North State Journal Vol. 9, Issue 31

Minor leagues staying in Kinston, B1

UNC student from Avery County found dead in South Africa

Johannesburg

An Avery County woman who went missing while on a hike on Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa, was found dead, authorities said on Monday. Brook Cheuvront, a 20-year-old UNC Chapel Hill student who was interning with a human rights group in South Africa, was reported missing on Saturday after a tracking app she was using stopped updating and friends could not reach her, said SANParks spokesman JP Louw. The management of SANParks, which manages Table Mountain and other national parks, said the cause of death was still unclear and an inquest into her death has been opened. An initial search was conducted by rangers, wilderness search and rescue members, and trail runners until late Saturday evening when it was no longer practical to continue, said Louw. An aircraft joined the search the next day and helped to locate the body. Cheuvront was from Newland and a MoreheadCain scholar at UNC. South African authorities have urged people to avoid hiking on their own, suggesting it be done in groups of at least four people.

NSJ wins best in group, 16 individual honors at NC Press Awards

Raleigh North State Journal claimed rst place for general excellence and its sta won 16 individual writing, photography and design awards at the 2024 North Carolina Press Association Awards last Thursday in Raleigh. It is the rst time since NSJ was categorized in Division B that it won the top prize in its group after claiming rst in Division A several times. Seven di erent writers won individual awards, led by sports editor Shawn Krest with six total wins — two each for rst, second and third place. Reporter A.P. Dillon received a rst- and two third-place awards, and photographer PJ Ward-Brown won a rst place for a story and a second place in photography. Duplin Journal’s Ena Sellers and Chatham News & Record’s Asheebo Rojas each won rstplace awards, while design editor Lauren Rose and senior editor Cory Lavalette won rst- and second-place awards, respectively.

“I’m the guy that wants to enforce law.”

U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop, Republican candidate for attorney general

NCGOP hosts event to educate polling place volunteers

Speakers highlighted election integrity and transparency

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Jason Simmons stressed election integrity and transparency during the party’s “Protect the Vote” event held on Sept. 14.

The Republican is facing U.S. Rep. Je Jackson for the right to succeed Democrat Josh Stein

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — As the race for North Carolina attorney general intensi es, Republican candidate Congressman Dan Bishop is pitching himself as the lawand-order candidate.

In a recent interview with North State, Bishop addressed concerns about rising crime rates, juvenile o enses and immigration enforcement while also responding to anticipated campaign attacks from his Democratic opponent.

“Charlotte police showed another 36% increase in homi-

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley, candidate for state attorney general and U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop, former acting U.S. Attorney General Matt Whitaker and Brad Knott, the 13th District’s Republican congressional nominee, attended the event as the party aims to prepare volunteers for Election Day.

“We set a very audacious goal of recruiting and train-

See NCGOP, page A3

cides, 300% increase in juvenile homicides,” Bishop said. “Raleigh police data showed a 7.5% year over year increase in homicides in that six-month period.”

Bishop said he anticipates that his opponents will attack his character by tying him to the Jan. 6 breach at the U.S. Capitol or his stance on House Bill 2 — the 2016 Bathroom Bill — as a “demonization strategy.” Democrats have already tried to tie Bishop to Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson following last week’s CNN story that rocked the state’s gubernatorial campaign. Bishop, however, wants to redirect the conversation to crime and safety in the state.

“They’ll just insult and talk about mean tweets and call people extremist,” said Bishop. “Think about how ridiculous that is.

A scandalous CNN story led to several sta resignations

By Cory Lavalette North State Journal

RALEIGH — Republican gubernatorial nominee Mark Robinson de antly stayed in the race after CNN published a story last week claiming North Carolina’s lieutenant governor referred to himself as “a black NAZI,” among other scandalous comments, on a pornography message board more than a decade ago.

In a post last Thursday on X, Robinson blamed the media and his opponent, Attorney General Josh Stein, for the story that had many suggesting the Republican would abandon his run for governor.

“Let me reassure you, the things you will see in that story, those are not the words of Mark Robinson,” he said in a video on X. “You know my

“I’m the guy that wants to enforce law. There’s no more sort of traditional kind of political messaging than ‘law and order.’ And that’s exactly what I’m talking about consistently. In fact, apolitical, neutral and unpoliticized enforcement of law.”

Bishop called the rise in juvenile crime a “crisis.”

“I think putting the two words together, juvenile homicides, is shocking enough as it is. It means 12 children killed somebody in Charlotte,” Bishop said.

Bishop also wants improved coordination between law enforcement agencies.

“What I’ve talked about is the attorney general’s o ce doesn’t have direct prosecutorial pow-

See BISHOP, page A2

$2.00

words, you know my character, and you know I have been completely transparent in this race and before. ... We are staying in this race, and we are in it to win it, and we know with your help, we will.”

A report by Carolina Journal said Robinson was under pressure from both former President Donald Trump’s campaign and his own campaign to step aside.

“Sources with direct knowledge have spoken with Carolina Journal on the condition of anonymity and said that Robinson is under pressure from sta and members of the Trump campaign to withdraw from the governor’s race due to the nature of the story, which they say involves activity on adult websites,” Carolina Journal reported.

A spokesperson for the Robinson dismissed Carolina Journal’s article as “complete ction.”

See ROBINSON, page A8

GENE GALIN FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson speaks during a campaign event Sept. 3 in Siler City. Robinson’s gubernatorial campaign is in disarray after a CNN story led to the resignation of several sta members and calls for him to exit the race.

the word | The Word: Genesis of peace

This world is full of unrest and turmoil. There is turmoil in hearts, homes, communities, churches and nations. There is international turmoil, with the world appearing as a seething mass of unrest. People long for peace, but peace comes only when turmoil is removed. Unrest, wherever found, indicates irritation. Unrest is a fever — a symptom that something is not going right somewhere. If we do not have peace with God, it is because there is something causing irritation in the heart.

One thing that causes irritation and destroys peace is sin. We cannot have peace with God with sin in our hearts. The soul can never be at rest with that quiet peaceable rest while indulging in sin of any sort or while sin that has been indulged in is unrepented of. But there is a remedy for sin. That remedy is available today. We can remove the irritation by confessing it and taking God’s way out.

Another source of irritation in the soul is unbelief. We may nd calmness and rest in our souls if we believe in God. The doubts and fears that irritate and destroy peace will vanish when belief comes into the heart. Peace, like the calm after a great storm, will settle down over the soul. But peace cannot come so long as unbelief irritates and annoys the soul.

Another thing that prevents peace in many a soul is self-will. If we refuse to submit to God’s will, the relationship with God cannot be a relationship of peace and con dent trust. To have peace, we must rid ourselves of self-will. We must submit ourselves to the will of God. We must say from the bottom of our heart, “not my will, but thine, be done.” (Luke 22:42) Then the peace of God which passes all understanding will keep our hearts and minds, and we shall know the blessedness of true rest of soul.

Self-will is the cause of the lack of peace that exists in many families. There is a clashing of wills that brings irritation, unrest and dissatisfaction, which results in ill feeling, resentment and bitterness.

Self-will brings unhappiness wherever it operates. Peace cannot abide in the same heart or in the same home with this destroyer of happiness.

Self-will in the church is the cause of more trouble than any other one thing. That disposition to demand that things go the way we think they ought to go, and the setting up of our will above the will of others, the winning of our way — may give us temporary pleasure of a certain sort. It may give us a sel sh satisfaction that comes from having our own way but it will destroy the peace of the church and the peace of our own hearts.

Submitting our will is the hardest thing we have to do, but it is the thing we must do before we can have true peace. Self-will is based on pride. Where there is contention in the family, the community, the church, the nation we can easily locate the trouble. We can easily nd the root of the matter. The wise man tells us “Pride only breeds quarrels” (Proverbs 13:10). Here the destroyer of peace is traced back to his den. Excess of self-esteem, which is a form of pride, causes people to be self-willed, and self-will destroys peace.

The nations could be at peace, if they would justly esteem each other and each other’s rights but this they will not do. In the same manner, communities could be at peace, but pride brings contention. Homes, churches and people could be at peace if they would get rid of that

2 state schools make top 10 in campus free speech rankings

Two others were ranked in the top 25 of this year’s survey

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — The recently published 2025 College Free Speech Rankings Report by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and the College Pulse has two North Carolina colleges ranked in the top 10. NC State was ranked seventh and UNC Charlotte ninth in the annual rankings. East Carolina (13th) and UNC Greensboro (22nd) were also among the top 25 schools.

The University of Virginia ranked rst, while Harvard University ranked last for the second consecutive year. Tying Harvard’s overall score was Columbia University. Along with Harvard and Columbia University, New York University also received an “abysmal” rating for campus speech atmospheres.

The annual FIRE survey examined students’ comfort in expressing minority viewpoints and openness to controversial speakers across 257 colleges, with 58,807 undergrad-

BISHOP from page A1

er,” explained Bishop. “But what it has is an enormous team coordination opportunity that has been completely abdicated over many years, but certainly under two terms of Josh Stein.

Bishop said the recent passage of House Bill 10, which includes provisions related to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), needs to become law so sheri s cannot ignore federal detainer holds. Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed the bill last week.

“If they’re not going to abide the law, then I’m going to use the power invested in me as attorney general to enforce the law,” said Bishop, adding, “We’re not going to pick and choose” what laws are enforced.

uates participating between January and June.

“These rankings highlight a pivotal moment in higher education, where the tension between maintaining a free speech environment and navigating deeply polarizing issues is more pronounced than ever,” FIRE CEO Greg Lukiano said in a press statement on the Report.

“The Middle East crisis plunged campuses into absolute chaos last academic year and administrators largely failed in their response, clamping down on free speech protections instead of fostering spaces for open dialogue,” said Lukiano . “The nightmare scenarios of last spring cannot be repeated this fall. Colleges need to reassert their mantle of being marketplaces of ideas, not bubbles of groupthink and censorship.”

According to the report, 55% of students, a record high, found it di cult to have open conversations about the Israeli-Palestinian con ict on campus.

In a supplementary report on anti-Israel/pro-Gaza encampment protests, 15% of students said they feel “very” or “somewhat” unsafe on campus, and 37% said they feel “very” or “somewhat” unsafe on their campus with regard to police response to the encampments.

“They can have their opinions about them. I guess they can even state their opinions, although I don’t believe that’s helpful to enforcing the law,” Bishop said of sheri s opposing being required to comply with ICE detainers. “But they are certainly going to do their duty or I’m going to use the power that North Carolina voters are going to entrust in me to see to it that they do it or they’re replaced.”

Bishop said the $15 million ad buy against him on behalf of his opponent, freshman Congressman Je Jackson, would be countered by his campaign.

“This is going to be the most expensive attorney general race in the country this year, and yeah, the Democrats always bring in a lot of outside money in order to dominate a space,” said Bishop.

pride that breeds quarrels. People do not feel disposed to contend unless they have pride in their hearts.

To be sure we must contend for the faith sometimes, but this is quite another thing. We may contend for the faith in a thoroughly peaceable manner, or we may do so in a self-willed contentious manner. The latter never brings peace — only turmoil and division.

Would you have peace with God? Do you wish rest, comfort and happiness in your soul? God is not your enemy. His thoughts toward you are thoughts of peaceableness (Jeremiah 29:11), and he tells us that the e ect of righteousness, shall be peace (Isaiah 32:17). To be at peace with God is to get rid of those disturbing elements in our own hearts and minds — get rid of our sins by trusting in Christ for salvation — get rid of all unbelief by taking God at his word and trusting him sincerely — get rid of our self-will through the blood of Christ and through submitting our wills to God — then we may have peace with God and peace within ourselves. We shall have “all joy and peace in believing” (Romans 15:13).

But to keep this peace we must follow after the things that make for peace (Romans 14:19). We must “seek peace, and pursue it.” We must do those things which belong to peace and hold the attitude that brings peace. Peace will begin and peace will abide — when those things are removed which destroy peace.

Charles Wesley Naylor is considered one of the most proli c and inspiring songwriters of the Church of God. He was bedridden for much of his adult life but wrote eight books, a newspaper column and over 150 songs. Many of his writings are in the public domain.

The free expression tunnel at NC State — which was ranked seventh in this year’s College Free Speech Rankings Report — has long been a landmark on the Raleigh campus.

Students reporting they self-censor dropped slightly in this year’s report.

Seventeen percent of students said they feel they cannot express their opinion on a subject because of how students, a professor or the administration would respond — a three-point drop from the previous year’s 20% and a ve-point drop from 22% in 2022.

Students who consider themselves very conservative self-censor the most, with 34% saying they do so “very” or “fairly” often. Students who were somewhat conservative reported self-censoring “very” or “fairly” often came in at 24%, as well as 22% of slightly conservative students.

Conversely, only 15% of very liberal students reported engaging in self-censorship “very” or “fairly” often. Additionally, 12% of somewhat liberal stu-

“And the reason they try to do that, the reason they outspent their last opponent 25 to one down the stretch, is because they use the o ce of attorney general and similar executive positions in order not to ful ll law, in order not to enforce all of the law, but to pick and choose, and to politicize law. That has to stop.”

Safer North Carolina, a group backed by the Republican Attorneys General Association, released an ad on Sept. 17 focusing on North Carolina’s crime rate being “higher than the national average” for the rst time in 13 years, as well as the large spike in juvenile crime.

The ad, which is part of a reported seven- gure digital buy, says, “Je Jackson voted to allow early release of violent criminals

dents and 13% of slightly liberal students reported the same on self-censorship. The same answer rose slightly to 17% of moderate students.

Other ndings from the report include:

• 32% indicated that using violence to stop a campus speech is at least “rarely” acceptable, up from 27% last year and 20% two years ago.

• 42% of students believe it is only “somewhat” clear that their administration protects free speech, while 24% believe it is “not at all” or “not very” clear.

• 47% of students believe their administration would only be “somewhat” likely to defend a speaker’s rights during a speech controversy. Only 28% believe their administration would be “not at all” or “not very” likely to do so.

• 52% of students said block-

from prison — murderers, rapists, carjackers,” and he “won’t keep us safe.” Jackson launched his rst major ad, “Opening statement,” on Sept. 17. The ad is around 32 seconds long with the title tying in his work as a prosecutor in Gaston County. Jackson worked in that role for 3½ years starting in 2011 and eventually became a Gaston County deputy district attorney.

“I’m running to keep you and your family safe — from fentanyl, violent crime, scammers and corrupt politicians,’ Jackson says in the ad. “As a prosecutor, I put away violent criminals. As a soldier, I served with the Army in Afghanistan. And as attorney general, I’ll defend your family just as strongly as I would defend mine.”

ing other students from attending a speech is at least “rarely acceptable,” an increase from last year’s 45%.

• 69% of students said it is at least “rarely” acceptable for other students to shout down a speaker. That’s an increase of six points from last year.

The report also noted that 148 scholar sanctions happened on 83 of the campuses surveyed. The report says 14 schools were “each the site of three or more scholar sanctions” that “altogether accounted for 61 of the 148 scholar sanctions” factored into FIRE’s free speech rankings. UNC Chapel Hill was among the 14 schools.

UNC Greensboro was praised in the report for “supporting free expression in response to a student sanctioning attempt.”

The data can be viewed at rankings.the re.org.

The ad is shot in a courtroom and closes with Jackson turning to his family in the jury box and asking, “How did I do?”

Bishop launched his 30-second ad on Sept 19, titled “Experience.” The ad contrasts Bishop’s experience of “403 appearances” before state and federal trial and appellate courts, and the state Supreme Court to Jackson’s “ ve appearances as counsel of record” during his three years in the district attorney’s o ce, with Jackson portrayed by a mannequin wearing a blue T-shirt that read “woke” on it.

“Much of my opponent Je Jackson’s three-year career as an assistant district attorney was spent handling tra c tickets,” Bishop says in the ad.

PUBLIC DOMAIN

“The Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane” by El Greco (circa 1590) is a painting in the collection of the National Gallery in London.

CREATIVE COMMONS

Portrait of a politician

The life and careers of Dale Folwell

Higher education was both a blessing and a hurdle for Folwell

with the grease stains from his work the only indicator his teachers had.

While working and going to school, Folwell lived in a garage in Greensboro.

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — As Dale Folwell entered adulthood, he had already successfully held several jobs in diverse blue-collar elds, from trash collection and factory work to being a motorcycle racing mechanic.

But one thing was holding him back: education.

“(I was) making my living with my hands and my back and my feet — and I was really good at that — but I had a change in my heart about the need to educate my mind,” Folwell said.

Folwell returned to school in the spring of 1981, attending classes at UNC Greensboro while adding summer classes at Winston-Salem State.

“I’ll never forget calling the roll in my ction class in 1981 and looking up and seeing the likes of a person that I thought I’d never see in a college classroom. He looked like he had just crawled out of a ditch,” one of his professors, famous North Carolina author and O. Henry Magazine founder Jim Clark, told Folwell 25 years later.

“This was because I was taking 16 credit hours this semester and I was working 70 hours a week and driving back and forth to Winston-Salem,” Folwell said. He said he was sometimes so exhausted he would forget to put his name on his papers when he turned them in,

ing 100,000 volunteers around the country, 5,000 in every battleground state,” said Whatley. “So far, pretty good response. We’ve got 175,000 people as of yesterday — 6,500 of them here in North Carolina.”

“Election integrity is vital,” said Knott, a formal federal prosecutor. “Whether it’s fraudulent use of absentee ballots, whether it’s false registrations, even noncitizens who vote — that happened right here in North Carolina — It’s imperative that we remain vigilant. It is imperative that we protect the vote one citizen at a time.”

Several speakers criticized the Biden-Harris administration and Democratic leaders when it came to following the rule of law and supporting law enforcement.

Bishop referenced the 2020 “collusive settlement agreement“ current N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein, the Democrats’ candidate for governor, entered into with Democrat plainti s. That agreement altered absentee ballot and other election rules while voting was occurring and happened without the knowledge of the legislature, which was a party in the case in question.

“It’s time to change the way the attorney general’s o ce is disposed in North Carolina, to enforce all of the law without ideologically choosing laws that

“It was a barter. I was working on the guy’s son’s motorcycle in exchange for a piece of foam rubber (to sleep on), a side door to a garage and a light bulb with a string on it,” Folwell said.

Despite having the lowest GPA in his business school, Folwell persevered.

He said he had the help of plenty of mentors and received a wealth of advice during his education. At one job event, Food Lion founder Ralph Ketner told him, “Don’t let anyone ever tell you what you can accomplish in this world.”

Folwell also said there were several instances where people gave him opportunities that would change his trajectory.

“I graduated undergrad in ’84 and I walked into the Southern Bank — Southern National — and asked for a $12,118 loan, unsecured,” Folwell said of the loan he sought to help him nancially while he studied for the CPA exam. “My dad was nowhere around. My mom’s credit was so poor that she could not get a checking account.”

When the bank manager asked what he wanted the loan for, Folwell laid out its use.

“If I can get this loan, $500 of it is for a CPA review class,” he recalled. “I’m going to live on $20 a week. This is what my mortgage is. These are what my expenses are, and this is what it costs to sit for

Dale Folwell said he was often so exhausted from working 70 hours a week while attending school full time that he would forget to put his name on papers.

“It comes down to ‘I’m standing on the shoulders of someone else.’ And I take that really seriously.”

State Treasurer Dale Folwell

the CPA exam. And I think if I can just study for the CPA exam that I can do well on it because this was my only shot, given my background and my grade point average.”

The result?

“He gave it to me,” Folwell said. “He gave it to me because I had cleaned his toilets. I had pumped gas in his car. I had cut bolts of cloth for his wife at Peace Goods shop. I had washed his dishes

A.P. DILLON / NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Brad Knott, Republican candidate the 13th District’s congressional seat, speaks at a “Protect the Vote” event earlier this month.

someone likes and someone doesn’t like,” said Bishop. “That is not only wrong, it is an attack on our constitutional system.”

Whitaker also criticized the current administration on multiple fronts, including national security and law enforcement support, saying, “This administration doesn’t have the backs of local police o cers and sheri ’s deputies.”

Whitaker also made a call to action to mobilize supporters of former President Donald Trump.

“We need to do more than we’ve ever done,” Whitaker said. “This is the moment to save our country, to put us on the right track, and to make

sure we have another 250 years or more of freedom and opportunity and the promises of this great country that our founding fathers and forebears gave to us in 1776.”

Whatley rounded out remarks by discussing the party’s strategy for the 2024 election.

“We’re going to do two things,” Whatley told attendees. “We are going to get out the vote and we are going to protect the ballot. That’s it.”

Whatley said to secure election integrity, the “right rules of the road (need to be) in place before voting starts,” like citizen-only voting, voter ID and cleaning up voter rolls.

Whatley underscored that

at Mayberry’s. I had cooked for him at Mayberry’s. So he had seen me evolve for half my life.”

Folwell’s blue-collar experience also helped him elsewhere.

He said the woman managing the local law school library gave him a place to study for his exam because she recognized him from delivering newspapers more than a decade earlier.

The loan and Folwell’s studying paid o . “When the results came back in the summer of ’84, I was the only one from UNCG who passed all four parts on the rst sitting,” Folwell said with a slight smile. “I’m not saying that to draw attention to the score. I’m saying that to draw attention to the people who gave me the ben-

e t of the doubt to put me in a position to score like that.” Folwell said the rms who had been doing interviews with CPA students called his school and asked for the list of which graduates passed the CPA exam in their rst attempt. Folwell, recalling the story with a laugh, said the dean of the business school responded by telling the rms there was only one name, and it was “the only guy you didn’t invite to your reception.”

After securing his undergraduate degree in 3½ years and passing the CPA exam, Folwell pursued a master’s in accounting, which was a new o ering at the time. He then went into the nancial investments business, setting up what would become a life in public service.

having “personal conversations” is “the most e ective thing” each volunteer can do to reach voters.

“Black voters, Hispanic voters, Asian American voters are coming our way by the tens of thousands in North Carolina and around the country because of the economic conditions,” Whatley said.

Whatley told reporters at the end of the event that recent legal actions have been taken to remove noncitizens from voter rolls in several states, including North Carolina.

“We’ve seen thousands of them that have come o the voter rolls in Nevada, as well as other states (like) Ohio,” Whatley said when asked if noncitizens had a “signi cant” impact on election results.

“When you think about North Carolina, the chief justice race back in 2020 was decided by 401 votes. Four votes per county,” Whatley later added. “So yeah, we take this very seriously.”

Noncitizens have been found on voter rolls in multiple states and have been removed. Alabama reported 3,251 noncitizens on voter rolls and “over 6,500 potential noncitizens” were found in Texas.” According to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, “approximately 1,930” of those individuals had a voter history.

“We want to make it easy to vote,” Whatley said, “hard to cheat.”

Simmons said recent lawsuits against the North Carolina State Board of Elections were necessary because, he said, it’s “the most partisan Board of Elections that we’ve seen.”

“We’ve asked the State Board of Elections repeatedly to make sure that the voter rolls are clean, and they haven’t taken that action,” said Simmons.

“I have sat in court where illegal immigrants have acknowledged full awareness of voting illegally,” Knott said. “If any vote happens illegally in North Carolina, it is a problem for all of us. Every vote is important; every vote must be protected. Our state depends on it, and our country depends on it.”

Whatley and Simmons expressed con dence in the GOP’s prospects both nationally and in the state.

“We feel very comfortable about where we are in North Carolina right now,” said Whatley. “We have had a small but durable lead, which I think kind of matches where we are historically.”

Simmons added: “What we continue to see is when voters are put forward with issues that matter just to them — law and order, public safety, the economy — Republicans have the right message. Democrats continue to fail North Carolina citizens and voters, and that’s why we’re looking forward to a great night in November.”

NCGOP from page A1

This is the second story in a ve-week series on the life and career of outgoing North Carolina Treasurer Dale Folwell.

COURTESY DALE FOLWELL

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL

Cats, ducks and puppy dogs

Baby ducks dripping in black crude oil became a potent political symbol for her because it was easily understood.

WHY DOES ANYONE DOUBT claims by pet owners in Spring eld, Ohio, who say their cats, ducks and dogs are being eaten by people who have entered the U.S. illegally?

Why would the average citizen talk about little Fi being fricasseed in a public park unless it was true? It is hard to believe any political strategist could come up with a hoax involving pet kidnapping and backyard barbecuing to gain some sort of political advantage, if there is one.

There is a reason liberal news media outlets have been downplaying and pooh-poohing such claims. They know if these claims are proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, the average American voter will understand the dangers illegal immigration poses to the average citizen far better than if Republicans and Fox News keep throwing numbers around like “10 million” or “20 million” immigrants who have crossed the border illegally since 2021 when Joe Biden and Kamala Harris took o ce.

When the Exxon Valdez spilled 31 million gallons of oil in Prince William Sound in Alaska in 1989, the environmental damage was bad but far removed from the daily lives of 99.8% of all Americans. It was only when news media started showing videos and pictures of baby ducks drowning to death in the black goo that the average American became incensed by the accidental spill and demanded action from their political leaders.

We had a neighbor in Northern Virginia who cried every night watching baby ducks trapped in Exxon Valdez oil for the next year. Baby ducks dripping in black crude oil became a potent political symbol for her because it was easily understood ― Big Oil kills baby ducks and, therefore, must be stopped.

The same thing has not happened with the

EDITORIAL | STACEY MATTHEWS

porous defense of U.S. borders under Biden and Harris. Anyone watching CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS or NBC News has no idea of the amount of crime or nancial stress illegal immigration has caused to municipalities — because they have not covered the invasion at all.

However, if it is con rmed pets are being eaten by immigrants in Ohio, even the most liberal of all voters who are PETA supporters will instantly understand that something is seriously, seriously wrong about Harris’ border policies and maybe not vote for her after all.

The graphics of a pet being grilled over an open re far outweigh the impact of any debate or policy paper statement by any candidate.

There have been posts oating around on social media with video and audio evidence for quite some time. On March 12, 2024, a Spring eld resident was lmed at a town council meeting in which he said: “One of the things I’ve heard that bothered me very much — I’ve actually had quite a few people contact me here lately — some pretty horrid things occurring to domesticated animals in the neighborhood. We’ve had some stu in the park.”

Spring eld City Manager Bryan Heck can be heard in the background saying: “I’ve heard about it too.”

Debate moderator David Muir of ABC News said he contacted Heck’s o ce before repeatedly interrupting President Donald Trump during the debate to “fact-check” him in real time.

ABC News and Fox News should go to Spring eld to host a town hall meeting and invite anyone who has video, audio or physical evidence of their pet being stolen and subsequently eaten to speak in a marathon open mic session.

If no one shows up to speak, then ABC and

the naysayers will be proven correct and Trump and all the Republicans will be proven wrong, much to their delirious delight.

If people show up in droves to speak with evidence, then the mainstream media and liberal talking heads will be proven to have lied and hidden the truth once again from the American people and deserve all the ridicule that will be hurled at them.

Americans have no problem with immigration ― as long as it is legal and conducted in a measured, proper manner. Roughly 1 million foreign-born people were awarded naturalized citizenship status annually in the decades before Joe Biden was elected in 2020. Each new American citizen had to pass rigorous background checking and vetting as they waited their turn in the normal immigration process.

Virtually every naturalized citizen before 2020 knew far more about the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution than the average American high school student. American public and private schools have punted civics out of the classroom ― perhaps every high school student should be forced to take the naturalization exam in order to graduate.

Anyone coming to America needs to understand they cannot mess with, touch, take or eat anyone’s personal pet. Not even a gold sh ― every pet means something very special to every owner, so leave them alone.

Appalling media-driven narratives after 2nd Trump assassination attempt

Some in the media and on the left incredibly said Trump was either partially to blame or was asking for it based on his campaign rhetoric.

FOR THE SECOND TIME in two months, another deranged individual put himself in a position to try and make an attempt on GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump’s life.

On Sept. 15, a man later identi ed as 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, a native of Greensboro, was spotted by a Secret Service agent allegedly aiming an “AK-47-style” weapon at the former president while he was gol ng at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Routh, who was behind a chain-link fence, was said to have been between 300-500 yards away from Trump, whose shooting he reportedly planned to lm with a GoPro. He was eventually located by law enforcement while driving on I-95 and was taken into custody.

In the aftermath of the second assassination attempt on Trump, we saw an appalling display of insensitivity and callousness come from some in the media and on the left who, incredibly, said Trump was either partially to blame or was asking for it based on his campaign rhetoric.

“Today’s apparent assassination attempt comes amid increasingly erce rhetoric on the campaign trail. Mr. Trump, his running mate JD Vance, continue to make baseless claims about Haitian immigrants,” NBC News anchor Lester Holt reported.

“Do you expect to hear anything from the Trump campaign about toning down the rhetoric?” MSNBC weekend anchor

Alex Witt asked in another segment.

Meanwhile on CNN, presidential historian Tim Naftali declared that though he believed violence was not the answer, “when you dehumanize people, you make it easier for disturbed minds to do the wrong thing.”

Perhaps most appallingly, The Cincinnati Enquirer editorial board greenlighted the publication of a reader letter that suggested Trump “brings a lot of this stu on himself.”

“There is no place in politics for violence. That said, the former president, Donald Trump, brings a lot of this stu on himself,” the writer argued.

“When he continues to push lies about legal immigrants like the ones in Spring eld, Ohio; when he continues to insist he was not the loser of the 2020 election; when he continues to spout how he wants to use our military to ‘round up’ and deport immigrants who are not white from this country, he brings the crazies out, and one of those crazies tries to shoot him,” they went on to say.

While this was a letter to the paper and not something the paper itself wrote, it was what I would call a dangerous normalization of the victim-blaming we were already seeing the weekend of the second Trump assassination attempt, where these types of claims were made with little to no pushback while some in the press were acting as though it was Trump’s responsibility to call for a dialing down of the rhetoric.

A few days after Routh aimed his weapon at Trump, we learned from his social media accounts that he had used the same type of rhetoric against Trump that we’ve heard from Democrats including President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

“DEMOCRACY is on the ballot and we cannot lose. We cannot a ord to fail. The world is counting on us to show the way,” Routh wrote in an April Twitter/X post.

“Donald Trump is a threat to our democracy and fundamental freedoms,” Harris wrote in a Facebook post on April 3rd, in one of many examples.

Are Harris and Biden partly to blame for the latest attempt to assassinate Trump? I’ll leave that for readers to debate. But according to the left’s/media’s previously stated standards, which have been to suggest that mere criticism of public o cials can lead to threats, they are.

Your rules, media and Democrats. Your rules.

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

COLUMN | MICHAEL BARONE

Voters don’t want Harris’ or Trump’s campaign policies

Democrats, and Trump in imitation, are supplying policies for which there is little demand in the political marketplace.

NEITHER VICE PRESIDENT Kamala

Harris nor former President Donald Trump, The Wall Street Journal reported on last Wednesday’s front page, has any proposals to cut the rapidly increasing national debt. Instead, both are proposing to hand out goodies to strategically positioned voters.

Harris, with an eye on polls showing young voters not as pro-Democratic as in the past, has been talking about providing $25,000 for down payments to rst-time homebuyers. With an eye on young families and single parents, she has also called for restoring part of the refundable child tax credit that was part of what President Joe Biden has now conceded was the misnamed 2021 In ation Reduction Act.

Trump, hoping to win the electoral votes of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, which he did in 2016 but not in 2020, has called for cutting taxes on domestic manufacturing rms and reducing taxes on overtime pay.

Nevada, where 70% of voters live in Clark County, with its hordes of gambling and hospitality workers in Las Vegas, has come in for attention as well. Trump was the rst to propose eliminating income tax on tips. Harris, hoping to carry the state as Biden did, endorsed the same policy.

You will search long and hard for statements from major economists and policy experts associated with either party for serious arguments supporting these policies, just as you can nd few serious advocates of Trump’s proposed 10% tari on imports from all foreign countries or from Harris’ hints that she’d institute something such as national rent control.

On the contrary, serious analysts will point to likely unintended consequences — home sellers will just increase their asking prices by $25,000 — on top of burgeoning federal budget de cits and increasing national debt.

They are proposals of undisciplined candidates with little interest in serious public policy arguments who are locked in a close race for president. There’s an obvious note of political desperation here but also, I think, a less obvious reliance on outdated political theory.

That theory is that large masses of voters are in serious need of additional cash, whether from tax cuts for Nevada casino employees and waitresses or factory workers on overtime shifts.

Yes, almost everyone would like a few extra bucks on their credit or debit cards. But just as the United States already has the most progressive redistributionist federal tax system of advanced countries, it has, over the years, incrementally built generous income supplements for those with the lowest 60% of incomes.

That conclusion nds solid support in “The Myth of American Inequality,” by former Texas Sen. Phil Gramm and two nonpartisan coauthors. Their conclusion, as I reported in a 2023 Washington Examiner column, is that “government takes and redistributes enough resources to elevate the average bottom-quintile

COLUMN | ROB SMITH

household,” the lowest 20% of earners, “into the American middle class.”

Democrats imagine that advancing redistributionist policies will win them votes of whites without college degrees and Hispanics who have been trending Republican on cultural issues. But American policy has long since moved past the New Deal and European welfare states. Democrats, and Trump in imitation, are supplying policies for which there is little demand in the political marketplace.

The proof comes in the dog that didn’t bark. The Biden-Harris 2021 legislation expanded the child tax credit from $2,000 to as much as $3,600 and made it refundable, which means that low-income earners who don’t pay federal income taxes got $15 billion in monthly checks from the government.

The argument for refundability is that it helps those with the lowest incomes. The argument against it is that, in discouraging work, it threatens to reverse the 1996 bipartisan welfare reform that resulted in higher work participation, lower teenage birthrates and better conditions for children.

That expansion of the child tax credit expired in December 2021. Do you remember the mass demonstrations by modest-income parents angry when the checks stopped coming in? You don’t? Neither do I. We’ve had mass movements to defund police, to reinstate Roe v. Wade, and to stop Israel from defending itself from Hamas terrorists. But there has been not much more than a peep to restore the 2021 child tax credit.

Voters are hugely mi ed about the in ation they believe was triggered by the 2021 legislation. But the folks who were receiving those refundable tax credit checks seem to have been able to cope without them.

Which leads me to a broader but tentative conclusion that voters, for all their vocal discontent with parties and politicians, actually are not demanding major changes in economic policy. In six of the last eight presidential elections, from 1992 to 2020, both political parties have won trifectas, control of the White House and both houses of Congress — Democrats in 1992, 2008 and 2020, Republicans in 2000, 2004 and 2016.

Both parties have seized these opportunities to make serious economic policy changes, with some success. But none of those trifectas lasted more than two years, and the Democratic presidents who were reelected in 1996 and 2012 faced Republican majorities.

So what we have now is Harris and Trump advancing crass campaign promises that lack the seriousness of the policies of former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama. Maybe that’s what voters want — for now.

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.”

The education of Sally Mu nsheep

To calm your nerves, you need to buy a pack of Lucky Strikes, likely over 50% of the costs are taxes and fees to government entities.

SALLY MUFFINSHEEP was a babe.

Now 48, by the time she was 16, it was evident she was going to have a comfortable life. Men would always fall all over her to help her. Sally was a progressive, an art history major from a tiny liberal arts college. Although she relied heavily on her father to pay her bills, she fancied herself to be a erce, independent woman. During COVID, she idolized Tony Fauci and followed all his instructions.

One day, her friend Julia suggested Sally read one of Rob Smith’s very illuminating articles in Real Clear Markets. After reading just one article, Sally was struck blind by a huge white light, just like the Apostle Paul on the road to Damascus. When her eyesight returned, she tracked Rob down and begged him to teach her more.

Being a charitable and honorable man, Rob stated he would teach her about the serfdom she was already under and likely didn’t know it. He started with the U.S. tax system and how it robs the private sector of capital needed to grow the economy and lift living standards. He explained:

“Sally, you are taxed on the income you earn. When you invest the income you have after taxes, you are taxed on the income your investment earns. When you sell the investment that you already paid all these taxes on, you are taxed again on the pro t you make. When you die, you are subject to being taxed at a 40% rate for whatever is left of your assets that you have been paying taxes on your whole life.

“You are taxed on the income you spend. Every time you buy a loaf of bread to feed your family, you are taxed. In fact, you are taxed on all food you buy. Often you are double-taxed for eating at a restaurant. It’s cold outside and you are freezing, you buy a jacket to keep warm, you are taxed on its purchase. In fact, it is so cold you go to the liquor store to buy a fth of Old Rotgut to keep warm. You’ll end up paying federal excise taxes, state excise taxes and state sales tax.

“To calm your nerves, you need to buy a pack of Lucky Strikes, likely over 50% of the costs are taxes and fees to government entities. After your nerves are calmed, you hop in your car to drive home. For the privilege of having a car, you pay 4.57% of the car’s value every year in personal

property tax, even though you paid a ‘sales and use’ tax and titling fees when you bought the car.

“You pull into the lling station and ll your car up. Approximately 20% of your purchase went to federal and state excise taxes, even though your station’s distributor was already taxed 9% on the gas it purchased.

“You get home and pull into your driveway on the house where your dad pays all your bills. For the privilege of you owning a home, your dad pays 1.2% of its value every year to your municipality. When he bought the house for you, this payment was $250 per month. He is now paying $900 per month. On your utility bill, you are being charged a distribution tax for electricity, water and gas.

“Your dad’s business is C-Corp. He pays taxes at the corporate level, and then if he makes a distribution to a shareholder, that money is taxed again. For every employee he has, he has to pay half of his Social Security tax, Medicare tax and his federal and state unemployment taxes. When your dad goes to sell his business, he will be forced to pay a huge capital gains tax.”

Rob then explained the Rule of 72 to Sally and told her how Social Security was robbing her of a huge inheritance. “If the money your dad paid to Social Security was put into an investment account, there would be millions in that account, but instead, he gets a mere pittance of a stipend that ends when he dies.”

Sally gasped.

Rob explained how if many of these taxes aren’t paid, both she and her dad could be jailed. When Rob asked her, “So Sally, are you a serf and do you have a master?” she was visibly distressed.

Rob told her to come back next week and he would explain the incredible waste and ine ciencies in government and how the country would be better o if this money was utilized in the private sector. Before the next meeting, Sally dropped dead. After all, she had been jabbed six times.

Rob Smith lives in Richmond and is chairman and founder of Chartwell Financial Advisors. This article was adapted from one of his posts on Real Clear Markets.

IN THE FIRST VOLUME of his history of World War II, “The Gathering Storm,” Winston Churchill laid bare the root causes of the war.

The blame fell squarely on the Western powers’ failure to recognize the growing threat of war and to act to prevent it. Had the Allies’ prewar a airs “been conducted with the ordinary consistency and common sense usual in decent households,” war could have been averted.

Instead, they allowed “conditions to be built up which led to the very climax they dreaded most.” Churchill concluded with this warning for us today, “(The Western powers) have only to repeat the same well-meaning, short-sighted behavior towards the new problems which in singular resemblance confront us today to bring about a third convulsion from which none may live to tell the tale.”

Two existential threats of staggering potential gravity face the U.S. today, one foreign and one domestic. The sad, shocking reality is the indi erence with which these threats are sloughed o by not only the American public but by the leadership of both political parties.

Not since the end of the Cold War have the opponents of the Pax Americana gathered with such cohesion, determination and aggression. The newly formalized alliance of Russia, China, Iran and North Korea threatens to drag the West into a global con ict for which it is illprepared. This threat was recently laid out by the bipartisan Commission on the National Defense Strategy: “The U.S. faces the most serious and most challenging threats since 1945, including the real risk of major nearterm war.” The report concludes, “The nation was last prepared for such a ght during the Cold War, which ended 35 years ago. It is not prepared today.”

At the end of the Cold War, the U.S. was spending more than 5% of GNP on defense. In 2024, defense spending has fallen to approximately 3.5%. The cumulative result is a seriously depleted military capacity. The global nature of the opposing alliance has called into serious question whether the U.S. could respond to a multifront world war. Columnist Walter Russell Mead warned recently in the Wall Street Journal, “World War III is becoming more likely in the near term, and the U.S. is too weak either to prevent it or, should war come, to be con dent of victory.”

National security is — or should be — a bipartisan issue. Neither party can escape blame for our current plight, but, sadly, neither party seems willing to call for the sacri ce and commitment needed to address the challenge.

The second existential threat is domestic, and it very much compounds the danger of the foreign threat.

The 35-year decline in defense spending has been accompanied by an explosion in nondefense welfare and entitlement spending, with a commensurate explosion in the national debt. These numbers tell the story: From 1990 to 2024, the national debt has risen from under $5 trillion to over $35 trillion.

The result of these compounding de cits has been that for the rst time in our history, the annual cost of servicing the national debt in 2024 now surpasses the annual national defense budget. In 2024, gross interest payments on the national debt exceeded $1 trillion. Current projections estimate the national debt will exceed $54 trillion in 10 years. Congress and both political parties show no inclination to address this exploding problem.

The implications of the national debt threat are two-fold, and the consequences of both are dire. De cit spending requires the ability annually to service (pay interest and rollover principal) national debt. No one knows the ultimate capacity of the nancial markets to facilitate U.S. de cit spending, but at some point, if the de cits continue to accelerate, the markets will shut down and the U.S. will face the pain of bankruptcy.

In the meantime, even as the nancial markets accommodate our pro igacy, the rising cost of debt service is slowly choking our military budget and limiting our ability to meet foreign challenges.

The painful, common-sense solution to the debt problem is a systematic reduction in domestic spending coupled with a resetting of major entitlement programs (i.e., Social Security and Medicare) to ensure their economic viability. Politicians nd such belt-tightening measures anathema. Neither party will campaign on the urgency of domestic spending cuts or the desperate need to restructure entitlement programs.

The con uence of these foreign and domestic threats demands a serious response. In the recent presidential debate, there was no serious discussion of either foreign threats or de cit spending.

The future of our country — and indeed the West — is at stake. Nothing less than Churchill’s “ordinary consistency and common sense usual in decent households” will enable the U.S. to avert the gathering storms of foreign adversaries and national bankruptcy. American voters intuitively know what common sense demands. But where is the clear-eyed, hardheaded, common-sense leadership we need?

Garland S. Tucker III, retired chairman and CEO of Triangle Capital Corporation, is the author of “Conservative Heroes: Fourteen Leaders Who Shaped America — Je erson to Reagan” (ISI Books) and “The High Tide of American Conservatism: Davis, Coolidge and the 1924 Election” (Emerald Books).

Murphy to Manteo Jones & Blount

Blue Ridge veterans prepare for Flight of Honor

A group of local veterans and their families will be traveling together this week on a specia l trip after completing their Blue Ridge Honor

enables American veterans to travel to Washington, D.C., visiting the memorials dedicated to honoring the and their friends,” according to the group’s Facebook page. The group

D.C., this week to see many of the memorials honoring the nation’s veterans and visit historic sites across gathered at the Biltmore Church’s Arden campus to lear n the histor y of the program and about what to expect on their trip. Those included on the the Korean War, Vietnam and one veteran from Black Mountain who served in World War II. WLOS

Second inmate “mistakenly” released in High Point

Guilford County Another inmate wa s accidentally released in Guilford Count y and is already back behind bars According to an arrest report , Jessie Dale Steed, 38, of High Point wa s “mista kenly released from jai with an active sentence.” Steed initially had been serious injury. This comes just days after another unrelated “improper release” at the Guilford County Detention Center. Following the to local outlets that it is dealing with WGHP

Missing toddler found by newly formed Drone Team Davidson County A missing 3-year-old wa s found in Davidson Count y last week with said. the missing toddler in the 800 block of Gus Hill Road, and patrol units with the help of various divisions, including the specialized Drone within minutes after the drones were launched. The toddler wa s found safe in a densely wooded area near a body of water Davidson County EMS arrived and assessed the child’s healthy and unharmed. Deputies say the newly formed Drone Team has already proven to be an invaluable resource during search-and-rescue operations. WFMY

EAST

Maysville to vote on serving mixed drinks

Jones County A Jones Count y tow n expanding its downtow n could be the nex t to approve have placed a mixed drink referendum on the November ballot This will allow residents to vote on whether mixed drink s should be sold within the town With the downtow n restoration project the tow n tells local outlets that the sale of mixed drink s attracts new restaurants and retail businesses, thereby creating jobs and increasing tourism.

NSJ Greenville school named 2024 Blue Ribbon School Pitt County The U.S.

performance or one that makes student performance. Each nominated school had to submit a comprehensive application for its culture and community. Nationwide 356 schools were given the honor this week “This prestig ious recognition is a testament to the hard work dedication and commitment of our entire school communit y — our students, teachers,

By

NATION & WORLD

Spending deal averts a possible shutdown

The short-term bill funds the government into December

By Kevin Freking

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressional leaders announced an agreement Sunday on a shortterm spending bill that will fund federal agencies for about three months, averting a possible partial government shutdown when the new budget year begins Oct. 1 and pushing nal decisions until after the November election.

Temporary spending bills generally fund agencies at current levels, but an additional $231 million was included to bolster the Secret Service after the two assassination attempts against Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, and additional money was added to aid with the presidential transition, among other things.

Lawmakers have struggled to get to this point as the current budget year winds to a close at month’s end. At the urging of the most conservative members of his conference, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) had linked temporary funding with a mandate that would have compelled states to require proof of citizenship when people register to vote. But Johnson abandoned that approach to reach an agreement even as Trump insisted there should not be a stop-gap measure without the voting requirement.

Bipartisan negotiations began in earnest shortly after that, with leadership agreeing to extend funding into mid-December. That gives the current Congress the ability to fashion a full-year spending bill after the Nov. 5 election rather than push that responsibility to the next Congress and president.

In a letter to Republican colleagues, Johnson said the budget measure would be “very narrow, bare-bones” and include “only the extensions that are absolutely necessary.”

“While this is not the solution any of us prefer, it is the most prudent path forward under the present circumstances,” Johnson wrote. “As history has taught and current polling a rms, shutting the government down less than 40 days from a fateful election would be an act of political malpractice.”

House Democratic leader Hakeem Je ries said Democrats would evaluate the bill in its entirety before this week’s vote, but with the agreement, “Con-

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) walks to a meeting at the Capitol earlier this month in Washington, D.C.

gress is now on a bipartisan path to avoid a government shutdown that would hurt everyday Americans.”

Rep. Tom Cole, the House Appropriations Committee chairman, had said on Friday that talks were going well.

“So far, nothing has come up that we can’t deal with,” said Cole, an Oklahoma Republican. “Most people don’t want a government shutdown, and they don’t want that to interfere with the election. So nobody is like, ‘I’ve got to have this or we’re walking.’ It’s just not that way.”

Johnson’s earlier e ort had no chance in the Democratic-controlled Senate and was opposed by the White House, but it did give the speaker a chance to show Trump and conservatives within his conference that he fought for their request.

The nal result — government funding e ectively on autopilot — was what many had predicted. With the election just weeks away, few lawmakers in either party had any appetite

Feds: Routh wrote note indicating he intended to kill Trump

The Greensboro man is accused of planning to assassinate the former president

By Eric Tucker and Alanna Durkin Richer The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The man accused in the apparent assassination attempt of Donald Trump at a golf course in Florida left behind a note saying he intended to kill the former president and maintained in his car a handwritten list of dates and venues where Trump was to appear, the Justice Department said Monday.

Prosecutors assert that Greensboro’s Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, had set out to kill Trump before the plot was thwarted by a Secret Service agent who spotted a ri e poking out of shrubbery on the West Palm Beach golf course where Trump was playing.

The note, addressed “Dear World,” was placed in a box that

from page A1

Robinson, who would have had to abandon the race the same day the CNN story was published for Republicans to replace him, has continued his campaign. He appeared at Fayetteville Motor Speedway on Saturday night, and a video posted on X showed he was met with applause, along with a smattering of boos, after he spoke to the crowd.

On Sunday, the campaign announced that four people — campaign manager Chris Rodriguez, deputy campaign manager Jason Rizk, nance director Heather Whillier, and consultant and adviser Conrad Pogorzelski III — had stepped down from their positions. No replacements have yet been named.

The North Carolina Republican Party supported Robinson in a statement Friday, saying

was dropped at the home of an unidenti ed person who contacted law enforcement o cials after last Sunday’s arrest. It appears to have been based on the premise that the assassination attempt would be ultimately unsuccessful.

the lieutenant governor “categorically denied the allegations made by CNN” and that the “Left needs this election to be a personality contest, not a policy contest because if voters are focused on policy, Republicans win on Election Day.”

The CNN story tied Robinson to an account on NudeAfrica.com, a pornography site that included a message board, and the comments were made between 2008 and 2012, before Robinson’s meteoric rise that led to his election as lieutenant governor. Among the screen-captured posts by minisoldr — a username CNN said Robinson used on several platforms — were ones saying the user liked “watching tranny on girl porn!” The username also suggested he was indi erent to celebrities getting abortions. Throughout his political career, Robinson has often spoken out

for the brinksmanship that often leads to a shutdown.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the same agreement could have been reached two weeks ago, but “Speaker Johnson chose to follow the MAGA way and wasted precious time.”

“As I have said throughout this process, there is only one way to get things done, with bipartisan, bicameral support,” Schumer said.

Now a bipartisan majority is expected to push the shortterm measure over the nish line this week. The agreement on the short-term measure does not mean getting to a nal spending bill will be easy in December. The election results could also in uence the political calculations if one party fares much better than the other, potentially pushing the ght into early next year.

The Secret Service funding also comes with a string attached, with lawmakers making it contingent on the Department of Homeland Security providing certain information to a House task force and Senate committee investigating the assassination attempts made against Trump.

In a recent letter, the Secret Service told lawmakers that a funding shortfall was not the reason for lapses in Trump’s security when a gunman climbed onto an unsecured roof on July 13 at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and opened re. But acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr. said this week that the agency had “immediate needs” and that he’s talking to Congress.

Justice Department’s detention memo.

“This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you. I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster. It is up to you now to nish the job; and I will offer $150,000 to whomever can complete the job,” the note said, according to prosecutors.

An attorney for Routh didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment Monday morning.

Authorities who searched his car found six cellphones, including one that showed a Google search of how to travel from Palm Beach County to Mexico.

They also found a list with dates in August, September and October and venues where Trump had appeared or was scheduled to, according to prosecutors. A notebook found in his car was lled with criticism of the Russian and Chinese governments and notes about how to join the war on behalf of Ukraine.

The box, which also contained ammunition, a metal pipe and other items, was not opened by the person until after Routh was taken into custody. The person who received the box and contacted law enforcement was not identi ed in the

against abortion and transgender rights.

Other posts revealed a disdain for Martin Luther King Jr. and used slurs toward blacks, Jews and Muslims, according to CNN.

Following the CNN report, Politico published an article stating an email address for Robinson was found on AshleyMadison.com, a site where married people can discretely seek out partners for an a air.

Politico said an adviser to Robinson anonymously conrmed the email address belonged to Robinson.

“Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson denies that he ever created or used an account on this website,” Mike Lonergan, Robinson’s communications director, told Politico. The campaign said the email address had been involved in several data breaches.

Robinson, a frequent guest and speaker at campaign stops

Kentucky sheri charged in killing of judge at courthouse Frankfort, Ky. A judge in a rural Kentucky county was fatally shot in his courthouse chambers last Thursday, and the local sheri was charged with murder in the killing, police said. The preliminary investigation indicates Letcher County Sheri Shawn M. Stines shot District Judge Kevin Mullins multiple times following an argument inside the courthouse, according to Kentucky State Police. Mullins, who held the judgeship for 15 years, died at the scene, and Stines surrendered without incident. Mullins, 54, was hit multiple times in the shooting, Kentucky State Police said. Stines, 43, was charged with one count of rst-degree murder.

Hundreds accuse Ill. youth detention centers of sexual abuse

Chicago

More than 200 men and women were sexually abused as children while in custody at juvenile detention centers in Illinois, according to lawsuits led Monday, the latest in a string of complaints alleging decades of systemic child sex abuse. Three lawsuits led Monday detail abuse from 1996 to 2021, including rape, forced oral sex and beatings by corrections o cers, nurses, kitchen sta , chaplains and others. Overall, 667 people have alleged they were sexually abused as children at youth facilities run by the state and Cook County in lawsuits led since May.

U.S. sending more troops to Middle East Washington, D.C.

Cellphone records indicate Routh traveled to West Palm Beach from Greensboro in mid-August, and that he was near Trump’s golf club and the former president’s Mar-a-Lago residence “on multiple days and times” between Aug. 18 and the day of the apparent attempted assassination.

by former President Donald Trump, did not attend a visit by Sen. JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, in Raleigh last Wednesday — the day before the story was published. Robinson was also not at the former president’s rally in Wilmington on Saturday. Robinson — who is endorsed by and been frequently praised by Trump — was not mentioned by Trump during his speech Saturday. He was mentioned once, by NCGOP Chair Jason Simmons, during the Vance campaign stop.

“Donald Trump and NC GOP leaders embraced Mark Robinson for years knowing who he was and what he stood for including disrespect for women and inciting violence,” Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, wrote from his campaign account on X. ”They reap what they sow.”

A.P. Dillon contributed to this report.

The U.S. is sending a small number of additional troops to the Middle East in response to a sharp spike in violence between Israel and Hezbollah forces in Lebanon that has raised the risk of a greater regional war, the Pentagon said Monday. Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder would provide no details on how many additional forces or what they would be tasked to do. The U.S. currently has about 40,000 troops in the region. On Monday, the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman, two Navy destroyers and a cruiser set sail from Norfolk, Virginia, headed to the Sixth Fleet area in Europe on a regularly scheduled deployment.

4 migrants die trying to reach eastern Greek island Athens, Greece

At least four migrants died in the eastern Aegean Sea on Monday when a small boat bringing them from nearby Turkey sank in wind-tossed waters just o the island of Samos, Greek authorities said. The coast guard said ve other people were rescued after the accident, but it was unclear how many had originally been on the boat and whether any more were missing. The bodies of four women were found during a large search and rescue operation.

JOSE LUIS MAGANA / AP PHOTO

ROBINSON

HÉDI AOUIDJ VIA AP

Ryan Wesley Routh, pictured in Ukraine earlier this year, is the suspect in an apparent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump.

catastrophe

questions about when normal

shelter-in-place or stay-at-home

majority of Americans “new normal.” end of this month.

China lied about the origin of the tried to tell the world there were only worldwide panic, economic collapse and being thrown out of work.

taxpayer at least $2.4 trillion in added Federal Reserve backup liquidity to the the U.S. dollar were not the reserve to fund any of these emergency fear of rampant in ation and currency

we begin to get back to normal

The 3 big questions

The comfort

How China will pay for this COVID-19 catastrophe

WITH MOST STATES under either shelter-in-place or stay-at-home orders thanks to local or state governments, a majority of Americans are having to adjust to what is being called the “new normal.”

ONE THING IS CERTAIN; after this COVID-19 virus dissipates around the globe and in the United States, China will pay for this catastrophe one way or another.

fallen into place. I understand the seriousness of the virus and the need to take precautions, but I’m uneasy with how people who simply ask questions about the data, and when things can start getting back to normal are treated in some circles with contempt.

WALTER E. WILLIAMS

Cooper stated during don’t know yet” if the asked as to the vague ones like “we of this state who undetermined thousands of cases asked and then had questions about get asked, there is people to treat those can start getting back or are people who sick. levels become a bad society were supposed course, is my family. I’m worried I will. After the 2009 pandemic, all of this brings up prefer not to repeat. most everyone has

Fixing college corruption

aberrant ways and decisions through Diplomacy has obviously not worked world of 21st century health, hygiene communist regimes never take the blame remorse, because that is not what They take advantage of every weakness pushing until they win or the event happens such as the Chernobyl believe that event, not the Star Wars to the dissolution of the Soviet Union Chernobyl. already talking about the possibility debt we owe them as one way to get they have caused the US. Don’t hold your “Jubilee” to happen but ask your elected accountable in tangible nancial ways for expected to operate as responsible citizens of nation.

Perhaps COVID-19 is China’s Chernobyl.

They’re treated as though we as a society simply must accept without question what the government tells us about when it’s safe to begin the process of returning back to normalcy.

No. The government works for us, and we have the right to ask those questions. And the longer stay-at-home orders are in place all over the country, and the stricter some of them get in states, such as Michigan, the more people, sitting at home feeling isolated and/or anxious about when they can get back to providing for their families, will demand answers.

AMERICA’S COLLEGES are rife with corruption. The nancial squeeze resulting from COVID-19 o ers opportunities for a bit of remediation. Let’s rst examine what might be the root of academic corruption, suggested by the title of a recent study, “Academic Grievance Studies and the Corruption of Scholarship.” The study was done by Areo, an opinion and analysis digital magazine. By the way, Areo is short for Areopagitica, a speech delivered by John Milton in defense of free speech.

business & economy

In order to put the crisis caused by China in perspective, zero worldwide pandemics can trace their source to the United States over our 231-year history. At least four in the 20th century alone can be directly traced to China: 1957 “Asian u,” 1968 “Hong Kong u,” 1977 “Russian u” and the 2002 SARS outbreak. There is evidence that the massive 1918 “Spanish u” pandemic also had its origins in China.

Since when did questioning government at all levels become a

Leaders at the local and state levels should be as forthcoming as they can be with those answers — and again, not vague answers, but answer with details that give their statements believability.

