North State Journal Vol. 9, Issue 4

Run to the title

TUESDAY, MARCH 12

NC State 94, Louisville 85

Playing without leading scorer DJ Horne the Wolfpack got double-digit by 25 from Casey Morsell to advance out of the ACC NC State forced 16 turnovers and made 33 of 4 0 free throws compared to Louisville s 11-for-11 night at the stripe

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1 3

Syracuse 8 3, Louisville 65

a t wo-point lead early in the second half the Wolfpack went on a 22-2 run to seize control of their second-round game and beat the Orange Horne returned scoring 16 points in 19 minutes but it was Jayden Taylor (18 points) and Mohamed Diarra (14 rebounds) who led the way for NC State

THURSDAY, MARCH 14

NC State 74, Duke 69

Facing the 11th-ranked Blue Devils the Wolfpack were up three at the half and never relinquished the lead in the was

FRIDAY,

SATURDAY

NC

The

history in D.C.

nd the Greatest Game Ever and Jimmy V r unning around, look ing for someone to hug

On Monday State worked out at Capita l One A rena , seemingly a dead team wa lk ing Two players didn’t ma ke the tr ip and D J Hor ne wa s limping, tr y ing to deter mine if he could play through an injur y He ended up missing what many thought would be the Wolf pack s la st game of the sea son, and possibly coach Kev in Keat ts ’ NC State career, on Tuesday af ter noon

The day before, however, he still str uck a hopef ul note. We have nothing at a ll to lose,” Hor ne said “I told the g uys, ‘March is cra z y A ny thing is possible going into these tournaments A ny thing is possible. Why not us?’”

O ver a 102-hour span f rom Tuesday to Saturday, the Wolf-

ACC team and just the second the feat They would beat second-seed Duke third-seed Virg inia in a comeback scr ipted by

the hack iest Holly wood screenw r iter imag inable, and top -seed Nor th Carolina to w in the ACC Championship and tur n the Capita l One Center cour t br ight red w ith confet ti They were just the si x th team to beat a ll three top seeds in the ACC Tour ney, the lowest seed to w in the championship

the game on either Tuesday or Wednesday, and by Saturday ’ s title game, the sea son would be a distant memor y and State s coaching search would

be in high gear Instead Keat ts one end of the cour t , ta k ing the scissors f rom his son wa lk- on Kev in Jr “Words can’t even descr ibe it , ” said Ben Middlebrook s “ The amount we ve come together we ’ ve had The things we ’ ve had I don t think any other team in the countr y could have done something like this ” State trailed in the second

Virg inia going to the line w ith

na ls Somehow, the Wolf pack found a way to w in sur v iv ing, advancing and apparently feeling no fatig ue a s the play ing time minutes mounted G et ting an oppor tunit y to play at this level in this tour nament and for a championship, it doesn t mat ter how many overtimes, how many games you play in a row, ” said U NC coach Huber t Dav is We k new that they would play w ith g reat energ y, and they did f rom the star t and throughout the entire game “We stayed together,” said Ca sey Morsell “Even though we were in a hole we a lways loved each other, a lways believed in

each other We just found a way We never didn t believe Heroes were ever y where for the Pack Michael O’Connell banked in a 3-pointer at the buzzer to send Fr iday s semitime DJ Bur ns Jr scored sevover time, ma k ing up for what that sent U VA to the line for w ith 1:10 remaining “I told myself, ‘ You’ve got t wo options: you can get in your feelings or you can go w in this game, ’” Bur ns said Virg inia would miss four f ree to open the door for O’Connell and Bur ns who then added 20 against Carolina in the title game to w in the tour nament M V P award Af ter missing the opener to recover, Hor ne scored 7 1 points in four games, including 29 against the Heels Our biggest thing wa s just don’t beat ourselves,” Morsell said “Have somebody else beat us, and if somebody s going to beat us, they ’ re going to have to outplay us ” a lumni w ill tell their g randchildren about at bedtime, no one in the ACC could

This series explores the Ten Commandments through the words and admonishments of Arthur Pink.

The 10th Commandment prohibits an unlawful lusting after what is another man’s. In our discussion of the previous Commandments, we have pointed out that while their actual terms are con ned to the forbidding of outward acts, the scope of each one takes in and reaches to the condemnation of everything which has any tendency or occasion to lead to the overt crime. Here in the nal precept of the Decalogue we nd clear con rmation that God expressly imposes a law on our spirits, forbidding us to so much as lust after whatever He has forbidden. The best way to keep men from committing sin in act is to keep them from desiring it in heart. Thus, while the authority of each of the rst nine Commandments reaches to the mind and the most secret intents of the soul, the Lord saw t to plainly and literally state this in the 10th.

Those secret and internal sins that go before the consent of the will are the seeds of all evil. Lusting is the rstborn of indwelling depravity, the rst risings and expressions of our corrupt nature. It is a violent propensity and inclination toward what is evil, toward that which is contrary to the holy will and command of God. The soul of man is an operative and vigorous creature, ever putting forth activities suitable to its nature. Before the Fall, the soul of man was drawn forth to God as its supreme Object and the End of all its exercise, but when man turned from God, his soul became enamored with the creature. Thus, man, being destitute of Divine grace and spiritual life, craves sinful objects to the slighting of God, and inordinately lusts after things which in themselves are harmless, but become evil because he neither receives them as from God nor uses them for His glory.

The Puritan Ezekiel Hopkins has pointed out there are four degrees coveting. There is the rst lm or shadow of an evil thought, the imperfect embryo of a sin before it is shaped in us or has any lineaments or features. This is what the Scripture refers to as “every imagination of the thoughts” of the human heart.

A further degree is reached when the evil motions of our corrupt nature are entertained in the mind with some degree of complacency. When a sinful object presents itself before a carnal heart there is an inward response that a ects that heart with delight and begets a sympathy between it and the object. As in an instance of natural sympathy a man is often pleased with an object before he knows the reason why he is, so in an instance of sinful sympathy or response the heart is taken with the object before it has time to consider what there is in that object which so moves and a ects it. This second degree of covetousness is harder to eject than the former.

If such evil motions are entertained by us, then an assent and an approbation to sin follow. God’s Law condemns the sin and our conscience knows the Las. But, our a ections can override our knowledge and pleasure or pro t can corrupt our judgment. Note how this scenario is illustrated in the colloquy between Eve and the Serpent before she partook of the forbidden fruit.

When any sinful motion has secured an allowance from

judgment, then it searches for our willingness to commit it. “But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed; then when lust has conceived, it brings forth (open) sin; and sin, when it is nished, brings forth death” (James 1:14, 15). This nal precept utters a solemn protest against sin in the inner life. God proclaims His rights over the hidden realm of desires. His authority reaches to the soul and conscience and lays an obligation upon our very thoughts and imaginations — which no human laws can do. Our desires and lustings are free from the censure of man, except so far as they reveal themselves by overt acts. Though they escape the commands and notice of men, they escape not the scrutiny and sentence of God, for He sees not as men see, neither judges He as men judge. The secrets of all hearts are open and naked before His eyes. God’s Law, like His knowledge, reaches into the most secret recesses of your soul, searches every corner of your heart, judges those lusts which no human eye can spy, and if they be harbored and approved of, condemns you as a guilty transgressor and worthy of eternal death, no matter how pleasing your external deportment may be. Then how vain it is for us to content ourselves with an outward conformity to God’s Law.

Arthur W. Pink, born in Nottingham, England, in 1886, pastored churches in Colorado, California, Kentucky, and South Carolina. He moved to Sydney, Australia, and then returned to England in 1934. Pink relocated to Lewis, Scotland, in 1940 and remained there until his death in 1952 at the age of 66.

NC congressional members inquire about Greensboro migrant facility

Sens.

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — Members of North Carolina’s Congressional delegation, led by U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson and Sen. Thom Tillis, want answers from the Biden administration about the operational status of a facility in Greensboro intended to house migrant children.

In a letter to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra, the lawmakers demanded more transparency on the Greensboro In ux Care Facility (ICF).

“Our o ces were noti ed late afternoon on Friday, March 1, 2024, despite repeated, outstanding requests for answers about plans for operationalizing the facility,” wrote the lawmakers. “We are frustrated by this sudden announcement and the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) lack of transparency to Congress and the State of North Carolina related to this issue.”

Up until the March 1 announcement the site would become operational, fact sheets issued by HHS’s Administration for Children and Families O ce of Refugee Resettlement called the Greensboro ICF a “future site.”

The letter described multiple requests for information that had either been delayed or remained unful lled, and it highlighted concerns that DHS was in the process of changing a contract involving the ICF while announcing the facility would be operational.

“This delay and lack of transparency have left us with continued concerns about whether the facility is t for operation,” wrote the lawmakers. “For example, your o ce has announced its plans to issue a draft Request for Proposal (RFP) on March 7, 2024, for the primary services contract for the Greensboro ICF, with a nal RFP expected in April 2024.”

The letter added, “We are very

concerned to learn that you have decided to operationalize the Greensboro ICF while in the process of potentially changing who currently contracts for services at the facility.” The letter was also signed by Republican congressional members Sen. Ted Budd and Reps. David Rouzer, Dan Bishop, Virginia Foxx, Greg Murphy and Patrick McHenry. HHS signed a ve-year, nearly $50 million contract with an e ective start date of June 2022, yet only security personnel have been seen on the property as the contract approaches turning two years old. Since the signing of the contract, the loan documents for the former American Hebrew Campus (AHA), now designated as the Greensboro ICF, in early 2023.

Real estate records show the

$26 million loan documents for the AHA campus were assigned from Puxin Ltd. to Metabroad International Group, LLC and Heyi Holdings L.P. All three companies appear to have some ties to China, with Puxin’s CFO Peng Wang executing his side of the loan documentation at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, China.

Tillis and Budd have also recently introduced a pair of bills intended to “crack down on sanctuary cities and incentivize deportation for criminal illegal aliens,” per a press release.

The Justice for Victims of Sanctuary Cities Act enables victims of violent crimes such as rape and murder committed by illegal migrants to pursue legal action against sanctuary cities or states that neglect to honor detainer requests while also restricting speci c federal grants to sanctuary jurisdictions.

The Immigration Detainer Enforcement Act aims to clarify the authority of DHS regarding detainers and a rm the ability of states and localities to uphold custody when a detainer is issued. The bill also includes reimbursements for certain detention, technology and litigation-related expenses in order to spur better coordination between DHS and law enforcement agencies.

“For too long, we have watched local jurisdictions in North Carolina and across the country ignore the lawful noti cation and detainer requests made by ICE agents, instead releasing dangerous criminals back into the communities and putting innocent lives at risk,” Tillis said in a statement. “It is clear President Biden and liberal politicians want to prioritize reckless sanctuary policies over public safety.

“It is time for Congress to step in and put an end to this madness by holding sanctuary cities accountable and empowering ICE to gain custody of criminal illegal immigrants so they can’t cause more harm and violence.”

“This is a matter of public safety and the rule of law,” Budd said. “At a time when the Biden administration refuses to crack down on sanctuary cities, Congress has the responsibility to act. It’s long past time that cities who refuse to enforce our immigration laws face legal consequences. When laws are not enforced, completely preventable tragedies occur. That has to stop.” Budd thanked Tillis for heading up the e ort and added that the bills “will put lawless cities on notice and will incentivize them to enforce our laws and keep our streets safe.”

SCOTT PELKEY / NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Congressional lawmakers from North Carolina have written a letter to the Biden administration seeking answers about the Greensboro In ux Care Facility.

THE THE

Truitt honored at charter summit

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

The 411 o ers an in-depth look at the people and places that make North Carolina grow strong and great.

RALEIGH — The second annual North Carolina Coalition for Charter Schools summit held in Raleigh earlier this month was attended by more than 200 charter leaders, stakeholders, lawmakers, industry experts and professionals in attendance.

“This is our second charter summit and we’re just getting better every year,” North Carolina Coalition for Charter Schools (NCCCS) President Lindalyn Kakadelis told North State Journal. “I can’t wait even for next year, but we’re thankful for the 99 schools that came, and hopefully we can give them a real avor of what the politics around charter schools is.”

North Carolina currently has 210 public charter schools across 63 counties with 145,593 students enrolled and more than 85,000 on waitlists. Charter schools are public schools and, like their district counterparts, funded on a per-pupil basis. However, unlike district schools, charter schools receive no state, lottery or school bond funds to pay for their facilities.

The summit kicked o with a March 7 reception honoring State Superintendent Catherine Truitt.

Kakadelis, NCCCS Board Vice-Chair Sandeep Aggarwal and Jonathan Bryant presented Truitt with a leadership award for her work supporting public charter schools.

“I am so excited to be here with my people, the charter school people,” Truitt said in her opening remarks.

In her remarks, Truitt noted how charter schools had kept their doors open during the pandemic, oftentimes “at a loss,” and showed parents how important charter schools are in North Carolina. She added that around 10% of students in the state attend a charter school.

“I am so incredibly proud of what this community did in order to help students recover from the pandemic more quickly than students who were shut out of their schools for longer,” said Truitt. “It was clear then, as it is now, that the opportunity to have choice in where a child goes to school, as well as choice in a method that your child best learns, are the greatest equalizers for parents and children.

“And there are absolutely forces in our state that want to take that choice away from you. And we are in a battle of philosophies between funding buildings and funding students … funding the system or funding students. And

if we’re not careful, we are going to lose that battle.”

Truitt also spoke about recent legislation such as the charter school omnibus and the new law establishing the Charter School Review Board (CSRB), which she said took “the politics out of approving and denying charter schools by providing charter school experts with the ability to vet schools.”

During the Match 8 welcome breakfast at the summit, attendees watched a surprise video message from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.

In the 50-second video, Cooper congratulated the NCCCS on holding its second annual summit and tied in his “Year of the Public Schools” proclamation.

“I declared 2024 as the Year of Public Schools in North Carolina to celebrate the amazing things happening there, including our public charter schools, which serve thousands of students across our state,” said Cooper. “North Carolina Public Charter schools o er a variety of educational opportunities for students and families and help ensure our students are prepared for the future. The future of our state goes to public school every single day, and we have to make sure we invest in that future.” Cooper went on to thank the charter school community for all the “good work you do.”

well as Ashley Baquero, director of the O ce of Charter Schools at the Department of Public Instruction.

At the beginning of the panel’s discussions, Friend highlighted Cooper’s veto message — the state’s Republican supermajority overturned the governor’s veto — on the CSRB bill in which he stated, “Oversight of charter schools should be conducted by education experts, not partisan politicians.”

“I carried that (press release) with me because it serves as a reminder of how important this work is and how important it is for us to get this work right,” said Friend.

“The future of our state goes to public school every single day, and we have to make sure we invest in that future.”

Gov. Roy Cooperin a video statement played at the NCCCS summit

Following the governor’s message, the day started with remarks on charter funding and growth given by state Sen. Amy Galey (R-Alamance), the chair of the Senate Appropriations on Education/Higher Education and Education/Higher Education Committees.

The lunch keynote speaker was Jeanne Allen, founder & CEO of the Center for Education Reform. Allen’s remarks centered on the power of advocacy in charter school growth and on her work on the Yass Price, often referred to as the “Pulitzer of Education.”

Other discussion panels followed, including topics such as the new CSRB, polling data and misconceptions about charters, construction of new schools, understanding state and local funding, as well as school safety, facility funding, and discussions about advocacy, lobbying and politics.

The CSRB panel included the new board’s Chair Bruce Friend, Vice-Chair John Eldridge, as

“On the CSRB, make no mistake, present self-excluded, are education experts.

“(They are) people who take the time and read every page of that 500-page application, who have the experience of being teachers and school leaders, heads of school, expertise in nance and facilities work, and I can go on and on.”

The panel also addressed the attempt made last September by the N.C. State Board of Education to control the charter school authorization process by threatening funding. The proposed policy was quickly extinguished by the legislature with language added to the 2023 budget barring such a move.

The majority of current state Board of Education members are Cooper appointees.

Another presentation that drew a crowd was “The Democratic Perspective on Charter Schools,” given by senior state Sen. Mike Woodard (D-Durham), which delved into a “path forward” on how to work with Democratic legislators.

“It’s sad to me about how partisan some of these things have become, and particularly when we talk about charter schools,” said Woodard, who sat on the board of a charter school for three years and tutors at a Title I school.

He added he was one of two incumbent Democrats to lose their primary races on March 5, and he believes his support of charter schools was a factor.

“Frankly, it’s become very hard for Democrats to support charter schools — that’s just the fact — or even work with the charter schools in their community,” said Woodard. “And Democrats who do work with their charter schools often pay a price. I lost my primary on Tuesday, and my work with the charters in my community was one of the issues

that was used against me in the primary.”

Woodard mentioned Reps. Cecil Brockman (D-Guilford), who staved o his challenger, and Michael Wray (D-Northampton), who was defeated, as “been good friends of charter schools as well.”

“They’re not going anywhere,” “Woodard said of charter schools. “We’re not going to get rid of them anytime soon, and they are providing, in the vast majority of cases, really good educational opportunities for our constituent families.”

Woodard said charter schools are growing in urban and suburban areas where the population often votes Democrat, making it essential that both sides of the political spectrum work together.

“Even when we see registrations change and move una liated, we’re seeing more and more of these counties vote Democratic. They’re turning very, very blue,” said Woodard, later adding that the voting pattern is spreading to neighboring counties.

“My point is that you’re going to have to nd that you’re going to have to work with these Democrats more and more,” said Woodard. “Just as charter schools are here to stay, the Democrats in those communities are there to stay.”

He added that his race was representative that charter schools would see more Democrats in the future, and he thinks that will be a challenge “politically” for charter schools as they move forward.

Woodard urged attendees to not only engage Democrat elected o cials, both at the local and state levels, by inviting them to their school and regularly talking to them but also to support them when they work to aid charter schools.

In an interview with North State Journal following his remarks, Woodard underscored the politicization of charter schools as a challenge Democrats face in supporting those schools as well as a “lack of knowledge.”

“I’m not sure that a lot of folks in my in the Democratic caucuses have spent time with charter schools and understanding what they do and what role they play in their community,” said Woodard. “So it starts there, I think, and the politicization of charters and their role in the community too; that it’s become a very political hot button and is used often against Democrats.”

Woodard said he is focused on items coming up in the legislature’s short session but has had conversations about his future.

“But I’m not going away or fading that into the woodwork,” said Woodward. “Public policy and public service has been something that I’ve dedicated my adult life to, so I’m going to continue serving just to nd you what the next step is.”

An outgoing Democratic state senator encouraged bipartisan cooperation on schooling

North Carolina State Superintendent Catherine Truitt, pictured in 2021, was honored by the North Carolina Coalition for Charter Schools earlier

THE CONVERSATION

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

EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL

High inflation is like massive weight gain — only worse

If a man “in ated” his weight at the same rate as annual in ation since Joe Biden became president in 2021, he will have gained 36 pounds.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO if you gained 36 pounds in less than three years?

First of all, you would be spending a lot of time at the tailor shop letting out waistlines or online buying a lot of new clothes. Secondly, you would start thinking about going on a strict diet and going to the Y every morning and afternoon. And thirdly, your physician and spouse would be getting on you night and day telling you to “stop gaining so much weight and start losing it, now!”

What if you knew that, no matter what you did, you would never go back to the weight you were before it happened? Your new higher weight would be the base weight you would carry for the rest of your life ― unless, of course, you started overeating and not exercising again and expanded your middle section again.

That is exactly what has happened to the U.S. money supply since Joe Biden became president. The Federal Reserve had to expand the money supply (in ation) massively in order to allow borrowing to cover all of the insane overspending of the progressive left.

At least overweight people can go on diets, exercise more and lose absolute poundage if they are diligent about it. These last three years under Biden have added layers and layers to our money supply which will never be fully reversed unless we experience a massive economic depression, which no one wants either.

The average price for a single-family home in America in 2000 was just $120,000. Today,

EDITORIAL | STACEY MATTHEWS

nationwide the average is over $480,000. We will never see an average of $120,000 singlefamily homes again.

The average weight for an American male aged 20 and older was 199 pounds in 2020. The average adult American woman weighed 171 pounds according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

If a man “in ated” his weight at the same rate as annual in ation since Joe Biden became president in 2021, he will have gained 36 pounds, almost 20%, to weigh 235 pounds today. An average American woman will have gained almost 31 pounds and now weigh 202 pounds.

That is a lot of weight. Biden and his team are celebrating a drop in in ation from over 9% to 3.9% today. However, if the average American male gains “only” 3.9% more weight by Christmas, he will “only” gain “another” nine pounds. The average American woman will gain another eight pounds.

That’s really bad. Percentage increases on large numbers result in much higher absolute gross amounts than on smaller base starting points. If you gain 3% in weight from 100 pounds, you gain only 3 pounds. If you gain 3% on 200 pounds, you gain 6 pounds.

In ation is cumulative. The fact that the in ation “rate” today is lower than it was in 2022 doesn’t mean prices are going down. It simply means prices are not going up as fast as they were in prior years.

Biden, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and his economic adviser Jared Bernstein tried to

Democrat narrative on ‘election interference’ su ers big hit

“The Netanyahu coalition no longer ts the needs of Israel after Oct. 7.”

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)

EVER SINCE the 2016 presidential election between Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump, we’ve been getting lectures from Democrats on the sanctity of our election process and how wrong it is for foreign governments to (allegedly) interfere.

The lectures stemmed in part from the Trump/Russia collusion hoax that Democrats and the media perpetuated for over four years without evidence.

Not a week went by without us hearing about it, with Democrat leaders including then-Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) sounding alarm bells about “possible interference” in future elections, including in 2020. “(A) lot of countries are trying to do it. We have to be prepared,” Schumer said in a July 2020 CNN interview. “We have to be guarded. We have to make sure they don’t. There was less of it in 2018 than 2016.”

It’s now the spring of 2024, and a presidential election is fast approaching here in the United States.

But Schumer, who is now the Senate majority leader, has been preoccupied with perceptions among the anti-Israel faction of his party regarding the Israel-Hamas war, so much so that last Thursday, in an extraordinary move, Schumer called for regime change … in Israel on the oor of the Senate.

“As a lifelong supporter of Israel, it has become clear to me: The Netanyahu coalition

no longer ts the needs of Israel after Oct. 7,” Schumer declared. “I believe that holding a new election once the war starts to wind down would give Israelis an opportunity to express their vision for the post-war future.”

It was an especially shocking speech considering Schumer’s status as the highestranking Jewish elected o cial in America and also considering his prior statements about how the U.S. must remain guarded and “vigilant” about other countries’ attempts at interfering in our elections.

Perhaps even more shockingly, there was not one word from President Joe Biden on the issue until the next day, when he was asked about it while sitting next to Ireland’s Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in the White House ahead of St. Patrick’s Day festivities.

“Sen. Schumer contacted my senior sta that he was going to make that speech, and I’m not gonna elaborate on the speech,” Biden remarked. “He made a good speech, and I think he expressed a serious concern shared not only by him but by many Americans,” Biden also said.

Biden stopped short of echoing Schumer’s call for new elections in Israel. But his praise of Schumer’s speech was the equivalent of him stepping over that line he’s straddled in publicly showing support for Israel while trying to appease anti-Israel factions in the Democratic party, especially in Michigan, which contains a large population of Arab and

sell in ation under his watch as “transitory” due to a single event — Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ― which was not correct. Sometimes the price of a commodity such as orange juice goes up when a late spring freeze kills orange blossoms in Florida and reduces the supply of oranges ― but that is the only thing that goes up. When our money supply is expanded and triggers overall currency in ation, everything goes up in price, not just one thing.

A basic rule of economics is when the supply of something goes up, the value or price of it goes down. The same thing happens with our money ― since the Fed had to print up so much more money to accommodate Biden’s oft-ridiculous spending proposals, our money is worth much less now, which is why it costs so much more of it to buy the things we need every day.

We have a colossal national problem since Biden’s economic team is as unschooled in the basics of economics, scal policy and business as the Obama economic team ― because they are mostly the same people. Virtually all of Biden’s advisers came out of the Obama administration, which never produced more than 2% real annual GDP growth in any of his eight years in o ce.

Losing weight is hard work. Getting back to lower prices is impossible after politicians install bad policies.

Biden and his team have made all the wrong choices ― we can’t a ord (literally) to let them make those same bad decisions for another four years.

Muslim Americans, many of whom oppose the war. But though Biden has been mum in public about regime change, he has reportedly been working behind the scenes to gure out how to force Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu out in other ways.

According to a New York Magazine report, “One Israeli expert frequently consulted by American o cials says, ‘I have been asked by a serious administration gure what it is that will force the Netanyahu coalition to collapse. They were interested in the mechanics, what can we demand which will collapse his coalition.’”

To be sure, foreign election interference has been a thing going back decades, with the United States doing its part as well.

It’s just that these days they aren’t doing much in the way of trying to hide their e orts at in uencing another country’s election, which in the eyes of many Americans maybe wouldn’t have been seen as such a scandal had a) we not been subjected to years of nger-wagging about foreign election interference, and b) Israel not been in the ght of their lives against an existential threat.

North Carolina native Stacey Matthews has also written under the pseudonym Sister Toldjah and is a media analyst and regular contributor to RedState and Legal Insurrection.

COLUMN | ANDREW CAMPANELLA

The bright future of school choice in North Carolina

COLUMN PAUL STAM

Confusion on IVF

FOR YEARS, parents across North Carolina have demanded greater access to schools and learning environments that would better meet their children’s interests, talents and needs. Now, these demands have transformed into new opportunities.

Late last year, the North Carolina legislature heeded parents’ calls, expanding the state’s Opportunity Scholarship program so that all families could apply for scholarships to make private schooling more a ordable. On Fe. 1, 2024, the state opened applications to the program for the rst time since its expansion. Just minutes after going live, the application website crashed due to the overwhelming rush of newly eligible parents who were eager to apply.

The website was quickly repaired, and enthusiasm for school choice in the Tarheel State has only grown since. Since its inception in 2013, the Opportunity Scholarship program has grown from serving just over 1,200 students in 2014 to serving more than 32,000 students a decade later. With this recent expansion, these numbers will only continue to increase, as approximately 50,000 scholarships are projected to be o ered in the 2024-25 school year. Over the past year, participation in the state’s Education Savings Account Program (ESA+) for students with special needs has more than tripled, too. Given that the ESA program is still relatively new, it still holds potential to unlock greater educational freedom for more families.

However, private school choice isn’t the only option for North Carolina families. The Tarheel State also o ers some of the greatest public sector variety in the country, including charter schools, magnet schools and online schools.

Over 140,000 students are now enrolled at charter schools, marking a 19% growth since 2019. Magnet schools in North Carolina also continue to be some of the most widely available and popular in the country, with 263 schools serving 9.1% of students in the state.

Finally, North Carolina is home to the second largest state-led virtual school in the nation, North Carolina Virtual Public School, which enrolls over 58,000 students per year.

COLUMN | JEFF POWELL

The combination of North Carolina’s growing private school choice programs and robust public sector options has led to an educational renaissance across the state. More than 400,000 of North Carolina’s students are now attending either public charters, private schools or are educated at home. This makes up 22% of school-aged children, the highest in the state’s history.

As these programs continue to grow in popularity, the next step for North Carolina should be to continue monitoring its programs to ensure that parents receive the highest quality service without facing any bureaucratic barriers while accessing their options.

It is also crucial that any family in the state who wants to learn more about the new options available to their children can easily access this information. According to our research, 64% of parents nationwide say they wish they had more information about the options that are available for their children’s education. This is where e ective organizations like Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina, CarolinaCAN, and the North Carolina Association of Public Charter Schools come in. These organizations help families navigate their options while raising broad awareness on how kids can bene t from new or expanded education options.

Finally, as North Carolina looks at further expanding these options, it could consider making it easier for families to choose traditional public schools outside of their zones or districts. North Carolina is one of only two states that have an o cial public school “open enrollment” policy. The future of school choice in North Carolina is bright, and the Tarheel State has taken great leaps in providing families with new ways to help their children learn, thrive and succeed. Hopefully, the state will continue down this path as the calls from parents for new education options only grow louder.

Andrew Campanella is the president and CEO of the National School Choice Awareness Foundation.

Is the Constitution obsolete?

Over 140,000 students are now enrolled at charter schools, marking a 19% growth since 2019. American history provides repeated proof of the ability of Congress to act, decisively, when a true national majority wants it to.

AN INCREASING NUMBER of Americans are asking whether our Constitution is obsolete.

Whether that fear leads to legal cynicism, political despair or a call for radical change varies from person to person, but the question is a real one and worth careful thought, for two reasons. The common life of the United States centers on the U.S. Constitution to a degree unparalleled elsewhere, and if that center is out of date, we have a serious problem. And ours is the oldest national constitution in the world: It isn’t implausible to think, or at least worry, that it no longer serves our national needs.

The main body of the Constitution was written 237 years ago, and our Bill of Rights (the rst 10 amendments) a couple of years later. They were written in and for a world without photography, telecommunications, practicable steamships, trains, cars, electric lights or nuclear weapons. The United States was a predominantly rural, pre-Industrial Revolution society with fewer than 4 million inhabitants, over 17% of whom were enslaved.

The framers and rati ers were all white men, and almost all the leading gures were “gentlemen” who assumed that political leadership naturally belonged to the propertied class. While most of the founders conceded, theoretically, that human slavery was morally wrong, the vast majority thought black Americans inferior and simply hoped that the slavery problem would go away on its own, without disturbing anyone’s pocketbook.

As far as we know, none of the framers or rati ers objected to excluding women from political life. It would be surprising if a Constitution devised by men of such views, in so di erent a time, was not obsolete.

Worry that the Constitution is outdated isn’t based solely on such considerations: a variety of its speci c features seem to demonstrate the Constitution’s obsolescence. I will mention three. First, the process of national lawmaking is slow and cumbersome, requiring majority support in both houses of Congress, and even then legislation can be thwarted if the president vetoes a bill and a minority in either house agrees. Second, the president is thought to wield too much unilateral power over U.S. foreign policy and the use of military force, leading to endless foreign wars and (potentially) nuclear con ict with little congressional or popular control. Third, the federal courts play too great a role in American life, making public policy on sensitive issues regardless of public sentiment. The list could go on inde nitely. There is considerable truth in these worries, but I nonetheless reject the conclusion that the Constitution is obsolete. Look again at the three speci c concerns I just mentioned. Yes, the Constitution creates a process with builtin checks on successful lawmaking. But that’s not an unanticipated bug in the system: It is

instead an intentional choice by the founders, who sought to create a Congress that would have the powers and exibility to meet national needs but only when and to the extent that legislation has wide public support.

The Congress of 2024 is prone to deadlock because we the people are so evenly divided on so many issues. American history provides repeated proofs of the ability of Congress to act, decisively, when a true national majority wants it to.

I agree that modern presidents — every president of either party — have grown too accustomed to treating American foreign policy as their exclusive domain, and too prone to resort to military force in pursuing whatever goals they think appropriate. Here too, however, we the people are ultimately responsible. Congress has ample power — over spending, foreign commerce and the armed forces — to limit unilateral presidential action foreign. If Congress fails to do so, who is it that puts those feckless senators and representatives in o ce in the rst place?

And what about the courts? The federal courts have shown themselves quite willing to act on a remarkable (and I think over-broad) range of issues. This is by no means all our fault. Federal judges aren’t elected, life tenure insulates them against personal consequences for controversial or ill-reasoned decisions, and few make it to the Supreme Court in particular without developing some degree of hubris.

But here too, we the people have played a critical role. Precisely because we are so polarized, Americans on both sides of many issues have largely given up trying to persuade their fellow citizens and have turned instead to seeking victory in, and often by packing, the courts. If we ask less of our courts and more of ourselves, there is reason to hope the judges will display more modesty in decision.

By now you have probably guessed my broader reason for denying that the Constitution is obsolete. The founders weren’t infallible, and we can and should disagree with them on a host of vital issues. But the Constitution they created is above all else a structure carefully designed to subject those who govern to the will of the governed and to require government to defend its actions at the bar of popular opinion as well as in the courtroom.

All American citizens ought to view it as their duty to be politically involved, to vote and to consider stepping forward to run for o ce themselves so that service in elected positions is truly shared among the people rather than the preserve of professional politicians.

If we do, no one will have reason to worry that the Constitution is obsolete.

Je Powell teaches constitutional law at Duke University Law School.

THERE IS CONFUSION on what a human embryo is. It is not sperm. It is not an egg. The very first two sentences of “The Developing Human — Clinically Oriented Embryology, (2nd ed 1977)” by Keith Moore states:

“Development is a continuous process that begins when an oocyte (ovum) is fertilized by a spermatozoon and ends at death. It is a process of growth and differentiation which transforms the zygote, a single cell, into a multicellular adult human being.”

No new science has changed that truth in the last 50 years. What is the law here?

North Carolina law on unborn children is not confused. N.C. Sen. Bill 20 (2023) makes lawful abortions up to the 12th week of pregnancy with limited exceptions. Without that law and its Roe v. Wade predecessor, the criminal law would be the same as common law.

In 1859, the American Medical Association unanimously adopted a resolution “condemning abortion at every period of gestation, except as necessary to preserve the life of mother or child.” The reason: the increasing frequency “of such unwarrantable destruction of human life.”

The common law (as of 1776, and probably as of 1669) made abortion a crime from conception. “The moment the womb is instinct with embryo life and gestation has begun . . .” the crime may be committed (1880)

N.C. civil law also considers the unborn child to be protected from the time of conception.

The law of North Carolina is that the property, real and personal, of one dying without a will immediately vests in a child en ventre sa mere.

In 1823, the statute clarified: “[n] o inheritance shall descend to any person, unless such person shall be in life at the death of the person last seized, or shall be born withing ten months after the death of the person last seized.” Ten lunar months is 280 days. A child, once conceived, could take a property interest under a will to “children.” (1839)

An 1854 statute states that “[a] n infant unborn, but in esse, (in existence) shall be deemed a person capable of taking by deed as if he were born.” Note the words “infant unborn.”

For all purposes beneficial to her, the unborn child was protected by the civil law. Law and biology were consistent and considered the child in the womb to be within the protection of law from conception.

There is confusion between abortion and IVF.

In either abortion or IVF, the intention includes the destruction of a living human being. Of those embryos created by IVF, most are to be discarded, and only one or two are intended to be implanted and proceed to birth.

There are differences. The obvious one is size. Another is pain. I am not aware of evidence that the embryo at one week has the capacity to feel pain. There is capacity for the unborn child to feel pain somewhere between 10 and 15 weeks after fertilization.

On the other side, the destruction of most of the embryos in the IVF procedure is morally worse than the abortion of the child in the womb. How so? The usual reasons stated for abortion do not apply. The woman seeking IVF has not been impregnated by rape or incest. Neither her life nor her health are in any danger. By definition, she wants at least one of these children and can afford to raise her. The child will not interfere with her career or education nor, as the U.S. Supreme Court said in 1993, interfere with her consideration of the mysteries of existence and her place in the universe.

I suppose that if IVF were accomplished by creating one or two embryos and implanting them, some of the moral objections would be less powerful. The general practice is to create multiple embryos in the test tube, test them, implant one or two and destroy the rest.

Those with a historical or biblical turn of mind might study the first chapter of Luke, written by a historian. When Jesus was about 8 days old (in Mary’s womb) his cousin, John the Baptist, leapt for joy because John was in the presence of the Messiah (John’s mother was in her sixth month).

Embryos are plentiful. They are not worthless.

Murphy to Manteo Jones & Blount

Bet on it: sports betting in NC

Last week marked the rst week of sports betting. This week’s Murphy

which those who wanted to place a wager were able to do so.”

Saine also said he expected sports betting revenues to exceed initial expectations “even though we started after the Super Bowl.” Sports betting did start in time for the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament, which was won by 10thseeded NC State. The Wolfpack were a nine-point underdog to rival UNC in the championship game in terms of

WEST PIEDMONT EAST

Confederate monument to be relocated

Forsyth County

Deputy red, charged with kidnapping, assaulting wife Gaston County A Gaston County deputy was red after he allegedly assaulted his wife in Mecklenburg County earlier this month, according to o cials. Local reports reveal that an arrest sheet from the Matthews Police Department stated that o cers were called to a parking lot after receiving reports of a domestic dispute between Deputy Edward Gerard Stivala and his wife. According to the arrest sheet, Stivala hit his wife and would not let her out of the car. Stivala eventually let her out of the car and drove away, but when his wife and o cers called him, he returned to meet them at the Matthews Police Department and had intentionally smashed his head into the steering wheel, according to reports. Further investigation revealed that Stivala’s wife told police that he had been abusive of her “for a while” and said “that no one would listen to her,” the arrest sheet stated.

WBTV

dinner spots.” The article also suggested that author Jan Karon based her beloved “Mitford” series on the town.

NSJ

Winston-Salem o cials say the confederate monument which was originally erected at the intersection of Fourth Street and Liberty Street in 1905 and taken down in 2019 is set to be taken out of storage and moved to a permanent location. Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines said the monument was taken down because it was on private property, and the owners asked for it to be removed.

New

owner razes historic Greensboro property

Guilford County

He says a new location was proposed and accepted by the United Daughters of the Confederacy, and it will be announced soon.

NSJ

Nonpro t hosts urban rappelling fundraiser

Randolph County

The Arc of High Point hosted its “Over the Edge” urban rappelling experience fundraiser on Saturday. Local outlets reported that those who participated got to tap into their inner daredevil by rappelling down the Embassy Suites Hotel in High Point, safely rigged up by a team of professionals. The Arc of High Point is a nonpro t organization that supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and as of early Saturday afternoon, the event had raised around $60,000 in funds.

WGHP

The new owner of the Spencer Love House in Greensboro has released a statement about the decision to tear down the historic home. The home, located at 710 Country Club Dr. in the historic Irving Park district, has passed through the hands of multiple notable local gures, including Burlington Industries founder J. Spencer Love, former Greensboro Mayor Benjamin Cone and former U.S. ambassador to Finland Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, according to local reports. The house was built by Love in 1937. The current owner, Roy Carroll, said in his statement that the home “did not meet the needs of how we live in our homes today,” and that “many elements of the house would not be deemed adequate by current inspection and planning requirements.” According to property records, the home sat on about three acres, with a living area of 10,834 square feet with ve bedrooms, six full bathrooms and three half-baths.

WGHP

Man arrested for murder of child’s aunt

Johnston County

The Johnston County Sheri ’s O ce has told local outlets that a man was arrested on Monday for homicide. Deputies were dispatched Sunday to a residence in Smith eld, where they say Emily Christine Steinho , 44, was shot and killed as she took her sister to the residence to pick up her sister’s 14-month-old child from the child’s father, Dorian Thomas, 50, who is alleged to have red the lethal shot. Thomas was arrested at the scene and charged with murder.

WNCN

Man found dead in Roanoke River

Creedmoor

Police partner with local animal shelter

Granville County

The Granville County Animal Shelter has partnered with the Creedmoor Police Department to bring awareness to homeless animals in the county. According to the shelter, o cers each took the time to get to know all the dogs available for adoption and took photos with them. “It was truly amazing to watch them interact with these sweet dogs,” the animal shelter said in a message to the community. “We really can’t thank this group enough! It was a pleasure.”

NSJ

Northampton County A man was found dead at the Roanoke River early Saturday morning, according to the Northampton County Sheri ’s O ce. In a press statement, o cials detailed events that unfolded on Saturday shortly after 7:15 a.m. as the sheri ’s o ce responded to the Gaston Boat Landing in Littleton regarding a single-vehicle wreck that was partially in the water. The vehicle was located in the rst parking lot visible from Roanoke Rapids Road. After arriving and investigating, deputies reportedly found a 19-year-old man from the Roanoke Rapids area with multiple gunshot wounds. The man has been identi ed as Sherrod Person, and the sheri ’s o ce is investigating his death as a homicide. The Northampton County Sheri ’s O ce, along with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, is helping the Gaston Police Department with the investigation.

NSJ

By Gary D. Robertson The Associated Press

RALEIGH — Democratic Rep. Michael Wray led protests Friday in his primary election in which he slightly trails, alleging that ballot distribution and counting mistakes along with unlawful voting-site campaigning cast doubt on the results.

Wray, who joined the state House in 2005, led the protests with elections boards in Halifax, Northampton and Warren counties, which compose the 27th House District.

As of Friday afternoon, Rodney Pierce, a Halifax County teacher, led Wray by 35 votes from close to 12,000 ballots cast in last week’s primary. The winner faces no Republican opposition in the fall.

Wray has been criticized by outside groups and other Democrats for aligning himself at times with leaders in the Republican-controlled House, where he’s been made one of the senior chairmen of the powerful nance committee.

Pierce called on Wray to concede, saying he “seems to want to change the rules more than a week after the contest ended, just because he lost.” And several groups favoring Pierce’s election put out news releases calling the accusations “bogus” and “dirty tricks.”

Wray challenges what happened with more than a dozen voters. Several received a ballot for the wrong party primary, the protests say, while the choices of others who cast provisional ballots should be counted. He also alleges that a Democratic poll observer at a Halifax County precinct instructed voters to choose Pierce, violating laws against electioneering and coercion.

