North State Journal Vol. 9, Issue 33

Biden sets 10-year deadline for cities to replace lead pipes

Washington, D.C.

President Joe Biden on Tuesday set a 10-year deadline for cities across the nation to replace their lead pipes, finalizing an aggressive approach aimed at ensuring that drinking water is safe for all Americans.

New Woodward book “War” reveals more about Trump, Biden

Washington, D.C.

The revelations that Donald Trump has had as many as seven private phone calls with Vladimir Putin since leaving office and secretly sent the Russian president COVID-19 test machines during the height of the pandemic, and President Joe Biden

frustrations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are highlights of famed Watergate reporter Bob Woodward’s new book, “War,” which will be released next week.

NHL’s Lightning come to N.C. early ahead of Hurricanes’ opener due to Hurricane Milton

Tampa, Fla..

HSA report raises concerns over migrant flights the BRIEF this week

Hurricane Milton was expected to unleash devastating winds with potential 15-foot storm surges on Tampa and other parts

Florida when it makes landfall late Wednesday, leading the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning to evacuate the city Monday and come to Raleigh ahead of their season opener against the Hurricanes on Friday. As of Tuesday, the NHL hadn’t announced if Saturday’s planned rematch between the teams in Tampa will be played or rescheduled.

Truitt requests $166M in Helene relief for schools

The state superintendent called for $150 million in funds for repairs and renovations, along with $16 million to pay staff

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — State Superintendent Catherine Truitt laid out the Department of Public Instruction’s legislative asks — $166 million — related to Hurricane Helene at the North Carolina State Board of

Education’s monthly meeting last week.

“Just reflecting on what’s been happening since the weekend, it never ceases to amaze me the irony that out of the worst tragedies comes a chance to see the best in our fellow humans,” Truitt said, “and this storm and its aftermath has certainly not been an exception. … There’s still a lot we don’t know yet.”

The areas impacted by Hurricane Helene include 459 lo -

See SCHOOLS, page A2

Harris, Trump spar on Helene relief efforts

The vice president promised ongoing federal support during a visit to Charlotte

By Colleen Long and Ayanna Alexander

The Associated Press

CHARLOTTE — Vice President Kamala

Harris pledged ongoing federal support and praised the “heroes among us” as she visited North Carolina on Saturday in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, her second trip in four days to the disaster zone.

Harris was in Charlotte one day after a visit to the state by Republican Donald Trump, who has been critical of the federal response to the disaster as the two campaign for president.

Harris opened her visit by attending a briefing with state and local officials, where she thanked “those who are in the room and those who are out there right now working around the clock.”

She promised federal assistance would continue to flow and added praise for the “strangers who are helping each other out, giving people shelter and food and friendship and fellowship.”

Despite Trump’s claims that the federal response in the state has been “lousy,” Demo -

See RELIEF, page A8

The inspector general outlined the security risks of allowing migrants without IDs onto domestic flights

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — A recent report from the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general has raised concerns about potential security risks associated with the release of undocumented noncitizens into the United States and their ability to board domestic flights. The report highlights several issues with current processes and procedures.

“Under current process-

es, CBP (Customs and Border Protection) and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) cannot ensure they are keeping high-risk noncitizens without identification from entering the country. Additionally, TSA (Transportation Security Administration) cannot ensure its vetting and screening procedures prevent high-risk noncitizens who may pose a threat to the flying public from boarding domestic flights.”

The report points out that while federal law stipulates that “noncitizens without ID are not admissible into the country and ‘shall be detained,’” both CBP and ICE are permit-

See FLIGHTS, page A8

“If CBP and ICE continue to allow noncitizens — whose identities immigration officers cannot confirm — to enter the country, they may inadvertently increase national security risks.”

Inspector general report

“FEMA has been on the ground with us since the very beginning,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper

CHRIS CARLSON / AP PHOTO

Will Spears unloads supplies at Watauga High School in Boone last Thursday in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

the word | Forgiving others

One of the most striking things that Jesus taught was that we should forgive our enemies — and not only forgive them, but also adopt an attitude that indicates a complete change of feeling toward them. He came to break down walls built to separate the hearts of people.

The mercy that God shows in forgiving us puts us under the most solemn obligation to forgive others. Many find this the hardest of all things to do. But God tells us plainly that if we will not forgive others, then we ourselves cannot be forgiven. Forgiveness, therefore, is a part of true repentance, and repentance is not complete until the heart adopts the forgiving attitude toward every enemy.

God is disposed to forgive his enemies. He was so disposed to forgive sins against himself, that he gave his Son so that he might forgive transgressors. He sent his Son into the world to forgive — by changing the heart of the individual forgiven. He teaches us to forgive those who sin against us — and to leave all consequences in his hand.

Some say, “I just cannot forgive.” This is true of many professors of religion. These professors do not really forgive, for the thing still rankles in their hearts. Their forgiveness is often only from the lips.

We find many who are prejudiced against those who sin against them. This prejudice is manifested in a disposition to believe evil of them, or to put an unfavorable construction upon what they do or say. Behind such a prejudice lies a wrong attitude of heart, an unchristian attitude. It matters not what an individual has done or said to us, nor what his attitude is toward us; if we hold the Christian attitude toward him — we shall feel a disposition to be perfectly fair with him. If we have a forgiving spirit clear down to the depths of our hearts — then we will hold that same attitude of kindness and pity that Jesus held toward those who did wrong toward him. While we hate his evil-doing — we nevertheless feel no animosity toward him.

Sometimes this lack of a forgiving disposition is manifested in the home.

There is ill feeling, unpleasantness, a disposition toward criticism and faultfinding. The members of the same family, who ought to love and feel a real tenderness toward each other, are often alienated. What is needed in many families is forgiveness. Feelings will be hurt, and supposed rights will be trampled upon. The question is: Will we forgive these things — or will we let them start a canker in our hearts?

An unforgiving disposition is at the bottom of almost all church troubles. People cannot be talked together; they cannot be argued together; there is only one thing that will bring them together, and that is for all to show a genuinely forgiving spirit.

Why is it that people will not forgive? It is not what the other fellow has done — rather, it is what is in our hearts that prevents forgiveness. If we will not forgive — then it is because we are proud, stubborn, and self-willed. It is never hard

to forgive when our own hearts adopt a proper attitude. Like God, then we desire to forgive.

Forgiveness issues in peace — or at least in a peaceful heart, for the one who forgives, and in a Christlike attitude toward the wrongdoer. Where this Christlike attitude does not exist — then there is no forgiveness. In the church where things are settled and then come up again to trouble, or where coldness, indifference, and lack of love are manifested — forgiveness is the one thing needed in the hearts of those who hold such an attitude.

A good lesson was impressed upon my mind when I looked in my concordance to see what was said in the Bible on this subject. I found the word “forgave,” then after it the word “forget,” and on a little way the word “forgive.” As “forget” stood right in the midst of “forgiveness” in my concordance — so it stands in the human heart. Forget is right in the heart of forgive — and if it is not that way in our hearts and minds — then it is because the right attitude of sincere forgiveness is not in our hearts.

Let us examine our hearts. Let us inquire whether we have a forgiving spirit, remembering all the while that a forgiving spirit does not abide in the same heart with hatred, bitterness, hardness and prejudice against people. When we forgive people — it softens our hearts toward them. When we are reconciled to our enemies — we partake of that same blessedness in our hearts that we have when we are reconciled to Christ. But if we forgive not — then we shall not be forgiven, and our hearts will be fertile soil to receive all the seeds of evil that Satan would sow therein.

Charles Wesley Naylor is considered one of the most prolific 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.

State auditor releases state employee membership counts

The State Employees Association of North Carolina membership dropped 8.5%

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH—The North Carolina State Auditor’s office released the annual audit of employee association membership counts last week.

The current annual audit, required in state statute, is a tally of certain employee association membership numbers as of Dec. 31, 2023.

The Office of the State Auditor (OSA) requested total membership counts and breakdowns by membership type from each identified association, but it noted that auditors were “limited to verifying and certifying the membership counts provided by the employees’ associations.”

MEMBERSHIP AUDITS, 2019-23

(NCTA), Teamsters Local 71 and the School Bus Driver Association.

Compared to the membership counts in the 2022 annual audit, SEANC lost 3,713 members, an 8.5% drop, and PENC lost 85, or a 3.9% drop.

The NCAE gained 685 members over the 2022 audit report, however, the organization has refused to turn over its internal membership numbers to the state auditor each year.

Employee associations with at least 2,000 members that have 500 who are state employees, including political and school employees, had the following membership totals:

• State Employees Association of North Carolina (SEANC): 40,181

The OSA also obtained payroll deduction reports from various state entities in order to identify membership for the relevant employees’ associations. According to the audit report, no associations were identified that had at least 40,000 members and had a majority of public school teachers.

25,679

• Southern States Police Benevolent Association (SSPBA): 16,803

• Teamsters Local 391: 8,399

• North Carolina Public Service Workers Union (UE Local 150): 6,319

• Correctional Peace Officers Foundation (CPOF): 2,649

North Carolina State Auditor Jessica Holmes is an attorney who, in the past, represented the NCAE. The audit report did not mention her past affiliation with the organization. According to the report, the audit took 250 hours to complete and cost $34,000. THURSDAY

cal public schools in 28 districts and 24 public charter schools.

The N.C. Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) legislative asks include $150 million in repairs and renovations, school nutrition, equipment and supplies, and technology loss that is not covered by insurance. Truitt also asked for $16 million for school nutrition staff deemed employed for scheduled instructional days missed due to Hurricane Helene and the subsequent impact of the storm.

Both chambers of the legislature were due back in Raleigh to handle the request on Wednesday.

Three Local Education Agencies with no connectivity: Mitchell and Yancey do not have service, and Mitchell still does not have power. Following Truitt’s remarks, NCDPI Communications Director Blair Rhoades noted that Micaville Elementary School in Burnsville is “likely out of commission.”

• North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE):

• Professional Educators of North Carolina (PENC): 2,082

Truitt noted that school construction grant amounts in legislation to replace a school building are $42 million for an elementary school, $52 million for a middle school and $62 million for a high school. She also said the $150 million request would be in addition to federal recovery funds. Truitt added that the districts already have certain repair and renovation funds appropriated by the General Assembly each year. “Some of them save that money and some of them spend that

down depending on what their needs are,” Truitt said of the already appropriated funds. “I can tell you that having looked at that fund balance, some of the impacted districts have $500,000 in there, some of them have $1.3 million. I don’t recall seeing a district that had more than $1.3 million in there, so they’re starting with something, but, of course, it’s not enough.”

Nonfunding asks for the legislature to act on include:

• Hold Harmless: All employ-

Unlike the annual membership audit in previous years, the member count for employee associations under the 2,000-member range was not included in the current audit report. Those associations included the Classroom Teachers Association of North Carolina (CTANC), the North Carolina Troopers Association

ees employed by a PSU (public school unit) shall be deemed employed for scheduled instructional days missed due to Hurricane Helene. This would be voluntary for charter schools, mirroring previous disaster relief legislation.

• Calendar Flexibility: Allow impacted counties flexibility in missed instructional time by making up days and/or deeming up to 20 days completed.

• Remote Instruction Flexibility: Allow for maximum flexibility beyond the currently allowed 15 remote instruction days or 90 remote instruction hours for good cause.

• Ed Prep Program Internship Exceptions: Allow a student enrolled in an EPP in an impacted county to be deemed having completed the clinical internship requirement if graduating in December 2024 despite not meeting the full 16week requirement.

• Principal Bonuses: Allow bonuses for qualifying principals employed as of Oct. 1 to be paid no later than Nov. 30.

The NCAE’s membership total jumped by a whopping 337% in 2021, with 26,204 members over the 5,996 reported in the 2020 audit. In 2020, the NCAE reported membership of 17,154 to its parent organization, the National Education Association. Sometime between 2020 and 2021, the NCAE began including more than just active classroom teachers such as preretired, retired and aspiring educators, and community supporters.

Concerns about attendance waivers for athletic eligibility were also raised at the meeting. Truitt said NCDPI will consult with legal counsel to determine whether it has the power to act on waivers in that area.

“We definitely want to make sure that our students are not penalized for missing school when it comes to participating in athletics beyond the days that are forgiven,” she said. “Because we know that this is impacting families on a very individual basis.”

Truitt said she already has the power to grant class-size waivers for situations such as the current storm impacts, and NCDPI has extended reporting applications for districts hit by the storm.

Additionally, she said schools can go through NCPDI’s Financial and Business Services to get a waiver request rolling, and she has directed superintendents to apply as a safeguard if it arises that students or staff changes would cross current limits.

PUBLIC DOMAIN

“The Reconciliation of Jacob and Esau” by Peter Paul Rubens (1624) is a painting in the collection of the Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh.

MAXAR

Portrait of a politician

The life and careers of Dale Folwell

Folwell made transparency paramount as the state’s first Republican treasurer in more than a century

This is the fourth story in a five‑week series on the life and career of outgoing North Carolina Treasurer Dale Folwell.

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — Hard work, multiple jobs, and a leap into higher education set North Carolina State Treasurer Dale Folwell down the path to his current position.

The transparency, perseverance and fiscal responsibility of his past served Folwell well when he took office as state treasurer in 2017. One of his first orders of business included holding monthly calls with media outlets, something he has done for 91 consecutive months. It is an unbroken string, even during the pandemic.

During the first 48 hours of his first term in office, Folwell met with more than 400 employees in his agency. Over the next 12 months, he launched a savings and investment program for disabled individuals (NC ABLE), published a debt affordability study, lowered costs in Medicare Advantage premiums, announced the state’s AAA bond rating and the retirement division received awards for excellence.

He also froze State Health Plan premium rates — which have remained frozen for the last six years — during his first four years in office.

Folwell, who was already the first Republican to be elected as treasurer in more than a century (David A. Jenkins, 1868-76), won reelection in 2020, defeating Democrat Ronnie Chatterji and outperforming every Republican Council of State candidate on the ballot except Commissioner Steve Troxler by winning his race by more than five points.

“The thing I’m most proud of is creating a culture of conservatism, where the emphasis is on disclosure and not discovery,” said Folwell of the treasurer’s office.

During his tenure, Folwell has chaired the Local Government Commission, sat on the State Board of Education and is well-known for delivering checks of “found money” in the state’s escheat fund to various entities and individuals through the NC Cash program.

Folwell has focused on streamlining the State Health Plan en-

rollment process and pushed for health care cost transparency with his Clear Pricing Plan. Additionally, Folwell investigated medical debt “weaponization,” culminating in a report on how hospitals in the state sued more than 7,500 patients for over $57 million in judgments. Folwell also cut costs and fees for the pension program.

“The thing we’re most proud of is cutting Wall Street fees by nearly $700 million over seven years,” he said of the pension program.

Folwell also said continuity has been a hallmark of his time in office as treasurer, including during the pandemic.

“The Treasurer’s Office never closed,” said Folwell. “We were put under tremendous pressure to close the Treasurer’s Office, and this is another opportunity for me to applaud the people in this building that keep us in the checked delivery business.”

Folwell said remaining open ensured operations in his agency continued without interruption, including checks sent to retirees.

It didn’t come without a cost: Folwell fell severely ill with a case of COVID-19.

“No. 1, being a person whose family was planning my funeral in March of ’20, I realized COVID was a serious issue,” said Folwell. “But I know enough to know that when your blood oxygen level is 82 while you’re consuming eight liters of oxygen and you’re in your 60s and you’re mathematically obese, you’re not long for this world.”

Folwell said blood clotting tests, which usually have normal levels between 300 to 500, were 80,000 when he was discharged from the hospital in March 2020.

“Thanks to God and prayers, if I had not mentally and otherwise fought from being ventilated, I wouldn’t be sitting here,” he said.

The pandemic had consequences Folwell’s office was uniquely positioned to see, such as municipality insolvency risks due to Gov. Roy Cooper’s executive orders.

“During COVID, when it comes to shutting down the economy and all these other things, that’s where all these hats came to be to my advantage,” said Folwell. “I realized that Elizabeth City was within a few weeks of declaring bankruptcy because the governor had put in place a utilities moratorium that none of

“The thing I’m most proud of is creating a culture of conservatism, where the emphasis is on disclosure and not discovery.”

Dale Folwell

us had to pay our utility bill. None of us. But because there was so much debt forgiveness going on back then, people read it as ‘my utility bills being forgiven.’”

Folwell said the utilities moratorium would “force bankruptcies in this state by governmental entities at a rate that had not occurred since the depression,” and he took the matter to the Council of State meetings, of which the treasurer is a member.

His motivation for running for governor this year was the desire to apply his problem-solving skills and bring greater transparency to broader government functions.

“I felt like the skill set of fixing (the Division of Employment Security), fixing some things at the Treasurer’s Office that, if you think about it, who has responsibility for the things that most impact the average person?” said Folwell. “At the DMV, the DOT, DHS, who controls those functions? And the fact is, the government does that through the cabinet. And I was wanting to take my problem-solving skills and how I enjoy saving money and fixing things for those state agencies, pure and simple.”

Folwell emphasizes his lifelong

Republican identity and view of conservatism as action rather than just a label when making his ultimately unsuccessful bid for the governor’s mansion.

“I thought as a lifelong Republican, that people needed a choice,” said Folwell. “In the Republican primary, that conservatism is not what you call yourself, it’s actually what you do.”

He believed being relatable to the public would entice voters.

“I felt that what people wanted was someone who would speak to them like adults and who could explain conservatism without offending them,” Folwell said.

Throughout the primary campaign, Folwell offered himself as an alternative to Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson. In a post on the social media platform X, Folwell reacted to President Donald Trump endorsing Robinson ahead of the March primary.

“President Trump doesn’t know my work and most likely doesn’t know @markrobinsonNC’s track record of fleecing anyone who has ever come in contact with him. I don’t need @realDonaldTrump’s endorsement to govern and explain conservatism without offending people,” Folwell wrote. “We are the party of hope, not hate. Courage, not rage. My focus is on those two things and getting more votes than the President in November, which I’ve done twice before.”

Folwell continued his work as treasurer while campaigning for governor, saying, “I signed up for the people of this state to have to do my job for two four-year terms, and I wanted to honor that commitment.”

ALLISON LEE ISLEY / THE WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL VIA AP

State Treasurer Dale Folwell announces his run for governor during the Forsyth County Republican Party precinct meeting in March 2023 in Clemmons. Folwell earned just over 19% of the vote in the Republican primary this March, losing the nomination to Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson.

COURTESY DALE FOLWELL

Left, Dale Folwell sits on his motorcycle outside the North Carolina Department of State Treasurer building in Raleigh.

Right, Dale Folwell won his first term as state treasurer in 2017.

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL

The idea of America

Every citizen should have a working knowledge of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Epictetus, Augustine, Aquinas, Hobbes, Locke, Kant and Adam Smith, among many others.

WHAT ARE WE voting for anyway?

The most important race is, of course, for president. Presidents set the tone by what they say and which policies they endorse. In 1980, President Ronald Reagan turned the course of America from the era of big government to smaller government for the next 25 years. President Barack Obama reignited a new era of huge government control and intervention in 2008 which has yet to abate.

Broadly speaking, what we are really voting for is whether the people we elect will be conversant with the intellectual and philosophical history of what has made the United States of America the most free, prosperous and charitable nation in history and will do everything they can to preserve and defend it ― or they won’t.

A good friend, Dr. Gil Greggs, lectures often at The Institute for the Public Trust. At each session, he points out the American Democratic Republic is an idea that could be blown away in any election or moment in time.

As a cautionary tale to outline the fragility of our government, Greggs lists the following thinkers who came up with specific “revolutionary ideas” that are the nucleotides of American intellectual and cultural DNA. Every citizen should have a working knowledge of them, especially if they are going to serve as elected representatives in government: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, Epictetus, Augustine, Aquinas, Hobbes, Locke, Kant and Adam Smith, among many others.

Epictetus, for example, was a freed slave who founded Stoicism in the first century

A.D. after service to Nero’s secretary. He was the first philosopher to coin the phrase “all men are created equal,” which was truly earth-shaking in a world where slaves had never been considered as anything but human property to be owned by others who conquered them in battle.

Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, John Adams and George Mason, our founders with great intellectual and writing ability, read all of these ancient philosophers and collated the great ideas together for the first time to produce two texts that will live forever if not in practice ― the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

We will either elect a president (and a Congress) who understands and respects American exceptionalism based on the ideas of these thinkers and will work to preserve it ― or we won’t.

By contrast, a cursory Google search of Vice President Kamala Harris’ speeches doesn’t yield a reference to John Locke or any of the Western philosophers mentioned above. Neither do any of Obama’s or Joe Biden’s speeches for that matter either.

It is like the great philosophers of Western civilization didn’t exist ― and the American founders should be canceled even though they adopted their ideas of free thought and self-governance. Perhaps leftists ignore them because they were white men, many of privilege. The narrative of the left is selective revisionism of history at best.

It doesn’t matter ― it is the ideas we should treasure regardless of origin.

So much of contemporary “progressive socialism” seems to be made up out of thin air. Obama famously ― or rather, infamously ― claimed Muslims contributed to America’s birth and growth at its core and implied America was founded on Muslim

principles instead of Judeo-Christian precepts. “Islam has always been a part of America. Muslim slaves ripped from Africa and brought to the U.S. did not leave their religion at the shore,” as reported in the February 2014 edition of Time magazine. The only problem with such a statement is he failed to mention that Muslims had established the robust slavery trade routes along the silk roads connecting Asia to Europe long before they were tapped into by Viking and then later European slave traders from Portugal, Spain and England. If any group of people deserved their fair share of the blame for the slave trade, most assuredly, it would be the Arab Muslims for a thousand years before America was even discovered. And yet, the left blamed white Europeans and newly minted Americans for “starting” slavery.

There is a direct line, albeit at times circuitous, through European medieval, Renaissance and Enlightenment eras between the U.S. experience and the ancient philosophers of Greece and Rome. Ours is not a history derived from the texts of the Ming Dynasty in China, the Ottoman Empire in Persia or any particular tribe or faction in Africa, Australia or South America.

America is exceptional because it is an idea rooted in the highest ideals of human experience derived from the greatest free thinkers over the past 2,500 years. It is an idea that could swiftly pass away unless we vote to keep it, as Ben Franklin purportedly said to Elizabeth Willing Powel at the end of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787.

It is time to revert to the mean, as in return to the common sense America held before 2008.

Hope shines through after NC Helene devastation

The Mountain Mule Packers have gotten a lot of attention, with videos of mules transporting supplies to devastated communities going viral.

AS THINGS GO with any hurricane, you pray the paths that are projected aren’t accurate, that they’ll fizzle out at sea with no harm done to life and land, and that at the end of the day, they’ll be relegated to a mere footnote in meteorological history.

But more often than not, that’s not the case, and it certainly wasn’t for Hurricane Helene, which made landfall on Sept. 26 in Perry, Florida, as a Category 4 storm and left a path of destruction from there throughout many southeastern states even after being downgraded to a tropical storm.

Western North Carolina was particularly hard hit, with more than 100 lives lost as of this writing and dozens more still unaccounted for. Entire towns were wiped out, homes, businesses and bridges were lost, and the topography was dramatically changed in some areas in what some have called a “biblical devastation” of the North Carolina mountains.

The images and videos on social media are heartbreaking, particularly the ones pleading for information on loved ones and pets that are still missing.

As the assessments of the scale of the damage continue, the picking up of the pieces and attempts to get back to as normal as one can have commenced, with the outpouring

of support being a sight to behold.

Though there have been some questions about the timeline of the state and federal responses, the responses from private citizens both in the state and beyond our borders have been encouraging and uplifting at a time when so many are wondering, “What happens next?” and “Where do we go from here?”

There have been the helicopter rescues and the air drops of supplies. There have been the convoys rolling through. There has also been the coordination of relief efforts, with churches in western North Carolina playing a central role in storing the things needed and getting them to where they need to go.

There has also been the ingenuity of members of some of the harder-hit communities. In Elk Park, for instance, neighbors banded together to build a temporary bridge made out of flatbed trailers and wood in order to make supply runs to and from nearby neighborhoods after a connecting bridge was wiped out by the storm.

One neighbor told WCNC, “You can’t get a truck across the bridge we built, but you can get side by sides, so a bunch of side by sides, we’ve been getting together and running supplies back and forth.”

The Mountain Mule Packers have also gotten a lot of attention, with videos of mules transporting supplies to devastated communities going viral.

“Locals rented heavy equipment themselves, and helped Mountain Mule Packer Ranch get a path started to get the mule string through to Laurel Ridge with water and supplies for families,” they noted in one Facebook post.

The restoration and rebuilding are going to take years. But North Carolina is a tough, resilient state, and she will see this through thanks in large part to neighbors banding together to help neighbors and community members stepping up to the plate to do what is needed to make things happen and get the job done.

As the social media hashtag goes, we are #NCstrong and proud of it. And as devastating as this was for western North Carolina to go through, she will emerge even stronger once all is said and done. Count on it.

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.

The left’s word games can’t conceal ‘third world’ impact

Roosevelt Avenue is so overrun with hookers that it’s dubbed the “Market of Sweethearts” and looks like Bangkok’s sordid Patpong market.

POLITICALLY INCORRECT words don’t kill, but Venezuelan gangs do.

of open borders

On Saturday, former President Donald Trump warned rallygoers in a small Wisconsin town that if Vice President Kamala Harris “is reelected, your town and every town ... will be transformed into a Third World hellhole.”

Trump repeatedly warns that the BidenHarris open borders are turning New York into a “Third World nation” and America into a “Third World” disaster.

Left-wing elites are apoplectic over Trump’s use of “Third World.” Never mind the violence perpetrated by migrant gangs and the societal disorder caused by open borders. The Left’s problem is with “Third World.”

NPR calls the term “offensive.” Foreign Policy columnist Howard French calls it “utterly racist rhetoric.” This is an intentional distraction.

People watching their neighborhoods being degraded know what they are seeing with their own eyes. They have no problem calling the conditions “Third World.”

New York City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino, a Republican, says, “We’ve got a Third World country now here in New York City, with Third World crime.” She estimates that 60% of the arrests in her Queens district are “illegal aliens.”

Queens resident Ramses Frias, a Democratturned-Republican, complains that commercial streets are being turned into a “Third World market,” with illegal vendors hawking stolen merchandise and half-naked sex workers strutting in plain sight of children walking to school. Roosevelt Avenue is so overrun with hookers that it’s dubbed the “Market of Sweethearts” and looks like Bangkok’s sordid Patpong market.

The Trump campaign is also getting backlash for posting a comparison of two images on X: one of a quiet, clean street lined with homes, and the other of hundreds of newly arrived migrants, eating and sleeping huddled on the sidewalk outside the Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan.

The Trump War Room caption reads: “Import the third world. Become the third world.”

The NAACP said of the post, “They are showing all of us just how racist they are.”

Preposterous. Bedlam is being imported to the area around the hotel, once a Manhattan landmark. Businesses are fleeing. The migrants pictured happen to be mostly black, but commuters — black as well as white — dread walking past the chaos to get to Grand Central Station.

Trump is also being bashed as racist

Sen. Vance’s

for calling migrants who rape and murder “animals.” On Saturday, he said, “Just this month, right here in this beautiful town, police arrested an illegal alien member of a savage Venezuelan prison gang known as Tren de Aragua” for “holding a mother and daughter captive against their will and sexually assaulting them again and again and again.”

Trump called the alleged assailant “an animal.”

He also used “animal” to describe the Venezuelan illegal who raped, bludgeoned and killed nursing student Laken Riley. But Reuters accused Trump of wrongdoing for “resorting to the degrading rhetoric he has employed time and again.”

Ridiculous. The issue isn’t Trump’s choice of words. It’s loss of life caused by Harris’ open border.

The Left elite also turn a blind eye to the impact of prostitution on business owners and families trapped in close proximity to the brothels.

Incredibly, most Democratic politicians — except New York City Mayor Eric Adams — align themselves with the sex workers. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, whose Queens district is overrun with street prostitution, has insisted in the past that “sex work is work” and generally supported decriminalization. Rep. Jerrold Nadler supports decriminalization, even as prostitution spreads in his Manhattan district.

A Democratic bill in Albany would decriminalize buying and selling sex, operating a brothel and sex tourism — never mind the impact on neighborhoods. “This legislation would make NYC a major sex tourism destination,” warns Sonia Ossorio, of the National Organization for Women, who has documented the explosion of migrant prostitution.

Last week, The Washington Post accused Trump of alarming voters by depicting an “imaginary and frightening world.” Frightening, yes. But not imaginary.

Felonies are up 35% in New York City since 2019, and an estimated 75% of arrests in midtown Manhattan for assault and other crimes are illegal migrants. Street sex sells for $50 for fellatio, and $100 for vaginal penetration, according to NOW.

The situation is Third World, and you’ll get four more years of this mayhem if Harris is elected president.

Betsy McCaughey is a former lieutenant governor of New York and chairman of the Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths.

triumph is President Trump’s vindication

Gov. Walz said a couple things that were just weird.

THE VICE-PRESIDENTIAL debate was staggeringly one-sided.

Sen. JD Vance was poised, calm, friendly, likable and in control of the facts and himself.

By contrast, Gov. Tim Walz began the debate so nervously that it was painful to watch. Then, he made a series of mistakes that were cumulatively disqualifying.

It was hard to believe he is on a national ticket.

I went to bed convinced Vance had won a substantial triumph. In that victory, he also vindicated President Donald J. Trump’s gamble in selecting a running mate so early in his career. At 40, with only two years in the U.S. Senate, Vance is only a few months older than Richard Nixon when President Dwight Eisenhower picked him to be the Republican vice-presidential nominee in 1952. Nixon would remain a major part of the political scene for 42 years. That would give Vance a potential role in American government and politics until 2066.

When I got up the next morning, virtually all the commentaries validated the sense that the debate was something extraordinary.

This new reality was best summarized by Mark Halperin in the Wide World of News newsletter:

“One can pretend, as most of the Dominant Media does, that Tim Walz was not ‘clobbered’ by JD Vance, but, as honest Joe Klein (fully credentialed as second-to-none in contempt for Donald Trump and Vance) told the world, Walz was indeed clobbered, so badly that it ‘wasn’t as bad as Biden’s debilitated performance in June, but it was close.’ Remember: Biden’s performance was so bad it ended his candidacy and career.”

Pollster Frank Luntz tweeted that his focus group voted 12 to 2 that Vance had won. Glenn Greenwald posted on X: “The most bizarre part of that debate was how Tim Walz repeatedly and flagrantly undercut Dems’ core attack on Trump/Vance: that they’re “weird,” freakish dangers wildly out of the mainstream.

“Everything Walz said treated Vance as a totally normal, reasonable, likable colleague.”

New York Times columnist Ross Douthat posted: “I would rate that the most successful Republican debate performance of this century, eclipsing Romney in the first debate with Obama in 2012.” Fox News senior political analyst Brit

Hume had no regard for the performances of moderators Norah O’Donnell and Margaret Brennan, saying they were “obnoxious” and made the debate a three-on-one proposition against Vance.

These were just a few. The Trump-Vance campaign collected no fewer than 22 journalists and public figures who agreed that Vance trounced Walz.

Donald Trump Jr. was the third big winner in this debate. He had strongly backed Vance as a running mate and worked to get his father to pick him. That choice certainly seemed to work out brilliantly.

As Caitlin Doornbos in the New York Post wrote, Walz’s problems started at the beginning.

“Tim Walz got one chance to make a first impression at Tuesday night’s vice-presidential debate, and blew it before his opponent, JD Vance, even got the chance to speak.”

His nerves clearly kept him from meeting the challenge. Finally, Walz said a couple things that were just weird.

In a clear moment of confusion, he said he’s become “friends with school shooters.”

When asked why he had lied about being at Tiananmen Square during the 1989 suppression and killing of students demonstrating for democracy, Walz ultimately called himself a “knucklehead” for simply saying something that was false.

Being the “knucklehead candidate” is not a good way to campaign for the last five weeks before the election.

After the debate, Vance is a huge national figure among Republicans and conservatives. He will have much more impact campaigning than he did before the debate.

After the debate, Walz will be seen by most Americans as someone who is clearly not ready to be president or vice president.

Vice President Kamala Harris’ comment that she was exhausted and sleepless when she picked him will now look like a first step toward minimizing his role — and her ability to make decisions under pressure.

A vindicated Trump will campaign with more enthusiasm and a greater sense of certainty that he has built a winning ticket.

It was a much bigger night than I expected.

Newt Gingrich is the former GOP Speaker of the House.

The power of victory

ON OCT. 1, THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC of Iran launched some 181 ballistic missiles at the state of Israel. Most were shot down; those that weren’t fell largely in uninhabited areas. Thanks to the technological and intelligence superiority of Israel and her allies, the Iranian attack — the second such attack in six months — was foiled.

The reason for Iran’s attack is obvious: Israel is currently thoroughly destroying Iran’s terror proxies in the region. Since Hamas’ brutal mass terror assault of Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has devastated the terrorist group: Some 23 of its 24 battalions have been destroyed; its leadership caste has been wiped out, from political leader Ismail Haniyeh (assassinated with pinpoint accuracy in Tehran) to military leader Mohammed Deif (killed in a targeted airstrike) to the missing Yahya Sinwar, the Oct. 7 mastermind. Israel has established working military control over virtually all of the Gaza Strip, including the border between Gaza and Egypt, which had been used as a resupply thoroughfare by Hamas. Hamas has been degraded to fighting a low-level insurgency against IDF forces.

Meanwhile, after nearly a year of taking thousands of incoming rockets in its north from the Iranian-backed Lebanese terror group Hezbollah, Israel finally responded with overwhelming force and competence. First, in a feat of espionage that beggars the imagination, Israel simultaneously exploded the beepers of Hezbollah’s terrorists, wounding or killing thousands of them and wrecking Hezbollah’s methods of communication; then, when Hezbollah attempted to reestablish communications via walkie-talkies, Israel blew those up as well; after that, Israel proceeded to unleash the Israeli Air Force on targets across southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley and Beirut, wiping out the vast majority of Hezbollah’s long-range munitions; finally, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at the thoroughly vile United Nations and warned that Israel would no longer be crossed, the IAF dropped a series of bunker busters on the head of Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah, killing him and more of his top lieutenants.

All Hezbollah could do in response was uselessly fire rockets into empty areas of Israel’s north.

Even the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen, who have been firing cruise missiles at Israel, have felt Israel’s wrath: Israel has issued multiple direct strikes at Houthi-controlled ports in a country some 1,800 kilometers away.

Iran’s proxies are on the ropes. This means that the forward operating arm of the Iranian regime has been amputated. And that’s what necessitated Iran’s attempts to strike Israel directly.

This was a major miscalculation. Israel in the post-Oct. 7 era is not the Israel of before. It is a state unwilling to risk its future on the bet that its enemies will act with reasonable caution. It can no longer afford such bets. And so Israel has set about a mission the West has not pursued in decades: victory. Israel will not back down and cut deals that merely delay the inevitable, buying time for her enemies to arm up. Israel has struck at its enemies and will continue to do so.

And it is working.

The Abraham Accords, negotiated by President Donald Trump’s team, have remained durable. The Sunni Gulf states see that Israel remains the region’s most powerful military and economic force, and will act accordingly to ally with it. Iran has been forced into a defensive crouch, lashing out ineffectually at Israel and America while blustering about its larger-scale ambitions.

But, in an utter inversion of Iran’s ambitions since Oct. 7, Israel has grown stronger. Iran has grown far weaker. The Iranian regime is unpopular; its military has proved itself ineffectual in anything but quashing its own citizenry and facilitating the death of civilians in Iraq and Syria; its terror proxies have screwed around and found out. And the region will be better off for it.

All of which should remind the West of a simple principle: There is no substitute for victory. Peace results from the credible threat of use of overwhelming force, not from empty words around glossy tables. A strong and more confident West makes for a better and more prosperous world.

Ben Shapiro’s new collection, “Facts and Furious: The Facts About America and Why They Make Leftists Furious,” is available now. Shapiro is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and cofounder of Daily Wire+.

Wild, wild wildlife

By Gary D. Robertson

Piedmont Triad counties eligible for FEMA funds Allegheny and Wilkes

Federal Emergenc y Management Agenc y announced homeowners and renters in t wo Piedmont Triad counties are now eligible for disaster assistance from Hurricane Helene. FEM A can help with displacement, basic home repairs, personal property loss and other disaster-caused needs. Piedmont Triad counties in North Carolina that are eligible for FEM A assistance include Alleghany and Wilkes Other counties eligible include Alexander, Ashe Avery, Buncombe Burke Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland Gaston, Haywood, Henderson Jackson, Lincoln Macon, Madison, McDowell Mitchell Polk, Rutherford, Swain Transylvania, Watauga Yancey and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians To apply, homeowners must have a current phone number where they can be contacted; the address at the time of the disaster and the address where they are now staying; a Social Security number; a general list of damage and losses; banking information if direct deposit is preferred; if insured the polic y number or the agent and/or the company name.

NATION & WORLD

Hospitals rebound after Helene knocked out power, flooded areas

Facilities are still struggling to locate staff

By Devna Bose The Associated Press

WHILE HOSPITALS and health care organizations in the Southeast largely stayed open and functioning during Hurricane Helene to provide essential care for their communities, they were not unscathed.

The massive system battered the region’s health centers, causing blackouts, wind damage, supply issues and flooding — leading to a dramatic rescue of patients and workers at the Unicoi County Hospital in eastern Tennessee.

Most hospitals used generators or backup systems to power their facilities through the hurricane. Many places halted elective procedures. Few closed completely.

Providers, like their communities, are now in the recovery phase. Health care workers are still unaccounted for in western North Carolina, where at least 57 people died in and around Asheville. Officials also say mental health care facilities were destroyed in that area.

Health care executives across the Southeast all say it’ll be a long road back to normal.

“I feel really positive about

RELIEF from page A1

cratic Gov. Roy Cooper said the state was “deeply grateful for the federal resources that we have. FEMA has been on the ground with us since the very beginning,” he said, referring to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

After her briefing, Harris helped pack toiletries into aid kits at a distribution center. There, she met Angelica Wind from Asheville, who was there to volunteer with her daughter and a friend even though Wind said her own family was still without power and people were “just surviving.”

“There’s a lot of resilience,” Wind told Harris, adding, “We want to make sure people don’t forget about us.”

Harris assured her the federal government was “here for the long haul.”

FLIGHTS from page A1

ted to release noncitizens into the U.S. under various circumstances. This practice involves accepting self-reported biographical information, which is then used to issue immigration forms that allow for boarding on domestic flights, even without proper identification.

A significant concern highlighted in the report is the lack of comprehensive data on the number of noncitizens released into the country without identification. The inspector general requested data for fiscal years 2021 through 2023, but neither CBP nor ICE could provide accurate figures.

TSA relies on background checks and data from CBP and ICE to assess potential threats. However, the report suggests that if this data is incomplete, “TSA’s methods to screen individuals who pose a threat would not necessarily prevent these individuals from boarding flights.”

The inspector general’s report also mentions “similar weaknesses” in CBP’s screening processes that have allowed “high risk individuals into the country,” including an incident in 2022 when someone on the FBI Terror Watchlist was released.

Contractors for Duke Energy rebuild destroyed electrical lines last Friday near the Swannanoa River in Asheville.

our health care system’s response,” said Rob Hudspeth, senior vice president at UNC Health Appalachian. “But this is not going to be a one or twoweek set of circumstances.”

At one point, all three of UNC Health Appalachian’s facilities were on backup power supplies, and they were fully

Melissa Funderbunk told Harris about driving a truck carrying assistance to people in remote Morganton, “where people weren’t coming.”

“You are the heroes among us,” Harris said.

Earlier in the week, Harris was in Georgia, where she helped distribute meals, toured the damage, and consoled families who were hit hard by the storm. President Joe Biden also visited the disaster zone. During stops over two days in the Carolinas, Florida and Georgia, Biden surveyed the damage and met with farmers whose crops have been destroyed.

The two have been vocal and visible about the government’s willingness to help, and the administration’s efforts so far include covering costs for all of the rescue and recovery efforts across the Southeast for several months as states struggle under

In conclusion, the report warned, “If CBP and ICE continue to allow noncitizens — whose identities immigration officers cannot confirm — to enter the country, they may inadvertently increase national security risks.”

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not concur with the inspector general’s findings. Both ICE and CBP pushed back on the report’s conclusions. DHS cited resource constraints as a significant factor, stating it “cannot detain all individuals subject to detention, including inadmissible noncitizens without ID, due to several reasons including a lack of resources (bed space).” ICE mentioned that its “currently funded detention capacity of 41,500 beds doesn’t allow them to detain every noncitizen who doesn’t have ID and valid documents.”

CBP emphasized that its detention facilities are designed for short-term detention, and it can’t legally hold noncitizens longer than the law allows, even to mitigate potential risks.

TSA also responded to the report, stating it “doesn’t reflect their current policies.”

However, the inspector general maintained the “recommendation is open and unresolved” until TSA provides evidence

stocked with supplies, including oxygen, Hudspeth said. But some things are harder to predict, like the collapse of cellphone networks and roads.

Until last Monday, the system had no way to communicate with staff. As of last Wednesday, 25% of UNC Health Appalachian’s staff was

the weight of the mass damage.

In a letter late Friday to congressional leaders, Biden wrote that while FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund “has the resources it requires right now to meet immediate needs, the fund does face a shortfall at the end of the year.” He also called on lawmakers to act quickly to restore funding to the Small Business Administration’s disaster loan program.

North Carolina lawmakers are also expected to approve a first wave of funding to aid in the relief.

More than 200 people have died in the worst storm to hit the U.S. mainland since Katrina in 2005.

In this overheated election year, even natural disasters have become deeply politicized as the candidates crisscross the disaster area and, in some cases, visit the same ven-

that the additional screening of noncitizens without IDs is “sufficient to reduce the security risk these individuals pose to an acceptable level.”

Earlier this year, North State Journal reported on an American Airlines flight filled with migrants headed from Phoenix to Charlotte. The report was based on images of the migrants sent to North State Journal by a North Carolina citizen who was on the flight. According to TSA, passengers on commercial airline flights are required to show official government-approved identification and a boarding pass. It remains unclear if the migrants on the Phoenix-to-Charlotte flight had proper credentials or if they were sent through a “modified screening process,” as reported by the right-leaning news outlet Breitbart Texas.

North State Journal asked Charlotte Douglas International Airport and Charlotte city leaders, including the city manager and Mayor Vi Lyles, about the flight. A spokesperson for the city responded by saying in an email, “The city is aware of this but we cannot confirm the number of flights. We do not track this data.”

The spokesperson directed North State Journal to contact the Camino Center and the

unaccounted for. The biggest challenge now, Hudspeth said, is locating those people.

Three of 129 community health centers in western North Carolina were damaged, said ReAnne Mayo, spokesperson for Agape Health Services, which is not affiliated with damaged centers but is part of a network of community health centers. They are also struggling to locate staff.

The centers are essential to providing their communities primary care and mental health care.

“I think that everyone prepared for a catastrophe but not an all-out wipeout,” Mayo said. “The one concern I really have is the aftermath. How long can someone go without treatment and medications, especially behavioral health, before it becomes catastrophic?”

Mission Hospital in Asheville is setting up mobile units with kitchens, bathrooms and handwashing stations, as well as “Mini Marts” stocked with free food, water and toiletries.

“Hospitals are really great at being able to anticipate what the immediate needs are going to be,” said Tatyana Kelly, senior vice president of the North Carolina Healthcare Association. “In good news, one of the things that’s a huge success is that no facilities are closed.”

ues to win over voters in battleground states.

Trump has claimed the Biden administration isn’t doing enough to help impacted people in Republican areas and has harshly criticized the response. He has, in Helene’s aftermath, called climate change “one of the great scams of all time.”

During a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last Saturday, Trump renewed his complaints about the federal government “doing a very bad job” in its storm response, with little relief in North Carolina in particular. Cooper said this week that more than 50,000 people have registered for FEMA assistance and about $6 million has been paid out.

Biden has suggested that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is withholding money for disaster relief needs.

Latin American Coalition, citing them as nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) assisting migrants. A commercial airline provided confirming information to North State Journal that the tickets for the migrant flights are arranged and paid for by an NGO.

Many NGOs are receiving millions in taxpayer-funded grants through various programs administered by federal agencies such as DHS or the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The grants can pay for a variety of things for migrants, including clothes, cell phones, food, shelter, transportation and legal services that specifically serve migrants.

Some of the largest entities involved in migrant travel and facilitations are the American Red Cross, Church World Services and C atholic Charities USA.

The American Red Cross received $350 million from DHS and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s food and shelter program in February 2023. Church World Services reported in 2022 tax filings that more than $114.6 million was from “government support.” Catholic Charities USA posted $1.4 billion in government grants in 2022 filings.

Two boys charged in assault on ex-N.Y. Gov. Paterson

New York

Two boys, ages 12 and 13, were arrested last Saturday in connection with an assault on former New York Gov. David Paterson and his stepson, police said. Paterson, 70, and his stepson, Anthony Sliwa, 20, were attacked around 8:30 p.m. Friday while they were out for a walk on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. They were treated at a hospital for minor injuries to the face. Paterson, who is legally blind, also sustained injuries to his body. The two boys were both charged with gang assault. Police did not identify them by name because they are minors. Authorities have said at least five people were involved in the attack.

Threats to “shoot up” Minn. synagogue lead to arrest

MINNEAPOLIS

A Minnesota man was arrested after allegedly threatening to “shoot up” a Minneapolis synagogue, officials announced last Saturday. Staff at Temple Israel reported to the Minneapolis Police Department on Sept. 11 that they had received several phone calls from a person threatening to “shoot up” the synagogue. Last Thursday, a special police detail assigned to provide extra patrols around Temple Israel ahead of the Jewish New Year and the first anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel was notified of a man outside with a firearm. He fled the area, but officers arrested a 21-year-old man the next day.

Russia seeks 7-year sentence for U.S. man

Moscow Russian prosecutors asked for a seven-year sentence in the trial of a U.S. citizen accused of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine against Russia, Russian news agencies reported Saturday. Prosecutors asked the court to take into account 72-year-old Stephen Hubbard’s age and said he has admitted guilt, according to Interfax. They asked that Hubbard serve the sentence in a maximumsecurity penal colony. In Russia, participating in mercenary activities is a criminal offense punishable by imprisonment for a term of 7-15 years. Prosecutors accuse Hubbard of signing a contract with the Ukrainian military after Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022, for which he allegedly was to receive at least $1,000.

Explosion outside Pakistan airport kills 2, injures more Karachi, Pakistan

A massive blast outside Karachi Airport in Pakistan on Sunday killed two workers from China and injured at least eight, officials from both countries said. Police and the provincial government said a tanker exploded outside Pakistan’s largest airport. A Chinese Embassy statement said that a convoy carrying Chinese workers was targeted and attacked around 11 p.m., killing two Chinese and injuring one other. It said there were Pakistani casualties as well.

JEFF AMY / AP PHOTO

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.

Sponsored by

business & economy

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.

Baxter plant in North Cove damaged by Helene

Not one little bit.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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

Flooding triggered by Hurricane Helene hit a Baxter International plant in North Cove that makes much of the country’s supply of sterile intravenous, or IV, fluids, which are also used by some patients on home kidney dialysis.

Baxter had to close the factory, which it says is its largest manufacturing facility, employing more than 2,500 people. The company also started limiting the amount of supply customers could order, a restriction designed to prevent stockpiling and keep access equal.

Dr. Paul Biddinger of Mass General Brigham said this week that Baxter told the Massachusetts health system it would get about 40% of the supply it normally receives.

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.

Hospitals may start making small changes for now to stretch supplies of IV fluids, which are used to keep patients hydrated and also to deliver medicine.

Biddinger said Mass General Brigham, which includes 12 hospitals, is giving some patients water or Gatorade instead of starting an IV. He added that anyone needing an IV can still get one, and the system’s clinical services are operating normally.

written under the pseudonym Sister Toldjah RedState and Legal Insurrection.

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

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.”

Hospitals may reschedule elective surgeries to conserve IV fluids, said Mike Ganio, who studies drug shortages at the American Society of HealthSystem Pharmacists. He added that they may also have nurses inject some medicines, like antibiotics, into patients with a syringe instead of using an IV. For those patients, Baxter is recommending that care providers review prescriptions to determine whether they can get by with less. The company also says to the start of dialysis should be considered.

As of Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had not declared any new shortages related to products made at Baxter’s plant.

However, experts see vulnerability in the supply chain. Bags of IV solutions take up a lot of space, and it’s expensive for hospitals to keep large stockpiles.

IV solutions also must be kept sterile and don’t have long shelf lives, Biddinger noted.

The risk of severe flooding in the mountains is considered low

By Dan Reeves North State Journal

“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.

“Maintaining a large supply of things that expire quickly is actually pretty tricky,” he said.

Smaller hospitals may only have a few days of supply on hand, Ganio noted.

Baxter is looking at using other factories around the world to fill some of the supply gap. The company also has some stored finished products that were not affected by the storm. However, access to their plant is limited because bridges to the site were damaged.

Ganio said other manufacturers also may be able to increase production. Baxter said last Thursday that damage was still being assessed and that there was no timeline yet for when the plant would resume operations.

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.

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

AS WESTERN North Car -

olinians, shocked by the devastation of Hurricane Helene that left countless homes destroyed, lives shattered and even entire towns eviscerated, many wonder how and when those affected will pick up the pieces.

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.

While assuming flood insurance is the obvious first step, the unfortunate fact is an overwhelming number of homeowners aren’t covered.

“When disasters like this occur, you do find that a lot of people are uninsured,” said Franklin Rouse, president of Rouse Insurance Agency Inc. “And if they do have flood insurance, the policies are usually thin.”

The risk of severe flooding in the mountains is low. By no fault of their own, homeowners can assume a sense of ease and default complacency based on the infinitesimal probability of high water in an

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 ports sweetened their wage offer from about 50% over six years to 62%

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.

By Tom Krisher The Associated Press

DETROIT — Some 45,000 dockworkers at East and Gulf coast ports are returning to work after their union reached a deal to suspend a strike that could have caused shortages and higher prices if it had dragged on.

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.