We should all continue to do what we can to keep our families, ourselves, and our communities safe. But we should also still continue to ask questions about the data, because while reasonable stay-at-home measures are understandable, they should also have an expiration date.

Hurricanes, NC State arena renamed Lenovo Center

This is all new to Americans, and it is not normal. Not in any way, shape, or form. So while we should remain vigilant and stay safe, at the same time we shouldn’t get comfortable with this so-called “new normal.”

Not one little bit.

RALEIGH — For the fourth time in a quarter century, the home of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes and NC State men’s basketball has a new name.

The Centennial Authority o cially unveiled Lenovo as the new title sponsor for the Raleigh arena and announced its new name will be Lenovo Center.

Authors Helen Pluckrose, James A. Lindsay and Peter Boghossian say that something has gone drastically wrong in academia, especially within certain elds within the humanities. They call these elds “grievance studies,” where scholarship is not so much based upon nding truth but upon attending to social grievances. Grievance scholars bully students, administrators and other departments into adhering to their worldview. The worldview they promote is neither scienti c nor rigorous. Grievance studies consist of disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, gender studies, queer studies, sexuality and critical race studies.

“Lenovo has called North Carolina home for 20 years,” David Hamilton, director of communications for Lenovo North America, said last Thursday. “This shows our commitment to the area as a good corporate citizen and community partner.”

the seriousness of the virus and the need uneasy with how people who simply ask when things can start getting back to circles with contempt. as a society simply must accept without tells us about when it’s safe to begin the normalcy. us, and we have the right to ask those stay-at-home orders are in place all over the them get in states, such as Michigan, feeling isolated and/or anxious about providing for their families, will demand levels should be as forthcoming as they and again, not vague answers, but answer statements believability. what we can to keep our families, safe. But we should also still continue because while reasonable stay-at-home they should also have an expiration date. and it is not normal. Not in any way, should remain vigilant and stay safe, at comfortable with this so-called “new

In 2017 and 2018, authors Pluckrose, Lindsay and Boghossian started submitting bogus academic papers to academic journals in cultural, queer, race, gender, fat and sexuality studies to determine if they would pass peer review and be accepted for publication. Acceptance of dubious research that journal editors found sympathetic to their intersectional or postmodern leftist vision of the world would prove the problem of low academic standards.

Virginia’s stay-at-home orders go into June.

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

Lenovo replaces PNC Bank as the primary sponsor of the facility, which had been called PNC Arena since 2012 when the company acquired RBC Bank’s U.S. holdings. Prior to that, the nearly 20,000seat facility was called RBC Center from 2002-12 and, initially, the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena for its rst three seasons.

Lenovo, a Chinese computer hardware company, has one of its headquarters in Morrisville, along with hubs in Hong Kong and Beijing. The arena naming agreement is $60 million for 10 years and expands on Lenovo’s previous sponsorship of the Hurricanes, which includes being the team’s helmet sponsor.

written under the pseudonym Sister Toldjah RedState and Legal Insurrection.

Several of the fake research papers were accepted for publication. The Fat Studies journal published a hoax paper that argued the term bodybuilding was exclusionary and should be replaced with “fat bodybuilding, as a fat-inclusive politicized performance.” One reviewer said, “I thoroughly enjoyed reading this article and believe it has an important contribution to make to the eld and this journal.”

“Lenovo has been a valued partner of ours for many years,” said Brian Fork, CEO of Hurricanes Holdings. “We’re thrilled to elevate that partnership now by renaming the arena Lenovo Center. Lenovo has both strong local ties and a worldwide footprint, and we’re proud to have the Hurricanes’ name associated with a true leader in global technology. As we transition to this new era, we are grateful for our longtime naming rights collaborator, PNC, who will continue to be a major partner of our organization.”

PNC Bank signed a multiyear deal to sponsor two branded sections of the arena: the PNC Victory Club and PNC Club Level.

Some of these orders extend at least through the end of this month.

Here in North Carolina, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper stated during a recent coronavirus press brie ng that “we just don’t know yet” if state’s stay-at-home orders will extend into May.

We need transparency and honesty from our

There is 100% agreement, outside of China, that COVID-19 originated in Wuhan Province probably from the completely unregulated and unsanitary wet markets. Some believe it came out of a

Lenten and Easter seasons provide a message of

THIS WEEK, according to members and state and local governments, Americans the curve in the novel coronavirus outbreak. muted — after all, trends can easily reverse have abided by recommendations and orders. to stay at home; they’ve practiced social they’ve donned masks.

If he does decide to extend it, questions should be asked as to the justi cation for it. And the answers should not be vague ones like must do this out of an abundance of caution.”

The result: a reduction in expected hospitalization According to the University of Washington Metrics and Evaluation model most oft Trump administration, the expected need peak outbreak was revised down by over ventilators by nearly 13,000 and the number

It will need to be explained in detail to the people of this state are being told to remain jobless and at home for an undetermined amount of time why models predicting hundreds of thousands of

To date, I’ve gone along with what the state has asked and then mandated that we do, but along the way I’ve also had questions about

Here’s the problem: We still don’t know questions that will allow the economy to

First, what is the true coronavirus fatality important because it determines whether be open or closed, whether we ought to pursue more liberalized society that presumes wide

Unfortunately, when certain types of questions get asked, there sometimes a disturbing tendency among some people to treat those simply questioning the data and asking when we can start getting to normal as though they are conspiracy theorists or are people who otherwise don’t care if they get themselves or others sick.

“THIS IS in it” (Psalm I know that working from be glad” as and dad, the have to be pandemic. For me, making. As Corinthians a iction, so a iction, with God.” If you are re ect on this God’s example this di cult con dent we In this same neighbors In Concord, money to buy health care

Sponsored by Approved Logos April 15,

AWe’ve seen case fatality rates — the number the number of identi ed COVID-19 cases and the denominator are likely wrong. We people have actually died of coronavirus. number has been overestimated, given that of death, particularly among elderly patients, sources suggest the number is dramatically many people are dying at home.

Since when did questioning government at all levels become a thing? That is what free citizens living in a free society were supposed

My rst concern as we go along in all this, of course, is my family. worried about them catching the virus, and I’m worried I will. After su ering from the H1N1 virus (swine u) during the 2009 pandemic, I’ve been trying to take extra precautions, because all of this brings way too many memories of a painful experience I’d prefer not to repeat. But what also makes me lose sleep is how easily most everyone

The cavalier manner virus, covered up its spread 3,341 related deaths has millions of Americans needlessly The crisis has cost the debt plus trillions more markets and nancial outlets. currency, we would not measures without immediate depreciation. China has to pay for their economic and nancial to bring China into the and fair trade. Totalitarian or express sincere regret totalitarian governments they nd in adversaries adversaries push back. That is, unless an exogenous meltdown in 1986. Some program of Reagan, led Perhaps COVID-19 is Senators in Washington of China forgiving $1.2 China to “pay” for the damage breath waiting for a Chinese representatives to hold It is about time they are the world like any other

Hill, senio

Even more importantly, we have no clue actually have coronavirus. Some scientists of identi ed cases could be an order of magnitude number of people who have had coronavirus

It’s okay to ask questions about when we begin to get back to normal

The comfort and hope

WITH MOST STATES under either shelter-in-place or stay-at-home orders thanks to local or state governments, a majority of Americans are having to adjust to what is being called the “new normal.”

California sues ExxonMobil, says it lied about plastics recycling

The lawsuit alleges the oil giant deceived the public for half a century

By Janie Har The Associated Press

“Our Struggle Is My Struggle: Solidarity Feminism as an Intersectional Reply to Neoliberal and Choice Feminism,” was accepted for publication by A lia, a feminist journal for social workers. The paper consisted in part of a rewritten passage from Mein Kampf. Two other hoax papers were published, including “Rape Culture and Queer Performativity at Urban Dog Parks.” This paper’s subject was dog-on-dog rape. But the dog rape paper eventually forced Boghossian, Pluckrose and Lindsay to prematurely out themselves. A Wall Street Journal writer had gured out what they were doing.

Since when did questioning government at all levels become a bad thing?

SAN FRANCISCO — California sued ExxonMobil Monday, alleging the oil giant deceived the public for half a century by promising that the plastics it produced would be recycled.

Some papers accepted for publication in academic journals advocated training men like dogs and punishing white male college students for historical slavery by asking them to sit in silence on the oor in chains during class and to be expected to learn from the discomfort. Other papers celebrated morbid obesity as a healthy life choice and advocated treating privately conducted masturbation as a form of sexual violence against women. Typically, academic journal editors send submitted papers out to referees for review. In recommending acceptance for publication, many reviewers gave these papers glowing praise.

That is what free citizens living in a free society were supposed to do, last I checked.

Attorney General Rob Bonta’s o ce said that less than 5% of plastic is recycled into other plastic products in the U.S., even though the items are labeled “recyclable.” As a result, land lls and oceans are lled with plastic waste, creating a global pollution

Political scientist Zach Goldberg ran certain grievance studies concepts through the Lexis/Nexis database, to see how often they appeared in our press over the years. He found huge increases in the usages of “white privilege,” “unconscious bias,” “critical race theory” and “whiteness.” All of this is being taught to college students, many of whom become primary and secondary school teachers who then indoctrinate our young people.

The renaming of the arena arrives as big changes are coming to the facility and its surrounding area. Lenovo Center will undergo $300 million in renovations in the coming years.

The 80 acres around the arena will also receive a major facelift as Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon negotiated the rights to develop the surrounding area as part of a new lease agreement for the NHL team with the Centennial Authority.

The walkout by 33,000 union machinists entered its eighth day on Friday

By David Koenig The Associated Press

A LABOR STRIKE at Boeing has shown no signs of ending. The walkout by 33,000 union machinists entered its eighth day, and the company started rolling out furloughs of nonunion employees to conserve cash.

I doubt whether the coronaviruscaused nancial crunch will give college and university administrators, who are a crossbreed between a parrot and jelly sh, the guts and backbone to restore academic respectability. Far too often, they get much of their political support from campus grievance people who are members of the faculty and diversity and multicultural administrative o ces.

Federal mediators joined talks between Boeing and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers this week, but company and union o cials reported little progress during the rst two sessions.

The $200 million rst phase of the development will include a 4,300-seat music venue, retail and restaurant o erings, a hotel, apartments and o ce space. Overall, Dundon has committed to spending $800 million on the development.

“THIS IS THE DAY the lord has made, in it” (Psalm 118:24).

Some of these orders extend at least through the end of this month. Virginia’s stay-at-home orders go into June.

Here in North Carolina, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper stated during a recent coronavirus press brie ng that “we just don’t know yet” if the state’s stay-at-home orders will extend into May.

crisis. At the same time, consumers diligently place plastic water bottles and other containers into recycling bins, the lawsuit alleges.

“‘Buy as much as you want, no problem, it’ll be recycled,’ they say. Lies, and they aim to make us feel less guilty about our waste if we recycle it,” said Bonta, a Democrat, during a virtual news conference, where he was joined by representatives of environmental groups that led a separate but similar lawsuit Monday, also in San Francisco County Superior Court.

The best hope lies with boards of trustees, though many serve as yes-men for the university president. I think that a good start would be to nd 1950s or 1960s catalogs. Look at the course o erings at a time when college graduates knew how to read, write and compute, and make them today’s curricula. Another helpful tool would be to give careful consideration to eliminating all classes/majors/minors containing the word “studies,” such as women, Asian, black or queer studies. I’d bet that by restoring the traditional academic mission to colleges, they would put a serious dent into the COVID-19 budget shortfall.

“While we are disappointed the discussions didn’t lead to more progress, we remain very committed to reaching an agreement as soon as possible that recognizes the hard work of our employees and ends the work stoppage in the Paci c Northwest,” Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said in a note to employees.

The walkout started Sept. 13 when members of a regional district of the IAM union voted 96% in favor of a strike after

Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University.

If he does decide to extend it, questions should be asked as to the justi cation for it. And the answers should not be vague ones like “we must do this out of an abundance of caution.”

I know that during this challenging time working from home or losing a job, it may be glad” as the Bible tells us to do. However, and dad, the Easter holiday has reminded have to be thankful and hopeful for, even pandemic.

tic out of land lls,” Lauren Kight, spokesperson for ExxonMobil, said in an email.

It will need to be explained in detail to the people of this state who are being told to remain jobless and at home for an undetermined amount of time why models predicting hundreds of thousands of cases are reliable.

Rob Bonta, California attorney general

“The end goal is to drive people to buy, buy, buy and drive ExxonMobil’s pro ts up, up, up, up,” he said.

“This is a revelation to many, after years and years of a belief that is untrue because they were lied to by ExxonMobil ... about the myth of recycling.”

fallen into place. I understand to take precautions, but questions about the data, normal are treated in some They’re treated as though question what the government process of returning back No. The government questions. And the longer country, and the stricter the more people, sitting when they can get back answers.

For me, my faith is an important part making. As I celebrated Easter with my Corinthians 1:4, which reminds us our Lord a iction, so that we may be able to comfort a iction, with the comfort which we ourselves God.”

To date, I’ve gone along with what the state has asked and then mandated that we do, but along the way I’ve also had questions about the data. State Republican leaders have, too.

Lenten and Easter seasons provide a message of hope that we will once again enjoy sporting events, concerts, family gatherings, church services and many more after our own temporary sacri ces are over.

Unfortunately, when certain types of questions get asked, there is sometimes a disturbing tendency among some people to treat those simply questioning the data and asking when we can start getting back to normal as though they are conspiracy theorists or are people who otherwise don’t care if they get themselves or others sick.

ExxonMobil blamed California for its awed recycling

system. “California o cials have known their recycling system isn’t ine ective for decades. They failed to act, and now they seek to blame others. Instead of suing us, they could have worked with us to x the problem and keep plas-

If you are celebrating the Easter season, re ect on this message and be comforted, God’s example and comfort all those in this di cult time. Through faith and by con dent we will emerge out of this pandemic

Leaders at the local and can be with those answers with details that give their We should all continue ourselves, and our communities to ask questions about the measures are understandable,

In this same spirit, I continue to be inspired neighbors helping neighbors.

Since when did questioning government at all levels become a bad thing? That is what free citizens living in a free society were supposed to do, last I checked.

According to the Center for Climate Integrity, dozens of U.S. municipalities, eight states and Washington, D.C., have sued oil and gas companies in recent years over their role in climate change. Those lawsuits are still making their way through courts, including a lawsuit led by California a year ago against some of the world’s largest oil and gas companies, claiming they deceived the public about the risks of fossil fuels.

This is all new to Americans, shape, or form. So while the same time we shouldn’t normal.”

In Concord, a high school senior named money to buy a 3-D printer and plastic health care workers out of his own home.

The lawsuit announced Monday stems from an investigation Bonta’s o ce launched in April 2022 into

Not one little bit.

My rst concern as we go along in all this, of course, is my family. I’m worried about them catching the virus, and I’m worried I will. After su ering from the H1N1 virus (swine u) during the 2009 pandemic, I’ve been trying to take extra precautions, because all of this brings up way too many memories of a painful experience I’d prefer not to repeat.

But what also makes me lose sleep is how easily most everyone has

Stacey Matthews has also and is a regular contributor

After rst week of strikes, Boeing factory workers show no signs of stopping

they rejected a proposed contract that would have raised their pay by 25% over four years. A 30% increase o er was also rebu ed. Workers say they want raises of 40% and restoration of traditional pension bene ts that were eliminated about a decade ago.

Union leaders, who recommended approval of the contract o er, pivoted quickly and surveyed the rank-and- le to learn what they wanted in a new contract.

The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service met with

both sides last, but mediation ended without a resolution.

“While we remain open to further discussions, whether directly or through mediation, currently, no additional dates are scheduled,” IAM District 751 o cials said.

The strike mainly involves workers at factories in the Puget Sound area of Washington state, and it will quickly affect Boeing’s balance sheet. The company gets much of its cash when it delivers new planes.

The strike has stopped the production of 737s, 777s, and 767s,

which Boeing has been delivering at a rate of nearly one per day.

Ortberg, who became the aerospace giant’s chief executive early last month, announced this week that the company’s money-saving steps would include furloughing managers and other nonunion employees.

Terry Muriekes, who has worked at Boeing for 38 years, picketed outside the assembly plant in Everett, Washington, where 777s and 767s are built, and noted the rolling furloughs.

“I’ve never seen Boeing do that before. They might be feeling the pinch, feeling the hurt a little bit, you know — trying to save some money after spending so much money on four CEOs in 10 years that all walked away with multiple golden parachutes,” said Muriekes, who went through four previous Boeing strikes, including the last one, in 2008.

“The company is doing what it has to do, I suppose.”

Nearby, Bill Studerus, a 39year Boeing veteran, carried a “Strike” sign and an American ag. “When you’re on strike, you

LM OTERO / AP PHOTO California is suing ExxonMobil, claiming less than 5% of its plastic is recycled into other plastic products in the U.S. even though the items are labeled “recyclable.”

See PLASTICS, page A10

MANUEL VALDES / AP PHOTO

A strike sign is waved on the union machinist picket line near Boeing’s factory in Everett, Washington.

Biden admin seeks ban on Chinese, Russian tech in US autonomous vehicles

Vehicles are now “mobility platforms” that monitor behavior and track their surroundings

By Anne D’innocenzio

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — The Commerce Department said Monday it’s seeking a ban on selling connected and autonomous vehicles in the U.S. equipped with Chinese and Russian software and hardware to protect national security and U.S. drivers.

While minimal Chinese and Russian software is deployed in the U.S., the issue is more complicated for hardware. There are more Chinese parts on U.S. vehicles than software, and software can be changed much faster than physical parts.

Replacing hardware could also require complex engineering and assembly line changes. That’s why Commerce o cials said the prohibitions on software would take e ect for the 2027 model year, and the prohibitions on hardware would take e ect for the 2030 model year, or Jan. 1, 2029, for units without a model year.

The measure announced Monday is proactive but critical, the agency said, given that all the bells and whistles in cars, such as microphones, camer-

as, GPS tracking and Bluetooth technology, could make Americans more vulnerable to bad actors and potentially expose personal information, from drivers’ home addresses to where their children go to school.

In extreme situations, a foreign adversary could shut down or take simultaneous control of multiple vehicles operating in the United States, causing crashes and blocking roads, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo told reporters on a call Sunday.

“This is not about trade or economic advantage,” Raimondo said. “This is a strictly national security action. The good news is right now, we don’t have many Chinese or Russian cars on our road.”

But Raimondo said Europe and other regions in the world where Chinese vehicles have become commonplace very quickly should serve as “a cautionary tale” for the U.S.

Security concerns have arisen in Europe, where Chinese electric cars have rapidly gained market share around the extensive software-driven functions in Chinese vehicles.

According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, imported Chinese-owned vehicle brands had 7.6% of the market for electric vehicles in Eu-

rope in 2023, more than doubling from 2.9% in 2020. The share of all-electric vehicles imported from China is still higher when Western-owned brands manufactured in China, such as BMW and Tesla, are included: some 21.7%.

“Who controls these data ows and software updates is a far from trivial question, the answers to which encroach on matters of national security, cybersecurity, and individual privacy,” Janka Oertel, director of the Asia program at the European Council on Foreign Relations, wrote on the council’s website.

Vehicles are now “mobility platforms” that monitor driver and passenger behavior and track their surroundings.

A senior administration ocial said that the terms of service contracts included with the technology clearly state that vehicle data ends up in China.

Raimondo said the U.S. won’t wait until its roads are populated with Chinese or Russian cars.

“We’re issuing a proposed rule to address these new national security threats before suppliers, automakers, and car components linked to China or Russia become commonplace and widespread in the U.S. automotive sector,” Raimondo said.

A senior administration of-

cial said it is di cult to know when China could reach that saturation level, but the Commerce Department says China hopes to enter the U.S. market, and several Chinese companies have already announced plans to enter the automotive software space.

Senior administration ocials said on the call that the Commerce Department added Russia to the regulations because the country is trying to “breathe new life into its auto industry. “ The proposed rule would prohibit importing and selling vehicles with Russia- and China-manufactured software and hardware that allow the car to communicate externally through Bluetooth, cellular, satellite or Wi-Fi modules. It would also prohibit the sale or import of software components made in Russia or the People’s Repub -

‘Short corn’ could replace towering corn elds steamrolled by changing climate

The corn’s smaller stature and sturdier base enable it to withstand winds of up to 50 mph

By Scott Mcfetridge

The Associated Press

WYOMING, Iowa — Taking a late-summer country drive in the Midwest means venturing into the corn zone, snaking between 12-foot-tall green, leafy walls that seem to block out nearly everything other than the sun and an occasional water tower. The skyscraper-like corn is a part of rural America, as are cavernous red barns and placid cows.

But soon, that towering corn might become a miniature of its former self, replaced by stalks only half as tall as the green giants that have dominated elds for so long.

“As you drive across the Midwest, maybe in the next seven, eight, 10 years, you’re going to see a lot of this out there,” said Cameron Sorgenfrey, an eastern Iowa farmer who has been growing newly developed short corn for several years, sometimes prompting puzzled looks from neighboring farmers. “I think this is going to change agriculture in the Midwest.”

The short corn developed by

STRIKE from page A9

have no income, so that is challenging for all of us, no matter what age you are,” Studerus said. “My heart tells me that, hopefully, this will end soon. I mean, we all want to get back to work, and we all want to be the Boeing family that we have always been.”

Boeing’s cost-saving moves, including a hiring freeze, trav-

PLASTICS from page A9

the fossil fuel and petrochemical industries. The investigation included issuing subpoenas that revealed previously hidden documents, Bonta’s o ce said. The complaint alleges violations of California’s nuisance and unfair competition laws and that ExxonMobil concealed the harms caused by plastics.

It was led a day after Dem-

Science spokesman Brian

among short corn in Wyoming, Iowa, says the company has been developing short corn for more than 20 years.

Bayer Crop Science is being tested on about 30,000 acres in the Midwest. It promises to o er farmers a variety that can withstand powerful windstorms, which could become more frequent due to climate change.

The corn’s smaller stature and sturdier base enable it to withstand winds of up to 50 mph — researchers hover over elds with a helicopter to see how the plants handle the wind.

The smaller plants also let

el restrictions and a 25% salary cut for top executives, will a ect the company’s airplane, defense and space, and global services businesses. Under the furlough plan, tens of thousands of nonunion workers will be forced to take one unpaid week o every four weeks. Ortberg said activities related to safety, quality and customer support would continue, as would production of the 787 Dreamliner, a large

ocratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a statewide ban on all supermarket plastic shopping bags. Notre Dame Law School professor Bruce Huber, who specializes in environmental, natural resources and energy law, said the state faces an uphill battle in its suit against ExxonMobil despite evidence that plastic manufacturers “have not been forthright” about the challenges

farmers plant at greater density, so they can grow more corn on the same amount of land, increasing their pro ts. That is especially helpful as farmers have endured several years of low prices, which are forecast to continue. In addition, the smaller stalks could also lead to less water use during ever-growing drought concerns.

U.S. farmers grow corn on about 90 million acres each year, usually making it the na-

plane built by nonunion workers in South Carolina.

The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace said its board rejected a company request to include the 19,000 Boeing employees it represents in the layo s. President John Dimas said the union — Boeing’s second-biggest after the IAM — saw no compelling reason to alter its contract, which pro -

of turning old plastics into new items.

“The state’s primary claim relies on public nuisance, a notoriously murky area of law. It could be di cult for a court to grant California relief here without opening a Pandora’s box of other, similar claims,” he said by email.

According to the state’s lawsuit, ExxonMobil knew that plastic is “extremely costly and di cult to eradicate” and that it

tion’s largest crop, so it’s hard to overstate the importance of a potential large-scale shift to smaller-stature corn, said Dior Kelley, an assistant professor at Iowa State University who is researching di erent paths for growing shorter corn. Last year, U.S. farmers grew more than 400 million tons of corn, most of which was used for animal feed, the fuel additive ethanol, or exported to other countries.

“It is huge. It’s a big, fundamental shift,” Kelley said.

Researchers have long focused on developing plants that could grow the most corn. Still, recently, there has been equal emphasis on other traits, such as making the plant more drought-tolerant or able to withstand high temperatures. Although there already were e orts to grow shorter corn, the demand for innovations by private companies such as Bayer and academic scientists soared after an intense windstorm — called a derecho — plowed through the Midwest in August 2020.

The storm killed four people and caused $11 billion in damage, with the most signi cant destruction in a wide strip of eastern Iowa, where winds exceeded 100 mph. The wind toppled thousands of trees in cities such as Cedar Rapids, but

hibits furloughs. “To repair its balance sheet, Boeing needs to make striking machinists an o er that would end the current dispute and put them back to work,” Dimas said. Concern about a cash crunch is prompting rating agencies to consider downgrading Boeing’s credit to noninvestment or junk status, which would embarrass Boeing and increase its borrowing costs. Ac -

disintegrates into harmful microplastics, yet it promoted recycling as a key solution through news and social media platforms. At the same time, it ramped up production of plastics, the lawsuit states.

ExxonMobil has been promoting “advanced recycling” or “chemical recycling,” saying the process will better turn old plastics into new products; the law-

lic of China that collectively allow a highly autonomous vehicle to operate without a driver behind the wheel. The ban would include vehicles made in the U.S. using Chinese and Russian technology. The proposed rule would apply to all vehicles, excluding those not used on public roads, such as agricultural or mining vehicles.

U.S. automakers said they share the government’s national security goal, but little connected vehicle hardware or software is coming to the U.S. supply chain from China.

Yet the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a large industry group, said the new rules will make some automakers scramble for new parts suppliers.

“You can’t just ip a switch and change the world’s most complex supply chain overnight,” John Bozzella, the alliance’s CEO, said in a statement.

the damage to a corn crop only weeks from harvest was especially stunning.

“It looked like someone had come through with a machete and cut all of our corn down,” Kelley said. Or as Sorgenfrey, the Iowa farmer who endured the derecho, put it, “Most of my corn looked like it had been steamrolled.”

Although Kelley is excited about the potential of short corn, she said farmers need to be aware that cobs that grow closer to the soil could be more vulnerable to diseases or mold. Short plants could also be susceptible to lodging when the corn tilts over after a heavy rain and then grows along the ground.

A Bayer spokesman, Brian Leake, said the company has been developing short corn for more than 20 years. Other companies, such as Stine Seed and Corteva, have also been working to o er short-corn varieties for a decade or longer.

While the big goal has been developing corn that can withstand high winds, researchers also note that a shorter stalk makes it easier for farmers to get into elds with equipment for tasks such as spreading fungicide or seeding the ground with a future cover crop.

Bayer expects to ramp up its production in 2027, and Leake said he hopes farmers will be growing short corn everywhere by later this decade.

“We see the opportunity of this being the new normal across both the U.S. and other parts of the world,” he said.

cording to a regulatory ling, Boeing had $58 billion in debt and $11 billion in cash on June 30. Chief Financial O cer Brian West said the company burned $4.3 billion in the second quarter. The company delivered 83 commercial planes in July and August, almost as many as it did in the entire second quarter, but that faster pace will stop if the strike lasts very long.

suit states that only 8% of materials do so.

Bonta said the lawsuit’s contents will stun many who have purchased products made from recycled materials and who have placed plastic products in blue recycling bins.

“This is a revelation to many, after years and years of a belief that is untrue because they were lied to by ExxonMobil ... about the myth of recycling,” he said.

CHARLIE NEIBERGALL / AP PHOTO

Bayer Crop

Leake, pictured

PAUL SANCYA / AP PHOTO

Gina Raimondo announced Monday that the Commerce Department is seeking a ban on selling connected and autonomous vehicles equipped with Chinese and Russian tech to protect national security.

Struggling Jeep, Ram maker Stellantis searching for new CEO to succeed Tavares

First-half net pro ts were down 48% compared to last year’s period

By Tom Krisher The Associated Press

DETROIT — Struggling Jeep and Ram maker Stellantis is looking for a CEO to succeed Carlos Tavares, but the company says it’s just part of a normal leadership succession plan.

Tavares has been under re from U.S. dealers and the United Auto Workers union after a dismal rst-half nancial performance when the company was caught o guard with too much high-priced inventory on dealer lots.

As head of PSA Peugeot, Tavares took control of the Netherlands-based company in January 2021 when it merged with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

The company’s North American operations had been its main source of pro ts, but they have struggled this year amid larger market changes.

In a statement Monday, Stellantis said Tavares’ veyear contract is slightly over a year from its expiration date in 2026. “Given the importance of the position, it is normal for a board to look into the subject with the necessary anticipation without this having an impact on future discussions,” the statement said. The company added that it’s possible Tavares will stay on longer.

However, Erik Gordon, a University of Michigan business and law professor, said the company’s con rmation of the search likely means that the board has reached a deal for Tavares to leave.

“I think they recognize that

it’s best for the company to have a new CEO,” said Gordon, who has advised corporations on leadership succession plans.

“Stellantis is taking a lot of hits within the U.S.” Companies try to change leaders peacefully and organizedly, he said. They don’t want it to look like chaos or panic. They want it to look like this is the normal, responsible way we do things.”

Tavares has been trying to cut costs, delaying some factory openings, laying o union workers and o ering buyouts to salaried employees.

The company reported that rst-half net pro ts were down 48% compared to last year’s period. First-half sales in the U.S. were down nearly 16%, even though new vehicle sales rose 2.4% overall.

Growing dealer inventory and high prices drew a rebuke from the head of the U.S. Deal-

ers Council, who called on the company to boost discounts to move vehicles o their lots.

When the company told the auto workers union that it would delay plans to reopen a factory and build a new electric vehicle battery plant in Belvidere, Illinois, UAW President Shawn Fain called for Tavares to be red. The company agreed to the plans in a new contract with the UAW signed after a six-week strike last fall.

The union has led grievances and threatened to strike over the delays, which the company says are necessary due to market conditions in the U.S. Fain blamed the problem on poor leadership from Tavares and said General Motors and Ford are still performing well.

The company says it intends to meet its commitment to reopen Belvidere and build the battery plant, but it needs delays due to slowing sales.

US-China research boosted Beijing’s military tech, House says

The report raised concerns over the national security risks of once-celebrated scienti c collaborations

By Didi Tang

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Partnerships between the U.S. and China at universities over the past decade have allowed hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding to aid Beijing in developing critical technology that could be used for military purposes, congressional Republicans asserted in a new report.

The report said U.S. tax dollars contributed to China’s technological advancement and military modernization when American researchers worked with their Chinese peers in hypersonic weapons, arti cial intelligence, nuclear technology and semiconductor technology.

The report, released Monday by Republicans on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party and the House Education and Workforce Committee, raised concerns over the national security risks of once-celebrated scienti c collaborations. It urged stronger safeguards and more robust enforcement.

The committees conducted a yearlong investigation into higher education’s role in China’s economic rivalry, especially regarding technology. While American universities don’t engage in secret research projects, their work — often among the best in the world — has the potential to be turned into military capabilities.

The U.S. House of Representatives this month approved about two dozen China-related bills, clearly aiming to compete with Beijing in the tech eld. The bills, which still need to be approved by the Senate, seek to ban Chinese-made drones, restrict China-linked biotech companies in the U.S. market,

and cut o remote Chinese access to advanced U.S. computer chips. Other measures include curbing Beijing’s in uence on U.S. college campuses and reviving a Trump-era program meant to root out China’s spying and theft of intellectual property at American universities and research institutes. That’s despite such e orts raising concerns about racial proling and the ability to keep up exchange programs that boost tolerance between the two countries.

Researchers say collaboration between U.S.-based scholars and China declined after the Trump administration’s anti-spying program ended in 2022.

At a forum by the Council on Foreign Relations earlier this year, Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said he would welcome more Chinese students studying humanities and social sciences but “not particle physics” in American schools.

Abigail Coplin, an assistant professor of sociology and science, technology and society at Vassar College, expressed concerns about the potential harm to academic exchange and scienti c engagement, which she

Stellantis said it already is working with dealers to reduce inventory, and their e orts boosted sales in August.

Chief Financial O cer Natalie Knight told a Bank of America conference on Monday that the company is pleased with the progress in reducing inventory on dealer lots.

In the U.S., for example, Stellantis had just over 430,000 vehicles in its inventory at the end of June. That number was reduced by 40,000 in July and August, and the company has set a target of cutting it by a total of 100,000 by the start of next year. “We’re going to continue to see reductions in September and throughout the year,” she said. Tavares told reporters during the summer that the global auto industry is caught between consumers looking for more a ordable vehicles and demands more capital spending to develop new electric and gas-powered vehicles.

In North America, Tavares conceded that Stellantis let inventory get too high and plans to x that in the rst half didn’t work. Sticker prices, he said, are too lofty and often send customers eeing from showrooms early in the shopping process even though discounts are available.

Several U.S. executives, including the heads of the Jeep, Dodge and Ram brands, have left the company in recent months.

In March, the company said it would lay o 400 white-collar workers in the U.S. due to the transition from combustion engines to electric vehicles. In November 2023, the company made buyouts and early retirement o ers to 6,400 nonunion salaried workers. It has not said how many took the o ers.

many of whom were a liated with China’s defense research and industrial base. Such research is “providing back-door access to the very foreign adversary nation whose aggression these capabilities are necessary to protect against,” the report said.

The House investigation also agged what it described as problematic joint institutes between U.S. and Chinese universities. The report said these institutes “conceal a sophisticated system for transferring critical U.S. technologies and expertise” to China.

The report said that through those institutes, American researchers and scientists, including those who conduct federally funded research, have traveled to China to work with and advise Chinese scholars and train Chinese students.

The Georgia Institute of Technology, named in the report for its joint Georgia Tech Shenzhen Institute, defended its work in China, saying it focused on educating students, not research, and its claims are “unsubstantiated.”

Motel 6 chain sold to Indian hotel operator for $525M Carrollton, Texas

The budget motel chain Motel 6 is being acquired by the parent company of Oyo, a hotel operator based in India. The New York-based investment rm Blackstone announced Friday that the deal would be an all-cash transaction worth $525 million. Blackstone owns Motel 6’s parent company, G6 Hospitality, which also operates the Studio 6 motel brand included in the deal. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the year. Oyo has been expanding its footprint in the U.S. over the past few years. The company says it operates 320 hotels across 35 states and aims to add 250 more this year.

American Airlines negotiates contract extension with labor unions

Fort Worth, Texas American Airlines has agreed on a contract extension for ground workers, including mechanics and baggage handlers. If the workers ratify the deal announced last Friday, they’ll get double-digit raises over the next two years. The agreement covers 34,000 employees, represented by the Transport Workers Union and the International Association of Machinists. The agreement would raise American’s labor costs but bring a longer period of stability with its workforce.

Kmart shuttering its last full-scale U.S. store

New York Attention, Kmart shoppers, the end is near! The erstwhile retail giant, renowned for its Blue Light Specials, is shuttering its last full-scale store in the mainland United States. The store, located in swank Bridgehampton, New York, on Long Island, is slated to close Oct. 20, according to Denise Rivera, an employee who answered the phone at the store late Monday. That will leave only a tiny Kmart store in Miami. The retailer closed its last New Jersey store last year. It has a handful of stores in Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. There were once more than 2,000 Kmarts in the U.S.

Boyd Gaming buys Resorts Digital online gambling operation

Atlantic City, N.J.

“Such research is providing back-door access to the very foreign adversary nation whose aggression these capabilities are necessary to protect against.”

GOP report

said promote understanding and help stabilize relations.

“Clearly, American federal funding should not be used to advance China’s military capabilities, but there also needs to be more conversation about what is not an issue of national security and the negative rami cations of over-securitization,” Coplin said. “Decreased person-to-person engagement is contributing to the rapidly fraying U.S.-China relationship at the moment.”

Monday’s report identi ed about 8,800 publications that involved U.S. researchers who received funding from the Department of Defense or the U.S. intelligence community working with Chinese researchers —

“There was no research conducted at GTSI, no facilitation of technology transfer, and no federal funding provided to China,” the university said in a statement.

However, Georgia Tech announced on Sept. 6 that it would discontinue its participation in the joint institute with Tianjin University and the government of Shenzhen, a city in southern China. Georgia Tech said the partnership was “no longer tenable” after the U.S. Commerce Department accused Tianjin University in 2020 of theft of trade secrets.

The congressional report also identi ed Tsinghua-Berkeley Shenzhen Institute, which the University of California, Berkeley, and China’s Tsinghua University opened in 2015 in Shenzhen to focus on “strategic emerging industries,” according to the institute’s website.

Berkeley’s researchers “engage only in research whose results are always openly disseminated around the world,” the school was “unaware of any research by Berkeley faculty at TBSI conducted for any other purpose,” Katherine Yelick, the university’s vice chancellor for research, said.

Boyd Interactive has purchased Resorts Digital, the online gambling arm of Atlantic City’s Resorts casino, for an undisclosed amount. The transaction was nalized on Sept. 1 and con rmed by the parties on Monday. Resorts Digital has outperformed the physical Resorts casino for years; it has taken in ve times the amount of money from gamblers over the rst eight months of this year as the physical casino did. Resorts will continue its relationship with other online gambling partners, including DraftKings, Penn Gaming, PokerStars and ESPNBET. It and Boyd will cross-promote each other’s businesses.

NCDOT

Beginning Cash $2,502,479,161

Receipts (income) $88,822,020 Disbursements $117,474,602 Cash Balance $2,473,829,713

GREG BAKER / AP PHOTO

A report by Congressional Republicans said partnerships between the U.S. and China at universities have aided Beijing and given China an edge in developing critical technology.

FABIO FERRARI / LAPRESSE / AP PHOTO

Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares, pictured in 2022, took control of the Netherlands-based company in January 2021 when it merged with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

farm life

Trump threatens John Deere with tari s during meeting with farmers

Pennsylvania farmers expressed concerns about losing their way of life

The Associated Press

SMITHTON, Pa. — Donald Trump sat in a large barn in rural Pennsylvania on Monday, asking questions of farmers and o ering jokes but, in a rarity for his campaign events, mostly listening.

The bombastic former president was unusually restrained at an event about China’s in uence on the U.S. economy, a roundtable during which farmers and manufacturers expressed concerns about losing their way of life. Behind Trump were large green tractors and a sign declaring “Protect our food from China.”

The event in Smithton, Pennsylvania, gave Trump a chance to drive his economic message against Vice President Kamala Harris, arguing that imposing tari s and boosting energy production will lower costs. He highlighted Harris’ reversal of a previous vow to ban fracking, a method of producing natural gas key to Pennsylvania’s economy. And he noted the tractors behind him were manufactured by John Deere, which announced in June it was moving skid steer and track loader manufacturing to Mexico and working to acquire land there for a new factory. Trump threatened the rm with a 200% tari should he win back the presidency and it opted to export manufacturing to Mexico.

“If they want to build in the United States, there’s no tari ,” he added.

Trump opened the event with some of his usual themes. He declared that in 2020: “We had an election that didn’t exactly work out too good. And it was a disgrace.”

But he then did something unusual: He let others do most of the talking.

When one farmer said recent decades had seen scores of family farms shut down, Trump asked what that meant for overall production. The response was that, thanks to larger farms now operating, total production is actually up, but “we are losing the small family farms.”

“I know that, yes,” Trump responded somberly. Later, he said, “I am not too worried about the people around this table” supporting him on Election Day, while jokingly adding, “But you never know.”

In response to another par-

ticipant’s concerns about energy production, Trump said he didn’t know that farmers were so energy-dependent. Another farmer talked about Chinese-subsidized businesses, prompting Trump to respond,

“That’s why we need tari s.”

After the same farmer nished her comments by praising him profusely, he intoned: “Amen. I agree.”

Trump has embraced tari s as he tries to appeal to working-class voters who oppose free-trade deals and the outsourcing of factories and jobs, and the event wasn’t all about showing a more personable side.

Later, the former president took questions from reporters and got more customarily combative when asked whether he

was concerned that tari s on manufacturers like John Deere would increase costs for farmers. He said of Harris, “She is not going to be good for Pennsylvania.”

Stopping at a neighborhood market prior to an evening rally in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Trump bought a bag of popcorn and quipped that, if elected, he may send for more from the Oval O ce. He also gave a woman paying for groceries a $100 bill, declaring that her total “just went down a hundred bucks.”

The change didn’t last long. At his evening rally, Trump reverted to form, using an abrasive message to energize mostly conservative, white, working-class voters.

“She’s a one-woman economic wrecking ball and if she gets four more years, her radical agenda will smash the economy into rubble and grind your nancial situation right into the dust,” Trump said of Harris. He claimed, “She wants to take your guns away” even as the vice president has stressed being a gun owner herself.

“She’s coming for your money. She’s coming for your pensions, and she’s coming for your savings,” he said. The former president urged supporters to “get out and vote” but sco ed at the idea of casting early ballots, suggesting without evidence that it allowed more time to commit fraud. Citing unknown sources, he declared, “They said, if we don’t win this election, there may never be another election in this country.”

At one point, the former president caught a glimpse of himself on the big screen and joked about a “handsome man over there” before concluding, “Oh, it’s Trump.”

He also got especially candid with the rally audience, saying, “I don’t like anybody that doesn’t like me, I’ll be honest,” before adding, “sounds childish,” but “that’s the way it is ... call it a personality defect.”

It was a starkly di erent tone from Trump’s rst event in Smithton, which was hosted by the Protecting America Initiative, led by Richard Grenell, Trump’s former acting director of national intelligence, and former New York congressman Lee Zeldin.

Grenell told the small group of attendees there, “China is getting into our farmlands, and we have to be able to see China very clearly.”

At the end of 2022, China held nearly 250,000 acres of U.S. land, which is slightly less than 1% of foreign-held acres, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. By comparison, Canada was the largest foreign owner of U.S. land, accounting for 32%, or 14.2 million acres.

Still, the National Agricultural Law Center estimates that 24 states ban or limit foreigners without residency and foreign businesses or governments from owning private farmland. The issue emerged after a Chinese billionaire bought more than 130,000 acres near a U.S. Air Force base in Texas and another Chinese company sought to build a corn plant near an Air Force base in North Dakota.

Rex Murphy, from a nearby rural community who raises cattle and grows corn and hay, said farmers support Trump in this area, and said he wanted fewer taxes and “more freedom.”

“I want him to do everything for the economy,” said Murphy, 48. “If he just becomes president, and he does what he does, he will do more.”

Harris was set to visit Pennsylvania on Wednesday. Attending a New York fundraiser on Monday, Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, told a group of about 30 donors focused on climate change that Trump’s energy catchphrase of “drill, baby, drill” is “not a solution to things, and the public knows that it’s a cheap, easy thing.”

Walz, speaking at a midtown Manhattan hotel to an audience that included former presidential candidate Tom Steyer and Hollywood producer Jeffrey Katzenberg, called climate change an “existential threat” but also “an incredible opportunity to grow our economy.” He speci cally cited farmers who use their land to generate wind energy in addition to growing crops.

Harris campaign spokesman Joseph Costello said that “despite all his lies and pandering, Donald Trump used the White House to give handouts to wealthy corporations and foreign companies.”

Costello said in a statement that those came “at the expense of family farmers, drive farm bankruptcies to record levels, and sacri ce small American farmers as pawns in his failed trade war with China.”

Jill Colvin reported from Indiana, Pennsylvania.

Will Weissert reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Didi Tang in Washington and Michelle L. Price in New York contributed to this report.

Donald Trump threatened to put tari s on John Deere products built in Mexico as he stood in front of some of the company’s tractors.

ALEX BRANDON / AP PHOTO

Donald Trump listens to farmers during a campaign event on Monday in Pennsylvania.

ALEX BRANDON / AP PHOTO

Former President Trump handed a customer $100 for groceries as he visited Sprankle’s Neighborhood Market in Kittanning, Pennsylvania, on Monday.

ALEX BRANDON / AP PHOTO

ACC football: How are the new guys doing? B3

the Thursday SIDELINE REPORT

NFL Panthers reportedly turn down trade o ers for Young Charlotte

NFL insiders on two Sunday pregame shows reported that the Carolina Panthers have received multiple trade o ers for quarterback Bryce Young, benched following last week’s game. Fox’s Jay Glazer said the Panthers received o ers from four teams, while ESPN’s Adam Schefter said “several” teams have pitched deals to Carolina for the 2023 top overall pick. Both agree the team turned down all suitors, although Schefter said he believes the Panthers may trade Young in the future.

NWSL

Balcer scores in comeback win for Racing Louisville over Courage Louisville

Bethany Balcer converted a penalty in stoppage time to give Racing Louisville a 2-1 victory over the North Carolina Courage. With the victory, Lousiville moved above the playo line and into eighth place in the NWSL standings. Brianna Pinto scored o a cross from Ashley Sanchez in the 42nd minute for the Courage, and Emma Sears scored in the 78th minute to pull Louisville even.

NCAA FOOTBALL

NC State starting left tackle Belton ejected after spitting on Clemson defender

Clemson, S.C.

NC State starting left tackle Anthony Belton was ejected for spitting on a Clemson defender right before halftime Saturday. Belton was whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct and missed the rest of the game. Belton has started the past 17 games for the Wolfpack and, at 6-foot-6 and 356 pounds, is considered a late-round NFL draft pick. NC State trailed Clemson 45-7 at halftime and lost 59-35.

Baseball returns to Kinston

MLB parent club that stocks the team with players, any of the 30 MLB teams can choose to provide or promote a player from the roster.

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

KINSTON — Welcome back, baseball. Kinston barely had a chance to miss you this time around.

Nine days after the Down East Wood Ducks played their last game in historic Grainger Stadium, Kinston’s baseball movers and shakers reassembled at the 76-year-old ballpark to announce that professional baseball would return in 2025.

Kinston will get a team in the independent Frontier League, an una liated league partnered with Major League Baseball. That means that, unlike teams in Single-A, Double-A or Triple-A who have an

Eight former Frontier League players were called up to the big leagues in 2024, most notably Texas Rangers starter Kumar Rocker, a 2022 Tri-City ValleyCat.

“That’s what our baseball mission is,” said Frontier League commissioner Steve Tashler. “On the player side, it’s to give players the opportunity to showcase themselves to all the organizations and see which one is the best t as they pursue their dream. On the business and community side, our goal is to be a long-term, solid community partner.”

The league is growing rapidly: 2024 was the third straight year the Frontier League has broken its league-wide attendance record, and every Fron-

League team saw its attendance increase from the previous season. Kinston is one of two new teams that will join the league in 2025, joined by

Duke, UNC set for rivalry game Saturday

The Blue Devils enter Saturday’s game undefeated at 4-0, while the Tar Heels are 3-1 following a blowout loss to James Madison

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

JUST A WEEK AGO, we were looking set to have our rst ever Victory Bell matchup with both an undefeated Duke Blue Devils and UNC Tar Heels squad. However, while Duke took care of business Saturday with a 45-17 win over Middle Tennessee, the Tar Heels were torn apart by James Madison, losing 70-50.

UNC is heading to Wallace Wade Stadium on the heels of perhaps the worst loss in program history. The 70 points the defense surrendered was tied for the most ever allowed by the Heels in a game and the most ever allowed at Kenan Stadium, so you know that they’ll be looking to get the season back on track.

In addition, after that loss, rumors quickly spread that

UNC coach Mack Brown was contemplating stepping away from the game, but he put those res out in his Monday press conference.

“As I was walking o the eld, I thought, ‘I’m responsible for all this. It’s on me.’ So I thought I should ask the players about leadership and if they feel good about me moving forward,” Brown said.

“That’s something I shouldn’t do. I shouldn’t put that pressure on those young people at that point. I’m supposed to be a leader.

“I love my job, I love these kids, I love this place and that’s why I hate losing so much. We’re moving forward and looking forward to playing Duke this weekend. Always fun to play a rival game,

ready to get back to work and I’ll keep my mouth shut after losses from now on.”

The Blue Devils on the other hand, are coming in undefeated, their rst time facing UNC without a loss since 2017.

Under new head coach Manny Diaz, Duke has taken a massive step on the defensive side of the ball, with the Blue Devils leading the country in tackles for loss and being second in the country in sacks.

“With our inexperience upfront, playing our third quarterback in four games, we’ve got our hands full this weekend,” Brown said.

However, despite the early edge, Duke hasn’t historically had the most luck with this matchup in particular.

UNC holds the all-time edge in the Victory Bell rivalry with a 49-25-1 record and on top of that, the Heels have also won each of the last ve meetings. Duke came very close last year to a victory in Chapel Hill, but ultimately fell 47-45 in double overtime.

“Three of the ve games that we’ve played since I’ve been here have come down to the last play of the game,” Brown

Down East Bird Dawgs keep minor league baseball playing in Grainger Stadium

tier

Mississippi. The two new additions bring the league’s total number of teams to 18.

See BASEBALL , page B3

MATT MARTON / AP PHOTO

Duke wide receiver Eli Pancol (4) celebrates a touchdown with o ensive lineman Matt Craycraft

Kinston’s Grainger Stadium, home to minor league baseball since 1949, will not be empty in 2025. Faced with the departure of the Down East Wood Ducks following the 2024 season, the city was awarded an expansion team in the Frontier League.

STAN GILLILAND FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Owner Cameron McRae, right, helps unveil the name and logo of Kinston’s new Frontier League team — the Down East Bird Dawgs.

TRENDING

Ron Green: The longtime Charlotte Observer columnist died at 95. Green’s career spanned six decades in North Carolina He covered 60 consecutive Masters, 25 Super Bowls and Jim Valvano and NC State winning the 1983 NCAA title. Green is a member of North Carolina Journalism Hall of Fame and the North Carolina Sports Hall and a past winner of the PGA Lifetime Journalism and the Memorial Golf Journalism awards.

CJ Abrams: The All-Star shortstop was demoted to the minor leagues by the Washington Nationals after allegedly staying out all night at a Chicago casino. He is not expected to play the rest of the season Abrams has 20 homers, 65 RBIs and 31 stolen bases Abrams won’t play for the Triple-A team He will travel to the team s Florida training complex.

Adrian Wojnarowski:

ESPN’s NBA insider is retiring to return to St. Bonaventure. Wojnarowski, a 1991 journalism graduate, will work alongside men’s basketball coach Mark Schmidt as the team s general manager, handling NIL opportunities, transfer portal management, recruiting and alumni player relationships. He received an honorary doctorate in 2022

Beyond the box score

POTENT QUOTABLES

“People that want to blame me, they should because I’m at fault , 100%.”

UNC coach Mack Brown after the Tar Heels’ blowout loss to JMU.

“The guys kind of said no mas.”

NASCAR

Pa st NA SCA R Cup champions Brad Keselowsk i and Martin Truex Jr were among

Kyle Larson cruised to an easy victory Larson led 462 of 500 laps, the most since Cale Yarborough led 495 laps in 1977 Larson’s laps led is the most ever by a

Dearica Hamby won the WNBA’s Most Improved Player The Los Angeles Sparks forward averaged 17.3 points — 8.4 more than la st season — and improved her rebounding by three per game. Hamby edged DiJonai Carrington by one vote The Wake Forest alumna represented the U.S. in 3x3 basketball at the Paris Olympics.

Patrick Ag yemang (pictured) had a goal and two assists in the second half to help Charlotte FC pull away for a 4- 0 victor y over the New England with four saves on the way to his 10th clean sheet of the season for Charlotte (11-11-8) Liel Abada, Pep Biel and Kerwin Varga s also scored.

Points scored by NC Central against NC A&T, the most in the histor y of the Eagle-Aggie Classic. The 42-point margin of victor y tied for third-biggest.

Saints quarterback

$14,000 for imitating Michael Jackson during a touchdow n dance Carr swiveled his raised right knee before placing one hand in front of his groin area and thrusting his hips forward. Carr says his brothers encouraged him to celebrate a touchdow n that way after seeing him perform the move at weddings or birthday parties.

ACC newcomers hold their own in opening month of season

Stanford, California, and SMU have a combined 8-3 record

By Jesse Deal North State Journal

CHARLOTTE — It might take time to adjust to Stanford, California, and Southern Methodist’s presence in ACC football, but the three new conference newcomers have been up to the challenge during the rst month of the 2024 season.

Through four w eeks, the Stanford Cardinals (2-1, 1-0 ACC), Cal Golden Bears (3-1, 0-1 ACC), and SMU Mustangs (3-1) have combined for a 8-3 record so far this season (.727 winning percentage) providing the expanded 17-team ACC with a fresh group of competitive programs.

In a conference made up of an original cast of teams now supplanted by four groups of expansion teams, the latest additions have not dragged down the overall output of the ACC this fall.

By comparison, the teams around from the earliest days of the ACC (Virginia, North Carolina, NC State, Wake Forest, Duke, Clemson) are currently 15-7 (.682), the 1980 and 1990s expansion teams (Georgia Tech, Florida State) are 4-5 (.444), the 2000s expansion teams (Boston College, Miami,

Virginia Tech) are 9-3 (.750), and the 2010s expansion teams (Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Louisville) are 9-1 (.900). This past weekend, the Cardinals kicked o conference play with a 26-24 road win over Syracuse (2-1, 1-1 ACC), taking the nal 3:13 o the clock with an 11-play, 54-yard drive that led to a 39-yard walk-o eld goal by kicker Emmet Kenney. After the game, Stanford head coach Troy Taylor revealed the matchup’s result was

Raleigh resident earns Champions of Equality honor at US Open

Paula Hale volunteered with the USTA for decades

By Asheebo Rojas North State Journal

RALEIGH RESIDENT and Southern Tennis Hall of Fame inductee Paula Hale received the 2024 United States Tennis Association Champions of Equality honor at the US Open earlier this month for her e orts in fostering equity and growth in tennis.

The Champions of Equality Award celebrates women who have led the ght for equality in sports and entertainment, and a member from each of the USTA’s 16 sections received the honor for their contributions to the game on the grassroots level. Hale represented the Southern section, and she shared the honor alongside television creator and producer Shonda Rhimes, who received the second annual Billie Jean King Champions of Equality Award.

“I’ve had a lot of honors in tennis, but I think that one is probably one of the best ones I’ve ever received,” Rhimes said. “It recognizes what women are trying to achieve in the world of tennis and volunteering, particularly.”

In Hale’s decades-long career in volunteering and serving in USTA leadership roles, her mission has been to make the game accessible to everyone in the

BASEBALL from page B1

“It is professional baseball,” emphasized Cameron McRae, who will be the primary owner of the new Frontier League team.

McRae has been part of the ownership group for Kinston teams since the mid-1990s.

“Just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in,” he joked about his return to the owner’s suite at Grainger.

The announcement continues Kinston’s long relationship with pro baseball. Despite being one of the smallest communities in the minor leagues, the city has fought to keep baseball playing there since its rst team in 1908.

state of North Carolina and the United States.

A native of Scotland Neck, a small town in eastern North Carolina, Hale wasn’t exposed to tennis until taking a physical education class at East Carolina University.

“When I say I grew up in a tennis desert, I mean literally, it was because there were no opportunities,” Hale said.

Originally a golfer, Hale picked up tennis as an adult as it didn’t take hours like a round of golf and better t her life with the responsibilities of a job.

“I was an adult learner and a self-taught player, but I really found the passion for it,” Hale said.

Her passion eventually turned into a lifestyle that went beyond the tennis court. Hale eventually got involved with the behind-the-scenes of the tennis world and found a tennis “family”, or a core of volunteers, that would meet and talk about different ways to grow the game, build facilities and spread knowledge about tennis.

“We formed these local community organizations called CTAs, which are community tennis associations,” Hale said. “Basically, they’re almost always volunteer led groups that focus on growing tennis in a geographic area.”

Hale helped start the Downeast Community Tennis Association in Pitt County, which is one of the 28 CTAs

The Kinston Eagles were home to future Hall of Fame catcher Rick Ferrell in the 1920s, but the Great Depression caused the rst gap in the city’s baseball history. The Eagles then returned in 1934 before two more brief breaks in the mid-to-late 1950s.

The Eagles joined the Carolina League in 1962 and, led by big-leaguers to be Steve Blass and Gene Michael, won the league championship in their rst season. That run continued until the mid-1970s, through afliations with the Pirates, Yankees and Expos. It saw Charlie “King Kong” Keller, a future Yankees slugger; Leo Mazzone, best known as pitching coach

exactly how he drew it up.

“I said, ‘Hey, we’re gonna drive down, we’re gonna spot the ball in the middle of the eld, and we’re gonna kick a eld goal and get out of here.’ And obviously we were able to do that,” Taylor said. “I’ve never been around a group of student-athletes with this much character and resiliency. Never doubt that, they’re always up for the task. So I think you got a good look at that — that our guys just don’t quit. They’re tal-

.727

Combined winning percentage of the three new ACC teams this season. By comparison, the “classic” six ACC teams are at .682

ented and hungry for more.”

Led by dual-threat junior quarterback Ashton Daniels, the Cardinals opened the season with a 34-27 home loss to TCU (2-2, 0-1 Big 12) but have bounced back with a 41-7 home win over Cal Poly (1-2, 0-0 Big Sky) and their recent two-point win over the Orange.

Stanford is set to travel to No. 17 Clemson (2-1, 1-0 ACC) this weekend.

While the Cardinals were able to secure a win in their ACC debut in Week 4, the Cal Golden Bears weren’t as fortunate, falling 14-9 in a defensive stando at Florida State (1-3, 1-2 ACC); the Seminoles notched their rst win of the season as they thwarted a 3-0 Cal team that racked up 422 yards of o ense but only nine points.

Cal quarterback Fernando Mendoza was sacked seven times in the loss.

