the BRIEF this week
Patriots will go with Drake Maye, benching Brissett
The New England Patriots reportedly are planning to give first-round draft pick Drake Maye his first pro start in the hopes of ending a four-game losing streak under veteran journeyman quarterback Jacoby Brissett. The decision was first reported by NFL Network. Maye, an N.C. native and star at UNC, made one previous appearance for New England, coming in at the end of a Week 3 loss to the New York Jets and going 4 for 8 with 22 yards. Brissett was 79 for 135 with two touchdowns and one interception in five starts this season. He never threw for more than 150 net yards in a game. The Patriots host the Houston Texans on Sunday.
FEMA administrator decrys false claims as Helene death toll hits 230
The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency is again forcefully pushing back against false claims and conspiracy theories about how her agency is responding to Hurricane Helene.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell appeared Monday in Asheville, North Carolina, to assure residents that the government is ready to help. Misinformation has spread over the past week in communities hit the hardest. Former President Donald Trump and other prominent Republicans have questioned FEMA’s response and claimed that its funding is going to migrants or foreign wars. The death toll from Helene has risen to at least 230.
Many voters in NC have bigger problems than politics
Helene changed everything for many in western NC
By Makiya Seminera The Associated Press
VILAS — Brad Farrington pulls over to grab a case of water bottles being passed out in Vilas, a small rural community tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains. He’s on his way to help a friend who lost much of what he owned when Hurricane Helene blew through last weekend.
His friend, like countless others across western North Carolina, is starting over, which explains why Farrington isn’t thinking too much about politics or the White House race between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris right now.
“I don’t believe people’s hope is in either people that are being elected,” he said.
Farrington pauses, then gestures toward a dozen volunteers loading
water and other necessities into cars and trucks.
“I believe we’re finding a lot more hope within folks like this,” he said.
In the election’s final weeks, people in North Carolina and Georgia, influential swing states, are dealing with more immediate concerns: widespread storm damage. If that weren’t enough, voters in Watauga County, a ticket-splitting Appalachian county that has become more Democratic in recent years, must contend with politicians laying blame while offering support as they campaign in a race that could be decided by any small shift.
Large uprooted trees litter the sides of roads, sometimes blocking driveways. Some homes in Vilas are inaccessible after bridges collapsed and roads crumbled. More populous areas like Boone, home of Appalachian State, saw major flooding.
Residents wonder where are missing friends and relatives, is there
See POLITICS, page A10
Inside the mountain town Helene nearly wiped out
Chimney Rock Village was one of the hardest hit
By Allen G. Breed The Associated Press
CHIMNEY ROCK VILLAGE
—
The stone tower that gave this place its name was nearly a half billion years in the making — heated and thrust upward from deep in the Earth, then carved and eroded by wind and water. But in just a few minutes, nature undid most of what it has taken humans a century and a quarter to build in the North Carolina mountain town of Chimney Rock.
“It feels like I was deployed, like, overnight and woke up in ... a combat zone,” Iraq War veteran Chris Canada said as a massive twin-propped Chinook helicopter passed over his adopted hometown. “I don’t think it’s sunk in yet.”
Nearly 400 miles from where Hurricane Helene made landfall Sept. 26 along Florida’s Big Bend, the hamlet of about 140 souls on the banks of the Broad River has been all but wiped from the map. The backs of restaurants and gift shops that boasted riverfront balconies dangle ominously in mid-air. The Hickory Nut Brewery, opened when Rutherford County went “wet” and started serving alcohol about a decade ago, collapsed last Wednesday, nearly a week after the storm.
See CHIMNEY ROCK, page A3
Make it count
Yards were tough to come by in the Battle for Pittsboro, but Seaforth sophomore quarterback Duncan Parker (7) lowered his shoulder to earn a few more. He finished with a team-high 89, but the Hawks lost to Northwood, 9-6. For more sports, turn to page B1.
Chatham County considering merger with TriRiver Water
The county
soon see itself under a singular water and wastewater service provider
By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record
PITTSBORO — Chatham County and the Town of Siler City are considering merging water and wastewater services with TriRiver Water, a new combined utility serving Sanford and Pittsboro.
The merger would combine the majority of Chatham County under a single water and wastewater service umbrella.
Per a TriRiver press release, the merger would add approximately 15,000 customers to TriRiver Water’s existing 23,000-customer base.
TriRiver states that the benefits of the merger would include reduced operational costs, great-
See WATER, page A3
could
GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Oct. 2
• Tristan William Thompson, 20, of Chapel Hill, was arrested for assault on a female.
• Madason Nakia Dunn, 20, of Chapel Hill, was arrested for simple assault.
• Corey Bynum Burns, 37, of Pittsboro, was arrested for simple possession of Schedule IV controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, open container, driving while license revoked not impaired, and failure to heed light or siren.
Oct. 4
• Jerrod Marquis Nolan, 38, of Siler City, was arrested for seconddegree kidnapping and breaking and entering to terrorize/injure.
Oct. 7
• Mitchell Warren Massie, 33, of Goldstone, was arrested for possession of firearm by felon.
• Blaine Ivey Rhodes, 29, of Chapel Hill, was arrested for assault on a female and resisting a public officer.
• 298 E. Salisbury Street (Pittsboro), 0.40 Acres, 3 Bedroom/2 Bath, $600,000
• 412 Brampton Close (Pittsboro), .058 Acres, 3 Bedroom/2 Bath, $489,000
• 557 Olives Chapel Road, (Apex),12.802 Acres, 3 Bedroom/3 Bathroom, $2,500,000
• 5765 G Snow Camp Road (Graham), 82.480 Acres, 8 Bedroom/6 Bathroom, $1,900,000
• 389 Dewitt Smith Road (Pittsboro), 9.109 Acres, 3 Bedroom/2 Bathroom, $525,000
• 209 Democracy Place (Apex), 4.62 Acres, 4 Bedrooms/5 Bathrooms, $1,750,000
LAND
• 13120 Strickland Road (Raleigh),16.25 Acres, $1,500,000
• 00 Hamlets Chapel Road (Pittsboro),118.742 Acres, $4,250,000
• 873 Arrowhead Loop (Pittsboro), 11.06 Acres, 3 Bedrooms/3.5 Bathrooms, $725,000
• 4147 Siler City Snow Camp Road (Siler City), 57.43 Acres, 5 Separate Living Spaces, $2,750,000
• 4662 Buckhorn Road (Sanford), 1.31 Acres, 2 Bedrooms/1 Bathroom, $265,000 LAND
• 1388 Henry Oldham Road (Bear Creek), 4.840 Acres, $135,000
• 188 Cherokee Drive (Chapel Hill),1.150 Acres, $100,000
• 170 Cherokee Drive (Chapel Hill),1.150 Acres, $100,000
• 37 E Cotton Road (Pittsboro), 0.996 Acres, $100,000
• 175 Valleydale Drive (Pittsboro), 3.650 Acres, $175,000
• 9311 NC Highway 87 (Pittsboro), 4.602 Acres, $225,000
• 9231 NC Highway 87 (Pittsboro), 5.630 Acres, $250,000
• 48 Swimming Chicken Lane (Pittsboro), 5.060 Acres, $500,000
• 24 Swimming Chicken Lane (Pittsboro), 9.470 Acres, $750,000
• 8636/8710 Johnson Mill Road (Bahama),182.888 Acres, $3,240,000
• 292 Choice Trail (Pittsboro), 4.100 Acres, $285,000
• 0 Chatham Church Road (Moncure),15.94 Acres, $750,000
COMMERCIAL IMPROVED
• 200 E. Salisbury Street (Pittsboro), 0.45 Acres, $675,000
• 323 Wagon Trace (Pittsboro), 10.255 Acres, $325,000
• 0 Pasture Branch Road (Rose Hill), 29.00 Acres, $1,250,000
• 0 US 64 W (Siler City), 9.670 Acres, $4,500,000
• 0 Mt. Gilead Church Road (Pittsboro), 1.643Acres, $175,000
• 0 JB Morgan Road (Apex), 21.00 Acres, $825,000
• 0 Panama Terrace (Durham), .420 Acres, $42,000
COMMERCIAL IMPROVED
• 140 & 148 East Street (Pittsboro), 1.49 Acres, $1,350,000
COMMERCIAL UNIMPROVED
• 1700 Hillsboro Street (Pittsboro), 29.79 Acres, $4,500,000
THIS WEEK’S VIDEO
What Does it Mean if a House has a Painted Attic?
Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in Chatham County:
Oct. 11-13
GreenWood Wrights’ Fest
The 2024 GreenWood Wrights’ Fest will open on Friday, Oct. 11 at noon and continue through Sunday evening, Oct. 13. For times see GreenWoodWrightFest. com.
Oct. 12
Chatham Mills Farmers’ Market
8 a.m. to noon 480 Hillsboro St., Pittsboro
Oct. 15
Fearrington Farmer’s Market
Fearrington Village 4 to 6 p.m. E. Camden, Fearrington Village
The Fearrington Farmers’ Market is located in Fearrington Village right off 15-501, halfway between Chapel Hill and Pittsboro. This producer-only market has over three dozen members and is now in its 30th season! Each week you can find vegetables, fruits, meats, eggs, flowers, home-canned goods and baked goods — a wonderful array of foods and flavors — grown or made for healthy, happy living. Oct. 15 from 6-8 p.m.
Oct. 15
Growers & Makers Market
Siler City 4 to 7 p.m.
• 10681 US Hwy 64 E (Apex), 3.97 Acres, $1,000,000 SPONSORED BY
The Growers and Makers Market takes place MarOct, 4-7 p.m. and November through December, 3-5:30 p.m. in the Boling Chair Park parking lot on 3rd Street (202 W. Third St.) in historic downtown Siler City, rain or shine.
Oct. 16
Jazz Nights at The Sycamore at Chatham Mills
The Sycamore at Chatham Mills hosts live Jazz Nights every Wednesday, 6-9 p.m. The series features a rotating list of local musicians. The Sycamore also offers their Lounge Menu in the dining room on Wednesday nights. Reservations are highly recommended. Past and present
The buildings across Main Street, while still standing, are choked with several feet of reddish-brown muck. A sign on the Chimney Sweeps souvenir shop says, “We are open during construction.”
In another section of town, the houses that weren’t swept away perch precariously near the edge of a scoured riverbank. It is where the town’s only suspected death — an elderly woman who refused entreaties to evacuate — occurred.
“Literally, this river has moved,” village administrator Stephen Duncan said as he drove an Associated Press reporter through the dust-blown wreckage of Chimney Rock Village last Wednesday. “We saw a 1,000year event. A geological event.”
Monster wall of water strikes Chimney Rock hours after making landfall in Florida
About eight hours after Helene made landfall in Florida, Chimney Rock volunteer firefighter John Payne was responding to a possible gas leak when he noticed water spilling over U.S. 64/74, the main road into town. It was just after 7 a.m.
“The actual hurricane hadn’t even come through and hit yet,” he said.
Payne, 32, who’s lived in this valley his entire life, aborted the call and rushed back up the hill to the fire station, which was moved to higher ground following a devastating 1996 flood.
Former chief Joseph “Buck” Meliski, who worked that earlier flood, scoffed.
“There’s no way it’s hitting that early,” Payne recalled the older man saying.
But when Payne showed him a video he’d just shot — of water topping the bridge to the Hickory Nut Falls Family Campground — the former chief’s jaw dropped.
“We’re in for it, boys,” Meliski told Payne and the half-dozen or so others gathered there.
Suddenly, the ground beneath them began shaking — like the temblors that sometimes rock the valley but much stronger. By then, muddy water was seeping under the back wall of the firehouse.
Payne looked down and saw what he estimated to be a 30-foot-high wall of water tossing car-sized boulders as it raced toward the town. It appeared as if the wave was devouring houses then spitting them out.
“It’s not water at that point,” Payne said. “It’s mud, this thick concrete-like material, you know what I mean? And whatever it hits, it’s taking.”
A house hit the bridge from which he’d been filming not 20 minutes earlier. The span just “imploded.” Payne later found its steel beams “bent in horseshoe shapes around boulders.”
At the firehouse, some business owners among the group began “crying hysterically,” Payne said. Others just stood in mute disbelief.
The volunteers lost communications during the storm. But when the winds finally began to quiet down around 11 a.m., Payne said, the radios began “blowing up with calls.”
Scenic Lake Lure becomes wet pit of rubble
The pieces of what had been Chimney Rock Village were now on their way to the neighboring town of Lake Lure, which played a starring role as stand-in for a Catskills resort in the 1987 Patrick Swayze summer romance film, “Dirty Dancing.”
Tracy Stevens, 55, a bartender at the Hickory Nut, took refuge at the Lake Lure Inn, where she also worked. She watched as the detritus from Chimney Rock and beyond came pouring into the marina, tossing aside boats and thrusting the metal sections of the floating Town Center Walkway upward like the folds of a map.
“It looked like a toilet bowl flushing,” she said. “I could see cars, tops of houses. It was the craziest.”
Some of the debris coalesced into a massive jam between the two bridges linking the towns — a utilitarian concrete affair carrying Memorial Highway across the Broad River, and an elegant three-arched span known as the Flowering Bridge.
After 85 years carrying traffic into Chimney Rock, the 1925 viaduct was converted into a verdant walkway festooned with more than 2,000 species of plants. Now partially collapsed, the bridge’s remains are draped in a tangled mass of vines, roots and tree branches.
Some residents see signs of hope amid almost complete destruction of town
Chris Canada, 43, who coowns a stage rental and event production company, was at a Charlotte music festival when the storm hit. Returning to uniformed troops and armored personnel carriers kicking up dust in the streets awakened memories of his three combat tours in the Middle East.
“I saw the whole war and I’ve been through many hurricanes,” said Canada, an Army airborne veteran. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
Canada and his wife, Barbie, moved here with their two daughters in October 2021 from South Carolina, in part to get away from hurricanes. Barbie had vacationed here as a child, and it was close to the Veterans Administration hospital in Asheville.
As he walked the banks of the Broad on Wednesday, Canada found himself sniffing at the warm air for the telltale odor of death.
And yet, all around are signs of hope.