The International Longshoremen’s Association is suspending its three-day strike until Jan. 15 to provide time to negotiate a new contract. The union and the U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents ports and shipping companies, said in a joint statement that they have reached a tentative agreement on wages.

A person briefed on the agreement said the ports sweetened their wage offer from about 50% over six years to 62%. The person didn’t want

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 must do this out of an abundance of caution.”

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

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

“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.”

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

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

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.

Aelevated region. It’s also easy for real estate agents, mortgage lenders and banks to tell homebuyers flood insurance isn’t necessary.

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

, April 15,

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.

We’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.

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

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

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

Western North Carolinians without flood insurance left to rebuild

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.”

“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.

preparedness and mitigation to homeowners.

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.

“‘You’re not in a flood zone’ is a dangerous term,” Rouse warned. “You could stand at the top of Mount Mitchell or have your toes in the sand, Mother Nature doesn’t know or care.”

In 2004, the damaging remnants of hurricanes Ivan and Jeanne triggered some in western N.C. to participate in The National Flood Insurance Program, or NFIP. Still, the low risk factor has kept most in the area seeing coverage as essential.

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.

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.”

“Flood maps are available to the public,” Hicks said. “Everybody needs to be educated about their risk, and each individual needs to decide for themselves with all the facts. The information is out there.”

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.

hazard zone, flood insurance is mandatory.

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.

“But that doesn’t cover critical costs such as additional living expenses, lodging elsewhere; it can be very expensive,” Rouse said.

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.

“Many people think, ‘I’m on the side of a mountain, I’m never going to have to worry about rising water,’” said flood insurance expert Charlotte Hicks. “I would expect the majority do not have flood insurance.”

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.

On the real estate transaction side, Rouse added, “Everyone involved needs to inform buyers about flood insurance and the risk to their property in close proximity to lakes, rivers, ponds or otherwise. Again, Mother Nature doesn’t know flood plains begin and end.”

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,

The maximum coverage you can buy for a home or dwelling through NFIP, which is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is $250,000. If your home or dwelling is in a regulated flood plain or special

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 In this same spirit, I continue to be inspired neighbors helping neighbors. In Concord, a high school senior named money to buy a 3-D printer and plastic health care workers out of his own home.

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.

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

Two years ago, a geospatial study by a doctoral candidate at NC State found that 84.5% of flood damage losses occurred outside regulated flood plains or special hazard flood areas. Still, because homebuyers in regions like western N.C. are not in a designated flood plain, flood insurance is optional. “People think they don’t have a risk, and it’s not true at all,” Hicks said.

Both Hicks, an expert on flood insurance in North Carolina, and Rouse, who is based in Wilmington, expressed an urgent message of education,

Dockworkers’ union suspends strike until Jan. 15 to negotiate new contract

to be identified because the agreement is tentative. Any wage increase would have to be approved by union members as part of the ratification of a final contract.

The settlement pushes the strike and any potential shortages past the November pres-

idential election, eliminating a potential liability for Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee. It’s also a big plus for the Biden-Harris administration, which has billed itself as the most union-friendly in American history. Shortages could have driven

Faced with the unknown and the strong likelihood of rebuilding without flood insurance or, at best, the maximum coverage, those in washed-away communities like Chimney Rock and ravaged parts of Asheville, Black Mountain and Hendersonville are left to fend for themselves. As private home insurance plans generally only cover wind damage from hurricanes, Helene victims will need assistance from federal agencies, charities and private donations to rebuild their communities.

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

Not one little bit.

Stacey Matthews has also and is a regular contributor

up prices and reignited inflation. It will take a day or two for the ports to restart machinery and for ships waiting at sea to get to a berth, but even so, consumers aren’t likely to see any shortages because the strike was relatively short, said William Brucher, an assistant professor of labor studies and employment relations at Rutgers University who follows ports.

“I think the disruptions are going to be rather minimal, and consumers aren’t really going to feel them,” Brucher said.

Supply chain experts say that for every day of a port strike, it takes four to six days to recover. That means it will probably take about 20 days to recover, said Brucher. But during those 20 days, Longshoremen will be gradually increasing their capacity to handle freight until they hit normal levels.

The union went on strike early last Tuesday after its contract expired in a dispute over pay and the automation of tasks at 36 ports stretching from Maine to Texas. The strike came at the peak of the holiday season at the ports, which handle about half the cargo from ships coming into and out of the United States.

“With the grace of God,

COLUMN | REP. RICHARD HUDSON

MIKE STEWART / AP PHOTO

Homes lie in a debris field in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Oct. 3 in Pensacola, North Carolina.

ANNIE MULLIGAN / AP PHOTO

Francisco Alvarado, center, and other ILA members strike at the Bayport Container Terminal in Houston.

“Mother Nature doesn’t know where flood plains begin and end.”

Franklin Rouse, Rouse Insurance Agency

Analysis suggests national debt could increase under Harris, surge under Trump

Neither candidate has meaningfully stressed budget deficit reduction

By Josh Boak

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — No one is likely to be happy with the projected higher deficits laid out in a new analysis of Kamala Harris’ and Donald Trump’s economic plans.

The analysis released Monday by the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget suggests a Harris presidency could increase the national debt over 10 years by $3.5 trillion. That’s even though the vice president’s campaign insists her proposed investments in the middle class and housing would be fully offset by higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy. Her campaign policy guide states that Harris is “committed to fiscal responsibility — making investments that will support our economy, while paying for them and reducing the deficit at the same time.”

The same analysis says former President Trump’s ideas could heap another $7.5 trillion onto the debt and possibly as much as $15.2 trillion. That’s even though he suggests growth would be so strong un-

der his watch that no one would need to worry about deficits.

The 34-page report released by the fiscal watchdog group puts a spotlight on the issue of government borrowing that will confront the winner of November’s election. Total federal debt held by the public now tops $28 trillion and is expected to keep climbing as revenues can’t keep up with the growing costs of Social Security, Medicare and other programs. The analysis noted that the expense of servicing that debt in dollar terms has “eclipsed the cost of defending our nation or providing health care to elderly Americans.”

Drawing on the candidates’ speeches, campaign documents, and social media posts, the analysis bluntly warns: “Debt would continue to grow faster than the economy under either candidates’ plans and in most scenarios would grow faster and higher than under current law.”

Neither candidate has meaningfully stressed budget deficit reduction in their pitch to voters. But multiple analyses show a clear difference of Harris being much more fiscally responsible than Trump.

Harvard University professor Jason Furman, who was the top economist in the Obama White House, estimated in an opinion article for The

The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget suggests a Harris presidency could increase the national debt over 10 years by $3.5 trillion, while Trump’s plan could raise it by $7.5 trillion.

Wall Street Journal that Harris’ plans could cut deficits by $1.5 trillion or raise them by $1.5 trillion. Meanwhile, his estimates show that Trump’s plans would increase deficits by $5 trillion, though that figure does not include his plans to charge no taxes on overtime pay and scrap the limit on deductions of state and local taxes.

There are other estimates by The Budget Lab at Yale and the Penn Wharton Budget Model that also show Harris would be better at keeping the deficit in check.

The Harris campaign said it sharply disagreed with the analysis of Harris’ policies by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, saying that she would reduce the deficit if she became president. The Trump campaign did not respond to questions about its response to the analysis.

The committee analysis estimates that Harris’ policy ideas could add $3.5 trillion to the national debt through 2035. That conclusion depends on its treatment of how much various programs could cost.

It forecasts that Harris would implement $4.6 trillion in tax reductions, including extensions of some of the expiring 2017 tax cuts that Trump signed into law and tax breaks for parents and no taxes on tipped income for hospitality workers. Roughly $4 trillion in higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy would be insufficient to cover the total cost of her agenda and the additional interest on the debt that it could generate.

Still, the analysis notes that its numbers depend on various interpretations of what Harris has said. It’s possible Harris’ agenda would add nothing to baseline deficits, but the re -

US adds 254K jobs, unemployment dips to 4.1%

Last month’s gain was far more than economists expected

By Paul Wiseman

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — America’s employers added a surprisingly strong 254,000 jobs in September, easing concerns about a weakening labor market and suggesting the pace of hiring is still solid enough to support a growing economy.

Last month’s gain was far more than economists had expected, up sharply from the 159,000 jobs added in August. And after rising for most of 2024, the unemployment rate dropped for a second straight month, from 4.2% in August to 4.1% in September, the Labor Department said Friday.

The latest figures suggest that many companies are still confident enough to fill jobs despite the continued pressure of high interest rates.

In an encouraging sign, the Labor Department also revised up its estimate of job growth in July and August by a combined 72,000. Including those revisions, September’s job gain — forecasters had predicted only around 140,000 — means that job growth has averaged a solid 186,000 over the past three months. In August, the three-month average was only 140,000.

“There’s still more momentum than we had given it credit for,” Stephen Stanley, chief economist at the banking company Santander, said of the job market. “I would call it solid — certainly not as explosive as what we were seeing last year or the year before when we were

STRIKE from page A9

and the goodwill of neighbors, it’s gonna hold,” President Joe Biden told reporters Thursday night after the agreement.

In a statement later, Biden applauded both sides “for acting patriotically to reopen our ports and ensure the availability of critical supplies for Hurricane Helene recovery and rebuilding.”

Biden said collective bargaining is “critical to building a

catching up from the pandemic. But the pace of job growth overall is very healthy.’’

The September job gains were fairly broad-based, a good trend if it continues. Restaurants and bars added 69,000 jobs. Health care companies gained 45,000, government agencies 31,000, social assistance employers 27,000 and construction companies 25,000. A category that includes professional and business services added 17,000 after having lost jobs for three straight months.

Average hourly raises were solid, too. They rose by a higher-than-expected 0.4% from August, slightly less than the

stronger economy from the middle out and the bottom up.”

The union’s membership won’t need to vote on the temporary suspension of the strike. Until Jan. 15, the workers will be covered under the old contract, which expired on Sept. 30.

The union had been demanding a 77% raise over six years, plus a complete ban on the use of automation at the ports, which members see as a threat to their jobs. Both sides also have been apart on the issues of

0.5% gain the month before. Measured from a year earlier, hourly wages climbed 4% in September, up a tick from a 3.9% year-over-year gain in August.

The economy’s progress in taming inflation led the Federal Reserve last month to cut its benchmark interest rate by a sizable half-point, its first rate cut in more than four years, and said further cuts were likely in the coming months. The Fed said it wanted to ease the cost of borrowing to help bolster the job market. In light of Friday’s strong jobs report, the Fed is now likely to reduce its key rate by more typical quarter-point increments.

pension contributions and the distribution of royalties paid on containers that are moved by workers.

Thomas Kohler, who teaches labor and employment law at Boston College, said the agreement to halt the strike means that the two sides are close to a final deal.

“I’m sure that if they weren’t going anywhere, they wouldn’t have suspended (the strike),” he said. “They’ve got wages. They’ll work out the language on auto-

“The September jobs report shows a nice bump in labor demand at the beginning of the fall,” said Bill Adams, chief economist at Comerica Bank.

“The U.S. economy is growing solidly in 2024 even as inflation slows to near the Fed’s target.”

The resilience of the economy has come as a relief. Economists had long expected that the Fed’s aggressive campaign to subdue inflation — it jacked up interest rates 11 times in 2022 and 2023 — would cause a recession. It didn’t. The economy kept growing even in the face of ever-higher borrowing costs for consumers and businesses.

Most economists say the

mation, and I’m sure that what this really means is it gives the parties time to sit down and get exactly the language they can both live with.”

Last Thursday’s deal came after Biden administration officials met with foreign-owned shipping companies before dawn on Zoom, according to a person briefed on the day’s events who asked not to be identified because the talks were private. The White House wanted to increase pressure to settle,

port also said it might plausibly add as much as $8.1 trillion in debt in what appears to be a worst-case scenario.

By contrast, Trump’s ideas would likely add another $7.5 trillion to the debt. His $2.7 trillion in tariff revenues would not be able to cover $9.2 trillion in tax cuts and additional expenditures, such as $350 billion to secure the border and deport unauthorized immigrants.

But the analysis includes other possibilities that show far higher deficits under Trump. If his tariffs raised less money and there were higher costs for his mass deportations and tax breaks, the national debt could jump by $15.2 trillion.

On the other hand, if the tariffs raised $4.3 trillion and there were no costs tied to deportations, Trump’s plans could only increase the debt by $1.5 trillion over 10 years.

Fed appears to have achieved the once-unlikely prospect of a “soft landing,” in which high interest rates help vanquish inflation without triggering a recession.

The economy is weighing heavily on voters as the Nov. 5 presidential election nears. Many Americans are unimpressed by the job market’s durability and are still frustrated by high prices, which remain, on average, 19% above where they were in February 2021. That was when inflation began surging as the economy rebounded with unexpected speed and strength from the pandemic recession, causing severe shortages of goods and labor.

The public’s discontent with inflation and the economy under President Joe Biden has been a political burden for Vice President Kamala Harris in her race for the White House against former President Donald Trump.

The jobs report for October, which the government will issue four days before Election Day, will likely be muddied by the effects of Hurricane Helene and a strike by Boeing machinists.

Across the economy, though, most indicators look solid. The U.S. economy, the world’s largest, grew at a vigorous 3% annual pace from April through June, boosted by consumer spending and business investment. A forecasting tool from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta points to slower but still healthy 2.5% annual growth in the just-ended July-September quarter. Given Friday’s robust hiring report, economists say the Fed will almost certainly cut its benchmark rate in November by a modest quarter-point after its larger-than-usual half-point reduction in September.

emphasizing the responsibility to reopen the ports to help with recovery from Hurricane Helene, the person said.

Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su told them she could get the union to the bargaining table to extend the contract if the carriers made a higher wage offer. Chief of Staff Jeff Zients told the carriers they had to make an offer by the end of the day so a manmade strike wouldn’t worsen a natural disaster, the person said.

AP PHOTO

NAM Y. HUH / AP PHOTO

The unemployment rate dropped for a second straight month, from 4.2% in August to 4.1%.

Google must open Android app store to competition, Federal judge orders

The order will make millions of Android apps accessible to rivals

The Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge on Monday ordered Google to tear down the digital walls shielding its Android app store from competition as punishment for maintaining an illegal monopoly that helped expand the company’s internet empire.

The injunction issued by U.S. District Judge James Donato will require Google to make several changes that the company had been resisting. Those include a provision that will require its Play Store for Android apps to distribute rival third-party app stores so consumers can download them to their phones if they so desire.

The judge’s order will also make the millions of Android apps in the Play Store library accessible to rivals.

Donato is giving Google until November to make the revisions dictated in his order. The company had insisted it would take 12 to 16 months to design the safeguards needed to reduce the chances of potentially malicious software making its way into rival Android app stores and infecting millions of Samsung phones and other mobile devices running on its free Android software.

The court-mandated overhaul is meant to prevent Google from walling off competition in the Android app market. It is part of an effort to protect a commission system that has been a boon for one of the world’s most prosperous companies and helped elevate the market value of its corporate parent, Alphabet Inc., to $2 trillion.

Donato also ruled that, for

a period of three years ending Nov. 1, 2027, Google won’t be able to share revenue from its Play Store with anyone who distributes Android apps or is considering launching an Android app distribution platform or store. It also won’t be allowed to pay developers, or share revenue, so that they will launch an app in the Google Play Store first or exclusively and can’t make deals with manufacturers to preinstall the Google Play store on any specific location on an Android device. It also won’t be able to require apps to use its billing system or tell customers that they can download apps elsewhere and potentially for cheaper.

The Play Store has been earning billions of dollars annually for years, primarily through 15% to 30% commissions that Google has been imposing on digital transactions completed within Android apps. It’s a similar fee structure to the one that Apple deploys in its iPhone app store — a structure that prompted Cary video game maker Epic Games to file antitrust lawsuits four years ago in an effort to foster competition.

A federal judge mostly sided with Apple in a September 2021 decision that was upheld by an appeals court. Still, a jury favored Epic Games after the completion of a four-week trial completed last year and delivered a verdict that tarred the Play Store as an illegal monopoly.

That prompted another round of hearings this year to help Donato determine what steps should be taken to restore fair competition. Google argued that Epic Games was seeking some extreme changes, saddling the company with costs that could run as high as $600 billion. Epic contended Google could level the playing field for as little as $1 million. Although Epic lost its antitrust case against Apple, Donato’s ruling could still have ripple effects on the iPhone app store as another federal judge weighs whether Apple is making it easy enough to promote different ways consumers can pay for digital transactions. Apple was ordered to allow in-app links to alternative payment systems as part of U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers’ decision in that case, but Epic contends

North Carolina home insurers argue for 42% average premium hike

The Rate Bureau and the state remain far apart

By Gary D. Robertson

Associated Press

RALEIGH — With many western North Carolina residents still lacking power and running water from Hurricane Helene, a hearing began Monday on the insurance industry’s request to raise homeowner premiums statewide by more than 42% on average.

A top lieutenant for Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey opened what’s expected to be multiple weeks of witnesses, evidence and arguments by attorneys for the state Insurance Department and the North Carolina Rate Bureau.

In more than 2,000 pages of data filed last January, the Rate Bureau sought proposed increases varying widely from just over 4% in parts of the mountains to 99% in some beach areas. Proposed increases in and around big cities like Raleigh, Charlotte and Greensboro are roughly 40%.

Across 11 western counties that were hit hard by Helene, including Asheville’s Buncombe County, the requested increase is 20.5%. The percentages are based on insurance payouts of years past and future claims projections.

After taking public comment, Causey rejected the request in February, prompting the hearing. In previous rounds of premium rate requests, the industry and the commissioner have negotiated settlements before a hearing. Before the last such hearing set for early 2022, they settled weeks earlier on a 7.9% average premium increase after the bureau had sought 24.5%.

This time, Causey told reporters Monday, “we were not able to come anywhere close,

so that’s why we’re here today.” When the hearing ends, the hearing officer, in consultation with Causey, will decide within 45 days whether the proposed rates are excessive, and if so, issue an order that sets new rates. That order could be challenged at the state Court of Appeals.

Rate Bureau attorney Mickey Spivey told hearing officer Amy Funderburk that the highest inflation in 40 years — particularly on building materials — combined with calamitous storms that are “getting worse and worse” show that current premium rates are “severely inadequate.”

Spivey cited Helene, which inflicted unprecedented destruction in the state’s western mountain communities, and Hurricane Florence in 2018, which caused billions of dollars in damage in eastern North Carolina, much of it paid for by insurance companies.

U.S. District Judge James Donato ruled Monday that Google must require its Play Store for Android apps to distribute rival third-party app stores.

Judge allows FTC antitrust lawsuit against Amazon to proceed

Washington, D.C.

Not mentioned Monday: Hurricane Milton, which grew explosively to a Category 5 hurricane while closing in on Florida on a path expected to mostly miss North Carolina.

“Whether you want to call it climate change or not, there is no denying that we are having bigger, stronger and more costly catastrophic storms than we’ve seen in any of our lifetimes,” Spivey said.

The Insurance Department’s attorney, Terence Friedman, argued that the industry continues to use actuarial methods that ignore what state law requires in calculating rate increases.

Friedman said the bureau’s requested rates are inflated and that the department’s actuaries will demonstrate there are “alternative recommended rates that will allow the bureau’s members to earn what they’re constitutionally entitled to.”

But Spivey said the Insur-

the provision is being undermined with the creation of another commission system that stifles consumer choice.

The forthcoming Play Store shakeup could be just the first unwelcome shock that antitrust law delivers to Google. In the biggest antitrust case brought by the U.S. Justice Department in a quarter century, U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in August declared Google’s dominant search engine an illegal monopoly and is now getting ready to start hearings on how to punish Google for that bad behavior. Google is appealing Mehta’s ruling in the search engine case in hopes of warding off a penalty that could hurt its business even more than the changes being ordered in the Play Store.

“Provided the ruling survives the appeals process, Google will almost certainly take a revenue hit,” said Emarketer analyst Evelyn Mitchell-Wolf. “No doubt some of the largest app developers like Epic Games will start encroaching on Google Play Store’s market share, meaning Google will lose out on its usual cut of subscription and in-app purchases.”

ance Department’s witnesses would seek to actually lower premium rates, or limit increases by less than 3%.

Without a fair profit and the ability to cover claims, Spivey said, industry companies will have to invoke a legal exception more frequently insuring high-risk homeowners only if they agree to pay premiums that are up to 250% of the bureau’s rate. Otherwise, he said, more insurers will stop issuing policies altogether.

The “consent to rate” exception in North Carolina’s law has helped prevent a mass exodus of home insurers, as some states have experienced, said David Marlett, an insurance professor at Appalachian State.

While each state has different models to regulate rates, those affected by more hurricanes and storms are essentially faced with two options, Marlett said: Allow rates to keep rising to cover claims, or “somehow we build structures that are able to withstand climate change.”

Friedman criticized the bureau for citing Helene in its opening statement, saying it shouldn’t be used as grounds to raise rates on the storm’s survivors. He also noted that most of Helene’s damage was caused by flooding, which is covered separately from the homeowners’ policies now being considered.

The proceedings will likely continue after early voting begins on Oct. 17. Causey, a twoterm Republican commissioner, is being challenged by Democrat Natasha Marcus, a state senator. Marcus held a news conference outside the Insurance Department headquarters criticizing Causey for declining to preside over the hearing, calling it a “ridiculous dereliction of one of his major duties in this job.”

Causey said he’s not hearing the case in part because he’s not an attorney. State law allows him to pick someone else to preside over the hearing, which is a quasi-judicial proceeding.

A federal judge said the Federal Trade Commission can proceed with its landmark antitrust lawsuit against Amazon. But Judge John H. Chun also gave the company a small victory by tossing out a few claims made by states involved in the legal fight. The order, issued last week and unsealed on Monday, is a defeat for Amazon. The online retailer has tried for months to get the case tossed out in court. The FTC celebrated the ruling on Monday. Amazon, for its part, expressed confidence it could prove its argument in court as the case proceeds. A trial in the case is slated to be held in October 2026.

SCOTUS to weigh Mexico’s $10B lawsuit against U.S. gun makers

Washington, D.C.

The Supreme Court said Friday it will decide whether to block a $10 billion lawsuit Mexico filed against leading U.S. gun manufacturers over allegations their commercial practices have helped cause much bloodshed there. The gun makers asked the justices to undo an appeals court ruling that allowed the lawsuit to go forward despite broad legal protections for the firearm industry. A federal judge has since tossed out the bulk of the lawsuit on other legal grounds, but Mexico could appeal that dismissal. The defendants include big-name manufacturers such as Smith & Wesson, Beretta, Colt and Glock.

Yoga business founder pleads guilty to tax charge in NYC

New York

An international yoga business founder whose chain of yoga studios promoted themselves as “Yoga to the People” has pleaded guilty to a tax charge in a New York federal court. Gregory Gumucio apologized Friday as he admitted not paying more than $2.5 million in taxes from 2012 to 2020. Judge John P. Cronan set sentencing for Jan. 16. A plea agreement Gumucio reached with prosecutors calls for him to receive a sentence of about five years in prison, the maximum amount of time he could face after pleading guilty to a single count of conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service. Beginning Cash $2,578,022,513 Receipts (income) $238,614,420 Disbursements

$94,069,396

$2,722,581,780

The

RICHARD DREW / AP PHOTO

GARY D. ROBERTSON / AP PHOTO

North Carolina state Sen. Natasha Marcus (D-Mecklenburg), a candidate for North Carolina insurance commissioner, speaks outside the state Department of Insurance building Monday in Raleigh.

charging ahead

EVs across America

Over the last two weeks, I’ve driven 5,000 miles across the country in a pair of electric car road trips.

The first, from Seattle to Boston, was part of an epic race (with a reasonable speed limit) that saw 10 cars competing to see who could be the first to complete the 3,000-mile length of I-90 — the country’s longest interstate. The second, from Boston to Denver, was to return one of the competitor cars back home.

I’ll have more to say once I can talk about who won the race (it’s still a secret!), but I can promise you that road tripping in an electric car is far easier and more enjoyable than critics would have you believe.

We did not have a single failed charging stop, and, with a modern EV, cars charged quickly and drove reliably. There was no range anxiety to speak of.

There are plenty of reasons not to buy an electric car, but after thousands of miles behind the wheel, I’m convinced that “I like taking road trips” is not one of them.

Jordan Golson, North State Journal

COURTESY SARAH DOTSON / @THESIMPLESARAH

COURTESY ISAIAH LOUIS OTHER PHOTOS BY JORDAN GOLSON / NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Bryce Young back? B4

Expectations lowered for Hurricanes

Carolina still has a playoff-caliber roster

MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Savannah Bananas heading to gridiron in 2025, including Bank of America Stadium

Charlotte The Savannah Bananas are taking their baseball hijinks to the gridiron in 2025. Team owner Jesse Cole says the barnstorming squad will bring its freewheeling version of the game known as Banana Ball to Clemson’s Memorial Stadium on April 26. The Bananas also will host games at a pair of NFL stadiums next year: Nissan Stadium in Nashville on May 10 and 75,000-seat Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, home of the Carolina Panthers, on June 7.

NCAA FOOTBALL

Western Carolina beats Wofford in game played without spectators due to rescue, recovery efforts

Cullowhee

Jalynn Williams had two short touchdown runs, CJ Williams broke up a fourth-down pass with 45 seconds remaining and Western Carolina held off Wofford 21-17 without spectators due to rescue and recovery efforts around the western North Carolina region. Western Carolina (2-3, 1-0 Southern Conference) has won four straight in the series.

NCAA BASKETBALL

Raleigh gets 2028

March Madness regional

Raleigh

The NCAA is sticking with two regionals for the women’s basketball tournament through at least 2028. Las Vegas and Philadelphia will host the two 2027 regionals and Portland, Oregon, and Washington will be the sites for 2028. The men’s NCAA Tournament will have Kansas City, New York, San Antonio and Los Angeles host regionals in 2027. The next year, Raleigh, Detroit, Dallas and San Francisco will serve as hosts. Dayton will continue to host the First Four through 2028.

By Cory Lavalette North State Journal

RALEIGH — For many, the Carolina Hurricanes have been underachievers. Although many have picked them as Stanley Cup favorites the past few years, the team has been unable to reach those heights, losing in the Eastern Conference final twice in the last six years since Rod Brind’Amour took over as coach.

Last season was perhaps Carolina’s best chance. Star center Sebastian Aho had his best statistical regular season, finishing with 89 points. Seth Jarvis emerged as a two-way threat and 30-goal scorer. The Hurricanes’ defense was loaded from top to bottom. The front office even went all-in, landing Jake Guentzel — the best player on the market — at the trade deadline.

Carolina’s season, however, ended in the second round with a loss to the New York Rangers, and so began the team’s most challenging off-

In-their-prime players enter prime-time

The moments are there: Andrei Svechnikov’s thunderous hits, laser wrist shots and lacrosse goals; Martin Necas’ electric 3-on-3 goals, unmatched speed and untapped one-timer; Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s size, skill and pedigree.

So when, exactly, will these three live up to expectations, and can they do it playing together?

Necas and Svechnikov have already proven they can be game-changing players. Both have, at times, had stretches of play where they not only looked like the best players on the team but also among the best in the NHL.

season perhaps ever.

First, Don Waddell, the team’s president and general manager, left to take over hockey operations with the Blue Jackets. Assistant GM Eric Tulsky was elevated but left with a stacked inbox. When the dust settled, the Hurricanes were unable to retain Jake Guentzel and lost longtime players Brett Pesce, Brady Skjei and Teuvo Teravainen, but the team had rebuilt its defense and added depth pieces with the hopes of remaining a contender.

Now, Svechnikov and Necas need to be those players consistently — and there are no excuses.

So … are they? Here are three things that need to happen for Carolina to battle for a division title and again be considered one of the top teams come playoff time.

Necas’ contract situation, which looked like it would end with an offseason change of address, was resolved with a two-year contract with a permanent resolution — he’ll be a free agent in two summers and

See HURRICANES , page B3

NC State hoping to once again defy the odds

After an unexpected ACC title and run to the Final Four last season, can the NC State Wolfpack rekindle some of that magic this year?

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

IN ONE MONTH’S time, local teams will be hitting the hardwood as the college basketball season gets underway, and it’s a safe bet that a lot of NC State fans will be happy to leave what’s so far been a disappointing football season behind.

After a few seasons of growing apathy, there’s a new energy surrounding the NC State basketball program after last year’s crazy run. Nobody was expecting the Wolfpack to pull off what they did last season. Last year, NC State finished seventh in the ACC preseason poll, and not a single player received any votes or consideration for preseason teams or honors.

But after conference play was finished, the Wolfpack, with a 9-11 record and sitting as the ACC’s 10th seed, shocked college basketball.

NC State won five games in five days to claim the ACC Tournament title, the lowest seed to ever accomplish that feat, and stole a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

But the magic didn’t stop there. As an 11-seed in the NCAA Tournamet, the Wolfpack kept finding a way, beating Texas Tech, Oakland and Marquette to set up a date with Duke in the Elite 8.

They handed the Blue Devils a 76-64 loss and made it to the Final Four for the first time since 1983.

The miracle run ended there when the Wolfpack fell 63-50 to Purdue, but it was one of the craziest and most unexpected runs in school history.

Going into this season, the Wolfpack have lost a lot of talent. DJ Burns, DJ Horne and Casey Morsell all used up their eligibility, and Mohamed Diara took his talents overseas.

NC State also saw the departure of assistant coach Joel Justus, who played a big part in the Wolfpack’s guard development. He joined Ohio State as an associate coach. Finally, the Wolfpack also lost MJ Rice, Ernest Ross, LJ Thomas and Kam Woods to

the portal, but none were really impactful players for NC State at any point last season. In their place, Kevin Keatts will be relying on a variety of transfer portal additions and potentially a few freshmen.

KARL B. DEBLAKER / AP PHOTO

The Hurricanes need bounce-back seasons from Jesperi Kotkaniemi, left, and Martin Necas, right, while Shayne Gostisbehere, center, returns to Carolina to help stabilize the team’s revamped defense.

BRANDON WADE / AP PHOTO

NC State coach Kevin Keatts celebrates after cutting the net following a win over Duke that put the Wolfpack in last season’s Final Four.

JULIA NIKHINSON / AP PHOTO

Officials separate Carolina Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov (37) from New York Rangers players during a scrum in the teams’ second-round playoff series last May. Svechnikov is entering the prime of his career and must step up and be a prime-time player for the Canes this season.

TRENDING

Grayson McCall:

The NC State quarterback was on a cart after being placed in a brace following a against Wake Forest on Saturday night. McCall scrambled for about 9 yards before he was hit by multiple Wake Forest defenders. Saturday night, NC State announced McCall had been released from the hospital and “all scans were normal.”

Chase Brown: The NFL determined a fan didn’t intentionally dump a drink on the Bengals running back following Cincinnati’s victory in Carolina last week Video showed a fan appeared to pour a drink on Brown at Bank of America Stadium. The league concluded it was an accident. If the fan purposely spilled the drink, a lifetime ban from the stadium could have been part of a punishment.

Karol Swiderski:

The Charlotte FC striker had three goals in two games as Charlotte earned berth. Swiderski had two goals and an assist in a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Fire. He then had a -half goal, while Patrick Agyemang scored late and Kristijan Kahlina earned his 11th clean sheet of the season as Charlotte FC blanked CF Montreal 2-0. Swiderski has six goals in nine games this season

Beyond the box score

POTENT QUOTABLES

JACOB

“Football is important. But it’s not the most important thing right now.”

App State coach Shawn Clark after the Mountaineers despite campus still being closed due to storm damage.

“I could really feel the intensity, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.”

Shohei Ohtani on his game He homered in the Dodgers’ win.

NASCAR

Rick y Stenhouse Jr snapped a 65-race losing streak by winning in overtime at including eight of the 12 championship contenders Stenhouse is not in the

since the Daytona 500 to star t 2023.

Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefansk i says his team is not changing quarterbacks after Deshaun Watson struggled in a 34-13 loss at Washington Watson wa s 15 of 28 for 125 yards before being replaced late by Jameis Winston Watson wa s sacked seven times a s the Browns lost a third consecutive game to drop to 1-4.

goal to help the North Carolina Courage beat the San Diego Wave 2-1

have gone 20 games without a loss at WakeMed Soccer Park Gomes scored in the 32nd minute, scooping a bouncing ball over goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan.

Number of camera angles available to but a review still couldn’t determine if the Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm wa s safe on a stolen base attempt in Game 1 of the ALDS. The safe call on the scored the go-ahead run.

UNC ha s relocated its Blue-White Game due to damage from Hurricane Helene The school had scheduled its Blue-White scrimmage for Oct. 13 at the Harrah’s Resort in Cherokee. The team wa s then set to travel to Memphis to play an exhibition game two

Jude Children’s Research Hospital The scrimmage will now take place Oct. 12 at the Smith Center.

STEPHANIE SCARBROUGH /

COURTESY CAROLINA COURAGE

J. TERRILL /

MARK STOCKWELL / AP PH OTO

Wake Forest basketball hopes to take leap forward

Steve Forbes and the Demon Deacons welcome a new cast of transfers

By Jesse Deal North State Journal

WINSTON-SALEM — Chas-

ing its fourth-straight winning season while looking for its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2017, the Wake Forest men’s basketball team is aiming higher for the upcoming 2024 -25 season.

Fifth-year coach Steve Forbes has put together records of 6-16, 25-10, 19-14, and 21-14 in his four seasons coaching the Demon Deacons, largely showing an improvement over the program’s previous decade of action.

Time will tell if this Wake Forest team can make a jump in Year 5 of Forbes’ tenure in Winston-Salem.

Last season

The Demon Deacons finished with a 21-14 (11-9 Atlantic Coast Conference) record last year in a slim improvement over their 19-14 (10-10 ACC) showing in the 2022-23 season.

Led by guards Hunter Sallis and Kevin Miller, Wake looked like a potential NCAA Tournament team as the final stretch of the season began with huge wins over Pittsburgh and Duke.

However, the Deacs went on to lose four of their final six games, becoming one of the first bubble teams to be eliminated

Newcomers

from tournament contention when their cold finish was coupled with a weak out-of-conference record.

Departures

Wake enters its new campaign without eight players who left via the transfer portal. Most notably, the team will feel the absence of Miller (SMU) and forward Andrew Carr (Kentucky) — the duo combined to average around 30 points per game last season for the Deacons.

Abramo Canka (Stetson), Aaron Clark (Pepperdine), Zach Keller (Utah) and Matthew Marsh (Oregon State) have also exited the program.

No danger of ‘trap’ for

UNC as Georgia Tech arrives this year

The Tar Heels have vastly different circumstances than last three years

By Asheebo Rojas North State Journal

THROUGHOUT UNC

FOOTBALL coach Mack

Brown’s second stint in Chapel Hill, there’s typically something on the line in the Georgia Tech game.

For the past three seasons in which UNC boasted star quarterbacks Sam Howell and Drake Maye and was looked at as one of the ACC’s elites, the Tar Heels’ matchup with the Yellow Jackets has been where preseason hype and any chance to revive playoff hopes have unexpectedly — at least for the first time in 2021 — been laid to rest.

Yet, as UNC gets set to host Georgia Tech once again Saturday at noon, there’s different stakes.

For one, the Tar Heels will get a chance to shake two losing streaks, including its three-game skid to the Yellow Jackets and three straight disappointments to JMU, Duke and Pitt.

But on a deeper level, this matchup is no longer the “trap game” it once was, and given that there’s not any grand post season goals to lose, it’s simply an oppor-

HURRICANES from page B1

will control where he plays, and the amount he makes will be contingent on how much he produces.

Svechnikov has no contract concerns, but the knee injury that kept him out at the beginning of last season is in the rear-view mirror. Despite being the prototypical power forward, he has hit 30 goals just once in six NHL seasons and never reached 70 points.

Kotkaniemi, meanwhile, will likely never live up to being the third overall pick, one spot behind Svechnikov in the 2018

tunity to improve. Sitting at 4-2 overall and 2-2 in ACC play, Georgia Tech is a much better team than it has been in recent memory.

The Yellow Jackets are coming off an impressive 24-14 home victory over Duke in which they scored 14 unanswered points against a stout defense in the fourth quarter. Redshirt junior quarterback Haynes King threw for 167 yards and two touchdowns, and redshirt junior running back Jamal Haynes rushed for 135 yards. For UNC defensive coordinator and former Georgia Tech head coach Geoff Collins, containing Haynes in the run game with solid tackling and limiting big plays down the field will be a must.

Georgia Tech runs a balanced offensive attack, and it likes to get the ball to its speedy skill players for explosive plays.

Last week against Pitt, the Tar Heels gave up three plays over 40 yards and totals of 149 yards rushing and 381 yards passing. The longest of those plays was a short pass to running back Desmond Reid who turned it into a 72-yard gain thanks to multiple missed tackles.

It also didn’t help that edge rusher Kaimon Rucker only played for a few third downs last week as he slowly returns from a

draft. He’s also probably on his final chance to establish himself as a second-line center, an opportunity he’s been unable to capitalize on in the past. Carolina will have nothing to worry about if even two of the trio can live up to their potential. If two or all three struggle to take the next step, the Hurricanes will probably be hard-pressed to score.

Defense holds down the fort

It’s a tall task to replace Pesce and Skjei, but the Hurricanes hope they have done it

utes behind a crowded Cyclones depth chart.

Other players/ coaches of note

Sallis — Wake’s top performer in minutes (35.4), points (18), and 3-point percentage (40.5) last season — is back for his senior campaign. He is joined by fellow senior guard Cameron Hildreth, who is poised for a big year after increasing his point total and long-range shooting in each of his three seasons at Wake.

Best case

The Demon Deacons finally take the step forward as Forbes’ transfer puzzle pieces click into place, putting the team into contention for the conference title and a March Madness appearance.

Sallis and Hildreth establish themselves as one of the best backcourts in the ACC, while a frontcourt of Biliew and 7-foot-1 center Efton Reid give opposing offenses a tough time.

Salisbury native Juke Harris is Wake’s only incoming freshman, and the 6-foot-7 Rowan County standout was rated as a top-20 shooting guard in the nation.

From the portal, the Deacons have brought in sophomore forward Omaha Biliew (Iowa State), sophomore guard Ty-Laur Johnson (Louisville), sophomore guard Davin Cosby (Alabama), senior forward Tre’Von Spillers (Appalachian State) and sophomore center Churchill Abass (DePaul).

In Biliew, Wake has a former five-star recruit who decided he didn’t want to wait for min-

Wake proves to have a deep bench with a revolving cast, including Spillers, who improves on the 12.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 60% shooting he had last year with the Mountaineers.

Biggest concern

The transfer losses of Miller and Carr hit Wake harder than anticipated, creating an absence of scoring on the offensive side of the ball. Feeling the need to produce, Sallis is forced to shoot the ball more, and his effectiveness reverts closer to the level it was at during his two middling seasons at Gonzaga.

It’s always a gamble to start over at so many depth spots on a team’s roster by relying so

heavily on the portal, and a successful remodel at Wake is no guarantee.

A fifth-consecutive NCAA Tournament miss would turn the heat up on Forbes and a program whose fan base grows continuously restless.

Key games

There are four nonconference games that stick out as being big tests heading into ACC play: Michigan (Nov. 10), Xavier (Nov. 16), Texas A&M (Dec. 3), and James Madison (Dec. 17).

Once the Deacs begin conference play, they are faced with many of the usual ACC heavyweights they are accustomed to, including Duke (Jan. 25/March 3) and North Carolina (Jan. 21); matchups with Clemson (Dec. 21) and Virginia (Feb. 26) will also be important.

Wake’s Feb. 1 home game against Pitt will give the team a chance for revenge following last season’s 81-69 loss in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament.

Bottom line

If Wake can be a top-five team in the ACC standings while also winning the majority of its nonconference games, it has a solid shot at becoming the first Demon Deacons team in eight years to make the NCAA tournament.

Forbes has a track record of coaching teams that are greater than the sum of their parts, finding players that fit into his system and adapting them to his schemes. There are some intriguing prospects and newcomers to this Wake team that have the potential to give Forbes the most wins he’s had since joining the program in 2020.

lower body injury. Rucker participated in practice this week, and a larger role from him Saturday could be the boost that the defense needs as it looks to improve in the sack column.

Opposing quarterbacks have had too much time to find open receivers down field, especially in UNC’s three losses. The Tar Heels have only recorded five sacks in the three-game skid compared to 10 sacks recorded in their first three games.

In a press conference Monday, Brown also harped on the Tar Heels’ need to stop missing opportunities to grab turnovers. UNC has only got its hands on two interceptions all year, which is tied for second-to-last in the ACC.

Sophomore defensive back Kaleb Cost’s 84-yard pick six against Pitt provided a big lift on the scoreboard, which the

with Sean Walker and Shayne Gostisbehere.

Neither addition is going to replace the defensive stoutness of the two players they replaced — that responsibility will shift for Jaccob Slavin, Brent Burns, Dmitry Orlov and Jalen Chatfield — but Walker and Gostisbehere should boost Carolina’s puck-moving and point production from the blue line.

Slavin will have to continue to be the best defensive defenseman in hockey, Burns will need to defy the sands of time for another year, and Orlov and Chatfield will need to shoulder more of a workload.

Tar Heels may need from their defense against a solid Georgia Tech defense that allows just 19.3 points per game.

Offensively, UNC will need to improve its execution on big plays, including third and fourth downs and red zone situations.

The Tar Heels converted just five out 15 third down attempts against Pitt, and on fourth down, they only converted two out of six tries.

This season, opponents have converted just 32% of their third down attempts and 43% of their fourth down attempts against the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech doesn’t allow teams to reach the red zone too often, either, as it has allowed just 13 trips within the 20-yard line.

Last week, UNC didn’t have problems reaching the red zone, but getting across the goal line was more of a struggle than it

The Hurricanes will be smaller but quicker on the back end, and — if it works — it could result in a different-looking attack that features more rush chances. The next wave is also on the way, with Scott Morrow in his first professional season but looking not far from the NHL and prized prospect Alexander Nikishin poised to come over from Russia as early as this spring.

Kochetkov takes over

Frederik Andersen has been good — really good — for most of his time with the Hurri-

Georgia Tech running back Jamal

celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Louisville last month.

had hoped for. If it can just clean up the self-inflicted mistakes in those situations, such as dropped touchdown passes and assignment busts, UNC could see a much better outcome Saturday.

Although UNC fans may have little hope that the Tar Heels will bounce back, it’s worth noting that the Yellow Jackets tend to fall behind early on the road.

Georgia Tech is 0-2 in away games this year, losing at then No. 19 Louisville on Sept. 21 and at Syracuse on Sept. 7. Against Louisville, Georgia Tech trailed 17-7 with just under two minutes remaining in the first half, and against Syracuse, it trailed 21-7 midway through the second quarter.

So, as UNC looks to avoid continuing its two losing streaks, the Tar Heels can return the favor to Georgia Tech with a hot start and a win Saturday.

canes. Injuries and last year’s Game 6 meltdown against the Rangers swung the No. 1 goalie door wide open for Pyotr Kochetkov, and it’s time for the Russian netminder to storm through.

Andersen will still have a role to play — a 25- to 30game workload should keep the big Dane fresher and provide an option should his partner struggle. But Carolina’s best path forward is with Kochetkov, whose athleticism, fiery personality and ability to get red-hot for long stretches gives the Hurricanes their best chance to win.

NICK WASS / AP PHOTO

Wake Forest coach Steve Forbes reacts during an ACC tournament game against Pitt in March. Entering his fifth year with the Deacs, Forbes and Wake are still awaiting their first NCAA bid together.

TIMOTHY D. EASLEY / AP PHOTO

Haynes (11)

WHAT IT WAS, WAS FOOTBALL: WEEK SIX

Wake Forest’s Evan Slocum (7) runs back a fumble and tries to avoid NC State’s Dante Daniels (87) during the first half of the Deacs’ win in Raleigh.

A weekly look at NC college football

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

THE STATE BROKE even last week, going 15-15. That’s two straight weeks without a losing record for North Carolina’s 33 college football teams.

Schedule havoc

A week after the storm, Hurricane Helene continued to impact college football. Catawba’s game at Anderson, SC was moved to a home game and rescheduled for Sunday. Western Carolina’s game with Wofford was played with no fans in the stands.

North Carolina’s record: 15-15 (81-87 overall)

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

1. NC Central: 45-14 at Campbell

2. Wingate: 33-0 at UVA-Wise

3. Brevard: 55-21 at Southern Virginia

4. Mars Hill: 34-9 at Newberry

5. Wake Forest: 34-30 at NC State

6. UNC Pembroke: 35-32 at Wheeling

7. Charlotte: 55-24 over ECU

8. Davidson: 42-19 over Marist

9. Shaw: 35-17 over Bluefield

10. Western Carolina: 21-17 over Wofford

11. Livingstone: 23-17 over Elizabeth City State

12. Johnson C. Smith: 21-17 over Virginia State

13. Fayetteville State: 27-24 over Bowie State

14. NC Wesleyan: 19-17 over Methodist

15. Catawba: 44-41 over Anderson in overtime

Last week’s losers (ranked in order of impressiveness, despite the result):

1. NC A&T: 20-17 at Richmond

2. Methodist: 19-17 at NC Wesleyan

3. Elizabeth City State: 23-17 at Livingstone

4. D uke: 24-14 at Georgia Tech

5. Lenoir-Rhyne: 31-20 at Emory & Henry

6. Barton: 28-17 at Carson-Newman

7. Winston-Salem State: 31-13 at Virginia Union

8. App State: 52-37 at Marshall

9. UNC: 34-24 to Pitt

10. NC State: 34-30 to Wake Forest

11. Gardner-Webb: 35-17 at UT Martin

NC STATE from page B1

Keatts has been a portal wizard for years, and he went to work this offseason as well.

NC State grabbed a pair of players from Louisville, junior guard Mike James (12.6 points, 5.0 rebounds) and senior forward Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (12.9 points, 8.4 rebounds), senior guard Marcus Hill (20.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists) from Bowling Green, and senior guard and one-time Tar Heel Dontrez Styles (12.8 points, 5.8 rebounds) from Georgetown.

12. G uilford: 31-0 at Hampden-Sydney

13. E ast Carolina: 55-24 at Charlotte

14. Campbell: 45-14 to NC Central

15. Chowan: 54-9 at Delta State

Off: Elon, Greensboro, St. Andrews

Remaining unbeatens (1 remaining, down from 4 last week): Duke, Lenoir-Rhyne and Guilford all lost over the weekend.

• Johnson C. Smith: 6-0

Winning records (11, up from 9 last week):

• Duke: 5-1

• Davidson, Lenoir-Rhyne: 4-1

• Livingstone, NC Central, Shaw, Winston-Salem State: 4-2

• Fayetteville State: 3-2

• Guilford, Wingate: 3-1

• Brevard: 2-1

At .500 (4, down from 5 last week):

• Charlotte, ECU, NC State, UNC: 3-3

Losing records (17, up from 11 last week):

• Western Carolina, App State, Wake Forest, Western Carolina, Barton, Catawba, Elizabeth City State: 2-3

• Campbell: 2-4

• Mars Hill: 1-2

• Greensboro, Chowan: 1-3

• NC Wesleyan, Elon, UNC Pembroke, Methodist: 1-4

• Gardner-Webb, NC A&T: 1-5

Still winless (1, down from 4 last week):

• St. Andrews: 0-3

Mars Hill, UNC Pembroke and NC Wesleyan got off the schneid this weekend.

State title standings

Wake moved into a tie for first with a win over NC State, Central beat Campbell, Charlotte blew out ECU, Limestone beat ECSU and NC Wesleyan got the win over Methodist to shake up the standings.

• 2-0: Duke, Guilford, Fayetteville State, Wake Forest

• 1-0: NC Wesleyan, App State, Wingate, Davidson, Barton, Lenoir-Rhyne, Livingstone

• 2-1: UNC, Charlotte

• 2-2: NC Central

• 1-1: NC State, Campbell, Shaw, Catawba

The Woflpack also has a trio of freshmen joining the roster, including a top-75 recruit in Paul McNeil Jr., four-star guard Trey Parker, who changed commitments from the class of 2023 to the class of 2024, and fourstar guard Bryce Heard, who took the final scholarship spot by moving from a 2025 commit to a 2024 commit. The newcomers will be building around a veteran core of defensively strong senior guards in Michael O’Connell, who also led the Wolfpack in assists last season, and Jayden Taylor. Add in the return of Ben Mid-

Young returns to field for Panthers but doesn’t regain job

Benched in Week 2, the former starter is still buried on the depth chart

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

BREAKING: Bryce Young came into the game and wasn’t terrible. Granted, the Carolina Panthers had already packed plenty of terrible into their 36-10 loss in Chicago without him.

CHARLES REX ARBOGAST / AP PHOTO

• 1-2: Methodist, NC A&T, Elon, Western Carolina

• 1-3: Elizabeth City State

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

• 0-2: ECU, Chowan, UNC Pembroke, Greensboro

State title games this week:

• Barton at Wingate

• Fayetteville State at Livingstone

• Shaw at Winston-Salem State

• Greensboro at Brevard

Out-of-state battles for Week Seven

Clemson at Wake Forest, Syracuse at NC State, Georgia Tech at UNC, Virginia Lynchburg at NC Central, App State at Louisiana, Davidson at Dayton, New Hampshire at Elon, The Citadel at Western Carolina, Limestone at Catawba, Shorter at Chowan, Elizabeth City State at Virginia Union, Newberry at Lenoir-Rhyne, Carson-Newman at Mars Hill, West Liberty at UNC Pembroke, Guilford at Randolph-Macon, Huntingdon at Methodist, LaGrange at NC Wesleyan, Union Commonwealth (KY) at St. Andrews.

Off: Duke, Campbell, Charlotte, East Carolina, Gardner-Webb, NC A&T, Johnson C. Smith

Bad neighbors: Bluefield and Bowie State are the biggest outof-state resume boosters for N.C. teams. The state has three wins against each. Virginia teams are 19-9 against N.C. schools.

