VOLUME 6 ISSUE 15
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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 2021
the Wednesday
NEWS BRIEFING
NC Senate, House leaders announce budget deal Raleigh The General Assembly has set its budget total for 2021-22. General-fund spending will be set not to exceed $25.7 billion, an increase of nearly 3.5%. In 2022-23, the cap will not exceed $26.7 billion. In a joint statement, Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Eden) and House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Kings Mountain) said, “This agreement builds on the last decade of responsible Republican-led budgets. We intend to fulfill our commitment to balance the budget while saving for future needs and cutting taxes for the vast majority of residents.” The agreement reached does not include a bond or Medicaid expansion. NSJ STAFF
French leader Macron slapped in face on visit to small town Paris French President Emmanuel Macron was slapped in the face Tuesday by a man during a visit to a small town in southeastern France. The French president was greeting the public waiting for him behind barriers in the town of Tain-l’Hermitage after he visited a high school that is training students to work in hotels and restaurants. The man, who was wearing a mask, appears to have cried out “Montjoie! Saint Denis!” a centuries-old royalist war cry, before finishing with “A bas la Macronie,” or “Down with Macron.” Mounting concerns about violence against elected officials and police have been aired in France, particularly after members of the “yellow vest” economic-protest movement repeatedly clashed with riot-control officers in 2019. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Engineering firm pleads guilty to bid-rigging, fraud schemes Washington, D.C A North Carolina engineering firm has pleaded guilty to conspiracies to rig bids and defraud the N.C. Department of Transportation, and was ordered to pay more than $1 million in restitution and $7 million in fines, the U.S. Department of Justice said. According to court documents, Contech pleaded guilty to one count of bidrigging and one count of conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud. The firm was charged in a six-count indictment filed in the Eastern District of North Carolina on Oct. 21, 2020. Contech admitted to conspiring to rig bids and defraud the department to obtain contracts for infrastructure projects as early as 2009 and continued at least until March 2018. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
PBS North Carolina, NC DIT receive emergency communications grant Research Triangle Park PBS North Carolina, jointly with the N.C. Department of Informational Technology and N.C.-based Device Solutions, announced a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to continue the development of a new emergency digital-paging system over public television. The system will help first responders with increased coverage area and penetration, reduce delay and provide a secure and reliable means for transmitting emergency alerts. Chief technology officer at PBS North Carolina, Fred Engel, said, “This award allows us to continue to explore the many other capabilities of this technology that will serve the public.” NSJ STAFF
CHRIS SEWARD | AP PHOTO
Former President Donald Trump applauds the crowd after he speaks at the North Carolina Republican Convention Saturday, June 5, 2021, in Greenville.
NORTH
STATE
JOURNaL ELEVATE THE CONVERSATION
Competing bills at NC General Assembly seek to end $300 bonus to unemployed GOP lawmakers say generous benefits disincentivizing work
By David Larson North State Journal RALEIGH — A North Carolina House proposal to reject the $300 federal bonus that is being added to state unemployment benefits passed 71-36 on June 3, while two days earlier, the Senate passed a proposal, by a 3510 margin, to continue accepting the funding but to use it for “getback-to-work” bonuses. The dueling strategies for how to respond to the federal funds come amidst a call by business organizations, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, to scrap the federal money due to its potential for creating a reluctance to return to work. So far, 25 states have decided to reject the money in a bid to make the benefits less attractive to their respective workforces. “North Carolina businesses have reached their tipping point,” House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Kings Mountain) said during floor debate. “While workers are being incentivized by the federal government to stay home, many business owners have cited the additional $300-per-week federal unemployment benefits as a prime reason why they can’t hire.” The House-backed bill, SB 116, titled “Putting North Carolina Back to Work Act,” would make unemployment benefits nontaxable income but also withdraw North Carolina from the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Agreement. The bill received seven Democrat votes, enough to override a veto by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper if any of the five GOP absences were to vote with their caucus during a final vote. On the Senate side, state Sen. Chuck Edwards (R-Henderson) took the lead on House Bill 128,
titled “An Act to Reemploy NC’s Workforce.” Edwards, along with Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and U.S. Rep. Ted Budd, held a press conference before the vote explaining why they believed one-time “getback-to-work” bonuses were the best way to address the issue. “I don’t like the precedent of government paying able-bodied people to find a job, but this issue requires a solution,” Edwards said. “Employers can’t hire people because government is paying them not to work, and we’ve got to fix it.” Budd also spoke at the press conference, saying, “The current enhanced unemployment system has essentially created a stay-athome bonus. We should reverse the incentive and create a temporary back-to-work bonus instead.” The bill would offer $1,500 bonuses to those returning to work within 30 days of the act becoming law and $800 for those returning to work between 30 and 60 days of the act becoming law. The Senate passed the bill later that day, and like with SB 116, HB 128 received enough bipartisan support to override any Cooper veto. All Republicans present, along with eight Democrats, voted for HB 128; 10 Democrats voted against the bill. Pat Ryan, a spokesperson for Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Eden), told NSJ that Senate Republicans believed their proposal had a better chance of being signed into law than the House version that simply scraps the benefits altogether. “The practical reality is that legislation to end the $300 supplement will not become law because of Gov. Cooper’s opposition, so we can either continue with the status quo or try to convert the stay-at-home funding into a back-to-work bonus,” Ryan said. North State Journal reached out to the governor’s office asking if he would consider signing either of these bills but did not hear back by time of publication.