“We had plenty of opportunities,” Cal coach Justin Wilcox said. “We did not capitalize on it. They did. We have to nd ways to score points. Nine’s not enough. I don’t care who you’re playing.”

Cal is now 0-7 against multiloss, winless opponents in the

Justin Wilcox era, dating back to a 2018 loss to a 0-5 UCLA team.

Prior to the loss, the Bears had garnered a 31-13 home win over UC Davis (3-1), followed by a 21-14 road win over Auburn (2-2, 0-1 SEC) and a 31-10 home win over San Diego State (1-2).

The team will now prepare to host No. 7 Miami (4-0) in the Hurricanes’ conference opener.

Over in Dallas, TX, on Saturday night, head coach Rhett Lashlee and SMU team trampled TCU (2-2, 0-1 Big 12) in a 66-42 home victory that marked the 103rd meeting between two two Texas programs.

The Mustangs managed to score 17 points in the nal 1:28 of the rst half for a 41-21 lead, marking the most points they had ever scored in a half against the Horned Frogs.

Adding to SMU’s high point total, the Mustangs’ running game generated 238 yards as the team also recorded three non-o ensive touchdowns.

“To win from the rst play to the last play, we needed to leave no doubt that we were the most physical team on the eld,” Lashlee said after the game. “That was literally our only thought process coming into the game — on o ense, defense, special teams — and credit to our guys for carrying it out.”

The Mustangs opened the 2024 campaign with a 29-24 road win over Nevada, a 59-7 home win over Houston Christian, and a 18-15 home loss to BYU. SMU will now play its inaugural ACC matchup as it hosts a rejuvenated Florida State team that just knocked o the Golden Bears.

month.

“I’ve

had a lot of honors in tennis, but I think that one is probably one of the best ones I’ve ever received.”

Paula Hale

under UTSA North Carolina.

“So, you’ll get together a group of volunteers and they say, ‘Ok, what do we need to do to organize tennis in our town?’” Hale said. “They’re the ones that will advocate their city for courts, places to play and public access. People think tennis is an expensive sport, and it can be if you get into the world of private lessons and go a route of where it costs more, but it doesn’t have to be. Most public tennis facilities are free to play in or very nominal cost to use the facilities. We

for the great Braves teams of the 1990; Ron Guidry, the 1978 Cy Young winner with the Yankees, and future NFL quarterback Jay Schroeder come through town.

After another three-year absence, the Eagles returned in 1978 and partnered with rst the Blue Jays and, later, Cleveland. Hall of Famers Fred McGri and Jim Thome wore Kinston uniforms, as did future All-Stars Manny Ramirez, Albert Belle, Charles Nagy and CC Sabathia. Baseball went dark in Kinston in 2012 until the Wood Ducks arrived in 2017 as a Texas Rangers a liate. The team was sold in 2023 and announced plans to move to Spar-

have CTAs that will give you a racket.”

One of the biggest drivers of Hale’s passion for making tennis accessible to everyone is the health bene ts.

According to the UTSA, participation in racquet sports, including tennis, reduces risk of all-cause mortality by 47% and cardiovascular-related death by 56%. The UTSA also reported that tennis players on average lived an additional 9.7 years than sedentary individuals.

“I say to parents, introduce your children to all sports and let them decide, but just keep in mind that when they’re 40 or 50 years old, they’re not going to be kicking the soccer ball around, and they’re not going to be on the softball eld or baseball eld playing ball,” Hale said.

“But they can be on the tennis court.”

Said Hale, “We have people at our club that are in their 90s and are national champions in

tanburg, South Carolina, following the 2024 season. That threatened to be the end of the line for Kinston’s relationship with professional baseball. The minor leagues have contracted in recent years, and opportunities for such a small community to try to support a team have dwindled.

“I would like to extend my gratitude to the Down East Wood Ducks for being here,” said Kinston mayor Don Hardy. “Thank you for bringing such a vibrant love of baseball to our city over the past eight years, during which we’ve enjoyed seven incredible seasons of baseball here. Your presence has truly energized Kinston, creating

tennis. So, it just shows you that whether you being at 5 or you’re 95, there’s a place in tennis for everybody.”

Hale served as the president of USTA North Carolina from 2000-03 and the president of the North Carolina Tennis Foundation in 2004-06. Her e orts at the local level reached an even larger scale when she became the president of USTA Southern from 2015-16 and the president of Southern Tennis Foundation from 2017-18. Currently, Hale is a USTA Chair of the Advisory Group on Committees, serving as an advisor to the USTA president.

“Now, my focus is more of a national level, and at that level, we want to make sure what we’re doing at that level has a direct impact back down in communities” Hale said. “The work that’s being done by national committees is of value to helping volunteers all the way down the line.”

unforgettable memories for fans and families.”

Despite the kind words, the community still harbored hard feelings toward the Wood Ducks for leaving.

“We really hate to see them go,” said Lenoir County chairperson Linda Rouse Sutton. “We hope they will enjoy their new environment and the folks there will be as good to them as we were.”

The Frontier League team will be known as the Down East Bird Dawgs, and McRae unveiled two logos. One of them shows a musclebound dog getting ready to swing a bat. The other has the dog holding what appears to be a wood duck in its mouth.

PHOTO COURTESY USTA

Raleigh’s Paula Hale was named a USTA Champion of Equity at the U.S. Open earlier this

BRANDON WADE / AP PHOTO

Southern Methodist coach Rhett Lashlee looks on from the sidelines, anked by an ACC o cial, during a game against Houston Baptist earlier this season.

A weekly look at NC college football

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

AFTER THEIR rst winning week of the season, North Carolina teams had their worst outing ever, including embarrassing blowout losses by some of the state’s highest-pro le teams.

• North Carolina’s record: 11-18 (52-61 overall)

Last week’s winners (ranked in order of impressiveness of the victory—a combination of opponent and performance):

1. N C Central: 66-24 over NC A&T

2. Fayetteville State: 31-7 at Elizabeth City State

3. D uke: 45-17 at Middle Tennessee

4. S haw: 48-14 over Lincoln (PA)

5. Ga rdner-Webb: 42-21 at Presbyterian

6. Lenoir-Rhyne: 29-21 at Mars Hill

7. W inston-Salem State: 15-14 at Virginia State

8. Gu ilford: 44-35 over Sewanee

9. B revard: 42-26 over Belhaven

10. J ohnson C. Smith: 21-16 over Virginia Union

11. M ethodist: 17-14 over Greensboro

Central and Fayetteville State got big rivalry wins, while Duke and G-W rolled on the road. Last week’s losers (ranked in order of impressiveness, despite the result):

1. W ingate: 31-28 in overtime at Carson-Newman

2. G reensboro: 17-14 at Methodist

3. C atawba: 31-28 at Virginia-Wise

4. L ivingstone: 31-17 at Bowie

5. E ast Carolina: 35-24 at Liberty

6. Western Carolina: 46-35 at Montana

7. U NC Pembroke: 58-36 at Charleston (WV)

8. Charlotte: 52-14 at Indiana

9. C ampbell: 24-17 to Stony Brook

10. M ars Hill: 29-21 to Lenoir-Rhyne

11. Elon: 34-17 to ETSU

12. N C State: 59-35 at Clemson

13. B arton: 41-0 at Emory & Henry

14. N C A&T: 66-24 at NC Central

15. N C Wesleyan: 49-28 to Huntingdon

16. A pp State: 48-14 to South Alabama

17. Elizabeth City State: 31-7 to Fayetteville State

18. U NC: 70-50 to James Madison

O : Wake Forest, Davidson, Chowan

Remaining unbeatens (4, down from 6 last week):

1. Du ke: 4-0

2. J ohnson C. Smith: 4-0

3. Lenoir-Rhyne: 3-0

4. G uilford: 3-0

UNC and Wingate fell from the ranks of the unbeatens.

DANIEL LIN / DAILY NEWS-RECORD VIA AP

James Madison running back Jobi Malary (28) celebrates after a blowout win over UNC in Chapel Hill. The Dukes are 3-0 against N.C. teams this season with a game at App State remaining.

Winning records (6, down from 8 last week):

UNC, Shaw, Winston-Salem State: 3-1

Wingate, Davidson, Fayetteville State: 2-1

At .500 (7, up from 3 last week):

Livingstone, Elizabeth City State, App State, NC State, ECU, NC Central: 2-2 Brevard: 1-1

Losing records (10, up from 7 last week):

Charlotte, Campbell, Elon, Gardner-Webb, NC A&T, Western Carolina: 1-3 Barton, Wake Forest, Catawba, Methodist: 1-2

Still winless (6, down from 9 last week):

St. Andrews, UNC Wesleyan, UNC Pembroke, Greensboro: 0-3 Mars Hill, Chowan: 0-2 Brevard, Gardner-Webb and Methodist got o the schneid this weekend.

Name Game: NC State lost to Clemson in the Textile Bowl. It’s the Eagle-Aggie Classic this year as NC Central gets a big win over A&T. Fayetteville State got a big win over Elizabeth City State in the Down East Viking Classic.

This week, Central faces Norfolk State in the 40th annual Circle City Classic in Indianapolis. We refuse to call it the Battle of the Blues, but UNC and Duke play for the Victory Bell in Durham.

State title standings: Actually, James Madison seems to be on pace to win the North Carolina State title with three wins over teams here. The Dukes have one more chance to add to their dominance, playing at App State later this season.

• 2-0 UNC, Guilford, Fayetteville State

• 1-0 Duke, App State, NC State, Wake Forest, Campbell, Wingate, Davidson, Barton, Lenoir-Rhyne

• 1-1 Charlotte, Shaw, Catawba, Methodist

• 1-2 Elizabeth City State, NC A&T, NC Central, Elon, Western Carolina

• 0-1 ECU, Gardner-Webb, Winston-Salem State, Mars Hill

• 0-2 Chowan, UNC Pembroke, Greensboro

State title games this week:

• UNC at Duke

• Mars Hill at Wingate

“It’s Duke. These kids have been here. They know that. Our guys will be ready to play.”

UNC coach Mack Brown

Out of state battles for Week Four:

Liberty at App State, Northern Illinois at NC State, Charlotte at Rice, UTSA at ECU, Louisiana at Wake Forest, Delaware State at Campbell, Davidson at Presbyterian, Richmond at Elon, Tennessee Tech at Gardner-Webb, NC Central vs. Norfolk State in Indianapolis, NC A&T at South Carolina State, Anderson at Barton, Carson-Newman at Catawba, Mississippi College at Chowan, Fayetteville State at Virginia State, Johnson C. Smith at Blue eld, Tusculum at Lenoir-Rhyne, Livingstone at Lincoln (PA), Shaw at Virginia Union, UNC Pembroke at Glenville State, Bowie State at Winston-Salem State, Brevard at Maryville, Southern Virginia at Greensboro, Methodist at LaGrange, NC Wesleyan at Belhaven, St. Andrews at Lindsey Wilson.

O : Western Carolina, Elizabeth City State, Guilford Bad neighbors: Liberty, Charleston (WV) and Clemson joined Averett and JMU with multiple wins over NC teams. Virginia is now 12-5 over NC in the border war. Meanwhile, Lincoln (PA) is the only team to lose twice to North Carolina teams.

All-state performances for Week Three:

Quarterback: Walker Harris, NC Central 16-of-23, 272 yards, 3 TDs.

Running backs; Carson Gresock, G-W 22 rushes for 134 yards, 3 TDs. Quasean Holmes, G-W 10 rushes for 132 yards, 2 TDs.

Receiver: De’Andre Tamarez, Western Carolina, 8 catches for 229 yards, 61-yard TD. Markell Quick, NC Central, 4 catches, 119 yards, 60yard TD catch. Defensive line: Jalen Alexander, JC Smith, 8 tackles, 5 solo, 3.5 TFL, 2 sacks. Shi Gaskin, Fayetteville State, 4 tackles, TFL, forced fumble.

Linebacker: Alex Howard, Duke 8 tackles, 6 solo, 1.5 sacks, 3.5 TFL, fumble recovery, QB hit, Demorian Smith, Elizabeth City, 4 tackles, 3 solo, 35-yard pick six, PBU, Jaelin Willis, Lenoir-Rhyne, 8 tackles, 4 solo, 3 TFL, 2 sacks, PBU.

Defensive back: Malcolm Reed, NC Central, 5 tackles, 11yard fumble return touchdown, PBU, Justin Fleming, Winston-Salem State, 8 tackles, 5 solo, 2 TFL, 2 sacks.

Special teams: Aaron Harris, NC A&T 100-yard kicko return to open the game. Gilberto Lorenzana, Winston-Salem State, 3 eld goals, including the game-winner with 3 seconds left.

Dalton brings fun back to Panthers’ o ense in win

Coach Dave Canales nds new life in a veteran quarterback

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

DAVE CANALES has the reputation of being a quarterback whisperer. He arrived in Carolina Panthers having salvaged the careers of Geno Smith and Baker May eld, nding ways to unlock their talents where other offensive gurus have failed. We all assumed Canales came to the Panthers eager to do the same to Bryce Young, the top pick who struggled last year as a rookie.

Turns out, maybe we were all looking at the wrong quarterback.

Andy Dalton will turn 37 next month. He’s half a decade removed from his last season as an undisputed starter. Since the pandemic, he’s on his fourth team and has started just over six games a season during that span.

In Dalton’s rst start under Canales, however, he seemed to nd his old Pro Bowl form, last seen in the waning days of the Obama administration.

He threw 37 passes on the day and nished with a 123.6 passer rating. The last time he passed as often with a rating as high was Dec. 22, 2013. Bryce Young, the quarterback he replaced in the Panthers’ starting lineup Sunday, was 12 years old back then.

He had three touchdown passes and no interceptions, something he’s done just four times in the last seven seasons. Forget comparing Dalton to his past performances. Sunday’s outing was one of the best games a quarterback has had this year. He threw for 319 yards, the fth-most in the NFL this season. He’s the rst 300yard passer this year to also throw for three touchdowns, and his quarterback rating for the game was the best by more than 20 points.

The Panthers set the tone early, getting ahead of the chains.

Dalton’s rst three passes on rst downs were complete for a total of 41 yards, while Chuba Hubbard’s rst three rst-down rushes went for 16.

“You’ve got to win rst down,” Canales said. “To me, that means getting four or more yards. Then you get into second and medium, and the whole call sheet is at your disposal. That’s what makes you deadly

and allows you to attack.”

Dalton did his part, getting in position to attack the Raiders’ defense.

“I think we were 5 of 7 on third-and-5 or less, which is the world we want to live in,” Canales said.

Despite his success, Dalton didn’t try to do too much, content with just lling the role Canales laid out for him going into the game.

“What I expect is do your part,” Canales recalled telling Dalton. “Get the ball to the rst open guy. When the shots are there, take ’em. When they’re not, get the ball out.”

The veteran quarterback not only did that, but Dalton’s rejuvenation brought life to a team that was beyond hope just days earlier. Dr. Frankenstein would have been hard-pressed to nd anything to work with, but Canales was able to salvage the Panthers’ season. While Lazarus would likely have shaken his head and walked away, Canales and Dalton sparked joy in the Carolina locker room and fan base.

“The team had fun,” Dalton said. “I probably had the most fun. That’s the thing. No, I wasn’t going to let anybody else have more fun than I was out there. Playing this game, like I said, we put in the work, and when you get an opportunity to be out there on Sundays and get a chance to compete, yeah, it’s a ton of fun.”

When a football team is having fun, chances are it’s knocking the opponent around the eld. The Panthers got strong outings from its o ensive line, which protected Dalton and cleared the way for a run game that helped control the tempo. The Carolina defense, which struggled in the rst two weeks, also came up big. It was a day that left the quarterback whisperer talking like a line coach.

“At the heart of it all is toughness,” Canales said. “And how do you show toughness as an offense? You run the ball. We nished the game running the ball, and that’s my dream — my vision for Panthers football. … At the end of the game, we were nishing runs. There was some violence. Guys got tired, and it was ugly, and it was beautiful.”

This week, Dalton gets another start, this one against the team where he spent his rst nine seasons, the Cincinnati Bengals.

“It’s going to be fun,” Dalton said.

Renaissances usually are.

Andy Dalton celebrates after the team’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders.

said. “So these have been tremendous games.”

On top of the narrative that is always Duke versus UNC, there’s also a bit more in the history between Brown and Diaz.

Diaz was, at one point, Brown’s defensive coordinator back when he was the head coach at Texas and the latter red the former the day after a 40-21 loss to BYU in 2013. However, both have stated that there is no bad blood between the two.

“Manny and I are good,” Brown said. “I have great re -

spect for him and I think he understands that as a head coach, sometimes things aren’t working well and you have to make changes. He probably understands that now a lot better than he did then.”

“We’ve spoken, chatted, we were at a clinic together earlier this year,” Diaz said. “We’ve known each other obviously for a long time, but as we always talk about on game day, I’m sure he’s trying to do the best he can for his guys and we’re trying to do the best we can for our guys and the games the game.”

Diaz isn’t too concerned about the narratives and sto -

rylines surrounding the rivalry anyway. “What happens in games like this is that there’s a lot of storytelling,” Diaz said. “What happened last week? What happened last year? What happened the last few years? What happened with this, What happened with that? People try to bring all of these things into play that, in my mind, have nothing to do with who runs to the football harder on defense on Saturday. On who tackles better and who sets better edges. Who protects their quarterback better, who falls forward on contact. These

games draw a lot of storylines around them, but when it’s all said and done, the game will still be the game, and it will be won or lost for the same reasons.”

Brown echoed much the same.

“It’s Duke. These kids have been here, they know that. They understand the Victory Bell and the importance of this game to our fan base and they understand that they are good. Our guys will be ready to play.”

Duke and UNC will kick o at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28 and the game will be broadcast on ESPN2.

JOHN LOCHER / AP PHOTO

Carolina Panthers quarterback

Happy 50th, ‘SNL’!

Here’s a look back at the rst “not ready for primetime players”

By Leanne Italie

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Live from New York! It’s 50 seasons later for “SNL.” The landmark NBC sketch comedy show “Saturday Night Live” premiered Oct. 11, 1975, with George Carlin as host and not one but two musical guests: Billy Preston and Janis Ian. Fast-forward to this year, Sept. 28, when the rst episode of “SNL’s” half-century season is set to air in a lead-up to a three-hour live primetime special on Feb. 16. So what became of the freshman “SNL” class?

John Belushi

“National Lampoon’s Animal House,” “Continental Divide,” “Neighbors” and all things The Blues Brothers. Belushi birthed his “Joliet” Jake Blues, joining fellow “SNL” cast member Dan Aykroyd as brother Elwood. Belushi left “SNL” in 1979 to pursue music and lm projects.

Following years of drug use, he died from an overdose on March 5, 1982, at 33. Belushi’s death stunned friends and fans, and symbolized the end of the hard-living ’70s.

Gilda Radner

Nasally Roseanne Roseannadanna. Weird teen Lisa Loopner. Weekend Update’s “never mind” complainer Emily Litella. Radner contributed an endearing sweetness to the inaugural season of “SNL.” She stayed for ve years. In 1979, the Emmy and Grammy winner took to Broadway to perform a one-woman show, “Gilda Live.” Some of her most beloved “SNL” characters, including Baba Wawa, a spoof of Barbara Walters, were included. Radner died in 1989 at 42 after a battle with ovarian cancer.

Chevy Chase

Chase was the rst to utter the words, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday night!” Initially hired as a writer, he was known on “SNL” for “Weekend Update,” his bumbling President Gerald Ford and his feuds with cast members. In his post-SNL years, there were two “Fletch” movies, “Caddyshack” and “The Three Amigos!” and ve “Vacation” movies, though his appearance in the 2015 one was a cameo.

Laraine Newman

She left “SNL” in 1980 after portraying Connie Conehead, Valley Girl stewardess Sherry

and ditzy public access TV cohost Christie Christina. Newman, 72, has spoken openly about her struggles with depression and drug addiction during that time. She got sober in 1987.

Steady lm, TV and voice work followed. She was the antagonist in the 1991 comedy “Problem Child 2,” appeared in 1993’s “Coneheads” as Connie’s Aunt Laarta, and performed in episodes of “Friends” and “3rd Rock from the Sun.”

Dan Aykroyd

When he wasn’t bleeding out as Julia Child or declaring, “Jane, you ignorant slut!” on “Weekend Update,” Aykroyd swagged with Steve Martin as one of two wild and crazy guys and led the Conehead family as patriarch Beldar. He lent so much more to “SNL” before leaving in 1979, includ-

Gilda Radner appears on the “Saturday Night

ing his half of The Blues Brothers and impersonations of talk show host Tom Snyder, Rod Serling and two presidents: Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter. With Belushi, his close friend, and backed by legit players, the bluesy and soulful brothers caught on as a band. They played gigs and released a multimillion-selling album, “Briefcase Full of Blues.”

His post-SNL work took him even higher. Hit after hit followed “The Blues Brothers: “Neighbors” in 1981, “Trading Places” in 1983 and “Ghostbusters” in 1984. Aykroyd earned a supporting actor Oscar nomination for 1989’s “Driving Miss Daisy.”

Jane Curtin

Curtin left “SNL” in 1980 after ve seasons. She was a master of deadpan, often play-

ing the straight woman o such outsized performers as Belushi and Radner. A regular on “Weekend Update,” she was known for the Coneheads sketches as matriarch Prymaat and Enid Loopner with fellow nerds Radner and Murray. Curtin, 76, has spoken about being bothered by the drug-fueled lifestyles of some of her castmates. She won two Emmys for her 1980s sitcom “Kate & Allie.” She later starred as Dr. Mary Albright in the hit series “3rd Rock from the Sun.” Garrett Morris

Initially hired as a writer, he was the oldest member of “SNL’s” rst cast at 37. He came to the show after 17 years as a singer and arranger with Harry Belafonte, a stage actor, a playwright and a civil rights activist who helped desegregate Actor’s Equity. He remained on “SNL” until 1980. He was known for his character Chico Escuela, the Dominican baseball player whose catchphrase, “Baseball has been berry, berry good to me,” caught on in pop culture. He also performed as the shouting interpreter in the “News for the Hard of Hearing” segments. In the ’80s, Morris appeared in a string of horror lms. Later, he was a regular on the series “2 Broke Girls” and performed on TV comedies “Martin,” “The Jamie Foxx Show” and “The Wayans Brothers.”

County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Freddie H. Jarrett, dated May 24, 2013 to secure the original principal amount of $184,500.00, and recorded in Book 3126 at Page 1757 of the Forsyth County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modi ed by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended. Address of property: 1783 Rye eld Ct, Kernersville, NC 27284 Tax Parcel ID: 6865-74-7648.000

Present Record Owners: The Heirs of Freddie H. Jarrett The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are The Heirs of Freddie H. Jarrett. The property to be o ered pursuant to this notice of sale is being o ered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the o cers, 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 o ered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of ve percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certi ed funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all

“Saturday Night Live” producer Lorne Michaels, right, is pictured with

members Chevy Chase, foreground center; Laraine Newman, background left; Dan Aykroyd, background right, Jane Curtain, second row from left; Gilda Radner, John Belushi and Garret Morris, partially obscured, on April 17, 1976.

RON FREHM / AP PHOTO

CUMBERLAND

NOTICE

The undersigned, having quali ed as Executer of the Estate of Janice M. Beaufort, deceased, late of Cumberland County, herby noti es all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 26th day of December, 2024. (which date is three months after the publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in the bar of their recovery. All person indebted to the descendent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 26th day of September, 2024. Virginia M. Beaufort 6458 Rockford Drive Fayetteville NC 28304 Of the Estate of Janice M. Beaufort, Deceased.

NOTICE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

In the General Court Of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court Division Estate File #23 E 792

Executor’s Notice

The undersigned, having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Billy Earnest Bohannon Sr., deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby noti es all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 26th day of December, 2024, (which date is three months after the day of the rst publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 26th day of September, 2024. Billy E. Bohannon, Jr. Administrator/Executor P.O. Box 1561 Address Mableton, Georgia, 30126 City, State, Zip Of the Estate of Billy Earnest Bohannon Sr., Deceased NOTICE IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ESTATE FILE # 24E1180 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND Having quali ed as the Executor of

of Christine Burgess,

of Cumberland County,

the undersigned does

claims against the

rms, and corporations

of

decedent to

to the undersigned at 319 Carriage Lane,North Augusta, SC 29841, on or before December 5, 2024, or the notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms, and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. Dated this 5th day of September, 2024. Barbara Walker, Executor of the Estate of Christine Burgess 319 Carriage Lane North Augusta, SC 29841 803-257-6135

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA In the General Court Of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court of Division Estate File # 2024E. 000235 Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice The undersigned, having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Mary Jones Carrington McNeill deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby noti es all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before 05 of December, 2024(which day is three months after the day of the rst publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 28 day of August ,2024 Robert H Carrington Jr Administrator/Executor 2118 Coinjock Cir Fayetteville NC 28304 Of the Estate of Mary Jones Carrington McNeill Deceased

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF MARGARET SUNSOOK CHOI Cumberland County Estate File No. 2024 E 000424 All persons, rms and corporations having claims against Margaret Sunsook Choi, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are noti ed to present their claims to Young Sammy Choi, Fiduciary, at 408 Kingsford Court, Fayetteville, North Carolina 28314, on or before the 19th day of December, 2024 (which date is three months after the day of the rst publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. Debtors of the Decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the Fiduciary named above. This the 13th day of September 2024. Young Sammy Choi Fiduciary and Executor of the Estate of Margaret Sunsook Choi 408 Kingsford Court Fayetteville, North Carolina 28314 Run dates: September 19, 26, October 3 and October 10, 2024 NOTICE

In the general court of justice Superior Court division Before the clerk File #24E1462

quali

as administrator of

of Jill Ferrel deceased of Cumberland County this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 12th day of December 2024 or notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery all persons indebted to the will please make immediate payment to the undersigned this 12th day of September 2024 Gary Blakely 2705 Bullard Ct Fayetteville NC 28312

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF JUANITA CUNNINGHAM

Cumberland County Estate File No. 24 E 1328

All persons, rms and corporations having claims against Juanita Cunningham, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are noti ed to present their claims to Davis W. Puryear, Administrator, at 4317 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28311, on or before the 6th day of December, 2024 (which date is three months after the day of the rst publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

Debtors of the Decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the Administrator named above.

This the 28th day of August, 2024. Davis W. Puryear Administrator of the Estate of Juanita Cunningham Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: September 5, September 12, September 19 and September 26, 2024

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF ROBERT LEE CRAWFORD, JR.

Cumberland County Estate File No. 24 E 89

All persons, rms and corporations having claims against Robert Lee Crawford, Jr., deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are noti ed to present their claims to Ronda Baker, Executor, at 31 Holly Dr., New Castle, DE 19720, on or before the 27th day of December, 2024 (which date is three months after the day of the rst publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

Debtors of the Decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the Executor named above.

This the 17th day of September, 2024.

Ronda Baker Executor of the Estate of Robert Lee Crawford, Jr. Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: September 26, October 3, October 10 and October 17, 2024

NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ESTATE FILE NO. 24-E-1017

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND Having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Richard Thomas Craven, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at 2517 Raeford Road, Fayetteville, NC 28305, on or before December 5, 2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms, and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. Dated this 5th day of September, 2024. Malinda Hutchinson Craven, Executor of the Estate of Richard Thomas Craven NICOLE A. CORLEY MURRAY, CRAVEN & CORLEY, L.L.P. N.C. BAR NO. 56459 2517 RAEFORD ROAD FAYETTEVILLE, NC 28305 – 3007 (910) 483 – 4990

COUNSEL FOR EXECUTOR

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

CUMBERLAND COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE

SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 24E 1122 ADMINISTRATOR NOTICE The undersigned, having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Deloise Martinsus Clayton, deceased, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, hereby noti es all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to present them to the undersigned on or before December 03, 2024 (90 days from the date of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 5th day of September, 2024 William Clayton Executor of the Estate of Deloise Martinsus Clayton 1599 Rossmore Drive Fayetteville, North CArolina 28314

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF Felicia Rose Flanigan

CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 24 E 756

All persons, rms and corporations having claims against Felicia Rose Flanigan, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are noti ed to present their claims to Joseph T. Tesoriero, Executor, at 10206 Caldwell Forest Dr., Charlotte, NC 28213, on or before the 27th day of December, 2024 (which date is three months after the day of the rst publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. Debtors of the Decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the Executor named above.

This the 20th day of September, 2024.

Joseph T. Tesoriero Executor of the Estate of Felicia Rose Flanigan Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: September 26, October 3, October 10 and October 17, 2024

NOTICE

In The General Court of Justice

Superior Court Division Before the Clerk Estate File #24 E-1112

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

CUMBERLAND COUNTY

ADMINISTRATOR NOTICE

The undersigned having quali ed as Administrator of the Estate of Hilton Johnson, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby noti es all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against said Estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 12th day of December, 2024, (which date is three months after the day of the rst publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 12th day of September, 2024. Regina Byrd Administrator 1100 Clarendon Street, Apt. 508 Fayetteville, N.C. 28305 Publication date: 9/12/2024 9/19/2024 9/26/2024 10/3/2024

ADMINISTRATOR’S NOTICE IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ESTATE FILE 24-E-229

State of North Carolina Cumberland County NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The undersigned, having quali ed as the Administrator of the Estate of Else L. Kennedy, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms or corporations having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned at 5337 Plateau Court, Fayetteville, North Carolina 28303, on or before December 5, 2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 5th day of September, 2024. Hans Strout, Administrator of the Estate of Else L. Kennedy, Deceased c/o Gilliam Law Firm, PLLC J. Duane Gilliam, Jr., Attorney PO Box 53555 Fayetteville, NC 28305 9/5/2024, 9/12/2024, 9/19/2024 and 9/26/2024

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF ROBERT P. KUNKEL

CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 24 E 1451 All persons, rms and corporations having claims against Robert P. Kunkel, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are noti ed to present their claims to Ann Fisher, Executor, at 1111 Sturbridge Dr., Durham, NC 27713, on or before the 20th day of December, 2024 (which date is three months after the day of the rst publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. Debtors of the Decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the Executor named above. This the 10th day of September, 2024. Ann Fisher Executor of the Estate of Robert P. Kunkel Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: September 19, September 26, October 3 and October 10, 2024

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA County of Cumberland In The General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Estate File# 24E1526 Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice The undersigned, having Quali ed as Administrator of the Estate of Richard James McGuinness, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby noti es all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 26th day of December, 2024 (which date is three months after the day of the rst publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 26th day of September, 2024 Aurelia McGuinness 571 Milden Rd. Fayetteville, NC 28314 Of the Estate of Richard James McGuinness, Deceased

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF Tim Randall Oliver Cumberland County Estate File No. 24 E 515 All persons, rms and corporations having claims against Tim Randall Oliver, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are noti ed to present their claims to Lisa D. Schutt, 80 Clay Street, Leroy, NY 14482 and Ronald M. Schutt, Sr., 2389 Lake Rd, Ontario, NY 14519 CoAdministrators, on or before the 13th day of December, 2024 (which date is three months after the day of the rst publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.

Debtors of the Decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the CoAdministrators named above. This the 9th day of September, 2024. Lisa D. Schutt Ronald M. Schutt, Sr. Co-Administrators of the Estate of Tim Randall Oliver Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm

Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: September 12, September 19, September 26 and October 3, 2024

NOTICE

The undersigned, having quali ed as

Executor of the estate of Mary B Ray, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby noti es all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before 15th day of December 2024, (which date is three months after the day of the rst publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 12th day of September, 2024 Hubert Ray Jr Administrator/Executor 6739 Paci c Ave Fayetteville, NC, 28314 Of the Estate of Mary B Ray , Deceased

NOTICE IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION

ESTATE FILE #24E971 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CUMBERLAND COUNTY Having quali ed as the Executor of the Estate of Betty Ann Moaney, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at 5204 Thruway Rd, Hope Mills, N. C. 28348, on or before December 19, 2024, or the notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms, and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned, dated this 19th day of September, 2024. Tywana Bingham: Executor of Estate for Betty Ann Moaney 5204 Thruway Rd. Hope Mill , N.C. 28348

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF Gabriele Auguste New, aka Gabriele Keifer New CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 24 E 1440 All persons, rms and corporations having claims against Gabriele Auguste New, aka Gabriele Keifer New, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are noti ed to present their claims to Gisela Jackson, Administrator, at 501 Durhams Corner Rd., Reevesville, SC 29471, on or before the 27th day of December, 2024 (which date is three months after the day of the rst publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. Debtors of the Decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the Administrator named above. This the 19th day of September, 2024. Gisela Jackson Administrator of the Estate of Gabriele Auguste New aka Gabriele Keifer New Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311

Run dates: September 26, October 3, October 10, and October 17, 2024

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ESTATE FILE 2024 E 1511 IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: CHARLIE DAVIS MURPHY ADMINISTRATOR’S NOTICE

The undersigned, having quali ed as Administrator of the estate of Charlie Davis Murphy, deceased, late of Cumberland County, this is to notify all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 20th day of December, 2024, (which date is three months after the day of the rst publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 19th day of September, 2024. Cynthia M. Blackwell PO Box 48042 Fayetteville, NC 28331 Administrator of the estate of Charlie Davis Murphy, deceased Publication Dates

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ESTATE FILE 2023 E 001813 IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: LEON OFFER JR.

EXECUTOR’S NOTICE

The undersigned, having quali ed as Executor of the estate of LEON OFFER JR., deceased, late of Cumberland County, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 26th day of December, 2024, (which date is three months after the day of the rst publication of this notice) or the notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery

All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 26th day of September, 2024 STACY MAURICE OFFER 8245 E 96TH ST #1138 INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46256 Executor of the estate of LEON OFFER JR., deceased. Publication Dates 9/26, 10/3, 10/10, 10/17

NOTICE

Before The Clerk Estate File #2024 E 001201 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CUMBERLAND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR NOTICE

The unsigned having quali ed as Administrator of the Estate of Monica Danielle Thibeault, deceased, late of Cumberland County. This is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned at 3254 Dorian Rd Fayetteville, NC 28306 on or before December 26th, 2024, (which date is three months after the day of the rst publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the unsigned. This is the 23rd day of September, 2024. Administrator of the Estate of Monica Danielle Thibeault, Dimas G. Thibeault

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF ODELL SURLES

CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 24 E 1439 All persons, rms and corporations having claims against Odell Surles, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are noti ed to present their claims to Davis W. Puryear, Administrator, at 4317 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28311, on or before the 27th day of December, 2024 (which date is three months after the day of the rst publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. Debtors of the Decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the Administrator named above. This the 20th day of September, 2024. Davis W. Puryear Administrator of the Estate of Odell Surles Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: September 26, October 3, October 10 and October 17, 2024

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Estate of Columbus N. Thurmond Address 1003 Marston Drive Jacksonville, NC 28540

ADMINISTRATOR’S NOTICE

The undersigned, having quali ed as Glenda M. Wright of the Estate of Cory Paul Wright, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby noti es all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 19th day of December, 2024 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 16th day of September, 2024. Glenda M. Wright 780 Baywood Road Fayetteville, NC 28312 Of the Estate of Cory Paul Wright, deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ESTATE FILE NO. 24-E-942 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND Having quali ed as Administrator of the Estate of Subodh Kumar Thakur, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at 2517 Raeford Road, Fayetteville, NC 28305, on or before December 19, 2024 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms, and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. Dated this 19th day of September, 2024. Sangeeta Thakur, Administrator of the Estate of Subodh Kumar Thakur NICOLE A. CORLEY MURRAY, CRAVEN & CORLEY, L.L.P. N.C. BAR NO. 56459 2517 RAEFORD ROAD FAYETTEVILLE, NC 28305 – 3007 (910) 483 – 4990 COUNSEL FOR ADMINISTRATOR NOTICE State of North Carolina County of Cumberland In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Estate File 24-E-933 In the Matter of the Estate of: Patsy M Thames Executor’s Notice The undersigned, having quali ed as Executor of the estate of Patsy McKinnon Thames, deceased, late of Cumberland Cunty, this is to notify all person, rms and corporations having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the December 19, 2024, (which date is three months after the day of the rst publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 12th day of September 2024. E. David Thames 11089 Wilson Blvd Blythewood, SC 29016 Executor of the estate of Patsy McKinnon Thames deceased

NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ESTATE FILE NO. 2024E 001458 COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION Having quali ed as the executor of the estate of Marion Towles, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate of said descendants to exhibit them to the undersigned at 224 Steel Tank Rd, Beaufort NC 28516 on or before December 19, 2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms, and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. Dated September 16, 2024. Fernie Hymon Executor of the Estate of Marion Towles 224 Steel Tank Rd Beaufort, NC 28516 (910) 429 -6750

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ESTATE FILE 2024E 000484 IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: MARGARET D WILLIAMS Executor’s notice The undersigned, having quali ed as Executor of Margaret Denise Williams, deceased, late Cumberland County, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 30th day of December, 2024, (which date is three months after the day of the rst publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 19th day of September 2024. 11901 Carters Creek Dr, Chester eld VA 23838. Executor of the Estate of Margaret Denise Williams, deceased September 19,26, October 3,10th 2024.

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA NEW HANOVER COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS THE UNDERSIGNED, Linda J. Williams, having quali ed on the 6th day of August 2024, as Limited Personal Representative of the Estate of Norwood Wayne Cooper (2024-E-1006), deceased, does hereby notify all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against said Estate that they must present them to the undersigned at DAVID E. ANDERSON, PLLC, 9111 Market Street, Suite A, Wilmington, North Carolina, 28411, on or before the 23rd day of December, 2024, or the claims will be forever barred thereafter, and this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. All persons, rms, and corporations indebted to said Estate will please make prompt payment to the undersigned at the above address. This 19th day of September 2024. Linda J. Williams Limited Personal Representative ESTATE OF NORWOOD WAYNE COOPER David Anderson Attorney at Law 9111 Market St, Ste A Wilmington, NC 28411 Publish: September 19, 2024, September 26, 2024, October 3, 2024, October 10, 2024

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF PATRICIA ROOF WIDDOWS Cumberland County Estate le No. 24 E 1520 Having quali ed as Executor of the estate of Patricia Roof Widdows, Late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, the undersigned does Hereby notify all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at 309 Kirkwood Drive, Fayetteville, North Carolina 28303, on or before the 20th of December 2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms, and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. Dated 9-20-2024. Robert L. Widdows, Executor of the estate of Patricia Roof Widdows Robert Widdows 309 Kirkwood Drive Fayetteville, NC 28303 6910-867-2397

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

County of Cumberland

The undersigned, having quali ed as Administrator of the Estate of Pamela Vargas, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby noti es all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against said Estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 26th day of December, 2024, (which date is three months after the day of the rst publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 20th day of September, 2024.

Ti any Dunlap-Banks 6123 Hilco Drive Fayetteville NC, 28314 Of the Estate of Pamela Vargas, Deceased

NOTICE

State of North Carolina County of Cumberland Estate File # 24-E-1559

The undersigned having quali ed as Administrator for the Estate of Hilda Faircloth Utley, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby noti es all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 26th day of December, 2024, (which date is three (3) months after the day of the rst publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bare of their recovery. All debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 22 day of September, 2024 Christopher D. Ultey, Administrator 472 Shep Drive Fayetteville, NC 28311

NEW HANOVER

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

24E1105 In the estate of Marjorie Lou Ard, AKA Marjorie Meeks Ard of New Hanover County, North Carolina, deceased. All claims against the above estate must be sent to the undersigned before the 15th day of December, 2024. This the 30th day of August, 2024. Ivy Wiggins 3307 South College Road Wilmington, NC 28412 Executor of the Estate of Marjorie Lou Ard

NOTICE

All persons, rms and corporations having claims against Kenneth Edward Grady (aka Kenneth E. Grady), deceased, of New Hanover County, North Carolina, New Hanover County Estate File 24E-1315, who died on August 28, 2024, are noti ed to exhibit the same to undersigned on or before the 27th day of December, 2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. This 26th day of September 2024. Taylor Gregory Potter, Executor, c/o Andrew W. Blair, Adams, Howell, Sizemore & Adams, P.A., 1600 Glenwood Ave, Suite 101, Raleigh, North Carolina 27608.

Notice to Creditors

NORTH CAROLINA NORTH HANOVER COUNTY

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

THE UNDERSIGNED, Atiya Zakia Nixon, having been appointed on the 20th day of August 2024 as Permanent Receiver of Willie Earl Vereen of New Hanover County, North Carolina, deceased. All claims against the above estate must be sent to the undersigned before December 19th 2024. This is the 16th day of September 2024. Atiya Zakia Nixon 1612 Clooney Ln Charlotte, NC 28262 Executor of the Estate of Willie Earl Vereen

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA NEW HANOVER COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS THE UNDERSIGNED, George T. Burch, having quali ed on the 11th day of September 2024, as Administrator of the Estate of Betty Sue Burch (2024-E973), deceased, does hereby notify all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against said Estate that they must present them to the undersigned at DAVID E. ANDERSON, PLLC, 9111 Market Street, Suite A, Wilmington, North Carolina, 28411, on or before the 30th day of December, 2024, or the claims will be forever barred thereafter, and this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. All persons, rms, and corporations indebted to said Estate will please make prompt payment to the undersigned at the above address. This 26th day of September 2024. George T. Burch Administrator ESTATE OF BETTY SUE BURCH

David Anderson Attorney at Law 9111 Market St, Ste A Wilmington, NC 28411 Publish: September 26, 2024, October 3, 2024, October 10, 2024, October 17, 2024

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE FILE NO. 24E 1316

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER

Having quali ed as Administrator of the Estate of Mary H Westbrook, late of New Hanover County, North Carolina the Undersigned does hereby notify all persons, rms, and Corporations having claims against the Estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at 200 Wayneridge Ct., Wilmington, North Carolina 28411 on or before December 19th, 2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery, all persons, rms, and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned, dated this 19th day of September, 2024. Pam Price, Administrator of the Estate of Mary H Westbrook.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS

Having quali ed as the Administrator of the Estate of Roy Scott Parrish, late of New Hanover County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at the o ces of Culp Elliott & Carpenter, PLLC, 6801 Carnegie Boulevard, Suite 400, Charlotte, NC 28211, before the 26th day of December, 2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 26th day of September, 2024. Martha Jane Anderson, Administrator of the Estate of Roy Scott Parrish Attorney: Stanton P. Geller Culp Elliott & Carpenter, PLLC 6801 Carnegie Boulevard, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28211 01412820.DOCX

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA NEW HANOVER COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS THE UNDERSIGNED, Dia Ann-Marie Rice, having quali ed on the 3rd day of September 2024, as Administrator of the Estate of Michael Ralph Weathers (2024E-1250), deceased, does hereby notify all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against said Estate that they must present them to the undersigned at DAVID E. ANDERSON, PLLC, 9111 Market Street, Suite A, Wilmington, North Carolina, 28411, on or before the 23rd day of December, 2024, or the claims will be forever barred thereafter, and this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. All persons, rms, and corporations indebted to said Estate will please make prompt payment to the undersigned at the above address. This 19th day of September 2024.

Dia Ann-Marie Rice Administrator ESTATE OF MICHAEL RALPH WEATHERS

David Anderson Attorney at Law 9111 Market St, Ste A Wilmington, NC 28411 Publish: September 19, 2024, September 26, 2024, October 3, 2024, October 10, 2024

RANDOLPH

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Angelamaria Du , late of Randolph County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at P.O. Box 5994, Greensboro, North Carolina 27435, on or before the 26th day of December 2024, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms, and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 26th day of September 2024.

Gregory Stripling Executor of the Estate of Angelamaria Du Jonathan M. Parisi Attorney at Law Spangler Estate Planning P.O. Box 5994 Greensboro, NC 27435

WAKE

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Having quali ed as Administrator of the Estate of JOEY DWAYNE ASHWORTH, late of Wake County, North Carolina (24E002518-910),

the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 26th day of September 2024. Linda Funke Johnson Administrator Estate of Joey Dwayne Ashworth P.O. Box 446 114 Raleigh Street Fuquay Varina, NC 27526 (For publication: 9/26, 10/3,

IN NUMBER FOUR TOWNSHIP, CABARRUS COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA AND BEING MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: BEING LOT NO. 102, BLOCK “J”, KANNAPOLIS SUBDIVISION,S.E.,SECTIONII,AMAPOFSAID PROPERTY BEING ON FILE IN THE OFFICE OF REGISTER OF DEEDS IN MAP BOOK 19, PAGE 80, AND BEING KNOWN AS 409 YORK AVENUE, KANNAPOLIS, NORTH CAROLINA. THIS CONVEYANCE IS MADE AND ACCEPTED TOGETHER WITH THE BENEFITS AND SUBJECT TO THE BURDENS OF AN EASEMENT FOR THE PRESENTLY EXISTING JOINT DRIVEWAY AND CARPORT FOR THE PURPOSE OF INGRESS, EGRESS AND REGRESS, AS SHOWN UPON THE SURVEY ATTACHED TO DEED RECORDED IN DEED BOOK 624, PAGE 532, CABARRUS COUNTY REGISTRY. Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances

AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 24 SP 542 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Heather I. Melvin (deceased) and John Melvin (deceased) (PRESENT RECORD

OWNER(S): Heather I. Melvin and John Melvin, Heirs of Heather I. Melvin: Joyce Lalla Seunath; Heirs of John Melvin: Hilda Byrd Melvin) to Brock and Scott, PLLC, James P. Bonner, Trustee(s), dated December 27, 2021, and recorded in Book No. 11351, at Page 0628 in Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina, 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 O ce of the Register of Deeds Cumberland 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 o er for sale at the courthouse door in Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for

foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on October

7, 2024 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Fayetteville in the County of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot 3 in a subdivision known as Glendale Acres, Section I, Block “B” according to a plat of same duly recorded in Book of Plats 24, Page 63, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 1510 Berkshire Road, Fayetteville, North Carolina. AND BEING the same property conveyed to Marilyn Faye Co elt, unmarried by Warranty Deed from Stephen K. Anderson and wife, Jennifer A. Anderson dated April 1, 1991 and recorded April 2, 1991 in Book 356, Page 746, among the Land Records of Cumberland County, North Carolina. For informational purposes only: Property Address: 1510 Berkshire Road Fayetteville, NC 28304 Tax ID No. 0426-07-8857

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 o ered pursuant to this notice of sale is being o ered 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 o cers, 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 o ered 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

COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA

NOTICE OF SALE

Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of

trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements therein contained and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Davidson County courthouse at 11:00 AM on October 7, 2024, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Davidson County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Christopher Hurtle, dated November 17, 2023 to secure the original principal amount of $177,553.00, and recorded in Book No. 2626, at Page 2029 of the Davidson County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modi ed by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 306 Lenalan Dr, Lexington, NC 27295

Tax Parcel ID:

14-006-E-000-0006

The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Christopher Hurtle.

The property to be o ered pursuant to this notice of sale is being o ered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the o cers, 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 o ered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure.

A deposit of ve percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certi ed funds at the time of the sale. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was

renewed on or after October 1,

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 O ce of the Register of Deeds Durham 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 o er for sale at the courthouse door in Durham, Durham County,

AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 24SP000197-310 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by F. Tyler (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): F. Tyler) to Frances Jones, Trustee(s), dated January 28, 2010, and recorded in Book No. 6410, at Page 522 in Durham County Registry, North Carolina, 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 O ce of the Register of Deeds Durham 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 o er for sale at the courthouse door in Durham, Durham County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 3:00 PM on October 1, 2024 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate

North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 3:00 PM on October 1, 2024 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Durham in the County of Durham, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Lying on the southern side of Pecan Place, containing 7,301 square feet, more or less, and being all of Lot 52 of The Orchard, as per plat and survey thereof now on le in Plat Book 120 at Page 47 in the o ce of the Register of Deeds of Durham County, to which plat reference is hereby expressly made for a more particular description of same. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 1204 Pecan Place, Durham, North Caorlina.

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

situated in Durham in the County of Durham, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot 76, as shown on the Final Plat of Stone Hill Estates, Phase II & IV, by S.D. Puckett and Associates, Inc., dated the 1st of June, 1996 and recorded in Plat Book 137, Page 114, Durham County Registry, to which plat reference is hereby made for a more particular description of same. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 409 Sapphire Drive, Durham, North Carolina.

This property is conveyed subject to restrictive covenants recorded in Book 2363 at Page 530, and Book 2373 at Page 130, Durham County Registery.

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 o ered pursuant to this notice of sale is being o ered 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 o cers, 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 o ered 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 ve percent (5%)

of the purchase price, or seven hundred fty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certi ed 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 ling of a bankruptcy petition prior to the con rmation of the sale and reinstatement of the

North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot No. 22 of Retnuh Hills, Section No. 1, as shown on plat recorded in Plat Book 8, Page 192, Forsyth County Registry, to which plat reference is hereby made for a more particular description and which plat is that certain deed recorded in Book 510, Page 261, Forsyth County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 4757 N. Cherry Street, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 4757 Cherry Street, Winston Salem, 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

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 o ered pursuant to this notice of sale is being o ered 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 o cers, 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 o ered 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 ve percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certi ed funds at the time of the sale. If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for

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 o ered pursuant to this notice of sale is being o ered 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 o cers, 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 o ered 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 ve percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certi ed 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 ling of a bankruptcy petition prior to the con rmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by

RANDOLPH

24 SP 149

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

NORTH CAROLINA, RANDOLPH COUNTY

Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale

contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Jerry W Whitaker and Helen L Whitaker to Cynthia Porter eld, Trustee(s), which was dated December 11, 2020 and recorded on December 11, 2020 in Book 2731 at Page 2219, Randolph County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will o er for sale at the courthouse door of the county

courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on October 3, 2024 at 01:00 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Randolph County, North Carolina, to wit: BEING LOTS NOS. 82 AND 83 OF THE W.C. WINSLOW PROPERTY IN SUBDIVISION MADE BY HORNEY BROTHERS LAND COMPANY, A PLAT OF SAID SUBDIVISION BEING RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 1, AT PAGE 6, IN THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTER OF DEEDS FOR RANDOLPH COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA.

Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 155 Lexington Road, Asheboro, NC 27205.

A Certi ed Check ONLY (no personal checks) of ve percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the

time of the sale. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED.

Said property to be o ered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being o ered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS WHERE IS.” There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being o ered for sale. Substitute Trustee does not have possession of the property and cannot grant access, prior to or after the sale, for purposes of inspection and/or appraisal. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are JERRY W. WHITAKER AND WIFE, HELEN L. WHITAKER.

is/are The Heirs of Tammie J. Hedrick. The property to be o ered pursuant to this notice of sale is being o ered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ROBESON COUNTY 24sp113 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY JEREMIE MCNEILL AND PORCHIA CHAVIS DATED MAY 23, 2016 AND RECORDED IN BOOK D 2041 AT PAGE 65 IN THE ROBESON COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Robeson County courthouse at 10:00AM on October 1, 2024, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Robeson County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Jeremie Mcneill and Porchia Chavis, dated May 23, 2016 to secure the original principal amount of $175,056.00, and recorded in Book D 2041 at Page 65 of the Robeson County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modi ed by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended. Address of property: 4 45 Buie Philadelpus Rd, Lumberton, NC 28360 Tax Parcel ID: 151003064 Present Record Owners: Porchia Chavis and Jeremie McNeil The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Porchia Chavis and Jeremie McNeil. The property to be o ered pursuant to this notice of sale is being o ered for

STANLY

of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will

expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Stanly County courthouse at 11:00AM on October 2, 2024, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Stanly County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Richard Roger Brantley, dated April 20, 2015 to secure the original principal amount of $120,000.00, and recorded in Book 1522 at Page 922 of the Stanly County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modi ed by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended. Address of property: 35494 Dry Road, Albemarle, NC 28001 Tax Parcel ID: 31717 Present Record Owners: The Heirs of Richard Roger Brantley The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are The Heirs of Richard Roger

sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the o cers, 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 o ered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of ve percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certi ed funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in

Brantley. The property to be o ered pursuant to this notice of sale is being o ered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the o cers, 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 o ered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of ve percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certi ed funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted. This sale

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be e ective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b)(2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated

a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any resale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing. SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the e ective date of the termination. The date of this Notice is August 21, 2024.

Jason K. Purser, NCSB# 28031 Aaron Gavin, NCSB# 59503 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400

will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any resale. If the sale is set aside

Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing. SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD

The Property shall be sold together with improvements located thereon, towards satisfaction of the debt due by MIGUEL MELO PEREZ and secured by the lien against such property in favor of Popular Bank, formerly known as Banco Popular North America.

The Commissioner will o er for sale to the highest bidder at a public auction at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on October 2, 2024 at 10:00 AM the following described real property (including all improvements thereon) located in Wake County, North Carolina and described as follows:

BEING ALL OF LOT 74, CARRINGTON WOODS SUBDIVISION, PHASE 6-B, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF, RECORDED IN BOOK OF MAPS 1997, PAGE

of Miguel Melo Perez; North Carolina Department of Revenue; Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC; United States of America, Defendant(s). NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Jeremy B. Wilkins, Commissioner, pursuant to the Order/Judgment entered in the abovecaptioned case on August 14, 2024 (“Order”), and by virtue of the appointment, power and authority contained in that Order, has been authorized and ordered to sell the property commonly known as 502 Walbury Drive, Knightdale, NC 27545 (“Property”). Said Property is secured by the Deed of Trust executed by Miguel Melo Perez, dated May 16, 2006 and recorded on May 18, 2006 in Book 11962 at Page 00173 of the Wake County, North Carolina Registry.

1632, IN THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTER OF DEEDS OF WAKE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA.

The above described property will be sold, transferred and conveyed “AS IS, WHERE IS” subject to liens or encumbrances of record which are superior to such Deed of Trust, together with all unpaid taxes and assessments and any recorded releases. Neither the Commissioner nor the holder of the debt secured by such Deed of Trust, nor the o cers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Commissioner or the holder of the debt make any representation of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health, or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being o ered for sale and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such conditions expressly are disclaimed. The Commissioner shall convey title to the property by non-warranty deed, without any covenants or warranties, express or implied.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 1-339.29 (c) in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the judge or clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies

of the Register of Deeds, is/are Brian Keys and Alona Keys. The property to be o ered pursuant to this notice of sale is being o ered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the o cers, 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 o ered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of ve

the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be e ective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the e ective date of the termination.

To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current record owners of the property as re ected on the records of the WAKE COUNTY Register of Deeds’ o ce not more than ten (10) days prior to the date hereof are Miguel Melo Perez.

A cash deposit of ve percent (5%) of the purchasing price will be required at the time of the sale. Any successful bidder shall be required to tender the full balance of the purchase price of bid in cash or certi ed check at the time the Commissioner tenders a deed for the Property or attempts to tender such deed,

open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-

Parcel ID Number: 9495-85-0215

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.

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 23 SP 533 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Dwayne Leonard Roney and Nirva Roney (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Dwayne Leonard Roney and Nirva Roney) to Rebecca W. Shaia, Trustee(s), dated July 14, 2006, and recorded in Book No. 7302, at Page 439 in Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina, 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 O ce of the Register of Deeds Cumberland 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 o er for sale at the courthouse door in Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on September 30, 2024 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Fayetteville in the County of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot 19 in a Subdivision known as ARRAN LAKES WEST, SECTION FIFTEEN “A”, according to a plat of same being duly recorded in Book of Plats 75, Page 52, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 6176 Lakeway Drive, Fayetteville, North Carolina.

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 o ered pursuant to this notice of sale is being o ered 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 o cers, 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 o ered 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 ve percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fty dollars ($750.00),

Randolph record

Taking it to the house

Randleman topped Asheboro 34-27 in overtime Friday night to stay undefeated on the season, improving the Tigers to 5-0.

Above, Blue Comets senior Elijah Woodle returns the second-half kicko for a touchdown, but it wasn’t enough as Asheboro fell to 2-2. For more sports, turn to B1.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Absentee ballots nally being mailed out

Counties have started distributing absentee ballots for the November general election to those who have requested them. Election o cials in all 100 N.C. counties planned to mail out the rst ballots to regular state residents starting Tuesday. Ballots to military and overseas voters requesting them went out starting this past Friday. More than 207,000 absentee ballot requests have been received. State law directed that the rst absentee ballots were to go out on Sept. 6, but appeals courts prevented ballots containing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s name from going out. That led to reprinting and a roughly two-week delay.

Cary man sentenced as one of rst Jan. 6 rioters

Four men who were among the rst rioters to assault police o cers and the rst to breach a security perimeter during the attack on the U.S. Capitol have been sentenced to prison terms. James Grant, 31, of Cary, was sentenced to three years in prison after he climbed into the Capitol through a broken window and entered a senator’s o ce. Following his arrest, he told investigators that the FBI was “the biggest threat to Americans” and that prosecuting Jan. 6 rioters was “a big witch hunt.” Grant’s attorney called it “almost incomprehensible” that prosecutors would seek a nine-year prison sentence. He should be eligible for release within months with credit for time served.

