North State Journal Vol. 9, Issue 39

College hoops heating up, Sports

Potable water restored at UNC Asheville

Couple injured in house explosion expected to make full recovery

Union County

The couple that was injured in a house explosion in Union County on Sunday morning is expected to make a full recovery, according to the Union County Emergency Services. Just before 9 a.m. on Sunday, the house on Steeple Chase Circle near N.C. 16 exploded. Authorities from multiple departments rushed to the scene, and the cause of the explosion is still under investigation. The man was flown to a burn center, and the woman was rushed to a local hospital, though crews said her injuries weren’t life-threatening.

Putin lowers nuclear threshold after Biden’s arms decision for Ukraine

Moscow President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday formally lowered the threshold for Russia’s use of its nuclear weapons, a move that follows U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to let Ukraine strike targets inside Russian territory with Americansupplied longer-range missiles. The new doctrine allows for a potential nuclear response by Moscow even to a conventional attack on Russia by any nation that is supported by a nuclear power. Russia’s Defense Ministry said Ukraine fired six U.S.-made ATACMS missiles early Tuesday at a military facility in Russia’s Bryansk region that borders Ukraine, adding that air defenses shot down five of them and damaged one more. While the doctrine envisions a possible nuclear response by Russia to such a conventional strike, it is formulated broadly to avoid a firm commitment to use nuclear weapons and keep Putin’s options open. The approval demonstrates Putin’s readiness to tap his nuclear arsenal to force the West to back down as Moscow presses a slowmoving offensive in Ukraine as the war reached its 1,000th day.

The Onslow County Republican is 22 and a senior at East Carolina University

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — Newly elected 22-year-old Rep. Wyatt Gable will be the youngest and first Gen Z member elected to the General Assembly House in modern history.

Clyde R. Hoey, North Carolina’s 59th governor, was 21 when he was first elected to the N.C. House of Representatives 126 years ago and served from 18981902.

“It feels awesome,” Gable told North State Journal of becoming the youngest member of the General Assembly. “It’s a little weird just thinking how many people have been in the General Assembly in North Carolina, that I’ll be the youngest one,

but I am looking forward to it.”

Gable was elected with more than 66% of the vote to the House District 14 seat, which covers all of Onslow County.

Gable defeated Democrat Carmen Spicer by more than 8,100 votes and won in all nine precincts.

Gable said that while his district trends Republican, his team didn’t take that for granted and had knocked on more than 500 doors this election cycle as well as running ads on social media platforms and contacting voters through text messaging.

During his campaign, Gable ran as a “staunch conservative that will always stand up for your rights in the N.C. House.”

Gable said the COVID-19 pandemic is what spurred him to run for office.

“I just think kind of back in high school and college with the COVID itself, it really felt like

See GABLE, page A2

“Our defense of your failed lawsuit cost the Plan $2,047,114.35.”

Dale

Folwell, state treasurer

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ filtration system should supply up to 288,000 gallons per day to the campus

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — Hurricane Helene’s impact on western North Carolina’s infrastructure included widespread electricity outages, and it also shut down water processing and treatment facilities. Boil water notices were in place following the storm, and institutions like the University of North Carolina at Asheville (UNCA) closed down to students due to a lack of water available on campus. While the campus reopened in late October when access to water was restored, students, faculty, and staff were still not cleared to drink the water, resorting instead to bottled water for drinking and everyday use, such as brushing teeth. Potable water is now flow-

The treasurer is asking for the state to be reimbursed after Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina sued following the State Health Plan’s contract being awarded to Aetna

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — North Car-

olina State Treasurer Dale Folwell is seeking more than $2 million in legal fees from Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina following the conclusion of a legal dispute over the State Health Plan’s third-party administrator contract being awarded to Aetna.

“Number one, you don’t get what you don’t ask for,” Folwell said during his monthly call with reporters about why he was pursu-

ing the legal fees from Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC).

“I think when you’re the keeper of the public person, you’re watching the pennies and the paper clips, you have responsibility to collect any money that you think is owed to you,” added Folwell. BCBSNC sued after the North Carolina State Health Plan decided in December 2022 to replace BCBSNC with Aetna as the plan’s third-party ad-

ing around campus thanks to an innovative solution from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Task Force Water contractors.

“The installation of this water treatment system is a key step in our process of restoring safe, running water to UNC Asheville’s campus.”

Kimberly van Noort, UNCA chancellor

“The installation of this water treatment system is a key step in our process of restoring safe, running water to UNC Asheville’s campus. I’m optimistic that this project will allow the safe return of our Bulldogs, which has been our top priority,” UNCA Chancellor Kimberly van Noort said in a press release. “We are extremely grateful to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and to our staff who have helped us overcome this challenge.” The Army engineers installed a state-of-the-art portable purification facility on the UNCA campus called a Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit (RO). The unit was set up Oct. 22 and was done so at the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is coordinating some of the Helene recovery efforts in the state.

The RO is a temporary emergency facility that takes

WATER, page A2 See FOLWELL, page A3

See

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Water Task Force set up a portable water filtration system at UNC Asheville to bring drinking water back to the campus’ students, faculty and staff.

There was a certain kindergarten teacher who had one of her pupils mark on the blackboard each day to represent the weather. She had colored crayons, and different colors represented the different kinds of weather: white for snow, gray for cloudy, yellow for sunshine, etc. A child was permitted, as a reward for good conduct, to go each day and make the drawing on the board to represent that day’s weather. One day a little boy was permitted to go to the board for this purpose. In looking in the crayon box, he failed to find the yellow crayon, which represented the sunshine. After looking vainly, he cried out, ”Somebody has stolen the sunshine.” Somebody had taken away that which represented the sunshine. And so there are “somebodys” — and all too many of them in the world — who take away the sunshine from someone’s life. Many lives are dark and sad, not because of what the people themselves do — but because of what others do. It is true that we often shut out our own sunshine. Our own conduct often plunges us into darkness, sorrow and grief — if we do not follow God’s will. But there are many who do right themselves and who might have sunshine — if others would give them an opportunity. Husbands and wives make their companions unhappy. Parents darken the lives of their children. Children bring sorrow and suffering to their parents. Churchgoers cast a shadow over someone’s life.

They become sunshine thieves. They steal someone’s sunshine, and worst of all they are no better for it themselves, but worse. If a man steals because he is hungry or has not sufficient clothing, we can more easily excuse him than we can the one who steals when he has no such need. So, the one who takes the sunshine from any life by any act that is not necessary or that serves no good purpose, is entirely inexcusable. Not a thing can be said in approval of his conduct. One way of stealing people’s sunshine, is to criticize them. When a person feels he has done his best, he naturally feels that what he has done merits approval. But if, instead of this he receives criticism — if someone makes light of his work or sneers at what he has done — he feels discouraged. He feels like not trying again. All the pleasure from his work has gone. The critic has stolen his sunshine, and the critic is not helped thereby. This sentiment echoes the truth of Proverbs 12:25: “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.”

A simple word of encouragement can change the course of someone’s day or even life, countering the weight of discouragement and sparking renewed hope and effort. It is true some things must be criticized. Some people’s conduct must be criticized. If we must criticize someone’s work, let us do it in a helpful way that encourages improvement. Let us first point out the good qualities in it. Let

us say what we can in praise of it. Let us give our approval as far as approval can be given. Then let us suggest that it might have been done better another way; or, “You can improve on this particular part thus.” Or, “Do you not think it would be better to do this part of it thus?” or, “Did you ever try doing it this way?”

Constructive criticism does not discourage. This is being helpful, rather than hindering. So, if you must criticize people, be sure not to take their sunshine from them in doing it. Approval encourages. Condemnation discourages. We should be reminded of the wisdom found in Ephesians 4:29: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” This verse calls us to speak in ways that uplift and strengthen, reinforcing the importance of our words in fostering a supportive environment.

Another way sunshine is stolen is by whispering forebodings. Some people are always looking forward to the future with the expectation that something bad will happen. There will be trouble; there will be sickness; something bad is going to happen — what gloomy prophecies they make. They are always throwing cold water on everything. They are always saying, “Look out now, you have to watch people.”

Oh, yes, reader, you know people of this sort. The atmosphere about them is always discouraging. They croak like a raven with prophecies of evil. Regardless of the path before them, they are always ready to say: “Oh, yes, but just wait — something bad will happen.” Some of these people are glad to help make their prophecies come true. They take pleasure in making things more difficult for others.

We cannot afford to take any of the brightness or joy out of the life of anyone — not even a little child. Let us increase the sunshine, instead of diminishing it. Let us add to the sum of joy in the world. Let us lift up, and not cast down.

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 more than 150 songs. Many of his writings are in the public domain.

State Board of Education alters pass/fail policy

The change impacts nonelective core courses required for graduation

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — At its November meeting, the NC State Board of Education amended a policy removing the ability to take nonelective core courses required for graduation using a pass/fail grading method.

“Pass (P) may be used for elective courses. A pass may

no one at any level of government was really interested in trying and helping people, and I just kind of remember how that felt,” said Gable. “So I just want to make sure that no one felt the same way I did.”

Gable said he decided to run for the legislature because it had a broader reach, covered a wider range of issues, and he felt he could make the biggest impact there.

In the March primary, Gable stunned 10-term incumbent Republican Rep. George Cleveland by just 95 votes.

Gable, an only child, is a senior at East Carolina University and began his pursuit of the Onslow seat as a junior. He is studying business management at ECU with a minor in political science. Additionally, Gable has been an attendee and graduate of the Leadership Institute’s Youth Leadership School.

The next session of the legislature in 2025 will overlap with

municipal water from the City of Asheville and puts it through an advanced, multistep filtration system and reverse osmosis process that eventually produces safe drinking water for the campus population.

The water produced is “too pure” to drink, and minerals are added back in to make the water potable, according to a U.S. Army statement.

“We have to add back in all the necessary minerals and treatments to get the water to the op-

not be awarded for non-elective graduation requirements,” the new policy language states.

The policy amendment, which will take effect next year, addresses the pass/fail option some districts are using for students in Credit Recovery Programs. Such programs are supposed to allow students to redo a portion of a course for a student to gain mastery and raise their overall grade. However, some districts have allegedly been using Credit Recovery for the entirety of a course, which has led

to some criticism that some districts are allowing students to do the bare minimum to obtain a “pass” in a course they initially failed.

Other items considered by the board included the annual reports to the General Assembly, including low-performing schools, the Public School Unit Report, the Parent’s Guide to Student Achievement and policy updates to parental concern hearings.

The number of low-performing schools decreased from 864 in 2022 to 735 in 2024. Similar-

ly, the number of low-performing districts increased from 29 to 23 during the same period.

Despite those decreases, the number of continually low-performing schools has increased from 464 in 2022 to 730 in 2024. The same was true for public charter schools for the same time frame, going from 35 to 59.

Additionally, Read to Achieve amendments and academic credit for work-based learning pertaining to counties impacted by Hurricane Helene were also discussed and approved.

Gable’s final semester at ECU, but Gable said school officials had been “very helpful” on how to make it work.

“In the first part of January, we’ll get a lot of work done here

timal drinking quality, just without all the bad stuff,” said New Orleans District Civil Engineer and TF-Water Project Manager Tyler Baggett in the statement. “It’s a very neat process and I’m glad that a little bit of science can get students back on campus and help restore some normalcy back to the community.”

According to UNCA, the temporary water treatment facility can treat up to 200 gallons per minute, or approximately 288,000 gallons per day. That capacity will serve around 800 students on campus, including a

at school, so then the rest of the semester can be as easy as possible,” Gable said. “But luckily, it’s not that far to drive either from Greenville to Raleigh. We’ll make it through those

dining hall.

After facilities on the campus get what they need to operate, UNCA will have upward of 244,000 gallons of potable water available for use daily.

Only two sites on campus remain under a boil water notice: 118 W.T. Weaver and STEAM Studio.

While the temporary system provides essential services to main campus buildings, several outlying facilities remain dependent on alternative water sources. University officials indicate they will continue coordinating

first few months and do the best job we can.” When asked about his main priorities heading into his first term, Gable said jobs and infrastructure.

with local authorities regarding those areas. Until full water capabilities are restored, UNCA officials will be monitoring water usage, and campus residents will have to follow strict usage guidelines, which include modified personal hygiene routines such as taking shorter showers, turning off the water when brushing their teeth or shaving, and laundering fewer and larger loads of laundry. Should additional usage conservation guidelines be necessary, the university will use the Bulldog Alert System to notify

“Pass (P) may be used for elective courses. A pass may not be awarded for non-elective graduation requirements.”

N.C. State Board of Education policy amendment

“Specific to Onslow, definitely trying to increase the amount of jobs that we can bring to the county,” he said. “And then on top of that, the infrastructure we have and trying to improve that because we have a massive population influx right now and just making sure that people have jobs and, again, the infrastructure to hold all of them.

“And then on top of that, with more jobs, we have Camp Lejeune. You might have the skilled workers that live on the base and work for the Marine Corps., but their family members don’t really have a whole lot of job options. So making sure that they have something to do is another.”

A Jacksonville resident of 15 years, Gable graduated from White Oak High School in 2021. He is a past president of the ECU chapter of Turning Point USA, a nonprofit that advocates for conservative causes. In his free time, Gable has a passion for paintball and has traveled around the state playing in various tournaments and events.

students and staff.

Per a UNC Asheville press release, bottled water will be available at the dining hall throughout the day and during mealtimes, and employees should bring their own water for their personal use when coming to campus. Any questions or concerns about water usage on campus can be directed to a special email address: helene@unca.edu.

On Monday, the City of Asheville ended its boil water advisory, restoring drinking water to more than 100,000 citizens.

PUBLIC DOMAIN

“The Light of the World” by William Holman Hunt (circa 1851) is a painting in the collection of Keble College in London.

COURTESY WYATT GABLE

Wyatt Gable became the youngest person elected to the North Carolina General Assembly in more than a century when he won the state House race for the 14th District in Onslow County.

LGC approves $115M in Cabarrus requests

Much of the funds will go toward county schools

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — The Local Government Commission approved two applications for funding submitted by Cabarrus County officials at its November meeting.

Cabarrus County’s first request was for $73 million to fully fund nine separate projects that include an addition to Fred L. Wilson Elementary School, HVAC replacements at four other schools, roof replacements for three schools, and a public library and active living center at Afton Ridge.

The second request was for $78 million, $52 million of which would be for replacing Coltrane-Webb/Beverly Hills Elementary School. The second request also includes two other projects that lack final cost documentation.

The first request was approved by the Local Government Commission (LGC), and the second request was supposed to be scheduled for consideration at a later date, but the board bucked the staff recommendations and voted 5-2 to approve it.

The LGC has been “divided” on approval of the Cabarrus applications, according to a press release from North Carolina Treasurer Dale

Folwell, who chairs the LGC.

“Staff said some of the projects have yet to be ‘cured,’ meaning all necessary information has not been provided to move the funding forward,” the press release said.

“Anything that is not cured could be considered half-baked,” said Folwell before the meeting. He voted against approving the second Cabarrus request.

During his monthly call with reporters, Folwell under -

Trump Jr. says Cabinet picks offer disrupters voters wanted

President-elect Donald Trump’s choices for his administration have drawn criticism

By Will Weissert

The Associated Press

PALM BEACH, Fla. — Donald Trump Jr. said Sunday that the team now around the president-elect knows how to choose a Cabinet and build out an administration, unlike the time before his father first took office.

Any pushback that Donald Trump’s unconventional choices face from the Washington establishment proves that they are just the kind of disruptors the new administration and voters are demanding, the younger Trump said.

“The reality this time is, we actually know what we’re doing. We actually know who the good guys and the bad

from page A1

ministrator. An estimated $140 million in savings and greater transparency were part of the decision to make the change.

Folwell sent a letter on Oct. 30 to BCBCNC President Dr. Tunde Sotunde demanding repayment of legal fees spent on the case by the N.C. State Health Plan. The letter gave Sotunde 30 days to respond.

“You owe the people of North Carolina $2,047,114.35 for your failed ‘sue till you’re blue’ lawsuit,” Folwell’s letter states.

The letter to Sotunde goes on to outline key points in the case, including BCBSNC’s failure to prove the bid process faulty, characterizing BCBSNC’s suing as a “legal tantrum” that used “legal gymnastics” to “impugn the integrity and intelligence” of Folwell’s staff and the State Health Plan’s board.

“Our defense of your failed lawsuit cost the Plan $2,047,114.35,” Folwell wrote. “While $2.05 million may be

guys are,” he told Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures. “And it’s about surrounding my father with people who are both competent and loyal. They will deliver on his promises. They will deliver on his message. They are not people who think they know better, as unelected bureaucrats.”

After Donald Trump was elected in 2016, he stocked his early administration with choices from traditional Republican and business circles, tapping figures such as former Exxon Mobil CEO Rex Tillerson, who was his first as secretary of state.

Today, Trump is valuing personal allegiance above political experience.

That has translated into selections such as former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who faced a House ethics investigation, as attorney general, anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

inconsequential for a company that paid its CEO over $4 million in 2021, $2.05

scored that Cabarrus County requested that its application items be split.

“This is a request by the county to split these applications,” Folwell said. “So the LGC staff considered these separately at the request of Cabarrus County.” Folwell. said the documentation for the second request just isn’t there yet for the LGC to consider approval.

Another item that drew some contention was the 5-3 pas -

sage with one abstention of the Cumberland County request for $250 million for American Titanium Metal LLC to build a 500,000-square-foot titanium reprocessing facility in Fayetteville. Folwell also voted against the American Titanium Metal request.

“North Carolina has never engaged in such a complex, speculative and highly leveraged endeavor,” he said.

as head of the Department of Health and Human Services and Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic lawmaker who has in the past publicly expressed sympathy to Russian causes, as director of U.S. intelligence services.

Some of his picks might face difficulties getting confirmed by the Senate, even with Republicans holding a majority in January. Donald Trump Jr. suggest-

Folwell

ed that was precisely the idea.

“A lot of them are going to face pushback,” but “they are going to be actual disrupters,” he said. “That’s what the American people want.”

He said there are “backup plans” if Senate confirmation is problematic in some cases, but “we’re obviously going with the strongest candidates first.”

Trump Jr. also looked back to eight years ago, when his businessman father was new

into possibly their application, as they had this court battle.”

The outgoing treasurer said he had no idea how BCBSBC would respond.

“They have been unpredictable since losing this contract in terms of their response,” he said.

Folwell said his legal team was advising him on next steps should BCBSNC did not respond by the Nov. 30 deadline in his letter to BCBCNC’s president.

“Our focus is providing the highest level of service to state employees throughout our current agreement with the State Health Plan and ensuring a smooth transition for the Plan’s members,” a BCBSNC spokesperson said in response to an inquiry by North State Journal.

In addition to next steps on the more than $2 million Folwell is seeking from BCBSNC, he also told reporters his office will be doing a closeout audit.

“We do this with every major vendor so that we have a close-

He also said N.C. Secretary of Commerce Machelle Sanders had failed to confirm to him that she endorsed the project. Other items approved by the LGC include:

• Wake County (Centennial Authority): $100 million for improvements to Lenovo Center (formerly PNC Arena), including a multipurpose room, bunker suites, restrooms and concessions

• Wake County (N.C. Housing Finance Agency): $750 million to purchase mortgage loans for low-an d moderate -income households

• Caldwell County (Baton Water Corporation): $179,624 to inspect and inventory water lines for EPA Lead and Copper Rule Revision compliance

• Moore County (Town of Carthage): $215,149 total in two requests; $171,801 for three 2025 Ford Police Interceptors and $43,348 for a 2024 Ford F250 fire chief response vehicle

• Mecklenburg County (Inlivian): $18 million for the Grounds for Change Apartments to build an 80 -u nit affordable housing facility in Charlotte

to Washington and its ways. “A big part of that process is just something that we didn’t understand in 2016, where he came to Washington, D.C., he had no experience,” he said. Now, his son said, Trump knows what to expect.

Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo) said the president-elect has “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to deliver that change, to take on permanent Washington, return the power back to the people.”

“You have to have people you trust to go into these agencies and have a real reform agenda. And that’s why I think there’s real momentum, real momentum to get these nominations confirmed to actually deliver what President Trump promised on the campaign trail,” Schmitt told “Sunday Morning Futures.”

On the same show, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) said, “We don’t need any Democrats to help us. We have got the numbers.” But, he added, Trump needs “a team around him that’s going to help him. He can’t do it by himself.”

Vivek Ramaswamy, the former Republican presidential candidate tapped by Trump along with businessman Elon Musk to lead a new effort on government efficiency, also predicted pushback from traditional Washington to promised steep federal cuts that he said showed the need to “in the early months, score quick wins through executive action.”

out to make sure that there’s not recapture or other monies that may be owed to the State Health Plan,” said Folwell.

Incoming Treasurer-elect Brad Briner, a Republican like Folwell, will be participating in transition meetings at Folwell’s office. Folwell said Frank Lester, the deputy treasurer, has been leading up transition efforts, and Folwell has a “big stack” of items to review with Briner.

As for Folwell’s next steps, he said, “My future plans right now are to remain centered on fixing things and saving money. And I want God and my family and friends and my motorcycles to all be happy with me — in that order.”

Folwell has spent upward of 30 years in public service roles and elected positions spanning both local and state government in North Carolina, as chronicled in North State Journal’s five-part series on the treasurer, “Portrait of a politician: The life and careers of Dale Folwell.”

as much fight

FOLWELL

FRED L. WILSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL / FACEBOOK

The Local Government Commission approved money for an addition to Fred L. Wilson Elementary School in Kannapolis. The school held a groundbreaking for the expansion in July.

ALEX BRANDON / AP PHOTO

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., right, talks with Matt Gaetz and Ginger Luckey Gaetz before President-elect Donald Trump speaks during an America First Policy Institute gala last Thursday in Palm Beach, Florida.

COURTESY PHOTOS

North Carolina Treasurer Dale Folwell, left, sent a letter to Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina President Dr. Tunde Sotunde demanding $2 million for legal fees incurred after BCBSNC unsuccessfully sued the state after losing its contract to be the State Health Plan’s third-party administrator.

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL

Can

Elon

Musk really cut $2T out of the federal budget?

Coolidge got the Republican Congress to slash absolute federal government spending by 40%.

ELON MUSK SAYS he can cut $2 trillion out of the federal budget. We know he can catch returning booster rockets with iron arms at his SpaceX flight facility in Boca Chica, Texas, so maybe he can.

No one else has done it or even tried to do it.

Did he mean he could cut $2 trillion out of the entire federal budget in one year ― or did he mean to say he could cut $2 trillion out of the “growth in spending over the next 10 years,” as is commonly understood in today’s budget parlance?

A budget “cut” today in Washington is simply a slight, minor, teeny-weeny reduction in spending from what would otherwise be projected as increased spending from the previous year. This is known as “baseline budgeting” ― which should be abolished for its sheer deceitfulness.

Baseline budgeting is an underhanded way to deceive the American public yet again into believing something that simply is not true. Reducing the rate of growth in overall federal spending from 7% per year to 3% is not a “cut” ― more money will be spent in the next year, just not as much as liberals want to spend.

No one has ever made absolute cuts in overall federal spending since the parsimonious presidency of Calvin Coolidge, who did it every year from 1924 to 1929. Coolidge got the Republican Congress to slash absolute federal government spending levels by 40% during his terms in the White House ― a far greater spending reduction than Musk is proposing. Coolidge and the Republican Congress also cut taxes every year as economic growth spurred by lower government spending and

regulation produced tax revenue surpluses, which he then used to pay down national debt by 33% over a six-year time frame.

If there ever was a Golden Age for fiscal sanity in America, it was under “Silent Cal” Coolidge. Close to 100% of the total of all taxes collected by Washington today will be used to pay for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and interest on the national debt. Every other dollar we need to spend on defense and every other remaining federal program has to be borrowed or simply made up out of thin air by the Federal Reserve and put on their expanded balance sheet since there are not enough willing buyers left to buy all of the new debt.

That is not an adult way to manage the nation’s finances.

Just for illustration’s sake, consider the fact that the second largest line item today is interest on national debt at roughly $1 trillion.

Annual federal spending amounts to $6.8 trillion with a deficit of $1.6 trillion.

Imagine interest rates suddenly fall to near zero again, say 0.01%, for a 24-hour period for some unknown reason. If the entire $36 trillion national debt could be refinanced immediately at near-zero rates, then interest costs next year would fall to near zero as well.

About $1 trillion in net interest costs would be saved. Elon Musk would have achieved 50% of his goal. And the United States of America would still be close to $600 billion short of balancing its budget.

We can all hope and pray this generation’s most brilliant mind can somehow do what no

Congress nor president has done since 2001, which is balance the budget. There may be $2 trillion of unnecessary spending in each annual budget, but it would have to include hundreds of billions in reductions in defense spending, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, all of which have been unaddressed by both parties since 2001.

The “easiest” way to get to balance is to put annual caps on overall spending to 3% ― and then adjourn Congress for a decade. Come back in 2034 to see if economic growth has generated enough new tax revenue to cover spending at moderated levels then.

Maybe it will and maybe it won’t, but at least Congress will not have passed any more monstrosities such as the Inflation Reduction Act or the Green New Deal.

Musk fired 90% of the workers at Twitter when he bought it. He won’t be able to fire 90% of federal workers and make any appreciable dent in spending because the federal budget today is essentially a pension and health care company spending entitlement money on autopilot that pays interest like a bank.

Maybe Elon Musk will use AI and crypto to save America from its financial woes. It will be America’s finest hour of rescue since Apollo 13.

Proof that social media is not real life

Their strategy to emphasize masculinity ended up paying off big time with the exact voters he needed down at the finish line.

IN THE AFTERMATH of then-GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump’s defeat of Vice President Kamala Harris on Election Day, a lot has been said and written about what went wrong for her and what went right for him.

One topic that has repeatedly come up is an ad the Trump campaign ran in mid-September, not long after their first and only presidential debate, that focused on Harris’ expressly stated support for taxpayer-funded transgender surgeries for inmates, including illegal immigrants, in the California prison system.

During a 2019 interview amid her first failed presidential campaign, Harris said, “Every transgender inmate in the prison system would have access” to whatever resources they needed for gender transition surgery if she were elected president.

Her position was also reflected in a 2019 ACLU questionnaire she filled out at the time, where she wrote “As Attorney General, I pushed the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to provide gender transition surgery to state inmates.”

It’s an issue that was brought up during their September debate, with Trump saying, “Now she wants to do transgender operations on illegal aliens that are in prison. This is a radical left liberal that would do this.”

In response, Trump was widely mocked by journalists and Democrat movers and shakers alike on the Twitter/X machine who were incredulous over the claim, believing it not to be true and thinking the

statement made him look like a fruitcake.

“Yall serious right now? He says anything. He just put words together that scares people and barely forms sentences,” thenCongressman Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) wrote the night of the debate.

“‘She wants to do transgender operations on illegal aliens who are in prison’ is the WILDEST thing I’ve ever heard in any debate. EVER,” left-wing political commentator and BET News host Marc Lamont Hill also tweeted at the time.

Except Trump’s claim was spot on, and the ad he ran a week later that included the tagline “Kamala is for they/them. President Trump is for you” resonated so much with black and Hispanic voters and suburban female voters that it “stunned some of his aides,” The New York Times reported.

A follow-up ad they ran featuring popular liberal commentator Charlamagne Tha God’s reaction to Harris’ comments on the transgender surgeries “ranked as one of the Trump team’s most effective 30-second spots, according to an analysis by Future Forward, Ms. Harris’s leading super PAC,” the Times also reported.

After everything was said and done, their strategy to emphasize masculinity, coupled with ads that included warnings about Harris’ support for “transgender rights,” ended up paying off big time with the exact voters he needed down at the finish line ― voters Harris was also courting by focusing primarily on socalled abortion rights and woke dogma.

It moved not just male voters from key demographics in his direction but more women voters, too, a two-fer that paid big dividends on Election Day.

To put a finer point on it, the effectiveness of the Trump campaign’s ads despite what leftists on social media were saying about his debate remarks was, is a timely reminder from Trump himself that social media is (thankfully) not real life.

Had the campaign just gone off the reactions of their unhinged critics on social media and panned the idea of running the ads they eventually did on this subject, who knows what would have happened on Election Day?

As it turns out, the people who laughed the most over Trump’s debate comments on the issue aren’t laughing anymore. And in politics, that, of course, is the best kind of revenge of all. 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.

Voters rejected Kamala Harris’ radical abortion agenda

The HarrisWalz ticket was the most proabortion in U.S. history, openly advocating for zero regulations on abortion.

WITH ABORTION POLICY now, for all practical purposes, a state — not federal — issue after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, Kamala Harris nonetheless placed abortion at the forefront of her presidential campaign.

At her first campaign rally in 2024, she declared, “I am being precise — we need to put into law the protections of Roe v. Wade. That means returning to where we were before the Dobbs decision.”

And Harris’ selection of Tim Walz as her running mate doubled down on her strategy to put abortion at the top of their agenda. The Harris-Walz ticket was the most pro-abortion in U.S. history, openly advocating for zero regulations on abortion and even denying health care to babies who survive abortions.

Harris and the Democratic Party went so far as to even offer free abortions at their national convention in Chicago — a first in American politics.

Throughout her campaign, Harris traveled the country with high-profile celebrities to amplify her message, doubling down on her extreme abortion agenda. The issue took center stage, with her campaign becoming synonymous with the Democratic Party’s support for unrestricted abortion access.

Harris’ position was never one of moderation. She openly embraced policies to permit late-term abortions, a stance that placed her on the far left of the political spectrum. For millions of Americans, including those of faith, her views on abortion represented a direct challenge to the sanctity of human life.

Harris’ radical stance on abortion sparked an outcry from religious leaders who warned of the grave moral consequences of her policies.

Catholic Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, former apostolic nuncio to the United States, was particularly vocal in condemning Harris’ platform. In a powerful open letter to American Catholics, Viganò declared that supporting Harris was “morally inadmissible” and constituted a “grave sin.”

Viganò did not hold back in his assessment of Harris’ policies. He warned that her support for abortion through all nine months of pregnancy would usher in a new era of moral degradation and spiritual decline in America. Evangelical leaders also raised the alarm. Franklin Graham, the prominent North

COLUMN | PERRIN W. JONES

Carolina evangelist and son of Billy Graham, stated that Harris’ positions are “anti-Christ” and warned that her presidency would spell disaster for people of faith.

According to Graham, “Kamala Harris has done nothing to support the values that people of faith hold dear. Her extreme abortion stance is an affront to those who believe in the sanctity of life.”

Understandably, both Archbishop Viganò and Franklin Graham endorsed Donald Trump.

The Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) similarly criticized Harris, stating that her track record demonstrates a clear hostility toward religious liberty and the rights of the unborn. The ERLC argued that Harris’ policies, if enacted, would erode religious freedoms and undermine fundamental moral principles.

In the campaign’s closing days, Harris and her surrogates, including Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama, resorted to personal attacks, labeling Donald Trump a “fascist” and comparing him to Hitler. Such rhetoric was a clear sign of desperation as the Harris campaign struggled to defend its extremist abortion and woke policies in the face of mounting opposition.

Ironically, the inflammatory attacks ignored a critical point: it was fascist regimes, like Hitler’s, that embraced policies of dehumanization, including the systematic killing of the most vulnerable.

As exit polls now confirm, prioritizing a radical pro-abortion agenda was a high-stakes gamble that backfired badly on Harris.

In the final analysis, voters cared more about the economic, immigration and anti-woke policies championed by Trump. As for abortion, Trump and his allies had the better position, arguing the issue should be left to states.

Somehow, I don’t think the Democrats will be advertising free abortions at their 2028 convention.

But don’t put it past them; some folks never learn.

Sam Currin is a former chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party, and a retired judge, law professor and United States attorney.

UNC’s SCiLL promotes democracy, not religion

The Assembly warned its readers darkly that “at least half of the current SCiLL faculty attended theological schools.”

A RECENT STORY on UNC Chapel Hill’s pioneering new School of Civic Life and Leadership by The Assembly, a left-leaning online magazine, missed an opportunity to explain to its readers what the program teaches, what students learn and what those students think about it.

Instead of illuminating the pro-democracy program’s academic content, The Assembly’s 3,000-plus-word story followed the lead of other news media in obsessing over process, impugning participants’ motives and highlighting the school’s origins — while getting that wrong.

The Assembly story asserts at the top that SCiLL was “launched at the behest of the UNC-CH Board of Trustees and the state legislature.” That’s false, as is well-documented elsewhere.

As former Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz explained to Carolina’s accreditor in March 2023, SCiLL’s origins involved the faculty and date at least to 2018, five years before the BOT adopted a resolution endorsing the administration’s civics-education proposal and urging its acceleration.

“It is worth noting that, though we are still very much in the beginning of the process, the work regarding the curriculum expansion for the Program for Public Discourse derives from planning, conversations, discussions with faculty leaders, and site visits dating back to February 2018,” Guskiewicz wrote. “This planning included a site visit by senior leaders to the campus of Arizona State University in 2018 to learn about their School of Economic Thought and Leadership, among other objectives.”

Curiously, The Assembly omitted this definitive history. The truth is that SCiLL evolved gradually from PPD, it has been a long time coming, and North Carolina and America need it.

BE IN TOUCH

Director Jed Atkins frames the school’s purpose perfectly: “Preparing students for the responsibilities of citizenship and civic leadership by fostering a free-speech culture; providing an education grounded in encouraging the human search for meaning; developing the capacities for civil discourse and wise decision-making; and understanding the history, institutions, and values of the American political tradition.”

Yet instead of showing how SCiLL tries to fulfill that noble mission, The Assembly warned its readers darkly that “at least half of the current SCiLL faculty attended theological schools or have research interests involving Christianity.”

This puts them in dangerous league with such right-wing radicals as Reinhold Niebuhr, Martin Luther King Jr. and Jimmy Carter.

Worse still, apparently, Atkins and his wife homeschooled their children, joining a broad national movement that began in the 1970s among counterculture liberals.

Mercy! Will SCiLL’s antireligious inquisitors next publish an investigation into the national overrepresentation of Jewish professors of law, medicine, science, history and finance? Or Islam’s disproportionate role in advancing science and math? Or perhaps expose the startling existence of Carolina’s Center for Jewish Studies or its Center for Middle East and Islamic Studies?

Most alarming, however, is The Assembly’s downright frightful revelation that “Atkins studied Roman statesmen like Cicero.”

What on Earth is a professor of classical studies like Atkins doing studying ancient leaders, of all people? O tempora! O mores!

We must put a stop to this outrage at once!

Perrin Jones, a Charlotte anesthesiologist, is a member of the UNC Chapel Hill Board of Trustees.

DONALD TRUMP’S FOREIGN POLICY was, during his first term, not only successful; it was the most successful foreign policy of any president since Ronald Reagan.

Yet thanks to their animus for Donald Trump personally, pseudo-experts on foreign policy have refused to give Trump credit for his obvious wins: a quiescent Russia, a contained Iran, Middle Eastern peace accords between Israel and several of its Arab neighbors, an increasingly isolated China, and burgeoning liberty movements in South America. Instead, these supposed geniuses suggest that Trump’s foreign policy is haphazard, dangerous, unhinged; they long for the purported calm of Democratic foreign policy, based on specious nostrums about democracy, lack of enforcement mechanisms and endless negotiations that result in more conflict.

In reality, Trump’s foreign policy has always been straightforward and effective. That’s become utterly clear thanks to his foreign policy picks for his second term: Pete Hegseth for Defense secretary; Marco Rubio for secretary of State; Mike Waltz for national security adviser; John Ratcliffe for CIA director; Mike Huckabee for ambassador to Israel, among others. Each of these foreign policy picks shares a particular vision of America in the world; they reflect a Trump Doctrine. That doctrine is simple. As Trump himself expressed it to me on my show some two weeks before the election, “Our policy is very simple: peace through strength. We had no wars — and I’m not an isolationist — I helped a lot of countries. I kept countries out of war.” This policy can be expressed in a few key propositions.

First, America’s interests are paramount. America First does not mean that America ignores the rest of the world; it means that the interests of American citizens ought to be the chief concern of the American government. This ought to be a truism. Those interests include everything from the freedom of the seas, which guarantees America’s economic supremacy, to the strength of American allies in contentious regions, sufficient to counter external threats without direct American intervention.

Second, America’s interests must be carefully calibrated to our investment in them. If we have only a weak interest in democracy in a far-flung land, we ought not pretend that Wilsonian bromides suffice as a rationale for heavy investment. All resources are scarce resources — none scarcer or more precious than the blood and treasure of the American military. Self-deception about the ease of war is dangerous. If we’re going to draw a red line, it ought to be a red line. As Joe Biden learned, saying “no” is no substitute for actual foreign policy.

Third, all measures and means necessary to achieve America’s interests are on the table. Such measures and means range from crushing the economic wherewithal of America’s enemies to credibly threatening military force when necessary. The ancient Latin adage “si vis pacem, para bellum” — if you want peace, prepare for war — is a key principle for the Trump Doctrine.

What’s more, war is ugly and cannot be made antiseptic. That means that America’s might, when unleashed, must be calibrated toward victory rather than hamstrung by niceties and pieties. The most humane war — if any war is to be fought — is the shortest and most victorious.

Fourth, all of this ought to be publicly proclaimed. If our enemies know our principles, they will avoid the fight. War occurs when one side retains the hope of victory — either through sheer capacity or through the increasing weakness of will of the other side. America must broadcast both our capacity and our will. Doing so leaves no room for the errors that end in war.

Trump has followed these principles to the letter across both of his administrations. And what has followed has been the most peaceful administration in modern American history.

The Trump Doctrine will continue to bring increasing peace so long as it is implemented. And by all indicators, President Trump is determined to do so over the next four years.

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 co-founder of Daily Wire+.

Letters addressed to the editor may be sent to letters@nsjonline.com or 1201 Edwards Mill Rd., Suite 300, Raleigh, NC 27607. Letters may be edited for style, length or clarity when necessary. Ideas for op-eds should be sent to opinion@nsjonline.com.

Contact a writer or columnist: connect@northstatejournal.com

Murphy to Manteo Jones & Blount

Recognizing NC’s best

EAST

Biotechnologies in the

on the

of

in

building,

morning and wa s extinguished within an hour, a company spokesman said. The company said all employees and contractors were accounted for, and no injuries were reported. The cause of WXII Fort Libert y recognizes 200 college graduates Cumberland County Fort Libert y held a graduation ceremony for soldiers, veterans and civilian employees on the installation who couldn’t attend their 2024 college graduation on their campus On Friday, the base recognized about 200 students who completed degrees through online distance learning this year, ranging from associate’s to doctoral degrees The annual event is organized by the U.S. Army Continuing dozen of the colleges and un versities from across the country, including Methodist University Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville Technical Communit y College, Northeastern Universit y and Libert y Universit y sent a representative to present diplomas to their graduates. According to local outlets, the ceremony brought Lt. Gen Christopher Donahue, the Fort Libert y commanding general to tears. He told the graduates to “be proud.” “I think there’s nothing more important. Understanding that sometimes they don’t have the time that everybody else would have to pursue an education.” WNCN Greenville PD teams up with

Biden seeks nearly $100B in aid after Hurricanes Helene and Milton NATION & WORLD

FEMA would receive about $40 billion for debris removal, public infrastructure and financial assistance for those impacted

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. —

President Joe Biden is requesting nearly $100 billion in emergency disaster aid after Hurricanes Helene and Milton and other natural disasters, telling lawmakers that the money is “urgently needed.”

The letter Monday to House Speaker Mike Johnson comes as lawmakers meet during a lameduck session to finish key priorities before making way for a new Congress and the incoming Trump administration. Biden said he has met firsthand with those harmed by the storms and he heard what residents and businesses needed from the federal government.

“Additional resources are critical to continue to support these communities,” Biden said.

The largest share of the money, about $40 billion, would go to the main disaster relief fund at the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The fund helps with debris removal, repairing public infrastructure and providing financial assistance to survivors.

Biden said the fund would face a shortfall this budget year

U.S. President Joe Biden, left, participates in a wreathlaying ceremony with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the memorial wall in Kyiv in February 2023.

CORY LAVALETTE / NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Household items ruined by flooding from Hurricane

without additional money. He said that would not only affect the agency’s ability to provide lifesaving assistance to survivors but also would slow recovery efforts from prior disasters.

An additional $24 billion would help farmers who have experienced crop or livestock losses, and $12 billion would go toward helping communities recover through block grants administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Some $8 billion more would help rebuild and repair highways and bridges in more than 40 states and territories. The administration is also seeking $4 billion for long-term water system upgrades to mitigate future damage from natural disasters.

The Small Business Administration has run out of money for a program that provides low-interest loans for businesses, nonprofits and homeowners trying to rebuild after a disaster. Biden is seeking $2 billion for that program. Several other agencies would also receive emergency funds if Congress agrees to the full request.

Lawmakers were expecting a hefty number from the administration. Johnson (R-La.) said Congress will evaluate the request and “we’ll make sure we deliver for the hurricane victims and the people that have suffered from that.”

Johnson had also visited western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene to assess the damage. At the time, he said Congress

would act in a bipartisan fashion to help communities recover, but he also said it would be “the appropriate amount that the federal government should do.”

With many Republicans campaigning on reducing federal spending, there could be some debate about portions of Biden’s request. The federal government doesn’t help with every disaster. It generally gets involved only if the needs are above the ability of a community or state to handle.

Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) said he opposes the aid package requested by the president because it’s not offset by spending cuts elsewhere.

“This is a spending spree,” Norman said.

Republicans are also outraged that a FEMA employee directed workers helping hurricane survivors not to go to homes with yard signs supporting Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.

The agency’s leader, Administrator Deanne Criswell, said the employee was fired and the directive was a clear violation of the agency’s core values to help people regardless of political affiliation.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), however, called the president’s request a “good start.” He said residents of Asheville are still under an advisory to boil their water — that was lifted Monday — “and that’s not the worst thing happening there.”

“We need to get a signal to them that we’re going to support them,” Tillis said.

Biden: Ukraine can fire US missiles deeper into Russia

The president authorized the use of American-supplied long-range weapons

The Associated Press

MANAUS, Brazil — President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use U.S.-supplied long-range missiles to strike deeper inside Russia, easing limitations on the weapons as Russia deploys thousands of North Korean troops to reinforce its war, according to a U.S. official and three people familiar with the matter.

The decision allowing Kyiv to use the Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMs, for attacks farther inside Russia comes as President Vladimir Putin positions North Korean troops along Ukraine’s northern border to try to reclaim hundreds of miles of territory

seized by Ukrainian forces. Biden’s move also follows the presidential election victory of Donald Trump, who has said he would bring about a swift end to the war and raised uncertainty about whether his administration would continue the United States’ military support for Ukraine. The longer-range missiles are likely to be used in response to North Korea’s decision to support Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, according to one of the people. The official and the people familiar with the matter were not authorized to discuss the decision publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and many of his Western supporters have been pressing Biden for months to allow Ukraine to strike military targets deeper inside Russia with Western-supplied missiles, saying the U.S. ban had

made it impossible for Ukraine to try to stop Russian attacks on its cities and electrical grids.

Some supporters have argued that the limitation and other U.S. constraints could cost Ukraine the war. The debate has become a source of disagreement among Ukraine’s NATO allies.

Biden had remained opposed, determined to hold the line against any escalation that he felt could draw the U.S. and other NATO members into direct conflict with nuclear-armed Russia.

News of Biden’s decision followed meetings over the last two days with the leaders of South Korea, Japan and China, where North Korean troops were central to the talks, which took place on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru.

Biden did not mention the decision during a speech at a stop to the Amazon rainforest in Brazil on his way to the Group of 20 summit.

Asked about the decision, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a press conference that the body’s position is “to avoid a permanent deterioration of the war in Ukraine.”

“We want peace, we want fair peace,” Guterres said on Sunday ahead of the Group of 20

Library of Congress says emails hacked

Washington, D.C

The Library of Congress has notified lawmakers of a “cyber breach” of its IT system by an adversary, a hack of emails between some congressional offices and library staff, according to an email obtained by The Associated Press. The library said that an adversary accessed email communications during the period from January to September. The matter has been referred to law enforcement, the library said. The Library of Congress, the largest library in the world, operates across from the U.S. Capitol within the complex grounds.

Court-martialed military veteran gets 4 years in Jan. 6 case

Washington, D.C.

A former U.S. Army soldier who was court-martialed and imprisoned for fatally shooting a handcuffed civilian in Iraq has been sentenced to more than four years in prison for his more recent role in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. Edward Richmond Jr. attacked police officers with a metal baton during the Capitol breach. Richmond expressed regret for his actions before U.S. District Judge John Bates sentenced him on Monday to four years and three months behind bars. Richmond, now 41, was 20 when an Army courtmartial panel convicted him of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced him to three years of military confinement for killing a handcuffed Iraqi civilian in 2004.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels suspected in attacks on ship in Red Sea Dubai, United Arab Emirates

summit in Rio de Janeiro. He didn’t elaborate.

Russia on Sunday launched a massive drone and missile attack on Ukraine, described by officials as the largest in recent months, targeting energy infrastructure and killing civilians.

North Korea has provided thousands of troops to Russia to help Moscow try to claw back land in the Kursk border region that Ukraine seized this year. The introduction of North Korean troops to the conflict comes as Moscow has seen a favorable shift in momentum. Trump has signaled that he could push Ukraine to agree to give up some land seized by Russia to find an end to the conflict.

As many as 12,000 North Korean troops have been sent to Russia, according to U.S., South Korean and Ukrainian assessments. U.S. and South Korean intelligence officials say North Korea also has provided Russia with significant amounts of munitions to replenish its dwindling weapons stockpiles.

Trump, who takes office in January, spoke for months as a candidate about wanting Russia’s war in Ukraine to be over, but he mostly ducked questions about whether he wanted U.S. ally Ukraine to win.

A suspected attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeted a commercial ship traveling through the southern reaches of the Red Sea, though it caused no damage nor injuries. A ship’s captain saw that “a missile splashed in close proximity to the vessel” as it traveled near the Bab elMandeb Strait connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said. The Houthis did not immediately claim the attack. However, it can take the rebels hours or even days to acknowledge their assaults.

British PM says no plans to talk with Russia’s Putin

London British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says he has no plan to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin as he said support for Ukraine was the U.K.’s top priority at this week’s G20 summit. Starmer was speaking Sunday on his way to the meeting in Brazil when he said he wouldn’t talk to Putin. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had a call Friday with Putin. It was the first publicly announced conversation between Putin and a major head of a Western power in almost two years. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the call and said it would only make Russia less isolated.

Helene line a street in Swannanoa on Oct. 10.

(EVAN VUCCI / 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.

Advance Auto Parts to close hundreds of stores

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.

NEW YORK — Raleighbased Advance Auto Parts announced it is closing more than 500 stores and shedding another 200 independent locations as part of its efforts to revive its struggling business.

Advance Auto said in a statement Thursday that it would be reducing its U.S. footprint as part of a “strategic plan to improve business performance.”

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.

The company said it is shuttering a total of 523 of its Advance corporate stores, as well as four distribution centers, and exiting 204 independent locations by the middle of next year.

Specific locations and the total number of employees expected to be impacted were not immediately disclosed. A spokesperson for Advance Auto declined to comment further.

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

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.”

The Shelbyville Battery Manufacturing plant will employ 1,572

written under the pseudonym Sister Toldjah RedState and Legal Insurrection.

Advance Auto still outlined some wider turnaround efforts in Thursday’s announcement. Despite these sizeable closures, the company noted goals like an “acceleration in pace of new store openings” and adopting a standardized operating model. It also pointed to supply-chain consolidation plans, noting that it expected to incur costs related to converting certain stores and distribution centers into “market hubs.”

Last Thursday, Advance Auto posted a loss of $6 million in its third quarter on revenue of $2.15 billion. The company also lowered its full-year revenue outlook for the second consecutive quarter.

By Bruce Schreiner

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

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

The Associated Press

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

FRANKFORT, Ky. — A battery manufacturer has selected Kentucky for a nearly $712 million project to produce industrial-sized batteries used to store and distribute energy, a process seen as increasingly important to help secure a reliable electric grid for the country, officials said Friday.

The Shelbyville Battery Manufacturing plant will employ 1,572 workers once the project reaches full capacity, deepening Kentucky’s ties to emerging battery technologies. Companies wanting to make batteries to power vehicles have announced projects expected to total nearly $12 billion in new investments and create more than 10,280

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.

The seller of car batteries, motor oil and more has seen some waning sales since the start of the year and is making efforts to boost its balance sheet. Earlier this month, the company closed a $1.5 billion sale of Worldpac, its automotive parts wholesale distribution business, to investment firm Carlyle.

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.

In 2018, the company relocated to Raleigh from Roanoke, Virginia, where it was founded in 1932. Advance Auto primarily operates in the U.S. but also has some corporate stores and independent locations in Canada, Mexico, the Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos, and The British Virgin Islands. As of Oct. 5, Advance Auto operated more than 4,780 stores and served 1,125 independently owned, Carquest-branded locations.

Shares of the company closed up less than 1% Thursday, but the stock is down 33% year to date.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

A 1.6% jump in sales at auto dealers drove much of the gain

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 Christopher Rugaber and Anne D’Innocenzio The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Americans stepped up their spending at retailers last month in the latest sign that healthy consumer spending is driving the economy’s steady growth. Retail sales rose 0.4% from September to October, the Commerce Department said, a solid increase though less than the previous month’s robust 0.8% gain. A 1.6% jump in sales at auto dealers drove much of the gain. Purchases climbed 2.3% at electronics and appliances stores and 0.7% at restaurants and bars. Though some of October’s rise in retail sales reflected higher prices, it mainly indicated increased purchases.

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.

Sales in some categories fell — furniture stores, clothing

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

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

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.

full-time jobs in Kentucky.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

“With this investment, we’re putting our stamp on working to become just the battery capital of the United States,” Gov. Andy Beshear said in announcing the new project to be located in Shelbyville.

Production at the Shelbyville battery plant is expected to begin in late 2025.

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.”

center of the effort to build a robust and secure electricity grid for this country.”

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.

The plant, a part of Canadian Solar Inc., will produce batteries used by utilities and other customers to store energy at large scale. The batteries are about 20 feet long, 8 feet wide and nearly 9 feet tall, the company said. They can be paired with solar, wind or other forms of electricity generation and are seen as playing a crucial role in both a green energy future and a secure power grid as demand for electricity continues to grow in the U.S.

“This project will put Kentucky at the center of the effort to build a robust and secure electricity grid for this country.”

Shawn Qu, Canadian Solar CEO

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.

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.

Canadian Solar has a global presence in the design and production of battery energy storage systems for utility-scale applications. Kentucky’s ties to the company will only strengthen the Bluegrass State’s role in the energy sector, Beshear 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.

when people are sleeping and thus using less electricity, the energy produced from wind blowing through the night can be stored in batteries — and used when demand is high during the day.

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.

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.

For centuries, Kentucky coal helped power the nation. Now, the Shelbyville plant will produce batteries used across the country to help ensure a reliable flow of electricity for consumers, Beshear said.

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.

The batteries can keep a steady flow of power when sources like wind and solar are not producing. For example,

“Energy storage is a crucial part of the new and evolving electricity grid,” said Shawn Qu, chairman and CEO of Canadian Solar. “Battery cells are the heart of a utility-scale energy storage system. This project will put Kentucky at the

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

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

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

Not one little bit.

“This is energy security for the United States,” the governor said. “It’s in our national security. And this company choosing to do it in Kentucky means we’re going to be a part of providing that security for the entire country’s infrastructure and in the grid.”

Stacey Matthews has also and is a regular contributor

outlets and drug stores, among them — though economists said that weakness likely resulted, at least in part, from last month’s hurricanes. Sales at home and garden stores rose, potentially reflecting rebuilding activity after the storms.

“The moderation in the pace of price growth is allowing consumers to ratchet up spending,” said Tim Quinlan, an economist at Wells Fargo. “People may not love how much it costs to go out to eat, but their bar and restaurant spending is

growing faster than prices are.”

Friday’s report arrives as retailers are poised to enter the critically important holiday shopping season in less than two weeks. Analysts envision a solid holiday shopping season, though perhaps not as robust as last year’s due to many shoppers being under pressure from overall still-high prices despite the easing of inflation.

The latest retail sales figures suggest the economy is growing briskly again in the current October-December quarter after having expanded at a sturdy 2.8% annual rate in the previous quarter. Since peaking at 9.1% more than two years ago, inflation has sunk to 2.6%, not far above pre-pandemic levels. And Americans’ take-home pay, on average, has surpassed inflation for about 18 months. Still, the post-pandemic inflation spike has left prices about 20% higher than they were three years ago and dimmed Americans’ outlook on

TIMOTHY D. EASLEY / AP PHOTO

Shawn Qu, chairman and CEO of Canadian Solar, speaks during an announcement by Shelbyville Battery Manufacturing in Shelbyville, Kentucky.