“We are not challenging any votes that were cast and counted. We are simply asking the county boards to ensure

that they did not improperly reject any ballots,” Wray said in a news release. “We simply want to ensure that all valid ballots are counted.”

The boards in each county within the 27th District will meet to determine whether to dismiss each protest or call for a hearing in which evidence is received. The Warren and Halifax boards planned meetings for Tuesday to consider Wray’s protest.

The current vote margin between Pierce and Wray also would allow Wray to seek a recount — a decision that Wray said Friday would wait until race results are certi ed.

The protests were led on the same day election boards in all 100 counties were scheduled to complete the nal tabulations of ballot choices from the March 5 primaries. The Warren board had recessed its canvass meeting given the protest, elections director Debbie Formyduval said Friday afternoon. Leading up to Friday’s canvass, the county board examined details related to more than 11,000 provisional absentee or in-person ballots to determine whether they would be added to the initial counts. The State Board of Elections canvass is March 26.

School ghts, videos resurface, this time in New Hanover County

High school and middle school ghts are showing up on social media and becoming a campaign talking point

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — Since the end of the pandemic, videos from around the country of students ghting on public school grounds have increasingly found their way onto social media platforms.

The most recent example making national headlines involved a school sta er who was injured during a violent student brawl at Brockton High School in Massachusetts. According to a report by the New York Post, the school has seen a series of such altercations, prompting school committee members to request the governor send in the National Guard to help overwhelmed sta members.

The same type of ghting and videos of student altercations have also been seen occurring in North Carolina’s public schools.

In 2021, North State Journal documented videos of students ghting in Guilford County Public Schools landing on X, Instagram and Tik-Tok. The following year in Moore County Public Schools, a series of more than a dozen ghts that took place at a single middle school were uploaded to social media.

This school year, at least three videos of ghts that allegedly took place on the campus of Wilmington’s Laney High School in New Hanover County were posted to X by Natosha Tew, a candidate for New Hanover County’s school board and the chapter chair for the New Hanover County Moms for Liberty.

Tew said she received the videos from sta at Laney and posted them on her X account, @NHCMoms4Liberty. In the three posts, she says the ghts took place Oct. 24, Feb. 8 and Feb. 28.

Tew told North State Journal

that the rise in ghts, and those recorded, are because of several factors, and she has used the instances as part of her platform in the race for the school board seat.

“Violent altercations occur weekly, and sometimes even daily, on school premises,” she said. “This unruly, disrespectful and violent behavior towards fellow students, and even school employees, is a direct result of the restorative justice policies currently in place, the racist woke ideology being taught in our classrooms, and the lack of serious consequences for such abhorrent behavior. It is time to bring truth, common sense and discipline back to our schools.”

A teacher, who has worked at Laney High but wished not to be identi ed by name, told North State Journal that ghts at Laney are a near “daily” occurrence. “I feel like the public doesn’t

“I feel like the public doesn’t want to have to know about it. And once they see it, they’re like, ‘Oh, my God.’ They’re horri ed.”

Anonymous Laney High School teacher

want to have to know about it. And once they see it, they’re like, ‘Oh, my God.’ They’re horri ed,” the teacher said. “But the repeat o enders, they go home and their parents will swear that it wasn’t their fault.”

The teacher also claimed drugs are a problem at Laney.

“You know it’s the gangs and the drugs … and the parents

are either part of it or just turn a blind eye,” the teacher alleged. “And the part of society that wouldn’t approve doesn’t want to have to know what’s going on. They’d rather just stay in their little bubble and think that the world’s great and they don’t want to have to know the realities of it.”

North State Journal reached out to the district for comment and received nearly the same reply for both of our inquiries on the rst two videos.

“Thank you for reaching out,” wrote Salvatore Cardella, a communications employee with New Hanover County Public Schools. “While we do not typically comment on speci c student disciplinary matters, I want to emphasize that the safety and well-being of our students are paramount concerns for us.

“We consistently assess and re ne our policies and proce-

UNC Board of Trustees chair praises new dean of School of Civic Life and Leadership

John Preyer called the hiring of Jed Atkins

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — University of North Carolina Board of Trustees Chair John Preyer is pleased with Jed Atkins as the pick for the inaugural dean of the School of Civic Life and Leadership (SCiLL) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“I mean, we have been incredibly fortunate,” said Preyer in an interview with North State Journal. “(Atkins is) arguably the most sought-after person in the universe of schools that are pursuing their own schools of civic life and leadership. I’m very pleased.”

Preyer shared a comment made by Atkins, in which he said, “It’s hard to imagine anything less contentious than the idea that we should be providing students with a liberal arts education that prepares them for the weighty responsibilities of democratic citizenship.”

“I agree with that thought 100%,” Preyer said. “So I would hope that everyone that loves the university, everyone that wants the university to lead and be a national leader on something really important — they should all fully embrace the School of Civic Life and Leadership.”

Per its website, SCiLL “provides an interdisciplinary home speci cally for the study and practice of public discourse, civic life, and civic leadership” and “provides students a grounding in the foundations and current state of American political experience and democracy.”

Atkins, currently serving as an associate professor of classical studies at Duke and director of the school’s Civil Discourse Project, was appointed earlier this month as the inaugural director and dean of SCiLL. His start date is March 28, and Atkins will hold the Taylor Grandy Distinguished Professorship on the philosophy of living. Atkins, part of the Duke faculty since 2009, specializes in Greek and Roman political and moral philosophy as well as the history of political thought, and he has led on topics such as tolerance and civil discourse. Before his tenure at Duke, Atkins ob-

tained a master’s degree in philosophy in political thought and intellectual history as well as a doctorate in classics from the University of Cambridge.

“So in the short run, what we would like to see is this school create an atmosphere on our campus that results in much more critical thinking, the constructing of arguments and defense of points of view in a way that is currently not taking place in many parts of the country,” Preyer said of the hopes and goals of SCiLL. “And in order to better re ne the sort of meaning of what it is to be civil and respectful in your argument, we’ve created a bastion of that at the

dures to uphold the highest safety standards for all members of our school community. Your interest in our commitment to student safety is appreciated.”

Included in one of Cardella’s responses were “additional resources” such as the New Hanover County Schools website’s “About Us” page, with directions to access the Laney High “School Behavior Plan,” which mirrors the district’s student code of conduct, speci cally Policy Code: 4331 Assaults and Threats.

Policy 4331 says ghting and similar conduct are “prohibited” and refers to another policy section with “consequences” that can be anything from “student mediation” to “long-term suspension.”

In both inquiries made by North State Journal, Cardella did not address whether or not the videos occurred on Laney High’s campus.

The past two school years in New Hanover County Public Schools have seen an increase in crimes compared to the mostly prepandemic school year of 2019-2020. During that year, there were 102 reportable crimes at a rate per 1,000 students of 3.98%.

According to the supplemental data for the NC 2022-23 Consolidated Data Report, which contains school-related crime statistics that include assault or ghting, New Hanover, as a district, had 167 reportable crimes for a rate of 6.735% per 1,000 students. That’s an increase from 121 reported during 202122 with an accompanying crime rate of 4.918%.

During 2022-23, high schools in the district overall saw 131 reportable crimes. Based on the student population of 8,419, that’s a crime rate of 15.16% per 1,000 students. The year prior, there were 88 reportable high school crimes with a similar student population and a crime rate of 10.63%.

For Laney High School specifically, there were 34 reportable acts of crime during 2022-23, which breaks down to a 15.61% rate per 1,000 students; the highest in the district for a high school that year.

During the 2021-22 school year, Laney saw 26 reportable crimes and a crime rate of around 12.6%. Going back to 2019-20, Laney had 26 reportable crimes and a crime rate of 12.71%.

er has a background in environmental issues, including serving as legislative director for U.S. Sen. Lauch Faircloth, which led him to co-found Restoration Systems, a company focused on wetland and habitat mitigation. Students who minor in civic life and leadership will explore “interdisciplinary training” in civics, the humanities and scienti c literacy to enable students to be “lifelong citizens-scholars committed to confronting the challenges that face our democracy.” The minor program is scheduled to launch in the fall.

“Everything thus far has been overwhelmingly positive,” Preyer said of student reaction to SCiLL. “And the one thing that we’ve continued to hear from students is, ‘When will classes be available?’ and we will be starting them this upcoming fall,” said Preyer. “And we hope that we will have record turnout for a new program like this.”

SCiLL faced some challenges in the past year, with critics claiming the creation of the school was unnecessary and an overstepping of the BOT’s authority.

In early 2023, UNC Faculty Chair Mimi Chapman called SCiLL “a solution in search of a problem” despite plans for such a school being in the works as part of the public discourse program at UNC since 2016.

University of North Carolina now that will hopefully be a model for other places around the country. “And if we’re the leader, others will follow, and I hope that this will spark reform and higher education across the country so that we do not have the continuation of cancel culture in the way that we’ve seen the past several years.”

Preyer, a graduate of UNC in political science, has served on various boards at the university, including the Board of Visitors for the UNC Institute for the Environment and the University’s Board of Trustees.

Appointed as chair of the trustees in August 2023, Prey-

“Provost Chris Clemens was sort of the architect of that effort,” Preyer said of the SCiLL controversy. “And the faculty as well as the university was, at the time, trying to stand up a new program in public discourse.”

He described the public discourse program as having become a speaker series instead of an active program as the reason the board decided to move forward with SCiLL.

Preyer said he’s seen “almost no criticism since the board passed the resolution a little over a year ago.”

GERRY BROOME / AP PHOTO

UNC’s new School of Civic Life and Leadership will be led by Jed Atkins.

EDWARD ORDE / CREATIVE COMMONS

There have been several school ghts at Edward A. Laney High School in Wilmington uploaded to social media this school year.

NATION & WORLD

Trump lawyers: Impossible to post $454M bond

New York

Donald Trump’s lawyers told a New York appellate court on Monday that it’s impossible for him to post a bond covering the full amount of his $454 million civil fraud judgment while he appeals. A state appeals court judge ruled last month that Trump must post a bond covering the full amount to pause enforcement of the judgment, which is to begin on March 25. Judge Arthur Engoron ruled in February that Trump, his company and top executives, including his sons Eric and Donald Trump Jr., schemed for years to deceive banks and insurers by in ating his wealth on nancial statements used to secure loans and make deals.

Ohio governor declares emergency after storms kill 3

Columbus, Ohio

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine declared a state of emergency in 11 counties across a swath of central Ohio struck by severe weather last week. DeWine also activated the Ohio National Guard to help o cials in Logan County, where three deaths were con rmed, with cleanup of storm debris on public property. The declaration announced Sunday orders all relevant state departments and agencies to lend their services, equipment, supplies and personnel to aid in response and recovery e orts. The storms also left trails of destruction across parts of Kentucky, Indiana and Arkansas.

Gangs unleash new attacks in Haiti’s capital

Port-au-Prince, Haiti Gangs attacked two upscale neighborhoods in Haiti’s capital early Monday in a rampage that left at least a dozen people dead in surrounding areas. Gunmen looted homes in the communities of Laboule and Thomassin before sunrise, forcing residents to ee as some called radio stations pleading for police. The neighborhoods had remained largely peaceful despite a surge in violent gang attacks across Port-au-Prince that began on Feb. 29. A photographer with The Associated Press saw the bodies of at least 12 men strewn on the streets of Pétionville, located just below the mountainous communities of Laboule and Thomassin.

U.N. agency: ‘Famine imminent’ in northern Gaza

Rafah, Gaza Strip

The U.N. food agency said Monday that “famine is imminent” in northern Gaza, where 70% of the remaining population is experiencing catastrophic hunger, and that a further escalation of the war could push around half of Gaza’s total population to the brink of starvation. The report came as Israel faces mounting pressure from even its closest allies to streamline the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip and open more land crossings. Deliveries by air and sea that the U.S. and other countries have turned to in recent weeks are too slow and too small, aid groups say.

Biden says mentally un t candidate is Trump

The president has been combatting allegations that he is slipping with age

By Colleen Long

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The big news this week, President Joe Biden said at a weekend Washington roast, was that two candidates had clinched their party’s nomination for president. But one was too old, too mentally un t for the job, he said.

“The other’s me,” Biden quipped.

The digs against Republican Donald Trump kept coming from the president at the annual Gridiron Club and Foundation Dinner, as Biden de ected ongoing criticism that his memory is hazy and he appears confused, instead highlighting moments when the 77-year-old Trump has slipped up, too.

“Don’t tell him, he thinks he’s running against Barack Obama, that’s what he said,” said Biden, 81, who also quipped that he was staying up way past his bedtime.

It was the rst time Biden has attended the dinner during his presidency, and it comes as

the 2024 election looms and the rematch between Biden and Trump heats up. The annual bacchanalia hosted by the journalistic organization, now in its 139th year, traces its history to 1885 — that was the year President Grover Cleveland refused to attend. Every president since has come to at least one Gridiron dinner.

Biden veered quickly into the somber, though, highlighting what he sees as a real threat to democracy should Trump return to the White House. The speech had echoes of Biden’s campaign remarks, criticizing Trump as too soft on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“We live in an unprecedented moment in democracy,” he said. “An unprecedented moment for history. Democracy and freedom are literally under attack. Putin’s on the march in Europe. My predecessor bows down to him and says to him, ‘Do whatever the hell you want.’”

Biden then introduced the Ukrainian ambassador, Oksana Markarova, and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.

“We will not bow down. They will not bow down, and I will not bow down,” he said.

Biden, dressed in white-tie

attire as is the custom, brought his daughter Ashley.

The dinner has a reputation as a night of bipartisan mirth, and it was jam-packed with politicians and who’s-who of Washington, including Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emho , at least eight other Cabinet members, at least ve members of Congress,

STIP Project No. P-2918F

CHARLOTTE - The N.C. Department of Transportation is hosting a public meeting to discuss the proposal to construct a new passenger rail facility southwest of uptown Charlotte to support the growth of intercity passenger rail and the new Charlotte Gateway Station in Mecklenburg County.

Project details and maps can be found on the NCDOT project web page https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/charlotte-passenger-rail-facility

The information will be presented at the meeting allowing for one-on-one discussions

The meeting will be held Mar. 25 at Pritchard at South End Church, 1117 South Boulevard, Charlotte. The public is invited to attend at any time between 5 - 7 p.m

Caldwell Street and Lexington Avenue.

People may also submit comments by phone at 512-580-8850 project code 6193 email charlotte-passenger-rail@publicinput.com

below by April 25, 2024

By Mail: Mathew Potter NCDOT Rail Division – Project Development Engineer Consultant 1553 Mail Service Center

NCDOT will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disabled people who wish to participate in this meeting. Anyone magallagher@ncdot.gov as early as possible so arrangements can be made.

de interpretación si los solicitan llamando

ve governors and at least ve ambassadors. Leo Varadkar, the Irish prime minister who’s in town for St. Patrick’s Day, also attended. Also speaking at the dinner were Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, and Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican. Biden closed out the dinner, speaking also about the impor-

“Don’t tell him, he thinks he’s running against Barack Obama, that’s what he said.”

President Joe Biden on Donald Trump

tance of a free press. Although he may not agree with everything the news media prints, he said, he understands the necessity of journalism and said he was still working to bring home journalists Evan Gershkovich and Austin Tice, one held in Russia, the other who disappeared during a reporting trip in Syria. “Good journalism holds a mirror up to society,” he said. “We need you.” Biden and Harris were seated at the head table along with other administration o cials and foreign leaders, plus Gridiron president Dan Balz of The Washington Post. Seated also at the table were Balz’s bosses, the Post’s Executive Editor Sally Buzbee and the newspaper’s owner, Je Bezos.

N Korea resumes missile tests, raising tensions

By Hyung-Jin Kim and Mari Yamaguchi

The Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea red multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters Monday morning, its neighbors said, days after the end of the South Korean-U.S. military drills that the North views as an invasion rehearsal.

The launches were North Korea’s rst known missile testing activities in about a month. Outside experts earlier predicted North Korea would extend its run of missile tests and intensify its warlike rhetoric ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November to boost its leverage in future diplomacy.

Japan’s Defense Ministry said North Korea red three missiles, two together at 7:44 a.m. and the other about 37 minutes later. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told a parliamentary session that the North Korean missiles landed in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan, all outside of Japan’s exclusive economic zone, and that no damage or injuries have been reported. Kishida denounced North Korea’s repeated ballistic missile tests as acts “that threaten the peace and safety of Japan, the region and the international society.” He said Japan strongly protested against North Korea over its testing

activities, saying they violated U.N. Security Council resolutions that ban the North from engaging in any ballistic activities.

South Korea’s military said it also detected “several” suspected short-range ballistic launches by North Korea on Monday morning. The Joint Chiefs of Sta called the launches “clear provocation” that threaten peace on the Korean Peninsula. It said South Korea will maintain readiness to repel any provocation by North Korea, based on its solid military alliance with the United States.

According to Japan and South Korean assessments, the North Korean missiles red from its capital region traveled a distance of 185-220 miles and reached a maximum altitude of about 30 miles. Observers say the missiles’ ight distances indicate they are weapons targeting major facilities in South Korea, such as its military headquarters in the central region.

The U.S. State Department condemned the launches, saying they pose a threat to the North’s neighbors and undermine regional security. A State Department statement said the U.S. commitment to the defense of South Korea and Japan remain “ironclad.” The U.S. stations a total of 80,000 troops in South Korea and Japan, the backbone of its military presence in the Asia-Paci c region.

EVAN VUCCI / AP PHOTO

President Joe Biden took aim at Donald Trump, questioning the former president’s mental accuity at the annual Gridiron Club and Foundation Dinner.

Paid loyalty programs continue to expand in retail, restaurants

Stores and restaurants with paid memberships are betting on it

By Anne D’Innocenzio and Dee-Ann Durbin

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — How much does it cost to feel special?

At Chuck E. Cheese, the family entertainment and pizza chain, the price is $7.99, $11.99 or $29.99 per month. Paid loyalty programs are expanding in the restaurant and retail worlds. Looking for reliable sales in an unpredictable spending environment, more companies have extended their points-based loyalty tiers to make their most dependable customers feel valued for an upfront fee.

Consumers are promised perks such as free deliveries and rst dibs on new launches, but also in some cases the right to jump ahead of nonmembers on reservation lists and in customer service queues.

It’s a method rooted in both the business case for treating big spenders well — it’s cheaper for businesses to keep an existing customer than to nd a new one — and in the fundamental human need for belonging, said Valerie Folkes, a consumer psychologist and marketing professor emerita at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business.

“If they’re seated earlier than other people or there’s a special line for them at the registers, then they feel they’re special,” Folkes said. “It makes them feel that there’s a stronger link

or a bond between themselves and the company.”

In retailing, Target is taking on the Amazon Prime juggernaut with a paid loyalty program that will cost $49 a year between April 7 and May 18, and $99 annually thereafter. Members of Target Circle 360 can expect free two-day shipping and free deliveries of orders over $35 in as little as an hour, the company announced last week.

Target executives said the 100 million-plus customers enrolled in the company’s free Target Circle loyalty plan already spend ve times more than nonmembers. CEO Brian Cornell told The Associated Press the hope is the new paid membership “builds more relevance, more stickiness.”

Chuck E. Cheese piloted a paid program with bronze, silver and gold tiers in Santee,

California, in December and launched it in the rest of the San Diego area in February. The program o ers discounts on food and drinks and freebies like cotton candy. Members also receive free “play points,” which allow customers to play arcade games and get snacks, and e-tickets, which are typically earned from playing arcade games and redeemed for prizes. The tickets and points are automatically loaded onto the customer’s card.

Gold tier members, for example, pay $29.99 per month, receive 50% o their meals and earn 1,000 tickets. Bronze members, who pay $7.99 a month, have food and beverages discounted at 20% and get 200 tickets. The higher the tier, the better discounts and the more e-tickets and play points customers get.

Mark Kupferman, the com-

pany’s chief insights and marketing o cer, said the program o ers good value for repeat customers at a time when families paying higher costs for basic necessities may feel nancially stretched.

“So this gives them options that they can come more often,“ Kupferman said. ”We want our members to feel special.”

For companies concerned about churn rates, creating a fee-based loyalty program can seem like a win-win in terms of revenue. A 2020 McKinsey survey found members of paid loyalty programs were 60% more likely to spend more on the brand after opting in, while free loyalty programs only increased that likelihood by 30%.

Hive Brands, a web-based startup launched in 2020, wants to be the go-to online marketplace for eco-friendly cleaning products, toiletries and pantry staples. After nding shoppers not returning as frequently as hoped, it launched a loyalty program in January that costs $60 a year.

Members get speedier shipping and a $120 credit for recurring deliveries. Hive also plans to tag them for priority treatment to ensure their inquiries or orders are dealt with rst. As the number of loyalty programs with entry costs rises in the mass market, however, some experts think businesses run the risk of making customers who can’t a ord to opt in feel left out and diminished.

Alexander Chernev, a marketing professor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, said shoppers previously satis ed with the customer service they were getting may become dissatised when they see others getting more. “It’s about whether the extra bene ts ... are at the expense of someone else,” Chernev said.

Former treasury secretary interested in buying TikTok

Steven Mnuchin has experience buying distressed assets

By Stan Choe and Christopher Rugaber

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — A former Trump cabinet o cial is saying he wants to buy TikTok just days after leading a group that pumped $1 billion into a New York bank.

Steven Mnuchin, former Treasury secretary, is well connected in the world of nance.

From 1985 to 2002, he worked at Goldman Sachs, one of the largest investment banks on Wall Street.

Mnuchin also has a history in media and entertainment.

Among his Hollywood credits are “Mad Max: Fury Road” and “The Lego Movie,” for which he was one of the executive producers.

He also has experience taking risks with troubled institutions. He famously swooped in to turn around the struggling IndyMac bank after its failure in the nancial crisis of 2008.

Mnuchin could not be reached for comment through a request via his private-equity rm. After leaving the Treasury Department in January 2021, Mnuchin launched his private-equity fund, Liberty Strategic Capital, which raised $2.5 billion by that September, according to news reports.

Earlier this month, Mnuchin jumped back into the headlines when his PE rm led a roughly $1 billion investment in embattled New York Community Bancorp.

NYCB was looking for a lifeline, and its stock had at one point plunged more than 80% from the start of the year. The bank is struggling with falling values for investments tied to

commercial real estate and the growing pains associated with some of its past acquisitions. It all hearkens back to the move that may have de ned Mnuchin’s career.

In 2009, OneWest Bank Group, where Mnuchin was chairman and CEO, bought the troubled IndyMac after federal regulators took over the bank. Other big-name backers included funds tied to George Soros and hedge-fund manager John Paulson.

OneWest bought all of IndyMac’s deposits and assets at a discount of $4.7 billion following an auction by the Federal Deposit of Insurance Corp. The FDIC also agreed to share in the losses created by some mortgages tied to single-family homes.

Kevin Kaiser, an adjunct professor of nance at the Wharton School, said such investors can pro t by buying at steep discounts when markets are panicking. To ensure the investment pays o , however, investors like Mnuchin have to play hardball with borrowers at

risk of default, he said.

“They’re a little bit sharp elbowed,” Kaiser said, referring to distressed-property investors as a group. “And what that means is they’re not shy to get into a bit of a con ict situation.”

After OneWest, Mnuchin was Trump’s top fundraiser in the 2016 election. He came under re in Congress when he was nominated for the Treasury post after it came out that OneWest foreclosed on tens of thousands of homes after the U.S. housing bubble popped.

Maxine Waters, the top Democrat of the House’s nancial committee, at the time called Mnuchin the “foreclosure king.”

In testimony before a Senate committee considering his nomination, Mnuchin said he had worked to help homeowners remain in their homes and that his company had extended more than 100,000 loan modications to borrowers.

Mnuchin was Treasury secretary in 2020, when the Trump administration brokered a deal where Oracle and Walmart would take a large stake in

Federal Reserve expected to keep rates unchanged

Across the United States, many people are eagerly anticipating the Federal Reserve’s rst cut to its benchmark interest rate this year: Prospective home buyers hope for lower mortgage rates. Wall Street traders envision higher stock prices. Consumers are looking for a break on credit card debt at recordhigh interest rates. Not to mention President Joe Biden, whose reelection campaign would likely bene t from an economic jolt stemming from lower borrowing rates. Yet Chair Jerome Powell and his fellow Fed o cials are expected to play it safe when they meet his week, keeping their rate unchanged for a fth straight time and signaling that they still need further evidence that in ation is returning sustainably to their 2% target.

UnitedHealth makes progress after cyberattack

UnitedHealth is testing the last major system it must restore from last month’s Change Healthcare cyberattack, but it has no date yet for nishing the recovery. The health care giant said Monday that it is testing software for submitting medical claims. It already has largely restored systems for handling pharmacy claims and processing payments. Change Healthcare’s technology handles about 14 billion transactions a year and works with claims from several insurers. The company said last month that the ransomware group ALPHV, or Blackcat, gained access to some of its information technology systems. The American Hospital Association has called the cyberattack “the most signi cant and consequential incident of its kind against the U.S. health care system.” Federal investigators said last week they would look into whether protected health information was exposed in the attack.

TikTok. That deal eventually zzled for several reasons, but the popular video app is again under pressure after the House of Representatives passed a bill Wednesday to ban it in the U.S. if its China-based owner doesn’t sell its stake.

On Thursday, Mnuchin said in an interview with CNBC that he had spoken with “a bunch of people” about creating an investor group to buy TikTok.

And Mnuchin may not be done.

Mnuchin has plenty of potential, distressed targets given the banking industry’s troubles, said Chris Caul eld, who runs the banking practice at West Monroe, a consulting rm.

Besides having a history of bringing in new leadership teams to right struggling banks, Mnuchin also has experience in the potentially thorny world of regulations.

“He also has access to capital,” Caul eld said of Mnuchin. “Should there be need for more capital, he’s somebody who’s very adept at putting consortiums together.”

Tennessee workers ask for union vote Volkswagen’s factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is likely to be the rst test of the United Auto Workers’ e ort to organize nonunion automobile plants across the nation. The union said workers at the factory led paperwork Monday with the National Labor Relations Board seeking a union representation election. They are the rst to ask for a vote in the union’s campaign, which was announced last fall after the UAW won strong contracts with Detroit automakers. The UAW said a supermajority of the VW plant’s roughly 4,000 production workers had signed cards supporting union representation. A union can seek an election run by the NLRB once a majority of workers sign on. Volkswagen said it respected the right of workers to determine who should represent them.

ALEX BRANDON / AP

Steven Mnuchin, Treasury secretary under Donald Trump, is interested in buying TikTok.

Mascot Chuck E. Cheese holds a yer advertising new memberships on March 13 in San Diego.

2024 Lincoln Nautilus

Screen supreme

By Jordan Golson North State Journal

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — Perhaps nothing has dropped in price as quickly or precipitously as the television. The price index for TVs fell 94% from 1998 to 2015 and has continued to plummet even in today’s high-in ation environment.

You can buy a 65-inch television at Costco for less than $400. My iPad has a larger display than the TV I used to watch Mister Rogers on as a child. Even my watch has a screen. We can’t get enough screens in our pockets or living rooms — or, it’s worth noting, in our cars.

Our automotive screen obsession started over a decade ago with Tesla’s Model S, which featured a giant vertical touchscreen slapped in the middle of the dash. It’s been an arms race ever since, with carmakers racing to outdo one another with more and larger displays, leaving designers struggling to determine the right balance of touchscreen controls to physical buttons and knobs.

That brings us to my test car this week: the new 2024 Lincoln Nautilus, which takes screens to a new level. Stretching across the top of the dash — pushed back directly under the windshield — is a stunning four-foot-wide screen that acts as a dash cluster and multi-function display, dominating the interior and acting as a siren song for any screen a cionados who might wander into a Lincoln dealership in search of a new midsize luxury SUV.

The two-row Nautilus is the second-smallest in Lincoln’s exploration-themed lineup, roughly equivalent in size and price to the Lexus RX or Jeep Grand Cherokee. Lincoln has had a tough go of it the past few years, building decent cars but failing to make any real dent in a market dominated by luxury brands from Japan and Germany — newcomer Genesis has even pulled ahead with its terri c GV70.

The new Nautilus — which has been on sale in China, where it’s built, since last year — has a real opportunity to change those fortunes, both for itself and for the

rest of the lineup which is going to get this new screen paradigm over the next few years — the larger three-row Aviator should be rst, followed by the Navigator and the slightly smaller Corsair.

The Nautilus has two screens, that edge-to-edge strip running across the dash and a more traditional touch screen in the center.

That main screen runs Google Automotive, a version of Android specially modi ed for the car. Ford’s user interface and a handful of exclusive apps sit on top of Android, which also powers the big screen on top of the dash. It’s tied closely with Google and integrated with Google Maps, Assistant, and the Google Play Store.

You can use the car’s internal AT&T data connection for Google Maps, and it’ll happily sling your nav map up onto the higher screen for easy viewing. The bit of the screen directly behind the steering wheel feels almost like a head-up display as it’s so close to the driver’s line of sight.

For those wishing to use smartphone integration via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, Ford fully supports those options as well. It will even take your Apple Maps and sling that up onto the driver’s side of the dash screen, completely replacing the native navigation solution. It’s seamless and brilliant.

But it’s the potential of this system that intrigues me more than the current iteration. At the moment, you can run Spotify, YouTube or even a car racing video game (with support for Bluetooth game controllers!), but the real potential is what’s coming down the line.

The system supports overthe-air (OTA) updates, just like your iPhone, meaning Lincoln (or, really, Ford) engineers will be able to push new software and features to the Nautilus’ screens.

At the moment, the big screen is mostly focused on sharing driving data like fuel economy or the trip odometer or status info like the weather or what’s currently playing on the stereo.

Thanks to the OTA updates, someday you might be able to watch a Net ix movie on that screen while waiting to pick up the kids at soccer, or even — I

promised the engineers that they would sell a lot of Lincolns if they could make this happen — let you AirPlay video from your iPhone straight to the in-car screens. I got to preview a new feature called Rejuvenation Mode, coming next year. It combines the screens, ambient lighting, audio, air conditioning, seat massage, and a new ‘Digital Scent’ feature that subtly lls the cabin with one of a host of di erent smells ranging from an ocean breeze to a pine forest in a ve- or ten-minute relaxation that Lincoln says could be used after a long commute to relax and destress before heading inside. Turn it on, and the screens turn a soothing green while the driver’s seat reclines, the seat heater is activated, and the seat initiates a relaxing massage — the massage function can be used while you’re driving, too, but I don’t recommend the recline part. A lovely smell lls the cabin, and you can take just a few

minutes to yourself before the car brings you back to reality with some refreshing air conditioning and a brighter, more awakening sound and audio experience.

It’s a touch gimmicky, but I love it when carmakers use software to combine existing hardware in new and interesting ways. In that vein, the Nautilus has digital controls for the air vents. We’ve seen these in all sorts of vehicles, from the Tesla Model 3 to the Rivian R1S, but the Nautilus has a deviously simple trick.

You can choose to have air blowing on or o your body, depending on how vigorously you prefer your air conditioning. But there’s also a mode that automatically varies the direction like an oscillating fan. The air blows across your body and then back again, like an evening breeze.

I’ve criticized these digital vent controls in the past because sometimes I just want to aim the thing at my face, but I’ll happily trade that for a relaxing oscilla-

tion any day. Aside from the screens and other tech and lux features, the Nautilus was much like I expected. The hybrid option is worth the $1,500 upcharge, though the 30 mpg fuel economy falls well short of the 36 combined in the Lexus RX hybrid. It drives a bit rmer than I might have expected from an American luxury car, but it won’t be anything unfamiliar to a BMW or Audi owner. Still, it’s a comfortable ride aside from my tester’s slightly annoying tendency to pass road imperfections through to the passenger cabin. Every crack and bump was noticeable but not jarring, and I eventually con rmed with the vehicle dynamics folks that the complete lack of sidewall on the 22-inch wheels was to blame. Like high heels, they might look good, but your day won’t be quite as comfortable as it might otherwise have been.

Starting at around $52,000 and running up towards $80,000 in the top-tier Black Label, the Nautilus is competitive with the rest of the market and should gain looks from X3, Q5, and MDX buyers looking for something new. Even notoriously loyal Lexus RX owners might give the Lincoln a look, though that will be a tough hill to climb for the boys in Dearborn.

That big screen will draw many eyes toward a brand that has been overlooked by many over the last few years. That’s a good thing because this is real innovation, and I’m excited to see where it goes. I just wonder if they can make it bigger...

PHOTOS COURTESY LINCOLN

NCAA returns to Charlotte, B3

D.C. throw down

North Carolina State forward DJ Burns

March

Kenny

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

NORTH CAROLINA won the ACC regular season, advanced to the ACC Tournament championship game and picked up a one-seed in the West region of the NCAA Tournament.

For a team that missed out on the postseason last year, it’s an incredible bounce-back performance—one that earned Hubert Davis the ACC Coach of the Year Award.

Still, some Tar Heel faithful may have a feeling of unease as March Madness opens.

Part of it is the loss to NC State in the ACC title game, where a Wolfpack team playing for the fth straight day led pretty much from the outset, controlling the game and scoring at will against a UNC defense that had ranked among

the nation’s best. Was it an o night or a blueprint for teams in the West to follow?

One reason for the improvement from last year to this is an overhaul of locker room chemistry, with the transfer portal working overtime in both directions to clear out bad blood and construct a roster that, by all accounts, works well together on and o the court. Davis has preached shutting out distractions from the time he took the job in Chapel Hill, and distractions abounded last year.

Now, the ex is showing up in UNC’s DMs again, at the worst possible time. If the Tar Heels are going to return to the Final Four for the second time in Davis’ three years as head coach, they will most likely have to do it by defeating Caleb Love and 2-seed Arizona.

Taylor Swift used to have a banner in the rafters of Crypto.com Arena, site of the West Regional championship, commemorating her 16 sold out shows there. It was removed in 2020 to make room for the latest Lakers championship banner. But “Bad Blood” will still be a major topic of discussion if the West comes down to Love and the Heels. Both teams have plenty of work to do to get to that showdown, however.

Opening round matchup

As of press time, the Heels weren’t sure of their opponent in the rst round. Co16 seeds Howard and Wagner were playing in Dayton’s First Four earlier in the week to earn a trip to Charlotte and a date with Carolina.

Howard would present more

bad blood for the Heels, with former Duke Blue Devil Kenny Blakeney coaching the Bison to their second straight NCAA berth. Howard lost by ve to Georgia Tech and took Cincinnati—coached by former Heel Wes Miller—to overtime, so Blakeney’s bunch is no pushover. Plus, the Bison have won seven of their last eight. They’re turnover prone and aren’t big on defense, but they shoot the lights out from three. Wagner is the opposite— winning by rock ght as the Seahawks slow things down and wear teams out. The UVA of the NEC, Wagner is No. 12 in the nation in three-point defense, No. 11 in avoiding fouls. The Seahawks don’t shoot well and have just seven scholarship players, but they present a matchup problem to opponents.

Later in the weekend

Assuming UNC survives whichever 16-seed it plays, the Heels will get the winner of Mississippi State and Michigan State. For some reason, the Selec -

See UNC, page B4

Ind. The Guilford Quakers nished their most successful season since 2010 with a loss in the National Semi nals.

The Quakers fell, 62-57, to Hampden-Sydney, nishing the year at 26-5. It was Guilford’s rst trip to the tournament since 2019 and their rst nal four in 14 seasons. The Quakers also lost in the national semi nals in 2010. “I am really proud of our guys,” said coach Tom Palombo. “We had a heck of a season and played a heck of a game. They were just a little bit better today.”

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

WHEN

Duke guard Jared McCain (0) looks to the refs during an ACC Tournament loss to NC State.

Jr. (30) dunks against North Carolina’s Armando Bacot (left) and RJ Davis during the ACC Championship Game. The Tar Heels lost to the Pack and raised concerns about their overreliance on Bacot and Davis as they embark on

Madness and a potential matchup with former Heel Caleb Love.

ALEX BRANDON/AP PHOTO

TRENDING

Curtis Samuel

The former Panthers receiver agreed to sign a three-year, $24 million contract with the Bills. The 27-year-old Samuel has seven seasons of NFL experience after spending the past three in Washington. He topped 60 catches and 600 yards receiving in each of the past two years while combining for 10 touchdowns. He’ll provide quarterback Josh Allen with another dynamic playmaker opposite Stefon Diggs.

Adam Duvall:

The slugging out elder signed a $3 million deal to return for a third stint with the Atlanta Braves. The 35-year-old Duvall is expected to platoon in left eld with newcomer Jarred Kelenic, who has struggled in spring training after being acquired from the Seattle Mariners. Duvall had 21 homers and 58 RBIs in just 92 games last season with Boston.

RJ Barrett:

The Toronto Raptors guard and former Duke Blue Devil is mourning his younger brother, Nathan Barrett, who died Tuesday. A cause of death was not released, although reports said the 19-year-old Nathan “fell ill and had been home for several weeks.”

Barrett did not play in Toronto’s last three games through Sunday and is not with the team, due to “personal reasons.”

Beyond the box score

POTENT QUOTABLES NASCAR

NICK WASS | AP

“You can get in your feelings or you can go win this game.”

NC State’s DJ Burns, who was called for a agrant foul, then led a comeback win over Virginia.

“If the program was perfect right now, I’d still be the coach.”

Jarrod Haase, a former player and assistant for Roy Williams, after being red by Stanford after eight years and a 126-127 record.

PRIME NUMBER

12.6

Percent decrease in free-throw attempts in the NBA since the All-Star break in February. The league issued a memo denying that it has ordered referees to call fewer fouls in an e ort to reduce scoring. Points are down 3.5% since the break.

Denny Hamlin won Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol, passing Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr. in the nal laps for his fourth victory at the famed short track. Hamlin also won at NASCAR’s bullring last September. This one was much di erent. Tire issues hampered most everyone all afternoon as only ve cars nished on the lead lap — the rst time that has happened in the Cup Series in 20 years. The Gibbs cars were the class of the eld.

The Seahawks acquired quarterback Sam Howell from the Commanders in a swap of draft picks. Seattle also gets fourth- and sixth-round picks, while Washington gets third- and fth-rounders. The former Tar Heel started all 17 games last season and led the NFL with 21 interceptions and 65 times sacked.

Former Durham Bulls right-handed pitcher Jake Odorizzi rejoined the Tampa Bay Rays on a minor league contract. The 33-year-old former All-Star will report to major league spring training. Odorizzi won nine games with the 2013 Triple-A champion Bulls and spent 11 seasons in the majors with ve di erent clubs.

A shipment of 17,000 to 25,000 Jaromir Jagr bobbleheads, intended for a Pittsburgh Penguins promotional night giveaway, are missing in what seems to be a case of cargo theft. The bobbleheads, which were supposed to be given away at last Thursday’s game against San Jose, were stolen after arriving in California. Instead, the club gave fans a voucher to pick one up at a later date.

NFL MLB

ALEX BRANDON | AP PHOTO

GENE PUSKAR | AP PHOTO

PATRICK SEMANSKY | AP PHOTO

SCOTT STRAZZANTE | AP PHOTO

WADE

Eight teams headed to the Queen City for March Madness

By Jesse Deal North State Journal

CHARLOTTE — March

Madness is back in the Queen City for the rst time in six years, as eight teams are headed to the Spectrum Center this week for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.

The Charlotte 49ers will serve as the arena host for Thursday’s four rst-round games and Saturday’s pair of second-round games, all representing matchups in the West and Midwest regions of play.

In Tuesday’s First Four matchups to determine two Thursday contests, Howard and Wagner played for a 16-seed to square up with North Carolina, while Virginia and Colorado State battled for a 10-seed to face Texas.

WEST REGION:

No. 8 Mississippi State vs No. 9 Michigan State, 12:15 p.m. (CBS)

No. 1 North Carolina vs No. 16 Howard/Wagner, 2:45 p.m. (CBS)

MIDWEST REGION:

No. 7 Texas vs No. 10 Virginia/ Colorado State, 6:50 p.m. (TNT)

No. 2 Tennessee vs No. 15 Saint Peter’s, 9:20 p.m. (TNT)

No. 8 Mississippi State Bulldogs

Record: 21-13

Conference: SEC

With ve losses in their past seven games, the Bulldogs have

Previewing

First round matchups, potential paths for NC’s women’s tournament teams

By Asheebo Rojas North State Journal

FOR THE SECOND straight year, all three of the Triangle’s women’s basketball teams will compete in the NCAA tournament.

NC State, Duke and North Carolina all earned a chance to compete for a national championship after a season of battling each other in the deep and talented ACC. The conference earned eight tournament bids, which is tied with the SEC for the most of any other conference.

The state of North Carolina hasn’t seen a women’s basketball national champion since 1994 when the Tar Heels took down Louisiana Tech for their only title. Duke nished as national runner ups in 1999 and 2006, but a North Carolina team has not reached the title game since then.

However, just like any other March, anything can happen, and nothing is given. Here’s a look at each NC teams’ rst round match up and who they could possibly run into:

DUKE

No. 16 Howard Bison

Record: 18-16

Conference: Mid-Eastern Athletic

Just like last season, the Bison squeezed into the NCAA Tournament with a No. 16 seed. They earned an automatic bid with a MEAC Tournament title game win over Delaware State following victories over Morgan State and Norfolk State. Senior guard Jordan Hairston has greatly improved during his past month on the court.