Payne — who climbs the rock in full gear each Sept. 11 to honor first responders who died in the Twin Towers attacks — was heartened to see members of the New York City Fire Department in his town helping with door-todoor searches.
“We’re more hard-headed than these rocks are,” said Payne, whose day job is as a site coordinator for a fast-food chain. “So, it’s going to take more than this to scare us off and run us out. It’ll be a while, but we’ll be back. Don’t count us out.”
Outside the Mountain Traders shop, someone has leaned a large wooden Sasquatch cutout against a utility pole, the words
“Chimney Rock Strong” painted in bright blue.
When park employees cut their way to the top of the mountain and raised the American flag on Monday, Duncan says the people below cheered and some wept.
“It was spectacular,” he said. Mayor says little town has spirit, determination necessary to rebuild
The flag is flying at half staff, but Mayor Peter O’Leary said it’s that spirit that will bring Chimney Rock Village back.
The town’s legacy of hospitality and entrepreneurial spirit dates back to the late 1800s, when a local family began charging visitors 25 cents for a horseback ride up the mountain, according to brief online history by village resident R. J. Wald. It soon became one of North Carolina’s first bona fide tourist attractions.
O’Leary came to town in 1990 to take a job as park manager before it became part of the state parks system. Two years later, he and his wife opened Bubba O’Leary’s General Store, named for their yellow Labrador retriever.
“Most of these people here, if you look around, almost all of them are from somewhere else,” he said as he stood outside the firehouse, the waters of the 404foot Hickory Nut Falls gushing forth from the ridge high above. “Why’d they come here? They came here and fell in love with it. It gets ahold of you. ...
“It got ahold of me.”
The 1927 portion of the general store has caved in, but O’Leary believes the larger addition built in 2009 is salvageable. Duncan, who drafted the village charter back in 1990, sees this as an opportunity to “take advantage of the new geography” and build a better town.
But for some, like innkeeper and restaurateur Nick Sottile, 35, the path forward is hard to see.
When Helene hit, Sottile and wife, Kristen, were vacationing in the Turks and Caicos Islands — their first break since October 2020, when they opened their Broad River Inn and Stagecoach Pizza Kitchen in what’s believed to be the village’s oldest building. In photos taken from the street, things looked remarkably intact. But when Sottile returned home and walked around to the river side, his heart sank.
“The back of the building is, like, a whole section of it is gone,” the South Florida native said Friday. “It’s not even safe to go in there right now.”
About all that’s left of the adjacent Chimney Rock Adventure miniature golf course is the sign.
“You can’t even rebuild,” Sottile said. “Because there’s no land.”
Sottile has been hearing horror stories from fellow business owners about denied insurance claims. Without help, he said he has no money to rebuild.
But for now, he’s just volunteering with the fire department and trying not to think too far into the future.
“This is a small town, but this is, this is home,” he said. “Everybody helps everybody, and I know we’ll get through this. I know we’ll rebuild. I’m just praying that we can rebuild with us here to see it.”
er water and wastewater system resiliency and reliability, the integration of experienced service and technical personnel, positive regional economic impact, and enhanced funding opportunities.
Chatham County and Siler City will vote on the potential adoption of the merger later this month, and if approved, the consolidation of resources would occur in July 2025.
The Board of Commissioners is also continuing to work toward completion of its Unified Development Ordinance with a public hearing on it being held at its Oct. 7 meeting.
The board has been working to consolidate and update Chatham County’s UDO, the project nicknamed Recode Chatham, in order to develop regulations based on the policies in the Plan Chatham comprehensive plan.
The Plan Chatham comprehensive plan outlines 10 main goals:
• Preserve the rural character and lifestyle of Chatham County
• Preserve, protect and enable agriculture and forestry
• Promote a compact growth pattern by developing in and near existing towns, communities, and in designated will planned, walkable, mixed use centers.
• Diversify the tax base and generate more quality, in-county jobs to reduce dependency on residential property taxes, create economic opportunity and reduce out-commuting
• Conserve natural resources
• Provide recreational opportunities and access to open space
• Provide infrastructure to support desired development and support economic and environmental objectives
• Become more resilient by mitigating, responding and adapting to emerging threats
• Provide equitable access to high-quality education, housing and community options for all
• Foster a healthy community
15,000
The amount of new customers that would be added to TriRiver
The ultimate goal of the Recode Chatham Project is to create a new UDO “which serves as the primary regulatory document that guides all development and land use in the county” and is designed to “protect and promote the public health, safety and general welfare of Chatham County.”
At the public hearing, the board received comments regarding concerns over the UDO not having enough tree/ environmental protections, the effective date, allowing ongoing cases to proceed ex post facto and more.
The board also accepted online comments and those, along with the public comments made at the meeting, will be summarized and presented to the board for review at which point the board can decide whether or not to revise the final draft of the UDO prior to adoption.
“This was just the next step in the project as we’re working toward the finish line,” said Assistant Planning Director Chance Mullis.
“I want to make sure folks know and understand that we’re going to have another meeting on this in a couple of weeks and we’re happy to hear from people again, and people who maybe couldn’t make it are more than welcome to continue to provide feedback,” said Board Chair Mike Dasher.
The board was also presented with an update on the county’s support efforts in western North Carolina.
The county has employees working in various counties throughout the state such as Madison, Buncombe and Polk with work ranging from telecommunications system repairs, damage assessment and more.
“This is a marathon not a sprint, so we’re helping when we can, but we plan to help for a very long time,” said County Manager Dan LaMontagne. “They’re going to need months if not years of help there and we’re ready to do so.”
The Chatham County Board of Commissioners will next meet Oct. 21.
The Town of Siler City Board of Commissioners adopted a Strategic Plan in April 2024
One of the strategic priorities is to enhance community engagement.
The Town of Siler City is inviting the public to attend an informal community forum to discuss community topics with Town of Siler City staff and elected officials
Forum Date: Thursday, October 17, 2024
Forum Time: 6:00pm
Forum Location: Jordan Matthews High School Media Center 910 E Cardinal St.
Since this is a public meeting, a quorum of the Board of Commissioners may be present, but no town business will be conducted.
If you have any questions, please contact Sara Martin @ 919-726-8625 or smartin@silercity.gov
THE CONVERSATION
Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
Open letter to a clown
In such tragic times, where do we turn for hope? How do survivors find the strength to keep going?
DEAR DAVID F. Barlett, a.k.a. Mr. Rainbow the Clown,
I am the father of the little blonde-headed child whose day you made at Breakaway Cafe, a Chatham County coffee shop last week. We were unaware, at the time, that you were an internationally award-winning clown, only that, you are a regularly dressed man who made balloon animals. While many others might have created a poodle, you succeeded in creating a skunk! With a wink, you insisted the creature was a Dalmatian, which made me laugh with delight.
While you entertained my daughter, I spoke with your niece and learned a little about her harrowing story of evacuating Augusta, Georgia, in Hurricane Helene with her young children. I have many ties to western North Carolina, and my heart is heavy with grief for all those impacted by the storm. I’m grateful that your family is safe, yet the death toll has now surpassed 200 people. The floods have washed away entire towns.
In such tragic times, where do we turn for hope? How do survivors find the strength to keep going?
I am a pastor, not a clown (I hope my congregation agrees with this statement), but I am aware of the power of humor during times of suffering — not to make light of pain but
to help survivors move forward. Just as joy often entwines with sorrow in a mysterious yet visceral way, laughter can dance with tears. I suspect you know what I’m talking about. On your website, I see that you perform your clown magic at hospitals, including Duke and UNC Children’s, and you obviously know the joy you bring to those who are suffering.
While you weren’t on the clock or wearing your clown costume, you still made the effort and gave the time to interact with kids at lunch with your family. Thank you, sir. You lifted my spirit as well. We never know the difference we can make.
I want to share one more quote with you (the occupational habit of a preacher). Maya Angelou once said, “Be like a rainbow in the clouds.”
Keep shining, Mr. Rainbow.
Very sincerely,
Andrew Taylor-Troutman
Andrew Taylor-Troutman is pastor of Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church as well as a writer, pizza maker, coffee drinker and student of joy.
Different strokes make the difference
If you’re a city dweller, the sentences and thoughts might not make much sense to you.
SOME YEARS AGO, about the time my high school career was winding down and I was embarking on an extended period as a college freshman, a modestly successful rock ’n’ roll group of the day penned a little ditty titled “Everyday People.”
A line out of that tune noted, “Different strokes for different folks and so on and so on and scooby dooby doo bee.” (As an aside here, note the clever vocabulary of this line of thinking.)
Anyway, taken one way, those words could be construed to mean whatever anybody thinks is fine because they thought it. I don’t necessarily agree with that, mainly because without some standards and limits, society will quickly descend into chaos. And I don’t profess to know what Sly and the Family Stone had in mind when they crafted and sang those, but I’d like to think it really means that we don’t all like all the same things, which is one reason Baskin-Robbins has 31 flavors.
I say that to say that I’m pretty sure one of the different strokes for me involves rural living. At one time in my young life, my little family and I lived inside town limits. We had a small yard, but there were houses all around and mostly the land grew streets and sidewalks.
All manner of vehicles with sirens came and went 24/7. City trash trucks grunted and groaned at 4 in the morning. Laundromats provided more than one service to folks as they not only washed and folded but talked and visited. People could walk most places they wanted or needed
to go — shops and stores, churches and schools, restaurants and hot dog stands. I even could have walked to work if I’d been so inclined, which I wasn’t.
That period of time in which I was held hostage inside the city limits was mercifully brief for several reasons, namely because I got a different job making more money, and we found a smaller area to move to, although it, too, was inside some city limits. But the job was in another place, and the commute on 50-cent gas was tolerable.
Today, thankfully for yours truly, I live outside not only city limits but also municipal extra-territorial planning jurisdiction. At least for the moment, that means, in part, that if I want to build a teepee in my backyard for the children of my children, I don’t have to ask anyone for permission, especially since they’re not providing any of the materials or labor ... you know, one of those individual freedom things that once were so prominent in our nation.
But one of the greatest benefits has to be spending quality time with my son’s cattle and calves. If you’re a city dweller, the sentences and thoughts in the next paragraph might not make much sense to you. If they don’t, skip on to the want ads or check out the grocery deals to see what pork loins are going for this week. The benefit is the lesson or lessons I see and hear and smell almost daily in observing Mother Nature. Simply put, I like — dare I say “love”? — the
calls of mama cows and calves to each other and the smell of hay and dirt and natural cattle fertilizer all rolled up into one fragrance, and to see the little guys dart here and there within a few hours of showing up on this Earth.
It never ceases to amaze me how a brand new baby calf can get to its feet within a brief period of time and then follow Mama off across the field. It makes me appreciate creation and wonder why it takes humans months even to walk, much less break into a run. Granted, there are some downsides to life in the Great Outdoors. Lately, for instance, it seems that our place is on the flight path for skunk migrations, and Pepe Le Pew makes a pungent statement when he’s crossed paths with a pulpwood truck and comes out in second place or taken offense to the barking of local dogs.
But still, at this tender age of life, I’m glad I’ve learned at least this one stroke that works for me. The challenge now is to keep looking for others.
I hope you’re doing the same some of the time and that when you find some of yours, maybe we all can sit down to one of Baskin-Robbins finest.
Provided we do it out in the country ... preferably around the herd but not around Pepe.
Bob Wachs is a native of Chatham County and emeritus editor at Chatham News & Record. He serves as pastor of Bear Creek Baptist Church.
COLUMN | BOB WACHS
Only connect (but to whom?)
And here I am, detailing the spiraling repercussions of an errant fingertip on my iPad, a victim of my own impatience.
WHERE TO GO WITH THIS? My lifelong, plaguing conundrum of“I hate being bored!” Eternal thanks are offered to singersongwriter Cyndi Lauper, who completely nailed the boredom question in her 1980’s anthem “Girls Just Want To Have Fun!” It just took me a while to get there.
Oh, more clarity needed, right?
Boredom! My physical body literally rebels against performing boring, noncreative, repetitive tasks. My beloved body sends me distinctly unhappy physical messages: shoulders seizing up, teeth grinding… Don’t want to dive more deeply into my nowreformed victim mode, but I hate repetitive, boring actions. Tedious tasks? Soooo deadening?
Hey, for the wherewithal of all, I’ll downsize this universal irritation (boredom!!) to the situation which, initially, triggered my tantrum.
So what’s the driver behind this, however you choose to characterize it, personal boredom uprising?
Making address changes (again and again and again). Difficult to believe that such a boring task could send me over the edge, but there I goeth. A snafu, with a governmental address, became a downward spiral into one phone call after another, ad infinitum.
Might you ask why I’m not, conveniently, making these changes online. “Come on, Jan! It’s 2024 (and nearly 2025!)” True confessions. You’re trustworthy folks (I hope?) Ergo, I’m sharing with you my Achilles’ heel. Jeez, the online morass of making step-by-step changes to our personal information. I clicked the wrong link: Yes, I did. And here I am, detailing the spiraling repercussions of an errant fingertip on my iPad, a victim of my own impatience.
As an outcome of my impatient fingertip, and the resulting tangled personal info,
COLUMN | STEPHEN MOORE
I’m on the phone, talking to a nice, chirpy human being. A customer rep who, likely, is highly coffee-infused and/or play-acting. A customer rep who is probably bored to the max, as am I.
And suddenly, in my mind’s eye, I see Miss Greenwood, my 12th grade, white-haired English teacher. She who was committed to opening our slumbering, hungry, prelunch, minds.
“Only connect,” Miss Greenwood is intoning as she holds up “Howard’s End,” a novel by the English novelist, E.M. Forster.. “Only connect.” And, by George (or whomever), I got it!
How do two people, the customer rep and I, both needing each other in that particular moment, find aliveness in the vastness of our serious boredom? Without the use of any substances, mind you.
Heaven knows my mother taught me well, so I already possessed good person-to-person connecting tools (thanks, Mom). But they were hidden away in my mind’s closet while I was on the phone. Vintage tools like humor, kindness and being downright nice. Yep, just pulled those tools out of the closet and got to work on this phone interaction. After a few moments, we were human-to-human rather than customer and customer rep.