All-state performances for Week Six

Quarterback: Justin Fomby, NC A&T, 22-of-27 for 261 yards, 2 touchdowns

Running backs; LJ Turner, Catawba, 35 rushes, 329 yards, 5 touchdowns; Hahsaun Wilson, Charlotte, 15 rushes for 164 yards, 3 touchdowns

Receiver: Josiah Hayes, UNC Pembroke, 8 catches, 183 yards, 3 touchdowns; Ger-Cari Caldwell, NC A&T, 7 catches for 130 yards

Defensive line: Quantez Mansfield, NC Central, 6 tackles, 3 solo, 3.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks; Marquise Fleming, Wingate, 6 tackles, 4 solo, 3.5 TFL

Linebacker: John Tessman, Davidson, 5 tackles, 2 solo, 1 TFL, 2 pass breakups; TreShaun Harris, Elizabeth City State, 6 tackles, 2 solos, 1 fumble recovery, 1 pass breakup

Defensive back: Tamarcus Cooley, NC State, 7 tackles, 4 solo stops, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 forced fumble; Dereck Barringer, Barton, 16 tackles, 4 solos

Special teams: Darryl Taylor, NC Central, 68-yard punt return for a touchdown; Winston Wright, ECU, 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown

dlebrooks and Dennis Parker Jr., who each had some big moments for the Wolfpack last season, and NC State is looking like a team still capable of doing some damage. With Keatts’ portal magic and the Wolfpack’s commitment to a high-energy, defensive game, NC State could be a contender for back-to-back ACC Tournament titles and another solid NCAA Tournament run. However, there’s always going to be concerns with portal-built teams. Today’s game isn’t as much

Young entered to mop up for Andy Dalton at the end of the game. It was his first time seeing any playing time in three weeks. He got nine snaps in his two minutes, 27 seconds out there, and he completed four of seven passes for 58 yards, which may not seem like much. The bar he had set for himself was extraordinarily low, however.

His quarterback rating for the brief appearance was 84.2. That was his third-highest rating in Young’s last 13 games, dating back to before last Halloween. His 8.29 average yards per pass attempt was the second-best game of his career.

“He did a fantastic job, playing with energy, extending plays, finding some completions downfield,” said coach Dave Canales. “That was fantastic.”

So, then, the tough love Canales and the Panthers are showing Young, benching him after two games, may be working? This was all just a teaching technique for the second-year player, and we might see him leading the huddle again at some point in the not too distant future?

“No,” said Canales. “Andy is our starter.”

But, on a day Dalton struggled, perhaps the team might consider a change?

“Andy will be our quarterback next week,” Canales emphasized.

Much like when he announced the decision to bench Young, Canales didn’t say anything that could be construed as supportive or encouraging on Young’s behalf. From the day Dalton was installed as the starter, Canales has acted like it was a permanent move.

So, then, why bring Young in at the end of the Bears loss?

“Just saw it as an opportunity there,” Canales said. “We had a couple of injuries on the offense line. It is a hard situation, but at that point with the different things happening on the offensive line, it was something where I wanted to get Andy out of there.”

In other words, we didn’t want to risk our important guy.

Actually, the phrase “in other words” wasn’t really necessary, since Canales went on to use almost exactly those words.

“It really goes back to just some injuries that we had and really getting Andy out of there, protecting him in that situation, and then giving Bryce a chance to get out there and play football,” Canales said.

Young essentially played the role of Jack Plummer, who got the bulk of the playing time for Carolina in the preseason in order to prevent Young from getting hurt.

about development as it is about finding underappreciated or underutilized veteran talent from around the country. But the obvious risk there is chemistry. Will the pieces brought in fit not only with the other players you’ve recruited, but also in the system that Keatts and the staff have implemented?

That will be the big question for NC State. The Wolfpack’s season will begin Nov. 11 when they take on the South Carolina Upstate Spartans. Important dates to remem-

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young throws a pass against the Chicago Bears. It was his first playing time in three weeks, but he appears to be no closer to regaining the starting job.

Plummer was then cut at the end of the summer, although he’s spent time on the team’s practice squad.

The writing seems to be on the wall — Young’s time in Carolina appears to be over after just a year and change. Furthermore, his mop-up duty came in Chicago against the Bears, whose blowout of the Panthers was led by several of the components of the blockbuster trade that earned Carolina the chance to draft Young first overall. The Panthers sent the Bears DJ Moore, who had 105 receiving yards and two touchdowns, and a first-round pick Chicago used on quarterback Caleb Williams, who, in his fifth career start, threw for 304 yards — a mark Young has hit just once in 19 games — and posted a passer rating of 126.2, higher than Young has ever recorded in a game for the Panthers.

In five games with the Bears, Williams has two 300yard games, two passer ratings of 100-plus and three wins. In his 19 games with the Panthers, Young has totaled one, two and two.

The comparison the Panthers should be making for Young isn’t Williams, though. It’s Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold. Five weeks into the 2024 seasons, those two Carolina castoffs have combined for eight wins, 2,275 yards and 22 touchdowns.

That’s not a dig at Young. Instead, it should serve as encouragement — an assurance that, no matter how bad someone looks with the Panthers, there is life after Carolina.

We’re now less than a month from the trade deadline. Immediately after benching Young, the Panthers were reportedly besieged with trade offers. At the time they said they had no plans to deal him.

As the deadline approaches, however, the Panthers may want to reconsider that decision. By some estimates, they could get a third-round pick for Young, which is far less than they traded to acquire him, and less than the second-rounder they reportedly would demand.

It would give a clean slate to team and player, however, and allow both of them to move on. It’s not a move either wants to make, but it also comes from a spot neither wants to be in. So, perhaps, Young wasn’t merely mopping up at the tail end of the Chicago game. Maybe it was a chance for the Panthers to showcase him to potential buyers.

ber are a rematch with Purdue on Nov. 28, the SEC/ACC Challenge that will see the Wolfpack face Texas on Dec. 4, a showdown with blueblood Kansas on Dec. 14, and the start of conference play will be Dec. 31 as NC State heads on the road to take on Virginia.

The in-state rivalry games will be on Jan. 4 (at Wake), Jan. 11 (vs. UNC), Jan. 21 (at Duke), Feb. 19 (at UNC) and Feb. 22 (vs. Wake) and the matches against the new ACC teams will be on Jan. 18 (vs. Cal), Jan. 25 (vs. SMU), Feb. 5 (at. Cal), and Feb. 8 (at Stanford).

KARL B DEBLAKER / AP PHOTO

make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 26 day of September, 2024. Virginia M. Beaufort 6458 Rockford Drive Fayetteville NC 28304 Of the Estate of Janice M. Beaufort, Deceased.

Executors Notice

The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the estate of Thomas Franklin Daniels, Tommy Daniels, deceased, late of Cumberland County, NC, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 13th day of January , 2025, (which date is three months after the first

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF JAMES M. BUTLER, JR Cumberland County Estate File No. 24 E 1589 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against James M. Butler, Jr., deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are notified to present their claims to Larry G. Dickens, Executor, at 212 Crescent Dr., Dunn, NC 28334, on or before the 11th day of January, 2025 (which date is three months after the day of the first 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 30th day of September, 2024.

Larry G. Dickens

Executor of the Estate of James M. Butler, Jr.

Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: October 10, October 17, October 24 and October 31, 2024

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF Felicia Rose Flanigan

CUMBERLAND County

Estate File No. 24 E 756 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Felicia Rose Flanigan, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are notified to present their claims to Joseph T. Tesoriero, Executor, at 10206 Caldwell Forest Dr., Charlotte, NC 28213, on or before the 27 day of December, 2024 (which date is three months after the day of the first 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

The undersigned, having qualified as executor of the Estate of Christine Veronica Smith, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 10 day of January 2025, (which date is three months after the day of the first 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 10th day of October 2024 Mary Ann Smith Executor 4045 Bammel Drive Address Fayetteville, NC, 28306 City, State, Zip Of the Estate of Christine Veronica Smith, Deceased

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF ROBERT LEE CRAWFORD, JR.

Cumberland County Estate File No. 24 E 89 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Robert Lee Crawford, Jr., deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are notified to present their claims to Ronda Baker, Executor, at 31 Holly Dr., New Castle, DE 19720, on or before the 27 day of December, 2024 (which date is three months after the day of the first 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

ESTATE OF MARGARET SUNSOOK CHOI

Cumberland County

Estate File No. 2024 E 000424 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Margaret Sunsook Choi, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are notified 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 first 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 TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF CINDY MARIE BULGARINO

CUMBERLAND County

Estate File No. 22 E 1189 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Cindy Marie Bulgarino, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are notified to present their claims to Davis W. Puryear, Administrator, at 4317 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28311, on or before the 11th day of January, 2025 (which date is three months after the day of the first 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 3 day of October, 2024. Davis W. Puryear Administrator of the Estate of Cindy Marie Bulgarino

Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: October 10, October 17, October 4 and October 31, 2024

Notice to Creditors

State of North Carolina In The General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Before the Clerk

Cumberland County

Estate of James Norwood Canady

Estate File No. 24E1562

The undersigned, having qualified as Trustee/Executor of the estate of James Norwood Canady, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 3rd day of January, 2025 or same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 3rd day of October, 2024

Timothy W Canady 3329 Wrightsville Ave Ste D Wilmington, NC 28403

Trustee/Executor of the Estate of James Norwood

Canady Publication Dates

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF CHARLES DAY HALSEY

Cumberland County Estate File No. 24 E 1438

All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Charles Day Halsey, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are notified to present their claims to Davis W. Puryear, Administrator, at 4317 Ramsey St. Fayetteville, NC 28311, on or before the 4th day of January, 2025 (which date is three months after the day of the first 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 24th day of September, 2024. Davis W. Puryear Administrator of the Estate of Charles Day Halsey Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311

Run dates: October 3, October 10, October 17, and October 24, 2024

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

In The General Court of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court Division Estate File: #24E1490 Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice

The undersigned, having qualified as Melissa McNeill Fisher of the Estate of Joyce Gardner Ingram, deceased, late of Cumberland County, at this moment notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 10th day of January 2025, (which date is three months after the day of the first 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 10th day of October 2024.

Melissa McNeill Fisher Administrator/Executor 1841 Roxie Avenue

Address Fayetteville, NC 28304

City, State, Zip

Of the Estate of Joyce Gardner Ingram, Deceased

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE

SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION

ESTATE FILE 2024 E 001555

The undersigned, having qualified as administrator of the Estate of Jerry Lee Adams, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 10th day of January, 2025, (which date is three months after the day of the first 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 10th day of October, 2024.

Kimberlee Adams Hasty, Administrator Of the Estate of Jerry Lee Adams 1906 Morganton Road Fayetteville, N.C. 28305

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF JOSEPH NELSON BULGARINO

CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 22 E 1166

All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Joseph Nelson Bulgarino, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are notified to present their claims to Davis W. Puryear, Administrator, at 4317 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28311, on or before the 11 day of January, 2025 (which date is three months after the day of the first 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 3rd day of October, 2024. Davis W. Puryear Administrator of the Estate of Joseph Nelson Bulgarino Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311

Run dates: October 10, October 17, October 4 and October 31, 2024

NOTICE

Estate File# 24E1140

The undersigned, has qualified as Executor of Kiara Imoni Smith, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 26th December 2024, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the descendent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 23rd day of September 2024. Leona Smith 2116 Ashridge Dr Fayetteville NC 28304 of the Estate of Kiara Imoni Smith, Deceased

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF ROBERT P. KUNKEL

CUMBERLAND County

Estate File No. 24 E 1451

All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Robert P. Kunkel, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are notified 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 first 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 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF

to Davis W. Puryear, Administrator, at 4317 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28311, on or before the 4 day of January, 2025 (which date is three months after the day of the first 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 26th day of September, 2024. Davis W. Puryear Administrator of the Estate of Janie C. Vann Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: October 3, October 10, October 17 and October 24, 2024

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA County of Cumberland

The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Pamela Vargas, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, 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 first 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. Tiffany Dunlap-Banks 6123 Hilco Drive Fayetteville NC, 28314 Of the Estate of Pamela Vargas, Deceased

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF PATRICIA ROOF WIDDOWS Cumberland County Estate file No. 24 E 1520 Having qualified as Executor of the estate of Patricia Roof Widdows, Late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, the undersigned does Hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned 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, firms, and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. Dated 9-202024. 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 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 qualified as Executor of Margaret Denise Williams, deceased, late Cumberland County, this is to notify all persons, firms 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 first 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, Chesterfield VA 23838. Executor of the Estate of Margaret Denise Williams, deceased September 19,26, October 3,10th 2024.

Administrator’s Notice

The undersigned, having qualified as Glenda M. Wright of the Estate of Cory Paul Wright, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, 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.

DURHAM

NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA DURHAM COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 24SP001903310 FOR THE ADOPTION OF A MINOR TO: Jose Angel Estrada Beltran, the putative biological father of Unborn Baby Canales, expected to be born on October 16, 2024.

Take notice that a Petition for Pre-Birth Determination of Right to Consent was filed with the Clerk of Superior Court for Durham County, North Carolina in the above entitled special proceeding. The Petition relates to Unborn Baby Canales, expected to be born on October 16, 2024 to Glenda Xiomara Giron Canales. Ms. Canales reports that the identity of the putative biological father is Jose Angel Estrada Beltran and that his whereabouts are unknown. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that you are required to file a response to such pleading not later than 40 days from the first day of publication of this notice, that date being October 10, 2024, and upon your failure to do so the Petitioner will apply to the Court for relief sought in the Petition. Any parental rights you may have will be terminated upon the entry of the decree of adoption. Kelly T. Dempsey, Attorney for Petitioner, 101 S. Tryon Street, Suite 1700, Charlotte, NC 28280.

NEW HANOVER

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA NEW HANOVER COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS

THE UNDERSIGNED, George T. Burch, having qualified on the 11th day of September 2024, as Administrator of the Estate of Betty Sue Burch (2024-E-973), deceased, does hereby notify all persons, firms, 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, firms, 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

NORTH CAROLINA NEW

NOTICE

will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This 3rd day of October, 2024. John Milton Merriman and David Morrison Merriman, Executors, 3300 Ridgecrest Court, Raleigh, NC 27607

Notice to Creditors

New Hanover County The undersigned, JAMIE LYNN CRIST having qualified as the Administrator of the Estate of JAMES DERRICK HARRELSON Deceased, hereby notifies all persons, firms, or corporations having claims against the Decedent, to exhibit same to the said JAMIE LYNN CRIST at the address set below, on or before January 11, 2025, or this notice may be pleaded in bar of any payment or recovery of same. All persons indebted to said decedent will please make immediate payment to the undersigned at the address set out below. This is the 10th day of Oct 2024. JAMIE LYNN CRIST Administer of the Estate of JAMES DERRICK HARRELSON

Jamie Lynn Crist 1505 Crooked Run Rd Willard, NC 28478

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

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 24 SP 506 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by South Dogwood Partners LLC (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): South

all of Lot 2 in a subdivision known as Acorn Ridge, Section One, a “zero Lot Line” Development according to plat of the same duly recorded in Book of Plats 111, Page 61, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina. Together with improvements located hereon; said property being located at 2363 Chasewater Road, Fayetteville NC 28306. Tax ID: 0415-75-5070 Third party purchasers must pay the recording costs of the trustee’s deed, any land transfer taxes, the excise tax, pursuant North Carolina General Statutes §105-228.30, in the amount of One Dollar ($1.00) per each Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or fractional part thereof, and the Clerk of Courts fee, pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §7A-308, in the amount of Forty-five Cents (0.45) per each One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or fractional part thereof with a maximum amount of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00). A deposit of five percent (5%) of the bid or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale and must be tendered in the form of certified funds. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts will be immediately due and owing. Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS WHERE IS. There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, special assessments, land transfer taxes, if any, and encumbrances of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owners of the property are Todd D. Archer and Julie S. Archer. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: An order for possession of the property may be issued

Eastwardly at a right angle with said U. S. Highway No. 15A 150 feet to the BEGINNING point, being lots Nos. 3 and 4, as per plat of West Butler Heights, a map of which was prepared by W. J. Lambert, Registered Surveyor, on September 18, 1947, which is duly registered in Book of Plats No. 11 , pate 74 , Cumberland County Registry, and being part of the land described in the deed dated May 12, 1915, from Rogers C. Butler to Mamie Bertha Butler, which is duly recorded in Book 183, Page 226, Cumberland County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 2721 Ramsey Street, Fayetteville, North Carolina. Property Address: 2721 Ramsey St, Fayetteville, NC 28301 PID: 0438-69-5890 Tract Two: BEGINNING at the intersection of the northern margin of West Avenue with the western margin of U. S. Highway #15A, said point being 50 feet from the center of the paved portion of said U. S. Highway #15A, and running thence with the western margin of U. S. Highway #15A, North 5 degrees 10 minutes East 100 feet to the corner of Lot #3; thence with the dividing line between Lots 2 and 3 North 84 degrees 50 minutes West 150 feet to a stake, & common corner of Lots 2, 3, 13 and 14: thence South 5 degrees 10 minutes West 100 feet to a stake in the northern line of West Avenue; thence with the northern margin of West Avenue South 84 degrees 50 minutes East 150 feet to the beginning point, being Lots Nos. 1 and 2 of the W. Butler Heights Subdivision, a map of which was prepared by W. J. Lambert, Registered Surveyor, on September 18, 1947, which is duly registered in the office of the of Deeds of Cumberland, County in Book of Plats 11, page 74, and being the same property described in a deed dated April 1, 1948, from F. T. Draughon and wife, Maggie C. Draughon, to T. R. Weeks and wife, Aline Haywood Weeks, of record in afore, said public registry in Book 517, Page 61. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 2717 Ramsey Street and 106 Northwest Avenue,

Fayetteville, North Carolina. Property Address: 2717 Ramsey St, Fayetteville, NC 28301 AND 106 Northwest Ave., Fayetteville, NC 28301 PID: 0438-69578 Tract Three:

BEGINNING at the intersection of the Northern margin of West Avenue with the Eastern margin of Rowland Circle, and running thence with the Northern margín of West Avenue, South 84 degrees 50 minutes East 150 feet to the corner of Lot No. 1; thence North 5 degrees 10 minutes East 100 feet to a stake, a common corner of Lots Nos. 2, 3, 13 and 14; thence with the dividing line between Lots Nos. 13 and 14, North 84 degrees 50 minutes West 150 feet to a stake in the Eastern margin of Rowland Circle; thence with the Eastern margin of Rowland Circle, South 5 degrees 10 minutes West 100 feet to the beginning point, being Lots Nos. 12 and 13, in the West Butler Heights Subdivision, map of which is duly recorded in Book of Plats 11, Page 74, Cumberland County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 110 Northwest Avenue, Fayetteville, North Carolina. Property Address: 110 Northwest Ave., Fayetteville, NC 28301 PID: 0438-69-4741 Tract Four: BEGINNING at a point in the eastern margin of Rowland Circle Northwardly 100 feet measured along the eastern margin of the said Rowland Circle with its intersection with the northern margin of West Avenue, the same being the Northwest corner of Lot No. 13; thence with the dividing line between Lot Nos. 13 and 14 and parallel with West Avenue 150 feet to a stake, a common corner of Lots Nos. 2, 3, 13. and 14; thence with the Northern line of Lots 3 and 4 and

to

14 and

margin of Rowland

in

thence with the said margin of Rowland Circle and with the curve, Southwardly 48 feet to the point of beginning and being Lot No. 14 of the Butler Heights Subdivision, a plat of which

pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §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,

is duly recorded In the office of the Register of Deeds for Cumberland County in Book of Plate No. 11, Page 74, which plat and the calls and distances therein mentioned are taken and made a part hereof as if copied herein and being one of two lots conveyed by Lacy S. Collier and wife, to L. B. Brignan, and wife, by deed dated January 7, 1948, duly recorded in Book 510, Page 240. See also Book 183, Page 226. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located 116 Rowland Circle, Fayetteville, North Carolina. Property Address: 116 Rowland Circle, Fayetteville, NC 28301 PID: 0438-69-4850 Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. 45-21.23. Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. 7A-308(a)(1). The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or

All hands on deck

Gov. Roy Cooper and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell await the arrival of Democratic presidential nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris for a briefing on the damage from Hurricane Helene in Charlotte last week.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Patriots will go with Drake Maye, benching Brissett

The New England Patriots reportedly are planning to give first-round draft pick Drake Maye his first pro start in the hopes of ending a four-game losing streak under veteran journeyman quarterback Jacoby Brissett. The decision was first reported by NFL Network. Maye, an N.C. native and star at UNC, made one previous appearance for New England, coming in at the end of a Week 3 loss to the New York Jets and going 4 for 8 with 22 yards. Brissett was 79 for 135 with two touchdowns and one interception in five starts this season. He never threw for more than 150 net yards in a game. The Patriots host the Houston Texans on Sunday.

FEMA administrator decrys false claims as Helene death toll hits 230

The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency is again forcefully pushing back against false claims and conspiracy theories about how her agency is responding to Hurricane Helene.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell appeared Monday in Asheville, North Carolina, to assure residents that the government is ready to help. Misinformation has spread over the past week in communities hit the hardest. Former President Donald Trump and other prominent Republicans have questioned FEMA’s response and claimed that its funding is going to migrants or foreign wars.

The death toll from Helene has risen to at least 230.

School board, commissioners spar over need-based grants

The two boards have disagreed about the need of a large-scale study

By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal

ALBEMARLE — At the Stanly County Board of Education’s Oct. 1 meeting, members of the board signaled their frustration regarding four need-based grant applications for the school system that were recently denied by the county commissioners.

One grant was for a new Oakboro Elementary School, while another was for an addition to West Stanly Middle School and two oth-

ers were for high schools.

Board Member Glenda Gibson described her perspective of the grant application process’ timeline, revealing that Stanly County Schools Superintendent Jarrod Dennis initially emailed Stanly County Manager Andy Lucas on Aug. 19 with the information that was needed for the grant application.

“Mr. Lucas denied pursuing that grant in his email,” Gibson said. “There was a correspondence.”

A joint facilities and commissioner meeting was then scheduled for Sept. 6 to discuss the matter, with Chairman Bill Lawhon, Vice Chairman Mike Barbee and

“They could have à la carte pick and chose, or accepted it all.”

Chairperson Carla Poplin

Commissioner Peter Asciutto each representing their board.

“During that meeting, there was a great, enormous discussion about the grant information — the details and the deadline for the need-based grant that had to be turned in by Sept. 13 — and we discussed in that meeting the priority ranking with DPI (North Carolina Department of Public Instruction) if Stanly Coun-

ty Schools did not submit an application,” Gibson added. Board Member Robin Whittaker mentioned that the commissioners had originally approved the $12.5 million West Stanly Middle School addition on a need-based application in 2022 but has since denied it.

Chairperson Carla Poplin reiterated that the commissioners weren’t forced to pursue all four grants at hand: “They could have a la carte pick and chose, or accepted it all.”

At the recent joint meeting, the commissioners requested a comprehensive facilities

Stanly commissioners review contract between Oakboro, county sheriff’s office

The law enforcement agreement was tabled for now

By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal

ALBEMARLE — The looming contract between the town of Oakboro and the Stanly County Sheriff’s Office for police protection remains open-ended following the recent Stanly County Board of Commissioners meeting.

After a series of officer resignations this year, the Oakboro Police Department is down to just two officers as some local officials are advocating for the sheriff’s office to take over policing duties within the town.

On Monday night, the commissioners held a public comment forum and reviewed a

preliminary law enforcement agreement that would potentially authorize a team of eight members — one sergeant, six deputies and one school resource officer — to create an Oakboro Division of the SCSO.

The full contract of four years and nine months was set to begin on Oct. 8 and continue through June 30, 2029

However, the board opted to hold off for now, voting 6-1 to table the decision of approving the contract until the Oakboro Board of Commissioners can review the contract to possibly make changes at its next scheduled meeting on Oct. 21.

Commissioner Trent Hatley was the lone nay vote, indicating he was ready to vote on the law enforcement agreement as it currently stood.

Addressing Stanly County Sheriff Jeff Crisco, Vice Chair-

man Mike Barbee stated he could see both sides of the issue and would prefer for the contract to be further analyzed with a modified timeframe.

“I’m reluctant to go into any kind of long-term contract with anyone since the town of Oakboro has had a police department since day one,” Barbee said. “From what I understand from them, the people in Oakboro would rather keep the police department. I can understand that, but I also understand that they need police protection, which you can give them for now. I just don’t want to get stuck in a position where it’s going to be lifetime.”

Commissioner Patty Crump said she would like to see some “tweaking of the language” in the contract regarding the ve -

“I’m reluctant to go into any kind of long-term contract with anyone since the town of Oakboro has had a police department since day one.”

Vice Chairman Mike Barbee

THE STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

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SCHOOLS from page A1

study but stopped short of providing an assurance of action post-study.

They also cited a reluctance to commit to matching funds for large capital projects without the completion of a strategic and comprehensive capital improvement plan similar to one that was done for Cleveland County.

School Board Member Dustin Lisk said that this particular type of study was unneeded and did not line up well with the current timeline.

“By ordering a full-blown ‘let’s look at every building again’ study when there’s been no action taken on these buildings, and going across the entire county to come up with several $100 million dollars — that they aren’t going to pay for now — they’re only going to kick it up to a vote in 10 more years when they’ve not done anything,” Lisk said. “It’s going to be drastically higher and a real waste of taxpayer resources.”

Although the commissioners offered to pay for 50% of the study, the school board countered that previous studies were sufficient and that the commissioners would have to pay in full if they wanted a new largescale study done.

The commissioners also brought up that the school board had announced it wanted to spend around $900,000 for a new central office building and property, which is a funding amount that could have covered the estimated $650,000 West Stanly Middle School application without the county commissioners’ involvement at all.

The Stanly County Board of Education is scheduled to hold its next regular meeting on Nov. 5 at 6:15 p.m. inside the Gene McIntyre Meeting Room at Stanly County Commons.

THURSDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

Many voters in NC have bigger problems than politics

Helene changed everything for many in western NC

By Makiya Seminera The Associated Press

VILAS — Brad Farrington pulls over to grab a case of water bottles being passed out in Vilas, a small rural community tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains. He’s on his way to help a friend who lost much of what he owned when Hurricane Helene blew through last weekend.

His friend, like countless others across western North Carolina, is starting over, which explains why Farrington isn’t thinking too much about politics or the White House race between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris right now.

“I don’t believe people’s hope is in either people that are being elected,” he said.

Farrington pauses, then gestures toward a dozen volunteers loading water and other necessities into cars and trucks.

“I believe we’re finding a lot more hope within folks like this,” he said.

In the election’s final weeks, people in North Carolina and Georgia, influential swing states, are dealing with more immediate concerns: widespread storm damage. If that weren’t enough, voters in Watauga County, a ticket-splitting Appalachian county that has become more Democratic in recent years, must contend with politicians laying blame while offering support as they campaign in a race that could be decided by any small shift.

Large uprooted trees litter the sides of roads, sometimes blocking driveways. Some homes in Vilas are inaccessi-

LOG

CRIME

Oct. 2

• Arthur Eugene Wright, 49, was arrested for communicating threats, injury to personal property, possession of drug paraphernalia, disorderly conduct, and resisting a public officer.

• Jacob Wayne Efird-Eudy, 39, was arrested for driving while impaired, canceled/ revoked/suspended certificate/tag, driving while license revoked impaired, and possession of an open container/consuming alcohol in passenger area.

ble after bridges collapsed and roads crumbled. More populous areas like Boone, home of Appalachian State, saw major flooding.

Residents wonder where are missing friends and relatives, is there enough food and water to last until new supplies arrive, and how will they rebuild.

The focus is on survival, not politics — and may remain that way for weeks.

Politicians travel to affected battleground states

Trump and Harris have visited North Carolina and Georgia five times since the storm hit. Trump was in North Carolina on Friday, and Harris was there the next day.

After Trump went to Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday, 20-year-old Fermin Herrera said the former president clinched his vote with his display of caring, not out of any frustration with how President Joe Biden and Harris, the vice president, are handling the federal disaster response. Herrera already leaned toward voting for Trump.

“I feel like everybody’s kind doing what they can,” he said. “All the locals are appreciating the help that’s coming.”

Trump, who has his own mixed record on natural disaster response, attacked Biden and Harris for what he said was a slow response to Helene’s destruction. Trump accused the Democrats of “going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas” and said there wasn’t enough Federal Emergency Management Agency money because it was spent on illegal immigrants. There is no evidence to support either claim.

“I’m not thinking about voters right now,” Trump insisted after a meeting with Gov. Bri-

• Camryn Wallace Yarbrough, 20, was arrested for simple assault.

Oct. 3

• William Scott Kerr, 39, was arrested for assault on a law enforcement officer causing serious injury, resisting a public officer, assault on a female, assault, injury to real property, malicious conduct by a prisoner, injury to personal property, and misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

“I believe we’re finding a lot more hope within folks like this.”

Brad Farrington

an Kemp (R-Ga.) on Friday. “I’m thinking about lives.”

Biden pushed back hard, saying he is “committed to being president for all of America” and has not ordered aid to be distributed based on party lines. The White House cited statements from the Republican governors of Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee expressing satisfaction with the federal government’s response.

FEMA’s head, Deanne Criswell, told ABC’s “This Week” that this “truly dangerous narrative” of falsehoods is “demoralizing” to first responders and creating “fear in our own employees.”

Criticism of aid efforts so soon after a natural disaster is “inappropriate,” especially when factoring in the daunting logistical problems in western North Carolina, said Gavin Smith, an NC State professor who specializes in disaster recovery. He said the perilous terrain from compromised roads and bridges and the widespread lack of power and cellphone service make disaster response in the region particularly challenging.

Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has made several stops in western North Carolina, including Watauga County and surrounding areas, and Biden viewed the extensive damage via an aerial tour.

A focus on recovering and rebuilding

In Watauga County, Jessica Dixon was scraping muck and broken furniture off the

• Jeffrey Sheldon Springer, 28, was arrested for larceny from the person, injury to personal property, and interfering with emergency communication.

Oct. 5

• Brett Adam Rupp, 30, was arrested for misdemeanor stalking and communicating threats.

• Fabrice Antoine Pean, 40, was arrested for multiple counts of failure to appear, driving while impaired, reckless driving to endanger, possession of marijuana paraphernalia, simple possession of Schedule V controlled substance, and resisting a public officer.

ground with a shovel then dumping it in the bucket of a humming excavator. The 29-year-old stood in a home she bought two years ago. It’s now gutted after a rush of water forced Dixon, her boyfriend and their two dogs to flee to safety.

Without flood insurance, Dixon is not sure what will happen over the next month. She said she filled out a FEMA application but hasn’t checked her email since. She had given the presidential election some thought before Helene, but now she’s preoccupied with cleaning her home.

“It wouldn’t change my views on anything,” said Dixon, who was planning to vote for Harris.

The presidential election isn’t top of mind for 47-year - old Bobby Cordell, either. He’s trying to get help to neighbors in western Watauga County, which has become inaccessible in some parts.

His home near Beech Mountain is one of those places, he said, after a bridge washed away. Cordell rescued his aunt from a mudslide then traveled to Boone and has been staying in Appalachian State’s Holmes Convocation Center, which now serves as a Red Cross emergency shelter.

He’s trying to send disaster relief back where he lives by contacting officials, including from FEMA. That conversation, he said, “went very well.”

Accepting help isn’t easy for people in the mountains, he said, because they’re used to taking care of themselves.

Now, though, the people who are trapped “need everything they can get.”

Helping neighbors becomes more important in Helene’s aftermath

Over the past week of volunteering at Skateworld, where Farrington stopped for water, it’s become harder for Nancy Crawford to smile. She’s helped serve more than 1,000 people, she said, but the emotional toll has started to settle in for “a lot of us that normally are tough.”

“It doesn’t matter what party you are, we all need help,” she said.

Oct. 6

• Jason Andrew Prosser, 39, was arrested for firstdegree burglary, larceny after breaking and entering, domestic criminal trespass, assault on a female, and an additional count of domestic criminal trespass.

• Brian Wayne Jordan, 53, was arrested for multiple counts of breaking and entering and injury to real property.

Oct. 7

• Aeriel Keshaun McCorkle, 35, was arrested for multiple counts of obtaining property by false pretense and uttering forged instrument.

CONTRACT from page A1

hicles and equipment that the Oakboro Division of the SCSO would use, and whether it would belong to the sheriff’s office or town of Oakboro once a new police department was established. Chairman Bill Lawhon added that he supported the sheriff’s office taking over in Oakboro if necessary but that he wanted more comprehen-

sive research into the specifics of the contract.

“I hate to say it, but folks living in Oakboro only have two police officers right now. In order to hire the police officers you need, it’s going to take a while,” Lawhon said.

“It’s not the commissioners’ authority to decide whether Oakboro has a police department or not. That’s your town board and the citizens that support the town board to

make those decisions. Our decision will be whether or not we take action on this contract or not.”

At a special-called meeti ng at Oakboro Town Hall on Aug. 27, the Oakboro Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to enter contract negotiations with the Stanly County Sheriff’s Office for police protection inside the town.

Just four months earlier, That same month, the Oak-

boro commissioners had voted 3-2 to move forward with the Oakboro Police Department, advertising a call to hire a police chief and other officers as Jason Eschert was named as the town’s interim police chief. The commissioners are set to hold their next regular meeting on Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. inside the Gene McIntyre Meeting Room at Stanly County Commons.

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

Can we all get along? Yes, by letting the states decide

What residents in red states like Montana and South Carolina object to is New Yorkers telling them how to live their lives.

AT THE TIME OF THIS WRITING, the outcome of the presidential race is pretty close to being a coin flip. So what I write is not in any way influenced by who will win in November, since that is unknowable.

What is a virtual certainty is that on Nov. 6, roughly half the country will be full of joy, and the other half will be in a deep depression likely to last throughout the next four years.

Don’t be surprised if the losing party’s anger and despair spill over into prolonged violent protests—especially in the streets of the major cities. Politics in America is now—regrettably—a contact sport.

Whoever wins, America will be further ripped down its seams. Red- and blue-state America will even be more polarized. Don’t be surprised if half the country is near rebellion against the policies of either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump.

Patronizing speeches by the victor about being president of “all the people” and promises to “unite” will only pour salt in the wounds of the losing side. The Left will detest the Trump agenda. The Right will fight against every element of the Harris agenda. It will feel like an occupation for the 49% on the losing side.

We need to accept the unhappy reality that we are today the Disunited States of America. The U.S. is ideologically, culturally, economically more polarized than perhaps any time since the Civil War. The conservative half of the country is on Venus and the liberal half is on Mars. Yes, there is a moderate/middle section — but the tails have grown more populated and influential.

We see in polls that more and more Americans don’t even want to associate with those with different political views. We are also becoming more geographically segregated —

not on the basis of race, ethnicity or income but on ideology. Red states are getting redder. Blue states are getting bluer. In recent years, an estimated 2 million Republicans have moved out of states like New York for states like Florida, Texas and the Carolinas.

Given these realities, is there a way for us to “all get along”?

Fortunately, yes. There is a logical way to keep America “united” as one nation and to avert chaos and mayhem. Fortunately, this solution is entirely consistent with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. For those who have forgotten, the 10th Amendment decrees that all powers not specifically granted to the federal government are reserved to “the states and the people.”

We need a radical return to federalism. We need to devolve powers back to the states.

We as citizens of all states are, of course, united by a common national defense, the commerce clause, which made America the largest and most prosperous free-trade zone in world history and, most importantly, our inalienable rights as citizens as set forth in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. A state, for example, does not have the right to pass laws that would violate a citizen’s right to free speech or peaceful assembly, or to discriminate against citizens on the basis of skin color or gender.

But given the schisms in society, most everything else is better decided at the state — not the federal — level. Issues related to transportation, taxation, education, environment, energy and business regulation belong to the states. Americans are then able to escape from policies they view as oppressive by moving to a state that conforms with their values and lifestyle decisions.

People in Mississippi or Utah have no

People hate those who fight evil far more than those who are evil

Communists murdered about 100 million people — all noncombatants and all innocent.

I realized something very important about the human condition when I was in high school.

I realized that people tend to hate those who fight evil far more than they hate those engaged in doing evil. What made me come to this conclusion was the way in which many people reacted to communism and to anticommunism.

To my amazement, a great many people — specifically, all leftists and many, though not all, liberals — hated anticommunists far more than they hated communism.

Because of my early preoccupation with good and evil, already in high school, I hated communism. How could one not, I wondered. Along with Nazism, it was the great evil of the 20th century. Needless to say, as a Jew and as a human, I hated Nazism. But as I was born after Nazism was vanquished, the great evil of my time was communism.

Communists murdered about 100 million people — all noncombatants and all innocent. Stalin murdered about 30 million people, including 5 million Ukrainians by starvation (in just two years: 1932-33). Mao killed about 60 million people. Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge (Red Cambodians) killed about 3 million people, one in every four Cambodians, between 1975 and 1979. The North Korean communist regime killed between 2 million and 3 million people, not including another million killed in the Korean War started by the North Korean communists.

For every one of the 100 million killed by

communists, add at least a dozen more people — family and friends — who were terribly and permanently affected by the death of their family member or friend. Then add another billion whose lives were ruined by having to live in a communist totalitarian state: their poverty, their loss of fundamental human rights and their loss of dignity.

You would think that anyone with a functioning conscience and with any degree of compassion would hate communism. But that was not the case. Indeed, there were many people throughout the noncommunist world who supported communism. And there was an even larger number of people who hated anticommunists, dismissing them as “Cold Warriors,” “warmongers,” “red-baiters,” etc.

At the present time, we are again witnessing this phenomenon — hatred of those who oppose evil rather than of those who do evil — with regard to Israel and its enemies. And on a far greater level. Israel is hated by individuals and governments throughout the world. Israel is the most reviled country at the United Nations as well as in Western media and, of course, in universities. Israel is a liberal democracy with an independent judiciary, independent opposition press, and equal rights for women, gays and its Arab population (20% of the Israeli population). Its enemies — the Iranian regime, Hamas and Hezbollah — allow no such freedoms to those under their control. More relevantly, their primary goal — indeed, their stated

problem with Californians charging a 13.3% income tax rate, enacting forced union policies, providing free health care to illegal immigrants, shutting down their power plants, abolishing gas stoves or plastic bags, or providing reparation payments to aggrieved groups.

New Yorkers shouldn’t mind if Texans impose no income tax, allow people to drive 75 miles an hour down the highways or regulate how cattle are bred.

What residents in red states like Montana and South Carolina object to is New Yorkers telling them how to live their lives.

We can, under this framework, have Harris policies prevail in blue states and Trump policies prevail in red states, and everyone goes away happy.

No harm, no foul.

Again, the federal government is still responsible for protecting the civil liberties and “inalienable rights” of all residents of the United States. There would be no bringing back Jim Crow laws.

Alas, this framework is exactly the opposite of what Democrats seek. If you examine the Biden and Harris agendas, the Dems are determined to federalize nearly all policies, which forces all Americans in every state to live under the same sets of laws and policies. They want to nationalize union policies, environmental policies, energy policies, welfare policies, taxation and so on. They want to de facto toss out the Ninth and 10th amendments altogether.

This inevitably leads to the tyranny of the majority, which now and after November will be a razor-thin majority dictating policies on all Americans. This tyranny will be even greater felt if either a victorious GOP or the Democrats overturn the filibuster rule of 60 votes to muscle sweeping legislation out of the Senate.

Amazing that some 250 years ago our founding fathers had exactly the right vision for keeping America united in 2024 and beyond.

Stephen Moore is a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation. He is also an economic adviser to the Trump campaign.

reason for being — is to wipe out Israel and its Jewish inhabitants. Hamas and Hezbollah have built nothing, absolutely nothing, in Gaza and Lebanon, respectively. They exist solely to commit genocide against Israel and its Jews. Why did so many people hate anticommunists more than communism? And why do even more people hate Israel more than Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah?

The general reason is that it is emotionally and psychologically difficult for most people to stare evil in the face. Evil is widely described as “dark.” But it is not dark; it is easy to look into the dark. What is far harder to look at is blinding bright light. Perhaps that is why Lucifer, the original name of the Christian devil, comes from the word “light.”

Why this is so — why people will not call evil “evil” — is probably related to a lack of courage. Once one declares something evil, one is morally bound to resist it, and people fear resisting evil. The fools who mock Christianity — whether through a work of “art” like “Piss Christ” (a crucifix in a jar of urine), the Paris Olympics opening ceremony that mocked the Last Supper or the Los Angeles Dodgers honoring the “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” (men in drag dressed as nuns) — would never mock Islam. They fear Muslim wrath; they do not fear Christian wrath. Yet Islamic wrath has done and is doing far more evil in our time than Christian wrath. And there is one additional reason for hating Israel — one that is specific to Israel — rather than those who seek to exterminate Israel: Jewhatred, better known as antisemitism. The people who introduced a judging God and gave the world the Ten Commandments have been hated for thousands of years. Not those who systematically violate those commandments.

Dennis Prager is a nationally syndicated radio talk show host and columnist.

COLUMN | DENNIS PRAGER

COLUMN | STEPHEN MOORE

Thousands still without water struggle to find enough

It could take weeks to get municipal water flowing again

By Michael Phillis and Jeff Amy The Associated Press

ASHEVILLE — Nearly a week after Hurricane Helene brought devastation to western North Carolina, a shiny stainless steel tanker truck in downtown Asheville attracted residents carrying 5-gallon containers, milk jugs and buckets to fill with what has become a desperately scare resource — drinking water.

Flooding tore through the city’s water system, destroying so much infrastructure that officials said repairs could take weeks. To make do, Anna Ramsey arrived Wednesday with her two children, who each left carrying plastic bags filled with 2 gallons of water.

“We have no water. We have no power. But I think it’s also been humbling,” Ramsey said.

Helene’s path through the Southeast left a trail of power outages so large the darkness was visible from space. Tens of trillions of gallons of rain fell and more than 200 people were killed, making Helene the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Katrina in 2005. Hundreds of people are still unaccounted for, and search crews must trudge through knee-deep debris to learn whether residents are safe.

It also damaged water utilities so severely and over such a wide inland area that one federal official said the toll “could be considered unprecedented.”

As of Thursday, about 136,000 people in the Southeast were served by a nonoperational water provider and more than 1.8 million were living under a boil water advisory, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Western North Carolina was especially hard hit. Officials are facing a difficult rebuilding task made harder by the steep, narrow valleys of the Blue Ridge Mountains that during a more typical October would attract throngs of fall tourists.

“The challenges of the geography are just fewer roads, fewer access points, fewer areas of flat ground to stage resources” said Brian Smith, acting deputy division director for the EPA’s water division in the Southeast.

After days without water,

people long for more than just a sponge bath.

“I would love a shower,” said Sue Riles in Asheville. “Running water would be incredible.”

The raging floodwaters of Helene destroyed crucial parts of Asheville’s water system, scouring out the pipes that convey water from a reservoir in the mountains above town that is the largest of three water supplies for the system. To reach a second reservoir that was knocked offline, a road had to be rebuilt.

Boosted output from the third source restored water flow in some southern Asheville neighborhoods last Friday, but without full repairs schools may not be able to resume in-person classes, hospitals may not restore normal operations, and the city’s hotels and restaurants may not fully reopen.

Even water that’s unfit to drink is scarce. Drew Reisinger, the elected Buncombe County register of deeds, worries about people in apartments who can’t easily haul a bucket of water from a creek to flush their toilet. Officials are advising people to collect nondrinkable water for household needs from a local swimming pool.

“One thing no one is talking about is the amount of poop that exists in every toilet in Asheville,” he said. “We’re dealing with a public health emergency.”

It’s a situation that becomes more dangerous the longer it lasts. Even in communities fortunate enough to have running water, hundreds of providers have issued boil water notices indicating the water could be contaminated. But boiling water for cooking and drinking is time consuming and small mistakes can cause stomach illness, according to Natalie Exum, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

“Every day that goes by, you could be exposed to a pathogen,” Exum said. “These basic services that we take for granted in our everyday lives actually do do a lot to prevent illness.”

Travis Edwards’ faucet worked immediately after the storm. He filled as many containers as he could for himself and his child, but it didn’t take long for the flow to weaken, then stop. They rationed water, switching to hand sanitizer and barely putting any on toothbrushes.

“(We) didn’t realize how de -

hydrated we were getting,” he said.

Federal officials have shipped millions of gallons of water to areas where people also might not be able to make phone calls or switch on the lights.

Power has been restored to about 62% of homes and businesses and 8,000 crews are out working to restore power in the hardest hit parts of North Carolina, federal officials said Thursday. In 10 counties, about half of the cell sites are still down.

The first step for some utilities is simply figuring out how bad the damage is, a job that might require EPA expertise in extreme cases. Ruptured water pipes are a huge problem. They often run beneath roads, many of which were crumpled and twisted by floodwaters.

“Pretty much anytime you see a major road damaged, there’s a very good chance that there’s a pipe in there that’s also gotten damaged,” said Mark White, drinking water global practice leader at the engineering firm CDM Smith.

Generally, repairs start at the treatment plant and move out-

ward, with fixes in nearby big pipes done first, according to the EPA.

“Over time, you’ll gradually get water to more and more people,” White said.

Many people are still missing, and water repair employees don’t typically work around search and rescue operations. It takes a toll, according to Kevin Morley, manager of federal relations with the American Water Works Association.

“There’s emotional support that is really important for all the people involved. You’re seeing people’s lives just wiped out,” he said.

Even private well owners aren’t immune. Pumps on private wells may have lost power and overtopping floodwaters can contaminate them.

There’s often a “blind faith” assumption that drinking water won’t fail. In this case, the technology was insufficient, according to Craig Colten. Before retiring to Asheville, he was a professor in Louisiana focused on resilience to extreme weather. He hopes Helene will prompt politicians to spend more to en-

sure infrastructure withstands destructive storms.

And climate change will only make the problem more severe, said Erik Olson, a health and food expert at the nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council.

“I think states and the federal government really need to step back and start looking at how we’re going to prepare for these extreme weather events that are going to be occurring and recurring every single year,” he said.

Edwards has developed a system to save water. He’ll soap dirty dishes and rinse them with a trickle of water with bleach, which is caught and transferred to a bucket — useable for the toilet.

Power and some cell service have returned for him. And water distribution sites have guaranteed some measure of normalcy: Edwards feels like he can start going out to see friends again.

“To not feel guilty about using more than a cup of water to, like, wash yourself … I’m really, really grateful,” he said.

BRITTANY PETERSON / AP PHOTO In Asheville, some residents must use public toilets where Helene damaged critical infrastructure and cut off the public water supply.

BRITTANY PETERSON / AP PHOTO

Michael Traister fills a bag of drinking water in Asheville.

STANLY SPORTS

North Stanly defense holds strong in home win over Union Academy

West Stanly also had a victory as conference play began

By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal

OVER THE weekend, North Stanly’s varsity football team opened up Yadkin Valley Conference play with a 21-7 home win over Union Academy inside R.N. Jeffrey Stadium.

It marked a needed victory for a North team that had lost two of its past three games prior to the conference stretch of the 2024 campaign.

The Comets (4-2, 1-0 YVC) found themselves trailing the Cardinals (4-2, 0-1 YVC) 7-0 heading into halftime before flipping the script with 21 unanswered points, starting with a 6-yard touchdown from running back Juice Lilly early in the third quarter.

Later in the quarter, North defensive back Justice Grambling notched a 50-yard picksix thrown by Cardinal quarterback Parker Frashier to put the Comets up 14-7.

It wasn’t long before North had a two-touchdown lead over Union Academy, thanks to a 5-yard touchdown rush from running back Jaden Little. The Comets’ varied ground game featured three players — Lilly, Little, and Aden Allsbrook — who each had over 45 rushing yards.

Comet quarterback Charlie Shaver completed nine of 16 pass attempts for 87 yards, with his top target being tight end Gavin Helms.

North will now hit the road to face undefeated Lake Norman Charter (5-0, 1-0 YVC), who was defeated by the Comets last year in a 57-20 blowout in New London.

West Stanly 33, Piedmont 20

In a Rocky River Conference-opening matchup, the West Stanly Colts (1-5, 1-0 RRC) got their first win of the season as they picked up a 13-point road victory over the Piedmont Panthers (2-4, 0-1 RRC) last Friday.

The Colts had been outscored 167-75 in their first five games of the season — all losses — as they entered their conference matchup with the Panthers.

West is now set to host Forest Hills (3-3, 0-1 RRC), who opened its RRC schedule with a 34-9 home loss to Monroe (5 - 0, 1-0 RRC) over the weekend.

Lake Norman Charter 24, Albemarle 8

In Huntersville, the Albemarle Bulldogs (2-4, 0-1 YVC) were handed a conference road loss by the undefeated Lake

Norman Charter Knights on Sept. 30.

The Bulldogs found themselves down 18-0 at halftime and trailing by 24 points before adding eight points in the fourth quarter.

Quarterback Dre Davis finished with more interceptions (two) than passing yards (one) as the Bulldogs passing game failed to launch. On the ground, the team’s three-head rushing attack of Kaine McLendon, Vincent Gregory, and Shoddy Pergee combined for 207 yards.

Albemarle will now host South Stanly as the two teams look for their first conference victory of the season.

Mount Pleasant 35, South Stanly 30

Coming off back-to-back wins, the South Stanly Rebel Bulls (3-2, 0-1 YVC) opened YVC play with a 35-30 home loss to the Mount Pleasant Tigers (5-1, 1-0 YVC).

The Tigers’ 35 points marked the most allowed by a South team so far this season, as Mount Pleasant topped their average of 31.4 points per game heading into the matchup.

Hoping to bounce back following a narrow loss, South now has a chance to regroup on the road against Albemarle, who has lost two of its past three contests.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Aden Allsbrook

North Stanly, football

Aden Allsbrook is a senior on the North Stanly football team.

The Comets are 4-2, 1-0 in the Yadkin Valley Conference and coming off a 21-7 win over Union Academy.

In that win, Allsbrook was North Stanly’s leading rusher with five carries for 55 yards. Meanwhile, on defense, he had a game-high 17 tackles, including 13 solo stops, and four sacks. He also forced and recovered a fumble.

For the season, Allsbrook is ninth in the NCHSAA in tackles and fifth in the 2A classification. He’s also eighth in 2A in sacks.