No. 16 Wagner Seahawks

Record: 16-15

Conference: Northeast

No. 10 Virginia Cavaliers

Record: 23-10

Conference: ACC

For better or worse, Tony Bennett’s Cavaliers still play their patented brand of slowed-down, defense-heavy basketball that the team has become known for. In the ACC Tournament, Virginia used an overtime win to get past Boston College, but slipped up in its second-straight OT game as NC State got by them.

No. 10 Colorado State Rams

Record: 24-10

Conference: Mountain West

Winning four of their last ve, the Rams lost to New Mexico in the Mountain West Tournament semi nal after wins over San Jose State and 23rd-ranked Nevada. Senior guard Isaiah Stevens (16.5 points, 7 rebounds per game) possesses the ability to score but also facilitate the ball with ease — a valuable skill in March.

No. 2 Tennessee Volunteers

Record: 24-8

“Overall, look, I can go through the details of the game,” coach Jon Scheyer said after Duke’s ACC Tournament loss to NC State. “I think for us, though, it’s about the competitive re you need to have in the postseason.”

What’s wrong with Duke?

And can it be xed in time to avoid a season-ending loss?

“I don’t feel we handled what we could control tonight. No doubt in my mind,” Scheyer said. “If we want that feeling a week from now where you lose or you exit the tournament where you didn’t control what

appeared vulnerable but have also shown ashes of strength against tough competition. They recently lost to 12th-ranked Auburn in the SEC Tournament title game after defeating LSU and fth-ranked Tennessee. Freshman guard Josh Hubbard has scored at least 20 points in eight straight games.

No. 9 Michigan State Spartans

Record: 19-14

Conference: Big Ten

The Spartans succumbed to third-ranked Purdue in the Big Ten quarter nals after a win over Minnesota. Tom Izzo will be counting on experienced senior guards A.J. Hoggard and

Tyson Walker to put up some points to get past the Bulldogs. The free throw line could be a factor — the team’s 70.6% leaves much to be desired.

No. 1 North Carolina Tar Heels

Record: 27-7

Conference: ACC

After a loss to a hungry NC State team in the ACC Tournament title game, UNC will now look to regroup with the benets of being a top seed. The Tar Heels had won eight straight before the loss to the Wolfpack. With RJ Davis and Armando Bacot leading the way, the Heels still have all the makings of a group that can make a big run.

The Seahawks used a Northeast Conference Tournament title game win over Merrimack — following victories over Sacred Heart and Central Connecticut — to notch their first March Madness action in 21 years. Watch out for junior guard and leading scorer Melvin Council Jr, who recently posted a 16-point, 13-rebound stat line.

No. 7 Texas Longhorns Record: 20-12

Conference: Big 12

With a 78-74 loss to Kansas State in the second round of Big 12 Tournament after a first-round bye, the Longhorns did not help their NCAA seeding but can still be a dangerous team going forward. Senior guard Max Abmas posted 26 points in his last performance.

Conference: SEC

Featuring a physical defense, the Volunteers are primed for a lasting tournament run despite losing two in a row, including a 7356 loss to Mississippi State in SEC Tournament semi nal. They had won nine out of ten games leading up to the rst week of March and looked dominant while doing so.

No. 15 Saint Peter’s Peacocks

Record: 19-13

Conference: Metro Atlantic Athletic

Two years ago, the Peacocks became the rst 15-seed to make the Elite Eight. Back in the NCAA tourney once again thanks to a MAAC Tournament sweep of Rider, Quinnipiac and Fair eld, the team will be reliant on sophomore forward Corey Washington (24 points vs. Fair eld).

North Carolina’s bids in the women’s tournament

NC State

After losing a tight battle to Notre Dame in the ACC tournament nal, the Wolfpack earned a No. 3 seed and home-court advantage in the Portland 4 region of the big dance. Yet, even with the high seed and no travel, its path to Cleveland, host city of the Final Four, won’t be easy. In the rst round, NC State will host No. 14 seed Chattanooga at Reynolds Coliseum Saturday at 2:30 p.m. The Mocs aren’t a team to overlook, as they boast a 28-4 record, including an 11-0 away record and a Southern Conference tournament title, but they haven’t played nearly as tough a schedule as the Wolfpack.

Chattanooga’s only win against a ranked opponent came in December when the Mocs beat then No. 21 Mississippi State, who missed this year’s NCAA tournament. Should NC State take care of business as expected, Chattanooga will be the least of its worries.

The region sets up some tough matchups for the Wolfpack early in their path to the nal four. They could possibly host No. 6 seed Tennessee in the second round, who were seconds away from knocking o unbeaten

you could control, that would be a real shame. I’m not going down that way. I know these guys aren’t going down that way.”

That sounds good on paper, but there are 15 teams in the South Region holding axes, ready to yell, “Timber”.

Opening round matchup

Duke likes to use its opening round games as a way to get well, running up the score on a hapless lower seed. In their last 21 rst-round games, Duke has won by an average of 21 points—and yes, that includes the upset losses to Mercer and Lehigh. Four times, they’ve won by 40 or more points.

That may be a tough ask against Vermont. The 4-seed Blue Devils will be nothing new to the Catamounts, who have played 4-seeds in three of their last four trips to the Big Dance, losing to Arkansas by four, Flor-

South Carolina in the SEC tournament. And, should it advance to the Sweet 16, NC State could also run into No. 2 seed Stanford or No. 7 seed Iowa State, two teams that nished as runner ups in its respective conference tournaments.

Duke

The Blue Devils earned themselves a No. 7 seed in the Portland 3 region of the tournament, setting them up for a rematch in the rst round against No. 10 seed Richmond.

Duke and Richmond will tipo Friday at 2:30 p.m. in Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

The two teams met way back on Nov. 6, and Duke cruised to an 83-53 victory with two players, Reigan Richardson and Olu-

ida by seven and Purdue by 10. Going farther back, they upset 4-seed Syracuse in 2005.

Vermont plays at one of the slowest paces in the country, ranking No. 348 in tempo. They rank among the nation’s best in virtually every defensive category, holding opponents to less than one point per possession.

The good news for Duke is that the Blue Devils have played slower and done well this season. Charlotte ranks No. 356 in tempo, and Virginia is No. 362—dead last. Duke won games against both, by scores of 80-56 and 73-48, respectively.

Later in the weekend

If Duke survives Vermont’s upset attempt, the Blue Devils will get the winner of Wisconsin-James Madison.

Wisconsin has the size to match up with Duke, led by seven-footer Steven Crowl. The Badgers like to slow it down

chi Okananwa, scoring over 20 points. The Blue Devils also shot 54 percent from the oor in that game to go along with 24 points o turnovers. Although both teams aren’t exactly the same as four months ago, Duke should reach the second round as long as they do what they do best — defend. Should Duke advance, it could possibly face No. 2 seed Ohio State in the Buckeyes’ arena for the second round and No. 3 seed UConn in the Sweet 16. Virginia Tech, Baylor, Syracuse and No. 1 seed USC could also stand in the way of the Blue Devils’ path to Cleveland.

North Carolina

The No. 8 seed Tar Heels

as well, ranking in the 300s in tempo. Wisconsin’s Achilles heel, however, is perimeter defense. The Badgers allow opponents to hit at a .371 clip from outside, which ranks No. 344 in the nation. Duke is No 16 in the country in three-point accuracy, although the team has been in a shooting slump of late, hitting just 29-of-92, .315, over the last four games. Wisconsin went 2-7 from the start of February until early March, before the Badgers recovered to win four of their last six. The 12-seed, James Madison, may actually be the scarier matchup for Duke, and not just because the team is nicknamed the Dukes. JMU has 12 road wins on the year, including at Michigan State. The Dukes have won 13 straight, force turnovers on defense and shut down shooters. They are No. 23 in e ective shooting defense and No. 2 in three-point

didn’t do as much dancing as they would’ve liked in the ACC tournament, but they’ll get another chance to do so against No. 9 seed Michigan State Friday in the Albany 1 region.

North Carolina and the Spartans will tip-o at 11:30 a.m. at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina. Both teams reached the tournament on similar paths, competing in tough conferences and going one-anddone in their respective conference tournaments.

For North Carolina, though, its path has been arguably more di cult due to a thin backcourt. Not only did they lose redshirt sophomore guard Kayla McPherson for the season, the Tar Heels have been without sophomore guard Paulina Paris since Jan. 14 and without freshman guard Reniya Kelly since Feb. 11.

The key for the Tar Heels this postseason will be health and consistent production from the frontcourt. Senior guard Deja Kelly, who has averaged just under 40 minutes a game since Feb. 11, will need some help if North Carolina wants to advance.

A win Friday could set up a second-round rematch with No. 1 seed South Carolina. The Gamecocks beat the Tar Heels 65-58 on Nov. 30.

defense. They also shoot the lights out from three and protect the ball on o ense while playing fast. They also have the one thing that strikes fear in the heart of March favorites—experienced guards.

Down the line

If the Blue Devils make it to Dallas, they’ll likely face top seed Houston in the Sweet 16. Stop us if you’ve heard this before, but the Cougars are another team that plays slow and grinds it out on defense. That’s putting it mildly—Houston is the best defensive team in the country.

Survive that and all that’s standing between Duke and the nal four is either Marquette—a defense- rst team with senior guards—or Kentucky.

In other words, Duke is rapidly running out of time to get that competitive re lit.

JOHN BAZEMORE/AP PHOTO

Mississippi State forward Tolu Smith (1) and Tennessee forward Jonas Aidoo (0) battle under the basket during the SEC Tournament. Both teams will be in Charlotte for the start of the NCAA Tournament.

CHUCK BURTON / AP PHOTO NC State head coach Wes Moore directs his team against Notre Dame during the ACC Championship Game.

NC State wrestling prepares for NCAAs after ACC dominance

Pack coming o sixth straight ACC title

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

THERE’S SOMETHING special brewing down on the mats in Raleigh.

The NC State Wolfpack wrestling team has established itself as one of the most dominant and electric programs at the university and they’ve only continued to build on that legacy with yet another piece of hardware for the trophy case.

Already one of the top programs in the nation, the Wolfpack winning a sixth straight ACC title last week in Chapel Hill only further solidi es what many already know.

“It was obviously a great day,” said NC State coach Pat Popolizio to the media present at the ACC Championships. “We knew the competition was going to be really tough. What we did today speaks to the work that these guys have been putting in and I’m really happy for them because they’re the ones who deserve the success from all their hard work.”

The Pack didn’t just win another title either. They dominated the competition in record setting fashion with both the highest team score in program history (116 points) as well as the most individual champions.

In total, the Wolfpack took seven of the 10 weight class

NC State’s wrestling team poses for a photo after the Wolfpack put their ACC title streak at an even half dozen.

championships, with a second and third place nish as well.

“That’s a lot,” Popolizio said. “Obviously [the goal] is all 10, but a lot of people say that. I think our guys backed it up pretty good today though. Seven championships in the ACC is not an easy task.”

Redshirt junior Jakob Camacho (125 lbs), redshirt junior Kai Orine (133 lbs), junior Ryan Jack (141 lbs), sophomore Jackson Arrington (149 lbs), junior Ed Scott (157 lbs), redshirt senior Trent Hidlay (197 lbs) and redshirt junior Owen Trephan (heavyweight) all won the individual championships for their respective weight classes and redshirt freshman Dylan Fishback (184 lbs), redshirt sophomore Derek Fields (165 lbs) and graduate Alex Faison (174 lbs) nished second, third and fourth respectively.

With the victory, Hidlay became just the sixth wrestler in program history to win four individual ACC titles, joining his brother Hayden who accomplished the feat three years earlier.

“When you look at the mentality of our program and where we’re at today, both Hayden and Trent had a lot to do in laying that foundation down,” Popolizio said. “We’ve had a lot of great guys come through here, but those guys carried that torch and then elevated to a whole new level.”

The Wolfpack now looks ahead to the NCAA Champion-

ships where its entire lineup will be in attendance.

All 10 wrestlers earned a bid for just the third time in program history (2017 and 2022).

Nine members of the Pack received automatic bids out of the ACC Championships and then Fields was selected as one of just 47 wrestlers to earn an at-large bid.

“Just watching some of the big wins these guys got, I think it’s good momentum and condence going into the NCAAs,” Popolizio said. “We have to enjoy tonight, but we have to put it behind us and get ready for the big show.

“From coaches to athletes, the expectation is to win. Win the right way and do things right outside the room so you can be in a position for a day like today.”

The NCAA Championships begin Thursday, March 21 in Kansas City and NC State will have some fairly favorable seeds overall.

Hidlay earned a rst-round bye as a 2 seed and along with him, the Wolfpack have eight wrestlers ranked in the top 10 of their weight class: Orine and Arrington - third, Jack and Scott - fourth, Camacho - seventh, Trephan - eighth and Fishback - tenth.

The Pack hasn’t had an individual NCAA champion since Michael Macchiavello in 2018, but perhaps this year’s squad has a national champion in the mix.

UNC from page B1 tion Committee lives to put Tom Izzo in the path of a Tobacco Road team. Tom Izzo has coached at Michigan State since 1995 and gone to 26 NCAA Tournaments. If the Spartans and Heels meet in round two, it will be the twelfth time Izzo has faced UNC or Duke in the tournament, or roughly every other year. Michigan State was a bit of a surprise to even make the eld, which probably means that Izzo will spring an upset

or two, so the Heels need to tread carefully. Mississippi State has a tough defense and a bigger frontline than Carolina’s, as well as three-point marksman Josh Hubbard lighting it up from outside.

Red ags

In the ACC Tournament, UNC raised another concern, relying almost solely on ACC Player of the Year RJ Davis and big man Armando Bacot. Both are good choices to lean on, but Bacot and Davis

scored UNC’s last 19 points in the semi nals and 24 straight points in the title game.

The Heels will need more of a contribution from a deep supporting cast. In the two wins over Duke this year, the heroes were Harrison Ingram, who scored 21 in the rst game and Cormac Ryan, who hit six three-pointers in the second.

UNC needs help from the ensemble cast in order to go deep into the tournament. Otherwise, the Heels could nd themselves as the most vulnerable top seed as early as the second round.

Tough tournament slate for NC State men’s basketball

Pack look to continue miracle run after ACC title

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

NC State is coming into the NCAA Tournament on one of the biggest highs in basketball history. Only one other team entered March Madness with a ve-game conference tournament win streak—the 2011 UConn Huskies. They set a lofty precedent, as the winning continued in the NCAA’s. That Connecticut team swept all six games to take home the national title.

Can NC State keep the lightning it captured in a bottle last weekend? If any team can do it, the school that gave us the cardiac Pack of 1983 can. In order to make a deep run, however, State will need to get past a daunting series of opponents throughout the South regional.

Opening round matchup

NC State heads to Pittsburgh as an 11-seed to face 6-seed Texas Tech. The Red Raiders have ve double- gure scorers, led by Pop Isaacs (15.9 points per game). They are deadly from outside, with ve shooters hitting more than 30 three-pointers on the year, three of them hitting at 40% or better. Tech is the 38th best 3-point shooting team in the country, and State has struggled at times defending the perimeter, so that may be the biggest matchup concern for the Pack.

Isaacs and senior guard Joe Toussaint both average more than 3.5 assists per game and take care of the ball. Experienced guard play is one of the keys to NCAA Tournament success, so State will need big games from their own experienced guards—seniors DJ Horne, Casey Morsell and Michael O’Connell and junior Jayden Taylor.

Familiar faces

Kerwin Walton played for UNC for two years before transferring to the Red Raiders last year. He’s doubled his scoring average, to 8.4 points per game, and Walton is knocking down nearly half (.470) of his threepoint attempts.

NC State’s leading scorer, DJ Horne, was teammates with Texas Tech center Warren Washington and forward Devan Campbell when all three played at Arizona State last season. Campbell is out for the year following a December knee injury.

Health Horne seems back to 100% after missing the rst game of

the ACC tourney with a hip injury. Freshman Dennis Parker didn’t travel to D.C. with the team for the tournament due to illness, but he was back with the squad to celebrate at the end of the week.

Texas Tech has had plenty of injury woes this year, losing Cambridge in December. More recently, the team has been without Darrion Williams (11.4 points, 7.5 rebounds), who hurt his ankle in the Big 12 Tournament and missed the team’s last game. Center Warren Washington has also missed the last ve games with an injured foot. He’s only played 13 minutes since mid-February. Tech said Williams would be back for March Madness, but Washington is still up in the air. If the seven-footer is out, that tips the scales heavily in favor of State center DJ Burns.

Later in the weekend

If State gets past Texas Tech, they’ll nish their weekend in Pittsburgh with the winner of 3-seed Kentucky and 14-seed Oakland.

Kentucky has had an up and down year but, as John Calipari’s freshmen-laden teams frequently do, the Wildcats are playing their best ball down the stretch. Their leading scorer is a senior—Antonio Reeves (20 points per game)—but Kentucky also features two of the nation’s top freshmen in Rob Dillingham (15.4 points, 3.9 assists) and Reed Sheppard, who is the nation’s top 3-point shooter, making more than half his attempts.

Kentucky is the country’s top outside-shooting team and also ranks among the leaders in two-point shot accuracy. With three seven-footers on the roster and plenty of athleticism among smaller players, Kentucky is also one of the top shot blocking teams in the country, highlighting the fact that the biggest factor behind Kentucky’s improvement is a defense that has evolved into one of the best in the SEC. Oakland would have to spring an upset to meet state, but the team has been on a roll. After a 6-8 start, Oakland has won 17 of 20 games, including four straight.

Down the line

If State advances to the Sweet 16, they’re likely to face 2-seed Marquette in Dallas. Tyler Kolek is battling an oblique injury that has kept him out of three straight games, although the team says he’ll be ready to play in the tourney.

The other side of the bracket features top seed Houston, as well as Duke and Wisconsin.

North

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ACC

Bob Dylan returns to NC

A brief history of the legendary bard

The famed musician scheduled three shows in the state

By Dan Reeves For North State Journal

LAUDED AS THE NATION’S greatest songwriter and wordsmith — “The Bard,” ocially — and by many “the voice of a generation,” Bob Dylan, now 83, is the de nition of a living legend. With a career spanning over half of a century, the poet, singer-songwriter, visual artist, author and one-time activist has released 41 studio albums, received countless awards including 10 Grammys, and was the rst musician to earn a Nobel Peace Prize in literature.

Dylan brought his “Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour” through North Carolina this month, playing in Charlotte on Sunday, Fayetteville on Monday and scheduled in Asheville on Thursday. The voyage promoting Dylan’s 39th studio album, 2020’s release of the same name, began in 2021 and has been advertised as lasting through 2024.

Born Robert Allen Zimmer-

man, the budding songwriter assumed the nom de guerre, Dylan, at age 19 as an homage to Welsh poet and writer Dylan Thomas, giving way to an enigmatic lifelong legacy cloaked in mysticism and legend.

In 1962, the Greenwich Village, New York, folk-music scene was taken by storm with the arrival of the 19-year-old curly-headed Minnesotan. Abuzz with the socially conscious and peaceful sounds of the American folk movement and inspired by founding fathers of the genre from previous decades, Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie, a laundry list of proteges and folk evangelists like Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Kris Kristo erson and Leonard Cohen had expanded exponentially. Dylan not only t in but quickly rose to the top. With the 1962 release of his self-titled debut album and 1964’s “The Times They are A-Changin’,” Dylan became a bona de folk hero, the voice of peace and protest, beloved by the folk set.

At The Newport Folk Festival in 1965, while at the peak of his folk celebrity, Dylan turned over the apple cart, so to speak. He was booked as a main attraction,

headlining the massive gathering with Peter, Paul and Mary, and Baez, among other folk giants. Thousands of bookish beatniks and folk purists swooned to glimpse the adored Dylan croon and strum on his acoustic guitar. Much to their chagrin, Dylan went electric. Fender Stratocaster in hand, adorned in a black leather jacket with boots and jeans to match, the crowd all but convulsed as he tore through a rollicking rendition of “Maggie’s Farm” and “Like a Rolling Stone.”

The New York Times reported that Dylan “was roundly booed by folk-song purists, who considered this innovation the worst sort of heresy.” In some stories, Seeger, the gentle giant of the folk scene, tried to cut the sound cables with an axe. Some people were dancing, some were crying, many were dismayed and angry, many were cheering, and many were overwhelmed by the ferocious shock of the music or astounded by the negative reactions.

Since this act of heresy, Dylan has continued to o er some of the greatest musical art the world has ever heard. Throughout the ’60s, ’70s and even today, his creative output has never strayed from vocally coitizing the wrongs of the society nor did he ever truly abandon folk. By integrating blues, rock, gospel and a bevy of alternative sound dispositions, Dylan has simply changed with the times as the times kept a-changin’.

Bob Dylan scheduled three shows from his “Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour” in North Carolina.

JEFF CHRISTENSEN / AP PHOTO

Bob Dylan performs during the 2006 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in 2006.

AP PHOTOS

Left: Bob Dylan, center, performs with drummer Levon Helm, left, Rick Danko, second left, and Robbie Robertson of The Band at Carnegie Hall in New York on Jan. 20, 1968. Right: Dylan is pictured in 1965.

Kerry Lobell

Remington,

WHAT’S HAPPENING

State won’t set new workplace guidance around masking

NC’s labor commissioner has declined to adopt rules sought by worker and civil rights groups that would have set safety and masking directives in workplaces for future infectious disease outbreaks like with COVID-19.

Commissioner Josh Dobson announced his decision last week, following a public hearing in January. One rule focused on controlling the spread of infectious diseases among migrant workers. The other covered workers more broadly in various elds. The North Carolina State AFL-CIO was one of the petitioners, and its president urged Dobson to reconsider.

Trial on voter ID set for May

A federal trial over North Carolina’s photo voter identi cation law remains set for May, after a judge refused to end e orts by civil rights groups that sued over the requirement on allegations that its provisions are marred by racial bias.

U.S. District Judge Loretta Biggs denied a “summary judgment” motion led in 2021 for members of the State Board of Elections, which is implementing the law.

Photo ID was required starting with last fall’s municipal elections and the primary election earlier this month. Biggs wrote that disputes remained over the case’s facts or inferences from undisputed facts. Republican legislative leaders also are defending the mandate.

State addressing hydrilla problem at Lake Tillery

O cials warn it could take a decade to rid the lake of the invasive species

By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal

NORWOOD — The treatment of a non-native, invasive species clogging up Lake Tillery is set to ramp up soon, according to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Aquatic Weed Control Program.

On March 13, over 200 people attended a public meeting at Norwood’s Center Rural Volunteer Fire Department Station that focused on hydrilla, a plant from Asia that is one of the most

di cult aquatic invasive species to control.

Hosted by o cials representing the DEQ’s Division of Water Resources, the meeting included a presentation on the biology and history of hydrilla, as well as its spread and management at Lake Tillery.

“Hydrilla is the most widespread aquatic weed problem across the U.S.”

Rob Richardson, NC State Department of Crop and Soil Sciences’ professor of aquatic weed management.

“On a national basis, hydrilla is really the most widespread aquatic weed problem across the US. Most of our other aquatic weed problems are more regional in nature,” Rob Richardson, professor of aquatic weed management at NC State. “It will reduce habitat quantity and quality for other organisms. It will inhibit recreational activities when it becomes widespread. It can clog drinking water intakes and there is an avian disease.”

The aquatic weed was rst identi ed in Wake County in 1980 and has since spread to other water resources across the state, including Lake Tillery, where it reported in 2006 near the Swift Island boat ramp.

Stanly County Concert Association hosts nal concert of season

‘The Extraordinaires’ play in Albemarle on Saturday

By Jesse Deal

Stanly County Journal

ALBEMARLE — The Extraordinaires, a nine-piece rhythm-and-blues band based out of Hickory, are scheduled to play at Albemarle’s Stanly County Agri-Civic Center on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. This is the last of ve concerts in the Stanly County Concert Association’s 202324 concert season. For season membership or single ticket information, see stanlyconcert. com. Tickets will also be sold

at the door. Adult are $25 while students are $10.

“The Stanly County Concert Association will be presenting The Extraordinaires on March 23rd for our nal concert of the season,” the SCCA said in a promotional announcement. “This is a great show band and will keep you moving to the music all evening long. Doors open at 7:00 and the concert begins at 7:30.”

With roots dating back over two decades, The Extraordinaires have played private gigs, concerts and festivals ranging all across the country, focusing on a songbook composed of 60s and 70s hits and genres spanning from rock and roll and

pop to beach and R&B. “Formed in the spring of 2003 from a group of guys who love The Classics/Rhythm & Blues, The Extraordinaires have put together a unique blend of music that is sure to get people out of their seats and on the dance oor,” the band stated in a media release.

“From the powerful kickin’ horns to the smooth lead vocals, The Extraordinaires have a pure live sound like no other that will keep you coming back.”

Management activities were implemented by the Aquatic Weed Control Program to handle the hydrilla acreage that peaked at 150 acres in 2009 and dropped almost to zero between 2019 and 2021.

When a survey from 2022 found 130 new acres of hydrilla, the DEQ, Duke Energy and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission partnered to treat 69 acres in four lake locations with systemic herbicide treatments and 1,860 triploid grass carp.

The gure now sits at a record-high 257 acres, according to a survey from last fall.

Due to the rapid growth, 3,688 triploid grass carp will be released in June to treat lake areas around Lilly’s Bridge and Norwood with the primary goal of preventing hydrilla from impacting the use of boat ramps. The sh are considered a natural method for controlling aquatic vegetation and macro-algae as

See LAKE TILLERY, page 2

On stage, vocalists Sarah Davis Jones and Chase Bunton join bassist Rusty Bunton and drummer Shawn Wilkes, while Chuck Moss (trombone), Steven Foster (saxophone), Doug James (guitar), Mike Hu man (keyboard) and Mark Gaber (trumpet) round out the rest of the group. The band lists its musical in uences as Wilson Pickette, Sam Cooke, Tower of Power, The Clovers, The Temptations, The Drifters, Johnny “Guitar” Watson, Kool and the Gang, and Delbert McClinton.

Past concerts in the Stanly County Concert Association’s 2023-24 concert season series have included handbell choir The Raleigh Ringers in August, vocal trio Gaylon Pope & SweetWater in October, the Rowan Big Band All Stars in December, and classical pianists Paul and Sophia Chandley in February.

Established in 1947, the SCCA hosted its rst concert at Albemarle High School and later hosted shows at Pfei er College (now P e er University). The Stanly County Agri-Civic Center became the home for the concert association in 1989 and has remained so ever since.

PJ WARD-BROWN / STANLY COUNTY JOURNAL

and his son

7, head onto Lake Tillery from the Norwood Access area.

they consume hydrilla as a preferred food.

O cials estimate that it could take around 10 years to fully rid the lake of its hydrilla problem because of the current extensive spread of the weed.

“One of the main ways that hydrilla is spread is through fragmentation. We don’t want people getting it stuck on their boat or product or something like that, and then moving into a water body,” said Drew Gay, an aquatic weed specialist with the Division of Water Resources at the Department of Environmental Quality. “We were able to get it down to about four acres, so it’s something that we’ve done in the past and it’s something that we’re going to be able to get down again.”

Duke Energy has unveiled a reporting tool on its website where hydrilla sightings at Lake Tillery can be submitted with resident contact information, plant location and photos; the information will then be communicated to the DEQ for incorporation into the management plan.

NC Republicans appeal elections board litigation

The General Assembly is trying to shift election board appointments away from the governor

The Associated Press RALEIGH — North Carolina Republican legislative leaders will appeal the decision by judges that declared the GOP’s changes to how elections board members are chosen violate the state constitution while taking power from the governor.

Attorneys for Senate leader

Phil Berger and House Speaker

Tim Moore led their notice of appeal to the intermediate-level state Court of Appeals on Tuesday, hours after a unanimous ruling by three Superior Court judges favoring Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy

CRIME LOG

March 11

Cooper in his lawsuit became public.

Cooper argued successfully before the trial judges that a 2023 state law approved by the legislature that shifted appointment powers from the governor to the General Assembly interfered with his ability to ensure election and voting laws are “faithfully executed.”

By ordering portions of the law be blocked permanently, the judges kept in place current size and appointment rules for the State Board of Elections and elections boards in all 100 counties. Those rules give a great deal of appointment decision-making to the governor.

“Our argument will be that the Supreme Court should overturn what was bad precedent.”

NC House Speaker Tim

Moore

Cooper’s lawyers and the judges cited state Supreme Court decisions in 2016 and 2018 that addressed appointment powers and the amount of control a governor must have over boards and commissions. This case could ultimately reach that same court, where ve of the seven current justices are registered Republicans. The recent GOP majority has ruled favorably for legislative leaders in litigation involving voter identi cation and redistricting. The nal outcome of the lawsuit could a ect who oversees elections in time for

Ruben Mondragon Casas, 37-yearsold, was arrested on misdemeanor charge(s) of Assault on a Female.

March 12

Richard Chandler Gaddy. 45-yearsold, was arrested on a warrant and charged with a felony charge of fugitive from justice.

Tommy Lee Taylor, 23-years-old, was arrested on misdemeanor charge(s) of simple affray.

Roy Lee Blizzard, 36-years-old, was arrested on felony charges of failing to report a new address as a sex offender and failure to register as a sex offender.

Shane Reid Hanline, 25-years-old, was arrested on misdemeanor charges of larceny, injury to real property, and second-degree trespassing.

Demetris Dejuan Watkins, 39-yearsold, was arrested on felony charges of breaking and/or entering a motor vehicle and misdemeanor charge larceny.

March 13

Deamani Montreal Williams, 23-years-old, was arrested on charges of felony possession with

intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver a Schedule-II controlled substance, trafficking opium or heroin, possession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana, manufacturing, selling, delivering, or possessing a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a park, maintaining a vehicle/ dwelling/place for the purpose of controlled substance, and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana paraphernalia.

David Adam Hathcock, 37-years-old, was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of misdemeanor larceny.

March 14

William Tracy Allen, 40-years-old, was arrested on for felony trafficking opium or heroin, possession with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver Schedule-II controlled substance, possession with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver methamphetamine, maintaining a vehicle/dwelling/place for controlled substance and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

Hailey Nicole Hiatt, 30-years-old, was arrested for felony possession with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver a Schedule-II controlled substance (two counts), possession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana, maintaining a vehicle/dwelling/

this fall’s general elections.

“Our argument will be that the Supreme Court should overturn what was bad precedent,” Moore told reporters last Wednesday.

Democrats were pleased with the trial judges’ decision.

“In this crucial election year, I’m proud that the courts are striking down these anti-democratic bills drafted by Republicans solely to increase their own power,” state Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton said in a news release Wednesday. Another three-judge panel last month delivered a mixed ruling in a di erent Cooper lawsuit challenging the composition of seven boards and commissions also enacted by the General Assembly. Attorneys for Cooper, legislative leaders and state have all led appeal notices.

place for controlled substance, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of marijuana paraphernalia.

Jordan Reece Hiatt, 32-years-old, was arrested on multiple charges, including felony possession with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver a Schedule II controlled substance (two counts), felony maintaining a vehicle/dwelling/place for controlled substance, felony possession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana, and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana paraphernalia.

Tony Ray Aldridge, 55-years-old, was arrested on charges of felony possessing methamphetamine and misdemeanor possessing drug paraphernalia.

March 15

Beverly Ann Patel, 65-years-old, was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of resisting a public officer.

Katherine Elaine Hatley, 24-yearsold, was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of failing to report a crime against a juvenile.

Brian Edward Shields, 43-yearsold, was arrested on misdemeanor charges of possessing drug paraphernalia and a probation violation.

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

COLUMN | MICHAEL BARONE

Democrats losing their hold on California and California losing its hold on America

LAST WEEK’S Super Tuesday results ensured the renominations of former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, barring some unanticipated adverse health events. So, who’s going to win in November?

Polls give us clues. Trump continues to have the small but persistent lead in public polls he has maintained since November 2023 — in contrast to the 2016 and 2020 cycles, in which he often trailed in national and target state polls.

But polls are only one indicator. Actual votes are another. And we’ve had one contest this year that provides important clues to the November vote: the California primary.

Primary voters in California, like those in Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, North Carolina and Texas, have voted not just for president but also for members of Congress and (in North Carolina) governor and statewide o cials. Those contests may draw turnout from voters with little motivation to participate in seemingly already decided presidential primaries.

And California, unlike those states but like Louisiana and Washington, has, except at the presidential level, all-party primaries, in which the top two candidates, regardless of party, advance to the general election.

The results of all-party primaries in many but not all cases turn out to be good forecasts of the general election. For example, Washington state’s 1994 results presaged the defeat of then-House Speaker Tom Foley and the rst Republican majority in the U.S. House in 40 years.

It’s true that this year’s California primary came eight months before the November election, and in eight months, events can surprise and opinions can change. But today’s polls are subject to the same caveat.

The big news from California is that, with 85% of the votes counted (high-tech California counts slowly),

Democratic support is sagging a bit. With no viable opposition in the state to Biden or Trump, Democrats cast 59% of presidential votes and Republicans 39%. That’s down from the state’s 63%-34% margin for Biden over Trump in 2020.

Similarly, in the all-party primary for the U.S. Senate, Democrats got 59% of the votes and Republicans 39%. That’s down from Sen. Alex Padilla’s (D-Calif.) 61%-39% margin in 2022 and then-Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s 63%-37% in the last DemocraticRepublican runo in 2012. It’s nearly the same as Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 59%-41% reelection in 2022 but weaker than his 62%-38% victory in 2018.

Those numbers don’t mean di culty for Biden in carrying California’s 52 electoral votes or for Rep. Adam Schi (D-Calif.), Congress’s chief propagator of the Russia collusion hoax, in replacing Feinstein in the Senate.

But it does suggest gains for Republicans in congressional and state legislative districts, and it does lend credence to polling data, reviewed last month in this space, showing Trump and Republican gains among Hispanic and Asian voters.

This year, Republicans won majorities in 13 districts to Democrats’ 39, a vast improvement on the 46-7 Democratic margin in 2018 when, in reaction against Trump, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) won back the House majority and the speaker’s chair.

Republican incumbents in three heavily Hispanic and Asian seats who were elected with 51% in 2022 got between 55% and 56% of primary votes this year. And Republicans won between 43% and 49% of primary votes in nine other districts, seven of them heavily Hispanic. Most of those seats aren’t seriously contested this year, but most may be in years to come.

As Republican pollster Patrick Ru ni argues in his book “Party of the People,” non-college-educated Hispanic people, Asian people, and Black people with conservative views are voting increasingly Republican,

Remembering the ‘why’ behind Raise the Age in North Carolina

AT WHAT AGE should juvenile o enders be tried and treated as adults in North Carolina?

What constitutes a juvenile’s actions so irredeemable that they bypass the juvenile system and go straight into adult corrections?

As times change and public safety evolves, it is important to re ect on the principles that guide our justice system. One such principle is the notion of rehabilitation and second chances, especially when it comes to juveniles.

In North Carolina, the Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act (S.L. 2017-57), more commonly known as “Raise the Age,” was implemented on December 1, 2019. The law redirected 16 and 17-year-olds who committed misdemeanors and low-level felonies from automatically being charged in the adult criminal justice system.

This initiative became law only through a strong, bipartisan coalition of support from all three branches of government, prosecutors, law enforcement, the business community and advocacy organizations. Its implementation marked a signi cant milestone in our state’s commitment to justice reform and, more than four years later, it is ever important to remember the ‘why’ behind this policy.

Upon enacting the Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act, North Carolina ended a century-long practice of prosecuting teens as

adults and was no longer the only state in the nation to do so. By incorporating 16-and-17-yearolds into the juvenile justice system, the state embraced an approach proven to not only decrease crime but also to be cost-e ective. The reasoning was obvious: The overwhelming majority of juveniles are more e ectively treated in the juvenile justice system with age-appropriate programming.

The mission of both the North Carolina Department of Public Safety’s (NCPDS) Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) and the Division of Adult Corrections (NC DAC), while both equally necessary, could not be more di erent.

The mission of JJDP is to “reduce and prevent juvenile delinquency by e ectively intervening, educating and treating youth in order to strengthen families and increase public safety.” On the other hand, the mission of NC DAC is to “promote public safety by the administration of a fair and humane system which provides reasonable opportunities for adjudicated o enders to develop progressively responsible behavior.”

While both missions underscore the importance of rehabilitation and public safety, the mission of JJDP recognizes that e ective intervention and treatment for young individuals is essential for strengthening families and communities. Youthful mistakes should not result in lifelong consequences

like non-college-educated white people.

California has seen something like this before. Over the last three generations, the state has been populated by two brief but enormous surges of migration of (to oversimplify) Midwesterners from 1946 to 1973 and Mexicans from 1982 to 2007. The Midwesterners provided majorities rst for Pat Brown liberals and, after riots in Berkeley and Watts, for Ronald Reagan conservatives. Midwestern migrants enabled Republicans to hold the governorship in six of eight elections from 1966 to 1994.

Mexican voters entered the voting ranks more slowly. But in this century, they, together with liberal white college graduates in the San Francisco Bay Area and Westside of Los Angeles, have made oncemarginal California solidly Democratic. Just as settled-in Midwesterners soured on liberals’ 1960s policies, so settled-in Mexicans seem to be souring on this generation’s liberal excesses.

Gentry liberals’ high turnout will probably keep California Democratic, but Republican trending in lower-turnout Mexican areas will reduce their ranks in Congress well below Pelosi highs.

Meanwhile, California has been losing population, down 538,000 between 2020 and 2023, even as it lost one U.S. House seat in the reapportionment following the 2020 census. Migration from Mexico halted during the 2007-2008 housing crunch, and today’s illegal immigrants are surging toward Texas, not California.

California bitterly clings to much of the high-tech and entertainment industries, but it seems to be losing its hold, in the days of Reagan, on the imaginations of most immigrants and Americans alike.

Michael Barone is a senior political analyst for the Washington Examiner, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and longtime co-author of The Almanac of American Politics.

within the adult criminal justice system. JJDP is there to prevent the cycle of recidivism by o ering young o enders a chance to learn from their mistakes and grow into law-abiding citizens.

Raise the Age was not enacted haphazardly but rather as a result of thorough research, data analysis, and collaboration across branches of government, law enforcement, prosecutors, the business community and advocacy organizations. It was born from a bipartisan coalition that recognized the need for change and the potential for positive outcomes in our justice system.

HB 280: Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act, which we know as Raise the Age, had a total of 68 sponsors, 28 Republicans and 40 Democrats, and it passed the House in May 2017 with a vote of 1048. Within that 104, 43 ayes were Democrat and 61 were Republican, with some legislators being former law enforcement and legal professionals.

In addition, former North Carolina Chief Justice Mark Martin showed strong public support for the initiative, noting that raising the age of juvenile jurisdiction was his highest legislative priority in 2017. Martin said that “Juvenile reinvestment will help strengthen families and is likely to result in lower recidivism, less crime, and increased safety,” said Chief Justice Martin. “Reinvesting in our youth will result in economic bene ts for the state of North Carolina.”

As North Carolinians, we must remember why Raise the Age was implemented – to believe in the redemption, rehabilitation, and potential of our youth. Upholding these principles and investing in juvenile justice is crucial for creating safer communities and ensuring fairness in our justice system.

COLUMN | MAGGIE HORZEMPA

STANLY SPORTS

Pfei er softball extends program record win streak to 20 games

The Falcons are No. 18 in the NFCA Top-25 Coaches Poll

By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal

MISENHEIMER —

With a program-best 20 consecutive wins already in the bag, the Pfei er University softball team is o to its best start in school history with USA South Conference play is set to begin soon.

Under the leadership of ninth-year coach Monte Sherrill, the Falcons (20-0) picked up their latest two victories in a doubleheader with Ferrum College (210) this past Saturday, defeating the Panthers 9-1 in Game 1 and 8-0 in Game 2.

Senior pitcher Kali Morton recorded 10 strikeouts in the rst game as junior out elder Alyssa Broaddus quickly boosted the team’s o ense with an inside-thepark grand slam in the rst inning. Junior pitchers Kenzi Lyall and Emma Bullin shined in Game 2 with

a combined shutout e ort, leaving Broaddus room to go 3-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI. Sophomore utility player Charly Cooper had two RBIs while junior out elder Gracie Gri n added three more for the Falcons.

Broaddus leads the team with a .529 batting average as Lyall (31) and Grifn (30) lead the Falcons in total hits. With pitching duties split between Lyall, Morton and Bullin, the three pitchers have combined for an ERA of 1.02, opponent batting average of .181, and a strikeout-hit ratio of 14180.

Ranked as high as No. 12 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Top-25 Coaches Poll in 2023, Pfei er currently sits at No. 18 in the NFCA rankings and is looking to move up even higher when the latest poll is revealed.

Last year’s team cruised to a conference-best 35-13 (15-3 USA South) record and won the USA South Tournament champion-

ship, eventually earning the program’s rst wins in the NCAA Division III Regional Tournament as they played in Marietta, OH. The Falcons later forced a winner-take-all championship game where they fell to fth-ranked Rowan University.

