North State Journal Vol. 7, Issue 31

Budd earns law enforcement endorsement over Beasley

Raleigh North Carolina’s top law enforcement group has abandoned its longstanding support for Democrat Cheri Beasley for aligning herself with “defund the police activists” in the years since George Floyd’s death, opting instead to throw their support behind Trumpback U.S. Senate candidate Ted Budd.

The North Carolina Police Benevolent Association had endorsed Beasley for statewide judicial offices in 2008, 2014 and 2020, according to Fox News.

“With violent crime on the rise in North Carolina, more than ever before, we need a senator who has our backs and not someone who is supported by Defund the Police activists,” said David Rose, president of the NCPBA.

NSJ STAFF

Bankrupt Charlotte development has new name

Charlotte

The EpiCentre, located in tuptown Charlotte, was renamed Queen City Quarter on Tuesday by CBRE Group, which owns the 302,3424-square-foot site.

WBTV reported the development will undergo several “significant” overall repairs, including maintenance to the courtyard, parking garage, patios, and roof expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Developers also detail in the announcement that all public staircases and escalators will be renovated, along with new landscaping, lighting, and benches.

“Queen City Quarter will transform the heart of Charlotte’s iconic Uptown into a vibrant corporate and familyfriendly hub,” said Compie Newman, managing director of CBRE’s Charlotte office.

NSJ STAFF

CBO: Biden’s student debt plan would cost $400B

Washington, D.C.

President Joe Biden’s plan for student debt cancellation will cost the federal government about $400 billion over the next 30 years, according to new estimates from the Congressional Budget Office.

The figures were released in response to a request from Republican lawmakers who oppose Biden’s plan in large part because of its costs. They were quick to cite the estimates as evidence that the plan will “bury” taxpayers, passing along the costs to huge numbers of Americans who never went to college.

“Rather than working with Congress to bring down college costs, President Biden has opted to bury the American people under our unsustainable debt,” said Rep. Virginia Foxx (NC05), the top Republican on the House education committee.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

First female premier poised to take helm of Italy government

Rome A conservative party won the most votes in Italy’s national election, setting the stage for talks to form the country’s first right-led government since World War II, with Giorgia Meloni at the helm as Italy’s first female premier.

Italy’s lurch to the far right immediately shifted Europe’s geopolitics, placing Meloni’s Brothers of Italy in position to lead a founding member of the European Union and its thirdlargest economy.

“If we are called to govern this nation, we will do it for everyone. We will do it for all Italians and we will do it with the aim of uniting the people,” Meloni said.

Top conservatives featured at annual Salt & Light Conference in Charlotte

North State Journal

CHARLOTTE — Salt & Light, North Carolina’s largest faithbased policy conference, featured prominent conservatives last weekend in Charlotte such as for mer South Carolina congressman and current Fox News host Trey Gowdy, Colorado U.S. Rep. Lau ren Boebert, Fox News host Pete Hegseth and radio host Larry Elder.

The two-day event held on Sept. 23 and 24 included a lengthy list of pastors, activ ists, political candi dates and elected offi cials.

“It’s the people in this room who can save our nation,” said Jason Williams, ex ecutive director of the North Carolina Faith and Freedom Coalition. “President Barack Obama was right; elections do have conse quences. We have to do our part. The future of our state will be de cided on November 8th.”

D r. Mark Harris, former can didate for North Carolina’s 9th congressional district told at tendees “We are under attack in this nation, and we are under at tack by something called cultural Marxism.”

The conference’s keynote speaker was James O’Keefe,

founder of Project Veritas. His speech revisited a number of the past investigations his or ganization had conducted. He also detailed recent court dates related to videos exposing oper atives from Democracy Partners that coordinated altercations at Trump rallies in 2016. The vid eos showed Democracy Partners were paid by the Dem ocratic National Com mittee and had direct ties to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.

“What happens in our country — when you do expose them — well, we got sued,” said O’Keefe of the De mocracy Partners case. O’Keefe described how the judge compared Project Veritas to the Ku Klux Klan and that the judge sent the jury back twice to delib erate until they final ly assigned monetary damages against Project Veritas.

“If you are lying, cheating or stealing, we will make you fa mous,” O’Keefe said in his closing comments.

North Carolina’s Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, NCGOP Chairman Michael Whatley and U.S. Rep. Ted Budd (NC-13) all gave pre pared remarks. In his address, Budd noted his endorsement for

Local Government Commission approves 2 school bonds, tables 3rd

$1B approved for Wake and Johnston County schools; more info requested for $1.7B Guilford ask

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — The state’s Lo cal Government Commission (LGC) approved school con struction bonds for two school districts but tabled a third at its most recent meeting held on Sept. 22.

The LGC is tasked with over sight for debt incurred and bor rowing ability of units of local government and public authori ties in the state. The commission is also responsible for tracking

the financial health of over 1,100 local government units across the state. The LGC is housed under the N.C. State Treasurer’s office as well as being chaired by State Treasurer Dale Folwell and staffed by the Department of State Treasurer (DST).

Wake County’s request for a $664.7 million school bond was approved, a part of which will build five new schools and ren ovate or replace another seven schools. The remaining funds will go to Wake Technical Com munity College for a series of projects and campus extensions. Citizens in Wake can expect a tax increase of 1 cent per $100 of property valuation as a result of

See

, page

Durham Meals on Wheels requiring staff, volunteers be vaccinated

Durham location appears to be the only location requiring COVID vaccination

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — Seniors in Durham may not be seeing the usual volunteer faces after Meals on Wheels of Durham announced volunteers and staff are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

“As part of a continued com mitment to maintaining a safe and healthy workplace Meals on Wheels Durham now re quires all employees and vol unteers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including booster vaccines as determined by eligibility, effective Au gust 15, 2022,” according to a post on the Durham Meals on Wheels (MOWD) website.

“All persons interested in volunteering or continuing to volunteer with MOWD must provide proof of vaccination,” the Durham MOW notice says. “Official documentation of vac cination status must be shown to and verified by a MOWD staff member in-person. We will not keep any documenta tion on record.”

MOWD’s notice also says, “Remote volunteers are subject to this policy only in the event that they visit the office or come into physical contact with cli ents and other volunteers.”

MOWD referred North State Journal back to its website post in response to aninquiry as to why their branch was institut ing a vaccination policy at this

Hurricane Ian threatens Florida, southeast

A woman takes photos while waves crash against a seawall as Hurricane Ian passes through George Town, Grand Cayman island, Monday, Sept. 26, 2022. Hurricane Ian is on a track to hit the west coast of Florida as a major hurricane as early as Wednesday.

“It’s the people in this room who can save our nation.”

Jason Williams, Executive Director of North Carolina Faith and Freedom Coalition

COURTESY PHOTO

A number of prominent conservatives attended the Salt & Light conference in Charlotte last weekend.

KEVIN MORALES | AP PHOTO

North State Journal (USPS 20451) (ISSN 2471-1365)

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16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

We stand corrected: To report an error or a suspected error, please email: corrections@nsjonline.com with “Correction request” in the subject line.

CONFERENCE from page A1

U.S. Senate by former President Donald Trump.

“Majorities matter, we have to win at every level. When we do, we have to remember who sent us to Washington and why,” Budd told the audience.

Robinson, who spoke for around 25 minutes, was wel comed by cheers and applause.

In his remarks, Robinson mainly spoke about the illegal immigra tion crisis at U.S. southern border

MEALS from page A1

late date.

North State Journal reached out to the state coordinator for MOW Kimberly Strong, who is also the executive director of Cabarrus Meals on Wheels. Strong said she polled their membership and “no other pro gram responded that they are requiring vaccinations other than Durham.”

Strong said in an email that “each program is an individual entity.”

“We are not operated like the Red Cross or Boys & Girls Clubs,” Strong explained. “Ev ery home delivered meal pro gram in the world is a unique, independent organization. Or ganizations choose whether they want to pay a membership fee and be a member of Meals on Wheels America, but they are not an overarching princi pal organization. It would be just like paying a membership fee to any organization.”

She added that “My organiza tion is an independent non-prof it organization. We don’t have any higher organization setting policy and procedures for us.”

At the national level, a repre sentative for the MOW America program also told North State Journal the MOW network is “comprised of thousands of independent, local programs across the country, each operat ing as its own independent or ganization” and that “each pro gram develops and adheres to the policies and requirements designed to be most effective in their own communities.”

MOW receives federal fund ing through Title III of the Older Americans Act (OAA).

According to data published by MOW America, “National ly, the OAA funds 39% of the total cost to provide nutritious meals, safety checks and friend ly visits to 2 .4 million seniors

The Word of God has in it an efficacy which no other book in the world has.

It is profitable for doctrine — instructing in holy things, the things of God and eternal life.

It is profitable for reproof — convicting us of sin and declaring God’s judgment against evil.

It is profitable for correction — not only showing us our faults, but leading us away from them, freeing our lives from errors and making straight what was crooked.

and said, “Criminals are running wild in our nation’s cities.”

Talking about the lack of ac tion to secure the border, Robin son called out the Biden admin istration for its lack of action on the border, but in particular, Vice President Kamala Harris for sit ting back and “giggling.”

“What is wrong with that lady? Do we even have a vice president? Where is she?” asked Robinson.

Robinson also took aim at President Joe Biden as “hands down the worst president I’ve

ever seen; he is the worst leader of anything I’ve seen.” He went on to say, “It is safe to say that China is in charge of America right now. He is a weak, ineffec tive leader.”

He also remarked that “Our economy is in a shambles,” and “Inflation is through the roof.”

N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Kings Mountain) and WBT radio host Brett Winterble also made appearances.

Education was a theme of sev eral speakers, including Corey

One who is trained under the tuition of the Scriptures will come to be a complete Christian, furnished for usefulness and prepared for doing whatever good work he may be called to do.

J.R. Miller was a pastor and former editorial superintendent of the Presbyterian Board of Publication from 1880 to 1911. His works are now in the public domain.

It is profitable for instruction in righteousness — telling us how God would have us live, what qualities of character He would have us attain.

DeAngelis, the leading national voice on school choiceand exec utive director of the Educational Freedom Institute, who fired up the crowd multiple times during his speech.

“The government school mafia … the government school cartel … has finally overplayed its hand and awakened the parent revolu tion that we’ve all been waiting for,” DeAngelis said during his remarks.

The Charlotte event was Salt & Light’s fifth annual confer

ence hosted by the nonpartisan N.C. Faith & Freedom Coalition (NCFFC). The organization is affiliated with the national Faith & Freedom Coalition, which launched in 2009. North Caroli na’s chapter formed in 2019.

NCFFCS’ work focuses get ting information to voters on is sues relevant to faith communi ties and on “empowering faithful Christians with the facts neces sary to understand which public policies reflect our values, and which ones undermine them.”

Durham Meals on Wheels statement

each year.”

The remaining 61% of fund ing comes from various sourc es such as state and/or local government, private donations from corporations, foundations and individuals, as well as fed eral block grants.

In 2020, tax filings show MOW America’s total reve nue was $71,254,608 with total functional expenses of $47,218,556. Executive com pensation that year topped $1,762,558 or 3.7% of all ex penses.

The previous year, in 2019, total revenue for MOW Amer ica was $12,019,305 with ex penses of $11,996,746 and ex ecutive compensation listed at $1,296,922 or 10.8% of all ex penses.

The jump in MOW America’s total revenue represents a 493% increase from 2019 to 2020.

Durham’s MOW program shows total revenue $1,747,711 with gross receipts of $1,799,331 in its 2020 filing. That filing in cluded government grants of $505,896 and executive com pensation of $108,085; 7.1% of all expenses.

The year prior, Durham MOW’s total revenue was re ported at $1,425,781 with gross receipts $1,462,396. Govern ment grants totaled $537,382 and executive compensation was reported at $96,531; 7.0% of all expenses.

NCDOT TO HOLD PUBLIC MEETING REGARDING A PROPOSAL TO IMPROVE THE INTERSECTION AT N.C. 42 AND PINEY GROVE-WILBON ROAD IN WAKE COUNTY

STIP Project No. W-5805A

FUQUAY-VARINA - The public is invited to a public meeting with the N.C. Department of Transportation this month to discuss the proposed roundabout at the intersection of N.C. 42 and Piney Grove-Wilbon Road in Wake County.

Project details, including maps and a video, can be found on the NCDOT project web page: https://publicinput.com/NC42-PineyGroveWilbonRd. The information will be presented at the meeting allowing for one-on-one discussions with engineers but no formal presentation.

The meeting will be held Sept. 29 at Piney Grove Baptist Church, 3217 Piney GroveWilbon Road, Fuquay-Varina. The public is invited to attend at any time between 5 - 7 p.m

People may also submit comments by phone at 512-580-8850 (project code 4594), email NC42-PineyGroveWilbonRd@PublicInput.com, or mail at the address shown below by Oct. 13, 2022 NCDOT will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disabled people who wish to participate in this meeting. Anyone requiring special services should contact Tony Gallagher, Environmental Analysis Unit, at 1598 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1598, 919-707-6069 or magallagher@ncdot.gov as early as possible so arrangements can be made.

By Mail: Reid Davidson NCDOT Highway Division 5 –Division Design Engineer 2612 North Duke Street Durham, N.C. 27704

Those who do not speak English, or have a limited ability to read, speak or understand English, may receive interpretive services upon request prior by calling 1-800-481-6494.

Aquellas personas no hablan inglés, o tienen limitaciones para leer, hablar o entender inglés, podrían recibir servicios de interpretación si los solicitan llamando al 1-800-481-6494.

PUBLIC DOMAIN

“Annunciation” by Leonardo Di Vinci (circa 1472) is considered to be Da Vinci’s oldest major work and is in the collection of The Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy.

“Official documentation of vaccination status must be shown to and verified by a MOWD staff member in-person.”

Documentary examines Smithfield hog farm nuisance trials

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — A new documen tary from independent filmmak er Jason Arthurs examining the Smithfield hog farm nuisance trials will be shown twice in the coming month.

“Hog Farmer tells the untold story of Joey Carter, a North Car olina hog farmer who found him self at the center of a federal law suit involving some of the nation’s most ruthless trial lawyers and one of the world’s largest food compa nies,” the film’s website reads.

“This documentary tells the powerful story of a North Carolina hog farmer and how a series of law suits impacted his family and com munity,” NC Pork Council CEO Roy Lee Lindsey said in an email statement to North State Journal.

“It’s a ‘must watch’ for anyone in terested in our state’s agriculture industry.”

“While the lawsuits attracted national and international media attention, Carter’s story has yet to be told,” reads the film’s descrip tion. “This film is about what hap pened to Joey, his family, and his farm over 30 years.”

“Hog Farmer: The Trials of Joey Carter” was screened in eastern North Carolina at the University of Mount Olive on Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 6:30 p.m., and will also be shown at the Ed Emory Auditori um in Kenansville on Thurs., Oct. 4 at 6:30 p.m.

Panel discussions about the film will take place after each screening.

The hog farm case made nation al headlines and began In 2014, when 541 citizens in North Caro lina sued Murphy-Brown LLC, the hog division of Smithfield Foods, for alleged environmental dam age, affecting community health and property enjoyment as a result of smells plaintiffs claimed came from hog farm waste stored in open-air lagoons.

In May 2018, a judge ruled against Murphy-Brown, awarding $50 million to 10 neighbors of a hog farm located in Bladen Coun ty. The breakdown consisted of awarding $75,000 in compensato ry damages per complainant. An additional $5 million in punitive damages was also awarded, but the amount was later reduced to $2.5 million due to the punitive damag es cap in North Carolina.

The ruling in the case was the first time a claim of “environmen tal racism” had been deployed. At torneys for the plaintiffs made the argument that hog farms impacted Blacks disproportionately because they are mostly concentrated in a rural area of eastern North Caro lina. That region has been dubbed by some as the “Black Belt,” due to

the area having higher rates of pov erty and people of color. Yet, the trial court and appeals court both appeared to disregard most farms in that region, as well as the rest of the state, had been established for generations.

That same spring as the ruling came down, legislators passed the Farm Act of 2018 to protect the state’s farmers from nuisance law suits. The measure passed down partisan lines in most of the votes conducted in both chambers. Gov ernor Roy Cooper vetoed the bill, but had his veto overridden 74-45 in the House and 37-9 in the Sen ate.

Murphy-Brown appealed the 2018 ruling and asked for a new trial. In 2020, the Fourth Circuit Court of appeals upheld the 2018 verdict in a split ruling.

“The 4th Circuit’s split decision today rightly finds that the district court in this matter did not follow the law in North Carolina in regard to how punitive damages are decid ed and awarded, Keira Lombardo, Smithfield’s Chief Administra tive Officer, said at the time of the Fourth Circuit ruling. “The lower court’s actions in this case allowed plaintiffs’ attorneys to unlawfully inflame the jury. This resulted in outrageous awards by an urban jury against a highly regulated ru ral farming operation.”

In late June 2021, various en vironmentalist groups filed law suits in an effort to have NC laws limiting nuisance lawsuits against farming operations declared un constitutional.

Former Spring Lake town manager pleads guilty to embezzlement charge

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — The former town manager for Spring Lake pleaded guilty to charges she embezzled over $500,000 from the town be tween 2016 and 2021.

According to a Sept. 19 press release by the U.S. Department of Justice Eastern Dis trict of North Carolina, 64-year-old Gay Cameron Tucker pled guilty to one count of embezzlement from a local government re ceiving federal funds, and one count of ag gravated identity theft.

Tucker faces up to 12 years in prison, ac cording to the release.

“Public officials are entrusted to protect public funds. This defendant breached the public’s trust by using public funds intended for her local community to pay her own per sonal expenses,” U.S. Attorney Michael Eas ley said in the release. “Public corruption is a crime that affects all of us and undermines our public institutions. Our office will contin ue partnering with law enforcement to inves tigate allegations of public corruption in any form.”

Tucker had been indicted in June of this year on allegations she embezzled funds through fraudulent checks using forged sig natures of the mayor and town manager, the indictment alleges.

A report published in March 2022 by the N.C. State Auditor’s Office revealed more than $430,000 in taxpayer funds were spent for personal use in the town of Spring Lake.

The audit report said Tucker allegedly wrote 72 checks for personal use, including 32 checks totaling $166,082 payable to Bragg Mutual Federal Credit Union (Bragg Mutu al), and deposited the checks into her person al bank account at that same credit union.

Additionally, 27 checks totaling $151,015 were written payable to Tucker directly. She also wrote 13 checks totaling $113,015 pay able to “Heritage Place Senior Living” that were used to pay her husband’s monthly res ident bills.

In October 2021, the N.C. Local Govern ment Commission (LGC) unanimously voted to take over the finances of Spring Lake. At that time, the town was at risk of default ing on upcoming debt-service payments of $221,385.

The LGC voted unanimously on April 5 of this year to issue a letter to the mayor of Spring Lake and its Board of Aldermen over concerns involving a lack of compliance with state laws and reluctance to work with LGC staff.

The LGC’s vote came after discussions of a $1 million loan Spring Lake secured to build a fire station without getting the approval of the LGC, According to an N.C. State Trea surer’s Office press release. Additionally, the LGC discussed a “lack of invoices” from the town attorney related to services provided for the 2022 fiscal year to date.

NC Rep. Foxx among those questioning use of COVID relief funds for Critical Race Theory programs

publican lawmakers said. “Over whelmingly, school shutdowns occurred in states and localities led by Democrats who chose to keep schools closed much longer than was necessary, often at the behest of teachers unions.”

The lawmakers requested that the questions posed in their letter including requests for documents and communications be provided to them by Sept. 28, 2022.

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — Republican U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx (NC-05) is one of 30 Republicans that sent letters to five federal departments ques tioning expenditures of COVID relief funds.

On Sept. 14, the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Re form’s Ranking Member James Comer (R-KY) and Foxx, the ranking member on the Commit tee on Education, sent letters to U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, Education Inspector General Bruce, the Illinois State Board of Education Superinten dent, the New York State Depart ment of Education Commissioner, and the California Department of Education Superintendent.

In a press release, House Over sight Republicans indicated they intend to investigate the Biden Department of Education for al lowing COVID funds to be used to “indoctrinate America’s chil dren in leftist ideology.”

“Committees on Oversight and Reform and Education and Labor Republicans are investigating the use of COVID-19 relief dollars

appropriated for virus mitigation and the safe reopening of schools. Based on recent reports, the De partment of Education is allow ing Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and relat ed COVID relief funds to pay for racially biased and other progres sive leftist programs,” wrote the Republican lawmakers.

Specifically, Congress created the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ES SER) fund to enable schools to safely reopen and address learn ing loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Those taxpayer dol

lars, however, are being used to indoctrinate children in core te nets of leftist ideology.”

The release cites the billions of dollars in relief funding that flowed into the states, including more than $120 billion in new ESSER funding under President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, $13.2 billion in CARES Act fund ing and $54.3 billion in the Coro navirus Response and Relief Sup plemental Appropriations Act for the ESSER Fund.

Examples cited in the letters include California using ESSER funds for training in “environ

mental literacy,” “ethnic studies,” and “LGBTQ+ cultural compe tency.”

Also cited was New York, which allegedly used part of the $9 billion it received for staff training on “culturally responsive sustaining instruction” and “priv ilege” and to recognize “equity warriors.”

The letter claims that “At least ten other state plans included proposals to use the ESSER funds to implement racially biased cur riculum and programs based on Critical Race Theory.”

“ The learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has been a global disaster. During the 2020-2021 school year, passing math rates declined by 14.2 per cent on average overall,” the Re

The letters from the lawmakers cite news stories on a report by One Nation claiming, “$46 billion of American Rescue Plan funds have been allocated to implement Critical Race Theory into the school curriculum of 13 states.”

In addition to California, Illi nois, and New York, One Nation’s report includes Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, Min nesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Or egon, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Washington. North Carolina was not on the list.

One Nation describes itself as “a public policy organization dedicated to promoting common sense legislative solution.” The or ganization is headed up by Steven Law, who is also president and CEO of American Crossroads, and president CrossroadsGPS.

In a related effort, Foxx and Republicans on the Committee on Education and Labor are ask ing Cardona to release data it has recently collected on how COVID funds have been used to combat learning loss.

According to the committee, Cardona’s agency finished collect ing data on how relief funds have been spent on July 1,” but has yet to give Congress any indication of when it will make this informa tion available to the public.”

“Public corruption is a crime that affects all of us and undermines our public institutions.”

North Carolina Eastern District U.S. Attorney Michael Easley

“It’s a ‘must watch’ for anyone interested in our state’s agriculture industry.”

NC Pork Council CEO Roy Lee Lindsey

“Overwhelmingly, school shutdowns occurred in states and localities led by Democrats who chose to keep schools closed much longer than was necessary, often at the behest of teachers unions.”

U.S. House Republican Oversight Committee statement

GERRY BROOME | AP PHOTO

In this July 21, 2017, photo, young hogs are seen at an eastern NC hog farm operation.

Report claims $46B spent by 13 states implementing Critical Race Theory into curriculum

ANDREW HARNIK | AP PHOTO

Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., speaks during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on gun violence on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Wednesday, June 8, 2022.

north STATEment

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL

What progressives get wrong in their narrative about conservatives

PROGRESSIVE LIBERAL DEMOCRATS think every conservative is a fascist who is “just dying” to take over government and run things like Italian strongman fascist leader Benito Mussolini did before World War II.

To assert American conservatives are “fascists” who want to take over government at any level is laughable on its face. I had liberal friends swear Donald Trump was the reincarnation of Mussolini before being inaugurated in 2017.

left.

The truth of the matter is conservatives don’t like government. Anyone who is center-right on the political spectrum doesn’t want to take over government ― they want our government to perform the basics of civil government and stay out of the rest of their lives and businesses.

Who is lusting for power to control other people’s lives ― the farleft socialist liberal or the conservative?

If Trump was indeed the reincarnation of Mussolini, he sure failed as a fascist strongman. He had four years to bring in brown-shirted, leatherbooted, goose-stepping henchmen to take over the US government and bring in the Fourth Reich in America ― but it didn’t happen.

Documentary producer and director Ken Burns was on “Morning Joe” recently promoting his three-part series on PBS about the Holocaust and American complicity in Hitler’s rise to power. He said he moved up its release to 2022 instead of 2023 because of the troubling rise of “authoritarianism” he has seen in America.

He was referring, of course, to the singular events surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021 demonstrations on Capitol Hill, specific acts of which were horrible and deserving of punishment. Mr. Burns should have talked about the heavy-handed abuse of government power at the FBI, CIA, IRS and Department of Justice under former President Barack Obama and now President Biden on top of the roughly dozen deaths which occurred during BLM/antifa-sponsored riots and the billions of dollars of property damage and destruction in ten weeks from May 25 and July 31, 2020.

According to the Major Cities Police Chiefs Association, 2,000 law enforcement officers were injured in 8,700 BLM/antifa protests nationwide; 574 events were declared riots with violence and other criminal acts; 624 arsons were started with 97 police vehicles burned; officers were accosted with bricks, fireworks and Molotov cocktails; 2,385 incidents of looting were committed; 40% of all protests involved civil disobedience and 16,200 people were arrested for protest-related crimes.

Local district attorneys declined to prosecute over half of those cases.

Ken Burns has not produced a documentary for PBS about Hillary Clinton and the left’s efforts to undermine the peaceful transfer of power from Barack Obama to Trump in 2016. If he ever wanted to document the rise of fascism in America, he has plenty of evidence to pursue ― from the

Trying to get an accomplished conservative business professional to run for elective office is near impossible. Ask an activist liberal to run for office and they jump at the chance.

Now really ― who is lusting for power to control other people’s lives in such a scenario, the far-left socialist liberal or the conservative?

American conservatives are classical liberals who love freedom more than anything else in every aspect of life. Freedom of choice in business, education, religion, association, assembly, media, entertainment and recreation is what they believe in ― they do not want or trust one person or a group of narrow-minded idealogues to make such decisions for them.

On the other hand, progressive liberal Democrats absolutely love government. The more government control they have, the merrier they are. Progressive Democrats want to control the cars you drive and the worldview they want our children to adopt in every public and private school in America. Progressives want to use the coercive power of government they 100% control to make you pay higher taxes to pay for their climate agenda; CRT curriculum in schools; DEI policies in business and academia and just about everything else under the sun they have envisioned for their Utopian America.

Most Americans want the government to work and provide basic services such as good roads and clean water; good public education which teaches basics of math, science, English and history; keep us safe from criminals ― and then leave us alone.

When it comes to losing our democracy, Mr. Burns and his ilk need to take a look through the other end of their telescope and focus on the impingement of freedom caused by the left, not the right.

The implosion of Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams’ gubernatorial campaign

BACK IN 2018, Georgia Democratic gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams was the toast of the Democrat/media elite. After nearly 16 years of Republican rule in the Peach State, she would be the candidate who brought the governor’s mansion back home to Democrats.

Except when all was said and done, Abrams was the one who lost.

Unhappy with the outcome, Abrams refused to concede and proceeded to allege without evidence that her Republican opponent — then-Secretary of State Brian Kemp — rigged the election in his favor by purging voters from the voter rolls.

Democrats have conveniently become election-year absolutists on questioning elections and refusing to accept the results.

Further, it was Abrams who along with Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock and President Joe Biden sabotaged her state by falsely claiming that the 2021 election reforms bill signed into law by Gov. Kemp was “Jim Crow in a suit and tie.”

Kemp has expanded his lead over Abrams to well outside the margin of error in most polls.

Abrams’ refusal to admit she lost the election catapulted her to rock star status with Democrats and their media allies. Her claims that the election was “stolen” from her were treated with the utmost reverence by the same people who now accuse former President Donald Trump of being a threat to democracy for his refusal concede the 2020 presidential election.

In the four years since Abrams lost her election, she was floated as a contender for the U.S. Senate, a vice presidential possibility for Joe Biden, and some even suggested she run for president.

Instead, Abrams decided to run for governor again, apparently thinking the second time would be the charm.

So far, it hasn’t been. Abrams’ 2022 campaign for governor has been plagued with problems, all of which can be blamed on Stacey Abrams herself.

To date, Abrams hasn’t led in a single poll taken on her rematch with Kemp, and over the last two weeks Kemp has expanded his lead over Abrams to well outside the margin of error in most polls with just a few weeks to go before election day.

So why hasn’t Abrams been able to recapture the supposed magic of her 2018 gubernatorial run?

One can only speculate, but for starters I believe both her insistence on playing word games over her refusal to concede the 2018 gubernatorial election to Kemp and how she keeps trying to differentiate her claims about a “stolen” election to Trump’s have not helped her at a time when

As a result of Democrat demagoguery about the bill, Major League Baseball pulled the All-Star game out of the state and along with it an estimated $100 million in revenue that could have helped minority-owned businesses in the Atlanta area, many of which were struggling due to the COVID restrictions that were still in place at the time.

Also, Abrams took a nasty swipe at her home state earlier this year during a speech she gave to Gwinnett County Democrats, where she said, “I am tired of hearing about how we’re the best state in the country to do business when we are the worst state in the country to live.” It was an astonishing claim considering she reportedly owns two homes in Georgia.

As I’ve said before, after all Abrams has said and done to disparage her state, she doesn’t deserve the vote of a single person. Though she’ll get some, if current polls are a reliable indicator what she gets won’t be near enough votes to defeat Kemp who, if he continues on his current electoral trajectory, will beat her by so many votes in his bid for reelection that there will be no question — not even from Abrams’ most ardent defenders — as to who legitimately won the race.

Maybe then she’ll finally concede.

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.

Why the House Republican Commitment to America matters

THE HOUSE REPUBLICAN COMMITMENT to America is a major, well-thought-out, and serious contribution to restoring an America that works.

More than 2 million illegal migrants have crossed our southern border this year.

I participated in the last two major efforts to pledge policy changes to the American people with then-candidate Ronald Reagan on Sept. 15, 1980, and with the House Republicans on Sept. 27, 1994. The Commitment to America is even broader and builds upon our earlier efforts.

More than a year ago, House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy developed seven working groups to work toward a Republican House majority. Specifically, the groups were tasked with developing positive actions the Republican-led House could take to address and solve America’s problems. Those seven working groups have spent the last year looking in detail at an amazing range of possible solutions — and have come up with more than 150 reforms.

While the 1980 and 1994 events were staged at the U.S. Capitol, Leader McCarthy made an interesting, intuitive venue decision for the Commitment to America announcement. He believes Washington D.C. is a mess — and a symbol of hostility, frustration, and incompetence. So, he announced the Commitment to America plan on Friday in Monongahela, Penn., south of Pittsburgh.

House Republicans plan to unveil more and more of the Commitment in events around the country. In effect, it will be a grassroots Commitment moving toward the capital city rather than a Washingtoncentric approach.

The House Republican Commitment to America has four broad pillars that guide and inform every policy proposal:

• An economy that’s strong

• A nation that’s safe

• A future that’s built on freedom

• A government that’s accountable

These create a platform on which the many positive goals in the Commitment can be stacked: fighting inflation and lowering the cost of living; securing the southern border and fixing our broken immigration system; making sure every child in America can succeed; reclaiming Congressional oversight and holding the Biden administration accountable.

The House Republican plan fights inflation, lowers the cost of living, and gets our economy back on track. The plan includes:

Eliminating wasteful government spending that’s driving inflation; driving national debt; and raising the prices of groceries, gas, cars, and housing

• Continuing proven pro-growth tax policies that increase take-home pay, reduce the cost of living, boost local businesses, and encourage innovation and growth

Reconnecting workers to jobs and ending incentives that enable people to earn more by staying home rather than going to work

The Commitment takes further steps to reduce costs, create jobs, and strengthen our national security by making America energy independent so

COLUMN | MICHAEL BARONE

we don’t have to rely on foreign adversaries for fuel. This will reduce gas, diesel and heating oil prices and create good-paying American jobs. It will also allow us to sell American-made energy to our allies, so Russia doesn’t continue to fund its aggression with money from Europe.

The House Republicans’ Commitment will save lives and save money in health and health care. There are proposals to ensure Americans can get personalized, affordable, accessible care from trusted doctors and live longer, healthier lives. Republicans propose to lower health care and drug prices through transparency, choice, and competition, while at the same time investing in new lifesaving cures.

More than 2 million illegal migrants have crossed our southern border this year. House Republicans have identified five steps to solving the border crisis:

• Finish the wall and deploy technology to the border

• Fully reinstate the “Remain in Mexico” policy

• Maintain and robustly implement Title 42 Authority

• Require negative COVID-19 tests before releasing migrants

• Send a clear message: Don’t come to the U.S. illegally

With so many schools engaged in what can only be described as a radical indoctrination effort, the Commitment asserts that there should be a Parents’ Bill of Rights. Parents have the right to know what’s being taught in schools and to see reading materials. They have a right to have their concerns heard. They have the right to see school budgets and spending. They have the right to protect their children’s privacy. Finally, they have a right to be updated on any violent activity at school.

With city after city setting records for murders, rapes, carjackings, and other crimes, the Commitment proposes to support 200,000 more local police officers through recruiting bonuses and other incentives. House Republicans oppose all efforts to defund the police, and they propose to crack down on prosecutors and district attorneys who refuse to prosecute crimes by withholding federal funding from those who don’t do their jobs. Illicit fentanyl would also be made illegal in all its forms.

House Republicans are committed to fixing the supply chain and ending dependence on China. They will move supply chains away from China, expand U.S. manufacturing, and enhance America’s economic competitiveness and cyber-resiliency.

This is an important break from the hostile, negative, hate-filled speech President Joe Biden delivered in Philadelphia.

The American people will get to choose soon. Their choices will be the failures of Big Government Socialism or a Commitment to America to restore the systems, principles, and values that will make us safer, more prosperous, and secure.

I believe Americans will choose the Commitment over the failures.

Queen Elizabeth II showed monarchy’s surprising resilience

In an era of rising or persistent nationalism, monarchy can provide a legitimacy that even a superficially popular authoritarian lacks.

THE FUNERAL OF Queen Elizabeth II and the praise pouring in from almost all quarters for her 70 years of service make a powerful case, even for small-r republican and small-d democratic Americans, for the institution of constitutional monarchy. There is much to be said for having a head of state who is politically neutral, culturally traditional but open to popular innovation, personally embodying the traditional strengths of a nation.

Such a monarch does not govern in the sense of making policy. But in exercising her prerogatives, as described by the Victorian era journalist Walter Bagehot, to be consulted, to encourage and warn, she holds elected heads of government accountable under cover of confidentiality.

The late queen’s former prime ministers affirm the worth of her counsel, as have many leaders of the Commonwealth of Nations, which expanded from eight to 56 members on her watch. She quietly extended the Anglosphere heritage of the rule of law and personal freedoms and, like her predecessors going back to Queen Victoria, has opposed racial prejudice and discrimination. Apartheid South Africa left the Commonwealth in 1961, and Nelson Mandela rejoined it in 1994.

In an era of rising or persistent nationalism, monarchy can provide a legitimacy that, as The New York Times’s Ross Douthat notes, even a superficially popular authoritarian lacks.

This is not what one would have expected a century ago, in the wake of World War I, when monarchy seemed discredited. Both Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm II and Russia’s Czar Nicholas II played major roles in the diplomatic maneuvering that led to war. The crisis began with Serbian terrorists’ assassination of the heir to the 84-yearold Franz Josef, the emperor of Austria and King of Hungary. The Serbs, historian Christopher Clark argues, feared the heir Franz Ferdinand would pursue different policies.

The war was disastrous for all three of these multiethnic monarchies. Austria-Hungary was broken up by the victorious Allies, and Franz Josef’s young successor, Karl I, was exiled in April 1919. He died and was quietly buried in Madeira in 1922.

Ironically, his oldest son, Otto von Habsburg, lived until 2011 and played a positive political role in the European Parliament and in support of Eastern Europe’s anti-Communist revolutions in 1989.

Kaiser Wilhelm abdicated two days before the November 1918 armistice and skipped over the border to the neutral Netherlands. His hopes of being

summoned back to the throne by the Nazis came to nothing and he died and was buried there in June 1941.

The fate of Czar Nicholas II was grimmer. Amid Russian revolution, he abdicated in March 1917 and was exiled to Siberia. In July 1918, Bolsheviks gunmen mowed down him and his family and stuffed their bodies down a mineshaft. Their remains were found years later and were reburied in St. Petersburg in July 1998.

None of these monarchs had a funeral anything like Queen Elizabeth’s, and their fate delegitimized the idea that monarchs should set policy — at least in the West. Elizabeth’s grandfather George V, who followed his ministers’ advice, survived, as have the constitutional monarchies of Scandinavia and the Low Countries.

Yet monarchical power has survived elsewhere. Spain’s Juan Carlos I squelched a military coup in 1981. Morocco’s Mohammad V saved his country’s Jews in the 1940s and his grandson Mohammad VI made peace with Israel in 2020. Jordan has prospered under King Hussein and King Abdullah II.

Some downright bizarre monarchies have survived. Saudi Arabia was ruled for half a century (1902-1953) by the polygamous desert warrior Ibn Saud and then for even longer by six of his sons. It has been governed since 2017 by thrity-something Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, like his grandfather a reformer with (very) rough tactics.

More sinister are the “people’s republics” tyrannized by family dynasties: North Korea by the three generations of Kims in the 74 years since 1948, Cuba by the two Castro brothers in the 62 years from 1959 to 2021.

More benignly, recent history has seen the election of presidents’ sons and daughters in big democracies such as India, Indonesia, South Korea and the Philippines. And don’t forget the election and reelection of political scions Justin Trudeau in Canada and George W. Bush in the United States.

None of these other leaders matched Elizabeth II’s hold on her nation and the world. But apparently, people still have a yearning for one individual to be a national symbol. So, it’s fortunate, not just for Britain and the Commonwealth, but for the world, that Elizabeth II set an example of how it should be done.

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

America needs political prediction markets

JUST IN TIME for the heat of the election season, a federal agency called the Commodity Futures Trading Commission has announced it will no longer allow betting on political and election outcomes.

These online wagering platforms, most notably PredictIt, allow betting on all sorts of political outcomes: the odds that Republicans win the Senate in November, the odds that Joe Biden will be the next Democratic nominee for president (right now 33%) or the odds that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wins the GOP nomination in 2024 (right now 38%). You can also bet on whether a piece of legislation will pass.

These betting markets don’t always predict the right election outcomes.

(Donald Trump was far from a favorite in 2016 when he beat Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.) But they tend to be more accurate than polls or the prognostications of Washington talking heads. Betting markets are often efficient because they price in real time the most accurate polling data, as well as day-to-day events and information (public and private) that can influence who is going to win on Election Day.

Why should anyone care about whether these markets are allowed to continue? Because they provide valuable information that can influence investment decisions. We wish it weren’t so, but given that we now have a $6 trillion annual federal budget and hyperactive federal regulators, such as Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan, investors can make more informed decisions by knowing the probabilities of certain election outcomes.

The CFTC seems to discount the social benefit to these markets. The hundreds of thousands of bettors who are making the wagers and collectively “moving the line,” like a point spread on a football game, provide free information to investors, business owners, builders and so on about the future policy environment. It’s similar to using the stock market to determine the future earnings of a company.

Suppose, for example, a company is considering a major investment in an oil and gas operation. A big factor in the future profitability of that expenditure is whether Republicans will win control of Congress. If they do win, the oil and gas leases could be very valuable. If the Democrats retain control of Congress, their value could fall to zero.

We are also worried that federal regulators may want to shut down other prediction markets related to public policy outcomes. If you want to know what the odds are of the Federal Reserve raising interest rates by 75 basis points at its next meeting, a betting market (which requires people to put actual money where their mouth is) is far more predictive than what Jim Cramer of CNBC thinks.

Betting markets can also inform policymakers on the wisdom of new laws and regulations. Congress just “invested” $300 billion of taxpayer money in climate change legislation, which supporters say will lower global temperatures. Will it? A betting market on what the global temperature will be in, say, 10 years, might be far more informative than garbage-in, garbageout computer models. If there is truly a “scientific consensus,” then all the money would flow to one side of the market. We suspect betting markets would reveal that the “consensus” isn’t so reliable. Experts are often wrong.

One of the great comparative advantages America has over nearly every other nation is highly sophisticated capital markets that allocate investment dollars to the highest-return companies and projects. Our capital markets don’t always get it right, which is why financially speculative bubbles can burst (e.g., Bitcoin).

But mostly, investors collectively make smart decisions — which has contributed mightily to the more than $100 trillion of new wealth created in the United States over the past four decades.

The CFTC apparently believes political betting markets are some kind of threat to democracy. But this kind of betting has long been allowed in Europe. The only impact of shutting down PredictIt and others here is to move the betting action overseas or underground — with less oversight and regulation. This will likely shrink the volume of betting, which only makes these markets less efficient — to everyone’s detriment.

Federal regulators should let people wager on politics and instead concentrate on rooting out real investor fraud.

Stephen Moore is a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation and an economist with FreedomWorks. His latest book is

“Govzilla: How the Relentless Growth of Government is Devouring our Economy.”

Congress just “invested” $300 billion of taxpayer money in climate change legislation, which supporters say will lower global temperatures. Will it?

& WORLD

Governors races take on new prominence, with higher stakes

By Sara Burnett The Associated Press

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Gov ernors races often are overshad owed by the fight for control of Congress during midterm elec tions. But this fall, which candi date wins a state’s top executive post could be pivotal for the na tion’s political future.

With abortion rights, immi gration policies in the balance, both parties are entering the final weeks before the Nov. 8 election prepared to spend unprecedented amounts of money to win seats for governor. Those elected will be in power for the 2024 election, when they could influence voting laws as well as certification of the outcome. And their powers over abortion rights increased greatly when the U.S. Supreme Court in June left the question to states to decide.

“Governors races matter more than ever,” said North Caroli na Gov. Roy Cooper, chair of the Democratic Governors Associa tion, the group working to elect Democrats to lead states.

For Democrats, Cooper said, governors “are often the last line of defense” on issues that have been turned over to states, includ ing gun laws and voting rights in addition to abortion. That’s been especially true in places with Democratic governors and Re publican-controlled legislatures, such as Wisconsin and Kansas — states both parties have made top targets for victory in November.

Democrats are leading Republi can candidates in two important battleground states with GOP-led statehouses, Michigan and Penn sylvania.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly is the only Democratic governor running for reelection in a state carried by former President Don ald Trump in 2020. The former legislator won the office in 2018 against a fiery conservative after running as a moderate who pro moted bipartisanship.

She now faces three-term state Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who has repeatedly tried to tie

her to President Joe Biden and criticized her as too liberal for the red state. Schmidt’s campaign has been hurt, however, by a third-party bid from a conserva tive state lawmaker.

During a debate at the Kansas State Fair this month, Schmidt portrayed Kelly’s position on abortion as too extreme, telling a crowd she supports abortion without restrictions.