Stenhouse snaps 65-race losing streak

The late crash at Talladega scrambled the NASCAR playoff picture

By Jenna Fryer The Associated Press

TALLADEGA, Ala. — A 27- c ar crash that involved eight of the NASCAR Cup Series’ 12 title contenders. A chaotic cleanup that infuriated competitors. And a surprise winner.

Just a regular race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. snapped a 65-race losing streak by winning in overtime at Talladega on Sunday after a late crash collected more than half the field. Stenhouse is not in the playoffs and his victory marked the second consecu-

tive week a driver not competing for the Cup Series title has won.

“It’s so tough to win these races. It’s so tough to miss the wrecks,” Stenhouse said. “These races are just chaos when it comes down to the end.”

The victory was the first for Stenhouse and his JTG Daugherty Racing team since he won the season-opening Daytona 500 to start 2023. He’s the 18th different Cup Series winner this year.

“It felt really good. This team has put a lot of hard work in, obviously we haven’t won since the 500 in ’23. It’s been an upand-down season,” Stenhouse said. “We knew that this track is one of ours to come get.”

Stenhouse’s first career victory came at Talladega in 2017 and his four career Cup Se -

ries victories have come at either the Alabama superspeedway or Daytona International Speedway.

Stenhouse won in a threewide finish between Brad Keselowski and William Byron, who with his third-place finish became the only driver locked into the third round of the playoffs.

Four drivers will be eliminated from the playoffs next Sunday on the hybrid road course/oval at Charlotte. Joey Logano, Daniel Suarez, Austin Cindric and Chase Briscoe are all below the cutline.

Cindric was the leader with five laps remaining in regulation when Logano, two rows back, gave Keselowski a hard shove directly into Cindric. It caused Cindric to spin and 27 of the 40 cars in the field suf-

fered some sort of damage in the melee.

Even Stenhouse had a chunk of sheet metal missing from the driver side door area when he drove his car into Victory Lane. In the chaos of the cleanup, with teams fuming postrace over how NASCAR navigated the crash scene, some argued that Stenhouse’s door was missing some safety foam and he should have been forced to pit for repairs.

“I bet they did. I didn’t see any missing foam,” said winning crew chief Mike Kelly, who suspects NASCAR will review how it handled the chaotic cleanup in which some cars were towed back to pit road and repairs began for them as others were still stranded on the track. “They were put in a tough situation with that many

cars involved in the wreck, and that many (tow trucks). It’s a tough situation.”

Stenhouse later acknowledged there indeed was foam hanging out of the gaping hole.

The race was red-flagged for nearly nine minutes of cleanup, and 22 cars remained on the lead lap for the two-lap overtime sprint to the finish. Many of those 22 cars were damaged.

Keselowski finished second in a Ford for RFK Racing and was followed by Byron in a Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Byron is the points leader headed into Charlotte and his cushion is large enough to earn him an automatic spot into the round of eight.

Only four drivers still active in the playoffs finished inside the top 10.

BUTCH

Driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. celebrates in Victory Lane after Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Talladega Superspeedway.

College athletes helping those impacted by Hurricane Helene

Charlotte athletes lending a hand to its sister school in Asheville that suffered storm damage

By Steve Reed

The Associated Press

CHARLOTTE — UNC Ashe-

ville soccer player Xander Naguib and his teammates are preparing to spend the next several weeks — or perhaps months — at the state’s sister school in Charlotte, where they will be housed, fed and be able to continue playing sports.

Given what Naquib has been through in the last week, he couldn’t be more grateful. He and his teammates are among many programs in the area that have relocated to other schools in what one athletic director called a stirring example of colleges helping each other amid dire need.

Naguib and his friends were in Asheville when Hurricane Helene arrived, leaving a path of destruction in its wake with more than 200 people dead and countless others still missing. Without power, water and cell phone service and their off-campus apartment taking on water, Naguib was forced to evacuate even as flooding washed away local roads.

“It felt like we were blocked off from the world,” Naguib said.

Hours later, Naguib found a hotel and contacted his worried parents in Frisco, Texas, who quickly booked him on the next flight out of Asheville.

With UNC Asheville’s campus closed until Oct. 21 and classes canceled until at least

Wild Miami win was followed by another celebration at home

The Hurricanes staged an epic comeback in California

By Tim Reynolds The Associated Press

CORAL GABLES, Fla. —

They celebrated on the field. They celebrated in the locker room. And when Miami’s overnight charter flight landed Sunday after the Hurricanes’ biggest comeback win in a quarter-century, another unplanned celebration was waiting.

Fire trucks greeted the plane by shooting plumes of water over it as it taxied to the gate.

“I couldn’t believe it when I saw that,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “That was crazy.”

A little bit of crazy on Sunday morning made sense because everything about Saturday night at California was pretty much crazy as well.

The Hurricanes trailed by 25 points late in the third quarter, trailed by 20 with 11 minutes remaining and somehow beat Cal 39-38 — the biggest comeback win in FBS play this season and the biggest by Miami since a

28-point comeback to beat Boston College in 1999. Miami quarterback Cam Ward enhanced his Heisman Trophy campaign by passing for 437 yards and accounting for three touchdowns in the final 10:28, including the game-winning throw to Elijah Arroyo with 26 seconds left.

“I didn’t play my best ball,” Ward said. “Nobody played their best ball. We just can’t keep putting ourselves in these situations.”

It was two down-to-the-wire games in a row for Miami. The Hurricanes erased a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Virginia Tech on Sept. 27 and then came back from 25 down one week later.

“This team has so much trust,” Cristobal said. “Insane resiliency. We’re down 35-10 and nobody blinks. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Miami (6-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) jumped two spots to No. 6 in the AP Top 25 on Sunday. It’s only the third time since 2005 that the Hurricanes have been ranked that high; the team was No. 3 for two polls in November 2005 and had a two-week stay at No. 2 in No-

Oct. 28, the school has asked students to return home or placed them on other campuses. Athletic teams have the benefit of being with their teammates; for Naguib, it means living and playing soccer two hours away in Charlotte.

UNC Charlotte athletic director Mike Hill had reached out to Asheville AD Janet Cone to offer any assistance in the wake of the disaster. Cone took him up on his offer, and Charlotte will host Asheville’s men’s and women’s soccer

teams and volleyball squad in the days ahead, putting them up at an overflow dormitory, feeding them meals in the cafeteria and allowing them to use their athletic facilities. They will have access to medical attention to treat injuries.

“We want them to feel comfortable,” said Chris Thomasson, Charlotte’s executive associate athletic director for internal affairs. “A lot of people worked hard to make it happen. And our coaching staffs have been terrific. It’s interesting, on the field or the court our coaches are fierce competitors, but when they heard Asheville needed help they were like, ‘whatever we can do — anything.’”

UNC Charlotte hasn’t been the only school to step up.

Asheville’s tennis teams will be living and practicing at High Point University. Its swim teams will stay at Gardner-Webb University. The golf teams will be head to Wofford College next week.

Cone is still working to get all the school’s athletes placed, including the school’s basketball teams as part of what she called “a logistical puzzle with a whole lot of pieces.”

But she’s confident the school will get through it.

“The world of college sports is a really tight-knit group,” Cone said. “It’s been really heartening for me to see. So many people have gone out of their way to help us. I’ve received calls from schools all over the state and all over the country saying, ‘What can we do?’ There is a lot of trouble in this world and people sometimes do crazy things, but at times like this it makes you feel good to the see the care in people’s hearts.”

vember 2017. Miami is off this week before going to Louisville on Oct. 19.

“This was special,” receiver Xavier Restrepo said after the Cal game, one in which he went from No. 9 to No. 4 on Miami’s all-time yardage list and set up the winning score with a 77-yard catch-and-run to start the final possession. “Wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

The plane bringing the Hurricanes home was pretty dark for much of the five-hour ride; almost everybody was sleeping, or

at least trying to sleep. One of the few lights on the plane was coming from Cristobal’s laptop because he watched the game a couple of times on the way home.

Miami running back Mark Fletcher, who ran for 81 yards and a score, had no problem getting a few hours of sleep.

“I slept good,” he said. “We just never quit. We had so much poise. There was no panic, no panic from players, no panic from coaches. We just played. It’s conference play now and conference games are like playoff

games. Just prepare every week like it’s the national championship and see what happens.”

Sleep, evidently, was not on Cristobal’s to-do list after he got back Sunday. He walked to his car, still in his suit, carrying a fresh cup of Cuban coffee. For those who don’t know, that’s high-octane stuff and not recommended for anyone who plans to nap imminently.

“Sleep? Maybe later,” Cristobal said. “Maybe. There’s work to do. We just came a long way. We still have miles to go.”

JED JACOBSOHN / AP PHOTO

Miami quarterback Cam Ward celebrates after defeating California with an incredible second-half comeback.

SUSAN WALSH / AP PHOTO

A view of damage in Asheville is seen during an aerial tour President Joe Biden took of areas impacted by Hurricane Helene last week.

Barbara Jean (Taylor) Drye

Mary Ellen Motley

Dwight Farmer

Ken McCord

James Roseboro

March 28, 1943 – Oct. 2, 2024

January 24, 1939 ~ January 15, 2023

Dec. 8, 1935 – Oct. 2, 2024

April 17, 1936 ~ January 14, 2023

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

Mary Ellen Motley, 88, of Norwood passed away on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, at Forrest Oakes Healthcare. A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Sunday, October 13, 2024, at the Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle Chapel officiated by Pastor Ron Loflin. There will be no formal visitation.

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 Garfield. 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.

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

June 23, 1967 ~ January 10, 2023

Robley Kenneth McCord Jr. “Ken”, 81, of Norwood, passed away Wednesday, October 2, 2024, at Atrium Health Cabarrus.

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 Sheriff’s Department moving to the Norwood Police Department and retiring as Chief of Police with the Town of Norwood after many years of service.

Ms. Motley was born December 8, 1935, in Isle of Wight County, VA to the late Wayland and Betty Blowe. Ms. Motley is lovingly survived by her daughter, Yvonne Poling of Norwood. Those also left to cherish her memory are grandchildren, Jesse Poling (Ally), Donnie Poling (Heather), Matthew Poling (Katelin), and Michelle Poling, greatgrandchildren, Jaidynn, Lilly, Elyi, Annie, and Tania, brother, Jesse Blowe, sister, Ethel Fanney, sister-in-law, Linda Mazzone and Faye Motley, and her favorite companion “Peppi”.

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.

She is preceded by her husband, James Ronald Motley.

Mary was a great-mother, grandmother, and greatgrandmother. She was notably known for her Southern bell accent, her great cooking skills and most importantly spoiling her grandchildren. She loved her animals and anxiously waited for Christmas to arrive every year. She was also stubbornly independent, but that is what made her great!

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

Kenneth Eugene Sykes

John B. Kluttz

Linda Shearer Knight

March 23, 1935 - January 9, 2023

Dec. 10, 1945 – Oct. 1, 2024

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

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, October 7, 2024. Edwards Funeral Home Chapel in Norwood with burial following at the National Veterans Cemetery in Salisbury. A visitation will be held the evening prior, October 6, 2024, at Edwards Funeral Home from 6 to 8 p.m. Ken was born on March 28, 1943, to the late Robley Kenneth McCord Sr. and Ann McRae McCord in Quitman, Georgia. In 1961 he graduated from Mainland High School in Florida and then joined the US Air Force to serve 8 years on American soil and abroad during the Vietnam War. Ken completed his service as a USAF Staff Sergeant. He continued to spend his working days serving others and being his social outgoing self. His multiple jobs included banking, the vehicle industry, wholesale, retail, and, most recently as the most helpful and friendly convenience site operator in Aquadale.

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.

Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle is serving the Motley family.

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.

Kenneth Eugene Sykes, 78, of Locust passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, at Novant Main in Charlotte, NC. A memorial service is scheduled at 3 p.m. on Sunday, October 6, 2024, at Davis Chapel, Monroe, NC. The family will receive friends from 2 to 3 p.m. prior to the service.

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.

Mr. Sykes was born on December 10, 1945, in Mecklenburg County to the late Percy and Dorothy Sikes. He is lovingly remembered by his children, Chris Sykes and his wife Michelle of Franklinton, Kenny Sykes of Youngsville, and Melony Cordero of Waxhaw. Those also left to cherish his memory are grandchildren, Kylie Sykes, Ty Higginbotham, Christian Sykes (Megan), Alexandra Rhyne (Greg) and Madelyn Mays (Arther), great-grandchildren, Jackson, Sophia, Ben, Hollie, Elijah, and Aviela, and sisters, Terri Blackwelder (Harvey) and Cathy Forbis and beloved companion, Margaret Carter.

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.

Ken loved his family and friends dearly, including just about the entire community of Norwood for the past 43 years. Just as dearly loved, were all the dogs he had through the years, beginning with “Tippy” a family farm dog in Georgia, to his current baby, Mattie. In addition to his parents, Ken was preceded in death by his brother Jim McCord, and his sister Hope Courtney.

He is survived by his wife, Sharon; daughter Kelly Poplin (Mark), bonus daughter Nicki Mauldin (David), bonus daughter Heather Poythress (Robby), sister Joyce Bornmann (Carl), brother Steve McCord (Doy), bonus grandchildren: Chad, Skyar, Drake, Connor, Mackenzie, Raylin, and Olive. In addition, he had many nieces and nephews that span three generations.

Feb. 9, 1946 – Sept. 30, 2024

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

When John purchased his first 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. Sykes was preceded in death by his wife, Bonnie Sykes, and siblings, David Sikes, Roger Sikes, Debbie Forbis and Ronald Forbis.

Kenneth was a friend to many and the most kind and generous person ever. He was a loving father and will be missed by all. Known for his quick wit, humor and integrity, he was always a pleasure to be with. Kenneth had a love for boxing, participating in several tough man contests during his prime, which notably made him tough as nails.

October 11, 1944 - January 10, 2023

Linda “Mimi” Shearer Knight, 78, of Stanfield passed away peacefully on Monday, September 30, 2024, at the Tucker Hospice House, Kannapolis, NC. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 12, 2024, at the Stanly Funeral Home Chapel in Locust, NC officiated by Pastor David Yow. Burial will follow at Carolina Memorial Park, Harrisburg, NC. There will be no formal visitation. Ms. Knight was born February 9, 1946, in Dayton, Ohio to the late Royce and Bessie Shearer. She is lovingly survived by her children, Tim McDaniel and his wife Tina, Scott McDaniel and his wife Susan, David McDaniel, Pam Green, and her husband Chris, Wayne Knight, and Rick Knight. She is also survived by ten (10) grandchildren and eleven (11) great-grandchildren. Ms. Knight is preceded in death by her husband, James Larry Knight.

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.

Davis Chapel-Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Monroe is serving the Sykes family.

Darrick Baldwin

January 7, 1973 ~ January 8, 2023

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

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

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

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

John 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.

Doris Elaine Jones Coleman, 78, went home into God’s presence on January 10 after a sudden illness and a valiant week-long fight in ICU. Doris was born on October 11, 1944, in the mountains of Marion, NC while her father was away fighting 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.

Ms. Knight is known for her love for dancing and her passion for a good time. She loved her family, especially her grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. She was a social butterfly, who never met a stranger and could strike up a conversation with anyone. The family is grateful for her reunion with her husband Larry, whom she adored during their marriage. In lieu of flowers, please make memorials to Tucker Hospice House (Atrium Health Hospice & Palliative Care Cabarrus, 5003 Hospice Ln, Kannapolis, NC 28081) or Alzheimer’s Association (act.alz.org)

Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Locust is serving the Knight family.

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. 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 Richfield, NC John Alexander McKinnon (Sarah) of Asheville, NC and Seth William McKinnon (Amanda) of Germany; five 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.

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 selfless, funny, smart, and sentimental. During her lifetime she was an active member of First Baptist Church of Durham, First Baptist Church of Augusta, Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Augusta, and Palestine United Methodist Church in Albemarle. She especially loved helping at church with older adults, youth, and children.

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

Doris was preceded in death by her father Arthur Raymond Jones, her mother Mary Ellen Cameron Jones, and her sister Maryanne Jones Brantley. Survivors include her two precious daughters: Amy Cameron Coleman (partner Dr. Edward Neal Chernault) of Albemarle, NC, and Laura Lindahl Coleman Oliverio (husband David) of Cincinnati, Ohio; seven grandchildren: Cameron David Oliverio, Stephanie Jae Dejak, Luca Beatty Oliverio, Coleman John Dejak, Carson Joseph Oliverio, Ryan Nicholas Dejak, and Jadon Richard Oliverio; and numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, and loved ones.

Doris Jones Coleman

STATE & NATION

Mexican immigrants plagued by grief, questions after plant workers swept away by Helene

Six workers at Tennessee’s Impact Plastics have not been found

By Leah Willingham

The Associated Press

ERWIN, Tenn. — With shaking hands, Daniel Delgado kissed a photo of his wife, Monica Hernandez, before lighting a candle in a supermarket parking lot. Family members hugged pictures printed on poster board, some collapsing into them in tears as search helicopters flew overhead in the direction of the hills.

Days after six workers at a plastics factory disappeared under surging floodwaters caused by Hurricane Helene, loved ones and supporters have been gathering for vigils in front of churches, a high school and a grocery store to honor them.

The storm, which claimed the lives of at least 230 people across six states, quickly overwhelmed Erwin, an Appalachian town of around 6,000, on Sept. 27 and resulted in more than 50 people being rescued by helicopter from the roof of a submerged hospital.

The scar it left behind has been especially devastating within the small Latino community that makes up a disproportionate number of workers at the factory: Four of the six workers swept away were Mexican American.

Two state investigations have been launched into Impact Plastics and whether the company should have done more to protect workers as the danger grew.

The families of those lost say they still can’t comprehend the ferocity of the storm — or why their loved ones didn’t get out of the factory earlier to avoid the raging floodwaters.

“We ask: ‘Why? Why did she go to work? Why did she stay?’” Hernandez’s sister Guadalupe Hernandez-Corona said, through a translator, after a Thursday night vigil. “We’re all still wondering.”

for up to six hours while making frantic 911 calls and saying goodbyes to loved ones. Some saw coworkers carried off by the current.

Emergency dispatchers said resources were spread thin as a rescue operation was underway over a mile downriver at Unicoi County Hospital.

Normally running 2 feet deep, the Nolichucky River rose to a record 30 feet that day, running at more than 1.4 million gallons per second, which is twice as much as Niagara Falls.

The plastics plant was open, even as local schools shuttered.

Robert Jarvis, who began his shift at 7 a.m., said employees continued to work while receiving phone alerts about possible flooding. Many stayed even after management asked them to move cars because 6 inches of water had accumulated in the parking lot.

“There was time to escape,” he said in a video statement, adding that he was among the last to leave the plant after ensuring everyone was out. The National Guard rescued five employees by helicopter.

But surviving workers say the evacuation began too late. Some clung to pipes on truck flatbeds

Impact Plastics President Gerald O’Connor has said no employees were forced to keep working and were evacuated at least 45 minutes before the massive force of the flood hit the industrial park.

Employees were finally told to evacuate after the power went out and when the water was about a foot high, he said. Jarvis said he survived only because he was pulled into the bed of someone’s lifted truck, which labored up an all-terrain road for three hours.

Jarvis said the six lost coworkers were “like family” and he feels a responsibility to them to share his experience.

“They shouldn’t have been at work that day,” he said. “None of us should have.”

Mother, twin babies among Helene victims in

The month-old boys are the youngest-known victims of the storm

By Hannah Schoenbaum

The Associated Press

OBIE WILLIAMS said he could hear babies crying and branches battering the windows when he spoke with his daughter on the phone last week as Hurricane Helene tore through her rural Georgia town.

Kobe Williams, 27, and her month-old twin boys were hunkering down at their trailer home in Thomson, Georgia, with her mother, Mary Jones, who had been helping her take care of the one-month-old babies. Williams’ father sensed his daughter was fearing for her safety, and he said she promised him that she would heed his advice to shelter in the bathroom until the storm passed.

The single mother had been sitting in bed holding sons Khyzier and Khazmir and chatting on the phone with various family members while the storm raged outside.

my grandsons. It’s devastating.”

The babies, born Aug. 20, are the youngest known victims of a storm that had claimed at least 225 lives across Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia and the Carolinas as of midday Saturday. The toll was expected to rise as rescuers reach isolated areas. Among the other young victims are a 7-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy from about 50 miles south in Washington County, Georgia.

“She was so excited to be a mother of those beautiful twin boys,” said Chiquita Jones-Hampton, Kobe Jones’ niece. “She was doing such a good job and was so proud to be their mom.”

Jones-Hampton said the family is in shock and heartbroken. A funeral will be held on Friday.

Georgia

“Now I’ll never get to meet my grandsons. It’s devastating.”

Obie Williams, father and grandfather to three storm victims

tle over a day after the storm barreled through.

He said one of his sons dodged fallen trees and downed power lines to check on Kobe, and he could barely bear to tell his father what he found.

Many of his 14 other children are still without power in their homes across Georgia. Some have sought refuge in Atlanta, and others have traveled to Augusta to see their father and mourn together, he said.

Minutes later, she was no longer answering their calls. Jones, who was on the other side of the trailer, described hearing a loud crash as a tree fell through the roof of her daughter’s bedroom.

Kobe and the twins were found dead.

“I’d seen pictures when they were born and pictures every day since, but I hadn’t made it out there yet to meet them,”

“Kobe, Kobe, answer me, please,” Jones cried out in desperation, but she received no response.

Obie Williams told The Associated Press days after the storm ravaged eastern Georgia. “Now I’ll never get to meet

In Obie Williams’ home city of Augusta, 30 miles east of his daughter’s home in Thomson, power lines stretched along the sidewalks, tree branches blocked the roads and utility poles lay cracked and broken. The debris left him trapped in his neighborhood near the South Carolina border for a lit-

He described his daughter as a lovable, social and strong woman. She always had a smile and loved to make people laugh, he said.

And she loved to dance, Jones-Hampton said.

“That was my baby,” Williams said. “And everybody loved her.”

OBIE LEE WILLIAMS VIA AP

Kobe Williams, left, and her twin sons Khazmir Williams and Khyzier Williams were killed in their home in Thomson, Georgia, by a falling tree during Hurricane Helene on Sept. 30.

JEFF ROBERSON / AP PHOTO

Daniel Delgado kneels in front of a photo of his wife, Monica Hernandez, who died at Impact Plastics during flooding caused by Hurricane Helene, while being comforted by his sisterin-law, Guadalupe Hernandez-Corona, during a vigil for victims of the tragedy in Erwin, Tennessee, last Thursday.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Winston-Salem police report unprecedented unruly behavior at fair

The Winston-Salem Police Department has reported an alarming increase in disruptive behavior at this year’s Carolina Classic Fair. In a statement, the department said both adults and juveniles have been engaging in fighting and other unruly actions, forcing authorities to consider new safety strategies. City officials are discussing all possibilities to ensure public safety. Parents are strongly encouraged to supervise their children at the fair, while adults are urged to model appropriate behavior. The police emphasize that acts of violence will not be tolerated and stress the importance of personal accountability in maintaining a safe environment for all attendees.

FEMA administrator decrys false claims as Helene death toll hits 230

The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency is again forcefully pushing back against false claims and conspiracy theories about how her agency is responding to Hurricane Helene. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell appeared Monday in Asheville to assure residents that the government is ready to help. Misinformation has spread over the past week in communities hit the hardest. Former President Donald Trump and other prominent Republicans have questioned FEMA’s response and claimed that its funding is going to migrants or foreign wars. The death toll from Helene has risen to at least 230.

First place in the Central Piedmont Conference was up for grabs as East Forsyth and Mount Tabor, both 2-0 in league play, met at Mount Tabor. The game was tied at 28 late in the fourth when East Forsyth senior Kendal Sawyer (14) pulled in a 48-yard pass for his only catch of the game — the gamewinning touchdown.

Forsyth working to support areas of state affected by Hurricane Helene

Nearly 50 staff members have been deployed to various counties to help support the relief efforts

By Ryan Henkel Twin City Herald

WINSTON-SALEM

— At its Oct. 7 meeting, the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners gave an update on the county’s efforts to support those in the western part of the state affected by Hurricane Helene.

According to County Manager Shontell Robinson, the county has nearly 50 members of staff who have been deployed to multiple counties including Buncombe, Henderson and McDowell, in order to assist with everything from medical to search and rescue and more.

“We are continuing to be called upon to assist various

counties and we are trying to respond and provide all the resources that we possibly can,” Robinson said. “We will continue to have teams going out assisting and we stand ready to assist any of our counties as much as we possibly can.”

The board also held a public hearing for the proposed 2025 schedule of values, standards and rules for the reappraisal of real property in Forsyth County.

While there was some confusion on Forsyth County adopting a much higher base rate for property value appraisals than in previous years, tax assessor John Burgiss tried to clear up the confusion on how the process works.

“Once you adopt the schedule of values, that $144 is the base rate and we can’t change that after the fact,” Burgiss said. “But I can change anything else that I need to change to get to the right value and

that’s the whole point. In the end, our statistics prove that we do a good job of getting to the right value with the schedule of values.

“Our $144 rate is nothing more than a standard that we use a multiplier to factor against. I could say that I want mobile homes to be $95 a square foot, but I would still have to have the better mobile homes at some factor above that value and the lesser ones below. I’d still be factoring something. So our appraisers are used to the 49 grades we have and they’re used to handling those and how to work with those.”

Staff and the board still have a week or two to continue working on the item before it has to be adopted.

The board held another public hearing for a special use rezoning request for 5.64 acres of property located at the southeast intersection

Man arrested, charged with slaying of former

Clemson receiver

The 20-year-old was arrested in Michigan

The Associated Press GREENSBORO — A 20-year-old man was arrested in Michigan and charged with first-degree murder in last month’s fatal shooting of former Clemson receiver Diondre Overton, police in North Carolina said Tuesday. Jeremiah Diago Blanks is believed to have slain Overton

at a gathering in the former player’s hometown of Greensboro last month, the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

Guilford County Sheriff Danny H. Rogers said detectives traveled to Michigan and got help from the U.S. Marshals Service in arresting Blanks. Police did not disclose further information about Blanks or a potential motive for the slaying. He was being held in the Oakland County Jail in

the Detroit suburb of Pontiac, Michigan, pending extradition to North Carolina. Overton, 26, was found on the morning of Sept. 7 after deputies responded to reports of a loud party. He was given medical care but died at the scene. Overton played for Clemson from 2016-2019 and was part of national title teams after the 2016 and 2018 seasons. He had 52 catches for 777 yards and seven touchdowns for the Tigers.

of Peters Creek Parkway and Fishel Road to go from Residential (RS9) to General Business (GB-S) for a mixed-use development.

“While the proposed site plan shows commercial use, the requested list of uses for this rezoning does include a mixture of retail, services and residential uses typically desired in activity centers,” said Director of Planning and Development Chris Murphy. “The request proposes a site design that places commuter-oriented commercial uses along Peters Creek Parkway and away from single-family residential uses.” Finally, the board various contractual and funding matters:

• An amendment to the agreement with Habitat for Humanity to provide $110,000 for down-payment assistance.

• An amendment to the

News of Overton’s death came a few hours before the Tigers’ 66-20 victory over Appalachian State. Clemson coach Dabo Swinney stopped to pay tribute at Overton’s plaque during the team’s entrance to the stadium.

“He truly was one of the sweetest, spirited kids that we’ve had come through here and, again, truly a great teammate,” Swinney said that night.

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Neal Robbins, Publisher

Jim Sills, VP of Local Newspapers

Cory Lavalette, Senior Editor

Jordan Golson, Local News Editor

Shawn Krest, Sports Editor

Dan Reeves, Features Editor

Ryan Henkel, Reporter

P.J. Ward-Brown, Photographer

BUSINESS

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THURSDAY

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SUPPORT from page A1

agreement with Old Salem to provide approximately $392,000 for restoration and improvements to various buildings related to Old Salem’s Hidden Towns Project.

• An amendment to the agreement with Young Women’s Christian Association of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County to provide $85,000 for the purchase of a minivan and to replace or repair buses for the Best Choice Center.

• A nearly $180,000 contract with HDR Engineering for industrial site identification and evaluation services.

• A $71,000 contract with Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings to provide off-site testing for the Department of Public Health.

• A $128,000 contract renewal with Docusign for the Enterprise Electronic Digital Signature services.

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners will next meet Oct. 17.

Inside the mountain town Helene nearly wiped out

Chimney Rock Village was one of the hardest hit

By Allen G. Breed The Associated Press

CHIMNEY ROCK VILLAGE — The stone tower that gave this place its name was nearly a half billion years in the making — heated and thrust upward from deep in the Earth, then carved and eroded by wind and water.

But in just a few minutes, nature undid most of what it has taken humans a century and a quarter to build in the North Carolina mountain town of Chimney Rock.

“It feels like I was deployed, like, overnight and woke up in ... a combat zone,” Iraq War veteran Chris Canada said as a massive twin-propped Chinook helicopter passed over his adopted hometown. “I don’t think it’s sunk in yet.”

Nearly 400 miles from where Hurricane Helene made landfall Sept. 26 along Florida’s Big Bend, the hamlet of about 140 souls on the banks of the Broad River has been all but wiped from the map.

The backs of restaurants and gift shops that boasted riverfront balconies dangle ominously in mid-air. The Hickory Nut Brewery, opened when Rutherford County went “wet” and started serving alcohol about a decade ago, collapsed last Wednesday, nearly a week after the storm.

The buildings across Main Street, while still standing, are choked with several feet of reddish-brown muck. A sign on the Chimney Sweeps souvenir shop says, “We are open during construction.”

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In another section of town, the houses that weren’t swept away perch precariously near the edge of a scoured riverbank. It is where the town’s only suspected death — an elderly woman who refused entreaties to evacuate — occurred.

“Literally, this river has moved,” village administrator Stephen Duncan said as he drove an Associated Press reporter through the dust-blown wreckage of Chimney Rock Village last Wednesday. “We saw a 1,000-year event. A geological event.”

Monster wall of water strikes Chimney Rock hours after making landfall in Florida

About eight hours after Helene made landfall in Florida, Chimney Rock volunteer firefighter John Payne was responding to a possible gas leak when he noticed water spilling over U.S. 64/74, the main

road into town. It was just after 7 a.m.

“The actual hurricane hadn’t even come through and hit yet,” he said.

Payne, 32, who’s lived in this valley his entire life, aborted the call and rushed back up the hill to the fire station, which was moved to higher ground following a devastating 1996 flood. Former chief Joseph “Buck” Meliski, who worked that earlier flood, scoffed.

“There’s no way it’s hitting that early,” Payne recalled the older man saying.

But when Payne showed him a video he’d just shot — of water topping the bridge to the Hickory Nut Falls Family Campground — the former chief’s jaw dropped.

“We’re in for it, boys,” Meliski told Payne and the half-dozen or so others gathered there.

Suddenly, the ground beneath them began shaking — like the temblors that sometimes rock the valley but much stronger. By then, muddy water was seeping under the back wall of the firehouse.

Payne looked down and saw what he estimated to be a 30-foot-high wall of water tossing car-sized boulders as it raced toward the town. It appeared as if the wave was devouring houses then spitting them out.

“It’s not water at that point,” Payne said. “It’s mud, this thick concrete-like material, you know what I mean? And whatever it hits, it’s taking.”

A house hit the bridge from which he’d been filming not 20 minutes earlier. The span just “imploded.” Payne later found its steel beams “bent in horseshoe shapes around boulders.”

At the firehouse, some business owners among the group began “crying hysterically,” Payne said. Others just stood in mute disbelief. The volunteers lost communications during the storm. But when the winds finally began to quiet down around 11 a.m., Payne said, the radios began “blowing up with calls.”

Scenic Lake Lure becomes wet pit of rubble

The pieces of what had been Chimney Rock Village were now on their way to the neighboring town of Lake Lure, which played a starring role as stand-in for a Catskills resort in the 1987 Patrick Swayze summer romance film, “Dirty Dancing.” Tracy Stevens, 55, a bartender at the Hickory Nut, took refuge at the Lake Lure Inn, where she also worked. She watched as the detritus from Chimney Rock and beyond came pouring into the marina, tossing aside boats

and thrusting the metal sections of the floating Town Center Walkway upward like the folds of a map.

“It looked like a toilet bowl flushing,” she said. “I could see cars, tops of houses. It was the craziest.”

Some of the debris coalesced into a massive jam between the two bridges linking the towns — a utilitarian concrete affair carrying Memorial Highway across the Broad River, and an elegant threearched span known as the Flowering Bridge.

After 85 years carrying traffic into Chimney Rock, the 1925 viaduct was converted into a verdant walkway festooned with more than 2,000 species of plants. Now partially collapsed, the bridge’s remains are draped in a tangled mass of vines, roots and tree branches.

Some residents see signs of hope amid almost complete destruction of town

Chris Canada, 43, who coowns a stage rental and event production company, was at a Charlotte music festival when the storm hit. Returning to uniformed troops and armored personnel carriers kicking up dust in the streets awakened memories of his three combat tours in the Middle East.

“I saw the whole war and I’ve been through many hurricanes,” said Canada, an Army airborne veteran. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Canada and his wife, Barbie, moved here with their two daughters in October 2021 from South Carolina, in part to get away from hurricanes. Barbie had vacationed here as a child, and it was close to the Veterans Administration hospital in Asheville.

As he walked the banks of the Broad on Wednesday, Canada found himself sniffing at the warm air for the telltale odor of death.

And yet, all around are signs of hope.

Payne — who climbs the rock in full gear each Sept. 11 to honor first responders who died in the Twin Towers attacks — was heartened to see members of the New York City Fire Department in his town helping with door-to-door searches.

“We’re more hard-headed than these rocks are,” said Payne, whose day job is as a site coordinator for a fast-food chain. “So, it’s going to take more than this to scare us off and run us out. It’ll be a while, but we’ll be back. Don’t count us out.”

Outside the Mountain Traders shop, someone has leaned a large wooden Sasquatch cutout against a utility pole, the words “Chimney Rock Strong” painted in bright blue.

When park employees cut their way to the top of the mountain and raised the American flag on Monday, Duncan says the people below cheered and some wept.

“It was spectacular,” he said.

Mayor says little town has spirit, determination necessary to rebuild

The flag is flying at half staff, but Mayor Peter O’Leary said it’s that spirit that will bring Chimney Rock Village back.

The town’s legacy of hospitality and entrepreneurial spirit dates back to the late 1800s, when a local family began charging visitors 25 cents for a horseback ride up the mountain, according to brief online history by village resident R. J. Wald. It soon became one of North Carolina’s first bona fide tourist attractions.

O’Leary came to town in 1990 to take a job as park manager before it became part of the state parks system. Two years later, he and his wife opened Bubba O’Leary’s General Store, named for their yellow Labrador retriever.

“Most of these people here, if you look around, almost all of them are from somewhere else,” he said as he stood outside the firehouse, the waters of the 404-foot Hickory Nut Falls gushing forth from the ridge high above. “Why’d they come here? They came here and fell in love with it. It gets ahold of you. ...

“It got ahold of me.”

The 1927 portion of the general store has caved in, but O’Leary believes the larger addition built in 2009 is salvageable. Duncan, who drafted the village charter back in 1990, sees this as an opportunity to “take advantage of the new geography” and build a better town.

But for some, like innkeeper and restaurateur Nick Sottile, 35, the path forward is hard to see.

When Helene hit, Sottile and wife, Kristen, were vacationing in the Turks and Caicos Islands — their first break since October 2020, when they opened their Broad River Inn and Stagecoach Pizza Kitchen in what’s believed to be the village’s oldest building.

In photos taken from the street, things looked remarkably intact. But when Sottile returned home and walked around to the river side, his heart sank.

“The back of the building is, like, a whole section of it is gone,” the South Florida native said Friday. “It’s not even safe to go in there right now.”

About all that’s left of the adjacent Chimney Rock Adventure miniature golf course is the sign.

“You can’t even rebuild,” Sottile said. “Because there’s no land.”

Sottile has been hearing horror stories from fellow business owners about denied insurance claims. Without help, he said he has no money to rebuild.

But for now, he’s just volunteering with the fire department and trying not to think too far into the future.

“This is a small town, but this is, this is home,” he said. “Everybody helps everybody, and I know we’ll get through this. I know we’ll rebuild. I’m just praying that we can rebuild with us here to see it.”

MIKE STEWART / AP PHOTO

Left, an American flag flies half-staff on top of Chimney Rock mountain on Oct. 2 in Chimney Rock Village. Right, Debris is strewn on Lake Lure in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

Keep the faith, but keep it to yourself

Jefferson assured the Danbury Baptists that their religious liberty was an inalienable right, not a favored grant.

MANY YEARS AGO, the famous atheist Madelyn Murray O’Hare wrote the above words in a Bible that belonged to a pastor known as the Chaplain of Bourbon Street, Bob Harrington. He ministered to the masses in New Orleans.

There are those in our society who think prayer is a novelty and only the weak engage in it. I believe quite the contrary. Some of the most powerful people in the world, leaders of great kingdoms, have depended on prayer and their faith.

Some think public prayer should not be allowed. It’s amazing that I receive some of the most vicious messages because I post scripture on my social media. And, of course, I write about my faith often on these pages.

Some critics tell me that public officials shouldn’t express their faith publicly, as if my Constitutional rights are suspended because I’ve been elected to office. It amazes me that there is so little knowledge about the freedoms we have regarding religious liberty. These critics often cite the “separation of church and state.”

There is much confusion around this phrase. Many think it’s contained in the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence. It is in neither. It was in a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to the Baptist Association of Danbury, Connecticut. Jefferson assured the Danbury Baptists that their religious liberty was an inalienable right, not a favored grant. Jefferson clearly stated that these restrictions were imposed on the federal government only and not the state government or religious authorities. Connecticut had an authorized state religion and didn’t want interference from the federal government. Jefferson was merely assuring them that would not happen.

How that phrase got to be enshrined as a restriction on individual religious liberty is beyond comprehension. Various Supreme Courts, through the years, have even referenced this phrase and used it in their decisions. Therefore, through osmosis, it becomes part of the Constitution. It never has been and never can be.

Thankfully, the Supreme Court has upheld several religious liberty cases over the last decade. Two prominent cases with suits have involved Hobby Lobby and Little Sisters of the Poor. These cases involved mandates for health coverage vs. religious liberty.

A Supreme Court case a few years ago, Bostock vs. Clayton County, has created an avenue for many more suits. In that case, the court determined that discrimination based on “sex” includes discrimination based on “sexual orientation” and “gender identity.” This redefines “sex” in federal employment law.

The court ruling was a 6-3 decision. Many were surprised that Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote the majority opinion. He was joined by Chief Justice John Roberts, Justices Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Sonia Sotomayor, Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan. Justices Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas dissenting. Writing the minority opinion, Justice Alito said, “There is only one word for what the Court has done today: legislation.” He continued, “The Court tries to convince readers that it is merely enforcing the terms of the statute, but that is preposterous. Even as understood today, the concept of discrimination because of ‘sex’ is different from discrimination because of ‘sexual orientation’ or ‘gender identity.’ And in any event, our duty is to interpret statutory terms to ‘mean what they conveyed to reasonable people at the time

People hate those who fight evil far more than those who are evil

Communists murdered about 100 million people — all noncombatants and all innocent.

I realized something very important about the human condition when I was in high school. I realized that people tend to hate those who fight evil far more than they hate those engaged in doing evil. What made me come to this conclusion was the way in which many people reacted to communism and to anticommunism.

To my amazement, a great many people — specifically, all leftists and many, though not all, liberals — hated anticommunists far more than they hated communism. Because of my early preoccupation with good and evil, already in high school, I hated communism. How could one not, I wondered. Along with Nazism, it was the great evil of the 20th century. Needless to say, as a Jew and as a human, I hated Nazism. But as I was born after Nazism was vanquished, the great evil of my time was communism.

Communists murdered about 100 million people — all noncombatants and all innocent. Stalin murdered about 30 million people, including 5 million Ukrainians by starvation (in just two years: 1932-33). Mao killed about 60 million people. Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge (Red Cambodians) killed about 3 million people, one in every four Cambodians, between 1975 and 1979. The North Korean communist regime killed between 2 million and 3 million people, not including another million killed in the Korean War started by the North Korean communists.

For every one of the 100 million killed by

communists, add at least a dozen more people — family and friends — who were terribly and permanently affected by the death of their family member or friend. Then add another billion whose lives were ruined by having to live in a communist totalitarian state: their poverty, their loss of fundamental human rights and their loss of dignity. You would think that anyone with a functioning conscience and with any degree of compassion would hate communism. But that was not the case. Indeed, there were many people throughout the noncommunist world who supported communism. And there was an even larger number of people who hated anticommunists, dismissing them as “Cold Warriors,” “warmongers,” “red-baiters,” etc. At the present time, we are again witnessing this phenomenon — hatred of those who oppose evil rather than of those who do evil — with regard to Israel and its enemies. And on a far greater level. Israel is hated by individuals and governments throughout the world. Israel is the most reviled country at the United Nations as well as in Western media and, of course, in universities. Israel is a liberal democracy with an independent judiciary, independent opposition press, and equal rights for women, gays and its Arab population (20% of the Israeli population). Its enemies — the Iranian regime, Hamas and Hezbollah — allow no such freedoms to those under their control. More relevantly, their primary goal — indeed, their stated

they were written.’”

Justice Alito wrote a stern warning: “The Court’s brusque refusal to consider the consequences of its reasoning is irresponsible. … Before issuing today’s radical decision, the Court should have given some thought to where its decision would lead. As the briefing in these cases has warned, the position that the Court now adopts will threaten freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and personal privacy and safety. No one should think that the Court’s decision represents an unalloyed victory for individual liberty.”

Writing separately, Judge Kavanaugh said, “The ordinary meaning of sexual orientation discrimination is distinct from the ordinary meaning of sex discrimination. Federal law distinguishes the two. State law distinguishes the two. This Court’s cases distinguish the two. …History distinguishes the two. Psychology distinguishes the two. Sociology distinguishes the two. …Common sense distinguishes the two.

“When (SCOTUS_ usurps the role of Congress, as it does today, the public understandably becomes confused about who the policymakers really are in our system of separated powers, and inevitably becomes cynical about the oft-repeated aspiration that judges base their decisions on law rather than on personal preference.”

Citizens don’t want judges making law. There is a role for legislators and a role for judges. Each should just do the job assigned to them.

Sen. Joyce Krawiec has represented Forsyth County and the 31st District in the North Carolina Senate since 2014. She lives in Kernersville.

reason for being — is to wipe out Israel and its Jewish inhabitants. Hamas and Hezbollah have built nothing, absolutely nothing, in Gaza and Lebanon, respectively. They exist solely to commit genocide against Israel and its Jews. Why did so many people hate anticommunists more than communism? And why do even more people hate Israel more than Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah?

The general reason is that it is emotionally and psychologically difficult for most people to stare evil in the face. Evil is widely described as “dark.” But it is not dark; it is easy to look into the dark. What is far harder to look at is blinding bright light. Perhaps that is why Lucifer, the original name of the Christian devil, comes from the word “light.”

Why this is so — why people will not call evil “evil” — is probably related to a lack of courage. Once one declares something evil, one is morally bound to resist it, and people fear resisting evil. The fools who mock Christianity — whether through a work of “art” like “Piss Christ” (a crucifix in a jar of urine), the Paris Olympics opening ceremony that mocked the Last Supper or the Los Angeles Dodgers honoring the “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” (men in drag dressed as nuns) — would never mock Islam. They fear Muslim wrath; they do not fear Christian wrath. Yet Islamic wrath has done and is doing far more evil in our time than Christian wrath. And there is one additional reason for hating Israel — one that is specific to Israel — rather than those who seek to exterminate Israel: Jewhatred, better known as antisemitism. The people who introduced a judging God and gave the world the Ten Commandments have been hated for thousands of years. Not those who systematically violate those commandments.

Dennis Prager is a nationally syndicated radio talk show host and columnist.

TRIAD STRAIGHT TALK | SEN. JOYCE KRAWIEC

COLUMN | DENNIS PRAGER

Thousands still without water struggle to find enough

It could take weeks to get municipal water flowing again

By Michael Phillis and Jeff Amy The Associated Press

ASHEVILLE — Nearly a week after Hurricane Helene brought devastation to western North Carolina, a shiny stainless steel tanker truck in downtown Asheville attracted residents carrying 5-gallon containers, milk jugs and buckets to fill with what has become a desperately scare resource — drinking water.

Flooding tore through the city’s water system, destroying so much infrastructure that officials said repairs could take weeks. To make do, Anna Ramsey arrived Wednesday with her two children, who each left carrying plastic bags filled with 2 gallons of water.

“We have no water. We have no power. But I think it’s also been humbling,” Ramsey said.

Helene’s path through the Southeast left a trail of power outages so large the darkness was visible from space. Tens of trillions of gallons of rain fell and more than 200 people were killed, making Helene the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Katrina in 2005.

Hundreds of people are still unaccounted for, and search crews must trudge through knee-deep debris to learn whether residents are safe.

It also damaged water utilities so severely and over such a wide inland area that one federal official said the toll “could be considered unprecedented.”

As of Thursday, about 136,000 people in the Southeast were served by a nonoperational water provider and more than 1.8 million were living under a boil water advisory, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Western North Carolina was especially hard hit. Officials are facing a difficult rebuilding task made harder by the steep, narrow valleys of the Blue Ridge Mountains that during a more typical October would attract throngs of fall tourists.

“The challenges of the geography are just fewer roads, fewer access points, fewer areas of flat ground to stage resources” said Brian Smith, acting deputy division director for the EPA’s water division in the Southeast.

After days without water,

people long for more than just a sponge bath.

“I would love a shower,” said Sue Riles in Asheville. “Running water would be incredible.”

The raging floodwaters of Helene destroyed crucial parts of Asheville’s water system, scouring out the pipes that convey water from a reservoir in the mountains above town that is the largest of three water supplies for the system. To reach a second reservoir that was knocked offline, a road had to be rebuilt.

Boosted output from the third source restored water flow in some southern Asheville neighborhoods last Friday, but without full repairs schools may not be able to resume in-person classes, hospitals may not restore normal operations, and the city’s hotels and restaurants may not fully reopen.

Even water that’s unfit to drink is scarce. Drew Reisinger, the elected Buncombe County register of deeds, worries about people in apartments who can’t easily haul a bucket of water from a creek to flush their toilet. Officials are advising people to collect nondrinkable water for household needs from a local swimming pool.

“One thing no one is talking about is the amount of poop that exists in every toilet in Asheville,” he said. “We’re dealing with a public health emergency.”

It’s a situation that becomes more dangerous the longer it lasts. Even in communities fortunate enough to have running water, hundreds of providers have issued boil water notices indicating the water could be contaminated. But boiling water for cooking and drinking is time consuming and small mistakes can cause stomach illness, according to Natalie Exum, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

“Every day that goes by, you could be exposed to a pathogen,” Exum said. “These basic services that we take for granted in our everyday lives actually do do a lot to prevent illness.”

Travis Edwards’ faucet worked immediately after the storm. He filled as many containers as he could for himself and his child, but it didn’t take long for the flow to weaken, then stop. They rationed water, switching to hand sanitizer and barely putting any on toothbrushes.

“(We) didn’t realize how de -

hydrated we were getting,” he said.

Federal officials have shipped millions of gallons of water to areas where people also might not be able to make phone calls or switch on the lights. Power has been restored to about 62% of homes and businesses and 8,000 crews are out working to restore power in the hardest hit parts of North Carolina, federal officials said Thursday. In 10 counties, about half of the cell sites are still down.

The first step for some utilities is simply figuring out how bad the damage is, a job that might require EPA expertise in extreme cases. Ruptured water pipes are a huge problem. They often run beneath roads, many of which were crumpled and twisted by floodwaters.

“Pretty much anytime you see a major road damaged, there’s a very good chance that there’s a pipe in there that’s also gotten damaged,” said Mark White, drinking water global practice leader at the engineering firm CDM Smith.

Generally, repairs start at the treatment plant and move out-

ward, with fixes in nearby big pipes done first, according to the EPA.

“Over time, you’ll gradually get water to more and more people,” White said.

Many people are still missing, and water repair employees don’t typically work around search and rescue operations. It takes a toll, according to Kevin Morley, manager of federal relations with the American Water Works Association.

“There’s emotional support that is really important for all the people involved. You’re seeing people’s lives just wiped out,” he said.

Even private well owners aren’t immune. Pumps on private wells may have lost power and overtopping floodwaters can contaminate them.

There’s often a “blind faith” assumption that drinking water won’t fail. In this case, the technology was insufficient, according to Craig Colten. Before retiring to Asheville, he was a professor in Louisiana focused on resilience to extreme weather. He hopes Helene will prompt politicians to spend more to en-

sure infrastructure withstands destructive storms.

And climate change will only make the problem more severe, said Erik Olson, a health and food expert at the nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council.

“I think states and the federal government really need to step back and start looking at how we’re going to prepare for these extreme weather events that are going to be occurring and recurring every single year,” he said.

Edwards has developed a system to save water. He’ll soap dirty dishes and rinse them with a trickle of water with bleach, which is caught and transferred to a bucket — useable for the toilet.

Power and some cell service have returned for him. And water distribution sites have guaranteed some measure of normalcy: Edwards feels like he can start going out to see friends again.

“To not feel guilty about using more than a cup of water to, like, wash yourself … I’m really, really grateful,” he said.

BRITTANY PETERSON / AP PHOTO

In Asheville, some residents must use public toilets where Helene damaged critical infrastructure and cut off the public water supply.

BRITTANY PETERSON / AP PHOTO

Michael Traister fills a bag of drinking water in Asheville.

Forsyth SPORTS

Redick determined to succeed in audacious coaching experiment

The longtime NBA player takes over with no previous coaching experience

By Greg Beacham

The Associated Press

PALM DESERT, Calif. — JJ

Redick knows his personal intensity will always turn him into his own harshest critic if he isn’t careful, so he vowed to give himself some grace in his self-evaluation as the Los Angeles Lakers ‘ new head coach.

One game into the preseason, Redick is already testing his tolerance for his own mistakes after the Lakers failed to make proper defensive switches Friday night against Minnesota.