SETH WENIG / AP PHOTO

Retail sales rose 0.4% from September to October, a solid increase though less than the previous month’s robust 0.8% gain.

Regulators approve ND section of planned 5-state Midwest carbon dioxide pipeline

Supporters see carbon capture projects as a way to combat climate change

By Jack Dura The Associated Press

BISMARCK, N.D. — North Dakota utility regulators granted approval Friday for a span of a proposed carbon dioxide pipeline that would cross five Midwestern states — a key victory for the company that has faced vociferous landowner objections and various hurdles and setbacks in its plans.

The state Public Service Commission voted unanimously to approve a siting permit for Summit Carbon Solutions’ modified 333-mile route in North Dakota. The company’s proposed $8 billion, 2,500mile pipeline system would carry tons of planet-warming CO2 emissions from 57 ethanol plants in five states for storage deep underground in North Dakota.

No construction has begun anywhere on Summit’s proposed route. Iowa has approved the project, but other hurdles remain in North Dakota as well as South Dakota, Minnesota and Nebraska.

The approval is a win for the company after North Dakota initially denied a permit in 2023, shortly followed by rejection in South Dakota. Another company, Navigator CO2 Ventures, canceled its project around the same time due to the “unpredictable nature of the regulatory and government processes involved, particularly in South Dakota and Iowa.”

Supporters see carbon capture projects as a way to combat climate change, with lucrative

JACK DURA / AP

North Dakota Public Service Commissioners, from left, Sheri Haugen-Hoffart, Randy Christmann and Administrative Law Judge Tim Dawson voted to approve the route permit for the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline.

federal tax credits available for such efforts. The ethanol industry sees Summit’s project opening up sustainable aviation fuel markets, a boost for ethanol and No. 1 corn producer Iowa.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, now President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for Interior secretary, a position with wide influence over natural resources, has touted his state’s underground CO2 storage potential as a “geologic jackpot.”

Carbon-capture skeptics say the technology is untested at scale and allows the fossil-fuel industry to continue largely unchanged.

Summit opponents, including many landowners across the Midwest, decry the potential of a pipe rupture releasing hazardous, heavy CO2 gas to flow over

the land, endangering people’s health and lives. They also fear the taking of their land through eminent domain.

North Dakota Public Service Commission Chairman Randy Christmann urged Summit not to use eminent domain, “at least not more than absolutely necessary.” Eminent domain is not in the panel’s jurisdiction or a part of the siting process, he said.

Summit CEO Lee Blank told reporters the company is pleased with the panel’s decision. He said Summit has worked with landowners on a voluntary basis and will continue to do so.

“Our goal is, again, to acquire as much right of way possible as we can voluntarily, and ultimately, at the end of the day, we hope to do 100% of that,” Blank said.

Spirit Airlines files for bankruptcy

The company has lost more than $2.5 billion since the start of 2020

By David Koenig

The Associated Press

SPIRIT AIRLINES said Monday that it has filed for bankruptcy protection and will attempt to reboot as it struggles to recover from the pandemic-caused swoon in travel and a failed attempt to sell the airline to JetBlue. Spirit, the biggest U.S. budget airline, has lost more than $2.5 billion since the start of 2020 and faces looming debt payments totaling more than $1 billion over the next year.

Spirit said it expects to operate as normal as it works its way through a prearranged Chapter 11 bankruptcy process and that customers can continue to book and fly without interruption. All tickets, credits and loyalty points remain valid, the airline said, as are affiliated credit cards and other membership perks.

Shares of Spirit Airlines Inc., based in Miramar, Florida, dropped 25% on Friday after The Wall Street Journal reported that the airline was discussing terms of a possible bankruptcy filing with its bondholders. It was just the latest in a series of blows that have sent

RETAIL from page A9

the economy. That was a key reason why Donald Trump was able to capitalize on public discontent with the Biden administration and recapture the White House.

Despite high price levels, though, Trump inherits an economy in which spending is strong, growth is solid and unemployment low.

Other recent economic reports have also pointed to a healthy economy. In a sign that households, whose purchases drive most of the economy, will continue spending, the Conference Board’s most recent con-

the stock crashing down by 97% since late 2018 — when Spirit was still making money.

Shares rose nearly 4% before the opening bell Monday.

CEO Ted Christie confirmed in August that Spirit was talking to advisers of its bondholders about the upcoming debt maturities. He called the discussions a priority and said the airline was trying to get the best deal it could as quickly as possible.

“The chatter in the market about Spirit is notable, but we are not distracted,” he told investors during an earnings call.

“We are focused on refinancing our debt, improving our overall liquidity position, deploying our new reimagined product into the market, and growing our loyalty programs.”

People are still flying on Spirit Airlines. They’re just not paying as much.

In the first six months of this year, Spirit passengers flew 2% more than they did in the same period last year. However, they are paying 10% less per mile, and revenue per mile from fares is down nearly 20%, contributing to Spirit’s red ink.

It’s not a new trend. Spirit failed to return to profitability when the coronavirus pandemic eased and travel rebounded. There are several reasons behind the slump.

sumer confidence index posted its biggest monthly gain since 2021. The proportion of consumers who expect a recession in the next 12 months dropped to its lowest point since the board first posed that question in 2022.

One cautionary note is that grocery store sales barely rose last month, a sign that many Americans may still be struggling to adapt to food prices that are still much higher than they were three years ago.

Lorraine Thompson, who was food shopping this week at a Walmart in Secaucus, New Jersey, said she’s not noticing any slowdown in inflation.

Spirit’s costs, especially for labor, have risen. The biggest U.S. airlines have snagged some of Spirit’s budget-conscious customers by offering their own brand of bare-bones tickets. And fares for U.S. leisure travel — Spirit’s core business — have sagged because of a glut of new flights.

The Association of Flight Attendants told union members early Monday that it does not expect any furloughs or changes to pay or working conditions.

The premium end of the air travel market has surged, while Spirit’s traditional no-frills end has stagnated. So this summer, Spirit decided to sell bundled fares that include a bigger seat, priority boarding, free bags, internet service and snacks. That is a huge change from Spirit’s longtime strategy of luring customers with rock-bottom fares and forcing them to pay extra for things such as bringing a carry-on bag or ordering a soda.

In a highly unusual move, Spirit plans to cut its October-through-December schedule by nearly 20%, compared with the same period last year, which analysts say should help prop up fares. But that will help rivals more than it will boost Spirit. Analysts from Deutsche Bank and Raymond James say that Frontier, JetBlue and

“Everything is high,” she said. “The meat, the cheese.” Thompson said she’s been buying less cheese and has been food shopping more at Walmart because she thinks the prices there are lower than at other supermarkets.

The National Retail Federation has predicted that shoppers will increase their spending in November and December by between 2.5% and 3.5% over the same period a year ago. During the 2023 holiday shopping season, spending had surged by a stronger 3.9% from 2022.

Some retailers say they expect consumers to spend more freely

mit after approving the company’s application in June. The panel also granted Summit the right of eminent domain over numerous parcels of land.

But the company cannot start construction in Iowa until it has route approvals from both Dakotas and approval for underground storage in North Dakota, among other requirements. The Iowa panel’s decision sparked lawsuits in opposition.

Christmann said the North Dakota permit has no restrictions based on what any other states do.

The North Dakota panel had denied Summit a siting permit in August 2023. The regulators said Summit hadn’t sufficiently addressed several issues, including geologic instability, wildlife areas, cultural resource impacts and some landowner concerns.

Summit said Friday it has acquired easements for over 82% of its North Dakota route.

Republican state Sen. Jeff Magrum, an opponent whose district the pipeline would cross, said he’d rather see investments in roads, bridges and dams instead of “Green New Deal projects that don’t create any benefit for our state or our country.” He expects the panel’s decision to be challenged.

In a statement, landowner attorney Brian Jorde said, “No surprise on the decision. We need to analyze the written decision. Like in Iowa, the courts will sort this out and ultimately decide if the PSC decision will stand or be reversed.”

In August, the Iowa Utilities Commission issued Summit a hazardous liquid pipeline per-

Soon afterward, the panel agreed to reconsider, beginning more than a year of meetings and document filings.

Summit submitted three storage facility permit applications to North Dakota’s Department of Mineral Resources, but no decision has been made.

In 2022, Minnkota Power Cooperative and Summit agreed to collaborate on developing CO2 storage in central North Dakota, a pact that also lets Summit use Minnkota’s previously permitted 100-million-ton underground storage.

In September 2023, South Dakota’s Public Utilities Commission denied Summit’s permit application after commission staff said the route would violate county ordinances for setback distances. Summit has said it plans to reapply this month for a permit.

Spirit, the biggest U.S. budget airline, faces looming debt payments totaling more than $1 billion.

Southwest would benefit the most because of their overlap with Spirit on many routes. Spirit has also been plagued by required repairs to Pratt & Whitney engines, which is forcing the airline to ground dozens of its Airbus jets. Spirit has cited the recall as it furloughed pilots.

The aircraft fleet is relatively young, which has made Spirit an attractive takeover target.

Frontier Airlines tried to merge with Spirit in 2022 but was outbid by JetBlue. However, the Justice Department sued to block the $3.8 billion deal, saying it would drive up prices for Spirit customers who depend on low fares, and a federal judge

in the coming months. Affirm, a buy-now, pay-later company that has been expanding as more consumers seek online installment loans, last week reported that growth in its active consumers accelerated for a third straight quarter to nearly 20 million.

“Everything we see suggests the consumer feels like they want to be out spending,” Michael Linford, Affirm’s chief operating officer, told The Associated Press.

Analysts will be dissecting quarterly results next week from Walmart and Target, among others, to gauge how shoppers are navigating still-high prices

agreed in January. JetBlue and Spirit dropped their merger two months later.

U.S. airline bankruptcies were common in the 1990s and 2000s as airlines struggled with fierce competition, high labor costs and sudden spikes in the price of jet fuel. PanAm, TWA, Northwest, Continental, United and Delta were swept up. Some liquidated, while others used favorable laws to renegotiate debts such as aircraft leases and keep flying.

The last bankruptcy by a major U.S. carrier ended when American Airlines emerged from Chapter 11 protection and simultaneously merged with US Airways in 2013.

and to assess their mood after a presidential race that pivoted in large part on voters’ discontent with the economy.

One of the first major retailers to report fiscal third-quarter earnings was Home Depot, which continues to grapple with a pullback in spending from customers.

Home Depot’s CEO Edward Decker said Trump’s proposed high tariffs on imports, if implemented, would intensify pressure on the company. But he added that Home Depot sources well more than half its goods domestically and elsewhere in North America.

PHOTO

CHARLES KRUPA / AP PHOTO

Man who stole, laundered roughly $1B in bitcoin sentenced to 5 years in prison

The virtual currency exchange theft would be valued at more than $7.6 billion today

By Michael Kunzelman The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A computer expert who stole bitcoin worth billions of dollars at current prices — and then spent years laundering some of the hacked cryptocurrency with help from his wife — was sentenced to five years in prison.

Ilya Lichtenstein masterminded one of the largest-ever thefts from a virtual currency exchange before he and his wife, Heather Rhiannon Morgan, carried out an elaborate scheme to liquidate the stolen funds, according to federal prosecutors.

U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly told Lichtenstein that his theft was “meticulously planned” and not an impulsive act.

“It’s important to send a message that you can’t commit these crimes with impunity, that there are consequences to them,” she said.

Lichtenstein, who gets credit for the two years and nine months that he has spent in jail since his February 2022 arrest, expressed remorse for “wasting my talents on crime instead of a positive contribution to society.” He said he hopes that he can apply his expertise to fight cybercrime when he gets out of prison.

“I want to take full responsibility for my actions and make amends any way I can,” he said.

The judge sentenced Morgan to 18 months in prison Monday despite pleas from Lichtenstein that he was to blame for her involvement.

LENNIHAN / AP PHOTO

MARK

Lichtenstein was sentenced to five years in prison for hacking into a virtual currency exchange, Hong Kong-based Bitfinex, and stealing approximately 120,000 bitcoin.

In August 2016, Lichtenstein hacked into a virtual currency exchange, Hong Kong-based Bitfinex, and stole approximately 120,000 in bitcoin. It was worth approximately $71 million at the time of the hack and would be valued at more than $7.6 billion at current market prices, according to prosecutors.

Several months later, Lichtenstein began moving the stolen bitcoin in a string of complex transactions designed to conceal its path across a series of accounts and platforms. He enlisted his wife’s help in cleaning the stolen funds.

Lichtenstein, an entrepreneur and cryptocurrency investor, is a U.S. citizen born in Russia and grew up in a Chicago suburb. Morgan, a business owner and writer, adopted the alter ego “Razzlekhan” for performing rap songs and recording videos for her music.

Lichtenstein and Morgan were living in New York City when they were arrested in February 2022. Prosecutors had recommended a five-year prison sentence for Lichtenstein, who

pleaded guilty in August 2023 to one count of money laundering conspiracy. They also recommended an 18-month prison sentence for Morgan, who pleaded guilty to the same charge.

“Neither the hack nor the laundering scheme was an impulsive decision. The defendant (Lichtenstein) spent months attempting to gain access to Bitfinex’s infrastructure and get the accesses and permissions he needed in order to orchestrate his hack,” prosecutors wrote.

Lichtenstein told his wife about the hack over three years later, but he initially solicited her help in laundering the proceeds “without explaining exactly what he was doing,” according to prosecutors.

Morgan “was certainly a willing participant and bears full responsibility for her actions, but she was a lower-level participant,” prosecutors wrote.

During family trips to Kazakhstan and Ukraine, Lichtenstein met with couriers who delivered him money that he smuggled back into the U.S.

“Over half a decade, the defendant engaged in what IRS agents described as the most complicated money laundering techniques they had seen to date,” prosecutors wrote.

Bitcoin is the largest and oldest cryptocurrency, which is digital money that typically isn’t backed by any government or banking institution.

The couple successfully laundered about 21% of the funds stolen from Bitfinex. The laundered money was worth at least $14 million at 2016 prices. Its value would have exceeded $1 billion at the time of their 2022 arrest.

“He became one of the greatest money launderers that the government has encountered in the cryptocurrency space,” prosecutors wrote.

An attorney for Bitfinex said the hack “devastated” its finances and its reputation with its customers, with the stolen funds accounting for approximately 36% of the company’s assets at the time of theft.

“Bitfinex had to take unprecedented and immediate action to ensure that any losses from the Hack would ultimately be borne by Bitfinex and its shareholders alone, not its customers,” the lawyer, Barry Berke, wrote in a letter to the judge.

A prosecutor said Lichtenstein immediately began cooperating with federal authorities after his arrest, helping them with other cybercrime investigations.

Over 96% of the stolen funds have been recovered, with help from Lichtenstein, according to defense attorney Samson Enzer. The “vast bulk” of the stolen money was never spent, the lawyer said.

“This is not an evil person,” Enzer said. “This is a good person who made some very bad mistakes.”

Company affiliated with Alex Jones seeks to disqualify The Onion’s

First United American Companies is alleging fraud and collusion

By Dave Collins The Associated Press

A COMPANY affiliated with conspiracy theorist Alex Jones asked a federal judge on Monday to disqualify a bid by the satirical news outlet The Onion to buy Jones’ Infowars at a bankruptcy auction, alleging fraud and collusion.

The company, First United American Companies, which is affiliated with a Jones website that sells dietary supplements, was the only other bidder at the recent auction, offering $3.5 million. In a filing in federal bankruptcy court in Houston, a lawyer for the company asked the judge to declare it the winning bidder instead of The Onion.

The lawyer, Walter Cicack, claimed that the bankruptcy trustee overseeing the auction improperly colluded with The Onion and families of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut in naming The Onion the winning bidder. Cicack also alleged the trustee violated rules for the sale set by the judge and said the company’s cash offer was twice the amount of The Onion’s.

The bankruptcy auction was held last week as part of the liquidation of Jones’ assets, including Infowars. Proceeds

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The battery factory will be the largest economic development project in Shelby County’s history and ranks as the third-largest jobs project announced during Beshear’s nearly five-year tenure as governor.

from the sale will go to Sandy Hook families and other creditors. Jones filed bankruptcy in 2022 after he was ordered to pay nearly $1.5 billion in defamation lawsuits filed by the families for calling the 2012 shooting that killed 20 children and six educators a hoax staged by actors to increase gun control.

Ben Collins, CEO of The Onion’s parent company, Chicago-based Global Tetrahedron, issued a statement Monday through a spokesperson.

“We’re obviously disappointed he’s lashing out by creating conspiracies, but we’re also not surprised,” he said, referring to Jones.

The bankruptcy trustee appointed to oversee the sale, Christopher Murray, declined to comment Monday. A lawyer for the Sandy Hook families, Christopher Mattei, also declined to comment.

In a response filed in court later Monday, Murray called the allegations “baseless.” He said the motion by First United American to disqualify The Onion was “a disappointed bidder’s improper attempt to influence an otherwise fair and open auction process.”

Murray also wrote, “Having failed in its prior efforts to bully the Trustee and his advisors into accepting its inferior bid, FUAC now alleges, without evidence, collusion and bad faith in an attempt to mislead the Court and disqualify its only competition in the auction.”

Shelbyville Mayor Troy Ethington called the project a milestone for his community, located just east of Louisville. It will become Shelby County’s largest employer, creating new opportunities for residents, he said. The company said it is committed to hir -

Infowars bid

We’re obviously disappointed he’s lashing out by creating conspiracies, but we’re also not surprised.”

Ben Collins, Onion parent company CEO

Monday’s filing by First United American Companies included the formal bid submitted by The Onion, revealing that it offered $1.75 million for Infowars along with certain incentives by Sandy Hook families who won their defamation lawsuit against Jones. The families agreed to forgo up to 100% of their share of the Infowars sale proceeds and give it to other Jones creditors.

With the families’ offer, other Jones creditors would get a total of $100,000 more than they would get if First United American Companies bought Infowars, according to The Onion’s bidding document.

Murray told the bankruptcy judge during a court hearing Thursday that the families’ incentives made it a better offer than the one by the Jones-affiliated company.

“The creditors ended up significantly better off,” Murray told the judge, adding that one of his responsibilities was to maximize value for creditors.

Judge Christopher Lopez,

ing locally to fill the jobs. The Shelbyville facility also will include a research and development lab to help advance battery technology, the company said.

“This investment ensures more Kentucky families will thrive, and that the com-

Ben & Jerry’s accuses parent company of censorship over Gaza Waterbury, Vt. Ben & Jerry’s has sued its parent company, Unilever, accusing it of silencing the ice cream maker from making statements in support of Palestinians in the war in Gaza. The complaint filed Wednesday in federal court in New York says multinational conglomerate Unilever has failed to adhere to its contractual obligations in merger and settlement agreements with Ben & Jerry’s over its social mission. Unilever said in a statement that it rejects the claims made by Ben & Jerry’s social mission board and will defend its case very strongly.

GM lays off about

1,000 workers

Detroit General Motors is laying off about 1,000 workers worldwide, shedding costs as it competes in a crowded global automobile market. The workers were mostly salaried, but some blue-collar workers were affected. They were told of the moves last Friday. The company confirmed the layoffs in a statement but gave few details. GM said it has to operate efficiently and have the right team structure to focus on its top priorities. GM and other automakers have been navigating an uncertain transition to electric vehicles worldwide, trying to figure out where to invest capital. The company has had to update gas-powered models while investing in EV battery and assembly plants as well as minerals and other parts for the next generation of electric vehicles.

who said he had questions about the sale process and concerns about transparency, ordered a hearing to see exactly what happened with the auction and how the trustee chose The Onion. The date of the hearing has not been set.

Jones has been criticizing the sale process on his show and social media sites, calling it “rigged” and a “fraud.”

Over the weekend, Collins posted a series of comments about the auction on X.

“Long and short of it: We won the bid and — you’re not going to believe it — the previous InfoWars folks aren’t taking it well,” he wrote.

Collins said last week that The Onion planned to turn the Infowars website into a parody site, taking aim at conspiracy theorists and other social media personalities while promoting gun violence prevention efforts.

Cicack also said in Monday’s court filing that the trustee improperly changed the auction process “from a live auction to a secret process.” Cicack said that after sealed bids were submitted Nov. 8, it was expected that there would be a round of live bidding on Nov. 13.

But instead, he said, Murray decided to ask the two bidders to submit another offer as their final and best proposal, which they did. Murray then chose from those final bids without holding a round of live bidding. He alleged Murray violated the auction rules.

monwealth’s incredible economic momentum continues,” Beshear said. State officials offered a package of performance-based tax incentives for the battery project, tied to the company’s investment, job creation and employee wages, the state said.

Boeing layoffs total nearly 2,200 workers in Washington state Seattle Boeing has so far laid off 2,199 workers in Washington, and job cuts will eventually total about 17,000 across the company. The aerospace giant made the announcement Monday in a notice filed with the state Employment Security Department. Boeing announced in October that it planned to cut about 10% of its workforce in the coming months as it struggles to recover from financial and regulatory troubles as well as an eight-week strike by its machinists union. The strike strained Boeing’s finances. But CEO Kelly Ortberg said on an October call with analysts that it did not cause the layoffs, which he described as a result of overstaffing. The job cuts include workers at Boeing facilities across the U.S. The Seattle Times reported that the cuts also appeared to impact workers in all three of Boeing’s divisions: commercial airplanes, defense and global services. Production rates slowed to a crawl, and the Federal Aviation Administration capped production of the 737 MAX at 38 planes per month, a threshold Boeing had yet to reach when the machinists’ strike halted assembly lines.

NCDOT

Beginning Cash $2,632,193,025 Receipts $45,968,651 Disbursements $198,266,824 Cash Balance $2,479,936,424

plug in the future

A $5 deal shows how Tesla will reinvent electricity

By Jordan Golson North State Journal

TESLA JUST LAUNCHED a seemingly boring, throwaway promotion for customers in Texas: $5 per month for unlimited overnight charging of a new Tesla. That’s it. No solar panels required, no Powerwall battery storage system needed — just plug in your car at night and pay less than the cost of two gallons of gas for a month’s worth of charging.

It seems simple at first but reveals something far more ambitious: Tesla isn’t just trying to sell cars — it’s positioning itself to revolutionize how we interact with electricity.

The exciting part isn’t the price (though who doesn’t love a bargain?). It’s that Tesla can offer this deal at all. In Texas’s deregulated electricity market, Tesla isn’t just a car company — it’s also your power company. This means Tesla can optimize across both sides of the equation: when you charge your car and how much you pay to do it.

It’s the first glimpse of a much bigger transformation. Today, electricity flows one way: from massive power plants through transmission lines to your home. Tesla is laying the groundwork for a future where power flows in multiple directions, with homes and cars acting as nodes in a vast energy network.

Everyone thinks of hot summer days, when the air conditioning gets cranked up, as a

tough test for the power grid. But it’s actually unpredictable power usage that’s the problem. If the weatherman says it’s going to be 90 degrees today, and it is, power companies can plan for it. But if the forecast is for 90 and it turns out to be 100 — or, just as bad, turns out to be 80 degrees — then power companies need to scramble to produce more (or less) electricity. In 20 or 30 years, I suspect electric vehicles won’t be the burden on the power grid that many fear — they’ll be its salvation. Because cars sit parked 95% of the time, they represent an enormous untapped resource for grid stability. Imagine millions of car batteries that can absorb excess power when renewable generation is high (think sunny afternoons or windy nights) and feed it back when needed. Or to provide extra juice on an unexpectedly hot day or absorb extra power gen-

eration when it’s surprisingly cool.

The current electrical infrastructure wasn’t built for this two-way power flow — most local substations can only send power in one direction. When a Tesla Powerwall or car sends power back today, it only reaches their immediate neighborhood.

Tesla’s approach — combining home Powerwalls with utility-scale Megapacks — could solve this without requiring massive infrastructure upgrades nationwide. Instead of needing expensive peaker plants that run only during high-demand periods, utilities could tap into a vast network of distributed batteries — in homes and cars — to manage supply and demand at a neighborhood level while Megapacks take care of balancing flow systemwide. This makes the grid more resilient, more

efficient and more sustainable.

What makes Tesla unique is its vertical integration. By controlling the full stack — from solar panels and home batteries to cars and now the retail electricity relationship — Tesla can create a seamless, consumer-friendly experience. This is crucial because transforming the grid isn’t just a technical challenge — it’s getting consumers on board as well.

It needs a compelling user experience, an attractive app interface, well-designed hardware and, most importantly, a clear value proposition. Tesla has proven remarkably adept at making complex technical solutions feel accessible and desirable — look at how they transformed the image of electric cars from glorified golf carts to objects of desire.

In other words, Tesla is going to make boring old electricity as exciting as the iPhone.

It follows a familiar Tesla playbook: build in capability before it’s needed, then activate it when the ecosystem is ready. The company’s new Cybertruck already supports vehicle-to-grid power flow, even though the feature isn’t yet enabled. This is reminiscent of how Tesla used its Supercharger network to make its cars infinitely more practical: create the infrastructure first, then expand its capabilities over time. And now, every carmaker in the country is making its cars Supercharger-compatible.

Envision utilities offering free car charging in exchange for the ability to draw power when needed while guaranteeing it’ll be recharged for your commute: “Your car will be charged to 75% by the time you leave, and in exchange, we can use your battery capacity down

to 50% when you’re plugged in.” Free electricity for doing nothing? I think most folks would take that deal.

The economics are compelling. Utilities spend billions maintaining peaker plants that run for a handful of hours per year. By tapping into distributed storage instead, they could reduce costs dramatically. These savings could be passed on to consumers through programs like Tesla’s $5 charging deal — or even more ambitious offerings as the technology matures.

Texas’s deregulated market makes it the perfect laboratory for this future. While traditional utilities are constrained by regulations and legacy business models, Texas allows for the kind of innovation Tesla is pursuing. Should this model prove successful, other states will face pressure to adapt their regulations or risk falling behind.

The brilliance of Tesla’s approach is that it makes this complex transformation accessible and desirable. No one needs to understand the intricacies of power markets or grid infrastructure — they just need to plug in their car at night and watch the savings add up. It’s the same strategy that worked for electric cars: make the sustainable choice the attractive choice.

This $5 program is just the beginning. As more Teslas hit the roads, more Powerwalls get installed and more solar panels go up on roofs, we’ll see increasingly sophisticated ways for homes and vehicles to interact with the grid. The future of electricity won’t just be about consumption — it’ll be about participation.

And that future is starting in Texas, five dollars at a time.

Women’s basketball preview, B3

Hurricanes goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov (52) leaves the ice during the third period of a recent game against Utah. Injuries to Carolina’s goaltenders have made for early-season uncertainty in net.

the Thursday SIDELINE REPORT

BOXING

Paul beats

58-year-old Tyson in Netflix spectacle

Arlington, Texas

Jake Paul won a unanimous decision over Mike Tyson in a fight between the YouTuber-turned-boxer and the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion. Paul stopped to pay homage with a bow to Tyson before the final bell. The fight wasn’t close, with one judge giving Paul an 80-72 edge and the other two calling it 79-73. Tyson came after Paul immediately after the opening bell and landed a couple of quick punches but didn’t try much else the rest of the way.

WOMEN’S

SOCCER

UNC, Duke, Wake post first-round wins in NCAA Tournament

UNC and Duke both had 8-0 wins to advance to the second round of the NCAA women’s soccer tournament. The top-seeded Blue Devils beat Howard, while No. 2 seed Carolina beat USC Upstate. No. 2 Wake Forest had a 4-0 win over Morehead State to advance, while East Carolina lost to No. 3 South Carolina, 6-0.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Charlotte fires Poggi

Hurricanes’ goalies ease concerns

Backup Spencer Martin recorded his first career NHL shutout, and Pyotr Kochetkov followed that with an impressive performance in his return to the lineup

By Cory Lavalette North State Journal

RALEIGH — The ECHL has existed for more than 35 years, but the second-tier minor hockey league has only seen about 750 of its players reach the NHL— an average of just over 20 players per season. That’s the long way of saying that not all that many players climb from the ECHL to the top of the hockey world. Yet here were the Hurricanes on Saturday with two goalies dressed who started their pro careers down in the E. It certainly wasn’t how Carolina drew it up in the offseason.

The Hurricanes entered the season with Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov as their NHL goalies, but that tandem quickly fell apart.

Andersen, who played just 16 regular-season games last season after being diagnosed with a blood-clotting issue, lasted just four games this season before going down with an undisclosed injury.

He started the season 3-1-0 with a .941 save percentage and 1.48 goals-against average, but his ailment went from week to week to, according to coach Rod Brind’Amour, “way longer” with surgery a consideration for the 35-year-old.

Given Andersen’s history of missing time, his absence doesn’t come as a big surprise. That’s where Kochetkov, 10 years Andersen’s junior, steps in.

Many believed the time was now for Kochetkov to seize the No. 1 job, and he and Andersen alternated games until the latter was hurt. With Andersen on the

“Injuries, in general, are worrisome because you don’t have your team. But the goaltending position’s the backbone of the whole thing.”

Rod Brind’Amour, Hurricanes coach

shelf, Kochetkov got his chance and started the next five games — winning all of them.

But two starts later, the injury bug hit Kochetkov when Carolina defenseman Sean Walker collided with him on Utah’s second goal last Wednesday. Kochetkov briefly stayed in the game before going to the locker room.

Enter one of the aforementioned ECHL graduates. Spencer Martin, the Hurricanes’ No. 3 goalie who had two stints in the ECHL earlier in his

career, was recalled from AHL Chicago following Andersen’s injury. Carolina faced a backto-back and recalled another ECHL alumnus, Yaniv Perets, to dress in place of Kochetkov.

“Injuries, in general, are worrisome because you don’t have your team,” Brind’Amour said in the lead-up to the back-toback games. “But the goaltending position’s the backbone of the whole thing. Freddie’s thing is, I guess, a little more worrisome because (Kochetkov) I think will be back.”

Being down to your third and fourth goalie when the season is just 15 games old is, to put it mildly, not ideal. This led to concern among the fanbase and calls for the team to make a deal to stabilize the position. It only took two days for those worries to dissipate.

First, Martin posted the first shutout of his career, stopping all 24 Ottawa Senators’ shots in the

See CANES , page B3

The All-North Carolina college basketball team

A look at the state’s best players, both in and out of the ACC

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

IT’S EASY TO THINK basketball in North Carolina comes down to two teams.

When Duke and UNC meet in February and again at least once in March, the rivalry consumes most of the available oxygen and bandwidth in the state. Both teams are also getting the lion’s share of attention at the start of the season, especially when it comes to preseason player awards. Duke and Carolina both feature talent-packed rosters. The Naismith Award releases preseason watch lists for top players at each of the five positions on the court, called the Naismith Starting Five. Of the 12 players from North Carolina schools named to the various watch lists, 10 are either Tar Heels or Blue Devils — UNC’s Elliot Cadeau, RJ Davis, Cade Tyson, Ian Jackson and Drake Powell, and Duke’s Tyrese Proctor, Caleb Foster, Kon Knueppel, Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach. Wake Forest got the only other preseason watch list attention, with center Efton Reid III and shooting guard Hunter Sallis getting mentions. There’s plenty of other talent

The Charlotte 49ers fired football coach Biff Poggi two days after a 59-24 home loss to South Florida. It was Charlotte’s fourth loss in a row and dropped the 49ers to 3-7 on the year with two games remaining. Poggi went 6-16 in just under two years at Charlotte. RON JENKINS / AP PHOTO

spread around the state, however. So for our preseason all-state teams, we’ve decided to break things up, with separate teams for the ACC schools and the 15 schools from the other DI conferences.

Here’s the All-North Carolina Team, ACC version.

Point guard: Elliot Cadeau, of UNC leads the state in assists

at 7.7 per game, He’s also doubled his scoring average and 3-point shooting percentage. He could make a case for being the nation’s top point before season’s end. The runner-up is Michael O’Connell from NC State. He’s hitting half his 3s and leading the Pack in assists at 5.3 per game, the second-best average in the state.

Shooting guard: This competition is razor thin. RJ Davis of UNC had the big edge entering the season. He’s the reigning ACC Player of the Year and leads the Heels in scoring again this year at 17.7 points. He’s struggled with his shot in the early going, however, while Duke freshman Kon Knueppel has burst onto the scene. Davis still gets first-team honors, but don’t be surprised if Knueppel flips their positions by the end of the year.

Small forward: Duke’s Cooper Flagg takes this category by a wide margin. The freshman leads the Blue Devils in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and blocks. He’s the best player on a team that should contend for the title and is a likely top pick in next spring’s draft. The runner-up is Wake’s Tre’Von Spillers, who is nearly averaging a double-double and leads the Deacs in rebounds and blocks. Power forward: NC State’s Brandon Huntley-Hatfield breaks up the blue wave on the first team. He’s second on the team in scoring and rebounding and third in assists. Second team is UNC’s Jae’Lyn Withers. Center: Duke’s Khaman Maluach is a force in the paint on both ends. At 7-foot-2, he’s a shot blocker and can put back missed shots or flush lobs, giving the Blue Devils an inside

RICK BOWMER / AP PHOTO

TRENDING

Dylan Hendricks:

The 2023 graduate of NC State was named the 2024 International League groundskeeper of the year by Minor League Baseball in that role with the Durham Bulls. Hendricks, who has worked on the grounds crew for three years, has a degree in turfgrass science. He was chosen based on the results of surveys of league managers, players and executives throughout the past season

Adam Harrington:

The former NC State men’s basketball player is one of six coaches hired for the new Unrivaled 3-on-3 basketball league. The other coaches are former Lakers assistant Phil Handy, Teresa Weatherspoon, Nola Henry, DJ Sackmann and Andrew Wade. The games will be played in Miami starting Jan. 17 and shown on TNT and truTV.

Jose Perez:

The Wake Forest sophomore

during the eighth round of a penalty kick shootout tiebreaker at the ACC men’s soccer championship game, giving the Deacons the ACC title after Clemson’s Samir Dishnica missed high following Perez’s goal. It s the fourth ACC tourney title for Wake and Nico Rabiu scored in regulation, which ended in a 1-1 tie.

Beyond the box score

POTENT QUOTABLES

“I have a

WNBA

Former Duke star Alana Beard (pictured) joined WNBA greats Sue Bird, Sylvia Fowles and Cappie Pondexter as the headliners of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2025 Also inducted on June 14 will be longtime Union University coach Mark Campbell, and West Chester and Queens coach Lucille Kyvallos. Women’s Basketball Coaches Association executive director Danielle Donehew completes the class.

“I thought the the ref blowing a call.”

Bucks coach Doc Rivers after a foul on Giannis Antetokounmpo gave the Hornets’ LaMelo Ball gamewinning free throws

1,216

Career wins for UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma, after the Huskies beat UNC in Chapel Hill on Friday That ties Auriemma with Tara VanDerveer for most in college basketball histor y — men’s or women’s.

“Inside the NBA” will appear on ESPN and ABC beginning next season as par t of a settlement between Warner Bros Discover y and the NBA. Warner Bros Discovery, the parent company of TN T Sports, sued after the NBA didn’t accept its matching begins in 2025-26.

Bela Karolyi, the charismatic if polarizing gymnastics coach, died at 82 Karoly i and wife, Martha , trained multiple Olympic gold medalists and world champions in the U.S. and Romania , including Nadia Comaneci and Mar y Lou Retton Karoly i came in the Larr y Nassar scandal.

The Baltimore Orioles are adjusting their left team moved the wall at Camden Yards back and taller before the 2022 season GM Mike Elias says the team “overcorrected” and will medium” before 2025. Renderings of changes show the wall moved farther in and reduced in height.

MICHAEL CATERINA / AP PHOTO

NC’s top class of 2024 recruits make waves in college basketball debuts

North Carolina’s own are off to solid starts in their collegiate careers

By Asheebo Rojas North State Journal

TWO WEEKS into the 2024 -25 college basketball season, North Carolina’s top high school recruits from the class of 2024 are already making waves on the next level.

Many of the state’s best high school players from the last four years are living up to their hype in both the men’s and women’s games, whether that’s earning a starting spot, playing well off the bench or already leading the team in multiple stat categories as a freshman.

Here’s a look at the best college debuts from North Carolina’s latest contributions to college basketball:

Jayden Quaintance

Arizona State, Word of God Christian Academy

Former Word of God Christian Academy five-star Jayden Quaintance has emerged as a very impactful starter in his freshman year at Arizona State. Quaintance has been a defensive force, accumulating 17 blocks in five games (his 14 blocks prior to Sunday’s game were the third most in Division I). He’s also shown flashes of a solid offensive game, averaging seven points per game as of Monday. Quaintance recorded his first double-double in the Sun Devils’ 81-66 win over St. Thomas (Minnesota) Sunday with career highs of 13 points and 14 rebounds.

Drake Powell UNC, Northwood

Drake Powell, the former Northwood five-star recruit, has been a consistent contributor off the bench for a deep

UNC squad. Powell is averaging 4.7 points per game on rather sub-par shooting (29.4% from the floor as of Monday), but he’s been impactful in other ways, most notably on defense.

The freshman’s athleticism has jumped out in his spectacular chase down blocks and shot contests, including the highlight from Friday’s game against American in which he jumped over an opponent and caught his layup attempt out of the air. As of Monday, Powell leads UNC with five blocks on the year. The American game was Powell’s best showing to date as he recorded career-highs seven points and 11 rebounds.

Juke Harris Wake Forest, Salisbury

Juke Harris, the four-star guard out of Salisbury, has

done some really good things for Wake Forest off the bench. Harris is averaging 5.4 points per game while shooting 40% from the floor as of Monday. At 6-foot-7 and 200 pounds, Harris has made a huge impact defensively with his ability to quickly close out on shot contests, and offensively, he’s been very good off the ball with getting open and creating his own looks as a cutter. Harris’ best outing was in Wake Forest’s win over Michigan on Nov. 10 in which he scored a career-high 11 points in 23 minutes.

Isaiah Evans Duke, North Mecklenburg

Former five-star forward Isaiah Evans may not have played as many minutes as he’s hoped early this season, but the freshman out of North Mecklen-

North Carolina poised for another big year of women’s hoops

The state of North Carolina has three top-25 ranked teams, and perhaps even more could make the NCAA Tournament this season

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

WOMEN’S COLLEGE hoops has tipped off around the nation, and the state of North Carolina houses a handful of teams that could make some noise this season.

Fresh off a trip to the Final Four, the No. 13 NC State women’s basketball team is considered by many to be a top contender for the ACC title and a likely lock to make the NCAA Tournament.

The Wolfpack, who were voted as the preseason No. 2 in the ACC, lost a couple of pieces from last year’s team, but for the most part their core stayed the same.

The Pack will be leaning on their star backcourt of Saniya Rivers and Aziaha James, who are once again expected to carry the load for the team.

Both senior guards were voted to the Preseason All-ACC teams as the third and fourth most voted player, respectively.

Zoe Brooks is another big

CANES from page B1

Hurricanes’ 4-0 win on Saturday.

“I don’t look at it as a tough situation because tougher would be me not being where I want to be,” Martin, who was playing his 60th NHL game, said. “I really feel like it’s meant to be that I get the chance, and so in that case, I’m enjoying it and going to try to do my best with it.”

name who will be moving into a starting role after an impressive freshman season for NC State last year, and the Wolfpack could very well have yet standout freshman with guard Zamareya Jones, who was fourth on the ACC Preseason Newcomer Watch List.

The Wolfpack have, however, found themselves on a bit of a rocky start after backto-back nonconference losses

Brind’Amour tipped his cap to Martin following the win.

“It’s the most important position, and that was a great game by him that enabled us to get the win,” he said. On Sunday, Kochetkov returned, rested and ready to reclaim his net.

He did just that with 29 saves, shaking off an early goal allowed on a defensive miscue to blank

to South Carolina and TCU.

While NC State has enjoyed being the state’s top team for a while, the No. 16 Duke Blue Devils may be the biggest challenger for that crown heading into this year as the preseason No. 3.

Duke’s been on the rise for a while now, as coach Kara Lawson — who won a gold medal as an assistant coach for the US women’s Olympic basket-

the visiting Blues the rest of the way.

“The day off really helped me,” Kochetkov said in his rapidly improving English. “(I don’t) always (need) an extra day off. Sometimes I want to skate, feel the puck. Sometimes I need to just stay in my home and sleep. That helped me today.”

The win improved the 25-yearold Russian to 9-2-0 on the year.

as of Monday. Strong also leads the team in blocks (six) and rebounds (eight per game). Strong scored a career-high 17 points in the Huskies’ season-opening win over Boston University, and she recorded her first career double-double (14 points, 13 rebounds) in Friday’s win over UNC. She’s also been a solid playmaker, averaging 4.3 assists (second-most on the team) through the first three games.

Zamareya Jones NC State, North Pitt

burg High School has used his time well so far. Evans is averaging 6.7 points per game while shooting at a 46.2% clip in just three games this season. He’s been efficient as a scorer, putting in six points while shooting 50% from the floor in just nine minutes against Army. Against Wofford on Saturday, Evans recorded a career-high 14 points with four made 3-pointers in just 12 minutes.

Sarah Strong UConn, Grace Christian (Sanford)

Sarah Strong, the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2024 out of Grace Christian School (Sanford), has emerged as one of UConn’s best players early in her career. Strong’s 14.7 points per game are the second-most on the team behind Paige Bueckers

ball team in Paris this summer — has steadily built a consistent contender that broke out big last season with a run to the Sweet 16 before falling to UConn.

The Blue Devils have been a team that thrives off of their defensive game, and with nearly their entire starting roster from last season returning, that level of play shouldn’t really see a dip.

Duke will more than likely be relying a lot on senior guard Reigan Richardson, another preseason All-ACC selection, although freshman forward Toby Fournier will be a name to keep track of as she was the top vote-getter for the ACC Newcomer Watch List and ranked 10th overall in ESPN’s HoopGurlz recruiting rankings.

The Blue Devils will also see a lot of junior guard Ashlon Jackson and sophomore guard Jadyn Donovan, who were also solid pieces last season for Duke.

Not to be forgotten though are the No. 14 UNC Tar Heels, who have also been a consistent team under coach Courtney Banghart.

Last season ended on disappointing notes for the Tar Heels, who lost their first game in the ACC Tournament and then were bounced in the second round of the NCAA Tournament by eventual champs South Carolina.

The Heels also suffered a tough blow over the summer with the departure of guard Deja Kelly, who had led UNC in scoring in each of the past four seasons, after she elected to transfer to Oregon.

“He’s doing what he needs to do for us,” Brind’Amour said of Kochetkov. “Same thing last night. I thought Spence made some big saves at the right time, and Kooch did too here to just settle the ship a little bit and allow us a chance to find some sort of a game.”

Zamareya Jones, the former standout at North Pitt and the No. 21 ranked recruit in ESPN’s 2024 HoopGurlz rankings, has made an immediate impact in the NC State backcourt this season. Averaging 10.3 points per game while shooting 40% from the floor in the Wolfpack’s first four games, Jones has worked her way into the starting lineup. She scored a career-high 16 points in 28 minutes against the defending champions South Carolina on Nov. 10. Four days later, Jones notched another 16-point performance against Kent State.

Blanca Thomas UNC, Charlotte Catholic Blanca Thomas, the No. 32 ranked recruit in ESPN’s 2024 HoopGurlz rankings out of Charlotte Catholic, has shown some positive flashes at UNC this season. Averaging 3.3 points and five rebounds per game through the Tar Heels’ first four outings, Thomas has been a solid defender. Her five blocks are tied with Alyssa Ustby for the most on the team despite playing 15 less minutes per game than Ustby. Thomas’ best game was in the Tar Heels’ season-opening win over Charleston Southern in which she scored a career-high eight points while shooting 67% from the floor.

However, there are still quite a few good pieces in Chapel Hill, headlined by graduate Alyssa Ustby.

The fifth-year senior, who was also a preseason All-ACC selection, is a clear leader for the Heels and just a do-it-all type of player who led the team in rebounds, assists and steals last season.

UNC also returned senior guard and sharpshooter Lexi Donarski, and sophomore guard Reniya Kelly should see a promotion to a starting role. Redshirt freshman forward Ciera Toomey, a former five-star recruit, wasn’t able to play last season due to injuries, but she’s available now and could provide some good size to the Tar Heels’ lineup.

Another team to keep an eye on will be the North Carolina A&T Aggies, who were selected as the Coastal Athletic Association preseason champions.

The Aggies will be led by a pair of CAA Preseason firstteam selections in senior guards Maleia Bracone and Jordyn Dorsey.

The Davidson Wildcats could also be a dark-horse choice for an NCAA Tournament appearance. Injuries derailed the Wildcats season last year so much that the program ended up prematurely canceling their season.

It was a big question of ‘What if?’ as Davidson had even had a big win over Duke in Durham, but they have another good nonconference slate this season with matchups against NC State, Wake Forest and Virginia Tech.

But for 24 hours last weekend, everyone stopped scouring NHL rosters looking for a suitable fit for Carolina’s battered goalie battery.

“We do one job,” Kochetkov said. “You know, we need support together.”

The Hurricanes will surely have their eye on improving their goaltending depth since they’re one injury away from having Perets (three career AHL games) or 19-year-old Ruslan Khazheyev (five career AHL games) be the next man up.

YOUNG KWAK / AP PHOTO

Arizona State forward Jayden Quaintance, right, looks to make a play against Gonzaga forward Ben Gregg.

CHRIS CARLSON / AP PHOTO

NC State guard Zoe Brooks recovers a loose ball against South Carolina during the first half of an early-season game.

UNC running back Omarion Hampton (28) is tackled by Wake Forest defensive back Evan Slocum, bottom, during Saturday’s in-state showdown won by the Tar Heels. Hampton rushed for 244 yards, earning a spot on the weekly allstate team.

A weekly look at NC college football

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

IN THE LAST full-schedule week of college football in the state, North Carolina teams went 10-13. Division II and III teams have now wrapped up their regular season schedules, with Wingate winning its conference title game. Wingate and Lenoir-Rhyne earned berths in the DIII playoffs this week, extending their seasons.

• North Carolina’s record: 10-13 (154-180 overall)

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

1. Wingate: 28-13 over Carson Newman in the South Atlantic Championship Game

2. UNC Pembroke: 63-7 at Concord

3. Brevard: 41-25 at Kentucky Christian

4. East Carolina: 38-31 at Tulsa

5. Catawba: 47-15 over Tusculum

6. NC Central: 26-3 over Howard

7. Western Carolina: 58-28 over VMI

8. UNC: 31-24 over Wake Forest

9. Elon: 31-25 over Maine

10. Lenoir-Rhyne: 24-24 over Anderson

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

1. Chowan: 31-27 at North Greenville

2. Mars Hill: 31-26 at Limestone

3. Wake Forest: 31-24 at UNC

4. Campbell: 41-22 at Delaware

5. NC Wesleyan: 35-14 at Maryville

6. NC A&T: 31-13 at Towson

7. Greensboro: 38-7 at Huntingdon

8. Gardner-Webb: 23-20 to Tennessee State

9. Barton: 24-21 to UVA Wise

10. Charlotte: 59-24 to South Florida

11. Methodist: 26-3 to Belhaven

12. Guilford: 58-0 to Bridgewater

13. St. Andrews: 90-14 at Pikeville

Off: App State, Duke, NC State, Davidson

Season Complete: Shaw, Elizabeth City State, Fayetteville State, Winston- Salem State,

ALL-STATE from page B1 presence they don’t always have. Wake’s Reid is second team. Those are the players that the national media is watching this season, and deservedly so. But how do they measure up against the best that the schools farther under the radar can provide? You be the judge. Here’s the All-North Carolina Team, everyone-but-the-ACC version Point guard: Donovan Newby of UNCW is averaging 22.7

Livingstone, Johnson C. Smith

Winning records (15, up two from last week):

• Wingate: 9-1

• Lenoir-Rhyne: 9-2

• Johnson C. Smith: 8-2

• Duke, NC Central, Winston-Salem State: 7-3

• UNC, East Carolina, Davidson, Brevard, Livingstone, Shaw: 6-4

• Western Carolina, UNC Pembroke: 6-5

• Mars Hill: 5-4

At .500 (1, down two from last week)

• NC State: 5-5

Losing records (16, same as last week):

• Elon: 5-6

• App State, Fayetteville State: 4-5

• Wake Forest, NC Wesleyan: 4-6

• Gardner-Webb: 4-7

• Charlotte, Chowan, Elizabeth City State, Guilford: 3-7

• Campbell, Catawba, Barton: 3-8

• Methodist, Greensboro: 1-9

• NC A&T: 1-10

Winless (1):

• St. Andrews: 0-9

State title standings

Wake Forest suffered its first in-state loss of the year, while UNC picked up its third win.

• 4-0 Wingate

• 3-0 Duke, NC Wesleyan

• 2-0 Guilford

• 1-0 App State, Davidson

• 3-1 Lenoir-Rhyne, UNC

• 2-1 Wake Forest, Charlotte, Campbell, Brevard

• 3-2 Winston-Salem State, Livingstone

• 3-3 Shaw, Fayetteville State

• 2-2 NC Central, Elon, Barton, Johnson C. Smith

• 1-2 NC State, Campbell, Western Carolina

• 1-3 Methodist, Elizabeth City State, NC A&T

• 1-4 Catawba

• 0-1 Gardner-Webb, Mars Hill

• 0-2 ECU, Chowan, UNC Pembroke

• 0-4 Greensboro

State title games this week:

• Elon at NC A&T

Homecoming: Charlotte lost on homecoming, dropping

N.C. teams to 22-10 on homecoming weekend. App State has the state’s last homecoming game this week.

Senior Day: Elon, Catawba, Lenoir-Rhyne, Western Carolina and NC Central won on Senior Day, while Gardner-Webb, Guilford, Methodist and Barton lost. That puts North Carolina teams at 14-11 on Senior Day. App State, Campbell, Duke and NC A&T say goodbye to their seniors this week.

Out of state battles for Week 13:

NC State at Georgia Tech on Thursday, James Madison at App State, Virginia Tech at Duke, Davidson at Valparaiso, North Carolina at Boston College, Wake Forest at Miami, Towson at Campbell, East Carolina at North Texas, Charlotte at FAU, Gardner-Webb at Western Illinois, NC Central at Delaware State, Western Carolina at Samford, Lenoir-Rhyne at West Alabama, Virginia Union at Wingate.

Regular season complete: Shaw, Elizabeth City State, Fayetteville State, Winston-Salem State, Livingstone, Johnson C. Smith, Barton, Catawba, Chowan, Mars Hill, UNC Pembroke, Brevard, Greensboro, Guilford, Methodist, NC Wesleyan, St. Andrews

All-state performances for Week 12:

Quarterback: Colin Johnson, UNC Pembroke, 23-for-35 for 451 yards, 5 TD

Running backs: Omarion Hampton, UNC, 35 rushes for 244 yards, 1 TD, 5 catches for 16 yards; J’Mari Taylor, NC Central, 24 rushes for 206 yards, 3 TD, 6 catches for 78 yards.

Receiver: VJ Wilkins, Campbell, 5 catches for 172 yards, 2 TD; Songa Yates, Lenoir-Rhyne, 9 catches for 120 yards, 1 TD.

Defensive line: Kai Russell, Wingate, team-high 10 tackles, 3 solo, 1.5 TFL, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble; Malik McKinzie, UNC Pembroke, 7 tackles, 7 solos, 5 TFL, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble.

Linebacker: Power Echols, UNC, 8 tackles, 4 solos, 42-yard pick six interception; Raquon Hartley, Gardner-Webb, 16 tackles, 10 solos, 2 TFL, 1 pass breakup, 1 quarterback hit

Defensive back: Deno Wardlow, Catawba, 6 tackles, 5 solos, 4 pass breakups, 44 -yard pick six interception; Ken Moore, Jr., Western Carolina, 1 tackle, 1 solo, 34-yard pick six interception.

Special teams: Caleb Bonesteel, Wingate, went 5-for-5 on field goals, with a long of 48 yards.

Charlotte previews renovations to Jerry Richardson Stadium

Groundbreaking for the project is set to begin next year

By Jesse Deal North State Journal

CHARLOTTE — Last week, the Charlotte 49ers athletic department released updated renderings of its $70 million tower expansion to Jerry Richardson Stadium.

The stadium’s revamped tower along the west side of the stadium will feature premium seating — suites, loge boxes, and ledge seating — as well as an indoor club and deck patio space. Groundbreaking for the project is scheduled for next August, while the completion date is tentatively set for early 2027. With a current stadium capacity of 15,314, the upgraded facilities are slated to bring the updated capacity to more than 18,000. Additionally, Charlotte has unreleased plans that will reportedly allow the stadium to accommodate up to 21,000 fans.

This secondary phase would require additional funding.

Constructed in 2011 and 2012, Jerry Richardson Stadium was designed to accommodate future expansions without requiring a major demolition; it has the capability to be expandable to 40,000 seats.