EXCLUSIVE
45th President Donald J. Trump talks to North State Journal before NC speech By Matt Mercer North State Journal GREENVILLE — Donald J. Trump, the 45th president of the United States, spoke exclusively to North State Journal prior to his June 5 speech at the North Carolina Republican Party Convention dinner. Trump previewed many of the topics he would address later in his speech to the crowd, including the Biden administration’s agenda and his 2022 U.S. Senate endorsement. President Trump talked about the differing economic plans, touting his 2017 tax-reform bill’s success.
“We cut taxes at the highest rate in history, including Ronald Reagan. We had the biggest tax cut, biggest regulation cuts by far; and it just inspired people to go out and do what they were doing,” Trump said. In 2019, the national unemployment rate fell to 3.5%, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Trump also criticized monthly jobs numbers in April and May, which both fell below economists’ expectations. “You look at the numbers yesterday. They were really not good See TRUMP, page A2
Questions surround Cooper's linking of state of emergency, federal funds Neither CARES Act nor American Rescue Plan appear to require a state of emergency; no clarification from administration By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — At the first in-person COVID-19 media briefing in over 400 days, on June 2, Gov. Roy Cooper said North Carolina’s state-of-emergency order needed to continue and would not say when it will be lifted. The governor also made the claim that being able to “draw down” federal funding was contingent on keeping North Carolina under a state of emergency. But that appears not to be true. “The state of emergency needs to continue,” said Cooper during the briefing. “We need to continue to draw down federal funds. We need to continue to do things to make sure people get vaccinated and we still have mask mandates in places that are recommended by the CDC.” North Carolina’s state of emergency for COVID-19 is contained in Executive Order 116, which Cooper issued on March 10, 2020. Unlike the 70 other COVID-19 orders issued by Cooper, the state-of-emergency order has no expiration date. Order 116 states that, “The State of Emergency maintains state’s ability to receive federal funding to meet challenges presented by COVID-19;” however, this does not appear to be correct. An examination of the CARES Act and President Biden’s Amer-
ican Rescue Plan (ARP) does not reveal any requirement for a state See COOPER, page A2
North State Journal for Wednesday, June 9, 2021
A2 WEDNESDAY
THE WORD: CULTIVATING OUR FAITH
6.9.21 #286
“Liberty's story”
MARK 4: 26-29
And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; 27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. 28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. 29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. 26
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Jesus taught many parables by the Sea of Galilee, with several focused on seeds and agriculture. Matthew 13 gives the most detailed account of the various parables, but Mark 4 includes extensive discussion by Christ on the seed parables. Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to throwing seeds on the ground. Just as a farmer cannot force his crop to grow, Christian evangelists cannot dictate the time, scope and manner of those who receive the blessings of Christ. We can be faithful in sowing the seeds of faith, but ultimately the fruits are produced by God.
North State Journal (USPS 20451) (ISSN 2471-1365) Neal Robbins Publisher Matt Mercer Editor in Chief Cory Lavalette Managing/Sports Editor Frank Hill Senior Opinion Editor Emily Roberson Business/Features Editor David Larson Associate Editor Lauren Rose Design Editor
Published each Wednesday by North State Media, LLC 3101 Industrial Dr., Suite 105 Raleigh, N.C. 27609 TO SUBSCRIBE: 704-269-8461 or online at nsjonline.com Annual Subscription Price: $25.00 Periodicals Postage Paid at Raleigh, N.C. and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: North State Journal 3101 Industrial Dr., Suite 105 "PLANTING SEEDS" FILE PHOTO
Raleigh, N.C. 27609
COOPER from page A1 of emergency to be in place for a state to qualify. One pool of federal funds that may have ties to a state-of-emergency order is FEMA’s Lost Wages Supplemental Payment Assistance. The state application template provided by FEMA includes language about the delivery and administration of funds for the program through a “major disaster” declaration under the Stafford Act. That declaration, however, is made by the president of the United States, not a state governor. At the briefing, Cooper added there are “many other reasons” to maintain the state of emergency order but did not give many specifics. “The state of emergency has been able to help us free up resources, personnel, to be able to waive regulations, in order to stem the tide of this virus, to help get people vaccinated,” Cooper said in response to a question from North State Journal. NSJ reached out to the governor’s office for clarification on what federal funds he was referring to but did not receive a response. Additionally, the regional communication director for the White House directed NSJ’s inquiry to the U.S. Treasury. A response from the Treasury was not received before press time.