Kansas has been the unlike ly site of Democratic hopes in regard to abortion rights. In August, Kansas voters over whelmingly defeated a proposed amendment to the state consti tution that would have allowed the GOP-controlled Legislature to greatly restrict or ban abor tion. Kelly opposed the measure, though she has tried to focus her campaign elsewhere.

Schmidt said he respects the outcome of the vote but that the abortion debate isn’t over.

“What was not on the ballot was Governor Kelly’s position,” he said.

In Wisconsin, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers warns voters that de mocracy is on the ballot this fall and notes he has vetoed more bills than any governor in modern state history, including measures Republicans pushed to change how elections are conducted.

Evers faces businessman Tim Michels, who was endorsed by Trump. Michels has claimed the 2020 presidential election was rigged — and supports chang es to voting and election laws in the state, a perennial presidential battleground.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, chair of the Republican Gover nors Association, acknowledged the intraparty turmoil during a discussion at Georgetown Uni versity’s Institute of Politics and Public Service last week.

“We’re a divided nation right now, and it is very tribal. And much of that crept into this cycle,” said Ducey, who is term-limited. The RGA doesn’t endorse in primaries. But as governor, Ducey endorsed businesswoman Karrin Taylor Robson for Arizona’s GOP nomination for governor. She lost to former TV news anchor Kari Lake, who had Trump’s backing.

Cooper said the DGA will be “leaning in hard” in Arizona as well as in a tight contest in Georgia, where GOP Gov. Brian Kemp is facing Democrat Stacey Abrams, a former state legislator who lost a close 2018 race to him.

In the primary, Kemp easily de feated former Sen. David Perdue, who was endorsed by Trump.

Both the Democratic and Re publican governors associations

entered 2022 having raised re cord amounts of money — over $70 million each — in what they say is a sign that voters are in creasingly focused on state rac es. Cooper attributed some of the increased interest to Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 elec tion results.

The RGA is bullish about de fending Republican governor ships in Arizona and Georgia, and is heavily focused on picking up a handful of blue states in the West, including Oregon and New Mexico.

At the top of the list is Nevada, where Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo is among Republicans’ most prized recruits this elec tion cycle and is challenging Gov. Steve Sisolak.

In Oregon, GOP hopes rest on an independent candidate si phoning enough support from the Democrat and allowing the Re publican to pull out a victory.

Democrats, meanwhile, are confident they will take back gov ernorships in Massachusetts and Maryland, two blue states current ly led by moderate Republicans.

Pennsylvania, a top presiden tial battleground, is another state where the GOP nominee could hurt Republicans’ chances in No vember. GOP voters chose Doug Mastriano from a crowded field. He faces Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

Asked about the race during the discussion at Georgetown, Ducey was blunt.

“Another axiom that we have at the RGA is that we don’t fund lost causes, and we don’t fund land slides,” he said.

In Michigan, a swing state where Trump and his allies also tried unsuccessfully to overturn his 2020 loss, Trump-backed nominee Tudor Dixon won a cha otic GOP primary. Democrats have repeatedly criticized Dixon for her stance against abortion, i ncluding in cases of rape or in cest. A measure to enshrine abor tion rights in the state constitu tion also will be on the November ballot, and Democrats are hoping it will help their candidates.

First-term Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has millions more in her campaign fund than Dixon, but said after an appear ance at the Detroit Auto Show that she was taking nothing for granted.

“This is Michigan, and it’s al ways tight in Michigan,” she said.

from page A1

the bond issuance.

Wake County was also ap proved for another $275 million in general obligation bonds submit ted by Raleigh for parks and rec reation projects for upgrade and expansions that include Dix Park renovations. Citizens in Wake can expect a property tax increase of 4 cents per $100 valuation to pay for the financing.

Johnston County school offi cials apparently do not anticipate a tax increase to pay for its $177 million financing request to build two new schools, two school ad ditions, and buy land. The dis trict is hoping to close half of the district’s 186 mobile classrooms. According to a press statement from Folwell’s office, Johnston County school officials claim the expansion is needed because the county has the fastest growing population in North Carolina and ninth-fastest in the country.

The approved requests for Wake County ($883.9 million) and Johnston County ($177 mil lion) will go to voters in the Nov. 8 general election.

W hen it came to the request from Guilford County, the LGC members questioned the coun ty taking on additional debt and eventually ended up tabling the item after no second was made to the motion to approve the financ ing. LGC members had concerns about repayment of the debt and falling enrollment in the district and asked county officials to give them enrollment numbers within ten days.

Guilford requested approval of a $1.7 billion bond package pre viously passed by voters during the May primary election. Voters rejected a related referendum to raise sales taxes, resulting in prop erty taxes being used to pay for it. The bond funds would be used for building three schools while tear ing down and rebuilding 19 oth ers. Additionally, 12 schools need renovations and $363 million are

earmarked for safety and technol ogy upgrades. Guilford County expects no tax increase to cover the financing.

LGC members had questions about the county taking on more debt, how it would be paid back and whether falling school enroll ment trends justify the need. A $300 million bond package was approved in 2020. While voters approved the $1.7 billion in bonds in May, they rejected a referen dum to raise sales taxes to pay for it. The county plans to use prop erty taxes instead. School officials said schools in some areas are overcrowded and are badly dete riorating.

The LGC also denied New Ha nover County’s request for $80 million in financing for a pub lic-private partnership to build a mixed-use development known as Project Grace in downtown Wilmington.

Projects that were approved in

clude $226 million request from Charlotte (Mecklenburg County) to issue general obligation bonds, $97 million in general obligation bonds from Fayetteville (Cumber land County), $35 million gener al obligation bonds for Matthews (Mecklenburg County).

The LGC also addressed hous ing financing and approved a number of housing-related loans including the City of Durham ($2.25 million), Greensboro Housing Authority ($17 million), Inlivian in Mecklenburg County ($35.4 million), Raleigh Housing Authority ($12 million), and the Wake County Housing Authority ($125 million).

According to a press release from Folwell’s office, North Car olina’s stock of affordable hous ing is not keeping pace with pop ulation growth for a variety of reasons and municipal housing authorities are trying to create more public housing. As of the fis

cal year ending June 30, the LGC approved over $418.5 million in financing to renovate close to 3,000 apartments.

Infrastructure requests that were approved included Char lotte’s $125 million in bond antici pation notes to repair, replace and improve stormwater facilities.

Additional funding requests were approved for Graham (near ly $81.5 million), Wake Forest ($75 million), Hendersonville ($18.8 million), Randolph County ($4 million), and Spring Lake ($1 million).

Town officials in Spring Lake had originally closed on the loan without required LGC approval.

Kings Mountain, covering Cleveland and Gaston counties, had requested for $6.9 million in financing to build a new electric substation, transmission lines, and natural gas lines. Their re quest was tabled until a future meeting.

US carrier, S. Korea ships launch drills amid North’s threat Seoul, South Korea

A U.S. aircraft carrier and its battle group launched drills with South Korean warships off the Korean Peninsula’s east coast on Monday in their first such training in five years, a day after North Korea test-fired a short-range ballistic missile in a possible response to the exercise.

The four days of drills are aimed at demonstrating the allies’ “powerful resolve to respond to North Korean provocations” and improving their ability to perform joint naval operations, the South Korean navy said in a statement.

More than 20 U.S. and South Korean navy ships, including the nuclearpowered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, a U.S. cruiser and South Korean and U.S. destroyers, were mobilized for the drills. It said U.S. and South Korean fighter jets and helicopters will also take part in the training.

It would be the first such joint drills involving a U.S. aircraft carrier near the peninsula since 2017, when the U.S. sent three aircraft carriers including the Reagan for naval drills with South Korea in response to North Korean nuclear and missile tests.

North Korea has performed a record number of missile tests this year as it steadfastly rebuffs U.S. and South Korean calls to resume the nuclear diplomacy. North Korea has said it won’t return to talks unless the United States drops its hostile policies in an apparent reference to U.S.-South Korean military drills and U.S.-led economic sanctions.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Egyptian cleric revered by Muslim Brotherhood dies at 96

Doha, Qatar

Youssef al-Qaradawi, an Egyptian cleric who was seen as the spiritual leader of the pan-Arab Muslim Brotherhood, died on Monday at the age of 96, according to his official website.

He died in the Gulf Arab nation of Qatar, where he had been living in exile following the military’s overthrow of a Muslim Brotherhood-led government in Egypt in 2013. Al-Qaradawi had been tried and sentenced to death in absentia in Egypt.

For many years while living in exile, he had a popular talk show on the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera network and often weighed in on controversial political topics.

He supported suicide bombings and other attacks by Palestinians against Israel and also voiced support for the Iraqi insurgency that erupted after the U.S.-led invasion of 2003 toppled Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.

Qatar, which hosted him for decades, also hosts American troops and now serves as the forward headquarters of the U.S. military’s Central Command.

The Muslim Brotherhood, which was founded in Egypt nearly a century ago and has branches across the region, played a major role in the 2011 uprisings that rocked the Middle East and rose to power in Egypt’s first democratic elections, after the overthrow of long-ruling autocrat Hosni Mubarak.

Egypt considers the Brotherhood a terrorist group and has arrested thousands of its members.

CHUCK BURTON | AP PHOTO

In this file photo, voters prepare to cast their ballots for the North Carolina primary election at the Stallings Volunteer Fire Department polling place in Indian Trail.

CAROLYN KASTER | AP PHOTO

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper speaks at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, in Greensboro, Thursday, April 14, 2022.

Hornets open training camp, B3

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

NC State climbs to No. 10, Wake drops to 22nd after loss

New York

NC State elevated two spots in The Associated Press college football poll released Sunday, moving the Wolfpack to No. 10 ahead of their matchup with No. 5 Clemson on Saturday in Death Valley. It will mark the first time the Textile Bowl, in its 87th edition, will be a matchup of top 10 teams. NC State (4 0) easily dispatched UConn and benefited from losses by Oklahoma and Arkansas to climb into the top 10 for the first time since Oct. 27, 2002. Wake Forest (3 1) dropped just one place to No. 22 after its 51 45 double overtime loss at home to Clemson last Saturday. Despite its 45 32 home loss to Notre Dame, UNC (3 1) received nine votes in this week’s poll. Georgia remained No. 1, with Alabama, Ohio State and Michigan rounding out the top four.

WCU alumnus Collins fired by Georgia Tech

Atlanta

Geoff Collins is out as Georgia Tech’s football coach. The 51 year old was fired Monday after a 1 3 start to his fourth season in Atlanta. Collins, a former Western Carolina player who served as the Catamounts’ defensive coordinator from 2002 05, was let go two days after a 27 10 loss to Central Florida left him with a record of 10 28 with the Yellow Jackets.

Brent Key will serve as interim coach. Collins finished his tenure with a .263 winning percentage — the lowest of 13 full time coaches in the school’s history. Georgia Tech also fired athletic director Todd Stansbury, who hired Collins and provided steadfast support even as the losses mounted.

Frank Neville, a senior vice president and Cabrera’s chief of staff, will take over as interim AD while the school begins a search this week to fill both positions. Collins is due a buyout of at least $10.5 million, the full amount left on the final three years of the seven year contract that brought him to Georgia Tech from Temple ahead of the 2019 season.

Confident Wolfpack head to Clemson

a year after NC State defeated the Tigers in an exciting 27-21 dou ble-overtime win at Carter-Finley Stadium.

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

RALEIGH — NC State, wel come to perhaps the biggest game in program history.

The No. 10 Wolfpack will trav el to Death Valley on Saturday to face fifth-ranked Clemson for a game that will position the winner as the early-season frontrunner in the ACC.

“It’s a great matchup against a very talented group with an expe rienced and talented staff,” said NC State coach Dave Doeren.

“I have great respect for Coach (Dabo) Swinney and his program. And it’s two top-10 teams compet ing on a national stage. It’s why we do this.”

It’s also the first time in pro gram history the Wolfpack will be part of a game between two teams ranked in the top 10, and it comes

Now the 4-0 Wolfpack are hop ing to do it again, this time at Me morial Stadium.

“It’s an away game, so we know it’s going to be a hostile environ ment. But we’re ready,” said junior receiver Devin Carter. “We just fo cus on ourselves and play faceless opponents every week. We worry about ourselves, and that’s how we’re going to take on this week as well.”

Even Mother Nature seems in terested in being part of a match up ESPN chose as its site for this week’s “College GameDay.” Hur ricane Ian is projected to come through South Carolina on Satur day, bringing with it the potential for a sloppy prime-time game be tween unbeatens.

“I’ve been through the hurri cane situation before,” Doeren said, referring to NC State’s 10-3 home win over Notre Dame in 2016. “I hope we don’t have to play

in something like the Notre Dame game, but we’ll be prepared if it is raining. We’ll prepare for the worst and hope for the best.”

Leading the way for NC State will be an eighth-ranked scoring defense that is looking forward to the challenge that Clemson pres ents.

“We have a lot of veteran guys on the team, and we’ve been in hostile environments before,” said junior linebacker Drake Thomas. “We’ve played on the road. All the outside stuff as far as top 10 shouldn’t re ally play a factor in anything that we’re doing. We just have to focus on ourselves and show up as our best version.”

Panthers look to build on 1st win

But like the Wolfpack, the Ti gers sport a formidable and expe rienced defense.

“We talk about them, it starts with their defensive front,” Doeren said. “They’re really, really talent ed. They have a great rotation on the D-line. They’re skilled, they’re big and they’re really good football players on that defensive front.”

The Tigers’ depleted secondary, however, was exploited last week in Clemson’s 51-45 double-over time win over Wake Forest. A key for NC State will be targeting the Tigers’ young defensive backs and winning one-on-one battles on deep balls.

On offense, Clemson junior quarterback DJ Uiagalelei has seemingly found his footing after a poor 2021 season, throwing for 1,033 yards, 10 touchdowns and one interception in leading the Ti gers to a 4-0 start to the season.

Uiagalelei threw for five touch downs against Wake Forest, his best performance of the season in

“I mean he is a horse. Guy can do everything and brings a dif ferent energy to the offense too,” running back Christian McCaf frey added.

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

CHARLOTTE — It turns out reports of the Panthers’ demise may have been a bit premature. After close losses in the opening two weeks of the season, Caroli na beat NFC South rival New Or leans on Sunday to earn its first win of the season. The win put the Panthers in a three-way tie, just one game behind sudden ly vulnerable first-place Tampa Bay, which lost to Green Bay on Sunday.

The Panthers have a plus-three point differential this season, which is tied for fourth best in the NFC. And after posting their first home win in more than a year and snapping the league’s longest overall losing streak, the Panthers are suddenly right in the mix of things.

There are still concerns about an offense that has yet to click under new quarterback Bak er Mayfield, although the team seemed to find another key weap on in receiver Laviska Shenault.

Acquired in a trade with Jack sonville in late August, Shenault had a huge game in his Panthers debut, highlighted by a 67-yard touchdown reception to break the game open after New Orle ans scored to move to within one score. It was Carolina’s third 50plus yard play this season, which is the most in the NFL.

“Laviska is kind of a com petitive guy and so that’s why we traded for him,” coach Matt Rhule said. “He has come far enough along that we feel like we have a good feel for him. It was good. He had a good kickoff re turn. We will just continue to up his workload now that we can see what he can truly do.”

He also takes pressure off the All-Pro running back, who has been the team’s top offensive weapon for much of his career. Now healthy for the first time in more than a year, McCaffrey turned in his second straight 100-yard rushing outing. Still, the Panthers’ passing game needs to find its footing. Outside of the bomb to Shenault, Mayfield managed just 103 yards on 11of-24 passing. That came on the heels of a 14-of-29, 145-yard day against the Giants. Mayfield isn’t making the big mistakes — he has thrown just one interception in three games — but the team will need more than a game man ager at quarterback.

“There is a lot of work to be done offensively to get this thing to the level that we want,” Rhule said.

The offense struggled with third-down conversions.

“I think we were 1 of 6 or 1 of 7 at halftime,” Rhule said. “We fin ished 4 of 14, plus a fourth down conversion we didn’t get. Those are probably what is holding us back.”

Carolina’s top two receiving options — DJ Moore and Robby Anderson — each managed just

The matchup of top-10 teams will have huge ACC implications

“It’s two top-10 teams competing on a national stage. It’s why we do this.”

Dave Doeren, NC State

KARL B. DEBLAKER | AP PHOTO

Cory Durden and NC State beat Clemson 27-21 in double overtime last season in Raleigh, but the Wolfpack will face an even stiffer challenge when they travel to Death Valley to play the Tigers on Saturday.

The losing streak is over, but there’s still plenty to work on for Carolina

RUSTY JONES | AP PHOTO

Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey has rushed for more than 100 yards in consecutive games for the first time since 2019 after totaling 108 yards on 25 carries in Carolina’s losing streaksnapping 22-14 win over New Orleans on Sunday.

TRENDING

Robert Sarver:

The Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury owner plans to sell the teams, a decision that comes after he was suspended by the NBA over workplace misconduct including racist speech and hostile behavior toward employees. Sarver made the announcement last week. He has owned the teams since 2004, when he purchased them for about $400 million. He is not the lone owner, but the primary one. Forbes recently estimated the value of the Suns at $1.8 billion.

Don Mattingly:

The manager won’t be back for an eighth season with the Marlins. Miami is 63‑90 through Monday’s games in Mattingly’s seventh year. He is the team’s all time leader in managerial wins and has a 437 583 record in Miami. His contract expires after this season, and both sides agreed it is time for a new voice to lead the club. Under Mattingly, the Marlins qualified for the playoffs in the pandemic shortened 2020 season and won a first round series but finished under .500 in his six other seasons guiding the club.

Bill Fulcher:

The former Georgia Tech football coach died Friday at the age of 88 in Augusta, Georgia. Fulcher coached the Yellow Jackets for just two seasons in the shortest coaching tenure in the school’s modern era. He left in 1973 after compiling a 12 10 1 mark, saying coaching was no longer enjoyable. Fulcher played linebacker at Georgia Tech in the 1950s and went on to a three year NFL career with Washington before going into coaching.

Beyond the box score

NASCAR

POTENT QUOTABLES

PRIME NUMBER

Years since a NASCAR Xfinity driver won four consecutive races until Noah Gragson accomplished the feat with his win Saturday at Texas. Gragson, a driver for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports No. 9, won the postseason opener to advance to the Xfinity Series round of eight. Gragson won the previous three races — at Bristol, Kansas and Darlington — and has seven victories on the season.

MLB

Albert Pujols hit his 700th career home run Friday, becoming the fourth player in major league history to reach the milestone. The 42-year-old Cardinals slugger’s second home run of the game vaulted him into elite company with Barry Bonds (762 homers), Hank Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714). Pujols is set to retire at the end of the season.

Tyler Reddick won for the third time in 13 races, becoming the latest driver outside the championship hunt to win a Cup Series playoff race when he claimed victory at Texas. Reddick won the delayed race — there were a track record 17 cautions and a nearly hourlong delay for lightning — by 1.19 seconds over Joey Logano. Logano took over the playoff points lead from Chase Elliott, who crashed while leading.

LARRY PAPKE | AP PHOTO

Zdeno Chara announced his retirement last week after playing 24 NHL seasons and captaining the Bruins to the Stanley Cup in 2011. The 6-foot 9 defenseman returned to Boston to make that announcement two years after leaving the franchise after 14 seasons. Chara, 45, also played with the Islanders, Senators and Capitals.

NFL

JONATHAN HAYWARD | THE CANADIAN PRESS

The Celtics suspended coach Ime Udoka for the upcoming season after a months-long investigation by an external law firm that found multiple violations of team policies, according to team owner Wyc Grousbeck. The suspension is reportedly related to an inappropriate relationship Udoka had with a woman in the organization.

NBA STEVEN SENNE | AP PHOTO

“I go into this I would say with no regrets.”

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson announcing he will retire from full-time racing after competing in IndyCar this year.

“Big games like this, we’ve got to show up.”

UNC quarterback Drake Maye following the Tar Heels’ 45-32 home loss Saturday to Notre Dame.

CHRIS SEWARD | AP PHOTO

MIKE CARLSON |

PHOTO

ASHLEY LANDIS | AP PHOTO

Hornets begin training camp after shaky offseason

Charlotte’s first preseason game is Oct. 2 against the Celtics

By Jesse Deal North State Journal

CHARLOTTE —

The Charlotte Hornets’ 2022-23 training camp is officially underway as the team has begun working at the Novant Health Training Facili ty and will start its fivegame preseason sched ule next week.

Charlotte begins its exhibition schedule with a road trip to Bos ton on Oct. 2 (1 p.m) and will then play at Spectrum Center on Oct. 5 against Indiana (7 p.m.) before hosting Boston in Greensboro on Oct. 7 (7:30 p.m.).

Wake Forest prepares for FSU, foul weather

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

THERE’S ADVERSITY, and then there’s adversity.

For the second straight sea son, Wake Forest’s hopes of win ning the ACC Atlantic Division hit a pothole against Clemson.

Last year, the Demon Dea cons went to Death Valley with a chance to clinch the division title and came out on the wrong side of a 48-27 score. Wake bounced back the following week to win a road game at Boston College to wrap up a berth in the ACC Championship Game.

This year, the Tigers came to Winston-Salem, and the Deacs came within inches of beating a top-five team for the first time in 75 years. Instead, Clemson came out on top in an instant classic, winning 51-45 in double overtime.

After again seeing their title hopes take a hit at the hands of the Tigers, Wake has to head out on the road and look for a rebound game. The task is a bit tougher this time around as the rejuvenated Florida State Semi noles loom next. FSU is 4-0 and back in the Top 25 for the first time in four years.

Making matters even more crucial for Wake is that FSU and Clemson have both already won two league games, as has sur prising 4-0 Syracuse. NC State, who hasn’t yet played an ACC conference game, is 4-0 and in the Top 10, meaning that the game could be close to a mustwin for the Deacons if they want to defend their Atlantic crown.

Coach Dave Clawson wasn’t discouraged by Wake’s pros pects for a successful season de spite the Clemson loss.

“Our football team expects to win games,” he said. “Any loss is difficult. If we lost last week, it

would have been difficult. This is difficult. Our football team expects to win. We’re a good football team. You go through a football season and not too many go through undefeated. We hit our first adversity. We were 3-0 and now we lost to Clemson in overtime. We’re go ing to have to bounce back. I’m confident we will, but the oppo nent next week is pretty good too.”

As if all that weren’t enough, the cherry on top of this adversi ty sundae for the Deacs is Hur ricane Ian, which is expected to hit Florida later this week, with the panhandle and Tallahas see inside the probability cone. Florida State has already can celed classes and closed campus for Thursday and Friday. The school released a statement say ing the game is currently going to take place as scheduled, al though that could change if the situation merits.

“(FSU athletic director) Mi chael Alford has been in conver sations and the administration and the university has been in conversations with the ACC last night about having alternate plans ready,” FSU coach Mike Norvell said Monday. “It’s some thing we talked to the team about last night that we were going to make sure, you know, nobody knows exactly what is going to occur as the week goes on, but we are prepping for this game and we will have plans in place.”

Even if the game doesn’t change locations or start times, it appears Wake Forest will be heading into the teeth of a storm this week.

Florida State is much im proved over the team Wake handled 35-14 early last season. The Noles are 4-0 for the first time since 2015 and are selling out Doak Campbell Stadium for the first time since that season as well. Last week, FSU had a kickoff return touchdown and interception before taking its first offensive snap and never looked back.

Then there’s the sloppy weath er that Hurricane Ian promises to leave in its wake. The Deacs’ mesh offense relies on timing, which could be thrown into tur moil by bad weather or messy turf.

“They execute at a high lev el. They’ve had good perimeter players and they’ve had a quar terback who is deliberate to the point of one-on-ones,” FSU de fensive coordinator Adam Full er said of Wake. “So not to break it down to simplicity, but their tempo, their execution, their one-on-one matchup of how they play has been really favor able for them on offense.”

Less obvious is the impor tance of timing for Wake’s de fense.

“Wake has always been sound,” FSU offensive coordi nator Alex Atkins said. “They play fast and consistent. Players don’t second guess. They know exactly what they’re doing. They’re sound, they’re running 100 miles an hour. There’s not a lot of hesitation on what they’re doing, which allows them to play faster. So you got to make sure you execute.”

With a wet field, it will be important for Wake to win in dividual battles at the line of scrimmage.

“That’s pretty much every week,” Atkins said. “The game is about matchups. …That’s why we love college football because we look at it as this team ver sus this team but it really is a matchup of what teams do well and are they going to be able to still do what they do well despite this team taking it away.”

Their final pair of con tests will be at home versus Washington on Oct. 10 (7 p.m.) and in Philadelphia on Oct. 12 (7 p.m.).

won the 2021-22 NBA title.

Apart from Bridges and Clif ford, perhaps the biggest offsea son story for Charlotte has been the lack of any big stories.

While the Hornets came up in rumors about a few of the mar quee names available over the summer, the team’s moves were mostly depth signings.

20.2

Points per game in 2021-22 for Charlotte leading scorer Miles Bridges, whose future is in limbo after a felony domestic violence arrest in June.

To say that the Hornets are facing unanswered questions with the regular season looming would be an understatement. Af ter a 132-103 loss to Atlanta in a must-win Play-In Tournament game last April, Charlotte was in desperate need of positive news this offseason, a wish that has been beyond unfulfilled.

The Hornets are without re stricted free agent Miles Bridg es, the team’s leading scorer last season, after he was charged with three counts of felony domes tic violence in June. It’s unclear whether the 24-year-old forward will ever wear purple and teal again.

C harlotte enters camp with 19 players, leaving one vacant roster spot for Bridges if his legal trou bles are resolved.

“I was talking to him day to day to see what it is, but other than that, I haven’t heard too much of anything,” All-Star point guard LaMelo Ball said of Bridg es during the team’s media day. “Definitely miss him.”

Coach Steve Clifford is back in charge as he replaces James Borrego, who was fired after four seasons in Charlotte. Clifford previously coached the Hornets from 2013 to 2018 but was let go in general manager Mitch Kup chak’s first week on the job.

Clifford wasn’t even the Hor nets’ top pick to be Borrego’s re placement. Golden State assistant Kenny Atkinson agreed to take the Charlotte job before backing out just days after the Warriors

In early July, Cody Martin agreed to resign with the Hornets on a four-year, $32 mil lion deal. A valuable role player and one of Charlotte’s better de fenders, Martin is likely to come off the bench again at shooting guard and small forward.

Fayetteville native Dennis Smith Jr. inked a one-year contract with the Hornets on Sept. 21, hoping to improve on a season in Portland in which he averaged just 5.6 points per game.

Smith is poised to re place Ish Smith and Isa iah Thomas as backup point guard after both left in the offseason.

As it stands, the Hornets’ starting lineup consists of Ball, shooting guard Terry Rozier, small forward Gordon Hayward, power forward PJ Washington (stepping into Bridges’ role) and center Mason Plumlee.

While Ball and Rozier are proven producers, there may not be a bigger hard-luck player than Hayward, who averages 16 points when he can play but has been riddled with injuries throughout his career. He’s played just 93 games since signing a four-year, $120 million contract in a signand-trade with Boston in 2020.

Washington has no easy task ahead of him as he looks to fill the gaping hole created by Bridg es’ absence. The 2019 12th over all pick has shown flashes of star power in his career, and his per formance this season could de termine Hornets’ playoff fate.

At center, Plumlee returns as the veteran presence at a position that has plagued Charlotte since Al Jefferson left in 2016. Duke center Mark Williams was draft ed by the Hornets over the sum mer with the 15th overall pick, and it remains to be seen how much the rookie will factor into Clifford’s plans this season.

“ We need physicality ... we’ve struggled with screening and rebounding,” said Clifford, who added that Plumlee would enter camp as the starter with Nick Richards as backup during the open competition. “I love our [preseason] schedule to help gauge ourselves. … It’s going to play out.”

PANTHERS from page B1

one catch in the game.

“To win a football game in the NFC South and have Rob by and DJ each have one catch, I wouldn’t have thought that would happen,” Rhule said.

Mayfield didn’t take much solace in the win-by-any-means attitude, however.

“I am going to look back at the tape and not be real happy with how I played,” he said.

The defense also helped take the pressure off the struggling offense. Frankie Luvu made another big play, stripping the ball and setting up a Marquis Haynes fumble return for a touchdown to open the scoring.

The defense added two inter ceptions later in the game.

Rhule credited the defense’s

big plays with being loose.

“We were just going to let it rip and trust the guys to make plays,” he said. “I think the de fense had heard all week, ‘Hey, you’re not getting takeaways, you’re not getting takeaways.’

As a coach, I’m pushing the takeaways, but I’m also pushing, ‘Hey, it’s also going to come.’”

Now, the team needs to build on the win with games against the meat of its schedule coming up. The Panthers’ next four op ponents are all playoff contend ers in Arizona, San Francisco and the last two Super Bowl champions in the L.A. Rams and Tampa Bay Bucs.

“This is a new season,” May field said. “We have a ton of new guys. For me at least, obviously being here for the first time. It’s just one game at a time, one play at a time.”

It worked to get the team its elusive first win.

“That’s washed,” defensive tackle Derrick Brown said of the losing streak. “If you’re worried about last year you won’t be able to do anything this year. We got off to a slow start and we knew we had to come in and work.”

LYNNE SLADKY |

PHOTO

Point guard LaMelo Ball, pictured last season, and the Hornets opened training camp on Monday in Charlotte.

CHUCK BURTON | AP PHOTO

Wake Forest receivers Jahmal Banks (80), Donavon Greene (11) and A.T. Perry have combined for 45 receptions, 748 yards and nine touchdowns through four games heading into the Demon Deacons’ game Saturday at Florida State.

The road game against the Seminoles presents plenty of adversity for the Deacons

“We’re going to have to bounce back. I’m confident we will.”

Dave Clawson, Wake Forest coach

“That’s washed. If you’re worried about last year you won’t be able to do anything this year.”

Panthers defensive lineman Derrick Brown on the team’s losing streak

Noesen right where he belongs with Hurricanes

By Cory Lavalette North State Journal

RALEIGH — The ties between the Plymouth Whalers and the Carolina Hurricanes run deep.

Stefan Noesen is looking to keep the bloodline going.

Noesen was born in Texas but headed north to pursue tougher competition as a teenager, landing in Detroit to play for the Compu ware youth team in 2007. That team was founded by Peter Kar manos Jr., who at the time was also the owner of both the Ontar io Hockey League’s Whalers and NHL’s Hurricanes.

“On our Compuware jersey we had the Hurricanes patch and the Whalers patch,” Noesen said.

Coming through the Compu ware-to-Plymouth pipeline often meant winding up in Raleigh. From former executives and coach es like Jim Rutherford and Paul Maurice to players as remembered as Justin Williams and forgotten as Jonas Fiedler, the path to the Hurricanes often came through Karmanos’ two youth teams.

After two seasons in Plymouth, Noesen was drafted by the Sen ators in 2011, going 21st overall. He played two more years with the Whalers, totaling 100 goals and 220 points in 215 career OHL games and then had his rights traded to the Anaheim Ducks.

That began a winding career for the 29-year-old, who has now suit ed up for six NHL teams but only once played more than 41 games in a season — scoring 13 goals and 27 points in 72 games with the Devils in 2017-18.

He finally found his way to the

Hurricanes organization last year, signing a one-year, two-way deal to provide depth for the big club and also veteran talent with the team’s top affiliate, the Chicago Wolves.

But even he didn’t expect to score an AHL-high 48 goals.

“I would like to say yes. … I scored quite a bit and juniors,” Noesen said. “So I kind of knew it was always in there.”

He followed that with nine goals and 25 points in Chicago’s run to the Calder Cup.

“Last year was great,” he said. “We obviously did our thing down there. We won.”

Despite getting into just two games with the Hurricanes during the year, he decided to re-sign with

Carolina. He’s guaranteed a total of at least $1.325 million over the next two seasons, regardless of if he’s in Raleigh or Chicago.

“I maybe had a chance to go somewhere else,” Noesen said, “but I thought this organization, the

way that they play and everything — this is where I wanted to be.”

He also made an impres sion on Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour.

“He did a great job throughout the organization because when he came up he played well, and then when he went back down he was a leader for that group,” Brind’Amour said. “And when you have a veteran player that can show the way for guys like Jack Drury, for the guys that were down there, I think that’s a huge asset.

“He obviously put up a big, big year, and we’re gonna give him ev ery opportunity here to see what he can do.”

With defenseman Jake Gardin er headed to long-term injured

reserve, Carolina has some cap space and won’t have to carry a light roster as they did at times last season. That means a chance for a player like Noesen who knows how to play the role of bottom-six winger in the NHL — he’s logged 207 games, scoring 31 goals and 54 points over nine seasons — but also showcased his scoring touch with the Wolves last year.

“I think the way that I score goals, it’s not pretty,” Noesen said. “I’ll take one off the teeth. I took one off the mouth a few times and they’ve gone in, and that’s just it’s kind of my game. I’m never gon na dazzle and be flashy. Maybe I’ll have a sporadic one here and there, but it’s all in the blue paint, all within the house, and it’s been like that ever since junior.”

Noesen will also be a familiar face for the organization’s young players, whether that’s with the Hurricanes or the Wolves.

“Just watching his habits on the ice, how he scores goals,” Drury said, “he goes to the net a lot, was really good in front. So I learned a lot from him last year.”

And it’s not just in the offen sive zone.

“He’s got skill, but he’s able to kind of do it all,” said anoth er Wolves teammate, Jamieson Rees. “So for young guys to kind of look at that and see that it’s OK if you’re not a skill guy, you have to be versatile. You have to be able to open up and be ready for whatever situation is being thrown at you.”

Battling for one of the last spots on an NHL roster is a familiar sit uation for Noesen. But 15 years af ter he first pulled on a Compuware sweater with the small Hurricanes patch on it, he is close to fulfilling his destiny.

“I kind of took the long way to get here,” Noesen said, “but even tually I got here.”

Spieth goes 5-0 as Americans rule Presidents Cup again

1 in the Ryder Cup.

And then he fell 2 down after two holes before turning it around in a big way.

By Doug Ferguson

The Associated Press

CHARLOTTE — Jordan Spi eth capped off a perfect week at the Presidents Cup and the Amer icans made it nine straight victo ries against an International team depleted by defections to Sau di-funded LIV Golf.

The Internationals showed plenty of fight. They just don’t have a cup to show for it.

That stays squarely in the hands of an American team that was coming off a record romp over Europe in the Ryder Cup last year.

Max Homa rallied from 3 down by winning four straight holes and then holding off Tom Kim for a 1-up victory that gave Homa a 4-0 week in his Presidents Cup debut.

Xander Schauffele delivered the clinching point when he made a 6-foot par putt on the 18th hole for a 1-up victory over Corey Con ners.

The final score was 17½-12½, not quite the rout it was at Liber ty National in 2017 the last time the Americans played before the home crowd. Unlike the Ryder Cup, which attracts thousands of flag-waving European fans, the International team doesn’t have a fan base to unite behind a conti nental flag or even a tour.

U.S. Captain Davis Love III — who is from Charlotte and com peted collegiately at UNC — paid tribute to Trevor Immelman for having to put together his team right after British Open champion Cameron Smith and Joaquin Nie mann were among the latest batch to join the rival LIV Golf series.

This was a mismatch. The In

ternationals still made a game of it, and at one point the matches were tight enough that a shocker at Quail Hollow was still possible. But they needed everything to go right, and it didn’t.

“Trevor and his team did an in credible job of rising to the occa sion,” Love said.

Love had all 12 players ranked among the top 25 in the world ranking, and just like last year at Whistling Straits in the Presi dents Cup, most of them played like it.

“We really don’t have to do much,” Love said. “All we have to do is not mess it up.”

Conners and Taylor Pendrith,

against weak competition but strug gled against tougher opponents.

the only Canadians on the team, were the only players who failed to contribute a point. Conners three-putted from 25 feet on the 17th with a chance to square the match, and he hit into a bunker

from the fairway on the 18th.

Spieth made putts from all over Quail Hollow for a 4-and-3 win over Cameron Davis that kept the Internationals — in need of their greatest Sunday singles perfor mance — from gaining any early momentum.

Spieth became only the sixth player to win all five matches in the Presidents Cup, winning all four of his team matches with Jus tin Thomas.

Spieth, a three-time major champion and former No. 1 play er in the world, first qualified for U.S. teams when he was 20. But he had never won a singles match — 0-3 in the Presidents Cup, 0-3-

“I was more nervous than I should have been because I want ed to get that monkey off my back,” Spieth said. “When you get off ear ly on a Sunday, they’re looking for red on the board. And it feels good to provide it.”

Thomas was trying to join him, but he lost to Si Woo Kim in a match that came down to 10-foot birdie putts on the last hole.

No matter. When Patrick Cant lay whipped Adam Scott, and Tony Finau rallied from 2 down to beat Pendrith, the outcome was as inevitable as it usually is.

The Americans improved to 121-1 in a series that began in 1994. Their only loss was at Royal Mel bourne in 1998, and there was a tie in South Africa in 2003.

The Internationals fell behind 8-2 after the opening two days with a team that featured eight rookies, half of them replacing players such as Smith, Niemann and Louis Oosthuizen who were not eligible after the PGA Tour suspended them for signing with the lucrative rival tour.

One of those rookies, Sebas tian Munoz of Colombia, took out world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and went unbeaten for the week at 2-0-1. Another was 20-year-old Tom Kim, the fresh face of these matches who gave the Interna tionals hope on Saturday night with a performance as big as his personality.

Over four days, the Americans were too strong and too deep.

The next stop for the Presidents Cup is Royal Montreal in 2024. For the majority of this American team, it takes more momentum into the Ryder Cup in Rome next year. The Americans have not won a Ryder Cup away from home since 1993.

Clemson’s biggest game to date.

Add in potent offensive weapons like running back Will Shipley — the Mathews native has 353 yards and seven touchdowns — and re ceiver Beaux Collins (13 receptions, 218 yards, four TDs), and the Wolf pack defense will have its hands full.

NC State’s biggest challenge, though, might be itself — specif ically its mercurial offense. The Wolfpack’s attack has looked strong

It will need to be better than good to steal a win in Death Valley.

There is reason for optimism after junior quarterback Devin Leary completed passes to 10 dif ferent receivers in last week’s 41-10 win over UConn.

“From an offensive standpoint, we started fast,” Doeren said of the game against the Huskies. “I don’t know if you can start faster than that. One of our goals was

to be better after the catch, bet ter after contact, have more yards after contact, and Devin Carter answered that. Him and Thayer Thomas, Keyon Lesane, Demie Sumo-Karngbaye — there were a lot of guys who took that to heart.

Devin Leary also played fast, made fast decisions, distributed the ball and was accurate.”

NC State should have a strong one-two punch in the backfield with both junior Jordan Houston and sophomore Sumo-Karng

baye ready to play after battling through injuries.

“We will focus obviously on our opponent and know those guys, but more importantly we need to know what we need to get better at and get it done,” Doeren said.

“We’re playing in a great venue against the longest home win ning streak in college football. We know the crowd will be into it and it will be loud.”

The Wolfpack also know that to take the next step and become

a College Football Playoff con tender, they will need to rise to the occasion.

“We expected to be in this posi tion,” Doeren said. “We expected to be 4-0 going into Clemson, and we look forward to playing a great team. But we’ll continue to focus on us. The path that has gotten us here is the path we’re going to stay on.

“It’s individual and collective improvement through great prac tice, through great meetings and taking care of business.”

The well-traveled winger led the AHL in goals last season, helping the Chicago Wolves to the Calder Cup

“He obviously put up a big, big year, and we’re gonna give him every opportunity here to see what he can do.”

Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour on Stefan Noesen

KARL B. DEBLAKER | AP PHOTO

Hurricanes forward Stefan Noesen, pictured last season, scored 48 goals with the Chicago Wolves in 2021-22, leading the AHL and helping Carolina’s top affiliate to the Calder Cup.

The Davis Love-captained team led from start to finish at Quail Hollow in his hometown of Charlotte

CHRIS CARLSON | AP PHOTO

USA team captain Davis Love III and his team pose for a photo with the Presidents Cup trophy after defeating the International team in match play Sunday at tournament at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte.

“We really don’t have to do much. All we have to do is not mess it up.”

Captain Davis Love III on his talented American roster

law enforcement agencies around the country — including in states that have made personal reproduc tive health decisions into serious crimes.”

Because of the secrecy surround ing Fog, there are scant details about its use. Most law enforce ment agencies won’t discuss it, rais ing concerns among privacy ad vocates that it violates the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitu tion, which protects against unrea sonable search and seizure.

Advocates on both sides of the aisle should be concerned about un restricted government use of Fog Reveal, said former Virginia Re publican Rep. Bob Goodlatte, who previously served as U.S. House Ju diciary Chairman.

“Fog Reveal is easily de-ano nymized tracking of Americans’ daily movements and location his tories. Where we go can say a lot about who we are, who we associ ate with, and even what we believe or how we worship,” said Goodlatte, who now works as a senior poli cy advisor to the Project for Priva cy and Surveillance Accountabil ity. “The current political climate means that this technology could be used against people left, right and center. Everyone has a stake in curbing this technology.”

The New York Police Depart ment used Fog Reveal at its Real Time Crime Center in 2018 and 2019, a previously undisclosed re lationship confirmed by public re cords. A spokesperson said in an emailed statement that the NYPD used Fog on a trial basis, “strictly in the interest of developing leads for criminal investigations and lifesav ing operations such as missing per sons.” The department did not say if it was successful in either scenario.

Two nonprofits that have sup ported privacy rights cases in New York City said the tool exploited consumers’ personal data and was “ripe for abuse,” according to Sur veillance Technology Oversight Project Executive Director Albert Fox Cahn.

“The lack of any meaningful reg ulation on the collection and sale of app data is both a consumer and privacy crisis,” Legal Aid Society Staff Attorney Benjamin Burger wrote in a recent post. “Both federal and state governments need to de velop policies that will protect con sumer data.”

Fed officials call for more rate hikes to fight inflation

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Reserve will have to keep boosting its benchmark in terest rate to a point that raises unemployment and gets inflation down from unusually high levels, two officials said in separate re marks Monday.

Susan Collins, the new presi dent of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, endorsed Fed projec tions released last week that sig naled its benchmark interest rate would rise to 4.6% by next year, up sharply from about 3.1% now.

Getting inflation down will “require slower employment growth and a somewhat higher unemployment rate,” Collins said in a speech to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.

Later Monday, Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester said the Fed’s short-term rate would have to stay higher for longer than previously expected, re gardless of the uncertainties sur rounding the economy, such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and ongoing supply chain difficulties.

“When there’s a lot of uncer tainty, it can be better for poli cymakers to actually act more aggressively, because aggressive action and pre-emptive action can prevent the worst-case out comes from happening,” she said.