“This project will be the first phase of revolutionizing our fan experience at Jerry Richardson Stadium,” Charlotte athletic director Mike Hill said in a Nov. 14 media release. “Not only will it increase our attendance, but the premium amenities we will be able to offer are essential to a high-quality game experience at the FBS level. I am thrilled to see this project come to fruition and can’t wait to see progress begin in 2025.”

In order to maximize Charlotte’s revenue generation for all seating associated with the expansion, the university announced in October that it has signed off on a multiyear partnership with global premium experiences company Legends to lead sales strategy, execution and marketing, with an emphasis on the game day experience at Jerry Richardson Stadium.

The company’s local sales team will operate from a new space at the CO-LAB at UNC Charlotte Center City, providing expanded previews of the stadium expansion project in early 2025.

“This is about more than just hosting football games and lacrosse matches,” Hill added. “This expansion will allow us to utilize the stadium for additional community events and year-round usage by our student-athletes for dining purposes. The expansion of Jerry Richardson Stadium is an exciting project and will truly elevate the game day experience

Charlotte ticket holders will be able to utilize new clubs created during this new stadium renovation.

points and 3.3 assists. The fifthyear senior has more than tripled his scoring average and is hitting 46% of his 3s while getting to the line more than 10 times a game. The runner-up is High Point’s D’Maurian Williams, who is averaging 17.5 points and 5.0 assists. Shooting guard: RJ Felton of ECU is the state’s leading scorer at 23.2 points per game. The senior is pulling down 8.8 rebounds, making 3.0 assists and could lay claim to the ti-

tle of North Carolina’s best RJ. Runner-up goes to Davidson fifth-year senior Connor Kochera.

Small forward: Giancarlo Rosado, a Charlotte grad transfer from FAU, is leading the 49ers in rebounding, assists and steals. The second-team spot goes to High Point’s Kimani Hamilton by a hair over Davidson’s Bobby Durkin. Power forward: East Carolina’s CJ Walker is averaging 16.3 points and 9.3 rebounds. The

for Charlotte football. We are thrilled to partner with Legends in order to maximize that experience for our fans.”

As an industry leader in advising university athletic departments on major projects, Legends has previously partnered with Kansas Northwestern, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Southern California, Wisconsin-Madison, Utah, Villanova and San Diego State.

“We are excited to work closely with Charlotte to identify new, engaging, and entertaining platforms for 49er fans to connect with their school, alma mater, or favorite team while positioning the university for success and growth in the evolving collegiate athletics landscape,” said Mike Behan, president of Legends College.

Back in April 2024, the UNC Board of Governors originally approved a $60 million expansion to Jerry Richardson Stadium, indicating an oncoming change to one of the smallest stadiums in the Football Bowl Subdivision, which includes stadiums that seat over 100,000. Charlotte was then able to acquire an additional $10 million to outfit the revised tower with kitchen equipment from the auxiliary reserves of on-campus dining services.

Both moves are a part of the university’s 12-15-year multiphase EverGreen Athletics Facilities Master Vision, which also includes a new stadium for soccer and lacrosse, new clubhouses for softball and baseball, and basketball locker room renovations.

These plans — listed as Phase I projects — were estimated by planning firms HOK and Jenkins-Peer Architect as a $102 million investment.

In 2022, UNC Charlotte Chancellor Sharon Gaber released a statement on the EverGreen Athletics Facilities Master Vision.

“As the university embarks upon an overall campus master planning process, the athletics master vision will be a key component of it,” Gaber said. “This ambitious plan is reflective of the upward trajectory of UNC Charlotte’s athletics program which is, for many of our constituents, the ‘front porch’ of the university. We are committed to providing an experience for our students, alumni and fans that mirrors the excellence embodied throughout UNC Charlotte — in our academics, research, community engagement and every other facet of what we do.”

With a 3-7 record this fall — which cost football coach Biff Poggi his job Monday — and a 17-36 record dating back to the team’s last winning season (2019), the 49ers are still searching for on-field success in the FBS.

The upcoming additions to Charlotte’s football stadium signal that the program has full intentions of continuing to build its brand.

former Oregon and UCF post player is in his first season with the Pirates. Davidson junior Reed Bailey is the runner-up. Center: High Point sophomore 7-footer Juslin Bodo Bodo is averaging 11.3 rebounds, eighth-best in the nation, and blocking 1.9 shots per game. The runner-up is sixth year big man Malcolm Wilson, who started his career at Georgetown but is in his second season at Queens. The 7-foot-2 Wilson leads the nation with 5.8 blocks per game.

5.8

Blocks per game by Queens center Malcolm Wilson, which leads the nation

CHRIS SEWARD / AP PHOTO

COURTESY CHARLOTTE 49ERS ATHLETICS

The Autrey family was safe, but the work was just beginning

By Deanna Ballard Special for North State Journal

Former state Sen. Deanna Ballard has seen firsthand the devastation of Hurricane Helene and will be telling the recovery stories from western North Carolina for North State Journal.

LINCOLN COUNTY — Bottled water, diapers and winter coats poured in by truckloads in the initial days after Hurricane Helene destroyed counties across western North Carolina. But recovery efforts have evolved since those first few weeks of the emergency. These critical donations were lifelines for families who had lost nearly everything. But as the dust settles and counties brace for a long winter of recovery, the needs have shifted — and some might surprise you.

When Steve Autrey, senior pastor of Denver United Methodist Church, received a request for new mailboxes, it stopped him in his tracks. For weeks, he and his congregation had been working with South Toe Fire and Rescue delivering supplies, collecting cash donations and deploying volunteers weekly to Yancey County. But mailboxes? It hadn’t occurred to him that the storm had washed them away, leaving residents without a way to receive vital mail and packages.

Denver United Methodist Church teamed up with local businesses to purchase and deliver 105 mailboxes and posts to date. Lowe’s sold them the mailboxes at a sizable discount, while Dellinger Building Supplies in Lowesville donated 4-by-4 posts. When supplies arrived, a spirited assembly line of parishioners and volunteers — joined by members of Holy Spirit Catholic Church —

got to work. The newly assembled mailboxes were promptly delivered to the local post office, ready to restore a small but critical piece of normalcy for storm-weary residents. But why did a church almost 100 miles away focus its philanthropic efforts on Yancey County, a small community of just 19,000 people? For Autrey, the answer is deeply personal. Born and raised in Celo, a tight-knit community in Yancey County nestled between the Blue Ridge and Black mountains, Autrey’s connection to the area runs as deep as his family’s history. His ancestor, John Autrey, was one of the first people to settle the valley, and the Autrey family cemetery still holds generations of his relatives. While Steve eventually moved away, much of his family remains, their lives rooted in the rugged beauty of Yancey County. When Hurricane Helene unleashed 30 inches of rain in just 24 hours, the resulting floodwaters devastated Celo. Having received no communication from

his family, Autrey was worried about his elderly parents, three brothers, and their families. Days passed without word, forcing him to rely on his faith and the support of his church community. Finally, his brother Charlie, a longtime firefighter and former fire chief, reached him with a comforting message: The Autrey family was safe. But the work was just beginning. Autrey marvels at the grit and determination of the mountain community he knew so well. His father and brother joined countless locals who offered their heavy equipment and manpower to clear roads, repair bridges and lend a hand wherever needed. When a landslide blocked Celo’s main road, it wasn’t state crews but resourceful residents who restored access in record time.

“That’s just the mountain way,” Steve Autrey said with a smile. “They’re not going to wait on the DOT.”

Now, nine weeks after the historic storm, the needs in Yancey County remain urgent. The storm

claimed 10 lives from the Yancey community with three still missing, according to Watauga Online. More than 45 homes were washed away. So when Autrey proposed the idea of adopting his home county, church members responded with enthusiasm.

“It’s one thing to hear about a place; it’s another to have a personal connection to it,” he said.

With his personal connections to the area, Autrey has worked closely with the fire department to discern precisely what people need rather than overwhelming donation centers with random supplies. One critical issue has been the destruction of culverts, which has left emergency responders unable to reach certain areas. Therefore, the church is now focusing on buying and delivering new culverts, one load of which costs approximately $15,000. In the spirit of collaboration characteristic of North Carolinians, local suppliers like Metrolina Landscape in Charlotte have stepped up and donated several loads of supplies.

Charlie Autrey, Steve’s brother and a longtime volunteer firefighter, commends these efforts:

“We’re local folks just coming together with our logging skidders and tractors trying to gravel top and rebuild roads and bridges,” he said. “My brother’s church had an estimated $50,000 of pipe delivered within 1½ weeks after the storm. It was substantial.”

Fundraising efforts at Denver Methodist have raised $166,248 so far. They’ve also contributed $20,000 to the fire department for microgrants, helping individuals with specific recovery needs. Some members have even found creative ways to help. Beth Joy, for instance, created and sold “Mountain Strong” merchandise, raising nearly $4,000 to provide Christmas gifts for affected children. By collaborating with other groups like Celo United Methodist, Spruce Pine United Meth-

odist and the Celo Community, Steve Autrey and his congregation are working to bridge the mountain culture of self-reliance with the healing power of collective action.

Yancey County reopened schools Monday, and teachers will be invaluable “boots on the ground” in identifying families in need and connecting them to resources. Denver United Methodist aims to adopt one or two families to help them rebuild their lives completely. By focusing their resources on deeper, long-term support rather than spreading them wide and thin, the church hopes to build genuine relationships that foster trust and hope within the community. Understanding that there’s no quick fix, Autrey says, “We want a long-term relationship with this community so we can hopefully be part of the recovery and still be doing work up there in a couple years.”

With eyes focused on the months ahead, Steve implores readers to “be an encourager” and seek ways to support first responders who have thrown themselves into the fray since day one. Whether through a cash donation, a heartfelt thank-you note or a special meal, gestures of appreciation can make a meaningful difference for those like his brother Charlie who remain on the front lines.

If you’d like to join Denver United Methodist’s hurricane relief efforts, you can send monetary donations through South Tow Fire and Rescue’s GoFundMe page at tinyurl.com/ NSJ-SouthToe. You can also mail personal letters of gratitude and encouragement to volunteers by addressing them to South Toe Volunteer Fire and Rescue at 158 Winchester Drive, Burnsville, NC 28714. The mailboxes delivered by Denver United Methodist Church aren’t just for bills or packages — they’re beacons of resilience, connection and hope. In that same spirit, let’s fill the volunteers’ mailboxes with heartfelt reminders to our modern-day heroes that their efforts matter. On days when hope feels distant, these letters will remind them they’re not alone. After all, they’ve got mail.

This weekend was a stopover before the Thanksgiving tentpoles arrive

By Lindsey Bahr

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — Moviegoers were not exactly feeling the Christmas spirit this weekend, at least not based on their attendance at “Red One” showings.

The big budget, star-driven action comedy with Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans sold $34.1 million in tickets in its first weekend in theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday. It easily topped a box office populated mostly by holdovers.

For traditional studios, a $34.1 million debut against a $200 million-plus production budget would be a clear indication of a flop. Some even peg the budget closer to $250 million. But “Red One” is an Amazon MGM Studios release with the luxury of playing the long game rather than relying solely on the global box office where Johnson tentpoles often overperform. The film may have a life on

Prime Video for years to come.

“Red One,” in which Johnson plays Santa’s bodyguard, was originally built to go straight-tostreaming. It was greenlit prior to Amazon’s acquisition of MGM. One interpretation of its lifecycle is that the theatrical earnings are not only just a bonus but an additive gesture toward struggling theaters looking for a consistent stream of new films.

“Amazon has 250 million plus worldwide subscribers to the platform. It’s similar to the way Netflix, I think, looks at stuff for their platform,” said Kevin Wilson, head of distribution for Amazon MGM Studios. “There’s a massive value for a movie like this in terms of how many eyeballs you’re going to get.”

The first major studio holiday release since 2018, “Red One” opened on 4,032 screens, including IMAX and other large formats, on an otherwise quiet weekend for major releases.

“We’re really happy with the results,” Wilson said. “I think when you look at the theatrical marketplace that’s sometimes unforgiving, especially for original films, this is a good result for us.”

Since 2020, only seven films that weren’t sequels or based on another piece of intellectual property have opened over $30 million (including “Oppenheimer” and “Nope.”)

Warner Bros. is handling the overseas release, where it has made an estimated $50 million in two weekends from 75 territories and 14,783 screens.

Still, it’s certainly not a theatrical hit in North America.

Even “Joker: Folie à Deux” made slightly more in its first weekend. “Red One,” directed by Jake Kasdan and produced by Johnson’s Seven Bucks, was roundly rejected by critics with a dismal 33% Rotten Tomatoes score.

Audiences were kinder than they were to “Joker 2,” giving it an A- CinemaScore, suggesting, perhaps, that the idea of it becoming a perennial holiday favorite is not so off-base.

“Red One” is also overperforming in the middle of the country, Wilson said, and perhaps will have a nice holdover over Thanksgiving as a different option to the behemoths on the way.

Sony’s “Venom: The Last Dance” added $7.4 million to this

weekend’s box office to take second place, bringing its domestic total to $127.6 million. Globally, its total stands at $436.1 million.

Lionsgate’s “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” landed in third with $5.4 million. That much more modestly budgeted Christmas movie has already nearly doubled its $10 million production budget in two weeks. Fourth place went to A24’s Hugh Grant horror “Heretic,” with $5.2 million, bumping its total gross to $20.4 million.

Universal and DreamWorks Animation’s “The Wild Robot” rounded out the top five in its eighth weekend in theaters with an additional $4.3 million. The animated film surpassed $300 million worldwide.

This weekend is a bit of a stopover before the Thanksgiving tentpoles arrive. Next week, “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” face off in theaters with “Moana 2,” which also stars Johnson, sailing in the Wednesday before the holiday.

“Gladiator II” also got a bit of a head start internationally, where it opened in 63 markets this weekend to gross $87 million. That’s a record for filmmak-

er Ridley Scott and for an R-rated international release from Paramount. It opens in the U.S. and Canada on Nov. 22. Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore, said “Red One” is helping set into motion a momentum leading into the Thanksgiving corridor.

The upcoming releases, he said, “will finally bring some excitement to what has been a somewhat quiet post-Labor Day moviegoing marketplace.”

Dergarabedian added that it could be “one of the biggest revenue-generating Thanksgiving periods in box office history.”

1. “Red One,” $34.1 million.

2. “Venom: The Last Dance,” $7.4 million.

3. “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” $5.4 million.

4. “Heretic,” $5.2 million. 5. “The Wild Robot,” $4.3 million.

“Smile 2,” $3 million.

“Conclave,” $2.9 million.

“Hello, Love, Again,” $2.3 million.

MOORE

COURTESY STEVE AUTREY

Volunteers build mailbox posts in Lincoln County.

and corporations having claims against the decedent to present them to the Administrator named below on or before February 28, 2025, or this notice will be plead in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to the estate, please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 21st

NC, 28348

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA In the General Court of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court Division Estate File # 24E1670 Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Wilma Futrell Cumbo, 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 1st day of February , 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 23rd day of October , 2024. Jacqueline Y. Cumbo McLeod 2525 McArthur Landing Circle Apt. 104 Fayetteville, NC 28311 Administrator of the Estate of Wilma Futrell Cumbo

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF JACQUELINE RUTH GRIMSLEY CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 24E001543-250 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Jacqueline Ruth Grimsley, 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 22nd day of February, 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 13th day of November, 2024. Davis W. Puryear Administrator of the Estate of Jacqueline Ruth Grimsley Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: November 21, November 28, December 5 and December 12, 2024 NOTICE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ESTATE FILE 23e1352 IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: JAMES EARL HORTON ADMINISTRATOR’S NOTICE The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the estate of James Earl Horton, deceased, late of 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 22nd day of February, 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 persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 13th day of November, 2024. Shameka H. Deese 4980 Winding Ridge Dr. Greensboro, NC 27406 Administrator of the estate of James Earl Horton, deceased Publication Dates

NOTICE

In The General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Before the Clerk Estate File #23 E STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CUMBERLAND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR NOTICE

The undersigned having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Gilda Cain Horne, deceased, late of Cumberland County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 31st day of January, (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 the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 31st day of October, 2024, Brenda Horne Johnson 4500 Hummingbird Place Fayetteville, NC. 28312 Administrator of the Estate of Gilda Cain Horne

ADMINISTRATOR’S/EXECUTOR’S NOTICE

The undersigned, having qualified as Margaret Carroll Bledsole of the Estate of Thelma Guy Harrison 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 1 day of February 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 24 day of october 2024. Margaret Carroll Bledsole Administrator/ Executor 201 Joy Drive Address Fayetteville N.C. 28312 City, State, Zip Of the Estate of Thelma Guy Harrison, Deceased

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

In The General Court of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court Division Estate File # 24E002789-250 Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice

The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Richard Henry Hall a/ka Richard Henry Hall Sr., 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 21st day of February, 2025, (which 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 12th day of November 2024. Debra Hall_______________________ Ad 420 Walstone Rd. Address Fayetteville, NC 28301 City, State, Zip Of the Estate of Richard Henry Hall, Deceased

NOTICE

The undersigned, having qualifies as Administrator/Executor of the Estate of Samantha Sharp, deceased, late of Cumberland County, herby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 14th day of February, 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 14th day of November 2024. Carlene Sharp Administrator/Executor 7827 Klondyke Drive Address Fayetteville, North Carolina 28307 City, State, Zip Of the Estate of Samantha Sharp, Deceased.

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA In The General Court of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court Division Estate File: 24E002793-250 Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice The undersigned, having qualified Roy Dean Taylor of the Estate of Jessica Patricia Taylor, deceased, late of Cumberland County, herby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 22 day February, 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 14 day of November, 2024. Roy Dean Taylor Administrator/Executor 2010 Yarborough Road Address Saint Pauls, NC 28384 City, State, Zip Of the Estate of Jessica Patricia Taylor Deceased

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA. In the General Court Of Justice. County of Cumberland. Superior Court Division Estate File # 24E002823250. The undersigned having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Bennie Ray Williams, 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 21st day of February 2025 ( which 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 decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned on this 21st day of November 2024. Jacqueline Louise Williams. Administrator/Executor. 6483 Summerchase Dr. Fayetteville NC 28311 Of the Estate of Bennie Ray Williams, deceased

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE

SUPERIOR COURT DISIVISON

CUMBERLAND COUNTY

ESTATE FILE: 24E002750-250

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF:

LUCILLE CAMPBELL WILLIAMS

EXECUTOR’S NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Lucille Campbell Williams, late of 3306 Teakwood Drive, Hope Mills, NC 28348, 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 1159 Blankshire Road, Fayetteville, NC 28314, on or before the 14th day of February 2025. 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. This the 5th day of November 2024. BARRY ANTHONY HILL Executor of the Estate of Lucille Campbell Williams 1159 Blankshire Road Fayetteville, NC 28314

NOTICE

State of North Carolina County of Cumberland In general court division Estate File 23R1616 IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF: RB JONES

EXECUTOR’S NOTICE The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of R B Jones, deceased, late of 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 31st day of January, 2025 (which is 3 months after the day ot the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleased in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 31st day of October, 2024. Mildred Jones 1428 Milton St Spring Lake NC 28390. Executor of the estate of R B Jones, deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF WANDA PICKETT CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 24E001615-250 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Wanda Pickett, 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 22nd day of February, 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 15th day of November, 2024. Davis W. Puryear Administrator of the Estate of Wanda Pickett Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: November 21, November 28, December 5 and December 12, 2024

NOTICE

The undersigned having qualified as executor Larry D Piner of the estate of Terry A Piner deceased late of Cumberland county this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the 7th day of February 2025 which date is three months after the day of first publication of this notice or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 7th day of November 2024 Larry D Piner 4683 Swamp Rose Rd Parkton NC 28371 Administrator of the estate

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF CLYDE SAMUELS CUMBERLAND County

Estate File No. 24E1103

All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Clyde Samuels, 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 22nd day of February, 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 18th day of November, 2024. Davis W. Puryear Administrator of the Estate of Clyde Samuels Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: November 21, November 24, December 5 and December 12, 2024

DURHAM

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Probate #_24E002341-310_____________

All persons, firm and

NEW HANOVER

STATE

the address set out below, on or before February 5, 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 the 7th day of November, 2024. JOSHUA BURT ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF ANTHONY STEVEN. HARRIS c/o ROBERT H. HOCHULI, JR. 219 RACINE DR., SUITE #A6 Wilmington, NC 28405

NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK 24SP000219-640

DERYLL McCASKILL v.

DOROTHY M. DACEY, et al.

TO: Respondent DOROTHY M. DACEY a/k/a DOROTHY McCASKILL

DACEY, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder:

Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against you has been filed in the aboveentitled special proceeding. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: the petitioner, Deryll McCaskill, has filed a special proceeding to partition the parties’ respective interests in the real property situated in New Hanover County, North Carolina, which is more completely described in the Petition for Partition.

Dorothy M. Dacey a/k/a Dorothy McCaskill Dacey is a known but unlocated respondent to the special proceeding.

You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than forty (40) days after November 7, 2024 (exclusive of said date) and upon your failure to so the party seeking service against you will apply to the court for the relief sought.

This the 7th day of November, 2024.

Randall S. Hoose, Jr. NC Bar No. 41878 Hoose Law, PLLC 705 Princess Street Wilmington, NC 28401-4146 910 408 3321 - Office 910 408 3341 - Fax randall@hooselaw.com Counsel for Petitioner Deryll McCaskill

Please publish 11/07, 11/14 and 11/21

NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS

Having qualified as Personal Representative of the Estate of Peggy M. Wright, deceased, late of New Hanover County, North Carolina, the undersigned hereby notifies all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them, duly verified, to the undersigned, care of their attorney, on or before February 10, 2025 (which date is at least three (3) months from the first publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to said Estate will please make immediate settlement with the undersigned, care of their attorney.

This the 7th day of November, 2024.

Barbara Gray Clark, Executor of the Estate of Peggy M. Wright, Deceased c/o Randall S. Hoose, Jr. Hoose Law, PLLC 705 Princess Street Wilmington, NC 28401-4146

Please publish 11/07, 11/14, 11/21, 11/28

NOTICE OF CREDITORS

The undersigned, having qualifies as Administrator/ Executor of the Estate of Marilyn Rodriguez, deceased, late of New Hanover County, herby notifies all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 21st day of February (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleased in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payments to the undersigned This 21st day of November 2024

Julia Johnston 330. N Pebble Creek Terr. 304, Mustang, OK 73064 Administrator/ Executor of the Estate of Marilyn Rodriguez, deceased

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of FAYE DENT EDWARDS (24E003995-910), late of Wake 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 on or before the 17th day of February 2025 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.

This the 14th day of November 2024.

James Michael Edwards Executor of the Estate of Faye Dent Edwards c/o Lisa M. Schreiner Attorney at Law P.O. Box 446 114 Raleigh Street Fuquay Varina, NC 27526

WAKE

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

NORTH CAROLINA, CUMBERLAND COUNTY 18 SP 001401-250

Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale

contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Yancey J. McDowell and Jacqueline M. McDowell in the original amount of $127,432.00, payable to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. as nominee for Carolina Mortgage Co. of Fayetteville, dated May 22, 2003 and recorded on May 29, 2003 in Book 6111, Page 800, Cumberland County Registry.

Default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Anchor Trustee Services, LLC having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Cumberland County, North Carolina, and the holder of the note evidencing said

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 24 SP 362 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Horace Vinegar, Jr. and Bonita J. Vinegar (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Horace Vinegar, Jr. and Bonita J. Vinegar) to First American Title Insurance Company, Trustee(s), dated July 19, 2023, and recorded in Book No. 11785, at Page 0363 in Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Cumberland County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on December 2, 2024 and will sell to

24SP000540-250 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, CUMBERLAND COUNTY

Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Ronald Davis to WFG National Title Insurance Company, Trustee(s), which was dated December 9, 2019 and recorded on December 13, 2019 in Book 10651 at Page 372, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina. Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on November 27, 2024 at 01:30 PM, and will sell

North Carolina, to wit: BEING all of Lot No. 169, in a subdivision known as Hillendale, Section 5, according to a plat of same duly recorded in Book of Plats 49, Page 33, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina. Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 3470 Thorndike Drive, Fayetteville, NC 28311.

A Certified Check ONLY (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale. Following the expiration of the

indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door or other usual place of sale in Cumberland County, North Carolina, at 2:00PM on December 5, 2024, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property, to wit: Being all of Lot 12, in a Subdivision known as Williamsburg Plantation, Section One, according to a plat of same duly recorded in Book of Plats 85, Page 15, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina. Together with improvements located hereon; said property being located at 1809 Calista Circle, Fayetteville, NC 28304. Tax ID: 0406.18-30-2540 Third party purchasers must pay the recording cost of the Substitute Trustee’s Deed, any land transfer taxes and the excise tax, pursuant North Carolina General Statutes §105228.30, in the amount of One Dollar ($1.00) per each Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or fractional part thereof, and the Clerk of Courts

the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Fayetteville in the County of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows:

The following described property, situate, lying and being in Cumberland, NC, more particularly described as:

BEING all of Lot Number 1, in a subdivision known as BLUESPRINGS WOODS, according to a plat of the same duly recorded in Book of Plats 42, Page 37, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina. Together with improvements locate thereon; said property being located at 1601 Blue Springs Road, Fayetteville, , **FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY**

The improvements thereon being known as 1601 Blue Springs Road, Fayetteville, NC 28304 Tax ID No: 9496-73-9386

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.

to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Cumberland County, North Carolina, to wit: THE LAND REFERRED TO HEREIN BELOW IS SITUATED IN THE COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND, STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, AS IS DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: BEING ALL OF LOT 217 IN THAT SUBDIVISION KNOWN AS ELK RUN, SECTION THREE, AS SHOWN ON THAT PLAT MAP THEREOF RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 85, PAGE 117, CUMBERLAND COUNTY REGISTRY, STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA.

Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 1304 Alexwood Dr, Hope Mills, NC 28348.

A Certified Check ONLY (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale. Following the expiration of the

sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty

in

at

of

and

statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED.

Said property to be 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. Substitute Trustee does not have possession of the property and cannot grant access, prior to or after the sale, for purposes of inspection and/or appraisal. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are John R. Hunt and Levern Blue. An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor

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 owner of the property is Jacqueline M. McDowell. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: An order for

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. 7A-308(a)(1). The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold

statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED.

Said property to be 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. Substitute Trustee does not have possession of the property and cannot grant access, prior to or after the sale, for purposes of inspection and/or appraisal. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are All Lawful Heirs of Ronald Davis.

An Order for possession of the property may

information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended. Address of property: 3812 Casper Street, Hope Mills, NC 28348 Tax Parcel ID: 0414-44-6917 Present Record Owners: Darryl A. Tiller Sr. The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Darryl A. Tiller Sr. 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 being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax

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,

possession of the property may be issued 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, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination (North Carolina General Statutes §45-21.16A(b)(2)). Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of termination. If the Trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is

subject to applicable Federal and State laws. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy

be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant

having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Fayetteville,

Cumberland County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on November 25, 2024 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Hope Mills in the County of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot #27, Stone Brook II, Section 4 and revision of the Revision of Section 2”, as recorded in Plat Book 95, Page 80, Cumberland County Registry, in which map reference is hereby made for a more full and complete description of said real property. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 809 Makay Court Hope Mills, North Carolina.

This conveyance includes a double wide mobile home affixed to the property as evidenced on “Declaration of Intent to Affix the Manufactured home to Real Estate” recorded in Book 7010, Page 706, Cumberland County Register of Deeds Office. Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. 45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. 7A-308(a)(1). The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances

of Charlemae Bright; Kiara Chana Ross;

Spouse of Kiara Chana Ross; Jerry Rodney McLamore, Heir of Charlemae

Spouse of Jerry Rodney

24 SP 370 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, DAVIDSON COUNTY

Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Corey A. White to Coltrane Grubbs & Orenstein PLLC, Trustee(s), which was dated December 31, 2020 and recorded on December 31, 2020 in Book 2450 at Page 446, Davidson County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse

McLamore, Heir of Charlemae Bright; Eric Lamar Ross, Heir of Charlemae Bright; Any Spouse of Eric Lamar Ross, Heir of Charlemae Bright; U.S. Department of Justice; State of North Carolina; Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Defendant(s). To: Any Spouse of Jerry Rodney McLamore, Heir of Charlemae Bright; Jerry Rodney McLamore, Heir of Charlemae Bright Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against you has been filed in the above entitled action. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: The Court determine the Deed of Trust and recorded on September 6, 2013, in Book 2117 at Page 728 in the Davidson County Registry was drafted and recorded in a manner sufficient to give a reasonable title searcher notice of the interest of the Plaintiff’s lien on the property located at 8 Trotters Run, Thomasville, North Carolina 27360. The Court declare the Deed of Trust recorded on September 6, 2013, in Book 2117 at Page 728 in the Davidson County Registry is a valid First Lien on the Property as drawn; That the Plaintiff’s lien on the Property be foreclosed by judicial sale pursuant to the provisions of N.C.G.S. § 1-339.1, et seq., by the Plaintiff’s Counsel or by a Commissioner especially appointed by the Court to serve without bond, with proceeds of the sale applied

for conducting the sale on December 2, 2024 at 11:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Davidson County, North Carolina, to wit:

BEGINNING: Being Lot NO. One (1) in Block No. 6 of the Kendall Court Tract as shown on Plat of same on record in the office of the Register of Deeds for Davidson County, North Carolina, on Plat Book 1, Page 115.

Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 607 Sullivan Street, Thomasville, NC 27360.

A Certified Check ONLY (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing.

THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE

EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED.

Said property to be 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.

Substitute Trustee does not have possession of the property and cannot grant access, prior to or after the sale, for purposes of inspection and/or appraisal. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Corey A. White.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior

court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b)(2)].

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

Pursuant to NCGS §45-21.25A, this sale may be subject to remote bids placed by bidders not physically present at the

If

NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at

public auction at the usual place of sale at the Davidson County courthouse at 10:00AM on November 25, 2024, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Davidson County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Johnnie Mae Johnson aka Johnnie M. Johnson, dated November 7, 2005 to secure the original principal amount of $87,600.00, and recorded in Book 1660 at Page 1111 of the Davidson County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended. Address of property: 387 Lake Road, Thomasville, NC 27360 Tax Parcel ID: 1633900000045000 Present Record Owners: The

2024 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Raleigh in the County of Durham, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: The land hereinafter referred to is situated in the City of Raleigh, County of Durham, State of NC, and is described as follows:

All that certain lot, parcel of land or condominium unit situated in the City of Raleigh, and more particularly described as follows:

having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Durham County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Durham, Durham County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 3:00 PM on December 3,

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 24SP000006-310

Being all of Lot 191 as shown on map entitled “Phase one. Mulberry Park Townhome Community Recombination Map. Raleigh. Durham County, North Carolina” recorded in Plat Book 178. Pages 259 through 271, inclusive. Durham County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 7228 Aquinas Avenue, Raleigh, North Carolina.

Being all that certain property conveyed from SPH One, LLLP. a Delaware limited liability limited partnership to Saima Ali Jafri a.k.a. Saima Jafri by the deed dated January 13, 2020 and recorded January 14. 2020 in Book 8848. Page 368 of official records. APN:

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Carol Pence D’Orazio (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Carol Pence D’Orazio) to Angela M. Burton, Trustee(s), dated September 24, 2013, and recorded in Book No. 7366, at Page 173 in Durham County Registry, North Carolina. The Deed of Trust was modified by the following: A Loan Modification recorded on November 28, 2022, in Book No. 9824, at Page 878, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Durham County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Durham, Durham County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 3:00 PM on December 3, 2024 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Durham in the County of Durham, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: LYING on the eastern side of Oak Drive, containing 20,000.34 square feet, more or less, and being all of Lot 3 of the PROPERTY SUBDIVISION FOR JERRY S. CHESSON, as per plat and survey thereof now on file in Plat Book 75 at Page 67, in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Durham County, to which plat reference is hereby expressly made for a more particular description of same. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 1214 East Oak Drive, Durham, North Carolina. 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

Unknown Heirs of Johnnie Mae Johnson The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are The Unknown Heirs of Johnnie Mae Johnson. 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 being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid

208719

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23. Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1). The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also,

Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1). The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is

or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be

the Mortgagee,

this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is

required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee,

DURHAM

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION JOHNSTON COUNTY 24SP000460-500 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY MARQUITA

RUNS ALONG THE ROSE LAND SOUTH 06 DEG. 00 MIN. WEST 332.27 FEET TO A CORNER OVER A CULVERT; THENCE CONTINUES AS THE ROSE LAND SOUTH 06 DEGREES 07 MINUTES WEST 113.78 FEET TO A POINT; THENCE SOUTH 70 DEG. 35 MIN. WEST 173.81 FEET TO A POINT, A CORNER WITH BETTY ROSE MCKINNON; THENCE AS THE MCKINNON LINE NORTH 30 DEG. 29 MIN. WEST 219.52 FEET TO A POINT, THENCE RUNS NORTH 86 DEG. 22 MIN. WEST 48.99 FEET TO A POINT IN THE EASTERN RIGHT-OF-WAY LINE OF NC HIGHWAY NO. 1007; THENCE RUNS ALONG THE RIGHT-OF-WAY LINE OF NC HIGHWAY NO. 1007 NORTH 19 DEG. 27 MIN. WEST 84.61 FEET TO A POINT IN THE SOUTHERN RIGHT-OF-WAY LINE OF NCSR #2524, THE POINT AND PLACE OF BEGINNING, CONTAINING 2.530 ACRES, MORE OR LESS, ACCORDING TO A SURVEY PREPARED BY BLACKMON & PATE, REGISTERED LAND SURVEYORS, DATED 3/24/1994, AND ENTITLED “PROPERTY OF CLYDE DOUGLAS PARRISH.” SEE DEED BOOK 745, PAGE 314, AND DEED BOOK 890, PAGE 878, JOHNSTON COUNTY REGISTRY. Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record. Said property is commonly known as 1387 Eli Olive Rd, Smithfield, NC 27577. A certified check only (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED. Said property to be 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. Substitute Trustee does not have possession of the property and cannot grant access, prior to or after the sale, for purposes of inspection and/or appraisal. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Ann R Parrish. An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against

default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Johnston County courthouse at 11:00AM on November 26, 2024, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Johnston County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Marquita Hagins, dated June 29, 2020 to secure the original principal amount of $347,637.00, and recorded in Book 5631 at

either of whom may act, having been substituted as Successor Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Official Records of New Hanover County, North Carolina, in Book 6708, Page 2712, and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in New Hanover County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, on Tuesday, November 26, 2024 at 11:30am, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of New Hanover, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as

follows: PARCEL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER(S): R06209-002-021-031 ADDRESS: 5221 LARGO CT., UNIT 202, WILMINGTON, NC 28409 PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): GLORIA BURBANK OKUDA THE LAND DESCRIBED HEREIN IS SITUATED IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER, AND IS DESCRIBED IN DEED BOOK RB6441, PAGE 923 AS FOLLOWS: BEING A UNIT OWNERSHIP IN REAL PROPERTY UNDER AND PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 47C OF THE NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL STATUTES AND BEING MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS UNIT 4C LAKESIDE VILLAGE, PHASE 1B, ON A PLAT ENTITLED “LAKESIDE VILLAGE CONDOMINIUM PHASE 1B” RECORDED IN CONDOMINIUM PLAT BOOK 10 AT PAGES 225 THROUGH 226, IN THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTER OF DEEDS OF NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, REFERENCED TO WHICH IS HEREBY MADE FOR A MORE PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION. TOGETHER WITH ALL RIGHTS AND EASEMENTS, APPURTENANT TO SAID UNIT, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LISTED TO, AN UNDIVIDED INTEREST IN THE COMMON ELEMENTS AND FACILITIES OF LAKESIDE VILLAGE, ALL PHASES, AS SPECIFICALLY ENUMERATED IN THE DECLARATION OF CONDOMINIUM RECORDED IN BOOK 1580, PAGE 0577, AND FOURTH AMENDMENT TO DECLARATION OF CONDOMINIUM, LAKESIDE VILLAGE, A CONDOMINIUM, PHASE 1B, RECORDED IN BOOK 1678,

North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on December 2, 2024 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Hillsborough in the County of Orange, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: All that certain lot or parcel of Land situated in the City of Hillsborough, Cheeks Township, Orange County, North Carolina and more particularly described as follows:

and

Substitute

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

Containing 1.16 acres and being designated as Tract A according to plat of Survey Dated November 11, 1993 by Callemyn Land Surveyors, entitled “final plat property surveyed for Danny Settlemyre”, recorded in Orange County Registry in Plat Book 72, Page 51. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 1618 Dimmocks Mill Road, Hillsborough, North Carolina.

Being that parcel of land conveyed to Ronald Keith Tilley and wife, Karen D. Tilley from John David Wagner and wife Carolyn M. Wagner by that deed dated 04/29/1993 and recorded 05/25/1993 in Deed Book 1112, at Page 350 of the Orange County, NC Public Registry.

Being that parcel of land conveyed to

the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed.

PAGE 0092, IN THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTER OF DEEDS OF NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, OR ANY AMENDMENTS THERETO. SUBJECT TO THE EASEMENTS, OBLIGATIONS, RESTRICTIONS, COVENANTS, CONDITIONS AND ASSESSMENTS AS STATED IN SAID DECLARATION AND BYLAWS, AND AS THE SAME MAY BE AMENDED.

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 FortyFive Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1). The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any

Ronald Keith Tilley from Karen D. Popish

formerly Karen D. Tilley, and husband Daniel A. Popish by that deed dated 02/19/2010 and recorded 02/22/2010 in Deed Book 4903, at Page 574 of the Orange County, NC Public Registry.

Tax Map Reference: 9853-98-9811

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23. Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1). The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities

recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy. Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord,

or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. If the trustee is unable to

FROM YOU PERSONALLY. Samantha J. Kelley or Nikki L. Kimball ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Attorneys for the Substitute Trustee P.O. Box 160 Jacksonville, NC 28541-0160 Telephone: (470) 321-7112

and

The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended. Address of property: 7403 Riverside Road, Seagrove, NC 27341 Tax Parcel ID: 8 625163105 Present Record Owners: Christopher Todd Duffy and Diane Duffy The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Christopher Todd Duffy and Diane Duffy. 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 being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and

assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in

that certain Deed of Trust executed Thru the Door Holdings, LLC, dated September 17, 2021 to secure the original principal amount of $111,337.98, and recorded in Book 18701 at Page 1421 of the Wake County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended. Address of property: 1011

on November 25, 2024 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Garner in the County of Wake, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot 184, Bingham Station Subdivision, Phase 4, as recorded in Book of Maps 2006,

§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

Cross Link Road, Raleigh, NC 27610

Tax Parcel ID: 0012724 Present Record Owners: Thru The Door Holdings, LLC The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Thru The Door Holdings, LLC. 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 being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and

N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1). The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being

assessments

WHAT’S HAPPENING

N.C. Supreme Court

seat will see recount

Raleigh

The narrowly trailing Republican candidate in the race for a Supreme Court seat has formally requested a statewide recount. Court of Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin sent the request before a midday Tuesday deadline. Associate Justice Allison Riggs led Tuesday by 625 votes over Griffin from more than 5.5 million ballots cast in the race. Recounts in five General Assembly races also have been requested. Republicans would need to flip a state House seat the GOP candidate is currently trailing in if it wants to retain the veto-proof majority that they have held for the past two years.

FEMA administrator supports looking into alleged Trump bias in relief efforts

Washington, D.C.

The head of FEMA told lawmakers she has encouraged the agency’s inspector general to review whether an employee was acting alone when directing workers helping hurricane victims to avoid homes with yard signs supporting Presidentelect Donald Trump.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said Tuesday it is critical to meet survivors and make them aware of federal resources available to them.

The employee, she said, wrote to about 11 staffers under her supervision that they should “avoid homes advertising Trump.” Criswell told lawmakers reviewing FEMA’s response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton that she believes the employee’s actions were not indicative of any widespread cultural problems at the agency.

Albemarle hosts open house on land use plan

The city is encouraging dialogue

between city officials and residents

By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal

ALBEMARLE — With a new Comprehensive Land Use Plan, officially called Envision Albemarle 2045, beginning to take shape, the city hosted an open house on Tuesday night to gather community input.

The drop-in, two-hour event at the E.E. Waddell Center was meant to foster dialogue between city officials and local residents while also defining Albemarle’s objectives for a hypothetical city landscape two decades from now.

“We need a plan that helps manage change in a way that benefits all residents,” said Kevin Robinson, Albemarle’s plan-

ning and development director. “That’s why the [planning department] is asking for our community’s help in building our new Comprehensive Land Use Plan. Think of the comprehensive plan as a roadmap to the future. You can help us navigate where we want to go.”

After additional meetings in the future with the community and among a steering committee, the city is aiming to get the plan adopted next fall.

Robinson added that the plan will take into consideration all aspects of the city that go into development and land use, including economic development, transportation, infrastructure, public services, resources, schools and more.

He noted that after a few decades of stagnation, Albemarle is now seeing major growth and the side effects that come with it.

Albemarle police arrest two juveniles after stolen vehicle chase

One suspect escaped from the scene of the crime

By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal

ALBEMARLE

— The Albemarle Police Department recently arrested two male juveniles armed with guns following a pursuit involving a stolen vehicle.

APD detectives are actively investigating and searching for a third male subject in the Nov. 10 car chase who escaped from the scene and still has not been located, according to an update from the police department.

Due to North Carolina law, the identities of the juveniles are not being released. The investigation is ongoing as the same suspects are believed to be involved in three recent larceny of vehicle incidents in Albemarle.

On Nov. 10 at 2:38 a.m., an Albemarle officer’s patrol vehicle was nearly hit by a white Mercedes-Benz that ran a stop sign at Arey Avenue and East Main Street. It was later determined that the car had been stolen approximately six minutes earlier.

After two officers began a pursuit of the vehicle for a short distance, three males slowed and exited the vehicle

“You’ve got a generation of people here that are not used to seeing growth the way those cities do,” Robinson said. “Now it’s come, it’s here, and we’re seeing it, and it’s a little bit overwhelming. But we can handle it. This is what we’re doing these plans for. We want to be smart about it and we want to think about what we’re doing with it.” At the Envision Albemarle 2045 open house, attendees were able to walk throughout the E.E. Waddell Center lobby and chat with planners and organizers connected to the land use plan.

Along with informational graphs and educational charts to view, tables throughout the lobby also featured blank spots for sticky notes from residents, highlighting the Albemarle Planning and Development Department’s goal to take in

on South Morrow Street near Rush Street.

One suspect was apprehended at the scene on South Morrow Street, while a second was apprehended after the Stanly County Sheriff’s Office assisted with a Police K-9 search.

“This was a dangerous encounter with armed individuals,” Albemarle Interim Police Chief Penny Dunn said in a press release. “The Albemarle Police Department has well-trained officers who exercised good judgment, quick action, and courage when facing a difficult situation.”

The keys for the stolen vehicle — which has since been returned to its owner — were left inside the car with the doors unlocked. Both juveniles are Albemarle residents and have been detained by the Juvenile Justice Department as they were each in possession of a handgun and resisted arrest in the altercation. They face numerous felony charges. Anyone with information

real feedback from the people who make up the city.

“The good thing about (the open house) is that the outcome helps the city parlay into policy and help shape it in the future, making those decisions about how we’re going to grow,” Albemarle City Manager Todd Clark said.

One notable visual located at the event was a detailed Albemarle community map, where 20 different neighborhoods were identified with the later intent of scheduling meetings containing a few of the neighborhoods at a time.

“We’re going to have that in this plan, and then hopefully in five to 10 years in between, my staff will actually go out and we’ll do smaller scale plans in each of those communities that are localized,” Robinson said.

Albemarle’s residents are encouraged to complete the Comprehensive Land Use Plan Survey, which is available at albemarlenc.gov/future. To promote involvement, all participants who finish the survey by Dec. 31, 2024, will have four chances to win a $100 gift card.

“The Albemarle Police Department has well-trained officers who exercised good judgment, quick action, and courage when facing a difficult situation.”

Penny Dunn, Albemarle interim police chief

that can assist investigators is advised to call 704-984-9500 or the anonymous tip line at 704-984-9511.

$2.00

THE STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

JESSE DEAL / STANLY COUNTY JOURNAL

Residents examine details of the Envision Albemarle 2045 plan. City officials hope to adopt the land use plan next fall.

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People are skipping urban areas in favor of far-flung exurbs

Communities on the outskirts of the suburbs are some of the fastest growing

By Mike Schneider The Associated Press

HAINES CITY, Fla. — Not long ago, Polk County’s biggest draw was citrus instead of people. Located between Tampa and Orlando, Florida’s citrus capital produces more boxes of citrus than any other county in the state and has devoted tens of thousands of acres to growing millions of trees. But last year, more people moved to the county than to any other in the United States, almost 30,000.

Bulldozed citrus groves in recent years made way for housing and big box stores that could one day merge the two metropolitan areas into what has half-jokingly been dubbed, “Orlampa.”

The migration — and property sprawl — reflects a significant kind of growth seen all over the country this decade: the rise of the far-flung exurbs.

Outlying communities on the outer margins of metro areas — some as far away as 60 miles from a city’s center — had some of the fastest-growing populations last year, according to the U.S. Census

Bureau. Those communities are primarily in the South, like Anna on the outskirts of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area; Fort Mill, South Carolina, outside Charlotte; Lebanon outside Nashville; and Polk County’s Haines City.

For some residents, like Marisol Ortega, commuting to work can take up to an hour and a half one-way. But Ortega, who lives in Haines City about 40 miles from her job in Orlando, says it’s worth it.

“I love my job. I love what I do, but then I love coming back home, and it’s more tranquil,” Ortega said.

A pandemic exodus and more

The rapid growth of farflung exurbs is an after-effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Census Bureau, as rising housing costs drove people further from cities and remote working allowed many to do their jobs from home at least part of the week.

Polk County’s Hispanic population has grown from onefifth to more than one-quarter of the overall population over the past five years, driven by Puerto Rican migration from the island after 2017’s Hurricane Maria and then from New York during the pandemic.

The county has grown more diverse with the share of

non-Hispanic white residents dropping from 61% to 54%, and it has also gotten more educated and wealthier, according to the Census Bureau. Despite the influx of new people, the county’s Republican leanings have remained relatively unchanged.

Yeseria Suero and her family moved from New York to Polk County at the start of the decade after falling in love with the pace of life and affordability during a visit. Still, there were some cultural adjustments: restaurants closing early, barbecue and boiled peanuts everywhere, strangers chatting with her at the grocery store. Suero is now involved with the tight-knit Hispanic community, and her two boys are active in sports leagues.

“My kids now say, ‘Yes, ma’am,’” she said. Recent hurricanes and citrus diseases in Florida also have made it more attractive for some Polk County growers to sell their citrus groves to developers who build new residences or stores.

Over the past decade, citrus-growing there declined from 81,800 acres and almost 10 million trees in 2014 to 58,500 acres and 8.5 million trees in 2024, according to federal agricultural statistics.

“It hasn’t been a precipitous conversion of citrus land for growth,” said Matt Joyner,

CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual, a grower’s group. “But certainly you see it in northern, northeastern Polk.”

An exurb of an exurb

Anna, Texas, more than 45 miles north of downtown Dallas, is seeing the same kind of migration.

It was the fourth-fastest growing city in the U.S. last year, and its population has increased by a third during the 2020s to 27,500 residents. Like Polk County, Anna has gotten a little older, richer and more racially diverse. Close to 3 in 5 households have moved into their homes since 2020, according to the Census Bureau.

Schuyler Crouch, 29, and his wife wanted to buy a house in a closer-in exurb like Frisco, where he grew up, so they could settle down and start a family. But prices there have skyrocketed because of population growth.

In Anna, they fell in love last year with a house that was more reasonably priced. They both work in Frisco, about 30 miles away, and it has become their go-to for eating out or entertainment instead of downtown Dallas, even though not long ago Frisco itself was considered a far-flung outpost of the metro area.

Still, Crouch said he has noticed the exurbs keep getting pushed further north as breakneck growth makes affordable housing out of reach in neighborhoods once considered on the fringes of the metro area.

“The next exurb we are going to be living in is Oklahoma,” he joked.

schools get $1M in grants to help take students on field trips

The pilot program covers costs for visiting state Natural and Cultural Resources sites

The Associated Press RALEIGH — North Carolina public schools can seek financial assistance from the state to take students on field trips to state museums, aquariums and historic sites through a $1 million pilot project unveiled on Wednesday by Gov. Roy Cooper’s administration. The Democratic governor and state Natural and Cultural

Resources Secretary Reid Wilson visited the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh to announce the “Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund.” K-12 schools can seek reimbursements for the cost of students visiting any of more than 100 locations managed by Wilson’s department. That could include things like entry fees, transportation or meals.

Title I schools — those with high percentages of students from low-income families — will receive priority preference for the grants, which will be administered by the PBS North Carolina television network on

“These moments can open the doors for kids to explore things they hadn’t thought about before.”

Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Reid Wilson

behalf of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. A yet-determined amount of the $1 million also will be set aside for western North Carolina schools affected by Hurricane Helene ‘s historic flooding. Cooper and Wilson, who in-

teracted with some third graders from a Raleigh school visiting a museum room, recalled the excitement of going on field trips as students and the lasting memories they provided.

“These moments can open the doors for kids to explore things they hadn’t thought about before,” Wilson said. “That could be the spark that sets that child on a course for the rest of their life.” Applications need to be submitted online at least eight weeks before the planned field trip. The pilot project money comes from federal American Rescue Plan funds, a spokesperson for the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources said. State and local governments must obligate all their American Rescue Plan funds for specific projects by the end of this year or else return the rest to the U.S. Treasury.

MIKE SCHNEIDER / AP PHOTO

These newly-constructed apartments were built on a former citrus grove nearby Haines City, Florida.

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

Deconstruction 4

THE RECONSTRUCTION ERA, following the Civil War until about 1900, challenged the country to reconstitute the Union North and the Confederate South into the “Re-United” States.

History gives this effort mixed reviews. The South experienced crushing punishment for supporting slavery and resented the new laws leveled against them. The North feared the freedmen integrating their cities, taking their jobs and spoiling their culture.

With great resolve, Congress passed three constitutional Reconstruction amendments that changed the course of history. The 13th Amendment abolished slavery, the 14th defined citizenship rights and equal protections for all Americans, and the 15th secured the right for all eligible citizens to vote. The struggle to internalize the tragedy of the Civil War led to the 100year Civil Rights movement and continues today as we seek to afford peace and justice for all members of American society.

On Nov. 5, 2024, tiny Anson County voted Republican for only the second time since the Reconstruction Era. Settled along the Pee Dee River in 1750, Anson County’s population is 22,500, the median income is $42,000, 98% of the residents are U.S. citizens and 40% are black.

What were they thinking?

The conservative sweep of the 2024 election has demonstrated a desire to peel off the layers of accumulated bureaucracy. Americans want to be confident, not suspicious, of our leaders to fairly apply the law. Obscure regulations are yesterday’s tools of governance. The voters of Anson County may be asking for a “Deconstruction Era.”

In November, 46% of all voters aged 18-29 voted Republican, up 10 points from 2020. The media and Hollywood endorsements could not prevent the younger generation from placing their bet on a thriving, innovative economy if given the right combination of education and incentive. Conservative innovators appealed to the entrepreneurial spirit of the younger worker, fed on the idea of realizing their dream job. For some, it was building the family legacy; for others, the shiny objects of the future, like cryptocurrency and AI, appealed to their sense of adventure.

What was once a noble effort to raise awareness for women’s rights morphed into a rant of unfulfilled promises. This fall, fewer women voted for the liberal agenda than in 2022.

The goal to elevate women to a level playing field has compromised the game, leaving young women unprotected on the field and in the classroom. The original mission of the movement devolved into a

single voting issue that many younger women could not support. The hope of many to raise a family defeated the demand for unrestricted abortion.

Expect to hear more about the other A word: adoption.

Another A word: aspiration. Bill Clinton knew “it’s the economy, stupid” in 1992. The 2024 voters knew it also. They recognized that the economy cannot function if it is shackled in regulation, stuck with a combustion engine in a hybrid world. The case was made not by politicians but by the greatest minds in manufacturing, technology and finance today. These innovators campaigned for conservatism with confidence and enthusiasm, saying America is not broken; it is disabled with debt.

You can almost hear the citizens of Anson saying, “How can I get some of that?” While the liberal media was reporting the dire condition of our country, Americans were watching the SpaceX Starship hit the mark on the docking station. Nothing but net.

The big loser in the 2024 election was identity politics. To the race-baiting industry, RIP.

The fault line of our two-party system has been blurred by shared friendships, experiences, diverse families and cultures. Our country is no longer a paintby-numbers canvas where voters are stereotyped by color. We are a collage of dynamic, broad brushstrokes with an infinite palette. The paint will not go back into the tube. The free expression of multiethnic, workingclass Americans may have created a renaissance unimagined in 2022.