Graduation rates for RCSS show slight improvement

Commencement dates have been set for the Class of 2025 at county schools

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

ASHEBORO — The Randolph County School System reported a four-year graduation rate of 88.6% for the Class of 2024. That was a slight increase from the 88.1% for the Class of 2023. At 90.2%, Asheboro City Schools saw a rather large bump up in its graduation rate. That was an increase from 84.3%, marking the largest in-

crease for any district in the Triad.

The statewide average was listed at 86.9% (up from 86.5% from the previous year).

The four-year graduation rates are based on the students who entered ninth grade in the fall of 2020 and graduated within the traditional four-year time frame.

RCSS schools ranked behind Guilford County (92.2%), Mount Airy City Schools (90.2%), Surry County (89.4%) and Davie County (88.7%).

Here’s how some other school systems in the region rated: Yadkin County (87.3%), Stokes County (87.1%), Rockingham County (86.6%), Alamance-Burlington (86.1%), Da-

Routh’s son arrested on child sexual abuse images charges

The Greensboro resident’s father is suspected in an assassination attempt on Donald Trump

By Alanna Durkin Richer The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The son of the man suspected in the assassination attempt in Florida against former President Donald Trump has been arrested on federal charges of possessing child sexual abuse images. Oran Alexander Routh was arrested this week after authorities searched his Greensboro home “in connection with an investigation unrelated to child exploitation,” and found hundreds of les depicting child

sexual abuse, an FBI agent said in court papers.

Investigators who seized multiple electronic devices found videos sent to Oran Routh in July as well as chats from a messaging application commonly used by people who share child sexual abuse material, the FBI agent said.

He faces two charges of possessing and receiving child sexual abuse material and is expected to appear later Tuesday in federal court in North Carolina.

There was no attorney listed for Oran Routh in court papers. Phone messages left for relatives of Oran Routh were not immediately returned.

Oran Routh’s father, Ryan Wesley Routh, has been charged with federal gun o enses in connection to the attempted assas-

vidson County (85.8%), Elkin City Schools (85.6%), Forsyth County (85.4%), Caswell County (84.6%), Lexington City Schools (75.5%) and Thomasville City Schools (71.9%).

By the numbers

RCSS superintendent Stephen Gainey reported that as of mid-September the district had 14,831 students enrolled. Also, the nal tally for the Class of 2024 in terms of scholarship and grant money came in at $28,541,643, Gainey said.

Commencement dates

The 2025 high school graduation dates have been an-

sination at Trump’s Florida golf course earlier this month. Prosecutors have indicated much more serious attempted assassination charges are coming.

Oran Routh’s arrest was rst reported Tuesday by ABC News.

A federal judge on Monday agreed with Justice Department prosecutors that Ryan Routh should remain locked up while he awaits trial in his case.

Prosecutors have said Ryan Routh left behind a note detailing his plans to kill the former president and kept in his car a handwritten list of dates and venues where Trump was to appear. The note describing Routh’s plans was placed in a box that he dropped o months earlier at the home of an unidenti ed person who did not open it until after Ryan Routh’s arrest, prosecutors said. Ryan Routh is currently charged with illegally possessing his gun in spite of multiple felony convictions, including two charges of possessing stolen goods in 2002 in North Carolina, and with possessing a rearm with an obliterated serial number.

But a prosecutor said in court Monday that they would pur-

nounced by the Randolph County School System.

The rst ceremony will be held for Randolph Early College at 10 a.m. May 21 at Journey Church in Asheboro.

The others are set for June 10 at respective campuses — except for Uwharrie Ridge SixTwelve, which will be held at Journey Church — at the following times:

• 6 p.m.: Eastern Randolph, Trinity

• 6:30 p.m.: Uwharrie Ridge Six-Twelve

• 7 p.m.: Randleman, Southwestern Randolph

• 8 p.m.: Providence Grove, Wheatmore

Other schools

• May 30: Uwharrie Charter Academy

• June 6: Asheboro

The FBI searched his home “in connection with an investigation unrelated to child exploitation.”

sue additional charges before a grand jury, accusing him of having tried to “assassinate a major political candidate” — charges that would warrant life in prison in the event of a conviction. It is common for prosecutors to le more easily provable charges as an immediate placeholder before adding more signi cant allegations as the case proceeds.

Ryan Routh was arrested Sept. 15 after a Secret Service agent who was scoping the Trump In-

See ROUTH, page A2

THE RANDOLPH COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

Man charged after bomb threat to Toyota plant

Randolph Record sta LIBERTY – An arrest was made following what was determined to be a false bomb threat directed at the under-construction Toyota Battery Manufacturing plant.

Randolph County Sheri ’s O ce announced that Michael John Poirier, 38, of Elon, is facing felony charges for a false bomb report.

The threat came Monday afternoon directed at the facility on Julian Airport Road. Poirier was arrested at his home and he’s being held on a $30,000 bond, the sheri ’s o ce said.

A statement from Toyota said action was taken based on the potential security issue.

“Employees were immediately evacuated and the sus-

North State Journal

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Neal Robbins, Publisher

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Bob Sutton, Randolph Editor

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BUSINESS

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Published each Thursday

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WEDNESDAY

Randolph Guide

pect has since been arrested,” the statement said. “The safety and security of our team members is a top priority and we thank the local authorities for their quick response and support. While the threat turned out to be a hoax, we will continue cooperating with law enforcement on this matter.”

An initial court date was set for this week.

Sept. 17

• Adam Gene Phillips, 41, of Trinity, was arrested by RCSO for breaking/entering a motor vehicle with theft and failure to appear.

Sept. 18

• Amanda Marie McCusker, 41, of Randleman, was arrested by Randleman PD for misdemeanor larceny, possession of stolen goods, felony possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and resisting a public o cer.

Sept. 19

• Xavier Alexander Edwards, 32, of Charlotte, was arrested by Asheboro PD for common law robbery, misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, and assault on a female.

Courtney McKenzie Green, 23, of Sophia, was arrested by Randleman PD for possession of methamphetamine, possession of heroin, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Erica Nicole Harmon, 36, of Randleman, was arrested by Randleman PD for possession of heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Michael Kevin Hayes, 55, of Thomasville, was arrested by Asheboro PD for possession of drug paraphernalia, carrying a concealed weapon, and possession of a rearm by a felon.

Deonte Tyrese Nicholson, 24, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for assault on a female, interfering with emergency communication, and injury to personal property.

• Nicholas William Smith, 44, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for failure to appear, possession

of an open container, no liability insurance, driving while license revoked, expired registration, expired inspection, and ctitious registration.

Sept. 20

• William Michael Ballas, 58, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for communicating threats.

• Eric Reynolds Houston, 39, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for tra cking in methamphetamine, possession with intent to manufacture/sell/ deliver methamphetamine and MDA/MDMA, felony possession of Schedule I controlled substance, maintaining a vehicle/ dwelling for controlled substances, simple possession of Schedule III and VI controlled substances, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Savannah Ellyn McLeod, 30, of Sophia, was arrested by RCSO for possession of methamphetamine, possession of 5+ counterfeit instruments, and felony possession of Schedule IV controlled substance.

• Bryan Lee McWhorter, 32, of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO for possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a rearm by a felon, possession of methamphetamine, possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver methamphetamine, and maintaining a vehicle/ dwelling for controlled substances.

Sept. 22

• Nicholas Wayne Craven, 28, of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO for breaking and entering, larceny after breaking and entering, injury to nonferrous metals, and second-degree trespass.

• Je rey Gray Hatcher, 41, of Greensboro, was arrested by Randleman PD for uttering forged instrument, obtaining property by false pretense, possession of stolen goods, identity theft, and attempted obtaining property by false pretense.

• Gary Dewayne Plumley, 38, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for failure to appear, false imprisonment, assault on a female, and violating a domestic violence protective order.

• Michael Dale Primm, 34, of Ramseur, was arrested by RCSO for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

• Christopher Ray Rice, 34, of Lexington, was arrested by RCSO for injury to real property and attempted rstdegree burglary.

Sept. 23:

• Gracie Mellisa Brown, 22, of Sophia, was arrested by RCSO for felony possession of Schedule II controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Derrick Deon Christian, 21, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro PD for injury to real property.

• Naheim Jamarion Lilly, 20, of Randleman, was arrested by Asheboro PD for assault on a female.

• Henrietta Summer Parker, 30, of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO for tra cking in methamphetamine, tra cking in opium or heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting a public o cer, breaking and entering, larceny after breaking and entering, possession of stolen goods, and possession of methamphetamine.

Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements: community@randolphrecord.com | Weekly deadline is Monday at Noon

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

Sept. 26

Craft Café for Kids and Grown-ups

3:30-4:30 p.m.

Asheboro Public Library

201 Worth St.

A variety of crafts will be on the “menu” for hands-on experimentation and fun! Free program; no registration. Adult supervision is required.

Sept. 28

Asheboro Summer Cruise-In Series

6-10 p.m.

176 E. Salisbury St,, Asheboro Organized by Grounded Elegance Car Club (Michael Allred) and Brightside Gallery (Mary Murkin), the series will host its sixth event of the season in the parking lot of the Randolph County Courthouse. The theme of the evening will be cars, cruising, fellowship and yummy food.

A large part of the evening is always viewing beautiful cars parked on display in the parking lot and will now also include enjoying a variety of delicious concessions from Bubba’s Sweet Treats food truck. However, cruising up and down Fayetteville Street is where our homage began. At least once during each evening, Allred will lead a group of cars out onto Fayetteville Street to get the group back into the swing of cruising the drag.

Sept. 30

TeenZone

4-5 p.m.

Asheboro Public Library

201 Worth St.

Every Monday at 4 p.m., teens take over the TeenZone at the Asheboro Public Library! Asheboro Public Library TeenZone hosts programs for ages 12-plus, including arts and crafts, book clubs, tutoring nights and more. Free programs, no registration required. For more information, call 336-318-6 804.

Oct. 1

Randolph County Farmers Market

2-6 p.m.

214 Park Drive, Archdale

Asheboro Downtown Farmers Market

7 a.m. to 1 p.m. 134 S Church St.

This is a growers-only market where you will nd local, homegrown and home-processed products from Randolph County. The farmers featured are from diverse and minority backgrounds. For more information, call 336-626-1 240.

ROUTH from page A1

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

An e ective Secret Service requires real change

The agents assigned to protect President Trump — or any American president — should be placed entirely on their merit and nothing else.

THE SECRET SERVICE must completely rethink and revise its plans for protecting President Donald J. Trump. Trump’s safety is clearly threatened. He has thankfully survived two assassination e orts.

The propaganda media and political left’s language continue to incite violence against the former and potentially future president.

The Secret Service’s reaction to the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, was clearly inadequate. Agents failed to detect and stop the would-be assassin. A local policeman red the shot that killed the gunman. Trump’s life was saved by the grace of God and that o cer — not the Secret Service.

Now we have had a second serious e ort to kill Trump. The Secret Service is claiming success because its agent found the suspected assassin about 400 yards ahead of President Trump’s position. However, this close call could have been catastrophic.

The suspect had reportedly been on the golf course since 1 a.m. It was essentially pure luck that an agent saw the gun barrel sticking out of the bushes. The suspect was clearly within range. The ri e and scope he carried were capable of ring a fatal shot at that distance.

After the rst attempt on Trump’s life, I warned Sean Hannity on July 13 that it was a political act that we should have seen coming:

“It was a deliberate act. And as you know, because we’ve talked about it o -air, I’ve said for four months that when all the legal baloney fails and when they begin to realize he is going to win, the violence is the next thing because they’re that desperate.”

So we have had months for the Secret Service to come to grips with the scale of the challenge. It has failed. Simply adding a few more agents is not an answer. The Secret Service must undertake a completely new model of protecting Trump. It was an especially bad sign when its rst reaction was to prevent the former president from playing golf because agents could not gure out how to protect him.

This public admission of its inability to think big and creatively enough made me wonder if the Trump team should bring in private sector protection service.

However, if Trump sticks with the Secret Service, then we should insist that it plans on the scale of the threat to Trump.

There are more than 7,000 agents in the Secret Service. They should reassign as many as necessary to have airtight coverage wherever Trump goes. Further, the Secret Service should consider military security systems, such as air base protection, and incorporate those technical capabilities. A drone carrying an infrared detection system could have been own over the golf course an hour before President Trump arrived, and it would have immediately detected the warm body lying in the shrubbery.

The agents assigned to protect Trump — or any American president — should be placed entirely on their merit and nothing else. Diversity, equity and inclusion rules should not play a role. There must be greatly expanded cooperation between the Secret Service and local law enforcement. In both assassination attempts, local police played major roles. This should be expanded and made routine. There must also be coordinated communication with all the local agencies (which would prove invaluable in a real national crisis).

Increased K-9 unit capabilities are needed. When an area is swept, people and dogs can be left behind to ensure no one comes in after the rst sweep.

As those who wish to harm Trump grow more desperate, they may become more inventive. A drone threat is a real possibility and must be guarded against. Portable, mobile anti-drone systems should become part of the protective services. Coordination with the military and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency may become vital to keeping up with and countering threats.

The Secret Service must allocate the resources, manpower and skills to overmatch and defeat any plausible threat. The very fabric of American society requires that presidential candidates are protected from assassination.

This is a key moment for the survival of the American system.

The American people should demand that their government meet the challenge.

Newt Gingrich was the 50th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

The mixed and muddled results of banning a rmative action

Asian American enrollment dropped from 35% to 29% at Duke; for black enrollment, it increased from 12% to 13%.

IN THE ARGUMENTS before the Supreme Court on a rmative action in college admissions, proponents of a rmative action claimed that the number of blacks admitted to selective colleges and universities would plummet absent a rmative action. And opponents of a rmative action claimed that the number of Asian Americans would increase substantially. As colleges and universities release data on their incoming classes, the actual picture is much more muddled. Some schools have reported the kind of major declines in black and Hispanic enrollment that advocates of a rmative action feared. At Amherst College, the percentage of black students in the entering class dropped from 11% to 3%. At MIT, the number of black students dropped from 15% to 5%. At Brown University, the percentage of black students dropped from 15% to 9%, and the number of Hispanic freshmen dropped from 14% to 10%. At Columbia, the percentage of Asian students increased from 30% to 39%, while the percentage of black entering students dropped from 20% to 12%.

But other schools reported smaller drops in black and Hispanic enrollment, and little or no increase in Asian enrollment. Yale and Princeton held relatively steady in their percentages of minority admissions. Asian American enrollment dropped from 35% to 29% at Duke; from 30% to 24% at Yale; and from 26% to 23.8% at Princeton. As for black enrollment, it increased from 12% to 13% at Duke; stayed at 14% at Yale; and dropped only from 9% to 8.9% at Princeton. What’s happening?

The president of Amherst College, in an email to the college community, asked, “Why did our demographics change so signi cantly while other institutions saw di erent outcomes?” and said that the question has “no easy answer.”

Part of the answer — at least to the question of why Asian Americans didn’t show higher numbers — is that the percentage of students declining to identify their race has increased, for example, from 5% to 11% at Duke and from 4% to 7% at Brown. Experts speculate that the nonresponders are overwhelmingly Asian Americans who fear they will be disfavored because of race. At Tufts, nonresponders rose from 3.3% to 6.7%. At Harvard, they rose from 4% to 8%.

There are also discrepancies in the way di erent schools count, particularly when it comes to the growing number of biracial students. At some schools, when you check two boxes, you’re counted twice; at others, only once. No one is particularly satis ed with the numbers. Advocates of a rmative action point to the lower numbers of black and Hispanic students as costing all students the bene ts of diversity in the classroom and college experience, and point to the need for increasing e orts to recruit students from disadvantaged backgrounds. At Harvard, where the number of blacks in the incoming freshman class dropped from 18% to 14%, the Coalition for a Diverse Harvard described that drop as “huge” and argued that “any drop in an already small number can dramatically impact the campus environment for students of color, and students

are already reporting negative e ects.” A precipitous drop to as low as 3% can be a selfful lling prophecy, making it all the more di cult to recruit talented black students.

Others, like Richard Kahlenberg, director of the American Identity Project at the Progressive Policy Institute and a critic of a rmative action, take heart in the fact that the numbers aren’t as low as some feared they would be. “There were predictions that the black population could fall to 2% at some universities and 6% at Harvard, and that did not happen. I want there to be racial diversity on campus. I think it showed it was possible to achieve that without racial preferences.”

Still others have argued that the number of black and Hispanic students is still too high and the number of Asian Americans still too low to re ect a true merits system. “Your racial numbers are not possible under true neutrality,” Edward Blum, the president of Students for Fair Admissions, the group that brought a suit against Harvard in the Supreme Court, said in letters to Princeton, Yale and Duke, adding: “You are now on notice. Preserve all potentially relevant documents and communications” — a sign that they are contemplating litigation.

But the most troubling number of all, it seems to me, comes from Richard Sander, a critic of a rmative action who is a law professor at UCLA. According to Sander, who is cited by The New York Times for his work, black students make up about 3% of the top tenth of high school students nationally.

Three percent — for a group that makes up, according to data from Pew, some 14% of the U.S. population. That is, ultimately, what is wrong and why a rmative action at the college level is, at best, a Band-Aid for a larger problem of educational inequality that must be addressed if there is to be true equality and diversity at the college level.

Susan Estrich is a lawyer, professor, author and political commentator.

COLUMN | SUSAN ESTRICH

COLUMN | NEWT GINGRICH

Death toll rises to 38 in eastern Iran coal mine explosion

Fourteen people are still missing and believed to be trapped underground

By Nasser Karimi

The Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran — Rescuers on Monday recovered the bodies of more workers killed in an explosion at a coal mine in eastern Iran, bringing the death toll in the disaster to at least 38, o cials said. Another 14 miners are still believed to be trapped below ground.

The blast struck the coal mine in Tabas, about 335 miles southeast of the capital, Tehran, on Saturday night. On Sunday, weeping miners stood alongside mine cars that brought up the bodies of their colleagues, covered in coal dust.

The state-run IRNA news agency on Monday reported the new death toll from the blast, as well as the number of missing.

Survivors interviewed by Iranian state television, still smudged in coal dust, described chaotic scenes after the blast.

“We were in the mine, working. Suddenly, there was some smoke rising ... then I noticed I had di culty breathing,” said one miner who was not identi ed by state TV. “I jumped

o from the workshop, and I scrambled until I reached somewhere (safe). My friends (remained) in there.”

Authorities said a sudden leak of methane gas led to the blast as workers began their work. They said mine gas checks Saturday night did not show any leakage before the explosion. Bodies recovered so far showed no signs of blast injuries, suggesting many of the workers died from the gas before the blast.

Such gases are common in mining, though modern safety measures call for ventilation and other measures to protect workers.

It wasn’t immediately clear what safety procedures were in place at the privately owned Tabas Parvadeh 5 mine, operated by Mandanjoo Co. The rm could not be reached for comment.

Iran’s new reformist president, Masoud Pezeshkian, preparing to travel to New York for the U.N. General Assembly, said Sunday that he ordered all e orts be made to rescue those trapped and aid their families. He also said an investigation into the explosion had begun.

“I spoke with the ministers of health, interior and security and ordered that the issues of the families of the victims and the injured be quickly resolved,” Pezeshkian said, ac -

cording to a statement from his o ce. “I also requested to take measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents by improving work standards in the country’s mines.”

Iran’s mining industry has been struck by disasters before. In 2017, a coal mine explosion killed at least 42 people.

Then-President Hassan Rouhani, campaigning ahead of winning reelection, visited the site in Iran’s northern Golestan province and angry miners besieged the SUV he rode in, kicking and beating the ar -

mored vehicle in a rage.

In 2013, 11 workers were killed in two separate mining incidents. In 2009, 20 workers were killed in several incidents.

Lax safety standards and inadequate emergency services in mining areas were often blamed for the fatalities.

Oil-producing Iran is rich in a variety of minerals. It annually consumes around 3.5 million tons of coal but only extracts about 1.8 million tons from its mines per year. The rest is imported, often consumed in the country’s steel mills.

Cholera spreading in Sudan as ghting continues

Nearly 400 have died from the fast-spreading infectious disease

By Samy Magdy

The Associated Press

CAIRO — Cholera is spreading in war-torn Sudan, killing at least 388 people and sickening about 13,000 others over the past two months, health authorities said on Monday as more than 17 months of ghting between the military and a notorious paramilitary group shows no sign of abating.

Artillery shelling hit an open market Monday in Omdurman, the sister city of the capital, Khartoum, killing at least 13 people and wounding more than 30 others, the health ministry said.

The disease is spreading in areas devastated by recent heavy rainfall and oods, espe -

cially in eastern Sudan, where millions of war-displaced people have sheltered. The casualties from cholera included six dead and about 400 sickened over the weekend, according to Sunday’s report by the Health Ministry. The disease was detected in 10 of the country’s 18 provinces, with the eastern Kassala and al-Qadarif provinces the most hit, the ministry said.

Cholera is a fast-developing, highly contagious infection that causes diarrhea, leading to severe dehydration and possible death within hours when not treated, according to the World Health Organization. It’s transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated food or water.

The disease isn’t uncommon in Sudan. A previous major outbreak left at least 700 dead and sickened about 22,000 in less than two months in 2017.

13,000

Sudan was plunged into chaos in April 2023 when simmering tensions between the military and a powerful paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces, exploded into open warfare across the country.

The ghting, which wrecked Khartoum and other urban areas, has been marked by atrocities, including mass rape and ethnically motivated killings that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, especially in the western region of Darfur, according to the United Nations and international rights groups.

Monday’s shelling hit the Sabrian market in Karari district in Omdurman, said Mohamed Ibrahim, the health ministry’s spokesman. He blamed the RSF for the attack.

The ghting has killed at least 20,000 people and wounded tens of thousands of others, according to the U.N. However, rights groups and activists say the toll was much higher.

The war also has created the world’s largest displacement crisis. More than 13 million people have been forced to ee their homes since the ghting began, according to the International Organization for Migration. That includes more than 2.3 million who ed to neighboring countries.

Devastating seasonal oods and cholera have compounded the Sudanese misery. At least 225 people have been killed and about 900 others were in-

“We were in the mine, working. Suddenly, there was some smoke rising ... then I noticed I had di culty breathing.”

Unidenti ed Iranian miner

jured in the oods, the Health Ministry said. Critical infrastructure has been washed away, and more than 76,000 houses have been destroyed or damaged, it said. Famine was also con rmed in July in the Zamzam camp for displaced people, which is located about 10 miles from North Darfur’s embattled capital of al-Fasher, according to global experts from the Famine Review Committee. About 25.6 million people — more than half of Sudan’s population — will face acute hunger this year, they warned.

Fighting, meanwhile, rages in al-Fasher, the last major city in Darfur that is still held by the military. The RSF has been attempting to retake it since the start of the year. Last week, the paramilitary force and its allied Arab militias launched a new attack on the city. The military said its forces, aided by rebel groups, managed to repel the attack and kill hundreds of RSF ghters, including two senior commanders.

IRANIAN RED CRESCENT SOCIETY VIA AP

Miners and police o cers examine the site of a coal mine the day after a methane leak sparked an explosion Saturday in Tabas, Iran.

People sickened by cholera in Sudan in the last two months

Jack Mowrey Jr.

Oct. 3, 1948 – Sept. 22, 2024

G. Jack Mowery Jr., of Asheboro, NC, passed away peacefully on Sunday, September 22, 2024, at the age of 75. Jack was born on October 3, 1948, in Greenville, SC, to Grover Jack Mowery and Beatrice Elizabeth Shean Mowery. Jack graduated from East Forsyth Senior High School, Class of 1966. He attended Pembroke University and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Textile Technology from NC State University. For 35 years, Jack dedicated his career to textile sales and manufacturing for the knitting industry at Arrow Precision Elements, Inc.

Jack was known for his quick wit and sense of humor. He always had a clever remark or playful joke, ensuring those around him were smiling. He was a voracious reader, avid golfer, and all-around sports enthusiast. He loved listening to his collection of vinyl and watching live music.

Jack’s greatest joy was his family. He was a devoted husband to Elaine. As a father and grandfather, Jack took immense pride in spending time with his children, sharing his wisdom, stories and unwavering support. His granddaughter Chloe, whom he adored, was the light of his life. Their bond was one of pure joy, lled with laughter and cherished moments.

He will be deeply missed by his wife, Elaine Martin Mowery; his children, Matthew Christopher Mowery (Jennifer) of Asheboro, NC, and Mary Elizabeth Wells (Peter) of Raleigh, NC; his beloved granddaughter, Chloe Anne Wells; and his many nieces and nephews, and dear friends. He is survived by two sisters, Diane Rose (Chuck) of Wallburg, NC, and Suzi Miller (Ben) of Winston Salem, NC.

The family will receive friends on September 25, 2024 from 11:00 a.m. to noon at Pugh Funeral Home, 437 Sunset Avenue in Asheboro. Jack’s life will be celebrated at noon at the Pugh Funeral Home Chapel with Marcus Wall o ciating. Interment will be held at Floral Garden Park Cemetery in High Point. In lieu of owers, the family requests donations be made to Randolph Hospice House.

Betsy “Bubbie” Johnson

July 23, 1942 –Sept. 15, 2024

On Sunday, September 15, 2024, Betsy “Bubbie” Johnson passed away peacefully at the age of 82 thus completing an extraordinary life and leaving an undeniable legacy of friendship, kindness and love.

Betsy was born on July 23, 1942, at Fort Bragg Army Hospital in Fayetteville, NC. She was born into a military family which played a key role in her childhood experiences and memories. She moved with her father, Ernest Waymon Lee, mother, Annie Lou Lee and brother Robert “Bobby” A. Lee, to Germany in 1953, traveling by ship across the Atlantic Ocean creating an experience she would never forget. During her time there, she became uent in German and had the opportunity to meet many di erent people from around the world which helped shape her into the special person she became in life.

It was while Betsy’s brother, Bobby, was recovering from a car accident at Ft Bragg Hospital that she met a young Army medic from Georgia named Mike Johnson. Little did she know that his o er to check her blood pressure would turn into a 54year love story and marriage. Betsy would soon be the proud mother of twin boys, Michael and Keith. There is no doubt her boys tested every bit of her patience for the remainder of her life, but she handled it with grace, charm, love and a lot of humor.

When the family moved to Arkansas, Betsy welcomed her nal child into the world with the birth of a daughter, Amy. It was during the years in Arkansas that Betsy developed her love of plants. She read a book given to her by a friend on house plants and so began the journey that led eventually to her own business, Betsy’s Plant Place. While in Arkansas, Betsy also enjoyed tennis and bowling while volunteering in numerous civic organizations and being the “Team Mom” for her children and all their friends. That is who she was.

Another family move to Long Beach, MS introduced Betsy to the Cajun and Old South lifestyle and led to the nal family move to Asheboro, NC in 1987. It was here that Betsy became her best. After 17 years at the NC Zoo and 10 years at RCC, she had made a countless number of friends that she called family and had an indelible impact on so many lives. These were the best times of her life.

Betsy is preceded in death by her husband Mike, her parents Waymon and Annie Lou and her brother and sister-in-law Bobby and Lee. They are all together again. Bubbie is loved and will be missed every day by her son Michael and his family, Julie, Jason, Annie, Callie and Annie, son Keith and his family, Melinda, George, Ashten and Sidney, and daughter Amy and her family Andrew and Gus.

A sincere thank you to Brookdale, Terra Bella and Hospice of Randolph County for their tremendous care and support throughout Betsy’s nal journey.

A Celebration of Life for Betsy will be held at Pugh Funeral Home on Saturday, Sept 28 at 11 a.m. Flowers are appreciated or please consider a donation to Hospice of Randolph County.

Jean Demetrice Palomares

Nov. 17, 1960 –Sept. 21, 2024

Jean Smith Palomares, 63, died unexpectedly on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston Salem, NC.

Jean was born on November 17, 1960 to Marcelle Rayle Smith and Lawrence Carl “Sonny” Smith. She was a mother and beloved grandmother, who enjoyed spoiling her grandkids. She is remembered for the fun they had baking cookies together, especially the big messes they inevitably created in the process. Jean was an employee of Wal-Mart in Asheboro, where she worked happily for the better part of the last 13 years, running the deli counter and hot bar. She will be greatly missed by her coworkers. More than anything, her family was the most important thing in her life. Scott and Josh meant the world to her, and she was a fantastic mother-in-law. She loved cooking meals for her loved ones and her potato salad & chicken and dumplings were her favorite dishes to make.

Jean is survived by her sons; Michael Scott Allred (Amanda) of Asheboro, NC, and Joshua Dale Lo in (Veronica) of Randleman, NC. Her precious grandchildren; Bryson Allred, Jase Allred, Ava Lo in, Cohen Lo in, Autumn Small and Adalyn Coble. She is also survived by her daddy, Lawrence Carl “Sonny” Smith and her loving stepmother, Grace. Jean is survived by one brother, Karl Smith (Cathy) of Randleman, and a nephew, Casey Smith. She is survived by her special friend, Steve Green. Last, but not least, she leaves behind her sweet fur-baby and much-beloved dog, Lillie. Jean was preceded in death by her mother, Marcelle Rayle Smith.

There will be a public visitation for Jean on Thursday, September 26, 2024, from 6-8 p.m. in the Pugh Funeral Home Chapel of Randleman, 600 S. Main St. Randleman, NC 27317. The family would also like to invite those who knew and loved Jean to attend a Celebration of Life event on Saturday, September 28, 2024, at 5 p.m., taking place at Jean’s father’s house, 1032 Steed Rd., Randleman, NC 27317. Food and drinks will be provided. Pugh Funeral Home is honored to serve the family.

Mary Frances Howell Herring

Jan. 31, 1933 –Sept. 20, 2024

Mary Frances Howell Herring, age 91, of Asheboro, passed away Friday, September 20, 2024. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at Pugh Funeral Home in Asheboro.

Arthur Reece Skeen

Nov. 12, 1932 – Sept. 19, 2024

Arthur Reece Skeen, 91, of Sophia, North Carolina, passed away Thursday, September 19, 2024, at Randolph Hospice House, Asheboro, NC.

A funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m., Monday, September 23, 2024, at Ridge Funeral Home Chapel, with Pastor Michael Owens o ciating. Burial will follow at Randolph Memorial Park. Military honors will be provided by the Randolph County Honor Guard. Mr. Skeen was born in Randolph Co., NC, on November 12, 1932, the son of the late Theodore Skeen and Bessie Crotts. He honorably served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was stationed in Alaska.

Mr. Skeen was a simple country man that was always ready with a practical joke or a good story. He enjoyed listening to bluegrass music. Dogs were a big part of his life, always having a dog by his side. Mr. Skeen was an avid NASCAR fan. He also enjoyed motorcycles and old cars, and he was the neighborhood mechanic for small xes.

In addition to his parents, Mr. Skeen was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia Embler Skeen; sister, Fay Faircloth; and brother, Boyd Skeen.

He is survived by his daughters, Cynthia McAden of Sophia, Susan Burrows and husband Tony of Randleman; grandchildren, Dana Poindexter and husband Stephen, Adam Burrows and wife Mikayla, Jake Burrows and wife Cassie; greatgrandchildren, Alex Poindexter and Jackson Poindexter.

The family will receive friends from 10 until 11 a.m., Monday, September 23, 2024, at Ridge Funeral Home, prior to the service. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Randolph, 416 Vision Drive, Asheboro, NC 27203.

Douglas York

Dec. 23, 1962 –Sept. 22, 2024

Douglas Dick York, 61, of Cary, North Carolina, passed away Sunday, September 22, 2024, at Phoenix Assisted Care, Cary, NC. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. on Thursday, September 26, 2024, at Ridge Funeral Home Chapel, with Rev. Billy Myers o ciating. Douglas was born on December 23, 1962. He had attended special education classes at Randolph Community College. He enjoyed spending time and going places with his friends at the group home where he lived. Douglas was very friendly, always smiling and loved talking on the phone

Survivors include his group home family, Charlie Norwood, Donnie Allen, Warren Cason, Jeremy Campbell, Ricky Martin; group home sta , Doug and Crystal Balderas, Angela Spencer, Debra Beal, Julia Siler, Varetta Dunston; program director at the group home Darlene Minter; and caregiver and guardian, Lou Wilson. The family will receive friends from 12:45 to 1:45 p.m. on Thursday, September 26, 2024, at Ridge Funeral Home, prior to the funeral service.

Richard Dickie Cranford

June 28, 1939 –Sept. 17, 2024

Richard Dickie Cranford, 85, of Randleman passed away Tuesday, September 17, 2024, at Randolph Hospice House. He was born June 28, 1939, in Troy, NC to Viola Shay Cranford.

Richard was a loving and devoted father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend. He was extremely attentive to his children and loved spending time with his family. Richard loved watching stock car racing and was a big MOPAR enthusiast. One of his greatest loves was his cats and taking in and caring for all the local strays.

Richard is survived by his wife, Yong Cranford of the home; children, Rick (Stephanie) Cranford of Myrtle Beach, Molly (Carvel) Alston of Archdale; grandchildren, Chase (Sarah) Finney, Ricky Cranford, Corey (Callie) Cranford, Brandon (Angela) Cranford, Heather Sellers, Brianna Hammonds; nine great-grandchildren; special cousin, Mickey Cranford of Arlington.

The family would like to give a special thanks to Hospice House of Randolph and Randolph Hospital ICU.

The family will receive friends on Monday, September 23, 2024, from 6 – 8 p.m. at Pugh Funeral Home, 600 S. Main St. Randleman, NC. Funeral services will be on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, at 2 p.m. at Pugh Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Arnold Luther o ciating. Interment will be held at Lovejoy Methodist Church Cemetery in Troy, NC. Pugh Funeral Home in Randleman is serving the Cranford family.

Sept. 5, 1951 – Sept. 15, 2024

Patricia Ann Hollingsworth, age 73, of Franklinville passed away on September 15, 2024 at her home.

Ann was born in Clinton, NC on September 5, 1951 to Bruce and Mozelle Bell Hollingsworth. Ann was employed with Klaussner for over 30 years. Ann loved the Lord and was member of Lakeside Park Church of God for over 20 years. In addition to her parents, Ann was preceded in death by her brother, Tommy Hollingsworth and grandson, Dalton Ray Williams. Ann was a very proud lady, working two jobs to raise her children. She loved her family, her church family, her dog, Jack, and working in her yard.

She is survived by her daughters, Sherry Williams of Archdale and Wendy Owens of Franklinville; grandchildren, Brandi Truesdell (Jake) and Justin Williams (Briana); greatgrandchildren, Fox Truesdell, Milo Truesdell and Fisher Williams; brothers, Gene Hollingsworth (Clara) and James Hollingsworth (Kathy); and several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, September 19, 2024, from 12-12:45 p.m. at Pugh Funeral Home, 437 Sunset Avenue in Asheboro. Funeral services will follow on Thursday at 1 p.m. at the Pugh Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Brad Forrest o ciating. Interment will be held at Randolph Memorial Park.

Patricia Ann Hollingsworth

STATE & NATION

Do you know the 3 branches

of US government?

Many don’t, leading to a push for civics education

By Allen G. Breed and Tim Sullivan The Associated Press

BLUFFTON, S.C. — On the rst day of his American National Government class, professor Kevin Dopf asks how many of his students are United States citizens. Every hand shoots up.

“So, how did all you people become citizens?” he asks. “Did you pass a test?”

“No,” one young woman says tentatively. “We were born here.”

It’s a good thing. Based on his years of making his students at the University of South Carolina Beaufort take the test given to immigrants seeking U.S. citizenship, most would be rejected.

“Thirty, 35% of the students will pass it,” says Dopf, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and former West Point instructor. “The rest of them are clueless. I mean, they’re just clueless.”

Most states require some sort of high school civics instruction. But with a recent survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center showing that about a third of American adults can’t name the three branches of the federal government, many think we should be aiming higher.

Over the past few years, a small but growing number of states have begun requiring students at publicly funded colleges to complete a civics requirement. That comes as polling indicates civics education is wildly popular across the political spectrum.

Civics — the study of citizens’ rights and responsibilities — fosters a sense of unity, advocates say, and an ability to deal with disagreement. It empowers citizens, and many people believe it could help heal America’s divides. Having it in higher education means they can look at issue in more sophisticated ways, perhaps weaving it into other classes.

“I feel we are in the business for making a case for America,” said Louise Dube, head of iCivics, which promotes civics education.

But what does it mean when those talking about civics often can’t be, well, civil?

Take North Carolina, where lawmakers and academics got into a heated battle over who should decide how civics would be taught.

Last year, North Carolina Republicans introduced the REACH Act, an acronym for “Reclaiming College Education on America’s Constitutional Heritage.” The bill required undergraduates to take at least three credit hours in American government and read a series of major U.S. history documents, from the Declaration of Independence to Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” They would also have to pass a nal exam worth 20% of the nal grade. If the bill seemed anodyne on the surface, it met with intense pushback. Critics pointed to the bill’s “reclaiming” title, its at-

tempt to dictate curriculum usually set by professors and that it was drafted by Jameson Broggi, an avowedly conservative U.S. Marine Corps captain and lawyer who has said curriculum must include “devotion to American institutions and ideals.”

The North Carolina act easily passed the state House in March 2023 and a rst reading in the Senate. It seemed on its way to victory.

University of North Carolina o cials and faculty were not happy.

“We tried to slow this down in House but had zero success,”

Bart Goodson, senior vice president of government relations for the 16-school UNC system wrote to a fellow administrator in an April 2023 email, obtained by Broggi through an open records request.

“It was a ‘wrap yourself in the ag’ type bill and anyone who spoke against was essentially viewed as non-American,” Goodson wrote.

So, as the idea moved slowly through the legislative process, UNC faculty took matters into their own hands.

Wade Maki, chair of the UNC faculty assembly, worked with professors from four other campuses, including two historically black universities, to draft a set of learning outcomes. They studied what’s being done in other states.

The resulting proposal, called the “Foundations of American Democracy,” mirrors the REACH Act in many ways. They even added Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address to the list of required documents.

It seemed like everyone wanted the same thing.

But supporters of requiring civics through legislation were troubled — why did the faculty object to their version?

“What are these people afraid of?” asked Michael B. Poliako , president and chief executive o cer of American Council

“It was a ‘wrap yourself in the ag’ type bill and anyone who spoke against was essentially viewed as non-American.”

UNC administrator Bart Goodson

of Trustees and Alumni, which helped Broggi draft the North Carolina act and a similar one that passed in South Carolina three years ago.

“As if understanding the founding documents and the pivotal moments in our history, culminating with letter from Birmingham Jail, would be too disturbing, too retro.”

That’s not the point, the academics say.

Unlike standards in K-12 schools, college faculty typically decide the content of individual courses. It’s seen as a core of academic freedom.

“Faculty are the primary owners of the curriculum.” says Maki, who teaches philosophy at UNC Greensboro. “We know what works in ways that sometimes someone outside of higher ed may not know what works.”

The UNC board of governors, all 24 of whom were appointed by the GOP-led legislature, unanimously approved the plan in mid-April. Details are still being ironed out, with the requirement applying to students entering the system starting July 2025. (The NC REACH Act’s sponsors, displeased with the UNC plan, have vowed to revive the legislative e ort next year.)

According to the conservative, New York-based Civics Alliance, legislation in at least 10 states — Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Wyoming — require undergraduates at public universities to take at least one American his-

tory and/or government course.

The requirement is being enacted, or at least discussed, in other states. And the Alliance — which rails against “identity politics” and “radical New Civics activists” — is looking to spread the word.

The organization has created model legislation that calls for the “’study of and devotion to America’s exceptional and praiseworthy history.’” David Randall, the alliance’s executive director, said its materials had “informed” legislation in Florida, Iowa and Texas, but declined to say what other states might have reached out.

Some state college systems, like UNC, haven’t waited for a legislative mandate to act.

For example, students at Indiana’s Purdue University and its satellite campuses can choose from three paths — write reections after attending six approved civics-related events, listen to 12 podcasts and take a series of quizzes or complete one of 13 politics or history courses — and pass an exam. University of Arizona system faculty are currently developing “American Institutions” curricula to ful ll a requirement from the board of regents.

Professors acknowledge not all students appreciate the forced civics learning.

“Some view it as the vegetable in a meal, some view it as the dessert. For some, the goal is just to nish the meal,” said David Reingold, dean of Purdue’s College of Liberal Arts, who oversaw the implementation of the system’s civics program.

The Civics Alliance says America’s colleges, which train K-12 teachers, have been “taken over by a radical establishment determined to replace proper civics education with pedagogies such as Critical Race Theory and action civics ...” Whitney Ross Manzo, an associate professor of political science at Meredith Col-

Professor Wade Maki, chairman of the University of North Carolina system’s faculty senate, helped draft a civics requirement that students at all publicly funded colleges will have to ful ll starting in July 2025.

lege in Raleigh, says fears about political indoctrination assume “a power that faculty simply don’t have.”

“If I could force something on my students, it would be to read their syllabus and do their homework. I don’t have the power to change their political ideology,” said Manzo, who once taught in Texas.

Back in Blu ton, Dopf has his work cut out for him.

After some introductory remarks, Dopf tells his students to take out a piece of paper and pen.

“This is your rst test.”

The 14 questions are relatively simple: How many members in the U.S. Senate? What are the requirements to be president? How long is the term for members of the House of Representatives?

Would-be citizens must get six of 10 answers correct to pass. Dopf holds his students to a lower standard — just seven of 14.

As he expected, about 70% unked.

One student thought Clarence Thomas was chief justice of the Supreme Court. Another put down that the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1667.

“To miss basic facts like that,” Dopf says, exasperation in his voice. “We need to develop better skill sets for our students so that we have a better democracy.” (In fairness, he says even 30% of his West Point cadets failed the quiz.)

Audra Hillman, 18, a freshman from Wake Forest, took two politics classes in high school. So, how’d she do?

“I probably would have got kicked out,” she says with a nervous chuckle.

Hillman wants to eventually work with special needs kids but doesn’t resent having to squeeze in this civics class.

“Everyone should vote,” she says. “Like, it’s your duty as an American citizen. And I think that everyone should go out and be educated.”

ALLEN G. BREED / AP PHOTO

RandolpH SPORTS

Tigers, Wildcats stay undefeated

Late-game drama accompanies victories for Randleman and Eastern Randolph

Randolph Record sta STAYING UNDEFEATED in high school football meant dramatics for Randleman and Eastern Randolph in Friday night’s games. Randleman needed a fourth-quarter comeback and overtime to withstand host Asheboro.

Eastern Randolph scored the on the nal play to top visiting Central Davidson.

Randleman 34, Asheboro 27, OT: Brayden Gladden scored on a touchdown run in overtime and the Tigers (5 - 0) began the extra session with points.

Randleman’s stopped the Blue Comets on the ensuing

possession to notch the nonconference victory.

Randleman’s Tyshaun Goldston scored on two second-half touchdowns reception, and then ran for the tying two-point conversion following the second of those.

John Kirkpatrick threw touchdown passes to Chase Farlow and Tate Andrews. Kirkpatrick threw for 215 yards — with 92 of those on four plays to Goldston — and four touchdowns with an interception.

Asheboro (2-2), which led 27-19 after three quarters, took advantage of four Randleman turnovers and some big-play offense and special teams.

Quincey Lee scored three touchdowns, two on rushes and the other on a pass from Logan Laughlin. Elijah Woodle returned a kicko for a touchdown. Connor Brinton gained 120 yards on the grown on 28 carries. Ben Luck made an interception for the Blue Comets.

Farlow and Asthon Dillow had interceptions for Randleman.

Eastern Randolph 27, Central Davidson 21: At Ramseur, Rayden West turned a short pass into a 53-yard touchdown play as time expired to lift the host Wildcats (4-0) in the non-conference game.

West took Cade McCallum’s toss and made sure overtime wouldn’t be needed.

It marked the second touchdown catch of the game for West. Lucas Smith and Kobe Walker ran for Eastern Randolph touchdowns.

Central Davidson (2-3), which had a two-game winning streak end, trailed 7-0 at halftime.

Albemarle 22, Southwestern Randolph 15: At Albemarle, the Cougars had their twogame winning streak snapped with the road defeat.

Dre Davis ran for a touch-

NIGHT’S GAMES

Asheboro (2-2) at Southwestern Randolph (2-2) Parkwood (2-2) at Eastern Randolph (4-0)

down and threw for a touchdown for Albemarle (2-3).

Southwestern Randolph dropped to 2-2.

Ledford 17, Providence Grove 0: At Ledford, the visiting Patriots managed only 146 yards of total o ense.

Quarterback Jackson Lawver threw for 95 yards and rushed for 23 yards, but Providence Grove (1-4) lost its fourth game in a row.

Ledford (3-2) led 14-0 after the rst quarter and added a fourth-quarter eld goal.

Union Academy 14, Trinity 7: At Trinity, Eli Williams rushed for two touchdowns and 134

yards for the visiting Cardinals. Union County (4-1) had 364 yards of total o ense, including 260 on the ground. Trinity (2-3) has lost its last two games by a combined eight points.

South Stanly 41, Wheatmore 18: At Trinity, the Rowdy Rebel Bulls had 457 yards of total o ense, boosted by Jasiah Holt’s two touchdown catches. Six di erent players scored touchdowns for South Stanly (3-1).

Johnathan Kelly ran for two touchdowns and Danny Martin made a touchdown catch for Wheatmore (0-5).

Top soccer teams in the county continue to show their power

Randolph Record sta

ASHEBORO’S volleyball team looks like a contender again in the Mid-Piedmont Conference.

Asheboro’s sweep of visiting North Davidson came with Lia George’s 16 kills and 10 digs, Eva Vuncannon had 14 assists and Anna Grace LeRoy’s 20 assists and seven digs.

The Blue Comets took down host Ledford in four sets as Emma Kate Forester notched 14 kills and seven blocks, Emma Little had 10 digs and LeRoy provided 17 assists.

• Trinity blew past a pair of Piedmont Athletic Conference foes.

The Bulldogs swept visiting Eastern Randolph as Karrington Batten recorded 23 kills, 11 digs and four aces. Trinity took care of visiting Wheatmore in three sets, aided by Batten’s 22 kills and Faith Powell’s 15 digs.

• Randleman’s nine-match

winning streak ended with a nonconference loss at Cornerstone Charter in ve sets.

The rst-place Tigers were back on track the next night with a PAC sweep of visiting Eastern Randolph as Camden Scott supplied 17 kills and nine digs and Haley Hinshaw posted 13 kills and 12 digs.

Kenly Whitaker had 18 assists and 17 digs and Vivian Underwood had 19 digs for Eastern Randolph.

• Uwharrie Charter Academy cruised past visiting Southwestern Randolph in three sets to remain in second place in the PAC.

• Third-place Southwestern Randolph rallied from a twoset de cit to top host Providence Grove 23-25, 26 -28, 25-21, 25-15, 15-3 with boosts from Gracie Hodgin’s 17 kills and Jade Matias’ 10 kills.

Providence Grove was paced by Riley Mazzarone’s 25 assists and 15 digs and Kaley Brown’s 15 digs, 14 assists and 11 kills.

• Eastern Randolph didn’t win a match in the rst rotation through the PAC schedule, but the Wildcats are 6-2

in nonleague matches after last week’s 25-7, 25-9, 25-12 drubbing of visiting Graham as Whitaker supplied 31 assists and Cora Sparrow had 12 kills.

Boys’ soccer

Though the rst week of PAC action, Southwestern Randolph and Randleman are the only unbeaten teams.

Southwestern Randolph’s record improved to 10-0 overall with a pair of PAC victories.

Aaron Avina and Jonathan Lopez Degollado both scored two goals in a 6-2 victory at Trinity. Degollado also had two assists. Then in an 8-0 trouncing of visiting Providence Grove, Fernando Hernandez posted three goals.

Randleman socked Wheatmore 8-1 and blew out Eastern Randolph 8-1 in successful road games.

• Asheboro trounced visiting North Moore 7-0 in a nonleague game as Cam Letterlough tallied four goals and Diego Bustamante had two goals.

There was a busy night at Caraway Speedway with 11 features on the slate

Randolph Record sta

SOPHIA — Dalton Ledbetter and Justin Hathcock claimed victories in Challengers features Saturday night at Caraway Speedway.

Ledbetter was the fast quali er and he won the rst of the 20-lap competitions in the division. His wire-to-wire victory topped the 15-care eld with Haithcock in second.

In the second feature, Hathcock passed Brody Duggins, won led the rst 15 laps, to claim the triumph, with Bryson Pickard the runner-up and Duggins ended up

Randleman’s Tyshaun Goldston tries to pick up more yards as he’s hit by Asheboro’s Chasyn Moore during the game Friday night.

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

Will Stalker

Stalker has been a multisport contributor for some of Eastern Randolph’s championship teams.

He’s an anchor on the o ense line for the undefeated Wildcats, who’ll be aiming to win the Piedmont Athletic Conference for a fourth season in a row when the league slate begins next week. Eastern Randolph has been strong along the line of scrimmage.

Stalker was a key reserve as a sophomore for Eastern Randolph’s PAC and Class 1A West Regional champion boys’ basketball team in the 2022-23 season. Then last season he was the fourth-leading scorer on the 18-win basketball team.

Stalker also has been a regular in the Wildcats’ lineup for the baseball team.

SPEEDWAY from page B1

third in front of Ledbetter.

• In 602 Modi eds, Jaxson Casper won the rst 20-lap feature in the class. Cody Norman won for the rst time this year at the track in the second race.

Dean Lowder, the fast quali er, was the runner-up in both races. Casper was third in the second race, while Norman took fourth place in the rst race.

• In UCARs, Jason Gallimore was the victory across the 15-lap race. Steven Collins, Ron Mock, Ron Walker and Justin Smith rounded out the top ve.

• In Modi eds 4, Jimmy Crigger claimed the victory ahead of AJ Sanders, Blaine Curry, Clayton Sanders and Isaac Wright in a race shortened to 13 laps because of rain.

• In Mini Stocks, Blaine Curry led the nal seven laps for the victory in the 30-lap race. The next spots were held by Levin Holt and Sanders.

• In Bandoleros, the winner was Rylan Lowder, who led the entire 15 laps to hold o Ben Buzze.

• In Legends, fast quali er Ryan Zima was the winner in the 25-lap event, ahead of Mason Walter, Nicholas Bulkeley, Nathan Lions and Wyatt Philyaw among 17 drivers.

• The Bootleggers winner was Bentley Black, with Bobby Bescher in the next spot.

• In a powder pu race, Riely Hathcock was the winner ahead of Shea Vance in a competition reduced to six laps because of a time limit. She’s the daughter of Justin Hathcock.

College football guarantee games pay

millions to small-budget

schools

Opportunities for guarantee games could shrink in future

By Ralph D. Russo The Associated Press

OHIO STATE and Kent State, separated by 135 miles in the same state, occupy extreme ends of the spectrum of major college football.

Buckeyes football pulled in $127 million in revenue in 2023. Golden Flashes football has a budget of about $9 million.

Still, Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork and Kent State AD Randale Richmond share a similar problem for different reasons. Both look at their football schedules this season and see more so-called guarantee games than they would prefer.

Guarantee games are those one-o matchups where a school pays another to come to its stadium, with no return date. For power conference schools such as No. 3 Ohio State, that typically means cutting a check of around $1.5 million — give or take a few hundred thousand — to a school such as Kent State.

More often than not, the games are not competitive. Occasionally, the smaller program gets to take home a historic victory along with a big check the way Northern Illinois ($1.4 million) did at No. 17 Notre Dame or Memphis ($1.3 million) did at Florida State earlier this season.

By the numbers

This season at least 60 guarantee games will be played matching schools that play in the NCAA’s highest level of Division I, the Football Bowl Subdivision, with total payouts reaching $75 million, according to AP research.

There are also dozens more games matching FBS teams with those in the second-tier Championship Subdivision that follow a similar structure but with smaller payouts. The most famous guarantee game — Ap-

palachian State’s 34-32 upset at No. 5 Michigan in 2007 — included a $400,000 check for the visitors.

Ohio State’s anomaly

For Ohio State, a con uence of events, including conference realignment, left the Buckeyes with a three-game nonconference schedule of guarantee games in 2024. Typically, the Buckeyes have one high-prole game against a power conference opponent that would be one end of a home-and-home series.

Ohio State had a home-andhome against Notre Dame in 2022 and ’23, is set to play Texas in 2025 and ’26, and then play Alabama the following two seasons.

This year, however, Ohio State is paying $4.05 million for games against Akron, Western Michigan and Marshall.

It’s not so much that $4.05 million will break Ohio State athletics, which reported nearly $280 million in revenue in 2022. The school made more than $64 million in ticket sales for eight games at Ohio Stadium (capacity 102,780) in ’22, according to the latest nancial records provided to the NCAA.

Games that don’t involve Big Ten or marquee nonconference opponents drag down revenue in areas such as concessions, souvenirs and parking. Ohio State’s gameday revenue for Akron and WMU were almost identical, Bjork said. Essentially, Ohio State is bringing in less and paying out more for guarantee games, he said.

Kent State’s conundrum

On the other end is Kent State, which will receive $3.9 million for games at Pitt, No. 6 Tennessee and No. 10 Penn State.

Richmond, who took over at Kent State in 2021, inherited this three-game stretch and said he would prefer no more than two. Kent State also has three guarantee games booked for 2025 (at Texas Tech, Florida State and Oklahoma), Richmond is well aware that it is a lot to put on his football team and second-year coach Kenni Burns.

“It makes it very di cult to gain momentum when you have three guarantee games. I can’t answer whether it’s fair or not. I can answer that it does make it di cult,” he said.

2 suspended from college swim team after report of slur scratched onto student’s body Gettysburg, Pa.

O cials at a Pennsylvania college say at least two students were suspended from the men’s swim team after a report that a racial slur was scratched onto a student’s body. Gettysburg College said in a statement last week that o cials had received “a deeply concerning report of a racial slur being scratched onto a student using a plastic or ceramic tool.” The college says that “the students involved are not participating in swim team activities.” The college’s president says it is reported to have happened during an “informal social gathering at an on-campus residence.”

Morris, part of Dolphins’ two Super Bowl wins and perfect season, dies at 77

Miami Eugene “Mercury” Morris, who starred for the unbeaten 1972 Miami Dolphins as part of a star-studded back eld and helped the team win two Super Bowl titles, died at 77. The team con rmed the death the three-time Pro Bowl selection. Morris was the starting halfback and one of three go-to runners that Dolphins coach Don Shula utilized in Miami’s back-toback title seasons of 1972 and 1973, alongside Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick. Morris led the Dolphins in rushing touchdowns in both of those seasons.

Wilson and Clark are unanimous choices for WNBA Player and Rookie of the Year

A’ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark had record-breaking seasons in the WNBA. Wilson became the rst player in league history to score more than 1,000 points in a season, and she averaged a record 26.9 points. Clark broke the league’s single-season assist mark and scored the most points ever for a rookie. So it’s no surprise the two were honored as the unanimous choices for the AP Player and Rookie of the Year awards, respectively. Wilson’s Las Vegas teammate Ti any Hayes earned AP Sixth Woman of the Year honors. Minnesota’s Cheryl Reeve was named Coach of the Year.

JANN ORTIZ FOR RANDOLPH RECORD

GEORGE WALKER IV / AP PHOTO

The Tennessee o ense lines up against the Kent State defense during the rst half of a guarantee game—one of three Kent State plays this year

pen & paper pursuits

this week in history

Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” premiered, Gandhi was born, Disney World opened, Tom Petty died

SEPT. 26

1777: British troops occupied Philadelphia during the American Revolution.

1960: The rst-ever debate between presidential nominees occurred as Democrat John F. Kennedy and Republican Richard M. Nixon faced o before a national TV audience.

SEPT. 27

1903: A Southern Railway mail train derailed near Danville, Virginia, killing 11; the accident inspired the famous ballad, “Wreck of the Old 97.”

1940: Germany, Italy and Japan signed the Tripartite Pact, formally allying the World War II Axis powers.

1964: The government publicly released the Warren Commission report, which concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald had acted alone in assassinating President John F. Kennedy.

SEPT. 28

1924: Three U.S. Army planes landed in Seattle, completing the rst round-the-world air trip in 175 days.

1928: Scottish medical researcher Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin.

2020: The worldwide death toll from the coronavirus pandemic reached 1 million.

SEPT. 29

1789: The U.S. War Depart-

ment established a regular army

with a strength of several hundred men.

1829: London’s reorganized police force, which became known as Scotland Yard, went on duty.

1965: The National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts were created.

1978: Pope John Paul I was found dead in his Vatican apartment just over a month after becoming head of the Roman Catholic Church.

SEPT. 30

1791: Mozart’s opera “The Magic Flute” premiered in Vienna, Austria.

1938: After co-signing the Munich Agreement allowing Nazi annexation of Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain said, “I believe it is peace for our time.”

1947: The World Series was broadcast on television for the rst time.

1949: The Berlin Airlift came to an end.

1955: Actor James Dean, 24,

was killed in a two-car collision.

1962: James Meredith, a black student, was escorted by federal marshals to the campus of the University of Mississippi, where he enrolled for classes the next day; Meredith’s presence sparked rioting that claimed two lives.

OCT. 1

1908: Henry Ford introduced his Model T automobile to the market.

1949: Mao Zedong proclaimed the People’s Republic of China during a ceremony in Beijing. Under his totalitarian regime, 40 to 80 million died due to starvation, persecution, prison labor and mass executions.

1957: The motto “In God We Trust” began appearing on U.S. paper currency.