And, best of all, I was having fun! I could hear the customer rep’s voice becoming more upbeat as I embodied the connective tools excavated from within my mind’s closet. Boredom, be gone! Hey, Mom and Miss Greenwood, it only took several decades, but those seeds you planted actually bore fruit! Mind-blowingly, delicious fruit. Y’all want some?
Jan Hutton, a resident of Chatham County and retired hospice social worker, lives life with heart and humor.
Can we all get along? Yes, by letting the states decide
What residents in red states like Montana and South Carolina object to is New Yorkers telling them how to live their lives.
AT THE TIME OF THIS WRITING, the outcome of the presidential race is pretty close to being a coin flip. So what I write is not in any way influenced by who will win in November, since that is unknowable.
What is a virtual certainty is that on Nov. 6, roughly half the country will be full of joy, and the other half will be in a deep depression likely to last throughout the next four years.
Don’t be surprised if the losing party’s anger and despair spill over into prolonged violent protests—especially in the streets of the major cities. Politics in America is now—regrettably—a contact sport.
Whoever wins, America will be further ripped down its seams. Red- and bluestate America will even be more polarized. Don’t be surprised if half the country is near rebellion against the policies of either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump.
Patronizing speeches by the victor about being president of “all the people” and promises to “unite” will only pour salt in the wounds of the losing side. The Left will detest the Trump agenda. The Right will fight against every element of the Harris agenda. It will feel like an occupation for the 49% on the losing side.
We need to accept the unhappy reality that we are today the Disunited States of America. The U.S. is ideologically, culturally, economically more polarized than perhaps any time since the Civil War. The conservative half of the country is on Venus and the liberal half is on Mars. Yes, there is a moderate/middle section — but the tails have grown more populated and influential.
We see in polls that more and more Americans don’t even want to associate with those with different political views. We are also becoming more geographically segregated — not on the basis of race, ethnicity or income but on ideology. Red states are getting redder. Blue states are getting bluer. In recent years, an estimated 2 million Republicans have moved out of states like New York for states like Florida, Texas and the Carolinas.
Given these realities, is there a way for us to “all get along”?
Fortunately, yes. There is a logical way to keep America “united” as one nation and to avert chaos and mayhem. Fortunately, this solution is entirely consistent with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. For those who have forgotten, the 10th Amendment decrees that all powers not specifically granted to the federal government are reserved to “the states and the people.” We need a radical return to federalism. We need to devolve powers back to the states.
We as citizens of all states are, of course, united by a common national defense, the commerce clause, which made America the largest and most prosperous free-trade zone in world
history and, most importantly, our inalienable rights as citizens as set forth in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. A state, for example, does not have the right to pass laws that would violate a citizen’s right to free speech or peaceful assembly, or to discriminate against citizens on the basis of skin color or gender.
But given the schisms in society, most everything else is better decided at the state — not the federal — level. Issues related to transportation, taxation, education, environment, energy and business regulation belong to the states. Americans are then able to escape from policies they view as oppressive by moving to a state that conforms with their values and lifestyle decisions.
People in Mississippi or Utah have no problem with Californians charging a 13.3% income tax rate, enacting forced union policies, providing free health care to illegal immigrants, shutting down their power plants, abolishing gas stoves or plastic bags, or providing reparation payments to aggrieved groups.
New Yorkers shouldn’t mind if Texans impose no income tax, allow people to drive 75 miles an hour down the highways or regulate how cattle are bred.
What residents in red states like Montana and South Carolina object to is New Yorkers telling them how to live their lives.
We can, under this framework, have Harris policies prevail in blue states and Trump policies prevail in red states, and everyone goes away happy.
No harm, no foul.
Again, the federal government is still responsible for protecting the civil liberties and “inalienable rights” of all residents of the United States. There would be no bringing back Jim Crow laws. Alas, this framework is exactly the opposite of what Democrats seek. If you examine the Biden and Harris agendas, the Dems are determined to federalize nearly all policies, which forces all Americans in every state to live under the same sets of laws and policies. They want to nationalize union policies, environmental policies, energy policies, welfare policies, taxation and so on. They want to de facto toss out the Ninth and 10th amendments altogether.
This inevitably leads to the tyranny of the majority, which now and after November will be a razor-thin majority dictating policies on all Americans. This tyranny will be even greater felt if either a victorious GOP or the Democrats overturn the filibuster rule of 60 votes to muscle sweeping legislation out of the Senate.
Amazing that some 250 years ago our founding fathers had exactly the right vision for keeping America united in 2024 and beyond.
Stephen Moore is a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation. He is also an economic adviser to the Trump campaign.
People hate those who fight evil far more than those who are evil
I REALIZED SOMETHING very important about the human condition when I was in high school.
I realized that people tend to hate those who fight evil far more than they hate those engaged in doing evil. What made me come to this conclusion was the way in which many people reacted to communism and to anticommunism.
To my amazement, a great many people — specifically, all leftists and many, though not all, liberals — hated anticommunists far more than they hated communism.
Because of my early preoccupation with good and evil, already in high school, I hated communism. How could one not, I wondered. Along with Nazism, it was the great evil of the 20th century. Needless to say, as a Jew and as a human, I hated Nazism. But as I was born after Nazism was vanquished, the great evil of my time was communism.
Communists murdered about 100 million people — all noncombatants and all innocent. Stalin murdered about 30 million people, including 5 million Ukrainians by starvation (in just two years: 1932-33). Mao killed about 60 million people. Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge (Red Cambodians) killed about 3 million people, one in every four Cambodians, between 1975 and 1979. The North Korean communist regime killed between 2 million and 3 million people, not including another million killed in the Korean War started by the North Korean communists.
For every one of the 100 million killed by communists, add at least a dozen more people — family and friends — who were terribly and permanently affected by the death of their family member or friend. Then add another billion whose lives were ruined by having to live in a communist totalitarian state: their poverty, their loss of fundamental human rights and their loss of dignity.
You would think that anyone with a functioning conscience and with any degree of compassion would hate communism. But that was not the case. Indeed, there were many people throughout the noncommunist world who supported communism. And there was an even larger number of people who hated anticommunists, dismissing them as “Cold Warriors,” “warmongers,” “redbaiters,” etc.
At the present time, we are again witnessing this phenomenon — hatred of those who oppose evil rather than of those who do evil — with regard to Israel and its enemies. And on a far greater level. Israel is hated by individuals and governments throughout the world. Israel is the most reviled country at the United Nations as well as in Western media and, of course, in universities.
Israel is a liberal democracy with an independent judiciary, independent opposition press, and equal rights for women, gays and its Arab population (20% of the Israeli population). Its enemies — the Iranian regime, Hamas and Hezbollah — allow no such freedoms to those under their control. More relevantly, their primary goal — indeed, their stated reason for being — is to wipe out Israel and its Jewish inhabitants. Hamas and Hezbollah have built nothing, absolutely nothing, in Gaza and Lebanon, respectively. They exist solely to commit genocide against Israel and its Jews.
Why did so many people hate anticommunists more than communism? And why do even more people hate Israel more than Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah?
The general reason is that it is emotionally and psychologically difficult for most people to stare evil in the face. Evil is widely described as “dark.” But it is not dark; it is easy to look into the dark. What is far harder to look at is blinding bright light. Perhaps that is why Lucifer, the original name of the Christian devil, comes from the word “light.” Why this is so — why people will not call evil “evil” — is probably related to a lack of courage. Once one declares something evil, one is morally bound to resist it, and people fear resisting evil. The fools who mock Christianity — whether through a work of “art” like “Piss Christ” (a crucifix in a jar of urine), the Paris Olympics opening ceremony that mocked the Last Supper or the Los Angeles Dodgers honoring the “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” (men in drag dressed as nuns) — would never mock Islam. They fear Muslim wrath; they do not fear Christian wrath. Yet Islamic wrath has done and is doing far more evil in our time than Christian wrath.
And there is one additional reason for hating Israel — one that is specific to Israel — rather than those who seek to exterminate Israel: Jew-hatred, better known as antisemitism. The people who introduced a judging God and gave the world the Ten Commandments have been hated for thousands of years. Not those who systematically violate those commandments.
Dennis Prager is a nationally syndicated radio talk show host and columnist.
obituaries
Evelyn Cherry Holt
Oct. 23, 1943 –Sept. 8, 2024
Evelyn Cherry Holt, age 80 of Apex, NC passed away on Sunday (9/8/2024) at the UNC Rex Rehabilitation and Nursing Care Center, surrounded by her loving family. Evelyn was born in Durham, NC on October 23,1943, daughter of Dwight Palmer Cherry, Sr. and Bertha Lee Green Cherry. Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents; Son Thomas Duryl Cross, Jr. Brother Dwight Palmer Cherry, Jr and her sisterin-law Carolyn Cherry. Evelyn, worked for many years as an Appliance Technician with Sears. A celebration of life service will be held at 11:00 AM
IN MEMORY
on Saturday (10/5/2024) at Bells Baptist Church, 1274 Farrington Road, Apex, NC. Officiating Pastor Mike Owings and Pastor Anthony Kennedy. Evelyn is survived by her husband of thirty-one years Glen Thomas Holt of the home. Son Timothy Edward Cross (Elizabeth) of Durham, NC. Stepson Timothy Alvis Holt of Apex, NC; Stepdaughter; Glenda Holt Gilbert (William) of Apex, NC. Two sisters; Joyce Marie Whittaker (Dan) of Ringgold, GA. Marion Rose Broadway (Mickey) of Timberlake, NC.
Brother Thomas Linton Cherry of Mt. Juliet, Tenn. Four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers the family request that memorial donations be made to Bells Baptist Church Cemetery Fund1274 Farrington Road, Apex,NC 27523 in Evelyn’s Memory. Online condolences can be made to www. smithfuneralhome moncure.com
Arrangements are by the Smith Funeral Home of Moncure.
GERALD DWAYNE SMITH
NOV. 5, 1929 – OCT. 5, 2024
Gerald Dwayne Smith, age 94, of Sanford, passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 5, 2024 at Westfield Nursing and Rehabilitation surround by his family.
He was born in Tacoma, Washington on November 3, 1929 to the late James Smith and Lillian Nelson Smith. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his loving wife of 72 years Esther Langley Smith, daughter Beverly Buchanan and siblings Dorothy Brown, Almon Smith and Leroy Smith. Mr. Smith retired following a 20-year career in the US Army and then went to work for the US Postal Service where he retired after 22 years of service. He will be remembered for his love of people and his caring and giving nature. He did not expect or want anything in return and truly taught his family the importance of being generous.
Mr. Smith is survived by daughter, Karen Bryant and husband, Jeff of Sanford; grandchildren, Ashley Buchanan, Britt Buchanan, Jeremy Holder, and Haley Bryant; eight great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
ROGER GRIFFITH
MARCH 14, 1928 – OCT .5, 2024
Roger Griffith, 96, of Sanford, NC went to be with his Savior on October 5, 2024. He was born in Breathitt County, KY on March 14, 1928 to the late William Goble Griffith and Flossie Mae Callahan.
He is survived by his stepdaughter Linda Carol Sloan (Benny Sloan), his granddaughter Cherise S. Jones (Walt Jones), and greatgranddaughter Claire Jones. He is preceded in death by his loving wife Gladys Kelly, son William “Bill” Roger Griffith, and three siblings: Hazel G. Kallendorf, John Griffith, and Blackburn Griffith.
Roger lived in KY until he was seventeen years old. He attended Houston Mission School and was baptized at the Mission on March 26, 1944. In August 1947, he joined the Army. He received his basic training at Fort Knox, KY then went to Fort Benning, GA for Airborne training. After finishing training in 1948, he came to Fort Bragg, NC and served with the 82nd Airborne Division and later in the 187th Airborne Combat Regiment. All total he made 165 jumps, two of which were behind enemy lines in Korea. He retired from the military in September 1967. He (known as “Sarge”) retired from Heins Telephone Company after working there 19 years. As a retiree, he built a small engine repair business and worked from home.
Roger’s family is grateful for faithful caregivers who made it possible for Roger to remain at home: Rhonda Womack, Brenda Womack, Kay Tolman, Christie Tolman, Tina Porter, Veronica Martin, Sharhonda Larden, and Marsha Epps.
William “Bill” Delbert Baker
Nov. 10, 1944 –Sept. 27, 2024
William “Bill” Delbert Baker, age 79, of Moncure, NC, died Friday, September 27, 2024, at the home that he loved for many years. Bill was born in Cambridge, MD, Dorchester Co. on November 10th, 1944, to the late Delbert K Baker and Pauline Moore Baker. His family then moved from Cambridge to Grasonville, MD, Queen Anne’s Co. in 1954 in the house built by his father and extended family which was right next door to his paternal grandmother. After serving in the Marine Corps during Vietnam, Bill was in engineeringrelated roles starting in Maryland and when he moved to North Carolina, he worked at Townsends in Pittsboro and Siler City, then Zentox and Capital
Walter Francis Caldwell
June 8, 1941 – Oct. 3, 2024
Walter Francis Caldwell, 83, of Bear Creek, died Thursday, October 3, 2024, at UNC HospitalChapel Hill.
Walter was born on June 8, 1941, in Haywood County the son of the late Lee Jim and Susan Sweetner Caldwell. In addition to his parents,
IN MEMORY
Concrete the rest of his career. Civic work was very important to Bill. He was a member of the Pittsboro Kiwanis Club for almost 40 years. He also served on the Pittsboro Planning Board. Many skilled tradesmen learned from Bill as he freely shared his considerable knowledge and experience with those that wanted to learn. He met Judy Norris, they dated and then tied the knot on December 27, 2020. She came to several of the family Christmas Eve parties in Maryland and quickly became a part of the Baker family as she fit right in. Bill was predeceased by his parents and spouse, Helen “Cookie” Baker who passed in 2011. Surviving relatives include his wife, Judy Baker, stepson Will and stepdaughter Ashlee; two sisters, Emily Parry, and Carolyn Foster (Robert) and many cousins, nieces and nephews and dear friends. Bill had much compassion for his family and was very caring. He always called his mother, Polly, every Sunday night, and she always looked forward to that call. He was very close to his two sisters, checking up on each other weekly. He was very good about asking
Walter was preceded in death by his wife Anne Finn Caldwell; brothers, Charles, Howard, and Carl Caldwell; sisters, Ann, Katherine, Willa May and Pauline.