The big winner was education. Polls suggest this was the biggest factor in the election outcome. William Galston said it best in The Wall Street Journal: The liberal party has shifted from the factory floor to the faculty club. Conservative values have trumped envy and elitism. We witnessed the awesome power of American ingenuity and the muscle of volunteers who responded to the biblical devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. No questions asked.

President Abraham Lincoln struggled with Reconstruction. Before his assassination, he conjured the 10% Plan, a “Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction.” In part, the Southern states could rejoin the Union when 10% of the people in that state took the oath of allegiance to the United States.

Let us consider a “Deconstruction Plan” for the United States. Imagine the debt reduced by 10% and allegiance to our new administration increased by 10%.

A pollster would tell you that is a 20-point swing, a solid foundation for a prosperous future.

Connie Lovell lives in Pinehurst.

Key NC asset: low energy costs

To the Editor: I was surprised and disappointed to see executives of Parkdale Mills blame the imminent closure of their company’s Sanford textile plant, laying off 74 workers, on an alleged “rapid increase in energy costs, which has rendered our business model unsustainable.” Nonsense.

The reality is that North Carolina’s energy costs are well below the national average; electricity rates will decrease Jan. 1; our state’s economy is booming; and longstanding, unrelated trade issues plague Parkdale, which has closed factories throughout the low-cost Southeast.

As Parkdale CEO Andy Warlick noted last year in testimony to Congress, America’s textile industry is struggling because of an archaic and unfair “de minimis” trade policy that lets foreign producers and e-commerce distributors such as Shein and Temu export goods here in small batches (under $800 each) to avoid import tariffs.

In his almost 4,000-word plea for help, Warlick did not mention energy costs or electricity a single time. He had no reason to.

Manufacturers and other major energy users such as data centers are flocking to North Carolina in part because our electricity is affordable, reliable and plentiful. Our industrial electricity rates are 23% below the national average. North Carolina is a less expensive place to do business than most other states, thanks also to its low taxes, favorable regulatory environment, modest construction costs, affordable cost of living and well-trained workforce.

Parkdale Mills faces serious economic challenges that Congress should address. But claiming that North Carolina’s energy costs are high is to spin a mighty yarn indeed.

Linda Hunt Williams lives in Sanford and formerly served in the state house.

Climate change was the big election loser

A FEW DAYS BEFORE last week’s election, Bernie Sanders issued a dire warning to voters: “If Donald Trump is elected, the struggle against climate change is over.” He had that right.

Climate change fanaticism was effectively on the ballot last week. The green energy agenda was decisively defeated.

It turns out that the tens of millions of middle - class Americans who voted for Trump weren’t much interested in the temperature of the planet 50 years from now. They’re too busy trying to pay the bills. That result shouldn’t be too surprising. Every poll in recent years has shown climate change ranks near the bottom of voter concerns. Jobs, inflation and illegal immigration register much higher on the scale of concerns.

But if you asked the elite of America in the top 1% of income, climate change is seen as an immediate and existential threat to the planet. Our poll at Unleash Prosperity earlier this year found that the cultural elites were so hyperobsessed with climate issues, they were in favor of banning air conditioning, nonessential air travel and many modern home appliances to stop global warming. Our study showed that not many of the other 99% agree.

Wake up, Bernie and Al Gore.

Climate change has become the ultimate luxury good: The richer you are, the more you fret about it.

Among the elite, obsessing about climate change has become a favorite form of virtue signaling at the country club and in the faculty lounges. There is almost no cross the green elites — the people who donate six figures or more to groups like the Sierra Club — aren’t willing to make lower-income Americans bear to stop global warming.

Herein lies the political curse of the climate issue. A millionaire doesn’t care much if the price of gas rises by $1 per gallon or if they have to pay another $100 a month in utility bills. But the middle-class hates paying more.

It wasn’t just economic concerns that turned voters against climate crusaders like Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Workers weren’t too thrilled with the heavy fist of government commanding them to buy an electric vehicle — whether they wanted one or not.

It hasn’t helped the greens’ cause that the same progressives out to save the planet with grandiose transformations and global government seem to have no problem with the garbage polluting the streets of our major cities, or the graffiti or the feces and urine smell on the street corners of San Francisco and New

York City. That’s real pollution. And it’s affecting us here and now.

The good news is, this year’s voter revolt against the radical green agenda isn’t a vote for dirtier air or water. The air we breathe and the water we drink is cleaner than ever — a point that Trump correctly made. We will continue to make progress against pollution.

But the nonsense of “net zero” use of fossil fuels is a bridge way too far. The destruction of jobs historically held by blue-collar union workers ripped right into the heart of the Democratic Party’s traditional voting base.

In their zeal to save the planet, Democrats forgot to visit the steel mills, construction sites and auto plants to ask those workers what they thought.

Well, now we know. Americans recognize their shrinking paychecks and the higher price of gas they pay at the pump is the real clear and present danger to their way of life. If Democrats don’t start to get that, they too will go to bed worrying about their jobs.

Stephen Moore is a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation. He is also an economic adviser to the Trump campaign. His new book, coauthored with Arthur Laffer, is “The Trump Economic Miracle.”

COLUMN | CONNIE LOVELL

COLUMN | STEPHEN MOORE

Pope Francis calls for investigation into potential Gaza ‘genocide’

The pope called the attacks “immoral”

By Giada Zampano

The Associated Press

ROME — Pope Francis has called for an investigation to determine if Israel’s attacks in Gaza constitute genocide, according to excerpts released Sunday from an upcoming new book ahead of the pontiff’s jubilee year.

It’s the first time that Francis has openly urged for an investigation of genocide allegations over Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. In September, he said Israel’s attacks in Gaza and Lebanon have been “immoral” and disproportionate, and that its military has gone beyond the rules of war.

The book, by Hernán Reyes Alcaide and based on interviews with the pope, is entitled “Hope never disappoints. Pilgrims towards a better world.” It was released Tuesday ahead of the pope’s 2025 jubilee. Francis’ yearlong jubilee is expected to bring more than 30 million pilgrims to Rome to celebrate the Holy Year.

“According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide,” the pope said in excerpts published Sunday by the Italian daily La Stampa.

“According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide.”

Pope Francis

“We should investigate carefully to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies,” he added.

Last year, Francis met separately with relatives of Israeli hostages in Gaza and Palestinians living through the war and set off a firestorm by using words that Vatican diplomats usually avoid: “terrorism” and, according to the Palestinians, “genocide.”

Francis spoke at the time about the suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians after his meetings, which were arranged before the Israeli-Hamas hostage deal and a temporary halt in fighting was announced.

The pontiff, who last week also met with a delegation of Israeli hostages who were released and their families pressing the campaign to bring the remaining captives home had editorial control over the upcoming book.

The war started when the militant Hamas group attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and abducting 250 as hostages and taking them back to Gaza, where dozens remain.

Israel’s subsequent yearlong military campaign has killed more than 43,000 people, according to Gaza health officials, whose count doesn’t distinguish between civilians and fighters, though they say more than half of the dead are women and children.

The Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza has triggered several legal cases at international courts in The Hague involving requests for arrest warrants as well as accusations and denials of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

In the new book, Francis also speaks about migration and the problem of integrating migrants into their host countries.

“Faced with this challenge, no country can be left alone and no one can think of addressing the issue in isolation through more

restrictive and repressive laws, sometimes approved under the pressure of fear or in search of electoral advantages,” Francis said.

“On the contrary, just as we see that there is a globalization of indifference, we must respond with the globalization of charity and cooperation,” he added. Francis also mentioned the “still open wound of the war in Ukraine has led thousands of people to abandon their homes, especially during the first months of the conflict.”

The North Korean leader says the United States’ support of Ukraine is part of a larger effort to expand its military influence

By Kim Tong-Hyung

The Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un renewed his call for a “limitless” expansion of his military nuclear program to counter U.S.-led threats in comments reported Monday that were his first direct criticism toward Washington since Donald Trump’s win in the U.S. presidential election.

At a conference with army officials on Friday, Kim condemned the United States for updating its nuclear deterrence strategies with South Korea and solidifying three-way military cooperation involving Japan, which he portrayed as an “Asian NATO” that was escalating tensions and instability in the region.

Kim also criticized the United States over its support of Ukraine against a prolonged

Russian invasion. He insisted that Washington and its Western allies were using Ukraine as their “shock troops” to wage a war against Moscow and expand the scope of U.S. military influence, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency said.

Kim has prioritized his country’s ties to Russia in recent months, embracing the idea of a “new Cold War” and displaying a united front in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s broader conflicts with the West.

He has used Russia’s war on Ukraine as a distraction to accelerate the development of his nuclear-armed military, which now has various nuclear-capable systems targeting South Korea and intercontinental ballistic missiles that can potentially reach the U.S. mainland.

Kim has yet to directly acknowledge that he has been providing military equipment and troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine, and the KCNA’s report didn’t mention whether Kim made any comments toward Trump, whose election win has yet to be reported in the North’s state media.

Kim met Trump three times in 2018 and 2019 during Trump’s first presidency, but their diplomacy quickly collapsed over disagreements in exchanging the release of U.S.-led sanctions and North Korean steps to wind down its nuclear and missile program. North Korea has since suspended any meaningful talks with Washington and Seoul as Kim ramped up his testing activity and military demonstrations in the face of what he portrayed as “gangster-like U.S. threats.”

There’s concern in Seoul that Kim, in exchange for his military support of Russia, would receive Russian technology in return to further develop his arsenal.

Trump’s election win has touched off speculation about a resumption of a summit-driven diplomacy with Kim, which was described by critics as a “bromance.” But some experts say a quick return to 2018 is highly unlikely, as too much has changed about the regional security situation and broader geopolitics since then.

While the North Korean nuclear problem was relatively an independent issue during

7,000

Approximate number of trash balloons North Korea has launched into South Korea in the last six months.

Trump’s first term, it is now connected with broader challenges created by Russia’s war on Ukraine and further complicated by weakened sanctions enforcement against Pyongyang, Hwang Ildo, a professor at South Korea’s National Diplomatic Academy, wrote in a study last week. North Korea’s nuclear and missile program is now much more advanced, which would increase Kim’s perception of his bargaining powers. Kim’s efforts to boost North Korea’s presence in a united front against Washington could also gain strength if Trump spikes tariffs and rekindles a trade war with China, the North’s main ally and eco-

nomic lifeline, Hwang said. Amid the stalemate in larger nuclear negotiations with Washington, Kim has been dialing up pressure on South Korea, abandoning his country’s long-standing goal of inter-Korean reconciliation and verbally threatening to attack the South with nukes if provoked.

Kim has also engaged in psychological and electronic warfare against South Korea, such as flying thousands of balloons to drop trash in the South and disrupting GPS signals from border areas near the South’s biggest airport.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea again flew trash-laden balloons toward the South early Monday and issued a statement warning the North “not to test our military’s patience any further.” The North has launched about 7,000 balloons toward the South since May, causing property damage but so far no injuries. On at least two occasions, trash carried by North Korea’s balloons fell on Seoul’s presidential compound, raising concerns about the vulnerability of key sites.

KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY / KOREA NEWS SERVICE VIA AP

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivers a speech during a meeting last Friday in Pyongyang, North Korea.

ALESSANDRA TARANTINO / AP PHOTO

Pope Francis delivers his speech during a mass on the occasion of World Day of the Poor on Sunday in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.

STANLY SPORTS

South Stanly advances to second round of state playoffs

North Stanly and Albemarle fell short in their first-round matchups

By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal

ALBEMARLE — While a trio of local high school football teams — North Stanly, South Stanly and Albemarle — were included in this year’s NCHSAA state playoffs, only one of the three won its opening-round matchup on Friday night.

Playing on their home field in Norwood, the No. 8 South Stanly Bulls (6-4) defeated the No. 25 Avery County Vikings (2-8) in a 37-7 finish in the 1A bracket’s West Region.

The Bulls will now hit the road to Boonville this weekend to face the No. 9 Starmount Rams (10-1), which shut out the No. 24 Andrews Wildcats (4-6) 51-0 in the first round.

In its past two games, South has held its opponents to an average of 10.5 points scored, down from an average of 25.5 points in the Bulls’ previous

four contests. They will likely face a tougher test against a Rams squad that hasn’t lost a game since Sept. 28 and has posted more than 50 points in five of its past six matchups. In the 2A bracket’s West Region, the No. 19 North Stanly Comets (6-5) suffered a 24-10 loss to No. 14 Burns in Lawndale. The Bulldogs (8-3) are set to travel to undefeated No. 3 Monroe (10-0), which topped No. 30 T.W. Andrews (4-7) by a tally of 69-0. The Comets found themselves down 17-0 by the midpoint of the second quarter, allowing Burns to sit on its lead and enter halftime up 17-3. North running back Aden Allsbrook gave his team a shot in the arm with a 16-yard rushing touchdown late in the third quarter — narrowing Burns’ lead to seven points — but the Comets were unable to score throughout the rest of the night.

Over in the 1A bracket’s West Region, the No. 23 Albemarle Bulldogs’ (3-8) postseason came to an end after a 49 -28 road loss to the No. 10

East Wilkes Cardinals (9-2) in Ronda, marking the Bulldogs’ fifth loss in a span of six games.

The Cardinals advanced to play against No. 7 North Rowan (7-4), who took down No. 26 Cherryville (3-8) in a 41-34 finish.

While the Bulldogs managed to post the most points allowed by East Wilkes in six games, they had no answers for a Cardinals offense that climbed to a 27-7 halftime lead and never looked back. Albemarle’s three touchdowns scored in the third quarter proved to be inconsequential.

With second-round games set for Friday, the NCHSAA state playoffs are scheduled to have third-round matchups on Nov. 29, followed by fourthround matchups on Dec. 6. Regionals are slated for Dec. 13, and championship games are set for Dec. 20-21.

The 2A and 4A state title games will be played at North Carolina’s Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, while the 1A and 3A games will be played at NC State’s Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Ethan Gaddy

South Stanly, football

Ethan Gaddy is a senior linebacker for the South Stanly football team. He also plays on offense, and he has played for the Rowdy Rebel Bulls basketball team as well.

South Stanly won its first‑round 1A playoff game as the No. 8 Rowdy Rebel Bulls topped No. 25 Avery County, 34 7.

Gaddy had a big day shutting down Avery County. He was credited with 23 total tackles in the game, including 16 solo stops and two tackles for loss. He also added a sack and four quarterback hurries. For the season, he has more than 100 tackles, which ranks No. 6 in North Carolina’s 1A West classification.

Karolyi, coach of Olympic champion gymnasts, dies at 82

The coach who led Comaneci and Retton to gold was also criticized for methods

By Will Graves The Associated Press

BELA KAROLYI, the charismatic if polarizing gymnastics coach who turned young women into champions and the United States into an international power in the sport, has died. He was 82. Karolyi and wife, Martha, trained multiple Olympic gold medalists and world champions in the U.S. and Romania, including Nadia Comaneci and Mary Lou Retton.

“A big impact and influence on my life,” Comaneci, who was just 14 when Karolyi coached her to gold for Romania at the 1976 Montreal Olym-

pics, posted on Instagram. Yet Karolyi’s strident methods sometimes came under fire, most pointedly during the height of the Larry Nassar scandal.

When the disgraced former USA Gymnastics team doctor was effectively given a life sentence after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting gymnasts and other athletes with his hands under the guise of medical treatment, over a dozen former gymnasts came forward saying the Karolyis were part of a system that created an oppressive culture that allowed Nassar’s behavior to run unchecked for years. While the Karolyis denied responsibility — telling CNN in 2018 they were unaware of Nassar’s behavior — the revelations led to them receding from the spotlight. It was in Montreal in 1976,

of course, where the world got its first real glimpse of Karolyi. When a solemn, dark-haired sprite named Nadia Comaneci enchanted the world with the first perfect 10 in Olympic history, a feat she would duplicate six times, Karolyi was there to wrap her in one of his trademark bear hugs. Romania, which had won only three bronzes in Olympic gymnastics before 1976, left Montreal with seven medals, including Comaneci’s golds in the all-around, balance beam and uneven bars, and the team silver. Comaneci became an international sensation, the first person to appear on the covers of Sports Illustrated, Time and Newsweek in the same week. The Karolyis defected from Romania to the United States in 1981. Three years later, Bela helped guide Retton — all of 16 — to the Olympic all-around ti-

tle at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles. At the 1996 Games in Atlanta, he memorably helped an injured Kerri Strug off the floor after Strug’s vault secured the team gold for the Americans.

Karolyi briefly became the national team coordinator for USA Gymnastics women’s elite program in 1999 and incorporated a semicentralized system that eventually turned the Americans into the sport’s gold standard. It did not come without a cost. He was removed from the position after the 2000 Olympics when it became apparent his leadership style simply would not work, though he remained around the sport after Martha took over for her husband in 2001. While the Karolyis approach helped the U.S. become a superpower — an American woman has won each of the last six Olympic titles, and the U.S.

women earned the team gold at the 2012 and 2016 Games under Martha Karolyi’s leadership — their methods came under fire.

Dominique Moceanu, part of the “Magnificent 7” team that won gold in Atlanta, talked extensively about her corrosive relationship with the Karolyis following her retirement. In her 2012 memoir, Moceanu wrote Bela Karolyi verbally abused her in front of her teammates on multiple occasions.

“His harsh words and critical demeanor often weighed heavily on me,” Moceanu posted on X. Some of Karolyi’s most famous students were always among his staunchest defenders. When Strug got married, she and Karolyi took a photo recreating their famous scene from the 1996 Olympics, when he carried her onto the medals podium after she vaulted on a badly sprained ankle.

SUSAN RAGAN / AP PHOTO

Team USA gymnast Kerri Strug is carried by her coach, Bela Karolyi, as she waves to the crowd on her way to receiving her gold medal for the women’s team gymnastics competition at the Centennial Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996. Strug had two torn ligaments and a sprained ankle from the vault competition.

SIDELINE REPORT

NBA Ball fined $100K for making ‘offensive and derogatory comment’ in postgame interview

New York

Charlotte Hornets guard

LaMelo Ball has been fined

$100,000 for making what the NBA called “an offensive and derogatory comment” during a televised postgame oncourt interview. Ball made the comment Saturday on FanDuel Sports Network shortly after the Hornets defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 115-114.

Sideline reporter Shannon Spake asked Ball about the team’s defensive strategy against Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo on the game’s final play, and Ball used an anti-gay slur while delivering his answer. The $100,000 fine was the maximum allowed by league rule.

NASCAR

23XI Racing, Front Row can compete in 2025 while suing NASCAR after clause removed from contracts

Charlotte

The two teams suing NASCAR over an antitrust complaint will compete in 2025 as “open teams” after NASCAR removed anticompetitive release claims that will allow them to race while the legal process continues. 23XI Racing, owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Motorsports refused to sign take-it-or-leave it revenue sharing offers. They have filed a federal antitrust lawsuit and asked for an injunction to be recognized as chartered teams while the lawsuit continues. NASCAR lifted an anticompetitive release requirement from the open agreement that allows 23XI and Front Row to race in 2025 as open teams.

NCAA BASKETBALL

Pitino defeats son in latest coaching clash as No. 22 St. John’s tops New Mexico

New York

Rick Pitino defeated his son in their latest coaching clash as No. 22 St. John’s passed its first real test this season, topping New Mexico 85-71. All five starters scored in double figures for the Red Storm to make a winner of their Hall of Fame coach in a family affair at Madison Square Garden. Richard Pitino, coach of the Lobos, fell to 1-3 in matchups against his father. The previous two losses came when Rick Pitino was at Louisville.

Richard Pitino beat his dad’s Iona team two years ago at The Pit.

McIlroy ends year with another win in Dubai and 6th title as Europe’s best

2024 saw success, heartbreaking near misses and personal turmoil for Rory McIlroy

The Associated Press

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

— Rory McIlroy ended a tumultuous year packed with emotion on and off the golf course with a pair of trophies and plenty of tears.

McIlroy closed with a 3-under 69 for a two-shot victory Sunday in the World Tour Championship. He also captured his sixth title as Europe’s No. 1 player.

And then the 35-year-old from Northern Ireland couldn’t speak, choked up with emotion as he contemplated the wins and losses, and everything else in between.

“I’ve been through a lot this year, professionally and personally,” McIlroy said. “It feels like the fitting end to 2024. I’ve

persevered this year a lot.”

He won four times — two of them on the PGA Tour — and tied the late Seve Ballesteros by winning his sixth title in the Race to Dubai, formerly the Order of Merit. Two more and he can match Colin Montgomerie for the record.

“I’ve really made it a priority of my schedule over the last few years to give myself the best chance coming into the end of the year to win the Race to Dubai. I don’t see that being any different for the foreseeable future,” McIlroy said. “Going for my seventh next year and try to chase Monty down.”

He also threw away a chance at the U.S. Open by missing two short putts over the last three holes at Pinehurst No. 2, finishing one behind Bryson DeChambeau. He was on the verge of finally winning on home soil until Hojgaard stunned him with a late charge in the Irish Open at Royal Country Down.

“I’ve been through a lot this year, professionally and personally.”

Rory McIlroy

McIlroy revealed in May that he had filed for divorce, and equally stunning was word a month later that the divorce proceedings had been scrapped and they would try to work it out. His wife, Erica, and 4-year-old daughter Poppy were in Dubai cheering his latest victory. It was a lot for McIlroy, and the emotions when it was over bore that out.

“To finish the year like this, it’s a dream come true,” McIlroy said at the closing ceremony, where he hoisted the enormous World Tour Championship trophy and the Harry Vardon Trophy for winning the season points title.

“It’s been hard at times,” he said. “Had a lot of close calls. To finish the year off the way I did today means the world to me.” McIlroy won $5 million — $3 million from the tournament prize fund, and a $2 million bonus for the Race to Dubai.

McIlroy won for the 37th time worldwide as he bids to take his place among European greats. The mention of Ballesteros made him emotional for all the Spaniard has meant to the development of the European tour.

“I think everyone knows what Seve means to European golf and to Ryder Cup players. (In the) European Ryder Cup locker room, all we have are quotes of Seve. We had a changing room with Seve’s shirt from ’95, the last Ryder Cup he played,” McIlroy said as he wiped away more tears.

“And for me to be mentioned in the same breath, I’m very proud.”

ALTAF QADRI / AP PHOTO

Rory McIlroy poses with the DP World Tour Championship trophy and the Race to Dubai trophy after winning the World Tour Golf Championship.

Barbara Jean (Taylor) Drye

Jane Elizabeth McClain Murray

Dwight Farmer

Kenneth Burris

January 24, 1939 ~ January 15, 2023

James Roseboro

Sept.24, 1936 – Nov. 17, 2024

June 23, 1967 ~ January 10, 2023

Donald Wayne Boatright

John B. Kluttz

March 23, 1935 - January 9, 2023

Shirley Louise French

April 17, 1936 ~ January 14, 2023

Sept. 1, 1938 – Nov. 17, 2024

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

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

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

Jane Elizabeth McClain Murray, 86, of Charlotte passed away on Sunday, November 17, 2024, at Aldersgate in Charlotte. Her funeral service will be held at noon on Friday, November 22, 2024, at Davis Chapel in Monroe with Pastor Chris Dawson officiating. The family will receive friends at Davis Chapel from 11 a.m, until noon, prior to the hour of the service. Burial will follow in Lakeland Memorial Park.

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

Dwight was born January 24, 1939 in Stanly County to the late Walter Virgil and Martha Adkins Farmer. He was a 1957 graduate of Norwood High School and was a United States Army Veteran.

Kenneth Burris, 88, Albemarle, passed away on Sunday, November 17, 2024, at Tucker Hospice House in Kannapolis, NC. A memorial service will be at 11 a,m, on Saturday, November 23, 2024, at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle. There will be no formal visitation.

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.

Born September 1, 1938, in Mecklenburg County, NC, she was the daughter of the late Robert Burns McClain and Stella Christine Jane Boger McClain. She was a graduate of Myers Park High School in Charlotte and Sullins College in Virginia. Mrs. Murray was a homemaker, a former banker and a loving wife and mother. She loved gardening, cooking, baking and sewing. She was a spiritual person and drew strength from spending time with animals and in nature.

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 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 was preceded in death by her husband Kenneth Carl Murray in 2022. She is survived by her son Stewart Murray of Charlotte.

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

Sept. 24, 1936 – Nov. 16, 2024

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

Kenneth was born on September 24, 1936, in Stanly County to the late Ira and Theresa Burris. He is survived by his sons, Charles Burris and his wife Angie of Albemarle and Johnny Burris and his wife Tari of Greensboro. Those also left to cherish his memory are grandchildren, Jarad Furr, Amanda Davis (Michael), Jessica Burris, and Katherine Athorn (Jonny), great grandchildren, Skyler, Kirra, Gavin, and Colbie, sisters, Pat Shaver (Darryl), and Betty Napier, sisters in law, Myrtle Stone and Jane Burris.

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

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

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your local faith community, Alzheimer’s research charity, or animal charity.

Davis Chapel Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Monroe is serving the Murray family.

Donald Wayne Boatright, 67, of Waxhaw passed away on Saturday, November 16, 2024. His funeral will be at noon on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at Union United Methodist Church in Waxhaw with Rev. Brad Cunningham officiating. The family will receive friends at the church from 11 a.m. until noon prior to the hour of service. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

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

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

Kenneth is preceded in death by his wife Jahala Burris. He is also preceded in death by grandchild Joshua Furr. Kenneth was known for extraordinary gardening abilities. He could do any and all things with his hands. He was fiercely loyal and would help anyone do anything. He was a great mechanic and heavy equipment operator. He loved his family and will be dearly missed by all who knew him.

Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle is serving the Burris family.

Born August 20, 1957, in Union County, NC, he was the son of Samuel Boatright of Waxhaw and the late Velma Leona Smith Boatright. He was a member of Union United Methodist Church.

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.

Mr. Boatright was preceded in death by his wife Margaret Olivia Boatright. In addition to his father, he is survived by a brother, Samuel Keith Boatright of Waxhaw, and an aunt, Linda Boatright Whitaker.

Davis Chapel Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Monroe is serving the Boatright family.

Dec. 6, 1942 – Nov. 14, 2024

October 11, 1944 - January 10, 2023

Shirley Louise French passed away after a long illness at Atrium Health Cabarrus, North Carolina.

In her long and interesting life, Shirley traveled extensively and had a wide circle of family, step family, friends and acquaintances. She lived in several states including New Hampshire, Colorado, Texas, Michigan, Florida, and in Germany where her first two sons were born. She enjoyed spending summers for many years at the family camps on Lake Massasecum in Bradford, NH, and in her later years, lived near her son, James, in Stanfield, NC. She was cared for solely by her son James and his wife Kimberly Crabtree in her later years of declining health until she passed away.

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!

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.

March 30, 1967 – Nov. 14, 2024

Darrick Baldwin

January 7, 1973 ~ January 8, 2023

Rebecca Dawn Purser, 67, of Monroe passed away on November 14, 2024, in Monroe Rehabilitation Center. A private family service will be held at a later date.

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.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in NSJ at obits@northstatejournal.com

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in SCJ at obits@stanlyjournal.com

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.

Born March 30, 1957, in Caldwell County, NC, she was the daughter of the late James Horne and Clarice Kidd Horne. She was a former employee of Scott Aviation. She loved people and had a big heart and a wonderful sense of humor. She was loved by many.

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.

She is survived by two children Jamie Freeman (Trena) of Indian Trail and Amanda Purser of Monroe, a sister Gail Dellinger of Lenoir, four grandchildren Dustin Carriker, Lizzy Freeman, Maggie Freeman, Mariah Summerford, and one great grandchild.

Davis Chapel Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Monroe is caring for the Purser family.

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.

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.

Educated at Northfield Mount Herman School a college preparatory school in Gill, MA. She attended the University of NH in Durham, NH, where she met her first husband, Allen Crabtree. Later, when the newly married couple was living in Denver, Colorado, she received her BA degree at the University of Colorado. She received her RN from Lansing Community College in Michigan. Shirley worked at the Epsom Manor as an RN specializing in the care of the elderly. Shirley was the adopted daughter of J. Fred and Florence French of Manchester, NH. Shirley was able to reconnect with her birth family and in her later life adopted their Kingsbury family name.

She is survived by her sons James I. Crabtree (Kimberly Crabtree) of Stanfield, NC, and Russell Voss (Aimee Voss) of Gray, ME, and her first husband Allen F. Crabtree III of Sebago, ME. Grandchildren Abigale Crabtree of Stanfield, NC, James Ian Crabtree, Jr of Stanfield, NC, and Hazel Voss of Gray, ME. Predeceased by her adoptive parents, her son, Allen F Crabtree IV, of Oakland, CA, second husband Keith Voss of Michigan, and third husband David Stanbro of Satellite Beach, FL. A private funeral is planned for the family at a later date, and she will be interred at the French family cemetery in Manchester, NH. Donations in Shirley’s memory may be given to the Crabtree 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

Rebecca Dawn Purser

STATE & NATION

Hurricane season alive and well with third November storm

Sara went through Central America last week

By Russ Bynum The Associated Press

SAVANNAH, Ga. — As the third named storm to emerge during November, Tropical Storm Sara serves as a reminder that the Atlantic hurricane season hasn’t quite ended.

Sara formed in the western Caribbean Sea before making landfall last week on the northern coast of Honduras, dumping torrential rains in a slow weekend crawl across parts of Central America.

Sara follows two other named storms so far this month. Tropical Storm Patty brought heavy rain to the Azores and dissipated without striking land. Then Hurricane Rafael struck Jamaica and the Cayman Islands before tearing across Cuba as a Category 3 storm.

That has made for an unusually active final month for the hurricane season when forecasters typically see a single named storm every year or two. And the 2024 season still has two weeks to go.

The hurricane season for storms in the Atlantic Ocean,

the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico officially runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

Though named storms have been known to form before and after that six-month period, hurricane season reflects the months when weather con-

ditions are more favorable for producing tropical storms and hurricanes.

Ocean temperatures must reach at least 79 degrees Fahrenheit to fuel hurricanes. Hurricane season is also when the upper atmosphere tends to

have reduced wind shear, or changes in wind speed and direction that tear hurricanes apart.

Those hostile winds tend to ramp up later into the fall, making it more difficult for November storms to form, said Levi Silvers, a hurricane researcher at Colorado State University.

“We have the water temperatures to allow for these storms to form,” Silvers said. “But it’s increasingly unlikely we’re going to get the conducive winds.”

Based on the 30-year period from 1991 to 2020, November typically sees one tropical storm every year or two. Storms that strengthen into hurricanes are rarer during the season’s final month, with one occurring generally every two years, according to the hurricane center.

Since 1851, a total of 125 tropical storms have been recorded during November, said Brian McNoldy, a hurricane researcher at the University of Miami. About half of those storms, 63, went on to become hurricanes. And 12 strengthened into major hurricanes with winds above 110 mph. Rafael earlier this month forced the evacuation of

283,000 people in Cuba and destroyed 460 homes. It was the Atlantic basin’s first November hurricane since 2022 when the season wrapped up with three storms. One of them, Hurricane Nicole, became the first November hurricane to make landfall in Florida since 1985.

Only two other November hurricanes are known to have struck the U.S., in 1861 and in 1935, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Since 1953, there have been seven November hurricanes devastating enough to have their names retired, McNoldy said.

The last ones were Hurricanes Eta and Iota, both Category 4 storms that smashed into the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua two weeks apart in November 2020. The back-toback hurricanes were blamed for a combined 239 deaths and $8.2 billion in damage across Central America.

They struck at the end of the most active hurricane season on record with 30 named storms. The busy 2020 season exhausted the year’s alphabetical list of storm names by mid-September. Later storms, including Eta and Iota, were identified using Greek letters. Other destructive November hurricanes that had their names retired were Otto in 2016, Paloma in 2008, Noel in 2007, Michelle in 2001 and Lenny in 1999, according to McNoldy.

More logging proposed to help curb Pacific Northwest wildfires

Officials say the Northwest Forest Plan of 1994 is outdated

By Matthew Brown

The Associated Press

U.S. OFFICIALS would allow increased logging on federal lands across the Pacific Northwest in the name of fighting wildfires and boosting rural economies under proposed changes to a sweeping forest management plan that’s been in place for three decades.

The U.S. Forest Service proposal, released Friday, would overhaul the Northwest Forest Plan that governs about 38,000 square miles in Oregon, Washington and California.

The plan was adopted in 1994 under President Bill Clinton amid pressure to curb destructive logging practices that resulted in widespread clearcuts and destroyed habitat used by spotted owls. Timber harvests dropped dramatically in subsequent years, spurring political backlash.

But federal officials now say worsening wildfires due to climate change mean forests must be more actively managed to increase their resiliency. Increased logging also would provide a more predictable supply of trees for timber companies, officials said, helping rural economies that have suffered after lumber

mills shut down and forestry jobs disappeared.

The proposal could increase annual timber harvests by at least 33% and potentially more than 200%, according to a draft environmental study. The number of timber-related jobs would increase accordingly.

Harvest volumes from the 17 national forests covered by the Northwest Forest Plan averaged about 445 million board feet annually over the past decade, according to government figures.

Cutting more trees would help reduce wildfire risk and make

communities safer, the study concluded. That would be accomplished in part by allowing cuts in some areas with stands of trees up to 120 years old — up from the current age threshold of 80 years.

The change could help foster conditions conducive to growing larger, old-growth trees that are more resistant to fire by removing younger trees, officials said.

A separate pending proposal from President Joe Biden’s administration aims to increase protections nationwide for oldgrowth trees, which play a sig-

nificant role in storing climate change-inducing carbon dioxide.

“Much has changed in society and science since the Northwest Forest Plan was created,” Jacque Buchanan, regional forester for the Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Region, said in a statement. He said the proposal would help the agency adapt to shifting conditions.

The proposed plan also calls for closer cooperation between the Forest Service and Native American tribes to tap into tribal knowledge about forest management. Tribes were excluded when the 1994 plan was crafted.

Environmentalists greeted the proposal with skepticism.

The group Oregon Wild said it was “deeply troubling” that the Forest Service would release the proposal just ahead of a change in presidential administrations.

“It appears that the Forest Service wants to abandon the fundamental purpose of the Northwest Forest Plan — protecting fish and wildlife and the mature and oldgrowth forests they need to survive,” John Persell, an attorney for the group, said in a statement.

During former President Donald Trump’s first term, administration officials sought to open millions of acres of West Coast forest to new logging by stripping habitat protections for the imperiled spotted owl. The move was opposed by government biologists and reversed under Biden.

A draft environmental study

The maximum tree age allowed to be cut under the current guidelines, which could increase to 120 years under the new proposal

examined several potential alternatives, including leaving the existing plan’s components in place or changing them to either reduce or increase logging.

A timber industry representative who co-chaired an advisory committee on the Northwest Forest Plan said the proposed plan resulted from discussions involving committee members, the Forest Service and others.

“We want to see a modern approach to federal forest stewardship that protects us from catastrophic wildfires, reduces toxic smoke, meaningfully engages tribes, and delivers for our rural communities and workers,” said Travis Joseph, president of the American Forest Resource Council.

The publishing of the proposal begins a 120-day public comment period. The Forest Service’s environmental review is expected to be completed by next fall, and a final decision is due in early 2026.

DELMER MARTINEZ / AP PHOTO

Residents walk past inundated vehicles in the flooded streets of Planeta, Honduras, in the aftermath of Hurricane Eta in November 2020.

RICK BOWMER / AP PHOTO

Old-growth Douglas fir trees stand along the Salmon River Trail in Mount Hood National Forest outside Zigzag, Oregon, in 2004.

A day at the zoo

This white deer living on the grounds of the NC Zoo in Asheboro exhibits a condition called leucism — it’s not an albino because it has brown eyes and muzzle — which has made most of its body white. The unique condition hurts a fawn’s ability to stay hidden from predators. Zoo staff, who first spotted this one earlier in the year, remember seeing another white deer at the zoo some 30 years ago.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

N.C. Supreme Court

seat will see recount

The narrowly trailing Republican candidate in the race for a Supreme Court seat has formally requested a statewide recount. Court of Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin sent the request before a midday Tuesday deadline. Associate Justice Allison Riggs led Tuesday by 625 votes over Griffin from more than 5.5 million ballots cast in the race. Recounts in five General Assembly races also have been requested. Republicans would need to flip a state House seat the GOP candidate is currently trailing in if it wants to retain the veto-proof majority that they have held for the past two years.

FEMA administrator supports looking into alleged Trump bias in relief efforts

The head of FEMA told lawmakers she has encouraged the agency’s inspector general to review whether an employee was acting alone when directing workers helping hurricane victims to avoid homes with yard signs supporting Presidentelect Donald Trump. Deanne Criswell said Tuesday it is critical to meet survivors and make them aware of federal resources available to help them. The employee, she said, wrote to about 11 staffers under her supervision that they should “avoid homes advertising Trump.” Criswell said she believes the employee’s actions were not indicative of any widespread cultural problems at the agency.

Board of Education makes request for additional teacher assistant funding

The county set aside $500,000, but a market study done by the district found it would need $2.4 million to be competitive

By Ryan Henkel Twin City Herald

WINSTON-SALEM — The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education is seeking additional funding from the county in order to increase pay for teacher assistants.

At its Nov. 12 meeting, the board approved a request to the county commissioners to release the $500,000 in set aside funding as well as to ask for up to $2.4 million in additional funding for the sole purpose of increasing teach -

er assistant employee salaries.

“We believe, from talking with HR, that one of our No. 1 concerns right now is hiring teacher assistants whether they’re regular teacher assistants or EC teacher assistants,” said CFO Thomas Kranz. “That’s become a hardto-staff position for our HR group.”

The district conducted a classified employee market study plan at the request of the county commission — which withheld $500,000 in funding until that was completed — and it found it would need approximately $2.4 million in total funding to be at the average market rate based on the entities included in the state: Guilford County Schools, Durham Public Schools, Wake

County Schools, Forsyth County and NCDPI.

“We believe that the study we prepared meets the requirements that the commission asked us to do in creating a market study plan report,” Kranz said.

“I just want to make sure that our board is doing everything we can to advocate for our employees,” said board member Leah Crowley. “(The county commissioners) job is to obviously distribute money in the way they see fit, but our job as board of education members is to make sure we have a staff to educate the children of our county, and if we’re having issues hiring or issues with retention, we need to do everything in our power to advocate for more. This is an is-

sue worth going to the mat for.”

The board also approved a new set of seven courses for the 2025-26 school year.

The new courses include guitar and photography at Mineral Springs Middle School, Creative Writing II for all high schools district-wide, Fundamentals of Aviation and Advanced Aviation Science and Advanced Aviation Science and Engineering for the Career Center, Intermediate American Sign Language for seventh and eighth grade at Wiley Middle School and expanded Spanish Literacy for Dual Language Programs for K-5.

“The point of the course requests is to look at capacity, funding, resources available

See WSFCS, page A2

Cooper grants 2 pardons, 6 commutations

The pardons went to two men whose convictions had been vacated

The Associated Press

RALEIGH — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has commuted what have been lengthy sentences served by six criminal offenders in state prisons — five of whom were convicted of murder — and granted pardons to two others.

Those pardons of innocence that the outgoing governor also signed on Wednesday give the persons wrongly imprisoned for erroneous felony convictions the ability to seek monetary compensation from the North Carolina Industrial Commission.

One such pardon was issued to Mark Crotts, who was once convicted of murdering an elderly Alamance County couple in 1990. Crotts served two years in prison, but his convic-

tions were set aside by a court, and he was ultimately acquitted in a retrial.

The other pardon went to Darron Carmon, who was convicted in 1994 of robbery with a dangerous weapon at a Pitt County convenience store and served more than seven years in prison. Carmon, now a pastor, maintained his innocence. He was exonerated after a judge in 2022 vacated his conviction as new evidence surfaced.

Four of the commutations originated from recommendations by a special board that Cooper created during his second term to review petitions from people sentenced to prison for crimes committed while they were under the age of 18. Cooper also granted commutations to two other offenders sentenced in the 1990s to life in prison without parole. During that time, a law contained a

WARD-BROWN / NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Gov. Roy Cooper speaks at an election night party in Raleigh earlier this month.

JOHN IRELAND / NC ZOO

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

Neal Robbins, Publisher Jim Sills, VP of Local Newspapers

Cory Lavalette, Senior Editor

Jordan Golson, Local News Editor

Shawn Krest, Sports Editor

Dan Reeves, Features Editor Ryan Henkel, Reporter

P.J. Ward-Brown, Photographer BUSINESS

THURSDAY

CLEMENCY from page A1

process by which their sentences can be reviewed after 25 years by a trial judge in the county where the conviction happened and the state parole commission. While that review law has since been repealed, it still applies to such offenders convicted during that era, Cooper’s office said.

“Ensuring careful review of cases while taking executive clemency action is a responsibility I take seriously,” Cooper said in a news release. “All of these individuals are deserving of clemency and we will continue to work to protect our communities and improve the fairness of our criminal justice system.”

The commutations based on Juvenile Sentence Review Board recommendations went to George Lesane, 47, who has served over 30 years for the murder of Larry McCormick in Robeson County; Donte Santiago, 40, who has served more than 23 years for the murder of Frederick Howell in Onslow County; Kirston Angell, 35, who has served 17 years for the murder of Bobby Boles and assault of two other victims in Davie County; and Terence Smith, 42, who has served nearly 25 years for his involvement in a robbery where three people were injured in Forsyth County.

Lesane and Smith will be released Nov. 27, while Santiago becomes parole-eligible immediately and Angell parole-eligible in January 2027, according to Cooper’s office.

The other two commutations following recommendations by judges and the parole board were granted to Penny Jarrett, 60, who has served 27 years of a life-without-parole sentence for the murder of Henry Draughn in Guilford County; and Jesse Graham, 71, who has served 26 years of a life-without-parole sentence for the murder of Jimmy Harris, also in Guilford County. Jarrett and Graham also become parole-eligible immediately.

Cooper’s news release identified various activities and rehabilitative efforts that each of the six offenders receiving commutations have participated in while behind bars.

People are skipping urban areas in favor of far-flung exurbs

Communities on the outskirts of the suburbs are some of the fastest growing

By Mike Schneider The Associated Press

HAINES CITY, Fla. — Not long ago, Polk County’s biggest draw was citrus instead of people. Located between Tampa and Orlando, Florida’s citrus capital produces more boxes of citrus than any other county in the state and has devoted tens of thousands of acres to growing millions of trees. But last year, more people moved to the county than to any other in the United States, almost 30,000.

Bulldozed citrus groves in recent years made way for housing and big box stores that could one day merge the two metropolitan areas into what has half-jokingly been dubbed, “Orlampa.”

The migration — and property sprawl — reflects a significant kind of growth seen all over the country this decade: the rise of the far-flung exurbs.

Outlying communities on the outer margins of metro areas — some as far away as 60 miles from a city’s center — had some of the fastest-growing populations last year, according to the U.S. Census

Bureau. Those communities are primarily in the South, like Anna on the outskirts of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area; Fort Mill, South Carolina, outside Charlotte; Lebanon outside Nashville; and Polk County’s Haines City.

For some residents, like Marisol Ortega, commuting to work can take up to an hour and a half one-way. But Ortega, who lives in Haines City about 40 miles from her job in Orlando, says it’s worth it.

“I love my job. I love what I do, but then I love coming back home, and it’s more tranquil,” Ortega said.

A pandemic exodus and more

The rapid growth of farflung exurbs is an after-effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Census Bureau, as rising housing costs drove people further from cities and remote working allowed many to do their jobs from home at least part of the week.

Polk County’s Hispanic population has grown from onefifth to more than one-quarter of the overall population over the past five years, driven by Puerto Rican migration from the island after 2017’s Hurricane Maria and then from New York during the pandemic.

The county has grown more diverse with the share of

non-Hispanic white residents dropping from 61% to 54%, and it has also gotten more educated and wealthier, according to the Census Bureau. Despite the influx of new people, the county’s Republican leanings have remained relatively unchanged.

Yeseria Suero and her family moved from New York to Polk County at the start of the decade after falling in love with the pace of life and affordability during a visit. Still, there were some cultural adjustments: restaurants closing early, barbecue and boiled peanuts everywhere, strangers chatting with her at the grocery store. Suero is now involved with the tight-knit Hispanic community, and her two boys are active in sports leagues.

“My kids now say, ‘Yes, ma’am,’” she said. Recent hurricanes and citrus diseases in Florida also have made it more attractive for some Polk County growers to sell their citrus groves to developers who build new residences or stores.

Over the past decade, citrus-growing there declined from 81,800 acres and almost 10 million trees in 2014 to 58,500 acres and 8.5 million trees in 2024, according to federal agricultural statistics.

“It hasn’t been a precipitous conversion of citrus land for growth,” said Matt Joyner,

CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual, a grower’s group. “But certainly you see it in northern, northeastern Polk.”

An exurb of an exurb

Anna, Texas, more than 45 miles north of downtown Dallas, is seeing the same kind of migration.

It was the fourth-fastest growing city in the U.S. last year, and its population has increased by a third during the 2020s to 27,500 residents. Like Polk County, Anna has gotten a little older, richer and more racially diverse. Close to 3 in 5 households have moved into their homes since 2020, according to the Census Bureau.

Schuyler Crouch, 29, and his wife wanted to buy a house in a closer-in exurb like Frisco, where he grew up, so they could settle down and start a family. But prices there have skyrocketed because of population growth.

In Anna, they fell in love last year with a house that was more reasonably priced. They both work in Frisco, about 30 miles away, and it has become their go-to for eating out or entertainment instead of downtown Dallas, even though not long ago Frisco itself was considered a far-flung outpost of the metro area.

Still, Crouch said he has noticed the exurbs keep getting pushed further north as breakneck growth makes affordable housing out of reach in neighborhoods once considered on the fringes of the metro area.

“The next exurb we are going to be living in is Oklahoma,” he joked.

NC schools get $1M in grants to

help take students on field trips

The pilot program covers costs for visiting state Natural and Cultural Resources sites

The Associated Press

RALEIGH — North Carolina public schools can seek financial assistance from the state to take students on field trips to state museums, aquariums and historic sites through a $1 million pilot project unveiled on Wednesday by Gov. Roy Cooper’s administration.

WSFCS from page A1

“Join the conversation” for expansion and course enrollments,” said Chief Academic Officer Paula Wilkins. “We look at several factors, and these courses are the ones we looked at individually on both a school basis and programmatic basis across the district.”

The board will also be reviewing the district’s school improvement plans with fi-

The Democratic governor and state Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Reid Wilson visited the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh to announce the “Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund.” K-12 schools can seek reimbursements for the cost of students visiting any of more than 100 locations managed by Wilson’s department. That could include things like entry fees, transportation or meals.

Title I schools — those with high percentages of students

nal approval slated for its next meeting.

“The school improvement process is iterative, it is data-driven, but most importantly, it’s driven by a school team made of internal and external stakeholders including parents,” said Chief of Schools Timisha Barnes Jones.

According to Jones, each school developed three to five goals which were aligned with the overall district strategic

from low-income families — will receive priority preference for the grants, which will be administered by the PBS North Carolina television network on behalf of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. A yet-determined amount of the $1 million also will be set aside for western North Carolina schools affected by Hurricane Helene ‘s historic flooding. Cooper and Wilson, who interacted with some third graders from a Raleigh school visiting a museum room, recalled

plan and focused on the highest priority needs of the school and mainly focused on academics, behavior, culture and attendance. Common strategies across the district included leveraging advanced teacher roles, using data-informed instructional practices, continuing ongoing coaching cycles to build teacher capacity, and leveraging the SEL curriculum and restorative practices.

the excitement of going on field trips as students and the lasting memories they provided.

“These moments can open the doors for kids to explore things they hadn’t thought about before,” Wilson said. “That could be the spark that sets that child on a course for the rest of their life.” Applications need to be submitted online at least eight weeks before the planned field trip. The pilot project money comes from federal American Rescue Plan funds, a spokesperson for the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources said.

State and local governments must obligate all their American Rescue Plan funds for specific projects by the end of this year or else return the rest to the U.S. Treasury.

The board also approved a $220,000 contract with RedRover for its Time and Attendance Software, a $1.085 million contract with Mathews Mechanical for HVAC and lighting updates at Jefferson Middle School, and a $240,000 contract with Brad’s Electrical for lighting upgrades at RJ Reynolds High School.

The WSFCS Board of Education will next Dec. 10.

MIKE SCHNEIDER / AP PHOTO

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

DOGE: Department of Government Efficiency

Does it make any sense to even have a debt limit if you are simply going to ignore it?

THE DEPARTMENT of Government

Efficiency is surely an oxymoron. There is no efficiency in government anywhere. Presidentelect Trump has appointed Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to head up this new department. He could not have made a better choice.

Those of you who regularly read my column know that I am no fan of government. I think local government is just slightly better than the state, and state government is a little better than the federal. Government is inefficient and wasteful in every segment. But it blows the mind to take a deep dive and look at the waste, fraud and abuse that happens within our federal government.

Democrats and Republicans alike continuously vote to ignore the debt ceiling that they themselves put into place. Does it make any sense to even have a debt limit if you are simply going to ignore it? I have never been able to understand that.

The American taxpayers work until April 23 to pay their share of the federal tax bill. That is considered Tax Freedom Day. For the remainder of the year, we are allowed to work to support our family. Imagine that! More than a third of the year, we work to support this disastrous list of waste.

Sen. Rand Paul from Kentucky provides a list every year of some of the wasteful spends. He calls it a “Festivus” Report. I have included some of this list. This is by no means a comprehensive list. Books could be filled with thousands more items that our Congress has approved.

Festivus Report 2023

• Barbie Doll Photo Used to Get COVID PPP Funds: portion of $800 billion

• In the RED: Interest on Our National Debt is Expensive: $659 billion

Deconstruction 4

THE RECONSTRUCTION ERA, following the Civil War until about 1900, challenged the country to reconstitute the Union North and the Confederate South into the “Re-United” States.

History gives this effort mixed reviews. The South experienced crushing punishment for supporting slavery and resented the new laws leveled against them. The North feared the freedmen integrating their cities, taking their jobs and spoiling their culture.

With great resolve, Congress passed three constitutional Reconstruction amendments that changed the course of history. The 13th Amendment abolished slavery, the 14th defined citizenship rights and equal protections for all Americans, and the 15th secured the right for all eligible citizens to vote. The struggle to internalize the tragedy of the Civil War led to the 100-year Civil Rights movement and continues today as we seek to afford peace and justice for all members of American society.

On Nov. 5, 2024, tiny Anson County voted Republican for only the second time since the Reconstruction Era. Settled along the Pee Dee River in 1750, Anson County’s population is 22,500, the median income is $42,000, 98% of the residents are U.S. citizens and 40% are black.

What were they thinking?

The conservative sweep of the 2024 election has demonstrated a desire to peel off the layers of accumulated bureaucracy. Americans want to be confident, not suspicious, of our leaders to fairly apply the law. Obscure regulations are yesterday’s tools of governance. The voters of Anson County may be asking for a “Deconstruction Era.”

In November, 46% of all voters aged 18-29 voted Republican, up 10 points from 2020. The media

• Dr. Fauci’s Monkey Business on NIH’s “Monkey Island”: $33.2 million

• USAID Fund to Boost Egyptian Tourism: $6 million

• USDA’s Cutting-Edge Research: Walking Dogs in the Summer: Unknown

• DHS Training Employees to Be Their “Authentic & Best Selves”: Unknown

• Russian Cats-On-A-Treadmill Studies Funded by NIH: portion of $2.7 million

• The Government Pays Dead People … Again!: $38 million

• DOD’s Lobster Tank: $8,395

• How to Ruin Expensive Military Equipment Part 1: Engines: $89 million

• How to Ruin Expensive Military Equipment Part 2: Transmissions: $12.6 million

• How to Ruin Expensive Military Equipment Part 3: Tank Treads: $68 million

• “Real Fake”: DHS’s 1st Graphic Novel About Disinformation: Unknown

• DHS’s 2nd Graphic Novel: COVID Disinformation: Unknown

• NIH’s Meth-Head Monkeys: portion of $12 million

• Treasury’s Pot of Cash for Political Campaigns: $400 million

• NIH’s Monkey Casino: Gambling for Drinking Water: portion of $3.7 million

• SBA’s Ticket to Backstage: $200 million

• Studying COVID-19 “Misinformation” On Social Media In Black & Rural Communities: $3.8 million

and Hollywood endorsements could not prevent the younger generation from placing their bet on a thriving, innovative economy if given the right combination of education and incentive. Conservative innovators appealed to the entrepreneurial spirit of the younger worker, fed on the idea of realizing their dream job. For some, it was building the family legacy; for others, the shiny objects of the future, like cryptocurrency and AI, appealed to their sense of adventure.

What was once a noble effort to raise awareness for women’s rights morphed into a rant of unfulfilled promises. This fall, fewer women voted for the liberal agenda than in 2022.