1971: Walt Disney World opened near Orlando, Florida.

2017: A gunman opened re from a room at the Mandalay Bay casino hotel in Las Vegas on a crowd of 22,000 country music fans at a concert below, leaving 58 people dead and more than 800 injured in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

OCT. 2

1869: Political and spiritual leader Mohandas K. Gandhi was born in Porbandar, India.

1941: During World War II, German armies launched an allout drive against Moscow; Soviet forces succeeded in holding on to their capital.

1959: Rod Serling’s “The Twilight Zone” debuted on CBS with the episode “Where Is Everybody?” starring Earl Holliman.

2017: Tom Petty died at a Los Angeles hospital at age 66.

AP PHOTO

Political and spiritual leader Mohandas K. Gandhi was born in Porbandar, India, on Oct. 2, 1869.

OWEN SWEENEY / AP PHOTO

Legendary musical artist Tom Petty died Oct. 2, 2017. He was 66.

Bomb saga revisited with witness accounts in ‘Hiroshima: The Last Witnesses’

M.G. Sheftall’s story is about the perils of nuclear warfare

By Yuri Kageyama

The Associated Press

AN ATOMIC bombing is so horri c all accounts tend to be quintessential. M.G. Sheftall’s “Hiroshima: The Last Witnesses,” a carefully and respectfully researched oral history, is no di erent.

Although the individuals who recount their tales vary, from engineers to schoolgirls, their message is the same: In the words of one survivor, Kohei Oiwa, “If there is a hell, he thought to himself. Certainly, it must be just like this.”

Oiwa, a junior high school student in 1945, is told to help stack bodies. Charred esh crumpled in his grip, so he held only bones. His is one of many rendered by Sheftall in his blow-by-blow retelling.

The storytelling leads up to Aug. 6, 1945, circles around that moment, and then describes what it left afterward, weaving in and out of witness accounts.

The experience is tantamount to recalling a giant nightmare so painful it’s hard to read in one sitting.

Sheftall, an American who has lived in Japan since 1987, interviewed dozens of survivors, known as “hibakusha,” primarily in Japan but also

“Hiroshima: The Last Witnesses” by M.G.

in Taiwan and Korea. Of his book’s 545 pages, more than 50 pages are taken up by references and notes.

“I would describe not only the bombings themselves — something countless authors have done quite e ectively before me — but also the world those survived had known before the bombs and the New Japan they helped to rebuild from the rubble and ashes of the old,” he wrote in the acknowledgments.

It’s that story heard, over and over again, from those who lived to tell it, although many

more died, tens of thousands, in a ash.

Oiwa was 1.3 miles from Japan’s Ground Zero and was in his futon bed “when everything suddenly turned white.”

For a reporter assigned to Japan, who has conducted her fair share of hibakusha interviews, parts of the book that explained the cultural backdrops seemed lengthy and painstakingly detailed.

However, this reporter was also reminded that the story of Hiroshima is at risk of being forgotten. The Hibakusha are now over 90 years old.

Sheftall devotes a whole chapter to debunking the idea of being “vaporized.” The heat and destruction from Little Boy and Fat Man did not make for “waving a magic wand over people, and then, presto change-o, watching them disappear with a nice, clean painless ‘poof,’” he wrote.

Some people’s faces were literally gone. Others had eyeballs knocked out, dangling from their sockets. Charred black gures wandered through a attened city, begging for water, “Mizu … mizu” is the title of one of the book’s chapters.

Illnesses from radiation poisoning followed for years. They felt guilt and shame for not having died.

His book tells their stories, in all their ruthless violence and gory pathos, but, most importantly, as a cautionary tale about the perils of nuclear warfare.

The Masters expands coverage next year with CBS’s Paramount+

The 2025 tournament will include 23 hours total of Masters broadcasting

By Doug Ferguson

The Associated Press

THE MASTERS and CBS are expanding television coverage next year by ve hours, including two hours on Saturday and Sunday through CBS’s Paramount+ streaming service.

Augusta National also announced another high-level corporate partner in Charlotte-based Bank of America, bringing to four the number of “champion partners” for the major that attracts the largest viewing audience in golf.

The addition of Bank of America does not a ect the commercial load. The Masters said the broadcast will continue with only four minutes of commercials each hour.

“The Masters Tournament has had the great fortune of enjoying an extraordinary relationship with CBS Sports for nearly 70 years,” said Fred Ridley, chairman of Augusta National and the Masters. “Alongside our friends at the network, we are pleased to extend the tournament’s weekend coverage and ultimately deliver more live golf for Masters fans.”

CBS will add an hour to Saturday’s broadcast. Next year, it will go from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. EDT instead of starting

at 3 p.m. The third and fourth rounds will be shown exclusively on Paramount+ from noon until 2 p.m. and will remain available on the streaming service through the 7 p.m. conclusion.

That brings the total coverage to 23 hours, including ESPN’s broadcasts from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.

CBS also produces expansive digital coverage through The Masters app, which includes features such as Amen Corner, holes 4-6, holes 15-16 and featured pairings.

CBS has made its live coverage of sporting events available on Paramount+. The additional two hours on the weekend will be exclusive content, the rst time it has o ered such content from golf.

The partnership between the Masters and CBS, a year-by-year contract, dates back to 1956 when the network used six cameras to televise the last four holes. Only 25 years ago, the Masters o ered just 101⁄2 hours of live coverage on CBS, including three hours on Sunday.

Bank of America joins a small list of primary corporate sponsors at the Masters, including AT&T, IBM and Mercedes-Benz, each of which has extended their partnerships. The club does not disclose details of those contracts.

Bank of America has had a

“Alongside our friends at the network, we are pleased to extend the tournament’s weekend coverage and ultimately deliver more live golf for Masters fans.”

Fred Ridley, Augusta National Golf Club chairman

relationship with Augusta National for the last several years, serving as a presenting sponsor for the Augusta National Women’s Amateur since its inception in 2019, as well as the Asia-Paci c Amateur and the Latin America Amateur since 2022.

“Through Bank of America’s support of our community initiatives and amateur events, they have become an impactful and committed partner in our organization’s mission in Augusta and around the globe,” Ridley said.

He said adding Bank of America as a top-level sponsor expands that relationship and strengthens the Masters “for many years to come.”

The Masters will be held April 10-13 next year, sticking with its tradition of being held the rst full week of April. Scottie Sche er is the defending champion.

DAVID J. PHILLIP / AP PHOTO

Fred Ridley, chairman of Augusta National Golf Club, congratulates winner Scottie Sche er at the 2024 Masters.

DUTTON VIA AP

Sheftall o ers a carefully researched history of the Hiroshima nuclear bombing.

STRAUSS / AP PHOTO

Actor-comedian and Wilkesboro native Zach Gali anakis turns 55 on Tuesday.

JORDAN STRAUSS / AP PHOTO Beloved British actor Julie Andrews, who played Mary Poppins among other starring roles, turns 89 on Tuesday.

Gwyneth Paltrow is 52, Bryant Gumble hits 76, Zach Gali anakis turns 55

SEPT. 26

Actor Kent McCord (“Adam 12”) is 82. “The Weakest Link” host Anne Robinson is 80. Singer Bryan Ferry is 79. Singer-guitarist Cesar Rosas of Los Lobos is 70. Actor Linda Hamilton is 68. Actor Jim Caviezel (“Sound of Freedom,” “The Passion of the Christ”) is 56.

SEPT. 27

Actor Kathleen Nolan is 91. Actor Claude Jarman Jr. (“The Yearling”) is 90. Comedian-podcaster Marc Maron is 61. Actor Gwyneth Paltrow is 52. Singer Avril Lavigne is 40.

SEPT. 28

Actor Brigitte Bardot is 90. Actor-comedian Janeane Garofalo is 60. Actor Mira Sorvino is 57. TV personality and singer Moon Zappa is 57. Actor Naomi Watts is 56. TV personality Bam Margera (“Jackass”) is 45. Musician St. Vincent is 42. Actor Hilary Du is 37.

SEPT. 29

Jazz violinist Jean-Luc Ponty is 82. TV personality Bryant Gumbel is 76. Comedian Andrew “Dice” Clay is 67. Singer-bassist Les Claypool of Primus is 61.

SEPT. 30

Actor Angie Dickinson is 93. Singer Johnny Mathis is 89. Singer Sylvia Peterson of The Chi ons is 78. Actor Barry Williams (“The Brady Bunch”) is 70. Actor Fran Drescher is 67. Country singer Marty Stuart is 66. Actor Eric Stoltz is 63. Singer Trey Anastasio of Phish is 60. Actor Tony Hale (“Veep,” ″Arrested Development”) is 54. Actor Jenna Elfman is 53. Actor Kieran Culkin is 41.

OCT. 1

Actor-singer Julie Andrews is 89. Jazz bassist Dave Holland is 78. Actor Randy Quaid is 74. Model-actor Cindy Margolis is 59. Actor Zach Gali anakis (“The Hangover”) is 55.

PHOTO BY CJ RIVERA / AP PHOTO

Actor Gwyneth Paltrow, pictured last month in New York, turned 52 on Friday.

JORDAN

the stream

Ellen’s

“Inside Out 2” nally arrived on Disney+

The Associated Press STREAMING ON a screen near you this week: what Ellen DeGeneres says is her last comedy special landed on Net ix, and George Clooney and Brad Pitt star in a sleek New York City caper. Also among the streaming o erings worth your time include two Ryan Murphy series — “Grotesquerie” on FX and the ABC medical drama “Doctor Odyssey” — and nearly 40 years after the debut of The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo is nally making the title character the star of her own game.

MOVIES TO STREAM

Hard as this may be to believe, George Clooney and Brad Pitt are good together. Yes, stop the presses and all that.

But it’s been a while since Clooney and Pitt, who rst teamed up for “Ocean’s 11,” had a movie built around their easy charisma. “Wolfs,” streaming Friday on Apple TV+, corrects that with a sleek New York caper about two xers hired for the same clean-up job.

Some Pixar fans have quibbled when the digital animation studio has leaned too hard into sequels. But the “Inside Out 2” box o ce is hard to refute. It’s the year’s biggest box-o ce hit, with nearly $1.7 billion in ticket sales. On Wednesday, “Inside Out 2” arrived on Disney+ to make one of the most anticipated streaming debuts of the year. In it, Riley has grown up a couple of years but entered a new chapter in life: puberty, bringing with it several new emotions. Will Ferrell and Harper Steele became friends and collaborators at “Saturday Night Live,” where Steele was head writer from 2004 to 2008. When Steele came out as transgender a few years ago, Ferrell, interested in reconnecting, proposed a road trip. In “Will & Harper,” streaming Friday on Net ix, the two embark on a cross-country expedition full of revelations about what this changes and doesn’t change in their relationship.

MUSIC TO STREAM

Serj Tankian, frontman of the Grammy-award-winning Armenian-American nu-metal band System of a Down, will release a short solo EP, “Foundations,” on Friday. The release maintains his band’s abrasion but experiments with di erent forms of audial rebellion. For example, the single “A.F. Day” is a kind of psychedelic-punk treatise on the absurdity of everyday mundanity. And it sounds explosive. Nothing is predictable about the band Being Dead’s sopho-

more album, “EELS,” produced by Grammy-award winner John Congleton. Across 16 tracks that move from asymmetrical egg punk, Devo-worship, a recording of a bus driver who has had enough timeless, near-psychedelic harmonies and various other oddball sensibilities that make them the best college radio rock band in recent history — Being Dead’s organized chaos is future-seeking and familiar all at once.

SHOWS TO STREAM

Ellen DeGeneres says her next comedy special on Net ix will be her last. “For Your Approval” dropped Sept. 24, and the comedian “goes there” by addressing reports that she was di cult to deal with behind the scenes of her daytime talk show, which ended its run in 2022 after 19 seasons. “I got kicked out of show business,” she says in the trailer.

Ryan Murphy’s new series on FX, “Grotesquerie,” premiered on Wednesday. Niecy

Nash stars as a detective who agrees to help a nun and reporter (Micaela Diamond) with a Catholic newspaper investigate a series of gruesome murders. Super Bowl-winning Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (otherwise known as Taylor Swift’s boyfriend) has a secret role in the show.

If “Grotesquerie” isn’t your bag, another Ryan Murphy series is making its debut this week. A medical drama called “Doctor Odyssey” premieres Thursday on ABC. Joshua Jackson plays a doctor on board a luxury cruise ship called the Odyssey. Don Johnson, Philippa Soo and Sean Teale are also stars. The show also boasts several guest stars, including John Stamos, Kelsea Ballerini, Shania Twain and Chord Overstreet. A trailer for the show had nearly 78 million views within 48 hours, making it the most-watched trailer for a new broadcast TV show. Episodes also stream on Hulu.

One might assume a TV show called “Colin from Accounts” takes place in an o ce setting.

Instead, it’s a modern-day romantic comedy made in Australia. It’s created by and co-stars real-life husband and wife Harriet Dyer and Patrick Brammel, who play two people brought together by an injured dog named Colin — all eight episodes of season two debut Thursday on Paramount+. The Walking Dead characters Daryl and Carol (played by Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride) are one of the most popular platonic pairings on television. The two unlikely friends bond over similar pasts and share a deep trust. They next co-star in “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon — The Book of Carol.” It premieres Sunday on AMC and AMC+. Zachry Quinto is back on TV in a medical drama. But he’s not portraying any dour, by-the-r ules doctor — he’s playing Dr. Oliver Sacks, the famed neurologist, path-breaking researcher and author once called the “poet laureate of medicine.” NBC’s “Brilliant Minds” takes Sack’s personality — a motor-

cycle-riding, fern-loving doctor who died in 2015 at 82 — and puts his career in the present day, where the creators theorize he would have no idea who Taylor Swift is or own a cell phone.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

Nearly 40 years after the debut of The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo is nally making the title character the star of her own game. As The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom begins, Link — our usual hero — has vanished, so it’s o to the rescue for Princess Z. She’s hardly a damsel in distress, armed with a “Tri Rod” that lets her duplicate objects she nds outside her castle. She can even make copies of monsters and have them ght on her side. The magical sta gives Zelda the improvisational skills that made last year’s Tears of the Kingdom a smash, while the top-down dungeon exploration will remind old-school fans of early games in the franchise. The Echoes begin reverberating Thursday on Switch.

“Inside Out 2,” “Wolfs” and “Will & Harper” are streaming this week.

SCOTT GARFIELD / APPLE TV+

AP

Brad Pitt, left, and George Clooney star in “Wolfs,” streaming Friday on Apple TV+.

Rallying support

Democratic gubernatorial candidate and state Attorney General Josh Stein met with voters in Pittsboro last week as his main rival, Republican Mark Robinson, deals with fallout from an explosive media report that saw most of his senior campaign sta resign.

He’s not the only one making the rounds in the Tarheel State as former President Donald Trump held a rally — complete with Trump Force One yover — in Wilmington on Saturday, and JD Vance, his running mate, had appeared in Raleigh last Wednesday.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Absentee ballots nally being mailed out

Counties have started distributing absentee ballots for the November general election to those who have requested them. Election o cials in all 100 N.C. counties planned to mail out the rst ballots to regular state residents starting Tuesday. Ballots to military and overseas voters requesting them went out starting this past Friday. More than 207,000 absentee ballot requests have been received. State law directed that the rst absentee ballots were to go out on Sept. 6, but appeals courts prevented ballots containing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s name from going out. That led to reprinting and a roughly twoweek delay.

Cary man sentenced as one of rst Jan. 6 rioters

Four men who were among the rst rioters to assault police o cers and the rst to breach a security perimeter during the attack on the U.S. Capitol have been sentenced to prison terms. James Grant, 31, of Cary, was sentenced to three years in prison after he climbed into the Capitol through a broken window and entered a senator’s o ce. Following his arrest, he told investigators that the FBI was “the biggest threat to Americans” and that prosecuting Jan. 6 rioters was “a big witch hunt.” Grant’s attorney called it “almost incomprehensible” that prosecutors would seek a nine-year prison sentence. He should be eligible for release within months with credit for time served.

Albemarle City Council receives annual downtown report

The Albemarle Downtown Development Corporation has updated its mission statement

By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal

ALBEMARLE — The Albemarle Downtown Development Corporation has released its annual Main Street Impact Report, complete with an updated mission statement and vision.

At the Albemarle City Council meeting Sept. 16, councilmembers received a presentation from Main Street Manager Joy Almond, who provided the new organizational language based on re -

Stanly County Arts Council receives state funding for art programs

The council was awarded a grant of $47,385

By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal

ALBEMARLE — The Stanly County Arts Council has nearly $50,000 in state funding coming its way to bene t arts programs and administrative support for the 2024-25 scal year. Last month, the North Carolina Arts Council announced $11.5 million in grants across all 100 counties in the state to bene t nonpro t arts organizations, schools, after-school programs, municipalities, and artists. With 366 grants ranging from $5,000 to $338,000, Stanly’s arts council received $47,385 in the Grassroots Art Program category.

“The arts bene t North Carolinians of all ages,” Gov. Roy Cooper said in a press release. “These grants will enrich our communities as well as grow their economies throughout all one hundred counties.”

The N.C. Arts Council is aiming to use $11.5 million in funding to prioritize ve key missions: community outreach and audience engagement; improve organizational capacity and capabilities; connect K–12 students with artists in a range of disciplines; foster public-private partnerships that leverage state and federal funding with local support; and provide outreach to military service men and women, veterans, and their families.

As part of its funding process, the agency brought in panels of reviewers with

“These grants will enrich our communities as well as grow their economies throughout all one hundred counties.”

Gov. Roy Cooper

knowledge of di erent arts disciplines and community-building expertise.

“The record number of applications we received this grant cycle signals that artists are inspiring audiences and producing arts experiences that make our state a wonderful place to live, work, and visit,” said Je Bell, executive director for the N.C. Arts Council. “I thank Gov. Cooper and the General Assembly

visions made at the ADDC Board of Directors’ annual spring retreat.

“Embracing its rich history, Albemarle o ers a welcoming downtown experience in the heart of Stanly County and the Uwharrie region,” the updated statement in the 2023 -24 report read.

“It celebrates abundant recreational activities, artistic creativity, culture, culinary delights, and libations. It is a destination for a thriving business community that is supported by engaged downtown residents and college students.”

Almond added that the previous statement was changed

for championing our arts and culture sector. The arts deliver more than $2 billion in economic impact annually to our state and are a powerful tool to uplift entire communities.”

Each year, the Stanly County Arts Council (SCAC) receives a Grassroots Grant from the state’s arts council, with 20% of the grant going to support the key operations of the SCAC, and the remaining 80% going directly back into the community via Subgrants to support arts programs.

For the 2023-2024 scal year, Stanly County received $79,946 in total from the state’s $16 million.

The SPAC was awarded $47,261 for a Grassroots Arts

STANLYTV

Main Street Manager Joy Almond provided the Albemarle City Council with the latest Main Street Impact Report from the Albemarle Downtown Development Corporation.

CHRIS SEWARD / AP PHOTO

North State Journal

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CRIME LOG

Sept. 17

• Steven Reid Woody, 34, was arrested for multiple counts of second-degree kidnapping, resisting a public o cer, assault on a government o cial/ employee, assault, assault on a female, breaking or entering a motor vehicle, felony cruelty to animals, and multiple counts of child abuse.

• Nikita Rae Wallace, 37, was arrested for multiple counts of second-degree trespass and misdemeanor probation violation.

• Joshua Lee Carter, 33, was arrested for ctitious/altered title/registration card/tag, no liability insurance, driving while license revoked not impaired, driving/allowing motor vehicle with no registration, and expired/ no inspection.

• Jessica Liane Couick, 36, was arrested for breaking and entering and second-degree trespass.

Sept. 18

• Aaron Scott Wheeler, 53, was arrested for communicating threats and injury to personal property.

Sept. 19

• James Curtis Vanhoy, 69, was arrested for misdemeanor larceny.

Sept. 20

• Bethany Amber Brock, 26, was arrested for possession of a rearm by a felon.

• Steven Edward Akers, 42, was arrested for possession of a rearm by a felon.

Sept. 21

• Jose Baza Martinez, 34, was arrested for breaking or entering a motor vehicle, misdemeanor larceny, and injuring/tampering with a vehicle.

• Trista Fawn Donaldson, 38, was arrested for breaking or entering a motor vehicle, misdemeanor larceny, and injuring/tampering with a vehicle.

Sept. 23

• Jason Andrew Prosser, 39, was arrested for assault on a female, rst-degree burglary, larceny after breaking and entering, and domestic criminal trespass.

SUNDAY

Routh’s son arrested on child sexual abuse images charges

The Greensboro resident’s father is suspected in an assassination attempt on Donald Trump

By Alanna Durkin Richer

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. —

The son of the man suspected in the assassination attempt in Florida against former President Donald Trump has been arrested on federal charges of possessing child sexual abuse images.

Oran Alexander Routh was arrested this week after authorities searched his Greensboro home “in connection with an investigation unrelated to child exploitation,” and found hundreds of les depicting child sexual abuse, an FBI agent said in court papers.

Investigators who seized multiple electronic devices found videos sent to Oran Routh in July as well as chats from a messaging application commonly used by people who share child sexual abuse material, the FBI agent said.

He faces two charges of possessing and receiving child sexual abuse material and is expected to appear later Tuesday in federal court in North Carolina.

There was no attorney listed for Oran Routh in court papers. Phone messages left for relatives of Oran Routh were not immediately returned.

Oran Routh’s father, Ryan Wesley Routh, has been charged with federal gun offenses in connection to the attempted assassination at Trump’s Florida golf course earlier this month. Prosecutors have indicated much more serious attempted assassination

charges are coming. Oran Routh’s arrest was rst reported Tuesday by ABC News. A federal judge on Monday agreed with Justice Department prosecutors that Ryan Routh should remain locked up while he awaits trial in his case.

Prosecutors have said Ryan Routh left behind a note detailing his plans to kill the former president and kept in his car a handwritten list of dates and venues where Trump was to appear. The note describing Routh’s plans was placed in a box that he dropped o months earlier at the home of an unidenti ed person who did not open it until after Ryan Routh’s arrest, prosecutors said.

Ryan Routh is currently charged with illegally possessing his gun in spite of multiple felony convictions, includ-

ing two charges of possessing stolen goods in 2002 in North Carolina, and with possessing a rearm with an obliterated serial number.

But a prosecutor said in court Monday that they would pursue additional charges before a grand jury, accusing him of having tried to “assassinate a major political candidate” — charges that would warrant life in prison in the event of a conviction.

It is common for prosecutors to le more easily provable charges as an immediate placeholder before adding more signi cant allegations as the case proceeds.

Ryan Routh was arrested Sept. 15 after a Secret Service agent who was scoping the Trump International Golf Club for potential security threats saw a partially obscured man’s face and the barrel of a semiautomatic ri e, aimed directly at the former president.

The agent red at Routh, who sped away before being stopped by o cials in a neighboring county, leaving behind a loaded ri e, digital camera, a backpack and a reusable shopping bag that was hanging from a chain-link fence.

Clingmans Dome getting native name back

The peak, named for a Confederate general, is being renamed Kuwohi

The Associated Press

GATLINBURG, Tenn. — The highest peak at Great Smoky Mountains National Park is ofcially reverting to its Cherokee name more than 150 years after a surveyor named it for a Confederate general.

The U.S. Board of Geographic Names voted last week in favor of a request from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to ofcially change the name Clingmans Dome to Kuwohi, according to a news release from the park. The Cherokee name for the mountain translates to “mulberry place.”

“The Great Smoky National Park team was proud to support this e ort to o cially restore the mountain and to recognize its importance to the Cherokee People,” Superintendent Cas-

ARTS from page A1

Program — as well as $29,185 in a Grassroots Arts Program Special Appropriation — while the remaining $3,500 given to the county was for Monarch in the Technical Assistance category.

Stanly had 11 Grassroot Grant recipients for this past scal year: the Albemar -

COUNCIL from page A1

to better re ect what the ADDC envisions as the downtown’s vision.

“Formerly, it was listed as the Gateway to the Uwharries, and we felt that we were a part of the tourist destinations in our area — with our wonderful lakes, Morrow Mountain and the Uwharrie region — so we are now a part of the destination and all of the great things in our area. Our plan of moving forward is a re ection of that.”

The ADDC report also included downtown Albemarle’s investment statistics, showing $1,625,673 in public invest-

sius Cash said in the release.

“The Cherokee People have had strong connections to Kuwohi and the surrounding area, long before the land became a national park. The National Park Service looks forward to continuing

le Downtown Development Corporation; Friends of the Agri-Civic Center; Pfei er University; Stanly Arts Guild; Stanly County Chorale; Stanly County Concert Association; Stanly County Concert Band; Stanly County Partnership for Children; Stanly County Schools; Stanly County Senior Center; and Uwharrie Players.

This past spring, SPAC

ment and $11,664,679 in private investments. Additionally, the report noted two façade improvements, two overall building improvements, six net new businesses, and a net gain of 39 jobs within the municipal service district.

“Our volunteers are very crucial to the work that we do here in downtown, whether it is with events or beautication projects such as the ower plantings and the concrete ones at our downtown key intersections,” Almond said. “We had a total of 497

volunteer hours with a total of $15,700 in the dollar value that is recommended by our North

to work with the Cherokee People to share their story and preserve this landscape together.”

Kuwohi is a sacred place for the Cherokee people and is the highest point within the traditional Cherokee homeland, ac-

cording to the park. The peak is visible from the Qualla Boundary, home of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Great Smoky Mountains National Park closes Kuwohi every year for three half-days so that predominantly Cherokee schools can visit the mountain and learn its history.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, on the Tennessee-North Carolina border, is America’s most visited national park, and Kuwohi is one its most popular sites, with more than 650,000 visitors per year. The peak became known as Clingmans Dome following an 1859 survey by geographer Arnold Guyot, who named it for Thomas Lanier Clingman, a Confederate brigadier general as well as a lawyer, U.S. representative and senator from North Carolina, according to the park.

The name-restoration proposal was submitted in January by Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Principal Chief Michell Hicks.

commemorated its 50th anniversary last week with a grand opening of a new retrospective exhibit at the Stanly County History Center.

Since April 1, 1974, the council has served a mission to encourage and promote cultural and educational activities in the arts throughout the county.

“The arts are woven into the fabric of our state’s identity, and as I travel across North Carolina, I see rsthand how much the creative sector contributes to the cultural and economic vibrancy of cities, towns, and regions. When the arts ourish, communities ourish,” said Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Reid Wilson.

Carolina Main Street o ce. In the presentation, Almond went on to recognize John Williams, who was selected as the 2023 NC Main Street Champion; the 2024 champion has been selected and will be announced in March 2025. Highlighting the projects done by the ADDC throughout the past year, the report listed the ghost sign restoration on N. Depot Street, the rst quarterly Downtown Art Walk in collaboration with the Stanly County Arts Guild, and the rst annual Make Music Day, among others.

During the past scal year, the ADDC awarded more than

$5,000 to downtown businesses for matching grants in order to speed along projects.

“These things just didn’t happen by happenstance,” Councilman Benton Dry said. “With the plans, the growth that we’ve seen, what the council has done, and what your group is doing, I think it’s just a marvelous thing. As people come in, they’re actually seeing the di erence that we didn’t have ve years ago, versus what we’re seeing today. I just want to compliment you on the job.”

The Albemarle City Council is set to meet again on Oct. 7 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers.

CAITIE MCMEKIN / KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL VIA AP People walk down the path from Clingmans Dome tower in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in August 2017.

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

An e ective Secret Service requires real change

The agents assigned to protect President Trump — or any American president — should be placed entirely on their merit and nothing else.

THE SECRET SERVICE must completely rethink and revise its plans for protecting President Donald J. Trump.

Trump’s safety is clearly threatened. He has thankfully survived two assassination e orts.

The propaganda media and political left’s language continue to incite violence against the former and potentially future president.

The Secret Service’s reaction to the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, was clearly inadequate. Agents failed to detect and stop the would-be assassin. A local policeman red the shot that killed the gunman. Trump’s life was saved by the grace of God and that o cer — not the Secret Service.

Now we have had a second serious e ort to kill Trump. The Secret Service is claiming success because its agent found the suspected assassin about 400 yards ahead of President Trump’s position. However, this close call could have been catastrophic.

The suspect had reportedly been on the golf course since 1 a.m. It was essentially pure luck that an agent saw the gun barrel sticking out of the bushes. The suspect was clearly within range. The ri e and scope he carried were capable of ring a fatal shot at that distance.

After the rst attempt on Trump’s life, I warned Sean Hannity on July 13 that it was a political act that we should have seen coming:

“It was a deliberate act. And as you know, because we’ve talked about it o -air, I’ve said for four months that when all the legal baloney fails and when they begin to realize he is going to win, the violence is the next thing because they’re that desperate.”

So we have had months for the Secret Service to come to grips with the scale of the challenge. It has failed. Simply adding a few more agents is not an answer. The Secret Service must undertake a completely new model of protecting Trump. It was an especially bad sign when its rst reaction was to prevent the former president from playing golf because agents could not gure out how to protect him.

This public admission of its inability to think big and creatively enough made me wonder if the Trump team should bring in private sector protection service.

However, if Trump sticks with the Secret Service, then we should insist that it plans on the scale of the threat to Trump.

There are more than 7,000 agents in the Secret Service. They should reassign as many as necessary to have airtight coverage wherever Trump goes. Further, the Secret Service should consider military security systems, such as air base protection, and incorporate those technical capabilities. A drone carrying an infrared detection system could have been own over the golf course an hour before President Trump arrived, and it would have immediately detected the warm body lying in the shrubbery.

The agents assigned to protect Trump — or any American president — should be placed entirely on their merit and nothing else. Diversity, equity and inclusion rules should not play a role.

There must be greatly expanded cooperation between the Secret Service and local law enforcement. In both assassination attempts, local police played major roles. This should be expanded and made routine. There must also be coordinated communication with all the local agencies (which would prove invaluable in a real national crisis).

Increased K-9 unit capabilities are needed. When an area is swept, people and dogs can be left behind to ensure no one comes in after the rst sweep.

As those who wish to harm Trump grow more desperate, they may become more inventive. A drone threat is a real possibility and must be guarded against. Portable, mobile anti-drone systems should become part of the protective services. Coordination with the military and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency may become vital to keeping up with and countering threats.

The Secret Service must allocate the resources, manpower and skills to overmatch and defeat any plausible threat. The very fabric of American society requires that presidential candidates are protected from assassination.

This is a key moment for the survival of the American system.

The American people should demand that their government meet the challenge.

Newt Gingrich was the 50th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

The mixed and muddled results of banning a rmative action

Asian American enrollment dropped from 35% to 29% at Duke; for black enrollment, it increased from 12% to 13%.

IN THE ARGUMENTS before the Supreme Court on a rmative action in college admissions, proponents of a rmative action claimed that the number of blacks admitted to selective colleges and universities would plummet absent a rmative action. And opponents of a rmative action claimed that the number of Asian Americans would increase substantially. As colleges and universities release data on their incoming classes, the actual picture is much more muddled. Some schools have reported the kind of major declines in black and Hispanic enrollment that advocates of a rmative action feared. At Amherst College, the percentage of black students in the entering class dropped from 11% to 3%. At MIT, the number of black students dropped from 15% to 5%. At Brown University, the percentage of black students dropped from 15% to 9%, and the number of Hispanic freshmen dropped from 14% to 10%. At Columbia, the percentage of Asian students increased from 30% to 39%, while the percentage of black entering students dropped from 20% to 12%.

But other schools reported smaller drops in black and Hispanic enrollment, and little or no increase in Asian enrollment. Yale and Princeton held relatively steady in their percentages of minority admissions. Asian American enrollment dropped from 35% to 29% at Duke; from 30% to 24% at Yale; and from 26% to 23.8% at Princeton. As for black enrollment, it increased from 12% to 13% at Duke; stayed at 14% at Yale; and dropped only from 9% to 8.9% at Princeton. What’s happening?

The president of Amherst College, in an email to the college community, asked, “Why did our demographics change so signi cantly while other institutions saw di erent outcomes?” and said that the question has “no easy answer.”

Part of the answer — at least to the question of why Asian Americans didn’t show higher numbers — is that the percentage of students declining to identify their race has increased, for example, from 5% to 11% at Duke and from 4% to 7% at Brown. Experts speculate that the nonresponders are overwhelmingly Asian Americans who fear they will be disfavored because of race. At Tufts, nonresponders rose from 3.3% to 6.7%. At Harvard, they rose from 4% to 8%.

There are also discrepancies in the way di erent schools count, particularly when it comes to the growing number of biracial students. At some schools, when you check two boxes, you’re counted twice; at others, only once. No one is particularly satis ed with the numbers. Advocates of a rmative action point to the lower numbers of black and Hispanic students as costing all students the bene ts of diversity in the classroom and college experience, and point to the need for increasing e orts to recruit students from disadvantaged backgrounds. At Harvard, where the number of blacks in the incoming freshman class dropped from 18% to 14%, the Coalition for a Diverse Harvard described that drop as “huge” and argued that “any drop in an already small number can dramatically impact the campus environment for students of color, and students

are already reporting negative e ects.” A precipitous drop to as low as 3% can be a selfful lling prophecy, making it all the more di cult to recruit talented black students.

Others, like Richard Kahlenberg, director of the American Identity Project at the Progressive Policy Institute and a critic of a rmative action, take heart in the fact that the numbers aren’t as low as some feared they would be. “There were predictions that the black population could fall to 2% at some universities and 6% at Harvard, and that did not happen. I want there to be racial diversity on campus. I think it showed it was possible to achieve that without racial preferences.”

Still others have argued that the number of black and Hispanic students is still too high and the number of Asian Americans still too low to re ect a true merits system. “Your racial numbers are not possible under true neutrality,” Edward Blum, the president of Students for Fair Admissions, the group that brought a suit against Harvard in the Supreme Court, said in letters to Princeton, Yale and Duke, adding: “You are now on notice. Preserve all potentially relevant documents and communications” — a sign that they are contemplating litigation.

But the most troubling number of all, it seems to me, comes from Richard Sander, a critic of a rmative action who is a law professor at UCLA. According to Sander, who is cited by The New York Times for his work, black students make up about 3% of the top tenth of high school students nationally.

Three percent — for a group that makes up, according to data from Pew, some 14% of the U.S. population. That is, ultimately, what is wrong and why a rmative action at the college level is, at best, a Band-Aid for a larger problem of educational inequality that must be addressed if there is to be true equality and diversity at the college level.

Susan Estrich is a lawyer, professor, author and political commentator.

COLUMN | SUSAN ESTRICH

COLUMN | NEWT GINGRICH

Death toll rises to 38 in eastern Iran coal mine explosion

Fourteen people are still missing and believed to be trapped underground

By Nasser Karimi The Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran — Rescuers on Monday recovered the bodies of more workers killed in an explosion at a coal mine in eastern Iran, bringing the death toll in the disaster to at least 38, ofcials said. Another 14 miners are still believed to be trapped below ground.

The blast struck the coal mine in Tabas, about 335 miles southeast of the capital, Tehran, on Saturday night. On Sunday, weeping miners stood alongside mine cars that brought up the bodies of their colleagues, covered in coal dust.

The state-run IRNA news agency on Monday reported the new death toll from the blast, as well as the number of missing.

Survivors interviewed by Iranian state television, still smudged in coal dust, described chaotic scenes after the blast.

“We were in the mine, working. Suddenly, there was some smoke rising ... then I noticed I had di culty breathing,” said one miner who was not iden-

ti ed by state TV. “I jumped o from the workshop, and I scrambled until I reached somewhere (safe). My friends (remained) in there.”

Authorities said a sudden leak of methane gas led to the blast as workers began their work. They said mine gas checks Saturday night did not show any leakage before the explosion. Bodies recovered so far showed no signs of blast injuries, suggesting many of the workers died from the gas before the blast.

Such gases are common in mining, though modern safety measures call for ventilation and other measures to protect workers.

It wasn’t immediately clear what safety procedures were in place at the privately owned Tabas Parvadeh 5 mine, operated by Mandanjoo Co. The rm could not be reached for comment.

Iran’s new reformist president, Masoud Pezeshkian, preparing to travel to New York for the U.N. General Assembly, said Sunday that he ordered all e orts be made to rescue those trapped and aid their families.

He also said an investigation into the explosion had begun.

“I spoke with the ministers

of health, interior and security and ordered that the issues of the families of the victims and the injured be quickly resolved,” Pezeshkian said, according to a statement from his o ce. “I also requested to take measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents by improving work standards in the country’s mines.”

Iran’s mining industry has been struck by disasters be -

fore. In 2017, a coal mine explosion killed at least 42 people. Then-President Hassan Rouhani, campaigning ahead of winning reelection, visited the site in Iran’s northern Golestan province and angry miners besieged the SUV he rode in, kicking and beating the armored vehicle in a rage.

Lax safety standards and inadequate emergency services in mining areas were often blamed for the fatalities.

Oil-producing Iran is rich in a variety of minerals. It annually consumes around 3.5 million tons of coal but only extracts about 1.8 million tons from its mines per year. The rest is imported, often consumed in the country’s steel mills.

In 2013, 11 workers were killed in two separate mining incidents. In 2009, 20 workers were killed in several incidents.

Cholera spreading in Sudan as ghting continues

Nearly 400 have died from the fast-spreading infectious disease

By Samy Magdy The Associated Press

CAIRO — Cholera is spreading in war-torn Sudan, killing at least 388 people and sickening about 13,000 others over the past two months, health authorities said on Monday as more than 17 months of ghting between the military and a notorious paramilitary group shows no sign of abating.

Artillery shelling hit an open market Monday in Omdurman, the sister city of the capital, Khartoum, killing at least 13 people and wounding more than 30 others, the health ministry said.

The disease is spreading in areas devastated by recent heavy rainfall and oods, espe -

cially in eastern Sudan, where millions of war-displaced people have sheltered.

The casualties from cholera included six dead and about 400 sickened over the weekend, according to Sunday’s report by the Health Ministry. The disease was detected in 10 of the country’s 18 provinces, with the eastern Kassala and al-Qadarif provinces the most hit, the ministry said.

Cholera is a fast-developing, highly contagious infection that causes diarrhea, leading to severe dehydration and possible death within hours when not treated, according to the World Health Organization. It’s transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated food or water.

The disease isn’t uncommon in Sudan. A previous major outbreak left at least 700 dead and sickened about 22,000 in less than two months in 2017.

13K

People sickened by cholera in Sudan in the last two months

Sudan was plunged into chaos in April 2023 when simmering tensions between the military and a powerful paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces, exploded into open warfare across the country.

The ghting, which wrecked Khartoum and other urban areas, has been marked by atrocities, including mass rape and ethnically motivated killings that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, especially in the western region of Darfur, according to the United Nations and international rights groups.

Monday’s shelling hit the Sabrian market in Karari district in Omdurman, said Mohamed Ibrahim, the health ministry’s spokesman. He blamed the RSF for the attack.

The ghting has killed at least 20,000 people and wounded tens of thousands of others, according to the U.N. However, rights groups and activists say the toll was much higher.

The war also has created the world’s largest displacement crisis. More than 13 million people have been forced to ee their homes since the ghting began, according to the International Organization for Migration. That includes more than 2.3 million who ed to neighboring countries.

Devastating seasonal oods and cholera have compounded the Sudanese misery. At least 225 people have been killed and about 900 others were in-

jured in the oods, the Health Ministry said. Critical infrastructure has been washed away, and more than 76,000 houses have been destroyed or damaged, it said.

Famine was also con rmed in July in the Zamzam camp for displaced people, which is located about 10 miles from North Darfur’s embattled capital of al-Fasher, according to global experts from the Famine Review Committee. About 25.6 million people — more than half of Sudan’s population — will face acute hunger this year, they warned.

Fighting, meanwhile, rages in al-Fasher, the last major city in Darfur that is still held by the military. The RSF has been attempting to retake it since the start of the year.

Last week, the paramilitary force and its allied Arab militias launched a new attack on the city. The military said its forces, aided by rebel groups, managed to repel the attack and kill hundreds of RSF ghters, including two senior commanders.

MARWAN ALI / AP PHOTO

People line up in front of a bakery during a cease- re in Khartoum, Sudan, last year. Famine and cholera have spread throughout the country amid ghting in the African nation.

IRANIAN RED CRESCENT SOCIETY VIA AP

Miners and police o cers examine the site of a coal mine the day after a methane leak sparked an explosion Saturday in Tabas, Iran.

STANLY SPORTS

Rhett Lowder continues promising start to MLB career

The former North Stanly star has a 1.40 ERA as a big league hurler

By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal

ALBEMARLE — Now ve appearances into his Major League Baseball career, Cincinnati Reds right-handed pitcher Rhett Lowder has continued to show his organization why he was worthy of the seventh overall selection in the 2023 MLB draft.

The former North Stanly ace has pitched his way into a 1.40 ERA — the fourth-best ERA in Reds history since 1913 through a player’s rst ve career starts — with a 2-2 record, 21 strikeouts, and only four earned runs allowed through 25.2 innings.

Back on Aug. 29, Lowder was called up to Cincinnati after one start at Triple-A Louisville and 22 Minor League starts in total, attempting to bolster the Reds’ pitching sta after a series of injuries to the team’s rotation.

The former Wake Forest star’s impact on the sta has been substantial; the 22-year-old Albemarle native has now kept opponents o the scoreboard in three of his ve career appearances.

In his most recent appearance against Pittsburgh this past Saturday, he threw ve shutout innings as the Reds beat the Pirates 7-1.

“I think today was one of the bigger lessons that I’ve had so far, knowing I have that ability to bear down when it gets tough,” Lowder said after his home debut in the Great American Ball Park. “Every inning, I’m learning something new. I’m learning hitters and learning myself, honestly. That’s been this whole year, just getting into pro ball and taking something away from every start.”

Kyle

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Rhett Lowder throws in the rst inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins on Sept. 15 in Minneapolis.

With ve singles and two walks spread across ve frames, he put baserunners on in every inning but he was able to escape and get the outs when he needed to. This escape act showed its magic in an at-bat against Pirate left elder Connor Joe, where Lowder was able to climb back from a 3-0 count and end it with a strikeout.

“It was huge as the story of today, just being able to bear down and make those pitches in crunch time,” Lowder said. “I think that at-bat was probably one of the bigger ones of the day. It kind of gave me a little boost going on, not panicking, getting up 3-0. I just have to keep making pitches.”

As the MLB’s No. 32 overall prospect, he has impressed scouts with his command and pitch variety, utilizing fourseam fastballs, sinkers, sliders, and changeups. On Sunday, Cincinnati announced that manager David

Bell had o cially been red, capping o a season where the Reds (76-81) began as potential playo contenders but ended with them missing the postseason for the 10th consecutive year. Just one day before his ring, Bell provided his input on what he has seen from Lowder so far: “He throws strikes and makes pitches when he needs to, which shows maturity and that he’s prepared and knows what he’s doing. There will be days when he may not have his best stu , but this always gives him a chance. He knows how to pitch — especially for a young pitcher — and you know that when he needs to make a pitch, he knows how to get it done.”

Looking ahead to his sixth pro start and last start of 2024, Lowder is currently in line to pitch for the Reds in a Saturday afternoon (Sept. 28) road matchup against the Chicago Cubs.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Shalyn Bell

North Stanly, volleyball

Shalyn Bell is a senior on the North Stanly volleyball team.

She was a regular in our Athlete of the Week column last year, starring in both volleyball and girls’ basketball. She’s at it again this season, ranking fourth in the state in kills. She also leads Division 2A in the category and is second in the Yadkin Valley Conference in digs, third in hitting percentage.

Last week, North Stanly beat Piedmont and West Stanly to improve to 12-6 on the year. Bell had 36 kills against West, easily the most on the team. She also tied for the team lead with 24 digs. She also added 22 receptions, an ace and a dig.

Larson wins at Bristol to advance

Two former Cup Series champions were knocked out of the playo s

By Jenna Fryer The Associated Press

JUST MINUTES after Kyle Larson crossed the nish line on the most dominating victory ever for a Hendrick Motorsports driver, his team rushed his 9-year-old son to the winning Chevrolet.

Owen Larson was half in the car, half out, as his dad drove a victory lap around Bristol Motor Speedway with his son holding the No. 1 nger in the air.

“We had a little boys’ weekend here this weekend,” Larson said. “We’ll bring some hardware home tonight, too.” Larson dominated the rst elimination race of the Cup Se -

ries’ 10-race playo portion of the season by leading all but 38 of the 500 laps at the track in Bristol, Tennessee — the most laps led ever in a race by a Hendrick driver. It easily moved him into the second round of the playo s, while former Cup champions Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr., as well as Ty Gibbs and Harrison Burton, were eliminated from the 16-driver eld.

“I’ve had a lot of good cars since I’ve come to Hendrick Motorsports, but man, that was just great execution all weekend by the team,” Larson said.

“We dominate a lot of races but we might not close them all out, so it feels really good to close one out here.”

The rst of three elimination races in the 10-race playo s began with Denny Hamlin, Truex, Keselowski and Burton

all below the cutline and facing elimination from the 16-driver eld.

Hamlin, a three-time Daytona 500 winner with four career wins at Bristol, was never really worried and nished fourth. Burton, who used a surprise win at Daytona last month to qualify for the playo s in the nal few weeks before he loses his seat with Wood Brothers Racing, was doubtful to recover enough to advance and nished 35th. Keselowski, the 2012 Cup champion, and 2017 champion Truex had a better shot at salvaging their playo s but both came up empty.

Truex was penalized for speeding on pit road, taking him out of contention to advance, and Keselowski just didn’t have the pace. Joe Gibbs Racing had two of its four cars eliminated from the playo s as

Ty Gibbs was also penalized for speeding. Keselowski nished 26th and lamented the lack of speed in his RFK Racing Ford.

“Didn’t have the pace we wanted. We ran as hard as we could, there just wasn’t anything there,” Keselowski said. “Just gotta be faster.” Larson, meanwhile, led 462 of 500 laps, the most since Cale Yarborough led 495 laps in 1977. Larson’s laps led is the most ever by a Hendrick driver and marked the fth win of the season for the driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet.

“That’s pretty awesome because there’s been some legendary Hall of Famers race for Hendrick Motorsports, and we’ve all grown up watching Je Gordon and Jimmie Johnson dominate,” Larson said.

“So pretty cool to get my name

“Pretty cool to get my name on another record at Hendrick Motorsports.” Kyle Larson

on another record at Hendrick Motorsports.”

Daniel Suarez, who nished four laps down in 31st, squeezed out the nal spot into the second round of the playo s by 11 points over Gibbs. Also advancing were Chase Elliott, who nished second, Christopher Bell, who nished fth, regular-season champion Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Chase Briscoe, William Byron, Austin Cindric and Alex Bowman. Hendrick’s entire four-car Chevrolet lineup advanced, as did all three Ford drivers from Team Penske. But Toyota lost a pair of JGR entries, and Ford lost two cars.

BAILEY HILLESHEIM / AP PHOTO

WADE PAYNE / AP PHOTO

Larson leads Justin Haley and Todd Gilliland (white) on his way to winning Saturday night’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol.

Maye Day? Pats say not time yet to turn to rookie

New England will stick with Jacoby Brissett as its starting quarterback

By Jimmy Golen The Associated Press

JACOBY BRISSETT isn’t the problem. Drake Maye isn’t the solution.

So the New England Patriots will go another week — at least — with the veteran journeyman Brissett at starting quarterback before turning things over to Maye, the rookie rst-round draft pick out of UNC and acknowledged quarterback of the future.

“It’s still status quo,” coach Jerod Mayo said Friday, a day after the team’s 24-3 loss to the New York Jets. “Jacoby’s still our starting quarterback, and we’ve got to be ready to support him. There are 11 guys out there on offense, so it’s everyone.”

After a surprisingly good start to the season — beating Cincinnati and going to overtime against Seattle — the Patriots crashed in their AFC East opener last Thursday night against Aaron Rodgers and the Jets. Brissett completed 12 of 18 passes for 98 yards and was sacked ve times, limping away from one of the 10 hits he took.

“It’s football. I’m supposed to get hit. I didn’t sign up for this sport to not get hit, so I don’t really pay attention to that,” Brissett said after spending most of the game trying to avoid a Jets pass rush that overwhelmed the injury-riddle Patriots o ensive line.

“Those guys, they’re battling their (butts) o , man. And I tip my hat to them,” Brissett said. “It’s not an easy job. Honestly, I don’t want that job. But I respect those guys for going out there and just trying their best, and that’s all you can ask for, man.

It’s just, give me your best. I’m going to give them my best and, at the end of the day, we’ll see where we’re at.”

Brissett was pulled in thenal ve minutes and replaced by Maye, who went 4 for 8 for 22 yards in his NFL debut but was sacked twice in his lone series on the eld — including one to end the game.

Mayo said he considered keeping the rookie o the eld to protect him. “But at the same time I thought it was too good of

an opportunity for him to get out there and get some experience,” the coach said.

What’s working

It’s not great when the punter is the star, but Bryce Baringer’s ve punts averaged 49 yards, and three were downed inside the Jets 20.

What needs help

The o ensive line mostly

College football guarantee games pay millions to small-budget schools

Opportunities for guarantee games could shrink in future

By Ralph D. Russo

The Associated Press

OHIO STATE and Kent State, separated by 135 miles in the same state, occupy extreme ends of the spectrum of major college football.

Buckeyes football pulled in $127 million in revenue in 2023. Golden Flashes football has a budget of about $9 million.

Still, Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork and Kent State AD Randale Richmond share a similar problem for di erent reasons. Both look at their football schedules this season and see more so-called guarantee games than they would prefer.

Guarantee games are those one-o matchups where a school pays another to come to its stadium, with no return date. For power conference schools such as No. 3 Ohio State, that typically means cutting a check of around

The Tennessee o ense lines up against the Kent State defense during the rst half of a guarantee game—one of three Kent State plays this year

$1.5 million — give or take a few hundred thousand — to a school such as Kent State. More often than not, the games are not competitive. Occasionally, the smaller program gets to take home a historic victory along with a big check the way Northern Illinois ($1.4 million) did at No. 17 Notre Dame or Memphis ($1.3 million) did at Florida State earlier this season.

By the numbers

This season at least 60 guarantee games will be played matching schools that play in the NCAA’s highest level of Division I, the Football Bowl S ubdivision, with total payouts reaching $75 million,

held things together the rst two games, but it all came apart on Thursday night. The seven sacks matched the most the team has allowed since Scott Zolak and Hugh Millen were brought down eight times by Ted Marchibroda’s Indianapolis Colts in 1992.

“It was bad in all phases,” center David Andrews said. “We weren’t really able to get into a rhythm, and some things we thought were going to work didn’t, we didn’t execute it good enough.”

according to AP research. There are also dozens more games matching FBS teams with those in the second-tier Championship Subdivision that follow a similar structure but with smaller payouts. The most famous guarantee game — Appalachian State’s 34-32 upset at No. 5 Michigan in 2007 — included a $400,000 check for the visitors.

Ohio State’s anomaly

For Ohio State, a con uence of events, including conference realignment, left the Buckeyes with a three-game nonconference schedule of guarantee games in 2024. Typically, the Buckeyes have one high-pro le game against a power conference opponent that would be one end of a home-and-home series. Ohio State had a home-andhome against Notre Dame in 2022 and ’23, is set to play Texas in 2025 and ’26, and then play Alabama the following two seasons.

This year, however, Ohio State is paying $4.05 million for games against Akron, Western Michigan and Marshall.

It’s not so much that $4.05 million will break Ohio State athletics, which reported nearly $280 million in revenue in 2022.

The school made more than $64 million in ticket sales for eight games at Ohio Stadium (capacity

Injuries

The offensive line is in shambles. Starting left tackle Vederian Lowe (knee) and left guard Sidy Sow (ankle) didn’t play. Sub left tackle Caedan Wallace and left guard Michael Jordan both left the game injured in the fourth quarter. Center David Andrews (hip) and right tackle Mike Onwenu (wrist) played after being listed as questionable.

102,780) in ’22, according to the latest nancial records provided to the NCAA. Games that don’t involve Big Ten or marquee nonconference opponents drag down revenue in areas such as concessions, souvenirs and parking. Ohio State’s gameday revenue for Akron and WMU were almost identical, Bjork said.

Essentially, Ohio State is bringing in less and paying out more for guarantee games, he said.

Kent State’s conundrum

On the other end is Kent State, which will receive $3.9 million for games at Pitt, No. 6 Tennessee and No. 10 Penn State.

Richmond, who took over at Kent State in 2021, inherited this three-game stretch and said he would prefer no more than two.

Kent State also has three guarantee games booked for 2025 (at Texas Tech, Florida State and Oklahoma), Richmond is well aware that it is a lot to put on his football team and second-year coach Kenni Burns.

“It makes it very di cult to gain momentum when you have three guarantee games. I can’t answer whether it’s fair or not. I can answer that it does make it di cult,” he said.

SETH WENIG / AP PHOTO

New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood (44) sacks New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) during the fourth quarter of last Thursday’s game.

GEORGE WALKER IV / AP PHOTO

Barbara Jean (Taylor) Drye

April 17, 1936 ~ January 14, 2023

Dwight Farmer

Brian Carter Hall

January 24, 1939 ~ January 15, 2023

March 22, 1970 –Sept. 22, 2024

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

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

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

James Roseboro

Patricia Russell Sasser

June 23, 1967 ~ January 10, 2023

Aug. 25, 1938 – Sept. 20, 2024

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

Brian Carter Hall, 54, of Albemarle passed away on Sunday, September 22, 2024, in Atrium Health Stanly. His memorial service will be at 3 p.m. on Sunday, October 6, 2024, at Union Chapel Methodist Church with Pastor Monty Clark and Pastor Je Springer o ciating. The family will receive friends in the church sanctuary from 2 until 3 p.m. prior to the hour of the service.

Dwight was born January 24, 1939 in Stanly County to the late Walter Virgil and Martha Adkins Farmer. He was a 1957 graduate of Norwood High School and was a United States Army Veteran.

He was a member of Cedar Grove United Methodist Church where he had served as church treasurer and choir member. He began his career with the Stanly County Sheri ’s Department moving to the Norwood Police Department and retiring as Chief of Police with the Town of Norwood after many years of service.

Born March 22, 1970, in Mecklenburg County, NC, he was the son of Terry Hall and Sonja Fink Hall of Charlotte. He attended Union Chapel Methodist Church and was a self-employed electrician. Brian loved to sh at the beach. After High School, he spent a year touring as the keyboardist for the band Blind Taxi and played up and down the East Coast. Brian took great joy in and loved serving others, especially members of his family and his church family.

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

John B. Kluttz

Billy Jake Simpson Sr.

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

Patricia Russell Sasser, 86, of Albemarle passed away Friday, September 20, 2024, in her home. Her funeral service will be at 11 AM on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, at the First Baptist Church of Albemarle with Rev. Kendell Cameron o ciating. Burial will follow in Stanly Gardens of Memory. The family will receive friends on Tuesday evening from 6 until 8 at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle.

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

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

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

In addition to his parents, he is survived by his wife of nine years, Starla Thomas Hall. Other survivors include a brother Rodney Hall (Shonda) of Concord, sister Debbie Hall of Charlotte, step-children Jamey Love of Stan eld and Jessica Bowman (Zach) of Stan eld, and grandchildren Zack Smith (Taylor), Cohen Bowman and Carrigan Bowman, and greatgranddaughter Miley Smith. In lieu of owers, memorials can be made to Tillery Compassionate Care (960 N 1st St, Albemarle, NC 28001)

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

March 23, 1935 - January 9, 2023

July 29, 1934 – Sept. 18, 2024

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

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

Born August 25, 1938, in Stanly County, NC, she was the daughter of the late Raymond and Grace Russell. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Albemarle and a retired Elementary School Teacher at Sedge Garden School in Winston-Salem. She was preceded in death by her husband, Stephen L. Sasser, in 2017, and a son, Christopher Sasser, in 1999. Survivors include a son Mark. R. Sasser and wife Deb of Greensboro, NC, sister Kay Hatley of Albemarle, brother Ronald Russell of Albemarle, sister-in-law Betty Russell of Wadesboro, sister-inlaw Gwen Hager and husband Fred of Raleigh, sister-in-law Joann Russell of Albemarle and a number of nieces and nephews.

Billy Jake Simpson Sr. passed away on September 18, 2024, at Atrium Health Stanly of Albemarle NC. A graveside service to honor his life will be held on Sunday, September 22, 2024, at 3 p.m. in the Oakboro Cemetery by Rev. Brandon Bowers. The family will receive friends at the Oakboro Cemetery from 2 until 3 p.m. prior to the service time.

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

Bill Simpson was born July 29, 1934, in Mecklenburg County, NC, to William Jess Simpson and Lou Pearl Simpson. Bill graduated from Unionville High School and was a member of West Oakboro Baptist Church. Bill was a man of many talents, a great musician, and a machinist. He was always willing to help others. In the summertime, he loved to share all his vegetables with all of his neighbors. He was a loving father and husband and a Godly man.