Marking the beginning of conference play, Pfei er will now challenge the N.C. Wesleyan Bishops (77) in a road doubleheader on Saturday; the Falcons have won nine of the 12 matchups between the two teams.

After that, the team will have favorable matchups with Southern Virginia (2-8), Mary Baldwin (48) and Salem (3-15) before rounding out the season with William Peace (8-10), Methodist (10-8), Guilford (8-6), Greensboro (97), Meredith (9-7) and Brevard (6-11). The Falcons have 20 conference games leading up to the 2024 USA South Tournament, which is set to begin on May 2 and run until the championship game on May 11.

Jaylon McKoy

has been a key contributor with strong defense and power to all elds at the plate. In the Comets’ 6-3 win over Union Academy on Friday, McKoy stepped up with a triple and a double in a 2-for-3 outing.

Aaron Donald announces retirement after standout 10-year career with Rams

By Greg Beachem

Associated Press

The

AARON DONALD spent 10 years attening quarterbacks, crushing ball-carriers, ghting through perpetual double-teams and generally wrecking NFL offenses. He was relentless, reliable and in nitely resourceful while he led the Los Angeles Rams all the way to a Super Bowl championship.

And on Friday, Donald decided a decade of dominance was enough.

The most accomplished defensive lineman of his generation has retired after a stellar 10-year career.

The three-time AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year made his somewhat surprising announcement on social media. He doesn’t plan to have a retirement news conference or any public farewell, but his impact on the Rams and the NFL is already indelible.

Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman

Aaron Donald holds up the Vince Lombardi Super Bowl trophy during the team’s Super Bowl victory celebration and parade in February 2022. Donald announced his retirement last week, after a standout 10year career.

ure, racking up a franchise-record 111 sacks, third in the NFL among active players.

After winning the NFL’s defensive rookie of the year award in 2014, Donald reached the peak of his stardom after the Rams franchise moved from St. Louis back to Los Angeles in 2016. He had a career-high 20 1/2 sacks in 2018 on the way to his rst Super Bowl appearance under coach Sean McVay.

He then played a major role in the Rams’ run to a Super Bowl victory three years later, most famously applying the pressure that forced Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow to throw incomplete at mideld on the Bengals’ nal play of Los Angeles’ 23-20 victory in Super Bowl 56.

“The great players in our league elevate the people around them, and Aaron has modeled the way for our team as long as I’ve been with the Rams,” McVay said in a statement. “He’s an elite competitor, someone who leads by example in a way that’s authentic to him, and an exceptional teammate who inspires everyone around him to be the best version of themselves.”

“Throughout my career, I have given my everything to football

The 32-year-old Donald spent his entire career with the Rams, who drafted him in the rst round in 2014 out of Pitt. The Pittsburgh native was selected for 10 Pro Bowls and eight All-Pro rst teams, and he won the award as the league’s top defensive player in 2017, 2018 and 2020.

both mentally and physically — 365 days a year was dedicated to becoming the best possible player I could be,” Donald said in a statement. “I respected this game like no other, and I’m blessed to be able to conclude my NFL career with the same franchise that drafted me. Not many people get drafted to a team, win a world championship with that team and retire with that team. I do not, and will not, take that for granted.”

Donald was the cornerstone of the Rams defense during his ten-

Lawrence Taylor and J.J. Watt are the only other players to win the defensive player of the year award three times. Only John Randle (137 1/2) has recorded more sacks than Donald among defensive tackles since sacks became an o cial statistic in 1982. Donald also was incredibly durable, missing only six games due to injury in his 10-year career.

Three-time NFL Defensive Player of Year makes surprise announcement

MARCIO JOSE SANCHEZ / AP PHOTO

SIDELINE REPORT

NFL

Potential rule change would allow replay challenges for penalties

The Indianapolis Colts are proposing a rule change that would allow coaches to challenge any penalty call for the rst time. The NFL released a list of several rule change proposals that included an option to run a fourth-and-20 play in lieu of an onside kick, the moving of the trade deadline and giving teams an additional challenge if they are successful on one of their rst two tries. The competition committee will make its own rule change proposals and owners are scheduled to vote on them at the league meetings later this month with 24 votes needed for approval.

GOLF

Bernard Langer out due to pickleball injury

West Palm Beach, Fla. Bernhard Langer won’t be at the Masters this year because of pickleball. The two-time Masters champion reveals on the “Musings on Golf” podcast that he tore his left Achilles tendon while playing pickleball last month. Langer says it’s part of his tness routine. This was supposed to be his last Masters. Now he’ll likely push that back to next year. This is only the second time in the last 40 years he won’t be playing at Augusta National in April. The 66-year-old German holds the PGA Tour Champions record with 46 victories. That includes 12 senior majors.

UFC

Hall of Famer Mark

Coleman hospitalized after saving parents in house re Toledo, Ohio

UFC Hall of Famer and former champion Mark Coleman says he is “the happiest man in the world.” A video posted to Coleman’s Instagram account shows him embracing members of his family from a hospital bed in an emotional scene. Coleman was airlifted to a hospital on Wednesday after saving his parents from a house re in Ohio this week, according to daughter Morgan Coleman. He says “I can’t believe my parents are alive. I had to make a decision.” Coleman was not able to go back in and rescue his dog, Hammer. He was hospitalized for smoke inhalation.

NFL

Woman accuses Dak Prescott of sexual assault

Dallas A woman accusing Dak Prescott of sexual assault has led a police report over the alleged incident in 2017. The woman went to police after the star quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys sued her on a $100 million extortion claim. Dallas police say there is an ongoing investigation about an alleged sexual assault that occurred in the parking lot of a strip club. Prescott’s lawsuit says the woman and her attorneys wrote him a letter saying she wouldn’t pursue criminal charges or go public with her claims if Prescott paid her $100 million. Prescott has denied the woman’s allegations.

Denny Hamlin wins tire-management NASCAR race at Bristol Speedway

Earns 4th career victory at famed bullring

By Mark Long The Associated Press

DENNY HAMLIN won the NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday, passing Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr. in the nal laps for his fourth victory at the famed short track.

Hamlin also won at NASCAR’s bullring last September.

This one was much di erent. Tire issues hampered most everyone all afternoon as only ve cars nished on the lead lap — the rst time that has happened in the Cup Series in 20 years. The Gibbs cars were the class of the eld.

“My favorite racetrack!”

Hamlin exclaimed over his radio while taking the checkered ag. “We got another.”

He was booed — no surprise considering Hamlin has become arguably the series’ biggest villain — as he stood atop his No. 11 Toyota following a smoky burnout.

It was Hamlin’s 52nd career win and locks him into the playo s. Brad Keselowski nished third in a Ford, Alex Bowman was fourth in a Chevrolet and Bowman’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson rounded out the top ve.

“It was weird,” Larson said. “I accidentally nished fth. I’ll take it. I hope I never have to run another race like that again.”

The other two Gibbs cars — driven by Ty Gibbs and Christopher Bell — nished ninth and 10th, respectively.

The race was chaotic from the start, with cars burning through tires at such an alarming rate that NASCAR issued each team an extra set. That

gave them 11 sets total, including the one used in qualifying. It made for four hours of tire management that put gave control to drivers and crew chiefs. It also led to the most lead changes (54) in NASCAR’s shorttrack history, breaking the previous mark of 40 set in 1991 at Bristol.

JGR handled it better than the rest of the eld. “Our Toyotas are really working well right now,” Truex said.

NASCAR returned Bristol to “normal” for the rst time in four years for the spring race. The track added red clay each of the last three years. Reviews were mixed, and as the novelty wore o , sub-par racing inside the high-banked oval overshadowed any excitement that came with the series running on dirt for the rst time since 1970.

In an e ort to improve the racing and make sure the track had two equal lanes, workers

put down a resin-based traction compound through the turns. It was far from perfect.

Goodyear responds

Goodyear felt the need to make a rare statement during the race. Greg Stucker, the tire manufacturer’s director of racing, said a test at Bristol Motor Speedway last year was intended to nd a setup that led to more tire wear.

But he called Sunday’s outcome “too drastic.”

The rubber that was supposed to leave tires and adhere to the racing grooves came o in chunks that looked like shredded cheese. Those loose pieces called “marbles” create a slippery situation around the 0.533-mile track.

Part of the culprit may have been the tracks’ decision to put down a new and di erent traction compound.

Vanderbilt res coach Jerry Stackhouse

Former Tar Heel had 70-92 record in 5 seasons

By Teresa M. Walker Thr Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt red coach Jerry Stackhouse on Thursday after a big drop-o in his fth season with the Commodores, going 9-23 with fans showing their apathy by staying away from historic Memorial Gym.

Athletic director Candice Lee said in a statement that Vanderbilt and Stackhouse, who signed a contract extension in October 2022, agreed to part ways. He leaves with a 70-92 record at Vanderbilt, including 28-60 in the Southeastern Conference.

“Commodore Nation will always remember the ‘Memorial Magic’ moments we experienced under Coach Stackhouse’s leadership,” Lee said. “Given his pedigree, experience, and love of the game, I look forward to seeing what’s next for him.”

Stackhouse and Vanderbilt appeared poised to keep building after going from 19-17 to a 22-15 record. The Commodores reached the Southeastern Conference Tournament semi nals last year, then reached the NIT quarter nals before losing on their home court to UAB.

Stackhouse thanked Vanderbilt for the opportunity in the university’s release Thurs -

day. But the decision had only been a matter of time.

“All that matters is the results, and the results weren’t what they were supposed to be,” Stackhouse said after Wednesday night’s opening loss in the SEC Tournament.

“The NCAA Tournament is the ultimate goal, and we haven’t done that. I haven’t done that. No matter what, those results are those results.”

The Commodores started this season with a home loss to Presbyterian before going 5-8 in nonconference play. They nished with a 4-14 record in SEC play to nish 13th out of 14 teams before the league expands by adding Texas and Oklahoma this summer.

Worse, attendance topped 10,000 at Memorial Gym only twice all season with Tennessee and Kentucky fans helping ll the building. Vanderbilt averaged 6,785 spectators per game this season. Vanderbilt currently is building new basketball o ces and a practice gym for the men’s program.

Stackhouse replaced Bryce Drew for the 2019-20 season when he was hired away in April 2019 by then-Vanderbilt athletic director Malcolm Turner from the NBA, where he was an assistant with the Memphis Grizzlies.

The new coach took over a program that went 0-18 in SEC play, leading to Drew’s ring. Under Stackhouse, Vanderbilt was the only SEC team to im-

Stackhouse was red after Vanderbilt lost.

prove its NET ranking in three seasons spanning the pandemic starting in his rst year on the job. Stackhouse dealt with injuries throughout this season, starting 15 di erent lineups. That made Vanderbilt one of seven teams in the country to start that many lineups. Stackhouse had four sophomores and ve freshmen on a team led by fth-year guard Ezra Manjon and senior guard Tyrin Lawrence.

Vanderbilt lost its rst seven SEC games before beating Missouri, which went winless in league play. The Commodores beat Texas A&M, LSU and got their lone road win at Arkansas before wrapping up the regular season by edging Florida. But the Commodores blew a 14-point halftime lead to open this year’s SEC Tournament and lost the rematch with Arkansas 90-85 Wednesday night.

JOHN BAZEMORE / AP PHOTO

Former Vanderbilt head coach Jerry Stackhouse reacts on the sideline during an SEC Tournament game against Arkansas.

WADE PAYNE / AP PHOTO

Denny Hamlin, center, celebrates after winning Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol.

Netanyahu snaps back against US criticism

The Israeli prime minister has faced backlash for the war with Hamas

By Tia Goldenberg and Ravi Nessman The Associated Press

TEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu railed Sunday against growing criticism from top ally the United States against his leadership amid the devastating war with Hamas, describing calls for a new election as “wholly inappropriate.”

In recent days, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish o cial in the country and a strong Israel supporter, called on Israel to hold a new election, saying Netanyahu had “lost his way.” President Joe Biden expressed support for Schumer’s “good speech” and earlier accused Netanyahu of hurting Israel because of the huge civilian death toll in Gaza.

Netanyahu told Fox News that Israel never would have called for a new U.S. election after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001 and denounced Schumer’s comments as inappropriate.

“We’re not a banana republic,” he said. “The people of Israel will choose when they will have elections, and who they’ll elect, and it’s not something that will be foisted on us.”

When asked by CNN whether he would commit to a new election after the war ends, Netanyahu said: “I think that’s something for the Israeli public to decide.”

The U.S., which has provided

key military and diplomatic support to Israel, also has expressed concerns about a planned Israeli assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where about 1.4 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering. The spokesman for the National Security Council, John Kirby, told Fox the U.S. still hasn’t seen an Israeli plan for Rafah. The U.S. supports a new round of talks aimed at securing a ceasere in exchange for the return of Israeli hostages taken in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. The Israeli delegation to those talks was expected to leave for

Qatar after Sunday evening meetings of the Security Cabinet and War Cabinet, which will give directions for negotiations.

Despite the talks, Netanyahu made it clear he would not back down from the ghting that has killed more than 31,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health o cials. More than ve months have passed since Hamas attacked southern Israel, killed 1,200 people and took another 250 hostage.

Earlier Sunday, Netanyahu said calls for an election now — which polls show he would lose

badly — would force Israel to stop ghting and paralyze the country for six months.

Netanyahu also reiterated his determination to attack Hamas in Rafah and said his government approved military plans for such an operation.

“We will operate in Rafah. This will take several weeks, and it will happen,” he said. The operation is supposed to include the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of civilians, but it is not clear how Israel will do that.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi reiterated his warn-

ing that an Israeli ground o ensive in Rafah would have “grave repercussions on the whole region.” Egypt says pushing Palestinians into the Sinai Peninsula would jeopardize its peace treaty with Israel, a cornerstone of regional stability.

“We are also very concerned about the risks a full-scale offensive in Rafah would have on the vulnerable civilian population. This needs to be avoided at all costs,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after meeting with el-Sissi.

And German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, after meeting with Netanyahu on Sunday, warned that “the more desperate the situation of people in Gaza becomes, the more this begs the question: No matter how important the goal, can it justify such terribly high costs, or are there other ways to achieve your goal?”

Germany is one of Israel’s closest allies in Europe and, given memories of the Holocaust, often treads carefully when criticizing Israel.

Both sides have something to gain politically from the dispute. The Biden administration is under increasing pressure from progressive Democrats and some Arab-American supporters to restrain Israel’s war against Hamas. Netanyahu, meanwhile, wants to show his nationalist base that he can withstand global pressure, even from Israel’s closest ally.

But pressure also comes from home, with thousands protesting again in Tel Aviv on Saturday night against Netanyahu’s government and calling for a new election and a deal for the release of hostages.

Putin basks in electoral victory, some Russians quietly protest

The Russian president secured a fth term

The Associated Press

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin basked in a victory early Monday that was never in doubt as partial election results showed him easily securing a fth term after facing only token challengers and harshly suppressing opposition voices.

With little margin for protest, Russians crowded outside polling stations at noon Sunday, on the last day of the election, apparently heeding an opposition call to express their displeasure with Putin. Still, the impending landslide underlined that the Russian leader would accept nothing less than full control of the country’s political system as he extends his nearly quarter-century rule for six more years.

Putin hailed the early results as an indication of “trust” and “hope” in him — while critics saw them as another re ection of the preordained nature of the election.

“Of course, we have lots of tasks ahead. But I want to make it clear for everyone: When we were consolidated, no one has ever managed to frighten us, to suppress our will and our self-conscience. They failed in the past and they will fail in the future,” Putin said at a meeting with volunteers after polls closed.

Mr. Putin. There could be no negotiations and nothing with Mr. Putin because he’s a killer, he’s a gangster.”

But Putin brushed o the e ectiveness of the apparent protest.

“There were calls to come vote at noon. And this was supposed to be a manifestation of opposition. Well, if there were calls to come vote, then ... I praise this,” he said at a news conference after polls closed.

Unusually, Putin referenced Navalny by name for the rst time in years at the news conference. He said he was informed of an idea to release the opposition leader from prison days before his death. Putin said that he agreed to the idea, on condition that Navalny didn’t return to Russia.

Some Russians waiting to vote in Moscow and St. Petersburg told The Associated Press that they were taking part in the protest, but it wasn’t possible to conrm whether all of those in line were doing so.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: “The polls have closed in Russia, following the illegal holding of elections on Ukrainian territory, a lack of choice for voters and no independent OSCE monitoring. This is not what free and fair elections look like.”

Beyond the fact that voters had virtually no choice, independent monitoring of the election was extremely limited. According to Russia’s Central Election Commission, Putin had some 87% of the vote with about 90% of precincts counted.

Any public criticism of Putin or his war in Ukraine has been sti ed. Independent media have been crippled. His ercest political foe, Alexei Navalny, died in an Arctic prison last month, and other critics are either in jail or in exile.

In that tightly controlled environment, Navalny’s associates urged those unhappy with Putin or the war in Ukraine to go to the polls at noon on Sunday — and lines outside several polling stations both inside Russia and at its

embassies around the world appeared to swell at that time.

Among those heeding the call was Yulia Navalnaya, Navalny’s widow, who joined a long line in Berlin as some in the crowd applauded and chanted her name. She spent more than ve hours in the line and told reporters after casting her vote that she wrote her late husband’s name on the ballot.

Asked whether she had a message for Putin, Navalnaya replied: “Please stop asking for messages from me or from somebody for

One woman in Moscow, who said her name was Yulia, told the AP that she was voting for the rst time.

“Even if my vote doesn’t change anything, my conscience will be clear ... for the future that I want to see for our country,” she said. Like others, she didn’t give her full name because of security concerns.

Another Moscow voter, who also identi ed himself only by his rst name, Vadim, said he hoped for change, but added that “unfortunately, it’s unlikely.”

ARIEL

An Israeli soldier rides atop a tank on the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel on Sunday. AP

A woman walks to cast her ballot in Russia’s presidential election at a polling station in the village of Chikcha in western Siberia on Sunday.

Barbara Jean (Taylor) Drye

Allen Raphue Whitley

April 17, 1936 ~ January 14, 2023

June 2, 1936 — March 15, 2024

Barbara Jean Taylor Drye, 86, of Oakboro, passed away Saturday, January 14, 2023 at her home.

Barbara was born April 17, 1936 in North Carolina to the late Robert Lee Taylor and the late Eva Belle Watts Taylor. She was also preceded in death by husband of 61 years, Keith Furr Drye, and brothers, Robert Lee Taylor, Jr. and George Kenneth Taylor.

Allen Raphue Whitley (Ray), 87, of Oakboro, passed away Friday, March 15, 2024, at Atrium Health Stanly Hospital surrounded by his family. Allen was born June 2, 1936, in North Carolina to the late Arthur Roe Whitley and Eunice Burris Whitley. He was also preceded in death by wife, Helen Virginia Whitley. Survivors include sister, Etta Smith of Palestine, NC, brother, Harold Carter, daughter, Eunice Lamb of Oakboro, NC, granddaughter, Elizabeth Lamb and ancé Micheal Lanier, grandson, Brandon Lamb, and granddaughter in-law Melinda Lamb. Great grandkids Miley, Kenzie, and Leah.

Survivors include children, Debbie (Mike) Williams of Albemarle, Teresa (Tom) Curry of Oakboro, Douglas (Tammy) Drye of Oakboro; grandchildren, Melissa (Don) Parrish of Albemarle, Samantha (Destiny) Smith of Oakboro, Bradley Smith of Oakboro, Jonathan Stover of Peachland, and Jessie Stover of Lylesville; sisterin-law, Beatrice Goodman; many nieces and nephews; and her beloved cats, Bo and Gar eld.

Barbara was a member of Oakboro Baptist Church for over 60 years. She worked over 30 years at Stanly Knitting Mills. After just two years of retirement, she began managing the Oakboro Senior Center and did that for 18 years until this past week. Barbara was known for her good cooking and always taking care of others. She also loved going on day long shopping trips - she could out walk and out shop people half her age. She kept her mind and body active through gardening, word searches, and various other hobbies.

Richard Alwyn Lewis

November 17, 1939 — March 14, 2024

Richard Alwyn Lewis, known to family and friends as “Dick”, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 14, 2024, at his home in Harrisburg, North Carolina. He was 84. Mr. Lewis was born November 17, 1939, in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania to the late Alwyn Meurig Lewis and Annabelle Kinnison. He was also preceded in death by his wife of 41 years, Joan Rae Lewis, and brother, John C. Lewis. After obtaining an associate degree, Richard served in the United States Army, splitting his time between Korea and Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. He was proud of his Welsh heritage and would spend hours researching family genealogy and connecting with extended family who remained in Wales. Richard was a member of Round Hill Lodge No.533 in Endicott, New York. He is survived by his daughter, Laurie Lewis Blocker and husband Tony Blocker of Mount Pleasant, NC, son, John Malachi Lewis and wife Amy Blake Lewis of Mt. Pleasant, NC, son, Stephen Richard Lewis of Concord, NC, and his sister, Charlotte Lobach of Hanover, Pennsylvania.

Dwight Farmer

Anna Nicole Hartsell

January 24, 1939 ~ January 15, 2023

May 14, 1987 — March 14, 2024

Dwight Britten Farmer Sr., 83, of Norwood died Sunday morning, January 15, 2023 at Forrest Oakes.

Dwight was born January 24, 1939 in Stanly County to the late Walter Virgil and Martha Adkins Farmer. He was a 1957 graduate of Norwood High School and was a United States Army Veteran. He was a member of Cedar Grove United Methodist Church where he had served as church treasurer and choir member. He began his career with the Stanly County Sheri ’s Department moving to the Norwood Police Department and retiring as Chief of Police with the Town of Norwood after many years of service.

Anna Nicole Hartsell, 36, of Albemarle, passed away peacefully, Thursday, March 14, 2024, at home, surrounded by her loving family. Anna was born May 14, 1987 in North Carolina to Gary Hartsell and Janet Hartsell. Anna was preceded in death by her greatgrandparents, Mr. & Mrs. Roy Taylor, maternal grandparents, Mr & Mrs James A. Helms, paternal grandparent, Fetzer Hartsell (PopPaw) and uncle, Rusty Hartsell.

Dwight was an avid gardener, bird watcher and Carolina fan.

He is survived by his wife Hilda Whitley Farmer; one son D. Britten Farmer Jr. (Mary) of McLeansville, NC; one daughter Sharon Farmer Lowe (David) of Norwood; one sister Geraldine Dennis of Troy; two grandchildren, Dwight Britten “Dee” Farmer III and Whitley Rose Hui Lowe.

He was preceded in death by his son Alex, brothers, Tommy and Jimmy, sisters, Nancy, Cornelia Annabell, Glennie Mae, and Betty.

Memorials may be made to Cedar Grove United Methodist Church, Cemetery or Choir Fund c/o Pam Smith 36071 Rocky River Springs Road, Norwood, NC 28128.

Some of Anna's hobbies included traveling, cross stitching, reading, hiking and taking care of her animals which stayed by her side. But her most cherished moments were the times she spent with her family. Survivors include mother, Janet Hartsell; father, Gary Hartsell; sister Taylor (Rufus) Le er; nephews, Rufus and Luke Le er; and niece, Caroline Le er; grandmother, Betty Hartsell; aunts, Beth Adkins, Karen Hartsell, Kelly Helms, Karen Tinsley, Norma Nehf, and Rae Anne (Roy) Thomas; uncles, Jim (Shirley) Helms, Alan (Suzanne) Helms and Robert Helms. And many beloved cousins.

Carol Mullis Foster

November 6, 1934 — March 14, 2024

Carol Mullis Foster, 89, of Midland, passed away Thursday, March 14, 2024, at her home. Mrs. Foster was born on November 6, 1934, to the late James Dewey and Clidabell Hough Mullis. In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by her husband, Joe Lee Foster and brother, Larry Gayle Mullis. Carol was a lifetime member of Clear Creek Baptist Church where she played the organ and piano. Carol will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and devoted woman of Christ. Survivors include sons, Tim Foster and wife, Dana; Rev. David Foster and wife, Beth; daughter, Joy Jackson; six grandchildren; nine greatgrandchildren.

James Roseboro

Maria Luisa

June 23, 1967 ~ January 10, 2023

Ramirez De Velazquez

August 19, 1947 — March 11, 2024

James Arthur Roseboro, 55, of Albemarle, passed away Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at Anson Health and Rehab.

Mr. Roseboro was born on June 23, 1967 to the late Robert and Delena Shipp Roseboro. He graduated from South Stanly High School and was employed by Triangle Brick. He enjoyed watching football and basketball, especially the Carolina TarHeels and Miami.

In addition to his parents he is preceded in death by his brothers and sisters: Barbara Lee Roseboro, Dorothy Brown, Verna Roseboro, Henrietta Ingram, and Harold Roseboro.

He is survived by his sisters: Helen (James) Roseboro Edwards of Albemarle, Mary Roseboro of Washington DC, and Marion Morrison of Albemarle; brothers: Thomas D. Roseboro of Charlotte, Robert Roseboro (Patricia) of Norwood, and Van Horne; a special friend of over 40 years, Michelle McLendon of the home; special nieces: Nybrea Montague, Knya Little, and Laquanza Crump; special nephews: Robert Jr., Desmond Roseboro, and Marcus Lilly; and God daughter, Daphne Johnson; and special friends, Vetrella Johnson and Ben McLendon.

Maria Luisa Ramirez De Velazquez, 76, of Concord, passed away Monday, March 11, 2024, at home. Maria was born August 19, 1947 in San Luis Potosi, Mexico to the late Benito Ramirez and the late Por ria Martinez. She was also preceded in death by husband, Victor Velazquez Guerrero; son, Jose Maria; brothers, Eleuterio, Benito, and Mario Antonio. Maria was a wonderful wife, mother, and sister. She loved the Lord and served him with all her heart, both at home and at her church, Templo Redencion. Maria enjoyed traveling, especially to Mexico. But most of all she cherished the time she got to spend with her family. She had a big heart, and was dedicated to her family whom she loved taking care of, especially the times she spent taking care of her loving grandchildren. Maria was a strong, devoted woman who will be missed by all who knew her. Survivors include daughters, Maria Luisa and Maria Del Carmen, Denisse Romero; sons, Victor Velazquez; Jorge Velazquez, Jose Velazquez, Carlos Velazquez; brothers, Ruben Ramirez and Jose Luis Ramirez; sisters, Virginia Ramirez and Adelida Ramirez.

Clarence

Kenneth Shoe

November 2, 1942 — March 10, 2024

Darrick Vashon Baldwin, age 50, entered eternal rest, Sunday, January 8, 2023, Albemarle, North Carolina. Born January 7, 1973, in Stanly County, North Carolina, Darrick was the son of Eddie James Baldwin Sr. and the late Phyllis Blue Baldwin. Darrick enjoyed life, always kept things lively and enjoyed making others smile. His presence is no longer in our midst, but his memory will forever live in our hearts.

He was educated in the Stanly County public schools and attended Albemarle Senior High School, Albemarle.

He was a great conversationalist and loved meeting people. Darrick never met a stranger and always showed love and compassion for his fellowman. He also loved his dog, Rocky.

Clarence Kenneth Shoe, 81, of Concord, passed away peacefully, Sunday, March 10, 2024, surrounded by his loving family. Ken was born November 2, 1942 in Concord, North Carolina to the late Clarence Marshall Shoe and the late Daisy Ruth Shoe. He was also preceded in death by his daughter Donna Kay Shoe. Survivors include son, Bryan Keith Shoe and his wife Jennifer, and their daughter Lydia of Concord, NC, niece, Susanne Biedler and her husband Chad Little, of Charlotte, NC.

He is survived by his father, Eddie J. Baldwin Sr.; sisters: Crystal (Eric) Jackson, LaFondra (Stoney) Medley, and Morgan Baldwin; brothers: Eddie Baldwin Jr., Anton Baldwin, and Lamont Baldwin; a host of other relatives and friends. A limb has fallen from our family tree. We will not grieve Darrick’s death; we will celebrate his life. We give thanksgiving for the many shared memories.

John B. Kluttz

March 23, 1935 - January 9, 2023

Linda Braswell Honeycutt

May 24, 1941 — March 14, 2024

Sharon Rose

Sekulich

Doris Jones Coleman

October 11, 1944 - January 10, 2023

June 28, 1937 — March 9, 2024

Linda Ercel Honeycutt, 82, of Monroe, passed away Thursday, March 14, 2024, at McWhorter Hospice House in Monroe surrounded by her family. Mrs. Honeycutt was born May 24, 1941, in North Carolina to the late Loyd Wilson Braswell and Fronnie Ercel Braswell. She was also preceded in death by husband, Jerry Houston Honeycutt; her brother Bengie Braswell; and sister Leedale Austin. Survivors include brothers Jack Braswell (wife Peggy) and Russell Braswell (wife Linda); sister Becky Williams all of Monroe; son, Je and wife Mya Honeycutt; and grandchildren Houston and Easton Honeycutt of Monroe. Linda was a loving mother and grandmother that enjoyed cooking, working in her owers and spending time with family and friends.

John grew up in the Millingport community where he drove a school bus and worked at the local gas station during his High School years. He graduated from Millingport High in 1954 and entered into service with the US Airforce immediately afterward. Upon return from the service, he and his high school sweetheart Julie were married in 1956. He graduated from Nashville Auto Diesel College later in 1959 and began his career as a diesel mechanic at Mitchell Distributing Company, moving his growing family to Charlotte where they lived until their retirement.

When John purchased his rst Model A Ford at the age of 17, he said that he took the car to the community mechanic when he had a small problem.The mechanic told him that if he was going to keep the car, he needed to learn to work on it. This is when John’s passion for Model A Fords began and how he spent his happiest days with his best friends from around the globe for the rest of his life! At age 50, after years as a Detroit Diesel Mechanic he and Julie

Sharon Rose Sekulich, 86, of Harrisburg, passed away on March 9, 2024, at Asbury Health in Charlotte, NC.

Doris Elaine Jones Coleman, 78, went home into God’s presence on January 10 after a sudden illness and a valiant week-long ght in ICU.

Doris was born on October 11, 1944, in the mountains of Marion, NC while her father was away ghting in the US Navy during World War II. Raymond Jones was so proud to return after the war and meet his little girl! Doris grew up in Durham, NC and graduated from Durham High School. She furthered her studies at Watts Hospital School of Nursing in Durham and graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1966.

Shop. They thrived at their shop in Cornelius, NC until their retirement in 1998 when they moved back to Cabarrus County. John once again set up shop in his back yard garage where he attracted a loyal group of

Roy Reuben Scott, Jr.

December 2, 1942 — March 14, 2024

Roy Reuben Scott, Jr. 81, passed away peacefully Thursday, March 14, 2024, at Morningside Assisted Living in Concord. Roy was born December 2, 1942, to the late Roy Reuben Scott Sr. and the late Myrtle Louise Paige Scott.

John also began a lifelong love with restored his Dad’s tractor and began amassing his collection of tractors as well. John restored many cars of his own and had the crowning achievement of winning the most prestigious award from MARC, The Henry for a restoration that garnered top points. He was also presented with the Ken Brady Service Awardthe highest award given to members at the national level. This is what John’s Model A Community had to say upon learning of his death: He was an active member of Wesley Chapel Methodist Church where he loved serving as greeter on Sunday mornings. He also belonged to the United Methodist Men.

Roy’s life was anchored in his family and friends. Devoted husband of 37 years, reliable brother, and trusting friend to many. Roy’s legacy will continue to resonate in the hearts of those fortunate enough to have known him.

Roy is survived by his brother Bob, best friend David Broadway, (WillieMae), his chosen family from Morningside Assisted Living of Concord, along with advocates Tammy Brown & Elizabeth Sparks. He is preceded in death by the love of his life, Brenda Kay Scott; son, Roy Reuben Scott, III; and brother, John Scott.

John is survived by his wife Julie Ussery Kluttz, for 66 years of the home. He is also survived by a son John David Kluttz (Kim) of Oakboro, NC; two daughters, Sally Simerson of Denver, CO and Betsy Tusa (John) of Lafayette, CO; three grandchildren, Bonnie Kluttz Sammons (Ben) of Rich eld, NC John Alexander McKinnon (Sarah) of Asheville, NC and Seth William McKinnon (Amanda) of Germany; ve great-grandchildren, Charlotte, Meredith, Grant, Victoria and Ronan. John is also preceded in death by his parents, J.S. Kluttz and Mary Wyatt Clayton Kluttz; a large and loving group of brothers and sisters, Jack Methias Kluttz, Annie Lou Kluttz Honeycutt, Jake Nelson Kluttz, Julius Kluttz, Mary Patricia Phillips and a grandson, Kevin Fowler Kluttz.

Sharon was born June 28, 1937, in Charles City, Iowa, to the late Alan Toland and the late Wanda Toepfer. She was also preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, John Sekulich, Sr., as well as three infant children, Sheila, David, and Daniel. Survivors include daughter Diana Mackintosh (Charles) of Summer eld, NC; son John Sekulich, Jr. of Rose Hill, NC; son Bradley Sekulich (Karen) of Harrisburg, NC; and son Michael Sekulich (Kimberly) of Raleigh, NC. Grandchildren Jessica (Barry), Allie, Nick, Dasha, Summer, Malina, and great-grandson Trey survive her. She is also survived by sisters Ada (Chuck) of FL, Star (Paul), Waivia, and brother Reo (Paulette) of upstate SC, and sister Mary of OK. Brothers Howard and Gary predeceased her, but she kept in touch with special in-laws, Jan and Joyce (IL) and Steve (FL), who survive, as well as many, many nieces and nephews. Sharon was a partner in her husband's HarleyDavidson dealerships in West Allis and New Berlin, WI, from the early 1960s until selling the business in 1978, when they moved to Greenville, SC with Harley Davidson Motor Company. Relocating to North Carolina in the 80's, she continued her primary pursuit as a homemaker and parent, guiding her children to successful launches into the world. Sharon loved to ride motorcycles with John at the helm. She was a lifetime member of the American Motorcycle Association. In their early years, she spent many pleasant weekends on poker runs and attending their local rider's club's hill climbs and countryside riding excursions. During their dealership years, she sold enough bikes to garner them a memorable trip to Hawaii. Her principal focus was her family and she cherished being surrounded by them and with the love of her life, John.

Doris married Rev. Dr. Ted Coleman in 1966 and had two daughters Amy and Laura. Doris raised Amy and Laura in North Augusta, SC. Doris was an incredible neonatal intensive care nurse for most of her career, and this was her passion. The Augusta Chronicle did a feature on her in 1985. She was a clinical nurse manager in Augusta, Georgia at University Hospital NICU and worked there for 20 years. During this time, Doris mentored young nurses and assisted in saving the lives of so many babies. She also worked for Pediatrician Dr. William A. Wilkes in Augusta for several years prior to her NICU career. Doris retired from the mother/baby area at Atrium Stanly in 2007 after over 40 years of nursing.

Doris was a gentle and sweet spirit and loved her Lord. She never met a stranger, and she always left you feeling uplifted after talking with her. She would often claim that she had “adopted” friends into her immediate family, and honestly, she never made a distinction between the two. Positivity radiated from her like sunlight. She was sel ess, funny, smart, and sentimental. During her lifetime she was an active member of First Baptist Church of Durham, First Baptist Church of Augusta, Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Augusta, and Palestine United Methodist Church in Albemarle. She especially loved helping at church with older adults, youth, and children.

She was especially talented at sewing from a young age and made gifts for friends, Christmas ornaments, Halloween Costumes, doll clothes, pageant dresses, prom dresses, coats, tote bags, scarves, out ts for Amy and Laura, and Christening gowns for each of her grandchildren.

Doris was preceded in death by her father Arthur Raymond Jones, her mother Mary Ellen Cameron Jones, and her sister Maryanne Jones Brantley.

Survivors include her two precious daughters: Amy Cameron Coleman (partner Dr. Edward Neal Chernault) of Albemarle, NC, and Laura Lindahl Coleman Oliverio (husband David) of Cincinnati, Ohio; seven grandchildren: Cameron David Oliverio, Stephanie Jae Dejak, Luca Beatty Oliverio, Coleman John Dejak, Carson Joseph Oliverio, Ryan Nicholas Dejak, and Jadon Richard Oliverio; and numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, and loved ones.

Federal Reserve likely to preach patience as consumers, markets look ahead to rate cut

Chair Jerome Powell is expected to keep interest rates the same

By Christopher Rugaber

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. —

Across the United States, many people are eagerly anticipating the Federal Reserve’s rst cut to its benchmark interest rate this year: Prospective home buyers hope for lower mortgage rates. Wall Street traders envision higher stock prices. Consumers are looking for a break on credit card debt at record-high interest rates.

Not to mention President Joe Biden, whose reelection campaign would likely bene t from an economic jolt stemming from lower borrowing rates.

Yet Chair Jerome Powell and his fellow Fed o cials are expected to play it safe when they meet his week, keeping their rate unchanged for a fth straight time and signaling that they still need further evidence that in ation is returning sustainably to their 2% target.

The Fed’s cautious approach illustrates what’s unusual about

this round of potential rate cuts. Vincent Reinhart, chief economist at Dreyfus-Mellon and a former Fed economist, notes that the Fed typically cuts rates quickly as the economy deteriorates in an often-futile e ort to prevent a recession.

But this time, the economy is

EPA bans asbestos decades after partial ban was enacted

The known carcinogen is still used in some chlorine bleach, brake pads and other products

By Matthew Daly The Associated Press WASHINGTON,

D.C. —

The Environmental Protection Agency on Monday announced a comprehensive ban on asbestos, a carcinogen that is still used in some chlorine bleach, brake pads and other products and that kills tens of thousands of Americans every year.

The nal rule marks a major expansion of EPA regulation under a landmark 2016 law that overhauled regulations governing tens of thousands of toxic chemicals in everyday products, from household cleaners to clothing and furniture.

The new rule would ban chrysotile asbestos, the only ongoing use of asbestos in the United States. The substance is found in products such as brake linings and gaskets and is used to manufacture chlorine bleach and sodium hydroxide, also known as caustic soda.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan called the nal rule a major step to protect public health.

“With today’s ban, EPA is -

nally slamming the door on a chemical so dangerous that it has been banned in over 50 countries,’’ Regan said. “This historic ban is more than 30 years in the making, and it’s thanks to amendments that Congress made in 2016 to x the Toxic Substances Control Act,’’ the main U.S. law governing the use of chemicals.

Exposure to asbestos is known to cause lung cancer, mesothelioma and other cancers, and it is linked to more than 40,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. Ending the ongoing uses of asbestos advances the goals of President Joe Biden’s Cancer Moonshot, a whole-of-government initiative to end cancer in the U.S., Regan said.

still healthy. The Fed is considering rate cuts only because ination has steadily fallen from a peak of 9.1% in June 2022. As a result, it is approaching rate cuts the way it usually does rate hikes: Slowly and methodically while trying to divine the economy’s direction from often-con icting data.

“The Fed is driving events, not events driving the Fed,” Reinhart said. “That’s why this task is different than others.”

The central bank’s policymakers had said after their last meeting in January that they needed “greater con dence” that in ation was cooling decisively toward their 2% target. Since then, the government has issued two ination reports that showed the pace of price increases remaining sticky-high.

In most respects, the U.S. economy remains remarkably healthy. Employers keep hiring, unemployment remains low, the stock market is hovering near record highs and in ation has plummeted from its highs. Yet average prices remain much higher than they were before the pandemic — a source of unhappiness for many Americans for which Republi-

cans have sought to pin blame on Biden.

Excluding volatile food and energy costs, so-called “core” prices rose at a monthly pace of 0.4% in both January and February, a pace far higher than is consistent with the Fed’s in ation target. Compared with a year earlier, core prices rose 3.8% in February. Core prices are considered a good signal of where in ation is likely headed.

But in February, a measure of housing costs slowed, a notable trend because housing is among the “stickiest” price categories that the government tracks. At the same time, more volatile categories, like clothing, used cars and airline tickets, drove up prices in February, and they may well reverse course in coming months.

“Nothing about those two data prints made you feel substantially better about” in ation reaching the Fed’s target soon, said Seth Carpenter, chief global economist at Morgan Stanley and also a former Fed economist. “But it’s not at all enough to make you change your view on the fundamental direction of travel” for in ation.

Indeed, several Fed o cials have said in recent speeches that

they expect in ation to keep declining this year, though likely more slowly than in 2023.

The Fed has also built in some expectation that price increases would ease only gradually this year. In December, it projected that core in ation would reach 2.4% by the end of 2024. That’s not far from its current 2.8%, according to the Fed’s preferred measure.

On Wednesday, the Fed’s policymakers will update their quarterly economic projections, which are expected to repeat their December forecast for three rate cuts by the end of 2024. Still, it would take only two of the 19 Fed ocials to change their forecast to one fewer rate cut for the central bank’s overall projection to downshift to just two rate cuts for 2024. Some economists expect that to happen, given that in ation has remained persistent at the start of this year.

The Fed’s benchmark rate stands at about 5.4%, the highest level in 23 years, after a series of 11 rate hikes that were intended to curb the worst in ation in four decades but have also made borrowing much more expensive for consumers and businesses.