Walter was a member of Emmaus Baptist Church. He retired after 30 years from the NC DOT as a motor grader operator. He also mowed yards and sold firewood. He loved fishing, camping, and making people smile. He was a big jokester.
Walter is survived by his daughter, Emily Caldwell Elmore May and husband John, of Siler City; grandchildren, Kaylee Elmore and Drew Elmore; step grandchildren, Jonathan May, Megan May and
JAMES WILLIS BOWLING
SEPT.30TH, 2024
James Willis Bowling, age 87 of Sanford, passed away on Monday (9/30/2024) at his home with his family by his side. He was born in Lee County, son of the late Walter Lee Bowling and Ilene Sloan Bowling. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his brothers, Edward Lee Bowling and William Sloan Bowling. James retired from the United States Navy and civil service at Fort Bragg, ending a long career spanning
them if they remembered things that happened with the family or in their town and they would always have good laughs. He loved Christmas and always made the trip home to spend with his family. He was known for his gift of gab, big laugh, and great sense of humor. He loved music, especially Irish. He loved being on the water as his father was a waterman on the Chesapeake Bay and he also enjoyed woodworking, working on vehicles, and making road trips. In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to be made in Bill’s memory to the Construction and Skilled Trades program at Central Carolina Community College www. cccc.edu/foundation/ giving or to the charity of your choice. The family in North Carolina will receive friends Thursday, October 3, 2024, from 5PM-7PM at Donaldson Funeral Home & Crematory Griffin Chapel.
A memorial service with interment will follow at a later date in Maryland. Condolences may be made at www. donaldsonfunerals.com Donaldson Funeral Home & Crematory is honored to serve the Baker family
Katie Sipe; step greatgrandson, JJ; and sisters, Judy Lineberry and Mary Lou Burns both of Siler City. A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00pm on Saturday, October 12, 2024 at Emmaus Baptist Church with Rev. Steve Moore officiating. The family request memorials be made to Samaritans Purse for Western NC relief fund at https://www. samaritanspurse.org/ article/pray-for-thosein-helenes-path/ or by calling 1-800-528-1980. Smith & Buckner Funeral Home is serving the Caldwell family. Online Condolences may be made at www. smithbucknerfh.com
42 years with the United States government. He began his career with the NC National Guard before completing his naval training in Kodiak, Alaska. He loved to work in the yard, could repair anything, puzzles and enjoyed working with his hands. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Mary LaVerne Buchanan Bowling of the home. Daughters, Carren Bowling of Sanford, NC and Deborah Bowling McLeod (Neal) of Fayetteville, NC; grandsons, Stephen Worthy (Elizabeth), Edward McLeod and four stepgranddaughters.
Well-known Asheville music tradition returns in a sign of hopefulness
had its first regular Friday night session since the powerful storm blew in. The wind and flooding caused catastrophic damage throughout the mountains.
By Brittany Peterson
The Associated Press
The Asheville Drum Circle
Amid the post-storm chaos, the sound of drums echoed across Pritchard Park and through nearby streets in downtown Asheville.
Drummer Mel McDonald said he hopes the smaller-than-usual gathering will spread cheer during the trying time.
“It’s not over, there’s things to look forward to and enjoy yourselves.”
Drummer Mel McDonald
“Now is the most important time for people to see that it’s not over, there’s things to look forward to and enjoy yourselves,” McDonald said.
He drove up from South Carolina with supplies to hand out, and then joined the jam session.
“We normally have a drum circle on every Friday yearround and today seemed like a good day to do something positive, come out and drum, allow people to enjoy themselves, positive vibes,” he said. “Get something out there in the community positive. Maybe help people feel a little bit better.”
Sarah Owens was in the area
Friday evening looking for water and wipes since the building where she lives still has no water.
“I followed the sound of the drum,” Owens said. “It is such a surprise and it is so invigorating and it just makes you feel like there’s hope and there’s life beyond all of this.”
“The human spirit of people coming together is so beautiful, and helping each other and encouraging each one and another,” she added. “And that’s what this music is, it’s encouraging to me.”
The drum circle began in 2001 with about 10 drummers, and can now draw hundreds of musicians and spectators when the weather is warm. The circle takes place in a park downtown near popular bars and restaurants.
Watch Out for Investment Scams
Watch Out for Investment Scams
When you invest, you’ll find that knowledge is power. The more you know about your investment choices, and who is offering them, the better prepared you’ll be to make good decisions. And this diligence can also help protect you against investment scams.
How widespread is this activity? Consider this: Investment fraud losses totaled more than $4.5 billion in 2023, according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Report. Here are some common types of scams:
• Cryptocurrency – Not all cryptocurrency offers are scams, but many are. The scammers will contact you via social media, claiming they’ve made a lot of money in crypto and are willing to help you do the same. They may direct you to a website or app to invest, but the “company” taking your money may not even exist, and, after taking your money, may disappear.
• Investment programs – These programs claim to have “proven” strategies that can enable you to get rich by investing in financial products. But these strategies are dubious at best and can cost you thousands of dollars that could otherwise go into an investment plan based on your goals, risk tolerance and time horizon.
• Real estate – Typically, a real estate scam tries to get you to invest in a “worldclass” or “luxury” property development, but these properties may take years to build, if they’re built at all. Also, various real estate “seminars” claim they can teach you how to get wealthy by buying and selling real estate, but these programs are expensive and usually worthless.
• Gold and other precious metals –Scammers who call themselves “rare coins” merchants may try to sell you gold coins, bullion or other types of precious metals, claiming that these assets will always go up in value (which isn’t true) and that “now is the best time to act.” You can find legitimate ways to invest in precious
Pittsboro Chad Virgil, CFP® ChFC®, CLU® 630 East St Suite 2 919-545-5669
Chapel Hill
Eric C Williams, CFP® AAMS® 190 Chatham Downs Dr Suite 103 919-960-6119
Siler City
Laura Clapp, CFP®, CEPA®, AAMS™ 301 E Raleigh St Siler City, NC 27344 919-663-1051
metals, possibly through mutual funds, but you’ll need to determine whether these assets can be an appropriate part of your investment portfolio.
So, how can you avoid these scams?
Here are some suggestions from the Federal Trade Commission:
• Don’t be pushed into snap decisions. Scammers will pressure you to act quickly because “space is limited” in an investment offering or a “special deal” won’t last long. If someone won’t give you time to consider an offer, it’s not worth considering.
• Be suspicious of “risk-free” claims. All investments carry risk, and no variable investments can claim to provide “guaranteed returns.” If an individual or organization downplays the risk of an investment and doesn’t want to provide risk disclosures, just walk away.
• Ask about licensing or registration. Legitimate investment professionals must be registered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and be licensed by your state’s securities regulator before they can sell you any investment product. You can check the status of an individual or firm by using FINRA’s BrokerCheck tool at brokercheck.fina.org.
• Do some research. You can search online for the name of the company or individual offering you an investment opportunity. By entering terms such as “review,” “scam,” “fraud” or “complaint,” you may well find that other people have experienced problems or been victimized.
To achieve your financial goals, you’ll likely need to invest for decades — so, be wary of scammers who claim to offer a shortcut to success.
This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.
Edward Jones, Member SIPC
Governors Club Sharon A Dickens, CFP® AAMS® 50101 Governors Dr Suite 118 919-967-9968
Pittsboro Kevin C Maley, AAMS® 984 Thompson St Suite E2 919-444-2961
Pittsboro Blake Stewart, WMCP® 114 Russet Run Suite 120 919-542-3020
Pittsboro Shari Becker 120 Lowes Drive Suite 107 919-545-0125
National Bestselling Author Jill McCorkle
Headlines Chatham Literacy’s Fall Fundraiser
Chatham Literacy Fall For Literacy Luncheon
Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center
Thursday, October 24, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Tickets $125 per person; tables seat 10 people Contact: admin@chathamliteracy.org or 919-742-0578
Master storyteller and bestselling author Jill McCorkle discusses her dazzling short story collection Old Crimes.
Described as containing 12 novels under one cover, McCorkle’s short stories in Old Crimes are masterworks with characters who, “hold their secrets and misdeeds close.” Reviewers like NC author Lee Smith say stories in this book are, “so carefully wrought yet wildly original.” McCorkle says she’s always been interested in the ordinary day. “Some characters are in the process of doing something they regretted doing or not doing which binds all the characters. All are looking back and wondering how something may have played out differently.” McCorkle graduated from UNC and taught at Tufts, Duke and Harvard Universities and Bennington College. She is one of very few authors to have published her first two novels on the same day in 1984. McCorkle has received the North Carolina Award for Literature and the Thomas Wolfe Prize, among others. She was recently inducted into the NC Literary Hall of Fame. Five of her seven novels are New York Times notable books and four of her short stories appeared in Best American Short Stories publication.
1 – Sept 30, 2024 546 words
If you buy McCorkle’s book at McIntyre’s Books, they will donate 20% of book sales to Chatham Literacy. Chatham Literacy helps adults living or working in Chatham County acquire literacy and educational skills needed to function successfully in society.
on November 5th
Elect Joe Godfrey as NC House District 54 Representative
As a Business professional, I know how to manage a budget, provide important infrastructure, provide important education and training, and protect our rural character and natural resources in Chatham and Randolph Counties. I believe in common sense conservative principles.
VOTE for change on November 5th Paid for by: Elect Joe Godfrey I appreciate the opportunity to
The future of Chatham and Randolph Counties is important to me. I plan to focus on the core functions of government for ALL people. I believe in equal opportunities in school, the workplace, and the law.
• Manage Budgets: Make sure that tax dollars are not wasted on non-essentials. Government growth should be minimal. In ation is a ecting all citizens and is crushing Generational Wealth for all people, especially minorities. Properly fund police and rst responders by reducing wasteful spending. Money spent on illegal immigration reduces funds that could go to precious infrastructure, as seen with the recent Hurricane Helene
• Infrastructure: Engage with experts to nd the best solution for wastewater treatment, address the housing shortage, and work with the state and local companies to provide broadband throughout rural areas of our counties.
• Education and Training: Prioritize safety and fund SRO’s for EVERY school, provide training to prepare students to enter the workforce as businesses come to Chatham and Randolph Counties, fund expanded tutoring to improve test scores. Raise teacher pay across the board.
• Natural Resources and Rural Character: Protect our natural resources from over-development. Include green space in EVERY development. Protect farmland from more zoning regulations. Represent ALL people.
in Chatham and Randolph Counties, not just speci c
and was educated in Chatham County.
Even in the darkest times, life goes on
ASHEVILLE — A wellknown Asheville musical tradition returned last Friday night, a sign of hopefulness a week after Helene battered the mountain city.
LEARN ABOUT LANDChatham Land Experts, www. learnaboutland.com - 919-3626999.
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POWELL SPRINGS APTS.
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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, 919828-4247. n/c
AUCTIONS
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SERVICES
Small jobs – Electrical, Plumbing and Construction Call Sean – 919-444-5573
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RAINBOW WATER FILTERED
VACUUMS, Alice Cox, Cox’s Distributing - Rainbow - Cell: 919-548-4314, Sales, Services, Supplies. Serving public for 35 years. Rada Cutlery is also available.
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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.
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TAKE NOTICE
DIGGING AND DEMO-Land improvements, mini-excavating, stump removal, mobile home and building tear-down, all digging. French Drains, All your digging needs. Call John Hayes, 919-5480474.
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When veterinary care is unavailable or unaffordable, ask for Happy Jack® animal healthcare products for cats, dogs, & horses.
Southern States Coop. 742- 2128
Noticia Pύblica
de hojas a partir de la prόxima semana el lunes 4 de Noviembre de 2024. Continuaremos rotando del lado sur de la ciudad al lado norte de la ciudad durante todo el proceso de recolección de hojas sueltas. La recolección de hojas sueltas continuara hasta el 17 de Enero, 2025. Tenga en cuenta: La recogida se llevar a cabo en un lado de la ciudad durante la semana, luego se trasladar al otro lado de la ciudad durante una semana. Las hojas deben colocarse en montones al borde de la calle (no en la calle) donde ser n accesibles para la m quina de aspiradora de hojas. Los objetos como madera, piedras y basura deben ser retiradas de las hojas para otro dia de recoleccion. Para evitar da os a la m quina de hojas, no se recoger n las hojas que contengan estos objetos o otro tipo de objetos. Las hojas embolsadas no ser n recogidas mientras el programa de recolecciόn de hojas sueltas esté en proceso. Su cooperaciόn har que nuestro programa de recolecciόn de hojas sea un éxito.. Para preguntas por favor llame al 919-742-4732. Gracias, Dillon Dispennette Town of Siler City Public Works Superintendent ddispennette@silercity.gov www.silercity.org
Public Notice
TOWN OF SILER CITY LEAF COLLECTION SCHEDULE Siler City loose leaf collection will begin Monday, October 28, 2024. Persons living
Please
For questions, please call
Thank you, Dillon Dispennette Town of Siler City Public Works Superintendent ddispennette@silercity.gov www.silercity.org
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY
24E001519-180
Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of MEG
SUSAN YADWIN, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 1st day of January 2025, or this notice will be plead in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment. This the 3rd day of October 2024.
c/o Elinor J. Foy, Attorney for David George Goldman Executor of the Estate of Meg Susan Yadwin Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton, LLP 4101 Lake Boone Trail, Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607
NOTICE
STATE OF NEW MEXICO COUNTY OF TAOS
EIGHTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT
JADE GOMEZ, Petitioner, v. NO. D-820-DM-2022-00034
HON JEFFREY A. SHANNON
OSCAR GONZALEZ, Respondent. NOTICE OF SUIT TO OSCAR GONZALEZ, RESPONDENT Take notice that a lawsuit has been filed against you. The subject of the lawsuit is to Establish Paternity, Custody, and Child Support. This lawsuit is not about real property. If you do not file an answer or responsive pleading with the above-titled Court within 30 days after the third publication of this Notice, the Court may enter a default judgment against you. The Court address is 105 Albright Street, Ste. N, Taos, NM 87571. When you file your response, you must give or mail a copy to the address below. Petitioner’s Name: Jade Gomez c/o Attorney Kim McGinnis, 945 Salazar Road, Taos, NM 87571; 575758-8082. WITNESS the Honorable Jeffrey Shannon, District Judge of the Eighth Judicial District Court of the State of New Mexico, this 18th day of September, 2024. BY: _/s/Holly B. Healy________________ CLERK OF THE DISTRICT COURT DATES OF PUBLICATION: September 26, 2024; October 3, 2024; October 10, 2024
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#24E001524-180
The undersigned, JUDITH ANN SHIPLEY and WILLIAM SCOTT WAGNER, having qualified on the 25TH day of SEPTEMBER 2024, as EXECUTORS of the Estate of ESTHER V. WINDHAM CARR, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 9TH Day of JANUARY 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 10TH Day of OCTOBER 2024.