Lewis “Bud” Felix Klutz

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

October 11, 1944 - January 10, 2023

March 5, 1930 –Sept. 18, 2024

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

Mr. Simpson was married to his wife of 66 years, Mary Willene Furr Simpson. Other survivors include three sons Billy Jake Simpson Jr. of Oakboro, David Keith Simpson of Charlotte, and Je Simpson (Julie) of Oakboro, a daughter Cynthia S. McSwain (Stephen) of Norwood, a sister Louise Funderburk of Monroe, six grandchildren, and 10 greatgrandchildren. A brother Rayvon Simpson and a grandson preceded him in death.

Darrick Baldwin

January 7, 1973 ~ January 8, 2023

At age 50, after years as a Detroit Diesel Mechanic he and Julie decided to take the plunge and open a full Model A Restoration Shop. They thrived at their shop in Cornelius, NC until their retirement in 1998 when they moved back to Cabarrus County. John once again set up shop in his back yard garage where he attracted a loyal group of friends who visited almost daily. While on the farm in Gold Hill, John also began a lifelong love with Alis Chalmers tractors after he restored his Dad’s tractor and began amassing his collection of tractors as well.

John restored many cars of his own and had the crowning achievement of winning the most prestigious award from MARC, The Henry for a restoration that garnered top points. He was also presented with the Ken Brady Service Awardthe highest award given to members at the national level.

Jazz saxophonist and composer Benny Golson dies at 95

He worked with the biggest names in jazz over a seven-decade career

By Karen Matthews The Associated Press

which also included “I Remember Cli ord,”written in 1956 after trumpeter Cli ord Brown, a friend, died in a car crash at age 25.

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

Lewis “Bud” Felix Kluttz, 94, of Locust passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, at Novant Mint Hill. A visitation will be held on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at the Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Locust from 6-8 p.m. A private burial will take place at a later date. Mr. Kluttz was born March 5, 1930, in Stanly County to the late Joseph and Blanche Kluttz. He was lovingly survived by his wife, Shirley Kluttz of seventy years. Those also left to cherish his memory are, daughters, Kathy Gardner and her husband Perry of Locust, and Jane Williams and her husband Horace of Locust, grandson, Andrew Gardner (Laura), great-grandchildren, Kirby, Curtis, Cole and Ruby, siblings, Betty Hartsell and Myron Kluttz. Bud was predeceased by a granddaughter, Melisa GardnerMullis, and siblings, James Kluttz, Ruby Thomas, Bill Kluttz and Roy Kluttz. Bud was a simple man who loved his family and friends deeply. He loved working in his garden. He was known for his hard work and dedication to his family and friends. In lieu of owers, memorials can be made to Stanly County Humane Society (2049 Badin Rd, Albemarle, NC 28001 and American Diabetes Association (diabetes.org) Stanly Funeral and cremation of Care of Locust is serving the Kluttz family.

Doris Elaine Jones Coleman, 78, went home into God’s presence on January 10 after a sudden illness and a valiant week-long ght in ICU. Doris was born on October 11, 1944, in the mountains of Marion, NC while her father was away ghting in the US Navy during World War II. Raymond Jones was so proud to return after the war and meet his little girl! Doris grew up in Durham, NC and graduated from Durham High School. She furthered her studies at Watts Hospital School of Nursing in Durham and graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1966.

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

This is what John’s Model A Community had to say upon learning of his death: He was an active member of Wesley Chapel Methodist Church where he loved serving as greeter on Sunday mornings. He also belonged to the United Methodist Men.

nix,” “M-A-S-H” and “Mission: Impossible.” He also arranged music for performers including Peggy Lee, Lou Rawls and Dusty Spring eld.

Franklin said Golson saw a rough cut of the lm a few weeks ago and loved it. “He was so happy he got to see it,” he said.

Golson released dozens of albums as a solo artist and as a member of various ensembles.

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

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Golson began learning the piano at age 9 and switched to the saxophone at age 14. He was still in high school when he started performing with other local musicians, including Coltrane, a childhood friend.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in SCJ at obits@stanlyjournal.com

NEW YORK — Jazz great Benny Golson, a tenor saxophonist and composer of standards such as “Killer Joe” and “Along Came Betty,” has died. He was 95.

Golson died Saturday at his home in Manhattan after a short illness, said Golson’s longtime agent, Jason Franklin. Over his seven-decade musical career, Golson worked with some of the biggest luminaries in jazz, including Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton and John Coltrane. He built much of his reputation not as a performer but from his compositions,

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

After a hiatus of more than a dozen years, Golson resumed playing the saxophone in the mid-1970s and launched a new version of the Jazztet with Farmer in 1982. He continued performing and writing music into his 90s.

Golson began writing and arranging music while attending Howard University.

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

After stints in Gillespie’s big band and in drummer Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Golson co-founded The Jazztet in 1959 with ugelhorn master Art Farmer.

The Jazztet disbanded in 1962, and Golson moved on to writing music for movies and for television shows such as “Man-

He published “Whisper Not: The Autobiography of Benny Golson” in 2016.

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

Franklin, who worked with Golson for 25 years, said Golson stopped performing when COVID-19 shut down music venues in 2020 but continued working on projects, such as giving interviews for a forthcoming documentary, “Benny Golson: Looking Beyond The Horizon.”

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

He appeared as himself in the 2004 Steven Spielberg movie “The Terminal,” in which the main character, played by Tom Hanks, travels to New York from a ctional Eastern European country to obtain Golson’s autograph, which he needs to complete a collection of signatures of all of the 58 jazz musicians who assembled for the famous 1958 group photo “A Great Day in Harlem.”

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

Actor and musician Steve Martin recalled the lm scene in a post on X on Sunday and said, “Thanks for all of the great music.”

With Golson’s death, Sonny Rollins is the last living subject of the photo who was an adult when it was taken.

Golson’s survivors include his wife, Bobbie Golson, daughter Brielle Golson and several grandchildren. Three sons preceded him in death.

Doris was preceded in death by her father Arthur Raymond Jones, her mother Mary Ellen Cameron Jones, and her sister Maryanne Jones Brantley. Survivors include her two precious daughters: Amy Cameron Coleman (partner Dr. Edward Neal Chernault) of Albemarle, NC, and Laura Lindahl Coleman Oliverio (husband David) of Cincinnati, Ohio; seven grandchildren: Cameron David Oliverio, Stephanie Jae Dejak, Luca Beatty Oliverio, Coleman John Dejak, Carson Joseph Oliverio, Ryan Nicholas Dejak, and Jadon Richard Oliverio; and numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, and loved ones.

Doris Jones Coleman

STATE & NATION

Do you know the 3

branches of US government?

Many don’t, leading to a push for civics education

By Allen G. Breed and Tim Sullivan

The Associated Press

BLUFFTON, S.C. — On the rst day of his American National Government class, professor Kevin Dopf asks how many of his students are United States citizens. Every hand shoots up.

“So, how did all you people become citizens?” he asks. “Did you pass a test?”

“No,” one young woman says tentatively. “We were born here.”

It’s a good thing. Based on his years of making his students at the University of South Carolina Beaufort take the test given to immigrants seeking U.S. citizenship, most would be rejected.

“Thirty, 35% of the students will pass it,” says Dopf, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and former West Point instructor. “The rest of them are clueless. I mean, they’re just clueless.”

Most states require some sort of high school civics instruction. But with a recent survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center showing that about a third of American adults can’t name the three branches of the federal government, many think we should be aiming higher.

Over the past few years, a small but growing number of states have begun requiring students at publicly funded colleges to complete a civics requirement. That comes as polling indicates civics education is wildly popular across the political spectrum.

Civics — the study of citizens’ rights and responsibilities — fosters a sense of unity, advocates say, and an ability to deal with disagreement. It empowers citizens, and many people believe it could help heal America’s divides. Having it in higher education means they can look at issue in more sophisticated ways, perhaps weaving it into other classes.

“I feel we are in the business for making a case for America,” said Louise Dube, head of iCivics, which promotes civics education.

But what does it mean when those talking about civics often can’t be, well, civil?

Take North Carolina, where lawmakers and academics got into a heated battle over who should decide how civics would be taught.

Last year, North Carolina Republicans introduced the REACH Act, an acronym for “Reclaiming College Education on America’s Constitutional Heritage.” The bill required undergraduates to take at least three credit hours in American government and read a series of major U.S. history documents, from the Declaration of Independence to Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” They would also have to pass a nal exam worth 20% of the nal grade.

If the bill seemed anodyne on the surface, it met with intense pushback. Critics pointed to the bill’s “reclaiming” title, its at-

tempt to dictate curriculum usually set by professors and that it was drafted by Jameson Broggi, an avowedly conservative U.S. Marine Corps captain and lawyer who has said curriculum must include “devotion to American institutions and ideals.”

The North Carolina act easily passed the state House in March 2023 and a rst reading in the Senate. It seemed on its way to victory.

University of North Carolina o cials and faculty were not happy.

“We tried to slow this down in House but had zero success,”

Bart Goodson, senior vice president of government relations for the 16-school UNC system wrote to a fellow administrator in an April 2023 email, obtained by Broggi through an open records request.

“It was a ‘wrap yourself in the ag’ type bill and anyone who spoke against was essentially viewed as non-American,” Goodson wrote.

So, as the idea moved slowly through the legislative process, UNC faculty took matters into their own hands.

Wade Maki, chair of the UNC faculty assembly, worked with professors from four other campuses, including two historically black universities, to draft a set of learning outcomes. They studied what’s being done in other states.

The resulting proposal, called the “Foundations of American Democracy,” mirrors the REACH Act in many ways. They even added Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address to the list of required documents.

It seemed like everyone wanted the same thing.

But supporters of requiring civics through legislation were troubled — why did the faculty object to their version?

“What are these people afraid of?” asked Michael B. Poliako , president and chief executive o cer of American Council

“It was a ‘wrap yourself in the ag’ type bill and anyone who spoke against was essentially viewed as non-American.”

UNC administrator Bart Goodson

of Trustees and Alumni, which helped Broggi draft the North Carolina act and a similar one that passed in South Carolina three years ago.

“As if understanding the founding documents and the pivotal moments in our history, culminating with letter from Birmingham Jail, would be too disturbing, too retro.”

That’s not the point, the academics say.

Unlike standards in K-12 schools, college faculty typically decide the content of individual courses. It’s seen as a core of academic freedom.

“Faculty are the primary owners of the curriculum.” says Maki, who teaches philosophy at UNC Greensboro. “We know what works in ways that sometimes someone outside of higher ed may not know what works.”

The UNC board of governors, all 24 of whom were appointed by the GOP-led legislature, unanimously approved the plan in mid-April. Details are still being ironed out, with the requirement applying to students entering the system starting July 2025. (The NC REACH Act’s sponsors, displeased with the UNC plan, have vowed to revive the legislative e ort next year.)

According to the conservative, New York-based Civics Alliance, legislation in at least 10 states — Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Wyoming — require undergraduates at public universities to take at least one American his-

tory and/or government course. The requirement is being enacted, or at least discussed, in other states. And the Alliance — which rails against “identity politics” and “radical New Civics activists” — is looking to spread the word.

The organization has created model legislation that calls for the “’study of and devotion to America’s exceptional and praiseworthy history.’” David Randall, the alliance’s executive director, said its materials had “informed” legislation in Florida, Iowa and Texas, but declined to say what other states might have reached out.

Some state college systems, like UNC, haven’t waited for a legislative mandate to act.

For example, students at Indiana’s Purdue University and its satellite campuses can choose from three paths — write reections after attending six approved civics-related events, listen to 12 podcasts and take a series of quizzes or complete one of 13 politics or history courses — and pass an exam. University of Arizona system faculty are currently developing “American Institutions” curricula to ful ll a requirement from the board of regents.

Professors acknowledge not all students appreciate the forced civics learning.

“Some view it as the vegetable in a meal, some view it as the dessert. For some, the goal is just to nish the meal,” said David Reingold, dean of Purdue’s College of Liberal Arts, who oversaw the implementation of the system’s civics program.

The Civics Alliance says America’s colleges, which train K-12 teachers, have been “taken over by a radical establishment determined to replace proper civics education with pedagogies such as Critical Race Theory and action civics ...” Whitney Ross Manzo, an associate professor of political science at Meredith Col-

Professor Wade Maki, chairman of the University of North Carolina system’s faculty senate, helped draft a civics requirement that students at all publicly funded colleges will have to ful ll starting in July 2025.

lege in Raleigh, says fears about political indoctrination assume “a power that faculty simply don’t have.”

“If I could force something on my students, it would be to read their syllabus and do their homework. I don’t have the power to change their political ideology,” said Manzo, who once taught in Texas.

Back in Blu ton, Dopf has his work cut out for him.

After some introductory remarks, Dopf tells his students to take out a piece of paper and pen.

“This is your rst test.”

The 14 questions are relatively simple: How many members in the U.S. Senate? What are the requirements to be president? How long is the term for members of the House of Representatives?

Would-be citizens must get six of 10 answers correct to pass. Dopf holds his students to a lower standard — just seven of 14.

As he expected, about 70% unked.

One student thought Clarence Thomas was chief justice of the Supreme Court. Another put down that the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1667.

“To miss basic facts like that,” Dopf says, exasperation in his voice. “We need to develop better skill sets for our students so that we have a better democracy.” (In fairness, he says even 30% of his West Point cadets failed the quiz.)

Audra Hillman, 18, a freshman from Wake Forest, took two politics classes in high school. So, how’d she do?

“I probably would have got kicked out,” she says with a nervous chuckle.

Hillman wants to eventually work with special needs kids but doesn’t resent having to squeeze in this civics class.

“Everyone should vote,” she says. “Like, it’s your duty as an American citizen. And I think that everyone should go out and be educated.”

MOORE COUNTY

Rallying support

Democratic gubernatorial candidate and state Attorney General Josh Stein met with voters in Pittsboro last week as his main rival, Republican Mark Robinson, deals with fallout from an explosive media report that saw most of his senior campaign sta resign.

He’s not the only one making the rounds in the Tarheel State as former President Donald Trump held a rally — complete with Trump Force One yover — in Wilmington on Saturday, and JD Vance, his running mate, had appeared in Raleigh last Wednesday.

WHAT’S HAPPENING County considers expanded animal shelter operations

Absentee ballots nally being mailed out

Counties have started distributing absentee ballots for the November general election to those who have requested them. Election o cials in all 100 N.C. counties planned to mail out the rst ballots to regular state residents starting Tuesday. Ballots to military and overseas voters requesting them went out starting this past Friday. More than 207,000 absentee ballot requests have been received. State law directed that the rst absentee ballots were to go out on Sept. 6, but appeals courts prevented ballots containing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s name from going out. That led to reprinting and a roughly two-week delay.

Cary man gets 3-year sentence as one of rst Jan. 6 rioters

Four men who were among the rst rioters to assault police o cers and the rst to breach a security perimeter during the attack on the U.S. Capitol have been sentenced to prison terms. James Grant, 31, of Cary, was sentenced to three years in prison after he climbed into the Capitol through a broken window and entered a senator’s o ce. Following his arrest, he told investigators that the FBI was “the biggest threat to Americans” and that prosecuting Jan. 6 rioters was “a big witch hunt.” Grant’s attorney called it “almost incomprehensible” that prosecutors would seek a nine-year prison sentence. He should be eligible for release within months with credit for time served.

Commissioners heard input on how to improve animal care

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

CARTHAGE — Moore

County is continuing to look for ways in which it can help more animals.

At its Sept. 17 regular business meeting, the board held a public hearing to hear about a proposed expansion and potential improvements to Moore County Animal Operations.

The Sheri ’s O ce had initially approached the board

about adding a surgical suite and in-house veterinary sta to its animal operations department back in August.

“The problem that we have been confronted with over the last year are complaints over our euthanasia rates being too high and our inept ability to run a county animal shelter as described by a few,” said Chief Deputy Andy Conway. “Our recommendation is to hire veterinarians and construct a surgical suite which is simply to provide that veterinarian with all of the necessary tools available in order to reduce euthanasia rates and to save as many animals as possible to increase

“I think every person’s goal is to be a no-kill shelter.”

Moore County Sheri ’s O ce Chief Deputy Andy Conway

their chances of adoption. In no way are we hiring a veterinarian to be in competition with anyone.”

Some of the pros Conway listed were improved animal care, e ciency and cost savings with procedures, enhanced adoption rates, educa-

tion and training, and better emergency response.

Cons included the cost of hiring and supplying the suite, overdependency on a single vet, and potential workload and emotional burnout of said vet.

“It is apparent that employing a vet at animal services can lower the euthanasia rate by providing advanced medical care and rehabilitation as well as quality temperament testing, but in the end, it may be cost prohibitive based upon expectations,” Conway said.

The current euthanasia rate for the animal operations department is 32.36% of which 15% are sick and injured and 10.9% are due to temperament.

“For us to be a no-kill shelter, which is everyone’s goal — I think every person’s goal is to be a no-kill shelter — we have to be under 10%,” Conway said.

“These are the numbers we

Bibibop brings Korean fast casual to Southern Pines

Fast-growing chain o ers variety of avors, colorful looks for Asian bowls

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

SOUTHERN PINES —

The fast casual dining scene in Southern Pines got a bit more color and avor with the opening of Bibibop in the Target Shopping Center.

The Asian grill celebrated its grand opening last Thursday as the rapidly growing chain continues its expansion.

Bibibop was founded in 2013 in Columbus, Ohio, by Korean immigrant Charley Shin, who was already a successful restaurant chain entrepreneur with his Charleys Philly Steaks — a mall food court staple.

The nal syllable of the store name (Bop) or dish that inspired it (bap) means “rice.” In addition to standard white rice one would expect as the base of a Korean dish, Bibibop o ers purple rice. Also known as “forbidden rice,” it’s a mixture of white rice and wild black rice that takes on a dark purple hue after soaking. It has more ber and fewer calories than standard rice, according to Bibibop. Other options, including sweet potato noodles and salad greens, are also available as the base. Proteins include the fast-casual options you’d

Bibibop harkens back to Shin’s homeland. Its name is a takeo of the Korean dish bibimbap, which means “mixed rice.”

“You start with a rice base, then add di erent toppings, di erent colors, which makes it look like a ower,” said a store representative.

The Southern Pines store will be Bibibop’s 68th location, spread across 10 states, and the company hopes to add another half-dozen states to the list within a year.

The explosion of color is one of the most noticeable aspects of the Southern Pines store. A variety of fresh vegetables are available as toppings, as well as some that many diners may not be familiar with. Like many fast-casual outlets, Bibibop o ers bowl dishes, with a base and variety of proteins and toppings.

CHRIS SEWARD / AP PHOTO

SHAWN KREST / NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Bibibop is open in the Target Shopping Center.

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

Neal Robbins, Publisher

Jim Sills, VP of Local Newspapers

Cory Lavalette, Senior Editor

Jordan Golson, Local News Editor

Shawn Krest, Restaurant Critic

Dan Reeves, Features Editor Ryan Henkel, Reporter

P.J. Ward-Brown, Photographer BUSINESS

David Guy, Advertising Manager

THURSDAY

See BOARD, page A2 are speci cally targeting and these numbers will be posted every month on the county website.”

Commissioner Nick Picerno added, “I’ve always thought that civilizations were always measured by how they treated their elders and how they treated their pets, so let’s see if we can’t continue to get ideas and work toward a goal where we don’t have to put down any animals

other than those that are sick or whatnot.”

The board also held a quasi-judicial hearing for text amendments to the Unied Development Ordinance in regards to language surrounding accessory structures, primarily their size limitations.

Currently, the UDO requires accessory structures to not be larger than the primary residence/structure on the property.

However, the board recom-

mended that the amendment regarding size limitations be sent back to the planning board in order to come up with concrete limits.

“There needs to be some limitation,” Picerno said. “You can’t just build an Amazon distribution center on it. So let them think about the lot size. We’re not trying to deny citizens rights to do what they want on their land.”

The Moore County Board of Commissioners will next meet Oct. 1.

Sept. 17

• Kasey Fawn Seawell, 30, was arrested by MCSO for possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Ronald Je ery Gaddy, 66, was arrested by MCSO for driving while impaired.

• Mario Termain Dockery, 42, was arrested by MCSO for possession of methamphetamine.

Sept. 18

• Robert Kerry Mangrum, 51, was arrested by MCSO for possession with intent to sell/deliver marijuana.

• Darrian Justin Hunter, 32, was arrested by Taylortown PD for seconddegree trespass.

• Travis Wayne Garner, 35, was arrested by MCSO for child support violation.

Sept. 19

• Kelly Ray Richardson, 36, was arrested by MCSO for possession of methamphetamine.

• Christian Ki’elle Redfearn, 23, was arrested by Aberdeen PD for obtaining property by false pretense.

• Tatyana Alexis Marley, 23, was arrested by MCSO for simple assault.

Sept. 20

• Matthew Henson Kimball, 43, was arrested by MCSO for DWI-Level 2.

Sept. 21

• Shelton Vernell McKenzie, 55, was arrested by Southern Pines PD for possession with intent to manufacture/sell/deliver Schedule II controlled substance.

is now open in Southern Pines, serving Korean fare in bowls with nearly limitless options and combinations of avors.

BIBIBOP from page A1

expect—chicken, steak and tofu—as well as spicy chicken and Korean BBQ beef.

The toppings are where Bibibop begins to play. In addition to beans, cheese and corn, diners can opt for bean sprouts, sesame kale, pineapple, avocado and spicy kimchi, as well as domestic favorites like potatoes, broccoli, carrots, red cabbage, cucumber and strips of hard-boiled egg. Sauces include yum um, teriyaki and sesame ginger, with plans to add gochujang — a savory, sweet and spicy paste made

from fermented red pepper — shortly.

Customers can mix and match bases, proteins, unlimited toppings and sauces on their own or choose from one of several chef-curated bowls on the menu.

The sheer variety means that none of the brightly-colored, avorful results of a trip through the line will look or taste the same as any other. The variety also allows Bibibop to cater to more dietary restrictions than the standard fast-casual place. In addition to having ample vegan and/ or gluten-free options, when

put to the test, employees were very quickly able to suggest mixtures to accommodate sesame and garlic allergies.

While striving to be the Korean version of Chipotle, Bibibop also has a healthy social and community awareness, reminiscent of Chick- l-a or Ben & Jerry’s.

“We want to share our vision as a company,” said a store manager. “Because that’s what we do. Our mission is to honor God and strengthen our neighbor. Everything is all about integrity. That’s what we want to do on a daily basis—by serving you delicious, healthy food.”

moore happening

Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in and around Moore County:

Sept. 26

Moore County Farmers Market

9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 604 W. Morganton Road (Armory Sports Complex), Southern Pines

The Vass Farmers Market

3-6:30 p.m.

Sandy Ramey Keith Park 3600 U.S.-1 BUS, Vass

Shop the Vass Farmers Market every Thursday at Sandy Ramey Keith Park. Enjoy supporting many local farmers and vendors.

Sept. 26-28

Moore County Historical Association: Shaw House and Property Tours

1-4 p.m.

Shaw House 110 Morganton Road, Pinehurst

The Moore County Historical Association’s Shaw House grounds and properties are open for tours on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. The tours are free and open to all ages. Enjoy learning of the impressive history here in Moore County. “The Moore County Historical Association is a non-pro t organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, and sharing, the rich historical legacy of the towns, cities and surrounding area, of Moore County, North Carolina.”

Through

Oct. 1

“Donate Your Stu ” for the 2024 Shaw House Tag Sale

Noon Shaw House 110 Morganton Road, Pinehurst “Donate Your Stu ” for the 2024 Tag Sale to bene t the preservation of our Moore County Historical Association! You may drop donations Monday-Friday from 1-4 p.m. at the Shaw House in Southern Pines. You may also call 910 - 692-2051 to arrange for pickup of donations. The last day to donate is Oct. 1.

SHAWN KREST / NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Bibibop

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

An e ective Secret Service requires real change

The agents assigned to protect President Trump — or any American president — should be placed entirely on their merit and nothing else.

THE SECRET SERVICE must completely rethink and revise its plans for protecting President Donald J. Trump.

Trump’s safety is clearly threatened. He has thankfully survived two assassination e orts.

The propaganda media and political left’s language continue to incite violence against the former and potentially future president.

The Secret Service’s reaction to the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, was clearly inadequate. Agents failed to detect and stop the would-be assassin. A local policeman red the shot that killed the gunman. Trump’s life was saved by the grace of God and that o cer — not the Secret Service.

Now we have had a second serious e ort to kill Trump. The Secret Service is claiming success because its agent found the suspected assassin about 400 yards ahead of President Trump’s position. However, this close call could have been catastrophic.

The suspect had reportedly been on the golf course since 1 a.m. It was essentially pure luck that an agent saw the gun barrel sticking out of the bushes. The suspect was clearly within range. The ri e and scope he carried were capable of ring a fatal shot at that distance.

After the rst attempt on Trump’s life, I warned Sean Hannity on July 13 that it was a political act that we should have seen coming:

“It was a deliberate act. And as you know, because we’ve talked about it o -air, I’ve said for four months that when all the legal baloney fails and when they begin to realize he is going to win, the violence is the next thing because they’re that desperate.”

So we have had months for the Secret Service to come to grips with the scale of the challenge. It has failed. Simply adding a few more agents is not an answer. The Secret Service must undertake a completely new model of protecting Trump. It was an especially bad sign when its rst reaction was to prevent the former president from playing golf because agents could not gure out how to protect him.

This public admission of its inability to think big and creatively enough made me wonder if the Trump team should bring in private sector protection service.

However, if Trump sticks with the Secret Service, then we should insist that it plans on the scale of the threat to Trump.

There are more than 7,000 agents in the Secret Service. They should reassign as many as necessary to have airtight coverage wherever Trump goes. Further, the Secret Service should consider military security systems, such as air base protection, and incorporate those technical capabilities. A drone carrying an infrared detection system could have been own over the golf course an hour before President Trump arrived, and it would have immediately detected the warm body lying in the shrubbery.

The agents assigned to protect Trump — or any American president — should be placed entirely on their merit and nothing else. Diversity, equity and inclusion rules should not play a role.

There must be greatly expanded cooperation between the Secret Service and local law enforcement. In both assassination attempts, local police played major roles. This should be expanded and made routine. There must also be coordinated communication with all the local agencies (which would prove invaluable in a real national crisis).

Increased K-9 unit capabilities are needed. When an area is swept, people and dogs can be left behind to ensure no one comes in after the rst sweep.

As those who wish to harm Trump grow more desperate, they may become more inventive. A drone threat is a real possibility and must be guarded against. Portable, mobile anti-drone systems should become part of the protective services. Coordination with the military and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency may become vital to keeping up with and countering threats.

The Secret Service must allocate the resources, manpower and skills to overmatch and defeat any plausible threat. The very fabric of American society requires that presidential candidates are protected from assassination.

This is a key moment for the survival of the American system.

The American people should demand that their government meet the challenge.

Newt Gingrich was the 50th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

The mixed and muddled results of banning a rmative action

Asian American enrollment dropped from 35% to 29% at Duke; for black enrollment, it increased from 12% to 13%.

IN THE ARGUMENTS before the Supreme Court on a rmative action in college admissions, proponents of a rmative action claimed that the number of blacks admitted to selective colleges and universities would plummet absent a rmative action. And opponents of a rmative action claimed that the number of Asian Americans would increase substantially. As colleges and universities release data on their incoming classes, the actual picture is much more muddled. Some schools have reported the kind of major declines in black and Hispanic enrollment that advocates of a rmative action feared. At Amherst College, the percentage of black students in the entering class dropped from 11% to 3%. At MIT, the number of black students dropped from 15% to 5%. At Brown University, the percentage of black students dropped from 15% to 9%, and the number of Hispanic freshmen dropped from 14% to 10%. At Columbia, the percentage of Asian students increased from 30% to 39%, while the percentage of black entering students dropped from 20% to 12%.

But other schools reported smaller drops in black and Hispanic enrollment, and little or no increase in Asian enrollment. Yale and Princeton held relatively steady in their percentages of minority admissions. Asian American enrollment dropped from 35% to 29% at Duke; from 30% to 24% at Yale; and from 26% to 23.8% at Princeton. As for black enrollment, it increased from 12% to 13% at Duke; stayed at 14% at Yale; and dropped only from 9% to 8.9% at Princeton. What’s happening?

The president of Amherst College, in an email to the college community, asked, “Why did our demographics change so signi cantly while other institutions saw di erent outcomes?” and said that the question has “no easy answer.”

Part of the answer — at least to the question of why Asian Americans didn’t show higher numbers — is that the percentage of students declining to identify their race has increased, for example, from 5% to 11% at Duke and from 4% to 7% at Brown. Experts speculate that the nonresponders are overwhelmingly Asian Americans who fear they will be disfavored because of race. At Tufts, nonresponders rose from 3.3% to 6.7%. At Harvard, they rose from 4% to 8%.

There are also discrepancies in the way di erent schools count, particularly when it comes to the growing number of biracial students. At some schools, when you check two boxes, you’re counted twice; at others, only once. No one is particularly satis ed with the numbers. Advocates of a rmative action point to the lower numbers of black and Hispanic students as costing all students the bene ts of diversity in the classroom and college experience, and point to the need for increasing e orts to recruit students from disadvantaged backgrounds. At Harvard, where the number of blacks in the incoming freshman class dropped from 18% to 14%, the Coalition for a Diverse Harvard described that drop as “huge” and argued that “any drop in an already small number can dramatically impact the campus environment for students of color, and students

are already reporting negative e ects.” A precipitous drop to as low as 3% can be a selfful lling prophecy, making it all the more di cult to recruit talented black students.

Others, like Richard Kahlenberg, director of the American Identity Project at the Progressive Policy Institute and a critic of a rmative action, take heart in the fact that the numbers aren’t as low as some feared they would be. “There were predictions that the black population could fall to 2% at some universities and 6% at Harvard, and that did not happen. I want there to be racial diversity on campus. I think it showed it was possible to achieve that without racial preferences.”

Still others have argued that the number of black and Hispanic students is still too high and the number of Asian Americans still too low to re ect a true merits system. “Your racial numbers are not possible under true neutrality,” Edward Blum, the president of Students for Fair Admissions, the group that brought a suit against Harvard in the Supreme Court, said in letters to Princeton, Yale and Duke, adding: “You are now on notice. Preserve all potentially relevant documents and communications” — a sign that they are contemplating litigation.

But the most troubling number of all, it seems to me, comes from Richard Sander, a critic of a rmative action who is a law professor at UCLA. According to Sander, who is cited by The New York Times for his work, black students make up about 3% of the top tenth of high school students nationally.

Three percent — for a group that makes up, according to data from Pew, some 14% of the U.S. population. That is, ultimately, what is wrong and why a rmative action at the college level is, at best, a Band-Aid for a larger problem of educational inequality that must be addressed if there is to be true equality and diversity at the college level.

Susan Estrich is a lawyer, professor, author and political commentator.

COLUMN | NEWT GINGRICH

Death toll rises to 38 in eastern Iran coal mine explosion

Fourteen people are still missing and believed to be trapped underground

By Nasser Karimi

The Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran — Rescuers on Monday recovered the bodies of more workers killed in an explosion at a coal mine in eastern Iran, bringing the death toll in the disaster to at least 38, o cials said. Another 14 miners are still believed to be trapped below ground.

The blast struck the coal mine in Tabas, about 335 miles southeast of the capital, Tehran, on Saturday night. On Sunday, weeping miners stood alongside mine cars that brought up the bodies of their colleagues, covered in coal dust.

The state-run IRNA news agency on Monday reported the new death toll from the blast, as well as the number of missing.

Survivors interviewed by Iranian state television, still smudged in coal dust, described chaotic scenes after the blast.

“We were in the mine, working. Suddenly, there was some smoke rising ... then I noticed I had di culty breathing,” said one miner who was not identi ed by state TV. “I jumped

o from the workshop, and I scrambled until I reached somewhere (safe). My friends (remained) in there.”

Authorities said a sudden leak of methane gas led to the blast as workers began their work. They said mine gas checks Saturday night did not show any leakage before the explosion. Bodies recovered so far showed no signs of blast injuries, suggesting many of the workers died from the gas before the blast.

Such gases are common in mining, though modern safety measures call for ventilation and other measures to protect workers.

It wasn’t immediately clear what safety procedures were in place at the privately owned Tabas Parvadeh 5 mine, operated by Mandanjoo Co. The rm could not be reached for comment.

Iran’s new reformist president, Masoud Pezeshkian, preparing to travel to New York for the U.N. General Assembly, said Sunday that he ordered all e orts be made to rescue those trapped and aid their families. He also said an investigation into the explosion had begun.

“I spoke with the ministers of health, interior and security and ordered that the issues of the families of the victims and the injured be quickly resolved,” Pezeshkian said, ac -

cording to a statement from his o ce. “I also requested to take measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents by improving work standards in the country’s mines.”

Iran’s mining industry has been struck by disasters before. In 2017, a coal mine explosion killed at least 42 people.

Then-President Hassan Rouhani, campaigning ahead of winning reelection, visited the site in Iran’s northern Golestan province and angry miners besieged the SUV he rode in, kicking and beating the ar -

mored vehicle in a rage.

In 2013, 11 workers were killed in two separate mining incidents. In 2009, 20 workers were killed in several incidents.

Lax safety standards and inadequate emergency services in mining areas were often blamed for the fatalities.

Oil-producing Iran is rich in a variety of minerals. It annually consumes around 3.5 million tons of coal but only extracts about 1.8 million tons from its mines per year. The rest is imported, often consumed in the country’s steel mills.

Cholera spreading in Sudan as ghting continues

Nearly 400 have died from the fast-spreading infectious disease

By Samy Magdy

The Associated Press

CAIRO — Cholera is spreading in war-torn Sudan, killing at least 388 people and sickening about 13,000 others over the past two months, health authorities said on Monday as more than 17 months of ghting between the military and a notorious paramilitary group shows no sign of abating.

Artillery shelling hit an open market Monday in Omdurman, the sister city of the capital, Khartoum, killing at least 13 people and wounding more than 30 others, the health ministry said.

The disease is spreading in areas devastated by recent heavy rainfall and oods, espe -

cially in eastern Sudan, where millions of war-displaced people have sheltered. The casualties from cholera included six dead and about 400 sickened over the weekend, according to Sunday’s report by the Health Ministry. The disease was detected in 10 of the country’s 18 provinces, with the eastern Kassala and al-Qadarif provinces the most hit, the ministry said.

Cholera is a fast-developing, highly contagious infection that causes diarrhea, leading to severe dehydration and possible death within hours when not treated, according to the World Health Organization. It’s transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated food or water.

The disease isn’t uncommon in Sudan. A previous major outbreak left at least 700 dead and sickened about 22,000 in less than two months in 2017.

13,000

Sudan was plunged into chaos in April 2023 when simmering tensions between the military and a powerful paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces, exploded into open warfare across the country.

The ghting, which wrecked Khartoum and other urban areas, has been marked by atrocities, including mass rape and ethnically motivated killings that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, especially in the western region of Darfur, according to the United Nations and international rights groups.

Monday’s shelling hit the Sabrian market in Karari district in Omdurman, said Mohamed Ibrahim, the health ministry’s spokesman. He blamed the RSF for the attack.

The ghting has killed at least 20,000 people and wounded tens of thousands of others, according to the U.N. However, rights groups and activists say the toll was much higher.

The war also has created the world’s largest displacement crisis. More than 13 million people have been forced to ee their homes since the ghting began, according to the International Organization for Migration. That includes more than 2.3 million who ed to neighboring countries.

Devastating seasonal oods and cholera have compounded the Sudanese misery. At least 225 people have been killed and about 900 others were in-

“We were in the mine, working. Suddenly, there was some smoke rising ... then I noticed I had di culty breathing.”

Unidenti ed Iranian miner

jured in the oods, the Health Ministry said. Critical infrastructure has been washed away, and more than 76,000 houses have been destroyed or damaged, it said. Famine was also con rmed in July in the Zamzam camp for displaced people, which is located about 10 miles from North Darfur’s embattled capital of al-Fasher, according to global experts from the Famine Review Committee. About 25.6 million people — more than half of Sudan’s population — will face acute hunger this year, they warned.

Fighting, meanwhile, rages in al-Fasher, the last major city in Darfur that is still held by the military. The RSF has been attempting to retake it since the start of the year.

Last week, the paramilitary force and its allied Arab militias launched a new attack on the city. The military said its forces, aided by rebel groups, managed to repel the attack and kill hundreds of RSF ghters, including two senior commanders.

IRANIAN RED CRESCENT SOCIETY VIA AP

Miners and police o cers examine the site of a coal mine the day after a methane leak sparked an explosion Saturday in Tabas, Iran.

People sickened by cholera in Sudan in the last two months

MOORE SPORTS

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Harley Moyer

Union Pines, football

Harley Moyer is a senior defensive back on the Union Pines football team.

The Vikings are 4-1, and the defense is a big reason why. Union Pines shut out their rst three opponents this season and held Lee County to just six points, their fewest in nine seasons.

Moyer tied for the team high in tackles against Lee, with nine, including eight solo stops. He also recovered a fumble in the 7-6 victory.

For the year, Moyer has four interceptions, which leads the Sandhills Conference and is third best in North Carolina Division 3A. He’s also recovered two fumbles and added a tackle for loss to go with his 24 tackles, 21 solo, on the season.

Union Pines gets milestone win

The Vikings beat Lee County in a defensive struggle, while North Moore searches for its rst win

North Staet Journal sta

UNION PINES is having its most successful season in recent years, while North Moore is struggling more than it has in the past few campaigns. After a week o , Pinecrest will rejoin the football fray this week.

Union Pines

The Vikings bounced back from their rst loss of the year in week four to get back on the winning track Friday night.

Union Pines pulled out a 7-6 win in a defensive struggle at home against Lee County. The win was a milestone one or the Vikings. Union Pines has played Lee County every year since 2013 and had never recorded a win. In the 11 previous meeting of the annual series, the Vikings had given up 533 points and scored just 96, an average margin of 48-11. Six times, they’ve given up at least 40 points, and Union Pines had been shut out ve times, losing by at least 40 each of the last six years.

It was also the fewest points any opponent had held Lee County to since the 2015 season. That was also the last time Union Pines matched its 4-1 start to the season. The Vikings have shut out three of their opponents on the year and have a 1-0 record in the Sandhills.

This week, the Vikings host Scotland in another conference game, Friday at 7:30 p.m. The Fighting Scots are 2-3, 1-0 in the Sandhills and coming o a 4532 home win over Hoke County.

Pinecrest

Pinecrest had the week o to enjoy their perfect nonconference record. The Patriots are 4-0, with a pair of home wins and two on the road. This week, Pinecrest heads into conference play, hosting Richmond at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. The Raid-

ers are 3-2 and already have a 1-0 mark in the Sandhills Conference, thanks to their 41-7 win at Southern Lee last week. Richmond has held three opponents to 10 points or fewer and are led on defense by linebackers Kmauri Morgan and Terande Spencer. On offense, quarterback Evan Hodges is among conference leaders in passing yards, and Pinecrest will also need to watch out for dangerous return man Jayden Hamilton on punts and kicks.

North Moore

The Mustangs dropped their fourth straight to open the season, falling at home to Southeast Alamance, 29-6. North Moore actually scored rst, leading 6-0 on a Xander Greene touchdown run. The Mustangs also got several interceptions, but they couldn’t get their own passing game on track and struggled to contain Southeast’s o ense. North Moore is now 0-2 in

the Mid-Carolina Conference. At 0-4, they already have more losses than any of the last three seasons. The Mustangs will look for their rst positive result of the year at home against Jordan-Matthews in a conference game at 7 p.m. on Friday. The Jets are 2-3 on the year and 1-2 in the Mid-Carolina, coming o a 48-0 beating at the hands of Northwood.

Moore County Week Six High School Schedule:

Friday, Sept. 27, 7:30 p.m., Pinecrest Patriots (4-0) vs. Richmond Raiders (3-2, 1-0 in Sandhills) *Sandhills Conference game Friday, Sept. 27, 7 p.m., North Moore Mustangs (0-4, 0-2 in Mid-Carolina) vs. Jordan-Matthews Jets (2-3, 1-2) *Mid-Carolina Conference game Friday, Sept. 27, 7:30 p.m., Union Pines Vikings (4-1, 1-0 in Sandhills) vs. Scotland Fighting Scots (2-3, 1-0) *Sandhills Conference game

Larson wins at Bristol to advance

Two former Cup Series champions were knocked out of the playo s

By Jenna Fryer The Associated Press

JUST MINUTES after Kyle Larson crossed the nish line on the most dominating victory ever for a Hendrick Motorsports driver, his team rushed his 9-year-old son to the winning Chevrolet.

Owen Larson was half in the car, half out, as his dad drove a victory lap around Bristol Motor Speedway with his son holding the No. 1 nger in the air.

“We had a little boys’ weekend here this weekend,” Larson said. “We’ll bring some hardware home tonight, too.” Larson dominated the rst elimination race of the Cup Se -

ries’ 10-race playo portion of the season by leading all but 38 of the 500 laps at the track in Bristol, Tennessee — the most laps led ever in a race by a Hendrick driver. It easily moved him into the second round of the playo s, while former Cup champions Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr., as well as Ty Gibbs and Harrison Burton, were eliminated from the 16-driver eld.

“I’ve had a lot of good cars since I’ve come to Hendrick Motorsports, but man, that was just great execution all weekend by the team,” Larson said. “We dominate a lot of races but we might not close them all out, so it feels really good to close one out here.”

The rst of three elimination races in the 10-race playo s began with Denny Hamlin, Truex, Keselowski and Burton

all below the cutline and facing elimination from the 16-driver eld.

Hamlin, a three-time Daytona 500 winner with four career wins at Bristol, was never really worried and nished fourth. Burton, who used a surprise win at Daytona last month to qualify for the playo s in the nal few weeks before he loses his seat with Wood Brothers Racing, was doubtful to recover enough to advance and nished 35th. Keselowski, the 2012 Cup champion, and 2017 champion Truex had a better shot at salvaging their playo s but both came up empty. Truex was penalized for speeding on pit road, taking him out of contention to advance, and Keselowski just didn’t have the pace. Joe Gibbs Racing had two of its four cars eliminated from the playo s as

Ty Gibbs was also penalized for speeding. Keselowski nished 26th and lamented the lack of speed in his RFK Racing Ford.

“Didn’t have the pace we wanted. We ran as hard as we could, there just wasn’t anything there,” Keselowski said. “Just gotta be faster.” Larson, meanwhile, led 462 of 500 laps, the most since Cale Yarborough led 495 laps in 1977. Larson’s laps led is the most ever by a Hendrick driver and marked the fth win of the season for the driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet.

“That’s pretty awesome because there’s been some legendary Hall of Famers race for Hendrick Motorsports, and we’ve all grown up watching Je Gordon and Jimmie Johnson dominate,” Larson said.

“So pretty cool to get my name

“Pretty cool to get my name on another record at Hendrick Motorsports.”

Kyle Larson

on another record at Hendrick Motorsports.”

Daniel Suarez, who nished four laps down in 31st, squeezed out the nal spot into the second round of the playo s by 11 points over Gibbs.

Also advancing were Chase Elliott, who nished second, Christopher Bell, who nished fth, regular-season champion Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Chase Briscoe, William Byron, Austin Cindric and Alex Bowman. Hendrick’s entire four-car Chevrolet lineup advanced, as did all three Ford drivers from Team Penske. But Toyota lost a pair of JGR entries, and Ford lost two cars.

DAVID SINCLAIR FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL Pinecrest linebacker Blake Stroven was named Junior Class Prince at the Patriots’ homecoming game earlier this month. After a week o , Stroven and Pinecrest return to the eld to defend their undefeated record this week.

WADE PAYNE / AP PHOTO

Kyle Larson leads Justin Haley and Todd Gilliland (white) on his way to winning Saturday night’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol.

Maye Day? Pats say not time yet to turn to rookie

New England will stick with Jacoby Brissett as its starting quarterback

By Jimmy Golen

The Associated Press

JACOBY BRISSETT isn’t the problem. Drake Maye isn’t the solution.

So the New England Patriots will go another week — at least — with the veteran journeyman Brissett at starting quarterback before turning things over to Maye, the rookie rst-round draft pick out of UNC and acknowledged quarterback of the future.

“It’s still status quo,” coach Jerod Mayo said Friday, a day after the team’s 24-3 loss to the New York Jets. “Jacoby’s still our starting quarterback, and we’ve got to be ready to support him. There are 11 guys out there on o ense, so it’s everyone.”

After a surprisingly good start to the season — beating Cincinnati and going to overtime against Seattle — the Patriots crashed in their AFC East opener last Thursday night against Aaron Rodgers and the Jets. Brissett completed 12 of 18 passes for 98 yards and was sacked ve times, limping away from one of the 10 hits he took.

“It’s football. I’m supposed to get hit. I didn’t sign up for this sport to not get hit, so I don’t really pay attention to that,” Brissett said after spending most of the game trying to avoid a Jets pass rush that overwhelmed the injury-riddle Patriots o ensive line.

“Those guys, they’re battling their (butts) o , man. And I tip my hat to them,” Brissett said.

“It’s not an easy job. Honestly,

I don’t want that job. But I respect those guys for going out there and just trying their best, and that’s all you can ask for, man. It’s just, give me your best.

I’m going to give them my best and, at the end of the day, we’ll see where we’re at.”

Brissett was pulled in thenal ve minutes and replaced by Maye, who went 4 for 8 for 22 yards in his NFL debut but was sacked twice in his lone series on the eld — including one to end the game.

Mayo said he considered keeping the rookie o the eld to protect him. “But at the same time I thought it was too good of an opportunity for him to get out there and get some experience,” the coach said.

What’s working

It’s not great when the punter

College football guarantee games pay millions to small-budget schools

Opportunities for guarantee games could shrink in future

By Ralph D. Russo The Associated Press

OHIO STATE and Kent State, separated by 135 miles in the same state, occupy extreme ends of the spectrum of major college football.

Buckeyes football pulled in $127 million in revenue in 2023. Golden Flashes football has a budget of about $9 million.

Still, Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork and Kent State AD Randale Richmond share a similar problem for di erent reasons. Both look at their football schedules this season and see more so-called guarantee games than they would prefer.

Guarantee games are those one-o matchups where a school pays another to come to its stadium, with no return date. For power conference schools such as No. 3 Ohio State, that typically means cutting a check of around $1.5 million — give or take a few hundred thousand — to a school such as Kent State.

More often than not, the games are not competitive. Occasionally, the smaller program gets to take home a historic victory along with a big check the way Northern Illinois ($1.4 million) did at No. 17 Notre Dame

or Memphis ($1.3 million) did at Florida State earlier this season.

By the numbers

This season at least 60 guarantee games will be played matching schools that play in the NCAA’s highest level of Division I, the Football Bowl Subdivision, with total payouts reaching $75 million, according to AP research. There are also dozens more games matching FBS teams with those in the second-tier Championship Subdivision that follow a similar structure but with smaller payouts. The most famous guarantee game — Appalachian State’s 34-32 upset at No. 5 Michigan in 2007 — included a $400,000 check for the visitors.

Ohio State’s anomaly

For Ohio State, a con uence of events, including conference realignment, left the Buckeyes with a three-game nonconference schedule of guarantee games in 2024. Typically, the Buckeyes have one high-pro le game against a power conference opponent that would be one end of a home-and-home series. Ohio State had a home-andhome against Notre Dame in 2022 and ’23, is set to play Texas in 2025 and ’26, and then play Alabama the following two seasons.

Burdett “Buzz” W. Rust

June 22, 1950 –Sept. 16, 2024

is the star, but Bryce Baringer’s ve punts averaged 49 yards, and three were downed inside the Jets 20.

What needs help

The o ensive line mostly held things together the rst two games, but it all came apart on Thursday night. The seven sacks matched the most the team has allowed since Scott Zolak and Hugh Millen were brought down eight times by Ted Marchibroda’s Indianapolis Colts in 1992.

“It was bad in all phases,” center David Andrews said. “We weren’t really able to get into a rhythm, and some things we thought were going to work didn’t, we didn’t execute it good enough.”

Injuries

The o ensive line is in shambles. Starting left tackle Vederian Lowe (knee) and left guard Sidy Sow (ankle) didn’t play. Sub left tackle Caedan Wallace and left guard Michael Jordan both left the game injured in the fourth quarter. Center David Andrews (hip) and right tackle Mike Onwenu (wrist) played after being listed as questionable.

This year, however, Ohio State is paying $4.05 million for games against Akron, Western Michigan and Marshall.

It’s not so much that $4.05 million will break Ohio State athletics, which reported nearly $280 million in revenue in 2022. The school made more than $64 million in ticket sales for eight games at Ohio Stadium (capacity 102,780) in ’22, according to the latest nancial records provided to the NCAA.

Games that don’t involve Big Ten or marquee nonconference opponents drag down revenue in areas such as concessions, souvenirs and parking. Ohio State’s gameday revenue for Akron and WMU were almost identical, Bjork said.

Essentially, Ohio State is bringing in less and paying out more for guarantee games, he said.

Kent State’s conundrum

On the other end is Kent State, which will receive $3.9 million for games at Pitt, No. 6 Tennessee and No. 10 Penn State.

Richmond, who took over at Kent State in 2021, inherited this three-game stretch and said he would prefer no more than two. Kent State also has three guarantee games booked for 2025 (at Texas Tech, Florida State and Oklahoma), Richmond is well aware that it is a lot to put on his football team and second-year coach Kenni Burns.

“It makes it very di cult to gain momentum when you have three guarantee games. I can’t answer whether it’s fair or not. I can answer that it does make it di cult,” he said.

Burdett “Buzz” W. Rust, 74 of Pinehurst, North Carolina and formerly of Eden, Kenmore and Buffalo, NY passed into the arms of his Heavenly Father surrounded by family at home after a lengthy and courageously fought battle with a chronic illness. The oldest son of three boys born to Burdett Rust and Lois Pearl (nee Steffen) Rust. Devoted husband to Susan Martinez-Rust (nee Anderson), brother to Bruce Rust (Kathy) and Barry Rust (Kathleen). Incredibly loving and supportive father to Jeremy Rust (Kimberly), Gregory Rust (Krista) and Emily Gunter (John). Of all the titles Buzz had over the years

“Papa or Poppo” was by far his most favorite. Adoring and proud Papa/Poppo to Henry, Charles, Reba, Colton, Boden and John Jr., Mr. Rust was predeceased by his parents, Burdett and Lois Rust, and his loving first wife, Susan Clare Rust.

After Buzz’s love of family, came his affection for the sea, so much so that he joined the U.S. Navy in 1968 immediately out of high school. During his time in the Navy, he also married the first love of his life, Susan C. Rust. Together they shared many trips, adventures and memories while he sailed and was stationed in the Mediterranean until 1974 when he was honorably discharged.

Our father and mother began the most impactful time in their lives, raising their family starting in Kenmore, New York, then in Eden, New York. Known to many as the “country cousins” Dad worked tirelessly to build a home with our mother that allowed us to make immeasurable memories and taught his children what it meant to make a house a home.

Throughout his professional life, Buzz worked as a Field Service Technician in both the medical field at Mennen Medical, as well as the aerospace industry for Gemcor. This line of work allowed him to continue his trips and adventures in life, as he traveled both stateside and internationally. Buzz would speak with anyone, and to know him, was to be considered his friend. This allowed him to make countless connections with people all over the world and many that he kept in contact with regularly. One of the main components of Buzz’s work as a Field Service Technician was to train and educate employees about how to both use and fix, a variety of machines and pieces of equipment.

Education was incredibly important to Buzz, and he modeled that importance to his children by achieving his Bachelor of Science degree at age 50 after many obstacles slowed him from achieving it earlier in life. Upon leaving the workforce as a Field Service Technician, Buzz continued in the education field as an Industrial Workforce Development Instructor, a passionate educator working for a variety of industries and educational institutions both in New York and North Carolina near where he resided. Buzz’s last, and arguably most enjoyable job, was working for his son Jeremy at his landscape design-build company in West End, North Carolina where he often reminded Jeremy that paper and pencils are cheap; truckloads of sand and gravel are not!

Even outside of work, the travel bug never really left him, and he loved to “meander” as he called it.

Buzz loved to drive with the window down and a hot cup of coffee; this encouraged him to take countless trips with his family, mainly to visit relatives around the United States. Visiting family is how he and his wife found their next home in Pinehurst, North Carolina. After shoveling and blowing snow for decades, he decided it was time to retire to a warmer area, and having his children nearby was “icing on the cake” as he would say. In 2008, he and Susie settled down in North Carolina. Buzz and the second love of his life, Sue, affectionately known to him as Susie, were later married in Pinehurst, NC, where they enjoyed spending time together with their many friends and family, especially their grandchildren. Buzz often remarked how fortunate he was to have found a second devoted and loving wife in Susie to share in all he experienced in the later years of life!

Upon successfully raising his children, he looked for countless opportunities to better the lives of our nation’s veterans within his community. Buzz, being a U.S. Navy Veteran himself, a title he wore so proudly, enjoyed being an active member as well as the immediate past Commander of American Legion Post 72 in Aberdeen, NC. Buzz worked with both Veterans Affairs and Disabled American Veterans and ensured if he was ever made aware of a veteran in need, he would exhaust all efforts to make certain it was attended to promptly. Later in life, Buzz used his ability to cook for groups such as the Wounded Warriors as well as the American Legion, which added to the organizations’ programming and fundraising efforts.

Buzz loved anything that allowed him to spend time with his family. Known in his younger years to put on the best Fourth of July parties, which always included friends, family, food and often fireworks, too! Dad thoroughly enjoyed cooking and hosting get-togethers no matter the time of year, much of which he inherited from his mother, and likewise passed onto his children. Buzz was a wonderful cook, known for his breakfast burritos and pulled pork sandwiches.

Buzz loved the outdoors and any activity that was fitting for the season. Some of his greatest joys were fishing, a love which he in turn shared with his children where we spent many a day in the “Green Ninja” out on Lake Erie, pier fishing at the beach with Susie, as well as pond and saltwater fishing on the Gulf Stream in retirement with his kids and grandchildren.

He was incredibly encouraging to his family and his children, allowing us kids to partake in many different sports, hobbies and occupations. Buzz demonstrated many character attributes to his children, wit, being one of them, but also how to build grit and telling us that at times we would have to learn to “eat dirt”, dust yourself off, and try again to be successful in life. Up until the very end, Buzz continued to infuse wisdom into his children and grandchildren, and led by example on how to handle all that life throws at you.

Family will receive friends and loved ones in North Carolina on Friday, September 20th from 7-9 p.m. at Boles Funeral Home (425 West Pennsylvania Avenue, Southern Pines, NC). A funeral service will be held on Saturday, September 21 at 3 p.m. at Culdee Presbyterian Church (916 NC Hwy 73, West End, NC). A reception will immediately follow in the Church’s Fellowship Hall. A visitation in New York is scheduled on Thursday, September 26 from 11 a.m.2 p.m. at Amigone Funeral Home (6170 W. Quaker Street, Orchard Park, NY). A burial service with military honors will immediately follow at Woodlawn Cemetery (4443 S. Buffalo Street, Orchard Park, NY). Donations may be made in Buzz Rust’s memory to American Legion Post #72, 211 East Main Street, Aberdeen, NC 28315.

SETH WENIG / AP PHOTO

New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood (44) sacks New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) during the fourth quarter of last Thursday’s game.

Elizabeth Ann Margulis

Feb. 22, 1931 – Sept. 21, 2024

Elizabeth Ann (Campbell) Margulis 93, of Pinehurst, passed on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at Fox Hollow Assisted Living in Pinehurst.

Mrs. Margulis was born February 22, 1931, in Greenville, SC, to the late Hugh Campbell and Margaret (Holtzclaw) Campbell. In addition to raising her three children, Ann worked her entire career at the Pentagon in Arlington, VA for the Department of Army. She retired in 1991 with 30 years of service.

She was a wonderful mother, grandmother and greatgrandmother. She loved her family and especially loved cooking for her family. She was a wonderful cook; the family has fond memories of her fried chicken, mac & cheese and brisket to name just a few.

Mrs. Margulis was preceded in death by her husband, Harold Joseph Margulis, in 2007. Also preceding her in death was a son, John Baucom; a daughter, Kathy Johnson; a brother, Samuel Campbell, and a granddaughter, Susan del Castillo

She is survived by her daughter, Lisa Weaver of Whispering Pines; a step-son, Don Margulis of Massachusetts; daughter-in-law, Adriana Baucom of Florida; son-inlaw, Carl Johnson of Virginia; eight grandchildren, Sergio de del Castillo, Linda de del Castillo, Jennifer Petroski, Jaimie O’Connor, Juan Diego Baucom, Marianna Baucom, and Jonathan Margulis; seven greatgrandchildren, Tyhra Barreto, Michael Collins, Jordan Liggett, Carleigh Liggett, Kaitlynn Liggett, Allison Chewning, and Roger Chewning III. A committal service will be held at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery where Mrs. Margulis will be placed with her husband.

Memorials may be made in her memory to FirstHealth Hospice and Palliative Care at 150 Applecross Drive, Pinehurst, NC 28374. Services entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.

Marilyn Alberta Lewis Maxwell

March 3, 1944 – Sept. 17, 2024

Marilyn Alberta Lewis Maxwell, 80 of Pineblu passed on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, at SECU Hospice House in Smith eld, NC.

A visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, at the Boles Funeral Home in Southern Pines. A service will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, at Boles Funeral Home Southern Pines with Rev. Gregg Newton o ciating. Burial will follow in the Raeford Cemetery in Raeford, NC.