TRUMP from page A1 numbers at all. They were way below what was anticipated. We were talking well over a million [new jobs added], and they’re talking about half of that. They were shocking numbers, and that’s just the beginning. You’re going to see tremendous inflation with what they’re doing and what they’re giving away. No one wants it,” Trump added. Trump also tied his economic record to the unprecedented development of the COVID-19 vaccines. He said his economic plans help set a foundation when Operation Warp Speed was brought online. “They did a fantastic job. And we got it done in less than nine months. And everybody said, including Dr. Fauci, three years, four years, five years. And we did something else that people don’t talk about. We bought billions of dollars of the vaccine before we knew for sure that it worked,” said Trump. Kaiser Health News reported that the total amount of vaccine purchases made during the Trump administration totaled 800 million doses, enough for more than 400 million people. Trump said his administration made a big bet on the vaccine before it was authorized. As of June 7, 63.5% of U.S. adults have received at least one dose of a vaccine — over 170 million total.
State legislative leaders were also contacted by NSJ in an attempt to verify if a state of emergency was required in order to receive pandemic-related relief, such as the CARES Act or the American Rescue Plan. Senate Leader Phil Berger’s (R-Eden) communications director, Lauren Horsch, issued a statement on Cooper’s continued state of emergency order: It’s wrong to keep the state in a declared emergency when nearly all restrictions have been determined to be unnecessary. What should citizens of North Carolina believe — the science and data or what the Governor is telling them? Now that COVID-19 infections are at the lowest they’ve been in a year and the percent of positive cases keep plummeting, the Governor is ignoring the science and data to continue to exert his executive authority despite the reality on the ground: There is no emergency. Our system of government is premised on the idea of the consent of the governed. That system is inconsistent with the concept that one person could shut down the entire state and keep it in a “state of emergency” absent consultation and consensus with other elected leaders. While COVID has not been eradicated from our state, it’s time to do what so many other states have done and end
Trump also commended the military’s efforts in aiding distribution, saying, “Our military did a great job of distribution before the other group took over. We rebuilt the military, and we did Space Force, tax cuts, regulation cuts. But probably the most important thing was the vaccine. That’s why we’re talking together right now.” Pivoting to energy, Trump mentioned the Colonial Pipeline hack, and said that North Carolina “got hit more than anybody” when it happened. At the peak, nearly 70% of gas stations in the state were out of gasoline, according to data from GasBuddy. Additionally, North Carolina gas price averages are 29 cents more than this time in 2019, at $2.93, according to AAA. Current prices are also 30 cents more expensive than just a month ago. He expanded on that point, saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin wasn’t doing that when he was president. “We didn’t have hacking. We didn’t have problems like this. And now, they’re saying that they’re hacking many more companies. He wasn’t surrounding Ukraine with an army. Look, I was tougher on Russia and tougher probably on all of Europe than any other president,” Trump said. “This is what happens when we’re not respected in the world. You look at the leaders; they’re not respecting us.” In talking about the 2022 mid-
the state of emergency. Without any benchmarks behind his decision to keep the state of emergency in place, it’s nothing more than a baseless power play. U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis’ (R-NC) office said the American Rescue Plan bill “is obviously quite long, comprehensive and allocates trillions of dollars,” but that they couldn’t readily identify a specific provision that ties the program to a state of emergency declaration. The governor’s refusal to end the state of emergency fuels claims by critics that Cooper has abused his executive powers during the pandemic. Some have pointed to ever shifting or unclear metrics for closures and other mandates, as well as nursing-facility-visitation issues and disparate closure treatment of businesses such as private clubs and bars. Since the start of the pandemic, a lack of concurrence with the Council of State on Cooper’s order has also been cited. Legal complaints and mounting pressure led to House Bill 264, the Emergency Powers Accountability Act, which would require a governor to seek Council of State approval on orders lasting beyond a certain number of days. Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom has also recently refused to end his state’s state of emergency on June 15 as he had promised to do, claiming “we’re
still in a state of emergency.” Yet, California currently has one of the lowest rates of COVID infections and hospitalizations in the country. Newsom’s refusal to end California’s state of emergency coincides with the recall petition to remove him from office. The recall petition now has 1,719,943 validated signatures, far exceeding the required 1,495,709 to trigger a recall. The recall movement was sparked by Newsom’s uneven handling of businesses during lockdowns, which is a complaint also made about Cooper. Newsome also enacted some of the harshest COVID-related orders in the country and, like North Carolina, has had a sluggish vaccine rollout. COVID-19 emergency orders have either been terminated by legal rulings or have expired in five states: including Alaska, Michigan, North Dakota and Wisconsin. Emergency orders remain active in 43 states following the termination the New Jersey's emergency order on June 4 by Gov. Phil Murphy and Gov. Henry McMaster announcing on June 7 that South Carolina's order was being rescinded. Alaska and North Dakota’s emergency orders terminated at the end of April. Oklahoma ended the state of emergency on May 4, 2021. All three states have Repub-