Mester also said she expects higher interest rates will raise unemployment, but disagreed with a forecast by Bank of Amer ica that the unemployment rate would rise to 5.5%.

“I do expect the unemploy ment rate to rise, but not to that extent,” she said.

The comments from both of ficials added to an ongoing de bate about how badly the Fed eral Reserve’s rate hikes — the fastest in more than 40 years — will hurt the economy. By lift ing its benchmark rate, the Fed is pushing up the cost of a wide range of consumer and business loans, including for mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards.

Collins said that, while wor ries are rising about a reces sion, “the goal of a more modest slowdown, while challenging, is achievable.”

Also Monday, stocks fell for the fifth straight day and lon ger-term interest rates rose amid growing fears of a global reces sion. The yield on the 10-year Treasury, which influences mort gage rates, jumped to 3.89% from 3.69%.

Fed officials hope their rate hikes will achieve a “soft land ing” by slowing consumer and business spending enough to bring down inflation but not so much as to cause a recession.

Yet many economists are in creasingly skeptical that such an outcome is likely. The Fed has lifted its key rate to a range of 3% to 3.25%, the highest in 14 years, even as the U.S. economy has al ready slowed. That could cause a recession in the U.S. next year, economists fear.

In a question-and-answer ses sion after her speech, Collins also said that inflation, which reached 9.1% in June from a year earli er and has since fallen to 8.3%, “perhaps may have peaked.”

But Mester said she did not see any such signs.

“Before I conclude that infla tion has even peaked, I am go ing to have to see several months of declines in the readings,” she said.

At a policy meeting last week, the Fed lifted its short-term rate by three-quarters of a point for

White House: New rule will show ‘true cost’ of plane tickets

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Pres ident Joe Biden announced a new initiative Monday that would eventually allow consumers to see a more complete price on air line tickets — including baggage and change fees — before they buy, as the White House con tinues to search for ways to low er costs for Americans amid per sistently high inflation.

The White House says the pro posed rule from the Transporta tion Department will prevent air lines from hiding the “true cost” of airline tickets, which would help consumers save money up front and encourage more com petition among airlines to of fer better fares. The requirement will apply not only to airlines di rectly but also to third-party search sites such as Kayak and Expedia.

“You should know the full cost of your ticket right when you’re comparison shopping,” Biden said Monday, citing fees charged by airlines to check luggage or to seat families together. The new rule, the president said, will help consumers “pick the ticket that actually is the best deal for you.”

Airlines made nearly $5.3 bil lion in baggage fees and near ly $700 million on cancellation and change fees last year, accord ing to Transportation Depart ment figures. Airlines charge a variety of other fees for extra leg room and other perks that are not tracked by the government.

A trade group for the largest U.S. airlines said carriers already disclose terms and the total cost of a ticket. “This includes trans parency regarding taxes and gov

ernment fees on airline tickets, which account for more than 20% of many domestic one-stop, roundtrip tickets,” said Katherine Estep, a spokeswoman for Air lines for America.

The proposed rule seeks to tar get a typical situation faced by consumers where a ticket price is listed on an airline or search website, but with information of ten listed elsewhere about any additional airline fees, such as for checking or carrying on a bag,

getting a guaranteed seat next to your child or changing or cancel ing a flight — fees that vary wide ly by airline and could quickly tack on up to hundreds of dol lars more to a price of a ticket af ter the initial purchase. Under the proposal, that information would be made available upfront when the quoted airfare is first displayed.

The fare information would be required for all commercial flights to, within, and from the United States.

The proposal dates back to the Obama administration and was scrapped in 2017 by then-Presi dent Donald Trump after airlines complained that it was unneces sary and would incur significant costs. It must now go through a 60-day comment period before final approval.

the third straight time. Hikes typically are a more modest quarter-point. Fed Chair Je rome Powell, at a news confer ence after the meeting, said that “the chances of a soft landing are likely to diminish” as the Fed steadily raises borrowing costs.

“No one knows whether this process will lead to a recession or, if so, how significant that re cession would be,” Powell said.

One challenge for the Fed is that last week it also released its quarterly economic and interest rate projections. They showed that Fed policymakers expect unemployment to reach 4.4% by the end of next year, up from 3.7% currently.

According to a rule of thumb discovered by the economist Claudia Sahm, every time since World War II that unemploy ment has risen by a half-percent age point over several months, a recession has followed.

Collins is one of 12 voting members of the Fed’s policymak ing committee and is the first Black woman to serve as pres ident of a regional Fed bank. She was sworn in July 1. Collins previously served as a provost and executive vice president at the University of Michigan and served on the board of directors for the Chicago Fed.

Atlanta Fed President Bos tic, in an interview Sunday on CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” also said “we need to have a slow down” to get inflation under con trol.

“But I do think that we’re go ing to do all that we can at the Federal Reserve to avoid deep, deep pain,” he added.

The proposed rule comes as tension grows between the Biden administration and the airlines, with each blaming the other for an increase in canceled and de layed flights this summer.

The Transportation Depart ment also began posting infor mation to help consumers learn what each airline provides when flights are canceled or delayed for reasons within the airline’s con trol. That prompted several air lines to update policies around finding a new flight and cover ing hotel and meal expenses for stranded travelers.

Biden made the announcement on Monday afternoon at a meet ing of the White House Competi tion Council, established last year as a way for his administration to find cost-saving measures for consumers. It was the third meet ing of the group, chaired by Na tional Economic Council director Brian Deese.

“Capitalism without compe tition isn’t capitalism,” Biden said at the event, held in the State Dining Room at the White House. “It’s exploitation.”

At the meeting, Biden also pushed other federal agencies to take similar cost-saving actions, particularly by increasing trans parency on hidden fees that can balloon the true cost of goods and services.

One example is a proposal from the Federal Communica tions Commission that would re quire internet service providers to better outline fees and charges on what the administration calls a “broadband nutrition label.” And the Agriculture Department on Monday will also unveil new actions meant to encourage com petition in various agricultural markets.

The administration has tak en similar actions when it comes to bank and credit card fees, which the White House says have saved consumers $3 billion an nually compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Before I conclude that inflation has even peaked, I am going to have to see several months of declines in the readings.”

Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester

“Capitalism without competition isn’t capitalism. It’s exploitation.”

President Joe Biden

SUSAN WALSH | AP PHOTO

President Joe Biden, second from right, flanked by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, on the left, and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, on the right, speaks during a meeting of the White House Competition Council at the White House in Washington, D.C., Monday, Sept. 26, 2022.

What a difference a tune makes

Plug it in, plug it in

By Jordan Golson North State Journal

MADRID — A half-decade ago, I owned a second-generation Chevrolet Volt.

The Volt is a plug-in hybrid, which means it plugs into the wall like an electric car but has a gaso line-powered engine to extend its battery range if you want to keep driving. In a year with the Volt, we put 17,000 miles on it, some 15,000 of those being electric.

This is possible because the Volt had such a large battery that it could travel some 50 miles on electric power without using a drop of gasoline. A plug-in hybrid, or PHEV, is the perfect stepping stone between regular cars and full-electric.

For EV skeptics, or, perhaps more accurately, those married to EV skeptics, it’s an easy way to get used to plugging in your car at night. The problem has been that most PHEVs, especially luxury ones, have dismal electric range. For example, some plug-in SUVs from BMW or Volvo can barely reach 20 miles. For most Ameri can drivers, that isn’t enough.

But my Chevy Volt, with a 52-

mile electric range, could han dle the day-to-day driving of most Americans without ever turning on the engine. I point all of this out because I was in Spain driv ing the new Range Rover Sport a few weeks ago, and the new Range Rover Sport comes in a PHEV variant with an electric range of around 50 miles.

Sticking a massive 31.8 kWh battery in the new Range Rov er Sport (a plug-in Range Rov er, which I reviewed a few months ago, is coming, too) is incredibly

exciting. Contrary to what some will tell you, most folks are not ready for a fully electric vehicle.

Public charging isn’t there yet, and range anxiety is real.

But a plug-in hybrid has nearly all of the benefits — silent propul sion, lots of low-end torque, elec tricity is cheaper than gasoline on a per-mile basis — of an EV, but without the downsides of need ing to find a charger if you want to drive a while.

The 2023 Range Rover Sport is built upon the same platform

as the new Range Rover, which is new for this generation. Previous ly, they were entirely different ve hicles. And it’s not just the same platform — they’re almost the same car, except for the body and some interior bits.

It’s the same chassis and sus pension and steering and power train — everything is identical re garding performance, only the Sport has been tweaked and pro grammed to behave entirely dif ferently. I repeatedly asked Land Rover engineers about hardware differences because the vehicles behave so differently, but they as sured me that everything is the same.

The Sport is ready to rip through the corners where the Range Rov er is leisurely and sedate, prevent ing anything so much as a crack in the pavement from disturbing your journey. It’s not a rough ride by any stretch, but it’s firmer and more dynamic.

If you like enthusiastically tack ling curvy backroads, the Range Rover Sport is for you. It’s not that the Range Rover can’t do it — it can, if you push it hard enough — but the big luxury SUV is tuned for comfort, not speed. I’ve driv en hundreds of cars, but I’ve never been so amazed at the difference a simple tune can make.

The driving experience between the two is so significant that they might as well be completely differ ent cars. And, as far as most buyers will be concerned, they are. I sus

pect someone walking into a Land Rover dealership will immediate ly know if they’re a Range Rover or a Range Rover Sport buyer. The sport is more aggressive and more svelte. It’s not exactly smaller (in fact, the wheelbase is identical), but it is a touch shorter thanks to more aggressive overhangs.

But it looks different and feels different enough that it’ll be an easy choice between the two. Ex cept for me — I want a Range Rov er with the Range Rover Sport performance settings. I asked a company engineer if it would be theoretically possible to build such a thing. They finally admitted that, yes, it was possible, but they’d nev er do it.

Except Land Rover has an en tire special vehicle operations divi sion built to customize its vehicles for exceptionally well-heeled cli ents. If I win the lottery tomorrow, I’m sending in my request with haste. Fingers crossed.

I haven’t even gotten into the ac tual car itself, but it doesn’t much matter. Go read my Range Rov er review and imagine the same car but with a much more dynam ic ride, look, and feel. And then imagine it with a 50-mile all-elec tric range, and you’ll see why I’m so excited.

Fully-electric versions of both models are coming for mod el year 2024, and all of a sudden, Land Rover will have perhaps the best pair of electric luxury SUVs around.

Under

Book No. 7641, at Page 132 in Cabarrus County Registry, North Carolina. The Deed of Trust was modified by the following: A Loan Modification recorded on April 9, 2008, in Book No. 8170, at Page 143, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Cabarrus County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Concord, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on October 10, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Concord in the County of Cabarrus, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows:

TRACT #1:Lying and Being in a Number 2 Township,

Cabarrus County, North Carolina, and being located on the east side of Untz Road (S.R. No. 1444), adjoining Carter B. Fisher, George E. Mantooth, Carl S. Barnhardt, and others and being more particularly described as follows:Beginning, at an iron in Untz Road (S.R. No. 1444), a common corner with Carter B. Fisher, George E. Mantooth, and others and runs through Untz Road, North 20-00-48 West (through an iron at 169.95 feet) for a total distance of 174.44 feet to an iron a common corner with George E. Mantooth, William Rankin, Carl S. Barnhardt, North 69-11-30 East 277.35 feet to an iron; thence a new line South 20-44-20 East (through an iron at 136.24 feet) for a total distance of 162.21 feet to an iron in the line of Carter B. Fisher, a new corner; thence South 66-41-30 West (through an iron at 229.01 feet) for a total distance of 279.84 feet to an iron in Untz Road, the Point of Beginning, containing 1.075 acres (including overlap and right of way areas for Untz Road and a 25 foot right of way easement), as surveyed and platted by James E. Craddock, RLS, of Concord Engineering and Surveying, Inc. on 3/20/1989.Being the same parcel of land conveyed to Kenneth H. Marshall and wife, Leta P. Marshall, tenants by the entirety from Kermit H. Marshall and wife, Lois Marshall by that Deed dated 12/06/1993 and recorded 12/20/1993 in Deed Book 1159 at Page 281 in the Cabarrus County Public Registry.Tract #2:Beginning at a iron found, located on the property lines between the Kermit H. Marshall and Lois Marshall 1.00 acre tract and the Kenneth H. Marshall and Leta P. Marshall 1.08 acre tract as shown on the attached survey and thence S. 22-49-16 E. 90.95 feet to an iron set, thence S. 14-10-45 E. 24.27 feet to a point, thence N. 21-00-16 West, 115.00 feet to the place and point of beginning, being approximately 166 square feet as shown on the attached survey drawn by Medlin Surveying Co. dated 9/6/06.Being the same parcel of land conveyed to Kenneth H. Marshall and wife, Leta P. Marshall from Kermit H. Marshall and wife, Lois Marshall by that Deed dated 10/18/2006 and recorded 10/19/2006 in Deed Book 7093 at Page 138 in the Cabarrus County Public Registry. Tract #3:Beginning at an iron set along the property line of Lot 52 of Rollingwood Forest and the Kenneth H. Marshall and Leta P. Marshall Parcel and thence N. 25-48-53 E. 10.40 feet to a point; thence N. 58-38-13 E. 30.50 feet to an iron set; thence N. 65-39-20 W. 17.47 feet to a point; thence S. 68-47-59 W. 49.86 feet to the place and point of Beginning, being approximately 397 square feet more or less, as shown on the survey drawn by Medlin Surveying Co. dated 9/6/06 as shown on the attached plat.Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 7506 Untz Road, Concord, North CarolinaBeing the same parcel of land conveyed to Kenneth H. Marshall and wife, Leta P. Marshall from Kermit H. Marshall and wife, Lois Marshall by that Deed dated 9/8/2006 and recorded 9/21/2006 in Deed Book 7032 at Page 308 in the Cabarrus County Public Registry.Being all of the above referenced property less and except the property beginning at an iron set, said iron located N. 66-41-30 E. from an iron found on the property line of Kenneth H. Marshall and Leta P. Marshall and Charter B. Fisher, thence from this point of beginning N. 14-10-45 W. 47.61 feet to a point, thence S. 21-00-16 E. to a point, thence S. 66-51-50 W. 5.66 feet to the point and place of beginning, being approximately 133 square feet as shown on the attached survey labeled exhibit drawn by Medlin Surveying Company, dated 9/6/2006. Being the same parcel of land conveyed to Kermit H. Marshall and wife, Lois Marshall from Kenneth H. Marshall and wife, Leta P. Marshall by that Deed dated 9/08/2006 and recorded 9/21/2006 in Deed Book 7032 at Page 311 in the Cabarrus County Public Registry.

WILLIAM HULETT Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23. Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

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

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit.

Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the

funds at the time of the sale.

loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 1245266 - 22407

note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Cabarrus County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Concord, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for

BRAFFORD AND WIFE KATE ATKINSON BRAFFORD BY DEED DATED MAY 21, 1969, AND RECORDED IN RECORD OF DEED BOOK 394, PAGE 784.

LESS AND EXCEPT THAT PORTION OF THE ABOVE DESCRIBED LANDS DESCRIBED IN THAT CERTAIN PARTIAL RELEASE OF DEED OF TRUST DATED 8/9/2013 AND RECORDED ON 8/20/2013 IN RECORD OF DEED BOOK 100663, PAGE 224. PARCEL ID# 08021A0008.000000 PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): UNKNOWN HEIRS OF

foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on October 3, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Kannapolis in the County of Cabarrus, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows:

That certain parcel of land lying and being in the County of Cabarrus and State of North Carolina and more particularly described as follows.

Lying and being in No. 4 Township Cabarrus County, N.C., on the South side of Mona Street adjoining the property of C.K. Cook and being a part of Lot No. 7 of the Ed M. Cooke Estate as recorded in Map Book 4, Page 78 Cabarrus County Registry and described metes and bounds as follows: Beginning an iron stake on the South side of Mona Street (said iron stake being South 80-49 West 150 feet from an iron stake on the West side of Concord Lake Concord Road. A corner of Lots Nos. 7 and 8) and runs thence S. 80-49 W. 80 feet to an iron stake corner of C.K

Cook thence along the line of the property of C.K. Cook N. 14-43 West 133.6 feet to an iron stake on South side of Mona Street; thence along the South side of Mona Street N. 80-22 E. 80 feet to an iron stake corner of C.K. Cook; thence another line of C.K. Cook property S. 14-43 E. 133.8 feet to the point of beginning. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 1226 Holland Street, Kannapolis, North Carolina.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified

Being the same property conveyed by fee simple Deed from C.K. Cook and, Wife Wynell G. Cook to John White and Lizzie b. White, by Quit Claim Deed dated 05/29/1961 recorded on 05/30/1961 in Book 308, Page 206, in Cabarrus County Records, State of NC.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

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

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination.

of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed.

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser

Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

THIS IS A COMMUNICATION FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMMUNICATION IS TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE, except as stated below in the instance of bankruptcy protection.

IF YOU ARE UNDER THE PROTECTION OF THE BANKRUPTCY COURT OR HAVE BEEN DISCHARGED AS A RESULT OF A BANK-RUPTCY PROCEEDING, THIS NOTICE IS GIVEN TO YOU PURSUANT TO STATUTORY REQUIREMENT AND FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES AND IS NOT INTENDED AS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT OR AS AN ACT TO COLLECT, ASSESS, OR RECOVER ALL OR ANY PORTION OF THE DEBT FROM YOU PERSONALLY.

Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 110 Frederick St, Suite 200 Greenville, South Carolina 29607 Phone: (470) 321-7112, Ext. 204 Fax: 1-919-800-3528 RAS File: 21-070242

and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 3447 - 8893

PHOTOS COURTESY RANGE ROVER

AMENDED

RECORD OWNER(S): Paul

Christenbury)

CABARRUS

pen & paper pursuits

WHAT’S

Morgan Chair is back in business just days after fire

On September 9, a familyowned furniture store in Stanfield, which has been an important part of the community since the 1980s, was completely destroyed in a fire. In addition to the building, over 800 orders worth of materials were consumed by the flames. And yet, within days after the incident and with the help of the local community, Morgan Chair was miraculously back in business in a new location. Last Friday, the family used a pair of scissors found in the rubble of their old location to cut the ribbon for their new site. Morgan Chair is now located at 209 South Main Street in Oakboro.

History Center to host excavator simulator event

The Stanly County History Center is set to host an event this Saturday, which will allow members of the community to learn what it is like to drive an excavator. The simulator, which will be supplied by the Stanly Community College, will be located in the parking lot of the history center from 10 am until noon. The first 100 visitors at the event will receive a mystery item from a local business using funds from the America Rescue Plan Grant from the NC Humanities. SCC is one of two programs in the state that has heavy equipment training and the only one that has a live site where students are able to practice.

Scootin’ around town

The city of Albemarle has officially announced the arrival of a new scooter company, Peel, as a new mode of transportation. For the next year, 20 scooters will be available to the public as part of a pilot program for the city. Each Peel scooter has a maximum speed of 15 miles per hour and can be accessed through the company’s smartphone application. All riders must be over 16 years old to activate a scooter.

Albemarle restaurant draws controversy, hosts drag show

By Jesse Deal North State Journal

ALBEMARLE — A local bar restaurant in downtown Albemar le hosted Stanly County’s first drag show with two sold-out events on Saturday, Sept. 24.

Tiffany’s at the Boardroom, lo cated at 135 W. Main Street, has been the subject of discussion over the past weeks as it prepared to host the drag show event set up by the Charlotte-based DKO Enter tainment company.

A local pastor and numerous counterprotesters criticized busi ness owner Tiffany Dahle’s deci sion to hold a drag event, citing fears of a possible city ordinance violation as well as it leading to more shows of a similar nature go ing forward.

At the Albemarle City Council meeting for Sept. 19, Dahle said

that she had originally set up her business’s ticketed shows as an all-ages event, although she later stated she would change them into 18-and-up shows; two tickets were refunded due to the updated age restriction.

Dahle addressed the opposi tion she had faced: “The ugly side consists partially of a loud group of haters, and they’re going to tell you it’s about the children, an ordi nance, maybe even it’s about per mits, but their track record will prove otherwise. They’re a group of bullies attempting to force com munities to conform to their box of beliefs. It’s about their anti-gay and their anti-feminist agenda.”

Albemarle resident Joshua Ball inger addressed the topic in a pub lic hearing, asking council mem bers to adopt a public resolution similar to one passed this month by the Monroe City Council that

formally expresses a lack of sup port for drag events due to the pos sible involvement of children in at tendance.

“I’m here to discuss the drag show that is being brought to Al bemarle, the originating state of the show, how it has changed, and

Locust business receives nextgeneration technology grant

LOCUST — A Stanly Coun ty business was one of 101 small businesses to receive a grant to advance the commercialization of innovative new technologies.

The One North Carolina Small Business Program awarded a to tal of $4.95 million to innovative companies in 22 counties across the state.

“Support for early-stage tech nology companies pays off in bet ter jobs, more investment, and new ways to make our state a great place to live and do busi ness,” said Gov. Roy Cooper.

“These small businesses are tack ling society’s most pressing chal lenges in many areas, includ ing the life sciences, defense, and clean energy. Innovative small companies drive growth and

competition, keeping our econ omy healthy and quality of life high.”

United Protective Technolo gies, LLC, of Locust was award ed $69,913.00 to design and de velop windows that can protect infrared sensors during the ag gressive conditions of hyperson ic flight, during which tempera tures can reach 3,000° F. The project is being sponsored by the United States Navy.

The One North Carolina Small Business Program, established in 2005, provides state grants to companies that are pursuing or have won federal awards through two highly competitive feder al programs, the Small Busi ness Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technolo gy Transfer (STTR) programs. These federal programs support

small businesses that are devel oping technologies with a high potential for commercialization.

“Innovation drives our econo my forward, and small business es are the very best incubators of innovation,” said North Carolina Commence Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “The One North Carolina Small Business Pro

how I believe that this form of en tertainment is close to violating Chapter 68 of the city ordinance,” Ballinger stated. “I’m not saying that a group of consenting adults should not be able to enjoy their preferred type of media. I’m stat ing that children have no place around it.”

Clint Lewey, the pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in Stanfield, also spoke at the meet ing about his desire for a city res olution decrying the drag show: “Of course, everyone knows this is at a private business. However, I believe all of that is irrelevant to the fact that the behavior is a very lewd behavior and certainly not one that identifies Stanly County for who we are and our values and our family values.”

Dahle provided a response to the pastor’s claims that the busi ness would promote immorality: “Our drag show isn’t lewd. There’s no sexual content. There’ll be no stripping — it’s a classic gener al drag show with evening gowns, wigs, lots of makeup, and singing Dolly Parton.”

The city council took no infor mal or formal actions in relation to the drag show.

gram has supported the state’s small technology businesses for many years and I’m proud we’ve been able to extend the program’s reach and boost the number of small companies engaged with the program.”

“Recognizing the continued importance of fostering inno vation statewide, this year the Board took deliberate action to create a larger and geographi cally diverse cohort,” said Rick Webb, Chair of the Board’s Out reach & Funding Committee. “The Board’s actions are bear ing fruit in more cities and coun ties. Demand for this program is strong and growing, and with increased funding, we can help North Carolina companies stay competitive as other states start to offer similar support for their small businesses.”

The Program has been respon sible for helping to create 1,000 North Carolina jobs, the develop ment and commercialization of hundreds of high-tech products, and the generation of more than $2 billion in follow-on capital in vestments.

Stanly County Journal

“I’m not saying that a group of consenting adults should not be able to enjoy their preferred type of media. I’m stating that children have no place around it.”

Albemarle resident Joshua Ballinger

“Innovation drives our economy forward, and small businesses are the very best incubators of innovation.”

Machelle Baker Sanders

COURTESY PHOTO

♦ DUNLAP, COTEY LEE (W /M/26), FELONY LARCENY, 09/26/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office

♦ ENGLISH, KEVIN DWAYNE (W /M/47), FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE, 09/25/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office

♦ HODGE, REBECCA MICHELLE (W /F/46), LARCENY BY ANTIINVNTRY DEVICE, 09/22/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office

♦ PAUL, ASHLEY HOPE (W /F/36), MISDEMEANOR LARCENY, 09/22/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office

♦ HICKS, CURTIS DANIEL (W /M/20), LARCENY BY ANTIINVNTRY DEVICE, 09/21/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office

SLOAN, QUATAVIUS ANTONIO (B /M/27), ASSAULT WDW GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL, 09/21/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office

TURNER, ANDREW TAYLOR (W /M/32), FINANCIAL CARD THEFT, 09/20/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Rihanna will take center stage at February’s Su per Bowl halftime show.

The singer, who declined to per form in the 2019 Super Bowl half time show out of solidarity with Colin Kaepernick, will headline the 2023 Super Bowl, the NFL an nounced Sunday along with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation and Apple Music. Ri hanna posted an image on Insta gram of an arm outstretched hold ing an NFL football.

“Rihanna is a generational tal ent, a woman of humble beginnings who has surpassed expectations at every turn,” said Jay-Z, whose Roc Nation is an executive producer of the show, in a statement. “A person born on the small island of Barba dos who became one of the most prominent artists ever. Self-made

Bam!

spacecraft crashes into

The Associated Press

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A NASA spacecraft rammed an as teroid at blistering speed Mon day in an unprecedented dress re hearsal for the day a killer rock menaces Earth.

The galactic grand slam oc curred at a harmless asteroid 7 million miles away, with the space craft named Dart plowing into the small space rock at 14,000 mph.

Scientists expected the impact to carve out a crater, hurl streams of rocks and dirt into space and, most importantly, alter the aster oid’s orbit.

Telescopes around the world and in space aimed at the same point in the sky to capture the spectacle. Though the impact was immediately obvious — Dart’s ra dio signal abruptly ceased — it will be days or even weeks to deter mine how much the asteroid’s path was changed.

The $325 million mission was the first attempt to shift the po sition of an asteroid or any other natural object in space.

“No, this is not a movie plot,”

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson tweeted earlier in the day. “We’ve all seen it on movies like ‘Arma

geddon,’ but the real-life stakes are high,” he said in a prerecorded vid eo.

Monday’s target: a 525-foot as teroid named Dimorphos. It’s ac tually a moonlet of Didymos, Greek for twin, a fast-spinning as teroid five times bigger that flung off the material that formed the ju nior partner.

The pair have been orbiting the sun for eons without threatening Earth, making them ideal savethe-world test candidates.

Launched last November, the vending machine-size Dart — short for Double Asteroid Redi rection Test — navigated to its target using new technology de veloped by Johns Hopkins Univer sity’s Applied Physics Laboratory, the spacecraft builder and mission manager.

Dart’s on-board camera, a key part of this smart navigation sys tem, caught sight of Dimorphos barely an hour before impact.

“Woo hoo,” exclaimed Johns Hopkins mission systems engineer Elena Adams. “We’re seeing Di morphos, so wonderful, wonder ful.”

With an image beaming back to Earth every second, Adams and other ground controllers in Laurel,

Maryland, watched with growing excitement as Dimorphos loomed larger and larger in the field of view alongside its bigger compan ion.

A mini satellite followed a few minutes behind to take photos of the impact. The Italian Cubesat was released from Dart two weeks ago.

Scientists insisted Dart would not shatter Dimorphos. The space craft packed a scant 1,260 pounds, compared with the asteroid’s 11 billion pounds. But that should be plenty to shrink its 11-hour, 55-minute orbit around Didymos.

The impact should pare 10 min utes off that, but telescopes will need anywhere from a few days to nearly a month to verify the new orbit. The anticipated orbital shift of 1% might not sound like much, scientists noted. But they stressed it would amount to a significant change over years.

Planetary defense experts pre fer nudging a threatening aster oid or comet out of the way, giv en enough lead time, rather than blowing it up and creating multi ple pieces that could rain down on Earth. Multiple impactors might be needed for big space rocks or a combination of impactors and so-

called gravity tractors, not-yet-in vented devices that would use their own gravity to pull an asteroid into a safer orbit.

“The dinosaurs didn’t have a space program to help them know what was coming, but we do,” NA SA’s senior climate adviser Kath erine Calvin said, referring to the mass extinction 66 million years ago believed to have been caused by a major asteroid impact, volca nic eruptions or both.

The non-profit B612 Founda tion, dedicated to protecting Earth from asteroid strikes, has been pushing for impact tests like Dart since its founding by astronauts and physicists 20 years ago. Mon day’s feat aside, the world must do a better job of identifying the countless space rocks lurking out there, warned the foundation’s ex ecutive director, Ed Lu, a former astronaut.

Significantly less than half of the estimated 25,000 near-Earth objects in the deadly 460-foot range have been discovered, ac cording to NASA. And fewer than 1% of the millions of smaller aster oids, capable of widespread inju ries, are known.

The Vera Rubin Observatory, nearing completion in Chile by the National Science Foundation and U.S. Energy Department, promis es to revolutionize the field of as teroid discovery, Lu noted.

Finding and tracking asteroids, “That’s still the name of the game here. That’s the thing that has to happen in order to protect the Earth,” he said.

in business and entertainment.”

The Super Bowl will take place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Feb. 12. After years of Pepsi’s sponsorship, the upcoming halftime show will be sponsored by Apple Music.

Rihanna earlier said she turned down a similar opportunity for the 2019 Super Bowl that was ulti mately headlined by Maroon 5. At the time, many artists voiced sup port for Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who protested law enforcement by kneeling during the national an them in 2016.

“I couldn’t dare do that. For what?” Rihanna told Vogue in 2019. “Who gains from that? Not my people. I just couldn’t be a sell out. I couldn’t be an enabler. There’s things within that organization that I do not agree with at all, and

I was not about to go and be of ser vice to them in any way,” she said of the league.

In 2019, the NFL partnered with Roc Nation (which manages Ri hanna) to help pick performers for the Super Bowl and strategize on the halftime show. The widely ac claimed 2022 halftime show fea tured Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Emi nem, Kendrick Lamar and Mary J. Blige.

With sales of more than 250 mil lion records worldwide, Rihanna ranks as one of the best-selling fe male artists ever. Her last album was 2016’s “Anti.” Rihanna last per formed publicly at the Grammy Awards in 2018.

In the years since, Rihanna has occasionally teased her music re turn. Earlier this year, she had her first child with the rapper ASAP Rocky.

STEVE GRIBBEN/JOHNS HOPKINS APL/NASA VIA

This illustration made available by Johns Hopkins APL and NASA depicts NASA’s DART probe, foreground right, and Italian Space

LICIACube, bottom right, at the Didymos system before impact with the asteroid Dimorphos, left.

Savage

Westin

OPINION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

COLUMN | U.S. REP. RICHARD HUDSON

My commitment to you

SUNDAY IS GOLD STAR MOTHER’S AND FAMILY DAY, where we honor the mothers, fathers, siblings, and all other family members of the brave U.S. servicemembers who lost their lives in the line of duty. Military families, especially Gold Star Families, have sacrificed so much in defense of our nation. We will never forget these families’ and their fallen loved ones’ service and sacrifice. One way to honor them is to live a life worthy of their sacrifice. We must also make sure we each do our part to keep this nation free, safe, and strong.

cutting taxes, and fostering an economic environment that encourages growth, job creation, and lowers costs.

We also have a plan for a nation that’s safe. In short, we will reduce crime and secure our border. We will work to tackle the crime wave plaguing our communities by rejecting the liberal anti-police and softon-crime agenda and giving law enforcement the resources and support they need to get the job done. We will also work to secure our border through enacting proven, commonsense measures such as keeping “Remain in Mexico” in place and finishing the wall.

America’s freedom, safety, and strength are all under threat like never before.

Unfortunately, America’s freedom, safety, and strength are all under threat like never before.

Inflation remains up 8.3% from last year and is now costing the average household an extra $700 a month, or over $8,000 out of your pockets this year. Democrats’ “Inflation Reduction Act” and President Joe Biden’s student loan bailout plan will only raise your taxes and make this inflation crisis even worse.

At our border, for the first time ever, more than 2 million illegal crossings have been recorded in a single fiscal year. Last week we learned that nearly 80 people on the terrorist watchlist attempted to cross. Failing to secure the border and stop these illegal crossings, as well as the flow of deadly drugs like fentanyl, is a threat to every community in America.

In our communities, violent crime has skyrocketed. National homicide and aggravated assault rates have risen roughly 50% and 36%, respectably, compared to this time in 2019.

Our nation is facing difficult times, and the American people deserve solutions. However, my Democrat colleagues don’t have a plan to address these issues. House Republicans, on the other hand, have a plan.

On Friday, House Republicans introduced our “Commitment to America,” a detailed plan to take our country in a new direction and establish a future of security, freedom, and prosperity for you and your family. You can read our plan at CommitmentToAmerica.com.

First, we have a plan for an economy that’s strong. The economy remains the most pressing issue facing families across this country. We are committed to getting it back on track by slashing reckless spending,

COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI

Beyond this, we have a plan to secure a future built on freedom. This means giving you control of what happens in your kids’ school, and it means confronting big tech censorship. It also means personalizing your health care to provide affordable options and better quality. Last week, I helped move us in the right direction when the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously passed my bipartisan MOBILE Health Care Act, a critical piece of legislation for expanding health care access in rural and underserved communities.

Finally, we also have a plan to build a government that’s accountable. This starts by standing up for your God-given rights and safeguarding the First and Second Amendments from progressive overreach. It also means making sure the government in Washington fulfills its obligations to the American people. The federal government exists to serve you, and Congress has the responsibility to ensure it is doing just that. Unfortunately, too many in Washington have forgotten this. Government has become too big and too unaccountable. For example, last week, I called on Congress to get answers from the Biden administration on issues like the origins of COVID-19 and how billions of your tax dollars have been spent to expand broadband access. Unfortunately, Democrats blocked these questions.

Under the one-party rule in Washington, our nation has faced challenges like never before. But House Republicans have a plan to fix it. Rest assured, I will never stop working on my commitment to you and to our nation by securing an economy that’s strong, a nation that’s safe, a future built on freedom, and a government that’s accountable to you.

Richard Hudson is serving his fifth term representing North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He currently serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee and in House leadership as the Republican Conference Secretary.

What the media could learn from Oriana Fallaci

A FEW WEEKS after Iran’s “president,” Ebrahim Raisi, promised stricter enforcement of his nation’s misogynistic dress code, a woman named Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurd, was likely beaten to death by “morality police” for failing to wear her hijab properly. The apparent murder was nothing new for the theocratic “guidance patrols” that have been patrolling cities since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, one of the most disastrous events of the late 20th century.

It would be nice if contemporary journalists were at least as tough on murderous dictators as they are on domestic conservative foes.

Last week, “60 Minutes” aired an interview Lesley Stahl conducted with the same theocratic crackpot responsible for Amini’s death wearing a hijab. And it immediately reminded me of Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci’s 1979 interview with Ayatollah Khomeini.

Fallaci, who died in 2006, was once somewhat of a celebrity due to her pugilistic interviews with world leaders in the 1960s and 1970s. A war correspondent for most of her career, Fallaci was shot three times and left for dead during student demonstrations in Mexico City in 1968 in what became known as the Tlatelolco massacre. Striking and sophisticated, uninterested in the ideology or political affiliation of her victims, Fallaci had no patience for moral equivalency. In truth, she was a liberal of the old school, and her infinite skepticism regarding power made her the most formidable interviewer of her time. “Whether it comes from a despotic sovereign or an elected president, from a murderous general or a beloved leader, I see power as an inhuman and hateful phenomenon,” she said, “I have always looked on disobedience toward the oppressive as the only way to use the miracle of having been born.”

Henry Kissinger famously referred to his interview with Fallaci as “the single most disastrous conversation I have ever had with any member of the press.” Fallaci asked then-darling of Western leftists, Yasser Arafat, “How many Israelis do you think you’ve killed up to this date?” When Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi began spinning an anti-Semitic “Zionist” conspiracy of his own, she told him that “Hitler would have been a very good friend for you.” After interviewing her for Playboy in 1981, the left-wing journalist Robert Scheer noted it was “the first time in my life, I found myself feeling sorry for the likes of Khomeini, Qaddafi, the Shah of Iran, and Kissinger.”

Did anyone feel bad for Ebrahim Raisi after watching “60 Minutes”? I cringed reading outlets claim that Stahl had “confronted” Raisi over whether he was a Holocaust denier. Stahl asked Raisi: “Do you believe

the Holocaust happened? That 6 million Jews were slaughtered?” Raisi answered that “historical events should be investigated by researchers and historians. There are some signs that it happened. If so, they should allow it to be investigated and researched.”

“So you’re not sure. I’m getting that. You’re not sure,” Stahl responded.

Ah, yes. If only someone had thought to research the Holocaust. In any event, that is no confrontation. It is merely a statement confirming the position of Iran, the world’s leading anti-Semitic entity, which not only denies the Holocaust but promises to conduct its own genocide against Jews. It is the same regime that is responsible for the murder of 600 American servicemen — one out of every six fatalities in Iraq.

Fallaci, only months after the Islamic Revolution had occurred and a month before American diplomats and citizens were taken hostage, went on her own to Iran to procure an interview with Ayatollah Khomeini. She spent ten days in the holy city of Qum, surrounded by extremists waiting for the chance. (Fallaci writes about the ordeal in “Conversations with Power.”) Perhaps the only reason the Italian was given an audience was that she had also conducted a belligerent interview with Khomeini’s archenemy, the shah of Iran, in 1973. (Fallaci: “I’d like to ask you: if I were an Iranian instead of an Italian, and lived here and thought as I do and wrote as I do, I mean if I were to criticize you, would you throw me in jail?” The shah: “Probably.”)

Fallaci, barefoot and covered in Islamic garb from head to toe, proceeds to challenge every Khomeini lie, confronting him on his fascistic tactics and murders, challenging the Iranian regime’s insistence that she wear religious garb — a “stupid, medieval rag,” before throwing it off.

It is impossible for me to imagine any reporter showing the skills or guts to engage a bully in this way. Now, no one is expecting Lesley Stahl, or anyone else, to be the next Oriana Fallaci. But it would be nice if contemporary journalists were at least as tough on murderous dictators as they are on domestic conservative foes.

David Harsanyi is a senior editor at The Federalist. Harsanyi is a nationally syndicated columnist and author of five books — the most recent, “Eurotrash: Why America Must Reject the Failed Ideas of a Dying Continent.”

SIDELINE REPORT

NFL Rihanna to headline the next Super Bowl halftime show

New York Rihanna is set to star in February’s Super Bowl halftime show. The singer, who declined to perform in the 2019 Super Bowl halftime show out of solidarity with Colin Kaepernick, on Sunday posted an image on Instagram of an arm holding up an NFL football. The NFL and Jay-Z’s Roc Nation have a multiyear pact with the league to pick halftime show performers. They confirmed that Rihanna will headline this season’s Super Bowl. The game will take place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Feb. 12. After years of Pepsi sponsoring the event, the upcoming halftime show will be sponsored by Apple Music.

BOXING

Fury rules out fighting Joshua after deadline expires

London Tyson Fury has ruled out fighting fellow British heavyweight Anthony Joshua after his self-imposed deadline expired. Fury set Joshua’s camp an ultimatum on Friday night, insisting he would walk away from the long-anticipated fight if a deal could not be done by Monday. The WBC champion says in a video posted on Instagram that no contract has been signed and “it’s officially over for Joshua.” Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, had already said there was “no chance” of contracts being signed by Monday. Joshua had verbally accepted Fury’s offer of a 60-40 purse split in favor of Fury.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Darrell Mudra, successful coach at all levels, dies at 93 Tallahassee, Fla.

College Football Hall of Fame coach Darrell Mudra has died at age 93. The National Football Foundation says Mudra died last Wednesday in Tallahassee, Florida. Mudra won better than 70% of his games in a career spanning the 1950s through 1980s. He won the College Division national title at North Dakota State in 1965 and the Division II championship at Eastern Illinois in 1978. He retired from coaching in 1988 with a career record of 200-81-4. Mudra broke from football norms and coached his college games from the press box instead of on the sidelines.

RUNNING

Kipchoge breaks own world record in Berlin Marathon

Berlin Two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge has bettered his own world record in the marathon. The Kenyan runner clocked 2:01:09 in the Berlin Marathon, shaving 30 seconds off his previous best-mark of 2:01:39 set at the same course in 2018. It marks the eighth straight time the world record has been broken at the race in Germany. A Kenyan has held the world record since Sept. 25, 2011, when Patrick Makau ran a time of 2:03:38 to unseat Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie.

Reddick captures 3rd victory, wins at Texas

of 12 as the points leader, had a fi ery finish after contact with the outside wall in Turn 4 when lead ing just past the halfway mark of the race.

By Stephen Hawkins The Associated Press

FORT WORTH, Texas — Tyler Reddick opened the round of 12 in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs with a victory at Texas on Sunday, winning a week after being one of the first four Cup drivers knocked out of title contention.

After none of the contenders won the first three races of the playoffs — a first in any round in this postseason format — the trend continued with the eliminated Reddick leading 53 of the final 54 laps on a long race day that went

into the night. Reddick finished 1.19 seconds ahead of Joey Logano at the end of an extended race that had a track-record 17 cautions, a record 36 lead changes, a 56-minute red flag for lightning and multiple tire issues leading to crashes — in cluding playoff contenders Chase Elliott, the points leader going into the second round, and Chris topher Bell.

“I was extremely worried, I’m not going to lie,” Reddick said. “Un fortunately, just about every time we’ve had fast cars, we’ve had some tire problems. That last run, the right sides were vibrating really, re ally hard there. ... I was just trying to maximize and use the gap that I built over (Logano) just in case.”

Logano took over the points lead, by 12 over Ross Chastain.

Elliott, who entered the round

Flames were already visi ble from under the right side of the No. 9 Chevrolet when he got onto the frontstretch then turned across and came to a stop in the middle of the infield, where Elliott climbed out uninjured as the car was being engulfed by flames. He finished 32nd.

“I’m not sure that Goodyear is at fault,” Elliott said. “Goodyear always takes the black eye, but they’re put in a really tough po sition by NASCAR to build a tire that can survive these types of racetracks with this car. I wouldn’t blame Goodyear.”

Goodyear and NASCAR offi cials said there were several teams that didn’t have tire issues, and the reports from those teams indi cated that they were conservative with the air pressure they used in their tires.

Bell, the Oklahoma native who considers Texas his home track, couldn’t recover from a second tire

issue that led to his race-ending crash after finishing only 136 laps. He was the only driver to finish in the top five in all three races in the first round of this postseason, but he was 34th at Texas.

Contenders Ryan Blaney and Chase Briscoe finished fourth and fifth. The other finishers still eligi ble for the title were William By ron (seventh), Kyle Larson (ninth), Denny Hamlin (10th), Daniel Su arez (12th), Chastain (13th), rook ie Austin Cindric (15th) and Alex Bowman (29th).