“We just didn’t really execute that at all,” Redick said Saturday after practice in the Coachella Valley. “We maybe executed it less than 10% of the time. Something we’ve drilled, and it was very clear in the pregame meeting that’s what we were doing, so you certainly question, like, ‘Am I not making this clear? Is it something I’m doing?’”

Redick is comfortable acknowledging both his immediate frustration and his broader awareness that this epic journey has only started.

Just over three months into his first coaching job at any level, Redick is still drinking from a firehose of information, responsibilities and nuances — everything from play designs to the intricacies of personnel management. But while his mind whirls every day with thoughts on how to implement the basketball vision he’s been building in his mind, the 40-year-old former NBA guard is also determined to enjoy the

half of a preseason game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

ride of his first season with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

“I would say what we have tried to create is an energy and a vibe in the gym every day,” Redick said right before training camp began. “I would call it focused joy, if that makes sense. We’re grateful every day to be in this gym.”

New boss, new results

Redick is installing detailed schemes on offense and defense. He’s gathering a mountain of analytic data. He’s also still learning the coaching basics, like how to challenge calls and when to call timeouts — although he’s getting plenty of support in that area from longtime NBA head coaches Nate McMillan and Scott Brooks, his top two assistants.

Basketball sickos only

The Lakers have redoubled

“I would call it focused joy, if that makes sense. We’re grateful every day to be in this gym.”

JJ Redick

their commitment to player development under Redick after the coach made it clear to general manager Rob Pelinka during the hiring process that he thought every NBA team could get more out of its talent. The development system will be dedicated to improving the Lakers’ youngsters, most prominently second-round pick Bronny James.

Redick and the Lakers are embracing analytics as well, tracking how much players run during practice and installing cameras and backboard sensors to analyze workouts at the training complex.

“One thing that was nonnegotiable was that everyone we hired was a sicko, a basketball sicko,” Redick said of his staff.

Redick has repeatedly mentioned “efficiency” as a key factor in his coaching approach. He likes quick, information-packed team meetings and brisk practices that start on time and end on time.

This focus is clearly a carryover from his playing career. Redick knows a player’s average attention span because he was a player just three years ago, and he wants to cram maximal growth into minimal time.

Redick even agreed to LeBron James’s suggestion that the Lakers should have a DJ at practice, allowing DJ Meel to set up shop in a corner of the training complex’s gym last week.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Kendal Sawyer

East Forsyth, football

First place in the Central Piedmont Conference was on the line when the Eagles went to Mount Tabor last Friday. Both teams were 2-0 in the conference, and, with three minutes left to play, the game was deadlocked at 28.

That’s when Sawyer stepped up.

Five teammates have more catches in 2024 than his six. Four have more receiving yards than his 78. But Sawyer got open downfield and pulled in a pass from quarterback Brian Baker for a 48-yard gamewinning touchdown in East’s 35-28 victory.

Stenhouse snaps 65-race losing streak

The late crash at Talladega scrambled the NASCAR playoff picture

By Jenna Fryer The Associated Press

TALLADEGA, Ala. — A 27- c ar crash that involved eight of the NASCAR Cup Series’ 12 title contenders. A chaotic cleanup that infuriated competitors. And a surprise winner.

Just a regular race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. snapped a 65-race losing streak by winning in overtime at Talladega on Sunday after a late crash collected more than half the field. Stenhouse is not in

the playoffs and his victory marked the second consecutive week a driver not competing for the Cup Series title has won.

“It’s so tough to win these races. It’s so tough to miss the wrecks,” Stenhouse said. “These races are just chaos when it comes down to the end.”

The victory was the first for Stenhouse and his JTG Daugherty Racing team since he won the season-opening Daytona 500 to start 2023. He’s the 18th different Cup Series winner this year.

“It felt really good. This team has put a lot of hard work in, obviously we haven’t won since the 500 in ’23. It’s been an upand-down season,” Stenhouse said. “We knew that this track

is one of ours to come get.”

Stenhouse’s first career victory came at Talladega in 2017 and his four career Cup Series victories have come at either the Alabama superspeedway or Daytona International Speedway.

Stenhouse won in a threewide finish between Brad Keselowski and William Byron, who with his third-place finish became the only driver locked into the third round of the playoffs.

Four drivers will be eliminated from the playoffs next Sunday on the hybrid road course/oval at Charlotte. Joey Logano, Daniel Suarez, Austin Cindric and Chase Briscoe are all below the cutline.

Cindric was the leader with

five laps remaining in regulation when Logano, two rows back, gave Keselowski a hard shove directly into Cindric. It caused Cindric to spin and 27 of the 40 cars in the field suffered some sort of damage in the melee.

Even Stenhouse had a chunk of sheet metal missing from the driver side door area when he drove his car into Victory Lane. In the chaos of the cleanup, with teams fuming postrace over how NASCAR navigated the crash scene, some argued that Stenhouse’s door was missing some safety foam and he should have been forced to pit for repairs.

“I bet they did. I didn’t see any missing foam,” said winning crew chief Mike Kelly, who suspects NASCAR will review how it handled the chaotic cleanup in which some cars were towed back to pit road and repairs began for them as

others were still stranded on the track. “They were put in a tough situation with that many cars involved in the wreck, and that many (tow trucks). It’s a tough situation.”

Stenhouse later acknowledged there indeed was foam hanging out of the gaping hole.

The race was red-flagged for nearly nine minutes of cleanup, and 22 cars remained on the lead lap for the two-lap overtime sprint to the finish. Many of those 22 cars were damaged.

Keselowski finished second in a Ford for RFK Racing and was followed by Byron in a Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Byron is the points leader headed into Charlotte and his cushion is large enough to earn him an automatic spot into the round of eight. Only four drivers still active in the playoffs finished inside the top 10.

PJ WARD-BROWN / NORTH STATE JOURNAL

MARK J. TERRILL / AP PHOTO

Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick gestures during the first

Driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. celebrates in Victory Lane after Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Talladega Superspeedway.

SIDELINE REPORT

NFL

Pro Football

Hall of Famer Shaw dead at 85

Canton, Oh

Former Georgia Tech and Buffalo Bills star Billy Shaw died at age 85 at his home in Georgia. Shaw was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999. Shaw chose to play for the Bills of the old American Football League rather than the Dallas Cowboys of the then-rival National Football League because he wanted to play offensive guard rather than linebacker. He won two AFL titles in Buffalo and made eight All-Star teams during his nine-year career.

RACING

Actor Reeves spins out at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in pro auto racing debut

Indianapolis Hollywood star Keanu Reeves made his professional auto racing debut in an event in which “The Matrix” star spun out at famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Reeves spun into the grass without a collision on the exit of Turn 9 a little more than halfway through the 45-minute race. He reentered and continued driving, signaling he was uninjured. Reeves, 60, is competing at Indianapolis in Toyota GR Cup, a Toyota specracing series and a support series for the Indy 8 Hour sports car event.

NBA

Ewing returns to the Knicks as ambassador New York Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing is returning to the New York Knicks in the newly created position of basketball ambassador. The Knicks said Friday that Ewing would assist both basketball and business operations in his role. Taken by the Knicks with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1985 draft, Ewing went on to play 15 seasons in New York and is the franchise’s career leader in points, rebounds, blocks, steals and games played. The Knicks made the playoffs in his final 13 seasons.

WNBA

Ionescu scores 22 to lead Liberty to WNBA Finals

Las Vegas Sabrina Ionescu rebounded from a rare off game to score 22 points. Nearly a year after the Aces ended the Liberty’s dream of a championship, New York returned the favor Sunday afternoon by defeating Las Vegas 76-62 to advance to the WNBA Finals. The top-seeded Liberty will have home-court advantage in the championship series and face either the Connecticut Sun or Minnesota Lynx. This is the Liberty’s sixth trip to the finals, but the franchise is still seeking its first title.

NHL Red Wings goaltender Campbell enters player assistance program

Detroit Detroit Red Wings goaltender Jack Campbell has entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. The league and union announced last Friday that Campbell will be away from the Red Wings organization indefinitely while he receives care. The 32-year- old was expected to begin the season with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League. Detroit signed him for the league-minimum $775,000 after the Edmonton Oilers bought out the three seasons remaining on his five-year, $25 million contract last summer.

College athletes helping those impacted by Hurricane Helene

Charlotte athletes lending a hand to its sister school in Asheville that suffered storm damage

By Steve Reed The Associated Press

CHARLOTTE — UNC Asheville soccer player Xander Naguib and his teammates are preparing to spend the next several weeks — or perhaps months — at the state’s sister school in Charlotte, where they will be housed, fed and be able to continue playing sports.

Given what Naquib has been through in the last week, he couldn’t be more grateful. He and his teammates are among many programs in the area that have relocated to other schools in what one athletic director called a stirring example of colleges helping each other amid dire need.

Naguib and his friends were in Asheville when Hurricane

Helene arrived, leaving a path of destruction in its wake with more than 200 people dead and countless others still missing. Without power, water and cell phone service and their off-campus apartment taking on water, Naguib was forced to evacuate even as flooding washed away local roads.

“It felt like we were blocked off from the world,” Naguib said.

Hours later, Naguib found a hotel and contacted his worried parents in Frisco, Texas, who quickly booked him on the next flight out of Asheville.

With UNC Asheville’s campus closed until Oct. 21 and classes canceled until at least Oct. 28, the school has asked students to return home or placed them on other campuses. Athletic teams have the benefit of being with their teammates; for Naguib, it means living and playing soccer two hours away in Charlotte.

UNC Charlotte athletic di-

Wild Miami win was followed by another celebration at home

The Hurricanes staged an epic comeback in California

By Tim Reynolds The Associated Press

CORAL GABLES, Fla. —

They celebrated on the field. They celebrated in the locker room. And when Miami’s overnight charter flight landed Sunday after the Hurricanes’ biggest comeback win in a quarter-century, another unplanned celebration was waiting.

Fire trucks greeted the plane by shooting plumes of water over it as it taxied to the gate.

“I couldn’t believe it when I saw that,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “That was crazy.”

A little bit of crazy on Sunday morning made sense because everything about Saturday night at California was pretty much crazy as well.

The Hurricanes trailed by 25 points late in the third quarter, trailed by 20 with 11 minutes remaining and somehow beat Cal 39-38 — the biggest comeback win in FBS play this season and the biggest by Miami since a 28-point comeback to

beat Boston College in 1999.

Miami quarterback Cam Ward enhanced his Heisman Trophy campaign by passing for 437 yards and accounting for three touchdowns in the final 10:28, including the game-winning throw to Elijah Arroyo with 26 seconds left.

“I didn’t play my best ball,” Ward said. “Nobody played their best ball. We just can’t keep putting ourselves in these situations.”

It was two down-to-the-wire games in a row for Miami. The Hurricanes erased a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Virginia Tech on Sept. 27 and then came back from 25 down one week later.

“This team has so much trust,” Cristobal said. “Insane resiliency. We’re down 35-10 and nobody blinks. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Miami (6-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) jumped two spots to No. 6 in the AP Top 25 on Sunday. It’s only the third time since 2005 that the Hurricanes have been ranked that high; the team was No. 3 for two polls in November 2005 and had a two-week stay at No. 2 in November 2017.

Miami is off this week before going to Louisville on Oct. 19.

rector Mike Hill had reached out to Asheville AD Janet Cone to offer any assistance in the wake of the disaster.

Cone took him up on his offer, and Charlotte will host Asheville’s men’s and women’s soccer teams and volleyball squad in the days ahead, putting them up at an overflow dormitory, feeding them meals in the cafeteria and allowing them to use their athletic facilities. They will have access to medical attention to treat injuries.

“We want them to feel comfortable,” said Chris Thomasson, Charlotte’s executive associate athletic director for internal affairs. “A lot of people worked hard to make it happen. And our coaching staffs have been terrific. It’s interesting, on the field or the court our coaches are fierce competitors, but when they heard Asheville needed help they were like, ‘whatever we can do — anything.’”

UNC Charlotte hasn’t been

the only school to step up.

Asheville’s tennis teams will be living and practicing at High Point University. Its swim teams will stay at Gardner-Webb University. The golf teams will be head to Wofford College next week.

Cone is still working to get all the school’s athletes placed, including the school’s basketball teams as part of what she called “a logistical puzzle with a whole lot of pieces.”

But she’s confident the school will get through it.

“The world of college sports is a really tight-knit group,” Cone said. “It’s been really heartening for me to see. So many people have gone out of their way to help us. I’ve received calls from schools all over the state and all over the country saying, ‘What can we do?’ There is a lot of trouble in this world and people sometimes do crazy things, but at times like this it makes you feel good to the see the care in people’s hearts.”

“This was special,” receiver Xavier Restrepo said after the Cal game, one in which he went from No. 9 to No. 4 on Miami’s all-time yardage list and set up the winning score with a 77-yard catch-and-run to start the final possession. “Wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

The plane bringing the Hurricanes home was pretty dark for much of the five-hour ride; almost everybody was sleeping, or at least trying to sleep. One of the few lights on the plane was coming from Cristobal’s laptop because he watched the game a couple of times on the way home.

Miami running back Mark Fletcher, who ran for 81 yards and a score, had no problem getting a few hours of sleep.

“I slept good,” he said. “We just never quit. We had so much poise. There was no panic, no panic from players, no panic from coaches. We just played. It’s conference play now and conference games are like playoff games. Just prepare every week like it’s the national championship and see what happens.” Sleep, evidently, was not on Cristobal’s to-do list after he got back Sunday. He walked to his car, still in his suit, carrying a fresh cup of Cuban coffee. For those who don’t know, that’s high-octane stuff and not recommended for anyone who plans to nap imminently.

“Sleep? Maybe later,” Cristobal said. “Maybe. There’s work to do. We just came a long way. We still have miles to go.”

JED JACOBSOHN / AP PHOTO

Miami quarterback Cam Ward celebrates after defeating California with an incredible second-half comeback.

SUSAN WALSH / AP PHOTO

A view of damage in Asheville is seen during an aerial tour President Joe Biden took of areas impacted by Hurricane Helene last week.

the stream

Season 4 of coastal NC-set teen drama ‘Outer Banks’ lands on Netflix

Duran Duran drops

“Danse Macabre — De Luxe” reissue

The Associated Press

“BEETLEJUICE Beetlejuice” is available to stream for $25 on Prime Video, Apple TV and other video-on-demand platforms.

Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline co-starring in “Disclaimer,” a psychological thriller from writer-director Alfonso Cuarón, and Jelly Roll releasing “Beautifully Broken,” a follow-up to his breakout album “Whitsitt Chapel,” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also among the streaming offerings worth your time: Sean Wang’s semi-autobiographical feature debut “Dìdi,” Charli XCX’s deluxe, remixed, double-album version of her culture-shifting album “Brat.” MOVIES TO STREAM

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” was No. 1 at the box office as recently as two weeks ago, but beginning Tuesday, Tim Burton’s popular sequel will be available for a price. You can buy it digitally for $25 on Prime Video, Apple TV and other video-on-demand platforms. In it, the Deetz family returns to Winter River after a family tragedy. There, Lydia (Winona Ryder), still haunted by Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton), is forced into another afterlife odyssey when her teenage daughter (Jenna Ortega) discovers a portal. In her review, AP’s Jocelyn Noveck called it “a joyously rendered sequel that sometimes makes sense, and sometimes doesn’t, but just keeps rollicking.”

Sue Kim’s documentary

“The Last of the Sea Women,” streaming Friday on Apple TV+, captures the lives and livelihood of the Haenyeo, the community of South Korean fisherwomen who have free dived for seafood off the coast of Korea’s Jeju Island for generations. Threats abound for the Haenyeo, who are mostly in their 60s and 70s.

They ply their trade in a warming ocean contaminated by sea garbage and the Fukushima nuclear accident.

One of the indie highlights of the summer, Sean Wang’s “Dìdi,” is now streaming on Peacock. Wang’s semi-autobiographical feature debut, a coming-of-age story set in the Bay Area in 2008, is about a 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy (Izaac Wang) struggling with where he fits in. That includes with his family (Joan Chen plays his mother) and fellow skater kids whom he begins making videos with. The film, funny and tender, is a breakthrough for the emerging filmmaker Wang, whose short “Nai Nai and Wài Pó” was Oscar-nominated earlier this year.

MUSIC TO STREAM

Brat summer came and went, but the hedonistic ideologies behind Charli XCX’s feel-good album endure. On Friday, she will release “Brat and It’s Completely Different but Also Still Brat,” a deluxe, remixed, double-album version of her culture-shifting album “Brat,” this time featuring A-listers like Billie Eilish, Lorde, her tour mate Troye Sivan, her forever-hero Robyn, and more. Just don’t confuse this one with her other Brat re-release, “Brat and

It’s the Same but There’s Three More Songs So It’s Not.”

He’s the not-so-new name on everyone’s lips: Jelly Roll will release a follow-up to his breakout album, 2023’s “Whitsitt Chapel” on Friday. Little is known about the 22-track “Beautifully Broken” beyond its previously released tracks “I Am Not Okay,” “Get By,” “Liar” and “Winning Streak” — the latter of which he debuted during the premiere of “Saturday Night Live’s” 50th season, joined by a choir. That one was inspired by an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, and the album will no doubt center on the kind of stories he’s become known for: Soulful country rock on adversity, addiction, pain, suffering and, ultimately, chasing safety. A decade removed from “Shower,” the viral, bubblegum pop song that launched her career, Mexican American singer Becky G has found her lane in Spanish-language, hybrid-genre releases, crossing language barriers and cultural borders. “Encuentros,” out Friday, is her latest — a follow-up to 2023’s “Esquinas” — and continuation of her work in regional Mexicana styles made all her own, from the single “Mercedes,” which features corrido star Oscar Maydon’s deep tenor, and beyond.

On Friday, Duran Duran will release “Danse Macabre – De Luxe,” a deluxe reissue of their celebrated 2023 LP of the same name — a mix of covers and gothic originals. Surprises abound, even for the most dedicated Duran Duran fan: Like in their cover of ELO’s “Evil Woman” or on the song “New Moon (Dark Phase),” a reimagination of “New Moon on a Monday,” featuring former member Andy Taylor.

SHOWS TO STREAM

The first spinoff of the 2023 Prime Video spy series “Citadel,” which starred Priyanka Chopra and Richard Madden, debuts Thursday on the streamer. “Citadel: Diana” stars Matilda De Angelis and takes place in Italy. An India-based version called “Citadel: Honey Bunny” stars Varun Dhawan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu and premieres in November.

Netflix’s favorite sundrenched, treasure-hunting teens of North Carolina, known as the Pogues, are back for more adventures in “Outer Banks.” Season four, premiering Thursday, is divided into two parts. The show stars Chase Stokes and Madelyn Cline.

Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline co-star in “Disclaimer,” a psychological thriller on Apple

TV+ from writer/director Alfonso Cuarón that premiered at last month’s Venice Film Festival. Blanchett plays a respected documentarian who recognizes she’s the inspiration for a character in a new novel that threatens to expose her secrets. The limited series also features Kodi Smit McPhee, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jung Ho-Yeon and Lesley Manville and premieres Friday.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

Atlus/Sega’s absorbing Persona series has grown over the years from a cult hit to a genuine blockbuster, but it’s been seven years since the last chapter. Meanwhile, several of its creators have branched off to form their own Studio Zero and are about to launch their debut title, Metaphor: ReFantazio. Instead of Persona’s Tokyo-set teen drama, Metaphor presents a power struggle in a pseudo-medieval kingdom. The combat, however, evokes Persona’s zippy blend of turn-based and real-time action, and when you aren’t fighting, you’ll need to spend time building relationships with the locals. If you’ve been craving a chance to explore a new world for dozens of hours, this one opens up Friday on PlayStation 5/4, Xbox X/S and PC.

JACKSON LEE DAVIS / NETFLIX VIA AP

Madelyn Cline and Chase Stokes star in “Outer Banks.” Season 4 comes to Netflix on Thursday.

TAPE MODERN-BMG / REPUBLIC RECORDS / ATLANTIC RECORDS VIA AP

“Danse Macabre — De Luxe” by Duran Duran, “Beautifully Broken” by Jelly Roll, and “Brat and It’s Completely Different but Also Still Brat” by Charli XCX drop this week.

STATE & NATION

Mexican immigrants plagued by grief, questions after plant workers swept away by Helene

Six workers at Tennessee’s Impact Plastics have not been found

By Leah Willingham

The Associated Press

ERWIN, Tenn. — With shaking hands, Daniel Delgado kissed a photo of his wife, Monica Hernandez, before lighting a candle in a supermarket parking lot. Family members hugged pictures printed on poster board, some collapsing into them in tears as search helicopters flew overhead in the direction of the hills.

Days after six workers at a plastics factory disappeared under surging floodwaters caused by Hurricane Helene, loved ones and supporters have been gathering for vigils in front of churches, a high school and a grocery store to honor them.

The storm, which claimed the lives of at least 230 people across six states, quickly overwhelmed Erwin, an Appalachian town of around 6,000, on Sept. 27 and resulted in more than 50 people being rescued by helicopter from the roof of a submerged hospital.

The scar it left behind has been especially devastating within the small Latino community that makes up a disproportionate number of workers at the factory: Four of the six workers swept away were Mexican American.

Two state investigations have been launched into Impact Plastics and whether the company should have done more to protect workers as the danger grew.

The families of those lost say they still can’t comprehend the ferocity of the storm — or why their loved ones didn’t get out of the factory earlier to avoid the raging floodwaters.

“We ask: ‘Why? Why did she go to work? Why did she stay?’” Hernandez’s sister Guadalupe Hernandez-Corona said, through a translator, after a Thursday night vigil. “We’re all still wondering.”

for up to six hours while making frantic 911 calls and saying goodbyes to loved ones. Some saw coworkers carried off by the current.

Emergency dispatchers said resources were spread thin as a rescue operation was underway over a mile downriver at Unicoi County Hospital.

Normally running 2 feet deep, the Nolichucky River rose to a record 30 feet that day, running at more than 1.4 million gallons per second, which is twice as much as Niagara Falls.

The plastics plant was open, even as local schools shuttered.

Robert Jarvis, who began his shift at 7 a.m., said employees continued to work while receiving phone alerts about possible flooding. Many stayed even after management asked them to move cars because 6 inches of water had accumulated in the parking lot.

“There was time to escape,” he said in a video statement, adding that he was among the last to leave the plant after ensuring everyone was out. The National Guard rescued five employees by helicopter.

But surviving workers say the evacuation began too late. Some clung to pipes on truck flatbeds

Impact Plastics President Gerald O’Connor has said no employees were forced to keep working and were evacuated at least 45 minutes before the massive force of the flood hit the industrial park.

Mother, twin babies among Helene victims

The month-old boys are the youngest-known victims of the storm

By Hannah Schoenbaum

The Associated Press

OBIE WILLIAMS said he could hear babies crying and branches battering the windows when he spoke with his daughter on the phone last week as Hurricane Helene tore through her rural Georgia town.

Kobe Williams, 27, and her month-old twin boys were hunkering down at their trailer home in Thomson, Georgia, with her mother, Mary Jones, who had been helping her take care of the one-month-old babies. Williams’ father sensed his daughter was fearing for her safety, and he said she promised him that she would heed his advice to shelter in the bathroom until the storm passed.

The single mother had been sitting in bed holding sons Khyzier and Khazmir and chatting on the phone with various family members while the storm raged outside.

sons. It’s devastating.”

The babies, born Aug. 20, are the youngest known victims of a storm that had claimed at least 225 lives across Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia and the Carolinas as of midday Saturday. The toll was expected to rise as rescuers reach isolated areas. Among the other young victims are a 7-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy from about 50 miles south in Washington County, Georgia.

“She was so excited to be a mother of those beautiful twin boys,” said Chiquita Jones-Hampton, Kobe Jones’ niece. “She was doing such a good job and was so proud to be their mom.”

Jones-Hampton said the family is in shock and heartbroken. A funeral will be held on Friday.

Employees were finally told to evacuate after the power went out and when the water was about a foot high, he said. Jarvis said he survived only because he was pulled into the bed of someone’s lifted truck, which labored up an all-terrain road for three hours.

Jarvis said the six lost coworkers were “like family” and he feels a responsibility to them to share his experience.

“They shouldn’t have been at work that day,” he said. “None of us should have.”

in Georgia

“Now I’ll never get to meet my grandsons. It’s devastating.”

Obie Williams, father and grandfather to three storm victims

tle over a day after the storm barreled through.

He said one of his sons dodged fallen trees and downed power lines to check on Kobe, and he could barely bear to tell his father what he found.

Many of his 14 other children are still without power in their homes across Georgia. Some have sought refuge in Atlanta, and others have traveled to Augusta to see their father and mourn together, he said.

Minutes later, she was no longer answering their calls. Jones, who was on the other side of the trailer, described hearing a loud crash as a tree fell through the roof of her daughter’s bedroom.

Kobe and the twins were found dead.

“I’d seen pictures when they were born and pictures every day since, but I hadn’t made it out there yet to meet them,”

“Kobe, Kobe, answer me, please,” Jones cried out in desperation, but she received no response.

Obie Williams told The Associated Press days after the storm ravaged eastern Georgia. “Now I’ll never get to meet my grand-

In Obie Williams’ home city of Augusta, 30 miles east of his daughter’s home in Thomson, power lines stretched along the sidewalks, tree branches blocked the roads and utility poles lay cracked and broken. The debris left him trapped in his neighborhood near the South Carolina border for a lit-

He described his daughter as a lovable, social and strong woman. She always had a smile and loved to make people laugh, he said.

And she loved to dance, Jones-Hampton said.

“That was my baby,” Williams said. “And everybody loved her.”

OBIE LEE WILLIAMS VIA AP

Kobe Williams, left, and her twin sons Khazmir Williams and Khyzier Williams were killed in their home in Thomson, Georgia, by a falling tree during Hurricane Helene on Sept. 30.

JEFF ROBERSON / AP PHOTO

Daniel Delgado kneels in front of a photo of his wife, Monica Hernandez, who died at Impact Plastics during flooding caused by Hurricane Helene, while being comforted by his sisterin-law, Guadalupe Hernandez-Corona, during a vigil for victims of the tragedy in Erwin, Tennessee, last Thursday.

Randolph record

Gathering for fall fun

Streets were crowded with hundreds of people for Saturday’s Fall Festival in downtown

organizer.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Patriots will go with Drake Maye, benching Brissett

The New England Patriots reportedly are planning to give first-round draft pick Drake Maye his first pro start in the hopes of ending a four-game losing streak under veteran journeyman quarterback Jacoby Brissett. The decision was first reported by NFL Network. Maye, an N.C. native and star at UNC, made one previous appearance for New England, coming in at the end of a Week 3 loss to the New York Jets and going 4 for 8 with 22 yards. Brissett was 79 for 135 with two touchdowns and one interception in five starts this season. He never threw for more than 150 net yards in a game. The Patriots host the Houston Texans on Sunday.

FEMA administrator decrys false claims as Helene death toll hits 230

The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency is again forcefully pushing back against false claims and conspiracy theories about how her agency is responding to Hurricane Helene. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell appeared Monday in Asheville, North Carolina, to assure residents that the government is ready to help. Misinformation has spread over the past week in communities hit the hardest. Former President Donald Trump and other prominent Republicans have questioned FEMA’s response and claimed that its funding is going to migrants or foreign wars. The death toll from Helene has risen to at least 230.

Commissioners approve purchase of property for new elementary school

The board OK’d the acquisition of 32 acres for the site of the new Liberty Elementary School

By Ryan Henkel Randolph Record

ASHEBORO — The county took a big step toward the construction of a new elementary school when the Randolph County Board of Commissioners approved the purchase of land for the new Liberty Elementary School.

At its Oct. 7 meeting, the board approved the purchase of 32 acres of land at a sale price of $62,500 per acre located at 4547 Starmount Road for the site.

“The board and myself be-

lieve this is the best site for the new school,” said Superintendent Stephen Gainey. “The feasibility study may require us to buy more, so we’ve been given the leeway that if we need up to 40 acres, we could purchase that, but we’re going in at 32 and we hope that will solve it. But if we do the feasibility and environmental studies and it eats into some of the buildable land (22.4 buildable acres), then we may have to buy another acre or two.”

The sale agreement also comes with a 180-day window, which can be extended by 90 days if need be, for the school district to inspect the site and make sure it is in fact usable for their intended purpose.

According to Gainey, the expectation is to have the school

complete by Spring 2027 to be

usable for the 2027-28 school year.

The board also approved a contract with the Town of Liberty to handle its animal control services with the plan for it to be an annually renewing deal, and the purchase of three additional Axon body cameras for the Sheriff’s Office using $2,533 in Law Enforcement Restricted Funds.

“The use of body cameras has become an essential tool in minority law enforcement and providing accountability, transparency and evidence collection and these cameras will help to protect both our officers and the citizens they serve,” said Chief Deputy Aundrea Azelton.

The board also provided a

Early voting period opens next week

There are tweaks to locations for Randolph County early voters

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

ASHEBORO — Early voting begins next week for the Nov. 5 general election. The early voting window runs from Oct. 17 to Nov. 2, with the exception of Oct. 20.

Voting times are 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 27. There are five sites in Randolph County for early voting:

• Archdale: Community Services Building

• Asheboro: Randolph County Board of Elections, North Fayetteville Street

• Asheboro: Randolph Community College’s Corner Foundation Center

• Franklinville United Methodist Church

• Randleman Civic Center

Early voting allows eligible residents to register and vote during the same visit. For all voting in North Carolina, photo identification is required.

Residents of the county can vote at any of the early voting locations. On Election Day, voters must cast ballots at their assigned precinct, and they must already be a registered voter.

“People are really interested in this election,” said Melissa Kirstner, elections director for Randolph County.

The community college site for early voting is an additional venue since the last general election. The Community Services Building in Archdale remains an Election Day precinct and now replaces Braxton Craven School in Trinity on the list of early voting locations.

Kirstner said the Archdale location had at one time been an early voting location. Because of some adjustments at the building, there’s now more space for voters visiting.

“It should work well,” Kirstner said. “There’s room inside for people to wait and they

“We have quite a few new people to work Election Day.”

Melissa Kirstner, Randolph County elections director

shouldn’t have to stand outside.”

The Randolph County Board of Elections received an encouraging response in recruiting election workers this year in anticipation of large turnouts. Kirstner said extra workers have been trained.

“We have quite a few new people to work Election Day,” she said.

County-wide races include competitions for Randolph County Board of Commissioners, Randolph County Schools’ Board of Education, district attorney, and soil and water conservation district supervisor. There are 34 different ballots that will be used in Randolph County depending on the address of the voter and various combinations of rac -

bit of an update on its efforts to support those in the state affected by Hurricane Helene.

“We have a lot of caring hearts,” said County Manager Zeb Holden. “We have a lot of folks within our organization who are spending time in the western part of the state helping in any way possible and providing services.

Right now, it’s more emergency services, rescue services, incident management and that need is going to evolve. They’re going to need folks from planning, folks from tax. … They’re going to need assistance for a long time, and we’re glad to be able to assist as much as we can.”

The Randolph County Board of Commissioners will next meet Nov. 4.

es for voters in particular precincts, Kirstner said. For instance, Archdale has municipal positions (mayor, city council) on the ballot. In Trinity, there are city council seats on the ballot.

Archdale and Trinity will have N.C. House of Representatives District 70 on the ballot.

Liberty voters will have N.C. Senate District 25 and N.C. House of Representatives District 54 on the ballot. Archdale will vote on N.C. Senate District 25, while Trinity has N.C. Senate District 29. That ballot for the southwest part of the county includes N.C. Senate District 29 and N.C. House of Representatives District 78.

In early September, about two dozen people attended an NC Trusted Elections Tour stop in Asheboro, Kirstner said. It was a nonpartisan forum with several election experts making presentations.

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

Asheboro. The Randolph Arts Guild was the event’s

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

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

Well-known Asheville music tradition returns in a sign of hopefulness

munity positive. Maybe help people feel a little bit better.”

By Brittany Peterson The Associated Press

ASHEVILLE — A wellknown Asheville musical tradition returned last Friday night, a sign of hopefulness a week after Helene battered the mountain city.

The Asheville Drum Circle had its first regular Friday night session since the powerful storm blew in. The wind and flooding caused catastrophic damage throughout the mountains.

Amid the post-storm chaos, the sound of drums echoed across Pritchard Park and through nearby streets in downtown Asheville.

Drummer Mel McDonald said he hopes the smaller-than-usual gathering will

“It’s not over, there’s things to look forward to and enjoy yourselves.”

Drummer Mel McDonald

spread cheer during the trying time.

“Now is the most important time for people to see that it’s not over, there’s things to look forward to and enjoy yourselves,” McDonald said.

He drove up from South Carolina with supplies to hand out, and then joined the jam session.

“We normally have a drum circle on every Friday yearround and today seemed like a good day to do something positive, come out and drum, allow people to enjoy themselves, positive vibes,” he said. “Get something out there in the com-

Sarah Owens was in the area Friday evening looking for water and wipes since the building where she lives still has no water.

“I followed the sound of the drum,” Owens said. “It is such a surprise and it is so invigorating and it just makes you feel like there’s hope and there’s life beyond all of this.”

“The human spirit of people coming together is so beautiful, and helping each other and encouraging each one and another,” she added. “And that’s what this music is, it’s encouraging to me.”

The drum circle began in 2001 with about 10 drummers, and can now draw hundreds of musicians and spectators when the weather is warm. The circle takes place in a park downtown near popular bars and restaurants.

CRIME LOG

Oct. 2:

• Alfonzo James Knight, 35, of Greensboro, was arrested by RCSO on multiple bills of indictment.

• Cami Elizabeth Utley, 39, of Seagrove, was arrested by RCSO for possession with intent to manufacture/sell/ deliver Schedule II controlled substance.

Oct. 3:

• Hunter Nicole Newnam, 27, of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO for possession of a stolen motor vehicle.

• Brandon Gregory Ore, 31, of Robersonville, was arrested by RCSO for possession of a stolen motor vehicle and felony conspiracy.

Oct. 4:

• Jayleen Ja’Qual Bowens, 28, of Randleman, was arrested by Asheboro Police for assault on a female and resisting a public officer.

• Samuel Willis Davis, 63, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro Police for possession of methamphetamine, simple

possession of Schedule VI controlled substance, driving while license revoked, and other traffic offenses.

• Jimmy Lee Dawson, 41, of Trinity, was arrested by RCSO for possession of stolen goods.

• Roan Skye Obryant, 24, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro Police for felony possession of Schedule II controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, misdemeanor larceny, and possession of stolen goods.

• Nathan Ray Rich, 46, of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO and Asheboro Police for larceny of a motor vehicle, breaking and entering, larceny after breaking and entering, injury to real property, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, and driving while license revoked.

Oct. 5:

• Brianna Monae Hoskie, 24, of Denton, was arrested by Asheboro Police for breaking or entering a motor vehicle, felony larceny, and possession of stolen goods.

• Raymond Schofield Hyatt, 32, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro Police for seconddegree trespass and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Carey Lawrence Nealy, 38, of Trinity, was arrested by RCSO for assault on a government official, injury to personal property, and resisting a public officer.

• Xavier Jermaine Wilhite, 37, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro Police for possession of methamphetamine, simple assault, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Oct. 6:

• Lindsay Anne Sparks, 39, of Greensboro, was arrested by Asheboro Police for felony conspiracy.

Oct. 7:

• Thomas Brandon Hill, 33, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro Police for breaking and entering, habitual larceny, larceny after breaking and entering, possession of stolen property, and second-degree trespass.

Oct. 12

Oct. 15

BRITTANY PETERSON / AP PHOTO

Mel McDonald plays music at a drum circle in Asheville, a week after Hurricane Helene upended lives across the Southeast.

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

Can we all get along? Yes, by letting the states decide

What residents in red states like Montana and South Carolina object to is New Yorkers telling them how to live their lives.

AT THE TIME OF THIS WRITING, the outcome of the presidential race is pretty close to being a coin flip. So what I write is not in any way influenced by who will win in November, since that is unknowable.

What is a virtual certainty is that on Nov. 6, roughly half the country will be full of joy, and the other half will be in a deep depression likely to last throughout the next four years.

Don’t be surprised if the losing party’s anger and despair spill over into prolonged violent protests—especially in the streets of the major cities. Politics in America is now—regrettably—a contact sport.

Whoever wins, America will be further ripped down its seams. Red- and blue-state America will even be more polarized. Don’t be surprised if half the country is near rebellion against the policies of either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump.

Patronizing speeches by the victor about being president of “all the people” and promises to “unite” will only pour salt in the wounds of the losing side. The Left will detest the Trump agenda. The Right will fight against every element of the Harris agenda. It will feel like an occupation for the 49% on the losing side.

We need to accept the unhappy reality that we are today the Disunited States of America. The U.S. is ideologically, culturally, economically more polarized than perhaps any time since the Civil War. The conservative half of the country is on Venus and the liberal half is on Mars. Yes, there is a moderate/middle section — but the tails have grown more populated and influential. We see in polls that more and more Americans don’t even want to associate with those with different political views. We are also becoming more geographically segregated —

not on the basis of race, ethnicity or income but on ideology. Red states are getting redder. Blue states are getting bluer. In recent years, an estimated 2 million Republicans have moved out of states like New York for states like Florida, Texas and the Carolinas.

Given these realities, is there a way for us to “all get along”?

Fortunately, yes. There is a logical way to keep America “united” as one nation and to avert chaos and mayhem. Fortunately, this solution is entirely consistent with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. For those who have forgotten, the 10th Amendment decrees that all powers not specifically granted to the federal government are reserved to “the states and the people.”

We need a radical return to federalism. We need to devolve powers back to the states.

We as citizens of all states are, of course, united by a common national defense, the commerce clause, which made America the largest and most prosperous free-trade zone in world history and, most importantly, our inalienable rights as citizens as set forth in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. A state, for example, does not have the right to pass laws that would violate a citizen’s right to free speech or peaceful assembly, or to discriminate against citizens on the basis of skin color or gender.

But given the schisms in society, most everything else is better decided at the state — not the federal — level. Issues related to transportation, taxation, education, environment, energy and business regulation belong to the states. Americans are then able to escape from policies they view as oppressive by moving to a state that conforms with their values and lifestyle decisions.

People in Mississippi or Utah have no problem

People hate those who fight evil far more than those who

Communists murdered about 100 million people — all noncombatants and all innocent.

I REALIZED something very important about the human condition when I was in high school. I realized that people tend to hate those who fight evil far more than they hate those engaged in doing evil. What made me come to this conclusion was the way in which many people reacted to communism and to anticommunism.

To my amazement, a great many people — specifically, all leftists and many, though not all, liberals — hated anticommunists far more than they hated communism.

Because of my early preoccupation with good and evil, already in high school, I hated communism. How could one not, I wondered. Along with Nazism, it was the great evil of the 20th century. Needless to say, as a Jew and as a human, I hated Nazism. But as I was born after Nazism was vanquished, the great evil of my time was communism.

Communists murdered about 100 million people — all noncombatants and all innocent. Stalin murdered about 30 million people, including 5 million Ukrainians by starvation (in just two years: 1932-33). Mao killed about 60 million people. Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge (Red Cambodians) killed about 3 million people, one in every four Cambodians, between 1975 and 1979. The North Korean communist regime killed between 2 million and 3 million people, not including another million killed in the Korean War started by the North Korean communists.

For every one of the 100 million killed by

are evil

communists, add at least a dozen more people — family and friends — who were terribly and permanently affected by the death of their family member or friend. Then add another billion whose lives were ruined by having to live in a communist totalitarian state: their poverty, their loss of fundamental human rights and their loss of dignity.

You would think that anyone with a functioning conscience and with any degree of compassion would hate communism. But that was not the case. Indeed, there were many people throughout the noncommunist world who supported communism. And there was an even larger number of people who hated anticommunists, dismissing them as “Cold Warriors,” “warmongers,” “red-baiters,” etc.

At the present time, we are again witnessing this phenomenon — hatred of those who oppose evil rather than of those who do evil — with regard to Israel and its enemies. And on a far greater level. Israel is hated by individuals and governments throughout the world. Israel is the most reviled country at the United Nations as well as in Western media and, of course, in universities. Israel is a liberal democracy with an independent judiciary, independent opposition press, and equal rights for women, gays and its Arab population (20% of the Israeli population). Its enemies — the Iranian regime, Hamas and Hezbollah — allow no such freedoms to those under their control. More relevantly, their primary goal — indeed, their stated

with Californians charging a 13.3% income tax rate, enacting forced union policies, providing free health care to illegal immigrants, shutting down their power plants, abolishing gas stoves or plastic bags, or providing reparation payments to aggrieved groups.

New Yorkers shouldn’t mind if Texans impose no income tax, allow people to drive 75 miles an hour down the highways or regulate how cattle are bred.

What residents in red states like Montana and South Carolina object to is New Yorkers telling them how to live their lives.

We can, under this framework, have Harris policies prevail in blue states and Trump policies prevail in red states, and everyone goes away happy.

No harm, no foul.

Again, the federal government is still responsible for protecting the civil liberties and “inalienable rights” of all residents of the United States. There would be no bringing back Jim Crow laws.

Alas, this framework is exactly the opposite of what Democrats seek. If you examine the Biden and Harris agendas, the Dems are determined to federalize nearly all policies, which forces all Americans in every state to live under the same sets of laws and policies. They want to nationalize union policies, environmental policies, energy policies, welfare policies, taxation and so on. They want to de facto toss out the Ninth and 10th amendments altogether.

This inevitably leads to the tyranny of the majority, which now and after November will be a razor-thin majority dictating policies on all Americans. This tyranny will be even greater felt if either a victorious GOP or the Democrats overturn the filibuster rule of 60 votes to muscle sweeping legislation out of the Senate.

Amazing that some 250 years ago our founding fathers had exactly the right vision for keeping America united in 2024 and beyond.

Stephen Moore is a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation. He is also an economic adviser to the Trump campaign.

reason for being — is to wipe out Israel and its Jewish inhabitants. Hamas and Hezbollah have built nothing, absolutely nothing, in Gaza and Lebanon, respectively. They exist solely to commit genocide against Israel and its Jews. Why did so many people hate anticommunists more than communism? And why do even more people hate Israel more than Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah?

The general reason is that it is emotionally and psychologically difficult for most people to stare evil in the face. Evil is widely described as “dark.” But it is not dark; it is easy to look into the dark. What is far harder to look at is blinding bright light. Perhaps that is why Lucifer, the original name of the Christian devil, comes from the word “light.”

Why this is so — why people will not call evil “evil” — is probably related to a lack of courage. Once one declares something evil, one is morally bound to resist it, and people fear resisting evil. The fools who mock Christianity — whether through a work of “art” like “Piss Christ” (a crucifix in a jar of urine), the Paris Olympics opening ceremony that mocked the Last Supper or the Los Angeles Dodgers honoring the “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” (men in drag dressed as nuns) — would never mock Islam. They fear Muslim wrath; they do not fear Christian wrath. Yet Islamic wrath has done and is doing far more evil in our time than Christian wrath. And there is one additional reason for hating Israel — one that is specific to Israel — rather than those who seek to exterminate Israel: Jewhatred, better known as antisemitism. The people who introduced a judging God and gave the world the Ten Commandments have been hated for thousands of years. Not those who systematically violate those commandments.

Dennis Prager is a nationally syndicated radio talk show host and columnist.

COLUMN | DENNIS PRAGER

COLUMN | STEPHEN MOORE

Joe Reid Covington Jr.

Nov. 22, 1944 –Oct. 6, 2024

Joe Reid Covington Jr., age 79, of Asheboro passed away on October 6, 2024 at Cross Road Retirement Community.

The family will receive friends on Friday, October 18, 2024 from 5:00-7:00 pm at Pugh Funeral Home, 437 Sunset Avenue in Asheboro. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 3:00 pm at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, 505 Mountain Road in Asheboro with Reverend John Campbell officiating.

Brenda Kay Turner

April 23, 1952 – Oct. 7, 2024

Brenda Kay Seabolt Turner, 72, of Asheboro, North Carolina, passed away Monday, October 7, 2024, at Cross Road Retirement Community, Asheboro, NC.

Funeral Service will be conducted at 2 p.m., Friday, October 11, 2024, at Ridge Funeral Home Chapel, with Pastor Ed Arroyo and Pastor Jamie Draughn officiating.

Mrs. Turner was born in Randolph Co., NC, on April 23, 1952, the daughter of the late John Seabolt and Beulah Cox Seabolt. She was in the first graduating class of Southwestern Randolph High School and retired as a CNA at Cross Road Retirement Community. She attended C-4 church in Asheboro, loved her dog “Sweetie”, and enjoyed sending cards to family and friends.

In addition to her parents, Mrs. Turner was preceded in death by her sisters, Patsy Dombrowski and Janet Pierce.

Mrs. Turner is survived by her partner in life, Jacob Lucas, and his children, Aaron Lucas and Iris Wright. She is also survived by her sons, Kevin Turner (Stephanie Younger) of Trinity, John Turner (Angie) of Staley, Don Turner (Angel) of Asheboro; sister, Judy Saunders of Asheboro; brother, Don Seabolt (Pam) of Asheboro; grandchildren, Dylan Turner (Karley), Logan Turner, Austin Turner, Joshua Turner (Taylor), Evan Turner, Jayden Turner, Gabriella Turner; great grandchildren, Laurel Lynn Turner and Rosemary Turner.

The family will receive friends from 12:45 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. on Friday, October 11, 2024, at Ridge Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to Samaritan’s Purse, Attn: Hurricane Helene Relief, PO Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607 or at https://www.samaritanspurse. org/disaster/hurricane-helene/; or to CUOC, 930 S Fayetteville St, Asheboro, NC 27203.

Shirley Varner Moffitt

Oct. 25, 1935 –Oct. 3, 2024

Shirley Varner Moffitt, age 88, of Asheboro passed away on October 3, 2024 at Alpine Health & Rehabilitation.

Mrs. Moffitt was born in Randolph County on October 25, 1935 to Roby and Annie Jackson Varner. Shirley was formerly employed with Von-Tex and Willett’s Mini Mart. She was a member of West Asheboro Baptist Church and attended Balfour Baptist Church. In addition to her parents, Shirley was preceded in death by her stepfather, Bascom “Pops” Allred, husband, Rex Moffitt, brother, Roby “Buck” Varner, and sisters, Leona Gardner and Beulah Mae Roberson. Shirley loved flowers and animals. She loved to talk, never met a stranger, and was known to refer to many as her “boyfriend.”

She is survived by her son, Dean Varner; grandchildren, James Varner and Brittany Varner; and two great-grandchildren.

The family will receive friends on Sunday, October 6, 2024 from 1:30-2:30 p.m. at Pugh Funeral Home, 437 Sunset Avenue in Asheboro. A graveside service will follow on Sunday at 3 p.m. at Oaklawn Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Randolph SPCA, 300 W. Bailey St., Asheboro, NC 27203, or Amedisys Hospice, 2975 Crouse Lane, Burlington, NC 27215, or just do something special for someone else.

Ricky Thomas Loflin

June 15, 1960 –Sept. 28, 2024

Ricky Thomas Loflin, age 64, of Sophia, NC, passed away on Saturday, September 28, 2024, at Wake Forest Baptist Hospital. Ricky was born on June 15, 1960, in Asheboro, NC, to Arthur Thomas Loflin and Shirley Routh Griffin. He spent his life working in construction, and in 1998, he founded Loflin’s Paving, a company he led with passion until his retirement in 2023. Ricky’s love for the outdoors was evident in his hobbies, including racing dirt bikes, where he was a member of the NCHSA (North Carolina Hare Scramble Association) since 1990. He enjoyed fishing with friends and family, spending time outdoors, and teaching kids how to ride dirt bikes. Ricky was known for his dedication to his work, his adventurous spirit, and his love for sharing life’s joys with those around him.

Ricky is predeceased by his wife of 37 years, Karen Lynn Loflin; his father, Arthur Loflin; stepfather Joe Shelton; his sister, Teresa Haithcox; and his nephew, Brandon Moser.

He is survived by his daughter, Dasha Oxendine; grandchildren, Emily and Cheyenne Oxendine, Ava and Cohen Loflin; mother, Shirley Griffin; brothers, Dale Loflin and Scott Loflin (Rachael); nephew, Joshua Loflin (Veronica); niece and nephew, Amber and Isaiah Kimes. He is also survived by his beloved dog Sissy.

The family will receive friends on Friday, October 4, 2024, from 11-11:45 a.m. at Pugh Funeral Home, 600 S. Main St, Randleman. Funeral services will follow at noon with Pastor Marcus Wall officiating. Interment directly after at Randolph Memorial Park. Pugh Funeral Home is serving the Loflin family.

Julia Page Wood

Aug. 17, 1945 –Sept. 30, 2024

Julia Page Wood, age 79, of Asheboro passed away on September 30, 2024 at Forsyth Medical Center.

Julia was born in Tampa, FL on August 17, 1945 to William Penn Wood and Cornelia Hunt Hedrick Wood. She was a 1967 graduate of the University of Chattanooga where she was a member of the Chi Omega Sorority. Julia was a special education teacher with the Lauderdale County, Tennessee School System. She returned to Asheboro in 1992 and was a very active member of the Randolph Book Club. Due to the untimely death of her daughter, Lee Page Viar in 1973, Julia became very active in promoting research and awareness about Reyes Syndrome. In addition to her daughter, Julia was preceded in death by her parents, William and Cornelia Wood, paternal grandparents, John Kerr Wood (Nettie MacAulay), and maternal grandparents, Edward Lawrence Hedrick Sr. (Gladys Page).

She is survived by her son, Charles Viar Jr. of Asheboro; sister, Cornelia Wood Stoudemire of Hickory; and brother, William Penn Wood III (Beth Louise) of Johns Creek, GA.

A graveside memorial service will be held at a later date at Oaklawn Cemetery in Asheboro. Pugh Funeral Home in Asheboro is serving the Wood family.