FILE PHOTO
Donald Trump speaks with North State Journal Editor in Chief Matt Mercer before Trump spoke to the NCGOP Convention in Greenville on June 5. terms, President Trump previewed his endorsement later in the evening of U.S. Rep. Ted Budd, although not by name. Trump said it was important to win the Senate, saying, “I’m going to be announcing pretty soon who I think should be your next senator. I might even be doing it in about 30 minutes. So stay tuned.” During the speech, after Trump brought his daughter-in-law Lara Trump onstage to announce that she was not running in 2022, he gave his “complete and total endorsement” of Budd and said he would be back to campaign with
him in the state. Another topic NSJ discussed was the ongoing controversy over Critical Race Theory. In state-level battles, its use is now broadly being debated, with many other states already outlawing its use. In his speech to the convention, Trump said it is hard to believe the wreckage the Biden administration has created around the world in just four months; but he said it is even more alarming the damage they are doing to the nation, institutions and civic unity at home. Trump told NSJ that, “Criti-
lican governors. Michigan and Wisconsin’s states of emergency were ended by court rulings on March 31, 2020, and March 31, 2021, respectively. In both cases, state supreme courts ruled the governors had overstepped their authority. Michigan’s Supreme Court ruled Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) had no authority to issue orders beyond April 30, 2020, at which time the state’s legislature had declined to extend any declarations. Similarly, Wisconsin’s Gov. Tony Evers (D) was ruled to have overstepped his authority by declaring multiple states of emergency without first getting input from the state legislature, which is the only body in the state that can extend a state of emergency beyond 60 days. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently extended his state’s emergency order until the end of June. Similar to North Carolina’s proposed legislation, the Texas legislature had proposed a state constitutional amendment that would have required the governor to call a special session in order to declare a state emergency lasting more than 30 days. Amendments in Texas require a two-thirds-majority vote in both chambers to make it to the voting booth. The measure, however, failed to be voted on in the House before it adjourned on May 31, 2021.
cal Race Theory is ridiculous, it’s divisive, it’s really racist, and it’s something that will be stopped. I was stopping it cold, but this new group comes in, and I don’t know if Biden really understands it, if he wants to understand it, or maybe he can’t understand it; but it’s ridiculous.” He also said that the members of his “1776 Project,” a counter to the “1619 Project” that also has been taken up by Budd, are continuing their work. The members met on May 24 at Hillsdale College’s Washington, D.C. campus and released a statement that read in part, “The restoration of American education can only be grounded in a history of America and its principles that is accurate, honest, unifying, inspiring, and ennobling.” Budd spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, about the “1776 Project.” Trump said he would be active in 2022 midterms, telling the activists in the speech that, “With the spirit and energy and commitment of everyone, 2022 is going to be a banner year for North Carolina Republicans,” and that he expected to win an additional two to three congressional seats with the addition of a 14th seat in the state. In a sign of enthusiasm, chairman Michael Whatley told the crowd, “This is the biggest fundraising event in the history of the NCGOP.”
North State Journal for Wednesday, June 9, 2021
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Donald Trump delivers endorsement for Budd in ’22 Senate race By Matt Mercer North State Journal
MARY ALTAFFER | AP PHOTO
Kindergarten students wear their masks and are separated by plexiglass during a math lesson at the Milton Elementary School, Tuesday, May 18, 2021, in Rye, N.Y.
NCDHHS officials give shifting criteria to drop masks in K-12 schools State health director wouldn’t commit to metrics; points to CDC guidance
By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — At the June 3 State Board of Education meeting, N.C. Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) officials told board members masks were probably not going to be coming off students anytime soon. Gov. Roy Cooper’s Executive Order 215, which lifts some restrictions but keeps the statewide mask mandate for K-12 schools in place via the StrongSchoolsNC toolkit, will expire June 11 — just as most public schools are letting out for summer. It is unclear if he will allow the order to expire. Dr. Betsy Tilson, NCDHHS state health director and chief medical officer, said that throughout the pandemic NCDHHS had been focusing on “four key metrics” for making decisions. Those metrics include the percentage of people coming to emergency rooms with COVID-like illness, statewide COVID hospitalization rates, daily case rates and positive tests as a percent of total tests. Yet, in order for masks to come off kids in schools, Tilson cited a different set of criteria. She said COVID-19 transmission rates need to be low, but she did not specify a rate level or if she meant a statewide or local rate. She also said there is a need for more research on COVID-19’s impact on children before finally tying removing masks in schools to vaccination status — specifically the vaccine eligibility for children 12 and under. Tilson and NCDHHS deputy secretary Susan Gale-Perry’s presentation cited around 150,000 (19%) 12 to 17-year-olds in North Carolina have been vaccinated so far. The Associated Press reported that as of Friday, June 4, North Carolina returned over 1.2 million doses to the federal government, the state has a surplus of almost 2.4 million unused doses and the Cooper administration turned down an additional 2.4 million federally allocated doses.
