Chatham News & Record Vol. 147 Issue 7

Moon takes center stage

An awe-inspiring total solar eclipse made its way across North America on Monday, with millions pausing to consider one of nature’s most incredible occurrences — and the last total eclipse in the United States until 2045.

In the main photo, taken by NSJ’s Jordan Golson from the path of totality in Houlton, Maine, the sun’s corona is visible as a white halo around the black disk of the moon, bringing a few minutes of near-total darkness to those in its path. The composite image below is of the partial eclipse, taken in Randolph County by NSJ’s Scott Pelkey, with the moon only partially obstructing the sun.

Mark your calendars: North Carolina will see its own total solar eclipse on May 11, 2078, then again on Sept. 14, 2099.

Tree pollen counts hit record high in NC

If your pollen allergies have been especially bad this past week, the NC Department of Environmental Quality Pollen Lab could have an explanation.

On April 1, the lab recorded a tree pollen count of 16,284 grains, with another count of 11,340 on April 3. Those are the two highest numbers the lab has recorded since it began measuring in 1999.

Mulberry, pine, oak, and maple were the primary pollen-producing trees this week, the lab said.

State moves forward with EV charging stations

Businesses in certain areas of North Carolina can apply for federal funds to build electric vehicle charging stations along a network of charging corridors around the state. North Carolina received $109 million in infrastructure funds targeted for EV charging stations. The rst batch will cover 11 clusters of chargers, including one east of Stanly County on I-74 around Exit 49.

Only 4% of Boy Scouts reach the lofty rank

By Dan Reeves For Chatham

News & Record

PITTSBORO — It’s impressive to see a single member of a Scout troop achieve the rank of Eagle, the highest and most prestigious achievement in Scouting.

On Saturday, Scout Troop 93 here in Pittsboro saw three of its members — Mason Powell,

Zack Wilson, and Seph Trageser, bestowed with the esteemed rank of Eagle Scout.

Hosted by Scoutmaster William Huneycutt, Troop Committee Chairman Pete School, Assistant Scoutmaster Mack Thorpe and other members of Troop 93, the Court of Honor ceremony at Pittsboro United Methodist Church was alight with Scout decor and pageantry, with proud parents and city ocials looking on.

For several years, the pancake breakfast had been a signi cant fundraiser for Sonshine. But when COVID came along, that e ort was put on hold.

Music, pancakes, and divine intervention bring helpers to Chatham

By Bob Wachs For Chatham News & Record

SOMETIMES a casual conversation can lead to big things.

Such is the case for a local nonpro t organization, Sonshine and Blessings, and Pittsboro United Methodist Church.

The Church will host a pancake breakfast fundraiser Saturday, in the church’s new Family Life Center, to bene t both Sonshine and Blessings and the church, the result of that conversation several months back.

John Wilson, a member of the church, says the partnership of Sonshine and the church is “divine intervention,” in part because of the connection to a second nonpro t he started, Brightest Light. A lengthy musical background led Wilson to form a nonpro t aimed at bringing music to places where “music might not normally be,” he explained in an interview. “Where people might be, for lack of a better word, down and out. “Places like hospitals, prisons, rehab centers, homes for the aged, community needs. And I don’t mean just an acoustic guitar but a stage and production, something like a concert.”

Pittsboro United Methodist’s choir director, David Smith, connected Wilson with Joyce Frank of Sonshine and Blessings.

That led Wilson, Frank, Smith and pastor Lucas Nelson to get together and share ideas on how to meet the goals of their various organizations.

Two SUVs were hit, but no one was injured when the single-engine plane landed on Route 1

The Associated Press

MONCURE — A small plane experiencing engine problems struck two vehicles as it landed on a highway near a North Carolina airport, but no injuries were reported, authorities said.

The single-engine Lancair 360 with only the pilot on board landed near Raleigh Executive Jetport at

Sanford-Lee County Airport in Sanford around 4:20 p.m. Thursday after experiencing engine problems, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. The FAA will investigate.

The plane was traveling from Lynchburg, Virginia, to Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, according to FlightAware, which tracks ight activity.

The plane struck two SUVs as it landed on U.S. Route 1, but only one sustained minor damage and no injuries were reported, Moncure Fire Department Chief Robert Shi said in a statement Friday. The pilot said he experienced a prop failure that led

to engine failure and he had to make an emergency landing, Shi said. The plane’s landing gear was not deployed, so it landed on its belly, he said. “Moncure Fire is grateful this incident only involved property damage, Shi said. “US1 is heavily travelled each afternoon and this incident could have been much worse. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol said of the two vehicles clipped by the plane, only one driver led a report, WRAL-TV reported.

Chris Sealey told WRAL-

The singleengine plane’s propeller was damaged upon impact with the ground. Share

TV that he saw a plane ying unusually low with no landing gear and thought that it was “a weird looking car” from a few miles down the road. “I mean, he was probably like 3 feet o the ground when I saw him, so I don’t think he had very long to go,” Sealey said. “And, there was no big explosion or anything behind me, but you could tell like the tra c on both sides was kind of, you know, freaking out about it, but he had like a whole line of cars behind him.”

PLANE from page A1

New WIC rules to push fruits and veggies

The program will expand access to whole grains and cut back on allowances for juice and milk

By Jonel Aleccia

The Associated Press

THE FEDERAL program that helps pay for groceries for millions of low-income mothers, babies and young kids will soon emphasize more fruits, vegetables and whole grains, as well as provide a wider choice of foods from di erent cultures.

The nal rule changes for the program known as WIC were announced Tuesday by the Food and Nutrition Service, and will take e ect within two years with some exceptions.

Last updated a decade ago, the new WIC rules make permanent a bump in monthly cash vouchers for fruits and vegetables — something rst enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Shoppers can also add canned sh, fresh herbs and lactose-free milk to their carts, among other changes. The voucher piece will take effect by June, o cials said.

“It places a heavy emphasis on fruits and vegetables, which

we think is an important component of a healthy diet,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in an interview. “It’s designed to ll the nutrition gaps that are often in the diets of many of us.”

The WIC program served an average of about 6.6 million low-income Americans a month in 2023 at a cost of a little more than $7 billion. It’s designed to supplement the food budgets for pregnant, nursing and postpartum women, as well as to feed babies and young kids up to age 5. That’s done by providing vouchers to mothers and children who qualify and speci cally listing the amount and types of food they can buy. But o cials have said only about half of those eligible are enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.

Under the new rules, fruits and vegetable vouchers in 2024 will provide $26 per month for kids ages 1 through 4; $47 per month for pregnant and postpartum women; and $52 for breastfeeding women. The changes also expand access to whole grains like quinoa, wild rice and millet and to foods such as te and whole wheat naan. They also remove or reduce monthly allowances for

juice and cut back on allowances for milk.

Food plans in the program are based on recommendations from the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine and the federal 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

The plan failed to include a change requested by top allergists in the U.S. that would have added peanut products to foods allowed for babies ages 6 months to 11 months to help prevent peanut allergies.

Research published in 2015 showed early introduction to peanut foods can reduce the chance of allergy development in kids who are at high risk, and several U.S. guidelines suggest exposing high-risk children to peanuts as early as 4 months.

Adding peanut to the WIC guidelines may have prevented more than 34,000 infants from developing a peanut allergy, said Dr. Gideon Lack of King’s College London, who led the study. But federal nutrition ocials concluded that the change was “outside the scope” of thenal rule.

Dr. Ruchi Gupta, a pediatrics professor and child allergy expert at Northwestern University, called the omission “disappointing.” She noted that WIC enrollees often include children of color who are at higher risk of developing dangerous peanut allergies.

The decision “can only increase disparities we are already seeing in food allergy prevalence,” she said.

April 1

Perry Lance Locklear, Jr., 36, of Bear Creek, was arrested for assault inflicting serious injury and was held without bond.

John Wayne Pauley, 50, of Siler City, was arrested for simple assault. He was held on a 48-hour hold.

Brian Lavariega, 25, of Siler City, was arrested for failure to appear on a driving with a revoked license and two other traffic offenses. He was issued a $1,000 secured bond.

April 2

CORINTH AME ZION CHURCH AND HOLY TRINITY UHC

There will be a Health & Wellness Fair on Saturday, April 13, 2024, from 10:00 A.M. until 2:00 P.M. at the E.S.Ramsey Gymnasium. It is FREE. Vendors will be there to answer questions, give advice, do free health checks and to share valuable information and resources.

Sponsors are: Corinth AME Zion Church and Holy Trinity UHC, Campbell University Masters of |Public Health Dept., Chatham County Dept. of Public Health and the Health Alliance.

Vendors: Renaissance Wellness Services, Campbell University PT Pro bono Clinic, Chatham County Health Department, Crossing all Borders, Be Transformed and many more.

Food Vendors will be on site!

NONPROFIT from page A1

Joyce Frank started her nonpro t 20 years ago to help individuals living alone with the simple daily tasks of living, including transportation to doctor visits and to do daily errands, or simply to visit lonely folks in their homes.

For several years, the pancake breakfast had been a signi cant fundraiser for Sonshine, which is also funded by donations and fees for music lessons Frank teaches, often at reduced rates. But when COVID came along, that e ort was put on hold.

501c3. I applied for it last summer and didn’t hear and didn’t hear. We were supposed to help with a fund-raiser this January for Lee County Special Olympics and I was on my way to tell them I couldn’t. But, I stopped by the post o ce and there it was in the mail.”

That Special Olympics event went on to raise more than $1,400.

You can reach Sonshine and Blessings by phone at 919-8101230 or email joyce@sonshineandblessings.com.

April 5

Jackie Lynn Thomas, 41, of Siler City, was arrested for simple assault and misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. She was held on a 48-hour domestic violence hold.

April 4

Brandon Lindley Andrew, 38, of Siler City, was arrested for failure to appear. He was issued a $40,000 secured bond.