The goal to elevate women to a level playing field has compromised the game, leaving young women unprotected on the field and in the classroom. The original mission of the movement devolved into a single voting issue that many younger women could not support. The hope of many to raise a family defeated the demand for unrestricted abortion.

Expect to hear more about the other A word: adoption.

Another A word: aspiration. Bill Clinton knew “it’s the economy, stupid” in 1992. The 2024 voters knew it also. They recognized that the economy cannot function if it is shackled in regulation, stuck with a combustion engine in a hybrid world. The case was made not by politicians but by the greatest minds in manufacturing, technology and finance today. These innovators campaigned for conservatism with confidence and enthusiasm, saying America is not broken; it is disabled with debt.

You can almost hear the citizens of Anson saying, “How can I get some of that?” While the liberal media

• Dr. Fauci’s Transgender Monkey Study: $477,121

• Whoopsie: Improper Federal Payments: $236 billion

I tried to decide which of these items might be my favorite, but it was too difficult. I find it extremely shocking that our interest payments alone are $659 billion. That’s an increase of $184 billion over 2022. We don’t have the money to pay the interest on this debt, so we borrow it, much of it from China. We are borrowing money to pay interest on money that we had to borrow in the first place. What’s the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. This train must stop somewhere.

One interesting item is $33.2 million on Dr. Fauci’s “Monkey Island.” This is the same “monkey farm” in South Carolina from where 43 monkeys recently escaped. That sounds like a lot of “monkey business.”

The Department of Defense spends money on a lobster tank? I wonder if that is used to house lobsters for their culinary pleasure? Just asking. Why on earth are we spending money on Egyptian tourism? That’s just a drop in the bucket. So far, we have spent more than $100 million on tourism for Egypt. Tourism is a wonderful thing, but American taxpayers should not be footing the bill to encourage tourism for other countries. Don’t we have our own tourism industry here in the United States? You get the picture. This shouldn’t be too hard to cut these ridiculous expenditures. But just wait. You won’t believe the firestorm when these guys pull out the ax.

Sen. Joyce Krawiec has represented Forsyth County and the 31st District in the North Carolina Senate since 2014. She lives in Kernersville.

was reporting the dire condition of our country, Americans were watching the SpaceX Starship hit the mark on the docking station. Nothing but net.

The big loser in the 2024 election was identity politics. To the race-baiting industry, RIP.

The fault line of our two-party system has been blurred by shared friendships, experiences, diverse families and cultures. Our country is no longer a paint-by-numbers canvas where voters are stereotyped by color. We are a collage of dynamic, broad brushstrokes with an infinite palette. The paint will not go back into the tube. The free expression of multiethnic, working-class Americans may have created a renaissance unimagined in 2022.

The big winner was education. Polls suggest this was the biggest factor in the election outcome. William Galston said it best in The Wall Street Journal: The liberal party has shifted from the factory floor to the faculty club. Conservative values have trumped envy and elitism. We witnessed the awesome power of American ingenuity and the muscle of volunteers who responded to the biblical devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. No questions asked.

President Abraham Lincoln struggled with Reconstruction. Before his assassination, he conjured the 10% Plan, a “Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction.” In part, the Southern states could rejoin the Union when 10% of the people in that state took the oath of allegiance to the United States.

Let us consider a “Deconstruction Plan” for the United States. Imagine the debt reduced by 10% and allegiance to our new administration increased by 10%. A pollster would tell you that is a 20-point swing, a solid foundation for a prosperous future. Connie Lovell lives in Pinehurst.

TRIAD STRAIGHT TALK | SEN. JOYCE KRAWIEC

COLUMN | CONNIE LOVELL

Pope Francis calls for investigation into potential Gaza ‘genocide’

The pope called the attacks “immoral”

By Giada Zampano

The Associated Press

ROME — Pope Francis has called for an investigation to determine if Israel’s attacks in Gaza constitute genocide, according to excerpts released Sunday from an upcoming new book ahead of the pontiff’s jubilee year.

It’s the first time that Francis has openly urged for an investigation of genocide allegations over Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. In September, he said Israel’s attacks in Gaza and Lebanon have been “immoral” and disproportionate, and that its military has gone beyond the rules of war.

The book, by Hernán Reyes Alcaide and based on interviews with the pope, is entitled “Hope never disappoints. Pilgrims towards a better world.” It was released Tuesday ahead of the pope’s 2025 jubilee. Francis’ yearlong jubilee is expected to bring more than 30 million pilgrims to Rome to celebrate the Holy Year.

“According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide,” the pope said in excerpts published Sunday by the Italian daily La Stampa.

“According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide.”

Pope Francis

“We should investigate carefully to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies,” he added.

Last year, Francis met separately with relatives of Israeli hostages in Gaza and Palestinians living through the war and set off a firestorm by using words that Vatican diplomats usually avoid: “terrorism” and, according to the Palestinians, “genocide.”

Francis spoke at the time about the suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians after his meetings, which were arranged before the Israeli-Hamas hostage deal and a temporary halt in fighting was announced.

The pontiff, who last week also met with a delegation of Israeli hostages who were released and their families pressing the campaign to bring the remaining captives home had editorial control over the upcoming book.

The war started when the militant Hamas group attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and abducting 250 as hostages and taking them back to Gaza, where dozens remain.

Israel’s subsequent yearlong military campaign has killed more than 43,000 people, according to Gaza health officials, whose count doesn’t distinguish between civilians and fighters, though they say more than half of the dead are women and children.

The Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza has triggered several legal cases at international courts in The Hague involving requests for arrest warrants as well as accusations and denials of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

In the new book, Francis also speaks about migration and the problem of integrating migrants into their host countries.

“Faced with this challenge, no country can be left alone and no one can think of addressing the issue in isolation through more

restrictive and repressive laws, sometimes approved under the pressure of fear or in search of electoral advantages,” Francis said.

“On the contrary, just as we see that there is a globalization of indifference, we must respond with the globalization of charity and cooperation,” he added. Francis also mentioned the “still open wound of the war in Ukraine has led thousands of people to abandon their homes, especially during the first months of the conflict.”

The North Korean leader says the United States’ support of Ukraine is part of a larger effort to expand its military influence

By Kim Tong-Hyung

The Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un renewed his call for a “limitless” expansion of his military nuclear program to counter U.S.-led threats in comments reported Monday that were his first direct criticism toward Washington since Donald Trump’s win in the U.S. presidential election.

At a conference with army officials on Friday, Kim condemned the United States for updating its nuclear deterrence strategies with South Korea and solidifying three-way military cooperation involving Japan, which he portrayed as an “Asian NATO” that was escalating tensions and instability in the region.

Kim also criticized the United States over its support of Ukraine against a prolonged

Russian invasion. He insisted that Washington and its Western allies were using Ukraine as their “shock troops” to wage a war against Moscow and expand the scope of U.S. military influence, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency said.

Kim has prioritized his country’s ties to Russia in recent months, embracing the idea of a “new Cold War” and displaying a united front in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s broader conflicts with the West.

He has used Russia’s war on Ukraine as a distraction to accelerate the development of his nuclear-armed military, which now has various nuclear-capable systems targeting South Korea and intercontinental ballistic missiles that can potentially reach the U.S. mainland.

Kim has yet to directly acknowledge that he has been providing military equipment and troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine, and the KCNA’s report didn’t mention whether Kim made any comments toward Trump, whose election win has yet to be reported in the North’s state media.

Kim met Trump three times in 2018 and 2019 during Trump’s first presidency, but their diplomacy quickly collapsed over disagreements in exchanging the release of U.S.-led sanctions and North Korean steps to wind down its nuclear and missile program. North Korea has since suspended any meaningful talks with Washington and Seoul as Kim ramped up his testing activity and military demonstrations in the face of what he portrayed as “gangster-like U.S. threats.”

There’s concern in Seoul that Kim, in exchange for his military support of Russia, would receive Russian technology in return to further develop his arsenal.

Trump’s election win has touched off speculation about a resumption of a summit-driven diplomacy with Kim, which was described by critics as a “bromance.” But some experts say a quick return to 2018 is highly unlikely, as too much has changed about the regional security situation and broader geopolitics since then.

While the North Korean nuclear problem was relatively an independent issue during

7,000

Approximate number of trash balloons North Korea has launched into South Korea in the last six months.

Trump’s first term, it is now connected with broader challenges created by Russia’s war on Ukraine and further complicated by weakened sanctions enforcement against Pyongyang, Hwang Ildo, a professor at South Korea’s National Diplomatic Academy, wrote in a study last week. North Korea’s nuclear and missile program is now much more advanced, which would increase Kim’s perception of his bargaining powers. Kim’s efforts to boost North Korea’s presence in a united front against Washington could also gain strength if Trump spikes tariffs and rekindles a trade war with China, the North’s main ally and eco-

nomic lifeline, Hwang said. Amid the stalemate in larger nuclear negotiations with Washington, Kim has been dialing up pressure on South Korea, abandoning his country’s long-standing goal of inter-Korean reconciliation and verbally threatening to attack the South with nukes if provoked.

Kim has also engaged in psychological and electronic warfare against South Korea, such as flying thousands of balloons to drop trash in the South and disrupting GPS signals from border areas near the South’s biggest airport.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea again flew trash-laden balloons toward the South early Monday and issued a statement warning the North “not to test our military’s patience any further.” The North has launched about 7,000 balloons toward the South since May, causing property damage but so far no injuries. On at least two occasions, trash carried by North Korea’s balloons fell on Seoul’s presidential compound, raising concerns about the vulnerability of key sites.

KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY / KOREA NEWS SERVICE VIA AP

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivers a speech during a meeting last Friday in Pyongyang, North Korea.

ALESSANDRA TARANTINO / AP PHOTO

Pope Francis delivers his speech during a mass on the occasion of World Day of the Poor on Sunday in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.

Forsyth SPORTS

Paul

believes he can fight for a title, but Tyson might be done in the ring at 58

The heavily hyped fight saw the YouTube star defeat the aging former champ

By Schuyler Dixon

The Associated Press

ARLINGTON, Texas — Jake Paul believes he can fight for a championship belt within two years.

Mike Tyson might be finished in the ring after the 58-year-old former heavyweight champion’s first sanctioned pro bout since 2005, the eight-round bout won by Paul in a lopsided unanimous decision.

There will continue to be questions for Paul over when he will fight a contender in his prime, as opposed to aging former champs, mixed martial artists or journeymen boxers.

The 27-year-old YouTuber-turned-boxer’s answers have been consistent, and now he has a timeline.

“I think it could happen in the next 24 months,” Paul said. “I truly, truly believe in my skills and my ability and my power. And the cruiserweight division is seemingly open for the taking on that timeline.”

Tyson, whose last fight before retiring was a loss to Kevin McBride 19 years ago, said he was confident in taking on Paul because of an entertaining exhibition against Roy Jones Jr. in 2020.

A shorter fight with shorter rounds (two minutes instead of three) and heavier gloves fell far short of entertaining.

The International Boxing Hall of Famer came at Paul hard in the opening seconds and briefly again to start the second round. Otherwise, he mostly let Paul come to him, and Paul said he thought Tyson was too fatigued to be a threat beyond the

third round.

Still, Tyson wouldn’t say immediately afterward it was his last fight after the officially recorded loss dropped his record to 50-7 with 44 knockouts.

“It depends on the situation,”

Tyson said.

But Tyson said he had gone in the ring “one last time” in a social media post.

“I almost died in June,” Tyson wrote on X. “Had 8 blood transfusions. Lost half my blood and 25lbs in hospital and had to fight to get healthy to fight so I won.”

There’s no question the younger Paul will be back in the ring.

The former social media influencer started boxing about 41/2 years ago and has always said he wants to be a championship fighter.

“He’s a very good fighter,” said Tyson.

Paul still has plenty to prove, though. He is 11-1 with seven knockouts, the only loss to Tommy Fury, the less-accomplished brother of former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury.

The first live sports event on Netflix was viewed in 60 million households.

According to reports, Paul’s payday was $40 million, compared with $20 million for Tyson.

Karolyi, coach of Olympic champion gymnasts, dies at 82

The coach who led Comaneci and Retton to gold was also criticized for methods

By Will Graves The Associated Press

BELA KAROLYI, the charismatic if polarizing gymnastics coach who turned young women into champions and the United States into an international power in the sport, has died. He was 82.

Karolyi and wife, Martha, trained multiple Olympic gold medalists and world champions in the U.S. and Romania, including Nadia Comaneci and Mary Lou Retton.

“A big impact and influence on my life,” Comaneci, who was just 14 when Karolyi coached her to gold for Romania at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, posted on Instagram.

Yet Karolyi’s strident methods sometimes came under fire, most pointedly during the height of the Larry Nassar scandal.

When the disgraced former USA Gymnastics team doctor was effectively given a life sentence after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting gymnasts and other athletes with his hands under the guise of medical treatment, over a dozen former gymnasts came forward saying the Karolyis were part of a system that created an oppressive culture that allowed

Nassar’s behavior to run unchecked for years.

While the Karolyis denied responsibility — telling CNN in 2018 they were unaware of Nassar’s behavior — the revelations led to them receding from the spotlight.

It was in Montreal in 1976, of course, where the world got its first real glimpse of Karolyi.

When a solemn, dark-haired sprite named Nadia Comaneci enchanted the world with the first perfect 10 in Olympic history, a feat she would duplicate six times, Karolyi was there to wrap her in one of his trademark bear hugs.

Romania, which had won only three bronzes in Olympic gymnastics before 1976, left Montreal with seven medals, including Comaneci’s golds in the all-around, balance beam and uneven bars, and the team silver. Comaneci became an international sensation, the first person to appear on the covers of Sports Illustrated, Time and Newsweek in the same week.

The Karolyis defected from Romania to the United States in 1981. Three years later, Bela helped guide Retton — all of 16 — to the Olympic all-around title at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles. At the 1996 Games in Atlanta, he memorably helped an injured Kerri Strug off the floor after Strug’s vault secured the team gold for the Americans.

Karolyi briefly became the national team coordinator for

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Cannen Rottweiler

Organizers estimated the AT&T Stadium crowd at 72,000, and it appeared to be a legitimate number.

“There may never be another moment like this in boxing, but I believe we can find something,” Paul said. “And I think there are a few names out there that make sense, that the events will be just as big.”

In the days before his fight with Tyson, Paul mentioned super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez, considered one of the best boxers in the world.

An opponent of that magnitude is probably at least several fights away for Paul, and it might not be long before age becomes an issue for the 34-yearold Alvarez.

Paul’s camp will never question its ability to put on a show.

“Boxing is ebbs and flows, ups and downs, big events, small events, medium-size events,” said Nakisa Bidarian, Paul’s promoter. “Our philosophy is it’s not about what is the decision that happens in the ring. It’s about the attitude that you have and the product you create and how you entertain the fans. And there’s no more entertaining of an athlete than Jake Paul.”

East Forsyth, football

Cannen Rottweiler is a junior running back on the East Forsyth football team. He has also played lacrosse for the Eagles.

East Forsyth drew a No. 3 seed in the NCHSAA 4A bracket and won its opening‑round game, 38 35, over No. 30 Butler.

Rottweiler carried 17 times in the win, gaining 155 yards on the ground for a 9.1 yards‑per‑carry average. For the year, Rottweiler is second on the team with 684 rushing yards and third with eight rushing touchdowns.

USA Gymnastics women’s elite program in 1999 and incorporated a semicentralized system that eventually turned the Americans into the sport’s gold standard. It did not come without a cost. He was removed from the position after the 2000 Olympics when it became apparent his leadership style simply would not work, though he remained around the sport after Martha took over for her husband in 2001.

While the Karolyis approach helped the U.S. become a super-

power — an American woman has won each of the last six Olympic titles, and the U.S. women earned the team gold at the 2012 and 2016 Games under Martha Karolyi’s leadership — their methods came under fire.

Dominique Moceanu, part of the “Magnificent 7” team that won gold in Atlanta, talked extensively about her corrosive relationship with the Karolyis following her retirement. In her 2012 memoir, Moceanu wrote Bela Karolyi verbally abused

her in front of her teammates on multiple occasions.

“His harsh words and critical demeanor often weighed heavily on me,” Moceanu posted on X.

Some of Karolyi’s most famous students were always among his staunchest defenders. When Strug got married, she and Karolyi took a photo recreating their famous scene from the 1996 Olympics, when he carried her onto the medals podium after she vaulted on a badly sprained ankle.

SUSAN RAGAN / AP PHOTO

Team USA gymnast Kerri Strug is carried by her coach, Bela Karolyi, as she waves to the crowd on her way to receiving her gold medal for the women’s team gymnastics competition at the Centennial Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996. Strug had two torn ligaments and a sprained ankle from the vault competition.

JULIO CORTEZ / AP PHOTO

Jake Paul, left, and Mike Tyson embrace after their heavyweight boxing match in Arlington, Texas.

SIDELINE REPORT

NBA Ball fined $100K for making ‘offensive and derogatory comment’ in postgame interview

New York

Charlotte Hornets guard

LaMelo Ball has been fined $100,000 for making what the NBA called “an offensive and derogatory comment” during a televised postgame on-court interview. Ball made the comment Saturday on FanDuel Sports Network shortly after the Hornets defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 115-114. Sideline reporter Shannon Spake asked Ball about the team’s defensive strategy against Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo on the game’s final play, and Ball used an anti-gay slur while delivering his answer. The $100,000 fine was the maximum allowed by league rule.

NASCAR 23XI Racing, Front Row can compete in 2025 while suing NASCAR after clause removed from contracts

Charlotte

The two teams suing NASCAR over an antitrust complaint will compete in 2025 as “open teams” after NASCAR removed anticompetitive release claims that will allow them to race while the legal process continues. 23XI Racing, owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Motorsports refused to sign take-it-orleave it revenue sharing offers. They have filed a federal antitrust lawsuit and asked for an injunction to be recognized as chartered teams while the lawsuit continues. NASCAR lifted an anticompetitive release requirement from the open agreement that allows 23XI and Front Row to race in 2025 as open teams.

NCAA BASKETBALL

Pitino defeats son in latest coaching clash as No. 22 St. John’s tops New Mexico

New York Rick Pitino defeated his son in their latest coaching clash as No. 22 St. John’s passed its first real test this season, topping New Mexico 85-71. All five starters scored in double figures for the Red Storm to make a winner of their Hall of Fame coach in a family affair at Madison Square Garden. Richard Pitino, coach of the Lobos, fell to 1-3 in matchups against his father. The previous two losses came when Rick Pitino was at Louisville. Richard Pitino beat his dad’s Iona team two years ago at The Pit.

NCAA FOOTBALL

LSU coach Kelly screams at one player, gets yelled at by another in loss at Florida

Gainesville, Fla. LSU coach Brian Kelly was caught on camera screaming at one player and getting yelled at by another. The sideline scenes were clear signs of frustration as LSU lost a third consecutive game, 27-16 at unranked Florida. The LSU fanbase might be out of patience with Kelly. The coach appeared to get into it with receiver Chris Hilton in the first half. Late in the third quarter, cameras captured receiver Kyren Lacy yelling at Kelly on the sideline after an empty possession.

McIlroy ends year with another win in Dubai and 6th title as Europe’s best

2024 saw success, heartbreaking near misses and personal turmoil for Rory McIlroy

The Associated Press

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

— Rory McIlroy ended a tumultuous year packed with emotion on and off the golf course with a pair of trophies and plenty of tears.

McIlroy closed with a 3-under 69 for a two-shot victory Sunday in the World Tour Championship. He also captured his sixth title as Europe’s No. 1 player.

And then the 35-year-old from Northern Ireland couldn’t speak, choked up with emotion as he contemplated the wins and losses, and everything else in between.

“I’ve been through a lot this year, professionally and personally,” McIlroy said. “It feels like the fitting end to 2024. I’ve

persevered this year a lot.”

He won four times — two of them on the PGA Tour — and tied the late Seve Ballesteros by winning his sixth title in the Race to Dubai, formerly the Order of Merit. Two more and he can match Colin Montgomerie for the record.

“I’ve really made it a priority of my schedule over the last few years to give myself the best chance coming into the end of the year to win the Race to Dubai. I don’t see that being any different for the foreseeable future,” McIlroy said. “Going for my seventh next year and try to chase Monty down.”

He also threw away a chance at the U.S. Open by missing two short putts over the last three holes at Pinehurst No. 2, finishing one behind Bryson DeChambeau. He was on the verge of finally winning on home soil until Hojgaard stunned him with a late charge in the Irish Open at Royal Country Down.

WNBA corporate sponsors are growing

Women of color and LGBTQ+ players are often ignored in endorsement opportunities

By Claire Savage The Associated Press

IN A BANNER YEAR for women’s professional sports, athletes who dominate their game are reaping the financial benefits.

The WNBA is a leading example. Last month, it wrapped up a historic season that notched all-time viewership and attendance records while racking up brand deals and corporate sponsorships for its players along the way.

Many of the WNBA’s young stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese brought deals with them from their playing days in college, including name, image and likeness agreements that became endorsements with such companies as Nike, Reebok and Gatorade. Players of different backgrounds landed a variety of other endorsement deals with companies like CarMax and State Farm.

But for all those enjoying their newfound riches, there are still some players who are being left out. The WNBA recently partnered with Kim Kardashian’s underwear brand SKIMS, which featured women of color as well as LGBTQ+ players in its ads. The compa-

ny received pushback, however, for excluding masculine-presenting athletes in its May campaign.

“Not the papis of the league being forgotten again,” Phoenix Mercury’s Natasha Cloud posted on X after SKIMS’ “Fits Everybody” campaign dropped.

Two-time all-star Natasha Howard of the Dallas Wings also criticized the campaign, saying it felt “like a smack” for the league’s more masculine presenting players, and that it is “absolutely” harder for black LGBTQ+ athletes to get brand deals.

“I feel like a lot of people don’t want to see queer or lesbian people on the face of anything,” Howard said.

SKIMS did not respond to requests for comment.

Cloud and Howard decided to forge their own path. Both women scored partnerships with Woxer, a Latina and LGBTQ+-owned women’s boxer brand that offers a line designed for gender nonconforming customers.

Miami-based Alexandra Fuente, Woxer’s founder, said that working with Howard, Cloud and Las Vegas Aces’ Kierstan Bell “was just a great match,” and the company is planning to collaborate with many more female athletes in the future.

“I think the major brands give deals to people that fit the box, and that is a great thing

“I’ve been through a lot this year, professionally and personally.”

Rory McIlroy

McIlroy revealed in May that he had filed for divorce, and equally stunning was word a month later that the divorce proceedings had been scrapped and they would try to work it out. His wife, Erica, and 4-year-old daughter Poppy were in Dubai cheering his latest victory.

It was a lot for McIlroy, and the emotions when it was over bore that out.

“To finish the year like this, it’s a dream come true,” McIlroy said at the closing ceremony, where he hoisted the enormous World Tour Championship trophy and the Harry Vardon Trophy for winning the season points title.

“It’s been hard at times,” he said. “Had a lot of close calls. To finish the year off the way I did today means the world to me.”

McIlroy won $5 million — $3 million from the tournament prize fund, and a $2 million bonus for the Race to Dubai.

McIlroy won for the 37th time worldwide as he bids to take his place among European greats. The mention of Ballesteros made him emotional for all the Spaniard has meant to the development of the European tour.

“I think everyone knows what Seve means to European golf and to Ryder Cup players. (In the) European Ryder Cup locker room, all we have are quotes of Seve. We had a changing room with Seve’s shirt from ’95, the last Ryder Cup he played,” McIlroy said as he wiped away more tears.

“And for me to be mentioned in the same breath, I’m very proud.”

because it leaves opportunity for brands like us,” Fuente said. “For us ... everybody’s in the box.” But for mainstream brands, partnering with athletes who don’t fit the traditional mold in today’s increasingly polarized cultural landscape fraught with anti-diversity backlash creates “this collective risk that some brands are unwilling to take,” according to Ketra Armstrong, University of Michigan professor of sport management and director of the Center for Race & Ethnicity in Sport.

Many brands are ”middle of the road, and want to be safe, and don’t want to offend other pockets of their consumers,” Armstrong said.

But brands are missing the mark when they overlook black LGBTQ+ women, said Univer-

sity of Massachusetts Amherst sport management professor Ajhanai Keaton, who studies the intersection of race and gender identity.

Like some of its players, the WNBA’s fan base also holds fluid gender identities, plus companies may underestimate how much consumers with different identities admire and relate to LGBTQ+ players, Keaton said. “Sponsors and brands are way behind the curve on this.”

For anyone who questions the marketing potential and social capital of Black LGBTQ+ athletes, Keaton added, they need only glance at the comment sections of their Instagram posts, which are filled with fire emojis, heart eyes emojis, and, “‘Where’d you get those shoes?’”

TONY GUTIERREZ / AP PHOTO

Dallas Wings’ Natasha Howard handles the ball as she works against the Indiana Fever in a WNBA game.

ALTAF QADRI / AP PHOTO

Rory McIlroy poses with the DP World Tour Championship trophy and the Race to Dubai trophy after winning the World Tour Golf Championship.

Jackson in ‘The Piano Lesson,’

‘Cruel Intentions’ gets TV treatment

Kim Deal of The Breeders and The Pixies releases her debut solo album

By The Associated Press

ARIANA GRANDE and Cynthia Erivo teaming up for the soundtrack to the upcoming movie “Wicked” and a TV series based on the 1999 film “Cruel Intentions” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also, among the streaming offerings worth your time: Season three of Max’s “The Sex Lives of College Girls,” Denzel Washington’s son Malcolm directing August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson” for Netflix and the animated tale in “Spellbound” with a heroine voiced by Rachel Zegler.

MOVIES TO STREAM

Steve McQueen’s “Blitz,” streaming Friday on Apple TV+, is a wartime odyssey about a 9-year-old biracial boy (Elliott Heffernan) who, after being sent to the countryside during the Nazi bombing of London, tries to get home to his mother (Saoirse Ronan). “Blitz,” McQueen’s first narrative feature since 2018’s “Widows,” sometimes feels stuck between a conventional war drama and something more adventurous.

Denzel Washington’s quest to bring the works of August Wilson to the screen have already produced several exceptional films, and performances, in “Fences” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” In “The Piano Lesson” (on Netflix Friday), he hands the reins to his son, Malcolm Washington, who makes his directorial debut in a production starring John David Washington, Danielle Deadwyler, Samuel L. Jackson, Erykah Badu, Ray Fisher and Corey Hawkins. The film, set in 1930s Pittsburgh, is about a family wrestling with the legacy of a family heirloom, and of slavery.

Following its first foray into feature film animation, 2022’s “Luck,” Skydance returns with another original animated tale in “Spellbound” (on Netflix Friday, Nov. 22).

The film, set in the magical world of Lumbria, is about a young girl (voiced by Rachel Zegler) who must save the rulers of Lumbria, her parents (Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem), after they’re turned into monsters. “Spellbound,” produced by former Pixar boss John Lasseter, features original songs from Disney legend Alan Menken.

NEW MUSIC TO STREAM

Kim Deal, the center of bands like the Breeders and the Pixies, will release her debut solo album on Friday, “Nobody Loves You More,” via the influential indie label 4AD Records. The project has been in the works for many years — beginning with tracks like “Are You Mine?” and “Wish I Was,” dating back to 2011 — but no matter, it still sounds like some left-of-center future, from the Steve Albini-produced “Coast” to noisy, clangorous world-building of “Crystal Breathe.” “Beat by beat I expel your point of view,” Deal declares. “The heels of my imagination digging into you I start a new life/Beat’s gonna lead us/ Live on.”

For those hoping for something a bit more classic, look no further: PBS’s “Great Performances” anthology series, which features musicals, operas, plays, ballets and concerts, will spotlight the great Patsy Cline on Friday, broadcast on PBS and available to stream on the PBS app.

“Patsy Cline: Walkin’ After Midnight” celebrates the country music giant on stage at

Nashville’s famed Ryman Auditorium with performances by Wynonna Judd, Ashley McBryde, Mickey Guyton, Kristin Chenoweth, Rita Wilson and more, with interviews from her husband, Charlie Dick, and famous friends like Loretta Lynn. We’ve already gotten an Ariana Grande album this year with “eternal sunshine,” but there’s more on the way. On Friday, her voice is all over the soundtrack for the movie “Wicked” as Glinda, opposite Emmy-, Grammy- and Tony Award-winner Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba. The album is part of a two-fer, with the first 11 songs from the first chapter of the two-part film adaptation. That means two of the musical’s best tunes will be available — “Popular” and “Defying Gravity.” Also listen for Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey and Jeff Goldblum.

SHOWS TO STREAM

In “Interior Chinatown,” actor and comedian Jimmy O. Yang plays a Chinese American background actor in a police procedural who dreams of becoming a leading man. It’s adapted from a novel by Charles Yu, who also

served as showrunner of the series. Taika Waititi is an executive producer. “Interior Chinatown” is streaming on Hulu. It’s the beginning of sophomore year for the ladies of Max’s “The Sex Lives of College Girls.”

The show, created by Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble, follows roommates at a fictional college in Vermont. Season three, premiering Thursday, brings back original leads Pauline Chalamet, Amrit Kaur and Alyah Chanelle Scott but will wrap up Reneé Rapp’s storyline. She quit the show to focus on her music career. Mia Rodgers and Gracie Lawrence have been added to the mix as series regulars. Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina have more problems when season two of “Based on a True Story” begins streaming Thursday on Peacock. Season one saw their characters, Ava and Nathan, launch a true crime podcast with an actual serial killer (played by Tom Bateman). In the new episodes, the couple are new parents attempting to return to a normal life until a string of murders draws them back into amateur sleuthing.

The 1999 film “Cruel Intentions” starring Reese Wither-

spoon, Ryan Phillippe and Sarah Michelle Gellar remains a cult classic, but Prime Video has updated the story with a TV series. Sarah Catherine Hook and Zac Burgess play wealthy stepsiblings who hatch a plan to seduce and deceive one of their college classmates, who also happens to be the daughter of the vice president of the United States. The show also has plenty of Easter eggs in it that call back to the movie.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

The Ukrainian developers of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl have overcome some serious obstacles — not the least of which being the need to move from Kyiv to Prague after the Russian invasion in 2022. The premise of the game is that the nuclear reactor at Chernobyl has been hit with a second explosion, unleashing monstrous mutations and other anomalies. Your job is to enter the “Exclusion Zone” and try to prevent the chaos from spreading. It’s a creepy blend of the first-person shooter, horror and survival genres, ready to play on PlayStation 5, Xbox

and PC.

X/S

HULU / PEACOCK / MAX VIA AP

“Interior Chinatown,” “Based on a True Story” and “The Sex Lives of College Girls are landing on a screen near you this week.

AMY HARRIS / INVISION/ AP PHOTO Indie rock icon Kim Deal of The Breeders and The Pixies will release her debut solo album, “Nobody Loves You More,” on Friday.

STATE & NATION

Hurricane season alive and well with third November storm

Sara went through Central America last week

By Russ Bynum The Associated Press

SAVANNAH, Ga. — As the third named storm to emerge during November, Tropical Storm Sara serves as a reminder that the Atlantic hurricane season hasn’t quite ended.

Sara formed in the western Caribbean Sea before making landfall last week on the northern coast of Honduras, dumping torrential rains in a slow weekend crawl across parts of Central America.

Sara follows two other named storms so far this month. Tropical Storm Patty brought heavy rain to the Azores and dissipated without striking land. Then Hurricane Rafael struck Jamaica and the Cayman Islands before tearing across Cuba as a Category 3 storm.

That has made for an unusually active final month for the hurricane season when forecasters typically see a single named storm every year or two. And the 2024 season still has two weeks to go.

The hurricane season for storms in the Atlantic Ocean,

the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico officially runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

Though named storms have been known to form before and after that six-month period, hurricane season reflects the months when weather con-

ditions are more favorable for producing tropical storms and hurricanes.

Ocean temperatures must reach at least 79 degrees Fahrenheit to fuel hurricanes. Hurricane season is also when the upper atmosphere tends to

have reduced wind shear, or changes in wind speed and direction that tear hurricanes apart.

Those hostile winds tend to ramp up later into the fall, making it more difficult for November storms to form, said Levi Silvers, a hurricane researcher at Colorado State University.

“We have the water temperatures to allow for these storms to form,” Silvers said. “But it’s increasingly unlikely we’re going to get the conducive winds.”

Based on the 30-year period from 1991 to 2020, November typically sees one tropical storm every year or two. Storms that strengthen into hurricanes are rarer during the season’s final month, with one occurring generally every two years, according to the hurricane center.

Since 1851, a total of 125 tropical storms have been recorded during November, said Brian McNoldy, a hurricane researcher at the University of Miami. About half of those storms, 63, went on to become hurricanes. And 12 strengthened into major hurricanes with winds above 110 mph. Rafael earlier this month forced the evacuation of

283,000 people in Cuba and destroyed 460 homes. It was the Atlantic basin’s first November hurricane since 2022 when the season wrapped up with three storms. One of them, Hurricane Nicole, became the first November hurricane to make landfall in Florida since 1985.

Only two other November hurricanes are known to have struck the U.S., in 1861 and in 1935, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Since 1953, there have been seven November hurricanes devastating enough to have their names retired, McNoldy said.

The last ones were Hurricanes Eta and Iota, both Category 4 storms that smashed into the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua two weeks apart in November 2020. The back-toback hurricanes were blamed for a combined 239 deaths and $8.2 billion in damage across Central America.

They struck at the end of the most active hurricane season on record with 30 named storms. The busy 2020 season exhausted the year’s alphabetical list of storm names by mid-September. Later storms, including Eta and Iota, were identified using Greek letters. Other destructive November hurricanes that had their names retired were Otto in 2016, Paloma in 2008, Noel in 2007, Michelle in 2001 and Lenny in 1999, according to McNoldy.

More logging proposed to help curb Pacific Northwest wildfires

Officials say the Northwest Forest Plan of 1994 is outdated

By Matthew Brown

The Associated Press

U.S. OFFICIALS would allow increased logging on federal lands across the Pacific Northwest in the name of fighting wildfires and boosting rural economies under proposed changes to a sweeping forest management plan that’s been in place for three decades.

The U.S. Forest Service proposal, released Friday, would overhaul the Northwest Forest Plan that governs about 38,000 square miles in Oregon, Washington and California.

The plan was adopted in 1994 under President Bill Clinton amid pressure to curb destructive logging practices that resulted in widespread clearcuts and destroyed habitat used by spotted owls. Timber harvests dropped dramatically in subsequent years, spurring political backlash.

But federal officials now say worsening wildfires due to climate change mean forests must be more actively managed to increase their resiliency. Increased logging also would provide a more predictable supply of trees for timber companies, officials said, helping rural economies that have suffered after lumber

mills shut down and forestry jobs disappeared.

The proposal could increase annual timber harvests by at least 33% and potentially more than 200%, according to a draft environmental study. The number of timber-related jobs would increase accordingly.

Harvest volumes from the 17 national forests covered by the Northwest Forest Plan averaged about 445 million board feet annually over the past decade, according to government figures.

Cutting more trees would help reduce wildfire risk and make

communities safer, the study concluded. That would be accomplished in part by allowing cuts in some areas with stands of trees up to 120 years old — up from the current age threshold of 80 years.

The change could help foster conditions conducive to growing larger, old-growth trees that are more resistant to fire by removing younger trees, officials said.

A separate pending proposal from President Joe Biden’s administration aims to increase protections nationwide for oldgrowth trees, which play a sig-

nificant role in storing climate change-inducing carbon dioxide.

“Much has changed in society and science since the Northwest Forest Plan was created,” Jacque Buchanan, regional forester for the Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Region, said in a statement. He said the proposal would help the agency adapt to shifting conditions.

The proposed plan also calls for closer cooperation between the Forest Service and Native American tribes to tap into tribal knowledge about forest management. Tribes were excluded when the 1994 plan was crafted.

Environmentalists greeted the proposal with skepticism.

The group Oregon Wild said it was “deeply troubling” that the Forest Service would release the proposal just ahead of a change in presidential administrations.

“It appears that the Forest Service wants to abandon the fundamental purpose of the Northwest Forest Plan — protecting fish and wildlife and the mature and oldgrowth forests they need to survive,” John Persell, an attorney for the group, said in a statement.

During former President Donald Trump’s first term, administration officials sought to open millions of acres of West Coast forest to new logging by stripping habitat protections for the imperiled spotted owl. The move was opposed by government biologists and reversed under Biden.

A draft environmental study

The maximum tree age allowed to be cut under the current guidelines, which could increase to 120 years under the new proposal

examined several potential alternatives, including leaving the existing plan’s components in place or changing them to either reduce or increase logging.

A timber industry representative who co-chaired an advisory committee on the Northwest Forest Plan said the proposed plan resulted from discussions involving committee members, the Forest Service and others.

“We want to see a modern approach to federal forest stewardship that protects us from catastrophic wildfires, reduces toxic smoke, meaningfully engages tribes, and delivers for our rural communities and workers,” said Travis Joseph, president of the American Forest Resource Council.

The publishing of the proposal begins a 120-day public comment period. The Forest Service’s environmental review is expected to be completed by next fall, and a final decision is due in early 2026.

DELMER MARTINEZ / AP PHOTO

Residents walk past inundated vehicles in the flooded streets of Planeta, Honduras, in the aftermath of Hurricane Eta in November 2020.

RICK BOWMER / AP PHOTO

Old-growth Douglas fir trees stand along the Salmon River Trail in Mount Hood National Forest outside Zigzag, Oregon, in 2004.

Randolph record

A day at the zoo

This white deer living on the grounds of the NC Zoo in Asheboro exhibits a condition called leucism — it’s not an albino because it has brown eyes and muzzle — which has made most of its body white. The unique condition hurts a fawn’s ability to stay hidden from predators. Zoo staff, who first spotted this one earlier in the year, remember seeing another white deer at the zoo some 30 years ago.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

NC Supreme Court seat will see recount

The narrowly trailing Republican candidate in the race for a Supreme Court seat has formally requested a statewide recount. Court of Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin sent the request before a midday Tuesday deadline. Associate Justice Allison Riggs led Tuesday by 625 votes over Griffin from more than 5.5 million ballots cast in the race. Recounts in five General Assembly races also have been requested. Republicans would need to flip a state House seat the GOP candidate is currently trailing in if it wants to retain the veto-proof majority that they have held for the past two years.

FEMA administrator supports looking into alleged Trump bias in relief efforts

The head of FEMA told lawmakers she has encouraged the agency’s inspector general to review whether an employee was acting alone when directing workers helping hurricane victims to avoid homes with yard signs supporting Donald Trump.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said Tuesday it is critical to meet survivors and make them aware of federal resources available to help them. The employee, she said, wrote to about 11 staffers under her supervision that they should “avoid homes advertising Trump.” Criswell told lawmakers reviewing FEMA’s response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton that she believes the employee’s actions were not indicative of any widespread cultural problems at the agency.

Asheboro recognized as a top veteran employer

The city retained 100% of its veteran employees, who compose nearly 10% of its workforce, over the past year

By Ryan Henkel Randolph Record

ASHEBORO — The City of Asheboro was recognized for its commitment to employing and retaining military veterans as it was awarded a 2024 Gold HIRE Vets Medallion Award. The virtual award ceremony

was held Oct. 31, and the board was presented with the information at its Nov. 7 meeting.

“The HIRE Vets Program is administered by the US Department of Labor and the acronym stands for Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing Military Veterans,” said Human Resources Generalist Kristen Terry. “This program honors employers who demonstrate exemplary efforts in recruiting, employing and retaining veterans. While we do not have a dedicated recruitment partnership or strategy to attract veterans at this time, we recognize the valu-

able skills and experience that veterans bring to our workplace.”

According to Terry, Asheboro retained 100% of its veteran employees for at least 12 months, and those veteran employees make up nearly 10% of their total workforce — the national average is about 1%.

“Retaining is the most important thing,” Terry said. “You can recruit people but to keep them these days is huge.”

“That’s my motto,” said City Manger John Ogburn. “‘Hire the vet, he won’t lose the bet.’”

At its Nov. 7 meeting, the board also approved Stewart

Asheboro report points to compliance as water provider

The objective is to keep up with procedures related to drinking water

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

ASHEBORO — The City of Asheboro, as a public water provider, has reviewed its monitoring procedures of water lines in an effort to assure compliance with the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

A report from city officials says Asheboro has been and continues to be compliant with all federal and state rules regulating lead and copper in drinking water.

Trevor Nuttall, who’s new in the position of assistant city manager, provided a report late last week outlining the city’s commitment to safe drinking water. The federal guidelines require monitoring sin-

gle-family residences served by copper plumbing with lead solder joints installed after 1986 or any sites with lead service lines.

The report says: “Upon review of records the City is not aware of any lead service lines in the service area, there may be galvanized iron service lines with lead components in neighborhoods where the water infrastructure was installed prior to 1960.”

The Environmental Protection Agency has implemented the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements requiring all utilities to complete and submit an initial inventory identifying lead or galvanized service lines requiring replacement.

As a result, the city is required to notify customers of the status of their water service unless there’s confirmation of a nonlead status.

“Many customers will soon be receiving notices from the

City informing them of the unknown status of their water service line,” the city report says.

“This does not mean that the service line contains lead, it just confirms that the City doesn’t have enough information to prove lead doesn’t exist.”

The report provided by Nuttall emphasizes Asheboro’s ongoing quest to stay updated on the topic.

“The City also uses industry best practices in our water treatment processes to control leaching of lead and copper from water service lines and plumbing systems. …” the report says. “While the City goes to great lengths to minimize and control lead exposure, the primary source of lead exposure in drinking water is associated with household plumbing with lead soldered copper pipes.”

While Asheboro has recognized the work in connection

Cooper-Newell, the architecture firm who is designing the fire station, to proceed with design services for Fire Station No. 3.

The $450,000 contract for design services will include architectural, structural, civil, landscape, mechanical, electrical and plumbing design.

The station will be approximately 12,000 square feet and will be located on four acres of property located on the corner of Zoo Parkway and Crestview Road.

The board also approved GMP 2 for the Wolfspeed Water Main Extension Project at a total cost of approximately $16 million, which includes the early procurement of construction materials for sections two and three and the final design and construction of section four, bringing the total project cost to just under $25 million.

with the EPA mandate, other public water providers in the region also have made announcements on the topic.

TriRiver Water has conducted an analysis of what it refers to as historic water lines in Sanford and Pittsboro.

TriRiver Water issued a statement that says, in part, “While utilities may not be directly responsible for privately-owned lines potentially containing lead, we are committed to working alongside our customers to identify and address any concerns.”

Initial inventory data is being made available this month for TriRiver Water customers. Based on TriRiver Water’s information, the inventory is an initial assessment because the EPA realizes that a full inventory for the entire water system might take several years to complete.

Mountaire program set

The company has employees signed up to help with the big giveaway

Randolph Record staff

SILER CITY — It’s the 30th anniversary of Mountaire Farms’ Thanksgiving for Thousands program.

Volunteers and employees will pack 38,000 meals for families in need.

Siler City is one of Saturday’s four locations. The other sites are Lumber Bridge and Statesville in North Carolina in addition to Selbyville, Delaware.

“We continue to be so blessed to be able to partner with our local communities

to make this event possible,” said JR LaPearl, director of Mountaire Cares, the charitable giving program at Mountaire. “We couldn’t do this without our volunteers and our partners in the faithbased and nonprofit world. They are the real heroes in getting these boxes into the hands of families who need them.”

In Siler City, 9,000 boxes will be distributed from the employee parking lot off East Raleigh Street. The time frame is from 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (or until all boxes are packed and distributed).

Boxes contain a Mountaire roaster chicken, canned corn, green beans, cranberry sauce, yams, stuffing, gravy and a brownie mix. It’s

designed to feed a family of four, according to information from Mountaire.

Mountaire partners with Redner’s Markets, a grocery store and longtime Mountaire customer, that provides all the shelf-stable food for the event.

All boxes have been reserved by hundreds of churches and nonprofit organizations that distribute them that day in the communities in and around Mountaire.

No walk-up distributions at packing locations are offered.

The program began in 1994 when a local church in Dagsboro, Delaware, could no longer accommodate the 100 hungry people it fed every holiday with the help of Mountaire chicken.

police report, the truck drove around the perimeter fence of the airport and into a large field southeast of the airport.

Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in Randolph County:

Nov. 22-24

Celebration of Seagrove Potters

See 28 Seagrove pottery shop booths, gala, live pottery auction, demos, food trucks and more. 798 N.C. Hwy 705 Seagrove

Nov. 23

Courthouse Cruise-In: Toys for Tots Drive

6-10 p.m.

The incident occurred on property at Asheboro Regional Airport

Randolph Record staff

ASHEBORO — A passenger of a truck that made access to property at Asheboro Regional Airport died as a result of injuries sustained in a wreck on the airport grounds, police said.

Kyle Dixon, 32, of Lexington, died at an undisclosed

out-of-county medical facility

Monday following Sunday’s incident, according to the Asheboro Police Department.

Police responded to the area of 2677 Tot Hill Farm Road after reports of a truck overturned in a field.

Fire and EMS personnel arrived on scene and began rendering aid. Asheboro police officers arrived on scene and found that a white 1996 Toyota T-100 truck had accessed the property of the Asheboro Regional Airport. Based on a

The truck was allegedly being operated by a 35-year-old male. Dixon and a 46-year-old man were riding in the open bed of the truck. Dixon and the other man were ejected from the bed.

Police said the driver was uninjured. The other passenger sustained minor injuries and was treated and released at the scene.

This incident is being investigated by the Asheboro Police Department’s Traffic Unit. Investigators plan to consult with the District Attorney’s Office to determine appropriate charges, based on the police report.

Asheboro Summer Cruise-In Series, will host its eighth event of the season. The theme of the evening will be our annual donation dropoff for the Randolph County chapter of the Toys for Tots organization. Please bring a new, unwrapped toy to the cruise-in to donate

Nov. 29Dec. 23

COUNCIL from page A1

“The best news is we’re still under budget,” said Water Resources Director Michael Rhoney.

In addition, the board approved four on-street parking spaces on the east side of Loach Street, and the city will also begin evaluating changing the intersections of Worth Street and North Main Street, Worth S treet and North Elm Street, and Brewer Street and North Elm Street from traffic lights to four-way stops.

“These are the only three that are maintained by the city,” said City Engineer Michael Leonard. “They have reached the end of their life cycle, and it’s getting more costly to repair.” Finally, the board also held three public hearings all dealing with rezoning applications.

The first request was to rezone property located on the east side of U.S. Business South at Oakhurst Road from R10 Medium-Density Residential to I2 General Industrial, which aligns more with surrounding properties.

The second was to rezone property located at 1135 and 1147 South Cox St. from R7.5 Medium-Density Residential and RA6(CZ) to an amended RA6(CZ) in order to add a duplex unit on the subject property along with associated parking.

The third hearing was to rezone property located on the west side of W.O.W. Road from R15(CZ) Low-Density Single-Family Residential Conditional Zoning to just R15. Following each hearing, the board approved the requests.

The Asheboro City Council will next meet Dec. 5.

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Deconstruction 4

THE RECONSTRUCTION ERA, following the Civil War until about 1900, challenged the country to reconstitute the Union North and the Confederate South into the “Re-United” States.

History gives this effort mixed reviews. The South experienced crushing punishment for supporting slavery and resented the new laws leveled against them. The North feared the freedmen integrating their cities, taking their jobs and spoiling their culture.

With great resolve, Congress passed three constitutional Reconstruction amendments that changed the course of history. The 13th Amendment abolished slavery, the 14th defined citizenship rights and equal protections for all Americans, and the 15th secured the right for all eligible citizens to vote. The struggle to internalize the tragedy of the Civil War led to the 100year Civil Rights movement and continues today as we seek to afford peace and justice for all members of American society.

On Nov. 5, 2024, tiny Anson County voted Republican for only the second time since the Reconstruction Era. Settled along the Pee Dee River in 1750, Anson County’s population is 22,500, the median income is $42,000, 98% of the residents are U.S. citizens and 40% are black.

What were they thinking?

The conservative sweep of the 2024 election has demonstrated a desire to peel off the layers of accumulated bureaucracy. Americans want to be confident, not suspicious, of our leaders to fairly apply the law. Obscure regulations are yesterday’s tools of governance. The voters of Anson County may be asking for a “Deconstruction Era.”

In November, 46% of all voters aged 18-29 voted Republican, up 10 points from 2020. The media and Hollywood endorsements could not prevent the younger generation from placing their bet on a thriving, innovative economy if given the right combination of education and incentive. Conservative innovators appealed to the entrepreneurial spirit of the younger worker, fed on the idea of realizing their dream job. For some, it was building the family legacy; for others, the shiny objects of the future, like cryptocurrency and AI, appealed to their sense of adventure.

What was once a noble effort to raise awareness for women’s rights morphed into a rant of unfulfilled promises. This fall, fewer women voted for the liberal agenda than in 2022.

The goal to elevate women to a level playing field has compromised the game, leaving young women unprotected on the field and in the classroom. The original mission of the movement devolved into a

single voting issue that many younger women could not support. The hope of many to raise a family defeated the demand for unrestricted abortion.

Expect to hear more about the other A word: adoption.

Another A word: aspiration. Bill Clinton knew “it’s the economy, stupid” in 1992. The 2024 voters knew it also. They recognized that the economy cannot function if it is shackled in regulation, stuck with a combustion engine in a hybrid world. The case was made not by politicians but by the greatest minds in manufacturing, technology and finance today. These innovators campaigned for conservatism with confidence and enthusiasm, saying America is not broken; it is disabled with debt.

You can almost hear the citizens of Anson saying, “How can I get some of that?” While the liberal media was reporting the dire condition of our country, Americans were watching the SpaceX Starship hit the mark on the docking station. Nothing but net.

The big loser in the 2024 election was identity politics. To the race-baiting industry, RIP.

The fault line of our two-party system has been blurred by shared friendships, experiences, diverse families and cultures. Our country is no longer a paintby-numbers canvas where voters are stereotyped by color. We are a collage of dynamic, broad brushstrokes with an infinite palette. The paint will not go back into the tube. The free expression of multiethnic, workingclass Americans may have created a renaissance unimagined in 2022.

The big winner was education. Polls suggest this was the biggest factor in the election outcome. William Galston said it best in The Wall Street Journal: The liberal party has shifted from the factory floor to the faculty club. Conservative values have trumped envy and elitism. We witnessed the awesome power of American ingenuity and the muscle of volunteers who responded to the biblical devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. No questions asked.

President Abraham Lincoln struggled with Reconstruction. Before his assassination, he conjured the 10% Plan, a “Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction.” In part, the Southern states could rejoin the Union when 10% of the people in that state took the oath of allegiance to the United States.

Let us consider a “Deconstruction Plan” for the United States. Imagine the debt reduced by 10% and allegiance to our new administration increased by 10%.

A pollster would tell you that is a 20-point swing, a solid foundation for a prosperous future.

Connie Lovell lives in Pinehurst.

To the Editor: I was surprised and disappointed to see executives of Parkdale Mills blame the imminent closure of their company’s Sanford textile plant, laying off 74 workers, on an alleged “rapid increase in energy costs, which has rendered our business model unsustainable.” Nonsense.

The reality is that North Carolina’s energy costs are well below the national average; electricity rates will decrease Jan. 1; our state’s economy is booming; and longstanding, unrelated trade issues plague Parkdale, which has closed factories throughout the low-cost Southeast.

As Parkdale CEO Andy Warlick noted last year in testimony to Congress, America’s textile industry is struggling because of an archaic and unfair “de minimis” trade policy that lets foreign producers and e-commerce distributors such as Shein and Temu export goods here in small batches (under $800 each) to avoid import tariffs.

In his almost 4,000-word plea for help, Warlick did not mention energy costs or electricity a single time. He had no reason to.

Manufacturers and other major energy users such as data centers are flocking to North Carolina in part because our electricity is affordable, reliable and plentiful. Our industrial electricity rates are 23% below the national average. North Carolina is a less expensive place to do business than most other states, thanks also to its low taxes, favorable regulatory environment, modest construction costs, affordable cost of living and well-trained workforce.

Parkdale Mills faces serious economic challenges that Congress should address. But claiming that North Carolina’s energy costs are high is to spin a mighty yarn indeed.

Linda Hunt Williams lives in Sanford and formerly served in the state house.

Climate change was the big election loser

A FEW DAYS BEFORE last week’s election, Bernie Sanders issued a dire warning to voters: “If Donald Trump is elected, the struggle against climate change is over.” He had that right.

Climate change fanaticism was effectively on the ballot last week. The green energy agenda was decisively defeated. It turns out that the tens of millions of middle - class Americans who voted for Trump weren’t much interested in the temperature of the planet 50 years from now. They’re too busy trying to pay the bills. That result shouldn’t be too surprising. Every poll in recent years has shown climate change ranks near the bottom of voter concerns. Jobs, inflation and illegal immigration register much higher on the scale of concerns.