Workers

use in the U.S. has been declin-

ing for decades. The only form of asbestos known to be currently imported, processed or distributed for use in the U.S. is chrysotile asbestos, which is imported primarily from Brazil and Russia. It is used by the chlor-alkali industry, which produces bleach, caustic soda and other products.

Asbestos, which was once common in home insulation and other products, is banned in more than 50 countries, and its

“The science is clear: Asbestos is a known carcinogen that has severe impacts on public health. This action is just the beginning as we work to protect all American families, workers and communities from toxic chemicals,’’ Regan said. The 2016 law authorized new rules for tens of thousands of toxic chemicals found in everyday products, including substances such as asbestos and trichloroethylene that for decades have been known to cause cancer yet were largely unregulated under federal law. Known as the Frank Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act, the law was intended to clear up a hodgepodge of state rules governing chemicals and update the Toxic Substances Control Act, a 1976 law that had remained unchanged for 40 years. The EPA banned asbestos in 1989, but the rule was largely overturned by a 1991 court decision that weakened the EPA’s authority under TSCA to address risks to human health from asbestos or other existing chemicals. The 2016 law required the EPA to evaluate chemicals and put in place protections against unreasonable risks.

Most consumer products that historically contained chrysotile asbestos have been discontinued. While chlorine is a commonly used disinfectant in water treatment, there are only 10 chlor-alkali plants in the U.S. that still use asbestos diaphragms to produce chlorine and sodium hydroxide. The plants are mostly located in Louisiana and Texas.

The use of asbestos diaphragms has been declining and now accounts for about onethird of the chlor-alkali production in the U.S., the EPA said.

The EPA rule will ban imports of asbestos for chlor-alkali use as soon as the rule is published, but a ban on most other uses would take e ect in two years.

A ban on the use of asbestos in oil eld brake blocks, aftermarket automotive brakes and linings and other gaskets will take e ect in six months. A ban on sheet gaskets that contain asbestos will take e ect in two years, with the exception of gaskets used to produce titanium dioxide and for the processing of nuclear material. Those uses would be banned in ve years.

MARK SCHIEFELBEIN / AP PHOTO Board Chair Jerome Powell, pictured speaking on Capitol Hill earlier this month, and the Federal Reserve is set this week to leave interest rates unchanged for a fth straight time.

PAUL SANCYA / AP PHOTO

Generations of families have attended the school

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

future infectious disease outbreaks like with COVID-19.

Commissioner Josh Dobson announced his decision last week, following a public hearing in January. One rule focused on controlling the spread of infectious diseases among migrant workers. The other covered workers more broadly in various elds. The North Carolina State AFL-CIO was one of the petitioners, and its president urged Dobson to reconsider.

Trial on voter ID set for May

A federal trial over North Carolina’s photo voter identi cation law remains set for May, after a judge refused to end e orts by civil rights groups that sued over the requirement on allegations that its provisions are marred by racial bias.

U.S. District Judge Loretta Biggs denied a “summary judgment” motion led in 2021 for members of the State Board of Elections, which is implementing the law.

Photo ID was required starting with last fall’s municipal elections and the primary election earlier this month. Biggs wrote that disputes remained over the case’s facts or inferences from undisputed facts. Republican legislative leaders also are defending the mandate.

Chamber continues search for new president

The Asheboro/Randolph Chamber of Commerce hired a search rm to help nd a new president, a process expected to take three to four months. The organization will also see the departure of VP of Finance Rhonda Workman and VP of Membership Amy Rudisill in April.

FRANKLINVILLE — The 100-year celebration for Grays Chapel Elementary School this weekend means countless families will rekindle their connections and memories.

That’s the whole idea involving the event.

“To me, it’s the community involvement in the school that makes it so special,” said April Wood, a kindergarten teacher. “It’s a close-knit community that supports the school. I think

that’s the best part about it.”

Wood and fellow kindergarten teacher Jennifer Macfayden have been leading the organization of the weekend celebration.

“We’ve heard from people who have four generations of family who are going to be coming back,” Wood said. The celebration is set for 3-7:30 p.m. Saturday. Activities include school tours (a walkthrough memory lane), memorabilia set-ups, a silent auction, a live auction and a meal. The event is open to the public though geared to anyone who previously attended or worked at the school.

For Wood and her family, it’s about generations of attendance

at the school. Wood came through Grays Chapel from third through eighth grade on the way to becoming a 1988 graduate at Eastern Randolph. She later worked in Asheboro City Schools, but she has been on the teaching sta at the Grays Chapel for 19

years. Her parents, Judy Flinchum and the late Jimmy Flinchum, attended the school. So it was only tting that Woods’ three children also attended the school.

“I really wanted them to come here to Grays Chapel,” she said. “I love this place.”

Macfayden also went through Grays Chapel. She’s a 2005 Eastern Randolph graduate.

The school, located on N.C. 22, is a feeder for Northeastern Randolph Middle School and Providence Grove High School. Before Providence Grove opened, the school was a stop for students who eventually would attend Eastern Randolph.

For years, the school was home to students through 11th grade. The last graduating class at the high school level was in 1968, with about 30 graduates.

A re destroyed a portion of the school building in May 1973.

The Merchant and Maker o ers items from more than 50 small businesses

Randolph Record sta

ASHEBORO — Shoppers who prefer their retail xes from local businesses don’t typically start at a mall. But a new store at Asheboro Mall is bringing local vendors to the big retail space with the goal of showcasing their creations and o erings through a unique brick-and-mortar experience. The Maker and Merchant is a multivendor marketplace that o ers creators, makers and sellers the opportunity to have the scale of a large retail storefront without many of the burdens that can be a drain — both nancially and operationally — for businesses with limited inventory, small production volume or niche products.

The retail industry, including restaurants, is still evolving after the global pandemic in 2020 which accelerated consumers’ shift to e-commerce. Multivendor marketplaces, like The Maker and Merchant or Stock + Grain Food Hall in High Point, are part of a growing trend of shared spaces, cooperation and collaboration.

For The Maker and Merchant, Asheboro marks the company’s fth location and second in North Carolina. The new location’s grand opening was last Friday, According to the Food Insti-

tute, food halls are continuing to grow in the U.S., with 321 food halls in operation in mid2023 and another 145 in development. In the e-commerce space, platforms like Amazon, Facebook Marketplace, Etsy and eBay have shown the power of combined seller resources, enabling sellers to focus on marketing and manufacturing their products. The Maker and Merchant is o ering the same concepts as food halls

and e-commerce marketplaces within the traditional retail environment. Shared space was initially the promise of shopping malls dating back to the mid-1950s when shops began sharing space to lower costs and lure shoppers to the diverse and concentrated o erings that malls and shopping centers o er.

NORTH

The

and Merchant opened last Friday at Asheboro Mall.

Asheboro council approves new housing, water grants

Zoo Parkway is getting renumbered to smooth zoo tra c

By Ryan Henkel Randolph Record

Asheboro is one step closer to getting some new housing units as the Asheboro Council approved a rezoning request for an extension of the Arlington Square community. The approval, which signs o on development plans calling for 180 two-bedroom units, happened at the council’s Thursday, March 7 meeting alongside a number of other issues.

The rezoning request, a ecting just under 16 acres located adjacent to 1901 North Fayetteville Street will allow for a residential development with multiple family dwelling units with a oor area ratio up to 22%.

According to Community Development Director Trevor Nuttall, the development will, in essence, be an extension of the Arlington Square community and less dense than the existing units.

The city will be applying for a state grant/loan for the W.L. Brown Water Treatment Plant Emerging Contaminants Plan-

STORE from page 1 ing and Balentine’s Cafeteria.

Marketplaces like The Maker and Merchant are applying the same concepts at a store-level scale. At their Auburn location, The Maker and Merchant currently has 46 vendors o ering items from candles and soaps to stickers and stationery along with a dozen or more boutique clothing vendors. The Maker and Merchant does not shy away from in-store competition, and the company says it combines similar vendors in the same store.

“We thrive on the power of concentration,” said the company in a blog post about its business model. “By concentrating vendors together, we have become the ‘go to’ place

ning Project, requesting funds from the bipartisan infrastructure bill to address PFAS and other water quality issues.

“North Carolina received $469 million in this legislation and its focus was for safe water across the state,” explained water resources director Michael Rhoney. “It included money for lead pipe service inventory and replacement and addressing emerging contaminants, particularly PFAS. Funding is also available for planning studies to address how we’re going to address PFAS in our water.”

Per the CDC website, PFAS, which stands for per- and polyuoroalkyl substances, are a group of chemicals used to make uoropolymer coatings and products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease and water. They do not break down in the environment and have been linked to health problems with growth and development and reproduction.

“We know we’re going to have to install treatment, so we need to go ahead and have a plan in place for what we’re going to do,” Rhoney said. “We’re going to use the money to hire a consultant to come in, evaluate our water and provide us some options for treatment

to support and shop small businesses.”

The Maker and Merchant’s ve stores are all in malls owned by Asheboro Mall owner Hull Properties, and each has a similar mix of product vendors. “Yes, we have several jewelry makers, but that has made us the place you can nd jewelry to match any out t, style or person,” according to the company.

“North Carolina received $469 million in this legislation and its focus was for safe water across the state.”

Asheboro Water Resources Director Michael Rhoney

techniques and come up with a plan to move forward with construction for the treatment process.”

The council was also updated on a roadway naming change, removing the NC 159 designation from Zoo Parkway.

“In its place is a new secondary road number, SR 3017,” Nuttall told the council. “In its place is a new secondary road number, SR 3017. The NC 159 designation is being relocated to the Zoo Connector, so it will begin at the 64 Bypass, take you into the zoo and continue to the roundabout.”

The goal, Nuttell says, is to encourage zoo visitors to use the bypass and “to give a direct shot from US 64 to NC 159.”

The Asheboro City Council will next meet April 4.

The Randolph Guide is a quick look at what’s going on in Randolph County.

March 22

Liberty Showcase Theater Presents – Russell Moore & Iird Tyme Out 8 p.m.

For over 30 years, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out have been touring and releasing great, original bluegrass music. The show starts at 8 p.m., tickets from $25 to $45 depending on seat. For more information call (336) 622-3844.

March 23

Randleman Spring Fling

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The Asheboro location launched with more than 50 local businesses, and The Maker and Merchant’s sales associates were there to help customers and assist the new vendors. The store is across from Chick- l-A and is accessible from the mall’s East Salisbury Street entrance.

The company has not released its nal list of vendors, but an Instagram preview showed merchants from as far away as Florida and Alabama along with Randolph County-based retailers like Burge Flower Shop, leathercrafter Ivy House Handmade, Randleman clothing boutique Reese & Co., Asheboro bakery Nannie Mae’s and candlemaker Sincerely Candle Co.

On Friday, the Asheboro location opened its doors to all shoppers after a private shopping event for vendors and guests on Thursday evening. The store o ers dressing rooms and entrances from both the exterior and interior of the mall. Shelf spaces along the walls and table spaces of varying sizes across the oor plan allow vendors to have location and presentation options.

Farmers Produce, Crafts, Local Goodies, Food, Music and more!! Come by and enjoy the crisp weather and have a great time kicking your spring o right. Held at the Randleman Farmers Market, located at 128 Commerce Square in Randleman.

Asheboro Easter Eggstravaganza

9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

This free event will be held downtown at Bicentennial Park in Asheboro, rain, or shine. Egg hunts will be held for 1–4-year-olds at 10 a.m., 5-7 year-olds at 11 a.m., and 8-10 year olds at 11:45 a.m. Even is free and open to the public. For more information call (336) 626-1240.

Free Community

Easter Egg Hunt

12 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Mark your calendars and spread the word – the Easter Bunny will be in Franklinville for the Easter Egg Hunt at Riverside Park. This free, family friendly, fun event is hosted by Lakeside Park Church of God. Bring the kiddos to hunt eggs, visit the Easter Bunny, play games, and enjoy some snacks! For more information call (336) 824-7261.

Grays Chapel School – 100th Anniversary

3 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Grays Chapel School will be celebrating their 100th Anniversary with an event open to anyone and everyone who worked at or attended the school. Come out and celebrate this special occasion. BBQ plate tickets and specially designed t-shirts for sale with all proceeds going to the GC Playground Fund.

March 25

Liberty Town Council Meeting

5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

The Liberty Town Council consists of the Mayor and 5 Council Members with regular meeting held the 4th Monday and work session held the previous Monday in the Town Hall council room.

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

President Biden’s open border policies have created the worst border crisis in U.S. history.

The state of our union is in crisis

UNDER PRESIDENT BIDEN’S failed leadership, the State of the Union is in crisis.

He can try to convince the American people his policies are working, but after his address last week, one thing is clear — they’re not buying it.

Over the past three years, Americans have experienced one crisis after another. From the catastrophic open border, skyrocketing prices fueled by in ation, to surging violent crime, to weakness on the world stage, President Biden has made our country less prosperous and less safe.

Since President Biden took o ce, folks in our region and across America are paying more for everything. His reckless spending and anti-energy policies have led to historic in ation, soaring gas prices, and higher interest rates, making it more expensive for people just to buy the basics. Mortgage rates have also doubled, skyrocketing the cost

of purchasing a home and putting the American dream of homeownership out of reach for more families.

This crisis has left many families drowning in credit card debt. Many people have had to take second or third jobs to make ends meet. Hardworking Americans are su ering because of President Biden’s failures, and they’ve had enough.

President Biden’s open border policies and disregard for our immigration laws have created the worst border crisis in U.S. history, turning every community into a border community. Under the Biden Administration, there have been roughly 8.7 million illegal crossings nationwide, including over 340 individuals on the terrorist watch list. Countless innocent lives have been tragically lost to fentanyl poisoning and criminal violence at the hands of people here illegally. Just a few weeks ago,

Remembering the ‘why’ behind Raise the Age in North Carolina

The mission of JJDP is to reduce and prevent juvenile delinquency by e ectively intervening, educating and treating youth.

AT WHAT AGE should juvenile o enders be tried and treated as adults in North Carolina? What constitutes a juvenile’s actions so irredeemable that they bypass the juvenile system and go straight into adult corrections?

As times change and public safety evolves, it is important to re ect on the principles that guide our justice system. One such principle is the notion of rehabilitation and second chances, especially when it comes to juveniles.

In North Carolina, the Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act (S.L. 2017-57), more commonly known as “Raise the Age,” was implemented on December 1, 2019. The law redirected 16 and 17-yearolds who committed misdemeanors and low-level felonies from automatically being charged in the adult criminal justice system. This initiative became law only through a strong, bipartisan coalition of support from all three branches of government, prosecutors, law enforcement, the business community and advocacy organizations. Its implementation marked a signi cant milestone in our state’s commitment to justice reform and, more than four years later, it is ever important to remember the ‘why’ behind this policy.

Upon enacting the Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act, North Carolina ended a century-long practice of prosecuting teens as adults and was no longer the only state in the nation to do so. By incorporating 16-and-17-year-olds into the juvenile justice system, the state embraced an approach proven

to not only decrease crime but also to be cost-e ective. The reasoning was obvious: The overwhelming majority of juveniles are more e ectively treated in the juvenile justice system with ageappropriate programming.

The mission of both the North Carolina Department of Public Safety’s (NCPDS) Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) and the Division of Adult Corrections (NC DAC), while both equally necessary, could not be more di erent.

The mission of JJDP is to “reduce and prevent juvenile delinquency by e ectively intervening, educating and treating youth in order to strengthen families and increase public safety.”

On the other hand, the mission of NC DAC is to “promote public safety by the administration of a fair and humane system which provides reasonable opportunities for adjudicated o enders to develop progressively responsible behavior.”

While both missions underscore the importance of rehabilitation and public safety, the mission of JJDP recognizes that e ective intervention and treatment for young individuals is essential for strengthening families and communities. Youthful mistakes should not result in lifelong consequences within the adult criminal justice system. JJDP is there to prevent the cycle of recidivism by o ering young o enders a chance to learn from their mistakes and grow into law-abiding citizens.

Raise the Age was not enacted haphazardly but rather as a result

Laken Riley, a Georgia college nursing student, was brutally murdered by an illegal migrant who’d been paroled and released into our country after crossing the border illegally in 2022.

The crisis at our border is a catastrophe of the President’s own design, and he could x it today with a stroke of a pen, but he refuses to act. Meanwhile, House Republicans passed a bill to stop the ow of illegal migrants and secure America’s borders. We won’t stop ghting to secure America’s borders and protect our communities.

While President Biden continues to dodge responsibility and ignore the su ering his policies have caused, House Republicans are ghting to hold him accountable and restore our country’s greatness once again.

Richard Hudson represents North Carolina’s 9th Congressional district.

of thorough research, data analysis, and collaboration across branches of government, law enforcement, prosecutors, the business community and advocacy organizations. It was born from a bipartisan coalition that recognized the need for change and the potential for positive outcomes in our justice system.

HB 280: Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act, which we know as Raise the Age, had a total of 68 sponsors, 28 Republicans and 40 Democrats, and it passed the House in May 2017 with a vote of 104-8. Within that 104, 43 ayes were Democrat and 61 were Republican, with some legislators being former law enforcement and legal professionals.

In addition, former North Carolina Chief Justice Mark Martin showed strong public support for the initiative, noting that raising the age of juvenile jurisdiction was his highest legislative priority in 2017. Martin said that “Juvenile reinvestment will help strengthen families and is likely to result in lower recidivism, less crime, and increased safety,” said Chief Justice Martin. “Reinvesting in our youth will result in economic bene ts for the state of North Carolina.”

As North Carolinians, we must remember why Raise the Age was implemented – to believe in the redemption, rehabilitation, and potential of our youth. Upholding these principles and investing in juvenile justice is crucial for creating safer communities and ensuring fairness in our justice system.

COLUMN | RICHARD HUDSON

COLUMN | MAGGIE HORZEMPA

SPORTS

Oakley grapples with more success on mats

Wheatmore alum heads back to NCAA championships

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

ETHAN OAKLEY keeps checking o goals as a college wrestler for Appalachian State.

NCAA championships qualier. Conference champion.

The Wheatmore alum is heading back to the NCAAs for the second year in a row after riveting results to win a Southern Conference championship.

“I wanted to achieve what I did, but I wasn’t sure I would,” Oakley said. “Unreal, I nally did it.”

He captured the 133-pound league title earlier this month.

This has been a process for Oakley, a three-time state champion in high school. He’s in his fourth season in the Appalachian State program, though he’s competing as a redshirt sophomore.

He has been determined to make breakthroughs on col-

lege mats. “I just had to stay the course,” he said. “You get up here and you stick with the course. It helps you get to another level.”

He’ll be one of ve Mountaineers in the NCAA championships that run from Thursday through Saturday in Kansas City. Oakley, the No. 21 seed, opens the tournament against 12th-seeded Sam Latona, who’s the Atlantic Coast Conference runner-up from Virginia Tech.

Oakley holds a 26-7 record with ve pins, one technical fall and four major decisions. He has the second-most wins on the team.

The last three victories produced the Southern Conference title.

Oakley defeated top-seeded Dom Zaccone of Campbell by using a late takedown in thenal second for a 5-4 victory in the title bout. Even after time expired, there were anxious moments because Campbell challenged the rulings from the nal seconds.

“That was pretty crazy,”

Oakley said. “I was kind of on the edge of my seat.”

Appalachian State coach JohnMark Bentley said Oakley had the right approach.

“You look at it on replay, I think there was 2, 1 seconds left, right at the buzzer,” Bentley said. “Just wrestling through all positions and never giving up until the very end.”

Bentley said that Oakley’s training and ability to follow a plan made a di erence.

“We had actually trained that speci c scenario,” the coach said. “Being down, 30 seconds on the clock, the guy has got a two-point lead. So you not only have to take him down, but you have to ride him out. We practiced it over and over and over again. I think he felt comfortable in that moment, knowing that he was prepared for it.”

And he should be better prepared for the return to the NCAA championships.

Oakley was an alternate last year for the NCAAs, and ended up with a spot on the brack-

Results vary for county spring teams

Randolph Record sta

THERE WERE an array of results in baseball, softball and girls’ soccer last week for Randolph County teams.

Here’s an overview:

Baseball

Randleman blanked Wheatmore 10-0 at home behind Jake Riddle’s pitching in the Piedmont Athletic Conference.

Two nights later, the Tigers won 12-5 at Wheatmore with Tate Andrews driving in ve runs and collecting four hits and Braxton Walker posting three runs batted in and three hits. Seth Way struck out 10 batters in 5 2/3 innings.

At Thomasville, Randleman dropped Saturday’s non-conference, neutral-site clash with West Davidson at Finch Field Also at that site, Southwest Guilford edged Trinity 2-1.

• Trinity and Southwestern

Randolph split two PAC games, each winning on the road. Trinity won 12-6 despite a home run by Austin Harvell. The Cougars got even with a 7-3 triumph, highlighted by Brady Arm eld’s rst-inning grand slam.

• Asheboro took a 3-2 nonleague victory at Southwestern Randolph as starting pitcher Connor Adams returned to the mound to notch the nal out and nish with nine strikeouts. Asheboro fell to 1-6 with Friday’s 3-2 home loss to nonleague foe Eastern Randolph, which received 12 strikeouts from freshman Cade McCallum. He walked one in the complete game. Lucas Smith had a two-run single in the Wildcats’ three-run sixth inning. Adam Curry smacked a two-run homer for the Blue Comets.

• Uwharrie Charter Academy responded from a 9-5 nonleague loss at Central Davidson to win its PAC opener by 7-2 at

BEST OVERALL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Connor Adams

Asheboro, baseball

Providence Grove.

Providence Grove’s losing streak reached four games the next night with a 12-0 non-conference loss in 4½ innings at Southern Alamance.

Softball

Southwestern Randolph suffered its rst loss with a 2-0 non-conference setback to visiting North Stanly, allowing both runs in the top of the seventh inning. Cougars pitcher Alyssa Harris struck out seven without giving up a walk, but North Stanly’s Sophia Crist fanned 13 batters in her three-hitter.

Southwestern Randolph was coming o a 7-0 PAC victory against visiting Randleman with Macie Crutch eld throwing a two-hitter with 12 strikeouts and one walk.

• Randleman had a notable result at the beginning of last week, winning 10-4 at Western Alamance, which was the 2023 Class 3-A state runner-up. Kinzie Ivey drove in three runs for the Tigers and pitcher Camden Scott tossed a ve-hitter.

• Wheatmore’s Carmen Turgeon threw a four-inning perfect game when the Warriors won

Adams has been a boost for the Blue Comets in several roles on the baseball team. He has been a pitcher and out elder.

When the Blue Comets defeated host Southwestern Randolph 3-2 last week, Adams started the game on the mound and later returned to the rubber to notch the nal out. He was summoned in the bottom of the seventh inning with the bases loaded and posted a strikeout to end the game. He recorded a total of nine strikeouts.

After a diet of non-conference games, Asheboro was scheduled to launch MidPiedmont Conference play this week.

Last year for the Blue Comets, Adams batted .311.

Adams also has been a key contributor in American Legion baseball for Randolph County Post 45.

RACING Controversy involved with feature in UCARs race

Randolph Record sta

SOPHIA — Landon Human won the Challengers race in the season-opening competition in the division Sunday at Caraway Speedway. He outdueled Daniel Schadt and Brody Duggins for the victory, which was accompanied with a $1,000 prize. There were 16 cars entered in the 40-lap race. Daniel Schadt was in the pole position following qualifying ahead of Hu man, Mathew Smith, Brody Duggins and Jeremy Clay. The race card came a week after the o cial opening race weekend at the track. The second “opener” was for classes that didn’t compete a week earlier. Some of these divisions were rained out earlier this month.

•

•

PJ WARD-BROWN/RANDOLPH RECORD

PHOTO COURTESY OF APPALACHIAN STATE ATHLETICS

Wheatmore graduate Ethan Oakley became a Southern Conference champion earlier this month.

Denny Hamlin wins tire-management NASCAR race at Bristol Speedway

Earns 4th career victory at famed bullring

By Mark Long

Associated Press

The

DENNY HAMLIN won the NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday, passing Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr. in the nal laps for his fourth victory at the famed short track.

Hamlin also won at NASCAR’s bullring last September.

This one was much di erent. Tire issues hampered most everyone all afternoon as only ve cars nished on the lead lap — the rst time that has happened in the Cup Series in 20 years.

The Gibbs cars were the class of the eld.

“My favorite racetrack!” Hamlin exclaimed over his radio while taking the checkered ag. “We got another.”

He was booed — no surprise considering Hamlin has become arguably the series’ biggest villain — as he stood atop his No. 11 Toyota following a smoky burnout. It was Hamlin’s 52nd career win and locks him into the playo s. Brad Keselowski nished third in a Ford, Alex Bowman was fourth in a Chevrolet and Bowman’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson rounded out the top ve.

“It was weird,” Larson said. “I accidentally nished fth. I’ll take it. I hope I never have to run another race like that again.”

The other two Gibbs cars — driven by Ty Gibbs and Christopher Bell — nished ninth and 10th, respectively.

The race was chaotic from the start, with cars burning through tires at such an alarming rate that NASCAR issued each team an extra set. That

gave them 11 sets total, including the one used in qualifying. It made for four hours of tire management that put gave control to drivers and crew chiefs. It also led to the most lead changes (54) in NASCAR’s shorttrack history, breaking the previous mark of 40 set in 1991 at Bristol.

JGR handled it better than the rest of the eld.

“Our Toyotas are really working well right now,” Truex said.

NASCAR returned Bristol to “normal” for the rst time in four years for the spring race. The track added red clay each of the last three years. Reviews were mixed, and as the novelty wore o , sub-par racing inside the high-banked oval overshadowed any excitement that came with the series running on dirt for the rst time since 1970.

SIDELINE REPORT

NFL Potential rule change would allow replay challenges for penalties

The Indianapolis Colts are proposing a rule change that would allow coaches to challenge any penalty call for the rst time. The NFL released a list of several rule change proposals that included an option to run a fourth-and-20 play in lieu of an onside kick, the moving of the trade deadline and giving teams an additional challenge if they are successful on one of their rst two tries. The competition committee will make its own rule change proposals and owners are scheduled to vote on them at the league meetings later this month with 24 votes needed for approval.

GOLF

Bernard Langer out due to pickleball injury

Goodyear responds

Goodyear felt the need to make a rare statement during the race. Greg Stucker, the tire manufacturer’s director of racing, said a test at Bristol Motor Speedway last year was intended to nd a setup that led to more tire wear.

But he called Sunday’s outcome “too drastic.”

The rubber that was supposed to leave tires and adhere to the racing grooves came o in chunks that looked like shredded cheese. Those loose pieces called “marbles” create a slippery situation around the 0.533-mile track.

Part of the culprit may have been the tracks’ decision to put down a new and di erent traction compound.

In an e ort to improve the racing and make sure the track had two equal lanes, workers put down a resin-based traction compound through the turns. It was far from perfect.

Vanderbilt res coach Jerry Stackhouse

Former Tar Heel had 70-92 record in 5 seasons

By Teresa M. Walker

Thr Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt red coach Jerry Stackhouse on Thursday after a big drop-o in his fth season with the Commodores, going 9-23 with fans showing their apathy by staying away from historic Memorial Gym.

Athletic director Candice Lee said in a statement that Vanderbilt and Stackhouse, who signed a contract extension in October 2022, agreed to part ways. He leaves with a 7092 record at Vanderbilt, including 28-60 in the Southeastern Conference.

“Commodore Nation will always remember the ‘Memorial Magic’ moments we experienced under Coach Stackhouse’s leadership,” Lee said. “Given his pedigree, experience, and love of the game, I look forward to seeing what’s next for him.”

Stackhouse and Vanderbilt appeared poised to keep building after going from 19-17 to a 22-15 record. The Commodores reached the Southeastern Conference Tournament semi nals last year, then reached the NIT quarter nals before losing on their home court to UAB.

Stackhouse thanked Vanderbilt for the opportunity in the university’s release Thursday. But the decision had only been a matter of time.

“All that matters is the re -

sults, and the results weren’t what they were supposed to be,”

Stackhouse said after Wednesday night’s opening loss in the SEC Tournament. “The NCAA Tournament is the ultimate goal, and we haven’t done that. I haven’t done that. No matter what, those results are those results.” The Commodores started this season with a home loss to Presbyterian before going 5-8 in nonconference play. They nished with a 4-14 record in SEC play to nish 13th out of 14 teams before the league expands by adding Texas and Oklahoma this summer.

Worse, attendance topped 10,000 at Memorial Gym only twice all season with Tennessee and Kentucky fans helping ll the building. Vanderbilt averaged 6,785 spectators per game this season. Vanderbilt currently is building new basketball ofces and a practice gym for the men’s program.

Stackhouse replaced Bryce Drew for the 2019-20 season when he was hired away in April 2019 by then-Vanderbilt athletic director Malcolm Turner from the NBA, where he was an assistant with the Memphis Grizzlies. The new coach took over a program that went 0-18 in SEC play, leading to Drew’s ring. Under Stackhouse, Vanderbilt was the only SEC team to improve its NET ranking in three seasons spanning the pandemic starting in his rst year on the job.

Stackhouse dealt with injuries throughout this season,

starting 15 di erent lineups. That made Vanderbilt one of seven teams in the country to start that many lineups. Stackhouse had four sophomores and ve freshmen on a team led by fth-year guard Ezra Manjon and senior guard Tyrin Lawrence. Vanderbilt lost its rst seven SEC games before beating Missouri, which went winless in league play. The Commodores beat Texas A&M, LSU and got their lone road win at Arkansas before wrapping up the regular season by edging Florida. But the Commodores blew a 14-point halftime lead to open this year’s SEC Tournament and lost the rematch with Arkansas 90-85 Wednesday night.

West Palm Beach, Fla. Bernhard Langer won’t be at the Masters this year because of pickleball. The two-time Masters champion reveals on the “Musings on Golf” podcast that he tore his left Achilles tendon while playing pickleball last month. Langer says it’s part of his tness routine. This was supposed to be his last Masters. Now he’ll likely push that back to next year. This is only the second time in the last 40 years he won’t be playing at Augusta National in April. The 66-year-old German holds the PGA Tour Champions record with 46 victories. That includes 12 senior majors.

UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman hospitalized after saving parents in house re Toledo, Ohio UFC Hall of Famer and former champion Mark Coleman says he is “the happiest man in the world.” A video posted to Coleman’s Instagram account shows him embracing members of his family from a hospital bed in an emotional scene. Coleman was airlifted to a hospital on Wednesday after saving his parents from a house re in Ohio this week, according to daughter Morgan Coleman. He says “I can’t believe my parents are alive. I had to make a decision.” Coleman was not able to go back in and rescue his dog, Hammer. He was hospitalized for smoke inhalation.

NFL

Woman accuses Dak Prescott of sexual assault

Dallas A woman accusing Dak Prescott of sexual assault has led a police report over the alleged incident in 2017. The woman went to police after the star quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys sued her on a $100 million extortion claim. Dallas police say there is an ongoing investigation about an alleged sexual assault that occurred in the parking lot of a strip club. Prescott’s lawsuit says the woman and her attorneys wrote him a letter saying she wouldn’t pursue criminal charges or go public with her claims if Prescott paid her $100 million. Prescott has denied the woman’s allegations.

Kyle

Seaforth’s Cade Elmore slides into second base ahead of a tag from Eastern Randolph’s Cade McCallum last week in Ramseur. Seaforth won the non-league game 3-0.

16-0 at Asheboro. Turgeon also scored three runs, while teammate Skylar Pittman drove in ve runs. Savannah Heiney had three hits, including two doubles.

In its previous game, Asheboro fell 16-15 at Trinity. Both of the Bulldogs’ victories have come against Asheboro.

• Providence Grove fell 7-6 in nine innings at Chatham Charter in non-league action despite Callie Lambert’s four runs bat-

OAKLEY from page 4

et. He defeated North Dakota State’s McGwire Midki 5-3 before losing 123 to 2021 and 2022 national champion Roman Bravo-Young, the eventual runner-up, of Penn State. Oakley was eliminated by Rutgers’ Joe Heilmann, who posted a 7-4 victory.

“Last year was a whirlwind,” he said. “One of the dreams was to wrestle in that tournament. … Now I feel like I’ve got more experience just being used to the atmosphere. After the tournament was over, you realize that everybody is pretty much the same.”

This season has been di erent because Oakley, whose career record is 47-24, because he has been a staple in the Mountaineers’ lineup. This followed last summer when he was based in Boone to train.

He said he has bene ted from regularly facing starters from opposing teams. He has sensed the improvement.

“Staying in positions that I’m good at,” he said.

In the Southern Conference

ted in and two runs scored. She had a home run and a double.

• At Ramseur, Jordan-Matthews avenged a non-league loss to Eastern Randolph by winning 2-0. That moved Eastern Randolph’s record to 2-2, with all games resulting in shutouts.

Eastern Randolph earlier handled Wheatmore 9-0 with pitcher Addie Flinchum striking out 18 and also homering in the PAC game.

• Uwharrie Charter Academy’s 10-3 victory at Providence Grove came with Gracie Smith’s

Tournament, Oakley came from behind to win in the seminals as well, edging Chattanooga’s Blake Boarman 5-4. That nal takedown came in the nal minute. In the quarter nals, Oakley pinned Davidson’s Hale Robinson in 5:48. The host Mountaineers racked up 114 points to runner-up Campbell’s 97½ points among eight teams March 9 at Holmes Center in Boone.

Oakley has been on top before heading to Appalachian State. He won a high school state championship as a Providence Grove freshman before spending the next three seasons at Wheatmore and winning state titles as a junior and senior.

Oakley, who turns 22 in April, is set to graduate in May with a degree in business administration. He said he’ll apply to graduate school with the intent to use his nal two years of eligibility.

“The plan is to stay around and get a master’s degree,” he said. “I feel like I’ve been here so long, but there’s more to come.”

home run and pitcher Mollie Bulla’s 13 strikeouts.

Girls’ soccer

At Siler City, Jaira Arellano and Itzel Macias scored goals as visiting Asheboro defeated Jordan-Matthews 2-1. Goalkeeper Emma Little made a save on a penalty kick in the nal three minutes to preserve the lead in the non-league encounter. Providence Grove rode six rst-half goals to a 6-0 romp past visiting Southwestern Ran-

dolph in the Piedmont Athletic Conference opener for both teams. Taryn Waugh registered three goals and Anaelia Puente Garza had two goals.

• Southwestern Randolph plastered visiting Southern Guilford 8-2 and later in the week topped visiting North Moore, with Macy Allred scoring two goals.

• Uwharrie Charter Academy drilled visiting Phoenix Academy (of High Point) 9-0, with Kendal Jarrell and Reese Craven both scoring three goals, Jazmin

Palma posting two goals and Macy Hartley providing a goal and an assist.

• Wheatmore su ered another rare regular-season defeat, falling 5-3 to visiting North Davidson. Ellie Garrison had two goals and Natalie Bowman provided a goal and an assist for Wheatmore.

The Warriors responded to rip host Trinity 7-1 in a PAC game behind Garrison’s six goals. In another PAC game, Randleman nipped visiting Eastern Randolph 3-2.

PJ WARD-BROWN/RANDOLPH RECORD

Hugh Tayloe

Gouldman, Jr.

July 22, 1926 — March 15, 2024

Hugh Tayloe Gouldman, Jr. Hugh Tayloe Gouldman, Jr., a longtime resident of Asheboro, died March 15th at Clapp's Nursing Home after a long decline in his health. Mr. Gouldman, a retired bank examiner for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation moved to Asheboro on his retirement in 1988. Hugh Tayloe Gouldman, Jr. Was born July 26th, 1926, at Columbia Hospital for Women in the District of Columbia to Hugh Tayloe Gouldman, Sr. and Alma Maude Bennett Gouldman. Mr. Gouldman was very proud of his ancestry on his father's side in King George County Virginia and on his mother's side in St. Mary's County Maryland. He spent his early years in Washington until his entry into the navy in 1944. The central part of his life had always been the Episcopal Church.

Prior to his retirement, he became a licensed amateur radio operator holding the highest license class issued by the Federal Communications Commission. He was an active member of the Randolph Radio Club. One of his lifelong interests was trains and railroads. He had a library of railroad material and spent a good deal of time "train watching”. He is survived by his daughter, Glenda Virginia Gouldman of Alexandria, Virginia.

Phoenix Rose

Bradley

March 11, 2024 — March 11, 2024

Phoenix Rose Bradley, infant daughter of Ashley and Travis Bradley, passed away March 11, 2024.Phoenix was a beautiful baby girl who touched the life of all of her family and friends. Phoenix is survived by her mother and father, Ashley Charles Bradley and Travis Ray Bradley; maternal grandmother, Sherry Dunlap and Papa Frankie; paternal grandparents, Sheila Shepherd and Billy Bradley; great-grandparents, Betty Brady, Johnny Brady, Victoria Stacy, and Gloria Beech; siblings, Kyle Bradley, Bentley Bradley, and Trevor Bradley; aunts, Amber Jones, Brittany Southard; uncles, John Jones, Daniel Hanson; great aunt, Jennifer Brady; great uncle, Michael Endicott; great aunt, Diana Endicott; great-greatuncle, Robert Jones; greatgreat-aunts, Julie Jones and Shirley Kern. Phoenix was preceded in death by her great-grandparents, Richard McBride, and Ann Bradley; great-grandparents, Celia Charles and O.P. Charles; great-great-grandmother, Margie Jones; and great-uncle Kiser Endicott.

Robert Ezra

Payne

November 6, 1937 — March 14, 2024

Robert Ezra Payne, 86, of Randleman passed away Thursday, March 14, 2024, at his home. Mr. Payne was born in Guilford County on November 6, 1937, son of the late Ezra Thomas Payne and Clara Lou Liner Payne. Robert was a resident of Randolph County for over 40 years and retired from Old Dominion Trucking after 45 years of service, having over 4 million miles of safe driving. Mr. Payne was a former race car driver and was an avid NASCAR fan. Robert was a sweet and humble man, loved by all who knew him. He will be greatly missed by all of his children, grandchildren, and greatgrandchildren. In addition to his parents, Mr. Payne is preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Janet Manring Payne, who he will now spend eternity with; daughter, Lisa Dawn Payne; and sister, Betty Britt. Mr. Payne is survived by his children, Robert Gary Payne of Randleman, Willie Thomas Payne and wife Tonya of Randleman, Amanda Thompson and husband Je ery of Randleman, Denise Wilson and husband Willie of Geona, WV, Richard Curtis Payne, Sr. and companion Rosemary of Asheboro, and Richard Curtis Payne, Jr. and wife Rosemary of the home; 19 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren.

Brenda Hooker Wright

August 20, 1943 — March 6, 2024

Brenda Hooker Wright, originally from Asheboro, NC, passed away peacefully in her Pawleys Island home on Wednesday March 6 at the age of 80. Upon graduation from Appalachian State with a BA in education, Brenda began her teaching career at Balfour Elementary with special training for teaching gifted children. Brenda and her family moved to SC in 1978 and have resided in Pawleys Island since 1985 where she continued to teach. She later changed careers to begin selling real estate at the beach. Brenda will be dearly missed by her husband of 59 years, Olyn Wright and 2 sons Travis Wright of Cumming, GA (Tina) & Brad Wright of Columbia, SC (Tracy). The joys of her life were her grandchildren, Jackson, Sullivan, Nathaniel & Matthew. She is also survived by her only sister, Dolores Hooker Cox (Burnis) and multiple nephews, great nephews & nieces and even great-great nephews & nieces. Brenda is preceded in death by her parents, Garl Leonard Hooker & Lovie Madeline Hooker, daughter-in-law Melanie and granddaughter Abigail.

Robert Lee Hall

July 16, 1956 — March 10, 2024

Robert Lee Hall, age 67, of Salisbury passed away on March 10, 2024, at the W.G. (Bill) Hefner Salisbury Department of Veterans A airs Medical Center. Mr. Hall was born in Siler City, NC on July 16, 1956, to Sammie and Joyce Thomas Hall. Robert loved serving his country and was enlisted in the U.S. Army for 13 years. In addition to his parents, Robert was preceded in death by his brother, Cecil Hall, and sister, Phyllis Hall. He was a simple man who enjoyed spending time with his family and watching old westerns on television, and he had a great love for children. He is survived by his nieces, Dianna Woodle of Asheboro, Martha Mace of Asheboro, and Janet Mace of Greensboro; nephews, Mace Hall of Asheboro and Alvin Hall (Megan) of Asheboro, and several great nieces and great nephews.

Irene "Grammie" Cox Surratt

September 6, 1930 — March 9, 2024

Irene Cox Surratt, 93, of Randleman passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 9, 2024, surrounded by her loved ones and caregivers at Hospice of the Piedmont. Irene was born September 6, 1930, in Liberty, NC to Percy Lee Cox, Sr. and Leoline Routh Cox. Irene was a beloved and adored wife, mother, motherin-law, grandmother, greatgrandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. She was a saint on earth, served her community and our family faithfully and endlessly, and was objectively one of the best cooks around. Our bellies and our hearts will be a little less full now. A leader in the Level Cross Community Center, she served as both secretary and treasurer. Active in the Level Cross Civitans, she ful lled many roles as well. She was also an involved member of the First Wesleyan Church of Randleman. Irene was well known for her cooking and a fresh cake was never out of reach, or ready in the freezer. Irene is survived by her daughter, Lori Edwards of Randleman; sons, Scott Surratt (Debbie) of Randleman, Mark Surratt (Pam) of Greensboro; seven grandchildren and seven greatgrandchildren; sisters, Rachel Davis of Randleman, Margaret Ester of Randleman; brother, Wayne M. Cox of Arkansas. In addition to her parents, Irene is preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Leonard Clark Surratt; daughter, Rebecca Goins; sisters, Ruth Lineberry, Blanche Powell, Mary Underwood, Doris Beeson, Louvelia Morris, Martha Williamson; brothers, John Paige Cox, James R. Cox, Percy Cox, Jr., Charles E. Cox.