JUDITH ANN SHIPLEY, EXECUTOR
2583 OLD GRAHAM ROAD PITTSBORO, NC 27312
WILLIAM SCOTT WAGNER, EXECUTOR 2060 N PEA RIDGE ROAD PITTSBORO, NC 27312 Run dates: 10,17,24,31
CREDITOR’S NOTICE
Having qualified on the 6th day of September, 2024, as Administrator of the Estate of John Henry Jackson, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the decedent to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before the 19th day of December, 2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the estate should make immediate payment. This is the 13th day of September 2024. W. Woods Doster, Administrator of the Estate of John Henry Jackson 206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330 Attorneys: Law Offices of Doster & Brown, P.A. 206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330 Publish On: September 19th, 26th, October 3rd and 10th, 2024.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Having qualified as Personal Representative of the Estate of Jeanie Fenton Branson, deceased of Chatham County, North Carolina, on the 16th day of September, 2024, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to exhibit them to the undersigned at the office of the attorney for the estate on or before the 28th day of December, 2024, or this Notice will be pled in bar of recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. Issued this 26th day of September 2024. James W. Branson, Personal Representative, c/o Catherine L. Wilson, Attorney for the Estate, 3211 Shannon Road, Suite 400, Durham, NC 27707. Chatham News & Record: 9/26, 10/3, 10/10, 10/17
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Having qualified as Personal Representative of the Estate of Robert Jason Powell, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before December 28, 2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 26th day of September 2024. Lisa Kay Powell, Administrator C/o L Howard Law, PLLC PO Box 2161 Greensboro, NC 27402 336-303-1284 [AD RUN DATES: 9/26/2024, 10/3/2024, 10/10/2024, and 10/17/2024]
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Julie King-McDaniel qualified before the Chatham County Clerk of Court on August 28, 2024, as the Executor of the Estate of SANDRA K. PHILLIPS, 9490 NC HWY 42, Bear Creek, NC 27207. This is to notify all persons, firms and corporations, as required by N.C.G.S. 28A-14-1, having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the attorney designated below on or before the 19th of December, 2024 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payments to the undersigned. Payments and claims should be presented to Deirdre M. Stephenson, Attorney at Law, 1518 Elm Street, Sanford, NC 27330.
CREDITOR’S NOTICE
Having qualified on the 6th day of September, 2024, as Public Administrator of the Estate of Vickie F. Millenbaugh, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the decedent to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before the 19th day of December, 2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the estate should make immediate payment. This is the 13th day of September 2024. W. Woods Doster, Public Administrator of the Estate of Vickie F. Millenbaugh 206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330
Attorneys: Law Offices of Doster & Brown, P.A. 206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330 Publish On: September 19th, 26th, October 3rd and 10th, 2024.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#24E001478-180 The undersigned, BETTY ELAINE WOODY, having qualified on the 3RD day of SEPTEMBER 2024, as EXECUTOR of the Estate of BETTY LEE HENDERSON, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 18TH Day of DECEMBER 2024, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 19TH Day of SEPTEMBER 2024. BETTY ELAINE WOODY, EXECUTOR 1901 NC 42 HWY. MONCURE, NC 27559 Run dates: S19,26,O3,10p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#24E000172-180 The undersigned, SHAVONNE LANEE HUNTER, having qualified on the 16TH day of JULY 2024, as EXECUTOR of the Estate of CLOYCE HUNTER, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 18TH Day of DECEMBER 2024, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 19TH Day of SEPTEMBER 2024. SHAVONNE LANEE HUNTER, EXECUTOR 1007 LAURA CT. HAW RIVER, NC 27258 Run dates: S19,26,O3,10p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#24E001499-180 The undersigned, MICHELLE BRISTOW, having qualified on the 13TH day of SEPTEMBER 2024, as EXECUTOR of the Estate of LARRY WILSON BRISTOW, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 25TH Day of DECEMBER 2024, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 26TH Day of SEPTEMBER 2024. MICHELLE BRISTOW, EXECUTOR 367 ARTHUR TEAGUE ROAD SILER CITY, NC 27344 Run dates: S26,O3,10,17p
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
A public hearing will be held by the Chatham County Board of Commissioners on Monday, October 21, 2024, beginning at 6:00 p.m. The hearing will be held in the courtroom of the Historic Courthouse in Pittsboro, North Carolina at 9 Hillsboro Street. Additional information is available at the Chatham County Planning Department office. Speakers are requested to sign up at the meeting prior to the hearing. You may also sign up on the county website prior to the meeting at www.chathamcountync. gov by selecting the heading Government, then Commissioner Meetings, then Public Input/Hearing Sign Up. The public hearing may be continued to another date at the discretion of the Board of Commissioners. The purpose of the Public Hearing is to receive input, both written and oral, on the issues listed below: A legislative public hearing requested by the Chatham County Board of Commissioners to consider amendments to the Chatham County Subdivision Regulations; specifically, sections 2.3, 5.2, and 7.7 to amend language related to Concept Plan reviews and approvals. 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 the Chatham County Planning Department at 919-542-8204 or write to P.O. Box 54, Pittsboro N.C. 27312. Please run in your paper: October 10th and 17th, 2024
NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#24E001460-180 The undersigned, ELIZABETH COOKE GILMOUR, having qualified on the 23RD day of AUGUST, 2024, as EXECUTOR of the Estate of SALLY BOVARD THOMPSON, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 1ST DAY OF JANUARY, 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 3RD DAY OF OCTOBER, 2024. ELIZABETH COOKE GILMOUR, EXECUTOR 3419 BROOMFIELD TERRACE DURHAM, NC 27705 Run dates: O3,10,17,24p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS
OF ANNA LOUISE REYNOLDS All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Anna Louise Reynolds late of Chatham County, North Carolina, are notified to exhibit them to Stephen Reynolds Pagano as Executor of the decedent’s estate on or before December 26, 2024, c/o Brittany N. Porter, Attorney at Law, 1414 Raleigh Rd., Ste. 203, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, or be barred from their recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment to the above-named Executor. This the 26th day of September, 2024. Stephen Reynolds Pagano Brittany N. Porter, Atty. TrustCounsel 1414 Raleigh Rd., Ste. 203 Chapel Hill, NC 27517
NORTH CAROLINA
CHATHAM COUNTY
NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The undersigned, having qualified on the 18th day of September 2024, as Executor of the Estate of Alexander Lamb Ross, Jr., deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 26th day of December 2024, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment to the undersigned.
This 26th day of September 2024 Alexander Lamb Ross III, Executor of the Estate of Alexander Lamb Ross, Jr. c/o Julia G. Henry, Kennon Craver, PLLC 4011 University Drive, Suite 300 Durham, North Carolina 27707
THE CHATHAM NEWS:
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
RELATIVE TO APPLICATION BY THE TOWN OF SILER CITY FOR FUNDING UNDER THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 1974, AS AMENDED
Notice is hereby given that the Siler City Board of Commissioners will conduct a public hearing on October 21, 2024, at 6:30 PM, or as soon thereafter as the agenda will allow, in the Courtroom at Town Hall, 311 North Second Avenue, Siler City, NC 27344, in relation to Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for a project in the community.
In October 2024, the Town of Siler City will submit a CDBG-Neighborhood Revitalization (CDBG-NR) application to the NC Department of Commerce for funds to assist with housing improvements for lowand-moderate income households residing in the Town. Citizens will also be given the opportunity to provide oral and written comments on the Town’s use of CDBG funds. All interested citizens are encouraged to attend. All project activities will serve households with incomes at or below 80% of the Chatham County median income for appropriate household size. The proposed budget includes the following housing related CDBG activities:
Rehabilitation
$855,000
Program Administration
$ 95,000
Total Project Budget
$950,000
The Town will make every effort to minimize displacement; however, all applicable requirements of 49CFR24 and 24CFR570 related to the proposed rehabilitation activities will be implemented, and temporary relocation assistance will be available to owners who are displaced from their residences during construction activity. For additional information or to submit written comments, contact Sara Martin at the Siler City Office of Planning & Community Development, PO Box 769, Siler City, NC 27344, email smartin@ silercity.gov or phone 919-726-8625. Comments should be postmarked by October 16, 2024.
Persons with disabilities or who otherwise need assistance should contact the Town Manager’s Office at 919-742-4731 by Friday, October 18, 2024. Accommodations will be made for all who request assistance with participating in the public hearing. This information is available in Spanish and any other language upon request. Please contact Sara Martin, Community Development Planner, at 919-7268625 or at 311 N. Second Avenue, Siler City, NC, for accommodations for this request. Esta información está disponible en español o en cualquier otro idioma bajo petición. Por favor, póngase en contacto con Sara Martin, Community Development Planner, al 919-726-8625 o en 311 N. Second Avenue, Siler City, NC, de alojamiento para esta solicitud.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS
OF ROBERT WILSON SILER, JR.
All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Robert Wilson Siler, Jr., late of Chatham County, North Carolina, are notified to exhibit them to Michael R. Siler as Executor of the decedent’s estate on or before December 26, 2024, c/o Brittany N. Porter, Attorney at Law, 1414 Raleigh Rd., Ste. 203, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, or be barred from their recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment to the above-named Executor. This the 26th day of September, 2024. Michael R. Siler Brittany N. Porter, Atty. TrustCounsel 1414 Raleigh Rd., Ste. 203 Chapel Hill, NC 27517
NOTICE TO CREDITORS STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CHATHAM THE UNDERSIGNED, having qualified on the 20th day of April, 2022, as Executrix of the ESTATE OF MILDRED T. STANSBURY A/K/A MILDRED TERESA STANSBURY, Deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 27th day of December, 2024, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 26th day of September 2024.
TERESA M. WEBER EXECUTRIX ESTATE OF MILDRED T. STANSBURY A/K/A MIDLRED TERESA STANSBURY c/o Shirley M. Diefenbach, Attorney Walker Lambe, PLLC Post Office Box 51549 Durham, North Carolina 27717
NOTE: For publication in The Chatham News on the following dates: September 26, October 3, October 10 and October 17, 2024. Please send the Statement and Proof of Publication to Post Office Box 51549, Durham, North Carolina 27717-1549.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS 24 E 001525-180 NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY
The undersigned, Marie Hopper, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Vance J. Dunn, 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 January 8th, 2024, or this notice will be plead in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to
Free After Hours Concert from 4pm to 6pm featuring the North Tower Band
enough food and water to last until new supplies arrive, and how will they rebuild.
The focus is on survival, not politics — and may remain that way for weeks.
Politicians travel to affected battleground states
Trump and Harris have visited North Carolina and Georgia five times since the storm hit.
Trump was in North Carolina on Friday, and Harris was there the next day.
Hanks&SalisburyStreets
the
of
and
Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.
Said property is commonly known as 1004 Driftwood Dr, Siler City, NC 27344.
A Certified Check ONLY (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED.
Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS WHERE IS.” There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. Substitute Trustee does not have possession of the property and cannot grant access, prior to or after the sale, for purposes of inspection and/or appraisal. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are ALL LAWFUL HEIRS OF FRANKIE MUELLER.
An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#24E001464-180
The undersigned, JAMES RAYMOND HODGEMAN, SR., having qualified on the 30TH day of AUGUST, 2024, as EXECUTOR of the Estate of ROBERTA A. HODGEMAN, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the
occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 4521.16A(b)(2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.
Pursuant to NCGS §45-21.25A, this sale may be subject to remote bids placed by bidders not physically present at the place of sale, which may be accepted by the person conducting the sale, or their agent”.
If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.
Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 File No.: 24-12285-FC01
After Trump went to Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday, 20-year-old Fermin Herrera said the former president clinched his vote with his display of caring, not out of any frustration with how President Joe Biden and Harris, the vice president, are handling the federal disaster response. Herrera already leaned toward voting for Trump.
“I feel like everybody’s kind doing what they can,” he said. “All the locals are appreciating the help that’s coming.”
Trump, who has his own mixed record on natural disaster response, attacked Biden and Harris for what he said was a slow response to Helene’s destruction. Trump accused the Democrats of “going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas” and said there wasn’t enough Federal Emergency Management Agency money because it was spent on illegal immigrants. There is no evidence to support either claim.
“I’m not thinking about voters right now,” Trump insisted after a meeting with Gov. Brian Kemp (R-Ga.) on Friday. “I’m thinking about lives.”
Biden pushed back hard, saying he is “committed to being president for all of America” and has not ordered aid to be distributed based on party lines. The White House cited statements from the Republican governors of Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee expressing satisfaction with the federal government’s response.
FEMA’s head, Deanne Criswell, told ABC’s “This Week” that this “truly dangerous narrative” of falsehoods is “demoralizing” to first responders and creating “fear in our own employees.”
Criticism of aid efforts so soon after a natural disaster is “inappropriate,” especially when factoring in the daunting logistical problems in western North Carolina, said Gavin Smith, an NC State professor who specializes in disaster recovery. He said the perilous terrain from compromised roads and bridges and the widespread lack of power and cellphone service make disaster response in the region particularly challenging.
Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has made several stops in western North Carolina, including Watauga County and surrounding areas, and Biden viewed the extensive damage via an aerial tour.