Michele Leykum Baransky, 46, of Chapel Hill, was arrested for failure to appear. She was issued a $500 secured bond.

Carson Kenneth Joyce, 29, of Bear Creek, was arrested for breaking and entering into a motor vehicle with theft and felony larceny. He was issued a $1,500 secured bond.

Betty Virginia Sanderford, 53, of was arrested for driving under the influence and driving with a revoked license (impaired revocation). She was issued a written promise to appear in Chatham County District Court.

Tiara Lashelle Young, 31, homeless, was arrested for felony possession of marijuana and possession of marijuana paraphernalia. She was issued a $1,000 secured bond. She was also served a warrant for failure to appear.

William Christopher Smith, 60, homeless, was arrested for failure to appear on a release order and a probation violation. He was issued a $2,000 secured bond.

“Not having that was a hardship,” Frank says. “We don’t charge for our services, which couldn’t happen anyway without the wonderful e orts of dedicated volunteers, so the chance to have this event again is a big help to us.”

Through the years, the breakfast — including pancakes with toppings, bacon, sausage and beverages — has occurred at several locations. This year, the move to the church’s facility seemed a natural to Wilson.

“We’ve got this nice big family life center with a nice commercial kitchen,” he told me. “We thought this was a way to help Joyce with what she does and to thank her for her help with my nonpro t.” Wilson says he feels the two groups are on the right path to help the community. “I know this is a God thing,” he says. “I spent a year researching nonpro ts and doing all the paperwork for approval to become a

“We’re always looking for folks who will volunteer a few hours a month to help,” Frank says. “We’ve got a dedicated group helping now but it’s not easy to take on new clients without more helpers. The needs are out there and we want to meet them with the love of Christ.” Wilson, who has sound equipment and musicians he can call on, echoes that need. “We want to serve our communities and we want people to call on us to help however we can,” he says. Reach Brightest Light by phone at 919-630-0240 or email wilsonmusic2000@gmail.com.

This weekend, the pancake breakfast is Saturday from 7 to 10 a.m, and they will take donations at the door. Both Joyce Frank and John Wilson will be on hand to greet the public and answer questions about how to become. The Pittsboro United Methodist family life center is directly behind the church sanctuary, one block west of the courthouse in Pittsboro.

COURTESY JOYCE FRANK

Joyce Frank of Sonshine and Blessings is helping her fellow nonpro ts in Chatham County.

PETER K. AFRIYIE / AP PHOTO

A woman browses produce for sale at a grocery store in New York earlier this year.

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

The wild strength of feeding others

Who knows how the strength of simple kindness will echo for years in someone’s life and even reverberate in the larger world?

The war in Gaza is nearing 200 days, and half a million people are threatened with starvation. Where might we nd hope? Following the advice of Mister Rogers in times of tragedy, I look for the helpers—those bravely racing to the frontlines. But a recent drone attack killed seven helpers from the World Central Kitchen trying to bring food.

Amid the international outcry, I read the clarion voice of Jose Andres, founder of the World Central Kitchen. Andres, a former celebrity chef, has gained prominence for his magnanimous humanitarian e orts. The World Central Kitchen began in response to a devastating hurricane in Houston in 2017. Since then, dedicated workers have delivered hot meals to war zones, including Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan. The World Central Kitchen also served almost two million meals in Israel in the aftermath of the October 7 massacre.

In his appeal to Israel to allow humanitarian assistance to ow into Gaza, Andres concluded, “It is not a sign of weakness to feed strangers; it is a sign of strength. The people of Israel need to remember, at this darkest hour, what strength truly looks like.”

While politicians and military leaders act as though true strength is a show of force, what I nd most striking about Andres’ recent editorial is that he appealed to the strength of an ancient religious story.

EDITORIAL | BOB WACHS

Across the globe, Jews prepare to sit down to a seder meal, a ritual feast that marks the liberation of Israelites from enslavement in Egypt. According to Exodus 22:21, the idea is to “remember you were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.” At some point in life, don’t we all nd ourselves in need of assistance? Should this not move us toward compassion?

For Christians, another reminder is that, on the night he was betrayed, Jesus took bread and, after giving thanks for it, shared it with others. “Do this in remembrance of me,” he said. In remembrance of these faithful acts and inspired by modern helpers like Andres, I recently made donations to the World Central Kitchen as well as to CORA, a food pantry in Chatham County. Might you, gentle reader, do the same?

Here is a wild thought: true strength is not found in military power or political authority but in the compassionate acts of people like you and me, who, perhaps in seemingly small ways, reach out to help. Who knows how the strength of simple kindness will echo for years in someone’s life and even reverberate in the larger world?

Andrew Taylor-Troutman is pastor of Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church as well as a writer, pizza maker, co ee drinker and student of joy.

It really is the little things that mean a lot

Shoot, sometimes he’d cook just because he liked to. Or wanted to. Or it was Saturday night. Or chickens were on sale at Piggly-Wiggly.

IT DOESN’T ROLL o my tongue all that well to say it’s 70 years old, the little song “Little Things Mean a Lot” Kitty Kallen rst sang in 1954. I wasn’t a music master by any means then but I remember hearing it on WPTF from time to time back when radio was king. The gist of it is the lady is singing to her love interest that the little things he does to and for her mean a lot to her. The little things, she croons, are things such as “blow me a kiss from across the room, say I look nice when I’m not, touch my hair as you pass my chair, give me your arm as we cross the street, call me at six on the dot.” You get the idea. I thought about the message of little things being important the other day as I was driving down a country road not far from where I live and I saw a black Weber barbecue grill in someone’s yard. It looked just like the one my folks had where lots of hamburgers were grilled, hot dogs were roasted, steaks savored and, more often than any other meat, chickens were barbecued.

Dad, who by then we all called “Pa” because the rst grandchild, a little blue-eyed blond lady, hung that moniker on him because she couldn’t or wouldn’t say “grandpa,” would re up that thing at the drop of a hat or match and cover it with chicken.

More often than not he performed his act under the carport. It was out of the weather if there was rain and there were lights if the task was started late or was taking longer than usual to complete.

He cooked them when our Prodigal Son brother returned home with his brood to visit from his captivity north of the Mason-Dixon line. He cooked when FirstBorn Other Brother and his crew showed up to complete the trio when I’d showed up with my team. Before I convinced Shirley she should pair up with me, he’d cook when he, Shirley and I returned from the UNC football games we took in during our courting days. Shoot, sometimes he’d cook just because he liked to. Or wanted to. Or it was Saturday night. Or chickens were on sale at Piggly-Wiggly.

We all thought the sauce was the secret. Never knew exactly what was in it. Some vinegar, to be sure. Sugar. Not sure what else. He would wait until late in the cooking process and then slather it on, eventually producing a little bit of crispness on the chicken. Without fail, Mama, who had her own short name –“Ma” – courtesy of the same grandchild, would say “everybody thinks Frank makes the sauce but really I do.”

Didn’t matter. We’d drink it if we could have and they weren’t looking.

All that is good memory but what rang a bell for me the other day with the grill I saw was a little routing Pa had for some reason. You lled the grill with charcoal and let ‘er go. At some point after burning down, he’d ddle with the air ow underneath and to make sure things were burning properly and evenly, he’d reach out and kick the thing to shake up the coals and let the ashes fall away.

It was a strong sturdy grill. I had bought it for him after he went through several dinky thin metal ones. Seems like I paid $50 for the thing in the ‘60s. I had to be sturdy to take the kickings.

I don’t know what happened to it eventually. He stopped cooking long before he stopped living and Mother Nature and Father Time took their toll on all of us.

But the little thing about it that meant a lot? When I saw the neighborhood grill the other day, I remembered all that and I smiled, maybe even laughed out loud at the memory. That was a little thing that meant a lot to me.

I’m not saying you’ve got a grill in your memory but I’ll bet you’ve got some little thing that means a lot. Find it. Remember it. Embrace it.

It’ll mean a lot.

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 | ANDREW TAYLOR-TROUTMAN

Untethered…

“I should do something of value” rather than being glued to the TV.

I LONG AGO GRADUATED (yay for aging and therapy) from the school of needing overt permission, from anyone, to participate in an activity. Such a relief.

Uh oh, spoke too soon.I forgot about TV. TV? Viewing TV. I experience guilt watching TV. Just settling in, relaxing, feet up on an ottoman, getting ready to stare at the TV, and suddenly feel as if I’m looking over my shoulder for what I should be doing instead. Wandering through my head, repeatedly, is a voice intoning: “You Are Wasting Time. You are wasting time watching TV. YOU should be doing something worthwhile, something of value or importance.”

Oh my. Something of Value or Importance. No personal indictments here, eh? (Nope, none whatsoever.)

Now here’s the puzzler. If watching TV with friends, I’m (mostly) without selfjudgment. My friends are happily viewing whatever we’re watching, so I’ve been given permission to do the same. However, it appears I DO require a blessing from others to participate in a culturally approved pasttime, TV watching. (Still human, replete with my vulnerabilities, after all this time.)

I thought I was past all this business of needing approval for certain activities. Now, diving into the puzzling rabbit hole of TV’s guilt inducing power over me.

We’re o !

Beginning with the earlier-mentioned, persistent and judgmental, words wandering through my head when watching TV. “I should do something of value” rather than being glued to the TV.

Something of value? Howza ‘bout: Bene ting the world; supporting the emotional and spiritual growth of others; modeling vulnerability. And the beat just goes on and on…

Hey, great intentions; Wonderful; Way to go, girl.

Stellar values, probably, shared by most people I know. But they can watch TV with, I’m guessing, impunity. I can’t!!

COLUMN | SUSAN ESTRICH

Yes, indeedy, there was a time in my life when I watched TV with rapt enjoyment. Looked forward to the weekly series’ to which I was wed. And prior to that, there was a very brief period when I used TV as a drug. A cheap and ubiquitous drug when I felt empty inside. Nothing like being real, is there?