Nancy Elizabeth Welborn

February 7, 1927 — March 8, 2024

Nancy Elizabeth Routh Welborn passed away on March 8, 2024, at Brookdale Assisted Living in Asheboro, NC. She was 97 years old. Nancy was born in Franklinville, NC to Pearle Lee Burke and Ernest Clyde Routh. She was the eldest of three children and loved her brothers dearly. Nancy graduated from Franklinville High School in 1944. In 1948, she married her husband, Charles Hardee Welborn from Ramseur, NC. She was known as a sweet, sel ess person who took pleasure in helping others. Nancy is preceded in death by her parents, Pearl Lee Burke Routh and Ernest Clyde Routh, her husband, Charles Hardee Welborn, her two younger brothers, Edgar Burke Routh and Joe Sam Routh, and several members of the Welborn family. She is survived by her loving nieces, Lisa Routh Meili (Mark) of Cincinnati, OH and Tammy Renee Tweedlie (Tom) of West Chester, OH. She is also survived by 4 great nieces: Melodie Tweedlie Mow (Denton), Emily Ann Tweedlie, Mandy Katherine Tweedlie, and Julianna Grace Meili. She is survived by 1 great nephew, Alan Scott Meili.

Marjorie Robbins Luck

January 4, 1927 — March 6, 2024

Marjorie Jerleen Robbins Luck, age 97, of Asheboro passed away on March 6, 2024.

Mrs. Luck was born in Asheboro on January 4, 1927, to Arthur and Flossie She eld Robbins.

In addition to her parents, Marjorie was preceded in death by her husband, Floyd Luck, brothers, Eugene Robbins and Earl Robbins, and her sisters, Joann Phillips and Kathleen Rose. She loved owers, dogs, and baking, and was best known for her banana nut bread and peach cobbler. Marjorie was truly a gifted storyteller and loved to tell jokes. She had the most infectious laugh you can imagine. She is survived by her children, Deborah Luck Anderson and husband Michael of Michigan, Jim Luck and wife Sandy of Michigan, Nancy Luck Kerr of Michigan, and David E. Luck of Asheboro; grandchildren, Allison and husband Mike, Tony and wife Meagan, Audrey and husband Joe, Rachel, and Brian and wife Molly; great grandchildren, Jessica, Sam, Logan, Lianna, Corbin, Delaney, Raelynn, Brianna, Tyler, Vanessa, Micah, and Samara; and sister,

Rachel Robinson

July 18, 1940 — March 8, 2024

Rachel York Robinson, age 83, of Asheboro passed away Friday, March 8, 2024, at Clapps Nursing Home in Pleasant Garden. Mrs. Robinson was a lifelong resident of Randolph County and was born July 18, 1940, to Charles and Mary York. She was a member of Central Falls Baptist Church where she was coordinator of the Vacation Bible School program. Her faith was very important to her and she was always helping others. Mrs. Robinson loved to bake, especially cakes of all types and loved traveling to the beach with her family. In addition to her parents, Mrs. Robinson was preceded in death by her husband, Leon Robinson; grandchildren, George Potts, Ryan Rawlings, Nova "Nikki" Robinson, great grandchildren, Katlyn Williams and Wesley Truner. Mrs. Robinson is survived by her sons, David Marshall Robinson, Clifton Leon Robinson (Leanna); daughter, Theresa Jean Messersmith; grandchildren, Jamie Robinson, Brandon Robinson, Tyler Robinson (Morgan), Ti any Turner (John), Jeanette Barr, Kayla Jenkins (Rick), Lucrissa Lundy; 16 great grandchildren; brother, Frankie York (Rhonda); sister, Irene Hill.

Charles (Rusty) Hartsell

November 23, 1936 — March 8, 2024

Charles (Rusty) Hartsell age 87 passed away peacefully on March 8, 2024, at Hospice House of Randolph County. Rusty was born in Newport, Tennessee to Charles Franklin Hartsell and Evelyn Fortenberry. In addition to his parents Rusty was preceded in death by his son Charles William “Rusty” Hartsell, sister-inlaw Billy Sue, Johnny and infant son Robert John Webb, brother-in-law Clay Webb. Survivors include his wife Frieda Hartsell, son Mark Hartsell with wife Teresa, daughter in law Angie Hartsell, grandchildren Coty Hartsell, Amanda Miljenovic (Jared), Marcus Hartsell (Catherine), Tucker Hartsell, Meredith Hartsell, Mason Hartsell (Hope), Mariah Hartsell ancée (Corey Hogan), three great grandchildren Maria Ramirez-Tellez, Reid Hartsell, Jersey Miljenovic. A sister-in-law Sandy Webb of Newport Tennessee. A brother Lloyd Hartsell (Bea) from San Jose California and his cherished nieces and nephews Bart Webb, Grant Webb (Tina), Belinda Woodall (Todd), Nicholas Webb. Great nieces and nephews Jake Webb (Jessi), Addison Webb, Madelyn Webb, Ella Webb, Lauren Woodall, Lacey Woodall, Landree Woodall.

Federal Reserve likely to preach patience as consumers, markets look ahead to rate cut

Chair Jerome Powell is expected to keep interest rates the same

By Christopher Rugaber

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. —

Across the United States, many people are eagerly anticipating the Federal Reserve’s rst cut to its benchmark interest rate this year: Prospective home buyers hope for lower mortgage rates. Wall Street traders envision higher stock prices. Consumers are looking for a break on credit card debt at record-high interest rates.

Not to mention President Joe Biden, whose reelection campaign would likely bene t from an economic jolt stemming from lower borrowing rates.

Yet Chair Jerome Powell and his fellow Fed o cials are expected to play it safe when they meet his week, keeping their rate unchanged for a fth straight time and signaling that they still need further evidence that in ation is returning sustainably to their 2% target.

The Fed’s cautious approach illustrates what’s unusual about

MARK SCHIEFELBEIN / AP PHOTO Board Chair Jerome Powell, pictured speaking on Capitol Hill earlier this month, and the Federal Reserve is set this week to leave interest rates unchanged for a fth straight time.

this round of potential rate cuts. Vincent Reinhart, chief economist at Dreyfus-Mellon and a former Fed economist, notes that the Fed typically cuts rates quickly as the economy deteriorates in an often-futile e ort to prevent a recession.

But this time, the economy is

EPA bans asbestos decades after a partial ban was enacted

The known carcinogen is still used in some chlorine bleach, brake pads and other products

By Matthew Daly

Associated

The

Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Environmental Protection Agency on Monday announced a comprehensive ban on asbestos, a carcinogen that is still used in some chlorine bleach, brake pads and other products and that kills tens of thousands of Americans every year. The nal rule marks a major expansion of EPA regulation under a landmark 2016 law that

A new structure was constructed by the following year.

Louis Brady, a Franklinville man, made a painting of the old school — based on a photograph — 50 years ago. This year, he made a new painting of the school.

“I love the fact we have the same artist 50 years later,” Wood said.

More than 400 presale tickets have been issued — to expected attendees as far away as Colo-

overhauled regulations governing tens of thousands of toxic chemicals in everyday products, from household cleaners to clothing and furniture.

The new rule would ban chrysotile asbestos, the only ongoing use of asbestos in the United States. The substance is found in products such as brake linings and gaskets and is used to manufacture chlorine bleach and sodium hydroxide, also known as caustic soda.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan called the nal rule a major step to protect public health.

“With today’s ban, EPA is nally slamming the door on a chemical so dangerous that it has been banned in over 50 countries,’’ Regan said. “This historic ban is

rado — for a barbecue associated with the celebration, so organizers are anticipating at least 500 people will be present throughout the day.

“Our expectations are real high,” Wood said. “People do love the school.”

Last week, current students of the school gathered on the grounds and aligned in a “1-00” formation for a drone photograph by Dan Routh, whose late wife, Dedra Routh, was a thirdgrade teacher at Grays Chapel. His father, the late Sylvan Routh,

still healthy. The Fed is considering rate cuts only because ination has steadily fallen from a peak of 9.1% in June 2022. As a result, it is approaching rate cuts the way it usually does rate hikes: Slowly and methodically while trying to divine the economy’s direction from often-con icting data.

“The Fed is driving events, not events driving the Fed,” Reinhart said. “That’s why this task is different than others.”

The central bank’s policymakers had said after their last meeting in January that they needed “greater con dence” that in ation was cooling decisively toward their 2% target. Since then, the government has issued two ination reports that showed the pace of price increases remaining sticky-high.

In most respects, the U.S. economy remains remarkably healthy. Employers keep hiring, unemployment remains low, the stock market is hovering near record highs and in ation has plummeted from its highs. Yet average prices remain much higher than they were before the pandemic — a source of unhappiness for many Americans for which Republi-

more than 30 years in the making, and it’s thanks to amendments that Congress made in 2016 to x the Toxic Substances Control Act,’’ the main U.S. law governing the use of chemicals.

Exposure to asbestos is known to cause lung cancer, mesothelioma and other cancers, and it is linked to more than 40,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. Ending the ongoing uses of asbestos advances the goals of President Joe Biden’s Cancer Moonshot, a whole-of-government initiative to end cancer in the U.S., Regan said.

“The science is clear: Asbestos is a known carcinogen that has severe impacts on public health. This action is just the beginning as we work to protect all American families, workers and communities from toxic chemicals,’’ Regan said.

The 2016 law authorized new rules for tens of thousands of toxic chemicals found in everyday products, including substances such as asbestos and trichloroethylene that for decades have been known to cause cancer yet were largely unregulated under

was a former principal at the school.

“I have so many connections to that school,” said Dan Routh, a semi-retired commercial photographer.

Through the years, there have been changes, but much that’s associated with the school remains the same.

“Everybody was my cousins and everybody knows everybody, and I don’t think that’s the case anymore,” said Routh, 70. “But it’s still a community school. There are several families that

cans have sought to pin blame on Biden.

Excluding volatile food and energy costs, so-called “core” prices rose at a monthly pace of 0.4% in both January and February, a pace far higher than is consistent with the Fed’s in ation target. Compared with a year earlier, core prices rose 3.8% in February. Core prices are considered a good signal of where in ation is likely headed.

But in February, a measure of housing costs slowed, a notable trend because housing is among the “stickiest” price categories that the government tracks. At the same time, more volatile categories, like clothing, used cars and airline tickets, drove up prices in February, and they may well reverse course in coming months.

“Nothing about those two data prints made you feel substantially better about” in ation reaching the Fed’s target soon, said Seth Carpenter, chief global economist at Morgan Stanley and also a former Fed economist. “But it’s not at all enough to make you change your view on the fundamental direction of travel” for in ation.

Indeed, several Fed o cials have said in recent speeches that

federal law. Known as the Frank Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act, the law was intended to clear up a hodgepodge of state rules governing chemicals and update the Toxic Substances Control Act, a 1976 law that had remained unchanged for 40 years.

The EPA banned asbestos in 1989, but the rule was largely overturned by a 1991 court decision that weakened the EPA’s authority under TSCA to address risks to human health from asbestos or other existing chemicals. The 2016 law required the EPA to evaluate chemicals and put in place protections against unreasonable risks. Asbestos, which was once common in home insulation and other products, is banned in more than 50 countries, and its use in the U.S. has been declining for decades. The only form of asbestos known to be currently imported, processed or distributed for use in the U.S. is chrysotile asbestos, which is imported primarily from Brazil and Russia. It is used by the chlor-alkali industry, which produces bleach, caustic soda and other products.

have been here (in this area) since the 1700s.”

He can remember when parts of the school were built, dating back to the late 1950s and 1960s. The main gym remained standing after the re, used temporarily for makeshift classrooms.

Otis Thomas of Franklinville was a longtime principal prior to Sylvan Routh’s tenure. The elder Routh was a teacher at the school for 18 years while also operating a dairy farm. Dan Routh’s mother, Marjorie Routh, and his brother and sisters also went through

they expect in ation to keep declining this year, though likely more slowly than in 2023.

The Fed has also built in some expectation that price increases would ease only gradually this year. In December, it projected that core in ation would reach 2.4% by the end of 2024. That’s not far from its current 2.8%, according to the Fed’s preferred measure.

On Wednesday, the Fed’s policymakers will update their quarterly economic projections, which are expected to repeat their December forecast for three rate cuts by the end of 2024. Still, it would take only two of the 19 Fed ocials to change their forecast to one fewer rate cut for the central bank’s overall projection to downshift to just two rate cuts for 2024. Some economists expect that to happen, given that in ation has remained persistent at the start of this year.

The Fed’s benchmark rate stands at about 5.4%, the highest level in 23 years, after a series of 11 rate hikes that were intended to curb the worst in ation in four decades but have also made borrowing much more expensive for consumers and businesses.

Most consumer products that historically contained chrysotile asbestos have been discontinued.

While chlorine is a commonly used disinfectant in water treatment, there are only 10 chlor-alkali plants in the U.S. that still use asbestos diaphragms to produce chlorine and sodium hydroxide. The plants are mostly located in Louisiana and Texas.

The use of asbestos diaphragms has been declining and now accounts for about one-third of the chlor-alkali production in the U.S., the EPA said.

The EPA rule will ban imports of asbestos for chlor-alkali use as soon as the rule is published, but a ban on most other uses would take e ect in two years.

A ban on the use of asbestos in oil eld brake blocks, aftermarket automotive brakes and linings and other gaskets will take e ect in six months. A ban on sheet gaskets that contain asbestos will take e ect in two years, with the exception of gaskets used to produce titanium dioxide and for the processing of nuclear material. Those uses would be banned in ve years.

their school days at Grays Chapel.

“It has been a community school,” Dan Routh said. “For years, a lot of teachers were from the community.”

Drew and Michelle DuVall, who are owners of Blue Ridge Tool, have donated ornaments that will be sold at this weekend’s celebration. They had children attend the school.

A history book also will be for sale. Through the years, the school has served various levels, including the middle school grades.

GRAYS CHAPEL from page 1

pen & paper pursuits

this week in history Crimeans vote to leave Ukraine, Albert Einstein is born

In 2003, Saddam was given 48 hours to leave Iraq

The Associated Press

MARCH 14

1794: Eli Whitney received a patent for his cotton gin, an invention that revolutionized America’s cotton industry.

1879: Albert Einstein, who would revolutionize physics and the human understanding of the universe, was born in Ulm, Germany.

1939: The republic of Czechoslovakia was dissolved, opening the way for Nazi occupation of Czech areas and the separation of Slovakia.

2018: Stephen Hawking died at his home in Cambridge, England, at the age of 76.

MARCH 15

44 B.C.: Roman dictator Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of nobles that included Brutus and Cassius.

1917: Czar Nicholas II abdicated in favor of his brother, Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich, who declined the crown, marking the end of imperial rule in Russia.

1919: members of the American Expeditionary Force from World War I convened in Paris for a three-day meeting to found the American Legion.

1972: “The Godfather” premiered in New York.

MARCH 16

1802: President Thomas Je erson signed a measure authorizing the establishment of the U.S. Military Academy.

1935: Adolf Hitler decided to break the military terms set by the Treaty of Versailles by ordering the rearming of Germany.

1945: American forces declared they had secured Iwo

Jima, although pockets of Japanese resistance remained.

1968: The My Lai massacre took place during the Vietnam War as U.S. Army soldiers hunting for Viet Cong ghters and sympathizers killed unarmed villagers.

2014: Crimeans voted to leave Ukraine and join Russia, overwhelmingly approving a referendum that sought to unite the strategically important Black Sea region with the country it was part of for some 250 years.

MARCH 17

1762: New York held its rst St. Patrick’s Day parade.

1776: The Revolutionary War Siege of Boston ended as British forces evacuated the city.

1969: Golda Meir took power in Israel, beginning a stint as prime minister that would last through ve crucial years in the nation’s history.

2003: President George W. Bush gave Saddam Hussein 48 hours to leave his country.

MARCH 18

1766: Britain repealed the Stamp Act of 1765.

1922: Mohandas K. Gandhi was sentenced in India to six

years’ imprisonment for civil disobedience. (He was released after serving two years.)

1965: The rst spacewalk took place as Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov went outside his Voskhod 2 capsule, secured by a tether.

1974: Most of the Arab oil-producing nations ended their 5-month-old embargo against the United States that had been sparked by American support for Israel in the Yom Kippur War.

2018: A self-driving Uber SUV struck and killed a pedestrian in suburban Phoenix in the rst death involving a fully autonomous test vehicle.

MARCH 19

1991: Polish President Lech Walesa arrived in Washington for his rst state visit to the United States.

1995: After a 21-month hiatus, Michael Jordan returned to professional basketball with his former team, the Chicago Bulls, going on to win three more championships.

2013: Pope Francis o cially began his ministry as the 266th pope.

MARCH 20

1815: Napoleon Bonaparte returned to Paris after escaping his exile on Elba, beginning his “Hundred Days” rule.

1854: The Republican Party of the United States was founded by slavery opponents at a schoolhouse in Ripon, Wisconsin.

1995: In Tokyo, 12 people were killed, more than 5,500 others sickened when packages containing the deadly chemical sarin were leaked on ve separate subway trains by cult members.

1996: A jury in Los Angeles convicted Erik and Lyle Menendez of rst-degree murder in the shotgun slayings of their wealthy parents.

AP PHOTO/FILE

Albert Einstein was born, this week in 1879.

AP PHOTO/U.S. MARINES

Left, Pope Francis began his ministry, this week in 2013. Right, American Marines secured Iwo Jima, this week in 1945.

AP PHOTO/ANDREW MEDICHINI

‘Means of Control’ charts disturbing rise of secretive US surveillance regime

By Frank Bajak The Associated Press

IN THE AFTERMATH of the 9/11 terror attacks, former national security advisor John Poindexter launched Total Information Awareness, intent on preventing future assaults on the homeland by amassing extensive databases on people and their movements.

The Pentagon program had a creepy eye-surveilling-theglobe-from-a-pyramid logo and was roundly rejected by civil libertarians as Orwellian overkill. Adm. Poindexter, an Iran-Contra conspirator, was skewered by late-night talk show hosts and Congressional resistance moved to defund it.

Except TIA wasn’t DOA. Not by a longshot.

The data collection that Poindexter envisioned instead went underground, with code names such as “Basketball” and classied budgets. How private Beltway contractors grew what has become a secretive surveillance regime is exposed in disturbing detail by journalist Byron Tau in his rst book, “Means of Control.” In the absence of a federal privacy law, the U.S. national security establishment has used commercially available data to craft a creeping panopticon.

As a Wall Street Journal reporter, Tau broke important stories on how the shadowy U.S. data collection and brokering industry has been indirectly — and legally, it seems — eavesdropping on tens of millions of Americans and foreigners in the service of U.S. military, intelligence and homeland security.

“In China, the state wants you to know you’re being watched. In America, the success lies in the secrecy,” he writes. “The government does not want you to notice the proliferation of license plate readers. It does not want citizens to understand that mobile phones are a surveillance system... that social media is being eavesdropped on.”

“Means of Control” traces Tau’s e orts to cut through thickets of secrecy to show how di erent kinds of data became available for purchase by the U.S. government post-9/11, how what author Shoshana Zubo termed “surveillance capitalism” — the vacuuming up of personal data by Facebook, Google and others to feed the online ad market — stoked a thriving, under-the-radar bazaar of businesses selling data on people’s habits, predilections and, importantly for soldiers and spies, physical movements.

“I’ve spent years trying to unravel this world — a funhouse of mirrors draped in nondisclosure agreements, corporate trade secrets, needlessly classi ed contracts, misleading denials, and

in some cases outright lies,” he writes.

Unlike Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency worker whose 2013 data dump sounded piercing alarms on U.S. government surveillance, Tau is an outsider. So he is often stymied. But he is not alone in this work, and generously credits his journalist competitors.

When Tau does get a breakthrough, it is often on surveillance partnerships that help foil a bad guy — like the U.S. border drug tunnel Department of Homeland Security agents uncover in 2018 with cellphone geolocation data obtained from a company called Venntel.

To gather intelligence, rms working closely with U.S. national security operators have embedded data-collecting software in smartphone apps — such as Muslim prayer apps popular in the Middle East. The app owners may or may not be aware of the software modules’ surveillance mission, though there’s a reason they’re getting paid to include the data-gathering SDKs (software development kits).

Some of these tools have been developed with CIA funding and some, like VISR (Virtual Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance), have been widely

shared inside U.S. intelligence and among U.S. military special operators, Tau writes. The companies involved come and go in the sort of musical chair game we’ve come expect in U.S. national security contracting.

Which hasn’t prevented some from being outed by privacy warriors led by Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon and, now, the Biden administration’s activist Federal Trade Commission. Take X-Mode, one rm Tau examines. In 2021, X-Mode was found to have been selling access to location data to the U.S. military. In January, the FTC banned X-Mode and its successor, Outlogic, from sharing or selling data on cellphone users’ location without their explicit consent. It expressed concern such data could be used to track visits to places like abortion clinics, places of worship and domestic abuse shelters.

Near the end of the helpfully annotated 291-page book, Tau o ers a chapter on how to protect yourself from digital tracking. There are privacy/convenience tradeo s. But is complete erasure truly possible? He asks Michael Bazzell, an expert in the eld.

“Of course,” Bazzell says. “Will you enjoy that life? Maybe not.”

famous birthdays this week

The Associated Press

March 17

Actor Kurt Russell is 73. Country singer Susie Allanson is 72. Actor Gary Sinise is 69. Actor Rob Lowe is 60. Singer Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins is 57. Drummer Caroline Corr of

The Corrs is 51. Actor Marisa Coughlan (“Boston Legal,” ″Freddy Got Fingered”) is 50. “The NFL on CBS” reporter Tracy Wolfson is 49. Bassist Geo Sprung of Old Dominion is 46. Singer Hozier is 34. Actor John Boyega (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens”) is 32.

March 18

TV personality Mike Rowe (“Dirty Jobs”) is 62. Singer-actor Vanessa Williams (“Desperate Housewives,” ″Ugly Betty”) is 61. Rapper-actor Queen Latifah is 54. Comedian Dane Cook is 52. Singer Philip Sweet of Little Big Town is 50. Singers Evan and Jaron Lowenstein of Evan and Jaron are 50. Singer Adam Levine of Maroon 5 is 45. Actor Lily Collins is 35.

March 19

Singer Ruth Pointer of the Pointer Sisters is 78. Actor Glenn Close is 77. Actor Bruce Willis is 69. Drummer Zach Lind of Jimmy Eat World is 48.

March 20

Drummer Carl Palmer (Asia; Emerson, Lake and Palmer) is 74. Director Spike Lee is 67. Actor Theresa Russell is 67. Actor Holly Hunter is 66. Model Kathy Ireland is 61. Actor Michael Rapaport (“Boston Public”) is 54.

March 21

Actor Timothy Dalton is 78. Actor Gary Oldman is 66. Actor Matthew Broderick is 62. Actor-comedian Rosie O’Donnell is 62.

PHOTO BY EVAN AGOSTINI/INVISION/AP Glenn Close is 77.

AP PHOTO/MATT SLOCUM Spike Lee is 67. PHOTO BY JORDAN STRAUSS/INVISION/AP Reese Witherspoon is 48.

the stream

Shakira, Paul Simon, Jake Gyllenhaal, Kristen Wiig and Princess Peach

Dick Wolf, creator of “Law & Order,” takes on true crime with “Homicide: New York”

The Associated Press

NEW MOVIES TO STREAM

FRESH OFF ITS Oscar success, Justine Triet’s “Anatomy of a Fall” — along with award season’s favorite pooch, Messi— are coming to Hulu on Friday, March 22. The French courtroom drama stars Sandra Hüller as a wife accused of murdering her husband (Samuel Theis) by pushing him out a high window in the French Alps chalet. The lm e ectively puts their marriage on trial while o ering Hüller an engrossing platform for all her cunning as a performer. “Anatomy of a Fall” won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and best original screenplay at the Academy Awards. In her review, AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr called it “a smartly constructed and wholly engaging whodunit, courtroom thriller, marriage drama and, at some points, satire.”

Doug Liman gives the 1989 cult classic “Road House” a pulpy modern spin with Jake Gyllenhaal as a former UFC ghter hired as security for a seedy Florida Keys bar. Jessica Williams plays the owner of a road house under siege from a crime syndicate that eventually brings in even more muscle, and a dose of mania, in a fearsome xer played by mixedmartial-arts ghter Conor McGregor. Though Liman, the director of “Edge of Tomorrow” and “Swingers,” has pleaded for the lm to be theatrically released, “Road House” debuts Thursday on Prime Video.

Paul Simon gets an expansive two-part documentary with “In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon,” from lmmaker Alex Gibney. After the rst half premiered March 17 on MGM+, part two lands on Sunday, March 24. “In Restless Dreams,” which premiered last fall at the Toronto International Film Festival, surveys the varied chapters of Simon’s career, including his many years as a duo with Art Garfunkel, the recording of his 1986 album “Graceland” and the still unfolding, and music-making, life of the 82-year-old songwriter.

NEW MUSIC TO STREAM

Shakira returns with her rst new album in seven years, “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” (“Women don’t cry anymore” in English, a lyric lifted from her smash hit “Music Sessions Vol. 53” with Argentine producer Bizarrap). It’s also her rst full-length release since her split from soccer star Gerard Piqué — a pop album transformed by pain.

“While writing each song I was rebuilding myself,” the Colombian musician said in a statement.

“While singing them, my tears transformed into diamonds, and my vulnerability into strength.” Seven of the album’s 16 tracks have been previously released — including “TQG” with Karol G (also featured on Karol G’s “Mañana Será Bonito” album, one of AP’s picks for the best of 2023 ), “Te Felicito” with reggaetonero Rauw Alejandro, “Copa Vacía” with Manuel Turizo and more. “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” is the sound of reclamation for Shakira — and an addictive listen.

There are eras to Waxahatchee, the musical moniker of Katie Crutch eld. Her story begins in the D.I.Y. power poppunk of her band P.S. Eliot, the nihilism of early Waxahatchee records like “American Weekend,” and then, the current moment: “Tigers Blood,” a hell of a lot more country than her earlier releases, with the wisdom that came with sobriety and a

move to St. Louis (that’s heard on her last album, 2020’s “Saint Cloud” and certainly now). There’s a lot to love here, like the acoustic ballad “365” and the Americana- avored “Bored.”

There’s also MJ Lenderman of the Asheville, North Carolina, indie rock band Wednesday, a new collaborator. It’s hard not to cozy up to the warmth of their harmonies on “Right Back to It,” a song — like many on this album — that celebrates the privilege of certain romantic mundanities, like settling into a long-term relationship.

A debut album is an introduction. A sophomore release can be a make-or-break moment: Who is this person as an artist, what do they have to say, and are we still listening? Enter Fletcher, the queer pop powerhouse signed to Capitol Records who rst broke out with the 2019 viral hit “Undrunk.”

On “In Search of the Antidote,” she builds o the success of her earlier singles — still concerned with love and failed relationships, now through a matured lens.

Gossip, the dance-punk band that gave the world Beth Ditto, is preparing to release their rst new album in 12 years — and their rst since they broke up shortly thereafter. It’s a return to their powers, now funkier than ever. At least, that’s obvious on the disco-informed title track, “Real Power.” Another new single, “Crazy Again,” is all

palm-muted power chords and reserved synths. Indie sleaze revivalists, it is time to break out the neon.

NEW SHOWS TO STREAM

In a new special, James Beard-winning chef and restaurateur Jose Andrés invites actors Jamie Lee Curtis, Bryan Cranston and O’Shea Jackson Jr. over for dinner — but rst they have to help him cook. The goal of the night isn’t perfection but to have fun. “Dinner Party Diaries with Jose Andrés” drops Tuesday on Prime Video. In an interview with The Associated Press, Andrés says he hopes the special brings awareness and donations to his nonpro t, World Central Kitchen, which delivers meals to people in disaster areas. A new Apple TV+ series called “Palm Royale” is bursting with big-name talent. Set in Palm Beach in 1969, Kristen Wiig plays Maxine, a woman desperate to be accepted into high society and a private club called the Palm Royale. At the beginning of the rst episode, we see Maxine climb over a wall to get inside her coveted club. The cast includes Carol Burnett, Ricky Martin, Laura Dern, Allison Janney, Josh Lucas, Leslie Bibb, Kaia Gerber, Amber Chardae Robinson and Mindy Cohn. The show drops Wednesday.

“Law & Order” creator Dick Wolf is dipping into the true

crime world with a new docuseries on Net ix. “Homicide: New York” debuts Wednesday and features detectives, police o cers and prosecutors recalling some of their most memorable murder cases. “Homicide: Los Angeles” is already scheduled to air on the streamer later this year.

Diarra Kilpatrick created and stars in a mystery comedy for BET+ called “Diarra from Detroit.” It’s about a woman who has a great rst date with a man she meets on Tinder. When she doesn’t hear from him again, Diarra concludes the only logical explanation is that he was kidnapped, so she launches an investigation. “Diarra from Detroit” premieres Thursday on BET+

NEW VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

Princess Peach has been around for almost 40 years, but she’s usually stuck playing second ddle to that bozo Mario. Princess Peach: Showtime! puts Nintendo’s sweetheart center stage, as she tries to save a struggling theater from a villain named Grape who’s way more into tragedy than comedy. Saving the show requires our heroine to make plenty of costume changes, so get ready for Cowgirl Peach, Detective Peach, Ninja Peach, Mermaid Peach and more. She’s not just playing dress-up — each out t gives the princess di erent skills she’ll need to negotiate a constantly changing stage set. The curtain rises Friday, March 22, on Nintendo Switch. Dragon’s Dogma got decent reviews when it came out in 2012, and it has developed a cult audience over the years. In the meantime, its genre — let’s say “high-fantasy hack-and-slash role-playing” — has exploded with monster hits like Elden Ring. So at long last, Capcom is delivering Dragon’s Dogma II. You create your character, the “Arisen,” from scratch, building on typical RPG species like humans, elves and “beastrens” and jobs like warrior, archer and sorcerer. As you explore two sprawling kingdoms, you can recruit AI-controlled “pawns” to help complete your mission, which is to ”slay the Dragon and claim the throne.” If this sounds irresistible (you know who you are), the quest begins Friday, March 22, on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S or PC.

MICHAEL MULLER/PRIME VIDEO VIA

Jamie Lee Curtis, from left, chef José Andrés, and actors Bryan Cranston and O’Shea Jackson Jr., in “Dinner Party Diaries with Jose Andres.”

LAURA

Lukas Gage, background left, and Jake Gyllenhaal in a scene from “Roadhouse.”

Reconnecting

The Hoke County Republicans held its annual convention at Camp Rock sh over the weekend. More than three dozen attendees heard from keynote speaker and District Court Judge Warren McSweeney, as well as other candidates for judicial o ce.

that we’re struggling with nding math teachers as we have about nine vacancies in that area.”

The district is actively recruiting, with a job fair in the works.

guidance around masking

NC’s labor commissioner has declined to adopt rules sought by worker and civil rights groups that would have set safety and masking directives in workplaces for future infectious disease outbreaks like with COVID-19.

Commissioner Josh Dobson announced his decision last week, following a public hearing in January. One rule focused on controlling the spread of infectious diseases among migrant workers. The other covered workers more broadly in various elds. The North Carolina State AFL-CIO was one of the petitioners, and its president urged Dobson to reconsider.

Trial on voter ID set for May

A federal trial over North Carolina’s photo voter identi cation law remains set for May, after a judge refused to end e orts by civil rights groups that sued over the requirement on allegations that its provisions are marred by racial bias.

U.S. District Judge Loretta Biggs denied a “summary judgment” motion led in 2021 for members of the State Board of Elections, which is implementing the law.

Photo ID was required starting with last fall’s municipal elections and the primary election earlier this month. Biggs wrote that disputes remained over the case’s facts or inferences from undisputed facts. Republican legislative leaders also are defending the mandate.

The calendar was developed with input from sta , administrators and the school community

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

THE HOKE County Schools Board of Education was presented with a draft calendar for the upcoming school year, at its Tuesday, March 12 regular meeting.

“A draft calendar was created using this current year’s calendar and looking at some surrounding school districts and neighboring counties to see what their calendars looked like,” said assistant superintendent Dawn Ramseur. The draft went through several rounds of input from a working group and the leadership team, before being shared with the district for feedback. Additional changes made based on survey responses.

The proposed calendar sees the year starting Aug. 26 with the rst semester ending Dec.

20, and the nal day of school being May 29, 2025.

According to Ramseur, sta concerns primarily revolve around the mandatory work days at the beginning of the school year, Jan. 3 being a mandatory work day rather than an optional one, the timing of spring break with Easter at the end of April and there overall being a lack of breaks in the calendar to allow for professional development.

The board approved this year’s Summer Program Plan.

According to assistant superintendent Chad Hunt, students may participate in summer programs and retesting in three ways: retaking EOGs or EOCs if the student passed the course but scored Not Pro cient on the associated test, enrolling in credit recovery for a course they completed but failed based on the skills and knowledge the student needs to recover rather than a certain amount of seat time, and fully repeating a course for credit, which can affect a student’s GPA whereas the other two options do not.

“The summer testing must take place after the conclusion of the school year. Students must be presented the time for remediation prior to testing, the testing and remediation can take place on teacher workdays and also parents are to be noti ed about this opportunity and participation for students is optional,” Hunt said. “The summer test is the exact same test that the state gives for a regular EOG or EOC. So these tests will be the same length of time and they’re not shortened in any manner.”

The monthly vacancy report showed a slight uptick in vacancies within both the certi ed and classi ed positions.

“Right now, if we break it down, for our elementary schools, we do have nine vacancies in that area,” said executive director of CTE Dana Chavis. “For our secondary schools, we have approximately 41 vacancies. It seems that most vacancies are within our EC population as we have about 14 vacancies that we need to ll in that area. After EC, it seems

Finally, the board was presented with a potential agreement with MCNC and DPI for managed endpoint protection.

“The state of North Carolina has entered into an agreement with CrowdStrike which is a managed endpoint protection service provider,” Ramseur said. “They entered into that partnership and gave districts the opportunity to connect with that agreement that they already had. In simple terms, MCNC will monitor and protect the school’s computers from cyber threats utilizing the specialized software that will go on each device. They will install this tool on each computer to watch for any suspicious activity and they’ll be able to respond quickly to any potential security threats.”

The agreement covers data access, security measures and logistics — and “by entering into this agreement, we are e ectively saving the district about $14,000 annually because this is being o ered to us from the state free of charge,” Ramseur said.

The Hoke County Schools Board of Education will next meet April 16.

Hoke cops investigate multiple murders

Several arrests were made, but investigations continue

North State Journal sta FROM FATAL shootings to armed robberies, the Hoke County sheri ’s o ce, with the aid of state agents, is navigating a challenging landscape of crime ghting and investigation.

A shooting on March 6 saw deputies responding to a call on Red Springs Road, where they found a male in the backseat

of a car with a gunshot wound to the leg. Quick action by deputies and emergency medical services ensured the his survival, but the shooter remains unidenti ed.

And on Sunday evening around 9:30 p.m., deputies responded to a call on the 300 block of Turnpike Pines in Raeford where they discovered a victim, Ernest Locklear. Deputies and EMS attempted to provide medical attention and he was transport to the hospital where he died from his injuries. When Locklear’s next of kin was noti ed, detectives began

an investigation and, as a result, arrested Edward Jack Walker, 59, for rst degree murder.

Finally, an arrest was made in a Jan. shooting at the 500 block of Bayside Road. Earlier this month, investigators with the Hoke Sheri ’s O ce and the state Bureau of Investigation obtained warrants for rst-degree murder charges against Ronnie Junior Slate, 23, for the Jan. 13 shooting of Eric Joseph Walters, 41.

Anyone with information about any of the cases is requested to contact the Sheri ’s o ce.

Anyone with information about any of the cases is requested to contact the Sheri ’s o ce.

March 12

Paul Jones, 48, was booked into the Hoke County Jail on charges of being a habitual felon, breaking and entering/larceny after breaking entering/larceny of a firearm, and breaking and entering habitual. He received no bond.

Luther Franklin Oxendine, 43, was booked into the Hoke County Jail on charges of larceny (choice in action) and received a $3,500 secure bond.

March 13

Sean Hayes Batson, 37, was booked into the Hoke County Jail on charges of possession of a weapon of mass destruction and received no bond.

Kaundre McKillian, 30, was booked into the Hoke County Jail on charges of possession of a weapon of mass destruction and received no bond.

Daniel Alvarez, 21, was booked into the Hoke County Jail on charges of possession of a weapon of mass destruction and received no bond.

Isaiah Tharrington, 34, was booked into the Hoke County Jail on charges of armed robbery and received no bond.

Sebastian Vaughn Hawks, 30, was booked into the Hoke County Jail on charges of DWI and received no bond.

Perry Lee Wiggins, 50, was booked into the Hoke County Jail on charges of felony larceny and seconddegree trespassing and received a $25,000 secure bond.

Brianna Jashell RockholtBlue, 20, was booked into the Hoke County Jail on charges of felony larceny and received a $35,000 bond.

Oscar Antonio Morales, 41, was booked into the Hoke County Jail on charges of DWI and received a $5,000 secure bond.

March 14

Justin Bronson, 34, was booked into the Hoke County Jail on charges of habitual misdemeanor assault and received a $20,000 secure bond.

Heather Dawn McDaniel, 33, was booked into the Hoke County Jail on charges of DWI and possession of a controlled substance on prison or jail premises. No bond has been set.

March 15

Wilbert Lee Jones, 57, was booked into the Hoke County Jail on charges of communicating threats and received a $400 secure bond.

Brandon Terrez Litty, 39, was booked into the Hoke County Jail on charges of communicating threats and received a $2,000 secure bond.

March 18

Edward Jack Walker, 59, was booked into the

on

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

COLUMN | RICHARD HUDSON

The state of our union is in crisis

President Biden’s open border policies have created the worst border crisis in U.S. history.

UNDER PRESIDENT BIDEN’S failed leadership, the State of the Union is in crisis.

He can try to convince the American people his policies are working, but after his address last week, one thing is clear — they’re not buying it.

Over the past three years, Americans have experienced one crisis after another. From the catastrophic open border, skyrocketing prices fueled by in ation, to surging violent crime, to weakness on the world stage, President Biden has made our country less prosperous and less safe.

Since President Biden took o ce, folks in our region and across America are paying more for everything. His reckless spending and anti-energy policies have led to historic in ation, soaring gas prices, and higher interest rates, making it more expensive for people just to buy the basics. Mortgage rates have also doubled, skyrocketing the cost

COLUMN | MAGGIE HORZEMPA

of purchasing a home and putting the American dream of homeownership out of reach for more families.

This crisis has left many families drowning in credit card debt. Many people have had to take second or third jobs to make ends meet. Hardworking Americans are su ering because of President Biden’s failures, and they’ve had enough.

President Biden’s open border policies and disregard for our immigration laws have created the worst border crisis in U.S. history, turning every community into a border community. Under the Biden Administration, there have been roughly 8.7 million illegal crossings nationwide, including over 340 individuals on the terrorist watch list. Countless innocent lives have been tragically lost to fentanyl poisoning and criminal violence at the hands of people here illegally. Just a few weeks ago,

Remembering the ‘why’ behind Raise the Age in North Carolina

The mission of JJDP is to reduce and prevent juvenile delinquency by e ectively intervening, educating and treating youth.

AT WHAT AGE should juvenile o enders be tried and treated as adults in North Carolina? What constitutes a juvenile’s actions so irredeemable that they bypass the juvenile system and go straight into adult corrections?

As times change and public safety evolves, it is important to re ect on the principles that guide our justice system. One such principle is the notion of rehabilitation and second chances, especially when it comes to juveniles.

In North Carolina, the Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act (S.L. 2017-57), more commonly known as “Raise the Age,” was implemented on December 1, 2019. The law redirected 16 and 17-yearolds who committed misdemeanors and low-level felonies from automatically being charged in the adult criminal justice system. This initiative became law only through a strong, bipartisan coalition of support from all three branches of government, prosecutors, law enforcement, the business community and advocacy organizations. Its implementation marked a signi cant milestone in our state’s commitment to justice reform and, more than four years later, it is ever important to remember the ‘why’ behind this policy.

Upon enacting the Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act, North Carolina ended a century-long practice of prosecuting teens as adults and was no longer the only state in the nation to do so. By incorporating 16-and-17-year-olds into the juvenile justice system, the state embraced an approach proven

to not only decrease crime but also to be cost-e ective. The reasoning was obvious: The overwhelming majority of juveniles are more e ectively treated in the juvenile justice system with ageappropriate programming.