The middle race of the second round of the playoffs is Sunday at Talladega, where Chastain got his second win of the season in April. He hasn’t won since but has fin ished seventh or better in the last three playoff races.

Take fouls, score changes will be different in NBA this year

By Tim Reynolds The Associated Press

CHANGING THE WAY the socalled “transition take fouls” are officiated this season won’t keep them out of the NBA game.

In fact, the league thinks that sort of play now may make the game better.

The long-awaited rule change — one of the points of education for the NBA going into this season — was a major talking point this week for referees, who gathered for their preseason meetings as train ing camps around the league open. There are other emphasis points, but the take foul changes may be the most significant.

“Some of our best play at the NBA is defensive basketball. We don’t want to discourage that; in fact, we think this rule will encour age that because now we’re asking you to make a legitimate play on the ball,” said Monty McCutchen, the NBA’s senior vice president over seeing referees and training. “From that standpoint, we think more ex citing basketball is on the horizon and these transition scoring oppor tunities — both defensively and of fensively —can be highlight plays. We’ve lost some of that and we think this rule is going to inject that exciting play back into our game.”

The take foul — in which the de fender does not make a play on the ball — is what the league classifies as one that occurs either “during a transition scoring opportunity or immediately following a change of possession and before the offen

sive team had the opportunity to advance the ball.” The exception is in the final 2 minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime.

The new penalty for such a foul is one free throw, which may be at tempted by any player on the of fended team in the game at the time the foul was committed, along with continued possession by the offended team.

But the league also hopes that defenders making plays on the ball in those situations leads to exciting plays, whether the gamble leads to the offensive team getting an easy score or results in the defensive team cashing in a turnover.

“Our players and our coach

es, they’re good at their jobs,” Mc Cutchen said. “They’re good at their jobs because they’re committed at their jobs. They absolutely will stop doing this if we’re consistent in our work, which I fully anticipate us be ing. They’ll then know how to coach it properly. And therein lies the glo ry of transition basketball being re injected into our game.”

Other points of education this season are holdovers from recent years, such as players having free dom of moment in both the post and on the perimeter, setting prop er screens, avoiding travels and having “respect for the game” — of ten meaning not being overly de monstrative toward referees or oth

ers when a call doesn’t go their way.

Bench conduct will be more closely monitored as well, after an uptick in recent years of play ers standing in their bench areas during play and often encroach ing on the sideline or baseline — getting perhaps a bit too close to the action.

“That’s going to be a little bit of a change,” McCutchen said. “We want players on the bench to be able to react spontaneously to excit ing basketball play. But it’s import ant that they not stand the whole game, because now you’re getting into game integrity issues, injury possibility for game participants, we want to eliminate all that.”

The weather-delayed race was the fourth straight to be won by a driver eliminated from the postseason

Teams will now get one free throw and maintain possession

Cautions during Sunday’s race at Texas, a track record.

MORRY GASH | AP PHOTO

The NBA is hoping new rules for take fouls will lead to better transition plays.

LARRY PAPKE | AP PHOTO

Tyler Reddick burns his tires after winning Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.

The NFL is replacing the Pro Bowl with weeklong skills competitions and a flag football game. The new event will be renamed “The Pro Bowl Games” and will feature AFC and NFC players showcasing their football and nonfootball skills in challenges over several days.

NFL replaces Pro Bowl with skills competitions, flag game

Next year’s event will be held in Las Vegas

By Rob Maaddi The Associated Press

THE NFL is replacing the Pro Bowl with weeklong skills competitions and a flag football game, The Associated Press has learned.

The new event will replace the full-con tact showcase started in 1951. It will be renamed “The Pro Bowl Games” and will feature AFC and NFC players showcas ing their football and nonfootball skills in challenges over several days. The 2023 Games will be held in Las Vegas, and the flag football game at Allegiant Stadium is Sunday, Feb. 5.

Peyton Manning and his Omaha Pro ductions company will help shape pro gramming and promote the event’s con tent throughout the week. Manning, a 14-time Pro Bowl pick during his Hall of Fame career, will provide his perspec tive and will also be a part of the coaching staff for flag game.

“The Pro Bowl is something that we’ve been looking at for a while, really con tinuing to evolve,” NFL executive Pe

ter O’Reilly told The Associated Press. “Coming out of last year’s game, we really made the decision based on a lot of inter nal conversations, getting feedback from GMs and coaches, getting a lot of feed back from players. We think there’s a real opportunity to do something wholly dif ferent here and move away from the tra ditional tackle football game. We decided the goal is to celebrate 88 of the biggest stars in the NFL in a really positive, fun, yet competitive way.

“The feedback very directly from guys who had been in the Pro Bowl recent ly was to keep the construct of the week, make sure you’re having that multiday el ement. It was overwhelmingly positive both from players as well as from clubs.”

The Pro Bowl debuted in January 1951 in Los Angeles and stayed there for 21 seasons before the game moved to differ ent cities from 1972-80. Hawaii hosted from 1980-2009, and the game has had several homes in the years since, includ ing Miami, Phoenix, Orlando and Las Vegas.

Quality of play in the Pro Bowl has of ten been criticized. Players, understand ably concerned about getting hurt, treat it as an exhibition more than competition. A flag football game could increase com

petition while avoiding potential injuries resulting from tackling, blocking and hit ting.

The NFL has a major interest in flag football. The league partnered with the International Federation of American Football to bring flag football to The World Games in July with an eye on the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

“You tap into all the stuff that feels great about Pro Bowl week — the skills, the helmets off, the engagement — and then culminate that, keeping the AFCNFC construct, in something that’s re ally important, which is flag football and that opportunity to have the best ath letes in the NFL out there playing this game that is so much about the future of our sport,” said O’Reilly, the league’s ex ecutive vice president, club business and league events. “It’s been an evolution, but coming out of Las Vegas last year, we re ally focused on how do we reinvent and celebrate our all-stars even better.”

Fan voting will still help determine the AFC and NFC team rosters. Tom Brady has the most invitations to the Pro Bowl with 15. Four players got 14 invites, in cluding Manning. The East-West Shrine Bowl will be held at Allegiant Stadium on Thursday, Feb. 2.

West Stanly shut out by Eastern Randolph

By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal

AFTER A 3-0 START to the sea son, the West Stanly Colts varsity football team lost its third straight game Friday, dropping a 42-0 deci sion to visiting Eastern Randolph.

The Wildcats (4-1) built a 20-0 lead by halftime and piled on 22 more points in the second half on the Colts (3-3), combining five rushing touchdowns with a pass ing touchdown.

Colts quarterback Carson Mor ton completed 2 of 7 passes, and running backs Shane Mecimore and Rene Salazar combined for 83 rushing yards on 25 carries.

West will have a bye week before gearing up to start Rocky River Conference play with a home game against Parkwood (3-3) on Oct. 7.

Albemarle (Bye)

The Bulldogs (1-4) were off last week, giving them extra time to prepare for this Friday’s Yadkin Valley Conference opener against visiting Robinson (4-1) at 7:30 p.m.

North Stanly (Bye)

The Comets (3-2), coming off a pair of wins over West Stanly and Randleman (3-2), also had their bye week and will now start YVC play when Union Academy (1-5) travels to New London on Thurs day at 7:30 p.m.

South Stanly (Bye)

The winless Bulls (0-5) got a much-needed week off as they look to flip the script with a home game versus YVC opponent Mount Pleas ant (4-2) on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. So far this season, South has been outscored 250-23.

Biden praises Braves’ ‘unstoppable, joyful run’ to 2021 win

The White House hosted last year’s World Series champions on Monday

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Pres ident Joe Biden said Monday the Atlanta Braves will be “forever known as the upset kings of Oc tober” for their improbable 2021 World Series win, as he welcomed the team to the White House for a victory celebration.

Biden called the series an “un stoppable, joyful run.” The team got its White House victory visit in with just over a week left before the 2022 regular season wraps

up and playoffs begin again. The Braves are just two wins behind first place in the National League East. Braves CEO Terry McGuirk said he hoped they’d be back to the White House again soon.

In August 2021, the Braves were a mess, playing barely at .500. But then they started winning. And they kept doing it, clinching the World Series in six games over the Houston Astros.

Biden called their come-frombehind win one of “history’s great est turnarounds.”

“This team has literally been part of American history for over 150 years,” said Biden. “But none of it came easy ... people counting you out. Heck, I know something

about being counted out.”

Players lined up on risers be hind Biden, grinning and waving to the crowd, but the player most discussed was one who hasn’t been on the team in nearly 50 years and who died last year: Hall of Famer Hank Aaron.

Hammerin’ Hank was the home run king for 33 years, dethroning Babe Ruth on April 8, 1974. He was one of the most famous players for Atlanta and in baseball history, a vocal and clear-eyed chronicler of the many hardships thrown his way — from the poverty and segre gation of his Alabama youth to the racist threats he faced during his pursuit of one of America’s most hallowed records. He died in Jan

uary at age 86.

“This is team is defined by the courage of Hank Aaron,” Biden said.

McGuirk said Aaron, who held front office positions with the team and was one of Major League Baseball’s few black executives, was watching over them.

“He’d have been there every step of the way with us if he was here,” McGuirk added.

The president often honors ma jor league and some college sports champions with a White House ceremony, typically a nonpartisan affair in which the commander in chief pays tribute to the champs’ prowess, poses for photos and comes away with a team jersey.

Those visits were highly charged in the previous administration. Many athletes took issue with President Donald Trump’s policies and rhetoric on policing, immigra tion and more. Trump, for his part, didn’t take kindly to criticism from athletes or their on-field expres sions of political opinion.

Under Biden, the tradition ap pears to be back. He’s hosted the NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks and Super Bowl champion Tam pa Bay Buccaneers at the White House. Biden on Monday joked about first lady Jill Biden’s Phila delphia allegiances.

“Like every Philly fan, she’s con vinced she knows more about ev erything in sports than anybody else,” he said. He added that he couldn’t be too nice to the Atlanta team because it had just beaten the Phillies the previous night in extra innings.

Stanly County’s three other teams had bye weeks

Consecutive losses from West Stanly after starting the season 3-0

AP PHOTO

AP PHOTO

President Joe Biden holds up a jersey during a White House event celebrating the 2021 World Series champion Atlanta Braves on Monday.

Plea agreements reached by 4 in North Carolina Congress ballot probe

By Gary D. Robertson The Associated Press

RALEIGH — Four people pleaded guilty on Monday to mis demeanors for their roles in ab sentee ballot fraud in rural North Carolina during the 2016 and 2018 elections. The convictions stemmed from an investigation that in part resulted in a do-over congressional election.

Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway accepted the plea agreements in Wake County court, which resulted in no active prison or jail time. Cases against six other defendants remained pending, with hearings scheduled through the end of next month, Wake District Attorney Lorrin Freeman said.

All 10 defendants, according to indictments handed up in 2019, had a common involvement with Leslie McCrae Dowless Jr., a long time political operative in rural Bladen County.

Dowless also was indicted on more than a dozen state charges, with his case scheduled last year to go to trial last month. He rejected a plea agreement and looked for ward to his day in court, according to a friend. But he died in April af ter being diagnosed with lung can cer. Freeman said at the time that the prosecution of the other cases

would continue.

Dowless worked in the 2018 con gressional race for then-Republi can candidate Mark Harris, who appeared to have received the most votes in the general election for the 9th District seat in south-central North Carolina.

But allegations against Dow less surfaced, and testimony and other information revealed at a

State Board of Elections hearing described him running an illegal “ballot harvesting” operation for the 2018 general election in Bladen County. In it, according to testimo ny, Dowless and his helpers gath ered up hundreds of absentee bal lots from voters by offering to put them in the mail.

Some of workers said they were directed to collect blank or incom

plete ballots, forge signatures on them and even fill in votes for local candidates. It is generally against the law in North Carolina for any one other than the voter or a family member to handle someone’s com pleted ballot.

The election board voted unan imously to order a new 9th Dis trict election. No charges were filed against Harris, who didn’t run in the subsequent election won in September 2019 by Republican Dan Bishop. The state investiga tion also led to charges of similar absentee ballot activities in Blad en for the 2016 general election and 2018 primary.

Those in court on Monday — Re becca D. Thompson; Tonia Marie Gordon; Ginger Shae Eason; and Kelly Hendrix — all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess absentee ballots. They all received suspend ed jail sentences, probation and 100 hours of community service.

Each of the four originally had been indicted on charges of con spiracy to commit felony obstruc tion of justice and possessing illegally an absentee ballot that be longed to someone else.

Freeman described the plea agreements as appropriate, identi fying the defendants as local resi dents who met Dowless and agreed to help him out. Hendrix, who was indicted for both the 2016 and

2018 elections, met Dowless while she worked at a Hardee’s in Blad en County, according to Freeman.

“Mr. Dowless really was the ringleader in organizing all of this,” Freeman told the judge. “The indi viduals involved in these cases of ten were doing it out of some af filiation or feeling loyalty to him — maybe a little bit of money here and there.” Most elections-related prosecutions are handled by Free man, as the DA of the county con taining Raleigh, the state capital.

The district attorney said Gor don, who was indicted in relation to the 2016 general election, told investigators that Dowless paid her $100 for every 20 complet ed absentee ballot request forms and $5 for every completed ab sentee ballot she collected. Col lecting the request forms isn’t necessarily unlawful.

Hendrix attorney Pete Wood told Ridgeway the plea agreement was a “good outcome” for his cli ent: “Why did she do what she did? Because she was friends with Mr. Dowless ... that doesn’t excuse it.”

The legal cases for the defen dants were delayed in large part due to the COVID-19 pandem ic, which slowed court proceed ings. Freeman also waited while a federal case against Dowless was resolved.

Dowless pleaded guilty in June 2021 to obtaining illegal Social Se curity benefits while concealing payments for political work he per formed. He had worked for Harris’ campaign during some of the time scrutinized by federal prosecutors. He received a six-month prison sentence that he never served when his health deteriorated.

Biden administration launches ‘environmental justice’ office

By Hannah Schoenbaum The Associated Press

WARRENTON — President Joe Biden’s top environment of ficial visited what is widely con sidered the birthplace of the “en vironmental justice” movement to unveil a national office that will distribute $3 billion in block grants to underserved communi ties burdened by pollution.

Forty years after a predomi nantly black community in War ren County rallied against hosting a hazardous waste landfill, Mi chael Regan, the first black man to serve as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agen cy, announced he is dedicating a new senior level of leadership to the movement.

The Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights — comprised of more than 200 current staff members in 10 U.S. regions — will merge three ex isting EPA programs to oversee a portion of Democrats’ $60 billion investment in environmental jus tice initiatives created by the In flation Reduction Act. The pres ident will nominate an assistant administrator to lead the new of fice, pending Senate confirma tion.

“In the past, many of our com munities have had to compete for very small grants because EPA’s pot of money was extreme ly small,” Regan said in an inter view. “We’re going from tens of thousands of dollars to developing and designing a program that will distribute billions. But we’re also going to be sure that this money goes to those who need it the most and those who’ve never had a seat at the table.”

Biden has championed environ mental justice as a centerpiece of his climate agenda since his first week in office, when he signed an executive order pledging 40% of

the overall benefits from certain federal clean energy investments to disadvantaged communities overwhelmed by pollution.

Now, Regan said, this new of fice intertwines environmental justice with the central fabric of the EPA, equating it to other top offices like air and water, and ce menting its principles in a way that will outlive the administra tion.

North Carolina in 1978 desig nated Warren County, a small, predominantly black farming

community along the Virgin ia border, as a disposal site for truckloads of soil laced with high ly carcinogenic chemical com pounds that later contaminated the water supply.

As the first trucks rolled into town in 1982, hundreds of resi dents flooded the streets, blocking their path to the landfill. Though they were unable to shut down the operation after six weeks of non violent protests and more than 500 arrests, their efforts have been lauded by civil rights leaders

as the impetus for a global upris ing against environmental racism in minority communities.

Wayne Moseley, 73, was one of the initial protesters arrested on the first day of the demonstration.

The Raleigh resident commut ed to Warren County to march on behalf of his mother, whose health prevented her from participating.

He called Saturday’s ceremony “a homecoming” for himself and many other protesters he hadn’t seen for 40 years.

“We became a family, no black

or white, no rich or poor — we were all one,” Moseley said. “The state was hell-bent on putting that dump site here. I knew we couldn’t stop it, but we could ele vate the consciousness of not only the state but the nation.”

Dollie Burwell, a protest leader known in the community as “the mother of the movement,” hon ored the bravery of her late daugh ter Kimberly Burwell, who was only 8 years old when she joined her mother on the frontlines.

“She stood up and led so many children in the protests,” Burwell said of her daughter during the ceremony. “She was not afraid of being arrested. But she was afraid of her family and friends getting cancer” from carcinogenic com pounds in the soil.

The Rev. Dr. William Barber II, a prominent left-wing activ ist and leader of the Poor People’s campaign, said he sees Regan’s announcement as “a great start ing point” and will continue to de mand more of the Biden adminis tration.

“Our votes are not support. Our votes are our demands,” Barber said in an interview. “This is not about right versus left, it’s about right versus wrong. This is about a lifestyle versus disability because when you poison the land and the water, you hurt people’s everyday life.”

Regan, who is from Goldsboro, said he grew up listening to local civil rights leaders like Barber and Burwell — the early inspirations for his work at the EPA.

“I’m taking all of these experi ences (from my childhood) and matching that with the vision of the president,” Regan said. “We’re using this opportunity to not only honor those who came before us, but we’re building on the work that they started. We’re standing on their shoulders and trying to reach higher heights.”

HANNAH SCHOENBAUM | AP PHOTO

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan embraces Rev. Dr. William Barber II, a prominent social activist, at a gathering of environmental justice leaders in Warrenton, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022.

AP FILE PHOTO

Leslie McCrae Dowless Jr. poses for a portrait outside of his home on Dec. 5, 2018, in Bladenboro.

Arthur Raymond Roach Jr.

March 30, 1943 - September 26, 2022

Arthur “Corky” Raymond Roach, Jr, 79 passed away surrounded by loved ones at home on September 26, 2022.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Rebecca “Becky” Roach and son Raymond “Scottie” Roach. He is survived by his daughter, Angie (John) Henderson of Taos, New Mexico, his son, Mike (Lori) Roach of Albemarle, his sister, Donna (Benny) Troutman of Sneads Ferry, NC and his most precious grandchildren, Lachlan Henderson, McCauley Roach, Payne Roach and Lilly Henderson.

obituaries

Leroy Haigler

April 11, 1935 - September 20, 2022

Leroy Haigler, 87, of Midland, NC, Passed away Tuesday, September 20, 2022 at his home.

Mr. Haigler was born April 11, 1935 in Union County, NC to the late Charlie McKee Haigler and Sarah Catherine Smith Haigler. He was the owner and operator of Midland Upholstery. Leroy was a active member of United Love Baptist Church where he was a usher, greeter, head of the baptismal committee and was a member of the Senior Sunday School Class. He attended the Concord and Locust Senior Citizen Dances.

Leroy was preceded in death by his wife, Madeline Morgan Haigler on June 21, 2019. He is survived by two daughters, Lisa Smith (Johnny) of Concord, NC and Lori Little (Kevin) of Midland, NC; three brothers, Roger Haigler (Cathy) of Oakboro, NC, Randy Haigler of Sunset Beach, NC, Mitchell Haigler (Della) of Midland, NC; six sisters, Lillian Lisk of Midland, NC, Polly Hunter of Midland, NC, Shirley Brown of Charlotte, NC, Betty Shaver (Chester) of Concord, NC, Carol Pinsak (George) of Monroe, NC and Kathy Tucker of Lincolnton , NC; five grandchildren, Nina Smith Collins (Tracy), Megan Smith Peterson (Shaun), Kaleb Little, Abby Little and Layla Little and four greatgrandchildren, Ryan Collins, Ella Kate Collins, Ava Peterson and Ally Peterson. He is also preceded in death by his brother and sisters, Donnie Haigler, Lila Faulkenberry and Louia Haigler.

Mary Smith Cordell

October 2, 1941 - September 22, 2022

Mary Smith Cordell, 80, of Locust, passed away September 22, 2022 at University Place Nurse and Rehab, Charlotte, NC.

Mrs. Cordell was born October 2, 1941 in Beaufort, SC, to the late Lawrence Usher Smith and Elbertha Howard Smith.

George DeBerry, Jr.

February 5, 1947 ~ September 20, 2022

George James DeBerry, Jr. 75 of Norwood, died Tuesday evening, September 20, 2022 at The Greens at Cabarrus in Concord.

Mr. DeBerry was born February 5, 1947 in Stanly County to the late George James DeBerry Sr. and Callie Mae Watkins DeBerry. He was a graduate of Kingville High School and a member of Bennettsville AME Zion Church. He was a retiree of the City of New York, New York’s Traffic Division. He also had worked with York Printing, New York, New York.

He loved to dress up, dance and especially enjoyed working in his yard with his John Deere lawnmower.

Constance L Harris

July 1, 1947 ~ September 17, 2022

Early Saturday morning, September 17, 2022, after rising to begin her 3am devotion of prayer and scripture time with God, Constance Lenora Harris, was called home to be with her Lord forever. Just the day before, she’d told her godson, Tyvon McDonald, that it was time for her to breathe “new” air. Little did we know that she would make her earthly exit quick to receive the heavenly reward of her labor.

She was born July 1, 1947, at the old Yadkin Hospital, Albemarle, NC, to Roosevelt Harris and Annie Mae Kirk. After a time of illness in infancy, she was lovingly reared by her paternal grandparents, Lincoln “Dink” and Ophelia Harris.

Preceding her in death were her parents; grandparents; child, Luther; granddaughter, Chasadee; sister, Paloma Maske; brothers: Walter James Davis and Roosevelt Douglas Harris; and son-in-law, Lincoln Barringer.

Left to cherish many memories of her love, generosity and humor are her children: Lincoln Wesley Harris, Ursula Moon, Felicia Barringer, and Sheana (Brett) Clark- Stokes; special children she was blessed with, Jordan Amir Tyson, her great-nephew whom she reared from infancy, and his older sister, Shaniqua Tyson, whom she kept; grandchildren: Dr. L. Wesley (Akelo) Harris Jr., Tiara (Selcuk) Uestuen, Christian Moon, Demetria (Bobby) Strother, Peter Steele, Sion Barringer, Christian Harris, Fatima Clark, Michala Barringer, Brettson Stokes, Terence Leake, and Alohni Fairley; eight great-grandchildren, including one newborn whom she just named “Baby Fat”; siblings: Otis Tyson, Katrina Huntley, Anthony Tyson, Roxanne Harris and Stephanie Clark; godchildren: Mitch White, Tyvon and Tyron McDonald; special friends: Judith Hearne, Carolyn Davis, Donna Wall, and Michelle Springer; a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

He is survived by his daughter, Tasha Williams of Mt. Pleasant, NC. Three Sisters, Lydia Jackson (Eddie B.) of Oakboro, Myrtle Collins of Queens, NY and Joyce Lyons (Leroy) of Norwood. Two grandchildren, Nitaye Riley of Queens, NY and Josiah Williams of Mt. Pleasant, and a longtime friend, Juanita Miller and a host of nieces, nephews, family and friends.

He was preceded in death by four sisters and one brother, Annie Shankle, Earlene Biles, Betty Hunter, Brenda Holmes and Thomas DeBerry.

George Preslar

June 26, 1946 ~ September 20, 2022

George Ulyess Preslar, 76, of Norwood, passed away Tuesday, September 20, at his home with his family by his side. George was a beloved man about town who always enjoyed speaking with both friends and new people alike, as no one was a stranger to him for very long. He was known as someone who would cheerfully help out anyone that was in need if he could and stood by the promises that he made. His genuine care for and interest about those around him made George a true treasure of the community. A proud military veteran of Vietnam and a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, George was a friend to many that will be greatly missed and fondly remembered as a lover of life and laughter. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Linda; three daughters, Sandy Erskine of Albemarle, Sherri Hoyle (Stephen) of Mount Gilead, and Samantha Morris (Dan) of Albemarle; siblings Ruth Stipe (Glenn), Margie Mauldin, Joe Preslar, and Becky Scott. He has 7 grandchildren, Jennifer, George, and Breanna Erskine, Elliana Hoyle, Hailey, Emily, and Hunter Morris, and one great-grandson Jaxon Sullivan. He was preceded in death by his parents Graham (Jim) and Sarah L Preslar of Norwood, and his brother David R. Preslar.

Carolyn Barbee Eudy

July 25, 1935 ~ September 25, 2022

Mary Carolyn Barbee Eudy, 87, of Albemarle, passed away Sunday, September 25, 2022 at her home.

Carolyn was born July 25, 1935 in North Carolina to the late Ellis Barbee and the late Victoria Crisco Barbee.

She was also preceded in death by husband, Ralph S. Eudy; sisters, Marie Speight, Gevera Jordan, Deane Burris, Hazel Layton; brother, John Barbee; and son-in-law, Scotty Christy.

Survivors include daughter, Karen Eudy Christy of Albemarle, NC; grandsons, Jordan Christy and Kobe Christy; multiple nieces and nephews; and friends who were like family.

Carolyn was a member of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church and she loved the sisterhood of her Sunday School class, The Golden Rule. Carolyn was well known from working at the Endy Elementary School Cafeteria and later in life she enjoyed getting together at the Golden Girls Lunch Bunch. Carolyn loved the beach and camping with her family. She also enjoyed cooking, crocheting and knitting, gardening, and Sudoku puzzles. She loved to spoil her grandsons and was a proud "Nana". Carolyn will be remembered as always having a kind word and a smile on her face.

Sarah Jane (Love) McCoy

May 14, 1931 ~ September 23, 2022

Sarah Jane Love McCoy, 91, of Stanfield, passed away Friday, September 23, 2022, at her home.

Sarah was born May 14, 1931 in North Carolina to the late Roy Franklin Love and the late Mary Etta Clark Love.

She was also preceded in death by husband, Lewis Ray McCoy; brothers, Clyde Love and Carl Love; and sister, Frances Harris.

Survivors include daughters, Connie (Henry) Furr of Stanfield, NC and Donna (Allen) Smith of Midland, NC; son, John (Kathy) McCoy of Stanfield, NC; six grandchildren; nine greatgrandchildren, and a great-greatgrandson.

Sarah retired from Stanly Knitting Mills in Oakboro and was a lifelong member of Love's Grove United Methodist Church where she was a member of the choir for many years.

Pearl Annette (Lamb) Wheeler

May 14, 1961 ~ September 19, 2022

Pearl "Annette" Wheeler, 61, of Albemarle, passed away Monday, September 19, 2022 at Atrium Health Cabarrus Hospital in Concord.

Annette was born May 14, 1961 in Roberson County to the late Junior Lamb and Clara Elizabeth Smith.

She was the best grandmother and gave her every free second to spend time soaking up the love of her grandchildren.

Annette leaves behind three beautiful daughters: Shameka Lee Wheeler of Badin, Shawna Marie Kletter of Albemarle, and Shana Lynn Wheeler of Albemarle. Other relatives include, brother, Arthur (Georgia) Lamb of Albemarle; sisters, Mary (Bob) Lee of Norwood and Marilyn (William) Barnes of New London; six grandchildren: Jesse, Coy and Brandon McIntyre, Payden and Giovina Carr and Julian Kletter.

Margaret Ann (Morgan) Lucas

November 6, 1933 ~ September 21, 2022

Margaret Morgan Lucas, 88, of Locust, passed away Wednesday, September 21, 2022 at her home.

Ms. Lucas was born on November 6, 1933, to the late Bryce Jackson Morgan and Etta Morgan Little. In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by her brother, Bobby Ray Morgan and sisters, Willie Yandle and Frances Little.

Margaret loved attending church, while her health allowed. She also enjoyed spending time with family and friends.

Margaret is survived by her sister, Betty Griffin and husband Harold; sister, Carolyn Helms; sister, Terry McCracken; brotherin-law, Tim Little; and several nieces and nephews.

STATE & NATION

McCarthy unveils House GOP’s midterm agenda

By Lisa Mascaro The Associated Press

MONONGAHELA, Pa. —

House Republican leader Kev in McCarthy on Friday confront ed President Joe Biden and the Democratic majority in Congress with a conservative midterm elec tion agenda filled with Trump-like promises, working not only to win over voters but to hold together the coalition of his own party.

McCarthy, who is poised to seize the speaker’s gavel if Republicans take control of the House in the fall, never once mentioned the for mer president. Instead, the GOP leader traveled to battleground Pennsylvania hoping to replicate the strategy that former Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia used to spark voter enthusiasm and gain a majority in 1994.

“What the ‘Commitment’ is, it’s a plan for a new direction,” McCa rthy said at a manufacturing facil ity in a historic building along the Monongahela River.

The House GOP’s “Commitment to America” gives a nod to the ear lier era but updates it in the age of Donald Trump, with econom ic, border security and social poli cies to rouse the former president’s deep well of supporters in some times-overlooked regions like this rusty landscape and rolling farm land outside Pittsburgh.

Slim enough to fit on a “pocket card,” which McCarthy pulled from his suitcoat, the agenda uses broad strokes — “A Future That’s Built on Freedom” — supplemented by more detailed proposals on energy,

security and an end to liberal social policies, particularly in schooling.

President Joe Biden hit back quickly in a speech to the Nation al Education Association.

He dismissed McCarthy’s agen da as “a thin series of policy goals with little or no detail.” But he pro vided his own details in urging support for Democrats in the mid term elections.

“If Republicans win control of the Congress abortion will be banned,” Biden said. He also crit icized other GOP lawmakers for proposals to require reauthoriza tion votes for Social Security and Medicare and opposition to gun

control laws and efforts to lower prescription drug costs.

“In 46 days, Americans are go ing to face a choice,” he said. “We have a real alternative here.”

In Pennsylvania, McCarthy said that if Republicans win the House, the first bill next year will be to re peal funding approved by Demo crats to bolster the Internal Reve nue Service with more employees.

Propelled by Trump’s “Make America Great Again” voters, the Republicans need to pick up just a few seats to win back control of the narrowly split House and re place Speaker Nancy Pelosi. But even so, McCarthy’s ability to lead

the House is far from guaranteed.

While Republicans and Trump did pass tax cuts into law, the GOP’s last big campaign prom ise, repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare,” collapsed in fail ure. Republican speakers, includ ing Gingrich, John Boehner and Paul Ryan, have been forced from office or have chosen early retire ment, often ground down by par ty infighting.

“House Republicans are real ly good at running people out of town,” said Matt Schlapp, chair of the Conservative Political Action Coalition.

McCarthy, first elected to office in 2006, is among the remaining survivors of those House Repub lican battles, a leader who, some what like, Trump has shown more ability to communicate than to legislate.

A key architect of the Repub lican tea party takeover in 2010, the California Republican person ally recruited the newcomers to Congress — many who had never served in public office and are now long gone.

He spent more than a year pull ing together the House GOP’s of ten warring factions — from the far-right MAGA to what’s left of the more centrist ranks — to pro duce a mostly agreed-upon agenda.

McCarthy he and fellow law makers chose Washington County not Washington, D.C. “Because it’s about you, it’s not about us.”

“If you are a hard-line populist and you really want anger, Kevin’s a little frustrating because he’s not

Increase in Venezuelan migration is felt across US

The Associated Press

EAGLE PASS, Texas — It cost Nerio two months and everything he had to get from Venezuela to the U.S., traveling mainly by foot and watching as exhausted fellow migrants were assaulted or left behind to die.

Like an increasing number of Venezuelans, Nerio undertook a dangerous journey that included traveling through Panama’s noto rious jungle, the Darien Gap, and Mexico, where migrants often face extortion and threats from government officials, in hopes of a better life in the U.S.

“We know that nobody wants us to make it here,” Nerio said last month in Eagle Pass, Texas, a city of 30,000 people that is at the center of the increase in Venezue lan migrants to the U.S. He asked that his last name not be pub lished due to fears for his safety.

Last month, Venezuelans sur passed Guatemalans and Hondu rans to become the second-larg est nationality stopped at the U.S. border after Mexicans. Nerio, who traveled with about a dozen oth ers fleeing poverty and violence in Venezuela, was among them.

Venezuelans were stopped 25,349 times, up 43% from 17,652 in July and four times the 6,301 encounters in August 2021, au thorities said Monday, signaling a remarkably sudden demograph ic shift.

An estimated 6.8 million Ven ezuelans have fled their coun

try since the economy tanked in 2014, mostly to Latin America and Caribbean countries. But the U.S. economy’s relative strength since the COVID-19 pandemic has caused Venezuelan migrants to look north. Also, U.S. policies and strained relations with the Venezuelan government make it extremely difficult to send them home.

Word has spread in Venezue la as more family and neighbors reach Texas and are released with

notices to appear in immigration court or on humanitarian parole.

“We hope that in a few years, the problems in Venezuela will be fixed so we can return to our home country, but until then we have to be migrants and endure what this journey will mean for us,” Nerio said.

The impact is reflected in dai ly headlines. About 50 migrants that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis flew to the upscale Massachusetts island of Martha’s Vineyard last

week were Venezuelan, as were five of six men whom U.S. author ities found drowned in the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass in early September.

José, who asked to be identified only by his middle name due to fears for his safety, was on one of two DeSantis flights. He walked nearly three months before cross ing the Rio Grande in an inflat able raft and surrendering to the Border Patrol.

While staying at a San Anto nio migrant shelter, José met a woman promising at least three months of housing, a job, medi cal care, and free legal help. She told migrants they would be go ing to Washington, Chicago and other immigrant-friendly “sanc tuary” cities.

Yet when they reached Mar tha’s Vineyard, an enclave known as a summer vacation spot for for mer President Barack Obama, “Nobody was waiting for us, no body knew who we were,” José, 27, said in a phone interview from a military base in Cape Cod, where Massachusetts Republican Gov. Charlie Baker moved them on Fri day.

A Venezuelan family in Boston offered a room and food to José, who earned $20 a month as a gar bage collector in Caracas and left his two children behind with his grandparents. He will let U.S. Im migration and Customs Enforce ment know his new address and move his appointment with the agency to Boston.

going to be angry enough for you,” Gingrich said. “On the other hand, if what you want is to have your val ues implemented and passed in the legislation, he is a really good lead er and organizer.”

Gingrich has been working with McCarthy and his team to craft the style and substance of the proposal.

Conservative Republicans com plain privately that McCarthy isn’t leaning hard enough into their pri orities, as he tries to appeal to a broader swath of voters and hold the party together.

Many are eager to launch in vestigations into the Biden ad ministration and the president’s family, with some calling for im peachment. Legislatively, some House Republicans want to fulfill the party’s commitment to banning abortion, supporting Sen. Lindsey Graham’s bill prohibiting the pro cedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

Former McCarthy rival Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio who joined the event Friday, vowed to launch investigations including into the COVID-19 crisis if Republicans win the House.

It’s notable that McCarthy alone has proposed a plan if Re publicans win control of the House chamber. In the Senate, Republican leader Mitch McCo nnell has declined to put forward an agenda, preferring to simply run against Biden and Democrats in the midterm election.

“Kevin’s done a very good job of being in position to become the speaker. And then the question is, what do you do with that? Schlapp said. “This helps as a roadmap.”

“Now we are free, we can go anywhere we want,” said José. “I feel blessed by God.”

Venezuela has one of the world’s highest inflation rates and about three-quarters of the population lives on less than $1.90 a day, an international standard for ex treme poverty. The monthly min imum wage, paid in bolivars de spite a dollar-driven economy, is the equivalent of $15. Many lack access to clean, running water and electricity.

The United States’ strained relationship with Venezuela’s government makes it extreme ly challenging to expel Venezu elan migrants under a pandem ic rule known as Title 42, which U.S. officials invoke to deny peo ple a chance at seeking asylum on grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Mexico, under pressure from the Biden administration, intro duced restrictions on air travel to limit Venezuelan migration to the United States, but many then shifted to the dangerous land journey.

Cuba and Nicaragua have also sent more migrants to the U.S. in the last year. Overall, migrants were stopped 203,597 times on the border in August, or 2.15 mil lion times since October, topping 2 million for the first time in a government fiscal year.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said during an event tele vised on state media the U.S. was “trying to politically use the suf fering of a group of the Venezu elan population that, faced with sanctions and the economic war, made a personal decision to emi grate to other places.”

BARRY REEGER | AP PHOTO

House Minority leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., speaks at DMI Companies in Monongahela, Pa., Friday, Sept. 23, 2022.

ERIC GAY | AP PHOTO

Migrants gather their personal items as they wait to be processed by the Border Patrol at Eagle Pass, Texas, Friday, Aug. 26, 2022.

Randolph record

Breakfast of Champions

Shoppers were in line as early as 6 a.m. Saturday in order to buy

as part of an event sponsored by the United Way of Randolph County.

COUNTY NEWS

Annual Armed Services Blood Drive set for October

On October 5, the Randolph County government will be sponsoring its 13th annual Armed Services Blood Drive to support the military. The drive will be held from 11 am until 6 pm at the National Guard Armory located at 1430 S. Fayetteville Street in Asheboro. Blood donated directly to the Armed Services Blood Program equates to fewer units the military has to purchase from an outside source. Donations will support deployed military, the Womack Army Medical Center, and other military treatment facilities within the Department of Defense. To many an appointment, please call (336) 318-6340 or schedule online at www. militarydonor.com (sponsor code: ASHE).

NC Zoo announces the loss of a white rhinoceros

According to a press release from the North Carolina Zoo, one of its southern white rhinoceros, Olivia, passed away on September 15. Olivia, who was 54 years old, has lived at the zoo in Asheboro for over 30 years. She first arrived at the area in 1987 as a breeding pair with a male rhino, Stan, though no offspring were born. As one of the oldest female rhinos in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) venue, Olivia served as an ambassador for the plight of rhinos in the wild, whose populations are threatened by poaching and habitat loss. Southern white rhinos were nearly hunted to extinction by the beginning of the 20th century for their horns, which some believe provided medicinal benefits.

Toyota tags funds for education to aid workforce

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

LIBERTY – Toyota wants to help mold the workforce for the new plant at the Guilford-Ran dolph megasite.

In what company officials de scribe as an effort to boost work force readiness and exposure, do nations totaling $1 million will be used to expand education oppor tunities.

The effort comes to boost what’s called STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics).

Communities in Schools of Randolph County and North Car olina A&T University will each re ceive $500,000 to help strength en STEAM education programs that support career readiness.

This could be a big deal in Ran dolph County.

Grant funds will be used to support students, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. Through a variety of pro grams, including the launch of Jobs for America’s Graduates, students will receive a range of services, including but not lim ited to weekend meals, academ ic tutoring, financial literacy, and mentoring.

“It is difficult to adequately put into words the magnitude of this gift to Communities in Schools of Randolph County,” said Paula Owens, CiSRC executive director. “This gift will enable us to serve more youth in our communi ty with wrap-around services in partnership with our local school systems and equip us to launch a new program, Jobs For North Carolina Graduates, providing specialized instruction and ex periences to support increased

graduation rates and employabil ity for our students.”

From the Toyota standpoint, the mission is to have potential employees ready.

“We have 2,100 jobs to fill in North Carolina, so better prepar ing our next generation workforce is critical,” said Sean Suggs, Toyo ta Battery Manufacturing-North Carolina president. “Toyota is committed to providing resourc es, time, and knowledge to help build stronger communities in which we operate. We’re grateful for our education partners that share the same passion.”

For N.C. A&T, the start-up grant will establish the Toyota STEAM Lab in the College of Ed ucation on the campus in Greens boro. According to a release, the lab will be designed for K-12 learners and provide NC A&T El ementary and Secondary Edu

cation majors space to practice teaching with devices and tech nologies designed for K-12 stu dent use.

It will also provide collabora tive mentorship opportunities and projects between NC A&T students from all majors, Aggie Academy elementary-aged stu dents, and the high school stu dents located on campus.

“We are grateful that our friends at Toyota understand that the key to meeting the chal lenges of the STEAM workforce of the future is to invest in rich STEAM educational opportuni ties for students today,” said N.C. A&T Chancellor Harold L. Mar tin, Sr. said. “… It is also a fur ther illustration of what a great corporate citizen Toyota has be come in the state of North Car olina. We deeply appreciate their leadership.”

Based on information from Toyota, the company recently an nounced an additional invest ment of $2.5 billion in its newest North American facility, result ing in the creation of 350 new jobs. This brings the Liberty fa cility’s total investment to $3.8 billion, creating 2,100 direct jobs.

Election board sets times for early voting

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

ASHEBORO — Early voting be gins Oct. 20 and runs daily, except on Sundays, through Nov. 5. Elec tion Day is Nov. 8.

Early voting runs from 8 a.m.7:30 p.m. Mondays through Fri days, from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays (Oct. 22 and 29), and from 8 a.m.-

3 p.m. Nov. 5.

There are four early voting loca tions. Randolph County residents can cast ballots at any of those. On Election Day, voters can only vote at their designated precincts.

The early voting sites are: Ran dolph County Board of Elections, 1457 North Fayetteville St., Ashe boro; Braxton Craven School gym, 7037 NC Highway 62, Trin

ity; Randleman Civic Center, 122 Commerce Square, Randle man; Franklinville United Meth odist Church, 227 West Main St., Franklinville.

The Randolph County Board of Elections canceled its Septem ber meeting. Its next meeting is set for Oct. 4. The agenda will include consideration of absentee ballots received by the meeting date.

OPINION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

COLUMN | U.S. REP. RICHARD HUDSON

My commitment to you

SUNDAY IS GOLD STAR MOTHER’S AND FAMILY DAY, where we honor the mothers, fathers, siblings, and all other family members of the brave U.S. servicemembers who lost their lives in the line of duty. Military families, especially Gold Star Families, have sacrificed so much in defense of our nation. We will never forget these families’ and their fallen loved ones’ service and sacrifice. One way to honor them is to live a life worthy of their sacrifice. We must also make sure we each do our part to keep this nation free, safe, and strong.

cutting taxes, and fostering an economic environment that encourages growth, job creation, and lowers costs.

We also have a plan for a nation that’s safe. In short, we will reduce crime and secure our border. We will work to tackle the crime wave plaguing our communities by rejecting the liberal anti-police and softon-crime agenda and giving law enforcement the resources and support they need to get the job done. We will also work to secure our border through enacting proven, commonsense measures such as keeping “Remain in Mexico” in place and finishing the wall.

America’s freedom, safety, and strength are all under threat like never before.

Unfortunately, America’s freedom, safety, and strength are all under threat like never before.

Inflation remains up 8.3% from last year and is now costing the average household an extra $700 a month, or over $8,000 out of your pockets this year. Democrats’ “Inflation Reduction Act” and President Joe Biden’s student loan bailout plan will only raise your taxes and make this inflation crisis even worse.