A focus on recovering and rebuilding
In Watauga County, Jessica Dixon was scraping muck and
broken furniture off the ground with a shovel then dumping it in the bucket of a humming excavator. The 29-year-old stood in a home she bought two years ago. It’s now gutted after a rush of water forced Dixon, her boyfriend and their two dogs to flee to safety. Without flood insurance, Dixon is not sure what will happen over the next month. She said she filled out a FEMA application but hasn’t checked her email since. She had given the presidential election some thought before Helene, but now she’s preoccupied with cleaning her home.
“It wouldn’t change my views on anything,” said Dixon, who was planning to vote for Harris.
The presidential election isn’t top of mind for 47-year- old Bobby Cordell, either. He’s trying to get help to neighbors in western Watauga County, which has become inaccessible in some parts. His home near Beech Mountain is one of those places, he said, after a bridge washed away. Cordell rescued his aunt from a mudslide then traveled to Boone and has been staying in Appalachian State’s Holmes Convocation Center, which now serves as a Red Cross emergency shelter.
He’s trying to send disaster relief back where he lives by contacting officials, including from FEMA. That conversation, he said, “went very well.”
Accepting help isn’t easy for people in the mountains, he said, because they’re used to taking care of themselves.
Now, though, the people who are trapped “need everything they can get.”
Helping neighbors becomes more important in Helene’s aftermath
Over the past week of volunteering at Skateworld, where Farrington stopped for water, it’s become harder for Nancy Crawford to smile. She’s helped serve more than 1,000 people, she said, but the emotional toll has started to settle in for “a lot of us that normally are tough.” That burden added to the weight she was already feeling about the election, which she said was “scary to begin with.” Crawford, a registered Republican, said she plans to vote for Harris. As a Latina of Mexican descent, she thinks Trump’s immigration policies would have harmful effects on her community.
The storm, she said, likely won’t change her vote but has made one thing evident.
“It doesn’t matter what party you are, we all need help,” she said.
Jan Wellborn had a similar thought as she made her way around the Watauga High School gym collecting supplies to bring to coworkers in need. A 69-year-old bus driver for the school district, she said the outpouring of support she’s seen from the community has been a “godsend.”
She takes solace from the county’s ability to pull together. The election matters, she said, but helping people make their way through a harrowing time matters more.
“The election, it should be important,” Wellborn said. “But right now we need to focus on getting everybody in the county taken care of.”
POLITICS from page A1
CHRIS CARLSON / AP PHOTO
A makeshift cardboard sign leans up against campaign posters near a relief center in Vilas in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
CHATHAM SPORTS
The Chargers are now 3-0 against their crosstown rivals
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record
PITTSBORO — In Northwood’s (4-3, 4-1) 9-6 victory over Seaforth (2-3, 2-2) in the third Battle of Pittsboro Friday, the claiming rights to both team’s hometown wasn’t the only thing for the taking.
As if the keys to the city rattled around in the footballs, the two defenses got their fair share of hands on it. Both teams came away with two interceptions, but a Seaforth fumble near the goal line late in the fourth quarter became the deciding exchange of the night.
The Hawks had the Chargers’ backs against the wall after driving all the way down to the Northwood 5-yard line with just three minutes to go thanks to a 38-yard completion to junior receiver Patrick Miller and a physical 11-yard rush from sophomore quarterback Duncan Parker.
Seaforth tried to punch it in with the option following Parker’s run, but the pitch hit the ground, and the Chargers jumped on it.
On the ensuing possession, Northwood took advantage of a fatigued Seaforth defense and ran right at them, running the clock down to the final buzzer thanks to multiple first downs.
“It’s always good to win a rivalry game,” Northwood coach Dalton Brown said. “I tell the guys, ‘One more point than
them,’ and that’s our goal. Coach Hall called at me at the end, and he said, ‘Not all wins are pretty. Some of them are ugly,’ so that’s what tonight was.”
Seaforth’s “ugly” finish was just the tip of the iceberg for the unfortunate events both teams had to overcome throughout the night. For instance, the game-winning fumble recovery wasn’t the first time the Chargers used a turnover to crush a promising Seaforth drive in scoring range.
With the Hawks threatening to tie the game at six apiece in the second quarter following an interception from senior David Greenway on the other end of the field, Northwood sophomore Willie Boynton intercepted Parker’s pass over the middle at the Chargers’ 2-yard line.
“Coaches and the defense drew up great plays that put me right in the perfect spot to get that pick,” Boynton said.
Seaforth returned the favor on the next possession as Miller negated senior Isaiah Blair’s impressive catch at the 1-yard line with an interception in the end zone.
And on the very next play, Parker threw it right back to Northwood sophomore Raje Torres, who high-pointed the pick by the Northwood sideline.
“When we watched film, we saw what they would do,” Torres said. “So, I just had to play over top, and he threw it right to me.”
Although Northwood’s offense rushed for 210 yards (senior Robert Tripp had 114 of them) and had multiple chanc-
es to put points on the board, the Chargers didn’t find the end zone outside of junior Mikell Wilson recovering sophomore punter Travis Mann’s dropped snap for a touchdown in the first quarter.
Torres’ interception led to a 30-yard field goal from junior Leo Mortimer to put the Chargers up 9-0 at the halftime buzzer.
Going into the locker room with the lead in a messy slugfest, Brown’s message to his team at the break was to simply “finish.”
“We needed to play the second half better than we played in the first half,” Brown said. “Offensively, we didn’t do that, but defensively, we did. That was the difference in the game.”
While the offense struggled to produce points, the defense held things down with its constant pressure and activity in the backfield. The Chargers came away with two sacks (one each from Mortimer and senior Hayes Burleson) and four other tackles for loss (Rhone-Mason led the team with two). That pressure also contributed to the two interceptions as Parker often had little time to find open receivers and throw the ball accurately.
Seaforth completed just three passes the entire game and didn’t find the end zone until a three-yard run from junior Raiden Flowers in the beginning of the fourth quarter. The Hawks couldn’t find much offensively outside of Parker’s 81
Seaforth volleyball’s comeback runs fall short in 3-1 loss
The Hawks lost three straight sets after taking a 1-0 lead
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record
CHAPEL HILL — East Chapel Hill volleyball thwarted multiple Seaforth comeback attempts to complete its own come-frombehind rally and win the nonconference volleyball showdown, 3-1, on Oct. 2. The Hawks jumped out to a 1-0 lead after pulling away late in a back-and-forth opening set, but a flat start to the second period quickly flipped the game’s momentum, leading to Seaforth’s third loss of the year.
While East Chapel Hill took a 9-3 advantage over Seaforth in the second set, the Hawks held their hands up and conversed with each other as miscommunication caused balls to fall into the gaps on their side of the net.
“We play well, but we need to overcommunicate on everything and make sure we’re watching what’s going on on the other of
the other side and calling that,” Seaforth coach Helen May, who took over head coaching duties on Sept. 30, said. Seaforth responded with a 7-5 run capped off by a kill from junior setter Josie Valgus to bring itself back within four points. But from there, the teams continued to play a game of cat and mouse in which the Hawks just couldn’t string together enough consecutive points to take control of the set.
East Chapel Hill senior Lucy Linh Murphy, who recorded a team-high 14 kills, was a big part of keeping the Wildcats on top as she constantly scored points when her team needed them most.
“They were continuing to be aggressive on us,” May said. “Shout out to Lucy Linh Murphy. She had a lot of great shots, and she was using everything that’s in her arsenal. I think we have to be quicker to adapt and quicker to transition to things.”
Following a Seaforth timeout at which point it trailed 17-12,
Chatham County girls’ tennis dual team playoff preview
The dual team playoff brackets will be released Friday
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record
WITH THE GIRLS’ tennis regular season coming to an end for Chatham County’s teams, the state playoffs are right around the corner.
The North Carolina High School Athletic Association notified its membership Wednesday of the updates to the fall sports season and the playoffs based on the impact of Hurricane Helene.
Prior to the announcement, the girls’ tennis dual team playoff brackets were set to be released Friday with the playoffs beginning Monday (any
changes to the schedule will be updated in the online version of this story).
The dual team brackets will seed based on each classification’s RPI, or ratings percentage index, standings. RPI considers the winning percentage of a team, its opponents and its opponents’ opponents when determining how a team will be seeded. Conference winners get seeded first based on their RPI, and the rest of the brackets are filled with second-place automatic berths and at-large teams also seeded by their RPI. In girls’ tennis, 32 teams make the dual team 1A bracket, while 48 teams will qualify for the 2A bracket.
Here’s a playoff preview for
ASHEEBO ROJAS / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Seaforth sophomore Clarke Hollier jumps to send the ball over the net against East Chapel Hill. Seaforth took the first set but dropped the next three to fall in the nonconference showdown.
ASHEEBO ROJAS / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Northwood’s (left to right) Willie Boynton (interception), Raje Torres (interception), AJ Rhone-Mason (2 tackles for loss), Grayson Cox (57 rushing yards) and Robert Tripp (114 rushing yards) discuss the Chargers’ win in the Battle for Pittsboro.
East Chapel Hill extended its lead to seven and closed the deal with a 25-19 victory.
The Hawks didn’t take as big as a first punch in the third set, even taking a 5-3 lead early on after one of the three blocks from junior outside hitter Keira Rosenmarkle. But a late-set surge from the Wildcats gave them a 25-20 win and put Seaforth in a situation it hasn’t been in many times this year.
Before the game, Seaforth was 0-2 in games it trailed 2-1 after three sets, taking losses to 4A opponents Apex Friendship and Chapel Hill in that situation.
Tasked with taking down 4A East Chapel Hill in a do-or-die set, Seaforth once again fell behind early in the fourth period.
The Hawks trailed 12-7 at the beginning of the set, but they went on another run to tie the score at 16 following a kill from Rosenmarkle, who finished the night with a team-high 15 kills.
The set ended up being tied twice more, but the Hawks’ comeback efforts just couldn’t fully flip the script. Down 22 -20, Seaforth called another timeout before a final shot to stay alive.
“I did raise my voice a little
bit, but I was just trying to tell them that we are a better team than this, and we can’t just let balls drop with no one going after it,” May said. “It goes back to trusting the person next to us. If we play our positions and play how we know how to play, then we’re golden, but if we just kind of lose sight of that, then we struggle a little bit.”
Despite the spirited message from May, Seaforth dropped the set, 25-20, and took its third loss of the season.
The Hawks moved to 3-3 against nonconference opponents and 1-2 in their all-time series with East Chapel Hill.
As Seaforth gets ready for the start of what it hopes to be another deep run in the playoffs next week, the team will now be led by former assistant May. Former coach Scott Green remains with the team as an assistant.
“As a coaching staff, we all decided that we want to maximize all of our abilities, so that was just the change we made as a staff and as a program,” May said.
As of Sunday, Seaforth is fifth in the 2A East RPI standings, getting a boost from the nonconference matchups against tougher competition.
COURTESY SEAFORTH ATHLETICS TWITTER/X ACCOUNT
Seaforth’s senior girls’ tennis players pose after receiving their Senior Night honors at the end of September. The Hawks will be a factor in the NCHSAA playoffs.
TENNIS from page B1
each of the county’s teams projected to make the postseason, including where they may be seeded and what to look out for when playoff action gets started next week.
Chatham Charter
(1A East, automatic bid)
Conference record/place
(as of Sunday): 3-0, First place
RPI: 0.56177
Projected seed: 1
As of Sunday, no one has been able to take down Chatham Charter this season. The Knights will likely enter the 1A playoffs as a No. 1 seed in the East, looking to build on last year’s deep playoff run in which it made the regional round as a 10th seed. Returning key players Mak Allen, Lauren Jones and Jordyn Garner, Chatham Charter are battle-tested and experienced. Should its regular season momentum carry over into the postseason, the Knights could very well be in the running for a state title.
Seaforth
(2A East, automatic bid)
Final conference record/ place: 10-0, First place
FOOTBALL from page B1
rushing yards and another big 35-yard completion to senior George Weaver in the fourth quarter that set up their lone score.
“We take pride in holding guys to low scores, low yardage, so we preach all week to do your assignment,” Northwood defensive coordinator Derrick Lee said. “If you do your assignment, we’re fine. As long as everybody is doing
RPI: 0.56929
Projected seed: 6
Seaforth ended the regular season on a hot streak, winning six straight games and sweeping five of those opponents heading into the dual team playoffs. The Hawks are projected to fall near the sixth seed thanks to its conference title. Last year, Seaforth made it to the fourth round as a fourth seed, and it returns numerous key members of that team for this year’s playoff run. Although the top of the 2A East landscape will be a battle amongst some heavyweights, Seaforth could be another county team competing in the later rounds of the playoffs.
Northwood (2A East)
Final conference record/ place: 7-5, Fourth place
RPI: 0.47614
Projected seed: 21
Ending the season with three straight wins over North Moore, Chatham Central and Jordan-Matthews, Northwood is projected to enter the 2A playoffs as a No. 21 seed. The Chargers didn’t get to make noise in the playoffs last year as they forfeited their first round matchup with NCSSM-Durham, but they’ll get another chance to pull off an upset.
their assignment, the play on the field is going to show.”
After the victory, Northwood moved to over .500 for the first time this season, and now, it has a stronger hold over the third-place spot in the Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference.
But after three straight wins over its crosstown foes, Northwood’s hold over the keys to Pittsboro is just as strong until the teams put them on the line once again in another season.
ASHEEBO ROJAS / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Sophomore Ally Forbes (7) sets the ball in last week’s loss to East Chapel Hill.
CHATHAM COUNTY FOOTBALL ROUNDUP: WEEK SEVEN
Chatham Central, Seaforth look to bounce back
By Asheebo Rojas
Chatham News & Record
DEPENDING ON who Chatham County fans root for, week seven of the high school football season either brought a sigh of relief or deflating heartbreak.
Two games involving county teams went down to the wire last week, including Seaforth and Northwood’s low-scoring battle and an overtime finish between Chatham Central and Graham.
With Northwood being the only county team to make it out of the wild Friday night with a win, the combined county-wide record now sits at 9-17 going into the new week.
The Chargers are in good playoff standing as of now, but they can improve their conference standing and compete for an automatic bid. For the rest of the county, especially Seaforth and Chatham Central, there’s less room for error in the final few games of the regular season.