But if you asked the elite of America in the top 1% of income, climate change is seen as an immediate and existential threat to the planet. Our poll at Unleash Prosperity earlier this year found that the cultural elites were so hyperobsessed with climate issues, they were in favor of banning air conditioning, nonessential air travel and many modern home appliances to stop global warming. Our study showed that not many of the other 99% agree.

Wake up, Bernie and Al Gore.

Climate change has become the ultimate luxury good: The richer you are, the more you fret about it.

Among the elite, obsessing about climate change has become a favorite form of virtue signaling at the country club and in the faculty lounges. There is almost no cross the green elites — the people who donate six figures or more to groups like the Sierra Club — aren’t willing to make lower-income Americans bear to stop global warming.

Herein lies the political curse of the climate issue. A millionaire doesn’t care much if the price of gas rises by $1 per gallon or if they have to pay another $100 a month in utility bills. But the middle-class hates paying more.

It wasn’t just economic concerns that turned voters against climate crusaders like Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Workers weren’t too thrilled with the heavy fist of government commanding them to buy an electric vehicle — whether they wanted one or not.

It hasn’t helped the greens’ cause that the same progressives out to save the planet with grandiose transformations and global government seem to have no problem with the garbage polluting the streets of our major cities, or the graffiti or the feces and urine smell on the street corners of San Francisco and New

York City. That’s real pollution. And it’s affecting us here and now.

The good news is, this year’s voter revolt against the radical green agenda isn’t a vote for dirtier air or water. The air we breathe and the water we drink is cleaner than ever — a point that Trump correctly made. We will continue to make progress against pollution.

But the nonsense of “net zero” use of fossil fuels is a bridge way too far. The destruction of jobs historically held by blue-collar union workers ripped right into the heart of the Democratic Party’s traditional voting base.

In their zeal to save the planet, Democrats forgot to visit the steel mills, construction sites and auto plants to ask those workers what they thought.

Well, now we know. Americans recognize their shrinking paychecks and the higher price of gas they pay at the pump is the real clear and present danger to their way of life. If Democrats don’t start to get that, they too will go to bed worrying about their jobs.

Stephen Moore is a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation. He is also an economic adviser to the Trump campaign. His new book, coauthored with Arthur Laffer, is “The Trump Economic Miracle.”

COLUMN | CONNIE LOVELL

COLUMN | STEPHEN MOORE

LINDA HUNT WILLIAMS

Donna Kay Lautenschleger

Dec. 12. 1947 – Nov. 16, 2024

Donna Kay Lautenschleger, 76, of Seagrove, North Carolina, departed from this world peacefully after battling illness in the early morning hours of Saturday, November 16, 2024.

Donna attended high school at Seagrove High School. She remained friends and had fond memories of former classmates. She soon met the love of her life and best friend, Roy Lautenschleger and married on August 12, 1966. As they grew their family, they lived in Michigan, Asheboro, Morehead City, and later in life considered Asheboro, NC, home again.

Donna had a gentle heart, warm spirit and was a fierce advocate for her family. Known for her straightforward manner and insightful wisdom, she had a unique ability to explain the complexities of life in ways that resonated with those around her. She had an infectious sense of humor and could find a way to bring laughter into the most challenging moments. Whether it be beating you in a late-night game of Rummy or Spades, her house rules of NO visual cues or hand signals were as strong as her love for lemon-flavored anything.

Donna cared little for the material things of this world, believing instead of the value of people for who they truly were, not for what they had. Her unwavering devotion to nurturing those around her was a cornerstone of her character. She instilled this same sense of character and responsibility in her family, expecting them to do the same for others. Her legacy of compassion and understanding will continue to live on in the hearts of all those fortunate enough to know her.

Donna is survived by her husband of 58 years, Roy Lautenschleger; their three children, Jason Lautenschleger (Melissa Porasky) of Sanford, Kathy L. Graham (Gregory Graham) of New Bern, Barbara Johnson (James Johnson Jr.) of Asheboro; grandchildren, Jimmy Johnson, Amanda Brady, Jennifer Graham, Kristen Graham, Steve Graham; great-grandchildren, Maddie, Cayden, Camden, Abbey, E.J., Victoria; sisters, Faye Hurley, Judy Williamson, Sharon Thomas; brothers, Bill Loggains, Gary Loggains; and a host of nieces and nephews.

Donna was preceded in death by her mother, Beulah Loggains; father, Earnest Clayton “Doc” Loggains; brothers, Ray Loggains, and Jerry Loggains; and a sister, Betty Harrell. Donna was one of nine beloved children. Our family has also mourned the loss of her brother-in-law, Gene Hurley; and sister-in-law, Claudette Loggains.

A funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m., Saturday, November 23, 2024, at Ridge Funeral Home Chapel, with Rev. Brian Faircloth officiating. Burial will follow at New Hope Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, November 22, 2024, at Ridge Funeral Home. The family will receive friends following the burial at the family home.

Wayne D. Thomas

Sept. 16, 1941 – Nov. 16, 2024

Wayne D. Thomas, of Asheboro, passed away on November 16, 2024, at Hospice House of Randolph, after a weeklong illness.

Wayne was born in Asheboro on September 16, 1941, the third of Cecil and Lois Thomas’ seven children. He was proud of being raised in the Balfour area of Asheboro and graduated from Asheboro High School in 1959.

He was the Owner/Operator of two Asheboro businesses, C & T Surveys with partner and friend Ray Campbell, and The Trophy Shop with his wife Deborah. He was an avid supporter of youth sports, always able to be counted on to volunteer to coach, sponsor a team, or run a league for the City of Asheboro. He was known for announcing Little League baseball games from the back of his pickup truck. He also loved all plants and flowers and working in his yard.

Wayne is survived by his wife of 62 years, Deborah Young Thomas, his daughter Myla T. Buffkin and husband Ritchie of Asheboro, his beloved granddaughter Kellie B. Streater and husband Matthew of Monroe, sister-in-law Martha Y. Smith and husband Martin of Asheboro, nephews Kyle Smith of Kernersville and Derek Smith of Asheboro, and close family friend Keith Roper of Ft. Mill SC. In lieu of flowers, please make a memorial to the charity or organization of your choice.

Mr. Thomas will have a register book out at Ridge Funeral Home from November 18, 2024, until 5 p.m. Saturday, November 23, 2024.

Richard Joseph “Joey” Melton

Nov. 10, 1982 – Nov. 10, 2024

Richard Joseph “Joey” Melton, age 42, of Raeford, NC passed away on November 10, 2024.

Mr. Melton was born in Richmond, VA on November 10, 1982. Joey was a hard worker and was formerly employed with Energizer and Technimark and was employed at Bunce Construction before he passed away. Joey was a kind-hearted man with a good spirit, who would stop and help anyone who needed it. He was a jack of all trades. Joey loved kids, NASCAR, fishing, and shopping with his sisters.

He is survived by his wife, Victoria Melton; son, Willoughby Isaac Melton; parents, Donald Melton and Sharon Chipps; sisters, Rachel Skinner (Jed Rollins) and Candice Ellison (Thomas); halfsister, Lottie Melton; nephews, Trey and Miles Ellison; and many other family and friends.

The family will receive friends on Friday, November 15, 2024, from 12-1:45 p.m. at Mt. Calvary Independent Baptist Church, 1206 Oakland Avenue in Asheboro. Funeral services will follow on Friday at 2:00 pm at the church with Pastor Neil Poole officiating. Burial will be held at New Hope Memorial Gardens. Pugh Funeral Home in Asheboro is serving the Melton family.

Kelly Dean Bennett

April 23, 1960 – Nov. 15, 2024

Kelly Dean Bennett, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, passed away peacefully on November 15, 2024, at the age of 64.

A celebration of Dean’s life will be held at a later date.

Born on April 23, 1960, in Randolph Co., Dean was the son of the late Mattie Ruth Beaver Bennett and Kelly Rufus Bennett, Dean grew up in a household filled with love and strong values that shaped the life he lived.

A graduate of his Asheboro High School, Dean was a talented athlete who excelled on the baseball field, making lasting memories with teammates and friends and played for the American Legion Post 45 in the 1978 Champion game. His passion for the game stayed with him throughout his life, whether reminiscing about his playing days or cheering on his favorite teams. Dean was a man who lived for the simple joys in life. He was an avid sports enthusiast, especially the Miami Dolphins, who spent countless hours immersed in fantasy football, sharing friendly rivalries with family and friends. When he wasn’t tracking game stats, he could often be found hunting in the crisp woods or casting a line on tranquil waters. Weekends at Lake Tillery were especially cherished, offering Dean the perfect escape to relax, connect with loved ones, and appreciate nature’s beauty.

Above all, Dean loved and devoted himself to his family. He is survived by his loving wife of 42 years, Lisa Bennett, with whom he shared a lifetime of joy, laughter, and enduring partnership.

Dean was the proud father of two sons, Garrett Bennett and Korey Bennett (fiancée, Christine Marshall), whose accomplishments brought him great pride. His role as “Papaw” to his granddaughter, Abbie Bennett, was one of his greatest joys, as he delighted in her every laugh and milestone. Coaching his sons and granddaughter in sports brought him tremendous happiness.

Dean had worked for years at Mickey Truck Body moving up the ladder quickly from welder to plant manager and supervisor. Later in his career, he went to work at Airgas.

Dean also leaves behind his brother, Mike Bennett (Patricia), with whom he shared a lifelong bond and countless memories, and his nephew, Michael Bennett.

Dean will be remembered for his quick wit, steadfast loyalty, and unwavering love for his family and friends. Though his time with us was far too short, his memory will live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.

The family kindly asks that memorial contributions be made to the Randolph Hospice House, 446 Vision Drive, Asheboro, NC 27203. Rest in peace, Dean. You will forever be missed and cherished.

Shirley Ann Kinley Saunders

Oct. 14, 1944 – Nov. 15, 2024

Mrs. Shirley Ann Kinley Saunders, 80, of Asheboro, North Carolina, passed away Friday, November 15, 2024, at Clapp’s Convalescent Nursing Home, Asheboro, NC. Funeral Service will be conducted at 2 p.m., Monday, November 18, 2024, at Ridge Funeral Home Chapel, with Mr. James P. Upton III officiating. Burial will follow at Back Creek Friends Meeting Cemetery. Mrs. Saunders was born in Davidson Co., NC, on October 14, 1944, the daughter of the late David Kinley and Treva Kinley. She had worked at Blue Bell for over 30 years and later raised chickens. She was a former member of Back Creek Friends Meeting who loved canning, hunting and mowing the lawn. She enjoyed yard sales and tag sales. Shirley loved playing jokes on people. She would buy gag gifts all year so she could give them as Christmas presents. More than anything Shirley loved her family.

In addition to her parents, Mrs. Saunders was preceded in death by her siblings, Magdaline McDowell, Dorothy “Dot” Sluder, Emma Jane Hunt, and Homer Kinley.

Mrs. Saunders is survived by her husband Lonnie Saunders of the home; daughters, Annessa Davidson (Tommy) of Randleman, Regenia Ligon (Hayley) of Thomasville, Wanda Ligon Booth (Kenny) of Archdale; son, Waylon Saunders (Sarah) of Asheboro; brother, Benny Kinley (Lou) of Lexington; grandchildren, Anna Fountain (Jared), Luke Davidson, Jonathon Booth, Kaleb Booth, Brandon Rillo (Cassie), Josh Rillo (fiancée Meredith); great grandchildren, Brooks Fountain, Briggs Fountain, Naomi Rillo, and Olivia Rillo.

The family will receive friends from 12 to 2 p.m. on Monday, November 18, 2024, at Ridge Funeral Home, prior to the funeral service.

Paul

Linebarrier

Dec. 16, 1935 – Nov. 15, 2024

Mr. Paul Edgar Linebarrier, 88, of Liberty, North Carolina, passed away Friday, November 15, 2024, at Randolph Hospice House, Asheboro, NC. No services are planned at this time.

Oct. 31, 1964 – Nov. 15, 2024

Gary Melvin Pfohl, Asheboro, NC (formerly Pendleton, NY) was called to his heavenly home on November 15, 2024. He was 62 years old.

He was born October 31, 1962, in Niagara Falls, NY, the son of Melvin and Elaine Pfohl. He was the youngest of three siblings. On June 16, 1984, he married Karen (Mueller) Pfohl. In July 1998 Gary and Karen moved to Asheboro, NC.

Gary graduated from Niagara Wheatfield High School in 1980. He also earned an Associate Degree in Animal Husbandry from S.U.N.Y. Agricultural and Technical College at Alfred. Gary retired from the United States Postal Service in 2020 after 20plus years of service.

Gary enjoyed playing basketball in his younger years. He took up snow skiing after chaperoning a church youth group ski trip. He convinced Karen to try skiing on their 25th wedding anniversary trip. He looked forward to time spent with Karen skiing out west on their annual ski trip as they marveled at the magnificent beauty of God’s creation. Gary was also a fan of and enjoyed watching Buffalo Bills football and Duke Blue Devils basketball. Gary was a member of Meadowview Reformed Presbyterian Church, Lexington, NC where he enjoyed teaching Sunday School. He felt he learned more preparing for the classes than those in attendance received. Gary loved the Lord. He was previously a member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Sanborn, NY prior to moving to NC.

Gary is survived by his wife of 40 years, Karen (Mueller) Pfohl; sisters Donna (Robert) Knights, Barbara Walck (Mark Lindauer); In-laws Marlene Mueller, Kyle (Larry) Hall, Kim (Bill) Szelazkiewicz, Mike (Cindy) Mueller; nieces and nephews. Gary is predeceased by his parents Melvin and Elaine Pfohl, and father-in-law Myron (Mike) Mueller.

Visitation will be on Tuesday, November 19th from 5-7 p.m. at Pugh Funeral Home, 437 Sunset Avenue, Asheboro, NC 27203. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, November 20th at 10 a.m. at Meadowview Reformed Presbyterian Church, 1 Grace Way Drive, Lexington, NC 27295.

A special thank you to both Hospice of Randolph County and Home Instead of Asheboro for the caring individuals who made it possible for Gary to remain at home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of Randolph County, The Life Center of Davidson County, 601 West Center Street, Lexington, NC, 27292 or St. Peter’s Lutheran School, 6167 Walmore Road, Sanborn, NY 14132.

Gary Melvin Pfohl

George “Fred” Snider

Nov. 24, 1933 – Nov. 14, 2024

George Fred Snider November 24, 1933 – November 14, 2024

Randleman

George Fred Snider, 90, of Randleman passed away surrounded by family at Clapp’s Nursing Home in Asheboro, NC. He was born November 24, 1933, in Tobaccoville, NC to Solomon R. Snider and Alice Allen Snider.

Fred is remembered as a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and friend. He loved his church, family and those close to him. Known for their love of gardening, he and Johnsie would provide fruit and vegetables to the community. Fred was a member of First Baptist Church in Randleman and was always the first to offer service when help was asked. He was a proud veteran of the US Army retiring with the rank of Corporal. Fred will be remembered as the local mail carrier for over 30 years in Randleman.

The family would like to give special thanks to Clapp’s Nursing Home and their wonderful staff for the exceptional care given to Fred. Fred is survived by his daughter, Sheila Snider Baldwin and her husband Jack of Franklinville; grandchildren, Benjamin Joseph Baldwin of Franklinville, Cora Baldwin Redding of Asheboro, Rachel Baldwin Branson and her husband Eric of Franklinville, and Adam Lynn Baldwin of Havelock; great grandchildren, Cody and Michael Redding, Malachi, Hannah, Elijah, Judah, and John Branson; brother Paul Snider. In addition to his parents, Fred is preceded in death by his loving wife of 60 years, Johnsie Davis Snider; brothers, Allen, Arlis, Claude, Gray, and Glenn; sisters, Martha, Avah, Ruby and Pearl.

The family will receive friends on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 from 6-8 p.m. at Pugh Funeral Home in the Eddie Pugh Memorial Chapel, 600 S. Main St. in Randleman. Funeral service will be held Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church Randleman, 100 North Main Street, Randleman with Reverend Chris Heppding and Reverend Kenneth Reeves officiating. Interment will follow at Randolph Memorial Park.

Pugh Funeral Home is serving the Snider family.

Jesse “Jay” Woodrow Sandlin Jr.

Dec. 28, 1940 – Nov. 12, 2024

Jesse “Jay” Woodrow Sandlin Jr., age 83, of Asheboro passed away on November 12, 2024, at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hospital.

Mr. Sandlin was born in New Hanover County on December 28, 1940, to Jesse Woodrow Sandlin Sr. and Ruth Jolly Sandlin. Jay was a 1960 graduate of New Hanover High School where he played shortstop on the baseball team. Jay served his country in the U.S. Air Force. He retired from Xerox after 34 years of service where he was employed as a Service Repair Technician and trainer. Jay was a member of First Presbyterian Church. In addition to his parents, Jay was preceded in death by his wife, Galenda Slaughter Sandlin and sister, Patricia “Patty” Daughtry. Jay was a huge baseball fan, especially the Atlanta Braves. He coached Little League in Asheboro for numerous years taking multiple teams to the AllStar playoffs in Raleigh. He was always tinkering around the house and could fix anything.

He is survived by his sons, Mark Sandlin (Tamara) of Greensboro and Woody Sandlin (Mary Elizabeth) of Greensboro; grandchildren, Kayden Sandlin, Hunter Sandlin, Andrew Sandlin, Julia Sandlin, and Sara Beth Sandlin; and brother, Mike Sandlin (Joanne) of Hampstead.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 23, 2024, at 2 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 420 West Walker Avenue in Asheboro with Rev. Brian Rummage officiating. The family will receive friends following the service.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown MD 21741. Pugh Funeral Home in Asheboro is serving the Sandlin family.

Zachary “Zach” Lee Thornburg

Aug. 1. 1959 – Nov. 11, 2024

Zachary “Zack” Lee Thornburg, age 65, of Asheboro, passed away on November 11, 2024, at Randolph Hospice House after a long battle with Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease.

Mr. Thornburg was born in Randolph County on August 1, 1959, to Farrell and Carole Jean Perdue Thornburg. Zack was a 1977 graduate of Asheboro High School. After graduating from college, Zack returned to his Alma Mater where he taught math and coached multiple sports. Known to many as “Coach Thornburg”, he was a True Blue Comet! In 1996, Zack graduated with his master’s degree in educational administration from NC A&T. He served as an Administrator with Asheboro City Schools and Randolph County Schools prior to his retirement in 2013. Zack attended Sunset Avenue Church of God. In addition to his mother, Zack was preceded in death by an infant daughter.

He is survived by his wife of 21 years, Laura Jensen Thornburg; children, Jack Holton Thornburg, Jensen Lee Thornburg, and Jerome David “JD” Thornburg all of the home; Emily Thornburg LeRoy (Kris) of Asheboro, Ellen Thornburg Brisley (Rob) of Asheboro, and John Thornburg (Nikki) of Raleigh; grandchildren, Owen, Ainsley, and Nellie LeRoy, Carr and Holt Brisley, and Hatley Thornburg; father, Farrell Thornburg of Asheboro; brother, Robin Thornburg (Kaylee) of Florence, SC; and sister, Rhonda Burns of Sophia. The family will receive friends on Friday, November 15, 2024, from 6-8 p.m. at Pugh Funeral Home, 437 Sunset Avenue in Asheboro. A graveside service will be held on Saturday, November 16, 2024, at 11 a.m. at New Hope Memorial Gardens with Rev. Boyd Byerly officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Asheboro City Schools Education Foundation. A scholarship to benefit AHS Wrestlers will be established in memory of Zack. Checks can be mailed to PO Box 1103, Asheboro, NC 27204.

Senhouse attends her 113th birthday celebration on Feb. 28, 2024, in Wellesley,

Herlda

Senhouse,

second-oldest U.S. resident, dies at age 113

She was born in West Virginia in 1911

The Associated Press WELLESLEY, Mass. — Herlda Senhouse, who founded a jazz dance group to raise money for black students in the 1950s and lived to become the second-oldest person in the United States, has died at age 113.

Senhouse died “peacefully in her sleep” on Saturday, said Stephanie Hawkinson, public information officer for the town of Wellesley, Massachusetts, where Senhouse had lived for the last four decades.

“She never missed an opportunity to learn more, do more, experience more,” said Hawkinson, who met Senhouse on her 108th birthday and had celebrated with her every year since.

Born Feb. 28, 1911, in Piedmont, West Virginia, Senhouse was sent to live with an aunt in Woburn, Massachusetts, at age 16 and graduated from Woburn High School. According to the Boston Globe, she dreamed of becoming a nurse but was turned away by a nursing school af-

ter it had met its quota of two black students in 1931. She later worked as a housekeeper for several families and founded the Boston Clique Club, which raised money to improve educational opportunities for black students in Boston.

At age 105, she enrolled in the New England Centenarian Study, which seeks to determine how people like her age so slowly while delaying or escaping aging-related disease. She also bequeathed her brain to researchers, Hawkinson said.

According to the Gerontology Research Group, the oldest person in the United States is Naomi Whitehead, 114, who lives in Greenville, Pennsylvania.

Hawkinson said Senhouse often said the secret to her longevity was never having children, though she enjoyed children and caring for them. She surrounded herself with a community of relatives, friends and members of her church, and was always up for an adventure, Hawkinson said.

“She was truly an inspiration to so many in our community,” she said.

STEPHANIE HAWKINSON / TOWN OF WELLESLEY, MASSACHUSETTS VIA AP

Herlda

Massachusetts.

STATE & NATION

Hurricane season alive and well with third November storm

Sara went through Central America last week

By Russ Bynum The Associated Press

SAVANNAH, Ga. — As the third named storm to emerge during November, Tropical Storm Sara serves as a reminder that the Atlantic hurricane season hasn’t quite ended.

Sara formed in the western Caribbean Sea before making landfall last week on the northern coast of Honduras, dumping torrential rains in a slow weekend crawl across parts of Central America.

Sara follows two other named storms so far this month. Tropical Storm Patty brought heavy rain to the Azores and dissipated without striking land. Then Hurricane Rafael struck Jamaica and the Cayman Islands before tearing across Cuba as a Category 3 storm.

That has made for an unusually active final month for the hurricane season when forecasters typically see a single named storm every year or two. And the 2024 season still has two weeks to go.

The hurricane season for storms in the Atlantic Ocean,

the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico officially runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. Though named storms have been known to form before and after that six-month period, hurricane season reflects the months when weather con-

ditions are more favorable for producing tropical storms and hurricanes.

Ocean temperatures must reach at least 79 degrees Fahrenheit to fuel hurricanes. Hurricane season is also when the upper atmosphere tends to

have reduced wind shear, or changes in wind speed and direction that tear hurricanes apart.

Those hostile winds tend to ramp up later into the fall, making it more difficult for November storms to form, said Levi Silvers, a hurricane researcher at Colorado State University.

“We have the water temperatures to allow for these storms to form,” Silvers said. “But it’s increasingly unlikely we’re going to get the conducive winds.”

Based on the 30-year period from 1991 to 2020, November typically sees one tropical storm every year or two. Storms that strengthen into hurricanes are rarer during the season’s final month, with one occurring generally every two years, according to the hurricane center.

Since 1851, a total of 125 tropical storms have been recorded during November, said Brian McNoldy, a hurricane researcher at the University of Miami. About half of those storms, 63, went on to become hurricanes. And 12 strengthened into major hurricanes with winds above 110 mph. Rafael earlier this month forced the evacuation of

283,000 people in Cuba and destroyed 460 homes. It was the Atlantic basin’s first November hurricane since 2022 when the season wrapped up with three storms. One of them, Hurricane Nicole, became the first November hurricane to make landfall in Florida since 1985.

Only two other November hurricanes are known to have struck the U.S., in 1861 and in 1935, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Since 1953, there have been seven November hurricanes devastating enough to have their names retired, McNoldy said.

The last ones were Hurricanes Eta and Iota, both Category 4 storms that smashed into the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua two weeks apart in November 2020. The back-toback hurricanes were blamed for a combined 239 deaths and $8.2 billion in damage across Central America.

They struck at the end of the most active hurricane season on record with 30 named storms. The busy 2020 season exhausted the year’s alphabetical list of storm names by mid-September. Later storms, including Eta and Iota, were identified using Greek letters. Other destructive November hurricanes that had their names retired were Otto in 2016, Paloma in 2008, Noel in 2007, Michelle in 2001 and Lenny in 1999, according to McNoldy.

More logging proposed to help curb Pacific Northwest wildfires

Officials say the Northwest Forest Plan of 1994 is outdated

By Matthew Brown

The Associated Press

U.S. OFFICIALS would allow increased logging on federal lands across the Pacific Northwest in the name of fighting wildfires and boosting rural economies under proposed changes to a sweeping forest management plan that’s been in place for three decades.

The U.S. Forest Service proposal, released Friday, would overhaul the Northwest Forest Plan that governs about 38,000 square miles in Oregon, Washington and California.

The plan was adopted in 1994 under President Bill Clinton amid pressure to curb destructive logging practices that resulted in widespread clearcuts and destroyed habitat used by spotted owls. Timber harvests dropped dramatically in subsequent years, spurring political backlash.

But federal officials now say worsening wildfires due to climate change mean forests must be more actively managed to increase their resiliency. Increased logging also would provide a more predictable supply of trees for timber companies, officials said, helping rural economies that have suffered after lumber

mills shut down and forestry jobs disappeared.

The proposal could increase annual timber harvests by at least 33% and potentially more than 200%, according to a draft environmental study. The number of timber-related jobs would increase accordingly.

Harvest volumes from the 17 national forests covered by the Northwest Forest Plan averaged about 445 million board feet annually over the past decade, according to government figures.

Cutting more trees would help reduce wildfire risk and make

communities safer, the study concluded. That would be accomplished in part by allowing cuts in some areas with stands of trees up to 120 years old — up from the current age threshold of 80 years.

The change could help foster conditions conducive to growing larger, old-growth trees that are more resistant to fire by removing younger trees, officials said.

A separate pending proposal from President Joe Biden’s administration aims to increase protections nationwide for oldgrowth trees, which play a sig-

nificant role in storing climate change-inducing carbon dioxide.

“Much has changed in society and science since the Northwest Forest Plan was created,” Jacque Buchanan, regional forester for the Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Region, said in a statement. He said the proposal would help the agency adapt to shifting conditions.

The proposed plan also calls for closer cooperation between the Forest Service and Native American tribes to tap into tribal knowledge about forest management. Tribes were excluded when the 1994 plan was crafted.

Environmentalists greeted the proposal with skepticism.

The group Oregon Wild said it was “deeply troubling” that the Forest Service would release the proposal just ahead of a change in presidential administrations.

“It appears that the Forest Service wants to abandon the fundamental purpose of the Northwest Forest Plan — protecting fish and wildlife and the mature and oldgrowth forests they need to survive,” John Persell, an attorney for the group, said in a statement.

During former President Donald Trump’s first term, administration officials sought to open millions of acres of West Coast forest to new logging by stripping habitat protections for the imperiled spotted owl. The move was opposed by government biologists and reversed under Biden.

A draft environmental study

The maximum tree age allowed to be cut under the current guidelines, which could increase to 120 years under the new proposal

examined several potential alternatives, including leaving the existing plan’s components in place or changing them to either reduce or increase logging.

A timber industry representative who co-chaired an advisory committee on the Northwest Forest Plan said the proposed plan resulted from discussions involving committee members, the Forest Service and others.

“We want to see a modern approach to federal forest stewardship that protects us from catastrophic wildfires, reduces toxic smoke, meaningfully engages tribes, and delivers for our rural communities and workers,” said Travis Joseph, president of the American Forest Resource Council.

The publishing of the proposal begins a 120-day public comment period. The Forest Service’s environmental review is expected to be completed by next fall, and a final decision is due in early 2026.

DELMER MARTINEZ / AP PHOTO

Residents walk past inundated vehicles in the flooded streets of Planeta, Honduras, in the aftermath of Hurricane Eta in November 2020.

RICK BOWMER / AP PHOTO

Old-growth Douglas fir trees stand along the Salmon River Trail in Mount Hood National Forest outside Zigzag, Oregon, in 2004.

RandolpH SPORTS

Blue Comets, Cougars make deep soccer runs

The teams from Randolph County could be playing in title games this weekend

Randolph Record staff

ASHEBORO — Boys’ soccer teams from Asheboro and Southwestern Randolph made it to the final week of the season. They hope to make all the way to state championships. Asheboro is in Class 3A and Southwestern Randolph is in Class 2A. Both teams hold No. 1 seeds in the West Region, meaning they would be assigned home games all the way through regional play. The teams were to play in West Region finals Tuesday night. Victories in those games would send them to their respective state finals. The state championships are scheduled to be played at the

Mecklenburg County Sportsplex in Matthews for the first time. One game will be played Friday night and the other three on Saturday. The finals schedule will be set following the completion of the regional finals.

The facility in Matthews was first used as a North Carolina High School Athletic Association championship site for the girls’ soccer title games in the spring.

Randleman, Eastern Randolph win in first round

The season ends for Asheboro and Southwestern Randolph

Randolph Record staff

RAMSEUR — Lucas Smith ran for two touchdowns and made a scoring catch as Eastern Randolph opened the Class 1A state playoffs by blowing past visiting Swain County in a 49-0 victory Friday night. Smith scored on runs of 1 and 45 yards and then caught a touchdown pass from No. 3.

Kobe Walker ran for touchdowns from 1 and 2 yards out. Jayden Spinks had a 10 -y ard

touchdown run and Zeb Meadows scored on a 45-yard return of a fumble. The fourth-seeded Wildcats (11-0) led 35-0 at halftime. Next for Eastern Randolph is Friday night’s second-round game against No. 13 seed Cherokee (7-4), a 25-8 winner against No. 20 seed Winston-Salem Carver (4-7). Cherokee defeated Swain County 27-14 in late October. No. 29 seed Swain County finished 1-10. There were three shutouts recorded in the Class 1A West Region, and all of those came from games in the top half of the bracket. Defending

Asheboro’s postseason run

The opponent for Asheboro in the regional final Tuesday night was second-seeded Winston-Salem Reynolds. Asheboro didn’t allow a goal in its first four postseason games.

A second-round victory against No. 16 seed North Cabarrus came by a 5-0 score as Cam Letterlough supplied two goals and two assists and Diego Busta-

The Asheboro football team gathers for its first playoff game in eight years Friday night at Greensboro Dudley.

state champion Mount Airy and Starmount had the other shutouts.

Class 2A

John Kirkpatrick threw two of his three touchdown passes to Tyshaun Goldston in a 30-13 victory against visiting East Gaston. Randleman (9-2), which had a two-game losing streak end, pulled away from a 14-7 halftime lead with 16 points in the third quarter. Next for the Tigers will be a home game against No. 13 seed Forest Hills (8-3), which beat No. 20 seed Lexington (7-4). Kirkpatrick threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Goldston for the game’s first points. The Tigers regained the lead with Goldston’s 36-yard pass to

See FOOTBALL, page B2

mante posted two goals and one assist.

The Blue Comets topped No. 9 seed Pisgah 4-0 in a game last Thursday night at Zoo City Sportsplex because of rain and concern about field conditions on campus. Letterlough had two goals and Bustamante and Ozmar Martinez had the other goals. Then came Saturday’s 3-0

See SOCCER, page B2

Trinity teams win notable basketball openers

Strong starts to the season define early games for UCA girls and boys

Randolph Record staff

DENTON — The beginning of basketball season came with special results for Trinity’s girls’ and boys’ basketball teams Friday night.

The girls’ team ended a long losing streak, while the boys’ team embarked on a season with a new coach for the first time in more than three decades.

Trinity’s girls opened the season by defeating host South Davidson 49-29 on Friday night as Madison Hill racked up 19 points and Ava Nance posted 15 points.

It was the program’s first victory in about 21½ months.

Trinity went 0-25 last season and had lost 29 consecutive games overall since defeating Providence Grove on Jan. 31, 2023.

• The Trinity boys won their first game under coach Brett Andrews, a former assistant coach for the team.

Andrews replaced longtime coach Tim Kelly, who spent 34 seasons directing the Bulldogs. Andrews had a one-year stint as Providence Grove’s coach last season before re -

turning to his alma mater.

Trinity used 25 points from Zy’iveon Holmes, 16 points and eight assists from Nazir Staton, and 15 points from Jackson Lee in defeating host South Davidson 73-47.

UCA teams excel

Uwharrie Charter Academy has been strong in action early in the season, winning its first four girls’ games and first two boys’ games.

The UCA girls won twice on the road last week. Nevaeh Staples posted 13 points and 10 rebounds in a 49-24 victory at Franklin Academy. That was followed by a 58-13 victory against Chatham Charter as Staples provided 14 points. UCA earlier prevailed twice at home, topping Falls Lake Academy by 58-43 and thumping Triangle Math & Science by 51-9.

The Eagles boys won 7043 against visiting Falls Lake Academy and overwhelmed visiting Triangle Math & Science by 91-51 in home games. Several other area teams will be opening their seasons this week. Some basketball schedules could be impacted by postseason soccer and football games for schools still involved in state playoffs in those sports.

THADD SANDERS FOR RANDOLPH RECORD

Asheboro’s Cristian Raygadas, right, makes a move in front of Pisgah’s Fernando Gamez during the third round of the Class 3A state playoffs.

HOME PLATE MOTORS

Fernando Hernandez

Southwestern Randolph, soccer

Hernandez has been the leading scorer for the Cougars as they made a bid to reach the state finals in Class 2A.

Hernandez, a junior forward, has racked up 48 goals through the early rounds of the state playoffs. He also rated second among Southwestern Randolph players with 24 assists.

He’s on a similar pace from last season, when he had 49 goals. In 2023, he was named the Offensive Player of the year in the Piedmont Athletic Conference.

WNBA corporate sponsors are growing

Women of color and LGBTQ+ players are often ignored in endorsement opportunities

By Claire Savage The Associated Press

IN A BANNER YEAR for women’s professional sports, athletes who dominate their game are reaping the financial benefits.

The WNBA is a leading example. Last month, it wrapped up a historic season that notched all-time viewership and attendance records while racking up brand deals and corporate sponsorships for its players along the way.

Many of the WNBA’s young stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese brought deals with them from their playing days in college, including name, image and likeness agreements that became endorsements with such companies as Nike, Reebok and Gatorade. Players of different backgrounds landed a variety of other endorsement deals with companies like CarMax and State Farm.

But for all those enjoying their newfound riches, there are still some players who are being left out. The WNBA recently partnered with Kim Kardashian’s underwear brand SKIMS, which featured women of color as well as LGBTQ+ players in its ads. The company received pushback, however, for excluding masculine-pre -

senting athletes in its May campaign.

“Not the papis of the league being forgotten again,” Phoenix Mercury’s Natasha Cloud posted on X after SKIMS’ “Fits Everybody” campaign dropped.

Two-time all-star Natasha Howard of the Dallas Wings also criticized the campaign, saying it felt “like a smack” for the league’s more masculine presenting players, and that it is “absolutely” harder for black LGBTQ+ athletes to get brand deals.

“I feel like a lot of people don’t want to see queer or lesbian people on the face of anything,” Howard said.

SKIMS did not respond to requests for comment.

Cloud and Howard decided to forge their own path. Both women scored partnerships with Woxer, a Latina and LGBTQ+-owned women’s boxer brand that offers a line designed for gender nonconforming customers. Miami-based Alexandra Fuente, Woxer’s founder, said that working with Howard, Cloud and Las Vegas Aces’ Kierstan Bell “was just a great match,” and the company is planning to collaborate with many more female athletes in the future.

“I think the major brands give deals to people that fit the box, and that is a great thing because it leaves opportunity for brands like us,” Fuente said. “For us ... everybody’s in the box.”

But for mainstream brands, partnering with athletes who don’t fit the traditional mold in today’s increasingly polarized cultural landscape fraught with anti-diversity backlash creates “this collective risk that some brands are unwilling to take,” according to Ketra Armstrong, University of Michigan professor of sport management and director of the Center for Race & Ethnicity in Sport.

Many brands are ”middle of the road, and want to be safe, and don’t want to offend other pockets of their consumers,” Armstrong said.

But brands are missing the mark when they overlook black LGBTQ+ women, said University of Massachusetts Amherst sport management professor Ajhanai Keaton, who studies the intersection of race and gender identity.

Like some of its players, the WNBA’s fan base also holds fluid gender identities, plus companies may underestimate how much consumers with different identities admire and relate to LGBTQ+ players, Keaton said. “Sponsors and brands are way behind the curve on this.”

For anyone who questions the marketing potential and social capital of Black LGBTQ+ athletes, Keaton added, they need only glance at the comment sections of their Instagram posts, which are filled with fire emojis, heart eyes emojis, and, “‘Where’d you get those shoes?’”

SOCCER from page B1

toppling of fifth-seeded East Lincoln (22-3-2), with Bustamante providing one goal and one assist. Letterlough and Carlos Castaneda had the other goals.

The Blue Comets reached the reginal final for the second time in three years.

If Asheboro advances to the title game, there could be a rematch from August. In the East Region final, Western Alamance had a date Tuesday night against Southern Durham. Asheboro defeated visiting Western Alamance 4-3 in a nonconfer-

FOOTBALL from page B1

Goldston in the second quarter. Kirkpatrick connected with Chase Farlow for a 14 -yard scoring play to open the second-half scoring. Triston Chriscoe’s interception return for a touchdown extended the lead before Christian McLeod’s 32-yard field goal made it 30-7. East Gaston ended the season 4-7. East Surry 19, Southwest-

ence game three months ago.

Cougars click in playoffs

In Class 2A, Southwestern Randolph was to face No. 14 seed Lincolnton in the regional final to determine which team would go on to the state final.

The Cougars knocked No. 16 seed Trinity, a fellow member of the Piedmont Athletic Conference, out of the postseason with a 5-1 second-round victory.

Yael Rebollar Ortiz and Fernando Hernandez scored two goals apiece.

Trinity finished with a 15-6-3 record, with half of the losses

ern Randolph 7: At Pilot Mountain, the No. 27 seed Cougars couldn’t muster much offense.

Southwestern Randolph (6-5) cut into a 12-0 hole when Noah Stills scored in the second quarter.

Sixth-seeded East Surry (9-2) had the only points in the second half in the fourth quarter, returning a fumble for a touchdown.

Southwestern Randolph’s Davonte Dukes had 67 re -

coming against Southwestern Randolph.

The Cougars went on to defeat No. 25 Bandys 3-0 last Thursday night at Zoo City Sportsplex. The game was moved to that venue because of rain. Hernandez, Jonathan Lopez and Aaron Avina had the goals. Then came Saturday’s fourth round with the Cougars prevailing 5-4 in a comeback victory against No. 12 seed Newton-Conover. Hernandez scored four goals and Kevin Garcia had the other tally.

Jared Deniz and Zach Schweighardt each had two goals for Newton-Conover (20-6-2).

ceiving yards on two catches. Class 3A

At Greensboro, the first playoff game in eight years didn’t go well for Asheboro, which lost 55-0 to fifth-seeded Greensboro Dudley (11-0). No. 28 seed Asheboro’s season ended with a 4-7 record. Only six teams that made the playoffs statewide this year had longer droughts of playoff appearances than the Blue Comets.

TONY GUTIERREZ / AP PHOTO

Dallas Wings’ Natasha Howard handles the ball as she works against the Indiana Fever in a WNBA game.

pen & paper pursuits

this week in history

“Blackbeard” killed; “Origin of Species” published; Kennedy assassinated; Oswald shot

NOV. 21

1920: On “Bloody Sunday,” the Irish Republican Army killed 14 suspected British intelligence officers in the Dublin area; British forces responded by raiding a soccer match, killing 14 civilians.

1980: An estimated 83 million viewers tuned in to the CBS prime-time soap opera “Dallas” to find out “who shot J.R.” (The shooter turned out to be J.R. Ewing’s sister-in-law, Kristin Shepard.)

NOV. 22

1718: English pirate Edward Teach — better known as “Blackbeard” — was killed during a battle off what is now North Carolina.

1935: A flying boat, the China Clipper, took off from Alameda, California, carrying more than 100,000 pieces of mail on the first trans-Pacific airmail flight.

1963: John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, was shot to death during a motorcade in Dallas; Suspected gunman Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested.

1986: Twenty-year-old Mike Tyson became the youngest heavyweight boxing champion in history.

NOV. 23

1971: The People’s Republic of China was seated in the United Nations Security Council.

1980: An estimated 2,500 to 3,000 people were killed by a series of earthquakes that devastated southern Italy.

1984: Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie completed one of the most famous passes in college football history, connecting with Gerald Phelan for a 48-yard touchdown with no time left on the clock as Boston College defeated the Miami Hurricanes, 47-45.

NOV. 24

1859: British naturalist Charles Darwin published “On the Origin of Species,” which explained his theory of evolution by means of natural selection.

1963: Jack Ruby shot and mortally wounded Lee Harvey Oswald, the accused assassin of President John F. Kennedy, in a scene captured on live television.

1971: A hijacker calling himself “Dan Cooper” (but who became popularly known as “D.B. Cooper”) parachuted from a Northwest Orient Airlines 727 over the Pacific Northwest after receiving $200,000 in ransom; his fate remains unknown.

1991: Queen singer Freddie Mercury died in London at age 45 of AIDS-related pneumonia.

NOV. 25

1783: The British evacuated New York during the Revolutionary War.

1914: Baseball Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio was born in Martinez, California.

1986: The Iran-Contra affair erupted as President Ronald Reagan and Attorney General Edwin Meese revealed that profits from secret arms sales to Iran had been diverted to Nicaraguan rebels.

1999: Elian Gonzalez, a 5-year-old Cuban boy, was rescued by a pair of sport fishermen off the coast of Florida, setting off an international custody battle.

President John F. Kennedy waves from his car in a motorcade approximately one minute before he was shot in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963. Riding with Kennedy was first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, Nellie Connally, and her husband, Texas Gov. John Connally, who was also shot but survived.

age 90.

NOV. 26

1825: The first college social fraternity, the Kappa Alpha Society, was formed at Union College in Schenectady, New York.

1950: China entered the Korean War, launching a counteroffensive against soldiers from the United Nations, the U.S. and South Korea.

NOV. 27

1901: The U.S. Army War College was established in Washington, D.C.

1924: Macy’s first Thanksgiving Day parade — billed as a “Christmas Parade” — took place in New York.

1978: San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and City Supervisor Harvey Milk, a gayrights activist, were shot to death inside City Hall by former supervisor Dan White.

2016: Fidel Castro died at

JIM ALTGENS / AP PHOTO

DALLAS TIMES-HERALD / BOB JACKSON / AP PHOTO

Lee Harvey Oswald, the accused assassin of President John F. Kennedy, was shot and killed on live television by Jack Ruby on Nov. 24, 1963.

Stars celebrate Quincy Jones, Bond producers, more at honorary Oscar’s event

The Governors Awards is a de-facto campaign stop for Oscar hopefuls

By Lindsey Bahr

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — Many of Hollywood’s biggest stars gathered in Los Angeles Sunday night for the annual Governors Awards.

The event, put on by the film academy’s board of governors, honored the late Quincy Jones, James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, filmmaker Richard Curtis and casting director Juliet Taylor. It’s also a de-facto campaign stop for Oscar hopefuls as awards season gets underway.

Broccoli and her brother Wilson followed in her father’s footsteps receiving the rarely given Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, celebrating the work of producers. Albert “Cubby” Broccoli accepted his own trophy (then a bust of Thalberg) at the 1982 Academy Awards as they looked on from the audience.

“It’s very humbling,” Broc -

“I think of so many people who have come before us, so many people I wish had been given the honor who aren’t with us anymore.”

James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli

coli told The Associated Press. “I think of so many people who have come before us, so many people I wish had been given the honor who aren’t with us anymore.”

Curtis, a writer and director known for his contributions to romantic comedies like “Love, Actually,” “Notting Hill” and “Four Weddings and a Funeral” was recognized for a lifetime of charitable work with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. Getting an Oscar was a lifetime dream for him — as a teenager he used to try to shield himself from the news so that he could watch the broadcast the next night in the U.K.

“This is particularly a special award, but it’s not work for which one expects praise or needs praise,” he said. Taylor is even less accustomed to being publicly celebrated for her contributions to cinema as a casting director. In her over four decades of work, she cast classics like “Annie Hall,” “Working Girl,” “Sleepless in Seattle” and “Schindler’s List.” While she was excited about the honorary Oscar, she was even happier that her peers are soon going to be regularly recognized. Starting with films released in 2025, the film academy will give a new competitive Oscar to casting directors.

The Governors Awards are often an emotional affair. With no television cameras or band there to play you off during a speech, it’s a night where friends and colleagues get to pay tribute to that year’s honorary Oscar recipients, many of whom are later in life. But this 15th event took on an added sadness when Jones died earlier this month. Jones was still honored on Sunday with a tribute to his life, work and legacy.

Richard Price returns with another portrait of urban America, ‘Lazarus Man’

The book is more of a tapestry than any traditional storytelling structure

By Rob Merrill

The Associated Press

IS THERE A BETTER writer of urban American stories than Richard Price? His resume is hard to beat: To episodes of HBO’s “The Wire,” and “The Night Of,” and novels like “Clockers,” “Lush Life,” and “Freedomland,” fans can now add “Lazarus Man.”

The story opens with a boom, literally. A five-story tenement in East Harlem collapses, killing dozens and leaving survivors milling about in a “mix of hot tar, cement dust and burning trash.” Into that setting step our main characters: Royal Davis, the owner of a funeral home forced to chase after tragedies for bodies; Mary Roe, a city detective working the community affairs beat; Felix Pearl, a 20-something new to the city who’s talented with a camera; and Anthony Carter, middle-aged, unemployed, and six months sober, found in the ruins days after the explosion and who becomes the novel’s title character.

Price’s screenplay writing experience is noticeable as he hops from character to char-

acter, sometimes offering just a paragraph or two about their past and what’s happening to them in the present before skipping to the next. It’s jarring at times, but you fall into an easy rhythm as the pages turn. All the characters collide at one point or another following the explosion, and the novel draws you in with its authenticity.

Here’s Price inside Felix’s head as he watches the “gigantic neighborhood simpleton, Robert Cornish, aka Green Mile, aka the Rooster” wandering the streets before his

80-year-old aunt comes outside to retrieve him: “Not to say that his neighbors were nonstop hearts and flowers toward each other, but no one ever passed judgment on you for just being who you naturally were.”

It’s the details. too, that Price always nails. Mary, reminded of her time working an open-air morgue outside Bellevue Hospital after the 9/11 attacks: “(She’d) been part of an assembly line of detectives set up to collect whatever IDs they could from wallets and phones, jewelry and watches, the constant sharp snap of fingers being broken in order to remove rings still with her after all these years.”

The book is more of a tapestry than any traditional storytelling structure. There’s no great mystery to solve besides how Anthony survived the explosion, and even when the truth is revealed, most readers will have known it long before. Price’s overarching message is a simple one amid the hard-luck stories: People want someone to root for them. Or as Anthony, aka Lazarus Man, tells a crowd at a community event following another death on the streets outside the projects: “Who here, not just in these houses, but anywhere in the world young hearts need to be nurtured and protected, couldn’t use a helping hand?”

FSG VIA AP

“Lazarus Man” author Richard Price has written award-winning screenplays and books.

JORDAN STRAUSS / INVISION / AP

Demi Moore and Nicole Kidman arrive at the 15th Governors Awards on Sunday in Los Angeles.

famous birthdays this week

RICHARD SHOTWELL / INVISION / AP PHOTO

Actor Goldie Hawn turns 79 on Thursday.

CHRIS PIZZELLO / AP PHOTO

E Street Band guitarist and “Sopranos” actor Steven Van Zandt turns 74 on Friday.

Goldie Hawn hits 79, Bjork is 59, Scarlett Johanson turns 40, Ben Stein is 80

The Associated Press

THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week. NOV. 21

Actor Marlo Thomas is 87. Actor Juliet Mills (“Passions,” “Nanny and the Professor”) is 83. Actor Goldie Hawn is 79. Director Andrew Davis (“The Fugitive,” “Holes”) is 78. Singer Bjork is 59. NOV. 22

Comedian-director Terry Gilliam (Monty Python) is 84. Guitarist-actor Steven Van Zandt (The E Street Band, “The Sopranos”) is 74. Actor Richard Kind (“Spin City,” “Mad About You”) is 68. Actor Jamie Lee Curtis is 66. Actor Scarlett Johansson is 40.

NOV. 23

Actor Franco Nero (“Django,” “Camelot”) is 83. Screenwriter Joe Eszterhas (“Basic Instinct,” ″Showgirls”) is 80. inger-actor Miley Cyrus is 32. NOV. 24

Country singer Johnny Carver is 84. Former Beatles drummer Pete Best is 83. Actor-comedian Billy Connolly is 82. Singer Lee Michaels is 79. NOV. 25

Singer Bob Lind is 82. Actor-game show host Ben Stein is 80. Actor John Larroquette is 77. Singer Amy Grant is 64. Actor Christina Applegate is 53.

NOV. 26

Impressionist Rich Little is 86. Singer Jean Terrell (The Supremes) is 80. Bassist John McVie of Fleetwood Mac is 79.

NOV. 27

Director Kathryn Bigelow is 73. TV personality Bill Nye (“Bill Nye the Science Guy”) is 69. Actor William Fichtner (“Mom,” “Invasion”) is 68.

BEBETO MATTHEWS / AP PHOTO

speech writer

actor and TV host; Ben Stein celebrates 80 on Monday.

the stream

Jackson in ‘The Piano Lesson,’

‘Cruel Intentions’ gets TV treatment

Kim Deal of The Breeders and The Pixies releases her debut solo album

By The Associated Press

ARIANA GRANDE and Cynthia Erivo teaming up for the soundtrack to the upcoming movie “Wicked” and a TV series based on the 1999 film “Cruel Intentions” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also, among the streaming offerings worth your time: Season three of Max’s “The Sex Lives of College Girls,” Denzel Washington’s son Malcolm directing August Wilson’s “The Piano Lesson” for Netflix and the animated tale in “Spellbound” with a heroine voiced by Rachel Zegler.

MOVIES TO STREAM

Steve McQueen’s “Blitz,” streaming Friday on Apple TV+, is a wartime odyssey about a 9-year-old biracial boy (Elliott Heffernan) who, after being sent to the countryside during the Nazi bombing of London, tries to get home to his mother (Saoirse Ronan). “Blitz,” McQueen’s first narrative feature since 2018’s “Widows,” sometimes feels stuck between a conventional war drama and something more adventurous.

Denzel Washington’s quest to bring the works of August Wilson to the screen have already produced several exceptional films, and performances, in “Fences” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” In “The Piano Lesson” (on Netflix Friday), he hands the reins to his son, Malcolm Washington, who makes his directorial debut in a production starring John David Washington, Danielle Deadwyler, Samuel L. Jackson, Erykah Badu, Ray Fisher and Corey Hawkins. The film, set in 1930s Pittsburgh, is about a family wrestling with the legacy of a family heirloom, and of slavery.

Following its first foray into feature film animation, 2022’s “Luck,” Skydance returns with another original animated tale in “Spellbound” (on Netflix Friday, Nov. 22).

The film, set in the magical world of Lumbria, is about a young girl (voiced by Rachel Zegler) who must save the rulers of Lumbria, her parents (Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem), after they’re turned into monsters. “Spellbound,” produced by former Pixar boss John Lasseter, features original songs from Disney legend Alan Menken.

NEW MUSIC TO STREAM

Kim Deal, the center of bands like the Breeders and the Pixies, will release her debut solo album on Friday, “Nobody Loves You More,” via the influential indie label 4AD Records. The project has been in the works for many years — beginning with tracks like “Are You Mine?” and “Wish I Was,” dating back to 2011 — but no matter, it still sounds like some left-of-center future, from the Steve Albini-produced “Coast” to noisy, clangorous world-building of “Crystal Breathe.” “Beat by beat I expel your point of view,” Deal declares. “The heels of my imagination digging into you I start a new life/Beat’s gonna lead us/ Live on.”

For those hoping for something a bit more classic, look no further: PBS’s “Great Performances” anthology series, which features musicals, operas, plays, ballets and concerts, will spotlight the great Patsy Cline on Friday, broadcast on PBS and available to stream on the PBS app.

“Patsy Cline: Walkin’ After Midnight” celebrates the country music giant on stage at

Nashville’s famed Ryman Auditorium with performances by Wynonna Judd, Ashley McBryde, Mickey Guyton, Kristin Chenoweth, Rita Wilson and more, with interviews from her husband, Charlie Dick, and famous friends like Loretta Lynn. We’ve already gotten an Ariana Grande album this year with “eternal sunshine,” but there’s more on the way. On Friday, her voice is all over the soundtrack for the movie “Wicked” as Glinda, opposite Emmy-, Grammy- and Tony Award-winner Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba. The album is part of a two-fer, with the first 11 songs from the first chapter of the two-part film adaptation. That means two of the musical’s best tunes will be available — “Popular” and “Defying Gravity.” Also listen for Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey and Jeff Goldblum.