The mission of both the North Carolina Department of Public Safety’s (NCPDS) Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) and the Division of Adult Corrections (NC DAC), while both equally necessary, could not be more di erent.

The mission of JJDP is to “reduce and prevent juvenile delinquency by e ectively intervening, educating and treating youth in order to strengthen families and increase public safety.”

On the other hand, the mission of NC DAC is to “promote public safety by the administration of a fair and humane system which provides reasonable opportunities for adjudicated o enders to develop progressively responsible behavior.”

While both missions underscore the importance of rehabilitation and public safety, the mission of JJDP recognizes that e ective intervention and treatment for young individuals is essential for strengthening families and communities. Youthful mistakes should not result in lifelong consequences within the adult criminal justice system. JJDP is there to prevent the cycle of recidivism by o ering young o enders a chance to learn from their mistakes and grow into law-abiding citizens.

Raise the Age was not enacted haphazardly but rather as a result

Laken Riley, a Georgia college nursing student, was brutally murdered by an illegal migrant who’d been paroled and released into our country after crossing the border illegally in 2022.

The crisis at our border is a catastrophe of the President’s own design, and he could x it today with a stroke of a pen, but he refuses to act. Meanwhile, House Republicans passed a bill to stop the ow of illegal migrants and secure America’s borders. We won’t stop ghting to secure America’s borders and protect our communities.

While President Biden continues to dodge responsibility and ignore the su ering his policies have caused, House Republicans are ghting to hold him accountable and restore our country’s greatness once again.

Richard Hudson represents North Carolina’s 9th Congressional district.

of thorough research, data analysis, and collaboration across branches of government, law enforcement, prosecutors, the business community and advocacy organizations. It was born from a bipartisan coalition that recognized the need for change and the potential for positive outcomes in our justice system.

HB 280: Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act, which we know as Raise the Age, had a total of 68 sponsors, 28 Republicans and 40 Democrats, and it passed the House in May 2017 with a vote of 104-8. Within that 104, 43 ayes were Democrat and 61 were Republican, with some legislators being former law enforcement and legal professionals.

In addition, former North Carolina Chief Justice Mark Martin showed strong public support for the initiative, noting that raising the age of juvenile jurisdiction was his highest legislative priority in 2017. Martin said that “Juvenile reinvestment will help strengthen families and is likely to result in lower recidivism, less crime, and increased safety,” said Chief Justice Martin. “Reinvesting in our youth will result in economic bene ts for the state of North Carolina.”

As North Carolinians, we must remember why Raise the Age was implemented – to believe in the redemption, rehabilitation, and potential of our youth. Upholding these principles and investing in juvenile justice is crucial for creating safer communities and ensuring fairness in our justice system.

HOKE SPORTS

Big day for Bucks’ soccer

Soccer has 11-goal game as we look at spring sports

North State Journal sta

HERE’S A LOOK at the week that was in Hoke County sports, including a history-making scoring explosion for girls’ soccer.

Softball

The Hoke County girls’ softball team had three close, high scoring games this week and came out on the short end in two of them. To start the week, Hoke fell behind Jack Britt, 4-0 and 8-3, before battling back for a walk-o 10-9 victory.

The Bucks then gave up a 5-1 lead to lose to visiting Rich-

mond, 8-6. Hoke then traveled to Southern Lee and battled back twice, leading after trailing 2-0 and again after falling behind, 9-3. Three Southern Lee runs in the fth sent the Bucks to a 12-10 defeat, however.

Softball is now 4-3 on the year, 1-3 in the Sandhills Conference.

Baseball

The Hoke County baseball team is still looking for its rst win of the season after losing three this week. The Bucks hosted Jack Britt and fell, 11-5. A home-and-home series with Lee County also didn’t yield better results, with an 11-1 road loss and a 19-6 decision back at home.

Hoke is now 0-7 this season, 0-4 in the Sandhills, with a trip

to Red Springs and a home-andhome with Richmond on the schedule for this week.

Girls’ Soccer

The Bucks had an overall successful week in girls’ soccer last week, winning two road games to go 2-1 for the week. Hoke County exploded for an 11-2 win at Scotland. It was the highest scoring output for the Bucks since the 2011 season.

A day later, Hoke traveled to Red Springs and earned a 2-0 shutout win. The week ended with a 4-0 home loss to Lee County. The Bucks are now 2-42, 1-1 in the Sandhills.

Junior Chayna Locklear had a big week, scoring 3 runs, driving in 5 and getting 4 hits, including two doubles and a home run.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Jaelyn Gimenez

Hoke County, softball

Jaelyn Gimenez (17) is a sophomore for the Hoke County girls’ soccer team.

The Bucks went 2-1 last week to improve to 2-4-2 on the season. They posted wins over Scotland and Red Springs. Hoke beat the Scots by an 11-2 score, recording their highest goal output in 13 seasons.

Gimenez led the way, netting ve goals in the game in eight shots. She added another goal the next day, in a 2-0 win over Red Springs.

For the season, Gimenez leads the team in goals, averaging one per game.

Aaron Donald announces retirement after standout 10-year career with Rams

enough.

By Greg Beachem

The Associated Press

AARON DONALD spent 10 years attening quarterbacks, crushing ball-carriers, ghting through perpetual double-teams and generally wrecking NFL o enses. He was relentless, reliable and in nitely resourceful while he led the Los Angeles Rams all the way to a Super Bowl championship.

And on Friday, Donald decided a decade of dominance was

The most accomplished defensive lineman of his generation has retired after a stellar 10year career. The three-time AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year made his somewhat surprising announcement on social media. He doesn’t plan to have a retirement news conference or any public farewell, but his impact on the Rams and the NFL is already indelible.

The 32-year-old Donald spent his entire career with the Rams, who drafted him in the rst round in 2014 out of Pitt. The Pittsburgh native was selected for 10 Pro Bowls and eight All-

Pro rst teams, and he won the award as the league’s top defensive player in 2017, 2018 and 2020.

“Throughout my career, I have given my everything to football both mentally and physically — 365 days a year was dedicated to becoming the best possible player I could be,” Donald said in a statement. “I respected this game like no other, and I’m blessed to be able to conclude my NFL career with the same franchise that drafted me. Not many people get drafted to a team, win a world championship with that team and retire with that team. I do not, and will not, take that for granted.”

Donald was the cornerstone of the Rams defense during his tenure, racking up a franchise-record 111 sacks, third in the NFL among active players. After winning the NFL’s defensive rookie of the year award in 2014, Donald reached the peak of his stardom after the Rams franchise moved from St. Louis back to Los Angeles in 2016. He had a career-high 20 1/2 sacks in 2018 on the way to his rst Super Bowl appearance under coach Sean McVay. He then played a major role in the Rams’ run to a Super Bowl victory three years later, most famously applying the pressure that forced Cincinnati’s Joe Bur-

row to throw incomplete at mideld on the Bengals’ nal play of Los Angeles’ 23-20 victory in Super Bowl 56.

“The great players in our league elevate the people around them, and Aaron has modeled the way for our team as long as I’ve been with the Rams,” McVay said in a statement. “He’s an elite competitor, someone who leads by example in a way that’s authentic to him, and an exceptional teammate who inspires everyone around him to be the best version of themselves.”

Lawrence Taylor and J.J. Watt are the only other players to win the defensive player of the year award three times. Only John Randle (137 1/2) has recorded more sacks than Donald among defensive tackles since sacks became an o cial statistic in 1982.

Donald also was incredibly durable, missing only six games due to injury in his 10-year career.

Three-time NFL Defensive Player of Year makes surprise announcement

PHOTO COURTESY

PHOTO COURTESY HCHS

SIDELINE REPORT

NFL

Potential rule change would allow replay challenges for penalties

The Indianapolis Colts are proposing a rule change that would allow coaches to challenge any penalty call for the rst time. The NFL released a list of several rule change proposals that included an option to run a fourth-and-20 play in lieu of an onside kick, the moving of the trade deadline and giving teams an additional challenge if they are successful on one of their rst two tries. The competition committee will make its own rule change proposals and owners are scheduled to vote on them at the league meetings later this month with 24 votes needed for approval.

GOLF

Bernard Langer out due to pickleball injury

West Palm Beach, Fla. Bernhard Langer won’t be at the Masters this year because of pickleball. The two-time Masters champion reveals on the “Musings on Golf” podcast that he tore his left Achilles tendon while playing pickleball last month. Langer says it’s part of his tness routine. This was supposed to be his last Masters. Now he’ll likely push that back to next year. This is only the second time in the last 40 years he won’t be playing at Augusta National in April. The 66-year-old German holds the PGA Tour Champions record with 46 victories. That includes 12 senior majors.

UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman hospitalized after saving parents in house re Toledo, Ohio

UFC Hall of Famer and former champion Mark Coleman says he is “the happiest man in the world.” A video posted to Coleman’s Instagram account shows him embracing members of his family from a hospital bed in an emotional scene. Coleman was airlifted to a hospital on Wednesday after saving his parents from a house re in Ohio this week, according to daughter Morgan Coleman. He says “I can’t believe my parents are alive. I had to make a decision.” Coleman was not able to go back in and rescue his dog, Hammer. He was hospitalized for smoke inhalation.

NFL

Woman accuses Dak Prescott of sexual assault

Dallas

A woman accusing Dak Prescott of sexual assault has led a police report over the alleged incident in 2017. The woman went to police after the star quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys sued her on a $100 million extortion claim. Dallas police say there is an ongoing investigation about an alleged sexual assault that occurred in the parking lot of a strip club. Prescott’s lawsuit says the woman and her attorneys wrote him a letter saying she wouldn’t pursue criminal charges or go public with her claims if Prescott paid her $100 million. Prescott has denied the woman’s allegations.

Denny Hamlin wins tire-management NASCAR race at Bristol Speedway

Earns

4th career victory at famed bullring

By Mark Long The Associated Press

DENNY HAMLIN won the NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday, passing Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr. in the nal laps for his fourth victory at the famed short track.

Hamlin also won at NASCAR’s bullring last September. This one was much di erent. Tire issues hampered most everyone all afternoon as only ve cars nished on the lead lap — the rst time that has happened in the Cup Series in 20 years. The Gibbs cars were the class of the eld.

“My favorite racetrack!”

Hamlin exclaimed over his radio while taking the checkered ag. “We got another.”

He was booed — no surprise considering Hamlin has become arguably the series’ biggest villain — as he stood atop his No. 11 Toyota following a smoky burnout.

It was Hamlin’s 52nd career win and locks him into the playo s. Brad Keselowski nished third in a Ford, Alex Bowman was fourth in a Chevrolet and Bowman’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson rounded out the top ve.

“It was weird,” Larson said. “I accidentally nished fth. I’ll take it. I hope I never have to run another race like that again.”

The other two Gibbs cars — driven by Ty Gibbs and Christopher Bell — nished ninth and 10th, respectively. The race was chaotic from the start, with cars burning through tires at such an alarming rate that NASCAR issued each team an extra set. That

gave them 11 sets total, including the one used in qualifying. It made for four hours of tire management that put gave control to drivers and crew chiefs. It also led to the most lead changes (54) in NASCAR’s shorttrack history, breaking the previous mark of 40 set in 1991 at Bristol.

JGR handled it better than the rest of the eld. “Our Toyotas are really working well right now,” Truex said. NASCAR returned Bristol to “normal” for the rst time in four years for the spring race. The track added red clay each of the last three years. Reviews were mixed, and as the novelty wore o , sub-par racing inside the high-banked oval overshadowed any excitement that came with the series running on dirt for the rst time since 1970.

In an e ort to improve the racing and make sure the track had two equal lanes, workers

put down a resin-based traction compound through the turns. It was far from perfect.

Goodyear responds

Goodyear felt the need to make a rare statement during the race. Greg Stucker, the tire manufacturer’s director of racing, said a test at Bristol Motor Speedway last year was intended to nd a setup that led to more tire wear.

But he called Sunday’s outcome “too drastic.”

The rubber that was supposed to leave tires and adhere to the racing grooves came o in chunks that looked like shredded cheese. Those loose pieces called “marbles” create a slippery situation around the 0.533-mile track.

Part of the culprit may have been the tracks’ decision to put down a new and di erent traction compound.

Vanderbilt res coach Jerry Stackhouse

Former Tar Heel had 70-92 record in 5 seasons

By Teresa M. Walker Thr Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt red coach Jerry Stackhouse on Thursday after a big drop-o in his fth season with the Commodores, going 9-23 with fans showing their apathy by staying away from historic Memorial Gym.

Athletic director Candice Lee said in a statement that Vanderbilt and Stackhouse, who signed a contract extension in October 2022, agreed to part ways. He leaves with a 70-92 record at Vanderbilt, including 28-60 in the Southeastern Conference.

“Commodore Nation will always remember the ‘Memorial Magic’ moments we experienced under Coach Stackhouse’s leadership,” Lee said. “Given his pedigree, experience, and love of the game, I look forward to seeing what’s next for him.”

Stackhouse and Vanderbilt appeared poised to keep building after going from 19-17 to a 22-15 record. The Commodores reached the Southeastern Conference Tournament semi nals last year, then reached the NIT quarter nals before losing on their home court to UAB.

Stackhouse thanked Vanderbilt for the opportunity in the university’s release Thurs -

day. But the decision had only been a matter of time.

“All that matters is the results, and the results weren’t what they were supposed to be,” Stackhouse said after Wednesday night’s opening loss in the SEC Tournament.

“The NCAA Tournament is the ultimate goal, and we haven’t done that. I haven’t done that.

No matter what, those results are those results.”

The Commodores started this season with a home loss to Presbyterian before going 5-8 in nonconference play. They nished with a 4-14 record in SEC play to nish 13th out of 14 teams before the league expands by adding Texas and Oklahoma this summer.

Worse, attendance topped 10,000 at Memorial Gym only twice all season with Tennessee and Kentucky fans helping ll the building. Vanderbilt averaged 6,785 spectators per game this season. Vanderbilt currently is building new basketball o ces and a practice gym for the men’s program.

Stackhouse replaced Bryce Drew for the 2019-20 season when he was hired away in April 2019 by then-Vanderbilt athletic director Malcolm Turner from the NBA, where he was an assistant with the Memphis Grizzlies.

The new coach took over a program that went 0-18 in SEC play, leading to Drew’s ring. Under Stackhouse, Vanderbilt was the only SEC team to im-

prove its NET ranking in three seasons spanning the pandemic starting in his rst year on the job. Stackhouse dealt with injuries throughout this season, starting 15 di erent lineups. That made Vanderbilt one of seven teams in the country to start that many lineups. Stackhouse had four sophomores and ve freshmen on a team led by fth-year guard Ezra Manjon and senior guard Tyrin Lawrence.

Vanderbilt lost its rst seven SEC games before beating Missouri, which went winless in league play. The Commodores beat Texas A&M, LSU and got their lone road win at Arkansas before wrapping up the regular season by edging Florida.

But the Commodores blew a 14-point halftime lead to open this year’s SEC Tournament and lost the rematch with Arkansas 90-85 Wednesday night.

JOHN BAZEMORE / AP PHOTO

Former Vanderbilt head coach Jerry Stackhouse reacts on the sideline during an SEC Tournament game against Arkansas. Stackhouse was red after Vanderbilt lost.

WADE PAYNE / AP PHOTO

Denny Hamlin, center, celebrates after winning Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol.

Netanyahu snaps back against US criticism

The Israeli prime minister has faced backlash for the war with Hamas

By Tia Goldenberg and Ravi Nessman

The Associated Press

TEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu railed Sunday against growing criticism from top ally the United States against his leadership amid the devastating war with Hamas, describing calls for a new election as “wholly inappropriate.”

In recent days, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish o cial in the country and a strong Israel supporter, called on Israel to hold a new election, saying Netanyahu had “lost his way.” President Joe Biden expressed support for Schumer’s “good speech” and earlier accused Netanyahu of hurting Israel because of the huge civilian death toll in Gaza.

Netanyahu told Fox News that Israel never would have called for a new U.S. election after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001 and denounced Schumer’s comments as inappropriate.

Despite the talks, Netanyahu made it clear he would not back down from the ghting that has killed more than 31,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health o cials. More than ve months have passed since Hamas attacked southern Israel, killed 1,200 people and took another 250 hostage.

Earlier Sunday, Netanyahu said calls for an election now — which polls show he would lose badly — would force Israel to stop ghting and paralyze the country for six months.

Netanyahu also reiterated his determination to attack Hamas in Rafah and said his government approved military plans for such an operation.

fensive in Rafah would have on the vulnerable civilian population. This needs to be avoided at all costs,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after meeting with el-Sissi.

And German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, after meeting with Netanyahu on Sunday, warned that “the more desperate the situation of people in Gaza becomes, the more this begs the question: No matter how important the goal, can it justify such terribly high costs, or are there other ways to achieve your goal?”

Germany is one of Israel’s closest allies in Europe and, given memories of the Holocaust, often treads carefully when criticizing Israel.

When asked by CNN whether he would commit to a new election after the war ends, Netanyahu said: “I think that’s something for the Israeli public to decide.”

The U.S., which has provided key military and diplomatic support to Israel, also has expressed concerns about a planned Israeli assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where about 1.4 million displaced Palestinians are shelter -

“We’re not a banana republic,” he said. “The people of Israel will choose when they will have elections, and who they’ll elect, and it’s not something that will be foisted on us.”

ing. The spokesman for the National Security Council, John Kirby, told Fox the U.S. still hasn’t seen an Israeli plan for Rafah.

The U.S. supports a new round of talks aimed at securing a cease- re in exchange for the return of Israeli hostages taken in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack.

The Israeli delegation to those talks was expected to leave for Qatar after Sunday evening meetings of the Security Cabinet and War Cabinet, which will give directions for negotiations.

“We will operate in Rafah. This will take several weeks, and it will happen,” he said. The operation is supposed to include the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of civilians, but it is not clear how Israel will do that.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi reiterated his warning that an Israeli ground o ensive in Rafah would have “grave repercussions on the whole region.” Egypt says pushing Palestinians into the Sinai Peninsula would jeopardize its peace treaty with Israel, a cornerstone of regional stability.

“We are also very concerned about the risks a full-scale of-

Both sides have something to gain politically from the dispute. The Biden administration is under increasing pressure from progressive Democrats and some Arab-American supporters to restrain Israel’s war against Hamas. Netanyahu, meanwhile, wants to show his nationalist base that he can withstand global pressure, even from Israel’s closest ally.

But pressure also comes from home, with thousands protesting again in Tel Aviv on Saturday night against Netanyahu’s government and calling for a new election and a deal for the release of hostages.

Putin basks in electoral victory, some Russians quietly protest

The Russian president secured a fth term

The Associated Press

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT Vladimir Putin basked in a victory early Monday that was never in doubt as partial election results showed him easily securing a fth term after facing only token challengers and harshly suppressing opposition voices.

With little margin for protest, Russians crowded outside polling stations at noon Sunday, on the last day of the election, apparently heeding an opposition call to express their displeasure with Putin. Still, the impending landslide underlined that the Russian leader would accept nothing less than full control of the country’s political system as he extends his nearly quarter-century rule for six more years.

Putin hailed the early results as an indication of “trust” and “hope” in him — while critics saw them as another re ection of the preordained nature of the election.

“Of course, we have lots of tasks ahead. But I want to make it clear for everyone: When we were consolidated, no one has ever managed to frighten us, to suppress our will and our self-conscience. They failed in the past and they will fail in the future,” Putin said at a meeting with volunteers after polls closed.

Mr. Putin. There could be no negotiations and nothing with Mr. Putin because he’s a killer, he’s a gangster.”

But Putin brushed o the e ectiveness of the apparent protest.

“There were calls to come vote at noon. And this was supposed to be a manifestation of opposition. Well, if there were calls to come vote, then ... I praise this,” he said at a news conference after polls closed.

Unusually, Putin referenced Navalny by name for the rst time in years at the news conference. He said he was informed of an idea to release the opposition leader from prison days before his death. Putin said that he agreed to the idea, on condition that Navalny didn’t return to Russia.

Some Russians waiting to vote in Moscow and St. Petersburg told The Associated Press that they were taking part in the protest, but it wasn’t possible to conrm whether all of those in line were doing so.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: “The polls have closed in Russia, following the illegal holding of elections on Ukrainian territory, a lack of choice for voters and no independent OSCE monitoring. This is not what free and fair elections look like.”

Beyond the fact that voters had virtually no choice, independent monitoring of the election was extremely limited. According to Russia’s Central Election Commission, Putin had some 87% of the vote with about 90% of precincts counted.

Any public criticism of Putin or his war in Ukraine has been sti ed. Independent media have been crippled. His ercest political foe, Alexei Navalny, died in an Arctic prison last month, and other critics are either in jail or in exile.

In that tightly controlled environment, Navalny’s associates urged those unhappy with Putin or the war in Ukraine to go to the polls at noon on Sunday — and lines outside several polling stations both inside Russia and at its

embassies around the world appeared to swell at that time.

Among those heeding the call was Yulia Navalnaya, Navalny’s widow, who joined a long line in Berlin as some in the crowd applauded and chanted her name.

She spent more than ve hours in the line and told reporters after casting her vote that she wrote her late husband’s name on the ballot.

Asked whether she had a message for Putin, Navalnaya replied: “Please stop asking for messages from me or from somebody for

One woman in Moscow, who said her name was Yulia, told the AP that she was voting for the rst time.

“Even if my vote doesn’t change anything, my conscience will be clear ... for the future that I want to see for our country,” she said. Like others, she didn’t give her full name because of security concerns.

Another Moscow voter, who also identi ed himself only by his rst name, Vadim, said he hoped for change, but added that “unfortunately, it’s unlikely.”

ARIEL SCHALIT / AP PHOTO

An Israeli soldier rides atop a tank on the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel on Sunday.

AP PHOTO

A woman walks to cast her ballot in Russia’s presidential election at a polling station in the village of Chikcha in western Siberia on Sunday.

obituaries

James Houston Finch

June 5, 1929 - March 9, 2024

Mr. James Houston Finch, of Fayetteville, NC went to be with his Lord and Savior on March 09, 2024 at the age of 94. James was born in Wausau, Florida on June 05, 1929 to the late Arthur Finch and Essie Gri n Finch. Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Helen Byrd Finch; brothers, Junior Finch, McArthur Finch, and Kenneth Finch; sisters, Verdell McClendon, and Irene Slay; son, James H. Finch II; and granddaughter, Kimberly Finch. He served as Deacon and Elder many years at Galatia Presbyterian Church. James was a Korean and Vietnam War veteran and retired as a Sergeant First Class from the U.S Army. He served as a Civil Service employee for 20 years until his retirement. James enjoyed gardening, traveling, and spending time with his family. He is survived by his three daughters, Deborah Philligin, Diane Taylor, and Gale Finch; grandchildren, Penny Philligin, Jennifer Philligin, Nathan Taylor, Brian Taylor, James H. Finch III, Justin T. Finch, and Adam Schneider; great grandchildren, Jordan Philligin, Simone Philligin, Dylan Philligin, Phillip Jones, Cassidy Taylor, Nolan Taylor, Max Taylor, Aiden Taylor, Austin Taylor, Gavin Taylor, Logan Taylor, and Henry Taylor; and one great-great grandchild, Paisley Philligin; siblings, Robert Finch, Elouise Bryant, and many nieces and nephews.

Rufus Willis

March 26, 1951 - March 8, 2024

Mr. Rufus "Buck" Willis age, 72 departed this earthly life on March 8, 2024. He leaves to cherish his loving memories his daughter: Sylvia De'Leon; step children: Angela Bender, Mark Bender, John Juarbe; granddaughters: Jessica Willis, Jovan Johnson; sisters: Mary Lee Willis, Barbara Ann Newman; nine grandchildren, nine great grand children along with a host of other family and friends. Buck will be greatly missed.

Antonio Benjamin Smith III

October 22, 2001 - February 27, 2024

Mr. Antonio Benjamin Smith III age, 22 went home to be with his Heavenly Father on February 27, 2024. He was preceded in death by his father Antonio Smith Jr., and sister Naichay Smith. He leaves to cherish his loving memories his wife Nyla Smith; mother, Latrice Queen; grandmother, Rosemary Bracey; sisters: Icelyn Smith, Qaaliah Queen; brothers: Ivan Smith, Rahsule Queen along with a host of other family and friends. Antonio will be greatly missed.

Gabriel Ethan Bower

July 18, 2002 - March 4, 2024

Gabe was an extraordinary artist specializing in creating music. He has multiple albums across several platforms. Gabe had a passion for video games, movies, anime, and TV shows. He was a member of the Emmanuel Baptist Church of Cameron, NC. Gabriel is preceded in death by his grandmother, Bobbie; grandfather, Roy; grandmother, Sheri; and grandmother, Pat. He is survived by his father, Levi; mother, Toni; and brother, Elijah. Gabe was known for his sense of humor and will always and forever "stand on business". "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." Matthew 5:4. Today we gather here with heavy hearts to remember and celebrate the life of Gabriel Ethan Bower. He was an extraordinary artist with an abundance of creativity and a soul who brought comedy and laughter into the lives of countless people with his jokes and music. From the tender age of 13, it became apparent that his a nity for music was more than just a eeting interest. Gabriel possessed an innate ability to understand and converse with music beats at a level that was truly profound. His beats and r were a living entity, a unique vibrant sound that resonates deeply with those who are fortunate enough to hear it. His songs such as, "This isn't the End", "Kame House", and "What's Done is Done" will last the test of time. Gabriel was a person of remarkable character. He was also a pillar of strength, a beacon of light in the lives of his family and friends. Gabe's warm smile, infectious laughter, and boundless kindness made him a beautiful gure in the community. As we bid farewell to Gabriel Ethan Bower, let us remember him not in tears, but with music that he adored so very much, and know that Gabe will forever and always stand on business.

Federal Reserve likely to preach patience as consumers, markets look ahead to rate cut

Chair Jerome Powell is expected to keep interest rates the same

By Christopher Rugaber

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. —

Across the United States, many people are eagerly anticipating the Federal Reserve’s rst cut to its benchmark interest rate this year: Prospective home buyers hope for lower mortgage rates. Wall Street traders envision higher stock prices. Consumers are looking for a break on credit card debt at record-high interest rates.

Not to mention President Joe Biden, whose reelection campaign would likely bene t from an economic jolt stemming from lower borrowing rates.

Yet Chair Jerome Powell and his fellow Fed o cials are expected to play it safe when they meet his week, keeping their rate unchanged for a fth straight time and signaling that they still need further evidence that in ation is returning sustainably to their 2% target.

The Fed’s cautious approach illustrates what’s unusual about

this round of potential rate cuts. Vincent Reinhart, chief economist at Dreyfus-Mellon and a former Fed economist, notes that the Fed typically cuts rates quickly as the economy deteriorates in an often-futile e ort to prevent a recession.

But this time, the economy is

EPA bans asbestos decades after partial ban was enacted

The known carcinogen is still used in some chlorine bleach, brake pads and other products

By Matthew Daly The Associated Press WASHINGTON,

D.C. —

The Environmental Protection Agency on Monday announced a comprehensive ban on asbestos, a carcinogen that is still used in some chlorine bleach, brake pads and other products and that kills tens of thousands of Americans every year.

The nal rule marks a major expansion of EPA regulation under a landmark 2016 law that overhauled regulations governing tens of thousands of toxic chemicals in everyday products, from household cleaners to clothing and furniture.

The new rule would ban chrysotile asbestos, the only ongoing use of asbestos in the United States. The substance is found in products such as brake linings and gaskets and is used to manufacture chlorine bleach and sodium hydroxide, also known as caustic soda.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan called the nal rule a major step to protect public health.

“With today’s ban, EPA is -

nally slamming the door on a chemical so dangerous that it has been banned in over 50 countries,’’ Regan said. “This historic ban is more than 30 years in the making, and it’s thanks to amendments that Congress made in 2016 to x the Toxic Substances Control Act,’’ the main U.S. law governing the use of chemicals.

Exposure to asbestos is known to cause lung cancer, mesothelioma and other cancers, and it is linked to more than 40,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. Ending the ongoing uses of asbestos advances the goals of President Joe Biden’s Cancer Moonshot, a whole-of-government initiative to end cancer in the U.S., Regan said.

still healthy. The Fed is considering rate cuts only because ination has steadily fallen from a peak of 9.1% in June 2022. As a result, it is approaching rate cuts the way it usually does rate hikes: Slowly and methodically while trying to divine the economy’s direction from often-con icting data.

“The Fed is driving events, not events driving the Fed,” Reinhart said. “That’s why this task is different than others.”

The central bank’s policymakers had said after their last meeting in January that they needed “greater con dence” that in ation was cooling decisively toward their 2% target. Since then, the government has issued two ination reports that showed the pace of price increases remaining sticky-high.

In most respects, the U.S. economy remains remarkably healthy. Employers keep hiring, unemployment remains low, the stock market is hovering near record highs and in ation has plummeted from its highs. Yet average prices remain much higher than they were before the pandemic — a source of unhappiness for many Americans for which Republi-

cans have sought to pin blame on Biden.

Excluding volatile food and energy costs, so-called “core” prices rose at a monthly pace of 0.4% in both January and February, a pace far higher than is consistent with the Fed’s in ation target. Compared with a year earlier, core prices rose 3.8% in February. Core prices are considered a good signal of where in ation is likely headed.

But in February, a measure of housing costs slowed, a notable trend because housing is among the “stickiest” price categories that the government tracks. At the same time, more volatile categories, like clothing, used cars and airline tickets, drove up prices in February, and they may well reverse course in coming months.

“Nothing about those two data prints made you feel substantially better about” in ation reaching the Fed’s target soon, said Seth Carpenter, chief global economist at Morgan Stanley and also a former Fed economist. “But it’s not at all enough to make you change your view on the fundamental direction of travel” for in ation.

Indeed, several Fed o cials have said in recent speeches that

they expect in ation to keep declining this year, though likely more slowly than in 2023.

The Fed has also built in some expectation that price increases would ease only gradually this year. In December, it projected that core in ation would reach 2.4% by the end of 2024. That’s not far from its current 2.8%, according to the Fed’s preferred measure.

On Wednesday, the Fed’s policymakers will update their quarterly economic projections, which are expected to repeat their December forecast for three rate cuts by the end of 2024. Still, it would take only two of the 19 Fed ocials to change their forecast to one fewer rate cut for the central bank’s overall projection to downshift to just two rate cuts for 2024. Some economists expect that to happen, given that in ation has remained persistent at the start of this year.

The Fed’s benchmark rate stands at about 5.4%, the highest level in 23 years, after a series of 11 rate hikes that were intended to curb the worst in ation in four decades but have also made borrowing much more expensive for consumers and businesses.

use in the U.S. has been declin-

ing for decades. The only form of asbestos known to be currently imported, processed or distributed for use in the U.S. is chrysotile asbestos, which is imported primarily from Brazil and Russia. It is used by the chlor-alkali industry, which produces bleach, caustic soda and other products.

Asbestos, which was once common in home insulation and other products, is banned in more than 50 countries, and its

“The science is clear: Asbestos is a known carcinogen that has severe impacts on public health. This action is just the beginning as we work to protect all American families, workers and communities from toxic chemicals,’’ Regan said. The 2016 law authorized new rules for tens of thousands of toxic chemicals found in everyday products, including substances such as asbestos and trichloroethylene that for decades have been known to cause cancer yet were largely unregulated under federal law. Known as the Frank Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act, the law was intended to clear up a hodgepodge of state rules governing chemicals and update the Toxic Substances Control Act, a 1976 law that had remained unchanged for 40 years. The EPA banned asbestos in 1989, but the rule was largely overturned by a 1991 court decision that weakened the EPA’s authority under TSCA to address risks to human health from asbestos or other existing chemicals. The 2016 law required the EPA to evaluate chemicals and put in place protections against unreasonable risks.

Most consumer products that historically contained chrysotile asbestos have been discontinued. While chlorine is a commonly used disinfectant in water treatment, there are only 10 chlor-alkali plants in the U.S. that still use asbestos diaphragms to produce chlorine and sodium hydroxide. The plants are mostly located in Louisiana and Texas.

The use of asbestos diaphragms has been declining and now accounts for about onethird of the chlor-alkali production in the U.S., the EPA said.

The EPA rule will ban imports of asbestos for chlor-alkali use as soon as the rule is published, but a ban on most other uses would take e ect in two years.

A ban on the use of asbestos in oil eld brake blocks, aftermarket automotive brakes and linings and other gaskets will take e ect in six months. A ban on sheet gaskets that contain asbestos will take e ect in two years, with the exception of gaskets used to produce titanium dioxide and for the processing of nuclear material. Those uses would be banned in ve years.

MARK SCHIEFELBEIN / AP PHOTO Board Chair Jerome Powell, pictured speaking on Capitol Hill earlier this month, and the Federal Reserve is set this week to leave interest rates unchanged for a fth straight time.

PAUL SANCYA / AP PHOTO

Workers perform asbestos abatement in Howell, Michigan, in 2017. The EPA announced a total ban on the harmful chemical on Monday.

Still battling

Efton Reid III and Wake Forest didn’t earn an NCAA Tournament bid, but the Demon Deacons received a No. 1 seed in the NIT and will host Appalachian State in the rst round on Wednesday in Winston-Salem.

WHAT’S HAPPENING WSFCS gets $3.6m for mental health

State won’t set new workplace guidance around masking

NC’s labor commissioner has declined to adopt rules sought by worker and civil rights groups that would have set safety and masking directives in workplaces for future infectious disease outbreaks like with COVID-19.

Commissioner Josh Dobson announced his decision last week, following a public hearing in January. One rule focused on controlling the spread of infectious diseases among migrant workers. The other covered workers more broadly in various elds.

The North Carolina State AFL-CIO was one of the petitioners, and its president urged Dobson to reconsider.

Trial on Voter ID set for May

A federal trial over North Carolina’s photo voter identi cation law remains set for May, after a judge refused to end e orts by civil rights groups that sued over the requirement on allegations that its provisions are marred by racial bias.

U.S. District Judge Loretta Biggs denied a “summary judgment” motion led in 2021 for members of the State Board of Elections, which is implementing the law.

Photo ID was required starting with last fall’s municipal elections and the primary election earlier this month. Biggs wrote that disputes remained over the case’s facts or inferences from undisputed facts. Republican legislative leaders also are defending the mandate.

School cafeterias to get new cash registers because Windows 10 is old

By Ryan Henkel Twin City Herald

THE WINSTON-SALEM/

FORSYTH COUNTY Board of Education accepted a ve-year, $3,600,000 School Based Mental Health Services grant at its Tuesday, March 12, meeting.

“The purpose of the SBMH program is to provide competitive grants to state educational agencies, local agencies such as our LEA to increase the number of credentialed school-based mental health services providers providing mental health services to our students,” said assistant superintendent Fredricca Stokes.

“This is a grant that we did not apply for, but NCDPI contacted us and asked us if we wanted to receive this grant and we said, ‘Absolutely.’”

According to Stokes, the funds will cover three school social workers, a mental health clinician and a school counselor, professional development opportunities, tuition reimbursement, and mentor and internship supervisor stipends.

Also, per grant stipulations, the bulk of the funding could not be used solely on sta , which is why the district is only looking to hire for ve new positions.

“We really want to focus on retention and support of our school counselors and school social workers across the district, “ said chief o cer of student services Clint Wilson. “So

making sure they’re getting adequate professional development that’s geared towards how they’re working with our students within the school buildings and how they are matriculating throughout their careers. The hope is to get them to stay within our district.”

School cafeterias are getting 180 new cash registers at a cost of $136,980.

“The hardware for the cash registers that we use in the serving lines in the cafeterias is almost 10 years old,” said executive director of child nutrition Ekta Patel. They run Windows 10, which will soon be unsupported by Microsoft — so new registers that run Windows 11 are being acquired. Two CTE Summer Programming contracts were approved,

which help with learning opportunities through the CTE Summer Career accelerator, according to Chief Academic O cer Paula Wilkins.

“These are week-long camps, in chunks at a time,” said Wilkins. “One we’re looking at is a continued partnership with The Mixxer and one is a new partner, District C.”

District C provides students with a unique opportunity to work with the WSFCS business community and solve business problems. Students who participate will receive a stipend and its goal is to promote employability.

The Mixxer is a local organization which o ers a four week long opportunity focusing on skills that are noted as high-mar-

See

More states make bets on sports gambling

North

Carolinians made their rst legal bets in the state last week

By David A. Lieb

The Associated Press

RALEIGH — People in North Carolina may have a little more riding on this year’s NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, as they will be able to legally bet on the games through their smartphone apps and computers for the rst time.

For the sixth straight year, the number of states allowing legal sports betting has expanded since the last rendition of March Madness. A total of 38 states and the District of Columbia now allow some form sports betting, including 30 states and the nation’s capital that allow online wagering.

That’s up from one state, Nevada, where people could legally wager on games during the 2018 college basketball tournaments, before the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for expansion.

Rules for sports betting vary by state. Some states prohibit bets on home-state college teams or the performance of speci c players. Others allow bets not only on the outcome of any college games but also on a variety of other things, such as the number of points, rebounds and assists that a particular player will tally.

Fans have long lled out NCAA tournament brackets while wagering in o ce pools or against friends and family. But those casual bets have increasingly been supplemented with more formal gambling.

The total amount bet on all sports through legal wagering sites exceeded $121 billion in 2023, up 30% from the previous year, according to the American Gaming Association. After paying out winnings, sports betting operators reaped $11 billion in revenue, up from about $7.5 billion the previous year.

The American Gaming Association estimates $2.7 billion will be bet this year on the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments through legal sports books.

Despite living where sports betting is legal, some fans still could be blocked from betting on their favorite teams and players.

Roughly a dozen states bar bets on college games involving home-state teams. Four additional states — Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont — generally prohibit bets involving their own college teams but make exceptions for tournaments.

Some states only allow bets on the outcome of college games, not how particular players will perform. Maryland and Ohio, for example, banned so-called proposition bets on college players, e ective this month. Since last year’s Final Four, six states have launched or expanded sports betting.

Nebraska began taking sports bets at casinos last June, though it doesn’t allow mobile wagers. Kentucky launched sports betting in September to coincide with the start of the NFL season, and Maine began doing so in November. After a court victory, the Semi-

nole Tribe of Florida in December began taking online sports bets in addition to wagers at its casinos.

Vermont launched online sports betting in January.

North Carolina, which previously had sports betting only at three tribal casinos, began permitting online sports wagering on March 11, a day before the start of the ACC men’s basketball tournament which was ultimately won by North Carolina State, a nine-point underdog.

In Missouri, where legislative attempts have repeatedly failed, the St. Louis Cardinals are leading a coalition of professional

See BETTING page 2

NICK WASS / AP PHOTO

Get in touch

Remembering the ‘why’ behind Raise the Age in North Carolina

The mission of JJDP is to reduce and prevent juvenile delinquency by e ectively intervening, educating and treating youth.

AT WHAT AGE should juvenile o enders be tried and treated as adults in North Carolina? What constitutes a juvenile’s actions so irredeemable that they bypass the juvenile system and go straight into adult corrections?

As times change and public safety evolves, it is important to re ect on the principles that guide our justice system. One such principle is the notion of rehabilitation and second chances, especially when it comes to juveniles.

In North Carolina, the Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act (S.L. 2017-57), more commonly known as “Raise the Age,” was implemented on December 1, 2019. The law redirected 16 and 17-year-olds who committed misdemeanors and low-level felonies from automatically being charged in the adult criminal justice system.

This initiative became law only through a strong, bipartisan coalition of support from all three branches of government, prosecutors, law enforcement, the business community and advocacy organizations. Its implementation marked a signi cant milestone in our state’s commitment to justice reform and, more than four years later, it is ever important to remember the ‘why’ behind this policy.

Upon enacting the Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act, North Carolina ended a century-long practice of prosecuting teens as adults and was no longer the only state in the nation to do so. By incorporating 16-and-17-year-olds into the juvenile justice system, the state embraced an approach proven to not only decrease crime but also to be cost-e ective. The reasoning was obvious: The overwhelming majority of juveniles are more e ectively treated in the juvenile justice system with ageappropriate programming.

The mission of both the North Carolina Department of Public Safety’s (NCPDS) Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) and the Division of Adult Corrections (NC DAC), while both equally necessary, could not be more di erent.

The mission of JJDP is to “reduce and prevent juvenile delinquency by e ectively intervening, educating and treating youth in order to strengthen families and increase public safety.”

On the other hand, the mission of NC DAC is to “promote public safety by the administration of a fair and humane

BETTING from page 1

sports teams supporting an initiative petition that could place sports betting on the November ballot.

Lawmakers in Alabama and Georgia also are considering constitutional amendments authorizing sports betting. Georgia senators passed a measure last month, but it still needs a two-thirds vote from the House to appear on this year’s ballot.

Alabama’s House included

SCHOOLS from page 1

ket skills such as 3D printing, woodworking, metal casting and metal fabrications.

“The purpose of these is to promote the programming goals of CTE, to help students enroll, enlist and be employed,” Wilkins said.

In other business, a class size

sports betting in a wide-ranging gambling measure, but the state Senate stripped it out earlier this month. The House now must decide whether to accept that change or negotiate a nal version to go to voters.