DeLette Hicks Self

Dec. 4, 1935 –Sept. 28, 2024

DeLette Hicks Self, age 88, of Asheboro passed away on September 28, 2024, at the Randolph Hospice House. Mrs. Self was born in Asheboro on December 4, 1935 to Claude and Ida Lee Maness Hicks. DeLette’s career was in commercial photography studios for the furniture industry that spanned for 33 years. She was formerly employed with Norling Studios and Alderman’s Studios and retired from Tribuzio-Hilliard Studios, Inc. in Greensboro. DeLette was a member of Central Church, where she was a member of the Christian Homemaker’s Class and the Susannah Wesley Sub Group. In addition to her parents, DeLette was preceded in death by her brothers, Glenn, Gene, Hal, Claude Lee Jr., and Winifred and sisters, her twin, Dianne Johnson, Jewell Rich, Nellie Ruth Hicks, and Louise Stienhof, and her very special friend, Norman Nance.

She is survived by her son, Brad Self and wife Belinda of Oak Ridge; granddaughters, Hannah Self and Hollie Self both of Castle Pines, CO; and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 26, 2024 at 11 a.m. at Central Church, 300 South Main Street in Asheboro with Rev. Lonnie Pittman and Rev. Fred Huffstetler officiating. A reception will be held following the service at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 North Michigan Avenue, Floor 17, Chicago, Illinois 60601.

Pugh Funeral Home in Asheboro is serving the Self family.

Daniel Watson Hill Jr.

March 10, 1959 –Sept. 29, 2024

Daniel Watson Hill Jr., 65, of Randleman passed away Sunday, September 29, 2024, at Moses Cone Hospital in Greensboro. He was born March 10, 1959, in High Point, NC to Daniel W. Hill Sr. and Betty Lou Robbins Ogle.

Daniel will be remembered as a loving, caring, devoted father, grandfather, son, brother, and friend. He dedicated his life to his family and their happiness.

Daniel loved spending time outdoors with his children hiking in the mountains and vacationing at Pisgah National Forest. He took great pride in his role as the groundskeeper for the St. Paul Museum in Randleman and Providence Friends Church grounds.

Daniel is survived by his mother, Betty Ogle of Randleman; sons, Joshua Hill of Randleman and Matthew Hill of Randleman; daughter, Bailey Hill of Randleman; halfsister, Barbara Garrou (Victor) of Greensboro; grandchildren, Jackson Hill and Rhett Hill. He is preceded in death by his father, Daniel; stepfather, Bruce; and sister, Karen Smyre.

The family welcomes family and friends to join them for a Celebration of Life on Friday, October 11, 2024, from 4 pm - 6 pm at Pugh Funeral Home, 600 S. Main St, Randleman. Pugh Funeral Home is serving the Hill family.

Richard “Ricky” Lee Lamonds Sr.

Nov. 30, 1945 –Oct. 5, 2024

Richard “Ricky” Lee Lamonds Sr., age 78 of Star, passed away on Saturday, October 5, 2024 at Autumn Care in Biscoe. Ricky was born on November 30, 1945 in Troy N.C. to William Whittaker and Laura Reynolds. Ricky worked with Myrick Construction, Troy Lumber, and also at H & H Furniture in Seagrove. Ricky loved life and being outdoors. He enjoyed fishing and going camping. Rickey is preceded in death by his parents, William and Laura. Ricky is survived by his children, Richard Lamonds Jr. (Glenda) of Star, Timothy Lamonds of Star, Laura Byrd (Eddie Belcher) of Star, Joe Talbert of Star, William Lamonds (Connie) of Aquadale, and Donald Lamonds (Holly) of Denton; 6 grandchildren; and 16 great grandchildren. No service is planned at this time.

In honor of Ricky, the family request donations be made to the charity of the donor’s choice.

Atlas Cleveland Dunn Jr.

Aug. 20, 1930 –Sept. 29, 2024

Atlas Cleveland Dunn Jr., 94, of Siler City was called home to be with his Lord on Sunday, September 29th, 2024, surrounded by family.

AC, as he was affectionately known, was born August 20th, 1930, in Moore County to the late Atlas Cleveland Dunn Sr. and Swannie Caviness Dunn. He is preceded in death by his parents; his first wife of 30 years, Joan Powers Dunn; his son, Jon Christopher Dunn; and his sister, Joyce Dunn McBride.

AC played all three sports while in school at Asheboro City Schools, the two years he was at Mars Hill College, and High Point College where he graduated. He worked at Acme McCrary in Asheboro for 25 years as a Human Resource Manager, he was a stockbroker for Morgan Stanley in Greensboro, and he finally retired from Bell South Telephone, now AT&T, as a Salesman. AC was a huge UNC Tarheel fan, and he founded Youth Football at Asheboro and coached for 25 plus years. He went to all his grandchildren’s sporting events and loved supporting them all. He also enjoyed fishing, boating, and riding motorcycles. He loved traveling and meeting new people. AC and his wife, Brenda Dockery Dunn were married in Alaska. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Asheboro where he taught Sunday school and was a deacon. He attended First United Methodist Church in Siler City.

Left to cherish his memories are his wife of 29 years, Brenda Dockery Dunn; his son, Dr. Cleve Dunn III (Mary) of Asheboro; grandchildren, Megan Dunn Brown (Jonathan); Mariann Dunn Bass (J.D.) of Asheboro; great grandchildren, James Cleveland and Clayton McIntosh, his daughter, Beth Dunn Rush (deceased husband, Scott) of Asheboro; grandchildren, Brandunn Rush (Karla) of Asheboro; great-grandchildren, Scottlyn, Kardunn, and Scout; Brocdunn Rush (Caroline) of Asheboro; great-grandchildren, Clara Grace and Lizzie; grandchild, Joaniebeth Beane (Zac); great-grandchildren, Scottiebeth and Londunn; his son, Jon Christopher “Chris” Dunn (deceased) and wife Teen of Asheboro; grandchildren, Jon Dunn of Asheboro and Kelsey Dunn Anthony (Hunter); his son, Derek Dunn (Ann) of Asheboro; grandchild, Drake Dunn; his sister, Sylvia Poole; his stepdaughters, Kimberly Truitt Blue (Lyle); J.P. Sonnendecker, Aubrey Sonnendecker Kelly (Sawyer), Madeline and Morgan Sonnendecker, Sophie Sonnendecker, and Lexi Sonnendecker, his step great grandchild, Selah Kelly; stepson, David Truitt, stepdaughter, Beth Truitt Elkins (Jay); his grandchildren, Abby Gandee (Brayden), Sawyer Elkins and Ty, stepdaughter, Samantha Koepp (Trevor) and their children, Reagan and Landon.

A funeral service will be held Friday, October 4th, 2024, at 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church in Siler City. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. A graveside service will be held at Oaklawn Cemetery in Asheboro, Friday, October 4th, 2024, at 2:30 p.m. After the graveside, family will be at the home of Brandunn Rush, 2547 Mack Road, Asheboro, NC. Services will be officiated by Reverend Kyle J. Burrows and Reverend Mark Hall of Asheboro First Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to First United Methodist Church of Siler City or First Baptist Church in Asheboro. Smith & Buckner Funeral Home will be assisting the Dunn family.

Tito “Titon” Toribio Jr.

Aug. 30, 1983 –Sept. 28, 2024

Tito “Titon” Toribio Jr., aged 41, passed away on September 28, 2024, in Guilford County, North Carolina. He was born on August 30, 1983, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and was a beloved son, father, brother, uncle, and friend.

Tito pursued his passion for music as a freelance DJ, bringing joy and rhythm to countless events and gatherings. His love for music was matched only by his enthusiasm for softball and his dedication to spending quality time with his family. Tito especially cherished moments with his daughter Kailani, and his nephew Christian Crosson. Known for his fondness for the “occasional drink” and extra, extra mayo, Tito’s humor and zest for life left a lasting impression on everyone he met. He was affectionately known as the godfather of the Greensboro Grasshoppers due to his love and enthusiasm for the team.

He is survived by his loving parents, Tito Sr. and Luz Amador Toribio; his daughter, Kailani Toribio; his sisters, Dilcia Toribio, Luz Toribio, and Kathy Toribio; his brothers, Daniel Toribio and Marco Toribio; his nephew, Christian Crosson and his fiancé, Mahnoor Asif. He also leaves behind hundreds of cousins, aunts, and uncles in the Toribio and Amador families, along with many honorary brothers, including Lucas and Chris.

A visitation will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on Sunday, October 6, 2024, at the Midstate Cremation & Funeral Service Chapel. The funeral service will follow at noon in the chapel, with burial to take place at New Hope Memorial Gardens.

Tito’s warmth, laughter, and love for life will be deeply missed by all who knew him. May he rest in peace.

Thousands still without water struggle to find enough

It could take weeks to get municipal water flowing again

By Michael Phillis and Jeff Amy The Associated Press

ASHEVILLE — Nearly a week after Hurricane Helene brought devastation to western North Carolina, a shiny stainless steel tanker truck in downtown Asheville attracted residents carrying 5-gallon containers, milk jugs and buckets to fill with what has become a desperately scare resource — drinking water.

Flooding tore through the city’s water system, destroying so much infrastructure that officials said repairs could take weeks. To make do, Anna Ramsey arrived Wednesday with her two children, who each left carrying plastic bags filled with 2 gallons of water.

“We have no water. We have no power. But I think it’s also been humbling,” Ramsey said.

Helene’s path through the Southeast left a trail of power outages so large the darkness was visible from space. Tens of trillions of gallons of rain fell and more than 200 people were killed, making Helene the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Katrina in 2005.

Hundreds of people are still unaccounted for, and search crews must trudge through kneedeep debris to learn whether residents are safe.

It also damaged water utilities so severely and over such a wide inland area that one federal official said the toll “could be considered unprecedented.”

As of Thursday, about 136,000 people in the Southeast were served by a nonoperational water provider and more than 1.8 million were living under a boil water advisory, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Western North Carolina was especially hard hit. Officials are facing a difficult rebuilding task made harder by the steep, narrow valleys of the Blue Ridge Mountains that during a more typical October would attract throngs of fall tourists.

“The challenges of the geography are just fewer roads, fewer access points, fewer areas of flat ground to stage resources” said Brian Smith, acting deputy division director for the EPA’s water division in the Southeast.

After days without water, people long for more than just a sponge bath.

“I would love a shower,” said Sue Riles in Asheville. “Running water would be incredible.”

The raging floodwaters of Helene destroyed crucial parts

of Asheville’s water system,

scouring out the pipes that convey water from a reservoir in the mountains above town that is the largest of three water supplies for the system. To reach a second reservoir that was knocked offline, a road had to be rebuilt.

Boosted output from the third source restored water flow in some southern Asheville neighborhoods last Friday, but without full repairs schools may not be able to resume in-person classes, hospitals may not restore normal operations, and the city’s hotels and restaurants may not fully reopen.

Even water that’s unfit to drink is scarce. Drew Reisinger, the elected Buncombe County register of deeds, worries about people in apartments who can’t easily haul a bucket of water from a creek to flush their toilet. Officials are advising people to collect nondrinkable water for household needs from a local swimming pool.

“One thing no one is talking about is the amount of poop that exists in every toilet in Asheville,” he said. “We’re dealing with a public health emergency.”

It’s a situation that becomes more dangerous the longer it lasts. Even in communities fortunate enough to have running water, hundreds of providers have issued boil water notices indicating the water could be contaminated. But boiling water for cooking and drinking is time consuming and small mistakes can cause stomach illness, according to Natalie Exum, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

“Every day that goes by, you could be exposed to a pathogen,” Exum said. “These basic services that we take for granted in our everyday lives actually do do a lot to prevent illness.”

Travis Edwards’ faucet worked immediately after the storm. He filled as many containers as he could for himself and his child, but it didn’t take long for the flow to weaken, then stop. They rationed water, switching to hand sanitizer and barely putting any on toothbrushes.

“(We) didn’t realize how dehydrated we were getting,” he said.

Federal officials have shipped millions of gallons of water to areas where people also might not be able to make phone calls or switch on the lights.

Power has been restored to about 62% of homes and businesses and 8,000 crews are out working to restore power in the hardest hit parts of North Carolina, federal officials said Thursday. In 10 counties, about half of the cell sites are still down.

The first step for some utilities is simply figuring out how bad the damage is, a job that might require EPA expertise in extreme cases. Ruptured water pipes are a huge problem. They often run beneath roads, many of which were crumpled and twisted by floodwaters.

“Pretty much anytime you see a major road damaged, there’s a very good chance that there’s a pipe in there that’s also gotten damaged,” said Mark White, drinking water global practice leader at the engineering firm CDM Smith.

Generally, repairs start at the treatment plant and move outward, with fixes in nearby big pipes done first, according to the EPA.

“Over time, you’ll gradually get water to more and more people,” White said.

Many people are still missing, and water repair employees don’t typically work around search and rescue operations. It takes a toll, according to Kevin Morley, manager of federal rela-

tions with the American Water Works Association.

“There’s emotional support that is really important for all the people involved. You’re seeing people’s lives just wiped out,” he said.

Even private well owners aren’t immune. Pumps on private wells may have lost power and overtopping floodwaters can contaminate them.

There’s often a “blind faith” assumption that drinking water won’t fail. In this case, the technology was insufficient, according to Craig Colten. Before retiring to Asheville, he was a professor in Louisiana focused on resilience to extreme weather. He hopes Helene will prompt politicians to spend more to ensure infrastructure withstands destructive storms.

And climate change will only make the problem more severe, said Erik Olson, a health and food expert at the nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council.

“I think states and the federal government really need to step back and start looking at how we’re going to prepare for these extreme weather events that are going to be occurring and recurring every single year,” he said.

Edwards has developed a system to save water. He’ll soap dirty dishes and rinse them with a trickle of water with bleach, which is caught and transferred to a bucket — useable for the toilet.

Power and some cell service have returned for him. And water distribution sites have guaranteed some measure of normalcy: Edwards feels like he can start going out to see friends again.

“To not feel guilty about using more than a cup of water to, like, wash yourself … I’m really, really grateful,” he said.

BRITTANY PETERSON / AP PHOTO

Michael Traister fills a bag of drinking water in Asheville.

STATE & NATION

Mexican immigrants plagued by grief, questions after plant workers swept away by Helene

Six workers at Tennessee’s Impact Plastics have not been found

By Leah Willingham

The Associated Press

ERWIN, Tenn. — With shaking hands, Daniel Delgado kissed a photo of his wife, Monica Hernandez, before lighting a candle in a supermarket parking lot. Family members hugged pictures printed on poster board, some collapsing into them in tears as search helicopters flew overhead in the direction of the hills.

Days after six workers at a plastics factory disappeared under surging floodwaters caused by Hurricane Helene, loved ones and supporters have been gathering for vigils in front of churches, a high school and a grocery store to honor them.

The storm, which claimed the lives of at least 230 people across six states, quickly overwhelmed Erwin, an Appalachian town of around 6,000, on Sept. 27 and resulted in more than 50 people being rescued by helicopter from the roof of a submerged hospital.

The scar it left behind has been especially devastating within the small Latino community that makes up a disproportionate number of workers at the factory: Four of the six workers swept away were Mexican American.

Two state investigations have been launched into Impact Plastics and whether the company should have done more to protect workers as the danger grew.

The families of those lost say they still can’t comprehend the ferocity of the storm — or why their loved ones didn’t get out of the factory earlier to avoid the raging floodwaters.

“We ask: ‘Why? Why did she go to work? Why did she stay?’” Hernandez’s sister Guadalupe Hernandez-Corona said, through a translator, after a Thursday night vigil. “We’re all still wondering.”

for up to six hours while making frantic 911 calls and saying goodbyes to loved ones. Some saw coworkers carried off by the current.

Emergency dispatchers said resources were spread thin as a rescue operation was underway over a mile downriver at Unicoi County Hospital.

Normally running 2 feet deep, the Nolichucky River rose to a record 30 feet that day, running at more than 1.4 million gallons per second, which is twice as much as Niagara Falls.

The plastics plant was open, even as local schools shuttered.

Robert Jarvis, who began his shift at 7 a.m., said employees continued to work while receiving phone alerts about possible flooding. Many stayed even after management asked them to move cars because 6 inches of water had accumulated in the parking lot.

“There was time to escape,” he said in a video statement, adding that he was among the last to leave the plant after ensuring everyone was out. The National Guard rescued five employees by helicopter.

But surviving workers say the evacuation began too late. Some clung to pipes on truck flatbeds

Impact Plastics President Gerald O’Connor has said no employees were forced to keep working and were evacuated at least 45 minutes before the massive force of the flood hit the industrial park.

Mother, twin babies among Helene victims

The month-old boys are the youngest-known victims of the storm

By Hannah Schoenbaum

The Associated Press

OBIE WILLIAMS said he could hear babies crying and branches battering the windows when he spoke with his daughter on the phone last week as Hurricane Helene tore through her rural Georgia town.

Kobe Williams, 27, and her month-old twin boys were hunkering down at their trailer home in Thomson, Georgia, with her mother, Mary Jones, who had been helping her take care of the one-month-old babies. Williams’ father sensed his daughter was fearing for her safety, and he said she promised him that she would heed his advice to shelter in the bathroom until the storm passed.

The single mother had been sitting in bed holding sons Khyzier and Khazmir and chatting on the phone with various family members while the storm raged outside.

sons. It’s devastating.”

The babies, born Aug. 20, are the youngest known victims of a storm that had claimed at least 225 lives across Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia and the Carolinas as of midday Saturday. The toll was expected to rise as rescuers reach isolated areas. Among the other young victims are a 7-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy from about 50 miles south in Washington County, Georgia.

“She was so excited to be a mother of those beautiful twin boys,” said Chiquita Jones-Hampton, Kobe Jones’ niece. “She was doing such a good job and was so proud to be their mom.”

Jones-Hampton said the family is in shock and heartbroken. A funeral will be held on Friday.

Employees were finally told to evacuate after the power went out and when the water was about a foot high, he said. Jarvis said he survived only because he was pulled into the bed of someone’s lifted truck, which labored up an all-terrain road for three hours.

Jarvis said the six lost coworkers were “like family” and he feels a responsibility to them to share his experience.

“They shouldn’t have been at work that day,” he said. “None of us should have.”

in Georgia

“Now I’ll never get to meet my grandsons. It’s devastating.”

Obie Williams, father and grandfather to three storm victims

tle over a day after the storm barreled through.

He said one of his sons dodged fallen trees and downed power lines to check on Kobe, and he could barely bear to tell his father what he found.

Many of his 14 other children are still without power in their homes across Georgia. Some have sought refuge in Atlanta, and others have traveled to Augusta to see their father and mourn together, he said.

Minutes later, she was no longer answering their calls. Jones, who was on the other side of the trailer, described hearing a loud crash as a tree fell through the roof of her daughter’s bedroom.

Kobe and the twins were found dead.

“I’d seen pictures when they were born and pictures every day since, but I hadn’t made it out there yet to meet them,”

“Kobe, Kobe, answer me, please,” Jones cried out in desperation, but she received no response.

Obie Williams told The Associated Press days after the storm ravaged eastern Georgia. “Now I’ll never get to meet my grand-

In Obie Williams’ home city of Augusta, 30 miles east of his daughter’s home in Thomson, power lines stretched along the sidewalks, tree branches blocked the roads and utility poles lay cracked and broken. The debris left him trapped in his neighborhood near the South Carolina border for a lit-

He described his daughter as a lovable, social and strong woman. She always had a smile and loved to make people laugh, he said.

And she loved to dance, Jones-Hampton said.

“That was my baby,” Williams said. “And everybody loved her.”

OBIE LEE WILLIAMS VIA AP

Kobe Williams, left, and her twin sons Khazmir Williams and Khyzier Williams were killed in their home in Thomson, Georgia, by a falling tree during Hurricane Helene on Sept. 30.

JEFF ROBERSON / AP PHOTO

Daniel Delgado kneels in front of a photo of his wife, Monica Hernandez, who died at Impact Plastics during flooding caused by Hurricane Helene, while being comforted by his sisterin-law, Guadalupe Hernandez-Corona, during a vigil for victims of the tragedy in Erwin, Tennessee, last Thursday.

RandolpH SPORTS

ON THE MARKET AGAIN

league

for

Providence Grove tabs Cheek as girls’ coach

A former member of the boys’ basketball staff takes on a new role

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

CLIMAX — Steven Cheek has returned to a coaching role at Providence Grove, this time as the girls’ basketball coach.

Cheek will be the third head coach of the Patriots program in three seasons.

“I always knew I wanted to coach,” he said.

Cheek, 29, spent four seasons on the boys’ basketball coaching staff at the Providence Grove before going to Southern Guilford last season as an assistant coach.

He said that gave him a different experience and he hopes that additional background will be valuable.

Cheek said this assignment, which is his first as a varsity head coach, brings him back closer to his roots.

“I want to compete from Day 1.”

Steven Cheek, Providence Grove coach

“I thought it would be good to be back home,” he said.

Cheek is a 2013 graduate of Eastern Randolph. He has been a physical education teacher for several years in the Randolph County School System, splitting time between Liberty Elementary School and Franklinville Elementary School. Providence Grove had a coaching vacancy after Johnathan Gainey, who was in the role for one season, departed to take the coaching position at West Forsyth. The Patriots posted a 15-12 record last season and placed third in the Piedmont Athletic Conference.

Cheek was on the staff for Providence Grove’s PAC regular-season championship boys’

PHOTO

Steven Cheek

team in 2021-22 under coach Wes Luther. Cheek said he also was on the staff for Southeast Guilford’s girls’ team when it won the 2019 Class 3A state title.

Cheek said he considers the PAC a hotbed for girls’ basketball and he’d like the Patriots to be a part of that conversation. He said Providence Grove should have enough returning players with experience to maintain an upward trend.

“I want to compete from Day 1,” he said.

Providence Grove’s opener is listed for Nov. 22 at home against Chatham Charter.

College golf makes stop at Top Hill Farm

The course outside of Asheboro welcomed 11 women’s teams

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

ASHEBORO — A college women’s golf tournament at Tot Hill Farm Golf Club could be just the beginning.

The Randolph County venue was the site of the Tot Hill Farm Invitational for two days last month. It was the first competition of this nature since the sale of the club in Decem-

ber 2022, though the course was also closed for a renovation project since then.

“From what I’ve heard, it’s going to be an annual thing,” said Ben Sloan, a golf pro and lead instructor at the club. “It’s always good to have that caliber of player out here.”

College of Charleston was the host school, and there was a clear connection that made it happen.

Pat Barber, who’s from Charleston, is the new owner of Tot Hill Farm Golf Club. He owns two courses in the Charleston, including The

Links at Stono Ferry.

College of Charleston has used The Links at Stono Ferry as a practice facility and longtime Cougars coach Jamie Futrell had connections with Barber and Sloan, who spent eight years at The Links at Stono Ferry before making the move to the Asheboro club.

Sloan said club ownership was interested in bringing a college tournament to Tot Hill Farm Golf Club.

Futrell, who didn’t respond to an interview request, and

See GOLF, page A2

in college, is a free agent as of the beginning of this

college for

PAC openers go smoothly for perfect Wildcats, Tigers

Providence Grove snapped a four-game losing streak by winning at Trinity in league play

Randolph Record staff

EASTERN RANDOLPH and Randleman football teams had no problems at the launch of Piedmont Athletic Conference play.

The undefeated squads rolled in their respective league openers Friday night.

Eastern Randolph 49, Southwestern Randolph 0: At Asheboro, Cade McCallum threw for five touchdowns for the visiting Wildcats (6-0 overall).

Rayden West and DeSean Shamberger each caught two scoring passes and Chance Holdaway had the other TD catch. James Combs had a touchdown run.

Lucas Smith gained 121 rushing yards in the first half. Southwestern Randolph (3-3) committed three turnovers. Randleman 44, Wheatmore 0: At Randleman, John Kirkpatrick fired four touchdown passes as the Tigers (6 0) eased to a homecoming victory.

Daylan Atkins ran for touchdowns from 1 and 16 yards out. Two of the scoring passes went to Tyshaun Goldston, who collected six catches for 132 yards. Chase Farlow and Brayden Gladden also had touchdown receptions. Kirkpatrick racked up 250 passing yards.

Christian McLeod kicked a 37-yard field goal. Wheatmore (0-6), which has never defeated Randleman in 16 meetings, committed three turnovers.

Providence Grove 42,

FRIDAY’S GAMES

• Randleman at Providence Grove

• Trinity at Eastern Randolph

• Southwestern Randolph at Wheatmore

• Asheboro at Central Davidson

Trinity 21: At Trinity, Jackson Lawver ran for two touchdowns and threw for another and Brady Collins had a touchdown run and TD pass as the visiting Patriots won their PAC opener. Andrew Thomas caught touchdown passes from Collins and Lawver. Jacob Flinchum added a touchdown run for the Patriots (2-4), who snapped a four-game losing streak. Lawver rushed for 90 yards.

The Bulldogs (2-4), who’ve lost three in a row, trailed 15-7 at halftime on homecoming. Collins, Flinchum and Jameson Summey all intercepted passes for Providence Grove.

Oak Grove 45, Asheboro 28: At Winston-Salem, Asheboro’s defense didn’t hold up in the Mid-Piedmont Conference opener for both teams. The Blue Comets (2-4) received three touchdown passes from Logan Loughlin, with those going to Trevor Cassidy, Elijah Woodle and Jewel Barrett-Riggins. Asheboro’s Connor Brinton, who gained 102 yards on 24 carries, had a fourth-quarter touchdown run. Loughlin threw for 258 yards.

Oak Grove (5-1) led 28-14 at halftime and then scored the only 10 points of the third quarter on Eli Fulcher’s 45yard field goal and Karson Williams’ 16-yard run.

CHRIS O’MEARA / AP PHOTO

Major

pitcher Trevor Richards, who pitched for the Asheboro Copperheads (now Asheboro ZooKeepers) while

month. He has pitched in the big leagues

the Miami Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays, Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays and Minnesota Twins. Richards played in

Drury while spending time in the summer of 2014 in Asheboro.

COURTESY

UCA makes bid for volleyball title

HOME PLATE MOTORS

Jonathan Cortes

Cortes has been a key upperclassman on a team that has received large contributions from a cast of younger newcomers.

Cortes, a senior forward, entered this week with a share of the team’s scoring lead with 11 goals.

The Patriots snapped a four-game losing streak by winning 6-4 last week at Eastern Randolph, with Cortes scoring one of the goals in the Piedmont Athletic Conference game.

Cortes registered two goals in last week’s 5-4 nonconference road loss to Lexington.

With an 8-8 record, the Patriots have eclipsed their victory total from the last four seasons combined.

Randolph record staff

UWHARRIE CHARTER

Academy’s volleyball team has tightened the race atop the Piedmont Athletic Conference.

The Eagles pulled even with first-place Randleman in the loss column by defeating the visiting Tigers last week.

The Eagles won 15-12, 22-25, 21-25, 25-18, 25-6 with Emory Johnson’s 40 assists, Carolina Way’s 19 kills and 17 digs and Kayden Faglier’s 10 kills and seven blocks leading the way.

UCA kept the momentum by sweeping host Eastern Randolph.

Randleman got back on track with a sweep of visiting Providence Grove with Camryn Vickery’s 39 assists and Camden Scott’s 19 kills and 15 digs boosting the cause.

• Trinity had a big week by sweeping host Providence Grove in PAC play as Kaitly McCoy cranked out 11 kills, 11 digs and six aces, Karrington Batten had 14 kills and Avalynn Johnson provided 26 assists.

Then the Bulldogs overwhelmed visiting Jordan-Matthews in three sets with Bat-

ten’s 12 kills and Avery Moffitt’s 10 kills and four aces, and Faith Powell’s 16 digs among the key contributions in the non-conference match.

• Asheboro stopped visiting Central Davidson in four sets as Emma Kate Forester had 14 kills, Eva Vuncannon supplied 21 assists, Emma Grace Leroy had 19 assists and Lia George added 12 digs and seven kills. The Blue Comets also edged host North Davidson in five sets with Forester’s 20 kills, Emma Ingold’s 16 digs, Emma Little’s 27 digs and Leroy’s 26 assists making impacts.

Boys’ soccer

Asheboro cruised past host Central Davidson 9-0 with Cam Letterlough’s four goals and two assists, Alexander Diaz’s two goals and Diego Bustamante’s three assists some of the top numbers. The Blue Comets also wiped out visiting North Davidson 7-1 as Letterlough scored three goals and assisted on two others and Alexander Diaz had two goals.

Through 15 games, Asheboro is averaging 5.9 goals per outing.

• In the PAC, undefeated Southwestern Randolph dominated Wheatmore for a 9-0 tri-

umph and did similar work in a 9-0 romp past Eastern Randolph that included two goals apiece from Kevin Garcia, Fernando Hernandez and Yael Rebollar Ortiz, who also provided two assists.

• Randleman, which is in second place behind Southwestern Randolph, handled host Providence Grove 6-1. Randleman then needed two overtimes in a home game to nip third-place Trinity 2-1 with goals from Francisco Vences and Chris Lopez.

• UCA’s Jaydon DeNamur scored three goals in a 4-0 blanking of host Wheatmore. Isaac Jaramillo assisted twice.

• Providence Grove’s Seth Johnson and Saul Cortes each scored two goals in a 6-4 road victory against Eastern Randoph.

Girls’ tennis

Providence Grove and Trinity both finished 9-1 in regular-season PAC play to tie for first place. They were the only teams with winning records in league play.

Last week, Providence Grove defeated Trinity in a special tiebreaker match to determine the top seed from the conference for the dual team state playoffs.

Sportsplex draws teams for tourneys

New facility in Asheboro is the site for soccer and lacrosse events

Randolph record staff

ASHEBORO — The second of two major youth tournaments at Zoo City Sportsplex is slated for this weekend.

City officials said that there could be thousands of visitors to Asheboro, particularly on

an assistant coach played the course months ago before signing off on being the tournament host and gathering commitments from other teams.

“He liked it and decided to roll with it,” Sloan said.

The Cougars had made a trip to Randolph County for rounds at Tot Hill Farm Golf Club, so they became familiar with the layout. They also arrived a couple of days pri-

Zoo Parkway and surrounding areas. On Saturday and Sunday, the Carolina Pumpkin Classic for lacrosse is slated. This competition includes boys’ and girls’ teams in the 9-and-under through 14-and-under age divisions. The tournaments include three divisions on the high school level. All teams are guaranteed to play at least five games.

or to the tournament for more rounds at the course.

College of Charleston, the host of the 11-team event, won the tournament at 3-over for a 10-stroke edge on East Carolina. Coastal Carolina (25-over) was third and Elon (36-over) placed fourth.

College of Charleston senior Emma Schimpf was the individual medalist at 1-unde-par 215. She shot rounds of 77, 68 and 70. Teammate Emilie von Finckenstein was a shot back at even par (71, 69, 76).

Last weekend, the Velocity Super Cup was held for boys’ and girls’ soccer. Those tournaments were geared for 11-and-under through 18-and-under divisions as organized by Raleigh-based Carolina Velocity FC. All eight fields at the sportsplex are in use for these tournaments. A grand opening for the sportsplex was held earlier this year.

The field also included instate teams Appalachian State, Gardner-Webb, Queens and Western Carolina plus Marshall, Presbyterian and USC Upstate.

“The course held up well,” Sloan said of providing a challenging test for the college golfers.

Sloan said that women’s teams from High Point and UNC Greensboro held practice rounds weeks before for the invitational but weren’t in the tournament field.

PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD

Jonathan Cortes of Providence Grove’s boys’ soccer team makes a move with the ball last week.

GOLF from page A1

COURTESY PHOTO

College of Charleston’s Emma Schimpf won the Tot Hill Farm Invitational.

Asheboro showcased more offensive power in soccer

pen & paper pursuits

this week in history

Agnew resigned, Ed Sullivan died, Hazel pummeled N.C., Marie Antoinette beheaded

OCT. 10

1845: The U.S. Naval Academy was established in Annapolis, Maryland, with an inaugural class of 50 students.

1911: Chinese revolutionaries launched an uprising that led to the collapse of the Qing (or Manchu) Dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China.

1935: The George Gershwin opera “Porgy and Bess” opened on Broadway.

1973: Vice President Spiro T. Agnew resigned his office and pleaded no contest to one count of federal income tax evasion.

OCT. 11

1968: Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo mission, was launched.

1984: Challenger astronaut Kathryn D. Sullivan became the first American woman to walk in space.

OCT. 12

1492: Christopher Columbus’s first expedition made landfall on what is now San Salvador Island in the Bahamas.

1870: Gen. Robert E. Lee died in Lexington, Virginia, at age 63.

1973: President Richard Nixon nominated House minority leader Gerald R. Ford of Michigan to succeed Spiro T. Agnew as vice president.

1984: British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher escaped

an attempt on her life when an Irish Republican Army bomb exploded at a hotel in Brighton, England.

OCT. 13

1792: The cornerstone of the executive mansion, later known as the White House, was laid by President George Washington during a ceremony in the District of Columbia.

1943: Italy declared war on Germany, its one-time Axis partner.

1972: A Uruguayan chartered flight carrying 45 people crashed in the Andes; survivors resorted to cannibalism to stay alive until they were rescued more than two months later.

1974: Ed Sullivan died in New York City at age 73.

2010: Rescuers in Chile, using a missile-like escape capsule, pulled 33 men one by one to fresh air and freedom 69 days after they were trapped in a collapsed mine a half-mile underground.

OCT. 14

1066: Normans under William the Conqueror defeated the English at the Battle of Hastings.

1947: U.S. Air Force Capt. Chuck Yeager became the first test pilot to break the sound barrier.

1964: Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was named winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

1990: Composer-conductor Leonard Bernstein died at age 72.

OCT. 15

1815: Napoleon Bonaparte arrived on the British-ruled South Atlantic island of St.

Helena, where he spent the rest of his life in exile.

1954: Hurricane Hazel made landfall on the Carolina coast as a Category 4 storm; Hazel was blamed for some 1,000 deaths in the Caribbean, 95 in the U.S. and 81 in Canada.

1966: The Black Panther Party was founded by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale.

1991: The Senate confirmed the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the U.S. Supreme Court, 52-48.

OCT. 16

1793: During the French Revolution, Marie Antoinette, the queen of France, was beheaded.

1859: Radical abolitionist

John Brown led a raid on the U.S. arsenal at Harpers Ferry in what was then a part of western Virginia.

1934: Chinese Communists began their “long march” lasting a year from southeastern to northwestern China.

1962: The Cuban missile crisis began.

AP PHOTO

Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was named winner of the Nobel Peace Prize on Oct. 14, 1964.

JORGE SAENZ / AP PHOTO

Thirty-three miners were rescued from San Jose mine near Copiapo, Chile, after more than two months trapped underground on Oct. 13, 2010.

HOKE COUNTY

Bucking the trend

Priscila Machuca Sostre (left) and Emilee Mandarino exchange congratulations during a 3-0 win over Douglas Byrd. The Bucks recently had a six-game winning streak and are having their best season in decades.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Patriots will go with Drake Maye, benching Brissett

The New England Patriots reportedly are planning to give first-round draft pick Drake Maye his first pro start in the hopes of ending a four-game losing streak under veteran journeyman quarterback Jacoby Brissett. The decision was first reported by NFL Network. Maye, an N.C. native and star at UNC, made one previous appearance for New England, coming in at the end of a Week 3 loss to the New York Jets and going 4 for 8 with 22 yards. Brissett was 79 for 135 with two touchdowns and one interception in five starts this season. He never threw for more than 150 net yards in a game. The Patriots host the Houston Texans on Sunday.

FEMA administrator decrys false claims as Helene death toll hits 230

The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency is again forcefully pushing back against false claims and conspiracy theories about how her agency is responding to Hurricane Helene. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell appeared Monday in Asheville, North Carolina, to assure residents that the government is ready to help. Misinformation has spread over the past week in communities hit the hardest.

Former President Donald Trump and other prominent Republicans have questioned FEMA’s response and claimed that its funding is going to migrants or foreign wars. The death toll from Helene has risen to at least 230.

Commissioners to hold hearing on water and sewer allocation ordinance

The county is looking to better protect its citizens’ continued access to water with the new ordinance

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

RAEFORD – Hoke County is hoping to better protect its water and its citizens’ access to water with a new proposed ordinance.

At its Oct. 7 meeting, the Hoke County Board of Commissioners was presented with a Water and Sewer Allocation Ordinance which gives greater

control and guidelines to the county.

“When you guys hired me, you brought me in so we could actually get utilities back to where it needed to be,” said Utilities Director James McQueen. “Since that time, we’ve done a lot of studies and we’ve looked at a lot of data and what we’ve done since I’ve been here, we’ve basically balanced the checkbook. We were writing and giving out allocations to basically any location without doing a check balancing process. So what my staff has done is we’ve gone through the process of going through and looking at all of the allocation

that has already been promised and we’ve looked at all of the actual meters that we have in our system.”

The ordinance would cap the water allocation for development at 50 lots per application and reserves the county’s right to maintain a minimum of 30% capacity of its available water and sewer as a safeguard.

“What we’re trying to do in this ordinance is that we cannot risk our citizens that have water right now, not having water a year from now because we wanted to meet the demand of developers coming over and wanting to develop

Many voters in NC have bigger problems than politics

Helene changed everything for many in western NC

By Makiya Seminera

The Associated Press

VILAS — Brad Farrington pulls over to grab a case of water bottles being passed out in Vilas, a small rural community tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains. He’s on his way to help a friend who lost much of what he owned when Hurricane Helene blew through last weekend. His friend, like countless others across western North Carolina, is starting over, which explains why Farrington isn’t thinking too much about politics or the White House race between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Ka-

mala Harris right now.

“I don’t believe people’s hope is in either people that are being elected,” he said.

Farrington pauses, then gestures toward a dozen volunteers loading water and other necessities into cars and trucks.

“I believe we’re finding a lot more hope within folks like this,” he said.

In the election’s final weeks, people in North Carolina and Georgia, influential swing states, are dealing with more immediate concerns: widespread storm damage. If that weren’t enough, voters in Watauga County, a ticket-splitting Appalachian county that has become more Democratic in recent years, must contend with politicians laying blame while offering support as they campaign in a race that could

be decided by any small shift. Large uprooted trees litter the sides of roads, sometimes blocking driveways. Some homes in Vilas are inaccessible after bridges collapsed and roads crumbled. More populous areas like Boone, home of Appalachian State, saw major flooding. Residents wonder where are missing friends and relatives, is there enough food and water to last until new supplies arrive, and how will they rebuild. The focus is on survival, not politics — and may remain that way for weeks.

Politicians travel to affected battleground states

Trump and Harris have visited North Carolina and Georgia five times since the storm

land and sell all that they can sell,” said Commissioner Tony Hunt. “I’m not going to sit up here on this commission and allow that to happen. I’m going to protect the citizens that are here now. … We don’t want to stop growth because if something doesn’t grow it dies, but we have to have smart growth.” However, the commissioners voted to hold a public hearing on Oct. 21 to hear public opinion on the ordinance.

“We’ve made sure that the county will be viable moving forward,” McQueen said. “I know the ordinance may not

hit. Trump was in North Carolina on Friday, and Harris was there the next day.

After Trump went to Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday, 20-year-old Fermin Herrera said the former president clinched his vote with his display of caring, not out of any frustration with how President Joe Biden and Harris, the vice president, are handling the federal disaster response. Herrera already leaned toward voting for Trump.

“I feel like everybody’s kind doing what they can,” he said. “All the locals are appreciating the help that’s coming.”

Trump, who has his own mixed record on natural disaster response, attacked Biden

be perfect yet, but we will work to make sure it becomes perfect and we will develop and we will close every loophole that the ordinance may have.”

The board also held two public hearings with the first being for a special use permit request for 2.0 acres of property located at 3991 Fayetteville Rd. for the purpose of a tattoo business and the second being for a rezoning request for 4.5 acres of property located at 2197 Highway 401 Business from Residential Manufactured Home (RMH) to Highway Commercial (HC).

Finally, the board approved the advertisement of an offer to purchase surplus property located at 186 Raindrop Loop at approximately $4,800 and the declaration of nearly $10,000 in over a decade old owed taxes as insolvent.

The board was also presented with the support efforts that the county engaged in in response to Hurricane Helene.

“I sent our emergency management department to western North Carolina,” said County Manager Letitia Edens. “They’ll periodically go and we’ll keep sending our team there. We also sent some donations of stuff we had there on behalf of Hoke County.”

“This office has never deployed outside of a couple of counties,” said Emergency Management Coordinator Andrew Jacobs. “We worked the US Open in Moore County and been to different events three or four counties away, but the idea of us going down range for a week hadn’t happened before. This storm is more than what has been categorized in the news as North Carolina’s Katrina. It is far more than that.”

The Hoke County Board of Commissioners will next meet Oct. 21.

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

Can we all get along? Yes, by letting the states decide

What residents in red states like Montana and South Carolina object to is New Yorkers telling them how to live their lives.

AT THE TIME OF THIS WRITING, the outcome of the presidential race is pretty close to being a coin flip. So what I write is not in any way influenced by who will win in November, since that is unknowable.

What is a virtual certainty is that on Nov. 6, roughly half the country will be full of joy, and the other half will be in a deep depression likely to last throughout the next four years.

Don’t be surprised if the losing party’s anger and despair spill over into prolonged violent protests—especially in the streets of the major cities. Politics in America is now—regrettably—a contact sport.

Whoever wins, America will be further ripped down its seams. Red- and blue-state America will even be more polarized. Don’t be surprised if half the country is near rebellion against the policies of either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump.

Patronizing speeches by the victor about being president of “all the people” and promises to “unite” will only pour salt in the wounds of the losing side. The Left will detest the Trump agenda. The Right will fight against every element of the Harris agenda. It will feel like an occupation for the 49% on the losing side.

We need to accept the unhappy reality that we are today the Disunited States of America. The U.S. is ideologically, culturally, economically more polarized than perhaps any time since the Civil War. The conservative half of the country is on Venus and the liberal half is on Mars. Yes, there is a moderate/middle section — but the tails have grown more populated and influential. We see in polls that more and more Americans don’t even want to associate with those with different political views. We are also becoming more geographically segregated —

not on the basis of race, ethnicity or income but on ideology. Red states are getting redder. Blue states are getting bluer. In recent years, an estimated 2 million Republicans have moved out of states like New York for states like Florida, Texas and the Carolinas.

Given these realities, is there a way for us to “all get along”?

Fortunately, yes. There is a logical way to keep America “united” as one nation and to avert chaos and mayhem. Fortunately, this solution is entirely consistent with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. For those who have forgotten, the 10th Amendment decrees that all powers not specifically granted to the federal government are reserved to “the states and the people.”

We need a radical return to federalism. We need to devolve powers back to the states.

We as citizens of all states are, of course, united by a common national defense, the commerce clause, which made America the largest and most prosperous free-trade zone in world history and, most importantly, our inalienable rights as citizens as set forth in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. A state, for example, does not have the right to pass laws that would violate a citizen’s right to free speech or peaceful assembly, or to discriminate against citizens on the basis of skin color or gender.

But given the schisms in society, most everything else is better decided at the state — not the federal — level. Issues related to transportation, taxation, education, environment, energy and business regulation belong to the states. Americans are then able to escape from policies they view as oppressive by moving to a state that conforms with their values and lifestyle decisions.

People in Mississippi or Utah have no problem

People hate those who fight evil far more than those who are evil

Communists murdered about 100 million people — all noncombatants and all innocent.

I realized something very important about the human condition when I was in high school.

I realized that people tend to hate those who fight evil far more than they hate those engaged in doing evil. What made me come to this conclusion was the way in which many people reacted to communism and to anticommunism.

To my amazement, a great many people — specifically, all leftists and many, though not all, liberals — hated anticommunists far more than they hated communism.

Because of my early preoccupation with good and evil, already in high school, I hated communism. How could one not, I wondered. Along with Nazism, it was the great evil of the 20th century. Needless to say, as a Jew and as a human, I hated Nazism. But as I was born after Nazism was vanquished, the great evil of my time was communism.

Communists murdered about 100 million people — all noncombatants and all innocent. Stalin murdered about 30 million people, including 5 million Ukrainians by starvation (in just two years: 1932-33). Mao killed about 60 million people. Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge (Red Cambodians) killed about 3 million people, one in every four Cambodians, between 1975 and 1979. The North Korean communist regime killed between 2 million and 3 million people, not including another million killed in the Korean War started by the North Korean communists.

For every one of the 100 million killed by

communists, add at least a dozen more people — family and friends — who were terribly and permanently affected by the death of their family member or friend. Then add another billion whose lives were ruined by having to live in a communist totalitarian state: their poverty, their loss of fundamental human rights and their loss of dignity.

You would think that anyone with a functioning conscience and with any degree of compassion would hate communism. But that was not the case. Indeed, there were many people throughout the noncommunist world who supported communism. And there was an even larger number of people who hated anticommunists, dismissing them as “Cold Warriors,” “warmongers,” “red-baiters,” etc.

At the present time, we are again witnessing this phenomenon — hatred of those who oppose evil rather than of those who do evil — with regard to Israel and its enemies. And on a far greater level. Israel is hated by individuals and governments throughout the world. Israel is the most reviled country at the United Nations as well as in Western media and, of course, in universities.

Israel is a liberal democracy with an independent judiciary, independent opposition press, and equal rights for women, gays and its Arab population (20% of the Israeli population). Its enemies — the Iranian regime, Hamas and Hezbollah — allow no such freedoms to those under their control. More relevantly, their primary goal — indeed, their stated

with Californians charging a 13.3% income tax rate, enacting forced union policies, providing free health care to illegal immigrants, shutting down their power plants, abolishing gas stoves or plastic bags, or providing reparation payments to aggrieved groups.

New Yorkers shouldn’t mind if Texans impose no income tax, allow people to drive 75 miles an hour down the highways or regulate how cattle are bred.

What residents in red states like Montana and South Carolina object to is New Yorkers telling them how to live their lives.

We can, under this framework, have Harris policies prevail in blue states and Trump policies prevail in red states, and everyone goes away happy.

No harm, no foul.

Again, the federal government is still responsible for protecting the civil liberties and “inalienable rights” of all residents of the United States. There would be no bringing back Jim Crow laws.

Alas, this framework is exactly the opposite of what Democrats seek. If you examine the Biden and Harris agendas, the Dems are determined to federalize nearly all policies, which forces all Americans in every state to live under the same sets of laws and policies. They want to nationalize union policies, environmental policies, energy policies, welfare policies, taxation and so on. They want to de facto toss out the Ninth and 10th amendments altogether.

This inevitably leads to the tyranny of the majority, which now and after November will be a razor-thin majority dictating policies on all Americans. This tyranny will be even greater felt if either a victorious GOP or the Democrats overturn the filibuster rule of 60 votes to muscle sweeping legislation out of the Senate.

Amazing that some 250 years ago our founding fathers had exactly the right vision for keeping America united in 2024 and beyond.

Stephen Moore is a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation. He is also an economic adviser to the Trump campaign.

reason for being — is to wipe out Israel and its Jewish inhabitants. Hamas and Hezbollah have built nothing, absolutely nothing, in Gaza and Lebanon, respectively. They exist solely to commit genocide against Israel and its Jews. Why did so many people hate anticommunists more than communism? And why do even more people hate Israel more than Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah?

The general reason is that it is emotionally and psychologically difficult for most people to stare evil in the face. Evil is widely described as “dark.” But it is not dark; it is easy to look into the dark. What is far harder to look at is blinding bright light. Perhaps that is why Lucifer, the original name of the Christian devil, comes from the word “light.”

Why this is so — why people will not call evil “evil” — is probably related to a lack of courage. Once one declares something evil, one is morally bound to resist it, and people fear resisting evil. The fools who mock Christianity — whether through a work of “art” like “Piss Christ” (a crucifix in a jar of urine), the Paris Olympics opening ceremony that mocked the Last Supper or the Los Angeles Dodgers honoring the “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” (men in drag dressed as nuns) — would never mock Islam. They fear Muslim wrath; they do not fear Christian wrath. Yet Islamic wrath has done and is doing far more evil in our time than Christian wrath.

And there is one additional reason for hating Israel — one that is specific to Israel — rather than those who seek to exterminate Israel: Jewhatred, better known as antisemitism. The people who introduced a judging God and gave the world the Ten Commandments have been hated for thousands of years. Not those who systematically violate those commandments.

Dennis Prager is a nationally syndicated radio talk show host and columnist.

COLUMN | DENNIS PRAGER

COLUMN | STEPHEN MOORE

Thousands still without water struggle to find enough

It could take weeks to get municipal water flowing again

By Michael Phillis and Jeff Amy The Associated Press

ASHEVILLE — Nearly a week after Hurricane Helene brought devastation to western North Carolina, a shiny stainless steel tanker truck in downtown Asheville attracted residents carrying 5-gallon containers, milk jugs and buckets to fill with what has become a desperately scare resource — drinking water.

Flooding tore through the city’s water system, destroying so much infrastructure that officials said repairs could take weeks. To make do, Anna Ramsey arrived Wednesday with her two children, who each left carrying plastic bags filled with 2 gallons of water.

“We have no water. We have no power. But I think it’s also been humbling,” Ramsey said.

Helene’s path through the Southeast left a trail of power outages so large the darkness was visible from space. Tens of trillions of gallons of rain fell and more than 200 people were killed, making Helene the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Katrina in 2005. Hundreds of people are still unaccounted for, and search crews must trudge through knee-deep debris to learn whether residents are safe.

It also damaged water utilities so severely and over such a wide inland area that one federal official said the toll “could be considered unprecedented.”

As of Thursday, about 136,000 people in the Southeast were

POLITICS from page 1

and Harris for what he said was a slow response to Helene’s destruction. Trump accused the Democrats of “going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas” and said there wasn’t enough Federal Emergency Management Agency money because it was spent on illegal immigrants. There is no evidence to support either claim.

“I’m not thinking about voters right now,” Trump insisted after a meeting with Gov. Brian Kemp (R-Ga.) on Friday. “I’m thinking about lives.”

Biden pushed back hard, saying he is “committed to being president for all of America” and has not ordered aid to be distributed based on party lines. The White House cited statements from the Republican governors of Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee expressing satisfaction with the federal government’s response.

FEMA’s head, Deanne Criswell, told ABC’s “This

served by a nonoperational wa-

ter provider and more than 1.8 million were living under a boil water advisory, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Western North Carolina was especially hard hit. Officials are facing a difficult rebuilding task made harder by the steep, narrow valleys of the Blue Ridge Mountains that during a more typical October would attract throngs of fall tourists.