One of the things I love about writing is unwinding a personal puzzle and, of course, with a requisite amount of humor. ‘Tis happening as we speak (I hope.) The prism through which I now perceive life is mighty di erent than it was a couple of decades ago. Certainly looking forward to continued growth as a human being, but realize it’s unlikely I’ll have several more decades in front of me. (The fountain of youth hasn’t revealed itself, yet, has it?)

And, hey, like so many of us who live in our results-driven culture, I want to know I’ve su ciently bene ted the world during my earthly residence (and how do you tally that?) I’m forgetting, however, a little thing; such a tiny thing - nurturing the nurturer. You mean me?! Really? I count?

Like the sun rising in the sky. However, even the sun needs a respite, ergo, we have this phenomenon called night. (You’ve noticed, right?) Watching TV can be categorized, like night, under “respite”’ Untethered, for a brief time, from the harsh realities of the 24/7 news cycle, TV allows my mind to wander, perhaps, toward creativity (yes, shouts my internal writer!) And, of course, these leisure moments of TV-watching arrive with the niggling codicil that TV, like any drug, requires dose management. Puhlease…

No more belaboring the point. Boob tube, here I come for a dose of self-care! “All Creatures Great And Small” on PBS. And maybe some reruns of “Friends?”

Don’t push it, Jan!

Jan Hutton, a resident of Chatham County and retired social worker, lives life with heart and humor.

Pay attention to every word out of Trump’s mouth

President Joe Biden, according to him, is responsible for a “bloodbath” at the border.

WHEN I WROTE a few weeks ago about Donald Trump predicting a “bloodbath,” my readers — most of them in civil and respectful tones — were quick to correct me. It was only the auto industry he was referring to, they said. They tried to defend him. They needn’t have bothered. Trump has, since that time, adopted the idea of a “bloodbath” as a watchword of his campaign. President Joe Biden, according to him, is responsible for a “bloodbath” at the border — of dark-skinned migrants who are, to hear him talk, ravaging this country, not only “poisoning our blood” but also breaking the law and bringing disorder to our cities.

“They’re not humans. They’re not humans. They’re animals,” Trump said at a rally last week. “I’ll use the word ‘animal’ because that’s what they are.”

Embryos are people. Humans are not. This is how he talks.

This is what he says. They are “coming into our country with contagious diseases. ... illegal alien criminals crawling through your windows and ransacking your drawers ... obliterate(ing) Medicare and Social Security” and lling schools with “new migrant students who don’t speak a word of English.” “Crooked Joe and his migrant armies of dangerous criminals” are producing a “bloodbath.” “They’re coming from places that you don’t want them to come from. They’re coming from the Congo, Yemen, Somalia, Syria.” And what color are people from there? “They’re country-changing, countrythreatening and they’re country-wrecking. They’re destroying our country.”

You wouldn’t know, listening to Trump, that murder and violent crime have decreased for two straight years, after rising during the pandemic when Trump was president, and are lower now than they were during Trump’s nal year in o ce. You wouldn’t know, listening to Trump, that the evidence shows

that immigrants commit fewer violent crimes than non-migrants. Facts be damned. Hateful rhetoric is what Trump tra cs in.

And he gets away with it.

We are so accustomed to Trump saying what no civilized person would say that we hardly pay attention. His crowd cheers. Those who know better simply sigh. Or try to nd an excuse for what he spews.

It’s Trump, we say, selling his sneakers, selling his Bibles, selling shares of his phony stock. He is hawking hate, and who is telling him to shut up?

Is it simply Trump fatigue that allows him to violate every rule of civil discourse while Biden operates under a microscope? Have we been shocked so many times that a di erent set of rules applies when judging Trump?

These are all quotes from the last week. If anyone else talked the way he does, they’d be booted o the team, kicked out of the corner o ce, shamed o the board. “Fellow immigrants,” Franklin Delano Roosevelt said when he stood up to greet the Daughters of the American Revolution. Is this how Trump would have greeted his own in-laws, who immigrated to America under an exception he has opposed? Is this how we would address our parents and grandparents and great-grandparents, who came to this country eeing oppression and poverty? No, we can’t accept all comers, we need to abide by the rule of law at the border, but those are people, families, fathers and mothers and children. Animals deserve to be spoken of better.

Donald Trump is one of two men who will likely win this election and, with that, become the most powerful man in the world. Every word out of his mouth deserves to be paid attention to and judged. This is not civil discourse. It is hate speech. The headlines should scream. We are better than this. Trump is not.

Living with Holy Week’s distractions

EASTERTIDE 2024 has come and gone. Holy Week — the seven days between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday — is the most sacred interval on the Christian calendar. Celebrated throughout all Christendom, Easter has largely remained a deeply religious event that has not suffered the crass commercializing of the Christmas holidays.

Without the resurrection, of course, there would be no Christianity. As the apostle Paul wrote, “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” (1 Cor.15:14 NIV).

Resurrection Sunday is traditionally high attendance day in most churches complete with baptisms and special music. It’s also a time when families gather to share a Sunday dinner together. Children will typically get new outfits to wear to church. No wonder Easter is such a time-honored tradition among Christian families.

This year, however, Holy Week seemed to have more than its usual share of distractions and detractors. For one thing, it had to compete head-on with March Madness and the basketball driven mania of the nation, not to mention the ACC.

The games in the Sweet Sixteen brackets were played during Holy Week itself with no letup for Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, or even Resurrection Sunday. And Wolfpack basketball was the talk of the state and the news reported mobs of fans in the streets of Raleigh on Easter Sunday.

Professional hockey also beckoned with 19,000 fans wildly cheering on the Carolina Hurricanes for securing a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs by defeating the Detroit Red Wings at Raleigh’s PNC arena on Maundy Thursday no less.

And did I mention all the hoopla surrounding the Tarheel state’s new experiment with legalized online sports betting? In the first week alone, an astounding $200 million was wagered on sports teams.

But nothing could have prepared the American church for the doublebarreled shotgun blast from the Biden White House on Good Friday.

First, officials banned children of servicemembers from submitting designs for the White House Easter Egg Roll that included Christian wording or symbols. That order was then followed by an unexpected White House proclamation whereby the president declared Easter Sunday as the “Transgender Day of Visibility.”

Intended or not, Easter was immediately politicized.

No surprise that the internet exploded and public backlash came quickly. House Speaker Mike Johnson stated that “Biden had betrayed Easter’s central tenet — the resurrection of Jesus Christ — by banning religious symbols and declaring ‘Transgender Day’ on Easter Sunday.”

President Trump called on Biden to apologize to the American people. A spokesman for the former president said, “Sadly, these are just two more examples of the Biden Administration’s years-long assault on the Christian faith.”

Religious leaders from across the country also criticized the White House with Catholic Archbishop Carlo Vigano calling the declaration “unprecedented and scandalous.”

Unsurprisingly, Biden’s actions were a major topic of conversation in churches on Easter Sunday morning. Not what the country needed on the holiest Christian day of the year, regardless of your politics.

How all this plays out politically remains to be seen. Keep in mind, however that polls and surveys reveal Christianity in America is struggling and losing influence. Less than half of Americans now belong to a church. Belief in orthodox Christian doctrine is at an all-time low.

Just maybe the president’s advisors think they are right in line with where America is headed in terms of religious belief. If so, what does this mean for your church?

The best advice I can give is to continue to faithfully preach the gospel and let folks know that God loves them and your church loves them.

And let’s all pray that Holy Week 2025 will have less distractions.

Sam Currin lives in Raleigh

April 12, 1934 –April 3, 2024

Clarence Byron Thomas, 89, of Siler City, a beloved husband and father, peacefully passed away Wednesday, April 3, 2024, at his home surrounded by family.

Byron was born on April 12, 1934, in Siler City to the late Clarence Dan and Swannie Virginia Fox Thomas. He is preceded in death by his parents; three sisters, Jackie Awtrey, Mary Joe Thomas, and Imogene Thomas; and one brother, Kelly Johnson.

Byron is survived by his wife of 50 years, Paulette

Mary Alice Peoples

July 8, 1932 –April 4, 2024

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of our beloved Mary Alice Peoples, who departed from this world on Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Albemarle, North Carolina. Mary Alice was born on July 8, 1932, to the late Profus Headen and Alice Alston.

Sipe Thomas; brother, William Earl “Billy” Thomas; daughter, Kimberly Dooley and her husband, Jude of Birmingham, AL; and granddaughters, Hannah, and Lyla Dooley.

Byron grew up a dairy farmer and took great pride in a good day’s work. He was passionate about working with heavy equipment, construction, and longdistance truck driving. He and his wife ran a beef cattle farm for over 40 years. He was a member of Loves Creek Baptist Church.

Funeral service will be Sunday, April 7, 2024, at 3 p.m., at Loves Creek Baptist Church with Reverend Kenny Black o ciating. Visitation service will be from 2:30 to 3 p.m. at the church prior to the service. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Family wishes that memorials are to be made to Loves Creek Baptist Church, 14680 US-64, Siler City, NC 27344. Smith & Buckner Funeral Home will be assisting the Thomas family. Online condolences can be made at www. smithbucknerfh.com

the Big Bang. Higgs won the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work, alongside Francois Englert of Belgium, who independently came up with the same theory.

The Nobel prize-winning physicist theorized the existence of the sub-atomic particle

The Associated Press

Edinburgh University Vice Chancellor Peter Mathieson said Higgs, who was born in Newcastle, was “a remarkable individual – a truly gifted scientist whose vision and imagination have enriched our knowledge of the world that surrounds us.”