Mrs. Maxwell was born March 3, 1944 in Pompton Plains, NJ to the late Samuel John Lewis and Merle Alberta Rood Lewis. Marilyn helped with the bus ministry at Ives Memorial Baptist Church. She took care of many children while her kids were growing up. Marilyn crocheted numerous blankets and other projects for her family and friends. Marilyn was a member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church.

Mrs. Maxwell was preceded in death by her husband Boger Edgar Maxwell Jr. in 2017. Also preceding her in death were two brothers, Samuel Derwood Lewis, Howard Lewis and a sister, Charlotte Durfee.

She is survived by her daughters, Ellen Marie Capsta and husband Gerard of Raeford, NC; and Diane Charlotte Maxwell of Hendersonville, NC; a son, Je ery Wayne Maxwell and wife Wendy of Pinehurst, NC; nine grandchildren, Gerard Capsta Jr., Christopher Capsta , Timothy Capsta , Michael Capsta , Joseph Capsta , Katie Byrd, Adam Byrd, David Byrd and Bridget Maxwell; ve greatgrandchildren, Ally Capsta , Ceclia Capsta , Charles Capsta , Jezzielynn Cayday and Aslan Brown. Services entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.

John Lewis Bassett “JB”

Sept. 20, 1954 –Sept. 16, 2024

John Lewis Bassett “JB”, age 69, of Southern Pines, NC, passed away on September 16, 2024. John was born in Philadelphia, PA, on September 20, 1954, to C. Gregory Bassett Jr. and Berneice Byrd Bassett. John was a graduate of Western Carolina University and received his master’s degree from George Washington University. He was an avid woodworker, gardener, grilling master, and an active member of the Elks, volunteering with the Communication and Scholarship committees for the last three years. John retired after 35 Years of working with DOD, National Geospatial Intelligence Agency & Defense Mapping as a Master Instructor and Trainer.

John is survived by his wife, Deborah Bassett, Southern Pines, NC; sisters, Laura (Matt) Robinson, New Smyrna, FL, Amy (Gary) Cole, Richmond, VA; a brother, Greg Bassett, Welltin, AZ, 11 nieces and nephews. John was preceded in death by his parents.

A celebration of life service will be held Thursday, September 26, 2024, at 1 p.m. at Boles Funeral Home, Southern Pines. In lieu of owers please send donations to: Southern Pines Elks Lodge, C/O JB Scholarship Fund, 515 SE Broad Street, Southern Pines, NC.

A reception will follow from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Pine Crest Inn, 50 Dogwood Rd., Pinehurst, NC 28374.

Services are entrusted to Boles Funeral Home, Southern Pines.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in NSJ at obits@northstatejournal.com

Jazz saxophonist and composer Benny Golson dies at 95

He worked with the biggest names in jazz over a seven-decade career

By Karen Matthews The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Jazz great Benny Golson, a tenor saxophonist and composer of standards such as “Killer Joe” and “Along Came Betty,” has died. He was 95.

Golson died Saturday at his home in Manhattan after a short illness, said Golson’s longtime agent, Jason Franklin. Over his seven-decade musical career, Golson worked with some of the biggest luminaries in jazz, including Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton and John Coltrane. He built much of his reputation not as a performer but from his compositions, which also included “I Remember Cli ord,”written in 1956 after trumpeter Cli ord Brown, a friend, died in a car crash at age 25. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Golson began learning the piano at age 9 and switched to the saxophone at age 14. He was still in high school when he started performing with other local musicians, including Coltrane, a childhood friend.

Golson began writing and arranging music while attending Howard University.

After stints in Gillespie’s big band and in drummer Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Golson co-founded The Jazztet in 1959 with ugelhorn master Art Farmer. The Jazztet disbanded in 1962, and Golson moved on to writing music for movies and for television shows such as “Mannix,” “M-A-S-H” and “Mission: Impossible.” He also arranged music for performers including Peggy Lee, Lou

Rawls and Dusty Spring eld.

After a hiatus of more than a dozen years, Golson resumed playing the saxophone in the mid-1970s and launched a new version of the Jazztet with Farmer in 1982. He continued performing and writing music into his 90s. He published “Whisper Not: The Autobiography of Benny Golson” in 2016. Franklin, who worked with Golson for 25 years, said Golson stopped performing when COVID-19 shut down music venues in 2020 but continued working on projects, such as giving interviews for a forthcoming documentary, “Benny Golson: Looking Beyond The Horizon.”

Franklin said Golson saw a rough cut of the lm a few weeks ago and loved it. “He was so happy he got to see it,” he said.

Golson released dozens of albums as a solo artist and as a member of various ensembles.

He appeared as himself in the 2004 Steven Spielberg movie “The Terminal,” in which the main character, played by Tom Hanks, travels to New York from a ctional Eastern European country to obtain Golson’s autograph, which he needs to complete a collection of signatures of all of the 58 jazz musicians who assembled for the famous 1958 group photo “A Great Day in Harlem.” Actor and musician Steve Martin recalled the lm scene in a post on X on Sunday and said, “Thanks for all of the great music.”

With Golson’s death, Sonny Rollins is the last living subject of the photo who was an adult when it was taken.

Golson’s survivors include his wife, Bobbie Golson, daughter Brielle Golson and several grandchildren. Three sons preceded him in death.

CHARLES SYKES / AP PHOTO

Benny Golson speaks at the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Awards Ceremony and Concert in New York in January 2011.

STATE & NATION

Do you know the 3

branches of US government?

Many don’t, leading to a push for civics education

By Allen G. Breed and Tim Sullivan

The Associated Press

BLUFFTON, S.C. — On the rst day of his American National Government class, professor Kevin Dopf asks how many of his students are United States citizens. Every hand shoots up.

“So, how did all you people become citizens?” he asks. “Did you pass a test?”

“No,” one young woman says tentatively. “We were born here.”

It’s a good thing. Based on his years of making his students at the University of South Carolina Beaufort take the test given to immigrants seeking U.S. citizenship, most would be rejected.

“Thirty, 35% of the students will pass it,” says Dopf, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and former West Point instructor. “The rest of them are clueless. I mean, they’re just clueless.”

Most states require some sort of high school civics instruction. But with a recent survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center showing that about a third of American adults can’t name the three branches of the federal government, many think we should be aiming higher.

Over the past few years, a small but growing number of states have begun requiring students at publicly funded colleges to complete a civics requirement. That comes as polling indicates civics education is wildly popular across the political spectrum.

Civics — the study of citizens’ rights and responsibilities — fosters a sense of unity, advocates say, and an ability to deal with disagreement. It empowers citizens, and many people believe it could help heal America’s divides. Having it in higher education means they can look at issue in more sophisticated ways, perhaps weaving it into other classes.

“I feel we are in the business for making a case for America,” said Louise Dube, head of iCivics, which promotes civics education.

But what does it mean when those talking about civics often can’t be, well, civil?

Take North Carolina, where lawmakers and academics got into a heated battle over who should decide how civics would be taught.

Last year, North Carolina Republicans introduced the REACH Act, an acronym for “Reclaiming College Education on America’s Constitutional Heritage.” The bill required undergraduates to take at least three credit hours in American government and read a series of major U.S. history documents, from the Declaration of Independence to Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” They would also have to pass a nal exam worth 20% of the nal grade. If the bill seemed anodyne on the surface, it met with intense pushback. Critics pointed to the bill’s “reclaiming” title, its at-

tempt to dictate curriculum usually set by professors and that it was drafted by Jameson Broggi, an avowedly conservative U.S. Marine Corps captain and lawyer who has said curriculum must include “devotion to American institutions and ideals.”

The North Carolina act easily passed the state House in March 2023 and a rst reading in the Senate. It seemed on its way to victory.

University of North Carolina o cials and faculty were not happy.

“We tried to slow this down in House but had zero success,”

Bart Goodson, senior vice president of government relations for the 16-school UNC system wrote to a fellow administrator in an April 2023 email, obtained by Broggi through an open records request.

“It was a ‘wrap yourself in the ag’ type bill and anyone who spoke against was essentially viewed as non-American,” Goodson wrote.

So, as the idea moved slowly through the legislative process, UNC faculty took matters into their own hands.

Wade Maki, chair of the UNC faculty assembly, worked with professors from four other campuses, including two historically black universities, to draft a set of learning outcomes. They studied what’s being done in other states.

The resulting proposal, called the “Foundations of American Democracy,” mirrors the REACH Act in many ways. They even added Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address to the list of required documents.

It seemed like everyone wanted the same thing.

But supporters of requiring civics through legislation were troubled — why did the faculty object to their version?

“What are these people afraid of?” asked Michael B. Poliako , president and chief executive o cer of American Council

“It was a ‘wrap yourself in the ag’ type bill and anyone who spoke against was essentially viewed as non-American.”

UNC administrator Bart Goodson

of Trustees and Alumni, which helped Broggi draft the North Carolina act and a similar one that passed in South Carolina three years ago.

“As if understanding the founding documents and the pivotal moments in our history, culminating with letter from Birmingham Jail, would be too disturbing, too retro.”

That’s not the point, the academics say.

Unlike standards in K-12 schools, college faculty typically decide the content of individual courses. It’s seen as a core of academic freedom.

“Faculty are the primary owners of the curriculum.” says Maki, who teaches philosophy at UNC Greensboro. “We know what works in ways that sometimes someone outside of higher ed may not know what works.”

The UNC board of governors, all 24 of whom were appointed by the GOP-led legislature, unanimously approved the plan in mid-April. Details are still being ironed out, with the requirement applying to students entering the system starting July 2025. (The NC REACH Act’s sponsors, displeased with the UNC plan, have vowed to revive the legislative e ort next year.)

According to the conservative, New York-based Civics Alliance, legislation in at least 10 states — Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Wyoming — require undergraduates at public universities to take at least one American his-

tory and/or government course. The requirement is being enacted, or at least discussed, in other states. And the Alliance — which rails against “identity politics” and “radical New Civics activists” — is looking to spread the word.

The organization has created model legislation that calls for the “’study of and devotion to America’s exceptional and praiseworthy history.’” David Randall, the alliance’s executive director, said its materials had “informed” legislation in Florida, Iowa and Texas, but declined to say what other states might have reached out.

Some state college systems, like UNC, haven’t waited for a legislative mandate to act.

For example, students at Indiana’s Purdue University and its satellite campuses can choose from three paths — write reections after attending six approved civics-related events, listen to 12 podcasts and take a series of quizzes or complete one of 13 politics or history courses — and pass an exam. University of Arizona system faculty are currently developing “American Institutions” curricula to ful ll a requirement from the board of regents.

Professors acknowledge not all students appreciate the forced civics learning.

“Some view it as the vegetable in a meal, some view it as the dessert. For some, the goal is just to nish the meal,” said David Reingold, dean of Purdue’s College of Liberal Arts, who oversaw the implementation of the system’s civics program.

The Civics Alliance says America’s colleges, which train K-12 teachers, have been “taken over by a radical establishment determined to replace proper civics education with pedagogies such as Critical Race Theory and action civics ...” Whitney Ross Manzo, an associate professor of political science at Meredith Col-

Professor Wade Maki, chairman of the University of North Carolina system’s faculty senate, helped draft a civics requirement that students at all publicly funded colleges will have to ful ll starting in July 2025.

lege in Raleigh, says fears about political indoctrination assume “a power that faculty simply don’t have.”

“If I could force something on my students, it would be to read their syllabus and do their homework. I don’t have the power to change their political ideology,” said Manzo, who once taught in Texas.

Back in Blu ton, Dopf has his work cut out for him.

After some introductory remarks, Dopf tells his students to take out a piece of paper and pen.

“This is your rst test.”

The 14 questions are relatively simple: How many members in the U.S. Senate? What are the requirements to be president? How long is the term for members of the House of Representatives?

Would-be citizens must get six of 10 answers correct to pass. Dopf holds his students to a lower standard — just seven of 14.

As he expected, about 70% unked.

One student thought Clarence Thomas was chief justice of the Supreme Court. Another put down that the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1667.

“To miss basic facts like that,” Dopf says, exasperation in his voice. “We need to develop better skill sets for our students so that we have a better democracy.” (In fairness, he says even 30% of his West Point cadets failed the quiz.)

Audra Hillman, 18, a freshman from Wake Forest, took two politics classes in high school. So, how’d she do?

“I probably would have got kicked out,” she says with a nervous chuckle.

Hillman wants to eventually work with special needs kids but doesn’t resent having to squeeze in this civics class.

“Everyone should vote,” she says. “Like, it’s your duty as an American citizen. And I think that everyone should go out and be educated.”

HOKE COUNTY

Rallying support

Democratic gubernatorial candidate and state Attorney General Josh Stein met with voters in Pittsboro last week as his main rival, Republican Mark Robinson, deals with fallout from an explosive media report that saw most of his senior campaign sta resign.

He’s not the only one making the rounds in the Tarheel State as former President Donald Trump held a rally — complete with Trump Force One yover — in Wilmington on Saturday, and JD Vance, his running mate, had appeared in Raleigh last Wednesday.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Absentee ballots nally being mailed out

Counties have started distributing absentee ballots for the November general election to those who have requested them. Election o cials in all 100 N.C. counties planned to mail out the rst ballots to regular state residents starting Tuesday. Ballots to military and overseas voters requesting them went out starting this past Friday. More than 207,000 absentee ballot requests have been received. State law directed that the rst absentee ballots were to go out on Sept. 6, but appeals courts prevented ballots containing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s name from going out. That led to reprinting and a roughly two-week delay.

Cary man gets 3-year sentence as one of rst Jan. 6 rioters

Four men who were among the rst rioters to assault police o cers and the rst to breach a security perimeter during the attack on the U.S. Capitol have been sentenced to prison terms. James Grant, 31, of Cary, was sentenced to three years in prison after he climbed into the Capitol through a broken window and entered a senator’s o ce. Following his arrest, he told investigators that the FBI was “the biggest threat to Americans” and that prosecuting Jan. 6 rioters was “a big witch hunt.” Grant’s attorney called it “almost incomprehensible” that prosecutors would seek a nine-year prison sentence. He should be eligible for release within months with credit for time served.

Trump makes appeals to women at Wilmington rally

Notably absent was Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson

By Meg Kinnard and Erik Verduzco The Associated Press

WILMINGTON — Donald Trump returned to North Carolina on Saturday, stumping in the southern battleground state with direct appeals to women, claiming he would be a better champion for them than Vice President Kamala Harris, who is vying to become the rst female president.

Trump campaigned in Wilmington, along the state’s southern coast, without Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, the GOP gubernatorial nominee and one of the former president’s top surrogates in the state, following a CNN report about his alleged posts on a pornography website’s message board. He did not mention Robinson during a speech that lasted just over an hour. In his rst outdoor rally since the second apparent attempt to assassinate him, Trump argued women would be safer and more prosper-

Routh’s son arrested on child sexual abuse images charges

The Greensboro resident’s father is suspected in an assassination attempt on Donald Trump

By Alanna Durkin Richer The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. —

The son of the man suspected in the assassination attempt in Florida against former President Donald Trump has been arrested on federal charges of possessing child sexual abuse images.

Oran Alexander Routh was arrested this week after authorities searched his Greensboro home “in connection with an investigation unrelated to child exploitation,” and

found hundreds of les depicting child sexual abuse, an FBI agent said in court papers.

Investigators who seized multiple electronic devices found videos sent to Oran Routh in July as well as chats from a messaging application commonly used by people who share child sexual abuse material, the FBI agent said.

He faces two charges of possessing and receiving child sexual abuse material and is expected to appear later Tuesday in federal court in North Carolina.

There was no attorney listed for Oran Routh in court papers. Phone messages left for relatives of Oran Routh were not immediately returned.

Oran Routh’s father, Ryan Wesley Routh, has been

ous with him as president and would “no longer be thinking about abortion.”

“I will protect women at a level never seen before. They will nally be healthy, hopeful, safe and secure,” Trump said. “Their lives will be happy, beautiful, and their lives will be great again. So women, we love you. We’re going to take care of you.”

The former president said women won’t have to think about abortion because decisions about regulating it are now left to the states. Many Republican-led states have tak-

charged with federal gun offenses in connection to the attempted assassination at Trump’s Florida golf course earlier this month. Prosecutors have indicated much more serious attempted assassination charges are coming.

Oran Routh’s arrest was rst reported Tuesday by ABC News.

A federal judge on Monday agreed with Justice Department prosecutors that Ryan Routh should remain locked up while he awaits trial in his case.

Prosecutors have said Ryan Routh left behind a note detailing his plans to kill the former president and kept in his car a handwritten list of dates and venues where Trump was to appear. The note describing Routh’s plans was placed in a box that he dropped o months earlier at the home of an unidenti ed person who did not open it until after Ryan Routh’s arrest, prosecutors said. Ryan Routh is currently charged with illegally possessing his gun in spite of multiple felony convictions, including two charges of possessing stolen goods in 2002 in North

en steps to restrict or eliminate abortion access after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Trump nominated three of the six justices who voted to overturn Roe. North Carolina banned most abortions after 12 weeks last year, with Republicans in the state legislature overriding Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto.

Voters overwhelmingly say they trust Harris to do a better job handling abortion policy, with 55% favoring her while 27% favored Trump in a new poll by The Associated PressNORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Harris and Democrats running down ballot have highlighted stories of women who faced severe medical complications or death because they

See TRUMP, page A2

The FBI searched his home “in connection with an investigation unrelated to child exploitation.”

Carolina, and with possessing a rearm with an obliterated serial number.

But a prosecutor said in court Monday that they would pursue additional charges before a grand jury, accusing him of having tried to “assassinate a major political candidate” — charges that would warrant life in prison in the event of a conviction.

It is common for prosecutors to le more easily provable charges as an immediate

See ROUTH, page A2

AgWRAP program is to identify opportunities that increase water use e ciency, availability and storage, implement best management practices (BMPs) to conserve and protect water resources and increase water storage and availability for agricultural purposes.

The District also received $8,804 in Impaired and Impacted Streams funding that can be used to address some of the above BMPs.

Landowners in Hoke County are encouraged to contact the Hoke Soil and Water Conservation District for more information pertaining to these programs. Our o ce hours are 8-5 Monday through Friday.

COMMISSIONER

didn’t get proper medical care from doctors worried about the impact of abortion laws. Harris on Friday blasted Trump as a threat to women’s freedoms and their lives, warning in a speech in Georgia that Republicans would continue to target access to abortion if he returns to the White House.

“Trump is scared out of his mind that women will vote like our freedoms and our lives are on the line this November — and he should be because that’s exactly what we will do,” Harris campaign Sara na Chitika said in a statement after Trump’s rally.

Trump also showed a gentler side, inviting two of his young grandchildren on stage. The former president lifted Carolina to the microphone, where she said “Make America great again” to cheers, followed by her older brother, Luke Trump, who said, “Vote for Grandpa.” They’re the children of Eric Trump, the former president’s second son, and his wife, Lara Trump, a North Carolina native who is now serving as co-chair of the Republican National Committee.

Bulletproof glass surrounded Trump as he spoke, a new precaution for outdoor venues the Secret Service implemented after a bullet grazed Trump’s ear during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

placeholder before adding more signi cant allegations as the case proceeds.

Ryan Routh was arrested Sept. 15 after a Secret Service agent who was scoping the Trump International Golf Club for potential security threats saw a partially obscured man’s face and the barrel of a semiautomatic rie, aimed directly at the former president.

The agent red at Routh, who sped away before being stopped by o cials in a neighboring county, leaving behind a loaded ri e, digital camera, a backpack and a reusable shopping bag that was hanging from a chain-link fence.

PAID FOR BY CARTER FOR HOKE

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

An e ective Secret Service requires real change

The agents assigned to protect President Trump — or any American president — should be placed entirely on their merit and nothing else.

THE SECRET SERVICE must completely rethink and revise its plans for protecting President Donald J. Trump.

Trump’s safety is clearly threatened. He has thankfully survived two assassination e orts.

The propaganda media and political left’s language continue to incite violence against the former and potentially future president.

The Secret Service’s reaction to the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, was clearly inadequate. Agents failed to detect and stop the would-be assassin. A local policeman red the shot that killed the gunman. Trump’s life was saved by the grace of God and that o cer — not the Secret Service.

Now we have had a second serious e ort to kill Trump. The Secret Service is claiming success because its agent found the suspected assassin about 400 yards ahead of President Trump’s position. However, this close call could have been catastrophic.

The suspect had reportedly been on the golf course since 1 a.m. It was essentially pure luck that an agent saw the gun barrel sticking out of the bushes. The suspect was clearly within range. The ri e and scope he carried were capable of ring a fatal shot at that distance.

After the rst attempt on Trump’s life, I warned Sean Hannity on July 13 that it was a political act that we should have seen coming:

“It was a deliberate act. And as you know, because we’ve talked about it o -air, I’ve said for four months that when all the legal baloney fails and when they begin to realize he is going to win, the violence is the next thing because they’re that desperate.”

So we have had months for the Secret Service to come to grips with the scale of the challenge. It has failed. Simply adding a few more agents is not an answer. The Secret Service must undertake a completely new model of protecting Trump. It was an especially bad sign when its rst reaction was to prevent the former president from playing golf because agents could not gure out how to protect him.

This public admission of its inability to think big and creatively enough made me wonder if the Trump team should bring in private sector protection service.

However, if Trump sticks with the Secret Service, then we should insist that it plans on the scale of the threat to Trump.

There are more than 7,000 agents in the Secret Service. They should reassign as many as necessary to have airtight coverage wherever Trump goes. Further, the Secret Service should consider military security systems, such as air base protection, and incorporate those technical capabilities. A drone carrying an infrared detection system could have been own over the golf course an hour before President Trump arrived, and it would have immediately detected the warm body lying in the shrubbery.

The agents assigned to protect Trump — or any American president — should be placed entirely on their merit and nothing else. Diversity, equity and inclusion rules should not play a role.

There must be greatly expanded cooperation between the Secret Service and local law enforcement. In both assassination attempts, local police played major roles. This should be expanded and made routine. There must also be coordinated communication with all the local agencies (which would prove invaluable in a real national crisis).

Increased K-9 unit capabilities are needed. When an area is swept, people and dogs can be left behind to ensure no one comes in after the rst sweep.

As those who wish to harm Trump grow more desperate, they may become more inventive. A drone threat is a real possibility and must be guarded against. Portable, mobile anti-drone systems should become part of the protective services. Coordination with the military and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency may become vital to keeping up with and countering threats.

The Secret Service must allocate the resources, manpower and skills to overmatch and defeat any plausible threat. The very fabric of American society requires that presidential candidates are protected from assassination.

This is a key moment for the survival of the American system.

The American people should demand that their government meet the challenge.

Newt Gingrich was the 50th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

The mixed and muddled results of banning a rmative action

Asian American enrollment dropped from 35% to 29% at Duke; for black enrollment, it increased from 12% to 13%.

IN THE ARGUMENTS before the Supreme Court on a rmative action in college admissions, proponents of a rmative action claimed that the number of blacks admitted to selective colleges and universities would plummet absent a rmative action. And opponents of a rmative action claimed that the number of Asian Americans would increase substantially. As colleges and universities release data on their incoming classes, the actual picture is much more muddled. Some schools have reported the kind of major declines in black and Hispanic enrollment that advocates of a rmative action feared. At Amherst College, the percentage of black students in the entering class dropped from 11% to 3%. At MIT, the number of black students dropped from 15% to 5%. At Brown University, the percentage of black students dropped from 15% to 9%, and the number of Hispanic freshmen dropped from 14% to 10%. At Columbia, the percentage of Asian students increased from 30% to 39%, while the percentage of black entering students dropped from 20% to 12%.

But other schools reported smaller drops in black and Hispanic enrollment, and little or no increase in Asian enrollment. Yale and Princeton held relatively steady in their percentages of minority admissions. Asian American enrollment dropped from 35% to 29% at Duke; from 30% to 24% at Yale; and from 26% to 23.8% at Princeton. As for black enrollment, it increased from 12% to 13% at Duke; stayed at 14% at Yale; and dropped only from 9% to 8.9% at Princeton. What’s happening?

The president of Amherst College, in an email to the college community, asked, “Why did our demographics change so signi cantly while other institutions saw di erent outcomes?” and said that the question has “no easy answer.”

Part of the answer — at least to the question of why Asian Americans didn’t show higher numbers — is that the percentage of students declining to identify their race has increased, for example, from 5% to 11% at Duke and from 4% to 7% at Brown. Experts speculate that the nonresponders are overwhelmingly Asian Americans who fear they will be disfavored because of race. At Tufts, nonresponders rose from 3.3% to 6.7%. At Harvard, they rose from 4% to 8%.

There are also discrepancies in the way di erent schools count, particularly when it comes to the growing number of biracial students. At some schools, when you check two boxes, you’re counted twice; at others, only once. No one is particularly satis ed with the numbers. Advocates of a rmative action point to the lower numbers of black and Hispanic students as costing all students the bene ts of diversity in the classroom and college experience, and point to the need for increasing e orts to recruit students from disadvantaged backgrounds. At Harvard, where the number of blacks in the incoming freshman class dropped from 18% to 14%, the Coalition for a Diverse Harvard described that drop as “huge” and argued that “any drop in an already small number can dramatically impact the campus environment for students of color, and students

are already reporting negative e ects.” A precipitous drop to as low as 3% can be a selfful lling prophecy, making it all the more di cult to recruit talented black students.

Others, like Richard Kahlenberg, director of the American Identity Project at the Progressive Policy Institute and a critic of a rmative action, take heart in the fact that the numbers aren’t as low as some feared they would be. “There were predictions that the black population could fall to 2% at some universities and 6% at Harvard, and that did not happen. I want there to be racial diversity on campus. I think it showed it was possible to achieve that without racial preferences.”

Still others have argued that the number of black and Hispanic students is still too high and the number of Asian Americans still too low to re ect a true merits system. “Your racial numbers are not possible under true neutrality,” Edward Blum, the president of Students for Fair Admissions, the group that brought a suit against Harvard in the Supreme Court, said in letters to Princeton, Yale and Duke, adding: “You are now on notice. Preserve all potentially relevant documents and communications” — a sign that they are contemplating litigation.

But the most troubling number of all, it seems to me, comes from Richard Sander, a critic of a rmative action who is a law professor at UCLA. According to Sander, who is cited by The New York Times for his work, black students make up about 3% of the top tenth of high school students nationally.

Three percent — for a group that makes up, according to data from Pew, some 14% of the U.S. population. That is, ultimately, what is wrong and why a rmative action at the college level is, at best, a Band-Aid for a larger problem of educational inequality that must be addressed if there is to be true equality and diversity at the college level.

Susan Estrich is a lawyer, professor, author and political commentator.

COLUMN | NEWT GINGRICH

Death toll rises to 38 in eastern Iran coal mine explosion

Fourteen people are still missing and believed to be trapped underground

By Nasser Karimi

The Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran — Rescuers on Monday recovered the bodies of more workers killed in an explosion at a coal mine in eastern Iran, bringing the death toll in the disaster to at least 38, o cials said. Another 14 miners are still believed to be trapped below ground.

The blast struck the coal mine in Tabas, about 335 miles southeast of the capital, Tehran, on Saturday night. On Sunday, weeping miners stood alongside mine cars that brought up the bodies of their colleagues, covered in coal dust.

The state-run IRNA news agency on Monday reported the new death toll from the blast, as well as the number of missing.

Survivors interviewed by Iranian state television, still smudged in coal dust, described chaotic scenes after the blast.

“We were in the mine, working. Suddenly, there was some smoke rising ... then I noticed I had di culty breathing,” said one miner who was not identi ed by state TV. “I jumped

o from the workshop, and I scrambled until I reached somewhere (safe). My friends (remained) in there.”

Authorities said a sudden leak of methane gas led to the blast as workers began their work. They said mine gas checks Saturday night did not show any leakage before the explosion. Bodies recovered so far showed no signs of blast injuries, suggesting many of the workers died from the gas before the blast.

Such gases are common in mining, though modern safety measures call for ventilation and other measures to protect workers.

It wasn’t immediately clear what safety procedures were in place at the privately owned Tabas Parvadeh 5 mine, operated by Mandanjoo Co. The rm could not be reached for comment.

Iran’s new reformist president, Masoud Pezeshkian, preparing to travel to New York for the U.N. General Assembly, said Sunday that he ordered all e orts be made to rescue those trapped and aid their families. He also said an investigation into the explosion had begun.

“I spoke with the ministers of health, interior and security and ordered that the issues of the families of the victims and the injured be quickly resolved,” Pezeshkian said, ac -

cording to a statement from his o ce. “I also requested to take measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents by improving work standards in the country’s mines.”

Iran’s mining industry has been struck by disasters before. In 2017, a coal mine explosion killed at least 42 people.

Then-President Hassan Rouhani, campaigning ahead of winning reelection, visited the site in Iran’s northern Golestan province and angry miners besieged the SUV he rode in, kicking and beating the ar -

mored vehicle in a rage.

In 2013, 11 workers were killed in two separate mining incidents. In 2009, 20 workers were killed in several incidents.

Lax safety standards and inadequate emergency services in mining areas were often blamed for the fatalities.

Oil-producing Iran is rich in a variety of minerals. It annually consumes around 3.5 million tons of coal but only extracts about 1.8 million tons from its mines per year. The rest is imported, often consumed in the country’s steel mills.

Cholera spreading in Sudan as ghting continues

Nearly 400 have died from the fast-spreading infectious disease

By Samy Magdy

The Associated Press

CAIRO — Cholera is spreading in war-torn Sudan, killing at least 388 people and sickening about 13,000 others over the past two months, health authorities said on Monday as more than 17 months of ghting between the military and a notorious paramilitary group shows no sign of abating.

Artillery shelling hit an open market Monday in Omdurman, the sister city of the capital, Khartoum, killing at least 13 people and wounding more than 30 others, the health ministry said.

The disease is spreading in areas devastated by recent heavy rainfall and oods, espe -

cially in eastern Sudan, where millions of war-displaced people have sheltered. The casualties from cholera included six dead and about 400 sickened over the weekend, according to Sunday’s report by the Health Ministry. The disease was detected in 10 of the country’s 18 provinces, with the eastern Kassala and al-Qadarif provinces the most hit, the ministry said.

Cholera is a fast-developing, highly contagious infection that causes diarrhea, leading to severe dehydration and possible death within hours when not treated, according to the World Health Organization. It’s transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated food or water.

The disease isn’t uncommon in Sudan. A previous major outbreak left at least 700 dead and sickened about 22,000 in less than two months in 2017.

13K

Sudan was plunged into chaos in April 2023 when simmering tensions between the military and a powerful paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces, exploded into open warfare across the country.

The ghting, which wrecked Khartoum and other urban areas, has been marked by atrocities, including mass rape and ethnically motivated killings that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, especially in the western region of Darfur, according to the United Nations and international rights groups.

Monday’s shelling hit the Sabrian market in Karari district in Omdurman, said Mohamed Ibrahim, the health ministry’s spokesman. He blamed the RSF for the attack.

The ghting has killed at least 20,000 people and wounded tens of thousands of others, according to the U.N. However, rights groups and activists say the toll was much higher.

The war also has created the world’s largest displacement crisis. More than 13 million people have been forced to ee their homes since the ghting began, according to the International Organization for Migration. That includes more than 2.3 million who ed to neighboring countries.

Devastating seasonal oods and cholera have compounded the Sudanese misery. At least 225 people have been killed and about 900 others were in-

“We were in the mine, working. Suddenly, there was some smoke rising ... then I noticed I had di culty breathing.”

Unidenti ed Iranian miner

jured in the oods, the Health Ministry said. Critical infrastructure has been washed away, and more than 76,000 houses have been destroyed or damaged, it said. Famine was also con rmed in July in the Zamzam camp for displaced people, which is located about 10 miles from North Darfur’s embattled capital of al-Fasher, according to global experts from the Famine Review Committee. About 25.6 million people — more than half of Sudan’s population — will face acute hunger this year, they warned.

Fighting, meanwhile, rages in al-Fasher, the last major city in Darfur that is still held by the military. The RSF has been attempting to retake it since the start of the year.

Last week, the paramilitary force and its allied Arab militias launched a new attack on the city. The military said its forces, aided by rebel groups, managed to repel the attack and kill hundreds of RSF ghters, including two senior commanders.

IRANIAN RED CRESCENT SOCIETY VIA AP

Miners and police o cers examine the site of a coal mine the day after a methane leak sparked an explosion Saturday in Tabas, Iran.

People sickened by cholera in Sudan in the last two months

HOKE SPORTS

Volleyball gets its groove back with back-to-back wins

Hoke County sports round-up

North State Journal sta

VOLLEYBALL got back on the winning track, while boy’s soccer went winless in a pair of conference games. Plus, a wild one for the football team on the road to open conference play.

Football

The Bucks lost their conference opener on the road last Friday, su ering their second loss in a row and dropping to 1-4 on the season, 0-1 in the Sandhills. Hoke County fell to Scotland, 45-32. The Bucks were looking for just their second win over the Scots since 2009, but, despite a big day from their offense, they weren’t able to outscore Scotland.

Hoke fell behind, 10-0 early but stormed back. A 28-yard run by Darius Breeden got the Bucks on the board late in the rst quarter. After another Scotland touchdown, quarterback Brandon Saunders found Mikequavious Biggers for a touchdown. Favor Anab added two scores, including a 50yard touchdown run, and Asean Craigmiles ran for one of his own, and the Bucks found themselves up, 32-31, early in the fourth quarter. The Scots found the end zone twice, however, to escape with the win.

The Bucks now look to reverse the recent history of adversity against another conference opponent. Hoke has lost to Lee County each of the last six seasons. The Yellow Jackets come to Hoke on Friday at 7:30. Lee County is 3-2 overall, 0-1 in the Sandhills after losing, 7-6, at Union Pines last Friday. It was the fewest points the Yellow Jacket o ense has scored since the 2015 season.

Boys’ soccer

The Bucks’ boys’ soccer team

Hoke’s team captains meet their counterparts with Scotland for the pregame coin toss. The Bucks led a back-and-forth game into the fourth quarter but came up short on the road against the Scots. 6

Losses to Lee County in the last six seasons for Hoke football. The Bucks will try to snap the streak Friday.

had an 0-1-1 week, with a pair of conference games. Hoke County opened the week with a home game against Southern Lee, falling to the Cavaliers, 6-2. Senior David Hernandez scored both goals, one on an assist from senior Mando Zuniga. Goalkeeper Bentley Blumer rebounded in the next game, shutting out Union Pines in a 0-0 tie. The sophomore made seven saves in the game to keep the Vikings o the board.

The Bucks are now 7-4-2, 1-2-1 in the Sandhills. They will attempt to get back to .500 in conference this week, with a game at home against Pine-

hurst—their only game in a nine-day span. The Patriots are 7-2 and unbeaten at 3-0 in the Sandhills.

Volleyball

The volleyball team bounced back from its rst back-to-back losses of the season. The Bucks snapped their mini slump, winning both matches this week. Hoke took a 3-2 home win over Scotland to open the week, then swept Seventh-First in a non-conference win at home, 3-0. The Bucks are now 11-3 on the year but just 4-3 in the Sandhills, which puts them in a four-way tie for second. They’ll get the chance to emerge from the pack this week. Hoke opens the week with a road game at Lee County, one of the other teams bunched up at 4-3 I the conference. The Bucks then return home for a league game against Richmond (6-9, 2-5) before wrapping up action for the week with a non-conference home game against Douglas Byrd.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Priscila Machuca Sostre

Hoke County, volleyball

Priscila Machuca Sostre is a senior on the Hoke County volleyball team.

The Bucks won back-to-back games last week to improve to 11-3 on the season. They are one win away from matching their best season of the last 15 years.

In a win over Scotland, Sostre had a team-high 16 kills and a kill rate over 53%. She added three blocked shots, tied for tops on the team, and two service aces and three digs.

For the season, Sostre leads the Bucks in kills and hitting percentage. She’s second in blocks and third in aces.

Larson wins at Bristol to advance

Two former Cup Series champions were knocked out of the playo s

By Jenna Fryer The Associated Press

JUST MINUTES after Kyle Larson crossed the nish line on the most dominating victory ever for a Hendrick Motorsports driver, his team rushed his 9-year-old son to the winning Chevrolet.

Owen Larson was half in the car, half out, as his dad drove a victory lap around Bristol Motor Speedway with his son holding the No. 1 nger in the air.

“We had a little boys’ weekend here this weekend,” Larson said.

“We’ll bring some hardware home tonight, too.”

Larson dominated the rst elimination race of the Cup Se -

ries’ 10-race playo portion of the season by leading all but 38 of the 500 laps at the track in Bristol, Tennessee — the most laps led ever in a race by a Hendrick driver. It easily moved him into the second round of the playo s, while former Cup champions Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr., as well as Ty Gibbs and Harrison Burton, were eliminated from the 16-driver eld.

“I’ve had a lot of good cars since I’ve come to Hendrick Motorsports, but man, that was just great execution all weekend by the team,” Larson said.

“We dominate a lot of races but we might not close them all out, so it feels really good to close one out here.”

The rst of three elimination races in the 10-race playo s began with Denny Hamlin, Truex, Keselowski and Burton

all below the cutline and facing elimination from the 16-driver eld.

Hamlin, a three-time Daytona 500 winner with four career wins at Bristol, was never really worried and nished fourth. Burton, who used a surprise win at Daytona last month to qualify for the playo s in the nal few weeks before he loses his seat with Wood Brothers Racing, was doubtful to recover enough to advance and nished 35th. Keselowski, the 2012 Cup champion, and 2017 champion Truex had a better shot at salvaging their playo s but both came up empty. Truex was penalized for speeding on pit road, taking him out of contention to advance, and Keselowski just didn’t have the pace. Joe Gibbs Racing had two of its four cars eliminated from the playo s as

Ty Gibbs was also penalized for speeding. Keselowski nished 26th and lamented the lack of speed in his RFK Racing Ford.

“Didn’t have the pace we wanted. We ran as hard as we could, there just wasn’t anything there,” Keselowski said.

“Just gotta be faster.” Larson, meanwhile, led 462 of 500 laps, the most since Cale Yarborough led 495 laps in 1977. Larson’s laps led is the most ever by a Hendrick driver and marked the fth win of the season for the driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet.

“That’s pretty awesome because there’s been some legendary Hall of Famers race for Hendrick Motorsports, and we’ve all grown up watching Je Gordon and Jimmie Johnson dominate,” Larson said.

“So pretty cool to get my name

“Pretty cool to get my name on another record at Hendrick Motorsports.”

Kyle Larson

on another record at Hendrick Motorsports.” Daniel Suarez, who nished four laps down in 31st, squeezed out the nal spot into the second round of the playo s by 11 points over Gibbs. Also advancing were Chase Elliott, who nished second, Christopher Bell, who nished fth, regular-season champion Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Chase Briscoe, William Byron, Austin Cindric and Alex Bowman. Hendrick’s entire four-car Chevrolet lineup advanced, as did all three Ford drivers from Team Penske. But Toyota lost a pair of JGR entries, and Ford lost two cars.

HAL NUNN FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

WADE PAYNE / AP PHOTO

Kyle Larson leads Justin Haley and Todd Gilliland (white) on his way to winning Saturday night’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol.

SIDELINE REPORT

NFL Morris, part of Dolphins’ two Super Bowl wins and perfect season, dies at 77

Miami Eugene “Mercury” Morris, who starred for the unbeaten 1972 Miami Dolphins as part of a star-studded back eld and helped the team win two Super Bowl titles, died at 77. The team con rmed the death the three-time Pro Bowl selection. Morris was the starting halfback and one of three go-to runners that Dolphins coach Don Shula utilized in Miami’s back-to-back title seasons of 1972 and 1973, alongside Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick. Morris led the Dolphins in rushing touchdowns in both of those seasons.

NCAA SWIMMING

2 suspended from college swim team after report of slur scratched onto student’s body Gettysburg, Pa.

O cials at a Pennsylvania college say at least two students were suspended from the men’s swim team after a report that a racial slur was scratched onto a student’s body. Gettysburg College said in a statement last week that o cials had received “a deeply concerning report of a racial slur being scratched onto a student using a plastic or ceramic tool.” The college says that “the students involved are not participating in swim team activities.” The college’s president says it is reported to have happened during an “informal social gathering at an on-campus residence.”

NBA Embiid signs 3-year, $193M contract extension with 76ers

Philadelphia Joel Embiid has signed a contract extension with the Philadelphia 76ers, keeping him with the franchise through the 2028-29 season. The NBA All-Star and the 76ers reached a three-year, $193 million extension with a player option for the 2028 -2029 season. Embiid broke his own news early Friday morning when he posted a photo on Instagram of him signing a contract alongside team owner Josh Harris.

MLB

Umpire Vanover

retiring after 30-plus years in majors

St. Petersburg, Fla.

Umpire Larry Vanover is retiring after more than 30 years on the major league sta . Vanover’s wife and son took out the lineup card to the pregame meeting at the plate before Sunday’s game between the Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays.

The 69-year-old Vanover was honored with a message on the scoreboard during the rst inning and received an ovation from the fans. He joined the big league sta in 1993. His 2014 regular season concluded with home-plate duties in Derek Jeter’s nal game.

Maye Day? Pats say not time yet to turn to rookie

New England will stick with Jacoby Brissett as its starting quarterback

By Jimmy Golen The Associated Press

JACOBY BRISSETT isn’t the problem. Drake Maye isn’t the solution.

So the New England Patriots will go another week — at least — with the veteran journeyman Brissett at starting quarterback before turning things over to Maye, the rookie rst-round draft pick out of UNC and acknowledged quarterback of the future.

“It’s still status quo,” coach Jerod Mayo said Friday, a day after the team’s 24-3 loss to the New York Jets. “Jacoby’s still our starting quarterback, and we’ve got to be ready to support him. There are 11 guys out there on o ense, so it’s everyone.”

After a surprisingly good

start to the season — beating Cincinnati and going to over

time against Seattle — the Patriots crashed in their AFC East opener last Thursday night against Aaron Rodgers and the Jets. Brissett completed 12 of 18 passes for 98 yards and was sacked ve times, limping away from one of the 10 hits he took.

“It’s football. I’m supposed to get hit. I didn’t sign up for this sport to not get hit, so I don’t really pay attention to that,” Brissett said after spending most of the game trying to avoid a Jets pass rush that overwhelmed the injury-riddle Patriots o ensive line.

“Those guys, they’re battling their (butts) o , man. And I tip my hat to them,” Brissett said. “It’s not an easy job. Honestly, I don’t want that job. But I respect those guys for going out there and just trying their best, and that’s all you can ask for, man. It’s just, give me your

College football guarantee games pay millions to small-budget schools

Opportunities

for guarantee games could shrink in future

By Ralph D. Russo The Associated Press

OHIO STATE and Kent State, separated by 135 miles in the same state, occupy extreme ends of the spectrum of major college football.

Buckeyes football pulled in $127 million in revenue in 2023. Golden Flashes football has a budget of about $9 million. Still, Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork and Kent State AD Randale Richmond share a similar problem for different reasons. Both look at their football schedules this season and see more so-called guarantee games than they would prefer.

Guarantee games are those one-o matchups where a school pays another to come to its stadium, with no return date. For power conference schools such as No. 3 Ohio State, that typically means cutting a check of around $1.5 million — give or take a few hundred thousand — to a school such as Kent State. More often than not, the games are not competitive. Occasionally, the smaller program gets to take home a historic vic-

tory along with a big check the way Northern Illinois ($1.4 million) did at No. 17 Notre Dame or Memphis ($1.3 million) did at Florida State earlier this season.

By the

numbers

This season at least 60 guarantee games will be played matching schools that play in the NCAA’s highest level of Division I, the Football Bowl Subdivision, with total payouts reaching $75 million, according to AP research. There are also dozens more games matching FBS teams with those in the second-tier Championship Subdivision that follow a similar structure but with smaller payouts. The most famous guarantee game — Appalachian State’s 34-32 upset at No. 5 Michigan in 2007 — included a $400,000 check for the visitors.

Ohio State’s anomaly

For Ohio State, a con uence of events, including conference realignment, left the Buckeyes with a three-game nonconference schedule of guarantee games in 2024. Typically, the Buckeyes have one high-pro le game against a power conference opponent that would be one end of a home-and-home series.

best. I’m going to give them my best and, at the end of the day, we’ll see where we’re at.” Brissett was pulled in thenal ve minutes and replaced by Maye, who went 4 for 8 for 22 yards in his NFL debut but was sacked twice in his lone series on the eld — including one to end the game.

Mayo said he considered keeping the rookie o the eld to protect him. “But at the same time I thought it was too good of an opportunity for him to get out there and get some experience,” the coach said.

What’s working

It’s not great when the punter is the star, but Bryce Baringer’s ve punts averaged 49 yards, and three were downed inside the Jets 20.

What needs help

The o ensive line mostly held things together the rst

two games, but it all came apart on Thursday night. The seven sacks matched the most the team has allowed since Scott Zolak and Hugh Millen were brought down eight times by Ted Marchibroda’s Indianapolis Colts in 1992.

“It was bad in all phases,” center David Andrews said. “We weren’t really able to get into a rhythm, and some things we thought were going to work didn’t, we didn’t execute it good enough.”

Injuries

The o ensive line is in shambles. Starting left tackle Vederian Lowe (knee) and left guard Sidy Sow (ankle) didn’t play. Sub left tackle Caedan Wallace and left guard Michael Jordan both left the game injured in the fourth quarter. Center David Andrews (hip) and right tackle Mike Onwenu (wrist) played after being listed as questionable.

Ohio State had a home-andhome against Notre Dame in 2022 and ’23, is set to play Texas in 2025 and ’26, and then play Alabama the following two seasons. This year, however, Ohio State is paying $4.05 million for games against Akron, Western Michigan and Marshall. It’s not so much that $4.05 million will break Ohio State athletics, which reported nearly $280 million in revenue in 2022. The school made more than $64 million in ticket sales for eight games at Ohio Stadium (capacity 102,780) in ’22, according to the latest nancial records provided to the NCAA. Games that don’t involve Big Ten or marquee nonconference opponents drag down revenue in areas such as concessions, souvenirs and parking. Ohio State’s gameday revenue for Akron and WMU were almost identical, Bjork said. Essentially, Ohio State is

bringing in less and paying out more for guarantee games, he said.

Kent State’s conundrum

On the other end is Kent State, which will receive $3.9 million for games at Pitt, No. 6 Tennessee and No. 10 Penn State. Richmond, who took over at Kent State in 2021, inherited this three-game stretch and said he would prefer no more than two. Kent State also has three guarantee games booked for 2025 (at Texas Tech, Florida State and Oklahoma), Richmond is well aware that it is a lot to put on his football team and second-year coach Kenni Burns. “It makes it very di cult to gain momentum when you have three guarantee games. I can’t answer whether it’s fair or not. I can answer that it does make it di cult,” he said.

GEORGE WALKER IV / AP PHOTO

The Tennessee o ense lines up against the Kent State defense during the rst half of a guarantee game—one of three Kent State plays this year

SETH WENIG / AP PHOTO

New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood (44) sacks New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) during the fourth quarter of last Thursday’s game.

Mrs. Mildred Sinclair Maxwell

April 21, 1928 – Sept. 18, 2024

Mrs. Mildred Sinclair Maxwell, of Raeford, NC passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, at the age of 96.

She was born in Hoke County on April 21, 1928, to the late Neill F. and Gertrude Sinclair.

Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Walter Glenn Maxwell; her granddaughter, Ashley Nicole Maxwell; and her longtime companion, Jimmy Warner Sr.

She was a member of the Raeford United Methodist Church. Mildred loved gardening, birds, working in her yard, and porch sittin’.

She is survived by her sons, Barry Maxwell (Joanna), Alan Maxwell (Susie), and Eric Maxwell (Jennifer); grandchildren, Alex, Seth, Kyle, Tyler (Chelsea), Tilli, and Scarlet; great-grandchildren, Madison, Lily, and Wilder; and numerous extended family and friends.

A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 12, 2024, in the Raeford City Cemetery -Hwy 401 Business.

Friends and family are invited to gather at Mildred’s home after the service.

In lieu of owers, donations can be made to FirstHealth Hospice & Palliative Care: PO Box 3000, Pinehurst, NC 28374.

Tony McGougan

Sept. 14.1975 – Sept. 17, 2024

Mr. Tony McGougan, age 49, went home to be with his Heavenly Father on September 17, 2024. He leaves to cherish his loving memories a special friend, Tonja Brady; his children: Narius McGougan, Payton Rhodes, Nadia McGougan; mother, Sarah C. McGougan; siblings: Quinette McGougan, Samantha Wallace, Kim Baldwin, Willie Bell Baker, William McGougan along with a host of other family and friends. Tony will be greatly missed.

A Graveside Service to honor his life and legacy will be held on Saturday, September 21 at 2 p.m. at Laurel Hill Church Cemetery.

Francisco Toledo II

March 9, 1986 – Sept. 15, 2024

Francisco Toledo II passed away surrounded by loved ones in the comfort of his home on September 15, 2024. He was born on March 9, 1986, in Willingboro, New Jersey to Frank and Victoria Ellen Toledo. Frankie experienced the wonders of traveling the world with his family as a bene t of his father’s military career. Francisco graduated from Hoke County High School in Raeford, NC, and attended Saint Andrews Presbyterian College via scholarship, in Laurinburg, NC.

Survivors include his beloved wife of two years, Melissa Toledo, and daughters Faith Marie, Allison Rose and Rhyleigh Kay; granddaughters Aria and Thea; parents Frank and Vickie and sister Monica Lynn.

Viewing took place from 4–7 p.m. on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, at Crumpler Funeral Home, 131 Harris Ave, Raeford, North Carolina 20376. Interment will be at Raeford Cemetery, US 401 BUS, Raeford, North Carolina 28376 at a later date.

Dr. Lawrence “Larry” Cicero Bullard

Aug. 29, 1946 – Sept. 17, 2024

Dr. Lawrence “Larry” Cicero Bullard, age 78 of Apex, passed away peacefully early September 17 at Duke Hospital holding the hand of Debbie Bullard, his beloved wife of 43 years.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Alton and Ottie Bullard; his brother, Milton Keith Bullard; and his sister, Cora Ellen Bullard.

A devoted patriot, Larry served time in the United States Air Force from 1966-1969. He graduated from dental school at UNC Chapel Hill in 1979. Upon graduation, he moved to Raeford NC where he pursued his career in dentistry and met his wife, Debbie. Larry was a longstanding member of Raeford Presbyterian church where he thoroughly enjoyed singing in the choir. Larry had a passion for shing and playing golf, but above all, he loved spending time with his family and friends. He is survived by wife, Debbie Bullard; their children, Allison Moriarty (Jim), Laura Ziznewski (Justin), Brian Bullard (Betsy), and Lindsey Bullard (Ariel); grandchildren Halle and Addy Moriarty; and Olivia and Lawson Ziznewski. The family is especially thankful to the kind sta at Duke Hospital who so tenderly cared for Larry during his nal days before he was welcomed into heaven to be with his Savior.

Mark Norris Lynch

June 13, 1950 – Sept. 16, 2024

Mark Norris Lynch, 74, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, known for his kind, loving, caring, and humorous personality, went home to be with Jesus on September 16, 2024, at 2:14 PM, holding his wife’s hand in their home and surrounded by friends. Mark was born on June 13, 1950, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mark is survived by his wife, Christi Lynch. A son, Vincent Lynch; a daughter, Michele Amoroso (Douglas); a stepdaughter, Summer Skye Kane (Michael); a stepson, Jacob Spell (Kelly); a stepson, Jesse Cain; Grandsons Devon (Elizabeth)and Colin (Danny) Amoroso, Jack and Jase Kane, Jake Spell, a granddaughter Addison Patterson, and a sister Shelly Dodt. Mark was predeceased by his mother, Dolores Lynch, his father, Vincent Lynch, his brother, Gregory Lynch, and his grandmother, Fay Corbett.

Mark went to Neshaminy High School 1964-1966, went to Conwell-Eagan Catholic High School, received his BS in Electrical Engineering in 1972, studied Aviation at EmbryRiddle Aeronautical University, and received his MBA from Fayetteville State University. In September 1966, he started Quality Sound as a Disc Jockey. In 1978, Quality Sound grew into Quality Sound and Video, an Electronics Systems Integration company where the President and Owner were present. Mark went into the United States Army as an o cer, where he studied to be an aviator for the United States Army from 1970 to 1978. Mark was passionate about his job as a pilot for the military. He was the personal pilot for the Four-Star General Richard G. Stilwell’s at General Stilwell’s request, of which he was

immensely proud. He also was known to have own President Richard Nixon. Mark was a very loved DJ and entertainer for many years at the exceedingly popular dance club The Track. Music was an essential part of Mark’s life. He was the former chairman of Show Biz at Greater Fayetteville Chamber and was on the board of the community concerts in Fayetteville. Mark also worked with Rotary International (Fayetteville Lafayette Rotary Club). These are just a few of Mark’s many achievements throughout his life.

Mark’s favorite song was by Foreigner, “I Want to Know What Love Is.” Mark was truly fortunate to nd that out before going home to be with Jesus. He found this with his wife, Christi Lynch, who showed him what love is through her love for Jesus Christ. As Mark got older, he became ill, and we all thought it sad, but It allowed Mark to take a little time, read between the years, and think things over. He climbed mountains with the weight of the world on his shoulders, but through the clouds, as his life grew colder, he saw the love of God shine through Christi. In his life, he had heartache, such sickness and pain that he did not want to face any longer. She brought happiness to his life and helped him realize that he had traveled and come so far, and with the Lord and her help, he would not be lonely anymore and could not stop now. Mark looked around, and he realized that there was nowhere left to hide. Love had nally found him. He gave that love back to Christi and his heart to the Lord. No more heartache and no more pain. He is loved and in his healthy, perfect, glori ed body at home with his Lord, Jesus Christ, in Heaven, waiting to hang out with his wife, Christi Lynch. Mark loved his friends and enjoyed you all. He had a very ful lling life and was grateful for all his friends. Mark shared these thoughts with a close friend who wanted to share them with all his friends and loved ones.

The celebration of life will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, at First Church Fayetteville, 2813 Cumberland Road, Fayetteville, North Carolina. A graveside service will follow at Sandy Grove Church,6800 Arabia Road, Lumber Bridge, North Carolina. In lieu of owers, donations can be made to The Fayetteville Lafayette Rotary Club.

STATE & NATION

Do you know the 3

branches of US government?

Many don’t, leading to a push for civics education

By Allen G. Breed and Tim Sullivan The Associated Press

BLUFFTON, S.C. — On the rst day of his American National Government class, professor Kevin Dopf asks how many of his students are United States citizens. Every hand shoots up.

“So, how did all you people become citizens?” he asks. “Did you pass a test?”

“No,” one young woman says tentatively. “We were born here.”

It’s a good thing. Based on his years of making his students at the University of South Carolina Beaufort take the test given to immigrants seeking U.S. citizenship, most would be rejected.

“Thirty, 35% of the students will pass it,” says Dopf, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and former West Point instructor. “The rest of them are clueless. I mean, they’re just clueless.”

Most states require some sort of high school civics instruction. But with a recent survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center showing that about a third of American adults can’t name the three branches of the federal government, many think we should be aiming higher.

Over the past few years, a small but growing number of states have begun requiring students at publicly funded colleges to complete a civics requirement. That comes as polling indicates civics education is wildly popular across the political spectrum.

Civics — the study of citizens’ rights and responsibilities — fosters a sense of unity, advocates say, and an ability to deal with disagreement. It empowers citizens, and many people believe it could help heal America’s divides. Having it in higher education means they can look at issue in more sophisticated ways, perhaps weaving it into other classes.

“I feel we are in the business for making a case for America,” said Louise Dube, head of iCivics, which promotes civics education.

But what does it mean when those talking about civics often can’t be, well, civil?

Take North Carolina, where lawmakers and academics got into a heated battle over who should decide how civics would be taught.

Last year, North Carolina Republicans introduced the REACH Act, an acronym for “Reclaiming College Education on America’s Constitutional Heritage.” The bill required undergraduates to take at least three credit hours in American government and read a series of major U.S. history documents, from the Declaration of Independence to Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” They would also have to pass a nal exam worth 20% of the nal grade. If the bill seemed anodyne on the surface, it met with intense pushback. Critics pointed to the bill’s “reclaiming” title, its at-

tempt to dictate curriculum usually set by professors and that it was drafted by Jameson Broggi, an avowedly conservative U.S. Marine Corps captain and lawyer who has said curriculum must include “devotion to American institutions and ideals.”

The North Carolina act easily passed the state House in March 2023 and a rst reading in the Senate. It seemed on its way to victory.

University of North Carolina o cials and faculty were not happy.

“We tried to slow this down in House but had zero success,”

Bart Goodson, senior vice president of government relations for the 16-school UNC system wrote to a fellow administrator in an April 2023 email, obtained by Broggi through an open records request.

“It was a ‘wrap yourself in the ag’ type bill and anyone who spoke against was essentially viewed as non-American,” Goodson wrote.

So, as the idea moved slowly through the legislative process, UNC faculty took matters into their own hands.

Wade Maki, chair of the UNC faculty assembly, worked with professors from four other campuses, including two historically black universities, to draft a set of learning outcomes. They studied what’s being done in other states.