“The challenges of the geography are just fewer roads, fewer access points, fewer areas of flat ground to stage resources” said Brian Smith, acting deputy division director for the EPA’s water division in the Southeast.

After days without water, people long for more than just a sponge bath.

“I would love a shower,” said Sue Riles in Asheville. “Running water would be incredible.”

The raging floodwaters of Helene destroyed crucial parts of Asheville’s water system, scouring out the pipes that convey water from a reservoir in the mountains above town that is the largest of three water supplies for the system. To reach a second reservoir that was knocked offline, a road had to be rebuilt.

Boosted output from the third source restored water flow in some southern Asheville neighborhoods last Friday, but without full repairs schools may not be able to resume in-person classes, hospitals may not restore normal operations, and the city’s hotels and restaurants may not fully reopen.

Even water that’s unfit to drink is scarce. Drew Reisinger, the elected Buncombe County register of deeds, worries about people in apartments who can’t

Week” that this “truly dangerous narrative” of falsehoods is “demoralizing” to first responders and creating “fear in our own employees.”

Criticism of aid efforts so soon after a natural disaster is “inappropriate,” especially when factoring in the daunting logistical problems in western North Carolina, said Gavin Smith, an NC State professor who specializes in disaster recovery. He said the perilous terrain from compromised roads and bridges and the widespread lack of power and cellphone service make disaster response in the region particularly challenging.

Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has made several stops in western North Carolina, including Watauga County and surrounding areas, and Biden viewed the extensive damage via an aerial tour.

A focus on recovering and rebuilding

In Watauga County, Jessica Dixon was scraping muck and broken furniture off the ground

“One thing no one is talking about is the amount of poop that exists in every toilet in Asheville.”

Drew Reisinger, Buncombe County register of deeds

easily haul a bucket of water from a creek to flush their toilet. Officials are advising people to collect nondrinkable water for household needs from a local swimming pool.

“One thing no one is talking about is the amount of poop that exists in every toilet in Asheville,” he said. “We’re dealing with a public health emergency.”

It’s a situation that becomes more dangerous the longer it lasts. Even in communities fortunate enough to have running water, hundreds of providers have issued boil water notices indicating the water could be contaminated. But boiling water for cooking and drinking is time consuming and small mistakes can cause stomach illness, according to Natalie Exum, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

“Every day that goes by, you could be exposed to a pathogen,” Exum said. “These basic services that we take for granted in our everyday lives actually do do a lot to prevent illness.”

Travis Edwards’ faucet worked immediately after the storm. He filled as many containers as he could for himself and his child, but it didn’t take long for the flow to weaken, then stop. They rationed water,

with a shovel then dumping it in the bucket of a humming excavator. The 29-year-old stood in a home she bought two years ago. It’s now gutted after a rush of water forced Dixon, her boyfriend and their two dogs to flee to safety.

Without flood insurance, Dixon is not sure what will happen over the next month. She said she filled out a FEMA application but hasn’t checked her email since. She had given the presidential election some thought before Helene, but now she’s preoccupied with cleaning her home.

“It wouldn’t change my views on anything,” said Dixon, who was planning to vote for Harris.

The presidential election isn’t top of mind for 47-year- old Bobby Cordell, either. He’s trying to get help to neighbors in western Watauga County, which has become inaccessible in some parts.

His home near Beech Mountain is one of those places, he said, after a bridge washed away. Cordell rescued his aunt from a mudslide then traveled to Boone and has been staying

switching to hand sanitizer and barely putting any on toothbrushes.

“(We) didn’t realize how dehydrated we were getting,” he said.

Federal officials have shipped millions of gallons of water to areas where people also might not be able to make phone calls or switch on the lights.

Power has been restored to about 62% of homes and businesses and 8,000 crews are out working to restore power in the hardest hit parts of North Carolina, federal officials said Thursday. In 10 counties, about half of the cell sites are still down.

The first step for some utilities is simply figuring out how bad the damage is, a job that might require EPA expertise in extreme cases. Ruptured water pipes are a huge problem. They often run beneath roads, many of which were crumpled and twisted by floodwaters.

“Pretty much anytime you see a major road damaged, there’s a very good chance that there’s a pipe in there that’s also gotten damaged,” said Mark White, drinking water global practice leader at the engineering firm CDM Smith.

Generally, repairs start at the treatment plant and move outward, with fixes in nearby big pipes done first, according to the EPA.

“Over time, you’ll gradually get water to more and more people,” White said.

Many people are still missing, and water repair employees don’t typically work around search and rescue operations. It takes a toll, according to Kevin Morley, manager of federal relations with the American Water Works Association.

“There’s emotional support

in Appalachian State’s Holmes Convocation Center, which now serves as a Red Cross emergency shelter.

He’s trying to send disaster relief back where he lives by contacting officials, including from FEMA. That conversation, he said, “went very well.”

Accepting help isn’t easy for people in the mountains, he said, because they’re used to taking care of themselves.

Now, though, the people who are trapped “need everything they can get.”

Helping neighbors becomes more important in Helene’s aftermath

Over the past week of volunteering at Skateworld, where Farrington stopped for water, it’s become harder for Nancy Crawford to smile. She’s helped serve more than 1,000 people, she said, but the emotional toll has started to settle in for “a lot of us that normally are tough.”

That burden added to the weight she was already feeling about the election, which she said was “scary to begin with.” Crawford, a registered Repub -

that is really important for all the people involved. You’re seeing people’s lives just wiped out,” he said.

Even private well owners aren’t immune. Pumps on private wells may have lost power and overtopping floodwaters can contaminate them.

There’s often a “blind faith” assumption that drinking water won’t fail. In this case, the technology was insufficient, according to Craig Colten. Before retiring to Asheville, he was a professor in Louisiana focused on resilience to extreme weather. He hopes Helene will prompt politicians to spend more to ensure infrastructure withstands destructive storms.

And climate change will only make the problem more severe, said Erik Olson, a health and food expert at the nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council.

“I think states and the federal government really need to step back and start looking at how we’re going to prepare for these extreme weather events that are going to be occurring and recurring every single year,” he said.

Edwards has developed a system to save water. He’ll soap dirty dishes and rinse them with a trickle of water with bleach, which is caught and transferred to a bucket — useable for the toilet.

Power and some cell service have returned for him. And water distribution sites have guaranteed some measure of normalcy: Edwards feels like he can start going out to see friends again.

“To not feel guilty about using more than a cup of water to, like, wash yourself … I’m really, really grateful,” he said.

lican, said she plans to vote for Harris. As a Latina of Mexican descent, she thinks Trump’s immigration policies would have harmful effects on her community.

The storm, she said, likely won’t change her vote but has made one thing evident.

“It doesn’t matter what party you are, we all need help,” she said.

Jan Wellborn had a similar thought as she made her way around the Watauga High School gym collecting supplies to bring to coworkers in need. A 69-year-old bus driver for the school district, she said the outpouring of support she’s seen from the community has been a “godsend.”

She takes solace from the county’s ability to pull together. The election matters, she said, but helping people make their way through a harrowing time matters more.

“The election, it should be important,” Wellborn said. “But right now we need to focus on getting everybody in the county taken care of.”

HOKE SPORTS

Volleyball prepares for postseason

Soccer and football teams still have a month to go in the regular season

North State Journal staff

VOLLEYBALL AND boys’ soccer both split their games last week. As volleyball season comes to an end and the team prepares for a postseason run, soccer and football face their final month of regular season play.

Football

The Bucks’ losing streak hit four straight games on Friday as Hoke County fell to Richmond on the road, 44-20. The loss dropped Hoke to 1-6 on the year, 0-3 in the Sandhills. It also extended Richmond’s period of success against the Bucks. Hoke County hasn’t won in the series since 2011, although it was the second time in three years that Hoke has put up at least 20 points on the Raiders.

Senior quarterback Brandon Saunders was 12-of-24 for 149 yards, highlighted by a 62-yard touchdown pass to Tycen Vick. Junior Darius Breeden had a team-high 41 rushing yards including a touchdown.

Hoke will try to get back on the winning side of the ledger at home this week, with a Sandhills game against Southern Lee. The Bucks lost to the Cavaliers by seven last year, snapping a threeyear winning streak for Hoke over Southern Lee. The Cavaliers are 2-4, 0-3 in the Sandhills and riding a three-game losing streak of their own. Last week, Southern Lee lost at home to Pinecrest, 42-13.

Hoke has just three games left in the regular season and will need to win two to match last season’s record.

Boys’ soccer

Hoke County’s boys’ team split two games last week. The Bucks snapped a two-game scoreless

the Bucks at 2-4-1 in the league, while Southern Lee is a half game out of first place.

Volleyball

Wins for Hoke County football over Southern Lee in the last four years

streak and a three-game winless streak with a 3-1 overtime win at home over Scotland.

It was the biggest scoring day for the Bucks since an 8-0 win over Scotland on Sept. 9. Senior Jose Vazquez De La Cruz scored two goals, while junior Pedro Ramos-Alejandro scored once. Goaltenders Brentley Blumer and Jose Lopez-Luna combined to make nine saves.

The Bucks were blanked in their next game, however, falling at Lee County, 3-0. Hoke is now 8-6-2, 2-4-1 in the Sandhills. The Bucks have two more league games on the schedule over the next seven days. They host Richmond on Wednesday, then travel to Southern Lee next Monday. Richmond is tied with

The volleyball team split two games last week, winning on the road at Southern Lee, 3—1, then falling at home to Union Pines, 3-0, a loss that snapped a six-game winning streak for the Bucks. If they counted it, senior Abigail Watts probably led Hoke in it during the win over Southern Pines, she had team highs in kills (15), service aces (4) and blocks (2, tying fellow seniors Aliyah Morrisey and Priscila Machuca Sostre). Her 17 digs and 14 receptions were second on the team. Against Union Pines, Watts tied Machuca Sostre for the team lead with 8 kills, matched senior Chayna Locklear for the top spot in aces and was second in digs, third in receptions. At 15-4, 7-4 in the Sandhills, the Bucks are in second place by a half game. They’ll finish the regular season against Pinecrest this week, then head to the conference and NCHSAA postseason tournaments.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Jalyn Wills

Hoke County, football

Jalyn Wills is a senior on the Hoke County football team.

The Bucks lost to Richmond, 44-20, on Friday, but Wills gave the Bucks an early lead. In the first minute of the game, the defensive end picked off a Richmond pass and returned it 15 yards for a picksix touchdown and a 7-0 Hoke County lead.

Wills was far from finished. He added four tackles, three solo stops, a tackle for loss and a pass defense in the Sandhills Conference game.

Wills leads the Bucks in quarterback hurries and interceptions and is second in tackles for loss.

Stenhouse snaps 65-race losing streak

The late crash at Talladega scrambled the NASCAR playoff picture

By Jenna Fryer The Associated Press

TALLADEGA, Ala. — A

27- c ar crash that involved eight of the NASCAR Cup Series’ 12 title contenders. A chaotic cleanup that infuriated competitors. And a surprise winner.

Just a regular race at Talladega Superspeedway. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. snapped a 65-race losing streak by winning in overtime at Talladega on Sunday after a late crash collected more than half the field. Stenhouse is not in

the playoffs and his victory marked the second consecutive week a driver not competing for the Cup Series title has won.

“It’s so tough to win these races. It’s so tough to miss the wrecks,” Stenhouse said. “These races are just chaos when it comes down to the end.”

The victory was the first for Stenhouse and his JTG Daugherty Racing team since he won the season-opening Daytona 500 to start 2023. He’s the 18th different Cup Series winner this year.

“It felt really good. This team has put a lot of hard work in, obviously we haven’t won since the 500 in ’23. It’s been an upand-down season,” Stenhouse said. “We knew that this track

is one of ours to come get.”

Stenhouse’s first career victory came at Talladega in 2017 and his four career Cup Series victories have come at either the Alabama superspeedway or Daytona International Speedway.

Stenhouse won in a threewide finish between Brad Keselowski and William Byron, who with his third-place finish became the only driver locked into the third round of the playoffs. Four drivers will be eliminated from the playoffs next Sunday on the hybrid road course/oval at Charlotte. Joey Logano, Daniel Suarez, Austin Cindric and Chase Briscoe are all below the cutline. Cindric was the leader with

five laps remaining in regulation when Logano, two rows back, gave Keselowski a hard shove directly into Cindric. It caused Cindric to spin and 27 of the 40 cars in the field suffered some sort of damage in the melee. Even Stenhouse had a chunk of sheet metal missing from the driver side door area when he drove his car into Victory Lane. In the chaos of the cleanup, with teams fuming postrace over how NASCAR navigated the crash scene, some argued that Stenhouse’s door was missing some safety foam and he should have been forced to pit for repairs.

“I bet they did. I didn’t see any missing foam,” said winning crew chief Mike Kelly, who suspects NASCAR will review how it handled the chaotic cleanup in which some cars were towed back to pit road and repairs began for them as

others were still stranded on the track. “They were put in a tough situation with that many cars involved in the wreck, and that many (tow trucks). It’s a tough situation.”

Stenhouse later acknowledged there indeed was foam hanging out of the gaping hole. The race was red-flagged for nearly nine minutes of cleanup, and 22 cars remained on the lead lap for the two-lap overtime sprint to the finish. Many of those 22 cars were damaged.

Keselowski finished second in a Ford for RFK Racing and was followed by Byron in a Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Byron is the points leader headed into Charlotte and his cushion is large enough to earn him an automatic spot into the round of eight.

Only four drivers still active in the playoffs finished inside the top 10.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

It’s been all thumbs up this season for (left to right) Aubrey Carpenter, Abigail Watts and Chayna Locklear and the rest of Hoke County’s volleyball team.

Driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. celebrates in Victory Lane after Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Talladega Superspeedway.

SIDELINE REPORT

NFL

Pro Football Hall of Famer Shaw dead at 85

Canton, Oh

Former Georgia Tech and Buffalo Bills star Billy Shaw died at age 85 at his home in Georgia. Shaw was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999. Shaw chose to play for the Bills of the old American Football League rather than the Dallas Cowboys of the then-rival National Football League because he wanted to play offensive guard rather than linebacker. He won two AFL titles in Buffalo and made eight All-Star teams during his nine-year career.

RACING

Actor Reeves spins out at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in pro auto racing debut

Indianapolis Hollywood star Keanu Reeves made his professional auto racing debut in an event in which “The Matrix” star spun out at famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Reeves spun into the grass without a collision on the exit of Turn 9 a little more than halfway through the 45-minute race. He reentered and continued driving, signaling he was uninjured. Reeves, 60, is competing at Indianapolis in Toyota GR Cup, a Toyota specracing series and a support series for the Indy 8 Hour sports car event.

NBA

Ewing returns to the Knicks as ambassador New York Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing is returning to the New York Knicks in the newly created position of basketball ambassador. The Knicks said Friday that Ewing would assist both basketball and business operations in his role. Taken by the Knicks with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1985 draft, Ewing went on to play 15 seasons in New York and is the franchise’s career leader in points, rebounds, blocks, steals and games played. The Knicks made the playoffs in his final 13 seasons.

WNBA

Ionescu scores 22 to lead Liberty to WNBA Finals

Las Vegas Sabrina Ionescu rebounded from a rare off game to score 22 points. Nearly a year after the Aces ended the Liberty’s dream of a championship, New York returned the favor Sunday afternoon by defeating Las Vegas 76-62 to advance to the WNBA Finals. The top-seeded Liberty will have home-court advantage in the championship series and face either the Connecticut Sun or Minnesota Lynx. This is the Liberty’s sixth trip to the finals, but the franchise is still seeking its first title.

NHL Red Wings goaltender Campbell enters player assistance program

Detroit Detroit Red Wings goaltender Jack Campbell has entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. The league and union announced last Friday that Campbell will be away from the Red Wings organization indefinitely while he receives care. The 32-year- old was expected to begin the season with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League. Detroit signed him for the league-minimum $775,000 after the Edmonton Oilers bought out the three seasons remaining on his five-year, $25 million contract last summer.

College athletes helping those impacted by Hurricane Helene

Charlotte athletes lending a hand to its sister school in Asheville that suffered storm damage

By Steve Reed The Associated Press

CHARLOTTE — UNC Asheville soccer player Xander Naguib and his teammates are preparing to spend the next several weeks — or perhaps months — at the state’s sister school in Charlotte, where they will be housed, fed and be able to continue playing sports.

Given what Naquib has been through in the last week, he couldn’t be more grateful. He and his teammates are among many programs in the area that have relocated to other schools in what one athletic director called a stirring example of colleges helping each other amid dire need.

Naguib and his friends were in Asheville when Hurricane

Helene arrived, leaving a path of destruction in its wake with more than 200 people dead and countless others still missing. Without power, water and cell phone service and their off-campus apartment taking on water, Naguib was forced to evacuate even as flooding washed away local roads.

“It felt like we were blocked off from the world,” Naguib said.

Hours later, Naguib found a hotel and contacted his worried parents in Frisco, Texas, who quickly booked him on the next flight out of Asheville.

With UNC Asheville’s campus closed until Oct. 21 and classes canceled until at least Oct. 28, the school has asked students to return home or placed them on other campuses. Athletic teams have the benefit of being with their teammates; for Naguib, it means living and playing soccer two hours away in Charlotte.

UNC Charlotte athletic di-

Wild Miami win was followed by another celebration at home

The Hurricanes staged an epic comeback in California

By Tim Reynolds The Associated Press

CORAL GABLES, Fla. —

They celebrated on the field. They celebrated in the locker room. And when Miami’s overnight charter flight landed Sunday after the Hurricanes’ biggest comeback win in a quarter-century, another unplanned celebration was waiting.

Fire trucks greeted the plane by shooting plumes of water over it as it taxied to the gate.

“I couldn’t believe it when I saw that,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “That was crazy.”

A little bit of crazy on Sunday morning made sense because everything about Saturday night at California was pretty much crazy as well.

The Hurricanes trailed by 25 points late in the third quarter, trailed by 20 with 11 minutes remaining and somehow beat Cal 39-38 — the biggest comeback win in FBS play this season and the biggest by Miami since a 28-point comeback to

beat Boston College in 1999.

Miami quarterback Cam Ward enhanced his Heisman Trophy campaign by passing for 437 yards and accounting for three touchdowns in the final 10:28, including the game-winning throw to Elijah Arroyo with 26 seconds left.

“I didn’t play my best ball,” Ward said. “Nobody played their best ball. We just can’t keep putting ourselves in these situations.”

It was two down-to-the-wire games in a row for Miami. The Hurricanes erased a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Virginia Tech on Sept. 27 and then came back from 25 down one week later.

“This team has so much trust,” Cristobal said. “Insane resiliency. We’re down 35-10 and nobody blinks. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Miami (6-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) jumped two spots to No. 6 in the AP Top 25 on Sunday. It’s only the third time since 2005 that the Hurricanes have been ranked that high; the team was No. 3 for two polls in November 2005 and had a two-week stay at No. 2 in November 2017.

Miami is off this week before going to Louisville on Oct. 19.

rector Mike Hill had reached out to Asheville AD Janet Cone to offer any assistance in the wake of the disaster.

Cone took him up on his offer, and Charlotte will host Asheville’s men’s and women’s soccer teams and volleyball squad in the days ahead, putting them up at an overflow dormitory, feeding them meals in the cafeteria and allowing them to use their athletic facilities. They will have access to medical attention to treat injuries.

“We want them to feel comfortable,” said Chris Thomasson, Charlotte’s executive associate athletic director for internal affairs. “A lot of people worked hard to make it happen. And our coaching staffs have been terrific. It’s interesting, on the field or the court our coaches are fierce competitors, but when they heard Asheville needed help they were like, ‘whatever we can do — anything.’”

UNC Charlotte hasn’t been

the only school to step up.

Asheville’s tennis teams will be living and practicing at High Point University. Its swim teams will stay at Gardner-Webb University. The golf teams will be head to Wofford College next week.

Cone is still working to get all the school’s athletes placed, including the school’s basketball teams as part of what she called “a logistical puzzle with a whole lot of pieces.”

But she’s confident the school will get through it.

“The world of college sports is a really tight-knit group,” Cone said. “It’s been really heartening for me to see. So many people have gone out of their way to help us. I’ve received calls from schools all over the state and all over the country saying, ‘What can we do?’ There is a lot of trouble in this world and people sometimes do crazy things, but at times like this it makes you feel good to the see the care in people’s hearts.”

quarterback Cam Ward celebrates after defeating

with an incredible second-half comeback.

“This was special,” receiver Xavier Restrepo said after the Cal game, one in which he went from No. 9 to No. 4 on Miami’s all-time yardage list and set up the winning score with a 77-yard catch-and-run to start the final possession. “Wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

The plane bringing the Hurricanes home was pretty dark for much of the five-hour ride; almost everybody was sleeping, or at least trying to sleep. One of the few lights on the plane was coming from Cristobal’s laptop because he watched the game a couple of times on the way home.

Miami running back Mark Fletcher, who ran for 81 yards and a score, had no problem getting a few hours of sleep.

“I slept good,” he said. “We just never quit. We had so much poise. There was no panic, no panic from players, no panic from coaches. We just played. It’s conference play now and conference games are like playoff games. Just prepare every week like it’s the national championship and see what happens.” Sleep, evidently, was not on Cristobal’s to-do list after he got back Sunday. He walked to his car, still in his suit, carrying a fresh cup of Cuban coffee. For those who don’t know, that’s high-octane stuff and not recommended for anyone who plans to nap imminently.

“Sleep? Maybe later,” Cristobal said. “Maybe. There’s work to do. We just came a long way. We still have miles to go.”

JED JACOBSOHN / AP PHOTO

Miami

California

SUSAN WALSH / AP PHOTO

A view of damage in Asheville is seen during an aerial tour President Joe Biden took of areas impacted by Hurricane Helene last week.

Chelsea Lynn LaBombard

Jan. 20, 2010 – Oct. 3, 2024

Chelsea Lynn LaBombard went to be with the Lord on Thursday, October 03, 2024, at the age of 14.

She was born in Cumberland County, North Carolina on January 20, 2010, to Troy LaBombard and Carla Phillips.

Chelsea was always happy. She enjoyed riding horses, going to the beach, playing Sims and Roblox, shopping, and watching movies with her family. She also loved cooking and baking with her family, and her dog, Lady.

She is survived by her parents, Troy LaBombard and Carla Phillips; siblings, Christopher Winchester (Alyssa), Cody Phillips, and Caylee Maviki; grandparents, Kathy Taylor, Everett and Betty LaBombard; her aunt, Andrea Mclaurin (Harry); uncles, Jeff LaBombard (Laurie), David Winchester (Erica), Danny Winchester (Sheila); one nephew; three nieces; and many cousins and friends.

A memorial service will be held at a later date for family and friends.

Alma Durant

March 15, 1945 – Oct. 1, 2024

Ms. Alma Durant age, 79 went home to rest with her Heavenly Father on October 1, 2024.

She leaves to cherish her loving memories her daughter, Taura Dixon; granddaughters: Te’Era Southerland, Sha’tia Dixon, Tae’Neequa Dixon, Marlae Wilson; great-granddaughter, Aubrey Bratcher; sister, Odessa McKinnon; brother, Alvin Butler; aunt, Retha Hardimon along with a host of other family and friends. Alma will be greatly missed.

The Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, October 12; at 1 p.m. at Silver Grove Immanuel Missionary Baptist Church.

obituaries

John C. Caulder

Nov. 18, 1935 – Oct. 2, 2024

Mr. John C. Caulder, of Raeford, NC went to be with his Lord and Savior on Wednesday, October 02, 2024, at the age of 88.

John was born on November 18, 1935, to the late John and Mary Caulder.

Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Louise Caulder; and his son, Terry Caulder.

He was a member of Raeford Evangelical Methodist Church. When he was well, John was very active and loved to sing with his wife in church. He loved his family, and spending time with his grandkids.

John is survived by his children, Debra Caulder Edwards (Joseph E.); Lisa Caulder Eubanks (Raphael); sisters, Shirley Odom (Willie Carl), Frances Tyner (Robert), and Carol Altman; grandchildren, Elizabeth Poirier (Matt), Mollie Edwards, Sarah Bureau, Kyle Goodman (Chelsey), and Zach Goodman (Judi); and nine greatgrandchildren.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, October 05, 2024, from 1-2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Raeford 333 N. Main Street.

A service will follow at 2 p.m. with Pastor Terry Dooley officiating. Burial will be in the Raeford Cemetery.

John Amos, patriarch on ‘Good Times’ dies at 84

On “The West Wing” he played Percy Fitzwallace and had countless other guest appearances

By Beth Harris The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — John

Amos, who starred as the family patriarch on the hit 1970s sitcom “Good Times” and earned an Emmy nomination for his role in the seminal 1977 miniseries “Roots,” has died. He was 84.

He died Aug. 21 of natural causes in Los Angeles. Amos’ publicist, Belinda Foster, confirmed the news of his death Tuesday.

He played James Evans Sr. on “Good Times,” which featured one of television’s first Black two-parent families. Produced by Norman Lear and co-created by actor Mike Evans, who co-starred on “All in the Family” and “The Jeffersons,” it ran from 1974-79 on CBS.

“That show was the closest depiction in reality to life as an African American family living in those circumstances as it could be,” Amos told Time magazine in 2021.

Among Amos’ film credits were “Let’s Do It Again” with Bill Cosby and Sidney Poitier, “Coming to America” with Eddie Murphy and its 2021 sequel, “Die Hard 2,” “Madea’s Witness Protection” and “Uncut Gems” with Adam Sandler. He was in Ice Cube and Dr. Dre’s 1994 video “Natural Born Killaz.”

Amos’ “Good Times” character, along with wife Florida, played by Esther Rolle, originated on another Lear show, “Maude.” James Evans often worked two manual labor jobs to support his family that included three children, with Jimmie Walker becoming a breakout star as oldest son J.J.

Such was the show’s impact that Alicia Keys, Rick Ross, the Wu-Tang Clan are among the musicians who name-checked Amos or his character in their lyrics.

and personal — seriously damaged my appeal in the Black community,” Walker wrote in his 2012 memoir “Dyn-O-Mite! Good Times, Bad Times, Our Times.”

After three seasons of critical acclaim and high ratings, Amos was fired. He had become critical of the show’s white writing staff creating storylines that he felt were inauthentic to the black characters.

“There were several examples where I said, ‘No, you don’t do these things. It’s anathema to Black society. I’ll be the expert on that, if you don’t mind,’” he told Time magazine. “And it got confrontational and heated enough that ultimately my being killed off the show was the best solution for everybody concerned, myself included.”

istic standpoint,” he told Time magazine. “It was the culmination of all of the misconceptions and stereotypical roles that I had lived and seen being offered to me. It was like a reward for having suffered those indignities.”

Born John Allen Amos Jr. on Dec. 27, 1939, in Newark, New Jersey, he was the son of an auto mechanic. He graduated from Colorado State University with a sociology degree and played on the school’s football team.

Before pursuing acting, he moved to New York and was a social worker at the Vera Institute of Justice, working with defendants at the Brooklyn House of Detention.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in NSJ at obits@ northstatejournal.com

“Many fans consider him their TV father,” his son Kelly Christopher Amos said in a statement. “He lived a good life. His legacy will live on in his outstanding works in television and film as an actor. My father loved working as an actor throughout his entire life. He was my dad, my best friend, and my hero.”

The elder Amos and Rolle were eager to portray a positive image of a black family struggling against the odds in a public housing project in Chicago. But they grew frustrated at seeing Walker’s character being made foolish and his role expanded.

“The fact is that Esther’s criticism, and also that of John and others — some of it very pointed

Amos’ character was killed in a car accident. Walker lamented the situation. “If the decision had been up to me, I would have preferred that John stay and the show remain more of an ensemble,” he wrote in his memoir. “Nobody wanted me up front all the time, including me.”

Amos and Lear later reconciled and they shared a hug at a “Good Times” live TV reunion special in 2019.

Amos quickly bounced back, landing the role of an adult Kunta Kinte, the centerpiece of “Roots,” based on Alex Haley’s novel set during and after the era of slavery in the U.S. The miniseries was a critical and ratings blockbuster, and Amos earned one of its 37 Emmy nominations.

“I knew that it was a life-changing role for me, as an actor and just from a human-

He had a brief professional football career, playing in various minor leagues. He signed a free-agent contract in 1967 with the Kansas City Chiefs, but coach Hank Stram encouraged Amos to pursue his interest in writing instead. He had jobs as an advertising and comedy writer before moving in front of the camera.

Amos’ first major TV role was as Gordy Howard, the weatherman on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” from 1970-73. As the show’s only black character, he played straight man to bombastic anchor Ted Baxter.

He was a frequent guest star on “The West Wing,” and his other TV appearances included “Hunter,” “The District,” “Men in Trees,” “All About the Andersons,” “Two and a Half Men” and “The Ranch.”

In 2020, Amos was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame. He served in the New Jersey National Guard.

AMY SUSSMAN / INVISION / AP

John Amos during a May 2016 portrait session.

STATE & NATION

Mexican immigrants plagued by grief, questions after plant workers swept away by

Six workers at Tennessee’s Impact Plastics have not been found

By Leah Willingham

The Associated Press

ERWIN, Tenn. — With shaking hands, Daniel Delgado kissed a photo of his wife, Monica Hernandez, before lighting a candle in a supermarket parking lot. Family members hugged pictures printed on poster board, some collapsing into them in tears as search helicopters flew overhead in the direction of the hills.

Days after six workers at a plastics factory disappeared under surging floodwaters caused by Hurricane Helene, loved ones and supporters have been gathering for vigils in front of churches, a high school and a grocery store to honor them.

The storm, which claimed the lives of at least 230 people across six states, quickly overwhelmed Erwin, an Appalachian town of around 6,000, on Sept. 27 and resulted in more than 50 people being rescued by helicopter from the roof of a submerged hospital.

The scar it left behind has been especially devastating within the small Latino community that makes up a disproportionate number of workers at the factory: Four of the six workers swept away were Mexican American.

Helene

Two state investigations have been launched into Impact Plastics and whether the company should have done more to protect workers as the danger grew.

The families of those lost say they still can’t comprehend the ferocity of the storm — or why their loved ones didn’t get out of the factory earlier to avoid the raging floodwaters.

“We ask: ‘Why? Why did she go to work? Why did she stay?’” Hernandez’s sister Guadalupe Hernandez-Corona said, through a translator, after a Thursday night vigil. “We’re all still wondering.”

Impact Plastics President Gerald O’Connor has said no employees were forced to keep working and were evacuated at least 45 minutes before the

massive force of the flood hit the industrial park.

“There was time to escape,” he said in a video statement, adding that he was among the last to leave the plant after ensuring everyone was out. The National Guard rescued five employees by helicopter.

But surviving workers say the evacuation began too late. Some clung to pipes on truck flatbeds

for up to six hours while making frantic 911 calls and saying goodbyes to loved ones. Some saw coworkers carried off by the current.

Emergency dispatchers said resources were spread thin as a rescue operation was underway over a mile downriver at Unicoi County Hospital.

Normally running 2 feet deep, the Nolichucky River rose to a record 30 feet that day, running at more than 1.4 million gallons per second, which is twice as much as Niagara Falls.

The plastics plant was open, even as local schools shuttered.

Robert Jarvis, who began his shift at 7 a.m., said employees continued to work while receiving phone alerts about possible flooding. Many stayed even after management asked them to move cars because 6 inches of water had accumulated in the parking lot.

Employees were finally told to evacuate after the power went out and when the water was about a foot high, he said. Jarvis said he survived only because he was pulled into the bed of someone’s lifted truck, which labored up an all-terrain road for three hours. Jarvis said the six lost coworkers were “like family” and he feels a responsibility to them to share his experience.

“They shouldn’t have been at work that day,” he said. “None of us should have.”

Mother, twin babies among Helene victims in Georgia

The month-old boys are the youngest-known victims of the storm

By Hannah Schoenbaum

The Associated Press

OBIE WILLIAMS said he could hear babies crying and branches battering the windows when he spoke with his daughter on the phone last week as Hurricane Helene tore through her rural Georgia town.

Kobe Williams, 27, and her month-old twin boys were hunkering down at their trailer home in Thomson, Georgia, with her mother, Mary Jones, who had been helping her take care of the one-month-old babies. Williams’ father sensed his daughter was fearing for her safety, and he said she promised him that she would heed his advice to shelter in the bathroom until the storm passed.

The single mother had been sitting in bed holding sons Khyzier and Khazmir and chatting on the phone with various family members while the storm raged outside.

my grandsons. It’s devastating.”

The babies, born Aug. 20, are the youngest known victims of a storm that had claimed at least 225 lives across Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia and the Carolinas as of midday Saturday. The toll was expected to rise as rescuers reach isolated areas. Among the other young victims are a 7-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy from about 50 miles south in Washington County, Georgia.

“She was so excited to be a mother of those beautiful twin boys,” said Chiquita Jones-Hampton, Kobe Jones’ niece. “She was doing such a good job and was so proud to be their mom.”

Jones-Hampton said the family is in shock and heartbroken. A funeral will be held on Friday.

“Now I’ll never get to meet my grandsons. It’s devastating.”

Obie Williams, father and grandfather to three storm victims

tle over a day after the storm barreled through.

He said one of his sons dodged fallen trees and downed power lines to check on Kobe, and he could barely bear to tell his father what he found.

Many of his 14 other children are still without power in their homes across Georgia. Some have sought refuge in Atlanta, and others have traveled to Augusta to see their father and mourn together, he said.

Minutes later, she was no longer answering their calls. Jones, who was on the other side of the trailer, described hearing a loud crash as a tree fell through the roof of her daughter’s bedroom.

Kobe and the twins were found dead.

“I’d seen pictures when they were born and pictures every day since, but I hadn’t made it out there yet to meet them,”

“Kobe, Kobe, answer me, please,” Jones cried out in desperation, but she received no response.

Obie Williams told The Associated Press days after the storm ravaged eastern Georgia. “Now I’ll never get to meet

In Obie Williams’ home city of Augusta, 30 miles east of his daughter’s home in Thomson, power lines stretched along the sidewalks, tree branches blocked the roads and utility poles lay cracked and broken. The debris left him trapped in his neighborhood near the South Carolina border for a lit-

He described his daughter as a lovable, social and strong woman. She always had a smile and loved to make people laugh, he said.

And she loved to dance, Jones-Hampton said.

“That was my baby,” Williams said. “And everybody loved her.”

OBIE LEE WILLIAMS VIA AP

Kobe Williams, left, and her twin sons Khazmir Williams and Khyzier Williams were killed in their home in Thomson, Georgia, by a falling tree during Hurricane Helene on Sept. 30.

JEFF ROBERSON / AP PHOTO

Daniel Delgado kneels in front of a photo of his wife, Monica Hernandez, who died at Impact Plastics during flooding caused by Hurricane Helene, while being comforted by his sisterin-law, Guadalupe Hernandez-Corona, during a vigil for victims of the tragedy in Erwin, Tennessee, last Thursday.

Mirren tells story of evil, hope during WWII in ‘White Bird’

A family in Nazioccupied France shelters a young Jewish girl

By Lindsey Bahr

Associated Press

The

IT’S NEVER A bad time for stories celebrating acts of kindness, but the current news cycle makes it ever so more appreciated. In the new film “White Bird,” in theaters now, the act is quite significant: A family in Nazi-occupied France shelters a young Jewish girl whose friends and family have all been taken away.

From German director Marc Forster (“Finding Neverland,” “The Kite Runner”), “White Bird” is a handsome adaptation of R.J. Palacio’s graphic novel aimed at young adults. This, too, is perfectly suited to that audience — a story within a story with all the drama of war and young romance wrapped up in it. Let’s just not overplay the idea that it’s part of some shared cinematic kindness universe with the Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson film “Wonder,” also based on Palacio’s work.

It’s framed as something a grandmother is telling her grandson, who seems to be going down the wrong path.

Helen Mirren is said Grand-

mère, or Sara Blum, a famous artist who opens up to young Julian (Bryce Gheisar) one evening over dinner about what she went through during the war. For being a neglected rich kid prone to getting kicked out of fancy private schools, Julian’s immediate, earnest interest in what his Grandmère has to say is perhaps the most unbelievable part of this story, which includes some deus ex machina wolves. It’s a way in, I suppose, and Mirren makes for a lovely narrator.

Ariella Glaser plays young Sara Blum, who leads a nice life in her small French town with educated, professional parents Max (Ishai Golan) and Rose (Olivia Ross). She barely notices the changing tides as the war ramps up, more concerned with her friends and the cute boy in school. The story takes care to note that she barely noticed the classmate who would end up saving her life: Julien (Orlando Schwerdt), who walks with a crutch and whose father works in the sewers. Not, in other words, a popular kid. In an awkward moment, the audience, and Julien, realize that she doesn’t even know his name. But when the Nazis come to round up the Jewish students in the school, he’s there to help

“It’s framed as something a grandmother is telling her grandson, who seems to be going down the wrong path.”

get her to his family’s property. Gillian Anderson plays Julien’s mother, Vivienne, a grounding presence but very much a side character until a devastating sequence late in the film.

The young actors are very good and well-cast in their journey to friendship and first love. They get to know one another and spend time dreaming up a world where they’re not confined to a barn, their imaginations brought to life through dreamy projected images.

“White Bird,” which was shot in early 2021, was delayed several times over the past two years. Often, that signals some sort of quality issue and an obligation to begrudgingly release in spite of it. But that’s not the case here: This is a very finely made movie that seemed to have just gotten caught in a sort of release limbo that’s only partially related to the strikes.

and Bryce

“White

‘The Book of George’ reads like lively episodes of a first-rate TV sitcom

Getting there, in a way, is the point

By Kendal Weaver The Associated Press

“THE BOOK of George” is a novel of many finely crafted, often funny moments that arrive episodically as the title character grows older. At first, he’s a millennial kid, then a college guy as the Twin Towers fall on 9/11. In time George — he’s given no surname — graduates and struggles over what to do with the rest of his life. Fate actually treats him pretty well. He’s an attractive, smart New Yorker; his family has some money; and he’s often quite lucky. But you wouldn’t know it from his clownish, sour, perplexed, defeatist attitude. He’s self-absorbed and self-disparaging, lovable and devilish — the list could go on.

The novel’s author, Kate Greathead, is a gifted storyteller who reels off dialogue filled with wit and humor so well it makes page-turning a pleasure and “The Book of George” an easy read.

But just as the indecisive George doesn’t know where he is going in life, the reader doesn’t

HOLT VIA AP

“The Book of George” by Kate Greathead tells the story of George, a rudderless millennial finding his way through life.

know where his story is going either. Getting there, in a way, is the point. George groans inwardly at the vacuous “sitcom-level banter” that comes easily to him in conversation. Greathead is deft at dishing out such dialogue, too, and chapter after chapter, as George ages and a variety of crises large and small arise, this

episodic novel seems a form of first-rate TV sitcom between covers.

George would be glad to call it “the show about nothing,” similar to “Seinfeld.” Then he would cancel it.

Choosing philosophy as his college major, George writes his thesis on Arthur Schopenhauer, a 19th-century philosopher often seen as deeply pessimistic, much like George himself. In the book’s epigraph, Greathead quotes from an 1807 letter written by Johanna Schopenhauer to her 19-year-old son, Arthur, whom she says could be “a credit to human society” but is nevertheless “irritating and unbearable.”

George’s own mother, Ellen, couldn’t have said it better.

After graduating, George eventually decides to become a writer. He starts a novel but agonizes over its point. Early on, George says the book is “about a boy who grows up to be a man who is disappointed by life.” The book shifts gears over time. Its title, finally, is “All For Naught.” George may be a doom-andgloom sort, but that’s not the case for Greathead’s novel. Page after page, her writing is full of humor built around prickly sarcasm and woebegone twists in George’s life.

LARRY HORRICKS / LIONSGATE VIA AP

Helen Mirren

Gheisar star in

Bird: A Wonder Story.”

famous birthdays this week

David Lee Roth is 70, Marie Osmond turns 65, Paul Simon hits 83

OCT. 10

Actor Charles Dance (“Game of Thrones”) is 78. Singer Cyril Neville of The Neville Brothers is 76. Singer David Lee Roth is 70. Actor Bradley Whitford (“The West Wing”) is 65. Actor Mario Lopez (″Saved by the Bell”) is 51.

OCT. 11

Country singer Gene Watson is 81. Singer Daryl Hall of Hall and Oates is 78. Actor Catlin Adams (“The Jerk,” “The Jazz Singer”) is 74. Actor Joan Cusak is 62.

OCT. 12

TV journalist Chris Wallace is 77. Jazz musician Chris Botti is 62. Actor Hugh Jackman is 56. Actor Kirk Cameron is 54.

OCT. 13

Gospel singer Shirley Caesar is 87. Musician Paul Simon is 83. Singer Sammy Hagar is 77. Singer-actor-talk show host Marie Osmond is 65. Actor Sacha Baron Cohen (“Borat,” “Da Ali G Show”) is 53.

OCT. 14

Singer Cliff Richard is 84. Singer Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues is 78. Singer Thomas Dolby is 66. Actor Steve Coogan (“Night at the Museum”) is 59. Singer Usher is 46.

OCT. 15

Actor Linda Lavin (“Alice”) is 87. Actor Victor Banerjee (“A Passage To India”) is 78. Musician Richard Carpenter is 78. Actor Larry Miller is 71. TV chef Emeril Lagasse is 65.

OCT. 16

Actor Barry Corbin (“One Tree Hill,” ″Northern Exposure”) is 85. Guitarist Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead is 77. Producer-director David Zucker is 77. Actor-director Tim Robbins is 66. Bassist Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers is 62. Singer-songwriter John Mayer is 47.

WILLY SANJUAN / AP PHOTO Singer-actor-talk show host Marie Osmond turns 65 on Sunday.

EVAN AGOSTINI / AP PHOTO Singer-songwriter Paul Simon, pictured performing in 2021, turns 83 on Sunday.

AMY HARRIS / AP PHOTO

Grateful Dead founding member Bob Weir turns 77 on Wednesday.

the stream

Season 4 of coastal NC-set teen drama ‘Outer Banks’ lands on Netflix

Duran Duran drops

“Danse Macabre — De Luxe” reissue

The Associated Press

“BEETLEJUICE Beetlejuice” is available to stream for $25 on Prime Video, Apple TV and other video-on-demand platforms.

Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline co-starring in “Disclaimer,” a psychological thriller from writer-director Alfonso Cuarón, and Jelly Roll releasing “Beautifully Broken,” a follow-up to his breakout album “Whitsitt Chapel,” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also among the streaming offerings worth your time: Sean Wang’s semi-autobiographical feature debut “Dìdi,” Charli XCX’s deluxe, remixed, double-album version of her culture-shifting album “Brat.” MOVIES TO STREAM

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” was No. 1 at the box office as recently as two weeks ago, but beginning Tuesday, Tim Burton’s popular sequel will be available for a price. You can buy it digitally for $25 on Prime Video, Apple TV and other video-on-demand platforms. In it, the Deetz family returns to Winter River after a family tragedy. There, Lydia (Winona Ryder), still haunted by Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton), is forced into another afterlife odyssey when her teenage daughter (Jenna Ortega) discovers a portal. In her review, AP’s Jocelyn Noveck called it “a joyously rendered sequel that sometimes makes sense, and sometimes doesn’t, but just keeps rollicking.”

Sue Kim’s documentary

“The Last of the Sea Women,” streaming Friday on Apple TV+, captures the lives and livelihood of the Haenyeo, the community of South Korean fisherwomen who have free dived for seafood off the coast of Korea’s Jeju Island for generations. Threats abound for the Haenyeo, who are mostly in their 60s and 70s.

They ply their trade in a warming ocean contaminated by sea garbage and the Fukushima nuclear accident.

One of the indie highlights of the summer, Sean Wang’s “Dìdi,” is now streaming on Peacock. Wang’s semi-autobiographical feature debut, a coming-of-age story set in the Bay Area in 2008, is about a 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy (Izaac Wang) struggling with where he fits in. That includes with his family (Joan Chen plays his mother) and fellow skater kids whom he begins making videos with. The film, funny and tender, is a breakthrough for the emerging filmmaker Wang, whose short “Nai Nai and Wài Pó” was Oscar-nominated earlier this year.

MUSIC TO STREAM

Brat summer came and went, but the hedonistic ideologies behind Charli XCX’s feel-good album endure. On Friday, she will release “Brat and It’s Completely Different but Also Still Brat,” a deluxe, remixed, double-album version of her culture-shifting album “Brat,” this time featuring A-listers like Billie Eilish, Lorde, her tour mate Troye Sivan, her forever-hero Robyn, and more. Just don’t confuse this one with her other Brat re-release, “Brat and

It’s the Same but There’s Three More Songs So It’s Not.”

He’s the not-so-new name on everyone’s lips: Jelly Roll will release a follow-up to his breakout album, 2023’s “Whitsitt Chapel” on Friday. Little is known about the 22-track “Beautifully Broken” beyond its previously released tracks “I Am Not Okay,” “Get By,” “Liar” and “Winning Streak” — the latter of which he debuted during the premiere of “Saturday Night Live’s” 50th season, joined by a choir. That one was inspired by an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, and the album will no doubt center on the kind of stories he’s become known for: Soulful country rock on adversity, addiction, pain, suffering and, ultimately, chasing safety. A decade removed from “Shower,” the viral, bubblegum pop song that launched her career, Mexican American singer Becky G has found her lane in Spanish-language, hybrid-genre releases, crossing language barriers and cultural borders. “Encuentros,” out Friday, is her latest — a follow-up to 2023’s “Esquinas” — and continuation of her work in regional Mexicana styles made all her own, from the single “Mercedes,” which features corrido star Oscar Maydon’s deep tenor, and beyond.

On Friday, Duran Duran will release “Danse Macabre – De Luxe,” a deluxe reissue of their celebrated 2023 LP of the same name — a mix of covers and gothic originals. Surprises abound, even for the most dedicated Duran Duran fan: Like in their cover of ELO’s “Evil Woman” or on the song “New Moon (Dark Phase),” a reimagination of “New Moon on a Monday,” featuring former member Andy Taylor.

SHOWS TO STREAM

The first spinoff of the 2023 Prime Video spy series “Citadel,” which starred Priyanka Chopra and Richard Madden, debuts Thursday on the streamer. “Citadel: Diana” stars Matilda De Angelis and takes place in Italy. An India-based version called “Citadel: Honey Bunny” stars Varun Dhawan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu and premieres in November.

Netflix’s favorite sundrenched, treasure-hunting teens of North Carolina, known as the Pogues, are back for more adventures in “Outer Banks.” Season four, premiering Thursday, is divided into two parts. The show stars Chase Stokes and Madelyn Cline. Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline co-star in “Disclaimer,” a psychological thriller on Apple

TV+ from writer/director Alfonso Cuarón that premiered at last month’s Venice Film Festival. Blanchett plays a respected documentarian who recognizes she’s the inspiration for a character in a new novel that threatens to expose her secrets. The limited series also features Kodi Smit McPhee, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jung Ho-Yeon and Lesley Manville and premieres Friday.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

Atlus/Sega’s absorbing Persona series has grown over the years from a cult hit to a genuine blockbuster, but it’s been seven years since the last chapter. Meanwhile, several of its creators have branched off to form their own Studio Zero and are about to launch their debut title, Metaphor: ReFantazio. Instead of Persona’s Tokyo-set teen drama, Metaphor presents a power struggle in a pseudo-medieval kingdom. The combat, however, evokes Persona’s zippy blend of turn-based and real-time action, and when you aren’t fighting, you’ll need to spend time building relationships with the locals. If you’ve been craving a chance to explore a new world for dozens of hours, this one opens up Friday on PlayStation 5/4, Xbox

and PC.

X/S

JACKSON LEE DAVIS / NETFLIX VIA AP

Madelyn Cline and Chase Stokes star in “Outer Banks.” Season 4 comes to Netflix on Thursday.

TAPE MODERN-BMG / REPUBLIC RECORDS / ATLANTIC RECORDS VIA AP

“Danse Macabre — De Luxe” by Duran Duran, “Beautifully Broken” by Jelly Roll, and “Brat and It’s Completely Different but Also Still Brat” by Charli XCX drop this week.

MOORE COUNTY

Aced the test

Senior Brooke Emore going for a kill on Tuesday, with Pinecrest defeating Hoke

in the conference and 16-8 overall. For more sports, turn to B1.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Patriots will go with Drake Maye, benching Brissett

The New England Patriots reportedly are planning to give first-round draft pick Drake Maye his first pro start in the hopes of ending a four-game losing streak under veteran journeyman quarterback Jacoby Brissett. The decision was first reported by NFL Network. Maye, an N.C. native and star at UNC, made one previous appearance for New England, coming in at the end of a Week 3 loss to the New York Jets and going 4 for 8 with 22 yards. Brissett was 79 for 135 with two touchdowns and one interception in five starts this season. He never threw for more than 150 net yards in a game. The Patriots host the Houston Texans on Sunday.

FEMA administrator decrys false claims as Helene death toll hits 230

The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency is again forcefully pushing back against false claims and conspiracy theories about how her agency is responding to Hurricane Helene. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell appeared Monday in Asheville, North Carolina, to assure residents that the government is ready to help. Misinformation has spread over the past week in communities hit the hardest.

Former President Donald Trump and other prominent Republicans have questioned FEMA’s response and claimed that its funding is going to migrants or foreign wars. The death toll from Helene has risen to at least 230.

Commissioners to hold public hearing on potential racetrack development

The proposed racetrack would be built on nearly 400 acres of property off of Leach Road

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

CARTHAGE — The Moore County Board of Education has set a date for a public hearing for a planned development conditional rezoning request for 395.67 acres of property located on Leach Road from RA to Planned Development Conditional Zoning (PD-CZ) for the construction of a luxury racetrack.

The board has been hearing opposition to the racetrack for months now from local citizens during the public comment period of their meetings as there are a lot of concerns surrounding

noise, traffic and the overall impact on the local way of life and on the current rural/agricultural appeal of the area.