At our border, for the first time ever, more than 2 million illegal crossings have been recorded in a single fiscal year. Last week we learned that nearly 80 people on the terrorist watchlist attempted to cross. Failing to secure the border and stop these illegal crossings, as well as the flow of deadly drugs like fentanyl, is a threat to every community in America.

In our communities, violent crime has skyrocketed. National homicide and aggravated assault rates have risen roughly 50% and 36%, respectably, compared to this time in 2019.

Our nation is facing difficult times, and the American people deserve solutions. However, my Democrat colleagues don’t have a plan to address these issues. House Republicans, on the other hand, have a plan.

On Friday, House Republicans introduced our “Commitment to America,” a detailed plan to take our country in a new direction and establish a future of security, freedom, and prosperity for you and your family. You can read our plan at CommitmentToAmerica.com.

First, we have a plan for an economy that’s strong. The economy remains the most pressing issue facing families across this country. We are committed to getting it back on track by slashing reckless spending,

COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI

Beyond this, we have a plan to secure a future built on freedom. This means giving you control of what happens in your kids’ school, and it means confronting big tech censorship. It also means personalizing your health care to provide affordable options and better quality. Last week, I helped move us in the right direction when the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously passed my bipartisan MOBILE Health Care Act, a critical piece of legislation for expanding health care access in rural and underserved communities.

Finally, we also have a plan to build a government that’s accountable. This starts by standing up for your God-given rights and safeguarding the First and Second Amendments from progressive overreach. It also means making sure the government in Washington fulfills its obligations to the American people. The federal government exists to serve you, and Congress has the responsibility to ensure it is doing just that. Unfortunately, too many in Washington have forgotten this. Government has become too big and too unaccountable. For example, last week, I called on Congress to get answers from the Biden administration on issues like the origins of COVID-19 and how billions of your tax dollars have been spent to expand broadband access. Unfortunately, Democrats blocked these questions.

Under the one-party rule in Washington, our nation has faced challenges like never before. But House Republicans have a plan to fix it. Rest assured, I will never stop working on my commitment to you and to our nation by securing an economy that’s strong, a nation that’s safe, a future built on freedom, and a government that’s accountable to you.

Richard Hudson is serving his fifth term representing North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He currently serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee and in House leadership as the Republican Conference Secretary.

What the media could learn from Oriana Fallaci

A FEW WEEKS after Iran’s “president,” Ebrahim Raisi, promised stricter enforcement of his nation’s misogynistic dress code, a woman named Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurd, was likely beaten to death by “morality police” for failing to wear her hijab properly. The apparent murder was nothing new for the theocratic “guidance patrols” that have been patrolling cities since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, one of the most disastrous events of the late 20th century.

It would be nice if contemporary journalists were at least as tough on murderous dictators as they are on domestic conservative foes.

Last week, “60 Minutes” aired an interview Lesley Stahl conducted with the same theocratic crackpot responsible for Amini’s death wearing a hijab. And it immediately reminded me of Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci’s 1979 interview with Ayatollah Khomeini.

Fallaci, who died in 2006, was once somewhat of a celebrity due to her pugilistic interviews with world leaders in the 1960s and 1970s. A war correspondent for most of her career, Fallaci was shot three times and left for dead during student demonstrations in Mexico City in 1968 in what became known as the Tlatelolco massacre. Striking and sophisticated, uninterested in the ideology or political affiliation of her victims, Fallaci had no patience for moral equivalency. In truth, she was a liberal of the old school, and her infinite skepticism regarding power made her the most formidable interviewer of her time. “Whether it comes from a despotic sovereign or an elected president, from a murderous general or a beloved leader, I see power as an inhuman and hateful phenomenon,” she said, “I have always looked on disobedience toward the oppressive as the only way to use the miracle of having been born.”

Henry Kissinger famously referred to his interview with Fallaci as “the single most disastrous conversation I have ever had with any member of the press.” Fallaci asked then-darling of Western leftists, Yasser Arafat, “How many Israelis do you think you’ve killed up to this date?” When Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi began spinning an anti-Semitic “Zionist” conspiracy of his own, she told him that “Hitler would have been a very good friend for you.” After interviewing her for Playboy in 1981, the left-wing journalist Robert Scheer noted it was “the first time in my life, I found myself feeling sorry for the likes of Khomeini, Qaddafi, the Shah of Iran, and Kissinger.”

Did anyone feel bad for Ebrahim Raisi after watching “60 Minutes”? I cringed reading outlets claim that Stahl had “confronted” Raisi over

whether he was a Holocaust denier. Stahl asked Raisi: “Do you believe the Holocaust happened? That 6 million Jews were slaughtered?” Raisi answered that “historical events should be investigated by researchers and historians. There are some signs that it happened. If so, they should allow it to be investigated and researched.”

“So you’re not sure. I’m getting that. You’re not sure,” Stahl responded.

Ah, yes. If only someone had thought to research the Holocaust. In any event, that is no confrontation. It is merely a statement confirming the position of Iran, the world’s leading anti-Semitic entity, which not only denies the Holocaust but promises to conduct its own genocide against Jews. It is the same regime that is responsible for the murder of 600 American servicemen — one out of every six fatalities in Iraq.

Fallaci, only months after the Islamic Revolution had occurred and a month before American diplomats and citizens were taken hostage, went on her own to Iran to procure an interview with Ayatollah Khomeini. She spent ten days in the holy city of Qum, surrounded by extremists waiting for the chance. (Fallaci writes about the ordeal in “Conversations with Power.”) Perhaps the only reason the Italian was given an audience was that she had also conducted a belligerent interview with Khomeini’s archenemy, the shah of Iran, in 1973. (Fallaci: “I’d like to ask you: if I were an Iranian instead of an Italian, and lived here and thought as I do and wrote as I do, I mean if I were to criticize you, would you throw me in jail?” The shah: “Probably.”)

Fallaci, barefoot and covered in Islamic garb from head to toe, proceeds to challenge every Khomeini lie, confronting him on his fascistic tactics and murders, challenging the Iranian regime’s insistence that she wear religious garb — a “stupid, medieval rag,” before throwing it off.

It is impossible for me to imagine any reporter showing the skills or guts to engage a bully in this way. Now, no one is expecting Lesley Stahl, or anyone else, to be the next Oriana Fallaci. But it would be nice if contemporary journalists were at least as tough on murderous dictators as they are on domestic conservative foes.

David Harsanyi is a senior editor at The Federalist. Harsanyi is a nationally syndicated columnist and author of five books — the most

SIDELINE REPORT

NFL Rihanna to headline the next Super Bowl halftime show

New York Rihanna is set to star in February’s Super Bowl halftime show. The singer, who declined to perform in the 2019 Super Bowl halftime show out of solidarity with Colin Kaepernick, on Sunday posted an image on Instagram of an arm holding up an NFL football. The NFL and Jay-Z’s Roc Nation have a multiyear pact with the league to pick halftime show performers. They confirmed that Rihanna will headline this season’s Super Bowl. The game will take place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Feb. 12. After years of Pepsi sponsoring the event, the upcoming halftime show will be sponsored by Apple Music.

BOXING

Fury rules out fighting Joshua after deadline expires

London Tyson Fury has ruled out fighting fellow British heavyweight Anthony Joshua after his self-imposed deadline expired. Fury set Joshua’s camp an ultimatum on Friday night, insisting he would walk away from the long-anticipated fight if a deal could not be done by Monday. The WBC champion says in a video posted on Instagram that no contract has been signed and “it’s officially over for Joshua.” Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, had already said there was “no chance” of contracts being signed by Monday. Joshua had verbally accepted Fury’s offer of a 60-40 purse split in favor of Fury.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Darrell Mudra, successful coach at all levels, dies at 93 Tallahassee, Fla.

College Football Hall of Fame coach Darrell Mudra has died at age 93. The National Football Foundation says Mudra died last Wednesday in Tallahassee, Florida. Mudra won better than 70% of his games in a career spanning the 1950s through 1980s. He won the College Division national title at North Dakota State in 1965 and the Division II championship at Eastern Illinois in 1978. He retired from coaching in 1988 with a career record of 200-81-4. Mudra broke from football norms and coached his college games from the press box instead of on the sidelines.

RUNNING

Kipchoge breaks own world record in Berlin Marathon

Berlin Two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge has bettered his own world record in the marathon. The Kenyan runner clocked 2:01:09 in the Berlin Marathon, shaving 30 seconds off his previous best-mark of 2:01:39 set at the same course in 2018. It marks the eighth straight time the world record has been broken at the race in Germany. A Kenyan has held the world record since Sept. 25, 2011, when Patrick Makau ran a time of 2:03:38 to unseat Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie.

Reddick captures 3rd victory, wins at Texas

of 12 as the points leader, had a fi ery finish after contact with the outside wall in Turn 4 when lead ing just past the halfway mark of the race.

By Stephen Hawkins The Associated Press

FORT WORTH, Texas — Tyler Reddick opened the round of 12 in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs with a victory at Texas on Sunday, winning a week after being one of the first four Cup drivers knocked out of title contention.

After none of the contenders won the first three races of the playoffs — a first in any round in this postseason format — the trend continued with the eliminated Reddick leading 53 of the final 54 laps on a long race day that went

into the night. Reddick finished 1.19 seconds ahead of Joey Logano at the end of an extended race that had a track-record 17 cautions, a record 36 lead changes, a 56-minute red flag for lightning and multiple tire issues leading to crashes — in cluding playoff contenders Chase Elliott, the points leader going into the second round, and Chris topher Bell.

“I was extremely worried, I’m not going to lie,” Reddick said. “Un fortunately, just about every time we’ve had fast cars, we’ve had some tire problems. That last run, the right sides were vibrating really, re ally hard there. ... I was just trying to maximize and use the gap that I built over (Logano) just in case.”

Logano took over the points lead, by 12 over Ross Chastain.

Elliott, who entered the round

Flames were already visi ble from under the right side of the No. 9 Chevrolet when he got onto the frontstretch then turned across and came to a stop in the middle of the infield, where Elliott climbed out uninjured as the car was being engulfed by flames. He finished 32nd.

“I’m not sure that Goodyear is at fault,” Elliott said. “Goodyear always takes the black eye, but they’re put in a really tough po sition by NASCAR to build a tire that can survive these types of racetracks with this car. I wouldn’t blame Goodyear.”

Goodyear and NASCAR offi cials said there were several teams that didn’t have tire issues, and the reports from those teams indi cated that they were conservative with the air pressure they used in their tires.

Bell, the Oklahoma native who considers Texas his home track, couldn’t recover from a second tire

issue that led to his race-ending crash after finishing only 136 laps. He was the only driver to finish in the top five in all three races in the first round of this postseason, but he was 34th at Texas.

Contenders Ryan Blaney and Chase Briscoe finished fourth and fifth. The other finishers still eligi ble for the title were William By ron (seventh), Kyle Larson (ninth), Denny Hamlin (10th), Daniel Su arez (12th), Chastain (13th), rook ie Austin Cindric (15th) and Alex Bowman (29th).

The middle race of the second round of the playoffs is Sunday at Talladega, where Chastain got his second win of the season in April. He hasn’t won since but has fin ished seventh or better in the last three playoff races.

Take fouls, score changes will be different in NBA this year

By Tim Reynolds The Associated Press

CHANGING THE WAY the socalled “transition take fouls” are officiated this season won’t keep them out of the NBA game.

In fact, the league thinks that sort of play now may make the game better.

The long-awaited rule change — one of the points of education for the NBA going into this season — was a major talking point this week for referees, who gathered for their preseason meetings as train ing camps around the league open. There are other emphasis points, but the take foul changes may be the most significant.

“Some of our best play at the NBA is defensive basketball. We don’t want to discourage that; in fact, we think this rule will encour age that because now we’re asking you to make a legitimate play on the ball,” said Monty McCutchen, the NBA’s senior vice president over seeing referees and training. “From that standpoint, we think more ex citing basketball is on the horizon and these transition scoring oppor tunities — both defensively and of fensively —can be highlight plays. We’ve lost some of that and we think this rule is going to inject that exciting play back into our game.”

The take foul — in which the de fender does not make a play on the ball — is what the league classifies as one that occurs either “during a transition scoring opportunity or immediately following a change of possession and before the offen

sive team had the opportunity to advance the ball.” The exception is in the final 2 minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime.

The new penalty for such a foul is one free throw, which may be at tempted by any player on the of fended team in the game at the time the foul was committed, along with continued possession by the offended team.

But the league also hopes that defenders making plays on the ball in those situations leads to exciting plays, whether the gamble leads to the offensive team getting an easy score or results in the defensive team cashing in a turnover.

“Our players and our coach

es, they’re good at their jobs,” Mc Cutchen said. “They’re good at their jobs because they’re committed at their jobs. They absolutely will stop doing this if we’re consistent in our work, which I fully anticipate us be ing. They’ll then know how to coach it properly. And therein lies the glo ry of transition basketball being re injected into our game.”

Other points of education this season are holdovers from recent years, such as players having free dom of moment in both the post and on the perimeter, setting prop er screens, avoiding travels and having “respect for the game” — of ten meaning not being overly de monstrative toward referees or oth

ers when a call doesn’t go their way.

Bench conduct will be more closely monitored as well, after an uptick in recent years of play ers standing in their bench areas during play and often encroach ing on the sideline or baseline — getting perhaps a bit too close to the action.

“That’s going to be a little bit of a change,” McCutchen said. “We want players on the bench to be able to react spontaneously to excit ing basketball play. But it’s import ant that they not stand the whole game, because now you’re getting into game integrity issues, injury possibility for game participants, we want to eliminate all that.”

The weather-delayed race was the fourth straight to be won by a driver eliminated from the postseason

Teams will now get one free throw and maintain possession

Cautions during Sunday’s race at Texas, a track record.

MORRY GASH | AP PHOTO

The NBA is hoping new rules for take fouls will lead to better transition plays.

LARRY PAPKE | AP PHOTO

Tyler Reddick burns his tires after winning Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.

Cougars clobber Asheboro in pre-league tune-up

ASHEBORO — Southwestern Randolph scored on the first snap of the game and went on to drub visit ing Asheboro 40-2 on Friday night.

Adam Cole took a short pass from Easton Clapp and burst 64 yards for a touchdown for the first points.

“It was open,” Southwestern Randolph coach Seth Baxter said. “I think our wide receivers did a tremendous job of blocking on that play.”

Southwestern Randolph (4-1) heads into Piedmont Athletic Con ference play on a two-game win ning streak. This puts the Cougars in a good mindset.

“We came in and did what we needed to do up front,” Baxter said of controlling the line of scrimmage.

Cole ended up with two rush ing touchdowns to go with the scor ing pass play. Clapp threw for two touchdowns and ran for another on his way to 196 passing yards and 126 rushing yards. Marcus Robert son caught a touchdown pass.

Asheboro (1-4) avoided a shutout by tackling a Southwestern Ran dolph ball carrier in the end zone in

the fourth quarter. That account ed for the final points of the game, though it came a couple of plays af ter the Blue Comets had a posses sion halted inside the Southwestern Randolph 10-yard line.

“We’re going to have to go back to the drawing board,” Asheboro coach Blake Brewer. “We’re going to have to build some toughness.”

Michael Brady rushed for 97 yards for Asheboro.

Until last year, Southwestern Randolph had never defeated Ashe boro in consecutive football meet ings. Now, the Cougars have won three straight in the series.

Asheboro leads the all-time se ries 26-4.

The Blue Comets open Mid-Pied mont Conference play next Friday at home against undefeated Oak Grove (5-0), which is coming off an open week.

“We’re going to have to find an identity and do it quick,” Brewer said.

Eastern Randolph 42, West Stanly 0

At Oakboro, the visiting Wild

WEEK 7 SCHEDULE

Eastern Randolph at Southwestern Randolph Providence Grove at Trinity Wheatmore at Randleman Oak Grove at Asheboro

cats tuned up for Piedmont Ath letic Conference play by winning their fifth consecutive game.

Among the scoring plays for Eastern Randolph (5-1) were two touchdown runs for Davonte Brooks and one touchdown apiece for D.J. Thomas, Ervodd Cassady, and Angel Hernandez. Stratton Barwick threw a touchdown pass to Jake Fesmire.

West Stanly (3-3) has lost three straight games, though the first two defeats came by a combined 15 points.

Madelyn Smith

That has a nice ring to it

Southwestern Randolph, volleyball

Smith helped Southwestern Randolph to two more Piedmont Athletic Conference victories last week, including in a showdown with Uwharrie Charter Academy. She supplied 20 kills, 14 digs, and three blocks in the four-set victory at UCA in a rematch of last year’s conference tournament final. Others to turn in big numbers for the Cougars in that match were Gracie Hodgin, Riley Key, Raegan LeRoy, Coley Shiflet, and Carleigh Whitson.

Smith, a junior outside hitter, had ten kills and seven digs in a three-set sweep of Providence Grove later in the week.

The Cougars, who are the reigning Class 2-A state champions, entered this week with a 16-1 record. More than halfway through their PAC schedule, they’re 7-0 in those matches.

Dates change for some area events

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

FOOTBALL GAMES FOR THIS week have been adjusted in some cases because of the po tential of an impact to weather in the area coming from Hurricane Ian.

Some announcements about changes came at the beginning of the week.

Asheboro’s game against vis iting Oak Grove in a Mid-Pied mont Conference opener has been shifted from Friday night to 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

In the Piedmont Athletic Conference, Providence Grove’s game at Trinity has been moved to 7 p.m. Thursday. Both teams take 4-1 records into that league opener.

Also, Randleman’s home game against Wheatmore was shifted to Thursday night.

Ready to return

Randleman running back/ linebacker Thomas Dobias could be on the field for this week’s PAC opener against visiting Wheat more.

He underwent arthroscop ic surgery on his right knee the day before the season opener to repair an injury that occurred during preseason practice. At the beginning of this week, the ju nior said he has been on a suc cessful rehabilitation timetable that should allow him to be ready for PAC play.

Soccer stuff Trinity and Wheatmore tied

1-1 the first time they met this season in boys’ soccer. Both teams began this week without a loss in PAC play.

The two teams meet in a re match Oct. 5 at Trinity. That could be a showdown that de cides the conference title.

Streak stopper: Asheboro’s bid for an unbeaten season end ed with last week’s 2-0 loss at Wesleyan Christian Academy in High Point. That matchup was a late addition to the teams’ sched ules. The Trojans are a one-loss team, though they don’t com pete in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.

Asheboro won its first ten games before suffering the de feat.

On the court

Trinity’s volleyball team lost its season opener at Asheboro, but the Bulldogs have won their eight other non-conference matches. That stretch included avenging to loss to Asheboro.

But PAC play has been more challenging as Trinity held a 2-5 league mark entering this week.

Keep it going: Southwestern Randolph’s 14-match winning streak entering the week exceeds the longest winning streak for the team in 2021 when it won the Class 2-A state championship.

Last fall, the longest winning streak for the Cougars was 12 matches that stretched from the end of the regular season and into the PAC Tournament. After a loss to Uwharrie Charter Acad emy, Southwestern Randolph ran off six straight victories in the state playoffs.

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Southwestern Randolph’s Madelyn Smith is at the net against Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Chloe Painter.

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Lyndsey Cassell of Faith Christian spikes the ball last week in a volleyball match vs. visiting North Moore. Faith Christian won the non-conference match in five sets.

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Randolph Record

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PREP NOTES

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Asheboro’s Markell Graham is pursued by Southwestern Randolph’s Danny Jackson and Caleb Shelton, far right, during Friday night’s game.

Top, Maggie Messner, center, shows off her ring for being a member of Wheatmore’s state champions. Bottom, members of the Wheatmore girls’ soccer team were honored during a ring ceremony at halftime of the Asheboro-Wheatmore football game Sept. 16. The Warriors won the 2022 Class 2-A state championship in the spring.

Plea agreements reached by 4 in North Carolina Congress ballot probe

By Gary D. Robertson The Associated Press

RALEIGH — Four people pleaded guilty on Monday to mis demeanors for their roles in ab sentee ballot fraud in rural North Carolina during the 2016 and 2018 elections. The convictions stemmed from an investigation that in part resulted in a do-over congressional election.

Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway accepted the plea agree ments in Wake County court, which resulted in no active prison or jail time. Cases against six other de fendants remained pending, with hearings scheduled through the end of next month, Wake District Attorney Lorrin Freeman said.

All 10 defendants, according to indictments handed up in 2019, had a common involvement with Leslie McCrae Dowless Jr., a long time political operative in rural Bladen County.

Dowless also was indicted on more than a dozen state charges, with his case scheduled last year to go to trial last month. He reject ed a plea agreement and looked forward to his day in court, ac cording to a friend. But he died in April after being diagnosed with lung cancer. Freeman said at the time that the prosecution of the

other cases would continue.

Dowless worked in the 2018 con gressional race for then-Republi can candidate Mark Harris, who appeared to have received the most votes in the general election for the 9th District seat in south-central North Carolina.

But allegations against Dow less surfaced, and testimony and other information revealed at a State Board of Elections hearing

described him running an illegal “ballot harvesting” operation for the 2018 general election in Bladen County. In it, according to testimo ny, Dowless and his helpers gath ered up hundreds of absentee bal lots from voters by offering to put them in the mail.

Some of workers said they were directed to collect blank or incom plete ballots, forge signatures on them and even fill in votes for local

candidates. It is generally against the law in North Carolina for any one other than the voter or a family member to handle someone’s com pleted ballot.

The election board voted unan imously to order a new 9th Dis trict election. No charges were filed against Harris, who didn’t run in the subsequent election won in September 2019 by Republican Dan Bishop. The state investiga tion also led to charges of similar absentee ballot activities in Bladen for the 2016 general election and 2018 primary.

Those in court on Monday — Re becca D. Thompson; Tonia Marie Gordon; Ginger Shae Eason; and Kelly Hendrix — all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess absentee ballots. They all received suspend ed jail sentences, probation and 100 hours of community service.

Each of the four originally had been indicted on charges of con spiracy to commit felony obstruc tion of justice and possessing illegally an absentee ballot that be longed to someone else.

Freeman described the plea agreements as appropriate, identi fying the defendants as local resi dents who met Dowless and agreed to help him out. Hendrix, who was indicted for both the 2016 and 2018 elections, met Dowless while she

worked at a Hardee’s in Bladen County, according to Freeman.

“Mr. Dowless really was the ringleader in organizing all of this,” Freeman told the judge. “The indi viduals involved in these cases of ten were doing it out of some af filiation or feeling loyalty to him — maybe a little bit of money here and there.” Most elections-related prosecutions are handled by Free man, as the DA of the county con taining Raleigh, the state capital.

The district attorney said Gor don, who was indicted in relation to the 2016 general election, told investigators that Dowless paid her $100 for every 20 complet ed absentee ballot request forms and $5 for every completed ab sentee ballot she collected. Col lecting the request forms isn’t necessarily unlawful.

Hendrix attorney Pete Wood told Ridgeway the plea agreement was a “good outcome” for his cli ent: “Why did she do what she did? Because she was friends with Mr. Dowless ... that doesn’t excuse it.”

The legal cases for the defen dants were delayed in large part due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which slowed court proceedings. Freeman also waited while a fed eral case against Dowless was re solved.

Dowless pleaded guilty in June 2021 to obtaining illegal Social Se curity benefits while concealing payments for political work he per formed. He had worked for Harris’ campaign during some of the time scrutinized by federal prosecutors. He received a six-month prison sentence that he never served when his health deteriorated.

Biden administration launches ‘environmental justice’ office

By Hannah Schoenbaum The Associated Press

WARRENTON — President Joe Biden’s top environment offi cial visited what is widely consid ered the birthplace of the “environ mental justice” movement to unveil a national office that will distribute $3 billion in block grants to under served communities burdened by pollution.

Forty years after a predomi nantly black community in War ren County rallied against hosting a hazardous waste landfill, Mi chael Regan, the first black man to serve as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agen cy, announced he is dedicating a new senior level of leadership to the movement.

The Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights — comprised of more than 200 current staff members in 10 U.S. regions — will merge three exist ing EPA programs to oversee a por tion of Democrats’ $60 billion in vestment in environmental justice initiatives created by the Inflation Reduction Act. The president will nominate an assistant administra tor to lead the new office, pending Senate confirmation.

“In the past, many of our com munities have had to compete for very small grants because EPA’s pot of money was extremely small,” Regan said in an interview. “We’re

going from tens of thousands of dollars to developing and design ing a program that will distribute billions. But we’re also going to be sure that this money goes to those who need it the most and those who’ve never had a seat at the ta ble.”

Biden has championed environ mental justice as a centerpiece of his climate agenda since his first week in office, when he signed an executive order pledging 40% of the overall benefits from certain

federal clean energy investments to disadvantaged communities over whelmed by pollution.

Now, Regan said, this new office intertwines environmental justice with the central fabric of the EPA, equating it to other top offices like air and water, and cementing its principles in a way that will outlive the administration.

North Carolina in 1978 desig nated Warren County, a small, pre dominantly black farming com munity along the Virginia border,

as a disposal site for truckloads of soil laced with highly carcinogen ic chemical compounds that later contaminated the water supply.

As the first trucks rolled into town in 1982, hundreds of resi dents flooded the streets, blocking their path to the landfill. Though they were unable to shut down the operation after six weeks of nonvio lent protests and more than 500 ar rests, their efforts have been lauded by civil rights leaders as the impe tus for a global uprising against en vironmental racism in minority communities.

Wayne Moseley, 73, was one of the initial protesters arrested on the first day of the demonstration. The Raleigh resident commuted to Warren County to march on be half of his mother, whose health prevented her from participat ing. He called Saturday’s ceremo ny “a homecoming” for himself and many other protesters he hadn’t seen for 40 years.

“We became a family, no black or white, no rich or poor — we were all one,” Moseley said. “The state was hell-bent on putting that dump site here. I knew we couldn’t stop it, but we could elevate the consciousness of not only the state but the nation.”

Dollie Burwell, a protest leader known in the community as “the mother of the movement,” honored the bravery of her late daughter Kimberly Burwell, who was only 8 years old when she joined her

mother on the frontlines.

“She stood up and led so many children in the protests,” Burwell said of her daughter during the cer emony. “She was not afraid of be ing arrested. But she was afraid of her family and friends getting can cer” from carcinogenic compounds in the soil.

The Rev. Dr. William Barber II, a prominent left-wing activ ist and leader of the Poor Peo ple’s campaign, said he sees Re gan’s announcement as “a great starting point” and will continue to demand more of the Biden ad ministration.

“Our votes are not support. Our votes are our demands,” Barber said in an interview. “This is not about right versus left, it’s about right ver sus wrong. This is about a lifestyle versus disability because when you poison the land and the water, you hurt people’s everyday life.”

Regan, who is from Goldsboro, said he grew up listening to local civil rights leaders like Barber and Burwell — the early inspirations for his work at the EPA.

“I’m taking all of these experi ences (from my childhood) and matching that with the vision of the president,” Regan said. “We’re using this opportunity to not only honor those who came before us, but we’re building on the work that they started. We’re standing on their shoulders and trying to reach higher heights.”

HANNAH SCHOENBAUM | AP PHOTO

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan embraces Rev. Dr. William Barber II, a prominent social activist, at a gathering of environmental justice leaders in Warrenton, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022.

AP FILE PHOTO

Leslie McCrae Dowless Jr. poses for a portrait outside of his home on Dec. 5, 2018, in Bladenboro.

Arthur Charles Schneider

May 19, 1925 — September 22, 2022

Arthur Charles Schneider, 97, passed away suddenly on Thursday, September 22 while watching his favorite baseball team, the New York Yankees.

He was born on May 19, 1925 in his home in the Bronx, NY to Edward and Madeline (Weber) Schneider. He graduated from Cardinal Hayes High School in NYC in 1943 immediately enlisting in the US Navy. He was a navy Seabee veteran of WWII, stationed in Guam. Last Saturday at Wayne Thomas Chevrolet, he was honored for being the only WWII vet present.

He married Rosemary Shea of Jersey City, NJ on October 27, 1946 and began their long life together, having 11 children. He loved his family, Yankee baseball, Notre Dame football and roses.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 70 years, his parents and his brothers Joe and Frank, his sisters, Kay and Isabel, two infant daughters, Mary and Nancy, and a grandson, Jeffrey Schneider.

He is survived by his children: Deacon Mr. Art (Debbie) Schneider of Greenville, NC; Vince (Judy) Schneider of Garner, NC; Peter (Mary Ann) Schneider of Decatur, GA; Mark (Pam) Schneider of Liberty, NC; Bernadette Such (Tom) of the home; Terri Schneider of Raleigh, NC; Clare Gardinier (Phillip) of Chapel Hill, NC ; Gregory (Lisa) Schneider of FuquayVarina, NC; Marie Ludwick (Mike) of Wake Forest, NC.

He is survived by his grandchildren Kara Hogan; Emily Schneider; Katie Strawn; Moira Ann Abendania, Paul, Evan and Jacob Schneider; Heather Daniel; Stephanie Gilbertson; Brian, Tim, David & Gina Such; Nicole McCourt & Brittany Gardinier; Justin, Daniel, Benjamin & Olivia Schneider; Erin Gold and Jacob Ludwick; and 19 great grandchildren, Brooks & Presley Daniel; Lucy, Emma and Sally Gilbertson; Hazel Schneider; Bonnie Strawn; Elijah Abendania; Seena, Layla and Farah Schneider; Vivienne and Bennett Such (who was born 6 hours after his death); Rosalie and Elaina Such; Emelia McCourt; Graciella Schneider; Summer Schneider; and Hannah Gold; plus 3 more great children to be born before the end of the year.

Kenneth Wayne "Trigger" Briles

May 15, 1946 — September 22, 2022

Ken, at age 76, passed peacefully with his wife and sons by his side at Cone Hospital on September 22, 2022. Ken had a full and interesting life but had been in declining health for the last six years.

Ken is predeceased by his parents Benjamin & Lucille Yarberry. He is survived by his wife Phyllis “Shug” Briles, his sons Ken Briles Jr. (Christina) and Ryan Moore (Kristine), and the sparkles of his eyes, grandchildren Hannah Briles and Case Moore.

Raised in High Point, NC, Ken joined the United States Air Force after high school and was deployed to Vietnam. He served as a Communications Center Specialist (Crypto Ranger). Leaving the Air Force, Ken returned to Guilford County where he worked for the county Emergency Medical Services in many various positions. He retired from Guilford County EMS as a shift supervisor.

After retiring, he and his wife rode motorcycles through 45 states and 6 Canadian provinces. Ken was small in frame but lived a large life. His friends knew him to be quick of wit, and a levelheaded friend who always kept a steady hand on the tiller. His passions were old cars, especially Chevrolets, horses, motorcycles, deer hunting, and traveling.

One of his proudest moments was when his sons honored him and his service with a brick at the Triad Field of Honor Veterans Memorial Kernersville, NC.

Carolyn Walker Neely

October 30, 1942 — September 22, 2022

Carolyn Walker Neely, age 79, of Asheboro passed away on Thursday, September 22, 2022 at GrayBrier Nursing & Rehabilitation.

Mrs. Neely was born in Asheboro on October 30, 1942 to Horace Lee Walker, Jr. and Margaret Louise Dixon Walker. She was retired from Acme-McCrary Corporation and was a member of Crestview Wesleyan Church. In addition to her parents, Carolyn was preceded in death by her husband, Rev. Dan Neely. Carolyn was an amazing cook, her specialties being Hershey's Chocolate cakes and coconut cakes. She loved taking care of others and could never say "no" to anyone who needed her help.

She is survived by her daughters, Cindy Davis (Chip) of Asheboro and Mary Ball (Roy) of Randleman; grandchildren, Andrew Davis (Sarah), Hal Davis (Brielle), and Josh Ball; great granddaughter, Anderson Davis; sister, Elizabeth "Lib" Hayes (Hilton) of Asheboro; and several nieces and nephews.

Jewel Rich Hill

August 5, 1930 — September 21, 2022

Jewel Frances Rich Hill, age 92, of Asheboro passed away on Wednesday, September 21, 2022 at her home.

Mrs. Hill was born in Asheboro on August 5, 1930 to Ivey Odell and Ina Martin Rich. She was formerly employed with Bossong Hosiery and retired, with over 30 years of service, from Acme-McCrary Corporation. In addition to her parents, Jewel was preceded in death by her husband, Ray Hill, and her 4 brothers. Jewel was a loving, protective mother and loved her grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great grandchild. She loved to cook and bake and was known for her German Chocolate cakes, Red Velvet cakes, and her specialty was her chocolate pies. She enjoyed working in the yard, canning food, ceramics, and decoupage. Jewel enjoyed traveling with her family, taking trips to Alaska, the Amish Country, and The Holy Land.

She is survived by her daughter, Brenda Cornelison of Star; sons, Timothy "Tim" Hill (Marsha) of Alabama and Don Hill (Teresa) of Franklinville; 2 grandchildren; 4 great grandchildren; 1 great great grandchild; and her granddog, Zoie.

Betty Luther Slack

February 25, 1942 — September 18, 2022

Betty Luther Slack age 80 of Asheboro, NC, passed away on Sunday, September 18, 2022 at Hospice House of Randolph.

Betty was born in Denton, NC to the late Charles Lindsey Luther and the late Martha Frances Harris. She was a faithful wife, mother and sister. She retired at MidState Plastics in Seagrove in quality control. She enjoyed decorating and was an example of Christ-like living.

Betty is survived by her daughter Laura Slack (Kathi) of Candler, NC; sister Myrtle Jane Cox; several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her spouse Farrell Slack and son, Barry Slack.

Teresa "Terri" Garner Tourdot

August 2, 1960 — September 20, 2022

Teresa Garner "Terri" Tourdot, age 62, of Asheboro passed away on Tuesday, September 20, 2022 at her home.

Terri was born on August 2, 1960 to Homer Ray and Saundra Brown Garner. She was a graduate of Southwestern High School and was formerly employed with Wautauga Medical Center.

Terri was an avid NC State basketball fan. She was dedicated to caring for her family and others.

She is survived by her husband, Roger Dean Tourdot of Pelham, NC; daughter, Ashley Mattfeld (George) of Asheville, NC; son, Josh Garner of Asheboro; and grandchildren, Cordelia Chesson and Isabella Mattfeld; and her brother, Chris Garner (Lisa) of Asheboro.

Janet Truax Allen

May 15, 1954 — September 19, 2022

Janet Sue Truax Allen, age 68, passed away September 19, 2022 at Myrtle Beach, SC.

Janet was a native of Florida and enjoyed traveling, being in the water, shopping and her animals. It was a privilege to be a stay at home mom. She enjoyed cooking. Her country fried steak with milk gravy will live on at the Onion, as well as Andy's cole slaw that they tag teamed in preparing. She enjoyed her vacation with her family and was the inspiration behind Amanda's career.

Janet touched many more lives than she realized and was the "school mom", the cool mom, the amazing mother and wife. She will be missed by many. Janet is preceded in death by her parents, David and Mildred Truax and her brother, Mike Truax.

Janet is survived by her husband of 50 years, Anthony (Andy) Allen; daughter, Amanda Allen of Randleman; fur babies, Bella, Pepper, and Elvis.

Byron Kay Boggs

March 15, 1946 — September 19, 2022

Byron Kay Boggs, age 76, of Asheboro passed away on Monday, September 19, 2022 at his home.

Mr. Boggs was born in Charleston, WV on March 15, 1946 to Paul and Pauline Powell Boggs. He was a 1964 graduate of Hurricane High School in West Virginia and a graduate of West Virginia State with a BS degree in Education, Health & Safety. Byron taught Fire Technology at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, OH and was formerly employed with Cincinnati Electronics in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was a former volunteer firefighter and chief at Station 61 in Ohio. In addition to his parents, Byron was preceded in death by his brother, David Boggs.

He is survived by his wife, Patsy Lovejoy Sargent Boggs; daughters, Jill Boggs (Sang Rok) of England and Tiffany Boggs; stepchildren, Elisha Eiland (Ricky) of Asheboro, Dana Sargent (Shelli) of Trenton, FL, and Kayla Sargent-Perkins (Johnny) of Flatwoods, KY; grandson, Sawyer Richard Sargent; step grandchildren, Trent Lee (Kyla), Justin Lee (Tabitha), Corey Sargent (Dezerae), Brent Sargent (Taylor), Cassie Sargent-Bailey (Jack), and Kara Kammerer; 10 step great grandchildren; brother, Richard Boggs (Betty) of Raleigh; nephews, Michael Boggs and Clint Boggs; and nieces, Maryann Boggs Miller and Sherry Boggs, all of Mt. Airy.

Howard Terrell Brooks

November 30, 1929 — September 24, 2022

Howard T. Brooks, 92, of Siler City, NC, went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on September 24, 2022.

Howard was born in Chatham County on November 30, 1929 to Herbert and Laudis Brooks. He was a devoted son, husband, father and grandfather.

He married the love of his life, Faye Willett Brooks on November 6, 1954 in a double wedding ceremony, along with Charles and Maye Cheek, who was Faye’s twin sister.

In addition to his parents, Howard is preceded in death by his wife, Faye Willett Brooks; brothers Lyndon Brooks and Everett Brooks; sisters Mrs. Johnsie Elmore, Mrs. Mattie Lewis Beal, Mrs. Bertha Dowd, and Mrs. Martha Moffitt. Howard is survived by his sister Mrs. Mary Gunter of Siler City, son Ronald Brooks and wife Cyndi of Greensboro, and grandchildren Amanda Brooks, Dan and Christena Hill , and Trevor Brooks. He is survived by his brother-in-law Charles Cheek.

Howard was a graduate of Bonlee High School. He was an Army veteran who served his country in Korea. He worked at Chatham Motors for over 40 years managing the parts department. He took great care of his wife, Faye, who had dementia for many years.

He attended church regularly, and recently attended Shannon Hills Bible Chapel in Greensboro, NC. He enjoyed gardening, fishing, and visiting with family and friends.

February 16, 1939 — September 16, 2022

Kermit Nelson Burgess, 83, of Southern Pines passed away peacefully on September 16th, 2022.

Mr. Burgess was born February 16, 1939, in Norwood, North Carolina to Irenus and Elizabeth Lambert Burgess. He was raised in Robbins, North Carolina.

Mr. Burgess joined the United States Army and became a paratrooper with the 11th Airborne Division Angels. He saw battle in Beirut, Lebanon, and upon his discharge in 1963, he swore to never jump out of a perfectly operable airplane ever again. As a civilian, Kermit completed his carpentry apprenticeship and began a long career in construction.

Those skills would take Kermit to Vietnam where he oversaw the construction of roads and airports for the RMK-BRJ consortium and the United States Navy. In 1972, he returned to North Carolina and joined Myrick Construction in Biscoe, managing projects throughout the Carolinas. He found particular gratification in his role building the new North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, opening in 1980.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy Burgess; children, Debra Visco and husband, Louis, Keith Burgess and wife, Sandra, Kevin Burgess and wife, Melanie, and Denise Gutschmit and husband, Michael, grandchildren, Brooke Burgess, Brett Burgess, Matthew Gutschmit, Lillian Gutschmit, and Alan Gutschmit; sister, Charity Comer; and many special nieces, nephews and friends.

In addition to his parents, Kermit was preceded in death by his brothers, Bethel, Kenneth, Kurby and, Kelly Burgess; sisters, Juril Parker, Fauline McDonald, Rebecca "Dolly" Burgess, Margie Davis, Martha Nichols, and Malinda Hussey.

Kermit Nelson Burgess

Arthur Charles Schneider

May 19, 1925 — September 22, 2022

Arthur Charles Schneider, 97, passed away suddenly on Thursday, September 22 while watching his favorite baseball team, the New York Yankees.

He was born on May 19, 1925 in his home in the Bronx, NY to Edward and Madeline (Weber) Schneider. He graduated from Cardinal Hayes High School in NYC in 1943 immediately enlisting in the US Navy. He was a navy Seabee veteran of WWII, stationed in Guam. Last Saturday at Wayne Thomas Chevrolet, he was honored for being the only WWII vet present.

He married Rosemary Shea of Jersey City, NJ on October 27, 1946 and began their long life together, having 11 children. He loved his family, Yankee baseball, Notre Dame football and roses.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 70 years, his parents and his brothers Joe and Frank, his sisters, Kay and Isabel, two infant daughters, Mary and Nancy, and a grandson, Jeffrey Schneider.

He is survived by his children: Deacon Mr. Art (Debbie) Schneider of Greenville, NC; Vince (Judy) Schneider of Garner, NC; Peter (Mary Ann) Schneider of Decatur, GA; Mark (Pam) Schneider of Liberty, NC; Bernadette Such (Tom) of the home; Terri Schneider of Raleigh, NC; Clare Gardinier (Phillip) of Chapel Hill, NC ; Gregory (Lisa) Schneider of FuquayVarina, NC; Marie Ludwick (Mike) of Wake Forest, NC.

He is survived by his grandchildren Kara Hogan; Emily Schneider; Katie Strawn; Moira Ann Abendania, Paul, Evan and Jacob Schneider; Heather Daniel; Stephanie Gilbertson; Brian, Tim, David & Gina Such; Nicole McCourt & Brittany Gardinier; Justin, Daniel, Benjamin & Olivia Schneider; Erin Gold and Jacob Ludwick; and 19 great grandchildren, Brooks & Presley Daniel; Lucy, Emma and Sally Gilbertson; Hazel Schneider; Bonnie Strawn; Elijah Abendania; Seena, Layla and Farah Schneider; Vivienne and Bennett Such (who was born 6 hours after his death); Rosalie and Elaina Such; Emelia McCourt; Graciella Schneider; Summer Schneider; and Hannah Gold; plus 3 more great children to be born before the end of the year.

Kenneth Wayne "Trigger" Briles

May 15, 1946 — September 22, 2022

Ken, at age 76, passed peacefully with his wife and sons by his side at Cone Hospital on September 22, 2022. Ken had a full and interesting life but had been in declining health for the last six years.

Ken is predeceased by his parents Benjamin & Lucille Yarberry. He is survived by his wife Phyllis “Shug” Briles, his sons Ken Briles Jr. (Christina) and Ryan Moore (Kristine), and the sparkles of his eyes, grandchildren Hannah Briles and Case Moore.

Raised in High Point, NC, Ken joined the United States Air Force after high school and was deployed to Vietnam. He served as a Communications Center Specialist (Crypto Ranger). Leaving the Air Force, Ken returned to Guilford County where he worked for the county Emergency Medical Services in many various positions. He retired from Guilford County EMS as a shift supervisor.

After retiring, he and his wife rode motorcycles through 45 states and 6 Canadian provinces. Ken was small in frame but lived a large life. His friends knew him to be quick of wit, and a levelheaded friend who always kept a steady hand on the tiller. His passions were old cars, especially Chevrolets, horses, motorcycles, deer hunting, and traveling.