The resulting proposal, called the “Foundations of American Democracy,” mirrors the REACH Act in many ways. They even added Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address to the list of required documents.

It seemed like everyone wanted the same thing.

But supporters of requiring civics through legislation were troubled — why did the faculty object to their version?

“What are these people afraid of?” asked Michael B. Poliako , president and chief executive o cer of American Council

“It was a ‘wrap yourself in the ag’ type bill and anyone who spoke against was essentially viewed as non-American.”

UNC administrator Bart Goodson

of Trustees and Alumni, which helped Broggi draft the North Carolina act and a similar one that passed in South Carolina three years ago.

“As if understanding the founding documents and the pivotal moments in our history, culminating with letter from Birmingham Jail, would be too disturbing, too retro.”

That’s not the point, the academics say.

Unlike standards in K-12 schools, college faculty typically decide the content of individual courses. It’s seen as a core of academic freedom.

“Faculty are the primary owners of the curriculum.” says Maki, who teaches philosophy at UNC Greensboro. “We know what works in ways that sometimes someone outside of higher ed may not know what works.”

The UNC board of governors, all 24 of whom were appointed by the GOP-led legislature, unanimously approved the plan in mid-April. Details are still being ironed out, with the requirement applying to students entering the system starting July 2025. (The NC REACH Act’s sponsors, displeased with the UNC plan, have vowed to revive the legislative e ort next year.)

According to the conservative, New York-based Civics Alliance, legislation in at least 10 states — Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Wyoming — require undergraduates at public universities to take at least one American his-

tory and/or government course. The requirement is being enacted, or at least discussed, in other states. And the Alliance — which rails against “identity politics” and “radical New Civics activists” — is looking to spread the word.

The organization has created model legislation that calls for the “’study of and devotion to America’s exceptional and praiseworthy history.’” David Randall, the alliance’s executive director, said its materials had “informed” legislation in Florida, Iowa and Texas, but declined to say what other states might have reached out.

Some state college systems, like UNC, haven’t waited for a legislative mandate to act.

For example, students at Indiana’s Purdue University and its satellite campuses can choose from three paths — write reections after attending six approved civics-related events, listen to 12 podcasts and take a series of quizzes or complete one of 13 politics or history courses — and pass an exam. University of Arizona system faculty are currently developing “American Institutions” curricula to ful ll a requirement from the board of regents.

Professors acknowledge not all students appreciate the forced civics learning.

“Some view it as the vegetable in a meal, some view it as the dessert. For some, the goal is just to nish the meal,” said David Reingold, dean of Purdue’s College of Liberal Arts, who oversaw the implementation of the system’s civics program.

The Civics Alliance says America’s colleges, which train K-12 teachers, have been “taken over by a radical establishment determined to replace proper civics education with pedagogies such as Critical Race Theory and action civics ...” Whitney Ross Manzo, an associate professor of political science at Meredith Col-

Professor Wade Maki, chairman of the University of North Carolina system’s faculty senate, helped draft a civics requirement that students at all publicly funded colleges will have to ful ll starting in July 2025.

lege in Raleigh, says fears about political indoctrination assume “a power that faculty simply don’t have.”

“If I could force something on my students, it would be to read their syllabus and do their homework. I don’t have the power to change their political ideology,” said Manzo, who once taught in Texas.

Back in Blu ton, Dopf has his work cut out for him.

After some introductory remarks, Dopf tells his students to take out a piece of paper and pen.

“This is your rst test.”

The 14 questions are relatively simple: How many members in the U.S. Senate? What are the requirements to be president? How long is the term for members of the House of Representatives?

Would-be citizens must get six of 10 answers correct to pass. Dopf holds his students to a lower standard — just seven of 14.

As he expected, about 70% unked.

One student thought Clarence Thomas was chief justice of the Supreme Court. Another put down that the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1667.

“To miss basic facts like that,” Dopf says, exasperation in his voice. “We need to develop better skill sets for our students so that we have a better democracy.” (In fairness, he says even 30% of his West Point cadets failed the quiz.)

Audra Hillman, 18, a freshman from Wake Forest, took two politics classes in high school. So, how’d she do?

“I probably would have got kicked out,” she says with a nervous chuckle.

Hillman wants to eventually work with special needs kids but doesn’t resent having to squeeze in this civics class.

“Everyone should vote,” she says. “Like, it’s your duty as an American citizen. And I think that everyone should go out and be educated.”

Rallying support

Democratic gubernatorial candidate and state Attorney General Josh Stein met with voters in Pittsboro last week as his main rival, Republican Mark Robinson, deals with fallout from an explosive media report that saw most of his senior campaign sta resign.

He’s not the only one making the rounds in the Tarheel State as former President Donald Trump held a rally — complete with Trump Force One yover — in Wilmington on Saturday, and JD Vance, his running mate, had appeared in Raleigh last Wednesday.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Absentee ballots nally being mailed out

Counties have started distributing absentee ballots for the November general election to those who have requested them. Election o cials in all 100 N.C. counties planned to mail out the rst ballots to regular state residents starting Tuesday. Ballots to military and overseas voters requesting them went out starting this past Friday. More than 207,000 absentee ballot requests have been received. State law directed that the rst absentee ballots were to go out on Sept. 6, but appeals courts prevented ballots containing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s name from going out. That led to reprinting and a roughly two-week delay.

Cary man sentenced as one of rst Jan. 6 rioters

Four men who were among the rst rioters to assault police o cers and the rst to breach a security perimeter during the attack on the U.S. Capitol have been sentenced to prison terms. James Grant, 31, of Cary, was sentenced to three years in prison after he climbed into the Capitol through a broken window and entered a senator’s o ce. Following his arrest, he told investigators that the FBI was “the biggest threat to Americans” and that prosecuting Jan. 6 rioters was “a big witch hunt.” Grant’s attorney called it “almost incomprehensible” that prosecutors would seek a nine-year prison sentence. He should be eligible for release within months with credit for time served.

Toner buy gets controversial over picture printed in 1902

The board of commissioners ended up approving a contract with a company with a problematic past

By Ryan Henkel Twin City Herald

WINSTON-SALEM — What seemed like just a routine meeting at rst wound up causing a bit of tension.

At the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners Sept. 19 meeting, the board discussed a potential contract with Owen G. Dunn, doing business as Printelect, for the purchase of toner consumables and replacement batteries for ballot and ballot machines.

However, the issue that was brought forth was that it came

to light that the company had apparently printed a racially insensitive picture more than 100 years ago in 1902.

The majority of commissioners, however, felt that this was an already bygone issue.

“I did do my research and as I read, I found that Owen G. Dunn and Printelect have a diversity and equal employment policy,” said Commissioner Tonya McDaniel. “In fact, they have a very robust discrimination and harassment policy, and their policies were inclusive and culturally sensitive.”

“The issue is of a racist trope in a photograph from 1902,” said Commissioner Dan Besse.

“I can assure my friends in the community that I do not take circulation of racist tropes lightly. … To date, I have seen one photograph representing what we would today consid-

Routh’s son arrested on child sexual abuse images charges

The Greensboro resident’s father is suspected in an assassination attempt on Donald Trump

By Alanna Durkin Richer The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. —

The son of the man suspected in the assassination attempt in Florida against former President Donald Trump has been arrested on federal charges of

possessing child sexual abuse images.

Oran Alexander Routh was arrested this week after authorities searched his Greensboro home “in connection with an investigation unrelated to child exploitation,” and found hundreds of les depicting child sexual abuse, an FBI agent said in court papers.

Investigators who seized multiple electronic devices found videos sent to Oran Routh in July as well as chats from a messaging application

er an o ensive racial stereotype in a photo printed more than a century ago, 1902. I have seen no indication that the Dunn Company’s successor is involved in contemporary racist activities or even the circulation of racist stereotypes and in fact, thanks to Commissioner McDaniels’ inquiries, we got a copy of the company’s corporate policies involving non-discrimination as applied to personnel. They are in e ect today and seem to me to be both strong and comprehensive.”

However, Commissioner Shai Woodbury stated her opposition to contracting with the company, echoing the sentiment expressed by more than a few members of the public who spoke on the issue at the meeting.

“I appreciate the citizens

commonly used by people who share child sexual abuse material, the FBI agent said.

He faces two charges of possessing and receiving child sexual abuse material and is expected to appear later Tuesday in federal court in North Carolina. There was no attorney listed for Oran Routh in court papers. Phone messages left for relatives of Oran Routh were not immediately returned.

Oran Routh’s father, Ryan Wesley Routh, has been charged with federal gun offenses in connection to the attempted assassination at Trump’s Florida golf course earlier this month. Prosecutors have indicated much more serious attempted assassination charges are coming.

Oran Routh’s arrest was rst reported Tuesday by ABC News. A federal judge on Monday

of this community coming to raise concerns about this issue,” Woodbury said. “I did initially share this photograph as an issue of concern at our last meeting, and the context in which I shared this photograph is de nitely rooted in the unfortunate history of not just North Carolina but this entire country. The e ects of what happened 120 years ago is very in alignment with what we see as predominant issues today. … As long as we allow for excuses and the minimization of what has happened to my ancestors here in North Carolina and throughout this country, then we are bound to repeat the same thing over and over and over again.”

Woodbury also stated that the board had been presented with an alternative option to Printelect through Election Systems and Services (ES&S).

“The Board of Elections director has given us at least one option as an alternative,” Woodbury said. “Do not allow

See BOARD, page A2

agreed with Justice Department prosecutors that Ryan Routh should remain locked up while he awaits trial in his case.

Prosecutors have said Ryan Routh left behind a note detailing his plans to kill the former president and kept in his car a handwritten list of dates and venues where Trump was to appear. The note describing Routh’s plans was placed in a box that he dropped o months earlier at the home of an unidenti ed person who did not open it until after Ryan

See ROUTH, page A2

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BOARD from page A1

Owen G. Dunn, which is the same company just doing business now as Printelect, to print our ballots. We can have ES&S print our ballots and then ask ES&S does Owen G. Dunn, doing business as PrintSelect, do they have to actually be the only company that can service our equipment. I think the citizens of this county deserve at least a week of getting information.”

Despite the opposition, the board approved the contract by a 6-1 vote, with Woodbury the only dissent.

“I will not belabor approximately 65,000 ballots to be printed in this county elections knowing that North Carolina is a battleground state,” McDaniel said. “As a commissioner, my responsibility is to ensure that our constituents have access to a ballot.”

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners will next meet Oct. 3.

ROUTH from page A1

Routh’s arrest, prosecutors said.

Ryan Routh is currently charged with illegally possessing his gun in spite of multiple felony convictions, including two charges of possessing stolen goods in 2002 in North Carolina, and with possessing a rearm with an obliterated serial number.

But a prosecutor said in court Monday that they would pursue additional charges before a grand jury, accusing him of having tried to “assassinate a major political candidate” — charges that would warrant life in prison in the event of a conviction.

It is common for prosecutors to le more easily provable charges as an immediate placeholder before adding more signi cant allegations as the case proceeds.

Ryan Routh was arrested Sept. 15 after a Secret Service agent who was scoping the Trump In

Clingmans Dome getting native name back

The peak, named for a Confederate general, is being renamed Kuwohi

The Associated Press

GATLINBURG, Tenn. — The highest peak at Great Smoky Mountains National Park is ofcially reverting to its Cherokee name more than 150 years after a surveyor named it for a Confederate general.

The U.S. Board of Geographic Names voted last week in favor of a request from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to o cially change the name Clingmans Dome to Kuwohi, according to a news release from the park. The Cherokee name for the mountain translates to “mulberry place.”

“The Great Smoky National Park team was proud to support this e ort to o cially restore the mountain and to recognize

People walk down the path from Clingmans Dome tower in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in August 2017.

its importance to the Cherokee People,” Superintendent Cassius Cash said in the release.

“The Cherokee People have had strong connections to Kuwohi

and the surrounding area, long before the land became a national park. The National Park Service looks forward to continuing to work with the Cher-

okee People to share their story and preserve this landscape together.”

Kuwohi is a sacred place for the Cherokee people and is the highest point within the traditional Cherokee homeland, according to the park. The peak is visible from the Qualla Boundary, home of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Great Smoky Mountains National Park closes Kuwohi every year for three half-days so that predominantly Cherokee schools can visit the mountain and learn its history.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, on the Tennessee-North Carolina border, is America’s most visited national park, and Kuwohi is one its most popular sites, with more than 650,000 visitors per year. The peak became known as Clingmans Dome following an 1859 survey by geographer Arnold Guyot, who named it for Thomas Lanier Clingman, a Confederate brigadier general as well as a lawyer, U.S. representative and senator from North Carolina, according to the park.

The name-restoration proposal was submitted in January by Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Principal Chief Michell Hicks.

NC Supreme Court hears challenge to allowing more time for child sex abuse suits

A 2019 law extended the amount of time adult victims have to le civil lawsuits

By Gary D. Robertson The Associated Press

RALEIGH — Challenges to a portion of a state law that gave adult victims of child sexual abuse two additional years to seek civil damages dominated oral arguments in lawsuits heard Wednesday by North Carolina’s highest court.

The state Supreme Court in one day considered ve cases involving individuals who have sued based on changes approved by the General Assembly through the 2019 SAFE Child Act and signed by Gov. Roy Cooper. Before the law, victims of sexual abuse before age 18 effectively had until turning 21 to le such civil claims against perpetrators. Now such victims have until they’re age 28.

Front and center in most of the cases heard Wednesday was another section of the law that gave other victims whose period to sue ended the ability to le lawsuits seeking damages for child sex abuse. They were allowed to le lawsuits from January 2020 through December 2021. Supporters of the two-year provision have said it allowed victims to ensure their abusers and institutions that allowed abuse to happen pay for the damage, and that abusers are called out publicly.

Before the law, victims of sexual abuse before age 18 e ectively had until turning 21 to le such civil claims against perpetrators. Now such victims have until they’re age 28.

In Wednesday’s opening case, a lawyer for the Gaston County Board of Education argued the lookback period violates the North Carolina Constitution by stripping away fundamental rights protected from retroactive alterations by the legislature. The board wants the provision declared unconstitutional and the lawsuit dismissed.

The school board is a defendant in a 2020 lawsuit led by three former Gaston County student-athletes who also sued a high school coach convicted of crimes against team members. In this case, a divided state Court of Appeals panel last year upheld the two-year window as constitutional.

At least 250 child sex abuse lawsuits were led in North Carolina under the two-year window, with many of them going back to allegations from 40 or 50 years ago, according to a board legal brief.

Attorneys for the ex-students and the state — which intervened in the lawsuit and is defending the two-year win-

dow — said nothing in the state constitution prevented the General Assembly from o ering victims this chance to sue for damages.

“It is inconceivable to me that the good people of North Carolina, in adopting any version of their constitution, would have ever intended to prevent the General Assembly from implementing a public policy that recognizes the profound harm that children who are sexually abused have suffered and decided to give them a limited period of time to bring a claim and seek justice,” Bobby Jenkins, the former students’ attorney, told the court.

The Gaston County coach, Gary Scott Goins, was convicted of 17 sex-related crimes in 2014 and sentenced to at least 34 years in prison. Goins was previously dismissed as a defendant in this current lawsuit, according to a court opinion.

School board lawyer Robert King told the justices that children must be protected, and the General Assembly has helped with other provisions in the 2019 law.

But upholding the window would make it impossible for some institutions to mount vigorous defenses given the passage of time and long-destroyed records, King said, and open the door for the revival of other types of civil claims. Felony child abuse charges have no statute of limitations and can come with long sentences.

“If a person is going to be dissuaded from abusing children, if that is possible, it is by

threat of spending the rest of their lives in prison,” King said. “It is not by reviving a 50-yearold civil claim that is typically going to be against the bad actor’s former employer.”

The court gave no indication when it would rule. At least three of the six justices hearing the case — not Associate Justice Allison Riggs, who recused herself, as she wrote the Court of Appeals opinion while on the lower court — questioned King’s arguments.

Since 2002, 30 states and the District of Columbia revived previously expired child sex abuse claims with limited or permanent expansions of claim periods, according to CHILD USA, a think tank advocating for the civil rights of children and prevention of sex abuse.

The Supreme Court also heard arguments Wednesday in a case involving a man who sued alleging a Catholic layperson sexually abused him during the early 1980s. The lawsuit seeks damages from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte and the Glenmary Home Missioners, a group of priests and laypersons who serve primarily in rural areas.

A trial judge dismissed claims against the Catholic groups, saying the language in the law permitting a two-year claim window for “any civil action for child sexual abuse” only included claims against the perpetrator of the sexual abuse — not institutions. But the Court of Appeals reversed that decision.

CAITIE MCMEKIN / KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL VIA AP

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

Time for deciding: socialism or capitalism?

“The problem with socialism is that sooner or later you run out of other people’s money.”

Margaret Thatcher

THERE COULD NOT BE MORE of a contrast between the two candidates in the upcoming election. Like him or hate him, you know where Donald Trump stands on issues.

That is, if you’re honest with yourself.

Most people have no idea where Vice President Kamala Harris stands on issues because her own words are now challenging her past beliefs and actions. There’s nothing wrong with changing your mind, but explain what you really believe. Are you truthful now or then? She refuses to say.

If you’ve been paying attention for a while, you know that Harris has a long history of far-left policies. She has consistently been listed as the most liberal senator in the U.S. Senate. She has promoted socialist policies at every turn.

“The problem with socialism is that sooner or later you run out of other people’s money,” Margaret Thatcher once said.

Socialism has failed every time it’s been tried. Yet there’s always the next attempt to make it succeed. It only failed because this group or that group wasn’t in charge. I was amazed at the Democratic candidates’ attempts to “out-socialist” each other in their last primary. Of course, the only honest one was Bernie Sanders. He admits he’s a socialist, and his supporters are huge fans. The others won’t dare admit it. Remember, Harris was to the left of Bernie on policy.

Polls show a sharp rise in the popularity of socialism. One poll showed that 70% of millennials had a favorable or somewhat favorable view of this failed system. Now that’s scary. I don’t care who you are. There was a sharp decline among older Americans. That’s at least a icker of hope. This doesn’t say much for our educational

system. Obviously, history is not taught anymore, and these youngsters have no idea how economies work and what socialism is. Anyone who has even a clue would never support socialism.

I wonder if these swooning throngs of cheerleaders have ever heard of Venezuela. This oil-rich country, previously the richest country in South America, has been turned into a hellhole under socialism. People can’t feed their families, there are long lines to purchase the few commodities available, incomes plummet and there’s triple-digit in ation.

I nd it interesting, under socialism, that the product that’s least available is toilet paper. Why is that? Perhaps it’s considered a luxury and not a necessity?

Logic tells us to look to the past and learn from it. We look to the past because it proves our belief system, our view of human nature, what works, what doesn’t, etc. Some look to the future because it can’t disprove their theories. Socialists always look to the future, never to the past.

Most people realize that communism is a bad thing. Socialism is the rst step to communism. All socialists are not communists, but all communists are socialists. Under communism, the state owns all property; under socialism, the state controls all production. We are still able to own property under socialism, but the government controls everything produced.

Consider what you’re most frustrated with. It’s usually a government agency. If you’re unhappy with a service person or a vendor, you just take your business somewhere else. Government agencies give you nowhere to go.

Dr. Thomas Sowell said, “Socialism is a wonderful sounding idea. It’s only as a reality

that it’s a disastrous idea.” It sounds so good; it must work. Someone else just needs to be in charge.

The promise of socialism is “something for nothing. “ Paid for by raising taxes on “the rich.” The problem with socialism is that only those in control are “rich.”

Socialism is an immoral system, but facts are not allowed to cloud the vision of a socialist utopia. Under socialism, something that’s immoral when done privately becomes moral when done collectively. Remember, legality does not de ne morality. Slavery was legal, and so was hanging horse thieves, but it was de nitely immoral.

Socialism is brutal. More people have died under socialist dictators than in all wars. Most died from starvation, but many were murdered by these ruthless thugs.

People are poor because they are unable or unwilling to produce something of value for their fellow citizens. Under capitalism, anyone can become wealthy by pleasing their fellow man. We have many billionaires who came from humble beginnings and changed the world with their genius. Bill Gates comes to mind.

People in countries closer to freedom on the spectrum have far greater wealth and far greater human rights protections. Capitalism, under a free society, is a moral system.

Beware of rhetoric vs. reality. Ideas should be tested against facts. Facts are stubborn, and they shouldn’t be ignored. Look to the past to con rm beliefs and see if they worked.

Sen. Joyce Krawiec has represented Forsyth County and the 31st District in the North Carolina Senate since 2014. She lives in Kernersville.

An e ective Secret Service requires real change

The agents assigned to protect President Trump — or any American president — should be placed entirely on their merit and nothing else.

THE SECRET SERVICE must completely rethink and revise its plans for protecting President Donald J. Trump.

Trump’s safety is clearly threatened. He has thankfully survived two assassination e orts.

The propaganda media and political left’s language continue to incite violence against the former and potentially future president.

The Secret Service’s reaction to the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, was clearly inadequate. Agents failed to detect and stop the would-be assassin. A local policeman red the shot that killed the gunman. Trump’s life was saved by the grace of God and that o cer — not the Secret Service.

Now we have had a second serious e ort to kill Trump. The Secret Service is claiming success because its agent found the suspected assassin about 400 yards ahead of President Trump’s position. However, this close call could have been catastrophic.

The suspect had reportedly been on the golf course since 1 a.m. It was essentially pure luck that an agent saw the gun barrel sticking out of the bushes. The suspect was clearly within range. The ri e and scope he carried were capable of ring a fatal shot at that distance.

After the rst attempt on Trump’s life, I warned Sean Hannity on July 13 that it was a political act that we should have seen coming:

“It was a deliberate act. And as you know, because we’ve talked about it o -air, I’ve said for four months that when all the legal baloney fails and when they begin to realize he is going to win, the violence is the next thing because they’re that desperate.”

So we have had months for the Secret Service to come to grips with the scale of the challenge. It has failed. Simply adding a few more agents is not an answer. The Secret Service must undertake a completely new model of protecting Trump. It was an especially bad sign when its rst reaction was to prevent the former president from playing golf because agents could not gure out how to protect him. This public admission of its inability to think big and creatively enough made me wonder if the Trump team should bring in private sector protection service.

However, if Trump sticks with the Secret Service, then we should insist that it plans on the scale of the threat to Trump.

There are more than 7,000 agents in the Secret Service. They should reassign as many as necessary to have airtight coverage wherever Trump goes. Further, the Secret Service should consider military security systems, such as air base protection, and incorporate those technical capabilities. A drone carrying an infrared detection system could have been own over the golf course an hour before President Trump arrived, and it would have immediately detected the warm body lying in the shrubbery.

The agents assigned to protect Trump — or any American president — should be placed entirely on their merit and nothing else. Diversity, equity and inclusion rules should not play a role.

There must be greatly expanded cooperation between the Secret Service and local law enforcement. In both assassination attempts, local police played major roles. This should be expanded and made routine. There must also be coordinated communication with all the local agencies (which would prove invaluable in a real national crisis).

Increased K-9 unit capabilities are needed. When an area is swept, people and dogs can be left behind to ensure no one comes in after the rst sweep.

As those who wish to harm Trump grow more desperate, they may become more inventive. A drone threat is a real possibility and must be guarded against. Portable, mobile anti-drone systems should become part of the protective services. Coordination with the military and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency may become vital to keeping up with and countering threats.

The Secret Service must allocate the resources, manpower and skills to overmatch and defeat any plausible threat. The very fabric of American society requires that presidential candidates are protected from assassination.

This is a key moment for the survival of the American system.

The American people should demand that their government meet the challenge.

Newt Gingrich was the 50th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

TRIAD STRAIGHT TALK | SEN. JOYCE KRAWEIC

COLUMN | NEWT GINGRICH

Death toll rises to 38 in eastern Iran coal mine explosion

Fourteen people are still missing and believed to be trapped underground

By Nasser Karimi

The Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran — Rescuers on Monday recovered the bodies of more workers killed in an explosion at a coal mine in eastern Iran, bringing the death toll in the disaster to at least 38, o cials said. Another 14 miners are still believed to be trapped below ground.

The blast struck the coal mine in Tabas, about 335 miles southeast of the capital, Tehran, on Saturday night. On Sunday, weeping miners stood alongside mine cars that brought up the bodies of their colleagues, covered in coal dust.

The state-run IRNA news agency on Monday reported the new death toll from the blast, as well as the number of missing.

Survivors interviewed by Iranian state television, still smudged in coal dust, described chaotic scenes after the blast.

“We were in the mine, working. Suddenly, there was some smoke rising ... then I noticed I had di culty breathing,” said one miner who was not identi ed by state TV. “I jumped

o from the workshop, and I scrambled until I reached somewhere (safe). My friends (remained) in there.”

Authorities said a sudden leak of methane gas led to the blast as workers began their work. They said mine gas checks Saturday night did not show any leakage before the explosion. Bodies recovered so far showed no signs of blast injuries, suggesting many of the workers died from the gas before the blast.

Such gases are common in mining, though modern safety measures call for ventilation and other measures to protect workers.

It wasn’t immediately clear what safety procedures were in place at the privately owned Tabas Parvadeh 5 mine, operated by Mandanjoo Co. The rm could not be reached for comment.

Iran’s new reformist president, Masoud Pezeshkian, preparing to travel to New York for the U.N. General Assembly, said Sunday that he ordered all e orts be made to rescue those trapped and aid their families. He also said an investigation into the explosion had begun.

“I spoke with the ministers of health, interior and security and ordered that the issues of the families of the victims and the injured be quickly resolved,” Pezeshkian said, ac -

cording to a statement from his o ce. “I also requested to take measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents by improving work standards in the country’s mines.”

Iran’s mining industry has been struck by disasters before. In 2017, a coal mine explosion killed at least 42 people.

Then-President Hassan Rouhani, campaigning ahead of winning reelection, visited the site in Iran’s northern Golestan province and angry miners besieged the SUV he rode in, kicking and beating the ar -

mored vehicle in a rage.

In 2013, 11 workers were killed in two separate mining incidents. In 2009, 20 workers were killed in several incidents.

Lax safety standards and inadequate emergency services in mining areas were often blamed for the fatalities.

Oil-producing Iran is rich in a variety of minerals. It annually consumes around 3.5 million tons of coal but only extracts about 1.8 million tons from its mines per year. The rest is imported, often consumed in the country’s steel mills.

Cholera spreading in Sudan as ghting continues

Nearly 400 have died from the fast-spreading infectious disease

By Samy Magdy

The Associated Press

CAIRO — Cholera is spreading in war-torn Sudan, killing at least 388 people and sickening about 13,000 others over the past two months, health authorities said on Monday as more than 17 months of ghting between the military and a notorious paramilitary group shows no sign of abating.

Artillery shelling hit an open market Monday in Omdurman, the sister city of the capital, Khartoum, killing at least 13 people and wounding more than 30 others, the health ministry said.

The disease is spreading in areas devastated by recent heavy rainfall and oods, espe -

cially in eastern Sudan, where millions of war-displaced people have sheltered. The casualties from cholera included six dead and about 400 sickened over the weekend, according to Sunday’s report by the Health Ministry. The disease was detected in 10 of the country’s 18 provinces, with the eastern Kassala and al-Qadarif provinces the most hit, the ministry said.

Cholera is a fast-developing, highly contagious infection that causes diarrhea, leading to severe dehydration and possible death within hours when not treated, according to the World Health Organization. It’s transmitted through the ingestion of contaminated food or water.

The disease isn’t uncommon in Sudan. A previous major outbreak left at least 700 dead and sickened about 22,000 in less than two months in 2017.

13,000

Sudan was plunged into chaos in April 2023 when simmering tensions between the military and a powerful paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces, exploded into open warfare across the country.

The ghting, which wrecked Khartoum and other urban areas, has been marked by atrocities, including mass rape and ethnically motivated killings that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, especially in the western region of Darfur, according to the United Nations and international rights groups.

Monday’s shelling hit the Sabrian market in Karari district in Omdurman, said Mohamed Ibrahim, the health ministry’s spokesman. He blamed the RSF for the attack.

The ghting has killed at least 20,000 people and wounded tens of thousands of others, according to the U.N. However, rights groups and activists say the toll was much higher.

The war also has created the world’s largest displacement crisis. More than 13 million people have been forced to ee their homes since the ghting began, according to the International Organization for Migration. That includes more than 2.3 million who ed to neighboring countries.

Devastating seasonal oods and cholera have compounded the Sudanese misery. At least 225 people have been killed and about 900 others were in-

“We were in the mine, working. Suddenly, there was some smoke rising ... then I noticed I had di culty breathing.”

Unidenti ed Iranian miner

jured in the oods, the Health Ministry said. Critical infrastructure has been washed away, and more than 76,000 houses have been destroyed or damaged, it said. Famine was also con rmed in July in the Zamzam camp for displaced people, which is located about 10 miles from North Darfur’s embattled capital of al-Fasher, according to global experts from the Famine Review Committee. About 25.6 million people — more than half of Sudan’s population — will face acute hunger this year, they warned.

Fighting, meanwhile, rages in al-Fasher, the last major city in Darfur that is still held by the military. The RSF has been attempting to retake it since the start of the year.

Last week, the paramilitary force and its allied Arab militias launched a new attack on the city. The military said its forces, aided by rebel groups, managed to repel the attack and kill hundreds of RSF ghters, including two senior commanders.

IRANIAN RED CRESCENT SOCIETY VIA AP

Miners and police o cers examine the site of a coal mine the day after a methane leak sparked an explosion Saturday in Tabas, Iran.

People sickened by cholera in Sudan in the last two months

Forsyth SPORTS

Historically bad day for Triangle football

NC State and UNC got pounded in simultaneous games last Saturday

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

THE ACC RELEASES

its basketball schedule for 2024-25 on Tuesday evening. It’s not a moment too soon, as football season came crashing down for two Triangle teams on Saturday.

Both games kicked o at noon, and before lunch had settled in most fans’ stomachs, the outcomes were clear.

NC State traveled to Clemson and was overwhelmed by the Tigers. The Wolfpack surrendered four rst- quarter touchdowns, trailed 45 -7 at the half and by as many as 45 points as Clemson rolled to a 59 -35 win.

It was the second blowout loss the Wolfpack has su ered this year, coming two weeks after a 51-10 loss to Tennessee in Charlotte.

Meanwhile in Chapel Hill, the Tar Heels were shocked by visiting James Madison, which shattered records for both schools as it rolled to a 70 - 50 win over UNC. It matched the most points UNC has ever surrendered in a game, and the beat- down broke records for most points allowed at Kenan Stadium and most given up in a half. It was also the most points JMU has ever scored against a FBS foe.

The 129 combined points were the most ever allowed by two Triangle teams on the same day. It topped Oct. 8, 2005,

ized by a blocked punt, onside kick, pick-six and several long completions, falling behind by 32 points in the rst half. It was the rst time UNC has trailed by 30 or more at home since 2016 and the rst time the Heels fell behind by as much in the rst half at Kenan since 1999.

Afterward, UNC coach Mack Brown took responsibility for the humiliating loss, saying, “I hired everybody that works in this building, and I’ve signed every player on this team. So I mean, the people that want to blame me, they should, because I am at fault 100%. I missed it.”

Brown also reportedly offered to step down as head coach while addressing the team.

Doeren, meanwhile, seemed to imply that some members of his team quit as Clemson ran up the score.

“We’re gonna nd out who wants to ght,” he said. “Who wants to get in there. … The guys kind of said no mas, and a bunch of guys stepped up and we started playing better. So this will be another truth serum when you get in the lm room tomorrow. It’s gonna be a tough Sunday for them.”

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Carly Edwards

when Duke lost 52 -7 at Miami en route to a 1-10 season and Carolina lost 69 -14 at Louisville, giving up a touchdown and two -point conversion more points. The previous worst Heels/Wolfpack daily double was Sept. 27, 2014, when State gave up 56 at Carter-Finley against Florida State and Carolina 50 at Clemson. Duke, who won at Middle Tennessee State, and NC Central, who knocked o rival NC A&T, prevented the Triangle from su ering a complete sweep. The Tar Heels were victim-

When asked if the team captains stepped up as things went downhill, Doeren said, “I don’t know that I did, to be honest. I never saw a big play made by somebody in that role. … It wasn’t a game where there was a guy I can single out and say, ‘He had a great game today.’ We didn’t have a guy like that today. We just didn’t.”

State returns home with a game against NIU — Doeren’s previous head coaching stop before taking the Wolfpack job — next week, while UNC travels to Duke for its annual rivalry game. Both teams will have plenty of questions to answer before those games kick o .

Reagan, volleyball

Carly Edwards is a senior on the Reagan volleyball team. Reagan got three victories last week, all by 3-0 margins, to improve to 20-4, 8-0 in the Central Piedmont. Every successful team needs a “glue” player, and Edwards has been exactly that for the Raiders, doing whatever it takes to get the win each time out. In the victory over East Forsyth, she had three of the team’s nine service aces, also added four kills and three digs. Against Northwest Guilford, she led the way with nine kills, adding a blocked shot, a reception and three digs. Against Ardrey Kell, she was the team leader in digs, with 12, adding an assist, two receptions, seven kills and an ace. On the year, Edwards leads the team in hitting percentage and is second in blocks and third in kills.

Larson wins at Bristol to advance

Two former Cup Series champions were knocked out of the playo s

By Jenna Fryer The Associated Press

JUST MINUTES after Kyle Larson crossed the nish line on the most dominating victory ever for a Hendrick Motorsports driver, his team rushed his 9 -year- old son to the winning Chevrolet. Owen Larson was half in the car, half out, as his dad drove a victory lap around Bristol Motor Speedway with his son holding the No. 1 nger in the air.

“We had a little boys’ weekend here this weekend,” Larson said. “We’ll bring some hardware home tonight, too.”

Larson dominated the rst

elimination race of the Cup Series’ 10 -race playo portion of the season by leading all but 38 of the 500 laps at the track in Bristol, Tennessee — the most laps led ever in a race by a Hendrick driver. It easily moved him into the second round of the playo s, while former Cup champions Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr., as well as Ty Gibbs and Harrison Burton, were eliminated from the 16 - d river eld.

“I’ve had a lot of good cars since I’ve come to Hendrick Motorsports, but man, that was just great execution all weekend by the team,” Larson said.

“We dominate a lot of races but we might not close them all out, so it feels really good to close one out here.”

The rst of three elimination races in the 10 -race play-

“Pretty

Kyle Larson

o s began with Denny Hamlin, Truex, Keselowski and Burton all below the cutline and facing elimination from the 16 - d river eld. Hamlin, a three -t ime Daytona 500 winner with four career wins at Bristol, was never really worried and nished fourth.

Burton, who used a surprise win at Daytona last month to qualify for the playo s in the nal few weeks before he loses his seat with Wood Brothers

Racing, was doubtful to recover enough to advance and nished 35th. Keselowski, the 2012 Cup champion, and 2017 champion Truex had a better shot at salvaging their playo s but both came up empty.

Truex was penalized for speeding on pit road, taking him out of contention to advance, and Keselowski just didn’t have the pace. Joe Gibbs Racing had two of its four cars eliminated from the playo s as Ty Gibbs was also penalized for speeding.

Keselowski nished 26th and lamented the lack of speed in his RFK Racing Ford.

“Didn’t have the pace we wanted. We ran as hard as we could, there just wasn’t anything there,” Keselowski said.

“Just gotta be faster.” Larson, meanwhile, led 462 of 500 laps, the most since Cale Yarborough led 495 laps in 1977. Larson’s laps led is the most ever by a Hendrick driver and marked the fth win of

the season for the driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet.

“That’s pretty awesome because there’s been some legendary Hall of Famers race for Hendrick Motorsports, and we’ve all grown up watching Je Gordon and Jimmie Johnson dominate,” Larson said. “So pretty cool to get my name on another record at Hendrick Motorsports.”

Daniel Suarez, who nished four laps down in 31st, squeezed out the nal spot into the second round of the playo s by 11 points over Gibbs.

Also advancing were Chase Elliott, who nished second, Christopher Bell, who nished fth, regular-season champion Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Chase Briscoe, William Byron, Austin Cindric and Alex Bowman.

Hendrick’s entire four- c ar Chevrolet lineup advanced, as did all three Ford drivers from Team Penske. But Toyota lost a pair of JGR entries, and Ford lost two cars.

WADE PAYNE / AP PHOTO

Kyle Larson leads Justin Haley and Todd Gilliland (white) on his way to winning Saturday night’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol.

cool to get my name on another record at Hendrick Motorsports.”

ARTIE WALKER JR. / AP PHOTO NC State coach Dave Doeren watches an instant replay on the scoreboard during the rst half against Clemson on Saturday. The Wolfpack gave up four early touchdowns and lost 59-35 to the Tigers.

SIDELINE REPORT

NFL Morris, part of Dolphins’ two Super Bowl wins and perfect season, dies at 77

Miami Eugene “Mercury” Morris, who starred for the unbeaten 1972 Miami Dolphins as part of a star-studded back eld and helped the team win two Super Bowl titles, died at 77. The team con rmed the death the three -time Pro Bowl selection. Morris was the starting halfback and one of three go -to runners that Dolphins coach Don Shula utilized in Miami’s back-to -ba ck title seasons of 1972 and 1973, alongside Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick. Morris led the Dolphins in rushing touchdowns in both of those seasons.

NCAA SWIMMING

2 suspended from college swim team after report of slur scratched onto student’s body Gettysburg, Pa.

O cials at a Pennsylvania college say at least two students were suspended from the men’s swim team after a report that a racial slur was scratched onto a student’s body. Gettysburg College said in a statement last week that o cials had received “a deeply concerning report of a racial slur being scratched onto a student using a plastic or ceramic tool.” The college says that “the students involved are not participating in swim team activities.” The college’s president says it is reported to have happened during an “informal social gathering at an on- c ampus residence.”

NBA Embiid signs 3-year, $193M contract extension with 76ers Philadelphia Joel Embiid has signed a contract extension with the Philadelphia 76ers, keeping him with the franchise through the 2028 -29 season. The NBA All- Star and the 76ers reached a three -year, $193 million extension with a player option for the 2028-2029 season. Embiid broke his own news early Friday morning when he posted a photo on Instagram of him signing a contract alongside team owner Josh Harris.

MLB

Umpire Vanover

retiring after 30-plus years in majors

St. Petersburg, Fla.

Umpire Larry Vanover is retiring after more than 30 years on the major league sta . Vanover’s wife and son took out the lineup card to the pregame meeting at the plate before Sunday’s game between the Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays.

The 69 -year- old Vanover was honored with a message on the scoreboard during the rst inning and received an ovation from the fans. He joined the big league sta in 1993. His 2014 regular season concluded with home -plate duties in Derek Jeter’s nal game.

Maye Day? Pats say not time yet to turn to rookie

New England will stick with Jacoby Brissett as its starting quarterback

By Jimmy Golen The Associated Press

JACOBY BRISSETT isn’t the problem. Drake Maye isn’t the solution.

So the New England Patriots will go another week — at least — with the veteran journeyman Brissett at starting quarterback before turning things over to Maye, the rookie rst-round draft pick out of UNC and acknowledged quarterback of the future.

“It’s still status quo,” coach Jerod Mayo said Friday, a day after the team’s 24 -3 loss to the New York Jets. “Jacoby’s still our starting quarterback, and we’ve got to be ready to support him. There are 11 guys out there on o ense, so it’s everyone.”

After a surprisingly good

start to the season — beating Cincinnati and going to over

time against Seattle — the Patriots crashed in their AFC East opener last Thursday night against Aaron Rodgers and the Jets. Brissett completed 12 of 18 passes for 98 yards and was sacked ve times, limping away from one of the 10 hits he took.

“It’s football. I’m supposed to get hit. I didn’t sign up for this sport to not get hit, so I don’t really pay attention to that,” Brissett said after spending most of the game trying to avoid a Jets pass rush that overwhelmed the injury-r iddle Patriots o ensive line.

“Those guys, they’re battling their (butts) o , man. And I tip my hat to them,” Brissett said. “It’s not an easy job. Honestly, I don’t want that job. But I respect those guys for going out there and just trying their best, and that’s all you can ask for, man. It’s just, give me your

College football guarantee games pay millions to small-budget schools

Opportunities

for guarantee games could shrink in future

By Ralph D. Russo The Associated Press

OHIO STATE and Kent State, separated by 135 miles in the same state, occupy extreme ends of the spectrum of major college football.

Buckeyes football pulled in $127 million in revenue in 2023. Golden Flashes football has a budget of about $9 million. Still, Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork and Kent State AD Randale Richmond share a similar problem for different reasons. Both look at their football schedules this season and see more so-called guarantee games than they would prefer.

Guarantee games are those one-o matchups where a school pays another to come to its stadium, with no return date. For power conference schools such as No. 3 Ohio State, that typically means cutting a check of around $1.5 million — give or take a few hundred thousand — to a school such as Kent State. More often than not, the games are not competitive. Occasionally, the smaller program gets to take home a historic vic-

tory along with a big check the way Northern Illinois ($1.4 million) did at No. 17 Notre Dame or Memphis ($1.3 million) did at Florida State earlier this season.

By the

numbers

This season at least 60 guarantee games will be played matching schools that play in the NCAA’s highest level of Division I, the Football Bowl Subdivision, with total payouts reaching $75 million, according to AP research. There are also dozens more games matching FBS teams with those in the second-tier Championship Subdivision that follow a similar structure but with smaller payouts. The most famous guarantee game — Appalachian State’s 34 -32 upset at No. 5 Michigan in 2007 — included a $400,000 check for the visitors.

Ohio State’s anomaly

For Ohio State, a con uence of events, including conference realignment, left the Buckeyes with a three-game nonconference schedule of guarantee games in 2024. Typically, the Buckeyes have one high-pro le game against a power conference opponent that would be one end of a home-and-home series.

best. I’m going to give them my best and, at the end of the day, we’ll see where we’re at.” Brissett was pulled in thenal ve minutes and replaced by Maye, who went 4 for 8 for 22 yards in his NFL debut but was sacked twice in his lone series on the eld — including one to end the game.

Mayo said he considered keeping the rookie o the eld to protect him. “But at the same time I thought it was too good of an opportunity for him to get out there and get some experience,” the coach said.

What’s working

It’s not great when the punter is the star, but Bryce Baringer’s ve punts averaged 49 yards, and three were downed inside the Jets 20.

What needs help

The o ensive line mostly held things together the rst

two games, but it all came apart on Thursday night. The seven sacks matched the most the team has allowed since Scott Zolak and Hugh Millen were brought down eight times by Ted Marchibroda’s Indianapolis Colts in 1992.

“It was bad in all phases,” center David Andrews said. “We weren’t really able to get into a rhythm, and some things we thought were going to work didn’t, we didn’t execute it good enough.”

Injuries

The o ensive line is in shambles. Starting left tackle Vederian Lowe (knee) and left guard Sidy Sow (ankle) didn’t play. Sub left tackle Caedan Wallace and left guard Michael Jordan both left the game injured in the fourth quarter. Center David Andrews (hip) and right tackle Mike Onwenu (wrist) played after being listed as questionable.

Ohio State had a home-andhome against Notre Dame in 2022 and ’23, is set to play Texas in 2025 and ’26, and then play Alabama the following two seasons. This year, however, Ohio State is paying $4.05 million for games against Akron, Western Michigan and Marshall. It’s not so much that $4.05 million will break Ohio State athletics, which reported nearly $280 million in revenue in 2022. The school made more than $64 million in ticket sales for eight games at Ohio Stadium (capacity 102,780) in ’22, according to the latest nancial records provided to the NCAA. Games that don’t involve Big Ten or marquee nonconference opponents drag down revenue in areas such as concessions, souvenirs and parking. Ohio State’s gameday revenue for Akron and WMU were almost identical, Bjork said. Essentially, Ohio State is

bringing in less and paying out more for guarantee games, he said.

Kent State’s conundrum

On the other end is Kent State, which will receive $3.9 million for games at Pitt, No. 6 Tennessee and No. 10 Penn State. Richmond, who took over at Kent State in 2021, inherited this three-game stretch and said he would prefer no more than two. Kent State also has three guarantee games booked for 2025 (at Texas Tech, Florida State and Oklahoma), Richmond is well aware that it is a lot to put on his football team and second-year coach Kenni Burns. “It makes it very di cult to gain momentum when you have three guarantee games. I can’t answer whether it’s fair or not. I can answer that it does make it di cult,” he said.

GEORGE WALKER IV / AP PHOTO

The Tennessee o ense lines up against the Kent State defense during the rst half of a guarantee game — one of three Kent State plays this year

SETH WENIG / AP PHOTO

New York Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood (44) sacks New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) during the fourth quarter of last Thursday’s game.

the stream

“Inside Out 2” nally arrived on Disney+

The Associated Press STREAMING ON a screen near you this week: what Ellen DeGeneres says is her last comedy special landed on Net ix, and George Clooney and Brad Pitt star in a sleek New York City caper. Also among the streaming o erings worth your time include two Ryan Murphy series — “Grotesquerie” on FX and the ABC medical drama “Doctor Odyssey” — and nearly 40 years after the debut of The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo is nally making the title character the star of her own game.

MOVIES TO STREAM

Hard as this may be to believe, George Clooney and Brad Pitt are good together. Yes, stop the presses and all that.

But it’s been a while since Clooney and Pitt, who rst teamed up for “Ocean’s 11,” had a movie built around their easy charisma. “Wolfs,” streaming Friday on Apple TV+, corrects that with a sleek New York caper about two xers hired for the same clean-up job.

Some Pixar fans have quibbled when the digital animation studio has leaned too hard into sequels. But the “Inside Out 2” box o ce is hard to refute. It’s the year’s biggest box-o ce hit, with nearly $1.7 billion in ticket sales. On Wednesday, “Inside Out 2” arrived on Disney+ to make one of the most anticipated streaming debuts of the year. In it, Riley has grown up a couple of years but entered a new chapter in life: puberty, bringing with it several new emotions.

Will Ferrell and Harper Steele became friends and collaborators at “Saturday Night Live,” where Steele was head writer from 2004 to 2008. When Steele came out as transgender a few years ago, Ferrell, interested in reconnecting, proposed a road trip. In “Will & Harper,” streaming Friday on Net ix, the two embark on a cross-country expedition full of revelations about what this changes and doesn’t change in their relationship.

MUSIC TO STREAM

Serj Tankian, frontman of the Grammy-award-winning Armenian-A merican nu-metal band System of a Down, will release a short solo EP, “Foundations,” on Friday. The release maintains his band’s abrasion but experiments with di erent forms of audial rebellion. For example, the single “A.F. Day” is a kind of psychedelic-punk treatise on the absurdity of everyday mundanity. And it sounds explosive. Nothing is predictable about the band Being Dead’s sopho-

more album, “EELS,” produced by Grammy-award winner John Congleton. Across 16 tracks that move from asymmetrical egg punk, Devo-worship, a recording of a bus driver who has had enough timeless, near-psychedelic harmonies and various other oddball sensibilities that make them the best college radio rock band in recent history — Being Dead’s organized chaos is future-seeking and familiar all at once.

SHOWS TO STREAM

Ellen DeGeneres says her next comedy special on Net ix will be her last. “For Your Approval” dropped Sept. 24, and the comedian “goes there” by addressing reports that she was di cult to deal with behind the scenes of her daytime talk show, which ended its run in 2022 after 19 seasons. “I got kicked out of show business,” she says in the trailer.

Ryan Murphy’s new series on FX, “Grotesquerie,” premiered on Wednesday. Niecy

Nash stars as a detective who agrees to help a nun and reporter (Micaela Diamond) with a Catholic newspaper investigate a series of gruesome murders. Super Bowl-w inning Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (otherwise known as Taylor Swift’s boyfriend) has a secret role in the show.

If “Grotesquerie” isn’t your bag, another Ryan Murphy series is making its debut this week. A medical drama called “Doctor Odyssey” premieres Thursday on ABC. Joshua Jackson plays a doctor on board a luxury cruise ship called the Odyssey. Don Johnson, Philippa Soo and Sean Teale are also stars. The show also boasts several guest stars, including John Stamos, Kelsea Ballerini, Shania Twain and Chord Overstreet. A trailer for the show had nearly 78 million views within 48 hours, making it the most-watched trailer for a new broadcast TV show. Episodes also stream on Hulu.

One might assume a TV show called “Colin from Accounts” takes place in an o ce setting.

Instead, it’s a modern-day romantic comedy made in Australia. It’s created by and co-stars real-life husband and wife Harriet Dyer and Patrick Brammel, who play two people brought together by an injured dog named Colin — all eight episodes of season two debut Thursday on Paramount+. The Walking Dead characters Daryl and Carol (played by Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride) are one of the most popular platonic pairings on television. The two unlikely friends bond over similar pasts and share a deep trust. They next co-star in “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon — The Book of Carol.” It premieres Sunday on AMC and AMC+. Zachry Quinto is back on TV in a medical drama. But he’s not portraying any dour, by-the-rules doctor — he’s playing Dr. Oliver Sacks, the famed neurologist, path-breaking researcher and author once called the “poet laureate of medicine.” NBC’s “Brilliant Minds” takes Sack’s personality — a motor-

cycle-riding, fern-loving doctor who died in 2015 at 82 — and puts his career in the present day, where the creators theorize he would have no idea who Taylor Swift is or own a cell phone.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

Nearly 40 years after the debut of The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo is nally making the title character the star of her own game. As The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom begins, Link — our usual hero — has vanished, so it’s o to the rescue for Princess Z. She’s hardly a damsel in distress, armed with a “Tri Rod” that lets her duplicate objects she nds outside her castle. She can even make copies of monsters and have them ght on her side. The magical sta gives Zelda the improvisational skills that made last year’s Tears of the Kingdom a smash, while the top-down dungeon exploration will remind old-school fans of early games in the franchise. The Echoes begin reverberating Thursday on Switch.

“Inside Out 2,” “Wolfs” and “Will & Harper” are streaming this week.

SCOTT GARFIELD / APPLE

Brad Pitt, left, and George Clooney star in “Wolfs,” streaming Friday on Apple TV+.

STATE & NATION

Do you know the 3 branches

Many don’t, leading to a push for civics education

By Allen G. Breed and Tim Sullivan The Associated Press

BLUFFTON, S.C. — On the rst day of his American National Government class, professor Kevin Dopf asks how many of his students are United States citizens. Every hand shoots up.

“So, how did all you people become citizens?” he asks. “Did you pass a test?”

“No,” one young woman says tentatively. “We were born here.”

It’s a good thing. Based on his years of making his students at the University of South Carolina Beaufort take the test given to immigrants seeking U.S. citizenship, most would be rejected.

“Thirty, 35% of the students will pass it,” says Dopf, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and former West Point instructor. “The rest of them are clueless. I mean, they’re just clueless.”

Most states require some sort of high school civics instruction. But with a recent survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center showing that about a third of American adults can’t name the three branches of the federal government, many think we should be aiming higher.

Over the past few years, a small but growing number of states have begun requiring students at publicly funded colleges to complete a civics requirement. That comes as polling indicates civics education is wildly popular across the political spectrum.

Civics — the study of citizens’ rights and responsibilities — fosters a sense of unity, advocates say, and an ability to deal with disagreement. It empowers citizens, and many people believe it could help heal America’s divides. Having it in higher education means they can look at issue in more sophisticated ways, perhaps weaving it into other classes.

“I feel we are in the business for making a case for America,” said Louise Dube, head of iCivics, which promotes civics education.

But what does it mean when those talking about civics often can’t be, well, civil?

Take North Carolina, where lawmakers and academics got into a heated battle over who should decide how civics would be taught.

Last year, North Carolina Republicans introduced the REACH Act, an acronym for “Reclaiming College Education on America’s Constitutional Heritage.” The bill required undergraduates to take at least three credit hours in American government and read a series of major U.S. history documents, from the Declaration of Independence to Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” They would also have to pass a nal exam worth 20% of the nal grade.

If the bill seemed anodyne on the surface, it met with intense pushback. Critics pointed to the bill’s “reclaiming” title, its at-

of US government?

tempt to dictate curriculum usually set by professors and that it was drafted by Jameson Broggi, an avowedly conservative U.S. Marine Corps captain and lawyer who has said curriculum must include “devotion to American institutions and ideals.”

The North Carolina act easily passed the state House in March 2023 and a rst reading in the Senate. It seemed on its way to victory.

University of North Carolina o cials and faculty were not happy.

“We tried to slow this down in House but had zero success,”

Bart Goodson, senior vice president of government relations for the 16-school UNC system wrote to a fellow administrator in an April 2023 email, obtained by Broggi through an open records request.

“It was a ‘wrap yourself in the ag’ type bill and anyone who spoke against was essentially viewed as non-A merican,” Goodson wrote.

So, as the idea moved slowly through the legislative process, UNC faculty took matters into their own hands.

Wade Maki, chair of the UNC faculty assembly, worked with professors from four other campuses, including two historically black universities, to draft a set of learning outcomes. They studied what’s being done in other states.

The resulting proposal, called the “Foundations of American Democracy,” mirrors the REACH Act in many ways. They even added Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address to the list of required documents.

It seemed like everyone wanted the same thing.

But supporters of requiring civics through legislation were troubled — why did the faculty object to their version?

“What are these people afraid of?” asked Michael B. Poliako , president and chief executive o cer of American Council

“It was a ‘wrap yourself in the ag’ type bill and anyone who spoke against was essentially viewed as non-American.”

UNC administrator Bart Goodson

of Trustees and Alumni, which helped Broggi draft the North Carolina act and a similar one that passed in South Carolina three years ago.

“As if understanding the founding documents and the pivotal moments in our history, culminating with letter from Birmingham Jail, would be too disturbing, too retro.”

That’s not the point, the academics say.

Unlike standards in K-12 schools, college faculty typically decide the content of individual courses. It’s seen as a core of academic freedom.

“Faculty are the primary owners of the curriculum.” says Maki, who teaches philosophy at UNC Greensboro. “We know what works in ways that sometimes someone outside of higher ed may not know what works.”

The UNC board of governors, all 24 of whom were appointed by the GOP-led legislature, unanimously approved the plan in mid-April. Details are still being ironed out, with the requirement applying to students entering the system starting July 2025. (The NC REACH Act’s sponsors, displeased with the UNC plan, have vowed to revive the legislative e ort next year.)

According to the conservative, New York-based Civics Alliance, legislation in at least 10 states — Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas, Utah and Wyoming — require undergraduates at public universities to take at least one American his-

tory and/or government course. The requirement is being enacted, or at least discussed, in other states.

And the Alliance — which rails against “identity politics” and “radical New Civics activists” — is looking to spread the word.

The organization has created model legislation that calls for the “’study of and devotion to America’s exceptional and praiseworthy history.’” David Randall, the alliance’s executive director, said its materials had “informed” legislation in Florida, Iowa and Texas, but declined to say what other states might have reached out.

Some state college systems, like UNC, haven’t waited for a legislative mandate to act.

For example, students at Indiana’s Purdue University and its satellite campuses can choose from three paths — write reections after attending six approved civics-related events, listen to 12 podcasts and take a series of quizzes or complete one of 13 politics or history courses — and pass an exam. University of Arizona system faculty are currently developing “American Institutions” curricula to ful ll a requirement from the board of regents.

Professors acknowledge not all students appreciate the forced civics learning.

“Some view it as the vegetable in a meal, some view it as the dessert. For some, the goal is just to nish the meal,” said David Reingold, dean of Purdue’s College of Liberal Arts, who oversaw the implementation of the system’s civics program.

The Civics Alliance says America’s colleges, which train K-12 teachers, have been “taken over by a radical establishment determined to replace proper civics education with pedagogies such as Critical Race Theory and action civics ...” Whitney Ross Manzo, an associate professor of political science at Meredith Col-

Professor Wade Maki, chairman of the University of North Carolina system’s faculty senate, helped draft a civics requirement that students at all publicly funded colleges will have to ful ll starting in July 2025.

lege in Raleigh, says fears about political indoctrination assume “a power that faculty simply don’t have.”

“If I could force something on my students, it would be to read their syllabus and do their homework. I don’t have the power to change their political ideology,” said Manzo, who once taught in Texas.

Back in Blu ton, Dopf has his work cut out for him.

After some introductory remarks, Dopf tells his students to take out a piece of paper and pen.

“This is your rst test.”

The 14 questions are relatively simple: How many members in the U.S. Senate? What are the requirements to be president? How long is the term for members of the House of Representatives?

Would-be citizens must get six of 10 answers correct to pass. Dopf holds his students to a lower standard — just seven of 14.

As he expected, about 70% unked.

One student thought Clarence Thomas was chief justice of the Supreme Court. Another put down that the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1667.

“To miss basic facts like that,” Dopf says, exasperation in his voice. “We need to develop better skill sets for our students so that we have a better democracy.” (In fairness, he says even 30% of his West Point cadets failed the quiz.)

Audra Hillman, 18, a freshman from Wake Forest, took two politics classes in high school. So, how’d she do?

“I probably would have got kicked out,” she says with a nervous chuckle.

Hillman wants to eventually work with special needs kids but doesn’t resent having to squeeze in this civics class.

“Everyone should vote,” she says. “Like, it’s your duty as an American citizen. And I think that everyone should go out and be educated.”

ALLEN G. BREED / AP PHOTO