Mary Alice leaves behind a legacy of love and devotion to her family. She is survived by her children: Vanessa Smith (the late Wayne Smith) of Greensboro, NC; Jeanette Brooks (the late Ronnie Brooks) of Pittsboro, NC; Belinda Adams (Ben) of Carrollton, TX; Brenda Peoples of Siler City, NC; Sterling Peoples (Twyla) of Pittsboro, NC; Byron Peoples of Chapel Hill, NC; and Timothy Peoples (the late Monica Peoples) of Charlotte, NC. In addition to her children, Mary Alice is also survived by a host of grandchildren, greatgrandchildren, nieces, nephews, and friends. Her love and kindness touched the lives of many, and she will be deeply missed by all who knew her. Today we celebrate the life of Mary Alice Peoples and her memory and legacy. May she rest in peace, knowing that her love will continue to live on in the hearts of those she cherished.

A Funeral service will be held 1:00 pm Wednesday, April 10, 2024, at First Missionary Baptist Church, 914 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Siler City, NC. The family will receive friends at the church on Wednesday from 12:00 pm until funeral time.

Online condolences may be made at www. kimesfuneralservice.com

Kimes Funeral Service and Cremations, 102 S. Kirkman St., Liberty, NC is in charge of all arrangements.

Mary Alice was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Jack Peoples. She was a graduate of Chatham High School and went on to touch the lives of many with her kindness, grace, and unwavering love. Mary Alice was employed for many years at the Shoe Show in Siler City, NC and Glendale Hosiery Mill. Most of all she enjoyed attending church events and singing in the choir. She was a member of Evans Chapel Church for many, many years. She was active in many positions while a member at Evans Chapel. Later, she became a member of First Baptist Church in Siler City, NC. In her free time, she enjoyed shopping and watching game shows on TV and calling her children and family members to make sure they were doing well.

LONDON — Nobel prize-winning physicist Peter Higgs, who proposed the existence of the so-called “God particle” that helped explain how matter formed after the Big Bang, has died at age 94, the University of Edinburgh said Tuesday.

The university, where Higgs was emeritus professor, said he died Monday following a short illness.

Higgs predicted the existence of a new particle, which came to be known as the Higgs boson, in 1964. He theorized that there must be a sub-atomic particle of certain dimension that would explain how other particles — and therefore all the stars and planets in the universe — acquired mass. Without something like this particle, the set of equations physicists use to describe the world, known as the standard model, would not hold together.

Higgs’ work helps scientists understand one of the most fundamental riddles of the universe: how the Big Bang created something out of nothing

13.8 billion years ago. Without mass from the Higgs, particles could not clump together into the matter we interact with every day.

But it would be almost 50 years before the particle’s existence could be con rmed.

In 2012, in one of the biggest breakthroughs in physics in decades, scientists at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, announced that they had nally found a Higgs boson using the Large Hadron Collider, the $10 billion atom smasher in a 17-mile tunnel under the Swiss-French border.

The collider was designed in large part to nd Higgs’ particle. It produces collisions with extraordinarily high energies in order to mimic some of the conditions that were present in the trillionths of seconds after

“His pioneering work has motivated thousands of scientists, and his legacy will continue to inspire many more for generations to come.”

Born in Newcastle, northeast England on May 29, 1929, Higgs studied at King’s College, University of London, and was awarded a doctorate in 1954. He spent much of his career at Edinburgh, becoming the Personal Chair of Theoretical Physics at the Scottish university in 1980. He retired in 1996.

One highlight of Higgs’ career came in the 2013 presentation at CERN in Geneva where scientists presented in complex terms — based on statistical analysis unfathomable to most laypeople — that the boson had been con rmed. He broke into tears, wiping down his glasses in the stands of a CERN lecture hall.

“There was an emotion — a kind of vibration -- going around in the auditorium,’’ Fabiola Gianotti, the CERN director-general told The Associated Press. “That was just a unique moment, a unique experience in a professional life.’’

Clarence Byron Thomas

Families of Israeli war hostages fear worst

The con ict reached the six-month mark

By Sam Mednick The Associated Press

JERUSALEM — It’s the last wish of a dying mother, to be with her daughter once more. But six months into Israel’s war against Hamas, time is running out for Liora Argamani, who hopes to stay alive long enough to see her kidnapped daughter come home.

“I want to see her one more time. Talk to her one more time,” said Argamani, 61, who has stage four brain cancer. “I don’t have a lot of time left in this world.”

Noa Argamani was abducted from a music festival Oct. 7 when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages. The video of her abduction was among the rst to surface, images of her horri ed face widely shared — Noa detained between two men on a motorcycle, one arm outstretched and the other held down as she screams “Don’t kill me!”

There’s been little news about Noa, 26. But in mid-January, Hamas released a video of her in captivity. She appears gaunt and under duress, speaking about other hostages

“I want to see her one more time. Talk to her one more time.”

Liora Argamani, mother of Hamas hostage Noa Argamani

killed in airstrikes and frantically calling on Israel to bring her and others home.

Half a year into Israel’s war, agonized families such as the Argamanis are in a race against time. In November, a weeklong cease- re deal saw the release of more than 100 hostages. But the war is dragging on with no end in sight and no serious hostage deal on the table. Israel says more than 130 hostages remain, with about a quarter of those believed dead, and divisions are deepening in the country over the best way to bring them home.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to both eliminate Hamas and bring all the hostages back, but he’s made little progress. He faces pressure to resign, and the U.S. has threatened to scale back its support over the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Israelis are divided into two main camps: those who want the government to put the war on hold and free the hostages,

and others who think the hostages are an unfortunate price to pay for eradicating Hamas.

On-and-o negotiations mediated by Qatar, the United States and Egypt have yielded little.

But for most families and friends whose loved ones are in captivity, there is no choice but to bring them home. Many are

concerned in particular about the women held in Gaza and say, based on testimonies from freed hostages, they fear those remaining could be su ering from sexual abuse.

Before a recent parliamentary committee meeting, attendees held posters showing the hostages. Yarden Gonen, whose 23-year-old sister, Romi, also was taken from the Oct. 7 music festival, criticized what she said was the government’s inaction.

“What are we ghting for?” she said. “What is more important than this?”

Outside an art installation mimicking the Gaza tunnels where some hostages are believed to be held, Romi’s mother said she can’t believe it’s been half a year, with much of the world wanting to forget or ignore such a horrible situation.

“We are doing everything we can so the world will not forget,” Merav Leshem Gonen said. “Every day we wake up and take a big breath, deep breath, and continue walking, continue doing the things that will bring her back.”

When Yonatan Levi saw the video of his friend Noa Argamani in captivity, he said he could barely recognize the

smart, free spirit of the woman who loved parties and traveling and was studying computer science.

“When I saw that video, I thought maybe she’s living physically but has died inside,” said Levi, who met Argamani during a diving course in the southern Israeli city of Eilat.

A few months before her abduction, Argamani asked Levi to help navigate insurance issues for her mom, he said. As an only child, she was a big part of her mother’s life and care, and she seemed hopeful she would be OK, Levi said.

But Liora Argamani’s cancer has worsened, according to a video released by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

In it, Liora and her husband tearfully thumb through childhood photos of Noa. From her wheelchair, Liora addresses the camera — and U.S. President Joe Biden directly. Behind her rests an enlarged photo of Noa’s pained face as she’s dragged into Gaza, on a posterboard with her words overtop: “DON’T KILL ME!”

“My heart really hurts,” Liora, a Chinese immigrant, says slowly in accented Hebrew. “I am asking you, President Joe Biden. ... I am really begging you.”

OHAD ZWIGENBERG / AP PHOTO

Relatives and supporters of the Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip by the Hamas militant group attend a march in January.

to 4 p.m. Call 919-533-6319 for more information, TDD #1-800-735-2962, Equal housing opportunity, Handicapped accessible

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VESTAL’S – Vegetable plants, including German Johnson tomato plants are ready! 969 Poe Rd., Siler City, NC Closed on Sat. and Sun. Call 919-200-3755

SERVICES

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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HELP WANTED

CHATHAM MONUMENT COMPANY has an immediate job opening. This is a full time position and involves placing monuments in the cemetery in Chatham and surrounding counties.

Job requirements are: Must have a valid NC driver’s license, must be able to lift 75 lbs. if necessary. Must have a good attitude, the ability to work well with others and be willing to learn. Also needs reliable transportation to and from work. Pay will be based on the individual and their ability to do the work.

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

FOOD SERVICES STAFF, Pittsboro

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

Scouts of all ages performed the time-honored traditions of reciting the Scout Oath, the color guard presentation of the American and Scout ags, and the symbolic lighting of candles by the newly honored Eagle Scouts.

Scouting traces its origins to its inaugural US chapter in 1910, and invites young boys (and girls, following a 2019 change that also saw the name

of the Boy Scouts organization change to Scouts BSA) to embark on an adventurous and character-building journey through life.

They are asked to embrace values such as hard work, leadership and honor, as well as duty to God, self and others. They are asked to adhere to Scout Law of being trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.

2024. A voter can ll out an absentee ballot request at votebymail. ncsbe.gov, or by lling out a request form provided by the county board of elections o ce. The request must be received through the website or by the CHATHAM Board of Elections o ce by 5 p.m. May 7, 2024.

In the Statewide Republican Second Primary election, voters will select nominees to move on to the general election on November 5th. Contests on the ballot are N.C. Lieutenant Governor and NC Auditor.

the Second Primary, only voters registered with the Republican Party,

“On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”

— The Scout Oath

Achieving the rank of Eagle is hard-earned and no easy feat. Only 4% of Scouts in the United States complete the tasks required, including the acqui-

sition of 21 merit badges — 14 speci c badges including First Aid, Communication, Cooking, Citizenship in the Community and Personal Fitness; with the other seven coming from more than 100 di erent options.

As Scouts progress through six di erent ranks on the way to Eagle, including Tenderfoot, Star and Life, a prospective Eagle must ful ll leadership roles and demonstrate by example the Scout Oath and Law. Perhaps most signi cantly, an Eagle must plan, develop and lead a signi cant service project for a school, community or religious organization.

Chatham Charter High School senior Seph Trageser, who will attend UNC Chapel Hill in the fall, joined the Boy Scouts in third grade. For his Eagle Project, Trageser built benches at his school’s soccer elds intended for parents, the elderly, and handicapped attendees. “It’s cool to see something you did to help people come to fruition,” Trageser told Chatham News & Record.