One of his proudest moments was when his sons honored him and his service with a brick at the Triad Field of Honor Veterans Memorial Kernersville, NC.

Carolyn Walker Neely

October 30, 1942 — September 22, 2022

Carolyn Walker Neely, age 79, of Asheboro passed away on Thursday, September 22, 2022 at GrayBrier Nursing & Rehabilitation.

Mrs. Neely was born in Asheboro on October 30, 1942 to Horace Lee Walker, Jr. and Margaret Louise Dixon Walker. She was retired from Acme-McCrary Corporation and was a member of Crestview Wesleyan Church. In addition to her parents, Carolyn was preceded in death by her husband, Rev. Dan Neely. Carolyn was an amazing cook, her specialties being Hershey's Chocolate cakes and coconut cakes. She loved taking care of others and could never say "no" to anyone who needed her help.

She is survived by her daughters, Cindy Davis (Chip) of Asheboro and Mary Ball (Roy) of Randleman; grandchildren, Andrew Davis (Sarah), Hal Davis (Brielle), and Josh Ball; great granddaughter, Anderson Davis; sister, Elizabeth "Lib" Hayes (Hilton) of Asheboro; and several nieces and nephews.

Jewel Rich Hill

August 5, 1930 — September 21, 2022

Jewel Frances Rich Hill, age 92, of Asheboro passed away on Wednesday, September 21, 2022 at her home.

Mrs. Hill was born in Asheboro on August 5, 1930 to Ivey Odell and Ina Martin Rich. She was formerly employed with Bossong Hosiery and retired, with over 30 years of service, from Acme-McCrary Corporation. In addition to her parents, Jewel was preceded in death by her husband, Ray Hill, and her 4 brothers. Jewel was a loving, protective mother and loved her grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great grandchild. She loved to cook and bake and was known for her German Chocolate cakes, Red Velvet cakes, and her specialty was her chocolate pies. She enjoyed working in the yard, canning food, ceramics, and decoupage. Jewel enjoyed traveling with her family, taking trips to Alaska, the Amish Country, and The Holy Land.

She is survived by her daughter, Brenda Cornelison of Star; sons, Timothy "Tim" Hill (Marsha) of Alabama and Don Hill (Teresa) of Franklinville; 2 grandchildren; 4 great grandchildren; 1 great great grandchild; and her granddog, Zoie.

Betty Luther Slack

February 25, 1942 — September 18, 2022

Betty Luther Slack age 80 of Asheboro, NC, passed away on Sunday, September 18, 2022 at Hospice House of Randolph.

Betty was born in Denton, NC to the late Charles Lindsey Luther and the late Martha Frances Harris. She was a faithful wife, mother and sister. She retired at MidState Plastics in Seagrove in quality control. She enjoyed decorating and was an example of Christ-like living.

Betty is survived by her daughter Laura Slack (Kathi) of Candler, NC; sister Myrtle Jane Cox; several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her spouse Farrell Slack and son, Barry Slack.

Teresa "Terri" Garner Tourdot

August 2, 1960 — September 20, 2022

Teresa Garner "Terri" Tourdot, age 62, of Asheboro passed away on Tuesday, September 20, 2022 at her home.

Terri was born on August 2, 1960 to Homer Ray and Saundra Brown Garner. She was a graduate of Southwestern High School and was formerly employed with Wautauga Medical Center.

Terri was an avid NC State basketball fan. She was dedicated to caring for her family and others.

She is survived by her husband, Roger Dean Tourdot of Pelham, NC; daughter, Ashley Mattfeld (George) of Asheville, NC; son, Josh Garner of Asheboro; and grandchildren, Cordelia Chesson and Isabella Mattfeld; and her brother, Chris Garner (Lisa) of Asheboro.

Janet Truax Allen

May 15, 1954 — September 19, 2022

Janet Sue Truax Allen, age 68, passed away September 19, 2022 at Myrtle Beach, SC.

Janet was a native of Florida and enjoyed traveling, being in the water, shopping and her animals. It was a privilege to be a stay at home mom. She enjoyed cooking. Her country fried steak with milk gravy will live on at the Onion, as well as Andy's cole slaw that they tag teamed in preparing. She enjoyed her vacation with her family and was the inspiration behind Amanda's career.

Janet touched many more lives than she realized and was the "school mom", the cool mom, the amazing mother and wife. She will be missed by many. Janet is preceded in death by her parents, David and Mildred Truax and her brother, Mike Truax.

Janet is survived by her husband of 50 years, Anthony (Andy) Allen; daughter, Amanda Allen of Randleman; fur babies, Bella, Pepper, and Elvis.

Byron Kay Boggs

March 15, 1946 — September 19, 2022

Byron Kay Boggs, age 76, of Asheboro passed away on Monday, September 19, 2022 at his home.

Mr. Boggs was born in Charleston, WV on March 15, 1946 to Paul and Pauline Powell Boggs. He was a 1964 graduate of Hurricane High School in West Virginia and a graduate of West Virginia State with a BS degree in Education, Health & Safety. Byron taught Fire Technology at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, OH and was formerly employed with Cincinnati Electronics in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was a former volunteer firefighter and chief at Station 61 in Ohio. In addition to his parents, Byron was preceded in death by his brother, David Boggs.

He is survived by his wife, Patsy Lovejoy Sargent Boggs; daughters, Jill Boggs (Sang Rok) of England and Tiffany Boggs; stepchildren, Elisha Eiland (Ricky) of Asheboro, Dana Sargent (Shelli) of Trenton, FL, and Kayla Sargent-Perkins (Johnny) of Flatwoods, KY; grandson, Sawyer Richard Sargent; step grandchildren, Trent Lee (Kyla), Justin Lee (Tabitha), Corey Sargent (Dezerae), Brent Sargent (Taylor), Cassie Sargent-Bailey (Jack), and Kara Kammerer; 10 step great grandchildren; brother, Richard Boggs (Betty) of Raleigh; nephews, Michael Boggs and Clint Boggs; and nieces, Maryann Boggs Miller and Sherry Boggs, all of Mt. Airy.

Howard Terrell Brooks

November 30, 1929 — September 24, 2022

Howard T. Brooks, 92, of Siler City, NC, went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on September 24, 2022.

Howard was born in Chatham County on November 30, 1929 to Herbert and Laudis Brooks. He was a devoted son, husband, father and grandfather.

He married the love of his life, Faye Willett Brooks on November 6, 1954 in a double wedding ceremony, along with Charles and Maye Cheek, who was Faye’s twin sister.

In addition to his parents, Howard is preceded in death by his wife, Faye Willett Brooks; brothers Lyndon Brooks and Everett Brooks; sisters Mrs. Johnsie Elmore, Mrs. Mattie Lewis Beal, Mrs. Bertha Dowd, and Mrs. Martha Moffitt. Howard is survived by his sister Mrs. Mary Gunter of Siler City, son Ronald Brooks and wife Cyndi of Greensboro, and grandchildren Amanda Brooks, Dan and Christena Hill , and Trevor Brooks. He is survived by his brother-in-law Charles Cheek.

Howard was a graduate of Bonlee High School. He was an Army veteran who served his country in Korea. He worked at Chatham Motors for over 40 years managing the parts department. He took great care of his wife, Faye, who had dementia for many years.

February 16, 1939 — September 16, 2022

Kermit Nelson Burgess, 83, of Southern Pines passed away peacefully on September 16th, 2022.

Mr. Burgess was born February 16, 1939, in Norwood, North Carolina to Irenus and Elizabeth Lambert Burgess. He was raised in Robbins, North Carolina.

Mr. Burgess joined the United States Army and became a paratrooper with the 11th Airborne Division Angels. He saw battle in Beirut, Lebanon, and upon his discharge in 1963, he swore to never jump out of a perfectly operable airplane ever again. As a civilian, Kermit completed his carpentry apprenticeship and began a long career in construction.

Those skills would take Kermit to Vietnam where he oversaw the construction of roads and airports for the RMK-BRJ consortium and the United States Navy. In 1972, he returned to North Carolina and joined Myrick Construction in Biscoe, managing projects throughout the Carolinas. He found particular gratification in his role building the new North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, opening in 1980.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy Burgess; children, Debra Visco and husband, Louis, Keith Burgess and wife, Sandra, Kevin Burgess and wife, Melanie, and Denise Gutschmit and husband, Michael, grandchildren, Brooke Burgess, Brett Burgess, Matthew Gutschmit, Lillian Gutschmit, and Alan Gutschmit; sister, Charity Comer; and many special nieces, nephews and friends.

In addition to his parents, Kermit was preceded in death by his brothers, Bethel, Kenneth, Kurby and, Kelly Burgess; sisters, Juril Parker, Fauline McDonald, Rebecca "Dolly" Burgess, Margie Davis, Martha Nichols, and Malinda Hussey.

Kermit Nelson Burgess

STATE & NATION

McCarthy unveils House GOP’s midterm agenda

By Lisa Mascaro The Associated Press

MONONGAHELA, Pa. —

House Republican leader Kev in McCarthy on Friday confront ed President Joe Biden and the Democratic majority in Congress with a conservative midterm elec tion agenda filled with Trump-like promises, working not only to win over voters but to hold together the coalition of his own party.

McCarthy, who is poised to seize the speaker’s gavel if Republicans take control of the House in the fall, never once mentioned the for mer president. Instead, the GOP leader traveled to battleground Pennsylvania hoping to replicate the strategy that former Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia used to spark voter enthusiasm and gain a majority in 1994.

“What the ‘Commitment’ is, it’s a plan for a new direction,” McCa rthy said at a manufacturing facil ity in a historic building along the Monongahela River.

The House GOP’s “Commitment to America” gives a nod to the ear lier era but updates it in the age of Donald Trump, with econom ic, border security and social poli cies to rouse the former president’s deep well of supporters in some times-overlooked regions like this rusty landscape and rolling farm land outside Pittsburgh.

Slim enough to fit on a “pocket card,” which McCarthy pulled from his suitcoat, the agenda uses broad strokes — “A Future That’s Built on Freedom” — supplemented by more detailed proposals on energy,

security and an end to liberal social policies, particularly in schooling.

President Joe Biden hit back quickly in a speech to the Nation al Education Association.

He dismissed McCarthy’s agen da as “a thin series of policy goals with little or no detail.” But he pro vided his own details in urging support for Democrats in the mid term elections.

“If Republicans win control of the Congress abortion will be banned,” Biden said. He also crit icized other GOP lawmakers for proposals to require reauthoriza tion votes for Social Security and Medicare and opposition to gun

control laws and efforts to lower prescription drug costs.

“In 46 days, Americans are go ing to face a choice,” he said. “We have a real alternative here.”

In Pennsylvania, McCarthy said that if Republicans win the House, the first bill next year will be to re peal funding approved by Demo crats to bolster the Internal Reve nue Service with more employees.

Propelled by Trump’s “Make America Great Again” voters, the Republicans need to pick up just a few seats to win back control of the narrowly split House and re place Speaker Nancy Pelosi. But even so, McCarthy’s ability to lead

the House is far from guaranteed.

While Republicans and Trump did pass tax cuts into law, the GOP’s last big campaign prom ise, repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare,” collapsed in fail ure. Republican speakers, includ ing Gingrich, John Boehner and Paul Ryan, have been forced from office or have chosen early retire ment, often ground down by par ty infighting.

“House Republicans are real ly good at running people out of town,” said Matt Schlapp, chair of the Conservative Political Action Coalition.

McCarthy, first elected to office in 2006, is among the remaining survivors of those House Repub lican battles, a leader who, some what like, Trump has shown more ability to communicate than to legislate.

A key architect of the Repub lican tea party takeover in 2010, the California Republican person ally recruited the newcomers to Congress — many who had never served in public office and are now long gone.

He spent more than a year pull ing together the House GOP’s of ten warring factions — from the far-right MAGA to what’s left of the more centrist ranks — to pro duce a mostly agreed-upon agenda.

McCarthy he and fellow law makers chose Washington County not Washington, D.C. “Because it’s about you, it’s not about us.”

“If you are a hard-line populist and you really want anger, Kevin’s a little frustrating because he’s not

Increase in Venezuelan migration is felt across US

The Associated Press

EAGLE PASS, Texas — It cost Nerio two months and everything he had to get from Venezuela to the U.S., traveling mainly by foot and watching as exhausted fellow migrants were assaulted or left behind to die.

Like an increasing number of Venezuelans, Nerio undertook a dangerous journey that included traveling through Panama’s noto rious jungle, the Darien Gap, and Mexico, where migrants often face extortion and threats from government officials, in hopes of a better life in the U.S.

“We know that nobody wants us to make it here,” Nerio said last month in Eagle Pass, Texas, a city of 30,000 people that is at the center of the increase in Venezue lan migrants to the U.S. He asked that his last name not be pub lished due to fears for his safety.

Last month, Venezuelans sur passed Guatemalans and Hondu rans to become the second-larg est nationality stopped at the U.S. border after Mexicans. Nerio, who traveled with about a dozen oth ers fleeing poverty and violence in Venezuela, was among them.

Venezuelans were stopped 25,349 times, up 43% from 17,652 in July and four times the 6,301 encounters in August 2021, au thorities said Monday, signaling a remarkably sudden demograph ic shift.

An estimated 6.8 million Ven ezuelans have fled their coun

try since the economy tanked in 2014, mostly to Latin America and Caribbean countries. But the U.S. economy’s relative strength since the COVID-19 pandemic has caused Venezuelan migrants to look north. Also, U.S. policies and strained relations with the Venezuelan government make it extremely difficult to send them home.

Word has spread in Venezue la as more family and neighbors reach Texas and are released with

notices to appear in immigration court or on humanitarian parole.

“We hope that in a few years, the problems in Venezuela will be fixed so we can return to our home country, but until then we have to be migrants and endure what this journey will mean for us,” Nerio said.

The impact is reflected in dai ly headlines. About 50 migrants that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis flew to the upscale Massachusetts island of Martha’s Vineyard last

week were Venezuelan, as were five of six men whom U.S. author ities found drowned in the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass in early September.

José, who asked to be identified only by his middle name due to fears for his safety, was on one of two DeSantis flights. He walked nearly three months before cross ing the Rio Grande in an inflat able raft and surrendering to the Border Patrol.

While staying at a San Anto nio migrant shelter, José met a woman promising at least three months of housing, a job, medi cal care, and free legal help. She told migrants they would be go ing to Washington, Chicago and other immigrant-friendly “sanc tuary” cities.

Yet when they reached Mar tha’s Vineyard, an enclave known as a summer vacation spot for for mer President Barack Obama, “Nobody was waiting for us, no body knew who we were,” José, 27, said in a phone interview from a military base in Cape Cod, where Massachusetts Republican Gov. Charlie Baker moved them on Fri day.

A Venezuelan family in Boston offered a room and food to José, who earned $20 a month as a gar bage collector in Caracas and left his two children behind with his grandparents. He will let U.S. Im migration and Customs Enforce ment know his new address and move his appointment with the agency to Boston.

going to be angry enough for you,” Gingrich said. “On the other hand, if what you want is to have your val ues implemented and passed in the legislation, he is a really good lead er and organizer.”

Gingrich has been working with McCarthy and his team to craft the style and substance of the proposal.

Conservative Republicans com plain privately that McCarthy isn’t leaning hard enough into their pri orities, as he tries to appeal to a broader swath of voters and hold the party together.

Many are eager to launch in vestigations into the Biden ad ministration and the president’s family, with some calling for im peachment. Legislatively, some House Republicans want to fulfill the party’s commitment to banning abortion, supporting Sen. Lindsey Graham’s bill prohibiting the pro cedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

Former McCarthy rival Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio who joined the event Friday, vowed to launch investigations including into the COVID-19 crisis if Republicans win the House.

It’s notable that McCarthy alone has proposed a plan if Re publicans win control of the House chamber. In the Senate, Republican leader Mitch McCo nnell has declined to put forward an agenda, preferring to simply run against Biden and Democrats in the midterm election.

“Kevin’s done a very good job of being in position to become the speaker. And then the question is, what do you do with that? Schlapp said. “This helps as a roadmap.”

“Now we are free, we can go anywhere we want,” said José. “I feel blessed by God.”

Venezuela has one of the world’s highest inflation rates and about three-quarters of the population lives on less than $1.90 a day, an international standard for ex treme poverty. The monthly min imum wage, paid in bolivars de spite a dollar-driven economy, is the equivalent of $15. Many lack access to clean, running water and electricity.

The United States’ strained relationship with Venezuela’s government makes it extreme ly challenging to expel Venezu elan migrants under a pandem ic rule known as Title 42, which U.S. officials invoke to deny peo ple a chance at seeking asylum on grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Mexico, under pressure from the Biden administration, intro duced restrictions on air travel to limit Venezuelan migration to the United States, but many then shifted to the dangerous land journey.

Cuba and Nicaragua have also sent more migrants to the U.S. in the last year. Overall, migrants were stopped 203,597 times on the border in August, or 2.15 mil lion times since October, topping 2 million for the first time in a government fiscal year.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said during an event tele vised on state media the U.S. was “trying to politically use the suf fering of a group of the Venezu elan population that, faced with sanctions and the economic war, made a personal decision to emi grate to other places.”

BARRY REEGER | AP PHOTO

House Minority leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., speaks at DMI Companies in Monongahela, Pa., Friday, Sept. 23, 2022.

ERIC GAY | AP PHOTO

Migrants gather their personal items as they wait to be processed by the Border Patrol at Eagle Pass, Texas, Friday, Aug. 26, 2022.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Bucks honor Hoke County Hall of Fame class of 2022

The Hoke County Bucks took on the undefeated Lee County Yellow Jackets this past Friday, resulting in an unfortunate 27-16 loss at Raz Autry Stadium.

During halftime, the 2022 Hoke High School Hall of Fame class of inductees was recognized at midfield. The 2022 class includes Thomas Shaw, Paul Hunt, Kim Ray (posthumously), Latoya Ray, Minnie McPhatter, Wyvie Jones, Joe Critcher, and Harvey Goins. Kim Ray was a beloved multisport coach and teacher who passed away in 2014, and her mother, Sharon Ray, accepted the recognition on her daughter’s behalf.

Sheriff’s Office creates new Cold Case Unit

This past Thursday, the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office announced the creation of a new Cold Case Unit. Cold case units are devoted to solely focusing on solving violent crimes that took place in the past but could be solvable due to the discovery of new evidence with the help of modern technology.

According to the sheriff’s office, the goal is to reduce the number of unsolved cases in the county with the assistance of DNA testing kits. By devoting resources to these old cases, Captain Steven Blakley, Chief of Detectives, is hoping to bring relief and closure to families who have waited years for answers about what happened to their loved ones.

HOKE COUNTY

Fort Bragg Research Institute coming to CORE Innovation Center

North State Journal

FAYETTEVILLE — The Fay etteville Cumberland Econom ic Development Corporation (FCEDC) is proud to announce that its CORE Innovation Center will house the first office space for the Fort Bragg Research In stitute (FBRI), a research pro gram of The Geneva Foundation (Geneva), delivering human per formance solutions to the De partment of Defense (DoD). A ribbon cutting is scheduled for October 13, 2022, from 6 pm to 8 pm at the FCEDC offices at 201 Hay St. in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Dedicated solely to research that supports the capability of soldiers, FBRI focuses on worldclass medical research with a mission to enhance human per formance through scientific in novation. Formed in 2018 as a collaborative effort between Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg, and Geneva, FBRI links research infrastructure to

meet the needs of operational readiness on Fort Bragg. Gene va and FBRI support 20 ongoing studies through full lifecycle re search management across Fort Bragg, totaling $12.6 million in funding.

“Harnessing the talent and ca pabilities of our region, FBRI is doing critical work to support our men and women in uniform,” said Robert Van Geons, CEcD, President and CEO of FCEDC. “Through these collaborative partnerships, we are moving to ward a safer, healthier tomorrow for our soldiers. In turn, these ef forts will spur new innovations and technologies, ultimately im proving the quality of life and well-being of our citizens.

FBRI Executive Director Lt. Col. (Ret) Stephen DeLellis, PAC, USA, has spent much of his career studying the effects of traumatic brain injury in service members and veterans. In con junction with WAMC and several universities, he helped to develop a comprehensive neurocognitive

“Harnessing the talent and capabilities of our region, FBRI is doing critical work to support our men and women in uniform.”

Robert Van Geons

baseline and post-injury assess ment programs in the DoD.

“As a former Special Opera tions Soldier and medical officer, I’ve dedicated my career to find ing solutions to the problems that our warfighters and commanders of these units face,” said DeLel lis.“ Having a physical location at the CORE Innovation Center will allow us to continue to sup port innovative medical research toward optimizing military hu man performance through part nering with like-minded organi zations on and off of Fort Bragg.”

FBRI is a founding member

Shooting range approval rescinded following community outcry

Implementation of new bus routes approved by board of commissioners

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

RAEFORD — The Hoke Coun ty Board of Commissioners met Monday, September 19, with the implementation of three new bus routes and the rescinding of the shooting range as the key items on the agenda.

The board gave its approval for the implementation and adver tising of three additional routes to the Hoke Area Transit Ser vices Bus Stop/Demand Response Routes.

“We would like to start those routes at 6 in the morning until 6 in the afternoon,” said Transit Di rector Nancy Thornton. “We also

are proposing the bus routes have a daily pass fare of $4 for unlim ited rides for the day of purchase, weekly passes for $16, unlimited rides for one week from purchase, monthly passes for $45, unlimit ed rides for one month from pur chase. For the senior and disabled we propose a rate of $2 for daily pass, $8 for weekly pass, and $22 for monthly pass.”

Thornton also stated that for Out of County fares, the costs would be 1-5 miles is a $7 roundtrip, 6-10 is a $14 roundtrip, 11-15 is an $18 roundtrip, 16+ is a $25 roundtrip, and to Chapel Hill, Durham or Ra leigh is a $40 roundtrip. The se nior and disabled rate is half of the standard fare prices.

Along with the route approv al, the board also approved the application for the Communi ty Transportation Program Grant for a total application amount of

“After hearing feedback from the community, I’ve asked the board to add this back to the agenda for the purpose of rescinding that permission.”

Chairman Allen Thomas Jr.

$146,479 with a local match of 15% – $21,972.

The board also approved the acceptance of the FY 2023 Rural Operating Assistance Program al location.

“The ROAP allocation subsi dizes the cost of the trips we per

of the North Carolina Center for Optimizing Military Perfor mance (NC-COMP)consortium of more than 120 North Car olina-based academic, indus try, nonprofit, and state govern ment organizations who bring together solutions for prevent ing injury and speeding recov ery, maintaining performance in multi-stressor environments, and enhancing baseline physical and mental performance for the DoD.

FBRI will be located in a space specifically designed as a center for military contractors and in novators in technology.

Launched in 2018, The CORE Innovation Center provides re sources for established compa nies and entrepreneurs to enable them to create the next genera tion of cybersecurity, augment ed reality, digital healthcare, and other technologies. In addi tion to jobs created by develop ers, these sectors are an import ant source of secondary careers and economic growth.

COURTESY PHOTO

Womack Army Medical Center is a United States Army-run military hospital that is located on Fort Bragg near Fayetteville.

form,” Thornton said. “It’s a to tal of $133,933 which is down by $13,195 from last year’s alloca tion.”

The board also gave its sup port to the Rockfish area stating its plans to provide sanitary sew er services to the community and commercial areas.

“This is millions of dollars of in frastructure funding,” said Chair man Allen Thomas, Jr. “People talk about growth, but this is the thing that makes growth possi ble. The millions of dollars that we are pumping into our economy to make sure that we’re prepared for that growth.”

At the last commissioner’s meet ing on September 6, the board of commissioners gave permission to the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office to construct a firing range.

The intention of the range was to provide a place for Hoke Coun ty officers to complete their fire arm qualifications without hav ing to travel outside of the county to do so.

WEEKLY CRIME LOG

♦ Cruz-Sanchez, Leonardo (W/M/46), Assault on a Female, 09/25/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office

♦ Smith, Carressia Leanne (W/F/36), Trespass - Second Degree, Resisting Arrest, 09/24/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office

♦ Burkes, Benjamin Oneal (B/M/54), Trespass

- Second Degree, Larceny Misdemeanor, 09/23/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office

♦ Collins, Amy Yarboro (W/F/46), B&E Felony, Larceny after B&E, 09/22/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office

♦ McCall, Tayler Andrew (W/M/23), Communicate Threats, Assault - Point Gun, Injuring Fixtures and Other Property, Poss of Stolen Goods, 09/22/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office

♦ Jones, Demetris (I/F/38), Possess Cocaine, Possess Drug Paraphernalia, 09/21/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office

♦ Cooper, Lamarr Hurst (B/M/50), Assault on a Female, 09/21/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office

♦ Slate, Ronnie (I/M/44), DWI, 09/20/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office

However, after an outpouring of community feedback against the firing range – the proximity to the animal shelter and therefore the wellbeing of animals in the shelter being the main point of concern –the board decided to rescind per mission.

“We approved for the sheriff’s office to place a firing range be hind CC, Steele Road, which is in close proximity to the animal shelter,” Allen said. “After hearing feedback from the community, I’ve asked the board to add this back to the agenda for the purpose of re scinding that permission.”

The subject of the range was first brought up in a December 20, 2021 meeting.

According to Commissioner Harry Southerland, the sheriff was unable to attend the meeting due to working on an ongoing investi gation with the FBI, so it remains to be seen the direction the sher iff’s office will choose to go in for a new location.

The Hoke County Board of Commissioners is next scheduled to meet October 3.

Bam! NASA spacecraft crashes into asteroid in defense test

The Associated Press

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A NASA spacecraft rammed an asteroid at blistering speed Monday in an unprecedent ed dress rehearsal for the day a killer rock menaces Earth.

The galactic grand slam oc curred at a harmless asteroid 7 million miles away, with the spacecraft named Dart plow ing into the small space rock at 14,000 mph. Scientists expect ed the impact to carve out a cra ter, hurl streams of rocks and dirt into space and, most impor tantly, alter the asteroid’s orbit.

Telescopes around the world and in space aimed at the same point in the sky to capture the spectacle. Though the im pact was immediately obvious — Dart’s radio signal abruptly ceased — it will be days or even weeks to determine how much the asteroid’s path was changed.

The $325 million mission was the first attempt to shift the po sition of an asteroid or any other natural object in space.

“No, this is not a movie plot,” NASA Administrator Bill Nel son tweeted earlier in the day. “We’ve all seen it on movies like ‘Armageddon,’ but the real-life stakes are high,” he said in a prerecorded video.

Monday’s target: a 525-foot asteroid named Dimorphos. It’s actually a moonlet of Didy mos, Greek for twin, a fast-spin ning asteroid five times bigger that flung off the material that formed the junior partner.

The pair have been orbiting the sun for eons without threat ening Earth, making them ideal save-the-world test candidates.

Launched last November, the vending machine-size Dart — short for Double Asteroid Redi rection Test — navigated to its target using new technology de veloped by Johns Hopkins Uni versity’s Applied Physics Lab

Katherine Calvin

oratory, the spacecraft builder and mission manager.

Dart’s on-board camera, a key part of this smart naviga tion system, caught sight of Di morphos barely an hour before impact.

“Woo hoo,” exclaimed Johns Hopkins mission systems engi neer Elena Adams. “We’re see ing Dimorphos, so wonderful, wonderful.”

With an image beaming back to Earth every second, Adams and other ground controllers in Laurel, Maryland, watched with growing excitement as Dimor phos loomed larger and larger in the field of view alongside its bigger companion.

A mini satellite followed a few minutes behind to take pho tos of the impact. The Italian Cubesat was released from Dart two weeks ago.

Scientists insisted Dart would not shatter Dimorphos. The spacecraft packed a scant 1,260 pounds, compared with the asteroid’s 11 billion pounds. But that should be plenty to shrink its 11-hour, 55-minute orbit around Didymos.

The impact should pare 10 minutes off that, but telescopes will need anywhere from a few days to nearly a month to veri fy the new orbit. The anticipat ed orbital shift of 1% might not sound like much, scientists not ed. But they stressed it would amount to a significant change over years.

Planetary defense experts

prefer nudging a threatening as teroid or comet out of the way, given enough lead time, rather than blowing it up and creating multiple pieces that could rain down on Earth. Multiple im pactors might be needed for big space rocks or a combination of impactors and so-called gravi ty tractors, not-yet-invented de vices that would use their own gravity to pull an asteroid into a safer orbit.

“The dinosaurs didn’t have a space program to help them know what was coming, but we do,” NASA’s senior climate ad viser Katherine Calvin said, re ferring to the mass extinction 66 million years ago believed to have been caused by a major asteroid impact, volcanic erup tions or both.

The non-profit B612 Foun dation, dedicated to protecting Earth from asteroid strikes, has been pushing for impact tests like Dart since its founding by astronauts and physicists 20 years ago. Monday’s feat aside, the world must do a better job of identifying the countless space rocks lurking out there, warned the foundation’s executive di rector, Ed Lu, a former astro naut.

Significantly less than half of the estimated 25,000 nearEarth objects in the deadly 460foot range have been discov ered, according to NASA. And fewer than 1% of the millions of smaller asteroids, capable of widespread injuries, are known.

The Vera Rubin Observato ry, nearing completion in Chile by the National Science Foun dation and U.S. Energy Depart ment, promises to revolutionize the field of asteroid discovery, Lu noted.

Finding and tracking aster oids, “That’s still the name of the game here. That’s the thing that has to happen in order to protect the Earth,” he said.

“The dinosaurs didn’t have a space program to help them know what was coming, but we do.”

OPINION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

COLUMN | U.S. REP. RICHARD HUDSON

My commitment to you

SUNDAY IS GOLD STAR MOTHER’S AND FAMILY DAY, where we honor the mothers, fathers, siblings, and all other family members of the brave U.S. servicemembers who lost their lives in the line of duty. Military families, especially Gold Star Families, have sacrificed so much in defense of our nation. We will never forget these families’ and their fallen loved ones’ service and sacrifice. One way to honor them is to live a life worthy of their sacrifice. We must also make sure we each do our part to keep this nation free, safe, and strong.

cutting taxes, and fostering an economic environment that encourages growth, job creation, and lowers costs.

We also have a plan for a nation that’s safe. In short, we will reduce crime and secure our border. We will work to tackle the crime wave plaguing our communities by rejecting the liberal anti-police and softon-crime agenda and giving law enforcement the resources and support they need to get the job done. We will also work to secure our border through enacting proven, commonsense measures such as keeping “Remain in Mexico” in place and finishing the wall.

America’s freedom, safety, and strength are all under threat like never before.

Unfortunately, America’s freedom, safety, and strength are all under threat like never before.

Inflation remains up 8.3% from last year and is now costing the average household an extra $700 a month, or over $8,000 out of your pockets this year. Democrats’ “Inflation Reduction Act” and President Joe Biden’s student loan bailout plan will only raise your taxes and make this inflation crisis even worse.

At our border, for the first time ever, more than 2 million illegal crossings have been recorded in a single fiscal year. Last week we learned that nearly 80 people on the terrorist watchlist attempted to cross. Failing to secure the border and stop these illegal crossings, as well as the flow of deadly drugs like fentanyl, is a threat to every community in America.

In our communities, violent crime has skyrocketed. National homicide and aggravated assault rates have risen roughly 50% and 36%, respectably, compared to this time in 2019.

Our nation is facing difficult times, and the American people deserve solutions. However, my Democrat colleagues don’t have a plan to address these issues. House Republicans, on the other hand, have a plan.

On Friday, House Republicans introduced our “Commitment to America,” a detailed plan to take our country in a new direction and establish a future of security, freedom, and prosperity for you and your family. You can read our plan at CommitmentToAmerica.com.

First, we have a plan for an economy that’s strong. The economy remains the most pressing issue facing families across this country. We are committed to getting it back on track by slashing reckless spending,

COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI

Beyond this, we have a plan to secure a future built on freedom. This means giving you control of what happens in your kids’ school, and it means confronting big tech censorship. It also means personalizing your health care to provide affordable options and better quality. Last week, I helped move us in the right direction when the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously passed my bipartisan MOBILE Health Care Act, a critical piece of legislation for expanding health care access in rural and underserved communities.

Finally, we also have a plan to build a government that’s accountable. This starts by standing up for your God-given rights and safeguarding the First and Second Amendments from progressive overreach. It also means making sure the government in Washington fulfills its obligations to the American people. The federal government exists to serve you, and Congress has the responsibility to ensure it is doing just that. Unfortunately, too many in Washington have forgotten this. Government has become too big and too unaccountable. For example, last week, I called on Congress to get answers from the Biden administration on issues like the origins of COVID-19 and how billions of your tax dollars have been spent to expand broadband access. Unfortunately, Democrats blocked these questions.

Under the one-party rule in Washington, our nation has faced challenges like never before. But House Republicans have a plan to fix it. Rest assured, I will never stop working on my commitment to you and to our nation by securing an economy that’s strong, a nation that’s safe, a future built on freedom, and a government that’s accountable to you.

Richard Hudson is serving his fifth term representing North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He currently serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee and in House leadership as the Republican Conference Secretary.

What the media could learn from Oriana Fallaci

A FEW WEEKS after Iran’s “president,” Ebrahim Raisi, promised stricter enforcement of his nation’s misogynistic dress code, a woman named Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurd, was likely beaten to death by “morality police” for failing to wear her hijab properly. The apparent murder was nothing new for the theocratic “guidance patrols” that have been patrolling cities since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, one of the most disastrous events of the late 20th century.

It would be nice if contemporary journalists were at least as tough on murderous dictators as they are on domestic conservative foes.

Last week, “60 Minutes” aired an interview Lesley Stahl conducted with the same theocratic crackpot responsible for Amini’s death wearing a hijab. And it immediately reminded me of Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci’s 1979 interview with Ayatollah Khomeini.

Fallaci, who died in 2006, was once somewhat of a celebrity due to her pugilistic interviews with world leaders in the 1960s and 1970s. A war correspondent for most of her career, Fallaci was shot three times and left for dead during student demonstrations in Mexico City in 1968 in what became known as the Tlatelolco massacre. Striking and sophisticated, uninterested in the ideology or political affiliation of her victims, Fallaci had no patience for moral equivalency. In truth, she was a liberal of the old school, and her infinite skepticism regarding power made her the most formidable interviewer of her time. “Whether it comes from a despotic sovereign or an elected president, from a murderous general or a beloved leader, I see power as an inhuman and hateful phenomenon,” she said, “I have always looked on disobedience toward the oppressive as the only way to use the miracle of having been born.”

Henry Kissinger famously referred to his interview with Fallaci as “the single most disastrous conversation I have ever had with any member of the press.” Fallaci asked then-darling of Western leftists, Yasser Arafat, “How many Israelis do you think you’ve killed up to this date?” When Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi began spinning an anti-Semitic “Zionist” conspiracy of his own, she told him that “Hitler would have been a very good friend for you.” After interviewing her for Playboy in 1981, the left-wing journalist Robert Scheer noted it was “the first time in my life, I found myself feeling sorry for the likes of Khomeini, Qaddafi, the Shah of Iran, and Kissinger.”

Did anyone feel bad for Ebrahim Raisi after watching “60 Minutes”? I cringed reading outlets claim that Stahl had “confronted” Raisi over whether he was a Holocaust denier. Stahl asked Raisi: “Do you believe

the Holocaust happened? That 6 million Jews were slaughtered?” Raisi answered that “historical events should be investigated by researchers and historians. There are some signs that it happened. If so, they should allow it to be investigated and researched.”

“So you’re not sure. I’m getting that. You’re not sure,” Stahl responded.

Ah, yes. If only someone had thought to research the Holocaust. In any event, that is no confrontation. It is merely a statement confirming the position of Iran, the world’s leading anti-Semitic entity, which not only denies the Holocaust but promises to conduct its own genocide against Jews. It is the same regime that is responsible for the murder of 600 American servicemen — one out of every six fatalities in Iraq.

Fallaci, only months after the Islamic Revolution had occurred and a month before American diplomats and citizens were taken hostage, went on her own to Iran to procure an interview with Ayatollah Khomeini. She spent ten days in the holy city of Qum, surrounded by extremists waiting for the chance. (Fallaci writes about the ordeal in “Conversations with Power.”) Perhaps the only reason the Italian was given an audience was that she had also conducted a belligerent interview with Khomeini’s archenemy, the shah of Iran, in 1973. (Fallaci: “I’d like to ask you: if I were an Iranian instead of an Italian, and lived here and thought as I do and wrote as I do, I mean if I were to criticize you, would you throw me in jail?” The shah: “Probably.”)

Fallaci, barefoot and covered in Islamic garb from head to toe, proceeds to challenge every Khomeini lie, confronting him on his fascistic tactics and murders, challenging the Iranian regime’s insistence that she wear religious garb — a “stupid, medieval rag,” before throwing it off.

It is impossible for me to imagine any reporter showing the skills or guts to engage a bully in this way. Now, no one is expecting Lesley Stahl, or anyone else, to be the next Oriana Fallaci. But it would be nice if contemporary journalists were at least as tough on murderous dictators as they are on domestic conservative foes.

David Harsanyi is a senior editor at The Federalist. Harsanyi is a nationally syndicated columnist and author of five books — the most recent, “Eurotrash: Why America Must Reject the Failed Ideas of a Dying Continent.”

SIDELINE REPORT

NFL Rihanna to headline the next Super Bowl halftime show

New York

Rihanna is set to star in February’s Super Bowl halftime show. The singer, who declined to perform in the 2019 Super Bowl halftime show out of solidarity with Colin Kaepernick, on Sunday posted an image on Instagram of an arm holding up an NFL football. The NFL and Jay-Z’s Roc Nation have a multiyear pact with the league to pick halftime show performers. They confirmed that Rihanna will headline this season’s Super Bowl. The game will take place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Feb. 12. After years of Pepsi sponsoring the event, the upcoming halftime show will be sponsored by Apple Music.

BOXING

Fury rules out fighting Joshua after deadline expires

London

Tyson Fury has ruled out fighting fellow British heavyweight Anthony Joshua after his self-imposed deadline expired. Fury set Joshua’s camp an ultimatum on Friday night, insisting he would walk away from the long-anticipated fight if a deal could not be done by Monday. The WBC champion says in a video posted on Instagram that no contract has been signed and “it’s officially over for Joshua.”

Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, had already said there was “no chance” of contracts being signed by Monday. Joshua had verbally accepted Fury’s offer of a 60-40 purse split in favor of Fury.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Darrell Mudra, successful coach at all levels, dies at 93 Tallahassee, Fla.

College Football Hall of Fame coach Darrell Mudra has died at age 93. The National Football Foundation says Mudra died last Wednesday in Tallahassee, Florida. Mudra won better than 70% of his games in a career spanning the 1950s through 1980s. He won the College Division national title at North Dakota State in 1965 and the Division II championship at Eastern Illinois in 1978. He retired from coaching in 1988 with a career record of 200-81-4. Mudra broke from football norms and coached his college games from the press box instead of on the sidelines.

Reddick captures 3rd victory, wins at Texas

The weather-delayed race was the fourth straight to be won by a driver eliminated from the postseason

By Stephen Hawkins The Associated Press

FORT WORTH, Texas — Tyler Reddick opened the round of 12 in the NASCAR Cup Series play offs with a victory at Texas on Sunday, winning a week after be ing one of the first four Cup driv ers knocked out of title conten tion.

After none of the contenders won the first three races of the playoffs — a first in any round in this postseason format — the trend continued with the elimi nated Reddick leading 53 of the

final 54 laps on a long race day that went into the night.

Reddick finished 1.19 seconds ahead of Joey Logano at the end of an extended race that had a track-record 17 cautions, a record 36 lead changes, a 56-minute red flag for lightning and multi ple tire issues leading to crashes — including playoff contenders Chase Elliott, the points leader going into the second round, and Christopher Bell.

“I was extremely worried, I’m not going to lie,” Reddick said. “Unfortunately, just about every time we’ve had fast cars, we’ve had some tire problems. That last run, the right sides were vibrat ing really, really hard there. ... I was just trying to maximize and use the gap that I built over (Lo gano) just in case.”

Logano took over the points lead, by 12 over Ross Chastain.

Elliott, who entered the round of 12 as the points leader, had a fiery finish after contact with the outside wall in Turn 4 when lead ing just past the halfway mark of the race.

Flames were already visible from under the right side of the No. 9 Chevrolet when he got onto the frontstretch then turned across and came to a stop in the middle of the infield, where El liott climbed out uninjured as the car was being engulfed by flames. He finished 32nd.

“I’m not sure that Goodyear is at fault,” Elliott said. “Good year always takes the black eye, but they’re put in a really tough position by NASCAR to build a tire that can survive these types of racetracks with this car. I wouldn’t blame Goodyear.”

Goodyear and NASCAR of ficials said there were several teams that didn’t have tire issues, and the reports from those teams indicated that they were conser vative with the air pressure they used in their tires.

Bell, the Oklahoma native who considers Texas his home track, couldn’t recover from a

Cautions during Sunday’s race at Texas, a track record.

second tire issue that led to his race-ending crash after finishing only 136 laps. He was the only driver to finish in the top five in all three races in the first round of this postseason, but he was 34th at Texas.

Contenders Ryan Blaney and Chase Briscoe finished fourth and fifth. The other finishers still eligible for the title were William Byron (seventh), Kyle Larson (ninth), Denny Hamlin (10th), Daniel Suarez (12th), Chastain (13th), rookie Austin Cindric (15th) and Alex Bowman (29th).

The middle race of the sec ond round of the playoffs is Sun day at Talladega, where Chastain got his second win of the season in April. He hasn’t won since but has finished seventh or better in the last three playoff races.

LARRY PAPKE | AP PHOTO

Tyler Reddick burns his tires after winning Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.

NFL replaces Pro Bowl with skills competitions, flag game

Next year’s event will be held in Las Vegas

By Rob Maaddi The Associated Press

THE NFL is replacing the Pro Bowl with weeklong skills competitions and a flag football game, The Associated Press has learned.

The new event will replace the full-contact showcase started in 1951. It will be renamed “The Pro Bowl Games” and will feature AFC and NFC players showcasing their football and non football skills in chal lenges over several days. The 2023 Games will be held in Las Vegas, and the flag football game at Allegiant Stadium is Sunday, Feb. 5.

Peyton Manning and his Omaha Produc tions company will help shape programming and promote the event’s content throughout the week. Manning, a 14-time Pro Bowl pick during his Hall of Fame career, will provide his perspective and will also be a part of the coaching staff for flag game.

“The Pro Bowl is some thing that we’ve been looking at for a while, really continuing to evolve,” NFL executive Pe ter O’Reilly told The Associated Press. “Coming out of last year’s game, we really made the deci sion based on a lot of internal conversations, getting feedback from GMs and coaches, getting a lot of feedback from players. We think there’s a real opportuni ty to do something wholly differ ent here and move away from the traditional tackle football game. We decided the goal is to cele brate 88 of the biggest stars in the NFL in a really positive, fun, yet competitive way.