According to both Tilson and the presentation, children being “largely unvaccinated” is a part of why NC K-12 school children are still being required to wear a mask indoors. “The rationale is... as we just showed on those slides... that the vast majority of the people, of those children in those settings, are not vaccinated, because there is no vaccine authorized for them,” said Tilson. “So, the large portion of those people are not vaccinated.” During the discussion of NCDHHS’ presentation, SBOE member Amy White said they are receiving a lot of questions about continued masking for children. She said she had looked at the state’s COVID dashboard and found that there had been a few deaths for children linked to COVID, but that the dashboard reported a “zero percent death rate” for children up to the age of 17 in the state. White also noted that May’s data showed there were less than 50 children that have been infected with the virus. She then asked Tilson if they were taking into consideration “the risk/ harm ratio of wearing masks for an extended period of time,” and cited increasing reports of children having shortness of breath during activities due to wearing a mask. White reiterated statements made by Tilson and Gale-Perry in the past about children having the lowest rates of infection, the lowest rate of spread and the lowest death rate. “What exactly are the metrics that you are using that would suggest when we can unmask children?” White asked Tilson. While Tilson agreed with White that children have a lower infection and spread rates, she said children were possibly being undercounted in testing, because they don’t have “acute cases” like adults. She also agreed on the aspect of hospitalizations but then shifted into talking about “longterm” effects of the virus and inflammatory syndrome associated with child COVID infections. Tilson said they needed more data on the “long-term effects” of COVID on children and vaccine access for younger children. During her response to White,
Tilson also said, “We have that really great data that masks prevent the spread.” That reference is likely part of the report by the ABC Science Collaborative at the May meeting of the state board of education at which state Superintendent Catherine Truitt asked what metrics needed to be in place to unmask children and, like White in June, Truitt did not receive a clear answer. “I didn’t know how I could have been more clear, and the answer was basically, we don’t know yet,” Truitt told North State Journal in an interview. Truitt also said she would not support requiring vaccinations to get rid of masks. “Let me be clear. I am never going to advocate that children under 12 need to be vaccinated in order for the mask mandate to come off,” said Truitt. June 2 was the first COVID briefing that the press had been allowed to attend in-person since March 20, 2020. At that briefing, NCDHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen was asked whether or not K-12 school children will be required to continue wearing masks when school resumes in the fall. Cohen said K-12 student masking “will continue until the guidance changes from the CDC.” States like New York, where the outbreak of COVID was most severe, have already indicated students will not have to wear a mask to school this fall. In neighboring Tennessee, Gov. Bill Lee signed an order in April removing the authority for localities to require masks and letting school districts choose whether or not to require one. In South Carolina, which had no comprehensive state mask requirement have removed mask requirements for K-12 students in early May. Cohen also said that a “vast majority” of students are unvaccinated and that the CDC continues to recommend that all people, including children, who are unvaccinated need to continue wearing a mask indoors. “I think we will need to see as the summer moves along,” said Cohen. “It may be possible that vaccinations will be available for younger students.” She added that vaccines for young children might be available “late into the fall.”