The board also set a hearing date for Oct. 15 for a quasi-judicial hearing for a potential amendment to a special use permit regarding the Gretchen Pines subdivision to construct an additional phase totaling 27 lots on 42.04 acres and a public hearing date for a conventional rezoning request for 2.59 acres of property located at 129 Doby Road from Neighborhood Business (B-1) to Rural Agricultural (RA) in order to help allow for the sale of the property as currently under the B-1 zoning district, the banks will not loan money on the property.

All three hearings will be held on Oct. 15.

In addition, the board approved the implementation of

a Capital Apparatus purchase plan for the Moore County fire departments.

“The Fire Commission has developed a plan to standardize the down payment percentage and the basic recommended terms for financing capital apparatus purchases,” said Public Safety Director Bryan Phillips.

The plan would allow for future purchases of capital apparatus to follow the standardized plan.

Board chair Nick Picerno did have one concern, although it did not keep him from voting to approve the plan.

“My fear is, if we don’t put a limit on the operational growth, it will continue to rise at a faster pace than inflation and the capital needs of the county will have to be, more so subsequently, transferred from the general fund to this Fire Commis-

Many voters in NC have bigger problems than politics

Helene changed everything for many in western NC

By Makiya Seminera The Associated Press

VILAS — Brad Farrington pulls over to grab a case of water bottles being passed out in Vilas, a small rural community tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains. He’s on his way to help a friend who lost much of what he owned when Hurricane Helene blew through last weekend. His friend, like countless others across western North Carolina, is starting over, which explains why Farrington isn’t thinking too much about politics or the White House race between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Ka-

mala Harris right now.

“I don’t believe people’s hope is in either people that are being elected,” he said.

Farrington pauses, then gestures toward a dozen volunteers loading water and other necessities into cars and trucks.

“I believe we’re finding a lot more hope within folks like this,” he said.

In the election’s final weeks, people in North Carolina and Georgia, influential swing states, are dealing with more immediate concerns: widespread storm damage. If that weren’t enough, voters in Watauga County, a ticket-splitting Appalachian county that has become more Democratic in recent years, must contend with politicians laying blame while offering support as they campaign in a race that could be decided by any small shift.

Large uprooted trees litter the sides of roads, sometimes blocking driveways. Some homes in Vilas are inaccessible after bridges collapsed and roads crumbled. More populous areas like Boone, home of Appalachian State, saw major flooding.

Residents wonder where are missing friends and relatives, is there enough food and water to last until new supplies arrive, and how will they rebuild.

The focus is on survival, not politics — and may remain that way for weeks.

Politicians travel to affected battleground states

Trump and Harris have visited North Carolina and Georgia five times since the storm hit. Trump was in North Caro -

sion,” Picerno said. “If we don’t put some kind of limit on the growth, that growth can eat up all the capital and then we would have to find another source of funds for capital needs. That’s the one thing I think needs to be relayed to the Fire Commission.”

The board also approved a change order with ELJ for the Vass Sewer Phase 2 Project to add additional sewer line extensions at a cost just under $160,000.

“We had some additional signups along Cameron Avenue and 690 so this change order will add extensions on those streets,” said Public Works Director Brian Patnode. “We had additional money in contingency and we’re using grant funding from the USDA for that contingency.”

The Moore County Board of Commissioners will next meet Oct. 15.

lina on Friday, and Harris was there the next day.

After Trump went to Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday, 20-year-old Fermin Herrera said the former president clinched his vote with his display of caring, not out of any frustration with how President Joe Biden and Harris, the vice president, are handling the federal disaster response. Herrera already leaned toward voting for Trump.

“I feel like everybody’s kind doing what they can,” he said.

“All the locals are appreciating the help that’s coming.” Trump, who has his own mixed record on natural disaster response, attacked Biden and Harris for what he said

See POLITICS, page A4

DAVID SINCLAIR FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

County 3-0 on senior night. The Lady Patriots improved to 11-0

“Join the conversation”

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

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Jim Sills, VP of Local Newspapers

Cory Lavalette, Senior Editor

Jordan Golson, Local News Editor

Shawn Krest, Sports Editor

Dan Reeves, Features Editor

Ryan Henkel, Reporter

P.J. Ward-Brown, Photographer

BUSINESS

David Guy, Advertising Manager

Published each Thursday as part of North State Journal

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Well-known Asheville music tradition returns in a sign of hopefulness

Even in the darkest times, life goes on

By Brittany Peterson The Associated Press

ASHEVILLE — A wellknown Asheville musical tradition returned last Friday night, a sign of hopefulness a week after Helene battered the mountain city.

The Asheville Drum Circle had its first regular Friday night session since the powerful storm blew in. The wind and flooding caused catastrophic damage throughout the mountains.

Amid the post-storm chaos, the sound of drums echoed across Pritchard Park and through nearby streets in downtown Asheville.

Drummer Mel McDonald said he hopes the smaller-than-usual gathering will

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

Sept. 28

• Aaron Britt Parks Wilson, 32, was arrested by Aberdeen PD for possession of stolen goods/property.

Sept. 29

• Oscar Lorenzo Hammond, 37, was arrested by Pinebluff PD for driving while impaired.

• Tyler Allen Deese, 24, was arrested by MCSO for felony larceny.

Sept. 30:

• Christopher Alexander McNeill, 53, was arrested by MCSO for maintaining vehicle/ dwelling/place for controlled substance.

Oct. 1:

• Kameron Odell White, 18, was arrested by Aberdeen PD for murder.

“It’s not over, there’s things to look forward to and enjoy yourselves.”

Drummer Mel McDonald

spread cheer during the trying time.

“Now is the most important time for people to see that it’s not over, there’s things to look forward to and enjoy yourselves,” McDonald said.

He drove up from South Carolina with supplies to hand out, and then joined the jam session.

“We normally have a drum circle on every Friday yearround and today seemed like a good day to do something positive, come out and drum, allow people to enjoy themselves, positive vibes,” he said. “Get something out there in the com-

• Anderson Lee McLaughlin, 72, was arrested by Southern Pines PD for seconddegree trespass.

• Jyrek Rashon McCall, 27, was arrested by Southern Pines PD for obtaining property by false pretense.

Oct. 2:

• Kalil Juwan Stuart, 32, was arrested by Durham PD for possession of firearm by felon.

Oct. 3:

• Shaquille Alashon Harrington, 30, was arrested by MCSO for felony larceny.

Oct. 4:

• Scottie Joseph Cooke, 39, was arrested by MCSO for driving while impaired.

Oct. 5:

• Christopher Bryan Hamilton, 46, was

munity positive. Maybe help people feel a little bit better.”

Sarah Owens was in the area Friday evening looking for water and wipes since the building where she lives still has no water.

“I followed the sound of the drum,” Owens said. “It is such a surprise and it is so invigorating and it just makes you feel like there’s hope and there’s life beyond all of this.”

“The human spirit of people coming together is so beautiful, and helping each other and encouraging each one and another,” she added. “And that’s what this music is, it’s encouraging to me.”

The drum circle began in 2001 with about 10 drummers, and can now draw hundreds of musicians and spectators when the weather is warm. The circle takes place in a park downtown near popular bars and restaurants.

arrested by MCSO for misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

Oct. 6:

• August Mehre Shavers, 45, was arrested by MCSO for possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Scott Andrew Moore, 32, was arrested by MCSO for DWI-Level 4.

• Bobby Wendell Fletcher, 42, was arrested by Southern Pines PD for breaking and entering.

Oct. 7:

• Alison Christine Plank, 50, was arrested by MCSO for misdemeanor larceny.

• Brian Thomas Gilligan, 50, was arrested by MCSO for secret peeping.

• Shayla Debri Bowden, 29, was arrested by Foxfire Village PD for misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

moore happening

Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in and around Moore County:

Oct.

10

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 to 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.

Oct.

10-12

Moore County Historical Association: Shaw House & Property Tours

1 to 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-profit organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, and sharing, the rich historical legacy of the towns, cities and surrounding area, of Moore County, North Carolina.”

Oct.

12

Oktoberfest Celebration

11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Red’s Corner 901 SW Broad St., Pinehurst

Oct. 16

Sandhills Farmers Market

3 to 6 p.m.

James W. Tufts

Memorial Park

1 Village Green Road West, Pinehurst

The Sandhills Farmers Market features some of the many wonderful farms, nurseries, bakeries, meat and egg providers, cheesemakers and specialty food producers our area has to offer. For more information visit: moorefarmfresh.com.

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

Can we all get along? Yes, by letting the states decide

What residents in red states like Montana and South Carolina object to is New Yorkers telling them how to live their lives.

AT THE TIME OF THIS WRITING, the outcome of the presidential race is pretty close to being a coin flip. So what I write is not in any way influenced by who will win in November, since that is unknowable. What is a virtual certainty is that on Nov. 6, roughly half the country will be full of joy, and the other half will be in a deep depression likely to last throughout the next four years.

Don’t be surprised if the losing party’s anger and despair spill over into prolonged violent protests—especially in the streets of the major cities. Politics in America is now—regrettably—a contact sport.

Whoever wins, America will be further ripped down its seams. Red- and blue-state America will even be more polarized. Don’t be surprised if half the country is near rebellion against the policies of either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump. Patronizing speeches by the victor about being president of “all the people” and promises to “unite” will only pour salt in the wounds of the losing side. The Left will detest the Trump agenda. The Right will fight against every element of the Harris agenda. It will feel like an occupation for the 49% on the losing side. We need to accept the unhappy reality that we are today the Disunited States of America. The U.S. is ideologically, culturally, economically more polarized than perhaps any time since the Civil War. The conservative half of the country is on Venus and the liberal half is on Mars. Yes, there is a moderate/middle section — but the tails have grown more populated and influential.

We see in polls that more and more Americans don’t even want to associate with those with different political views. We are also becoming more geographically segregated — not on the basis of race, ethnicity or income but on ideology. Red states are getting redder. Blue states are getting bluer. In recent years, an estimated 2 million Republicans have moved out of states like New York for states like Florida, Texas and the Carolinas.

Given these realities, is there a way for us to “all get along”?

Fortunately, yes. There is a logical way to keep America “united” as one nation and to avert chaos and mayhem. Fortunately, this solution is entirely consistent with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. For those who have forgotten, the 10th Amendment decrees that all powers not specifically granted to the federal government are reserved to “the states and the people.”

We need a radical return to federalism. We need to devolve powers back to the states.

We as citizens of all states are, of course, united by a common national defense, the commerce clause, which made America the largest and most prosperous free-trade zone in world history and, most importantly, our inalienable rights as citizens as set forth in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. A state, for example, does not have the right to pass laws that would violate a citizen’s right to free speech or peaceful assembly, or to discriminate against citizens on the basis of skin color or gender.

But given the schisms in society, most everything else is better decided at the state — not the federal — level. Issues related to transportation, taxation, education, environment, energy and business regulation belong to the states. Americans are then able to escape from policies they view as oppressive by moving to a state that conforms with their values and lifestyle decisions.

People in Mississippi or Utah have no problem with Californians charging a 13.3% income tax rate, enacting forced union policies, providing free health care to illegal immigrants, shutting down their power plants, abolishing gas stoves or plastic bags, or providing reparation payments to aggrieved groups.

New Yorkers shouldn’t mind if Texans impose no income tax, allow people to drive 75 miles an hour down the highways or regulate how cattle are bred.

What residents in red states like Montana and South Carolina object to is New Yorkers telling them how to live their lives.

We can, under this framework, have Harris policies prevail in blue states and Trump policies prevail in red states, and everyone goes away happy. No harm, no foul.

Again, the federal government is still responsible for protecting the civil liberties and “inalienable rights” of all residents of the United States. There would be no bringing back Jim Crow laws.

Alas, this framework is exactly the opposite of what Democrats seek. If you examine the Biden and Harris agendas, the Dems are determined to federalize nearly all policies, which forces all Americans in every state to live under the same sets of laws and policies. They want to nationalize union policies, environmental policies, energy policies, welfare policies, taxation and so on. They want to de facto toss out the Ninth and 10th amendments altogether.

This inevitably leads to the tyranny of the majority, which now and after November will be a razor-thin majority dictating policies on all Americans. This tyranny will be even greater felt if either a victorious GOP or the Democrats overturn the filibuster rule of 60 votes to muscle sweeping legislation out of the Senate.

Amazing that some 250 years ago our founding fathers had exactly the right vision for keeping America united in 2024 and beyond.

Stephen Moore is a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation. He is also an economic adviser to the Trump campaign.

People hate those who fight evil far more than those who are

Communists murdered about 100 million people — all noncombatants and all innocent.

I realized something very important about the human condition when I was in high school.

I realized that people tend to hate those who fight evil far more than they hate those engaged in doing evil. What made me come to this conclusion was the way in which many people reacted to communism and to anticommunism.

To my amazement, a great many people — specifically, all leftists and many, though not all, liberals — hated anticommunists far more than they hated communism.

Because of my early preoccupation with good and evil, already in high school, I hated communism. How could one not, I wondered. Along with Nazism, it was the great evil of the 20th century. Needless to say, as a Jew and as a human, I hated Nazism. But as I was born after Nazism was vanquished, the great evil of my time was communism.

Communists murdered about 100 million people — all noncombatants and all innocent. Stalin murdered about 30 million people, including 5 million Ukrainians by starvation (in just two years: 1932-33). Mao killed about 60 million people. Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge (Red Cambodians) killed about 3 million people, one in every four Cambodians, between 1975 and 1979. The North Korean communist regime killed between 2 million and 3 million people, not including another million killed in the Korean War started by the North Korean communists.

For every one of the 100 million killed by

evil

communists, add at least a dozen more people — family and friends — who were terribly and permanently affected by the death of their family member or friend. Then add another billion whose lives were ruined by having to live in a communist totalitarian state: their poverty, their loss of fundamental human rights and their loss of dignity.

You would think that anyone with a functioning conscience and with any degree of compassion would hate communism. But that was not the case. Indeed, there were many people throughout the noncommunist world who supported communism. And there was an even larger number of people who hated anticommunists, dismissing them as “Cold Warriors,” “warmongers,” “red-baiters,” etc.

At the present time, we are again witnessing this phenomenon — hatred of those who oppose evil rather than of those who do evil — with regard to Israel and its enemies. And on a far greater level. Israel is hated by individuals and governments throughout the world. Israel is the most reviled country at the United Nations as well as in Western media and, of course, in universities. Israel is a liberal democracy with an independent judiciary, independent opposition press, and equal rights for women, gays and its Arab population (20% of the Israeli population). Its enemies — the Iranian regime, Hamas and Hezbollah — allow no such freedoms to those under their control. More relevantly, their primary goal — indeed, their stated

reason for being — is to wipe out Israel and its Jewish inhabitants. Hamas and Hezbollah have built nothing, absolutely nothing, in Gaza and Lebanon, respectively. They exist solely to commit genocide against Israel and its Jews. Why did so many people hate anticommunists more than communism? And why do even more people hate Israel more than Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah?

The general reason is that it is emotionally and psychologically difficult for most people to stare evil in the face. Evil is widely described as “dark.” But it is not dark; it is easy to look into the dark. What is far harder to look at is blinding bright light. Perhaps that is why Lucifer, the original name of the Christian devil, comes from the word “light.”

Why this is so — why people will not call evil “evil” — is probably related to a lack of courage. Once one declares something evil, one is morally bound to resist it, and people fear resisting evil. The fools who mock Christianity — whether through a work of “art” like “Piss Christ” (a crucifix in a jar of urine), the Paris Olympics opening ceremony that mocked the Last Supper or the Los Angeles Dodgers honoring the “Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence” (men in drag dressed as nuns) — would never mock Islam. They fear Muslim wrath; they do not fear Christian wrath. Yet Islamic wrath has done and is doing far more evil in our time than Christian wrath.

And there is one additional reason for hating Israel — one that is specific to Israel — rather than those who seek to exterminate Israel: Jewhatred, better known as antisemitism. The people who introduced a judging God and gave the world the Ten Commandments have been hated for thousands of years. Not those who systematically violate those commandments.

Dennis Prager is a nationally syndicated radio talk show host and columnist.

COLUMN | DENNIS PRAGER

COLUMN | STEPHEN MOORE

Thousands still without water struggle to find enough

It could take weeks to get municipal water flowing again

By Michael Phillis and Jeff Amy The Associated Press

ASHEVILLE — Nearly a week after Hurricane Helene brought devastation to western North Carolina, a shiny stainless steel tanker truck in downtown Asheville attracted residents carrying 5-gallon containers, milk jugs and buckets to fill with what has become a desperately scare resource — drinking water.

Flooding tore through the city’s water system, destroying so much infrastructure that officials said repairs could take weeks. To make do, Anna Ramsey arrived Wednesday with her two children, who each left carrying plastic bags filled with 2 gallons of water.

“We have no water. We have no power. But I think it’s also been humbling,” Ramsey said.

Helene’s path through the Southeast left a trail of power outages so large the darkness was visible from space. Tens of trillions of gallons of rain fell and more than 200 people were killed, making Helene the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Katrina in 2005. Hundreds of people are still unaccounted for, and search crews must trudge through knee-deep debris to learn whether residents are safe.

It also damaged water utilities so severely and over such a wide inland area that one federal official said the toll “could be considered unprecedented.”

As of Thursday, about 136,000 people in the Southeast were

POLITICS from page A1

was a slow response to Helene’s destruction. Trump accused the Democrats of “going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas” and said there wasn’t enough Federal Emergency Management Agency money because it was spent on illegal immigrants. There is no evidence to support either claim.

“I’m not thinking about voters right now,” Trump insisted after a meeting with Gov. Brian Kemp (R-Ga.) on Friday. “I’m thinking about lives.”

Biden pushed back hard, saying he is “committed to being president for all of America” and has not ordered aid to be distributed based on party lines. The White House cited statements from the Republican governors of Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee expressing satisfaction with the federal government’s response.

FEMA’s head, Deanne Criswell, told ABC’s “This Week” that this “truly dangerous narrative” of falsehoods is

served by a nonoperational wa-

ter provider and more than 1.8 million were living under a boil water advisory, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Western North Carolina was especially hard hit. Officials are facing a difficult rebuilding task made harder by the steep, narrow valleys of the Blue Ridge Mountains that during a more typical October would attract throngs of fall tourists.

“The challenges of the geography are just fewer roads, fewer access points, fewer areas of flat ground to stage resources” said Brian Smith, acting deputy division director for the EPA’s water division in the Southeast.

After days without water, people long for more than just a sponge bath.

“I would love a shower,” said Sue Riles in Asheville. “Running water would be incredible.”

The raging floodwaters of Helene destroyed crucial parts of Asheville’s water system, scouring out the pipes that convey water from a reservoir in the mountains above town that is the largest of three water supplies for the system. To reach a second reservoir that was knocked offline, a road had to be rebuilt.

Boosted output from the third source restored water flow in some southern Asheville neighborhoods last Friday, but without full repairs schools may not be able to resume in-person classes, hospitals may not restore normal operations, and the city’s hotels and restaurants may not fully reopen.

Even water that’s unfit to drink is scarce. Drew Reisinger, the elected Buncombe County register of deeds, worries about people in apartments who can’t

“demoralizing” to first responders and creating “fear in our own employees.” Criticism of aid efforts so soon after a natural disaster is “inappropriate,” especially when factoring in the daunting logistical problems in western North Carolina, said Gavin Smith, an NC State professor who specializes in disaster recovery. He said the perilous terrain from compromised roads and bridges and the widespread lack of power and cellphone service make disaster response in the region particularly challenging.

Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has made several stops in western North Carolina, including Watauga County and surrounding areas, and Biden viewed the extensive damage via an aerial tour.

A focus on recovering and rebuilding

In Watauga County, Jessica Dixon was scraping muck and broken furniture off the ground with a shovel then dumping it

“One thing no one is talking about is the amount of poop that exists in every toilet in Asheville.”

Drew Reisinger, Buncombe County register of deeds

easily haul a bucket of water from a creek to flush their toilet. Officials are advising people to collect nondrinkable water for household needs from a local swimming pool.

“One thing no one is talking about is the amount of poop that exists in every toilet in Asheville,” he said. “We’re dealing with a public health emergency.”

It’s a situation that becomes more dangerous the longer it lasts. Even in communities fortunate enough to have running water, hundreds of providers have issued boil water notices indicating the water could be contaminated. But boiling water for cooking and drinking is time consuming and small mistakes can cause stomach illness, according to Natalie Exum, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

“Every day that goes by, you could be exposed to a pathogen,” Exum said. “These basic services that we take for granted in our everyday lives actually do do a lot to prevent illness.”

Travis Edwards’ faucet worked immediately after the storm. He filled as many containers as he could for himself and his child, but it didn’t take long for the flow to weaken, then stop. They rationed water,

in the bucket of a humming excavator. The 29-year-old stood in a home she bought two years ago. It’s now gutted after a rush of water forced Dixon, her boyfriend and their two dogs to flee to safety.

Without flood insurance, Dixon is not sure what will happen over the next month. She said she filled out a FEMA application but hasn’t checked her email since. She had given the presidential election some thought before Helene, but now she’s preoccupied with cleaning her home.

“It wouldn’t change my views on anything,” said Dixon, who was planning to vote for Harris.

The presidential election isn’t top of mind for 47-year- old Bobby Cordell, either. He’s trying to get help to neighbors in western Watauga County, which has become inaccessible in some parts.

His home near Beech Mountain is one of those places, he said, after a bridge washed away. Cordell rescued his aunt from a mudslide then traveled to Boone and has been staying

On Rt 211 just inside Hoke County. With Quantico Tactical

switching to hand sanitizer and barely putting any on toothbrushes.

“(We) didn’t realize how dehydrated we were getting,” he said.

Federal officials have shipped millions of gallons of water to areas where people also might not be able to make phone calls or switch on the lights.

Power has been restored to about 62% of homes and businesses and 8,000 crews are out working to restore power in the hardest hit parts of North Carolina, federal officials said Thursday. In 10 counties, about half of the cell sites are still down.

The first step for some utilities is simply figuring out how bad the damage is, a job that might require EPA expertise in extreme cases. Ruptured water pipes are a huge problem. They often run beneath roads, many of which were crumpled and twisted by floodwaters.

“Pretty much anytime you see a major road damaged, there’s a very good chance that there’s a pipe in there that’s also gotten damaged,” said Mark White, drinking water global practice leader at the engineering firm CDM Smith.

Generally, repairs start at the treatment plant and move outward, with fixes in nearby big pipes done first, according to the EPA.

“Over time, you’ll gradually get water to more and more people,” White said.

Many people are still missing, and water repair employees don’t typically work around search and rescue operations. It takes a toll, according to Kevin Morley, manager of federal relations with the American Water Works Association.

“There’s emotional support

in Appalachian State’s Holmes Convocation Center, which now serves as a Red Cross emergency shelter.

He’s trying to send disaster relief back where he lives by contacting officials, including from FEMA. That conversation, he said, “went very well.”

Accepting help isn’t easy for people in the mountains, he said, because they’re used to taking care of themselves.

Now, though, the people who are trapped “need everything they can get.”

Helping neighbors becomes more important in Helene’s aftermath

Over the past week of volunteering at Skateworld, where Farrington stopped for water, it’s become harder for Nancy Crawford to smile. She’s helped serve more than 1,000 people, she said, but the emotional toll has started to settle in for “a lot of us that normally are tough.”

That burden added to the weight she was already feeling about the election, which she said was “scary to begin with.” Crawford, a registered Repub -

that is really important for all the people involved. You’re seeing people’s lives just wiped out,” he said.

Even private well owners aren’t immune. Pumps on private wells may have lost power and overtopping floodwaters can contaminate them.

There’s often a “blind faith” assumption that drinking water won’t fail. In this case, the technology was insufficient, according to Craig Colten. Before retiring to Asheville, he was a professor in Louisiana focused on resilience to extreme weather. He hopes Helene will prompt politicians to spend more to ensure infrastructure withstands destructive storms.

And climate change will only make the problem more severe, said Erik Olson, a health and food expert at the nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council.

“I think states and the federal government really need to step back and start looking at how we’re going to prepare for these extreme weather events that are going to be occurring and recurring every single year,” he said.

Edwards has developed a system to save water. He’ll soap dirty dishes and rinse them with a trickle of water with bleach, which is caught and transferred to a bucket — useable for the toilet.

Power and some cell service have returned for him. And water distribution sites have guaranteed some measure of normalcy: Edwards feels like he can start going out to see friends again.

“To not feel guilty about using more than a cup of water to, like, wash yourself … I’m really, really grateful,” he said.

lican, said she plans to vote for Harris. As a Latina of Mexican descent, she thinks Trump’s immigration policies would have harmful effects on her community.

The storm, she said, likely won’t change her vote but has made one thing evident.

“It doesn’t matter what party you are, we all need help,” she said.

Jan Wellborn had a similar thought as she made her way around the Watauga High School gym collecting supplies to bring to coworkers in need. A 69-year-old bus driver for the school district, she said the outpouring of support she’s seen from the community has been a “godsend.”

She takes solace from the county’s ability to pull together. The election matters, she said, but helping people make their way through a harrowing time matters more.

“The election, it should be important,” Wellborn said. “But right now we need to focus on getting everybody in the county taken care of.”

MOORE SPORTS

Moore County has banner week of high school football

All three local schools post wins as the regular season enters final month

North State Journal staff

DON’T LOOK now, but North Moore is on a winning streak. Meanwhile, Pinecrest bounced back from a surprising loss, and Union Pines continues to roll. All three area teams posted wins on the gridiron last weekend.

It was just the second time in the last two years that all three county teams won on the same day and the first since Sept. 1, 2023. It was the first time Pinecrest, Union Pines and North Moore all won conference games on the same Football Friday since Oct. 27, 2022.

All three teams are in a good place as we enter the home stretch, with only four football Fridays remaining in the regular season.

Union Pines

The Vikings came back from their bye with a second straight win to improve to 5-1 on the season. North Moore already has its most wins in a season since 2019, and the Vikings have their best six-game start since 2014. They have two conference wins for the first time since the 2020-21 pandemic season and are 2-0 in the league for the first time since 2007.

The Vikings beat Scotland, 37-23, on Friday. Anthony Goswick threw three touchdown passes, all to Hayne Tobias, and the Union Pines defense had two fumble recoveries and a blocked punt on special teams to key the victory.

This week, the head to Richmond for another Sandhills Conference game. The Raiders are 5-2, 3-0 in conference, and coming off of a 44-20 win over Hoke County.

JOURNAL

DAVID SINCLAIR FOR NORTH STATE

Pinecrest running back Zymire Spencer gets the handoff in a game against Richmond earlier this season. Spencer had a big game on Friday as the Patriots got back in the win column.

Pinecrest

After losing their first regular season game in two years, Pinecrest got back on the winning track with a 42-13 road win at Southern Lee. The Patriots rushed for 328 yards and six touchdowns. Zymire Spencer led the way with 127 yards and two scores, while the defense had three interceptions and a fumble recovery.

Pinecrest is now 5-1, 1-1 in the Sandhills. This week, they remain on the road with a league game at Lee County. The Yellow Jackets are 4-2, 1-1 in the Sandhills and had a bye week last Friday. Their last game was a 24-20 win at Hoke on Sept. 28.

North Moore

Break up the Mustangs. After starting 0-4, North Moore has now won two straight, putting up 109 wins in the process. On Friday, North Moore hammered Bartlett Yancey at home, 55-22. The Mustangs had 488 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on

the ground in the win. They also had 15 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, five turnovers and a blocked punt as the defense throttled the Buccaneers.

North Moore is now 2-4, 2-2 in the Mid-Carolina Conference. This week, they head to Seaforth for another conference tilt. The Hawks are 2-3, 2-2 in the Mid-Carolina, and coming off of a 9-6 loss at Northwood in the Battle for Pittsboro.

Moore County Week Eight High School Schedule:

Friday Oct. 11, 7:30 PM, Pinecrest Patriots (5-1, 1-1 in Sandhills) at Lee County Yellow Jackets (4-2, 1-1) *Sandhills Conference game

Friday Oct. 11, 7:00 PM, North Moore Mustangs (2-4, 2-2 in Mid-Carolina) at Seaforth Hawks (2-3, 2-2) *Mid-Carolina Conference game Friday Oct. 11, 7:30 PM, Union Pines Vikings (5-1, 2-0 in Sandhills) at Richmond Raiders (5-2, 3-0) *Sandhills Conference game

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Brandon Powell

North Moore, football

Brandon Powell is a senior running back on the North Moore football team and a two-time winner of Athlete of the Week this season.

The Mustangs won their second straight game after an 0-4 start, blowing out Bartlett Yancey 55-22 on Friday. North Moore didn’t throw a pass in the game, rushing for 488 yards. Powell had more than half of them, carrying 23 times for 269 yards, an average of 11.7 yards per carry. He also scored six touchdowns.

Powell is the state’s No.3 rusher at the 1A level and leads the Mid-Carolina Conference.

Stenhouse snaps 65-race losing streak

The late crash at Talladega scrambled the NASCAR playoff picture

By Jenna Fryer

The Associated Press

TALLADEGA, Ala. — A 27- c ar crash that involved eight of the NASCAR Cup Series’ 12 title contenders. A chaotic cleanup that infuriated competitors. And a surprise winner.

Just a regular race at Talladega Superspeedway. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. snapped a 65-race losing streak by winning in overtime at Talladega on Sunday after a late crash collected more than half the field. Stenhouse is not in

the playoffs and his victory marked the second consecutive week a driver not competing for the Cup Series title has won.

“It’s so tough to win these races. It’s so tough to miss the wrecks,” Stenhouse said. “These races are just chaos when it comes down to the end.”

The victory was the first for Stenhouse and his JTG Daugherty Racing team since he won the season-opening Daytona 500 to start 2023. He’s the 18th different Cup Series winner this year.

“It felt really good. This team has put a lot of hard work in, obviously we haven’t won since the 500 in ’23. It’s been an upand-down season,” Stenhouse said. “We knew that this track

is one of ours to come get.”

Stenhouse’s first career victory came at Talladega in 2017 and his four career Cup Series victories have come at either the Alabama superspeedway or Daytona International Speedway.

Stenhouse won in a threewide finish between Brad Keselowski and William Byron, who with his third-place finish became the only driver locked into the third round of the playoffs.

Four drivers will be eliminated from the playoffs next Sunday on the hybrid road course/oval at Charlotte. Joey Logano, Daniel Suarez, Austin Cindric and Chase Briscoe are all below the cutline.

Cindric was the leader with

five laps remaining in regulation when Logano, two rows back, gave Keselowski a hard shove directly into Cindric. It caused Cindric to spin and 27 of the 40 cars in the field suffered some sort of damage in the melee.

Even Stenhouse had a chunk of sheet metal missing from the driver side door area when he drove his car into Victory Lane. In the chaos of the cleanup, with teams fuming postrace over how NASCAR navigated the crash scene, some argued that Stenhouse’s door was missing some safety foam and he should have been forced to pit for repairs.

“I bet they did. I didn’t see any missing foam,” said winning crew chief Mike Kelly, who suspects NASCAR will review how it handled the chaotic cleanup in which some cars were towed back to pit road and repairs began for them as

others were still stranded on the track. “They were put in a tough situation with that many cars involved in the wreck, and that many (tow trucks). It’s a tough situation.”

Stenhouse later acknowledged there indeed was foam hanging out of the gaping hole. The race was red-flagged for nearly nine minutes of cleanup, and 22 cars remained on the lead lap for the two-lap overtime sprint to the finish. Many of those 22 cars were damaged.

Keselowski finished second in a Ford for RFK Racing and was followed by Byron in a Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Byron is the points leader headed into Charlotte and his cushion is large enough to earn him an automatic spot into the round of eight.

Only four drivers still active in the playoffs finished inside the top 10.

Driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. celebrates in Victory Lane after Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Talladega Superspeedway.

SIDELINE REPORT

NFL

Pro Football Hall of Famer Shaw dead at 85

Canton, Oh

Former Georgia Tech and Buffalo Bills star Billy Shaw died at age 85 at his home in Georgia. Shaw was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999. Shaw chose to play for the Bills of the old American Football League rather than the Dallas Cowboys of the then-rival National Football League because he wanted to play offensive guard rather than linebacker. He won two AFL titles in Buffalo and made eight All-Star teams during his nine-year career.

RACING

Actor Reeves spins out at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in pro auto racing debut

Indianapolis Hollywood star Keanu Reeves made his professional auto racing debut in an event in which “The Matrix” star spun out at famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Reeves spun into the grass without a collision on the exit of Turn 9 a little more than halfway through the 45-minute race. He reentered and continued driving, signaling he was uninjured. Reeves, 60, is competing at Indianapolis in Toyota GR Cup, a Toyota specracing series and a support series for the Indy 8 Hour sports car event.

NBA

Ewing returns to the Knicks as ambassador New York Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing is returning to the New York Knicks in the newly created position of basketball ambassador. The Knicks said Friday that Ewing would assist both basketball and business operations in his role. Taken by the Knicks with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1985 draft, Ewing went on to play 15 seasons in New York and is the franchise’s career leader in points, rebounds, blocks, steals and games played. The Knicks made the playoffs in his final 13 seasons.

WNBA

Ionescu scores 22 to lead Liberty to WNBA Finals

Las Vegas Sabrina Ionescu rebounded from a rare off game to score 22 points. Nearly a year after the Aces ended the Liberty’s dream of a championship, New York returned the favor Sunday afternoon by defeating Las Vegas 76-62 to advance to the WNBA Finals. The top-seeded Liberty will have home-court advantage in the championship series and face either the Connecticut Sun or Minnesota Lynx. This is the Liberty’s sixth trip to the finals, but the franchise is still seeking its first title.

NHL Red Wings goaltender Campbell enters player assistance program

Detroit Detroit Red Wings goaltender Jack Campbell has entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. The league and union announced last Friday that Campbell will be away from the Red Wings organization indefinitely while he receives care. The 32-year- old was expected to begin the season with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League. Detroit signed him for the league-minimum $775,000 after the Edmonton Oilers bought out the three seasons remaining on his five-year, $25 million contract last summer.

College athletes helping those impacted by Hurricane Helene

Charlotte athletes lending a hand to its sister school in Asheville that suffered storm damage

By Steve Reed The Associated Press

CHARLOTTE — UNC Asheville soccer player Xander Naguib and his teammates are preparing to spend the next several weeks — or perhaps months — at the state’s sister school in Charlotte, where they will be housed, fed and be able to continue playing sports.

Given what Naquib has been through in the last week, he couldn’t be more grateful. He and his teammates are among many programs in the area that have relocated to other schools in what one athletic director called a stirring example of colleges helping each other amid dire need.

Naguib and his friends were in Asheville when Hurricane

Helene arrived, leaving a path of destruction in its wake with more than 200 people dead and countless others still missing. Without power, water and cell phone service and their off-campus apartment taking on water, Naguib was forced to evacuate even as flooding washed away local roads.

“It felt like we were blocked off from the world,” Naguib said.

Hours later, Naguib found a hotel and contacted his worried parents in Frisco, Texas, who quickly booked him on the next flight out of Asheville.

With UNC Asheville’s campus closed until Oct. 21 and classes canceled until at least Oct. 28, the school has asked students to return home or placed them on other campuses. Athletic teams have the benefit of being with their teammates; for Naguib, it means living and playing soccer two hours away in Charlotte.

UNC Charlotte athletic di-

Wild Miami win was followed by another celebration at home

The Hurricanes staged an epic comeback in California

By Tim Reynolds The Associated Press

CORAL GABLES, Fla. —

They celebrated on the field. They celebrated in the locker room. And when Miami’s overnight charter flight landed Sunday after the Hurricanes’ biggest comeback win in a quarter-century, another unplanned celebration was waiting.

Fire trucks greeted the plane by shooting plumes of water over it as it taxied to the gate.

“I couldn’t believe it when I saw that,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “That was crazy.”

A little bit of crazy on Sunday morning made sense because everything about Saturday night at California was pretty much crazy as well.

The Hurricanes trailed by 25 points late in the third quarter, trailed by 20 with 11 minutes remaining and somehow beat Cal 39-38 — the biggest comeback win in FBS play this season and the biggest by Miami since a 28-point comeback to

beat Boston College in 1999.

Miami quarterback Cam Ward enhanced his Heisman Trophy campaign by passing for 437 yards and accounting for three touchdowns in the final 10:28, including the game-winning throw to Elijah Arroyo with 26 seconds left.

“I didn’t play my best ball,” Ward said. “Nobody played their best ball. We just can’t keep putting ourselves in these situations.”

It was two down-to-the-wire games in a row for Miami. The Hurricanes erased a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to beat Virginia Tech on Sept. 27 and then came back from 25 down one week later.

“This team has so much trust,” Cristobal said. “Insane resiliency. We’re down 35-10 and nobody blinks. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Miami (6-0, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) jumped two spots to No. 6 in the AP Top 25 on Sunday. It’s only the third time since 2005 that the Hurricanes have been ranked that high; the team was No. 3 for two polls in November 2005 and had a two-week stay at No. 2 in November 2017.

Miami is off this week before going to Louisville on Oct. 19.

rector Mike Hill had reached out to Asheville AD Janet Cone to offer any assistance in the wake of the disaster.

Cone took him up on his offer, and Charlotte will host Asheville’s men’s and women’s soccer teams and volleyball squad in the days ahead, putting them up at an overflow dormitory, feeding them meals in the cafeteria and allowing them to use their athletic facilities. They will have access to medical attention to treat injuries.

“We want them to feel comfortable,” said Chris Thomasson, Charlotte’s executive associate athletic director for internal affairs. “A lot of people worked hard to make it happen. And our coaching staffs have been terrific. It’s interesting, on the field or the court our coaches are fierce competitors, but when they heard Asheville needed help they were like, ‘whatever we can do — anything.’”

UNC Charlotte hasn’t been

the only school to step up.

Asheville’s tennis teams will be living and practicing at High Point University. Its swim teams will stay at Gardner-Webb University. The golf teams will be head to Wofford College next week.

Cone is still working to get all the school’s athletes placed, including the school’s basketball teams as part of what she called “a logistical puzzle with a whole lot of pieces.”

But she’s confident the school will get through it.

“The world of college sports is a really tight-knit group,” Cone said. “It’s been really heartening for me to see. So many people have gone out of their way to help us. I’ve received calls from schools all over the state and all over the country saying, ‘What can we do?’ There is a lot of trouble in this world and people sometimes do crazy things, but at times like this it makes you feel good to the see the care in people’s hearts.”

quarterback Cam Ward celebrates after defeating

with an incredible second-half comeback.

“This was special,” receiver Xavier Restrepo said after the Cal game, one in which he went from No. 9 to No. 4 on Miami’s all-time yardage list and set up the winning score with a 77-yard catch-and-run to start the final possession. “Wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

The plane bringing the Hurricanes home was pretty dark for much of the five-hour ride; almost everybody was sleeping, or at least trying to sleep. One of the few lights on the plane was coming from Cristobal’s laptop because he watched the game a couple of times on the way home.

Miami running back Mark Fletcher, who ran for 81 yards and a score, had no problem getting a few hours of sleep.

“I slept good,” he said. “We just never quit. We had so much poise. There was no panic, no panic from players, no panic from coaches. We just played. It’s conference play now and conference games are like playoff games. Just prepare every week like it’s the national championship and see what happens.” Sleep, evidently, was not on Cristobal’s to-do list after he got back Sunday. He walked to his car, still in his suit, carrying a fresh cup of Cuban coffee. For those who don’t know, that’s high-octane stuff and not recommended for anyone who plans to nap imminently.

“Sleep? Maybe later,” Cristobal said. “Maybe. There’s work to do. We just came a long way. We still have miles to go.”

JED JACOBSOHN / AP PHOTO

Miami

California

SUSAN WALSH / AP PHOTO

A view of damage in Asheville is seen during an aerial tour President Joe Biden took of areas impacted by Hurricane Helene last week.

Beverly Jean Slater Raffaele

June 11, 1938 – Sept. 28, 2024

Beverly was born in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to the late Merton and Eleanor Slater; in addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother and sister-inlaw Richard and Ruth Ann Slater; Parent-in-laws John and Genevieve Raffaele, Brother and Sister-in-Laws Walter Ferdna, Frank Faragalli, Wanba and Bob Berquist.

In 1946, her family moved to Wellsboro, Pennsylvania. She grew up in beautiful Wellsboro, and was the Wellsboro Laurel Festival Queen her senior year of High School!

When she graduated in 1956, she decided she wanted to attend college in the Northeast; and went to Bay Path Junior College in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, graduating with Honors in 1958.

After graduation, she moved to New York City and worked at Chase Manhattan as a secretary to David Rockefeller.

Bev married Army 1st Lieutenant John (Jack) Raffaele on 9 April 1960. They moved months later to Hanau, Germany where Bevy began her incredible career as an Army Officer’s Wife!

Throughout her life she volunteered in many capacities; her work in the Army Officers’ Wives Club was very important to her. She was very dedicated and held several positions over their 20-plus years in the Army, twice holding the office of President at Fort Drum, NY and Fort Belvoir, VA.

The Red Cross was also a passion of hers; devoting her time to teaching children swimming

lessons and being a school nurse in the elementary schools at the Army posts where they lived.

In addition to her volunteer work, she was a Lady of Arlington for the Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA., assisting families during military funerals for their loved ones.

In 1974-75 Bev studied Italian at the Defense Language Institute at the Presidio of Monterey in California with her husband, Jack. She was fluent in the language when the family moved to Verona, Italy in 1975.

Bev and her family returned to the USA in June 1978, settling in Hartford, Connecticut. Beverly began a new career at the offices of the American Red Cross, as the Executive Secretary to the Chairman of the Red Cross. She retired from there in 1994.

Bev and Jack moved to North Carolina in June 1995, eventually settling in Pinehurst; where they began their retired life filled with lots of golf, friends, and traveling.

They returned to Verona, Italy April 2011 to celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary in the country they had lived in and loved.

Beverly always had a special place in her heart for all of her Cocker Spaniels - our family was Blessed through the years with eight…Major, Buffy, Cosi Gentilé, Copper, Biscotti, Blondie, Cooper, and Sophia.

Beverly is survived by her husband, John (Jack) Raffaele; their daughter, Wende Jean Raffaele Keener and husband Calvin Gordon Keener; grandsons Sean Christopher Raffaele Keener and wife Elizabeth (Liz) Ann Mize Keener; Jackson Richard Keener and wife Ashley Danielle Johnson Keener; two Great-Grandsons Oliver Geno Keener and Theodore Jackson Keener.

She is also survived by many loving and special family members and friends that were always in her heart and by her side in person and in prayers.

Services will be at The Village Chapel in Pinehurst, NC on Thursday, October 10, 2024, at 1 p.m. Burial will be at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

Services are entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.

Kelly Rae Taylor

June 28, 1966 – Sept. 28, 2024

Kelly Rae Taylor, 58, of Southern Pines, passed at the FirstHealth Hospice House on Saturday, September 28, 2024.

Kelly was born in Raleigh, on June 28, 1966, and grew up on Hilton Head Island, SC.

Kelly, a professional tutor and communication studies professor, received her AA from Sandhills Community College, her BA from UNC-Pembroke, and her MA from Queens University in Charlotte.

Kelly was the daughter of the late Sharon Rae Fielden and the mother of Lily Gunter and Dylan Beamer. She is also survived by her grandson Everton Beamer. In addition to her mother, Kelly is preceded in death by her sister Shannon Taylor.

A celebration of her life will be held at the Boles Funeral Home, 425 W. Pennsylvania Ave, Southern Pines on Thursday, October 17, 2024, at 5:00 PM.

The family will receive friends prior to the ceremony from 4:005:00 PM.

Services are entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.

William D. Hayes

May 19. 1953 – Oct. 1, 2024

William D. Hayes Jr., AKA-Don, Donnie, Hayes, Willie, Poppy lost his last battle with kryptonite on October 1.

He totally enjoyed his life in Newark, at the firehouse, in Snug Harbor, on the golf course, and especially with family.

His wit and dry sense of humor was a big plus in his 55year friendship with Joanne. He will be deeply missed. So, when you have your next cheeseburger with a beer or milkshake put in a good word to the Big Guy for him. He really doesn’t want to see any more fire.

Peace and God Bless.

Services entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Seven Lakes.

STATE & NATION

Mexican immigrants plagued by grief, questions after plant workers swept away by

Six workers at Tennessee’s Impact Plastics have not been found

By Leah Willingham

The Associated Press

ERWIN, Tenn. — With shaking hands, Daniel Delgado kissed a photo of his wife, Monica Hernandez, before lighting a candle in a supermarket parking lot. Family members hugged pictures printed on poster board, some collapsing into them in tears as search helicopters flew overhead in the direction of the hills.

Days after six workers at a plastics factory disappeared under surging floodwaters caused by Hurricane Helene, loved ones and supporters have been gathering for vigils in front of churches, a high school and a grocery store to honor them.

The storm, which claimed the lives of at least 230 people across six states, quickly overwhelmed Erwin, an Appalachian town of around 6,000, on Sept. 27 and resulted in more than 50 people being rescued by helicopter from the roof of a submerged hospital.

The scar it left behind has been especially devastating within the small Latino community that makes up a disproportionate number of workers at the factory: Four of the six workers swept away were Mexican American.

Helene

Two state investigations have been launched into Impact Plastics and whether the company should have done more to protect workers as the danger grew.

The families of those lost say they still can’t comprehend the ferocity of the storm — or why their loved ones didn’t get out of the factory earlier to avoid the raging floodwaters.

“We ask: ‘Why? Why did she go to work? Why did she stay?’” Hernandez’s sister Guadalupe Hernandez-Corona said, through a translator, after a Thursday night vigil. “We’re all still wondering.”

Impact Plastics President Gerald O’Connor has said no employees were forced to keep working and were evacuated at least 45 minutes before the

massive force of the flood hit the industrial park.

“There was time to escape,” he said in a video statement, adding that he was among the last to leave the plant after ensuring everyone was out. The National Guard rescued five employees by helicopter.

But surviving workers say the evacuation began too late. Some clung to pipes on truck flatbeds

for up to six hours while making frantic 911 calls and saying goodbyes to loved ones. Some saw coworkers carried off by the current.

Emergency dispatchers said resources were spread thin as a rescue operation was underway over a mile downriver at Unicoi County Hospital.

Normally running 2 feet deep, the Nolichucky River rose to a record 30 feet that day, running at more than 1.4 million gallons per second, which is twice as much as Niagara Falls.

The plastics plant was open, even as local schools shuttered.

Robert Jarvis, who began his shift at 7 a.m., said employees continued to work while receiving phone alerts about possible flooding. Many stayed even after management asked them to move cars because 6 inches of water had accumulated in the parking lot.

Employees were finally told to evacuate after the power went out and when the water was about a foot high, he said. Jarvis said he survived only because he was pulled into the bed of someone’s lifted truck, which labored up an all-terrain road for three hours. Jarvis said the six lost coworkers were “like family” and he feels a responsibility to them to share his experience.

“They shouldn’t have been at work that day,” he said. “None of us should have.”

Mother, twin babies among Helene victims in Georgia

The month-old boys are the youngest-known victims of the storm

By Hannah Schoenbaum

The Associated Press

OBIE WILLIAMS said he could hear babies crying and branches battering the windows when he spoke with his daughter on the phone last week as Hurricane Helene tore through her rural Georgia town.

Kobe Williams, 27, and her month-old twin boys were hunkering down at their trailer home in Thomson, Georgia, with her mother, Mary Jones, who had been helping her take care of the one-month-old babies. Williams’ father sensed his daughter was fearing for her safety, and he said she promised him that she would heed his advice to shelter in the bathroom until the storm passed.

The single mother had been sitting in bed holding sons Khyzier and Khazmir and chatting on the phone with various family members while the storm raged outside.

my grandsons. It’s devastating.”

The babies, born Aug. 20, are the youngest known victims of a storm that had claimed at least 225 lives across Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia and the Carolinas as of midday Saturday. The toll was expected to rise as rescuers reach isolated areas. Among the other young victims are a 7-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy from about 50 miles south in Washington County, Georgia.

“She was so excited to be a mother of those beautiful twin boys,” said Chiquita Jones-Hampton, Kobe Jones’ niece. “She was doing such a good job and was so proud to be their mom.”

Jones-Hampton said the family is in shock and heartbroken. A funeral will be held on Friday.

“Now I’ll never get to meet my grandsons. It’s devastating.”

Obie Williams, father and grandfather to three storm victims

tle over a day after the storm barreled through.

He said one of his sons dodged fallen trees and downed power lines to check on Kobe, and he could barely bear to tell his father what he found.

Many of his 14 other children are still without power in their homes across Georgia. Some have sought refuge in Atlanta, and others have traveled to Augusta to see their father and mourn together, he said.

Minutes later, she was no longer answering their calls. Jones, who was on the other side of the trailer, described hearing a loud crash as a tree fell through the roof of her daughter’s bedroom.

Kobe and the twins were found dead.

“I’d seen pictures when they were born and pictures every day since, but I hadn’t made it out there yet to meet them,”

“Kobe, Kobe, answer me, please,” Jones cried out in desperation, but she received no response.

Obie Williams told The Associated Press days after the storm ravaged eastern Georgia. “Now I’ll never get to meet

In Obie Williams’ home city of Augusta, 30 miles east of his daughter’s home in Thomson, power lines stretched along the sidewalks, tree branches blocked the roads and utility poles lay cracked and broken. The debris left him trapped in his neighborhood near the South Carolina border for a lit-

He described his daughter as a lovable, social and strong woman. She always had a smile and loved to make people laugh, he said.

And she loved to dance, Jones-Hampton said.

“That was my baby,” Williams said. “And everybody loved her.”

OBIE LEE WILLIAMS VIA AP

Kobe Williams, left, and her twin sons Khazmir Williams and Khyzier Williams were killed in their home in Thomson, Georgia, by a falling tree during Hurricane Helene on Sept. 30.

JEFF ROBERSON / AP PHOTO

Daniel Delgado kneels in front of a photo of his wife, Monica Hernandez, who died at Impact Plastics during flooding caused by Hurricane Helene, while being comforted by his sisterin-law, Guadalupe Hernandez-Corona, during a vigil for victims of the tragedy in Erwin, Tennessee, last Thursday.