“The feedback very directly from guys who had been in the Pro Bowl recently was to keep the construct of the week, make sure you’re having that multiday

element. It was overwhelming ly positive both from players as well as from clubs.”

The Pro Bowl debuted in Jan uary 1951 in Los Angeles and stayed there for 21 seasons be fore the game moved to differ ent cities from 1972-80. Hawaii hosted from 1980-2009, and the game has had several homes in the years since, including Miami, Phoenix, Orlando and Las Vegas.

Quality of play in the Pro Bowl has often been criti cized. Players, under standably concerned about getting hurt, treat it as an exhibition more than competition. A flag football game could increase compe tition while avoiding potential injuries re sulting from tackling, blocking and hitting.

The NFL has a major interest in flag football. The league partnered with the International Federation of American Football to bring flag football to The World Games in July with an eye on the 2028 Olym pics in Los Angeles.

“You tap into all the stuff that feels great about Pro Bowl week — the skills, the helmets off, the en gagement — and then culminate that, keeping the AFC-NFC con struct, in something that’s real ly important, which is flag foot ball and that opportunity to have the best athletes in the NFL out there playing this game that is so much about the future of our sport,” said O’Reilly, the league’s executive vice president, club business and league events. “It’s been an evolution, but coming out of Las Vegas last year, we re ally focused on how do we rein vent and celebrate our all-stars even better.”

Fan voting will still help de termine the AFC and NFC team rosters. Tom Brady has the most invitations to the Pro Bowl with 15. Four players got 14 invites, including Manning. The EastWest Shrine Bowl will be held at Allegiant Stadium on Thursday, Feb. 2.

Biden praises Braves’ ‘unstoppable, joyful run’ to 2021 win

The White House hosted last year’s World Series champions on Monday

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Joe Biden said Mon day the Atlanta Braves will be “forever known as the up set kings of October” for their improbable 2021 World Series win, as he welcomed the team to the White House for a victory celebration.

Biden called the series an “unstoppable, joyful run.” The team got its White House victo ry visit in with just over a week left before the 2022 regular sea son wraps up and playoffs begin again. The Braves are just two wins behind first place in the National League East. Braves CEO Terry McGuirk said he hoped they’d be back to the White House again soon.

In August 2021, the Braves were a mess, playing barely at .500. But then they started win ning. And they kept doing it, clinching the World Series in six games over the Houston Astros.

Biden called their comefrom-behind win one of “histo ry’s greatest turnarounds.”

“This team has literally been

part of American history for over 150 years,” said Biden. “But none of it came easy ... people counting you out. Heck, I know something about being count ed out.”

Players lined up on risers be hind Biden, grinning and wav ing to the crowd, but the play er most discussed was one who hasn’t been on the team in near ly 50 years and who died last year: Hall of Famer Hank Aar on.

Hammerin’ Hank was the home run king for 33 years, de throning Babe Ruth on April 8, 1974. He was one of the most famous players for Atlan ta and in baseball history, a vo cal and clear-eyed chronicler of the many hardships thrown his way — from the poverty and segregation of his Alabama youth to the racist threats he faced during his pursuit of one of America’s most hallowed re cords. He died in January at age

86.

“This is team is defined by the courage of Hank Aaron,” Biden said.

McGuirk said Aaron, who held front office positions with the team and was one of Ma jor League Baseball’s few black executives, was watching over them.

“He’d have been there every step of the way with us if he was here,” McGuirk added.

The president often honors major league and some college sports champions with a White House ceremony, typically a nonpartisan affair in which the commander in chief pays tribute to the champs’ prow ess, poses for photos and comes away with a team jersey.

Those visits were high ly charged in the previous ad ministration. Many athletes took issue with President Don ald Trump’s policies and rhet oric on policing, immigration and more. Trump, for his part, didn’t take kindly to criticism from athletes or their on-field expressions of political opinion.

Under Biden, the tradition appears to be back. He’s hosted the NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks and Super Bowl cham pion Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the White House. Biden on Monday joked about first lady Jill Biden’s Philadelphia alle giances.

“Like every Philly fan, she’s convinced she knows more about everything in sports than anybody else,” he said. He add ed that he couldn’t be too nice to the Atlanta team because it had just beaten the Phillies the previous night in extra innings.

“We decided the goal is to celebrate 88 of the biggest stars in the NFL in a really positive, fun, yet competitive way.

Peter O’Reilly, NFL executive

AP PHOTO

The NFL is replacing the Pro Bowl with weeklong skills competitions and a flag football game. The new event will be renamed “The Pro Bowl Games” and will feature AFC and NFC players showcasing their football and nonfootball skills in challenges over several days.

Melissa SWARBRICK FOR NC HOUSE

“This team has literally been part of American history for over 150 years.”

President Joe Biden

State conservation funds available to Hoke farmers

State Journal

RAEFORD — The major cause of water quality problems in North Carolina and in much of the United States is nonpoint source pollution. In many plac es, damage to our water resources comes from soil erosion, excessive fertilizer use, animal waste con tamination, and improper use of agricultural chemicals.

The North Carolina Agricul tural Cost Share Program (ACSP) helps address nonpoint source pollution by providing technical and financial resources through a voluntary, incentive-based pro gram designed to improve water quality through the installation of various best management prac tices (BMPs) on agricultural lands directly involved with agriculture production.

Hoke Soil and Water Conserva tion District received its cost share allocation from the State of North Carolina for nonpoint source pol lution control for agricultural ac tivities. These funds are available to assist farmers and landowners to install conversation practices, which help decrease the amount of sediment, nitrogen, phospho rus, chemicals, and other pollut ants in the ground water.

The District received $34,999 for program year 2022-2023, which began July 1, 2022 and will run until June 30, 2023. Land

owners may apply for cost share assistance to install conserva tion practices such as stripcrop ping, terraces, grassed water ways, animal waste management, agrichemical handling facilities, water control structures, conser vation tillage

and no-till incentive payments. There are also many other prac tices that Hoke Soil and Water of fers through these funds.

In addition to the NC Agricul ture Cost Share Program, Hoke County Soil and Water received $11,000 in funding for the Agri

cultural Water Resources Assis tance Program (AgWRAP). The purpose of the AgWRAP pro gram is to identify opportunities that increase water use efficien cy, availability and storage, imple ment best management practic es (BMPs) to conserve and protect

water resources and increase wa ter storage and availability for ag ricultural purposes.

If you are a landowner or rent er of an existing agricultural oper ation that has been operating for more than three years, you are el igible to participate in the North Carolina Agriculture Cost Share Program.

The North Carolina Agricul ture Cost Share Program is suc cessful because of the grassroots efforts of your local soil and wa ter conservation district. Your district works with agricultural landowners and renters to devel op and approve individual con servation plans, identify the best management practices (BMPs) best suited for your particular op eration, design BMPs and help en sure their longevity, acquire pre liminary approval of a Cost Share contract.

Landowners in Hoke Coun ty may contact the Hoke Soil and Water Conservation District for more information pertaining to the North Carolina Agriculture Cost Share Program and the Ag riculture Water Resources Assis tance Program. The District of fice is located in the Robert A. Wright Agriculture Building, 645 East Palmer Street, Raeford, NC 28376. You may also contact the office by phone at 910-848-8032, Monday through Friday, 8am5pm.

Biden administration launches ‘environmental justice’ office

By Hannah Schoenbaum The Associated Press

WARRENTON — President Joe Biden’s top environment offi cial visited what is widely consid ered the birthplace of the “environ mental justice” movement to unveil a national office that will distribute $3 billion in block grants to under served communities burdened by pollution.

Forty years after a predomi nantly black community in War ren County rallied against hosting a hazardous waste landfill, Mi chael Regan, the first black man to serve as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agen cy, announced he is dedicating a new senior level of leadership to the movement.

The Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights — comprised of more than 200 current staff members in 10 U.S. regions — will merge three exist

ing EPA programs to oversee a por tion of Democrats’ $60 billion in vestment in environmental justice initiatives created by the Inflation Reduction Act. The president will nominate an assistant administra tor to lead the new office, pending Senate confirmation.

“In the past, many of our com munities have had to compete for very small grants because EPA’s pot of money was extremely small,” Re gan said in an interview. “We’re go ing from tens of thousands of dol lars to developing and designing a program that will distribute bil lions. But we’re also going to be sure that this money goes to those who need it the most and those who’ve never had a seat at the table.”

Biden has championed environ mental justice as a centerpiece of his climate agenda since his first week in office, when he signed an executive order pledging 40% of the overall benefits from certain federal clean energy investments to

disadvantaged communities over whelmed by pollution.

Now, Regan said, this new office intertwines environmental justice with the central fabric of the EPA, equating it to other top offices like air and water, and cementing its principles in a way that will outlive the administration.

North Carolina in 1978 desig nated Warren County, a small, pre dominantly black farming com munity along the Virginia border, as a disposal site for truckloads of soil laced with highly carcinogen ic chemical compounds that later contaminated the water supply.

As the first trucks rolled into town in 1982, hundreds of resi dents flooded the streets, blocking their path to the landfill. Though they were unable to shut down the operation after six weeks of nonvio lent protests and more than 500 ar rests, their efforts have been lauded by civil rights leaders as the impe tus for a global uprising against en

vironmental racism in minority communities.

Wayne Moseley, 73, was one of the initial protesters arrested on the first day of the demonstration.

The Raleigh resident commuted to Warren County to march on be half of his mother, whose health prevented her from participat ing. He called Saturday’s ceremo ny “a homecoming” for himself and many other protesters he hadn’t seen for 40 years.

“We became a family, no black or white, no rich or poor — we were all one,” Moseley said. “The state was hell-bent on putting that dump site here. I knew we couldn’t stop it, but we could elevate the consciousness of not only the state but the nation.”

Dollie Burwell, a protest lead er known in the community as “the mother of the movement,” honored the bravery of her late daughter Kimberly Burwell, who was only 8 years old when she joined her mother on the frontlines.

“She stood up and led so many children in the protests,” Burwell said of her daughter during the cer emony. “She was not afraid of be ing arrested. But she was afraid of her family and friends getting can

cer” from carcinogenic compounds in the soil.

The Rev. Dr. William Barber II, a prominent left-wing activ ist and leader of the Poor People’s campaign, said he sees Regan’s announcement as “a great start ing point” and will continue to de mand more of the Biden adminis tration.

“Our votes are not support. Our votes are our demands,” Barber said in an interview. “This is not about right versus left, it’s about right ver sus wrong. This is about a lifestyle versus disability because when you poison the land and the water, you hurt people’s everyday life.”

Regan, who is from Goldsboro, said he grew up listening to local civil rights leaders like Barber and Burwell — the early inspirations for his work at the EPA.

“I’m taking all of these experi ences (from my childhood) and matching that with the vision of the president,” Regan said. “We’re using this opportunity to not only honor those who came before us, but we’re building on the work that they started. We’re standing on their shoulders and trying to reach higher heights.”

GERRY BROOME | AP PHOTO

This July 2017 file photo shows an irrigation system at a farm in Farmville.

AP PHOTO

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan embraces Rev. Dr. William Barber II, a prominent social activist, at a gathering of environmental justice leaders in Warrenton, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022.

obituaries

Patricia Joanne Slack

December 18, 1941 ~ September 24, 2022

Mrs. Patricia Slack of Raeford passed away on Saturday, September 24, 2022, at Open Arms Retirement Center at the age of 80.

Mrs. Slack was born in Ann Arbor MI on December 18, 1941, to the late Charles Hopkins Howard and Emma Irene Daniels Howard. She was preceded in death by her husband Kirk Slack and her brother John Charles Howard. Was retired from Pinehurst County Club.

She is survived by her son Charles (Chuck) Slack and his wife Brenda of Raeford, NC, her daughter Cathy Rider and her husband Steve of Crystal River FL four grandchildren William (Will) Slack and his wife Maddie of Concord, NC, Stephanie Slack of Raeford, NC, Christopher (Chris) Rider of Hernando, FL, and Matthew (Matt) Rider and his wife Sabrina of Citrus Springs, FL.

William (Rusty, Russ) Rainey

August 24, 1966 ~ September 21, 2022

Mr. William Russell Rainey (Rusty, Russ) died peacefully at home surrounded by his loved ones after a lengthy illness on Wednesday, September 21, 2022. Born and raised in Virginia Beach VA, Russ was an Eagle Scout, and avid outdoorsman. He enjoyed spending time with his family, sailing, the beach, swimming, riding his motorcycle, racing, and his passion was freeing the oppressed. He received his B.S degree in health science from Campbell University. He spent a significant part of his adult life in the United States Army as a Green Beret, 7th Special Forces Group(A)18D combat medic. Upon retiring from the US Army, Russ continued his work as a Green Beret, training ANA national soldiers in Afghanistan until he became too ill. Russ received the bronze star medal for his work in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. He also received three army commendation medals, five army achievement medals, six army good conduct medals, two national defense service medals, the global war on terrorism medal. Russ turned down a silver star when he attempted to save his teammate. In his words, “There shouldn’t be a medal awarded for something you are expected to do.”

Geneva Graham

September 30, 1938 ~ September 19, 2022

Ms. Geneva Graham age, 83 went home to rest with her heavenly father on September 19, 2022.

She leaves to cherish her loving memories her children: James A Graham, Daphne GrahamDudley, Rodney K Graham, Tameka A Graham; sister, Gwendolyn F McByrde, brothers: James E McBryde, William W McBryde, Larry L McBryde, Michael A McBryde along with a host of other family and friends. Geneva will be greatly missed.

Left to cherish his memory, are his wife JoAnne Rainey; daughters Alisha Earl, Kailie Ilarraza; son Colby Rainey; and son-in-law Bernardo (Tito) Ilarraza, all of Raeford. His parents William and Jo Ann (Wynne) Rainey of Virginia Beach VA; Father-in-law Robert (Judy) Pautz; brother Thomas Rainey; sisters-in-law Amy (Peter) Hansen and Mary Pautz; brother-inlaw Daniel Pautz; three precious grandchildren, Adrianna, Emilia, and Eli Ilarraza; Aunts Peggy (Ralph) McGhee, Jackie (Barny) Bernard, Louise Rainey Rogers, Virginia Miller Rainey Thomas, and Barbara Pautz; Uncle Lewis (Greta) Rainey; nephews Ryan (Sarah) Pautz, Devin Collin Hansen, Jack, Sam, and Ian Rainey; niece Mary Rainey, and many close cousins and friends. Special mention to his SF ODA Brothers for whom he would have given his life.

He is preceded in death by his beloved maternal grandmothers Adell Wynne, and paternal grandmother Mina Bullock Rainey; Uncles Albert Rainey, John (Jack) Rainey, Melvin (Butch) Rogers, Hugh Cash, and Graham Cash; Mother-in-law Lynn Ann Pautz; and Nephew Collin David Hansen.

All gave some, some gave all. TIL VALHALLA.

Janie Ruth Shotwell

March 15, 1937 ~ September 19, 2022

Mrs. Janie Ruth Freeman Shotwell of 1435 Greenock Avenue, Fayetteville, NC went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Monday, September 19, 2022, at the age of 85.

Janie was born in Marlboro County, South Carolina on March 15, 1937, to the late Ed Freeman and Alma Quick Freeman. She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles (Buddy) A. Shotwell, and two sons, Billy Saunders, and Michael Saunders.

She is survived by four sons, Jeffrey Saunders and wife Teresa of Fayetteville, NC, Gerald Sox of Fayetteville, NC, Neal Saunders and wife Kim of Shelby, NC, Jay Shotwell and wife Felicia of Fayetteville, NC; three daughters, Sharon Gaskins of Fayetteville, NC, Diane Smith, and husband Robert of Fayetteville, NC, and Patty Saunders of Dunn, NC, 18 grandchildren, 22 greatgrandchildren, and one greatgreat-granddaughter.

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Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in NSJ at obits@northstatejournal.com

McCarthy unveils House GOP’s midterm agenda

By Lisa Mascaro The Associated Press

MONONGAHELA, Pa. —

House Republican leader Kev in McCarthy on Friday confront ed President Joe Biden and the Democratic majority in Congress with a conservative midterm elec tion agenda filled with Trump-like promises, working not only to win over voters but to hold together the coalition of his own party.

McCarthy, who is poised to seize the speaker’s gavel if Republicans take control of the House in the fall, never once mentioned the former president. Instead, the GOP leader traveled to battleground Pennsyl vania hoping to replicate the strat egy that former Speaker Newt Gin grich of Georgia used to spark voter enthusiasm and gain a majority in 1994.

“What the ‘Commitment’ is, it’s a plan for a new direction,” McCarthy said at a manufacturing facility in a historic building along the Monon gahela River.

The House GOP’s “Commitment to America” gives a nod to the ear lier era but updates it in the age of Donald Trump, with econom ic, border security and social poli cies to rouse the former president’s deep well of supporters in some times-overlooked regions like this rusty landscape and rolling farm land outside Pittsburgh.

Slim enough to fit on a “pocket card,” which McCarthy pulled from his suitcoat, the agenda uses broad

strokes — “A Future That’s Built on Freedom” — supplemented by more detailed proposals on energy, secu rity and an end to liberal social pol icies, particularly in schooling.

President Joe Biden hit back quickly in a speech to the National Education Association.

He dismissed McCarthy’s agen da as “a thin series of policy goals with little or no detail.” But he pro vided his own details in urging sup port for Democrats in the midterm elections.

“If Republicans win control of the Congress abortion will be banned,” Biden said. He also criticized oth er GOP lawmakers for proposals to require reauthorization votes for Social Security and Medicare and opposition to gun control laws and

efforts to lower prescription drug costs.

“In 46 days, Americans are going to face a choice,” he said. “We have a real alternative here.”

In Pennsylvania, McCarthy said that if Republicans win the House, the first bill next year will be to re peal funding approved by Demo crats to bolster the Internal Reve nue Service with more employees.

Propelled by Trump’s “Make America Great Again” voters, the Republicans need to pick up just a few seats to win back control of the narrowly split House and replace Speaker Nancy Pelosi. But even so, McCarthy’s ability to lead the House is far from guaranteed.

While Republicans and Trump did pass tax cuts into law, the

GOP’s last big campaign prom ise, repealing and replacing the Af fordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare,” collapsed in failure. Republican speakers, including Gingrich, John Boehner and Paul Ryan, have been forced from office or have chosen early retirement, of ten ground down by party infight ing.

“House Republicans are real ly good at running people out of town,” said Matt Schlapp, chair of the Conservative Political Action Coalition.

McCarthy, first elected to office in 2006, is among the remaining survivors of those House Republi can battles, a leader who, somewhat like, Trump has shown more abili ty to communicate than to legislate.

A key architect of the Republican tea party takeover in 2010, the Cal ifornia Republican personally re cruited the newcomers to Congress — many who had never served in public office and are now long gone.

He spent more than a year pull ing together the House GOP’s of ten warring factions — from the far-right MAGA to what’s left of the more centrist ranks — to produce a mostly agreed-upon agenda.

McCarthy he and fellow law makers chose Washington County not Washington, D.C. “Because it’s about you, it’s not about us.”

“If you are a hard-line populist and you really want anger, Kevin’s a little frustrating because he’s not going to be angry enough for you,” Gingrich said. “On the other hand,

Increase in Venezuelan migration is felt across US

The Associated Press

EAGLE PASS, Texas — It cost Nerio two months and everything he had to get from Venezuela to the U.S., traveling mainly by foot and watching as exhausted fellow mi grants were assaulted or left behind to die.

Like an increasing number of Venezuelans, Nerio undertook a dangerous journey that included traveling through Panama’s noto rious jungle, the Darien Gap, and Mexico, where migrants often face extortion and threats from govern ment officials, in hopes of a better life in the U.S.

“We know that nobody wants us to make it here,” Nerio said last month in Eagle Pass, Texas, a city of 30,000 people that is at the center of the increase in Venezuelan mi grants to the U.S. He asked that his last name not be published due to fears for his safety.

Last month, Venezuelans sur passed Guatemalans and Hondu rans to become the second-larg est nationality stopped at the U.S. border after Mexicans. Nerio, who traveled with about a dozen others fleeing poverty and violence in Ven ezuela, was among them.

Venezuelans were stopped 25,349 times, up 43% from 17,652 in July and four times the 6,301 en counters in August 2021, author ities said Monday, signaling a re

markably sudden demographic shift.

An estimated 6.8 million Ven ezuelans have fled their country since the economy tanked in 2014, mostly to Latin America and Carib bean countries. But the U.S. econ omy’s relative strength since the COVID-19 pandemic has caused Venezuelan migrants to look north. Also, U.S. policies and strained re lations with the Venezuelan govern ment make it extremely difficult to send them home.

Word has spread in Venezuela as more family and neighbors reach

Texas and are released with notices to appear in immigration court or on humanitarian parole.

“We hope that in a few years, the problems in Venezuela will be fixed so we can return to our home coun try, but until then we have to be mi grants and endure what this jour ney will mean for us,” Nerio said.

The impact is reflected in daily headlines. About 50 migrants that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis flew to the upscale Massachusetts is land of Martha’s Vineyard last week were Venezuelan, as were five of six men whom U.S. authorities found

drowned in the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass in early September.

José, who asked to be identi fied only by his middle name due to fears for his safety, was on one of two DeSantis flights. He walked nearly three months before crossing the Rio Grande in an inflatable raft and surrendering to the Border Pa trol.

While staying at a San Antonio migrant shelter, José met a wom an promising at least three months of housing, a job, medical care, and free legal help. She told migrants they would be going to Washing ton, Chicago and other immi grant-friendly “sanctuary” cities.

Yet when they reached Mar tha’s Vineyard, an enclave known as a summer vacation spot for for mer President Barack Obama, “No body was waiting for us, nobody knew who we were,” José, 27, said in a phone interview from a military base in Cape Cod, where Massachu setts Republican Gov. Charlie Baker moved them on Friday.

A Venezuelan family in Boston offered a room and food to José, who earned $20 a month as a gar bage collector in Caracas and left his two children behind with his grandparents. He will let U.S. Im migration and Customs Enforce ment know his new address and move his appointment with the agency to Boston.

“Now we are free, we can go any

if what you want is to have your val ues implemented and passed in the legislation, he is a really good leader and organizer.”

Gingrich has been working with McCarthy and his team to craft the style and substance of the proposal.

Conservative Republicans com plain privately that McCarthy isn’t leaning hard enough into their pri orities, as he tries to appeal to a broader swath of voters and hold the party together.

Many are eager to launch investi gations into the Biden administra tion and the president’s family, with some calling for impeachment. Legislatively, some House Republi cans want to fulfill the party’s com mitment to banning abortion, sup porting Sen. Lindsey Graham’s bill prohibiting the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

Former McCarthy rival Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio who joined the event Friday, vowed to launch investigations including into the COVID-19 crisis if Republicans win the House.

It’s notable that McCarthy alone has proposed a plan if Republicans win control of the House chamber. In the Senate, Republican leader Mitch McConnell has declined to put forward an agenda, preferring to simply run against Biden and Democrats in the midterm election.

Kevin’s done a very good job of being in position to become the speaker. And then the question is, what do you do with that? Schlapp said. “This helps as a roadmap.”

where we want,” said José. “I feel blessed by God.”

Venezuela has one of the world’s highest inflation rates and about three-quarters of the population lives on less than $1.90 a day, an in ternational standard for extreme poverty. The monthly minimum wage, paid in bolivars despite a dol lar-driven economy, is the equiv alent of $15. Many lack access to clean, running water and electricity.

The United States’ strained rela tionship with Venezuela’s govern ment makes it extremely challeng ing to expel Venezuelan migrants under a pandemic rule known as Title 42, which U.S. officials invoke to deny people a chance at seeking asylum on grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Mexico, under pressure from the Biden administration, introduced restrictions on air travel to limit Venezuelan migration to the United States, but many then shifted to the dangerous land journey.

Cuba and Nicaragua have also sent more migrants to the U.S. in the last year. Overall, migrants were stopped 203,597 times on the bor der in August, or 2.15 million times since October, topping 2 million for the first time in a government fiscal year.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said during an event tele vised on state media the U.S. was “trying to politically use the suf fering of a group of the Venezuelan population that, faced with sanc tions and the economic war, made a personal decision to emigrate to other places.”

BARRY REEGER | AP PHOTO

House Minority leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., speaks at DMI Companies in Monongahela, Pa., Friday, Sept. 23, 2022.

ERIC GAY | AP PHOTO

Migrants gather their personal items as they wait to be processed by the Border Patrol at Eagle Pass, Texas, Friday, Aug. 26, 2022.

So close to a win

Winston-Salem mayor visits White House

By Josh Boak The Associated Press

Samaritan Ministries to Host Fundraising Breakfast to Aid Hungry and Homeless Neighbors

Forsyth County Samaritan Ministries is holding its annual SAM & Eggs fundraising breakfast on Wednesday, September 28 beginning at 7:30 a.m. This event will help spread awareness and support Samaritan Ministries’ mission of providing food and shelter to our hungry and homeless neighbors in Winston-Salem. It is open to the public.

The featured speaker will be Allan D., a participant in Samaritan’s Project Cornerstone program. C ornerstone is a substance abuse recovery program for homeless men and has a goal to remove barriers to housing and employment. Allan will share his personal recovery journey and how Samaritan Ministries and Cornerstone impacted his life.

Founded in 1981, Samaritan Ministries is an interdenominational, volunteer-based Christian ministry that serves Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. The Samaritan Ministries Soup Kitchen and Samaritan Inn Shelter are open 365 days and nights a year to serve people in need.

Samaritan Ministries is located at 414 East Northwest Boulevard near downtown Winston-Salem.

WASHINGTON — The White House on Thursday launched a new effort to show local govern ments what it can do for their com munities, hosting North Caroli na officials to highlight funding opportunities and hear firsthand how coronavirus relief, infrastruc ture dollars and other policies are faring locally.

The event reflects an expansion of the use of the White House cam pus as pandemic restrictions have eased. It’s also part of a larger ini tiative to host municipal, county and state officials on a weekly basis from all 50 states, coinciding with campaigning for November’s mid term elections as the White House tries to energize Democratic vot ers.

“We’re entering into a phase of our administration when we can do more in terms of convening at the White House,” said Julie Ro driguez, director of the White House Office of Intergovernmen tal Affairs. “It’s incredibly inspiring for us to get more proximate to the impact we’re having on Americans’

everyday lives.”

One of the key messages for the visit by North Carolina officials is the recovery in manufacturing.

Steady hiring since the middle of last year has brought the U.S. man ufacturing jobs total to 12.85 mil lion, the most since late 2008 as the financial crisis triggered more than 2 million layoffs in the sector.

Officials and the group from North Carolina discussed plans by Wolfspeed to invest $5 billion in building a silicon chip factory that is forecast to create an estimated 1,800 jobs in the state.

That discussion followed the first group visit recently by offi cials from Ohio. President Joe Biden earlier this month spoke at the groundbreaking for a new Intel plant near Columbus. Both Ohio and North Carolina have open

Senate seats this year.

Thursday’s half-day included Environmental Protection Agen cy Administrator Michael Regan, who’s from North Carolina. Rodri guez and Keisha Lance Bottoms, a former Atlanta mayor who is now a White House senior adviser, also were to talk to the group.

In attendance were more than 50 North Carolina officials, in cluding U.S. Rep. Kathy Man ning, state lawmakers, the mayors of Charlotte, Wilmington, Fayette ville, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Concord, Kinston and Durham, in addition to leaders from Wake and Guilford counties.

Just as administration officials want to hear local stories, they also want to emphasize the possible op portunities that local governments might have because of the biparti san infrastructure law, the incen tives for developing computer chips and scientific research, and the re cent package to encourage cli mate-friendly energy sources and limit prescription drug prices.

As part of the day’s events, the White House connected those of ficials with regional media outlets

State data shows 75% of WSFCS at or exceeding expected growth

WSFCS seeing decline in vacancies

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

WINSTON-SALEM — The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education met Tuesday, September 13, where they received an update on staffing and school performances.

The first information that the board received was an update on staffing around the district.

“Last year, we processed 650 applications and this year we’re up to almost 1,200,” said Chief Hu man Resources Officer Dr. Leslie

Alexander. “That’s a lot of applica tions and so I want to say thanks not only to our recruitment team, but our HR specialists and our benefits specialists that have pro cessed those people. We’re going to keep at it.”

According to Alexander, there are currently six vacancies for el ementary teachers, eight for mid dle school and 21 for high school. Each of those numbers are down from the last update given to the board, having gone from 85 class room vacancies down to 35.

“Our classified vacancies were at 65 and now we’re down to 44.4,” Alexander said. “38 of those are teacher assistant vacancies so that’s an area we still have a need

in. Our bus driver vacancies were at 60 with 11 in process for a re sult of 49. We do now have 42 in process so we’re down to a net of 19. We are looking at ways we can make this process quicker, it’s just a long process. They have to go

in a sign that they’re trying to bring the message to the wider pub lic. That will be crucial in terms of political messaging. Republi cans seeking control of the House and Senate have blamed high infla tion on Biden’s $1.9 trillion corona virus relief package, while the ad ministration say the prices are a byproduct of global events such as the pandemic and Russia’s Febru ary invasion of Ukraine.

The White House says its ef forts have helped workers by swift ly bringing down unemployment rates to a low 3.7%, but the Repub lican drumbeat is that consumer prices are up 8.3% from a year ago and the primary reason for voter concern. Gasoline prices have eased since peaking in June, but the Fed eral Reserve estimated Wednes day that unemployment will likely rise to bring down inflation.

“The inflation rate plateau ing above 8% does not mean that families are catching a break — it means exactly the opposite,” Sen ate Republican leader Mitch Mc Connell said in a Monday speech to the Senate. “It means that fam ilies are continuing to see prices go up and up and up all the time.”

through CDL training, they have to do their testing at the DMV. We’ve reached out to see about having our own district trainers, but we are still exploring options with that. We were at 94 kitch en assistants, with 22 in process, and we’re down to 78, but we have had 23 applicants in the last week and half. So we’re going to keep pushing there and hopefully we can continue to get those numbers down.”

“The district has three clear goals: to have 90% of our third grade students reading at or above grade level by 2025, 90% of our eighth grade students reading at or above grade level by 2025 and 90% graduation rate by 2025,”

“Our superintendent is very clear that she expects 100% of our schools to meet or exceed expected growth”

Andrew Kraft

“It’s incredibly inspiring for us”

White House’s Julie Rodriguez on hosting NC officials

The board was also present ed with the 2021-22 Accountabil ity Data from the state which in volves grading for each of the district’s schools on a 15-point grading school.

Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins (20) is congratulated by teammate Keith Maguire (30) after knocking down a fourth-down pass intended for Wake Forest wide receiver A.T. Perry (9) during the second overtime of an NCAA college football game in Winston-Salem, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. Clemson won 51-45 in double overtime.

CHUCK BURTON | AP PHOTO

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COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI

What the media could learn from Oriana Fallaci

It would be nice if contemporary journalists were at least as tough on murderous dictators as they are on domestic conservative foes.

A FEW WEEKS after Iran’s “president,” Ebrahim Raisi, promised stricter enforcement of his nation’s misogynistic dress code, a woman named Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurd, was likely beaten to death by “morality police” for failing to wear her hijab properly. The apparent murder was nothing new for the theocratic “guidance patrols” that have been patrolling cities since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, one of the most disastrous events of the late 20th century.

Last week, “60 Minutes” aired an interview Lesley Stahl conducted with the same theocratic crackpot responsible for Amini’s death wearing a hijab. And it immediately reminded me of Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci’s 1979 interview with Ayatollah Khomeini.

Fallaci, who died in 2006, was once somewhat of a celebrity due to her pugilistic interviews with world leaders in the 1960s and 1970s. A war correspondent for most of her career, Fallaci was shot three times and left for dead during student demonstrations in Mexico City in 1968 in what became known as the Tlatelolco massacre. Striking and sophisticated, uninterested in the ideology or political affiliation of her victims, Fallaci had no patience for moral equivalency. In truth, she was a liberal of the old school, and her infinite skepticism regarding power made her the most formidable interviewer of her time. “Whether it comes from a despotic sovereign or an elected president, from a murderous general or a beloved leader, I see power as an inhuman and hateful phenomenon,” she said, “I have always looked on disobedience toward the oppressive as the only way to use the miracle of having been born.”

Holocaust happened? That 6 million Jews were slaughtered?” Raisi answered that “historical events should be investigated by researchers and historians. There are some signs that it happened. If so, they should allow it to be investigated and researched.”

“So you’re not sure. I’m getting that. You’re not sure,” Stahl responded.

Ah, yes. If only someone had thought to research the Holocaust. In any event, that is no confrontation. It is merely a statement confirming the position of Iran, the world’s leading anti-Semitic entity, which not only denies the Holocaust but promises to conduct its own genocide against Jews. It is the same regime that is responsible for the murder of 600 American servicemen — one out of every six fatalities in Iraq.

Fallaci, only months after the Islamic Revolution had occurred and a month before American diplomats and citizens were taken hostage, went on her own to Iran to procure an interview with Ayatollah Khomeini. She spent ten days in the holy city of Qum, surrounded by extremists waiting for the chance. (Fallaci writes about the ordeal in “Conversations with Power.”) Perhaps the only reason the Italian was given an audience was that she had also conducted a belligerent interview with Khomeini’s archenemy, the shah of Iran, in 1973. (Fallaci: “I’d like to ask you: if I were an Iranian instead of an Italian, and lived here and thought as I do and wrote as I do, I mean if I were to criticize you, would you throw me in jail?” The shah: “Probably.”)

DEATH NOTICES

♦ Roy Lee Allen Jr., 82, died September 24, 2022.

♦ Betty Jean Danner Beeding, 92 of Mocksville, died September 24, 2022.

♦ Robert Owen Cobb, 70, of Clemmons, died September 23, 2022.

♦ Waneta Showalter Denton, 91, of Winston-Salem, died September 22, 2022.

♦ Charles Randall “Chuck” Heath 89, of Winston-Salem, died September 23, 2022.

♦ Linda Elizabeth Brandon Massengill, 79, of Clemmons, died September 24, 2022.

♦ Mary Ann (Baron) Maynard, 87, of Winston-Salem, died September 21, 2022.

♦ Robin Alves Mickle, 89, of Winston-Salem, died September 21, 2022.

♦ Walter Harvey Neal, 85, of Walkertown, died September 25, 2022.

♦ Hilda Elaine Styron Pollock, 86, of Forsyth County, died September 23, 2022.

♦ Isabel Ramirez, 8 months, of Winston-Salem, died September 25, 2022.

♦ Ruth “Pat” Elizabeth Stanley Watkins, 96, of Forsyth County, died September 23, 2022.

♦ Dorothy Watkins Wilson, 88, of Kernersville, died September 22, 2022.

WSFCS from page 1 said Chief Accountability Officer Andrew Kraft

According to Kraft, most of the proficiency numbers dropped during the pandemic years, but have started to climb back up, with a few schools actually surpassing their pre-pandemic levels.

WSFCS received grades for over all school performances with 25 ex ceeding expected growth, 29 meet ing expected growth and 18 not

Henry Kissinger famously referred to his interview with Fallaci as “the single most disastrous conversation I have ever had with any member of the press.” Fallaci asked then-darling of Western leftists, Yasser Arafat, “How many Israelis do you think you’ve killed up to this date?” When Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi began spinning an anti-Semitic “Zionist” conspiracy of his own, she told him that “Hitler would have been a very good friend for you.” After interviewing her for Playboy in 1981, the left-wing journalist Robert Scheer noted it was “the first time in my life, I found myself feeling sorry for the likes of Khomeini, Qaddafi, the Shah of Iran, and Kissinger.”

Did anyone feel bad for Ebrahim Raisi after watching “60 Minutes”? I cringed reading outlets claim that Stahl had “confronted” Raisi over whether he was a Holocaust denier. Stahl asked Raisi: “Do you believe the

WEEKLY CRIME LOG

♦ Bailey, Timothy Douglas (M/37)

Arrest on chrg of Escape-aiding (F), at 201 N Church St, Winston-salem, NC, on 9/23/2022 12:55.

♦ Breathette, Annette Marie (F/34)

Arrest on chrg of Assault-simple (M), at 1600 Brookway West Dr, Lewisville, NC, on 9/25/2022 08:00.

♦ Breathette, Yasmin Pecolia (F/33) Arrest on chrg of Assault-simple (M), at 1600 Brookway West Dr, Lewisville, NC, on 9/25/2022 08:00.

♦ BRYANT, CHAMARAY DEVON was arrested on a charge of 2ND DEGREE TRESPASS at 1522 N LIBERTY ST on 9/26/2022

♦ Camp, Thomas Lee (M/32) Arrest on chrg of Larceny-felony, F (F), at 2209 Fairstone Ct, Winston-salem, NC, on 9/23/2022 19:19.

♦ Carvana, Martino (M/18) Arrest on chrg of 1) Affray (M) and 2) Contrib Delinq Minor (M), at 3699 Transou Rd/balsom Rd, Pfafftown, NC, on 9/21/2022 14:00.

♦ Dominguezavila, Ebby (M/20) Arrest on chrg of 1) P/w/i/s/d Marijuana (F), 2) Poss Marijuana Fel (F), 3) Maintain Dwelling (F), 4) Drug Paraphernalia (M), and 5) Resisting Arrest (M), at 800 Utah Dr, Winston-

salem, NC, on 9/21/2022 21:53.

♦ Ennis, Cynthia Reneefrazier (F/31) Arrest on chrg of 1) Order For Arrest (M) and 2) Ofa-fta-second Degree Trespass (M), at 201 N Church St, Winston-salem, NC, on 9/26/2022 15:54.

♦ ENNIS, CYNTHIA RENEEFRAZIER was arrested on a charge of 2ND DEGREE TRESPASS at 105 N MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DR on 9/26/2022

♦ Granato, Robert Anthony (M/22) Arrest on chrg of 1) Possession Control Substance Jail (F) and 2) Drug Paraphernalia (M), at 201 N Church St, Winston-salem, NC, on 9/23/2022 11:30.

♦ GREEN, JOHN FRANCIS was arrested on a charge of FUGITIVE at 2001 ANDOVER ST on 9/26/2022

♦ Hayes, Bradley Michael (M/36) Arrest on chrg of Vio. Protective Order By Courts Another State/ Indian Tribe (M), at 2065 Craver Meadows Dr, Winston-salem, NC, on 9/26/2022 18:18.

♦ HOOPER, DAVID LEE was arrested on a charge of FELON ADW/SER INJURY at 2701 PATRICK AV on 9/26/2022

♦ Hunter, Dasean Aaron (M/25) Arrest on chrg of 1) Fail To Appear/compl

meeting expected growth.

“So 75% of schools in our dis trict either met or exceeded ex pected growth,” Kraft said. “Our superintendent is very clear that she expects 100% of our schools to meet or exceed expected growth this coming year so that will clear ly be our focus.”

The board also approved a con tract with Proximity Learning which provides live, online learning from certified teachers in order to address the teacher shortage.

“This is not an area we want to be in,” Alexander said. “We don’t want to have to necessarily do this, but this is really like a National Guard event. They provide assistance when there’s a domestic emergency and this in our opinion is a domes tic emergency. These children need to have instruction in front of them. These are 25 classes that we are as sisting or hoping they can provide assistance with. That’s about the equivalent of six teachers. It is 25 classes that are math and science.”

Fallaci, barefoot and covered in Islamic garb from head to toe, proceeds to challenge every Khomeini lie, confronting him on his fascistic tactics and murders, challenging the Iranian regime’s insistence that she wear religious garb — a “stupid, medieval rag,” before throwing it off.

It is impossible for me to imagine any reporter showing the skills or guts to engage a bully in this way. Now, no one is expecting Lesley Stahl, or anyone else, to be the next Oriana Fallaci. But it would be nice if contemporary journalists were at least as tough on murderous dictators as they are on domestic conservative foes.

David Harsanyi is a senior editor at The Federalist. Harsanyi is a nationally syndicated columnist and author of five books — the most recent, “Eurotrash: Why America Must Reject the Failed Ideas of a Dying Continent.”

(F), 2) Armed To Terror Of Citizens (M), 3) Fail To Appear/compl (M), 4) Fail To Appear/compl (M), and 5) Speeding To Elude Arrest (F), at 200 N Main St, Winston-salem, NC, on 9/26/2022 11:28.

♦ Inzar, Martin Bruce (M/53) Arrest on chrg of Vio. Protective Order By Courts Another (M), at 200 N Main St, Winston-salem, NC, on 9/26/2022 09:50.

♦ ISMAIL, MAZEN FAWZY was arrested on a charge of RESISTING ARREST at 500 AKRON DR on 9/26/2022

♦ JOHNSON, CLARENCE DAVID was arrested on a charge of 2ND DEGREE TRESPASS at 201 N CHURCH ST on 9/26/2022

♦ Lindsey, Shacora Desarae (F/18) Arrest on chrg of Resisting Arrest (M), at 1019 Bethania-rural Hall Rd, Rural Hall, NC, on 9/24/2022 14:32.

♦ Lindsey, Shacora Desarae (F/18) Arrest on chrg of Concealing Mdse, M (M), at 300 Second St/broad St, Rural Hall, NC, on 9/24/2022 14:24.

♦ Mackey, Johnetta Elizabeth (F/31) Arrest on chrg of Probation Violation (F), at 2209 Fairstone Ct, Winstonsalem, NC, on 9/23/2022 19:19.

♦ MARSHALL, RUSSELL EDWARDS was arrested on a charge of ARSON

According to Dr. Alexander, the hope is to not have to reuse the program next year, but it is neces sary this year to address the teach er vacancies.

Other contracts that the board approved were with Voyager Sopris for professional learning services, The New Teacher Project, Pres ence Learning for speech-language pathology tele-services, Bayada Home Health Care Nursing Cen ter for in-school nursing services to EC students, Education Resource

- 1ST DEGREE at 725 N CHERRY ST on 9/26/2022

♦ Mccrayjones, Nickolos Argentine (M/34) Arrest on chrg of Weap-poss By Felon (F), at 200 Woodbriar Path, Rural Hall, NC, on 9/21/2022 07:42.

♦ Miller, Simir Jamarin (M/19) Arrest on chrg of 1) Felon Adw/ser Injury (F), 2) Disch Fa/occ Dwell (F), and 3) Child Abuse (M), at 6033 Cain Forest Dr, Walkertown, NC, on 9/23/2022 18:16.

♦ Montgomery, Gregory Dartanean (M/21) Arrest on chrg of 1) Drugsposs Controlled Substancemethamphetamine>less Than 1 (M), 2) Drug Paraphernalia (M), and 3) Speeding - Exceeding Posted Limit By 15 Mph Or More On Hwy (M), at 3158 S Stratford Rd/dunn Dr, Winston-salem, NC, on 9/21/2022 08:42.