Like his fellow Eagles, he praised the Scouts for the life skills and friendships he’s forged within the Scouting community.

“The Scouts prepare you for life,” echoed Northwood High senior Mason Powell, another newly promoted Eagle who plans to attend NC State in the fall. “I love the outdoors and the adventures we plan every month, but interacting with people and learning leadership have taught me so much.” Powell built an outdoor patio, tables and benches at Pittsboro Fire House #3 of the North Chatham Volunteer Fire Department for his Eagle Project. Zack Wilson, a Woods Charter School senior who will attend Furman, said he developed newfound courage and appreciation for nature through Scouting. For his Eagle Project, he built a pond at UNC’s Farm at Penny Lane, underscoring a commitment to environmen-

tal stewardship and community well-being. Troop 93 was chartered here in Pittsboro in 1947 and has produced 87 Eagle Scouts in its 77 years. Pittsboro Mayor Cindy Perry, herself the mother of an Eagle Scout, o ered her congratulations and presented the group with a framed resolution acknowledging and congratulating Troop 93 for its 75th anniversary — a resolution that had been misplaced after being made two years ago.

While there is much to praise in Scouting, the Scouts have not been without controversy. Following revelations of severe misconduct within the organization, Scouts BSA created a policy that two adults must be present during all scouting activities and is working to rebuild its image.

“The Boy Scouts of America now requires that once a year all adult volunteers, Scoutmasters, Assistant Scout Masters, or any adult that will be working with a Scout must take Youth Protection Training,” explained Troop 93 Assistant Scoutmaster Mack Thorpe. The training, plus background checks, a 24-hour helpline, and an increased focus on the reporting of abuse — whether inside or outside the organization — is essential to restoring and maintaining trust within scouting.

Troop 93 has both boy’s and girl’s troops, with 20 dedicated adult leaders working to build the next generation of scouting in Pittsboro. For more information, visit bstroop93.org or email jointroop93@gmail.com.

More than 2.5 million youths have achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, including Neil Armstrong, Apollo 13’s Jim Lovell, and Apollo 16’s Charles Duke, who, at age 36, was the youngest person to walk on the moon. President Gerald Ford, Steven Spielberg, and Walmart founder Sam Walton were also Eagles.

And, as of Saturday, Pittsboro adds three more Eagles to the ranks.

CHATHAM SPORTS

Spartan on the hill

Sam Murchison throws a pitch during an appearance for UNC Greensboro this season. Murchison, who played for Jordan-Matthews, is one of several area players continuing their athletic career in college.

Local soccer player to compete with U-16 US WYNT in international tournament

O’Neill and the U.S. will go to Turkey for the UEFA Friendship Tournament

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

SEAFORTH sophomore Cali

O’Neill is getting another opportunity to compete with the U.S. Women’s Youth National Team this year.

O’Neill was named to the 20-player U-16 U.S. WYNT roster that will compete in the UEFA Friendship Tournament in Riva, Turkey from April 7-19. She’s listed as one of the seven defenders and was the only North Carolina player to be selected. The tournament will be the U-16 WYNT’s rst international competition since holding

O’Neill is no stranger to the national stage, being one of 13 players to return from the team’s February domestic training camp in Chula Vista, California.

domestic training camps from September to February.

The team, coached since 2022 by Brazil native and former professional women’s soccer player Patchy Toledo, will be one of eight squads in the tournament, and it will be in Group A alongside Turkey, Vietnam and Botswana. USA will play Turkey Thursday, Vietnam Saturday

and Botswana Tuesday all at the Turkey Football Federation Riva Facility. These matches will be the rst ever games against Turkey and Botswana for a U.S. WYNT. USA will play in a placement match depending on its position in the group play standings on April 18. The top teams in each group will play for rst place, the second-best will play for third, the third-best will play for fth and the bottom teams will play for seventh.

Uganda, China, Wales and Paraguay make up Group B.

O’Neill is no stranger to the national stage, being one of 13 players to return from the team’s February domestic training camp in Chula Vista, California. She was also called up to

See how former county athletes are doing at the next level

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham

News & Record

SPRING SPORTS are in full swing at the college level, bringing another chance for past Chatham County athletes to showcase their skills beyond high school. From the junior college level to Division I, many of the county’s former baseball and softball standouts are making debuts or keeping their college careers alive in 2024. Here’s a look at how they’re doing so far this year:

Hailie Edmondson (Softball, Wake Tech, Chatham Charter) Former Chatham Charter softball standout Hailie Edmondson is playing a signi -

cant role in her freshman year at Wake Tech. Playing as an out elder and a left-handed pitcher, Edmondson has appeared in 28 games and recorded a elding percentage of .972 with 15 put outs. At the mound, Edmondson has appeared in 15 games with nine starts, and she has struck out 27 batters with 50 earned runs in 42.1 innings. Her .349 batting average is the fth-best on the team, and at the plate, Edmondson has accumulated 29 hits with one home run. The Eagles have a 10-18 overall record and are 6-12 in conference play.

Sam Murchison (Baseball, UNC Greensboro, Jordan-Matthews) Pitcher Sam Murchison, a former Jordan-Matthews Jet, is currently in his senior sea-

Powell showcased defensive prowess in the showcase of the nation’s best basketball players

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham

News & Record

In front of NBA scouts and amongst high school basketball’s biggest stars during last week’s McDonald’s All-American activities, former Northwood forward and North Carolina basketball signee Drake Powell put on a promising display of what he is and what he could become.

Throughout the three McDonald’s All-American prac-

tices, the scrimmage and the real game, Powell showcased his defensive prowess as well as his o ensive versatility. Although he came o the bench and didn’t score for the East team in the actual game on April 2 in Houston, Powell still grabbed four rebounds and two steals in 17 minutes, helping the East complete a comeback over the West, 88-86.

Clips from the practices showed Powell’s ability to score in di erent ways, including from three, mid-range or driving to the basket. But, in the real game in which Powell played alongside other talent-

From the junior college level to Division I, many of the county’s former baseball and softball standouts are making debuts or keeping their college careers alive in 2024. Here’s a look at how they’re doing so far this year.

COLLEGE from page B1

son with UNC Greensboro. This year, Murchison has appeared in two games and pitched a total of nine innings, striking out 11 batters and giving up seven earned runs. He hasn’t appeared in a game since Feb. 23, though, as he’s now out due to injury and is recovering from Tommy John surgery. Murchison had to undergo surgery in the fall of 2022 after suffering an injury that summer. He rehabbed all of last season and last fall, but he still can’t give it a full go this year. UNCG is 16-14 overall and 5-4 in conference play as of Monday.

Noah Carter (Baseball, High Point, Chatham Charter)

Former Chatham Charter pitcher Noah Carter is spending his senior year at High Point after playing at Elon last season. So far, Carter hasn’t seen much action, having only pitched 12.1 innings in 12 appearances. He has 12 strikeouts on the year with an ERA of 4.46. The Panthers have a 1616 overall record and are 6-3 in conference play as of Monday.

Trevor Golden (Baseball, Guilford Tech, Chatham Charter)

Trevor Golden, a former Chatham Charter pitcher, has made 11 appearances and four starts in his freshman season at Guilford Tech. As of Monday, Golden has pitched in 17.2 innings and thrown 17 strikeouts with an ERA of 16.81. His best performance on the mound came in a 11-0 loss to Cleveland Community College on March 8 in which he struck out four batters and failed to give up an earned run in two innings. Guilford Tech is 5-22 on the season and 3-11 in conference play as of Monday.

Jaylee Williams (Softball, Appalachian State, Chatham Central)

Jaylee Williams, a former Chatham Central softball standout and 2023 Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference player of the year, hasn’t seen much action in her freshman year at App State. She’s only had two at-bats this season and saw the most time in the Mountaineers’ 12-3 win over East Tennessee State on March 11. In that game she made a catch and an assist from the out eld. Williams also scored a run in App State’s 9-0 win over St. Joseph’s on March 1, and she scored on in App State’s 11-2 win over Monmouth on Feb. 16. App State has struggled as a team this year, going 15-19 overall and going 3-9 in conference play as of Monday.

8

the U-15 squad for its training camp at the Nike World Headquarters in Portland, Oregon in 2022.

We all hope to remain healthy and independent throughout our lives – but life can be unpredictable. If you were ever to need some type of long-term care, would you be Long-term care encompasses everything from the services of a home health aide to a stay in an assisted living facility to a long residence in a nursing home. You may never need any of these kinds of care, but the odds aren’t necessarily in your favor: Someone turning age 65 today has almost a 70% chance of needing some type of long-term care services and support in their remaining years, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

And all types of long-term care can involve annual cost for a home health aide’s services is more than $60,000 per year, and it’s more than $100,000 per year for a private room in a nursing home, according to Genworth, an insurance company. Furthermore, contrary to pays very little of these costs. will be able to take care of their long-term care needs. But this may not be a viable strategy. For one thing, your family members simply may not have the skills needed to give you the type of care you may require. Also, by the time you might need help, your grown children or other family members might not live in your area.

So, you may need to protect yourself and your loved ones from the potential costs of longterm care. Basically, you’ve got two main choices: You could self-insure or you could transfer the risk by purchasing some type of long-term care insurance.

rather than choosing insurance and paying policy premiums. You may wish to keep an emergency savings or investment account

care to help avoid relying on your other retirement accounts. But self-insuring has two main drawbacks. First, because longterm care can be costly, you might need to much money you’ll need, because so many variables are involved – your age when you the cost of care in your area, the type of care you’ll require, the length of time you’ll need care, and so on.