GREENVILLE — Former President Donald Trump officially backed three-term U.S. Rep. Ted Budd in the state’s 2022 Republican Senate primary, giving a massive boost to Budd, who announced in April he would seek the open seat. Trump teased the endorsement in an exclusive interview with NSJ, but did not reveal the name of his choice until his speech at June 5’s NCGOP convention dinner. He first brought his daughter-inlaw Lara Trump to the stage and anticipation mounted among the guests in the room. A North Carolina native, she was said to be considering a run for a number of months and led most public and private polls that included her. Citing two young children and a desire to only run if she could commit 100% to it, she said she was saying, “not ‘no’ forever, but ‘no’ for now,” on a run for office in her home state. Adding to the suspense, Mrs. Trump said, “I came because there is a very special person who is going to do an amazing job as your next senator, that he is going to announce tonight here in this room. I can promise you this: just because my name is not on the ballot does not mean I am not fighting every step of the way with you. We have to have a person in that Senate seat who represents North Carolina and is going to lead this country in the right direction.” As the former president returned to the stage, he said the person he was endorsing hasn’t been pushing him at all and would “fight like hell,” then announced that person was Budd. “Ted, please come up,” said Trump, as the crowd alternated cheers and gasps at the timing and surprise of the announcement. “I am giving him my complete and total endorsement. We’re going to work with him. You can’t pick people that have already lost two races and do not stand for our values. So I’m going with Congressman Ted Budd,” said Trump before turning
the podium over to Budd. “Wow, Mr. President, thank you so much,” Budd said to the crowd. “This means the world to me. Thank you. We got a lot of hard work ahead. So let’s win this together, and let’s get back to making America great again.” Immediately following the speech, former Gov. Pat McCrory released a lengthy statement, saying that Trump had been given “bad advice” and excoriated Budd. In part, the statement read, “I’m disappointed that President Trump has endorsed a Washington insider who has done more to oppose the Trump agenda than anyone in this race. We will win this race — the primary and the general. Ted Budd opposed President Trump’s plan to secure the border, to support our farmers, to repeal Obamacare, and he even voted against President Trump’s COVID vaccines.” Former U.S. Rep. Mark Walker, who campaigned to win the convention “straw poll,” said, “Together, we will take back Congress, stop the Biden-Harris agenda, & finally give NC a conservative senator.” The Democrats running for the seat united in opposition. Former N.C. Supreme Court chief justice Cheri Beasley said, “Donald Trump thinks he can pick who’s best for NC, but the truth is that Ted Budd is more focused on impressing Trump & his cronies than standing up for what’s best for NC.” The normally verbose state Sen. Jeff Jackson tweeted simply, “bring it Ted,” and former state Sen. Erica Smith, who had already attacked Budd in fundraising emails before the endorsement, said, “Twice impeached, banned on social media, disgraced former President endorses corporate lackey and insurrection apologist.” The event already paid off for Budd, however, with a campaign spokesman saying fundraising and offers to help the campaign came in immediately. Party leaders were caught off guard at the announcement as well, but pledged to remain neutral in the race until the March 2022 primary.
FILE PHOTO
U.S. Rep. Ted Budd stands in front of a barn at his family farm in Davie County.
What happens when you win a campaign-contribution raffle? The story of one man’s journey from Idaho to Greenville By Matt Mercer North State Journal GREENVILLE — Scott Carlton was perhaps the unlikeliest of guests at former President Donald’s Trump’s speech in Greenville this past Saturday, after winning a campaign-contribution raffle. Carlton, a just-retired doctor who lives in the northern Idaho town of Coeur d’Alene, had less than 48 hours to get from his home to the Greenville Convention Center. He said he found out on Thursday that he, in fact, was the winner. “I got a text message, which I get a lot of political test messages, and I’ve entered a few of them before. I usually don’t donate to anybody I can’t vote for, but I decided to go ahead and enter,” Carlton told North State Journal in an interview. “I got a call from Phillip [a staffer at the NCGOP], and it was a
North Carolina phone number. So, I almost didn’t answer it, because I tend not to answer anything out of state. It was just a few days before [the convention], and I wasn’t the initial winner. I was the second alternate, but the initial winner couldn’t come, and the first alternate never responded. I didn’t really find out I was coming until Thursday.” Once Carlton said he would come, he really had to hustle because he was responsible for getting to the venue on his own. “So I called about flights into Greenville. There was one available, and it was a four-leg flight here and a four-leg flight back — 17 hours each way. I really don’t want to do that,” he said laughing. “So I looked at Raleigh. I didn’t think it would be too difficult, because I planned on renting a car anyway.” With his flight reserved, Carlton figured a 90-minute drive from RDU to Greenville wouldn’t be too bad. “I looked at car rentals and there were no cars anywhere, none, not a
“I had been to one of the state of Washington’s conventions, way back when, when I was living there. I hadn’t been to one in a while, and I just recently retired. I said, what the heck; I got the time. I’m not doing anything.” Scott Carlton, on his motivation to enter the raffle single one of the rental companies had a single car out of Raleigh. So I figured, ‘Well, this is going to be interesting.’” Carlton said he was added to drop-out lists for cars, but none were available. Hotel rooms, it turned out, were also hard to come by. Greenville not only was host-
ing Republicans from across the state, but East Carolina University was hosting a College World Series regional, and Pitt County High School graduations were also scheduled for the same weekend. “I Lyfted [used the ride-sharing service Lyft] from Raleigh to Greenville and I couldn’t get a hotel room. And, the closest thing I found was one hotel in Little Washington. So that’s where I’m staying, and I’m Lyfting everywhere.” Carlton said he looked forward to both Trump’s speech and the lunch speech to the convention by South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem. He said he was just happy to be in Greenville and to see two well-known national figures. “I had been to one of the state of Washington’s conventions, way back when, when I was living there. I hadn’t been to one in a while, and I just recently retired. I said, what the heck; I got the time. I’m not doing anything.” He also entered a donation raffle to golf with President Trump in Florida but wasn’t as lucky on that
one. “You assume that somebody did win it, and somebody did go and play golf. But I didn’t really have any expectations. My kids thought I was crazy,” said Carlton. Carlton has been an avid traveler throughout his life. He’s been to 49 of the 50 states, with plans to see the 50th — Maine. Before moving to Idaho, he worked in Spokane, Washington, and now, he and all of his children live in Coeur d’Alene. Carlton said that the area, and a lot of Idaho, is seeing a surge in population growth. Carlton attended Emory University in Atlanta and said he missed visiting the South. “The first thing I noticed was the humidity again, being thirsty. I love the countryside in the South, the brick houses and big lawns. To me, it’s awesome. Totally different than the west coast,” he said. For Carlton, the 2,600-mile journey to the convention was also noteworthy because he celebrated his 70th birthday over the weekend.