♦ Moses, Marlo Marice (M/40) Arrest on chrg of Drugs-poss Controlled Substance-methamphetamine>less Than 1, (M), at 6400 Ferry View Ln/ styers Ferry Rd, Lewisville, NC, on 9/22/2022 03:25.

♦ Mosley, Ahmad Darnell (M/24) Arrest on chrg of 1) Ccw (M) and 2) Impaired Driving Dwi (M), at W Third St/liberty St, Winston Salem, NC, on 9/25/2022 03:02.

Group Professional Development for classroom support and the ex tension of the custodial contract.

Finally, the board approved the 2022-23 revised budget, the re newal of the Crosby Scholars pro gram, accepted The John Wesley Hanes and Anna Hodgin Hanes Foundation Grant funds, con demned the Ashley Middle School properties, and approved the JMK Change Order 1.

The WSFCS Board of Education will next meet September 27.

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SIDELINE REPORT

NFL Rihanna to headline the next Super Bowl halftime show New York Rihanna is set to star in February’s Super Bowl halftime show. The singer, who declined to perform in the 2019 Super Bowl halftime show out of solidarity with Colin Kaepernick, on Sunday posted an image on Instagram of an arm holding up an NFL football. The NFL and Jay-Z’s Roc Nation have a multiyear pact with the league to pick halftime show performers. They confirmed that Rihanna will headline this season’s Super Bowl. The game will take place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Feb. 12. After years of Pepsi sponsoring the event, the upcoming halftime show will be sponsored by Apple Music.

BOXING

Fury rules out fighting Joshua after deadline expires

London

Tyson Fury has ruled out fighting fellow British heavyweight Anthony Joshua after his self-imposed deadline expired. Fury set Joshua’s camp an ultimatum on Friday night, insisting he would walk away from the long-anticipated fight if a deal could not be done by Monday. The WBC champion says in a video posted on Instagram that no contract has been signed and “it’s officially over for Joshua.” Eddie Hearn, Joshua’s promoter, had already said there was “no chance” of contracts being signed by Monday. Joshua had verbally accepted Fury’s offer of a 60-40 purse split in favor of Fury.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Darrell Mudra, successful coach at all levels, dies at 93 Tallahassee, Fla.

College Football Hall of Fame coach Darrell Mudra has died at age 93. The National Football Foundation says Mudra died last Wednesday in Tallahassee, Florida. Mudra won better than 70% of his games in a career spanning the 1950s through 1980s. He won the College Division national title at North Dakota State in 1965 and the Division II championship at Eastern Illinois in 1978. He retired from coaching in 1988 with a career record of 200-81-4. Mudra broke from football norms and coached his college games from the press box instead of on the sidelines.

RUNNING

Kipchoge breaks own world record in Berlin Marathon

Berlin Two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge has bettered his own world record in the marathon.

The Kenyan runner clocked 2:01:09 in the Berlin Marathon, shaving 30 seconds off his previous best-mark of 2:01:39 set at the same course in 2018. It marks the eighth straight time the world record has been broken at the race in Germany. A Kenyan has held the world record since Sept. 25, 2011, when Patrick Makau ran a time of 2:03:38 to unseat Ethiopian Haile Gebrselassie.

Reddick captures 3rd victory, wins at Texas

into the night.

By Stephen Hawkins The Associated Press

FORT WORTH, Texas — Tyler Reddick opened the round of 12 in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs with a victory at Texas on Sunday, winning a week after being one of the first four Cup drivers knocked out of title contention.

After none of the contenders won the first three races of the playoffs — a first in any round in this postseason format — the trend continued with the eliminated Reddick leading 53 of the final 54 laps on a long race day that went

Reddick finished 1.19 seconds ahead of Joey Logano at the end of an extended race that had a track-record 17 cautions, a record 36 lead changes, a 56-minute red flag for lightning and multiple tire issues leading to crashes — in cluding playoff contenders Chase Elliott, the points leader going into the second round, and Chris topher Bell.

“I was extremely worried, I’m not going to lie,” Reddick said. “Un fortunately, just about every time we’ve had fast cars, we’ve had some tire problems. That last run, the right sides were vibrating really, re ally hard there. ... I was just trying to maximize and use the gap that I built over (Logano) just in case.”

Logano took over the points lead, by 12 over Ross Chastain.

Elliott, who entered the round

of 12 as the points leader, had a fi ery finish after contact with the outside wall in Turn 4 when lead ing just past the halfway mark of the race.

Flames were already visi ble from under the right side of the No. 9 Chevrolet when he got onto the frontstretch then turned across and came to a stop in the middle of the infield, where Elliott climbed out uninjured as the car was being engulfed by flames. He finished 32nd.

“I’m not sure that Goodyear is at fault,” Elliott said. “Goodyear always takes the black eye, but they’re put in a really tough po sition by NASCAR to build a tire that can survive these types of racetracks with this car. I wouldn’t blame Goodyear.”

Goodyear and NASCAR offi cials said there were several teams that didn’t have tire issues, and the reports from those teams indi cated that they were conservative with the air pressure they used in their tires.

Bell, the Oklahoma native who considers Texas his home track, couldn’t recover from a second tire

issue that led to his race-ending crash after finishing only 136 laps. He was the only driver to finish in the top five in all three races in the first round of this postseason, but he was 34th at Texas.

Contenders Ryan Blaney and Chase Briscoe finished fourth and fifth. The other finishers still eligi ble for the title were William By ron (seventh), Kyle Larson (ninth), Denny Hamlin (10th), Daniel Su arez (12th), Chastain (13th), rook ie Austin Cindric (15th) and Alex Bowman (29th).

The middle race of the second round of the playoffs is Sunday at Talladega, where Chastain got his second win of the season in April. He hasn’t won since but has fin ished seventh or better in the last three playoff races.

Take fouls, score changes will be different in NBA this year

By Tim Reynolds The Associated Press

CHANGING THE WAY the socalled “transition take fouls” are officiated this season won’t keep them out of the NBA game.

In fact, the league thinks that sort of play now may make the game better.

The long-awaited rule change — one of the points of education for the NBA going into this season — was a major talking point this week for referees, who gathered for their preseason meetings as train ing camps around the league open. There are other emphasis points, but the take foul changes may be the most significant.

“Some of our best play at the NBA is defensive basketball. We don’t want to discourage that; in fact, we think this rule will encour age that because now we’re asking you to make a legitimate play on the ball,” said Monty McCutchen, the NBA’s senior vice president over seeing referees and training. “From that standpoint, we think more ex citing basketball is on the horizon and these transition scoring oppor tunities — both defensively and of fensively —can be highlight plays. We’ve lost some of that and we think this rule is going to inject that exciting play back into our game.”

The take foul — in which the de fender does not make a play on the ball — is what the league classifies as one that occurs either “during a transition scoring opportunity or immediately following a change of possession and before the offen

sive team had the opportunity to advance the ball.” The exception is in the final 2 minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime.

The new penalty for such a foul is one free throw, which may be at tempted by any player on the of fended team in the game at the time the foul was committed, along with continued possession by the offended team.

But the league also hopes that defenders making plays on the ball in those situations leads to exciting plays, whether the gamble leads to the offensive team getting an easy score or results in the defensive team cashing in a turnover.

“Our players and our coach

es, they’re good at their jobs,” Mc Cutchen said. “They’re good at their jobs because they’re committed at their jobs. They absolutely will stop doing this if we’re consistent in our work, which I fully anticipate us be ing. They’ll then know how to coach it properly. And therein lies the glo ry of transition basketball being re injected into our game.”

Other points of education this season are holdovers from recent years, such as players having free dom of moment in both the post and on the perimeter, setting prop er screens, avoiding travels and having “respect for the game” — of ten meaning not being overly de monstrative toward referees or oth

ers when a call doesn’t go their way.

Bench conduct will be more closely monitored as well, after an uptick in recent years of play ers standing in their bench areas during play and often encroach ing on the sideline or baseline — getting perhaps a bit too close to the action.

“That’s going to be a little bit of a change,” McCutchen said. “We want players on the bench to be able to react spontaneously to excit ing basketball play. But it’s import ant that they not stand the whole game, because now you’re getting into game integrity issues, injury possibility for game participants, we want to eliminate all that.”

The weather-delayed race was the fourth straight to be won by a driver eliminated from the postseason

Teams will now get one free throw and maintain possession

Cautions during Sunday’s race at Texas, a track record.

MORRY GASH | AP PHOTO

The NBA is hoping new rules for take fouls will lead to better transition plays.

LARRY PAPKE | AP PHOTO

Tyler Reddick burns his tires after winning Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.

STATE & NATION

McCarthy unveils House GOP’s midterm agenda

By Lisa Mascaro The Associated Press

MONONGAHELA, Pa. —

House Republican leader Kev in McCarthy on Friday confront ed President Joe Biden and the Democratic majority in Congress with a conservative midterm elec tion agenda filled with Trump-like promises, working not only to win over voters but to hold together the coalition of his own party.

McCarthy, who is poised to seize the speaker’s gavel if Republicans take control of the House in the fall, never once mentioned the for mer president. Instead, the GOP leader traveled to battleground Pennsylvania hoping to replicate the strategy that former Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia used to spark voter enthusiasm and gain a majority in 1994.

“What the ‘Commitment’ is, it’s a plan for a new direction,” McCa rthy said at a manufacturing facil ity in a historic building along the Monongahela River.

The House GOP’s “Commitment to America” gives a nod to the ear lier era but updates it in the age of Donald Trump, with econom ic, border security and social poli cies to rouse the former president’s deep well of supporters in some times-overlooked regions like this rusty landscape and rolling farm land outside Pittsburgh.

Slim enough to fit on a “pocket card,” which McCarthy pulled from his suitcoat, the agenda uses broad strokes — “A Future That’s Built on Freedom” — supplemented by more detailed proposals on energy,

security and an end to liberal social policies, particularly in schooling.

President Joe Biden hit back quickly in a speech to the Nation al Education Association.

He dismissed McCarthy’s agen da as “a thin series of policy goals with little or no detail.” But he pro vided his own details in urging support for Democrats in the mid term elections.

“If Republicans win control of the Congress abortion will be banned,” Biden said. He also crit icized other GOP lawmakers for proposals to require reauthoriza tion votes for Social Security and Medicare and opposition to gun

control laws and efforts to lower prescription drug costs.

“In 46 days, Americans are go ing to face a choice,” he said. “We have a real alternative here.”

In Pennsylvania, McCarthy said that if Republicans win the House, the first bill next year will be to re peal funding approved by Demo crats to bolster the Internal Reve nue Service with more employees.

Propelled by Trump’s “Make America Great Again” voters, the Republicans need to pick up just a few seats to win back control of the narrowly split House and re place Speaker Nancy Pelosi. But even so, McCarthy’s ability to lead

the House is far from guaranteed.

While Republicans and Trump did pass tax cuts into law, the GOP’s last big campaign prom ise, repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare,” collapsed in fail ure. Republican speakers, includ ing Gingrich, John Boehner and Paul Ryan, have been forced from office or have chosen early retire ment, often ground down by par ty infighting.

“House Republicans are real ly good at running people out of town,” said Matt Schlapp, chair of the Conservative Political Action Coalition.

McCarthy, first elected to office in 2006, is among the remaining survivors of those House Repub lican battles, a leader who, some what like, Trump has shown more ability to communicate than to legislate.

A key architect of the Repub lican tea party takeover in 2010, the California Republican person ally recruited the newcomers to Congress — many who had never served in public office and are now long gone.

He spent more than a year pull ing together the House GOP’s of ten warring factions — from the far-right MAGA to what’s left of the more centrist ranks — to pro duce a mostly agreed-upon agenda.

McCarthy he and fellow law makers chose Washington County not Washington, D.C. “Because it’s about you, it’s not about us.”

“If you are a hard-line populist and you really want anger, Kevin’s a little frustrating because he’s not

Increase in Venezuelan migration is felt across US

The Associated Press

EAGLE PASS, Texas — It cost Nerio two months and everything he had to get from Venezuela to the U.S., traveling mainly by foot and watching as exhausted fellow migrants were assaulted or left behind to die.

Like an increasing number of Venezuelans, Nerio undertook a dangerous journey that included traveling through Panama’s noto rious jungle, the Darien Gap, and Mexico, where migrants often face extortion and threats from government officials, in hopes of a better life in the U.S.

“We know that nobody wants us to make it here,” Nerio said last month in Eagle Pass, Texas, a city of 30,000 people that is at the center of the increase in Venezue lan migrants to the U.S. He asked that his last name not be pub lished due to fears for his safety.

Last month, Venezuelans sur passed Guatemalans and Hondu rans to become the second-larg est nationality stopped at the U.S. border after Mexicans. Nerio, who traveled with about a dozen oth ers fleeing poverty and violence in Venezuela, was among them.

Venezuelans were stopped 25,349 times, up 43% from 17,652 in July and four times the 6,301 encounters in August 2021, au thorities said Monday, signaling a remarkably sudden demograph ic shift.

An estimated 6.8 million Ven ezuelans have fled their coun

try since the economy tanked in 2014, mostly to Latin America and Caribbean countries. But the U.S. economy’s relative strength since the COVID-19 pandemic has caused Venezuelan migrants to look north. Also, U.S. policies and strained relations with the Venezuelan government make it extremely difficult to send them home.

Word has spread in Venezue la as more family and neighbors reach Texas and are released with

notices to appear in immigration court or on humanitarian parole.

“We hope that in a few years, the problems in Venezuela will be fixed so we can return to our home country, but until then we have to be migrants and endure what this journey will mean for us,” Nerio said.

The impact is reflected in dai ly headlines. About 50 migrants that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis flew to the upscale Massachusetts island of Martha’s Vineyard last

week were Venezuelan, as were five of six men whom U.S. author ities found drowned in the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass in early September.

José, who asked to be identified only by his middle name due to fears for his safety, was on one of two DeSantis flights. He walked nearly three months before cross ing the Rio Grande in an inflat able raft and surrendering to the Border Patrol.

While staying at a San Anto nio migrant shelter, José met a woman promising at least three months of housing, a job, medi cal care, and free legal help. She told migrants they would be go ing to Washington, Chicago and other immigrant-friendly “sanc tuary” cities.

Yet when they reached Mar tha’s Vineyard, an enclave known as a summer vacation spot for for mer President Barack Obama, “Nobody was waiting for us, no body knew who we were,” José, 27, said in a phone interview from a military base in Cape Cod, where Massachusetts Republican Gov. Charlie Baker moved them on Fri day.

A Venezuelan family in Boston offered a room and food to José, who earned $20 a month as a gar bage collector in Caracas and left his two children behind with his grandparents. He will let U.S. Im migration and Customs Enforce ment know his new address and move his appointment with the agency to Boston.

going to be angry enough for you,” Gingrich said. “On the other hand, if what you want is to have your val ues implemented and passed in the legislation, he is a really good lead er and organizer.”

Gingrich has been working with McCarthy and his team to craft the style and substance of the proposal.

Conservative Republicans com plain privately that McCarthy isn’t leaning hard enough into their pri orities, as he tries to appeal to a broader swath of voters and hold the party together.

Many are eager to launch in vestigations into the Biden ad ministration and the president’s family, with some calling for im peachment. Legislatively, some House Republicans want to fulfill the party’s commitment to banning abortion, supporting Sen. Lindsey Graham’s bill prohibiting the pro cedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

Former McCarthy rival Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio who joined the event Friday, vowed to launch investigations including into the COVID-19 crisis if Republicans win the House.

It’s notable that McCarthy alone has proposed a plan if Re publicans win control of the House chamber. In the Senate, Republican leader Mitch McCo nnell has declined to put forward an agenda, preferring to simply run against Biden and Democrats in the midterm election.

“Kevin’s done a very good job of being in position to become the speaker. And then the question is, what do you do with that? Schlapp said. “This helps as a roadmap.”

“Now we are free, we can go anywhere we want,” said José. “I feel blessed by God.”

Venezuela has one of the world’s highest inflation rates and about three-quarters of the population lives on less than $1.90 a day, an international standard for ex treme poverty. The monthly min imum wage, paid in bolivars de spite a dollar-driven economy, is the equivalent of $15. Many lack access to clean, running water and electricity.

The United States’ strained relationship with Venezuela’s government makes it extreme ly challenging to expel Venezu elan migrants under a pandem ic rule known as Title 42, which U.S. officials invoke to deny peo ple a chance at seeking asylum on grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Mexico, under pressure from the Biden administration, intro duced restrictions on air travel to limit Venezuelan migration to the United States, but many then shifted to the dangerous land journey.

Cuba and Nicaragua have also sent more migrants to the U.S. in the last year. Overall, migrants were stopped 203,597 times on the border in August, or 2.15 mil lion times since October, topping 2 million for the first time in a government fiscal year.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said during an event tele vised on state media the U.S. was “trying to politically use the suf fering of a group of the Venezu elan population that, faced with sanctions and the economic war, made a personal decision to emi grate to other places.”

BARRY REEGER | AP PHOTO

House Minority leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., speaks at DMI Companies in Monongahela, Pa., Friday, Sept. 23, 2022.

ERIC GAY | AP PHOTO

Migrants gather their personal items as they wait to be processed by the Border Patrol at Eagle Pass, Texas, Friday, Aug. 26, 2022.

MOORE COUNTY

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Southern Pines Brewing Co. set to expand operations

Southern Pines Brewing Company, which is one of the largest craft brewers in North Carolina, is looking to expand its operations and open two new locations. The company is hoping to open an additional location in Carthage, which is just a few miles north of their current taprooms in Southern Pines. It will be the first brewery to open up in the Carthage area. In addition to expanding in Moore County, the brewing company is also set to open up shop in Fayetteville.

Sheriff deputies arrest two on meth charges

Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields announced the arrest of two individuals last Thursday following a traffic stop in Robbins. During the traffic stop, which took place in the 1800 block of Cedar Hill Road, deputies conducted a search of a vehicle and located methamphetamine and items of drug paraphernalia. Jason Maness, 41, of Robbins, was arrested and is facing charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. He has been issued a $15,000 secured bond.

Cynthia Hahn, 33, of Robbins, the other occupant of the vehicle in question, is facing identical charges as Maness but was issued a $10,000 secured bond. Both individuals are expected to appear in court on October 5.

Emergency crews respond to vehicle rollover in Eastwood

Last Tuesday, an incident took place at the intersection of Murdocksville Road and Highway 73 in Eastwood, which resulted in one vehicle flipping several times before landing upright. According to Moore County authorities, a Honda Civic was traveling northbound when they mistook an intersection for a four-way stopped and pulled out in front of a Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck heading west. Fortunately, both of the drivers avoided major injuries. After being checked out at the scene, they were both taken to FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital in private vehicles. The driver of the Honda Civic was cited with failure to yield.

Fort Bragg Research Institute coming to CORE Innovation Center

North State Journal

FAYETTEVILLE — The Fay etteville Cumberland Econom ic Development Corporation (FCEDC) is proud to announce that its CORE Innovation Center will house the first office space for the Fort Bragg Research Institute (FBRI), a research program of The Geneva Foundation (Geneva), de livering human performance solu tions to the Department of Defense (DoD). A ribbon cutting is sched uled for October 13, 2022, from 6 pm to 8 pm at the FCEDC offices at 201 Hay St. in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Dedicated solely to research that supports the capability of sol diers, FBRI focuses on world-class medical research with a mission to enhance human performance through scientific innovation.

Formed in 2018 as a collabora tive effort between Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg, and Geneva, FBRI links research infra structure to meet the needs of op

erational readiness on Fort Bragg. Geneva and FBRI support 20 on going studies through full lifecy cle research management across Fort Bragg, totaling $12.6 million in funding.

“Harnessing the talent and ca pabilities of our region, FBRI is doing critical work to support our men and women in uniform,” said Robert Van Geons, CEcD, President and CEO of FCEDC. “Through these collaborative part nerships, we are moving toward a safer, healthier tomorrow for our soldiers. In turn, these efforts will spur new innovations and tech nologies, ultimately improving the quality of life and well-being of our citizens.

FBRI Executive Director Lt. Col. (Ret) Stephen DeLellis, PA-C, USA, has spent much of his career studying the effects of traumat ic brain injury in service members and veterans. In conjunction with WAMC and several universities, he helped to develop a comprehen sive neurocognitive baseline and

post-injury assessment programs in the DoD.

“As a former Special Opera tions Soldier and medical officer, I’ve dedicated my career to find ing solutions to the problems that our warfighters and commanders of these units face,” said DeLellis.“

Having a physical location at the CORE Innovation Center will al low us to continue to support in novative medical research toward optimizing military human per formance through partnering with like-minded organizations on and off of Fort Bragg.”

FBRI is a founding member of the North Carolina Center for Op timizing Military Performance (NC-COMP)consortium of more than 120 North Carolina-based ac ademic, industry, nonprofit, and state government organizations who bring together solutions for preventing injury and speeding re covery, maintaining performance in multi-stressor environments, and enhancing baseline physical and mental performance for the DoD.

FBRI will be located in a space specifically designed as a center for military contractors and innova tors in technology.

Launched in 2018, The CORE Innovation Center provides re sources for established companies and entrepreneurs to enable them to create the next generation of cy bersecurity, augmented reality, digital healthcare, and other tech nologies. In addition to jobs creat ed by developers, these sectors are an important source of secondary careers and economic growth.

Aberdeen Citizens Academy Program returns

Planning and Inspection Board to research ways municipal governments can impact affordable housing

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

ABERDEEN — The Town of Aberdeen Board met Monday with a potential text amend ment to the UDO and a prelim inary discussion on affordable housing as the key items on the agenda.

The Town of Aberdeen’s Cit izens Academy Program will return in October after a long hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“For various reasons, because of COVID, we haven’t done our citizens academy for a couple of years,” said Town Manager Paul Sabiston. “We have about six participants signed up now, and we’re looking for four or five more candidates that can join us Monday. We’ve got a pretty good group started, and we are going to start on Monday with our first session. As in the past,

we’re going to meet about every two weeks for three sessions.”

According to the Town’s web site, “The purpose of the pro gram is to improve under standing, communication, and cooperation between local gov ernment and those it serves. The sessions will provide a ‘toolbox’ of information to help citizens navigate the complex system of government operations and ser vices.”

“We go through the group, department by department, and what we kind of do as a Town is try to educate the citizens on an introductory level,” Sabiston said. “These classes have always been fun, and they are free. We try to have a good gift at the end of them too. Usually, some pret ty good food, too, if that’s all you care about. So if you have even a little interest in learning about the Town, come on. It’s a fun group, and we have some good discussions.”

The town board held a pub lic hearing regarding a poten tial text amendment submitted by Hawthorne Residential Part ners to amend the UDO Chapter 8 – Nonconformities to create

non-conforming density stan dards for multi-family develop ments.

“The amendment is specifical ly looking to add non-conform ing protections for multi-family density for previous properties,” said Planning Director Justin Westbrook. “Currently, there are no protections for density in those projects, so should one of those projects experience a cat astrophic loss of structures, the property in its entirety would not be allowed to ever rebuild back to the density it had previ ously enjoyed.”

According to Westbrook, the text amendment only ap plies to “Acts of God,” and if, for instance, something is done by the landowner, the poten tial amendment protections would not apply to the proper ty. Furthermore, rebuilds would have to follow all of the other standards of the UDO, as the amendment just preserves pri or density.

However, while staff recom mended the text amendment for approval, the planning board

“Harnessing the talent and capabilities of our region, FBRI is doing critical work to support our men and women in uniform.”

Robert Van Geons

COURTESY PHOTO

Womack Army Medical Center is a United States Army-run military hospital that is located on Fort Bragg near Fayetteville.

“Join

voted 7-0 in favor of denial of the amendment, mainly due to the applicant not being able to attend the meeting in which it was to be discussed. Due to that fact, the town board vot ed to continue the public hear ing for the amendment so that the Planning and Development Board could take another look at the amendment with the appli cant present.

The Town of Aberdeen also started having preliminary dis cussions on the lack of afford able housing in regards to ways in which the municipal govern ment can have an impact on and affect the course of it in order to help facilitate homing necessary

workers such as first responders, nurses, teachers, those in the service sector and government staff which are in need.

“The market is not what it was a couple of years ago,” West brook said. “Homes are going in a matter of hours, if not minutes, as opposed to the months hous es were usually on the market.”

The discussions focused on how the Planning and Inspec tions Departments had begun to research how other municipali ties in North Carolina were ad dressing the issue and how they would be bringing forth various methods before the town board in order to address the afford able housing crisis.

The Town of Aberdeen Board will next meet October 24.

“These classes have always been fun, and they are free. We try to have a good gift at the end of them too.”

Paul Sabiston

moore happening

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

Sept.29

Trivia Thursday at the Brewery

6pm

WEEKLY CRIME LOG

♦

DOCKERY, KHAMILLE, 23, B, M, 9/26/2022, Bonding Compa ny, Larceny by Employee (x15), $10,000 Secured, 9/26/22, Southern Pines

♦

MOFIELD, JOAN ALEXANDRIA, 42, W, F, 9/25/2022, Moore Coun

ty Sheriff’s Office, No Liability Insurance, $1,000 Secured, 10/26, Aberdeen

♦ COZART, RAY ANTHONY, 53, B, M, 9/25/2022, Moore County Sheriff’s Office, Possess Metham phetamine (x2), Possess Drug Par aphernalia (x4), Possess Marijuana Paraphernalia, PWIMSD Meth amphetamine, Felony Possession Schedule I CS, PWIMSD Cocaine, Possess Heroin, Maintain Veh/ Dwell/Place CS, PWIMSD Heroin, Felony Possession of Cocaine, PWIM Cocaine, $52,500 Secured, 10/5, Robbins

♦ MCLAUGHLIN, THOMAS RAN DALL, 40, B, M, 9/24/2022, Moore County Sheriff’s Office, Second Degree Trespass (x2), Resisting Public Officer, DWI, Aggresive Driv ing, Possess Drug Paraphernalia, Misdemeanor Larceny, $8,000 Secured, 10/5, Southern Pines

♦ MONTENERY, MONICA LEE, 51, W, F, 9/23/2022, Moore County Sher iff’s Office, Assault and Battery, Assault on Government Official, Assault Phy Inj Emergency Prsn, Disorderly Conduct, Resisting Pub lic Officer (x3), $17,750 Secured, 10/26/22, Southern Pines

MOORE CITIZENS FOR FREEDOM

MOORE COUNTY

Remember that we live in the best country, the best state, and by far the best county.

MOORE COUNTY, WHAT A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE!

TUNE INTO

Come out for Trivia at the Southern Pines Brewery! Enjoy fun and prizes each Thursday. Southern Pines Brewing Company is located at 565 Air Tool Dr., Southern Pines, NC.

Community Engagement Series

6:30pm

Moore County Schools will be hosting a Community Engagement Series this fall. These will be town hall-style events held in each of the three attendance areas for Moore County Schools. The first event will take place at New Century Middle School.

Sept. 30

Back Pack Food Drive

4pm – 10pm

Dugan’s Pub is hosting the Back Pack Food Drive. All food donations are welcome. The goal is to feed 1,100 children of Moore County yearround.

OPINION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

COLUMN | U.S. REP. RICHARD HUDSON

My commitment to you

SUNDAY IS GOLD STAR MOTHER’S AND FAMILY DAY, where we honor the mothers, fathers, siblings, and all other family members of the brave U.S. servicemembers who lost their lives in the line of duty. Military families, especially Gold Star Families, have sacrificed so much in defense of our nation. We will never forget these families’ and their fallen loved ones’ service and sacrifice. One way to honor them is to live a life worthy of their sacrifice. We must also make sure we each do our part to keep this nation free, safe, and strong.

cutting taxes, and fostering an economic environment that encourages growth, job creation, and lowers costs.

We also have a plan for a nation that’s safe. In short, we will reduce crime and secure our border. We will work to tackle the crime wave plaguing our communities by rejecting the liberal anti-police and softon-crime agenda and giving law enforcement the resources and support they need to get the job done. We will also work to secure our border through enacting proven, commonsense measures such as keeping “Remain in Mexico” in place and finishing the wall.

America’s freedom, safety, and strength are all under threat like never before.

Unfortunately, America’s freedom, safety, and strength are all under threat like never before.

Inflation remains up 8.3% from last year and is now costing the average household an extra $700 a month, or over $8,000 out of your pockets this year. Democrats’ “Inflation Reduction Act” and President Joe Biden’s student loan bailout plan will only raise your taxes and make this inflation crisis even worse.

At our border, for the first time ever, more than 2 million illegal crossings have been recorded in a single fiscal year. Last week we learned that nearly 80 people on the terrorist watchlist attempted to cross. Failing to secure the border and stop these illegal crossings, as well as the flow of deadly drugs like fentanyl, is a threat to every community in America.

In our communities, violent crime has skyrocketed. National homicide and aggravated assault rates have risen roughly 50% and 36%, respectably, compared to this time in 2019.

Our nation is facing difficult times, and the American people deserve solutions. However, my Democrat colleagues don’t have a plan to address these issues. House Republicans, on the other hand, have a plan.

On Friday, House Republicans introduced our “Commitment to America,” a detailed plan to take our country in a new direction and establish a future of security, freedom, and prosperity for you and your family. You can read our plan at CommitmentToAmerica.com.

First, we have a plan for an economy that’s strong. The economy remains the most pressing issue facing families across this country. We are committed to getting it back on track by slashing reckless spending,

COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI

Beyond this, we have a plan to secure a future built on freedom. This means giving you control of what happens in your kids’ school, and it means confronting big tech censorship. It also means personalizing your health care to provide affordable options and better quality. Last week, I helped move us in the right direction when the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously passed my bipartisan MOBILE Health Care Act, a critical piece of legislation for expanding health care access in rural and underserved communities.

Finally, we also have a plan to build a government that’s accountable. This starts by standing up for your God-given rights and safeguarding the First and Second Amendments from progressive overreach. It also means making sure the government in Washington fulfills its obligations to the American people. The federal government exists to serve you, and Congress has the responsibility to ensure it is doing just that. Unfortunately, too many in Washington have forgotten this. Government has become too big and too unaccountable. For example, last week, I called on Congress to get answers from the Biden administration on issues like the origins of COVID-19 and how billions of your tax dollars have been spent to expand broadband access. Unfortunately, Democrats blocked these questions.

Under the one-party rule in Washington, our nation has faced challenges like never before. But House Republicans have a plan to fix it. Rest assured, I will never stop working on my commitment to you and to our nation by securing an economy that’s strong, a nation that’s safe, a future built on freedom, and a government that’s accountable to you.

Richard Hudson is serving his fifth term representing North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He currently serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee and in House leadership as the Republican Conference Secretary.

What the media could learn from Oriana Fallaci

A FEW WEEKS after Iran’s “president,” Ebrahim Raisi, promised stricter enforcement of his nation’s misogynistic dress code, a woman named Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurd, was likely beaten to death by “morality police” for failing to wear her hijab properly. The apparent murder was nothing new for the theocratic “guidance patrols” that have been patrolling cities since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, one of the most disastrous events of the late 20th century.

It would be nice if contemporary journalists were at least as tough on murderous dictators as they are on domestic conservative foes.

Last week, “60 Minutes” aired an interview Lesley Stahl conducted with the same theocratic crackpot responsible for Amini’s death wearing a hijab. And it immediately reminded me of Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci’s 1979 interview with Ayatollah Khomeini.

Fallaci, who died in 2006, was once somewhat of a celebrity due to her pugilistic interviews with world leaders in the 1960s and 1970s. A war correspondent for most of her career, Fallaci was shot three times and left for dead during student demonstrations in Mexico City in 1968 in what became known as the Tlatelolco massacre. Striking and sophisticated, uninterested in the ideology or political affiliation of her victims, Fallaci had no patience for moral equivalency. In truth, she was a liberal of the old school, and her infinite skepticism regarding power made her the most formidable interviewer of her time. “Whether it comes from a despotic sovereign or an elected president, from a murderous general or a beloved leader, I see power as an inhuman and hateful phenomenon,” she said, “I have always looked on disobedience toward the oppressive as the only way to use the miracle of having been born.”

Henry Kissinger famously referred to his interview with Fallaci as “the single most disastrous conversation I have ever had with any member of the press.” Fallaci asked then-darling of Western leftists, Yasser Arafat, “How many Israelis do you think you’ve killed up to this date?” When Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi began spinning an anti-Semitic “Zionist” conspiracy of his own, she told him that “Hitler would have been a very good friend for you.” After interviewing her for Playboy in 1981, the left-wing journalist Robert Scheer noted it was “the first time in my life, I found myself feeling sorry for the likes of Khomeini, Qaddafi, the Shah of Iran, and Kissinger.”

Did anyone feel bad for Ebrahim Raisi after watching “60 Minutes”? I cringed reading outlets claim that Stahl had “confronted” Raisi over whether he was a Holocaust denier. Stahl asked Raisi: “Do you believe

the Holocaust happened? That 6 million Jews were slaughtered?” Raisi answered that “historical events should be investigated by researchers and historians. There are some signs that it happened. If so, they should allow it to be investigated and researched.”

“So you’re not sure. I’m getting that. You’re not sure,” Stahl responded.

Ah, yes. If only someone had thought to research the Holocaust. In any event, that is no confrontation. It is merely a statement confirming the position of Iran, the world’s leading anti-Semitic entity, which not only denies the Holocaust but promises to conduct its own genocide against Jews. It is the same regime that is responsible for the murder of 600 American servicemen — one out of every six fatalities in Iraq.

Fallaci, only months after the Islamic Revolution had occurred and a month before American diplomats and citizens were taken hostage, went on her own to Iran to procure an interview with Ayatollah Khomeini. She spent ten days in the holy city of Qum, surrounded by extremists waiting for the chance. (Fallaci writes about the ordeal in “Conversations with Power.”) Perhaps the only reason the Italian was given an audience was that she had also conducted a belligerent interview with Khomeini’s archenemy, the shah of Iran, in 1973. (Fallaci: “I’d like to ask you: if I were an Iranian instead of an Italian, and lived here and thought as I do and wrote as I do, I mean if I were to criticize you, would you throw me in jail?” The shah: “Probably.”)

Fallaci, barefoot and covered in Islamic garb from head to toe, proceeds to challenge every Khomeini lie, confronting him on his fascistic tactics and murders, challenging the Iranian regime’s insistence that she wear religious garb — a “stupid, medieval rag,” before throwing it off.

It is impossible for me to imagine any reporter showing the skills or guts to engage a bully in this way. Now, no one is expecting Lesley Stahl, or anyone else, to be the next Oriana Fallaci. But it would be nice if contemporary journalists were at least as tough on murderous dictators as they are on domestic conservative foes.

David Harsanyi is a senior editor at The Federalist. Harsanyi is a nationally syndicated columnist and author of five books — the most recent, “Eurotrash: Why America Must Reject the Failed Ideas of a Dying Continent.”

Nora E Moran

October 1, 1933 — September 21, 2022

Nora Eileen Moran, age 88 of Whispering Pines, NC passed away at home on September 21, 2022. Nora was born in New York City, NY on October 1, 1933 to Andrew Ambrose McCusker and Margaret McCarthy McCusker. Nora was a first-generation American and proud New Yorker. Nora graduated from Sacred Heart of Mary Academy in Inwood, NY, often reminiscing about the “111 steps” to enter the school from the street.

Nora met her husband Richard Moran in 1951, as she was the only secretary in the pool able to decipher his handwriting. Their courtship was largely conducted with love letters written to each other as Richard served a twoyear stint in the Army overseas. Upon his discharge from military service, they were married on May 8th, 1954 - Richard’s 25th birthday - at The Church of the Good Shepherd, in Inwood, NY. They celebrated their 68th anniversary this past May.

Nora is survived by her daughter, Annlouise Moran, granddaughters Michelle Moran and Meaghan (Moran) Whitmer, grandson Conor Cole Moran, and brother Christopher McCusker. Nora was preceded in death by her husband, Richard James Moran, son Gerard Moran, brothers Andrew and Eugene McCusker, and sister Marion McCusker.

Hollie Jo Singleton Dean

January 22, 1953 — September 20, 2022

Hollie Jo Singleton Dean, 69, of Carthage NC left her mortal shell for eternal life on September 20, 2022 surrounded by love and family.

Born in Cheyenne, WY, on January 22, 1953, she was the daughter of the late James Oscar (J.O.) Singleton Jr. and Nancy Stone Singleton.

Hollie leaves behind her husband of 51 years, William Dean of Carthage; a sister Cynthia Singleton Moore (David Moore) of Inman, SC; a son William Dean II (Gwen Dean) of Carthage; a daughter Elizabeth Dean Hoyle (Trent Hoyle) of Shelby. 5 grandchildren, Raven Hoyle Causby (Chris Causby), Zoe Dean, Andrew Hoyle, William Dean III and Ethan Hoyle. 2 Great grandchildren, Damian and Anthony Causby.

Roy Devere Honeywell

December 1, 1935 — September 19, 2022

Roy Devere Honeywell, age 86 of Whispering Pines, NC passed away peacefully at his home on Monday, September 19, 2022 surrounded by loved ones.

Roy was born on December 1, 1935 in Alliance, Ohio to the late Henry Honeywell and Mildred Miles Honeywell. He was the youngest brother of Lowell and Leon who predeceased him.

Roy is survived by the love of his life and wife of 62 years, Beverly Doig Honeywell of Whispering Pines, NC; his son, Dave Honeywell and his wife Chris of Whispering Pines, NC; grandsons, Nate Honeywell and Jon Honeywell as well as many nieces, nephews and extended family.

Roy was a graduate of Shelton College and Brandeis University with a master’s degree in education.

James "Jim" Patrick McDermott

June 24, 1935 — September 19, 2022

James Patrick “Jim” McDermott, loving husband, father, grandfather and friend, left this world after a short battle with cancer on September 19, 2022 at the age of 87. Jim died peacefully at home in West End, North Carolina.

He was born to George and Katherine (Chiccone) McDermott on June 24, 1935. After graduating high school, Jim proudly served his country in the United States Navy, honorably discharged in 1962.

His writing and editing skills led him to the publishing industry, where he spent 37 years working for Penton Media, Inc. in Cleveland, Ohio. During his time at Penton, he helped transform the company into the largest businessto-business publisher in North America.

In 1987, he was the first noncontractor awarded the ACCA’s Spirit of Independence award, the organization’s highest honor given to individuals who have made profound, lasting changes in the industry.

Jim was further honored when eight of the biggest organizations in the HVAC industry came together to declare December 15, 2020 as ‘Jim McDermott Day’ in recognition of his tireless work in moving the industry forward for both contractors and manufacturers.

Deirdre Celeste LaCasse

January 18, 1940 — September 21, 2022

Deirdre Celeste LaCasse, age 82 of Southern Pines, NC passed away peacefully at FirstHealth Hospice House in Pinehurst from complications of pulmonary fibrosis and renal failure, on September 21st, 2022. She is survived by her dedicated husband Robert and her 3 children and 5 grandchildren.

Teddy Lee Jordan

September 16, 1954 —September 16, 2022

Teddy Lee Jordan 68, of Seven Lakes, NC passed away peacefully in his home with his loving wife by his side on September 16, 2022.

Ted was predeceased by his father Floyd Graham Jordan, in 2017, his mother Frances Martin Jordan in 2015, and brother Allen Scott Jordan in 2005. He is survived by his wife Terry Jordan of Seven Lakes, stepdaughter Blair Barnhardt Wiggins, stepson Bradley Barnhardt and wife Ashley Barnhardt, and four grandchildren Daicee Wiggins, Daelyn Wiggins, Cade Barnhardt, and Kennedy Baldwin.

Deirdre was born in Los Angeles, CA January 18,1940 to Milton and Louise Hickman. She was the youngest of three children, her brothers Darryl and Dwayne coming before her.

She graduated from Immaculate Heart College in 1961 and went on to complete her Master’s degree in English and History. That same year she married Arthur Carroll, with whom she had three childrenMichael, Patrick and Hilary.

In 1987, she met her husband Robert and they married in 1989. Bob’s career in the advertising division of Pioneer Hi-Bred International kept them busy traveling until his retirement in 1999.

Michele John Abbruzzese

December 11, 1943 — September 17, 2022

Michele John Abbruzzese, age 78 of Detroit, MI passed away in Jupiter, FL on Sept 17,2022. Michele was born in 1943 on December 11th to Michele John Abbruzzese and Antoinette Fiore Abbruzzese.

Michele married Cheryl Ann Brooks in 1968. He attended and graduated, Austin Catholic High School in Detroit, MI, the University of Detroit School of Engineering and the University of Detroit Law School. He practiced Law in Grosse Pointe Woods, MI.

Michele is survived by his daughter, Michele Lisa Lobsinger (Scott); grandchildren, Natalie Ann and Angelo Michael; stepson, Steve Andre; niece, Linda Abbruzzese and nephews, Jerry, Joey and Michael Abbruzzese.

Michele was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Anthony Pasquale Abbruzzese (Lois), Emanuel Abbruzzese (Wilma) and Theodore Abbruzzese (Roberta). He is also preceded in death by his niece, Little Toni; stepdaughter, Cheri Andre and mother of Michele, Cheryl Ann Lorbach.

Jim is survived by his loving wife Sandra, his children Stephen, John, Patrick, Thomas, Michael, Jeanne, and Robert, stepdaughter Pamela (Pulizzi), sister Jeanne (Curran), countless grandchildren, and an undeniable legacy of a life well lived.

Colonel Louis George Mason

May 8, 1945 — September 18, 2022

Colonel Louis George Mason passed away on September 18, 2022, in Vass, NC. He was born at Fort Bragg on VE Day (8 May 1945), and a proud “Army Brat” living both at Fort Bragg and Edgewood Arsenal in his youth. He was the son of Chief Warrant Officer George and Zora (Hodges) Mason.

A 1967 Regular Army graduate from Southern Mississippi, he served tours with the 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam, the US Embassy in Cambodia, Korea, Fort Benning, numerous assignments with Special Operations units at Fort Bragg, and finally at several posts in the Washington DC area. In 1974, he was awarded the Royal Order of Sahametrei by the President of Cambodia. He was the founding commander of the 528th Special Operations Support Battalion; and graduated from the Command and General Staff College, and the Army War College, in addition to receiving postgraduate degrees from North Alabama (EdS) and Georgia State University (MEd, EdD).

He is survived by his wife, Margaret “Beth” Cook Mason, two children; Bradley Stott Cook Mason of Manassas, VA, and Valen Mason Rosenberg (Aaron) of Clifton, VA; two grandsons (Graham and Brooks Rosenberg); and nephew Colonel (Dr.) Kevin Mason of Wellsboro, PA.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in NSJ at obits@northstatejournal.com