As an alternative to self-insuring, you could purchase long-term care insurance, which adult day care and assisted living and nursing home facilities. However, you will need to consider the issues attached to long-term care though the younger you are when you buy your policy, the more affordable it may be. Also, long-term care policies typically require you to wait a certain amount of time before in what they offer, so, if you are thinking of buying this insurance, you’ll want to review In any case, by being aware of the potential need for long-term care, its cost and the ways of paying for it, you’ll be able to make situation, your needs and your loved ones.

What should you know about long-term care? Pittsboro

O’Neill has been playing club soccer, including four years at the NC Courage Academy edwardjones.com

number of years

A month before that, O’Neill participated alongside 59 other players from across the country in the U-15 WYNT Talent ID Camp also held in Chula Vista.

Cali

O’Neill’s continued involvement with the U.S. WYNT can lead to greater opportunities with U.S. Soccer in the future. All players in the U-16 WYNT pool are age eligible for this year’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, which will take place in the Dominican Republic from Oct. 16 to Nov. 3.

After making the U-16 WYNT training camp roster in February, O’Neill told the Chatham News & Record that her ability to play in the U-17 Women’s World Cup, which happens every two years, depends on her performance and whether she’ll keep getting called back to the national team until the World Cup roster is announced.

Since the event’s inception in 2008, USA has never won the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

Outside of the national team, O’Neill does not play with Seaforth girls’ soccer, but she has played club soccer with North Carolina FC Youth for eight years, spending four of those with the program’s NC Courage Academy.

In the 2024 Je erson Cup Girls Showcase Weekend that took place in Richmond, Virginia from March 15-17, Jerry Penkala, a longtime scout and owner of recruiting management service JTF Academy, named O’Neill as a standout player from NC Courage’s roster.

Former Chatham Central softball standout Jaylee Williams poses in the App State dugout. Williams is playing for the Mountaineers at the next level.

Seaforth baseball rises to top spot in power rankings, Chatham Central softball continues hot start

Chatham Central (softball) beat Eastern Guilford in nine innings, 3-2, Saturday. Freshman pitcher Maddie Kaczmarczyk brought in the winning run on her rst career home run.

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

JORDAN-MATTHEWS had a rough week at the Zookeepers Classic in Asheboro, going 1-2 in its three games. The Jets started with a 2-1 win over Wheatmore on April 2 in which senior Ian McMillan threw 10 strikeouts and allowed just one earned run. However, defensive mistakes and errors doomed the Jets in a 15-5 loss to Uwharrie Charter on April 3 and in a 13-1 blowout loss to Asheboro Friday.

Chatham Central dominated Chatham Homeschool in a double header in the ThunderCat Invitational at Eastern Randolph high school Thursday. The Bears won the rst game, 13-3, and the second game, 22-6. Seaforth beat North Moore, 3-2, Friday. Chatham Charter lost to East Wake Academy, 8-4, Thursday.

6. Ascend Leadership (1-7, 1-7) Week of April 1 Baseball Power Rankings

1. Seaforth 2. Chatham Charter 3. Chatham Central 4. Northwood 5. Jordan-Matthews SOFTBALL

Chatham Central beat Eastern Guilford in nine innings, 3-2, Saturday. Freshman pitcher Maddie Kaczmarczyk brought in the winning run on her rst career home run. She also took care of business on the mound, throwing 13 strikeouts and not allowing an earned run in all nine innings.

Chatham Charter won over Cornerstone Charter Friday, 18-6. Sophomore Kynzie Jordan led the Knights at the plate with two hits and four RBIs.

3. Chatham Charter 4. Seaforth 5. Northwood

GIRLS’ SOCCER

Woods Charter lost to Franklin Academy Friday, 6-0.

Chatham Charter beat Central Carolina Academy on April 3, 2-1. Seniors Meredith Reese and Elphie Spillman each scored a goal in the win. The Knights lost to Research Triangle Friday, 9-0.

Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Seaforth (6-1, 3-0); 2. Northwood (5-5, 4-1); 3. Southeast Alamance (3-4, 3-1); 4. Bartlett Yancey (3-21, 2-1); 5. Graham (1-3, 1-2); 6. Jordan-Matthews (2-6-1, 1-3-1); 7. North Moore (0-42, 0-2-1); 8. Cummings (0-4, 0-4)

Brady Phillips

Chatham Central, baseball

1. Seaforth (8-3, 4-1);

Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference standings (as of Sunday):

2. Northwood (6-6, 6-3); 3. Chatham Central (9-4, 6-3);

4. Bartlett Yancey (5-4, 4-2);

5. North Moore (9-4, 5-3);

6. Jordan-Matthews (5-7, 3-4); 7. Graham (0-4, 0-3);

8. Southeast Alamance (3-11, 0-9)

Central Tar Heel 1A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Chatham Charter (10-3, 8-0); 2. Clover Garden School (6-4, 6-1); 3. River Mill (3-6, 3-3); 4. Triangle Math and Science (2-4, 2-4); 5. Southern Wake Academy (1-7, 1-6);

Mid-Carolina 1A/2A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Chatham Central (9-1, 6-0); 2. Jordan-Matthews (82, 6-0); 3. North Moore (6-3, 6-1); 4. Southeast Alamance (3-6, 3-4); 5. Seaforth (3-8, 3-5); 6. Bartlett Yancey (3-6, 3-5); 7. Northwood (4-7, 2-6); 8. Graham (0-8, 0-8)

Central Tar Heel 1A conference standings (as of Sunday):

1. Chatham Charter (7-1, 3-0);

2. Clover Garden School (4-4, 1-1);

3. Ascend Leadership (07, 0-1); 4. River Mill (0-9, 0-2)

Week of April 1 Softball Power Rankings

1. Chatham Central 2. Jordan-Matthews

Central Tar Heel 1A conference standings (as of Sunday): 1. Woods Charter (5-2-1, 2-0); 2. River Mill (3-3, 3-1); 3. Clover Garden School (43, 3-1); 4. Ascend Leadership (2-4, 1-1); 5. Chatham Charter (2-3, 1-2); 6. Triangle Math and Science (1-8-1, 0-2-1); 7. Southern Wake Academy (05-1, 0-3-1)

TRACK AND FIELD

Chatham County’s rst place nishers from the Cary AC Moonlight Miles/ Sunset Sprints Friday. Boys 800 meter run (Will Cuicchi, Seaforth, 1 minute, 57.02 seconds); Girls 800 meter run (Anna Peeler, Woods Charter, 2:38.17)

Chatham Central baseball’s

Brady Phillips earns athlete of the week honors for the week of April 1. In the Bears’ two big wins over Chatham Homeschool on Thursday, Phillips had e cient showings at the plate, going 2-4 with three RBIs in the rst game and 3-3 with one RBI in the second game. Phillips also was the starting pitcher in the second game, striking out one batter and giving up zero runs in two innings.

Chatham County Golf Classic coming to Pittsboro on May 15

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

THE CENTRAL CAROLINA Community College Foundation will host its 11th annual Chatham County Golf Classic on May 15 at the Chapel Ridge Golf Course in Pittsboro.

The proceeds from the tournament will be used to help provide scholarships and other nancial assistance.

“We are so grateful for the support we have received in Chatham County,” Dr. Emily C. Hare, the CCCC Foundation executive director, said. “Chatham County has given so much to us and we will use funds raised in the tournament to go directly back to our students, faculty, and sta . We look forward to the event and hope everyone will come out and join us!”

“Chatham County has given so much to us and we will use funds raised in the tournament to go directly back to our students, faculty, and sta . We look forward to the event and hope everyone will come out and join us!”

Dr. Emily C. Hare

downloaded

foundation/events/golf-classics.

Registration is also available by contacting tournament director Alexandra Dowdy at 919-7187338 or by email at adowdy@ cccc.edu.

The CCCC Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization a liated with, but independent of, Central Carolina Community College. It receives donations of money and equipment on behalf of the college and uses them to promote its educational mission and assist students through scholarships and grants.

ed scorers, his ability to stay in front of crafty guards and contest shots from tall forwards and big men down low caught the attention of scouts, media and basketball fans.

sisted on a Jackson three, and Jackson made sure you got touches in the actual game, too. What was it like building that chemistry with your future teammate?

I think it’s good. We’re going to be teammates next season. I think us starting that chemistry on and o the court will be bene cial to us in the ACC as well as the tournament.

What is your favorite part of Jackson’s game?

I’d say his aggressiveness on o ense. I feel like he can score the ball pretty well.

The biggest thing people pointed out about your performance in the game was the defensive impact you had. Why was it so important to you to show that part of your game on that stage?

The format of the tournament is a four-person Captain’s Choice ighted, meaning there will be four-person teams competing against each other. There will be a shotgun start at 9 a.m., meaning all teams will have the same teetime but at di erent holes, and lunch will be held from 1-2 p.m.

The Chatham County Golf Classic registration form can be

The foundation holds three golf tournaments each year, running the event in Harnett and Lee Counties in addition to Chatham. The 11th annual Harnett Golf Classic already happened on March 21, but the 35th annual Lee Golf Classic will be held on Sept. 18 at Sanford Golf Course in Sanford.

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For example, Powell’s defensive performance from the week earned him the “Lockdown Defender” Award from Rivals national analyst Rob Cassidy. He was especially “lockdown” in the fourth quarter of the actual game as he intercepted an inbound pass at the 6 minute, 37 second mark, leading to a score from future UNC teammate Ian Jackson that brought the East within four points. Seconds later, Powell poked the ball away from Rutgers signee Airious “Ace” Bailey, and his e orts led to other stops down the stretch that allowed the East to come out on top. Powell talked with the Chatham News & Record Friday about his McDonald’s All-American experience, including his approach to the game and the toughest player he had to guard during the week. Parts of the interview have been excluded for brevity.

Going to Houston with other big time players and NBA scouts present, what was that experience like?

It was great. Not just the game, speci cally. It really started in practice. I thought we were very competitive, and we took the drills very seriously.

What part of your game were you most excited to show to the other players and the scouts that were out there?