Here’s a recap of Friday’s football action, a preview of next week for each county team, conference standings and the latest football power rankings.
Chatham Central
Chatham Central (1-6, 0-5) fell just short of its second win of the season in a 20-14 overtime loss to Graham (1-5, 1-3) Friday.
At the game’s final buzzer, Graham’s senior quarterback Jonathan Henry found sophomore receiver Kam Mason in the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown, successfully erasing a 14-0 deficit and sending the game to overtime.
GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
The twilight’s last gleaming was the perfect time for the Battle of Pittsboro to commence. Northwood won this year’s version of the big game in a low-scoring affair against Seaforth.
After senior Jayvon Farrington picked off Chatham Central’s freshman quarterback Brooks Albright in the end zone on the Bears’ first overtime possession, senior running back Kadrian Brown completed the Red Devils’ comeback win on an 8-yard walk-off touchdown run.
Despite the loss, the Bears saw some offensive success early in the game with Albright connecting with junior receiver Nick Glover for two touchdown passes in the first half. They just couldn’t execute and finish drives when deep in enemy territory, which has burdened Chatham Central all season.
The Bears will host a tough opponent in Cummings (5-1,
4-0) Friday at 7 p.m. The Cavaliers is fresh off a bye week and will look to establish its strong rushing attack against a Chatham Central defense that has struggled to stop the run at times this year.
Chatham Central will need to emphasize tackling and finishing drives with points if it wants to pull off the upset.
Jordan-Matthews
Jordan-Matthews (2 - 5, 1-4) got shutout for a third straight game in a 56-0 loss to Southeast Alamance (6-0, 4-0) Friday. The Stallions scored in a plethora of ways, including three touchdown passes, one rushing score, two fumble re -
coveries taken back for touchdowns, a punt return and a kickoff return. The Jets haven’t been shutout in three straight games since 2021. After a 2-2 start, Jordan-Matthews has been in a downhill slide mainly due to injuries and key players missing games.
Jordan-Matthews will have a bye Friday and get a week of rest before hosting Bartlett Yancey on Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.
Seaforth
Following the close loss to Northwood, Seaforth (2-3, 2-2) will host North Moore (2 - 4, 2-2) Friday at 7 p.m.
The Hawks could very well have a successful bounce-back
3
Straight conference wins for Northwood since Sept. 13
game against the Mustangs, who are having one of their worst seasons in recent years. However, North Moore’s wing-T and run-heavy offense can still present a challenge, and Seaforth’s defense will have to be prepared for another physical matchup. Offensively, the key to a win will be taking care of the ball and establishing the run. Seaforth needs more production on the ground outside of its sophomore quarterback, Duncan Parker.
Northwood
Northwood (4-3, 4-1) will host Graham Friday at 7 p.m.
The Chargers will be looking for their fourth straight win of the season while tuning up against a team that has given up more than 50 points in five of its six contests this season. Northwood will just have to not overlook Graham and put the game away early as a big conference showdown with Cummings will be looming.
Power rankings
Last week: 1. Northwood; 2. Seaforth; 3. Chatham Central; 4. Jordan-Matthews
This week’s rankings: 1. Northwood; 2. Seaforth; 3. Chatham Central; 4. Jordan-Matthews
Woods Charter volleyball continues conference dominance
Jordan-Matthews soccer keeps win streak alive
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record
HERE’S A ROUNDUP of the key results, developments and conference standings from week eight of the high school fall sports season in Chatham County.
Volleyball
Things weren’t as smooth for Seaforth last week as it’s been for most of the season.
The Hawks needed all five sets to come from behind and edge North Moore, 3-2, on Oct. 1 in their first five-set game of the season. Josie Valgus, Keira Rosenmarkle and Ally Forbes combined for 42 kills, but the Mustangs were the ones who took a 2-1 lead after winning the second and third sets.
After falling to East Chapel Hill 3-1 the next day, Seaforth bounced back with a 3-0 win over Southeast Alamance on Oct. 3. Last week was business as usual for Woods Charter, though. Woods Charter senior Maya Sheridan’s 12 kills and freshman Cecilia Brignati’s 30 assists led the Wolves to a 3-0 victory over Triangle Math and Science on Oct. 1. The Wolves moved to 11-0 in conference play with a sweep over Clover Garden School the next day.
Chatham Charter held to its second-place spot in the Central Tar Heel 1A conference despite splitting the week with a loss to Southern Wake Academy and a win over River Mill. Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Seaforth (15-3, 12-0); 2. North Moore (16-2, 10-2); 3. Chatham Central (8-9, 6-5); 4. Northwood (8-11, 7-6); 5. Bartlett Yancey (12-6, 7-6); 6. Southeast Alamance (7-11, 5-7); 7. Jordan-Matthews (1-15, 1-11); 8. Graham (0-15, 0-11) Central Tar Heel 1A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Woods Charter (12-5, 11-0); 2. Chatham Charter (9-9, 8-3); 3. Clover Garden School (10-7, 6-4); 4. Southern Wake Academy (8-9, 6-6); 5. River Mill (8 -11, 5-7); 6. Ascend Leadership (2-8, 1-7); 7. Triangle Math and Science (1-13, 0-10)
tham Charter (0-10, 0-6)
Girls’ tennis
The girls’ tennis regular season came to an end last week for most of the county’s teams as they made their final pushes toward the dual team state playoffs.
Seaforth capped off its fourth consecutive Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference title with a 9-0 win over Bartlett Yancey and a 5-4 win over Carrboro.
Northwood also finished strong with a 7-2 win over Jordan-Matthews on Oct. 2.
Final Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference standings (from dual matches): 1. Seaforth (12-3, 100); 2. North Moore (7-4, 7-2); 3. Bartlett Yancey (7-5, 7-4); 4. Northwood (7-6, 7-5); 5. Southeast Alamance (4-9, 4-7); 6. Jordan-Mathews (3-11, 3-9); 7. Chatham Central (0-14, 0-11)
Francisco Ibarra
Boys’ soccer
Jordan-Matthews picked up its second-largest win of the season with a dominant 8-0 victory over Cummings on Oct. 3. As of Sunday, the Jets are still undefeated in conference play and haven’t lost a game since Aug. 29. Woods Charter recorded another big win over Chatham Charter, 8-0, in a cross-county conference matchup on Oct. 2. After a rough start to the season, the Wolves have won three out of their last four prior to the new week starting Monday, carrying newfound momentum into the final weeks of the regular season. Things have been less than ideal for Seaforth this season as it hasn’t won a game since beating Cummings on Sept. 9, however, the Hawks got a positive out of last week when they tied East Chapel Hill, 1-1, on Oct. 2. Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Jordan-Matthews (10-4, 6-0); 2. Southeast Alamance (8-6, 5-1); 3. Graham (8-2-2, 3-1-1); 4. Northwood (4-5-1, 2-3); 5. Seaforth (3-6-2, 1-2-1); 6. Cummings (4 -6, 1-6); 7. North Moore (0-6, 0-4)
Central Tar Heel 1A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Triangle Math and Science (6-3-2, 6-0-1); 2. Clover Garden School (6-8, 5-2); 3. River Mill (4-5-2, 3-2-2); 4. Ascend Leadership (5-5-1, 3-3); 5. Woods Charter (4-5-1, 3-3-1); 6. Southern Wake Academy (3-7, 1-5); 7. Cha-
Central Tar Heel 1A conference standings (from dual matches as of Sunday): 1. Chatham Charter (11-0, 3-0); 2. Triangle Math and Science (3-4, 2-1); 3. Southern Wake Academy (0-6, 0-4)
Cross-country
Here are the top performances from races involving county runners last week.
Boys: Samuel Neil (Seaforth, 16 minutes, 29.20 seconds, 31st out of 417 in Great American XC Festival Boys Blue 5K); Will Cuicchi (Seaforth, 16:48.20, 60th in Great American XC Festival Boys Blue 5K); Jordan Wiley (Northwood, 16:40.33, 17th out of 169 in Wendy’s Invitational)
Girls: Emily Jump (Seaforth, 20:55, 76th out of 338 in Great American XC Festival Girls Blue 5K); Sasha Helmer (Seaforth, 20:57.20, 79th in Great American XC Festival Girls Blue 5K); Julia Hall (Northwood, 20:19.35, 38th out of 148 in Wendy’s Invitational); Sydney Gray (Northwood, 20.38.52, 42nd in Wendy’s Invitational)
Girls’ golf
Results from the Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference match No. 4 on Sept. 30: North Moore (161); 2. Southeast Alamance (163); 3. Seaforth (171); 4. Chatham Central (172); 5. Northwood (173); 6. Graham (187)
Jordan-Matthews, soccer
Jordan-Matthews’ Francisco Ibarra earns athlete of the week honors for the week of Sept. 30. Ibarra, a senior for the Jets’ boys’ soccer team, scored two goals in Jordan-Matthews’ 8-0 win over Cummings on Oct. 3. His scoring total is tied with his teammate Andres Tepile for the team high.
As a senior captain, Ibarra has played a crucial leadership role in the Jets’ success in conference play. He’s one of just three senior starters to return from last year’s team.
CHATHAM CENTRAL HS X ACCOUNT
It was a battle of Chatham Central girls’ tennis stars when Carlee Callahan (left) met teammate Emma Burke in the finals of in the finals of the Mid-Carolina Conference Girls’ 1A Tennis Singles tournament. Callahan got the win.
PJ WARD-BROWN / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Chatham County Aging Services Weekly Activities Calendar
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College athletes helping those impacted by Hurricane Helene
Charlotte athletes are lending a hand to its sister school in Asheville that suffered storm damage from Helene
By Steve Reed The Associated Press
CHARLOTTE — UNC Asheville soccer player Xander Naguib and his teammates are preparing to spend the next several weeks — or perhaps months — at the state’s sister school in Charlotte, where they will be housed, fed and be able to continue playing sports.
Given what Naquib has been through in the last week, he couldn’t be more grateful. He and his teammates are among many programs in the area that have relocated to other schools in what one athletic director called a stirring example of colleges helping each other amid dire need.
Naguib and his friends were in Asheville when Hurricane Helene arrived, leaving a path of destruction in its wake with more than 200 people dead and countless others still missing. Without power, water and cell phone service and their off-campus apartment taking on water, Naguib was forced to evacuate even as flooding washed away local roads.
Pittsboro Center For Active Living 365 Highway 87 North Pittsboro, NC 27312 (919) 542-4512
Siler City Center For Active Living 112 Village Lake Road Siler City, NC 27344 (919) 742-3975
Visit our website at www.chathamcountync. gov/agingservices
Asheville AD Janet Cone to offer any assistance in the wake of the disaster.
Cone took him up on his offer, and Charlotte will host Asheville’s men’s and women’s soccer teams and volleyball squad in the days ahead, putting them up at an overflow dormitory, feeding them meals in the cafeteria and allowing them to use their athletic facilities. They will have access to medical attention to treat injuries.
“The world of college sports is a really tight-knit group. It’s been really heartening for me to see. So many people have gone out of their way to help us.”
UNC Asheville Athletic Director Janet Cone
“It felt like we were blocked off from the world,” Naguib said. Hours later, Naguib found a hotel and contacted his worried parents in Frisco, Texas, who quickly booked him on the next flight out of Asheville.
With UNC Asheville’s campus closed until Oct. 21 and classes canceled until at least Oct. 28, the school has asked students to return home or placed them on other campuses. Athletic teams have the benefit of being with their teammates; for Naguib, it means living and playing soccer two hours away in Charlotte.
UNC Charlotte athletic director Mike Hill had reached out to
“We want them to feel comfortable,” said Chris Thomasson, Charlotte’s executive associate athletic director for internal affairs. “A lot of people worked hard to make it happen. And our coaching staffs have been terrific. It’s interesting, on the field or the court our coaches are fierce competitors, but when they heard Asheville needed help they were like, ‘whatever we can do — anything.’”
UNC Charlotte hasn’t been the only school to step up. Asheville’s tennis teams will be living and practicing at High Point University. Its swim teams will stay at Gardner-Webb. The golf teams will be head to Wofford College next week.
Cone is still working to get all the school’s athletes placed, including the school’s basketball teams as part of what she called “a logistical puzzle with a whole lot of pieces.”
But she’s confident the school will get through it.
“The world of college sports is a really tight-knit group,” Cone said. “It’s been really heartening for me to see. So many people have gone out of their way to help us. I’ve received calls from schools all over the state and all over the country saying, ‘What can we do?’ There is a lot of trouble in this world and people sometimes do crazy things, but at times like this it makes you feel good to the see the care in people’s hearts.”
Mirren tells story of evil, hope during WWII in ‘White Bird’
A family in Nazi-occupied France shelters a young Jewish girl
By Lindsey Bahr The Associated Press
IT’S NEVER A bad time for stories celebrating acts of kindness, but the current news cycle makes it ever so more appreciated. In the new film “White Bird,” in theaters now, the act is quite significant: A family in Nazi-occupied France shelters a young Jewish girl whose friends and family have all been taken away.
From German director Marc Forster (“Finding Neverland,” “The Kite Runner”), “White Bird” is a handsome adaptation of R.J. Palacio’s graphic novel aimed at young adults. This, too, is perfectly suited to that audience — a story within a story with all the drama of war and young romance wrapped up in it. Let’s just not overplay the idea that it’s part of some shared cinematic kindness universe with the Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson film “Wonder,” also based on Palacio’s work.
It’s framed as something a grandmother is telling her grandson, who seems to be going down the wrong path. Helen Mirren is said Grandmère, or Sara Blum, a famous artist who opens up to young Julian (Bryce Gheisar) one evening over dinner about what she went through during the war. For being a neglected rich kid prone to getting kicked out of fancy private schools, Julian’s immediate, earnest interest in what his Grandmère has to say is perhaps the most unbelievable part of this story, which includes some deus ex machina wolves. It’s a way in, I suppose, and Mirren makes for a lovely narrator.