North State Journal for Wednesday, June 9, 2021
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North State Journal for Wednesday, June 9, 2021
Murphy to Manteo
Famous franchises that started in NC
WEST
Buncombe County The Asheville Police Department is suspending responses to 10 crimes after losing 84 officers since 2020, which should improve response times for 911 calls. Police will no longer respond to: theft under $1,000; theft from a vehicle with no suspect information; non-life-threatening harassing phone calls unrelated to domestic violence and/or stalking; fraud, scam or identity theft; simple assaults reported after they occurred; reports that don’t require immediate police action; funeral escorts; lost and found property; and trespassing where the property owner doesn’t want to press charges. Noise complaints may have a significant delay in response.
GREENSBORO
CHARLOTTE
GREENVILLE FAYETTEVILLE
PIEDMONT
Buncombe County A federal appeals court on Friday upheld the conviction of a man who posted an anonymous threat on social media to lynch a Muslim-American political candidate from Virginia. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Joseph Cecil Vandevere’s argument that a threatening tweet the 54-year-old from Black Mountain directed at former state Senate candidate Qasim Rashid contained constitutionally protected speech and didn’t constitute a “true threat.” The March 2018 tweet included a picture of a lynching and read, “VIEW YOUR DESTINY.” Rashid posted a screenshot of the threatening tweet and reported it to the FBI.
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Henderson County An attempted murder charge has been dropped against Krista Noelle Madden, who authorities accused of faking her infant daughter’s kidnapping and trying to kill her. Madden was charged with first-degree attempted murder after placing her infant daughter 30 feet down a heavily forested ravine in 2019. Psychological evaluations showed acute postpartum depression and sleep deprivation resulted in a psychotic episode. The attempted murder charge was dropped, but under the agreement, Madden has to avoid getting in any trouble for two years. If not, Madden will be charged with a felony for filing a false police report.
Pop Tarts, milk cartons stolen from elementary school Catawba County Jacob Gherret Hamrick, 24, and a young accomplice stole large quantities of PopTarts, milk cartons and other items from an elementary school. The “Pop Tart Bandits” entered through an unsecured door of Blackburn Elementary School in Newton. Investigators recovered about 90 packages of Pop-Tarts, almost 40 milk cartons and about 40 packages of cheese sticks, among other food items. A pack of crackers that was stolen had already been eaten. They also are accused of taking six compound bows used by the school’s archery program. Hamrick was arrested on charges of breaking or entering and larceny.
Student denied diploma for wearing Mexican flag Randolph County A high school senior was denied his diploma because he draped a Mexican flag over his gown in violation of dress code. A 68-second video of the graduation at Asheboro High School shows the unidentified student wearing the flag over his gown, on his back and shoulders, The video shows the student appearing to talk to people in the line for a few seconds before he returns to his seat without his diploma. Asheboro school officials defended the decision to withhold the student’s diploma, saying that wearing a flag of any kind is a violation of the dress code.
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EAST
Merck probing discovery of noose at plant
AP
Mother’s attempted murder charge dropped
Burke County A hiker from Illinois is dead after a fall at Linville Gorge, according to local officials. Burke County Emergency Management officials received a call midday Thursday for an injured hiker off Rock Jock Trail in the gorge. More than three hours later, rescuers found Michael Ryva dead. The 30-yearold from Forest Park, Illinois, had fallen approximately 80 feet from a ledge, officials said. Crews were still working to extricate him at 9 p.m. Thursday, Michael Willis of the county fire marshal and emergency management offices said. It’s the second fatal fall of the season in the area.