Just everything, really. I just wanted to show them my twoway presence. I can pass the ball, score the ball, rebound (and) play defense. Everything that I normally do.

What was it like playing with and against some of the other top players in the country?

It was great. I didn’t think there was necessarily a bad shot that anyone could take since we’re all high-level players. I think if we worked the ball really well, we could get open shot after open shot.

Who was the hardest player you had to guard during the week?

I think the hardest player was Karter Knox. I think he’s strong with the basketball, and he can hit contested shots as well. So, I just wanted to make every shot he took di cult. (Knox is a Kentucky commit.)

In the scrimmage, you as-

Going into the game, I knew that it was going to be tough to get into my usual rhythm shots o ensively since I had a lot of ball-dominant players on my team. But, you know I just wanted to nd ways that I could help my team win, and that happened to be playing defense.

Your family and some of the Northwood community made the trip to see you play in the McDonald’s All-American Game. What was it like having them out there as you represented not only your name but Northwood High School and Pittsboro, North Carolina?

It was great having them support me at such a far away event. I’m just happy that they showed up. It put a smile on my face.

Between the practices, scrimmage and the game, what do you feel was your best basketball moment?

I think it occurred in a practice…I was coming o a screen from (Liam McNeeley). (Cooper Flagg) and (Isaiah Evans) didn’t talk through the screen because they didn’t know if they were going to switch or not which left me wide open, and I was able to hit a mid-range pull up. So, you know just two Blue Devils out there. I think that was a good sight to see.

What kind of advice or messages did the coaches share to you?

Just that you’re being evaluated by a di erent set of individuals. What the NBA scouts see is much di erent from what college coaches see.

What was your biggest takeaway from this experience?

I think that evaluation piece that there’s a di erence between what college coaches see and what NBA scouts see. They’re just looking for you to make the right play.

SIDELINE REPORT

MLB

Yankees set one-chain rule for Verdugo

New York

Alex Verdugo frequently played with several gaudy chains bouncing around his neck. He packs at least six for every road trip and lost count of how many he owns. In his rst season with the New York Yankees, Verdugo has been given an order by manager Aaron Boone: only one chain per game. “It’s kind of been hard, man,” Verdugo said. Verdugo looks like a new man with New York, stripped of all but one diamond-studded necklace and also missing his signature ginger beard. The Yankees have a strict appearance policy that limits hair length and bans facial hair besides moustaches.

NFL Bears great

McMichael hospitalized with UTI Chicago Chicago Bears great Steve McMichael, who’s battling ALS, was taken to a hospital because of a urinary tract infection. He was prescribed an antibiotic and was to return home that night. The 66-year-old McMichael went public with an ALS diagnosis three years ago. He spent more than a week at a suburban hospital after being admitted into intensive care on Feb. 15 with a UTI. He was hospitalized one week after being voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. McMichael was also treated for pneumonia and MRSA during his stay.

NEW YORK MARATHON

Transportation

o cials want

NYC Marathon organizers to pay $750K to cross bridge

New York

The New York City Marathon might soon have to pay a toll to cross the bridge, just like every other commuter. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is demanding the New York Road Runners, organizers of the venerable race held the rst Sunday in November, to pay roughly $750,000 for use of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. The agency that oversees New York’s bridges and tunnels says the fee represents the estimated amount of toll revenue lost when the bridge is closed. But the Road Runners argue the MTA enjoys increased revenue from greater transit ridership during marathon week.

CYCLING

Tour de France

winner Vingegaard breaks collarbone, ribs in crash

Madrid

Two-time defending Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard broke his collarbone and several ribs in a crash at the Tour of Basque Country that also caught up Olympic gold medalist Primoz Roglič and Remco Evenepoel, who also sustained a broken collarbone. One of the favorites for the road race at the Paris Games, Evenepoel also has a broken right shoulder blade and was scheduled return to Belgium for surgery on his collarbone. Vingegaard was put in an ambulance wearing an oxygen mask and neck brace after the crash occurred with less than 30 kilometers left in the fourth stage.

Byron leads Hendrick Motorsports to 1-2-3 nish

By Hank Kurz Jr. The Associated Press

WILLIAM BYRON said he had nightmares coming to Martinsville Speedway this weekend, remembering his last visit when he struggled to a 13th-place nish.

He not only overcame those fears, he put a cherry on top of the weekend when Hendrick Motorsports celebrated the anniversary of its rst win 40 years ago by picking up No. 305.

“It was one of the worst experiences as a team, but one of the best experiences to realize the resilience that our team has. And I think that that showed today,” Byron said of last October’s penultimate race of the season.

This Sunday was di erent. Electing to stay out on old tires for the two-lap overtime nish, Byron won for the third time this season in eight races and led an historic 1-2-3 nish for Hendrick.

“It’s awesome and it’s way bigger than me,” Byron said.

Byron took the lead with 73 laps to go and held on after a second straight race ended in overtime, outrunning teammates Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott for the win.

Byron, the rst of the contenders to pit under a green ag with 104 laps to go, moved to the front 31 laps later and was never threatened after getting the jump at the start of overtime. It was his second victory on the 0.526-mile, paper-clip shaped oval.

“It was a great call. It didn’t get us the track position right away, but we had a little bit more

Florida State denied request to dismiss

ACC’s lawsuit by judge

The ruling makes it likely the case will be held in N.C., not Florida

By Ralph D. Russo The Associated Press

A judge in North Carolina on Thursday denied Florida State’s request to dismiss the Atlantic Coast Conference’s lawsuit against the school, which is trying to sue its way out of the league with a complaint in its home state.

A little less than two weeks after a hearing in Mecklenburg County, Judge Louis A. Bledsoe III ruled that the ACC su ciently argued it had followed conference procedures in ling suit in December against Florida State and that North Carolina, where the league is headquartered, is the appropriate jurisdiction for the dispute. “We are pleased with today’s decision, which con rms North Carolina courts are the proper place to enforce the ACC’s agreements and bylaws,” the conference said in a statement. “We remain committed to acting in the best interests of the league’s members and will see this process through to protect and advance the ACC.”

A hearing in FSU’s lawsuit

against the ACC is scheduled for this week in Leon County, Florida, but typically under Florida law when there are con icting lawsuits in multiple states, the rst to le will receive preference.

“Although it’s highly unusual for a court to dismiss a lawsuit at this initial stage, we are disappointed in the Court’s decision not to dismiss the North Carolina lawsuit,” Florida State said in a statement.

Bledsoe did grant Florida State’s motion to dismiss the ACC’s claim that suing the conference was a breach of duciary duty to the league, but he kept in place the conference’s claim that the school breached its duty to “good faith and fair dealing under the ACC’s Constitution and Bylaws.”

heat in our tires,” Byron said of the call to pit, which ultimately gave him the lead. “So, seemed like I red o a little bit faster than those guys and was able to get ahead of them.” He stayed out when John Hunter Nemechek crashed in turn three with three laps to go, as did Elliott and Larson, running second and third, and they produced the rst 1-2-3 nish for any team in Martinsville’s long history hosting stock car races.

Larson rallied to nish second, Elliott third, Bubba Wallace fourth and Ryan Blaney, last fall’s winner here, fth. The fourth Hendrick driver, Alex Bowman, nished eighth.

“This is a huge win for the organization,” four-time Hendrick series champion Je Gordon, now the vice chairman of the organization, said.

The race featured long green

ag runs, with two of the ve cautions pre-planned at the end of stages one and two. There were 13 lead changes among eight drivers.

The victory was the 29th for Hendrick at NASCAR’s smallest, oldest track, a record for an organization at any venue. Geo Bodine had the rst win at Martinsville on April 29, 1984. It convinced team owner Rick Hendrick not to fold his edgling team. All four Hendrick cars featured ruby red paint schemes, marking the anniversary.

The Hendrick organization hosted more than 1,000 current and former employees for the race, but the owner was not able to attend, having recently undergone knee replacement surgery.

“He’s super bummed out that he couldn’t be here,” Gordon said.

Up next

The series move across the country to Texas Motor Speedway, where the drivers hope the repaved track will have cured some to allow for more passing since the repave.

Florida State is challenging the ACC’s exit fees and the validity of a contract called a Grant of Rights that binds league members together through their media rights. The ACC’s contract with ESPN expires in 2036. The deal lags way behind the value of those signed by the Big Ten and Southeastern conferences. Florida State claims it would cost $572 million to exit the conference. The school says its athletics department is in danger of not being able to compete with Big Ten and SEC schools because of the growing revenue gap. The day before Florida State’s board of trustees approved the ling of a lawsuit against the ACC in a Dec. 22 public meeting, the conference led its lawsuit in North Carolina against the school. Florida State argued the conference had no right to preemptively sue and did not get the required three-fourths approval from its members to do so. Bledsoe said the conference was in its right to act to address the obvious threat of a lawsuit,

The team was dominant at Martinsville on its 40th anniversary weekend

CHUCK BURTON / AP PHOTO

William Byron, center, celebrates with crew members in Victory Lane after receiving the trophy for winning Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway.

Jelly Roll dominates 2024 CMT Music Awards

Late country artist Toby Keith was honored

By Maria Sherman The Associated Press

JELLY ROLL WON big at the 2024 CMT Music Awards Sunday night, taking home three awards at the annual event celebrating the best in country music videos.

His accolades began with the CMT performance of the year award for his gospel-assisted rendition of “Need a Favor” at the 2023 CMT Music Awards nearly a year ago to the day. It also was his rst awards show performance.

“In that last year you changed my life in every way I never thought my life could be changed,” the tattooed rapper-turned-country breakout star said in an emotional acceptance speech live from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. The show was broadcast live on CBS and Paramount+.

The music video for “Need A Favor” earned him male vid-

eo of the year and the biggest award of the night, video of the year. “I’m having one of the best nights of my life,” he said, before focusing his speech on people who are looking for “second chances,” speci cally those in juvenile detention facilities. “I once heard a man say that ‘you don’t change until the pain to remain the same is greater than the pain it takes to change,’ and

that’s what it takes. I love you, Texas.”