Ariella Glaser plays young Sara Blum, who leads a nice life in her small French town with educated, professional parents Max (Ishai Golan) and Rose (Olivia Ross). She barely notices the changing tides as the war ramps up, more concerned with her friends and the cute boy in school. The story takes care to note that she barely noticed the classmate who would end up saving her life: Julien (Orlando Schwerdt), who walks with a crutch and whose father works in the sewers. Not,
in other words, a popular kid. In an awkward moment, the audience, and Julien, realize that she doesn’t even know his name.
But when the Nazis come to round up the Jewish students in the school, he’s there to help get her to his family’s property.
Gillian Anderson plays Julien’s mother, Vivienne, a grounding presence but very much a side character until a devastating sequence late in the film.
The young actors are very good and well-cast in their journey to friendship and first love. They get to know one another and spend time dreaming up a world where they’re not confined to a barn, their imaginations brought to life through dreamy projected images.
“White Bird,” which was shot in early 2021, was delayed several times over the past two years. Often, that signals some sort of quality issue and an obligation to begrudgingly release in spite of it. But that’s not the case here: This is a very finely made movie that seemed to have just gotten caught in a sort of release limbo that’s only partially related to the strikes.
this week in history
Agnew resigned, Ed Sullivan died, Hazel pummeled N.C., Marie Antoinette beheaded
OCT. 10
1845: The U.S. Naval Academy was established in Annapolis, Maryland, with an inaugural class of 50 students.
1911: Chinese revolutionaries launched an uprising that led to the collapse of the Qing (or Manchu) Dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China.
1935: The George Gershwin opera “Porgy and Bess” opened on Broadway.
1973: Vice President Spiro T. Agnew resigned his office and pleaded no contest to one count of federal income tax evasion.
OCT. 11
1968: Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo mission, was launched.
1984: Challenger astronaut Kathryn D. Sullivan became the first American woman to walk in space.
OCT. 12
1492: Christopher Colum-
Witherspoon teaming up with Coben for suspense novel
This will be the actor’s first work of adult fiction
By Hillel Italie The Associated Press
NEW YORK — Reese Witherspoon’s latest literary news marks a new direction for the Oscar-winning actor, producer and founder of her own book club.
Grand Central Publishing announced last Wednesday that the “Legally Blonde” and “Big Little Lies” star is teaming with the bestselling thriller writer and Netflix producer-creator Harlan Coben on a suspense novel, her first work of adult fiction. The book, currently untitled, is scheduled for next fall and is being developed out of an idea — details to come — that Witherspoon came up with.
“To say I am a fan of Harlan’s body of work is a massive understatement,” Witherspoon said in a statement issued through Grand Central, an imprint of Hachette Book Group. “The fact that he found my idea for this thriller intriguing enough to want to partner with me on it as co-author is a dream becoming
a reality. Scheming with Harlan on how to thrill audiences with mysterious characters and complex narrative twists and turns has already been more fun than I can describe. I can’t wait for everyone to read what we have been imagining.”
Coben has sold tens of millions of books worldwide, his notable works including the Myron Bolitar series and such standalone novels as “Hold Tight” and “Fool Me Once,” which he helped produce for Netflix. In a statement Wednesday, he praised Witherspoon for her “unrivaled” storytelling instincts.
“Once we began discussing her idea, there was no turning back,” he said. “Collaborating with Reese has been a pure joy and so creatively rewarding. I could not be more excited about putting this novel out into the world.”
Witherspoon, who recently announced she had chosen Lauren Ling Brown’s “Society of Lies” as her October book club pick, isn’t the first screen performer to collaborate with a prominent fiction writer. Oscar-winner Viola Davis is working with James Patterson on a novel about a black female
bus’s first expedition made landfall on what is now San Salvador Island in the Bahamas.
1870: Gen. Robert E. Lee died in Lexington, Virginia, at age 63.
1973: President Richard Nixon nominated House minority leader Gerald R. Ford of Michigan to succeed Spiro T. Agnew as vice president.
1984: British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher escaped an attempt on her life when an Irish Republican Army bomb exploded at a hotel in Brighton, England.
OCT. 13
1792: The cornerstone of the executive mansion, later known as the White House, was laid by President George Washington during a ceremony in the District of Columbia.
1943: Italy declared war on Germany, its one-time Axis partner.
1972: A Uruguayan chartered flight carrying 45 people crashed in the Andes; survivors resorted to cannibalism to stay alive until they were rescued more than two months later.
1974: Ed Sullivan died in New York City at age 73.
2010: Rescuers in Chile, using a missile-like escape capsule, pulled 33 men one by one
to fresh air and freedom 69 days after they were trapped in a collapsed mine a halfmile underground.
OCT. 14
1066: Normans under William the Conqueror defeated the English at the Battle of Hastings.
1947: U.S. Air Force Capt. Chuck Yeager became the first test pilot to break the sound barrier.
1964: Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was named winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.
1990: Composer-conductor Leonard Bernstein died at age 72.
OCT. 15
1815: Napoleon Bonaparte arrived on the British-ruled South Atlantic island of St. Helena, where he spent the rest of his life in exile.
1954: Hurricane Hazel made landfall on the Carolina coast as a Category 4 storm; Hazel was blamed for some 1,000 deaths in the Caribbean, 95 in the U.S. and 81 in Canada.
1966: The Black Panther Party was founded by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale.
on Oct. 14, 1964.
OCT. 16
1793: During the French Revolution, Marie Antoinette, the queen of France, was beheaded.
1859: Radical abolitionist John Brown led a raid on the U.S. arsenal at Harpers Ferry in what was then a part of western Virginia.
1934: Chinese Communists began their “long march” lasting a year from southeastern to northwestern China.
1962: The Cuban missile crisis began.
1991: The Senate confirmed the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the U.S. Supreme Court, 52-48.
judge in the rural South. Witherspoon is directly involved in another notable pairing — she and her media company, Hello Sunshine, are set to produce a film adaptation of the Patterson-Dolly Parton novel “Run, Rose, Run.”
“To say I am a fan of Harlan’s body of work is a massive understatement.”
AP PHOTO
Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was named winner of the Nobel Peace Prize
JAE C. HONG / AP PHOTO
Movie star Reese Witherspoon and bestselling thriller writer Harlan Coben are collaborating on a suspense novel scheduled for publication next fall.
Reese Witherspoon
famous birthdays this week
David Lee Roth is 70, Marie Osmond turns 65, Paul Simon hits 83
OCT. 10
Actor Charles Dance (“Game of Thrones”) is 78. Singer Cyril Neville of The Neville Brothers is 76. Singer David Lee Roth is 70. Actor Bradley Whitford (“The West Wing”) is 65. Actor Mario Lopez (″Saved by the Bell”) is 51.
OCT. 11
Country singer Gene Watson is 81. Singer Daryl Hall of Hall and Oates is 78. Actor Catlin Adams (“The Jerk,” “The Jazz Singer”) is 74. Actor Joan Cusak is 62.
OCT. 12
TV journalist Chris Wallace is 77. Jazz musician Chris Botti is 62. Actor Hugh Jackman is 56. Actor Kirk Cameron is 54.
OCT. 13
Gospel singer Shirley Caesar is 87. Musician Paul Simon is 83. Singer Sammy Hagar is 77. Singer-actor-talk show host Marie Osmond is 65. Actor Sacha Baron Cohen (“Borat,” “Da Ali G Show”) is 53.
OCT. 14
Singer Cliff Richard is 84. Singer Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues is 78. Singer Thomas Dolby is 66. Actor Steve Coogan (“Night at the Museum”) is 59. Singer Usher is 46.
OCT. 15
Actor Linda Lavin (“Alice”) is 87. Actor Victor Banerjee (“A Passage To India”) is 78. Musician Richard Carpenter is 78. Actor Larry Miller is 71. TV chef Emeril Lagasse is 65.
OCT. 16
Actor Barry Corbin (“One Tree Hill,” ″Northern Exposure”) is 85. Guitarist Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead is 77. Producer-director David Zucker is 77. Actor-director Tim Robbins is 66. Bassist Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers is 62. Singer-songwriter John Mayer is 47.
WILLY SANJUAN / AP PHOTO Singer-actor-talk show host Marie Osmond turns 65 on Sunday.
EVAN AGOSTINI / AP PHOTO Singer-songwriter Paul Simon, pictured performing in 2021, turns 83 on Sunday.
AMY HARRIS / AP PHOTO Grateful Dead founding member Bob Weir turns 77 on Wednesday.
Season 4 of coastal NC-set teen drama ‘Outer Banks’ lands on Netflix
Duran Duran drops
“Danse Macabre — De Luxe” reissue
The Associated Press
“BEETLEJUICE Beetlejuice” is available to stream for $25 on Prime Video, Apple TV and other video-on-demand platforms.
Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline co-starring in “Disclaimer,” a psychological thriller from writer-director Alfonso Cuarón, and Jelly Roll releasing “Beautifully Broken,” a follow-up to his breakout album “Whitsitt Chapel,” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.
Also among the streaming offerings worth your time: Sean Wang’s semi-autobiographical feature debut “Dìdi,” Charli XCX’s deluxe, remixed, double-album version of her culture-shifting album “Brat.”
MOVIES TO STREAM
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” was No. 1 at the box office as recently as two weeks ago, but beginning Tuesday, Tim Burton’s popular sequel will be available for a price. You can buy it digitally for $25 on Prime Video, Apple TV and other video-on-demand platforms. In it, the Deetz family returns to Winter River after a family tragedy. There, Lydia (Winona Ryder), still haunted by Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton), is forced into another afterlife odyssey when her teenage daughter (Jenna Ortega) discovers a portal. In her review, AP’s Jocelyn Noveck called it “a joyously rendered sequel that sometimes makes sense, and sometimes doesn’t, but just keeps rollicking.”
Sue Kim’s documentary
“The Last of the Sea Women,” streaming Friday on Apple TV+, captures the lives and livelihood of the Haenyeo, the community of South Korean fisherwomen who have free dived for seafood off the coast of Korea’s Jeju Island for generations. Threats abound for the Haenyeo, who are mostly in their 60s and 70s. They ply their trade in a warming ocean contaminated by sea garbage and the Fukushima nuclear accident.
One of the indie highlights of the summer, Sean Wang’s “Dìdi,” is now streaming on Peacock. Wang’s semi-autobiographical feature debut, a coming-of-age story set in the Bay Area in 2008, is about a 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy (Izaac Wang) struggling with where he fits in. That includes with his family (Joan Chen plays his mother) and fellow skater kids whom he begins making videos with. The
film, funny and tender, is a breakthrough for the emerging filmmaker Wang, whose short “Nai Nai and Wài Pó” was Oscar-nominated earlier this year.
MUSIC TO STREAM
Brat summer came and went, but the hedonistic ideologies behind Charli XCX’s feel-good album endure. On Friday, she will release “Brat and It’s Completely Different but Also Still Brat,” a deluxe, remixed, double-album version of her culture-shifting album “Brat,” this time featuring A-listers like Billie Eilish, Lorde, her tour mate Troye Sivan, her forever-hero Robyn, and more. Just don’t confuse this one with her other Brat re-release, “Brat and It’s the Same but There’s Three More Songs So It’s Not.”
He’s the not-so-new name on everyone’s lips: Jelly Roll will release a follow-up to his break-
out album, 2023’s “Whitsitt Chapel” on Friday. Little is known about the 22-track “Beautifully Broken” beyond its previously released tracks “I Am Not Okay,” “Get By,” “Liar” and “Winning Streak” — the latter of which he debuted during the premiere of “Saturday Night Live’s” 50th season, joined by a choir. That one was inspired by an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, and the album will no doubt center on the kind of stories he’s become known for: Soulful country rock on adversity, addiction, pain, suffering and, ultimately, chasing safety.
A decade removed from “Shower,” the viral, bubblegum pop song that launched her career, Mexican American singer Becky G has found her lane in Spanish-language, hybrid-genre releases, crossing language barriers and cultural borders. “Encuentros,” out Friday, is her latest — a follow-up to 2023’s “Esquinas” — and continuation of her work in regional Mexicana styles made all her own, from the single “Mercedes,” which features corrido star Oscar Maydon’s deep tenor, and beyond. On Friday, Duran Duran will release “Danse Macabre – De Luxe,” a deluxe reissue of their celebrated 2023 LP of the same name — a mix of covers and gothic originals. Surprises abound, even for the most dedicated Duran Duran fan: Like in their cover of ELO’s “Evil Woman” or on the song “New Moon (Dark Phase),” a reimagination of “New Moon on a Monday,” featuring former member Andy Taylor.
SHOWS TO STREAM
The first spinoff of the 2023
Prime Video spy series “Citadel,” which starred Priyanka Chopra and Richard Madden, debuts Thursday on the streamer. “Citadel: Diana” stars Matilda De Angelis and takes place in Italy. An India-based version called “Citadel: Honey Bunny” stars Varun Dhawan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu and premieres in November.
Netflix’s favorite sundrenched, treasure-hunting teens of North Carolina, known as the Pogues, are back for more adventures in “Outer Banks.” Season four, premiering Thursday, is divided into two parts. The show stars Chase Stokes and Madelyn Cline.
Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline co-star in “Disclaimer,” a psychological thriller on Apple TV+ from writer/director Alfonso Cuarón that premiered at last month’s Venice Film Festival. Blanchett plays a respected documentarian who recognizes she’s the inspiration for a character in a new novel that threatens to expose her secrets. The limited series also features Kodi Smit McPhee, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jung Ho-Yeon and Lesley Manville and premieres Friday.
VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY
Atlus/Sega’s absorbing Persona series has grown over the years from a cult hit to a genuine blockbuster, but it’s been seven years since the last chapter. Meanwhile, several of its creators have branched off to form their own Studio Zero and are about to launch their debut title, Metaphor: ReFantazio. Instead of Persona’s Tokyo-set teen drama, Metaphor presents a power struggle in a pseudo-medieval kingdom. The combat, however, evokes Persona’s zippy blend of turn-based and real-time action, and when you aren’t fighting, you’ll need to spend time building relationships with the locals. If you’ve been craving a chance to explore a new world for dozens of hours, this one opens up Friday on PlayStation 5/4, Xbox X/S and PC.
JACKSON LEE DAVIS / NETFLIX VIA AP
Madelyn Cline and Chase Stokes star in “Outer Banks.” Season 4 comes to Netflix on Thursday.