Big 12 this season with the additions of BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF. That means not every team will play each other each year.

BYU, with only one losing record over the past 18 seasons, plays at TCU on Oct. 14, a reunion of teams that brie y in the past shared membership in both the Mountain West (2005-10) and Western Athletic (1996-98) conferences. But the Cougars aren’t scheduled to play Baylor after they split games the past two seasons in a home-and-home series with the Bears that was set long before all of the conference realignment.

TCU has played BYU 11 times, most of those in their past conferences together, though their last meeting in 2011 was the season the Cougars became an independent team. Baylor and BYU have met four times, including the Cougars’ 47-13 win at home early in the 1994 season that they nished undefeated. There should be a lot more opportunities to play each other now.

AP PHOTO

BYU quarterback Riley Nelson rushes the ball past TCU defensive tackle D.J. Yendrey in a 2011 game.

1 in 3 adults in the U S have prediabetes -- making them more atrisk for developing Type 2 Diabetes -- but you can reduce your risk by eating smarter, becoming more physically active, and reducing stress The Diabetes Prevention Program is a group program to help you gain the knowledge and tools you need to lose weight and become more physically active

Learn more about the program and sign up for the next classes ( ) by calling the Siler City clinic at (919) 742-5641

The Siler City Lion’s Club O cers for the year 2023-2024 are from left to right. President

Lion Chris Dunn, Vice President Lion Bentley

Martin, Secretary Lion Susan Staley, Former President Lion Barbara Ernst, Treasure Lion

Known as DSME, this program is designed to help people with diabetes manage their health, learn about healthy choices, carbohydrate counting and much more! Topics include:

Learn more about the program by calling the Siler City clinic at (919) 742-5641 All participants MUST have a referral from a physician to participate

Juanita Brown, Board of Director and Tail

Twister Lion Julia Dowdy, Board of Director and Club Reporter Lion Teresa Lee and Lion

Tamer Lion Rusty Edmister.

The Siler City Lion’s Club new members was inducted by PDG Lee Harvey. From left to right: Madeline Larios-Perez Sponsor Lion

Jay Palmer, Evelin Ortiz-Munoz Sponsor Lion

Wendy Castillo -Mejia, Sarah Walters Sponsor

Lion Lacy Petty

pen & paper pursuits

SOLUTIONS

Volvo EX30

The Volvo EX30, a new, $35,000 Chinese-built electric SUV, will see its 25 percent import tari s o set by exports of pricier EX90 electric SUVs built at Volvo’s facility in Charleston, South Carolina. As a result, the steep tari s on Chinese-built automobiles will not be passed on to EX30 buyers, thanks to a Duty Drawback scheme dating back to 1789 that allows for the refunding of tari s when a company imports and exports products of the same classi cation. Volvo’s facility in South Carolina can support the assembly of up to 150,000 vehicles per year.”

Adam Phillips, Miranda Parker, Mary Maloney, Gary Phillips, Jay Parker, Don Basnight, Ken Tunnell, Terri Turner, Crystal Fisher