In some ways, it was déjà vu from the 2023 awards show, where Jelly Roll also took home three awards, winning over audiences for his larger-than-life personality and outsider songs.

The emotional center of the award show no doubt came later, in an all-star tribute to the late Toby Keith, with Brooks & Dunn tackling Keith’s 1993 breakout hit, “Should’ve Been A Cowboy,” Sammy Hagar doing “I Love This Bar” and Lainey Wilson covering “How Do You Like Me Now.” They all were backed by Keith’s longtime band.

Keith, a hit country crafter of pro-American anthems who riled up critics and was loved by millions of fans, died in February at 62 after being diagnosed with stomach cancer.

In the crowd, artists including Ashley McBryde and Jelly Roll raised their red solo cups in a cheerful tribute to the singer, who immortalized the humble plastic cups in his 2011 hit, “Red Solo Cup.”

CHRIS PIZZELLO / AP PHOTO

Jelly Roll, pictured performing at the iHeartRadio Music Awards earlier this month, was the big winner at Sunday’s CMT Music Awards.

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• Free Medication Adherence packs and Pill Packs.

this week in history

Twin Towers dedicated; Titanic, May ower set sail

Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s home run record in 1974

The Associated Press

APRIL 4

1841: President William Henry Harrison succumbed to pneumonia one month after his inaugural, becoming the rst U.S. chief executive to die in o ce; John Tyler became the rst vice president to assume the o ce of president after such a death.

1917: The U.S. Senate voted 82-6 in favor of declaring war against Germany (the House followed suit two days later by a vote of 373-50).

1949: 12 nations, including the United States, signed the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington, D.C.

1968: Martin Luther King Jr., 39, was shot and killed while standing on a balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.

1973: The twin towers of New York’s World Trade Center were o cially dedicated.

APRIL 5

1614: Indian Chief Powhatan’s daughter Pocahontas married Englishman John Rolfe, a widower, in the Virginia Colony. 1621: The May ower sailed from Plymouth Colony in present-day Massachusetts on a monthlong return trip to England.

1987: Fox Broadcasting Co. made its prime-time TV debut by airing the situation comedy “Married with Children” followed by “The Tracey Ullman Show.”

APRIL 6

1896: The rst modern Olympic games formally opened in Athens, Greece.

1909: American explorers Robert E. Peary and Matthew A. Henson and four Inuits became the rst men to reach the

The world at your ngertips

Even in the age of Google Earth, people still buy globes

By Laurie Kellman The Associated Press

LONDON — Find a globe in your local library or classroom and try this: Close the eyes, spin it and drop a nger randomly on its curved, glossy surface. You’re likely to pinpoint a spot in the water, which covers 71% of the planet. Maybe you’ll alight on a place you’ve never heard of — or a spot that no longer exists after a war or because of climate change. Perhaps you’ll feel inspired to nd out who lives there and what it’s like. Trace the path of totality ahead of Monday’s solar eclipse. Look carefully, and you’ll nd the cartouche — the globemaker’s signature — and the antipode (look it up) of where you’re standing right now.

In the age of Google Earth, watches that triangulate and cars with built-in GPS, there’s something about a globe — a spherical representation of the world in miniature — that somehow endures.

London globemaker Peter Bellerby thinks the human yearning to “ nd our place in the cosmos” has helped globes

survive their original purpose — navigation — and the internet. He says it’s part of the reason he went into debt making a globe for his father’s 80th birthday in 2008. The experience helped inspire his company, and 16 years later it is keeping his team of about two dozen artists, cartographers and woodworkers employed.

“You don’t go onto Google Earth to get inspired,” Bellerby says in his airy studio, surrounded by dozens of globes in various languages and states of completion. “A globe is very much something that connects you to the planet that we live on.”

Beyond the existential and historical appeal, earthly matters such as cost and geopolitics hover over globemaking. Bellerby says his company has experience with customs o cials in regions with disputed borders such as India, China, North Africa and the Middle East.

And there is a real question about whether globes — especially handmade orbs — remain relevant as more than works of art and history for those who can a ord them. They are, after all, snapshots of the past — of the way their patrons and makers saw the world at a certain point in time. So they’re inherently inaccurate representations of a planet in constant ux.

“Do globes play a relevant role in our time? If so, then in my opinion, this is due to their appearance as a three-dimensional body, the hard-to-control desire to turn them, and the attractiveness of their map image,” says Jan Mokre, vice president of the International Coronelli Society for the Study of Globes in Vienna. “Perhaps a certain nostalgia e ect also plays a role, just as old cars and mechanical watches still exert a certain attraction on people.”

Bellerby’s globes aren’t cheap. They run from about 1,290 British pounds (about $1,900) for the smallest to six gures for the 50-inch Churchill model. He makes about 600 orbs a year of varying size, framing and ornamentation.

Creating them is a complex process that starts with the construction of a sphere and progresses to the application of fragile petal-shaped panels, called “gores,” that are tted together around the sphere’s surface. Artists perched around Bellerby’s London studio painstakingly blend and apply paint — dreamy cobalt and mint for the oceans, yellow, greens and ochre for the landscape.

Bellerby doesn’t name clients, but he says they come from more socioeconomic levels than you’d think — from families to busi-

North Pole.

APRIL 7

1862: Union forces led by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and Maj. Gen. Don Carlos Buell defeat-

nesses and heads of state. Private art collectors come calling. So do moviemakers.

Bellerby says in his book that the company made four globes for the 2011 movie, “Hugo.” One globe can be seen in the 2023 movie “Tetris,” including one, a freestanding straight-leg Galileo model, which features prominently in a scene.

There is no international standard for a correctly drawn earth. Countries, like people, view the world di erently, and some are highly sensitive about how their territory is depicted. To o end them with “incorrectly” drawn borders on a globe is to risk impoundment of the orbs at customs.

“Globemaking,” Bellerby writes, “is a political mine eld.”

China doesn’t recognize Taiwan as a country. Morocco doesn’t recognize Western Sahara. India’s northern border is disputed. Many Arab countries, such as Lebanon, don’t acknowledge Israel. Bellerby says the company marks disputed borders as disputed: “We cannot change or rewrite history.”

No one knows when the rst terrestrial globe was created. But the oldest known surviving one dates to 1492. No one in Europe knew of the existence of North or South America at the time.

It’s called the “Erdapfel,” which translates to “earth apple” or “potato.” The orb was made by German navigator and geographer Martin Behaim, who was working for the king of Por-

ed the Confederates at the Battle of Shiloh in Tennessee.

1954: President Dwight D. Eisenhower held a news conference in which he spoke of the importance of containing the spread of communism in Indochina, saying, “You have a row of dominoes set up, you knock over the rst one, and what will happen to the last one is the certainty that it will go over very quickly.”

1959: A referendum in Oklahoma repealed the state’s ban on alcoholic beverages.

APRIL 8

1513: Explorer Juan Ponce de Leon and his expedition began exploring the Florida coastline.

1864: The United States Senate passed, 38-6, the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolishing slavery. (The House of Representatives passed it in January 1865; the amendment was rati ed and adopted in December 1865.)

1913: The 17th Amendment to the Constitution, providing for popular election of U.S. senators was rati ed.

1974: Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves hit his 715th career home run in a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, breaking Babe Ruth’s record.

tugal, according to the Whipple Museum in Cambridge. It contained more than just the cartographical information then known, but also details such as commodities overseas, market places and local trading protocols.

If you’ve got a globe of any sort, you’re in good company. During World War II, two in particular were commissioned for leaders on opposite sides of the Atlantic as symbols of power and partnership.

For Christmas in 1942, the United States delivered gigantic twin globes to American president Franklin Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. They were 50 inches in diameter and hundreds of pounds each, believed to be the largest and most accurate globes of the time.

It took more than 50 government geographers, cartographers and draftsmen to compile the information to make the globe, constructed by the Weber Costello Company of Chicago Heights, Illinois.

The Roosevelt globe now sits at the Roosevelt Library in Hyde Park, New York, and Churchill’s globe is at Chartwell House, the Churchill family home in Kent, England, according to the U.S. Library of Congress.

In theory, the leaders could use the globes simultaneously to formulate war strategy. “In reality, however,” Bellerby writes, “the gift of the globes was a simple PR exercise, an important weapon in modern warfare.”

DAVID PICKOFF / AP PHOTO

The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan are shown on April 3, 1973, one day before the dedication.

famous birthdays this week

59. Actor

Stewart (“Twilight”)

34. Actor Elle Fanning (“Because of Winn-Dixie”) is 26.

April 11: Actor Peter Riegart ( lm’s “Animal House,” TV’s “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”) is 77. Bassist Dylan Keefe of Marcy Playground is 54. Singer Joss Stone is 37.

April 12: Talk show host David Letterman is 77. Actor Andy Garcia is 68. Country singer Vince Gill is 67. Actor Shannen Doherty is 53. Actor Brooklyn Decker (“Grace and Frankie”) is 37.

April 13: Composer Bill Conti (“Rocky” lm theme) is 82. Musician Al Green is 78. Actor Ron Perlman is 74. Singer Peabo Bryson is 73. Actor Ricky Schroder is 54.

April 10: Bassist Steven Gustafson of 10,000 Maniacs is 67. Singer-producer Babyface is 66. Rapper Q-Tip of A Tribe Called Quest is 54. Singer-actor Mandy Moore (“This is Us”) is 40. Actor Haley Joel Osment (“The Sixth Sense”) is 36. Actor Daisy Ridley (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens”) is 32.

JOEL RYAN / AP PHOTO

Left, actress Patricia Arquette turned 56 on April 8. Right, action move superstar Jackie Chan turned 70 on April 7.

JIM COOPER / AP PHOTO

ERIC CHARBONNEAU / WARNER BROS.

Actor Russell Crowe turned 60 on April 7.

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