SHOWS TO STREAM

In “Interior Chinatown,” actor and comedian Jimmy O. Yang plays a Chinese American background actor in a police procedural who dreams of becoming a leading man. It’s adapted from a novel by Charles Yu, who also

served as showrunner of the series. Taika Waititi is an executive producer. “Interior Chinatown” is streaming on Hulu. It’s the beginning of sophomore year for the ladies of Max’s “The Sex Lives of College Girls.”

The show, created by Mindy Kaling and Justin Noble, follows roommates at a fictional college in Vermont. Season three, premiering Thursday, brings back original leads Pauline Chalamet, Amrit Kaur and Alyah Chanelle Scott but will wrap up Reneé Rapp’s storyline. She quit the show to focus on her music career. Mia Rodgers and Gracie Lawrence have been added to the mix as series regulars. Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina have more problems when season two of “Based on a True Story” begins streaming Thursday on Peacock. Season one saw their characters, Ava and Nathan, launch a true crime podcast with an actual serial killer (played by Tom Bateman). In the new episodes, the couple are new parents attempting to return to a normal life until a string of murders draws them back into amateur sleuthing.

The 1999 film “Cruel Intentions” starring Reese Wither-

spoon, Ryan Phillippe and Sarah Michelle Gellar remains a cult classic, but Prime Video has updated the story with a TV series. Sarah Catherine Hook and Zac Burgess play wealthy stepsiblings who hatch a plan to seduce and deceive one of their college classmates, who also happens to be the daughter of the vice president of the United States. The show also has plenty of Easter eggs in it that call back to the movie.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

The Ukrainian developers of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl have overcome some serious obstacles — not the least of which being the need to move from Kyiv to Prague after the Russian invasion in 2022. The premise of the game is that the nuclear reactor at Chernobyl has been hit with a second explosion, unleashing monstrous mutations and other anomalies. Your job is to enter the “Exclusion Zone” and try to prevent the chaos from spreading. It’s a creepy blend of the first-person shooter, horror and survival genres, ready to play on PlayStation 5, Xbox

and PC.

X/S

HULU / PEACOCK / MAX VIA AP

“Interior Chinatown,” “Based on a True Story” and “The Sex Lives of College Girls are landing on a screen near you this week.

AMY HARRIS / INVISION/ AP PHOTO Indie rock icon Kim Deal of The Breeders and The Pixies will release her debut solo album, “Nobody Loves You More,” on Friday.

HOKE COUNTY

A day at the zoo

This white deer living on the grounds of the NC Zoo in Asheboro exhibits a condition called leucism — it’s not an albino because it has brown

from predators. Zoo staff, who first spotted this one earlier in the year, remember seeing another white deer at the zoo some 30 years ago.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

N.C. Supreme Court

seat will see recount

Raleigh

The narrowly trailing Republican candidate in the race for a Supreme Court seat has formally requested a statewide recount. Court of Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin sent the request before a midday Tuesday deadline.

Associate Justice Allison Riggs led Tuesday by 625 votes over Griffin from more than 5.5 million ballots cast in the race. Recounts in five General Assembly races also have been requested. Republicans would need to flip a state House seat the GOP candidate is currently trailing in if it wants to retain the veto-proof majority that they have held for the past two years.

FEMA administrator supports looking into alleged Trump bias in relief efforts

Washington, D.C.

Board of Education approves first supplement payments

Hoke County Schools paid half of employee supplements in November and the other half in May

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

RAEFORD — The Hoke County Schools Board of Education approved the first half of its annual supplement payments for classified and certified staff.

“It is supplement season, and back in the summer, the board approved a 1% addition to the 6% supplement for certified staff and a 1% to the 4% supplement for classified,” said Superintendent Kenneth Spells. “So we do that in two installments, one in November and one in May.” Hoke County Schools’ total

supplement amounts are 7% of the salary for all certified employees and 5% for all classified employees.

The board also approved an approximately $37,000 contract with Learning.com for its EasyTech Student Bundle as part of a digital literacy curriculum purchase.

“Learning.com is part of the North Carolina digital literacy initiative which is for students in grades K-8 and provides them with essential digital skills, transforming them from content consumers to content creators,” said Executive Director of Digital Teaching and Learning Dawn Ramseur.

Since Hoke County is a Tier 1 county, the full cost of the curriculum will be reimbursed by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

“The curriculum covers things like digital citizenship, online safety, coding and keyboarding, and just helps students thrive in the overall digital environment,” Ramseur said.

In addition, the board approved a $290,000 contract with Johnson Controls Inc. for the purchase and installation of two new boilers at Hoke County High School, which provide heat to parts of the schools.

The district will use funds from the Renew America’s Schools Prize that Hoke County received this summer to pay for the replacement.

Finally, the board was presented with their monthly vacancy report (as of Nov. 8) which saw a total vacancy of 98 positions: 70 certified district-wide positions

and 28 classified positions.

“It’s a total increase of 11 positions from last month to this month, and those 11 positions were nine certified and two classified,” said Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Erica Fortenberry. At the meeting’s close, Spells also stated he wants the board to focus on addressing issues with the district’s bus garage in the new year.

“I took a tour of our bus garage, and to put it nicely, it needs some work,” Spells said. “So we need to start looking at funds. I’ve already had some conversations with some government officials, and they’re on board. That bus garage needs a lot of work.”

Hoke County Schools Board of Education will next meet Dec. 10.

The head of FEMA told lawmakers she has encouraged the agency’s inspector general to review whether an employee was acting alone when directing workers helping hurricane victims to avoid homes with yard signs supporting Donald Trump. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said Tuesday it is critical to meet survivors and make them aware of federal resources available to help them. The employee, she said, wrote to about 11 staffers under her supervision that they should “avoid homes advertising Trump.” Criswell told lawmakers reviewing FEMA’s response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton that she believes the employee’s actions were not indicative of any widespread cultural problems at the agency. $2.00

The pardons went to two men whose convictions had been vacated

The Associated Press

RALEIGH — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has commuted what have been lengthy sentences served by six criminal offenders in state prisons — five of whom were convicted of murder — and granted pardons to two others. Those pardons of innocence that the outgoing governor also signed on Wednesday give the persons wrongly imprisoned for erroneous felony convictions the ability to seek monetary compensation from the North Carolina Industrial Commission.

One such pardon was issued to Mark Crotts, who was once convicted of murdering an elderly Alamance County couple in 1990. Crotts served two years in prison, but his convic-

tions were set aside by a court, and he was ultimately acquitted in a retrial.

The other pardon went to Darron Carmon, who was convicted in 1994 of robbery with a dangerous weapon at a Pitt County convenience store and served more than seven years in prison. Carmon, now a pastor, maintained his innocence. He was exonerated after a judge in 2022 vacated his conviction as new evidence surfaced.

Four of the commutations originated from recommendations by a special board that Cooper created during his second term to review petitions from people sentenced to prison for crimes committed while they were under the age of 18. Cooper also granted commutations to two other offenders sentenced in the 1990s to life in prison without parole. During that time, a law contained a

Gov. Roy Cooper speaks at an election night party in Raleigh earlier this month.

JOHN IRELAND / NC ZOO

eyes and muzzle — which has made most of its body white. The unique condition hurts a fawn’s ability to stay hidden

COOPER from page A1

process by which their sentences can be reviewed after

by a trial

in the county where the conviction happened and the state parole commission. While that review law has since been repealed, it still applies to such offenders convicted during that era, Cooper’s office said.

“Ensuring careful review of cases while taking executive clemency action is a responsibility I take seriously,” Cooper said in a news release. “All of these individuals are deserving of clemency and we will continue to work to protect our communities and improve the fairness of our criminal justice system.”

The commutations based on Juvenile Sentence Review Board recommendations went to George Lesane, 47, who has served over 30 years for the murder of Larry McCormick in Robeson County; Donte Santiago, 40, who has served more than 23 years for the murder of Frederick Howell in Onslow County; Kirston Angell, 35, who has served 17 years for the murder of Bobby Boles and assault of two other victims in Davie County; and Terence Smith, 42, who has served nearly 25 years for his involvement in a robbery where three people were injured in Forsyth County.

Lesane and Smith will be released Nov. 27, while Santiago becomes parole-eligible immediately and Angell parole-eligible in January 2027, according to Cooper’s office.

The other two commutations following recommendations by judges and the parole board were granted to Penny Jarrett, 60, who has served 27 years of a life-without-parole sentence for the murder of Henry Draughn in Guilford County; and Jesse Graham, 71, who has served 26 years of a life-without-parole sentence for the murder of Jimmy Harris, also in Guilford County. Jarrett and Graham also become parole-eligible immediately.

Cooper’s news release identified various activities and rehabilitative efforts that each of the six offenders receiving commutations have participated in while behind bars.

THURSDAY

NC schools get $1M in grants to help take students on field trips

The pilot program covers costs for visiting state Natural and Cultural Resources sites

The Associated Press

RALEIGH — North Carolina public schools can seek financial assistance from the state to take students on field trips to state museums, aquariums and historic sites through

a $1 million pilot project unveiled on Wednesday by Gov. Roy Cooper’s administration.

The Democratic governor and state Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Reid Wilson visited the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh to announce the “Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund.” K-12 schools can seek reimbursements for the cost of students visiting any of more than

100 locations managed by Wilson’s department. That could include things like entry fees, transportation or meals. Title I schools — those with high percentages of students from low-income families — will receive priority preference for the grants, which will be administered by the PBS North Carolina television network on behalf of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. A yet-determined amount

of the $1 million also will be set aside for western North Carolina schools affected by Hurricane Helene ‘s historic flooding. Cooper and Wilson, who interacted with some third graders from a Raleigh school visiting a museum room, recalled the excitement of going on field trips as students and the lasting memories they provided.

“These moments can open the doors for kids to explore things they hadn’t thought about before,” Wilson said. “That could be the spark that sets that child on a course for the rest of their life.” Applications need to be submitted online at least eight weeks before the planned field trip.

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Deconstruction 4

THE RECONSTRUCTION ERA, following the Civil War until about 1900, challenged the country to reconstitute the Union North and the Confederate South into the “Re-United” States.

History gives this effort mixed reviews. The South experienced crushing punishment for supporting slavery and resented the new laws leveled against them. The North feared the freedmen integrating their cities, taking their jobs and spoiling their culture.

With great resolve, Congress passed three constitutional Reconstruction amendments that changed the course of history. The 13th Amendment abolished slavery, the 14th defined citizenship rights and equal protections for all Americans, and the 15th secured the right for all eligible citizens to vote. The struggle to internalize the tragedy of the Civil War led to the 100year Civil Rights movement and continues today as we seek to afford peace and justice for all members of American society.

On Nov. 5, 2024, tiny Anson County voted Republican for only the second time since the Reconstruction Era. Settled along the Pee Dee River in 1750, Anson County’s population is 22,500, the median income is $42,000, 98% of the residents are U.S. citizens and 40% are black.

What were they thinking?

The conservative sweep of the 2024 election has demonstrated a desire to peel off the layers of accumulated bureaucracy. Americans want to be confident, not suspicious, of our leaders to fairly apply the law. Obscure regulations are yesterday’s tools of governance. The voters of Anson County may be asking for a “Deconstruction Era.”

In November, 46% of all voters aged 18-29 voted Republican, up 10 points from 2020. The media and Hollywood endorsements could not prevent the younger generation from placing their bet on a thriving, innovative economy if given the right combination of education and incentive. Conservative innovators appealed to the entrepreneurial spirit of the younger worker, fed on the idea of realizing their dream job. For some, it was building the family legacy; for others, the shiny objects of the future, like cryptocurrency and AI, appealed to their sense of adventure.

What was once a noble effort to raise awareness for women’s rights morphed into a rant of unfulfilled promises. This fall, fewer women voted for the liberal agenda than in 2022.

The goal to elevate women to a level playing field has compromised the game, leaving young women unprotected on the field and in the classroom. The original mission of the movement devolved into a

single voting issue that many younger women could not support. The hope of many to raise a family defeated the demand for unrestricted abortion.

Expect to hear more about the other A word: adoption.

Another A word: aspiration. Bill Clinton knew “it’s the economy, stupid” in 1992. The 2024 voters knew it also. They recognized that the economy cannot function if it is shackled in regulation, stuck with a combustion engine in a hybrid world. The case was made not by politicians but by the greatest minds in manufacturing, technology and finance today. These innovators campaigned for conservatism with confidence and enthusiasm, saying America is not broken; it is disabled with debt.

You can almost hear the citizens of Anson saying, “How can I get some of that?” While the liberal media was reporting the dire condition of our country, Americans were watching the SpaceX Starship hit the mark on the docking station. Nothing but net.

The big loser in the 2024 election was identity politics. To the race-baiting industry, RIP.

The fault line of our two-party system has been blurred by shared friendships, experiences, diverse families and cultures. Our country is no longer a paintby-numbers canvas where voters are stereotyped by color. We are a collage of dynamic, broad brushstrokes with an infinite palette. The paint will not go back into the tube. The free expression of multiethnic, workingclass Americans may have created a renaissance unimagined in 2022.

The big winner was education. Polls suggest this was the biggest factor in the election outcome. William Galston said it best in The Wall Street Journal: The liberal party has shifted from the factory floor to the faculty club. Conservative values have trumped envy and elitism. We witnessed the awesome power of American ingenuity and the muscle of volunteers who responded to the biblical devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. No questions asked.

President Abraham Lincoln struggled with Reconstruction. Before his assassination, he conjured the 10% Plan, a “Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction.” In part, the Southern states could rejoin the Union when 10% of the people in that state took the oath of allegiance to the United States.

Let us consider a “Deconstruction Plan” for the United States. Imagine the debt reduced by 10% and allegiance to our new administration increased by 10%.

A pollster would tell you that is a 20-point swing, a solid foundation for a prosperous future.

Connie Lovell lives in Pinehurst.

To the Editor: I was surprised and disappointed to see executives of Parkdale Mills blame the imminent closure of their company’s Sanford textile plant, laying off 74 workers, on an alleged “rapid increase in energy costs, which has rendered our business model unsustainable.” Nonsense.

The reality is that North Carolina’s energy costs are well below the national average; electricity rates will decrease Jan. 1; our state’s economy is booming; and longstanding, unrelated trade issues plague Parkdale, which has closed factories throughout the low-cost Southeast.

As Parkdale CEO Andy Warlick noted last year in testimony to Congress, America’s textile industry is struggling because of an archaic and unfair “de minimis” trade policy that lets foreign producers and e-commerce distributors such as Shein and Temu export goods here in small batches (under $800 each) to avoid import tariffs.

In his almost 4,000-word plea for help, Warlick did not mention energy costs or electricity a single time. He had no reason to.

Manufacturers and other major energy users such as data centers are flocking to North Carolina in part because our electricity is affordable, reliable and plentiful. Our industrial electricity rates are 23% below the national average. North Carolina is a less expensive place to do business than most other states, thanks also to its low taxes, favorable regulatory environment, modest construction costs, affordable cost of living and well-trained workforce.

Parkdale Mills faces serious economic challenges that Congress should address. But claiming that North Carolina’s energy costs are high is to spin a mighty yarn indeed.

Linda Hunt Williams lives in Sanford and formerly served in the state house.

Climate change was the big election loser

A FEW DAYS BEFORE last week’s election, Bernie Sanders issued a dire warning to voters: “If Donald Trump is elected, the struggle against climate change is over.” He had that right.

Climate change fanaticism was effectively on the ballot last week. The green energy agenda was decisively defeated. It turns out that the tens of millions of middle - class Americans who voted for Trump weren’t much interested in the temperature of the planet 50 years from now. They’re too busy trying to pay the bills. That result shouldn’t be too surprising. Every poll in recent years has shown climate change ranks near the bottom of voter concerns. Jobs, inflation and illegal immigration register much higher on the scale of concerns.

But if you asked the elite of America in the top 1% of income, climate change is seen as an immediate and existential threat to the planet. Our poll at Unleash Prosperity earlier this year found that the cultural elites were so hyperobsessed with climate issues, they were in favor of banning air conditioning, nonessential air travel and many modern home appliances to stop global warming. Our study showed that not many of the other 99% agree.

Wake up, Bernie and Al Gore.

Climate change has become the ultimate luxury good: The richer you are, the more you fret about it.

Among the elite, obsessing about climate change has become a favorite form of virtue signaling at the country club and in the faculty lounges. There is almost no cross the green elites — the people who donate six figures or more to groups like the Sierra Club — aren’t willing to make lower-income Americans bear to stop global warming.

Herein lies the political curse of the climate issue. A millionaire doesn’t care much if the price of gas rises by $1 per gallon or if they have to pay another $100 a month in utility bills. But the middle-class hates paying more. It wasn’t just economic concerns that turned voters against climate crusaders like Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Workers weren’t too thrilled with the heavy fist of government commanding them to buy an electric vehicle — whether they wanted one or not.

It hasn’t helped the greens’ cause that the same progressives out to save the planet with grandiose transformations and global government seem to have no problem with the garbage polluting the streets of our major cities, or the graffiti or the feces and urine smell on the street corners of San Francisco and New

York City. That’s real pollution. And it’s affecting us here and now.

The good news is, this year’s voter revolt against the radical green agenda isn’t a vote for dirtier air or water. The air we breathe and the water we drink is cleaner than ever — a point that Trump correctly made. We will continue to make progress against pollution.

But the nonsense of “net zero” use of fossil fuels is a bridge way too far. The destruction of jobs historically held by blue-collar union workers ripped right into the heart of the Democratic Party’s traditional voting base.

In their zeal to save the planet, Democrats forgot to visit the steel mills, construction sites and auto plants to ask those workers what they thought.

Well, now we know. Americans recognize their shrinking paychecks and the higher price of gas they pay at the pump is the real clear and present danger to their way of life. If Democrats don’t start to get that, they too will go to bed worrying about their jobs.

Stephen Moore is a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation. He is also an economic adviser to the Trump campaign. His new book, coauthored with Arthur Laffer, is “The Trump Economic Miracle.”

COLUMN | CONNIE LOVELL

COLUMN | STEPHEN MOORE

LINDA HUNT WILLIAMS

Pope Francis calls for investigation into potential Gaza ‘genocide’

The pope called the attacks “immoral”

By Giada Zampano

The Associated Press

ROME — Pope Francis has called for an investigation to determine if Israel’s attacks in Gaza constitute genocide, according to excerpts released Sunday from an upcoming new book ahead of the pontiff’s jubilee year.

It’s the first time that Francis has openly urged for an investigation of genocide allegations over Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. In September, he said Israel’s attacks in Gaza and Lebanon have been “immoral” and disproportionate, and that its military has gone beyond the rules of war.

The book, by Hernán Reyes Alcaide and based on interviews with the pope, is entitled “Hope never disappoints. Pilgrims towards a better world.” It was released Tuesday ahead of the pope’s 2025 jubilee. Francis’ yearlong jubilee is expected to bring more than 30 million pilgrims to Rome to celebrate the Holy Year.

“According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide,” the pope said in excerpts

“According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide.”

Pope Francis

published Sunday by the Italian daily La Stampa.

“We should investigate carefully to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies,” he added.

Last year, Francis met separately with relatives of Israeli hostages in Gaza and Palestinians living through the war and set off a firestorm by using words that Vatican diplomats usually avoid: “terrorism” and, according to the Palestinians, “genocide.”

Francis spoke at the time about the suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians after his meetings, which were arranged before the Israeli-Hamas hostage deal and a temporary halt in fighting was announced.

The pontiff, who last week also met with a delegation of Israeli hostages who were released and their families pressing the campaign to bring the

remaining captives home had editorial control over the upcoming book.

The war started when the militant Hamas group attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and abducting 250 as hostages and taking them back to Gaza, where dozens remain.

Israel’s subsequent yearlong military campaign has killed more than 43,000 people, according to Gaza health officials, whose count doesn’t distinguish between civilians and fighters, though they say more than

half of the dead are women and children.

The Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza has triggered several legal cases at international courts in The Hague involving requests for arrest warrants as well as accusations and denials of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

In the new book, Francis also speaks about migration and the problem of integrating migrants into their host countries.

“Faced with this challenge, no country can be left alone and no one can think of addressing the

issue in isolation through more restrictive and repressive laws, sometimes approved under the pressure of fear or in search of electoral advantages,” Francis said.

“On the contrary, just as we see that there is a globalization of indifference, we must respond with the globalization of charity and cooperation,” he added. Francis also mentioned the “still open wound of the war in Ukraine has led thousands of people to abandon their homes, especially during the first months of the conflict.”

Kim calls for ‘limitless’ expansion of nuclear forces

The North Korean leader says the United States’ support of Ukraine is part of a larger effort to expand its military influence

By Kim Tong-Hyung

The Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un renewed his call for a “limitless” expansion of his military nuclear program to counter U.S.-led threats in comments reported Monday that were his first direct criticism toward Washington since Donald Trump’s win in the U.S. presidential election.

At a conference with army officials on Friday, Kim condemned the United States for updating its nuclear deterrence strategies with South Korea and solidifying three-way military cooperation involving Japan, which he portrayed as an “Asian NATO” that was escalating tensions and instability in the region.

Kim also criticized the United States over its support of Ukraine against a prolonged

Russian invasion. He insisted that Washington and its Western allies were using Ukraine as their “shock troops” to wage a war against Moscow and expand the scope of U.S. military influence, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency said.

Kim has prioritized his country’s ties to Russia in recent months, embracing the idea of a “new Cold War” and displaying a united front in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s broader conflicts with the West.

He has used Russia’s war on Ukraine as a distraction to accelerate the development of his nuclear-armed military, which now has various nuclear-capable systems targeting South Korea and intercontinental ballistic missiles that can potentially reach the U.S. mainland.

Kim has yet to directly acknowledge that he has been providing military equipment and troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine, and the KCNA’s report didn’t mention whether Kim made any comments toward Trump, whose election win has yet to be reported in the North’s state media.

Kim met Trump three times in 2018 and 2019 during Trump’s first presidency, but their diplomacy quickly collapsed over disagreements in exchanging the release of U.S.-led sanctions and North Korean steps to wind down its nuclear and missile program. North Korea has since suspended any meaningful talks with Washington and Seoul as Kim ramped up his testing activity and military demonstrations in the face of what he portrayed as “gangster-like U.S. threats.”

There’s concern in Seoul that Kim, in exchange for his military support of Russia, would receive Russian technology in return to further develop his arsenal.

Trump’s election win has touched off speculation about a resumption of a summit-driven diplomacy with Kim, which was described by critics as a “bromance.” But some experts say a quick return to 2018 is highly unlikely, as too much has changed about the regional security situation and broader geopolitics since then.

While the North Korean nuclear problem was relatively an independent issue during

7,000

Approximate number of trash balloons North Korea has launched into South Korea in the last six months.

Trump’s first term, it is now connected with broader challenges created by Russia’s war on Ukraine and further complicated by weakened sanctions enforcement against Pyongyang, Hwang Ildo, a professor at South Korea’s National Diplomatic Academy, wrote in a study last week.

North Korea’s nuclear and missile program is now much more advanced, which would increase Kim’s perception of his bargaining powers. Kim’s efforts to boost North Korea’s presence in a united front against Washington could also gain strength if Trump spikes tariffs and rekindles a trade war with China, the North’s main ally and

economic lifeline, Hwang said. Amid the stalemate in larger nuclear negotiations with Washington, Kim has been dialing up pressure on South Korea, abandoning his country’s long-standing goal of inter-Korean reconciliation and verbally threatening to attack the South with nukes if provoked.

Kim has also engaged in psychological and electronic warfare against South Korea, such as flying thousands of balloons to drop trash in the South and disrupting GPS signals from border areas near the South’s biggest airport.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea again flew trash-laden balloons toward the South early Monday and issued a statement warning the North “not to test our military’s patience any further.” The North has launched about 7,000 balloons toward the South since May, causing property damage but so far no injuries. On at least two occasions, trash carried by North Korea’s balloons fell on Seoul’s presidential compound, raising concerns about the vulnerability of key sites.

ALESSANDRA TARANTINO / AP PHOTO

Pope Francis delivers his speech during a mass on the occasion of World Day of the Poor on Sunday in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.

HOKE SPORTS

Winter sports get started in Hoke

Basketball and wrestling hit the ground running

North State Journal staff

THE CALENDAR officially flipped from fall to winter. With the fall sports ending for Hoke County High School, we saw the start of the Bucks’ season in sev eral winter sports.

Boys’ basketball

The Bucks opened the 2024‑25 season with a home win. Hoke beat the New Life Christian Academy Monarchs 66 56 to get things started on the court. It’s the 10th time in the last 11 seasons that the Bucks have won their opener. Hoke is hop ing to build on last season’s 16 10 record, just their second winning record in the last six seasons.

The Bucks have to replace sev eral productive seniors in Jaylen Sturdivant, Salah Sutton and Brandon Graham. The Bucks were also without last season’s No. 3 scorer, Darius Breeden and

No. 3 rebounder and shot blocker

Franajai Ransom, who were fin ishing up their seasons with the football team.

Hoke was led by junior Sav ion Kinston, who scored 13 points. Senior Joshua Miles add ed 11, and junior Josiah Jacobs had nine. Junior Jamari Har vey hit a pair of 3s to finish with eight points. Hoke’s defense held NLCA to 40% shooting, 22% from 3 and turned the Monarchs over 27 times.

Hoke heads to Lumberton this week, then hosts Purnell Swett.

basketball

Girls’

The Bucks’ girls started the season with a home loss, fall ing to St Pauls 61 47. It’s the third straight season Hoke has dropped its opener.

The Bucks have a new coach this season in Tremell Middle brooks and hope to improve on last season’s 4 19 mark. Middle brooks has coached at the AAU, high school and college levels, in cluding coaching Anson High and Charlotte’s Palisades High.

Senior Lailah Crowder led the Bucks with 12 points and three assists. Senior Shelby Burris had a double double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Junior Karmen Campbell had 11 points, eight boards and three blocks. Burris, Crowder and Ayana Jones each had three steals.

Hoke will try to get on track with a road game at Lumber ton this week. Then the Bucks get a second chance to impress the hometown fans with a game against Purnell Swett.

Wrestling

The Bucks hit the mat with a vengeance. The boys’ and girls’ teams both went on the road and recorded resounding sea son opening wins. The Lady Bucks beat Jack Britt, 42 27, while the boys got a 59 12 win at Britt. Then both teams trav eled to Wakefield High for the Wolverine Challenge. The boys’ and girls’ teams both took first place in the challenge, with Gabe Allen winning an individ ual first place

Karolyi, coach of Olympic champion gymnasts, dies at 82

The coach who led Comaneci and Retton to gold was also criticized for methods

By Will Graves

The Associated Press

BELA KAROLYI, the char ismatic if polarizing gymnas tics coach who turned young women into champions and the United States into an interna tional power in the sport, has died. He was 82. Karolyi and wife, Martha, trained multiple Olympic gold medalists and world champi ons in the U.S. and Romania, including Nadia Comaneci and Mary Lou Retton.

“A big impact and influ ence on my life,” Comaneci, who was just 14 when Karolyi coached her to gold for Roma nia at the 1976 Montreal Olym pics, posted on Instagram.

Yet Karolyi’s strident meth ods sometimes came under fire, most pointedly during the height of the Larry Nassar scandal.

When the disgraced former USA Gymnastics team doc tor was effectively given a life sentence after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting gym nasts and other athletes with his hands under the guise of medical treatment, over a doz en former gymnasts came for ward saying the Karolyis were part of a system that created an oppressive culture that allowed

Nassar’s behavior to run un checked for years.

While the Karolyis denied responsibility — telling CNN in 2018 they were unaware of Nas sar’s behavior — the revelations led to them receding from the spotlight.

It was in Montreal in 1976, of course, where the world got its first real glimpse of Karolyi. When a solemn, dark haired sprite named Nadia Comane ci enchanted the world with the first perfect 10 in Olympic his tory, a feat she would duplicate six times, Karolyi was there to wrap her in one of his trade mark bear hugs.

Romania, which had won only three bronzes in Olym pic gymnastics before 1976, left Montreal with seven medals, including Comaneci’s golds in the all a round, balance beam and uneven bars, and the team silver. Comaneci became an in ternational sensation, the first person to appear on the covers of Sports Illustrated, Time and Newsweek in the same week.

The Karolyis defected from Romania to the United States in 1981. Three years later, Bela helped guide Retton — all of 16 — to the Olympic all a round title at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles. At the 1996 Games in Atlanta, he memorably helped an injured Kerri Strug off the floor after Strug’s vault se cured the team gold for the Americans.

Karolyi briefly became the national team coordinator for

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Gabe Allen

Hoke County, wrestling

Gabriel (Gabe) Allen is a sophomore for the Hoke County wrestling team. He has also played baseball for the Bucks.

Hoke is off to a fast start again this wrestling season, with a blowout dual meet win over Jack Britt for both the boys’ and girls’ teams. That was followed by both squads taking first place at the Wolverine Challenge, hosted by Wakefield High last week. Allen won first place in his weight class at the Wolverine Classic.

USA Gymnastics women’s elite program in 1999 and incorpo rated a semicentralized sys tem that eventually turned the Americans into the sport’s gold standard. It did not come with out a cost. He was removed from the position after the 2000 Olympics when it became apparent his leadership style simply would not work, though he remained around the sport after Martha took over for her husband in 2001.

While the Karolyis approach helped the U.S. become a super

power — an American wom an has won each of the last six Olympic titles, and the U.S. women earned the team gold at the 2012 and 2016 Games un der Martha Karolyi’s leader ship — their methods came un der fire.

Dominique Moceanu, part of the “Magnificent 7” team that won gold in Atlanta, talked ex tensively about her corrosive re lationship with the Karolyis fol lowing her retirement. In her 2012 memoir, Moceanu wrote Bela Karolyi verbally abused

her in front of her teammates on multiple occasions.

“His harsh words and critical demeanor often weighed heav ily on me,” Moceanu posted on X.

Some of Karolyi’s most fa mous students were always among his staunchest defend ers. When Strug got married, she and Karolyi took a photo recreating their famous scene from the 1996 Olympics, when he carried her onto the medals podium after she vaulted on a badly sprained ankle.

HOKE

HOKE WRESTLING / FACEBOOK

The Hoke girls’ wrestling team poses with their first-place trophy after winning the Wolverine Challenge.

SUSAN RAGAN / AP PHOTO

Team USA gymnast Kerri Strug is carried by her coach, Bela Karolyi, as she waves to the crowd on her way to receiving her gold medal for the women’s team gymnastics competition at the Centennial Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996. Strug had two torn ligaments and a sprained ankle from the vault competition.

SIDELINE REPORT

NBA Ball fined $100K for making ‘offensive and derogatory comment’ in postgame interview

New York

Charlotte Hornets guard

LaMelo Ball has been fined $100,000 for making what the NBA called “an offensive and derogatory comment” during a televised postgame on court interview. Ball made the comment Saturday on FanDuel Sports Network shortly after the Hornets defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 115 114. Sideline reporter Shannon Spake asked Ball about the team’s defensive strategy against Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo on the game’s final play, and Ball used an anti gay slur while delivering his answer. The $100,000 fine was the maximum allowed by league rule.

NASCAR

23XI Racing, Front Row can compete in 2025 while suing NASCAR after clause removed from contracts

Charlotte

The two teams suing NASCAR over an antitrust complaint will compete in 2025 as “open teams” after NASCAR removed anticompetitive release claims that will allow them to race while the legal process continues. 23XI Racing, owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Motorsports refused to sign take it or leave it revenue sharing offers. They have filed a federal antitrust lawsuit and asked for an injunction to be recognized as chartered teams while the lawsuit continues. NASCAR lifted an anticompetitive release requirement from the open agreement that allows 23XI and Front Row to race in 2025 as open teams.

NCAA BASKETBALL

Pitino defeats son in latest coaching clash as No. 22 St. John’s tops New Mexico

New York Rick Pitino defeated his son in their latest coaching clash as No. 22 St. John’s passed its first real test this season, topping New Mexico 85 7 1. All five starters scored in double figures for the Red Storm to make a winner of their Hall of Fame coach in a family affair at Madison Square Garden. Richard Pitino, coach of the Lobos, fell to 1 3 in matchups against his father. The previous two losses came when Rick Pitino was at Louisville. Richard Pitino beat his dad’s Iona team two years ago at The Pit.

NCAA FOOTBALL

LSU coach Kelly screams at one player, gets yelled at by another in loss at Florida

Gainesville, Fla.

LSU coach Brian Kelly was caught on camera screaming at one player and getting yelled at by another. The sideline scenes were clear signs of frustration as LSU lost a third consecutive game, 27 16 at unranked Florida. The LSU fanbase might be out of patience with Kelly. The coach appeared to get into it with receiver Chris Hilton in the first half. Late in the third quarter, cameras captured receiver Kyren Lacy yelling at Kelly on the sideline after an empty possession.

McIlroy ends year with another win in Dubai and 6th title as Europe’s best

2024 saw success, heartbreaking near misses and personal turmoil for Rory McIlroy

The Associated Press

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

— Rory McIlroy ended a tumul tuous year packed with emotion on and off the golf course with a pair of trophies and plenty of tears.

McIlroy closed with a 3 un der 69 for a two shot victo ry Sunday in the World Tour Championship. He also cap tured his sixth title as Europe’s No. 1 player.

And then the 35 year old from Northern Ireland couldn’t speak, choked up with emotion as he contemplated the wins and losses, and everything else in between.

“I’ve been through a lot this year, professionally and per sonally,” McIlroy said. “It feels like the fitting end to 2024. I’ve

persevered this year a lot.”

He won four times — two of them on the PGA Tour — and tied the late Seve Ballesteros by winning his sixth title in the Race to Dubai, formerly the Order of Merit. Two more and he can match Colin Montgom erie for the record.

“I’ve really made it a priori ty of my schedule over the last few years to give myself the best chance coming into the end of the year to win the Race to Dubai. I don’t see that being any different for the foreseeable future,” McIlroy said. “Going for my seventh next year and try to chase Monty down.”

He also threw away a chance at the U.S. Open by miss ing two short putts over the last three holes at Pinehurst No. 2, finishing one behind Bryson DeChambeau. He was on the verge of finally winning on home soil until Hojgaard stunned him with a late charge in the Irish Open at Royal Country Down.

WNBA corporate sponsors are growing

Women of color and LGBTQ+ players are often ignored in endorsement opportunities

By Claire Savage The Associated Press

IN A BANNER YEAR for women’s professional sports, athletes who dominate their game are reaping the financial benefits.

The WNBA is a leading ex ample. Last month, it wrapped up a historic season that notched all time viewership and attendance records while racking up brand deals and corporate sponsorships for its players along the way.

Many of the WNBA’s young stars like Caitlin Clark and An gel Reese brought deals with them from their playing days in college, including name, image and likeness agreements that became endorsements with such companies as Nike, Ree bok and Gatorade. Players of different backgrounds landed a variety of other endorsement deals with companies like Car Max and State Farm.

But for all those enjoying their newfound riches, there are still some players who are being left out. The WNBA re cently partnered with Kim Kardashian’s underwear brand SKIMS, which featured wom en of color as well as LGBTQ+ players in its ads. The compa

ny received pushback, however, for excluding masculine pre senting athletes in its May campaign.

“Not the papis of the league being forgotten again,” Phoenix Mercury’s Natasha Cloud post ed on X after SKIMS’ “Fits Ev erybody” campaign dropped.

Two time all star Natasha Howard of the Dallas Wings also criticized the campaign, saying it felt “like a smack” for the league’s more masculine presenting players, and that it is “absolutely” harder for black LGBTQ+ athletes to get brand deals.

“I feel like a lot of people don’t want to see queer or lesbian people on the face of anything,” Howard said.

SKIMS did not respond to requests for comment.

Cloud and Howard decid ed to forge their own path. Both women scored partner ships with Woxer, a Latina and LGBTQ+ owned women’s box er brand that offers a line de signed for gender nonconform ing customers.

Miami ba sed Alexandra Fuente, Woxer’s founder, said that working with Howard, Cloud and Las Vegas Aces’ Ki erstan Bell “was just a great match,” and the company is planning to collaborate with many more female athletes in the future.

“I think the major brands give deals to people that fit the box, and that is a great thing

“I’ve been through a lot this year, professionally and personally.”

Rory McIlroy

McIlroy revealed in May that he had filed for divorce, and equally stunning was word a month later that the di vorce proceedings had been scrapped and they would try to work it out. His wife, Erica, and 4 year old daughter Poppy were in Dubai cheering his lat est victory. It was a lot for McIlroy, and the emotions when it was over bore that out.

“To finish the year like this, it’s a dream come true,” McIl roy said at the closing cere mony, where he hoisted the enormous World Tour Cham pionship trophy and the Harry Vardon Trophy for winning the season points title.

“It’s been hard at times,” he said. “Had a lot of close calls. To finish the year off the way I did today means the world to me.” McIlroy won $5 million — $3 million from the tour nament prize fund, and a $2 million bonus for the Race to Dubai.

McIlroy won for the 37th time worldwide as he bids to take his place among Europe an greats. The mention of Bal lesteros made him emotional for all the Spaniard has meant to the development of the Euro pean tour.

“I think everyone knows what Seve means to Europe an golf and to Ryder Cup play ers. (In the) European Ryder Cup locker room, all we have are quotes of Seve. We had a changing room with Seve’s shirt from ’95, the last Ryder Cup he played,” McIlroy said as he wiped away more tears.

“And for me to be mentioned in the same breath, I’m very proud.”

because it leaves opportuni ty for brands like us,” Fuente said. “For us ... everybody’s in the box.”

But for mainstream brands, partnering with athletes who don’t fit the traditional mold in today’s increasingly polar ized cultural landscape fraught with anti diversity backlash creates “this collective risk that some brands are unwilling to take,” according to Ketra Arm strong, University of Michigan professor of sport management and director of the Center for Race & Ethnicity in Sport.

Many brands are ”middle of the road, and want to be safe, and don’t want to offend oth er pockets of their consumers,” Armstrong said.

But brands are missing the mark when they overlook black LGBTQ+ women, said Univer

sity of Massachusetts Amherst sport management profes sor Ajhanai Keaton, who stud ies the intersection of race and gender identity.

Like some of its players, the WNBA’s fan base also holds fluid gender identities, plus companies may underestimate how much consumers with dif ferent identities admire and re late to LGBTQ+ players, Kea ton said. “Sponsors and brands are way behind the curve on this.”

For anyone who ques tions the marketing poten tial and social capital of Black LGBTQ+ athletes, Keaton add ed, they need only glance at the comment sections of their Ins tagram posts, which are filled with fire emojis, heart eyes emojis, and, “‘Where’d you get those shoes?’”

TONY GUTIERREZ / AP PHOTO

Dallas Wings’ Natasha Howard handles the ball as she works against the Indiana Fever in a WNBA game.

ALTAF QADRI / AP PHOTO

Rory McIlroy poses with the DP World Tour Championship trophy and the Race to Dubai trophy after winning the World Tour Golf Championship.

Rhonda A. Edwards

July 2, 1961 – Nov. 9, 2024

Ms. Rhonda Ann Edwards, of Raeford, died in Firsthealth Hospice House on Saturday, November 09, 2024, at the age of 63 years old.

Ms. Edwards was born July 2, 1961, in Elizabethtown, North Carolina to Shirley Edwards and the late Joe Edwards Jr.

She worked at Carolina Eye for over twenty years and made some of the most generous, and caring friends. She enjoyed

weaving baskets, putting puzzles together, being surrounded by family, and listening to the Word every Sunday.

Ms. Edwards is survived by her mother, Shirley C. Edwards, of Raeford; five brothers, Joel Edwards (Paula), of Bladenboro; Tim Edwards, of Raeford; David Edwards (Jan), of Whiteville; Kevin Edwards (Pati), of Raeford; Glenn Edwards (Yvonne), of Raeford; several nieces; and one nephew.

The family will receive friends from 12-1p.m. on Friday, November 15, 2024, at Crumpler Funeral Home 131 Harris Avenue, Raeford, NC 28376. The funeral service will follow beginning at 1 p.m. with Pastor Marvin Brisson Jr. officiating.

Burial will immediately follow at the Raeford Cemetery, US-401 BUS, Raeford, NC 28376. In Lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Raeford Church of God of Prophecy 913 W. Prospect Avenue, Raeford, NC 28376. Online condolences may be made on the Crumpler Funeral Home Website.

Herlda Senhouse, second-oldest U.S. resident, dies at age 113

She was born in West Virginia in 1911

The Associated Press

WELLESLEY, Mass. — Herl da Senhouse, who founded a jazz dance group to raise money for black students in the 1950s and lived to become the second old est person in the United States, has died at age 113.

Senhouse died “peaceful ly in her sleep” on Saturday, said Stephanie Hawkinson, public in formation officer for the town of Wellesley, Massachusetts, where Senhouse had lived for the last four decades.

“She never missed an opportu nity to learn more, do more, ex perience more,” said Hawkinson, who met Senhouse on her 108th birthday and had celebrated with her every year since.

Born Feb. 28, 1911, in Pied mont, West Virginia, Senhouse was sent to live with an aunt in Woburn, Massachusetts, at age 16 and graduated from Woburn High School. According to the Boston Globe, she dreamed of becoming a nurse but was turned

away by a nursing school after it had met its quota of two black students in 1931.

She later worked as a house keeper for several families and founded the Boston Clique Club, which raised money to improve educational opportunities for black students in Boston.

At age 105, she enrolled in the New England Centenari an Study, which seeks to deter mine how people like her age so slowly while delaying or escap ing aging related disease. She also bequeathed her brain to re searchers, Hawkinson said.

According to the Gerontology Research Group, the oldest per son in the United States is Nao mi Whitehead, 114, who lives in Greenville, Pennsylvania.

Hawkinson said Senhouse of ten said the secret to her longev ity was never having children, though she enjoyed children and caring for them. She surrounded herself with a community of rela tives, friends and members of her church, and was always up for an adventure, Hawkinson said.

“She was truly an inspiration to so many in our community,” she said.

Ted Olson, who argued Bush recount, same-sex marriage cases, dies at 84

He served as solicitor general under George W. Bush

By Lindsay Whitehurst and Russ Bynum The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. —

Former U.S. Solicitor General Ted Olson, who served two Re publican presidents as one of the country’s best known con servative lawyers and success fully argued on behalf of same sex marriage, died Wednesday. He was 84.

The law firm Gibson Dunn, where Olson practiced since 1965, announced his death on its website. No cause of death was given.

Olson was at the center of some of the biggest cases of re cent decades, including a win on behalf of George W. Bush in the 2000 Florida presidential election recount dispute that went before the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Even in a town full of law yers, Ted’s career as a litigator was particularly prolific,” said Mitch McConnell, the long time Senate Republican lead er. “More importantly, I count myself among so many in Washington who knew Ted as a good and decent man.”

Bush made Olson his solic itor general, a post the law yer held from 2001 to 2004. Olson had previously served in the Justice Department as an assistant attorney gener al during President Ronald Reagan’s first term in the ear ly 1980s.

During his career, Olson ar gued 65 cases before the Su preme Court, according to Gibson Dunn.

“They weren’t just little cas es,” said Theodore Boutrous,

a partner at the law firm who worked with Olson for 37 years. “Many of them were big, blockbuster caes that helped shape our society.”

Those included the Citi zens United v. Federal Election Commission, a 2010 case that eliminated many limits on po litical giving, and a successful challenge to the Trump admin istration’s decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Child hood Arrivals program.

“He’s the greatest lawyer I’ve ever worked with or seen in action,” said Boutrous, who worked so closely with Olson that they were known at Gib son Dunn as “the two Teds.”

“He was an entertaining and forceful advocate who could go toe to toe with the Supreme Court justices in a way few law yers could. They respected him so much.”

One of Olson’s most prom inent cases put him at odds with many fellow conserva tives. After California adopted a ban on same sex marriage in 2008, Olson joined forces with former adversary David Boi es, who had represented Dem ocrat Al Gore in the presiden tial election case, to represent California couples seeking the right to marry.

During closing arguments, Olson contended that tradition or fears of harm to heterosexu al unions were legally insuffi cient grounds to discriminate against same sex couples.

“It is the right of individ uals, not an indulgence to be dispensed by the state,” Ol son said. “The right to marry, to choose to marry, has never been tied to procreation.”

A federal judge in Cali fornia ruled in 2010 that the state’s ban violated the U.S. Constitution. The U.S. Su preme Court let that decision stand in 2013.

“This is the most important thing I’ve ever done, as an at torney or a person,” Olson lat er said in a documentary film about the marriage case.

He told The Associated Press in 2014 that the mar riage case was important be cause it “involves tens of thou sands of people in California, but really millions of peo ple throughout the United States and beyond that to the world.”

His decision to join the case added a prominent conserva tive voice to the rapidly shift ing views on same sex mar riage across the country.

Boies remembered Olson as a giant in legal circles who “left the law, our country, and each of us better than he found us. Few people are a hero to those that know them well. Ted was a hero to those who knew him best.”

Olson’s personal life also in tersected tragically with the nation’s history when his third wife, well k nown conservative legal analyst Barbara Olson, died on Sept. 11, 2001. She was a passenger on American Air lines Flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon.

In recent years, his oth er high profile clients have in cluded quarterback Tom Brady during the “Deflategate” scan dal of 2016 and technology company Apple in a legal bat tle with the FBI over unlock ing the phone of a shooter who killed 14 people in San Ber nardino, California, in 2015.

The range of his career and his statute on the nation al stage were unmatched, said Barbara Becker, managing partner of Gibson Dunn.

“Ted was a titan of the legal profession and one of the most extraordinary and eloquent advocates of our time,” Becker said in a statement.

ANDREW HARNIK / AP PHOTO

Former United States Solicitor General Ted Olson, center, speaks with former Homeland

Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, right, in September 2017 in Washington, D.C.

STEPHANIE HAWKINSON / TOWN OF WELLESLEY, MASSACHUSETTS VIA AP

Herlda Senhouse attends her 113th birthday celebration on Feb. 28, 2024, in Wellesley, Mass.

STATE & NATION

Hurricane season alive and well with third November storm

Sara went through Central America last week

By Russ Bynum The Associated Press

SAVANNAH, Ga. — As the third named storm to emerge during November, Tropical

Storm Sara serves as a remind

er that the Atlantic hurricane season hasn’t quite ended.

Sara formed in the western Caribbean Sea before making landfall last week on the north ern coast of Honduras, dump ing torrential rains in a slow weekend crawl across parts of Central America.

Sara follows two other named storms so far this month. Trop ical Storm Patty brought heavy rain to the Azores and dissipat ed without striking land. Then Hurricane Rafael struck Jamai ca and the Cayman Islands be fore tearing across Cuba as a Category 3 storm.

That has made for an un usually active final month for the hurricane season when forecasters typically see a sin gle named storm every year or two. And the 2024 season still has two weeks to go.

The hurricane season for storms in the Atlantic Ocean,

the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico officially runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. Though named storms have been known to form before and after that six month peri od, hurricane season reflects the months when weather con

ditions are more favorable for producing tropical storms and hurricanes.

Ocean temperatures must reach at least 79 degrees Fahr enheit to fuel hurricanes. Hur ricane season is also when the upper atmosphere tends to

have reduced wind shear, or changes in wind speed and di rection that tear hurricanes apart.

Those hostile winds tend to ramp up later into the fall, making it more difficult for November storms to form, said Levi Silvers, a hurricane researcher at Colorado State University.

“We have the water tempera tures to allow for these storms to form,” Silvers said. “But it’s increasingly unlikely we’re go ing to get the conducive winds.”

Based on the 30 ye ar peri od from 1991 to 2020, Novem ber typically sees one tropi cal storm every year or two. Storms that strengthen into hurricanes are rarer during the season’s final month, with one occurring generally every two years, according to the hurri cane center.

Since 1851, a total of 125 tropical storms have been re corded during November, said Brian McNoldy, a hurricane researcher at the University of Miami. About half of those storms, 63, went on to become hurricanes. And 12 strength ened into major hurricanes with winds above 110 mph.

Rafael earlier this month forced the evacuation of

283,000 people in Cuba and destroyed 460 homes. It was the Atlantic basin’s first No vember hurricane since 2022 when the season wrapped up with three storms. One of them, Hurricane Nicole, be came the first November hurri cane to make landfall in Flori da since 1985.

Only two other November hurricanes are known to have struck the U.S., in 1861 and in 1935, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad ministration.

Since 1953, there have been seven November hurricanes devastating enough to have their names retired, McNoldy said.

The last ones were Hurri canes Eta and Iota, both Cat egory 4 storms that smashed into the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua two weeks apart in November 2020. The back t o ba ck hurricanes were blamed for a combined 239 deaths and $8.2 billion in damage across Central America.

They struck at the end of the most active hurricane sea son on record with 30 named storms. The busy 2020 season exhausted the year’s alpha betical list of storm names by mid S eptember. Later storms, including Eta and Iota, were identified using Greek letters.

Other destructive Novem ber hurricanes that had their names retired were Otto in 2016, Paloma in 2008, Noel in 2007, Michelle in 2001 and Lenny in 1999, according to McNoldy.

More logging proposed to help curb Pacific Northwest wildfires

Officials say the Northwest Forest Plan of 1994 is outdated

By Matthew Brown The Associated Press

U.S. OFFICIALS would al low increased logging on fed eral lands across the Pacific Northwest in the name of fight ing wildfires and boosting ru ral economies under proposed changes to a sweeping forest management plan that’s been in place for three decades.

The U.S. Forest Service pro posal, released Friday, would overhaul the Northwest Forest Plan that governs about 38,000 square miles in Oregon, Wash ington and California.

The plan was adopted in 1994 under President Bill Clinton amid pressure to curb destruc tive logging practices that re sulted in widespread clearcuts and destroyed habitat used by spotted owls. Timber harvests dropped dramatically in subse quent years, spurring political backlash.

But federal officials now say worsening wildfires due to cli mate change mean forests must be more actively managed to in crease their resiliency. Increased logging also would provide a more predictable supply of trees for timber companies, officials said, helping rural economies that have suffered after lumber

mills shut down and forestry jobs disappeared.

The proposal could increase annual timber harvests by at least 33% and potentially more than 200%, according to a draft environmental study. The num ber of timber related jobs would increase accordingly.

Harvest volumes from the 17 national forests covered by the Northwest Forest Plan averaged about 445 million board feet an nually over the past decade, ac cording to government figures.

Cutting more trees would help reduce wildfire risk and make

communities safer, the study concluded. That would be ac complished in part by allowing cuts in some areas with stands of trees up to 120 years old — up from the current age threshold of 80 years.

The change could help foster conditions conducive to growing larger, old growth trees that are more resistant to fire by remov ing younger trees, officials said.

A separate pending propos al from President Joe Biden’s ad ministration aims to increase protections nationwide for old growth trees, which play a sig

nificant role in storing climate change inducing carbon dioxide.

“Much has changed in soci ety and science since the North west Forest Plan was created,” Jacque Buchanan, regional for ester for the Forest Service’s Pa cific Northwest Region, said in a statement. He said the proposal would help the agency adapt to shifting conditions.

The proposed plan also calls for closer cooperation between the Forest Service and Native American tribes to tap into tribal knowledge about forest manage ment. Tribes were excluded when the 1994 plan was crafted.

Environmentalists greeted the proposal with skepticism.

The group Oregon Wild said it was “deeply troubling” that the Forest Service would release the proposal just ahead of a change in presidential administrations.

“It appears that the Forest Ser vice wants to abandon the funda mental purpose of the Northwest Forest Plan — protecting fish and wildlife and the mature and old growth forests they need to sur vive,” John Persell, an attorney for the group, said in a statement.

During former President Don ald Trump’s first term, adminis tration officials sought to open millions of acres of West Coast forest to new logging by strip ping habitat protections for the imperiled spotted owl. The move was opposed by government biol ogists and reversed under Biden.

A draft environmental study

The maximum tree age allowed to be cut under the current guidelines, which could increase to 120 years under the new proposal

examined several potential alter natives, including leaving the ex isting plan’s components in place or changing them to either re duce or increase logging.

A timber industry representa tive who co chaired an adviso ry committee on the Northwest Forest Plan said the proposed plan resulted from discussions involving committee members, the Forest Service and others.

“We want to see a modern ap proach to federal forest stew ardship that protects us from catastrophic wildfires, reduces toxic smoke, meaningfully en gages tribes, and delivers for our rural communities and workers,” said Travis Joseph, president of the American Forest Resource Council.

The publishing of the propos al begins a 120 day public com ment period. The Forest Ser vice’s environmental review is expected to be completed by next fall, and a final decision is due in early 2026.

DELMER MARTINEZ / AP PHOTO

Residents walk past inundated vehicles in the flooded streets of Planeta, Honduras, in the aftermath of Hurricane Eta in November 2020.