Legislation to legalize sports betting also is pending in Oklahoma and Minnesota. A Minnesota state Senate committee endorsed a revised version on Thursday that would raise the proposed tax rate.

Mississippi, which legalized

waiver was approved for Caleb’s Creek Elementary School’s rst and third grade classes.

“General statute 115-C-301 and some other board policies for K-3 set some class size maximums at two students above the allotment process which puts us at 19 in rst and 20 in third grade,” said chief human resources o cer Chris Weikart.

system which provides reasonable opportunities for adjudicated o enders to develop progressively responsible behavior.”

While both missions underscore the importance of rehabilitation and public safety, the mission of JJDP recognizes that e ective intervention and treatment for young individuals is essential for strengthening families and communities. Youthful mistakes should not result in lifelong consequences within the adult criminal justice system. JJDP is there to prevent the cycle of recidivism by o ering young o enders a chance to learn from their mistakes and grow into law-abiding citizens.

Raise the Age was not enacted haphazardly but rather as a result of thorough research, data analysis, and collaboration across branches of government, law enforcement, prosecutors, the business community and advocacy organizations. It was born from a bipartisan coalition that recognized the need for change and the potential for positive outcomes in our justice system.

HB 280: Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act, which we know as Raise the Age, had a total of 68 sponsors, 28 Republicans and 40 Democrats, and it passed the House in May 2017 with a vote of 104-8. Within that 104, 43 ayes were Democrat and 61 were Republican, with some legislators being former law enforcement and legal professionals.

In addition, former North Carolina Chief Justice Mark Martin showed strong public support for the initiative, noting that raising the age of juvenile jurisdiction was his highest legislative priority in 2017. Martin said that “Juvenile reinvestment will help strengthen families and is likely to result in lower recidivism, less crime, and increased safety,” said Chief Justice Martin. “Reinvesting in our youth will result in economic bene ts for the state of North Carolina.”

As North Carolinians, we must remember why Raise the Age was implemented – to believe in the redemption, rehabilitation, and potential of our youth. Upholding these principles and investing in juvenile justice is crucial for creating safer communities and ensuring fairness in our justice system.

casino sports betting in 2018, is considering an expansion to online betting. A bill passed the House last month and is now in the state Senate. Sports betting remains illegal in twelve states, but bets can be made by crossing state lines. In Missouri’s two largest cities, St. Louis and Kansas City, some people drive to nearby commuter lots or exit ramps across the border in Illinois or Kansas, respectively, to place legal bets through mobile apps.

“We looked at the count at 20 days and 40 days and if you look at that window, you’re ne, but throughout the year, you must reevaluate, and by April 1 we have to certify to say that we are within the legislation.”

The school has two classes just above the limit. “We did consider opening a new classroom, but when thinking about

Other would-be bettors get thwarted by technology.

During the weekend of the Super Bowl, where the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers, technology company GeoComply Solutions said it processed more than 431,000 location checks from about 40,500 mobile devices in Missouri attempting to access sports betting sites in other states. The location checks allowed companies to block those bets.

what’s in the best interest of students, asking students to change teachers in the months of February and March does not seem in the best interests of students emotionally or academically,” Weikart said. “We’re allowed to do this once every two years at any given school or grade level.”

The WSFCS Board of Education will next meet March 26.

Forsyth SPORTS

SIDELINE REPORT

NFL

Potential rule change would allow replay challenges for penalties

The Indianapolis Colts are proposing a rule change that would allow coaches to challenge any penalty call for the rst time. The NFL released a list of several rule change proposals that included an option to run a fourth-and-20 play in lieu of an onside kick, the moving of the trade deadline and giving teams an additional challenge if they are successful on one of their rst two tries. The competition committee will make its own rule change proposals and owners are scheduled to vote on them at the league meetings later this month with 24 votes needed for approval.

GOLF

Bernard Langer out due to pickleball injury

West Palm Beach, Fla. Bernhard Langer won’t be at the Masters this year because of pickleball. The two-time Masters champion reveals on the “Musings on Golf” podcast that he tore his left Achilles tendon while playing pickleball last month. Langer says it’s part of his tness routine. This was supposed to be his last Masters. Now he’ll likely push that back to next year. This is only the second time in the last 40 years he won’t be playing at Augusta National in April. The 66-year-old German holds the PGA Tour Champions record with 46 victories. That includes 12 senior majors.

UFC

Hall of Famer Mark Coleman hospitalized after saving parents in house re Toledo, Ohio

UFC Hall of Famer and former champion Mark Coleman says he is “the happiest man in the world.” A video posted to Coleman’s Instagram account shows him embracing members of his family from a hospital bed in an emotional scene. Coleman was airlifted to a hospital on Wednesday after saving his parents from a house re in Ohio this week, according to daughter Morgan Coleman. He says “I can’t believe my parents are alive. I had to make a decision.” Coleman was not able to go back in and rescue his dog, Hammer. He was hospitalized for smoke inhalation.

NFL Woman accuses

Dak Prescott of sexual assault

Dallas A woman accusing Dak Prescott of sexual assault has led a police report over the alleged incident in 2017. The woman went to police after the star quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys sued her on a $100 million extortion claim. Dallas police say there is an ongoing investigation about an alleged sexual assault that occurred in the parking lot of a strip club. Prescott’s lawsuit says the woman and her attorneys wrote him a letter saying she wouldn’t pursue criminal charges or go public with her claims if Prescott paid her $100 million. Prescott has denied the woman’s allegations.

Denny Hamlin wins tire-management NASCAR race at Bristol Speedway

Earns 4th career victory at famed bullring

By Mark Long

The Associated Press

DENNY HAMLIN won the NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday, passing Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr. in thenal laps for his fourth victory at the famed short track.

Hamlin also won at NASCAR’s bullring last September. This one was much di erent. Tire issues hampered most everyone all afternoon as only ve cars nished on the lead lap — the rst time that has happened in the Cup Series in 20 years. The Gibbs cars were the class of the eld.

“My favorite racetrack!” Hamlin exclaimed over his radio while taking the checkered ag. “We got another.”

He was booed — no surprise considering Hamlin has become arguably the series’ biggest villain — as he stood atop his No. 11 Toyota following a smoky burnout.

It was Hamlin’s 52nd career win and locks him into the playo s. Brad Keselowski nished third in a Ford, Alex Bowman was fourth in a Chevrolet and Bowman’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson rounded out the top ve.

“It was weird,” Larson said. “I accidentally nished fth. I’ll take it. I hope I never have to run another race like that again.”

The other two Gibbs cars — driven by Ty Gibbs and Christopher Bell — nished ninth and 10th, respectively.

The race was chaotic from the start, with cars burning through tires at such an alarming rate that NASCAR issued each team an extra set. That gave them 11 sets total, including the one used in qual-

Kyle Larson (5) celebrates with his son, Owen, after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Sunday, March 3, 2024, in Las Vegas.

ifying.

It made for four hours of tire management that put gave control to drivers and crew chiefs. It also led to the most lead changes (54) in NASCAR’s short-track history, breaking the previous mark of 40 set in 1991 at Bristol.

JGR handled it better than the rest of the eld.

“Our Toyotas are really working well right now,” Truex said. NASCAR returned Bristol to “normal” for the rst time in four years for the spring race. The track added red clay each of the last three years. Reviews were mixed, and as the novelty wore o , subpar racing inside the high-banked oval overshadowed any excitement that came with the series running on dirt for the rst time since 1970.

In an e ort to improve the racing and make sure the track had two equal lanes, workers put down a resin-based traction compound through the turns. It was far from perfect.

Goodyear responds

Goodyear felt the need to make a rare statement during the race. Greg Stucker, the tire manufacturer’s director of racing, said a test at Bristol Motor Speedway last year was intended to nd a setup that led to more tire wear.

But he called Sunday’s outcome “too drastic.”

The rubber that was supposed to leave tires and adhere to the racing grooves came o in chunks that looked like shredded cheese. Those loose pieces called “marbles” create a slippery situation around the 0.533-mile track.

Part of the culprit may have been the tracks’ decision to put down a new and di erent traction compound.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Clifton Olmedo

Walkertown, baseball

Clifton Olmedo is a senior for the Walkertown baseball team. Walkertown is o to a 5-0 start this year, 3-0 in the Mid-State conference. Last week, the Wolfpack had a huge week, going 2-0 with a 25-1 win at T.W. Andrews and a 10-0 win against South Davidson.

Olmedo went 2-for-4 with 3 runs, 2 RBI, a double and a triple against T.W. Andrews. He “only” went 1-for-4 with a run against South Davidson, but that can be excused, since he also pitched a 6-inning no-hitter, striking out 11 to get the win.

Vanderbilt res coach Jerry Stackhouse

Former Tar Heel had 70-92 record in 5 seasons

By Teresa M. Walker Thr Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt red coach Jerry Stackhouse on Thursday after a big drop-o in his fth season with the Commodores, going 9-23 with fans showing their apathy by staying away from historic Memorial Gym.

Athletic director Candice Lee said in a statement that Vanderbilt and Stackhouse, who signed a contract extension in October 2022, agreed to part ways. He leaves with a 70-92 record at Vanderbilt, including 28-60 in the Southeastern Conference.

“Commodore Nation will always remember the ‘Memorial Magic’ moments we experienced under Coach Stackhouse’s leadership,” Lee said. “Given his pedigree, experience, and love of the game, I look forward to seeing what’s next for him.”

Stackhouse and Vanderbilt appeared poised to keep building after going from 19-17 to a 22-15 record. The Commodores reached the Southeastern Conference Tournament semi nals last year, then reached the NIT quarter nals before losing on their home court to UAB.

Stackhouse thanked Vanderbilt for the opportunity in the university’s release Thurs -

day. But the decision had only been a matter of time.

“All that matters is the results, and the results weren’t what they were supposed to be,” Stackhouse said after Wednesday night’s opening loss in the SEC Tournament.

“The NCAA Tournament is the ultimate goal, and we haven’t done that. I haven’t done that.

No matter what, those results are those results.”

The Commodores started this season with a home loss to Presbyterian before going 5-8 in nonconference play. They nished with a 4-14 record in SEC play to nish 13th out of 14 teams before the league expands by adding Texas and Oklahoma this summer.

Worse, attendance topped 10,000 at Memorial Gym only twice all season with Tennessee and Kentucky fans helping ll the building. Vanderbilt averaged 6,785 spectators per game this season. Vanderbilt currently is building new basketball o ces and a practice gym for the men’s program.

Stackhouse replaced Bryce Drew for the 2019-20 season when he was hired away in April 2019 by then-Vanderbilt athletic director Malcolm Turner from the NBA, where he was an assistant with the Memphis Grizzlies.

The new coach took over a program that went 0-18 in SEC play, leading to Drew’s ring. Under Stackhouse, Vanderbilt was the only SEC team to im-

prove its NET ranking in three seasons spanning the pandemic starting in his rst year on the job. Stackhouse dealt with injuries throughout this season, starting 15 di erent lineups. That made Vanderbilt one of seven teams in the country to start that many lineups. Stackhouse had four sophomores and ve freshmen on a team led by fth-year guard Ezra Manjon and senior guard Tyrin Lawrence.

Vanderbilt lost its rst seven SEC games before beating Missouri, which went winless in league play. The Commodores beat Texas A&M, LSU and got their lone road win at Arkansas before wrapping up the regular season by edging Florida.

But the Commodores blew a 14-point halftime lead to open this year’s SEC Tournament and lost the rematch with Arkansas 90-85 Wednesday night.

PHOTO

JOHN BAZEMORE / AP PHOTO

Former Vanderbilt head coach Jerry Stackhouse reacts on the sideline during an SEC Tournament game against Arkansas. Stackhouse was red after Vanderbilt lost.

Federal Reserve likely to preach patience as consumers, markets look ahead to rate cut

Chair Jerome Powell is expected to keep interest rates the same

By Christopher Rugaber

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. —

Across the United States, many people are eagerly anticipating the Federal Reserve’s rst cut to its benchmark interest rate this year: Prospective home buyers hope for lower mortgage rates. Wall Street traders envision higher stock prices. Consumers are looking for a break on credit card debt at record-high interest rates.

Not to mention President Joe Biden, whose reelection campaign would likely bene t from an economic jolt stemming from lower borrowing rates.

Yet Chair Jerome Powell and his fellow Fed o cials are expected to play it safe when they meet his week, keeping their rate unchanged for a fth straight time and signaling that they still need further evidence that in ation is returning sustainably to their 2% target.

The Fed’s cautious approach illustrates what’s unusual about

this round of potential rate cuts. Vincent Reinhart, chief economist at Dreyfus-Mellon and a former Fed economist, notes that the Fed typically cuts rates quickly as the economy deteriorates in an often-futile e ort to prevent a recession.

But this time, the economy is

EPA bans asbestos decades after a partial ban was enacted

The known carcinogen is still used in some chlorine bleach, brake pads and other products

By Matthew Daly The Associated Press WASHINGTON,

D.C. —

The Environmental Protection Agency on Monday announced a comprehensive ban on asbestos, a carcinogen that is still used in some chlorine bleach, brake pads and other products and that kills tens of thousands of Americans every year.

The nal rule marks a major expansion of EPA regulation under a landmark 2016 law that overhauled regulations governing tens of thousands of toxic chemicals in everyday products, from household cleaners to clothing and furniture.

The new rule would ban chrysotile asbestos, the only ongoing use of asbestos in the United States. The substance is found in products such as brake linings and gaskets and is used to manufacture chlorine bleach and sodium hydroxide, also known as caustic soda.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan called the nal rule a major step to protect public health.

“With today’s ban, EPA is -

nally slamming the door on a chemical so dangerous that it has been banned in over 50 countries,’’ Regan said. “This historic ban is more than 30 years in the making, and it’s thanks to amendments that Congress made in 2016 to x the Toxic Substances Control Act,’’ the main U.S. law governing the use of chemicals.

Exposure to asbestos is known to cause lung cancer, mesothelioma and other cancers, and it is linked to more than 40,000 deaths in the U.S. each year. Ending the ongoing uses of asbestos advances the goals of President Joe Biden’s Cancer Moonshot, a whole-of-government initiative to end cancer in the U.S., Regan said.

still healthy. The Fed is considering rate cuts only because ination has steadily fallen from a peak of 9.1% in June 2022. As a result, it is approaching rate cuts the way it usually does rate hikes: Slowly and methodically while trying to divine the economy’s direction from often-con icting data.

“The Fed is driving events, not events driving the Fed,” Reinhart said. “That’s why this task is different than others.”

The central bank’s policymakers had said after their last meeting in January that they needed “greater con dence” that in ation was cooling decisively toward their 2% target. Since then, the government has issued two ination reports that showed the pace of price increases remaining sticky-high.

In most respects, the U.S. economy remains remarkably healthy. Employers keep hiring, unemployment remains low, the stock market is hovering near record highs and in ation has plummeted from its highs. Yet average prices remain much higher than they were before the pandemic — a source of unhappiness for many Americans for which Republi-

cans have sought to pin blame on Biden.

Excluding volatile food and energy costs, so-called “core” prices rose at a monthly pace of 0.4% in both January and February, a pace far higher than is consistent with the Fed’s in ation target. Compared with a year earlier, core prices rose 3.8% in February. Core prices are considered a good signal of where in ation is likely headed.

But in February, a measure of housing costs slowed, a notable trend because housing is among the “stickiest” price categories that the government tracks. At the same time, more volatile categories, like clothing, used cars and airline tickets, drove up prices in February, and they may well reverse course in coming months.

“Nothing about those two data prints made you feel substantially better about” in ation reaching the Fed’s target soon, said Seth Carpenter, chief global economist at Morgan Stanley and also a former Fed economist. “But it’s not at all enough to make you change your view on the fundamental direction of travel” for in ation.

Indeed, several Fed o cials have said in recent speeches that

they expect in ation to keep declining this year, though likely more slowly than in 2023.

The Fed has also built in some expectation that price increases would ease only gradually this year. In December, it projected that core in ation would reach 2.4% by the end of 2024. That’s not far from its current 2.8%, according to the Fed’s preferred measure.

On Wednesday, the Fed’s policymakers will update their quarterly economic projections, which are expected to repeat their December forecast for three rate cuts by the end of 2024. Still, it would take only two of the 19 Fed ocials to change their forecast to one fewer rate cut for the central bank’s overall projection to downshift to just two rate cuts for 2024. Some economists expect that to happen, given that in ation has remained persistent at the start of this year.

The Fed’s benchmark rate stands at about 5.4%, the highest level in 23 years, after a series of 11 rate hikes that were intended to curb the worst in ation in four decades but have also made borrowing much more expensive for consumers and businesses.

Workers

use in the U.S. has been declin-

ing for decades. The only form of asbestos known to be currently imported, processed or distributed for use in the U.S. is chrysotile asbestos, which is imported primarily from Brazil and Russia. It is used by the chlor-alkali industry, which produces bleach, caustic soda and other products.

Asbestos, which was once common in home insulation and other products, is banned in more than 50 countries, and its

“The science is clear: Asbestos is a known carcinogen that has severe impacts on public health. This action is just the beginning as we work to protect all American families, workers and communities from toxic chemicals,’’ Regan said. The 2016 law authorized new rules for tens of thousands of toxic chemicals found in everyday products, including substances such as asbestos and trichloroethylene that for decades have been known to cause cancer yet were largely unregulated under federal law. Known as the Frank Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act, the law was intended to clear up a hodgepodge of state rules governing chemicals and update the Toxic Substances Control Act, a 1976 law that had remained unchanged for 40 years. The EPA banned asbestos in 1989, but the rule was largely overturned by a 1991 court decision that weakened the EPA’s authority under TSCA to address risks to human health from asbestos or other existing chemicals. The 2016 law required the EPA to evaluate chemicals and put in place protections against unreasonable risks.

Most consumer products that historically contained chrysotile asbestos have been discontinued. While chlorine is a commonly used disinfectant in water treatment, there are only 10 chlor-alkali plants in the U.S. that still use asbestos diaphragms to produce chlorine and sodium hydroxide. The plants are mostly located in Louisiana and Texas.

The use of asbestos diaphragms has been declining and now accounts for about onethird of the chlor-alkali production in the U.S., the EPA said.

The EPA rule will ban imports of asbestos for chlor-alkali use as soon as the rule is published, but a ban on most other uses would take e ect in two years.

A ban on the use of asbestos in oil eld brake blocks, aftermarket automotive brakes and linings and other gaskets will take e ect in six months. A ban on sheet gaskets that contain asbestos will take e ect in two years, with the exception of gaskets used to produce titanium dioxide and for the processing of nuclear material. Those uses would be banned in ve years.

MARK SCHIEFELBEIN / AP PHOTO Board Chair Jerome Powell, pictured speaking on Capitol Hill earlier this month, and the Federal Reserve is set this week to leave interest rates unchanged for a fth straight time.

PAUL SANCYA / AP PHOTO

COUNTY

Luck of the Irish

Cross

In addition

WHAT’S HAPPENING

New teacher compensation plans in the works

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

MOORE SCHOOLS Super -

intendent Tim Locklair presented his proposed operating budget for the 2024-2025 scal year to the Board of Education at its March 11 meeting.

The updated projections would require an increase in funding from the county of $1,340,200 — increasing the local contribution to a proposed $3,540,200 — while pulling money from existing cash and using other methods, including leaving some vacant positions un lled, some technology expenses being covered by a federal rural grant and other measures help to o set the extra spending.

The superintendent noted

North Carolinians made their rst legal bets in the state last week

Photo

By David A. Lieb The Associated Press

RALEIGH — People in North Carolina may have a little more riding on this year’s NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, as they will be able to legally bet on the games through their smartphone apps and com-

that, thanks to sta vacancies, unspent funds were reallocated over the year to continually rebalance the budget, and these funds must still be budgeted for next year.

“We haven’t spent all of that fund balance in the last couple of scal years as a part of our vacancies,” Locklair explained. “It’s important that, even though we may not spend that fund balance, you have to incorporate that into your overall budget to budget for your needs if you were fully sta ed and we had all positions lled. It’s important that we incorporate that into our xed-cost projections.”

Locklair noted that his team has been working to reduce the amount of fund balance and savings account funds that would be appropriated, bringing e ciencies to spending.

In total, the proposed operating budget for the school system is $166,369,760, with the

School Board giving nal budget approval in April so it can be presented to the County Commissioners in May.

In other business, the board approved a $112,800 contract with Public Impact — a company that aims to contribute to dramatic improvements in the quality of public education — funded through a NCDPI ATR grant to support a sustainable district model for advanced teaching roles.

“This is a grant that we’ve been working on for a number of years,” said deputy superintendent Mike Metcalf. “We received a grant for $500,000, which we’re very excited about.”

According to Metcalf, the grant will help address a lack of meaningful opportunities for career advancement for experience and e ective teachers without leaving the classroom, and to help novice teachers get the embedded profession-

al support they need to be successful.

The district is proposing to restructure the organizational model from the old system, where the principals oversaw the entire school, to a tiered approach which implements lead teacher positions which oversee a team of teachers.

Per Senate Bill 681, the purpose of this program will be to enable districts to create innovative compensation models that focus on classroom teacher professional growth that lead to measurable improvements in student outcomes and allow highly e ective classroom teachers to teach an increased amount of students, become a lead classroom teacher accountable for the student performance of students within a team or lead a larger e ort to implement new instructional models.

In addition to the $500,000 grant, NCDPI is providing $150,000 in additional funding to support immediate implementation as well as money for state-funded salary supplements at a rate of $10,000 per lead teacher and $3,000 for support positions.

The Moore County Schools Board of Education will next meet April 15.

puters for the rst time.

For the sixth straight year, the number of states allowing legal sports betting has expanded since the last rendition of March Madness. A total of 38 states and the District of Columbia now allow some form sports betting, including 30 states and the nation’s capital that allow online wagering.

That’s up from one state, Nevada, where people could legally wager on games during the 2018 college basketball tournaments, before the U.S. Supreme Court

cleared the way for expansion. Rules for sports betting vary by state. Some states prohibit bets on home-state college teams or the performance of speci c players. Others allow bets not only on the outcome of any college games but also on a variety of other things, such as the number of points, rebounds and assists that a particular player will tally. Fans have long lled out NCAA tournament brackets while wagering in o ce pools or against friends and family. But those casual bets have increasingly been supplemented with more formal gambling.

The total amount bet on all sports through legal wagering sites exceeded $121 billion in 2023, up 30% from the previous year, according to the American

Gaming Association. After paying out winnings, sports betting operators reaped $11 billion in revenue, up from about $7.5 billion the previous year.

The American Gaming Association estimates $2.7 billion will be bet this year on the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments through legal sports books.

Creek Pipes and Drums of Fayetteville serenades the crowd while marching in Pinehurst’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade on Saturday.

to bags and pipes, the parade featured pageant royalty, pooches, cars and golf carts galore.

March 12

“Join

FORECAST

COLUMN | RICHARD HUDSON

The state of our union is in crisis

UNDER PRESIDENT BIDEN’S failed leadership, the State of the Union is in crisis.

He can try to convince the American people his policies are working, but after his address last week, one thing is clear — they’re not buying it.

Over the past three years, Americans have experienced one crisis after another. From the catastrophic open border, skyrocketing prices fueled by in ation, to surging violent crime, to weakness on the world stage, President Biden has made our country less prosperous and less safe.

Since President Biden took o ce, folks in our region and across America are paying more for everything. His reckless spending and anti-energy policies have led to historic in ation, soaring gas prices, and higher interest rates, making it more expensive for people just to buy the basics. Mortgage rates have also doubled, skyrocketing the cost of purchasing a home and putting the American dream of homeownership out of reach for more families.

This crisis has left many families drowning in credit card debt. Many people have had to take second or third jobs to make ends meet. Hardworking Americans are su ering because of President Biden’s failures, and they’ve had enough.

President Biden’s open border policies and disregard for our immigration laws

Despite living where sports betting is legal, some fans still could be blocked from betting on their favorite teams and players.

Roughly a dozen states bar bets on college games involving home-state teams. Four additional states — Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont — generally prohibit bets involving their own college teams but make exceptions for tournaments.

Some states only allow bets on the outcome of college games, not how particular players will perform. Maryland and Ohio, for example, banned so-called proposition bets on college players, e ective this month.

Since last year’s Final Four, six states have launched or expanded sports betting.

Nebraska began taking sports bets at casinos last June, though it doesn’t allow mobile wagers. Kentucky launched sports betting in September to coincide with the start of the NFL season, and Maine began doing so in November.

After a court victory, the Seminole Tribe of Florida in December began taking online sports bets in addition to wa-

have created the worst border crisis in U.S. history, turning every community into a border community. Under the Biden Administration, there have been roughly 8.7 million illegal crossings nationwide, including over 340 individuals on the terrorist watch list. Countless innocent lives have been tragically lost to fentanyl poisoning and criminal violence at the hands of people here illegally. Just a few weeks ago, Laken Riley, a Georgia college nursing student, was brutally murdered by an illegal migrant who’d been paroled and released into our country after crossing the border illegally in 2022.

The crisis at our border is a catastrophe of the President’s own design, and he could x it today with a stroke of a pen, but he refuses to act. Meanwhile, House Republicans passed a bill to stop the ow of illegal migrants and secure America’s borders. We won’t stop ghting to secure America’s borders and protect our communities.

While President Biden continues to dodge responsibility and ignore the su ering his policies have caused, House Republicans are ghting to hold him accountable and restore our country’s greatness once again.

Richard Hudson represents North Carolina’s 9th Congressional district.

gers at its casinos. Vermont launched online sports betting in January.

North Carolina, which previously had sports betting only at three tribal casinos, began permitting online sports wagering on March 11, a day before the start of the ACC men’s basketball tournament which was ultimately won by North Carolina State, a nine-point underdog.

In Missouri, where legislative attempts have repeatedly failed, the St. Louis Cardinals are leading a coalition of professional sports teams supporting an initiative petition that could place sports betting on the November ballot.

Lawmakers in Alabama and Georgia also are considering constitutional amendments authorizing sports betting. Georgia senators passed a measure last month, but it still needs a two-thirds vote from the House to appear on this year’s ballot.

Alabama’s House included sports betting in a wide-ranging gambling measure, but the state Senate stripped it out earlier this month. The House now must decide whether to accept that change or negotiate a nal version to go to voters.

Legislation to legalize sports betting also is pending in Oklahoma and Minnesota. A Minnesota state Senate committee endorsed a revised version on Thursday that would raise the proposed tax rate.

Mississippi, which legalized casino sports betting in 2018, is considering an expansion to online betting. A bill passed the House last month and is now in the state Senate.

Sports betting remains illegal in twelve states, but bets can be made by crossing state lines.

In Missouri’s two largest cities, St. Louis and Kansas City, some people drive to nearby commuter lots or exit ramps across the border in Illinois or Kansas, respectively, to place legal bets through mobile apps.

Other would-be bettors get thwarted by technology.

During the weekend of the Super Bowl, where the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers, technology company GeoComply Solutions said it processed more than 431,000 location checks from about 40,500 mobile devices in Missouri attempting to access sports betting sites in other states. The location checks allowed companies to block those bets.

MOORE CITIZENS FOR FREEDOM

MOORE COUNTY

Remember that we live in the best country, the best state, and by far the best county.

moore happening

Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in and around Moore County:

March 22

Moore County Library: Pre-School Storytime 10 a.m.

The Moore County Library in Carthage hosts a free PreSchool Storytime each Friday at 10:00am. Join in the fun. For additional information, call 910-947-5335.

Pinehurst Village Center Egg Hunt | 12 p.m. Take part in the Pinehurst Village Center Egg Hunt! This free egg hunt runs Monday, March 4th-Saturday, March 30th. Five custom eggs will be hidden throughout the Village Center each week. These are one-of-a-kind pieces crafted specially by Thomas Pottery of Seagrove. Search in and around Tufts Memorial Park, Given Memorial Library, Market Square, Chinquapin Rd, Cherokee Rd and Village Green Rd. Happy Hunting for all ages!

Friends Of Aberdeen Library: Open House

12 p.m. – 6 p.m.

The Friends of the Aberdeen Library invite the community to a free Open House of the future Aberdeen Library and Community Resource Center. Tour the new location and hear about the upcoming renovations. Located at 123 Exchange Street in Aberdeen. More information visit facebook.com/ friendofaberdeenlibrary

March 23

Motors And Moore on The Ramp 9 – 11 a.m.

Come out as the Sandhills Motoring Club presents Motors and Moore. A free event at the Moore County Airport. The public is invited to attend this free event. Come out and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow car enthusiasts! This is a free event. More information at sandhillsmotoringclub.com/ motors-and-moore

Town Of Southern Pines: Easter Eggs-Travangaza

10 – 11:30 a.m.

The Southern Pines Parks & Recreation Department is holding their annual Easter Eggs-travangaza at the Campbell House Park. Children ages 12 and under can enjoy egg hunts, activities, crafts and more. The Easter Bunny be present for photographs. The event is free and open to the public. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Activities begin at 10 am | Egg Hunts begin at 11 am. More information call 910692-7376.

Town Of Sanford: Egg-APalooza | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Pinecrest baseball, Union Pines girls’ lacrosse remain unbeaten

Pauls. Union Pines is now 2-5 overall, 0-2 in the Sandhills.

SOFTBALL

Pinecrest ran its perfect record to start the season to 5-0 before dropping two games to nish the week. The Patriots are now 5-2, 1-1 in the Sandhills Conference. Pinecrest shut out Richmond on the road, 5-0, in its Sandhills opener. The Patriots came back from a trip to Harnett Central with their rst loss of the season, however, falling 6-1. A home rematch with Richmond gave Pinecrest its rst Sandhills loss, 5-1. North Moore had a big week, winning all three games to stretch its winning streak to ve. The Mustangs are now 6-1 on the season, 3-1 in the Mid-Carolinas Conference. North Moore won at Southeast Alamance, 10-2, then came home to shut out O’Neal, 13-0. The Mustangs nished the week with a 5-4 home win over Southeast Alamance in a rematch.

Union Pines snapped a ve-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over Western Harnett. That salvaged a 1-2 week for the Vikings, who started o with a 10-0 loss at Gray’s Creek, then fell, 9-8, at St.

Union Pines su ered its rst loss of the season in a 1-1 week. The Vikings are now 5-1 overall, 3-1 in the Sandhills. Union Pines lost at Scotland, 2-0, then bounced back with a 10home shutout of Richmond. North Moore went 2-1 last week, improving to 4-3 on the season, 4-1 in the Mid-Carolina Conference. The Mustangs beat Bartlett Yancey, 17-2, then fell to Montgomery Central, 16-2. They nished o a week of blowouts in both directions with a 12-5 win at Seaforth.

Pinecrest su ered three more losses and is now 0-7 on the year, 0-4 in the Sandhills. The Patriots lost all three at home, falling 12-3 to Southern Lee, 11-0 to Montgomery Central and 10-0 to Lee County.

GIRLS’ SOCCER

Pinecrest won two matches last week to improve to 3-4 on the year. The Patriots won at Gray’s Creek, 3-1, then picked up a win in their conference opener, 2-0 against

Richmond.

Union Pines won one of three matches last week and are 2-2-1 on the season. The Vikings lost their conference opener, 3-1, to Lee County. Then beat Montgomery Central, 9-0. Union Pines ended the week with a 4-1 loss at Chapel Hill.

North Moore su ered two losses, 3-0 at Southwestern Randolph and 4-0 at Faith Christian, to fall to 0-3-1 on the year, 0-1 in Mid-Carolina.

LACROSSE

Pinecrest’s boys team swept all three games last week, winning at Cape Fear, 14-6, beating Terry Sanford, 15-4, and shutting out Jack Britt on the road, 20-0. The Patriots are now 5-2. The Pinecrest girls won three games last week, 15-4 at Cape Fear, 20-6 over Terry Sanford, and 16-1 at Jack Britt, to improve to 6-1.

The Union Pines boys went 2-1 last week, beating Terry Sanford, 5-3, then winning on the road at Gray’s Creek, 19-7. The Vikings ended the week with an 8-4 loss at Enloe and are now 4-2. The Vikings’ girls beat Terry Sanford, 24-3 to extend their perfect start to 4-0.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Nicole Norman

Union Pines softball

Nicole Norman is a senior catcher and out elder for the Union Pines softball team.

The Vikings are 5-1 on the year and went 1-1 last week.

Norman, who will be playing in college at Barton next season, leads Union Pines in batting, on-base percentage, slugging and hits. She’s tied for the lead in homers and doubles and is second on the Vikings in RBIs.

Last week, she went 2-for-3 with a run, 2 doubles and 2 RBIs in a win over Richmond.

PHOTO COURTESY NICOLE NORMAN

DAVID SINCLAIR FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Pinecrest’s Livia Pratt takes a shot on goal during the Patriots’ 20-6 win over Terry Sanford.

Patricia Ann Knoto

June 17, 1964 - March 15, 2024

Patricia Ann Knoto , 59 of Carthage, passed away on March 15, 2024 at FirstHealth Hospice House. Born on June 17, 1964 in Southhampton, New York to George and the late Sally Knoto . In addition to her mother, she was preceded in death by her husband, Richard Payne. She is survived by her father, George Knoto ; brother, Gary Knoto ; and sister, Melissa Massimiani.

Matilda "Tillie" Allen Jones

October 10, 1937 - March 13, 2024

Matilda “Tillie” Allen Jones, 86 of New Bern, passed away on March 13, 2024 at her son’s home in Fox re Village, NC.

Born on October 10, 1937 in Wilson, North Carolina to the late Glen and Inez Allen, she grew up in Tar Heel, NC. Tillie graduated as valedictorian of her Tar Heel High School class in 1955 and wanted to pursue a career as either an English Teacher or a Meteorologist. She chose to put those dreams on hold and married her high school sweetheart the summer after graduation.

She found particular joy in her only grandchild Max with whom she shared a very special bond. All will miss her immeasurably. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, James Alexander Jones in 1975.

She is survived by one son, James Alexander Jones, Jr. and his wife, Elizabeth; one brother, George Willis Allen (Jane) of Montgomery AL; two sisters, Eliza Allen Williams (Fred) of Saint Pauls and Glenda Allen Taylor (Philip) of Lumberton; also survived by her grandson, Alexander Robert Masao Bernet-Jones, Max, of Asheville.

William Louis Patman

June 1, 1941 - March 6, 2024

William Louis Patman age 82, of Seven Lakes, NC; passed peacefully at home on March 6, 2024, with his daughters by his side. Bill was born June 1, 1941, to the late Dr. William Louis and Nell Gaskill Patman of Siler City and Ocracoke. In addition to his parents, Bill was preceded in death by his wife, Phyllis C. Patman, and sister Elizabeth P. Clark. He is survived by his sisters, Susan Day and Rebecca Chandler of Raleigh; daughters Rebecca (Robert) Keller of Burgaw and Mary Catherine (Je rey) Kendrick of Wilmington; stepdaughter Jennifer (Jason) Pritchett of Atlanta, GA; and grandchildren Lillian Keller, Pierce Pritchett, and Lane Pritchett.

Theodore Gleason

October 9, 1933 - March 10, 2024

In loving memory of Theodore Gleason, a devoted golfer and die-hard Notre Dame fan. Theodore passed away peacefully on March 10, 2024, leaving behind a legacy of passion for the game of golf and unwavering loyalty to his beloved Fighting Irish.

He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and all who had the privilege of knowing him. Theodore is survived by his wife, Jean Helen Gleason (Kabat), daughter Gail Johnson, son Michael Gleason, (both of whom live in Cameron, NC) son Theodore Gleason and his wife Rose of Spring eld, Il., Mary Gleason and her husband David Guel of Blue Island, Il, and his four grandchildren Allison, David, Colleen and Julia. Theodore was preceded in death by his parents; Edward and Cornelia Gleason, brothers William, and Lee.

Gladys May

Thompson

March 17, 1934 - March 6, 2024

Gladys May Thompson, age 89, of Pinehurst NC passed away at Quail Haven Healthcare Center on March 6, 2024. Gladys was born on March 17, 1934 in Richmond VA to Alma Merton Gunther and Linwood Lee Marable. An only child, Gladys grew up spending happy times on her maternal uncle’s farm in Louisa VA. Upon graduating from Eastern High School in Washington DC, she was employed by the Department of Agriculture. After meeting on a blind date, Gladys and Edward Milton Thompson, Sr. were married August 1, 1953, and raised three happy children in Washington DC, Donelson TN, Clinton MD, and Alexandria VA. While Ed was establishing his career in the insurance business, Gladys nurtured the children at home, providing stability, discipline, and countless carpool trips to practices, games, matches, and recitals of all kinds in “The Jet”, the family’s somewhat noisy station wagon. Gladys remained close with many of her lifelong friends from those early years, and is also remembered fondly by her children’s friends as a mother gure. Gladys and Ed enjoyed traveling together around the US and beyond, with Capon Springs WV holding a special place in their hearts. Gladys also enjoyed shopping trips to New York City with her daughter, Terrie. Eventually Gladys and Ed retired to Naples FL, where new friends became dear ones, bonding over tennis and cocktail hours at Wyndemere. Gladys is survived by her children, Steve Thompson (Liz), Terrie Thompson Brown (Art), and Eddie Thompson, Jr (Barb), as well as six grandchildren (Edward, Maggie, Ben, Shelby, Taylor, and Logan) and seven great-grandchildren. Gladys was preceded in death by her parents and her husband.

Mary Margaret Gunion Cipoletti

August 13, 1933 - March 11, 2024

Mary Margaret Gunion Cipoletti, of Southern Pines, NC and formerly Wellsburg, WV, passed away at her home on Monday, March 11, 2024. Born in Wheeling, WV, on Aug 13, 1933, she was the daughter of the late Richard and Mary Margaret (Cusick) Gunion. Mary Margaret graduated as valedictorian of Wellsburg High School in 1951. Following high school, she began working for the Monongahela Power Company. It was there that she met and would later marry Frank “Red” Cipoletti. Mary Margaret left the workforce to raise their children and later worked as bookkeeper for her brother-in-law Boots Cipoletti at Ohio Valley Wholesale. A devout Catholic, she was an active member at St. John the Evangelist Church where she was a Eucharistic minister, a member of the Rosary Alter Society and was very involved with the church’s Right To Life program. Mary Margaret enjoyed playing bridge, traveling to visit her children and grandchildren, volunteering at the gift shop in Wheeling Hospital, and vacationing with family at the Outer Banks. After her husband’s passing, she moved to North Carolina to be closer to family but always kept West Virginia in her heart. She loved the West Virginia hills and was a Mountaineer, through and through. In addition to her parents, Mary Margaret was predeceased by her husband Frank Cipoletti; daughter Marian Voelker and infant daughter Diane Cipoletti. She is survived by daughters: Jayne Query (Ron Layne) of Pinehurst, NC, Francine Adkins of Kingsport, TN, and Linda Stockel (Rick) of Richmond, VA; grandchildren: Charlie (Lauren) Voelker of Milford, NH, Kelly (Wes) Corkill of Temple, GA, Ryan (Kayla) Query of Aberdeen, NC, Allison (Dan) Metro of Fuquay - Varina, NC, Joey Adkins of Kingsport, TN, Katie Adkins of Los Angeles, CA, and Ricky Stockel of Richmond, VA; great grandchildren: Wes and Rhett Voelker, Malley and Stormie Corkill, McKinley and Joseph Query, and Danni and Christian Metro. She is also survived by son-in-law Chuck Voelker of Savannah, GA, and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

Lee Roy Croom, Jr.

September 20, 1950 - March 12, 2024

Lee Roy Croom, Jr. passed away March 12, 2024 at Atrium Wake Forest Baptist Hospital in Winston Salem, N. C. He was 73 years old. Lee was preceded in death by his parents, Lee Roy Croom, Sr., and Irene Croom, and his sister, Shirley Gilbert. He is survived by his sisters, Joyce Kovolenko, of Fayetteville, Gail Propst, and her husband, Jack, of Fayetteville, and Lisa Cross, and her husband, Tony, of Whispering Pines. Lee had 14 nieces and nephews and several great nieces and nephews who loved him and remember him as an integral part of their lives growing up. Lee was born in Raeford, NC, but grew up in Fayetteville. He was a graduate of Seventy First High School, class of ‘68, where he excelled academically, and was voted “most popular” of his senior class. It was obvious why that honor was bestowed upon him. He was a people person; friendly and funny, and everyone who was around him, loved him. Lee attended Appalachian State University, and then transferred to Pembroke State University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree. He also served in the NC National Guard for 6 years. Lee went on to obtain his master’s degree in education. He did student teaching at Pinecrest High School, in Pinehurst, NC and spent many years as a teacher in Cumberland County, and a principal in Robeson County. He eventually moved to Atlanta, GA where he was Director of Housing at The Art Institute of Atlanta before moving back to N.C. in 1996. Lee loved the outdoors and was an active man who enjoyed shing, traveling, gardening, and antiquing. He loved the mountains and spent a lot of time there over the years. His family will always remember his love of Christmas and how he would decorate every room with a Christmas tree. Lee made Christmases special for everyone, and those memories will always remain with his family. Lee’s family and friends will always remember the love, laughter, and kindness he brought them. He will be loved and missed forever.