RICK BOWMER / AP PHOTO

Old-growth Douglas fir trees stand along the Salmon River Trail in Mount Hood National Forest outside Zigzag, Oregon, in 2004.

Patriots Day

The Pinecrest football team prepares to take the field ahead of its first round NCHSAA 4-A playoff game on Friday night. The No. 12 Patriots defeated New Hanover 30-16 and move on to face No. 5 Rolesville this weekend.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

N.C. Supreme Court seat will see recount

The narrowly trailing Republican candidate in the race for a Supreme Court seat has formally requested a statewide recount. Court of Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin sent the request before a midday Tuesday deadline. Associate Justice Allison Riggs led Tuesday by 625 votes over Griffin from more than 5.5 million ballots cast in the race. Recounts in five General Assembly races also have been requested. Republicans would need to flip a state House seat the GOP candidate is currently trailing in if it wants to retain the veto-proof majority that they have held for the past two years.

FEMA administrator supports looking into alleged Trump bias in relief efforts

The head of FEMA told lawmakers she has encouraged the agency’s inspector general to review whether an employee was acting alone when directing workers helping hurricane victims to avoid homes with yard signs supporting Donald Trump. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said Tuesday it is critical to meet survivors and make them aware of federal resources available to help them. The employee, she said, wrote to about 11 staffers under her supervision that they should “avoid homes advertising Trump.” Criswell told lawmakers reviewing FEMA’s response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton that she believes the employee’s actions were not indicative of any widespread cultural problems at the agency.

Moore County Schools approves police officer pay

The board voted 5-2 to increase SRO salaries by 10%

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

CARTHAGE — The Moore County Schools Board of Education has taken another step in its attempt to hire and retain more officers for its schools.

The board voted 5-2 in favor of increasing the gross monthly salary of each school police officer by 10% in the new year as Moore County Schools actually employs its own police force.

“This may not guarantee us new police officers, but it will surely guarantee that we won’t hemorrhage more police officers,” said Board Chair Robert Levy. “It will also hopefully be a recruiting point for new po-

lice officers and will get us, if not parity with the Sheriff’s Office, at least very, very close.”

The district has struggled to retain officers due to the salaries of other local departments, and that’s been compounded by the restrictions they have on who they can actually hire.

“There is a problem, and that problem is that we can’t hire rookie police officers,” Levy said. “What that means is that a police officer that we hire as an SRO has to have had one year’s worth of experience on a North Carolina police force. That means we can’t hire MPs that are retiring and we can’t hire out-of-state police officers, some of whom are retiring here in Moore County and some of whom want to move here to Moore County to become our police officers.”

However, not everyone was in

favor of the raise, namely board members David Hensley and Stacey Caldwell, who were both under the assumption the item should be tabled until the new board is sworn in.

“I feel that waiting for the new board is essential for this,” Caldwell said. “I feel like we’re rushing into this just to throw something at it to see what we can get. As much as I do think they deserve a raise, I just don’t think we’re doing it the right way.”

Hensley went further, questioning the potential effectiveness of pay raises.

“Throwing money at the problem, A) is not going to solve it, as we learned,’ Hensley said.

“We threw money at it a year and a half ago, and we ended up with fewer officers. And B), if it does solve it, it doesn’t mean we’re going to end up with the right officers. We need officers who are

specifically trained to deal with an active shooter situation, neutralize it and deal with the medical issues in the aftermath.”

In opposition to pay raises, Hensley proposed “raising the standard” by requiring more stringent hiring guidelines for the school’s officers.

“The solution is … if you look at the armed services, whenever there’s been a challenging recruiting environment, who never has problems meeting their quotas is the Marine Corps or the Special Forces. That’s because they don’t compromise their standards. In fact, they raise their standards. People who join the military and people who go into law enforcement, they want to be on the tough team. They want to be on the challenge team. More importantly, the people that you want to join the Marine Corps or Special Forces, they’re the types of people who respond to challenges.”

Despite the opposition, the majority of the board did not follow his proposal.

The Moore County Schools Board of Education will next meet Dec. 9.

Cooper grants 2 pardons, 6 commutations

The pardons went to two men whose convictions had been vacated

The Associated Press

RALEIGH — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has commuted what have been lengthy sentences served by six criminal offenders in state prisons — five of whom were convicted of murder — and granted pardons to two others.

Those pardons of innocence that the outgoing governor also signed on Wednesday give the persons wrongly imprisoned for erroneous felony convictions the ability to seek monetary compensation from the North Carolina Industrial Commission.

One such pardon was issued to Mark Crotts, who was once convicted of murdering an elderly Alamance County couple in 1990. Crotts served two years in prison, but his convictions were set aside by a court, and he was

ultimately acquitted in a retrial. The other pardon went to Darron Carmon, who was convicted in 1994 of robbery with a dangerous weapon at a Pitt County convenience store and served more than seven years in prison. Carmon, now a pastor, maintained his innocence. He was exonerated after a judge in 2022 vacated his conviction as new evidence surfaced.

Four of the commutations originated from recommendations by a special board that Cooper created during his second term to review petitions from people sentenced to prison for crimes committed while they were under the age of 18. Cooper also granted commutations to two other offenders sentenced in the 1990s to life in prison without parole. During that time, a law contained a process by which their sentences can be reviewed after 25 years by a

DAVID SINCLAIR FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

PJ WARD-BROWN / NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Gov. Roy Cooper speaks at an election night party in Raleigh earlier this month.

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NC schools get $1M in grants to help take students on field trips

The pilot program covers costs for visiting state Natural and Cultural Resources sites

The Associated Press

RALEIGH — North Carolina public schools can seek financial assistance from the state to take students on field trips to state museums, aquariums and historic sites through a $1 million pilot project unveiled on Wednesday by Gov. Roy Cooper’s administration.

The Democratic governor and state Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Reid Wilson visited the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh to announce the “Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund.”

COOPER from page A1

trial judge in the county where the conviction happened and the state parole commission. While that review law has since been repealed, it still applies to such offenders convicted during that era, Cooper’s office said.

“Ensuring careful review of cases while taking executive clemency action is a responsibility I take seriously,” Cooper said in a news release. “All of these individuals are deserving of clemency and we will continue to work to protect our communities and improve the fairness of our criminal justice system.”

The commutations based on Juvenile Sentence Review

Nov. 12

Minter Lee Oxendine, 59, was arrested by Moore County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) for possession of methamphetamine.

• Donald Eugene Lee, 69, was arrested by MCSO for simple possession of Schedule VI controlled substance.

• Blake Daquan Bullard, 32, was arrested by Southern Pines PD for possession of Schedule II controlled substance.

Nov. 14

Chaquwann Carvelle Stubbs, 32, was arrested by Aberdeen PD for

K-12 schools can seek reimbursements for the cost of students visiting any of more than 100 locations managed by Wilson’s department. That could include things like entry fees, transportation or meals.

Title I schools — those with high percentages of students from low-income families — will receive priority preference for the grants, which will be administered by the PBS North Carolina television network on behalf of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. A yet-determined amount of the $1 million also will be set aside for western North Carolina schools affected by Hurricane Helene ‘s historic flooding. Cooper and Wilson, who interacted with some third graders from a Raleigh school visiting a museum room, recalled

Board recommendations went to George Lesane, 47, who has served over 30 years for the murder of Larry McCormick in Robeson County; Donte Santiago, 40, who has served more than 23 years for the murder of Frederick Howell in Onslow County; Kirston Angell, 35, who has served 17 years for the murder of Bobby Boles and assault of two other victims in Davie County; and Terence Smith, 42, who has served nearly 25 years for his involvement in a robbery where three people were injured in Forsyth County.

Lesane and Smith will be released Nov. 27, while Santiago becomes parole-eligible immediately and Angell parole-eligible in January 2027, according

communicating threats.

Nov. 15

• Vincent Earl McRae, 36, was arrested by MCSO for possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver methamphetamine.

Nov. 16

• Makayla Lashay McGill, 30, was arrested by Southern Pines PD for obtaining property by false pretense.

• Alan Deline Frazier, 40, was arrested by MCSO for misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

Nov. 17

• Sean Michael Collins, 49,

the excitement of going on field trips as students and the lasting memories they provided.

“These moments can open the doors for kids to explore things they hadn’t thought about before,” Wilson said.

“That could be the spark that sets that child on a course for the rest of their life.”

Applications need to be submitted online at least eight weeks before the planned field trip. The pilot project money comes from federal American Rescue Plan funds, a spokesperson for the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources said.

State and local governments must obligate all their American Rescue Plan funds for specific projects by the end of this year or else return the rest to the U.S. Treasury.

to Cooper’s office. The other two commutations following recommendations by judges and the parole board were granted to Penny Jarrett, 60, who has served 27 years of a life-without-parole sentence for the murder of Henry Draughn in Guilford County; and Jesse Graham, 71, who has served 26 years of a life-without-parole sentence for the murder of Jimmy Harris, also in Guilford County. Jarrett and Graham also become parole-eligible immediately. Cooper’s news release identified various activities and rehabilitative efforts that each of the six offenders receiving commutations have participated in while behind bars.

was arrested by MCSO for misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

Nov. 18

James Earl Williams, 42, was arrested by MCSO for second-degree trespass.

• Leonardo Legette, 27, was arrested by Southern Pines PD for misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

Sonya Maria Hunsucker, 58, was arrested by Southern Pines PD for misdemeanor larceny.

• Joseph Lee Barber, 57, was arrested by MCSO for attempted trafficking in opioids by transport.

Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in and around Moore County:

Nov. 21-23

Festival of Trees

10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

The 28th annual Festival of Trees returns. Admission is by monetary donation at the door. Come out to bid on your favorite Christmas trees and greenery, visit the gift shop and take a chance on winning some great raffle items!

The Carolina Hotel 80 Carolina Vista Drive Pinehurst

Nov.

23

Pinehurst Turkey Trot 7-11 a.m

Become a part of this community tradition! Join the oldest and most scenic Turkey Trot in North Carolina! Runners get the chance to trek through the beautiful streets and residential neighborhoods of the village of Pinehurst. Come dressed in your finest turkey attire. The Village Arboretum 395 Magnolia Road Pinehurst

Pictures with Santa and Xmas Toy Drop

Noon to 2 p.m.

Come shop our toy drop and snap a picture with the big guy himself!!! Santa will be in store from noon to 2 p.m. and available for pictures!

Once Upon A Child 180 Commerce Avenue Southern Pines

Nov. 27

Moore County Farmers Market

9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Stop by this special Wednesday Farmers Market to stock up on supplies for your Thanksgiving dinner. This is a “producers only” market with vendors coming in from a 50-mile radius.

Armory Sports Complex 604 W Morganton Road Southern Pines

Nov. 27 -

Dec. 31

Aloha Safari Park

Come see a beautiful two-mile drive through trail with over 2 million lights! When you’re done, go inside for hot cocoa, make a s’more, feed a giraffe and take a picture with Santa and a baby kangaroo. $10 per person for ages 2 and over 159 Mini Lane Cameron

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Deconstruction 4

THE RECONSTRUCTION ERA, following the Civil War until about 1900, challenged the country to reconstitute the Union North and the Confederate South into the “Re-United” States.

History gives this effort mixed reviews. The South experienced crushing punishment for supporting slavery and resented the new laws leveled against them. The North feared the freedmen integrating their cities, taking their jobs and spoiling their culture.

With great resolve, Congress passed three constitutional Reconstruction amendments that changed the course of history. The 13th Amendment abolished slavery, the 14th defined citizenship rights and equal protections for all Americans, and the 15th secured the right for all eligible citizens to vote. The struggle to internalize the tragedy of the Civil War led to the 100year Civil Rights movement and continues today as we seek to afford peace and justice for all members of American society.

On Nov. 5, 2024, tiny Anson County voted Republican for only the second time since the Reconstruction Era. Settled along the Pee Dee River in 1750, Anson County’s population is 22,500, the median income is $42,000, 98% of the residents are U.S. citizens and 40% are black.

What were they thinking?

The conservative sweep of the 2024 election has demonstrated a desire to peel off the layers of accumulated bureaucracy. Americans want to be confident, not suspicious, of our leaders to fairly apply the law. Obscure regulations are yesterday’s tools of governance. The voters of Anson County may be asking for a “Deconstruction Era.”

In November, 46% of all voters aged 18-29 voted Republican, up 10 points from 2020. The media and Hollywood endorsements could not prevent the younger generation from placing their bet on a thriving, innovative economy if given the right combination of education and incentive. Conservative innovators appealed to the entrepreneurial spirit of the younger worker, fed on the idea of realizing their dream job. For some, it was building the family legacy; for others, the shiny objects of the future, like cryptocurrency and AI, appealed to their sense of adventure.

What was once a noble effort to raise awareness for women’s rights morphed into a rant of unfulfilled promises. This fall, fewer women voted for the liberal agenda than in 2022.

The goal to elevate women to a level playing field has compromised the game, leaving young women unprotected on the field and in the classroom. The original mission of the movement devolved into a

single voting issue that many younger women could not support. The hope of many to raise a family defeated the demand for unrestricted abortion.

Expect to hear more about the other A word: adoption.

Another A word: aspiration. Bill Clinton knew “it’s the economy, stupid” in 1992. The 2024 voters knew it also. They recognized that the economy cannot function if it is shackled in regulation, stuck with a combustion engine in a hybrid world. The case was made not by politicians but by the greatest minds in manufacturing, technology and finance today. These innovators campaigned for conservatism with confidence and enthusiasm, saying America is not broken; it is disabled with debt.

You can almost hear the citizens of Anson saying, “How can I get some of that?” While the liberal media was reporting the dire condition of our country, Americans were watching the SpaceX Starship hit the mark on the docking station. Nothing but net.

The big loser in the 2024 election was identity politics. To the race-baiting industry, RIP.

The fault line of our two-party system has been blurred by shared friendships, experiences, diverse families and cultures. Our country is no longer a paintby-numbers canvas where voters are stereotyped by color. We are a collage of dynamic, broad brushstrokes with an infinite palette. The paint will not go back into the tube. The free expression of multiethnic, workingclass Americans may have created a renaissance unimagined in 2022.

The big winner was education. Polls suggest this was the biggest factor in the election outcome. William Galston said it best in The Wall Street Journal: The liberal party has shifted from the factory floor to the faculty club. Conservative values have trumped envy and elitism. We witnessed the awesome power of American ingenuity and the muscle of volunteers who responded to the biblical devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. No questions asked.

President Abraham Lincoln struggled with Reconstruction. Before his assassination, he conjured the 10% Plan, a “Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction.” In part, the Southern states could rejoin the Union when 10% of the people in that state took the oath of allegiance to the United States.

Let us consider a “Deconstruction Plan” for the United States. Imagine the debt reduced by 10% and allegiance to our new administration increased by 10%. A pollster would tell you that is a 20-point swing, a solid foundation for a prosperous future.

Connie Lovell lives in Pinehurst.

Key NC asset: low energy costs

To the Editor: I was surprised and disappointed to see executives of Parkdale Mills blame the imminent closure of their company’s Sanford textile plant, laying off 74 workers, on an alleged “rapid increase in energy costs, which has rendered our business model unsustainable.” Nonsense.

The reality is that North Carolina’s energy costs are well below the national average; electricity rates will decrease Jan. 1; our state’s economy is booming; and longstanding, unrelated trade issues plague Parkdale, which has closed factories throughout the low-cost Southeast.

As Parkdale CEO Andy Warlick noted last year in testimony to Congress, America’s textile industry is struggling because of an archaic and unfair “de minimis” trade policy that lets foreign producers and e-commerce distributors such as Shein and Temu export goods here in small batches (under $800 each) to avoid import tariffs.

In his almost 4,000-word plea for help, Warlick did not mention energy costs or electricity a single time. He had no reason to.

Manufacturers and other major energy users such as data centers are flocking to North Carolina in part because our electricity is affordable, reliable and plentiful. Our industrial electricity rates are 23% below the national average. North Carolina is a less expensive place to do business than most other states, thanks also to its low taxes, favorable regulatory environment, modest construction costs, affordable cost of living and well-trained workforce.

Parkdale Mills faces serious economic challenges that Congress should address. But claiming that North Carolina’s energy costs are high is to spin a mighty yarn indeed.

Linda Hunt Williams lives in Sanford and formerly served in the state house.

Climate change was the big election loser

A FEW DAYS BEFORE last week’s election, Bernie Sanders issued a dire warning to voters: “If Donald Trump is elected, the struggle against climate change is over.” He had that right.

Climate change fanaticism was effectively on the ballot last week. The green energy agenda was decisively defeated. It turns out that the tens of millions of middle - class Americans who voted for Trump weren’t much interested in the temperature of the planet 50 years from now. They’re too busy trying to pay the bills. That result shouldn’t be too surprising. Every poll in recent years has shown climate change ranks near the bottom of voter concerns. Jobs, inflation and illegal immigration register much higher on the scale of concerns.

But if you asked the elite of America in the top 1% of income, climate change is seen as an immediate and existential threat to the planet. Our poll at Unleash Prosperity earlier this year found that the cultural elites were so hyperobsessed with climate issues, they were in favor of banning air conditioning, nonessential air travel and many modern home appliances to stop global warming. Our study showed that not many of the other 99% agree.

Wake up, Bernie and Al Gore.

Climate change has become the ultimate luxury good: The richer you are, the more you fret about it.

Among the elite, obsessing about climate change has become a favorite form of virtue signaling at the country club and in the faculty lounges. There is almost no cross the green elites — the people who donate six figures or more to groups like the Sierra Club — aren’t willing to make lower-income Americans bear to stop global warming.

Herein lies the political curse of the climate issue. A millionaire doesn’t care much if the price of gas rises by $1 per gallon or if they have to pay another $100 a month in utility bills. But the middle-class hates paying more.

It wasn’t just economic concerns that turned voters against climate crusaders like Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Workers weren’t too thrilled with the heavy fist of government commanding them to buy an electric vehicle — whether they wanted one or not.

It hasn’t helped the greens’ cause that the same progressives out to save the planet with grandiose transformations and global government seem to have no problem with the garbage polluting the streets of our major cities, or the graffiti or the feces and urine smell on the street corners of San Francisco and New

York City. That’s real pollution. And it’s affecting us here and now.

The good news is, this year’s voter revolt against the radical green agenda isn’t a vote for dirtier air or water. The air we breathe and the water we drink is cleaner than ever — a point that Trump correctly made. We will continue to make progress against pollution.

But the nonsense of “net zero” use of fossil fuels is a bridge way too far. The destruction of jobs historically held by blue-collar union workers ripped right into the heart of the Democratic Party’s traditional voting base.

In their zeal to save the planet, Democrats forgot to visit the steel mills, construction sites and auto plants to ask those workers what they thought.

Well, now we know. Americans recognize their shrinking paychecks and the higher price of gas they pay at the pump is the real clear and present danger to their way of life. If Democrats don’t start to get that, they too will go to bed worrying about their jobs.

Stephen Moore is a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation. He is also an economic adviser to the Trump campaign. His new book, coauthored with Arthur Laffer, is “The Trump Economic Miracle.”

COLUMN | CONNIE LOVELL

COLUMN | STEPHEN MOORE

LINDA HUNT WILLIAMS

Pope Francis calls for investigation into potential Gaza ‘genocide’

The pope called the attacks “immoral”

By Giada Zampano

The Associated Press

ROME — Pope Francis has called for an investigation to determine if Israel’s attacks in Gaza constitute genocide, according to excerpts released Sunday from an upcoming new book ahead of the pontiff’s jubilee year.

It’s the first time that Francis has openly urged for an investigation of genocide allegations over Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. In September, he said Israel’s attacks in Gaza and Lebanon have been “immoral” and disproportionate, and that its military has gone beyond the rules of war.

The book, by Hernán Reyes Alcaide and based on interviews with the pope, is entitled “Hope never disappoints. Pilgrims towards a better world.” It was released Tuesday ahead of the pope’s 2025 jubilee. Francis’ yearlong jubilee is expected to bring more than 30 million pilgrims to Rome to celebrate the Holy Year.

“According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide,” the pope said in excerpts

“According to some experts, what is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide.”

Pope Francis

published Sunday by the Italian daily La Stampa.

“We should investigate carefully to determine whether it fits into the technical definition formulated by jurists and international bodies,” he added.

Last year, Francis met separately with relatives of Israeli hostages in Gaza and Palestinians living through the war and set off a firestorm by using words that Vatican diplomats usually avoid: “terrorism” and, according to the Palestinians, “genocide.”

Francis spoke at the time about the suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians after his meetings, which were arranged before the Israeli-Hamas hostage deal and a temporary halt in fighting was announced.

The pontiff, who last week also met with a delegation of Israeli hostages who were released and their families pressing the campaign to bring the

remaining captives home had editorial control over the upcoming book.

The war started when the militant Hamas group attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and abducting 250 as hostages and taking them back to Gaza, where dozens remain.

Israel’s subsequent yearlong military campaign has killed more than 43,000 people, according to Gaza health officials, whose count doesn’t distinguish between civilians and fighters, though they say more than

half of the dead are women and children.

The Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza has triggered several legal cases at international courts in The Hague involving requests for arrest warrants as well as accusations and denials of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

In the new book, Francis also speaks about migration and the problem of integrating migrants into their host countries.

“Faced with this challenge, no country can be left alone and no one can think of addressing the

issue in isolation through more restrictive and repressive laws, sometimes approved under the pressure of fear or in search of electoral advantages,” Francis said.

“On the contrary, just as we see that there is a globalization of indifference, we must respond with the globalization of charity and cooperation,” he added. Francis also mentioned the “still open wound of the war in Ukraine has led thousands of people to abandon their homes, especially during the first months of the conflict.”

Kim calls for ‘limitless’ expansion of nuclear forces

The North Korean leader says the United States’ support of Ukraine is part of a larger effort to expand its military influence

By Kim Tong-Hyung

The Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un renewed his call for a “limitless” expansion of his military nuclear program to counter U.S.-led threats in comments reported Monday that were his first direct criticism toward Washington since Donald Trump’s win in the U.S. presidential election.

At a conference with army officials on Friday, Kim condemned the United States for updating its nuclear deterrence strategies with South Korea and solidifying three-way military cooperation involving Japan, which he portrayed as an “Asian NATO” that was escalating tensions and instability in the region.

Kim also criticized the United States over its support of Ukraine against a prolonged

Russian invasion. He insisted that Washington and its Western allies were using Ukraine as their “shock troops” to wage a war against Moscow and expand the scope of U.S. military influence, the North’s official Korean Central News Agency said.

Kim has prioritized his country’s ties to Russia in recent months, embracing the idea of a “new Cold War” and displaying a united front in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s broader conflicts with the West.

He has used Russia’s war on Ukraine as a distraction to accelerate the development of his nuclear-armed military, which now has various nuclear-capable systems targeting South Korea and intercontinental ballistic missiles that can potentially reach the U.S. mainland.

Kim has yet to directly acknowledge that he has been providing military equipment and troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine, and the KCNA’s report didn’t mention whether Kim made any comments toward Trump, whose election win has yet to be reported in the North’s state media.

Kim met Trump three times in 2018 and 2019 during Trump’s first presidency, but their diplomacy quickly collapsed over disagreements in exchanging the release of U.S.-led sanctions and North Korean steps to wind down its nuclear and missile program. North Korea has since suspended any meaningful talks with Washington and Seoul as Kim ramped up his testing activity and military demonstrations in the face of what he portrayed as “gangster-like U.S. threats.” There’s concern in Seoul that Kim, in exchange for his military support of Russia, would receive Russian technology in return to further develop his arsenal.

Trump’s election win has touched off speculation about a resumption of a summit-driven diplomacy with Kim, which was described by critics as a “bromance.” But some experts say a quick return to 2018 is highly unlikely, as too much has changed about the regional security situation and broader geopolitics since then.

While the North Korean nuclear problem was relatively an independent issue during

7,000

Approximate number of trash balloons North Korea has launched into South Korea in the last six months.

Trump’s first term, it is now connected with broader challenges created by Russia’s war on Ukraine and further complicated by weakened sanctions enforcement against Pyongyang, Hwang Ildo, a professor at South Korea’s National Diplomatic Academy, wrote in a study last week.

North Korea’s nuclear and missile program is now much more advanced, which would increase Kim’s perception of his bargaining powers. Kim’s efforts to boost North Korea’s presence in a united front against Washington could also gain strength if Trump spikes tariffs and rekindles a trade war with China, the North’s main ally and eco-

nomic lifeline, Hwang said. Amid the stalemate in larger nuclear negotiations with Washington, Kim has been dialing up pressure on South Korea, abandoning his country’s long-standing goal of inter-Korean reconciliation and verbally threatening to attack the South with nukes if provoked.

Kim has also engaged in psychological and electronic warfare against South Korea, such as flying thousands of balloons to drop trash in the South and disrupting GPS signals from border areas near the South’s biggest airport.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea again flew trash-laden balloons toward the South early Monday and issued a statement warning the North “not to test our military’s patience any further.” The North has launched about 7,000 balloons toward the South since May, causing property damage but so far no injuries. On at least two occasions, trash carried by North Korea’s balloons fell on Seoul’s presidential compound, raising concerns about the vulnerability of key sites.

ALESSANDRA TARANTINO / AP PHOTO

Pope Francis delivers his speech during a mass on the occasion of World Day of the Poor on Sunday in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.

MOORE SPORTS

North Moore, Pinecrest record playoff wins

Union Pines gets eliminated in a first-round upset

North State Journal staff

TWO OF THE county’s three football teams advanced in the NCHSAA playoffs.

North Moore

The No. 6 seed in the 1A bracket, North Moore posted a resounding opening-round victory last Friday. The Mustangs blew out No. 27 Union, 51-0. It’s the fourth straight year North Moore has won its first-round game and the second season in the row where the Mustangs opened their playoff run with a shutout.

North Moore relied on a ground attack, throwing just three passes all game. All three passes were completions as Brady Atkinson threw for 58 yards.

The damage came from the running game, however, as the Mustangs rushed for 379 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 8.4 yards per carry. Brandon Powell led the way with 16 carries for 166 yards and two scores. Stryker Murray and Joseph Dunn also rushed for a pair of touchdowns each.

The North Moore defense throttled winless Union, getting 12 tackles for loss — three each by Colby Pennington and Blake Pennington — and recovered a fumble.

Next up for the Mustangs is No. 11 Bertie, who got a 52-6 win over North Edgecombe last week. The Falcons are 5-6 on the season but have won three straight. The two teams also met in last year’s playoffs, with North Moore winning, 58-20.

Pinecrest

The Patriots won their sixth

58-20

Score of last year’s playoff game between North Moore and Bertie. The Mustangs hope to get a win again this season

straight game as the No. 12 seed in 4A topped No. 21 New Hanover, 30-16. It’s the third straight year Pinecrest has opened the postseason with a win, and the Patriots will be looking to break with history, after losing in the second round each of the last two seasons.

Zymire Spencer rushed 26 times for 137 yards and a touchdown, and senior quarterback Cody Hansen completed 10-of-15 passing for 148 yards. Eric Melton added a rushing touch-

Karolyi, coach of Olympic champion gymnasts, dies at 82

The coach who led Comaneci and Retton to gold was also criticized for methods

By Will Graves The Associated Press

BELA KAROLYI, the charismatic if polarizing gymnastics coach who turned young women into champions and the United States into an international power in the sport, has died. He was 82.

Karolyi and wife, Martha, trained multiple Olympic gold medalists and world champions in the U.S. and Romania, including Nadia Comaneci and Mary Lou Retton.

“A big impact and influence on my life,” Comaneci, who was just 14 when Karolyi coached her to gold for Romania at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, posted on Instagram.

Yet Karolyi’s strident methods sometimes came under fire, most pointedly during the height of the Larry Nassar scandal.

When the disgraced former USA Gymnastics team doctor was effectively given a life sentence after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting gymnasts and other athletes with his hands under the guise of medical treatment, over a dozen former gymnasts came forward saying the Karolyis were part of a system that created an oppressive culture that allowed Nassar’s behavior to run unchecked for years.

While the Karolyis denied

responsibility — telling CNN in 2018 they were unaware of Nassar’s behavior — the revelations led to them receding from the spotlight.

It was in Montreal in 1976, of course, where the world got its first real glimpse of Karolyi. When a solemn, dark-haired sprite named Nadia Comaneci enchanted the world with the first perfect 10 in Olympic history, a feat she would duplicate six times, Karolyi was there to wrap her in one of his trademark bear hugs.

Romania, which had won only three bronzes in Olympic gymnastics before 1976, left Montreal with seven medals, including Comaneci’s golds in the all-around, balance beam and uneven bars, and the team silver. Comaneci became an international sensation, the first person to appear on the covers of Sports Illustrated, Time and Newsweek in the same week.

The Karolyis defected from Romania to the United States in 1981. Three years later, Bela helped guide Retton — all of 16 — to the Olympic all-around title at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles. At the 1996 Games in Atlanta, he memorably helped an injured Kerri Strug off the floor after Strug’s vault secured the team gold for the Americans.

Karolyi briefly became the national team coordinator for USA Gymnastics women’s elite program in 1999 and incorporated a semicentralized system that eventually turned the Americans into the sport’s gold standard. It did not come with-

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Zymire Spencer

down, and Chris Najm found the end zone twice.

On defense, Tanner Corwin had 12 tackles and three tackles for loss, while Pinecrest had two interceptions, including a 69-yard return by William Miller.

Next up for Pinecrest is No. 5 Rolesville, who ended Pinecrest’s season in the first round three years ago. The Rams are 10-1 and beat No. 28 Middle Creek 57-22 last week.

Union Pines

The Vikings lost their third straight game and ended their season on an upset loss. The No. 9 seed in the 3A bracket, Union Pines lost at home to No. 24 Scotland, 28-14. It ended the Vikings’ season at 6-5. It was their first playoff game since 2019 and the first winning season since 2020-21. Union Pines is still looking for its first playoff win in more than 20 seasons.

Pinecrest, football

Zymire Spencer is a senior running back on the Pinecrest football team. The No. 12 seed Patriots won their NCHSAA playoff opener, beating New Hanover 30-16, and a crushing ground game led by Spencer is a big reason why.

Spencer carried the ball 26 times, gaining 137 yards. He scored a touchdown and also added a 19-yard pass reception. He has now rushed for at least 125 yards in his last nine games and scored a touchdown in his last six.

For the season, Spencer has 1,757 rushing yards, which is fifth most in the state and second most at the 4A East classification. He’s also sixth in 4A in touchdowns and 11th in return yards.

out a cost. He was removed from the position after the 2000 Olympics when it became apparent his leadership style simply would not work, though he remained around the sport after Martha took over for her husband in 2001. While the Karolyis approach helped the U.S. become a superpower — an American woman has won each of the last six Olympic titles, and the U.S. women earned the team gold at

the 2012 and 2016 Games un-

der Martha Karolyi’s leadership — their methods came under fire.

Dominique Moceanu, part of the “Magnificent 7” team that won gold in Atlanta, talked extensively about her corrosive relationship with the Karolyis following her retirement. In her 2012 memoir, Moceanu wrote Bela Karolyi verbally abused her in front of her teammates on multiple occasions.

“His harsh words and critical demeanor often weighed heavily on me,” Moceanu posted on X. Some of Karolyi’s most famous students were always among his staunchest defenders. When Strug got married, she and Karolyi took a photo recreating their famous scene from the 1996 Olympics, when he carried her onto the medals podium after she vaulted on a badly sprained ankle.

DAVID SINCLAIR FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

DAVID SINCLAIR FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL Pinecrest’s Tanner Corwin records one of his three tackles for loss in the Patriots’ playoff win over New Hanover.

SUSAN RAGAN / AP PHOTO

Team USA gymnast Kerri Strug is carried by her coach, Bela Karolyi, as she waves to the crowd on her way to receiving her gold medal for the women’s team gymnastics competition at the Centennial Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996. Strug had two torn ligaments and a sprained ankle from the vault competition.

SIDELINE REPORT

NBA Ball fined $100K for making ‘offensive and derogatory comment’ in postgame interview

New York

Charlotte Hornets guard

LaMelo Ball has been fined $100,000 for making what the NBA called “an offensive and derogatory comment” during a televised postgame on-court interview. Ball made the comment Saturday on FanDuel Sports Network shortly after the Hornets defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 115-114.

Sideline reporter Shannon Spake asked Ball about the team’s defensive strategy against Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo on the game’s final play, and Ball used an anti-gay slur while delivering his answer. The $100,000 fine was the maximum allowed by league rule.

NASCAR

23XI Racing, Front Row can compete in 2025 while suing NASCAR after clause removed from contracts

Charlotte

The two teams suing NASCAR over an antitrust complaint will compete in 2025 as “open teams” after NASCAR removed anticompetitive release claims that will allow them to race while the legal process continues. 23XI Racing, owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Motorsports refused to sign take-it-orleave it revenue sharing offers. They have filed a federal antitrust lawsuit and asked for an injunction to be recognized as chartered teams while the lawsuit continues. NASCAR lifted an anticompetitive release requirement from the open agreement that allows 23XI and Front Row to race in 2025 as open teams.

NCAA BASKETBALL

Pitino defeats son in latest coaching clash as No. 22 St. John’s tops New Mexico

New York Rick Pitino defeated his son in their latest coaching clash as No. 22 St. John’s passed its first real test this season, topping New Mexico 85-71. All five starters scored in double figures for the Red Storm to make a winner of their Hall of Fame coach in a family affair at Madison Square Garden. Richard Pitino, coach of the Lobos, fell to 1-3 in matchups against his father. The previous two losses came when Rick Pitino was at Louisville. Richard Pitino beat his dad’s Iona team two years ago at The Pit.

NCAA FOOTBALL

LSU coach Kelly screams at one player, gets yelled at by another in loss at Florida

Gainesville, Fla. LSU coach Brian Kelly was caught on camera screaming at one player and getting yelled at by another. The sideline scenes were clear signs of frustration as LSU lost a third consecutive game, 27-16 at unranked Florida. The LSU fanbase might be out of patience with Kelly. The coach appeared to get into it with receiver Chris Hilton in the first half. Late in the third quarter, cameras captured receiver Kyren Lacy yelling at Kelly on the sideline after an empty possession.

McIlroy ends year with another win in Dubai and 6th title as Europe’s best

2024 saw success, heartbreaking near misses and personal turmoil for Rory McIlroy

The Associated Press

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

— Rory McIlroy ended a tumultuous year packed with emotion on and off the golf course with a pair of trophies and plenty of tears.

McIlroy closed with a 3-under 69 for a two-shot victory Sunday in the World Tour Championship. He also captured his sixth title as Europe’s No. 1 player.

And then the 35-year-old from Northern Ireland couldn’t speak, choked up with emotion as he contemplated the wins and losses, and everything else in between.

“I’ve been through a lot this year, professionally and personally,” McIlroy said. “It feels like the fitting end to 2024. I’ve

persevered this year a lot.”

He won four times — two of them on the PGA Tour — and tied the late Seve Ballesteros by winning his sixth title in the Race to Dubai, formerly the Order of Merit. Two more and he can match Colin Montgomerie for the record.

“I’ve really made it a priority of my schedule over the last few years to give myself the best chance coming into the end of the year to win the Race to Dubai. I don’t see that being any different for the foreseeable future,” McIlroy said. “Going for my seventh next year and try to chase Monty down.”

He also threw away a chance at the U.S. Open by missing two short putts over the last three holes at Pinehurst No. 2, finishing one behind Bryson DeChambeau. He was on the verge of finally winning on home soil until Hojgaard stunned him with a late charge in the Irish Open at Royal Country Down.

WNBA corporate sponsors are growing

Women of color and LGBTQ+ players are often ignored in endorsement opportunities

By Claire Savage The Associated Press

IN A BANNER YEAR for women’s professional sports, athletes who dominate their game are reaping the financial benefits.

The WNBA is a leading example. Last month, it wrapped up a historic season that notched all-time viewership and attendance records while racking up brand deals and corporate sponsorships for its players along the way.

Many of the WNBA’s young stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese brought deals with them from their playing days in college, including name, image and likeness agreements that became endorsements with such companies as Nike, Reebok and Gatorade. Players of different backgrounds landed a variety of other endorsement deals with companies like CarMax and State Farm.

But for all those enjoying their newfound riches, there are still some players who are being left out. The WNBA recently partnered with Kim Kardashian’s underwear brand SKIMS, which featured women of color as well as LGBTQ+ players in its ads. The compa-

ny received pushback, however, for excluding masculine-presenting athletes in its May campaign.

“Not the papis of the league being forgotten again,” Phoenix Mercury’s Natasha Cloud posted on X after SKIMS’ “Fits Everybody” campaign dropped.

Two-time all-star Natasha Howard of the Dallas Wings also criticized the campaign, saying it felt “like a smack” for the league’s more masculine presenting players, and that it is “absolutely” harder for black LGBTQ+ athletes to get brand deals.

“I feel like a lot of people don’t want to see queer or lesbian people on the face of anything,” Howard said.

SKIMS did not respond to requests for comment.

Cloud and Howard decided to forge their own path. Both women scored partnerships with Woxer, a Latina and LGBTQ+-owned women’s boxer brand that offers a line designed for gender nonconforming customers.

Miami-based Alexandra Fuente, Woxer’s founder, said that working with Howard, Cloud and Las Vegas Aces’ Kierstan Bell “was just a great match,” and the company is planning to collaborate with many more female athletes in the future.

“I think the major brands give deals to people that fit the box, and that is a great thing

“I’ve been through a lot this year, professionally and personally.”

Rory McIlroy

McIlroy revealed in May that he had filed for divorce, and equally stunning was word a month later that the divorce proceedings had been scrapped and they would try to work it out. His wife, Erica, and 4-year-old daughter Poppy were in Dubai cheering his latest victory.

It was a lot for McIlroy, and the emotions when it was over bore that out.

“To finish the year like this, it’s a dream come true,” McIlroy said at the closing ceremony, where he hoisted the enormous World Tour Championship trophy and the Harry Vardon Trophy for winning the season points title.

“It’s been hard at times,” he said. “Had a lot of close calls. To finish the year off the way I did today means the world to me.”

McIlroy won $5 million — $3 million from the tournament prize fund, and a $2 million bonus for the Race to Dubai.

McIlroy won for the 37th time worldwide as he bids to take his place among European greats. The mention of Ballesteros made him emotional for all the Spaniard has meant to the development of the European tour.

“I think everyone knows what Seve means to European golf and to Ryder Cup players. (In the) European Ryder Cup locker room, all we have are quotes of Seve. We had a changing room with Seve’s shirt from ’95, the last Ryder Cup he played,” McIlroy said as he wiped away more tears.

“And for me to be mentioned in the same breath, I’m very proud.”

because it leaves opportunity for brands like us,” Fuente said. “For us ... everybody’s in the box.” But for mainstream brands, partnering with athletes who don’t fit the traditional mold in today’s increasingly polarized cultural landscape fraught with anti-diversity backlash creates “this collective risk that some brands are unwilling to take,” according to Ketra Armstrong, University of Michigan professor of sport management and director of the Center for Race & Ethnicity in Sport.

Many brands are ”middle of the road, and want to be safe, and don’t want to offend other pockets of their consumers,” Armstrong said.

But brands are missing the mark when they overlook black LGBTQ+ women, said Univer-

sity of Massachusetts Amherst sport management professor Ajhanai Keaton, who studies the intersection of race and gender identity.

Like some of its players, the WNBA’s fan base also holds fluid gender identities, plus companies may underestimate how much consumers with different identities admire and relate to LGBTQ+ players, Keaton said. “Sponsors and brands are way behind the curve on this.”

For anyone who questions the marketing potential and social capital of Black LGBTQ+ athletes, Keaton added, they need only glance at the comment sections of their Instagram posts, which are filled with fire emojis, heart eyes emojis, and, “‘Where’d you get those shoes?’”

TONY GUTIERREZ / AP PHOTO

Dallas Wings’ Natasha Howard handles the ball as she works against the Indiana Fever in a WNBA game.

ALTAF QADRI / AP PHOTO

Rory McIlroy poses with the DP World Tour Championship trophy and the Race to Dubai trophy after winning the World Tour Golf Championship.

Sandra Lee

Jan. 15, 1943 – Nov. 15, 2024

Sandra Lee, 81, of Aberdeen, NC passed away November 15, 2024 after a long and courageous battle with Parkinson’s Disease, at FirstHealth Hospice House in Pinehurst.

Sandra was born on January 15, 1943 in Coward, SC to the late Wilbur James “W.J.” and Belva Ham Lee.

Sandra was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 50 years, Sherrill Lee in 2018; brother Gerald “Jerry” Lee; and brother-in-law, Ronald Matthews.

She was a graduate of J.C. Lynch High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Coker College. She briefly worked as an elementary school teacher before becoming a stay-at-home mom and homemaker after the birth of her daughters.

She was a life-time member of the Aberdeen Gardenette’s and enjoyed both flower arranging and gardening. She was an active member of Aberdeen First Baptist Church. Sandra was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend to many.

Sandra is survived by her daughters, Renee Youngerman (Matt) of Aberdeen and Christy Pusser (Patrick) of Pinehurst, grandchildren Riley and Nicholas Youngerman; and Carson, Lucas and Sophia Pusser; her brother Vernon “Richie” Lee (Gwen); sister, Linda Lee Matthews; and sister-in-law, Jackie Lee.

A visitation will be held on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 at noon at Aberdeen First Baptist Church, a funeral service, officiated by Pastor Dr. Daryl Cornett, Pastor Brandon Wood, and Pastor David Litts will begin at 1 p.m. A private burial will occur at Bethesda Cemetery in Aberdeen.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Aberdeen First Baptist Church Forward in Faith Fund, P.O. Box 1066 Aberdeen, NC 28315, or FirstHealth Hospice and Palliative Care, 150 Applecross Road, Pinehurst, NC 28374, or The Parkinson’s Foundation. Sandra’s family is forever grateful to her caregivers who made in home care the past 6 years possible. Services entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.

Robert “Bob” D. Slagel

Nov. 20, 1943 – Nov. 12, 2024

We bid farewell to Robert “Bob” D. Slagel, 81, of Pinehurst, NC, who departed from this world on November 12, 2024.

Bob is survived by his wife Sharon Demmon; son Bryan Slagel; and brother and sisterin-law, David and Debra Slagel. He was born and raised in Rome, NY. He had a long working career with ABB Inc. (Formally Combustion Engineering, Sybron Taylor, Taylor Instrument), where he forged many lifelong relationships. He will be sorely missed by us all.

Bob’s wishes were to leave this world as quietly as he came. He has no special requests. Please utilize Boles Funeral Home’s Tribute Wall to send messages or share stories of Bob with the Slagel family.

Services entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Pinehurst.

Ted Olson, who argued Bush recount, same-sex marriage cases, dies at 84

He served as solicitor general under George W. Bush

By Lindsay Whitehurst and Russ Bynum

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. —

Former U.S. Solicitor General Ted Olson, who served two Republican presidents as one of the country’s best known conservative lawyers and successfully argued on behalf of samesex marriage, died Wednesday. He was 84.

The law firm Gibson Dunn, where Olson practiced since 1965, announced his death on its website. No cause of death was given.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in NSJ at obits@ northstatejournal.com

Olson was at the center of some of the biggest cases of recent decades, including a win on behalf of George W. Bush in the 2000 Florida presidential election recount dispute that went before the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Even in a town full of lawyers, Ted’s career as a litigator was particularly prolific,” said Mitch McConnell, the longtime Senate Republican leader. “More importantly, I count myself among so many in Washington who knew Ted as a good and decent man.”

Bush made Olson his solicitor general, a post the lawyer held from 2001 to 2004. Olson had previously served in the Justice Department as an assistant attorney general during President Ronald Reagan’s first term in the early 1980s.

During his career, Olson argued 65 cases before the Supreme Court, according to Gibson Dunn.

“They weren’t just little cases,” said Theodore Boutrous,

a partner at the law firm who worked with Olson for 37 years. “Many of them were big, blockbuster caes that helped shape our society.”

Those included the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, a 2010 case that eliminated many limits on political giving, and a successful challenge to the Trump administration’s decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

“He’s the greatest lawyer I’ve ever worked with or seen in action,” said Boutrous, who worked so closely with Olson that they were known at Gibson Dunn as “the two Teds.”

“He was an entertaining and forceful advocate who could go toe-to-toe with the Supreme Court justices in a way few lawyers could. They respected him so much.”

One of Olson’s most prominent cases put him at odds with many fellow conservatives. After California adopted a ban on same-sex marriage in 2008, Olson joined forces with former adversary David Boies, who had represented Democrat Al Gore in the presidential election case, to represent California couples seeking the right to marry.

During closing arguments, Olson contended that tradition or fears of harm to heterosexual unions were legally insufficient grounds to discriminate against same-sex couples.

“It is the right of individuals, not an indulgence to be dispensed by the state,” Olson said. “The right to marry, to choose to marry, has never been tied to procreation.”

A federal judge in California ruled in 2010 that the state’s ban violated the U.S. Constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court let that decision stand in 2013.

“This is the most important thing I’ve ever done, as an attorney or a person,” Olson later said in a documentary film about the marriage case.

He told The Associated Press in 2014 that the marriage case was important because it “involves tens of thousands of people in California, but really millions of people throughout the United States and beyond that to the world.”

His decision to join the case added a prominent conservative voice to the rapidly shifting views on same-sex marriage across the country.

Boies remembered Olson as a giant in legal circles who “left the law, our country, and each of us better than he found us. Few people are a hero to those that know them well. Ted was a hero to those who knew him best.”

Olson’s personal life also intersected tragically with the nation’s history when his third wife, well-known conservative legal analyst Barbara Olson, died on Sept. 11, 2001. She was a passenger on American Airlines Flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon.

In recent years, his other high profile clients have included quarterback Tom Brady during the “Deflategate” scandal of 2016 and technology company Apple in a legal battle with the FBI over unlocking the phone of a shooter who killed 14 people in San Bernardino, California, in 2015.

The range of his career and his statute on the national stage were unmatched, said Barbara Becker, managing partner of Gibson Dunn.

“Ted was a titan of the legal profession and one of the most extraordinary and eloquent advocates of our time,” Becker said in a statement.

ANDREW HARNIK / AP PHOTO

Former United States Solicitor General Ted Olson, center, speaks with former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, right, in September 2017 in Washington, D.C.

STATE & NATION

Hurricane season alive and well with third November storm

Sara went through Central America last week

By Russ Bynum The Associated Press

SAVANNAH, Ga. — As the third named storm to emerge during November, Tropical Storm Sara serves as a reminder that the Atlantic hurricane season hasn’t quite ended.

Sara formed in the western Caribbean Sea before making landfall last week on the northern coast of Honduras, dumping torrential rains in a slow weekend crawl across parts of Central America.

Sara follows two other named storms so far this month. Tropical Storm Patty brought heavy rain to the Azores and dissipated without striking land. Then Hurricane Rafael struck Jamaica and the Cayman Islands before tearing across Cuba as a Category 3 storm.

That has made for an unusually active final month for the hurricane season when forecasters typically see a single named storm every year or two. And the 2024 season still has two weeks to go.

The hurricane season for storms in the Atlantic Ocean,

the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico officially runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

Though named storms have been known to form before and after that six-month period, hurricane season reflects the months when weather con-

ditions are more favorable for producing tropical storms and hurricanes.

Ocean temperatures must reach at least 79 degrees Fahrenheit to fuel hurricanes. Hurricane season is also when the upper atmosphere tends to

have reduced wind shear, or changes in wind speed and direction that tear hurricanes apart.

Those hostile winds tend to ramp up later into the fall, making it more difficult for November storms to form, said Levi Silvers, a hurricane researcher at Colorado State University.

“We have the water temperatures to allow for these storms to form,” Silvers said. “But it’s increasingly unlikely we’re going to get the conducive winds.”

Based on the 30-year period from 1991 to 2020, November typically sees one tropical storm every year or two. Storms that strengthen into hurricanes are rarer during the season’s final month, with one occurring generally every two years, according to the hurricane center.

Since 1851, a total of 125 tropical storms have been recorded during November, said Brian McNoldy, a hurricane researcher at the University of Miami. About half of those storms, 63, went on to become hurricanes. And 12 strengthened into major hurricanes with winds above 110 mph. Rafael earlier this month forced the evacuation of

283,000 people in Cuba and destroyed 460 homes. It was the Atlantic basin’s first November hurricane since 2022 when the season wrapped up with three storms. One of them, Hurricane Nicole, became the first November hurricane to make landfall in Florida since 1985.

Only two other November hurricanes are known to have struck the U.S., in 1861 and in 1935, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Since 1953, there have been seven November hurricanes devastating enough to have their names retired, McNoldy said.

The last ones were Hurricanes Eta and Iota, both Category 4 storms that smashed into the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua two weeks apart in November 2020. The back-toback hurricanes were blamed for a combined 239 deaths and $8.2 billion in damage across Central America.

They struck at the end of the most active hurricane season on record with 30 named storms. The busy 2020 season exhausted the year’s alphabetical list of storm names by mid-September. Later storms, including Eta and Iota, were identified using Greek letters. Other destructive November hurricanes that had their names retired were Otto in 2016, Paloma in 2008, Noel in 2007, Michelle in 2001 and Lenny in 1999, according to McNoldy.

More logging proposed to help curb Pacific Northwest wildfires

Officials say the Northwest Forest Plan of 1994 is outdated

By Matthew Brown

The Associated Press

U.S. OFFICIALS would allow increased logging on federal lands across the Pacific Northwest in the name of fighting wildfires and boosting rural economies under proposed changes to a sweeping forest management plan that’s been in place for three decades.

The U.S. Forest Service proposal, released Friday, would overhaul the Northwest Forest Plan that governs about 38,000 square miles in Oregon, Washington and California.

The plan was adopted in 1994 under President Bill Clinton amid pressure to curb destructive logging practices that resulted in widespread clearcuts and destroyed habitat used by spotted owls. Timber harvests dropped dramatically in subsequent years, spurring political backlash.

But federal officials now say worsening wildfires due to climate change mean forests must be more actively managed to increase their resiliency. Increased logging also would provide a more predictable supply of trees for timber companies, officials said, helping rural economies that have suffered after lumber

mills shut down and forestry jobs disappeared.

The proposal could increase annual timber harvests by at least 33% and potentially more than 200%, according to a draft environmental study. The number of timber-related jobs would increase accordingly.

Harvest volumes from the 17 national forests covered by the Northwest Forest Plan averaged about 445 million board feet annually over the past decade, according to government figures.

Cutting more trees would help reduce wildfire risk and make

communities safer, the study concluded. That would be accomplished in part by allowing cuts in some areas with stands of trees up to 120 years old — up from the current age threshold of 80 years.

The change could help foster conditions conducive to growing larger, old-growth trees that are more resistant to fire by removing younger trees, officials said.

A separate pending proposal from President Joe Biden’s administration aims to increase protections nationwide for oldgrowth trees, which play a sig-

nificant role in storing climate change-inducing carbon dioxide.

“Much has changed in society and science since the Northwest Forest Plan was created,” Jacque Buchanan, regional forester for the Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Region, said in a statement. He said the proposal would help the agency adapt to shifting conditions.

The proposed plan also calls for closer cooperation between the Forest Service and Native American tribes to tap into tribal knowledge about forest management. Tribes were excluded when the 1994 plan was crafted.

Environmentalists greeted the proposal with skepticism.

The group Oregon Wild said it was “deeply troubling” that the Forest Service would release the proposal just ahead of a change in presidential administrations.

“It appears that the Forest Service wants to abandon the fundamental purpose of the Northwest Forest Plan — protecting fish and wildlife and the mature and old-growth forests they need to survive,” John Persell, an attorney for the group, said in a statement.

During former President Donald Trump’s first term, administration officials sought to open millions of acres of West Coast forest to new logging by stripping habitat protections for the imperiled spotted owl. The move was opposed by government biologists and reversed under Biden.

The maximum tree age allowed to be cut under the current guidelines, which could increase to 120 years under the new proposal

A draft environmental study examined several potential alternatives, including leaving the existing plan’s components in place or changing them to either reduce or increase logging.

A timber industry representative who co-chaired an advisory committee on the Northwest Forest Plan said the proposed plan resulted from discussions involving committee members, the Forest Service and others.

“We want to see a modern approach to federal forest stewardship that protects us from catastrophic wildfires, reduces toxic smoke, meaningfully engages tribes, and delivers for our rural communities and workers,” said Travis Joseph, president of the American Forest Resource Council.

The publishing of the proposal begins a 120-day public comment period. The Forest Service’s environmental review is expected to be completed by next fall, and a final decision is due in early 2026.

DELMER MARTINEZ / AP PHOTO

Residents walk past inundated vehicles in the flooded streets of Planeta, Honduras, in the aftermath of Hurricane Eta in November 2020.

RICK BOWMER / AP PHOTO

Old-growth Douglas fir trees stand along the Salmon River Trail in Mount Hood National Forest outside Zigzag, Oregon, in 2004.