By Matt Mercer North State Journal
SMITHFIELD
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Hiker dies after fall at gorge
Legislators may feature in ‘1619 Project’ writer’s UNCtenure lawsuit
WINSTON-SALEM
Appeals court upholds man’s conviction for threatening tweet
Police department suspends some responses
Jones & Blount
BURLINGTON
Breakfasts, lunches, dinners and desserts wouldn’t be the same without these franchises, which all got their start in the Old North State. Biscuitville, Bojangles and Hardees are all staples across North Carolina for breakfast, with biscuits and other breakfast items competing for “best biscuit” awards and more. The first, Hardees, began in Greenville, located its first franchise in Rocky Mount two years later and was acquired nationally in the 1990s. Bojangles and Biscuitville achieved regional dominance in Charlotte and the Triad, respectively. It’s hard to beat a Cook Out milkshake, as even President Joe Biden would attest. The chain, which started in Greensboro in 1989, is a favorite in the state’s college towns, thanks in no small smart to a dizzying array of combo options and a late-night closing time. Winston-Salem’s Krispy Kreme needs no introduction, as the “hot now” sign is a legendary fixture across the United States.
Durham County Pharmaceutical maker Merck & Co. is investigating how a noose ended up on the campus of its plant in Durham. A contractor on site found it at a construction project. The rope was immediately removed. On Saturday, Merck confirmed it was “investigating the incident.” The Durham site was one of two Merck plants tapped to help manufacture the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine earlier this year. In the Saturday email, site leadership encouraged employees to voice any concerns to management and provided other resources for support. AP
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Replica of ship sailed by Columbus to dock in Wilmington
Two teens shot at graduation party in Rocky Mount Edgecombe County Rocky Mount police say two teens were shot at a graduation party in Rocky Mount after an argument escalated into violence. A 19-year-old man was taken to UNC Nash Healthcare, where he was pronounced dead. A 17-year-old was shot in the face, then fled to a McDonald’s. He was taken to Vidant Healthcare Greenville, where he was listed in critical condition. It was the second fatal shooting at a graduation party over the weekend. On Friday, an 18-year-old was fatally shot in Sanford during a graduation party in a hotel room. A 16-year-old has been charged.
New Hanover County A replica of the ship sailed by Christopher Columbus in 1492 will dock in Wilmington starting next week. The Nao Santa Maria is coming to Wilmington from June 10 to 13 and will be open for self-guided tours. Crew members at each level can answer questions and discuss their experiences on the “floating museum.” The Wilmington Harbor Enhancement Trust brought the replica ship to Wilmington. The ship’s fiberglass and wood construction was completed in 2017, and it has sailed to more than 30 ports, commemorating the history of the Santa Maria.
RALEIGH — Nikole Hannah-Jones, the writer behind the controversial ‘1619 Project’ and a recent hire at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s journalism school, is said to be considering a lawsuit against UNC-CH and the Board of Trustees. The Raleigh News & Observer reported the details last month with a statement from Hannah-Jones, saying she retained legal counsel to “ensure the academic and journalistic freedom of black writers is protected to the full extent of the law and to seek redress for the University of North Carolina’s adverse actions against me,” in an emailed statement. The Knight Foundation, which funds the role at the university, said in a statement that the position began as a professorship in 1984 to teach advertising and subsequently converted to the Knight Chair in Digital Advertising and Marketing, and then to the Knight Chair in Race and Investigative Reporting. The statement said it was the university’s idea to change the area of focus and hire Hannah-Jones. Some media outlets have reported that tenure for the position was denied or revoked; however, the offer of tenure is a decision made by the UNC-CH Board of Trustees — not the journalism school. Charles Duckett, a member of the Board of Trustees, confirmed to The Associated Press that a resubmitted offer with tenure has been sent. He said he received the resubmission on May 25 from the university’s Appointments, Personnel and Tenure Committee, which is made up of tenured professors.
The new offer could be voted on in late June or July, after Hannah-Jones is reportedly set to start at the new job. Faculty and student leaders at the university demanded that trustees officially reconsider tenure for Hannah-Jones. A letter signed by various professional athletes, writers and academics assailed the university, saying the trustees “failed to uphold the first order values of academic freedom and the free exchange of ideas.” Republican legislators and other conservatives have been the target of criticism by Hannah-Jones and her supporters. According to Pat Ryan, deputy chief of staff and communications director for Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Eden), all 170 legislators received a letter to preserve any related communications. Ryan said that the legislature has no role in the faculty hiring decisions at UNC System schools or the terms by which faculty are hired. “A short walk around the UNC-Chapel Hill campus should convince anybody that the Republican-led legislature doesn’t decide who teaches there,” Ryan said via email to NSJ. He also added attacking Republican legislators without evidence would get them some more media coverage, and “They were right.” He said some reporters fell for an evidence-free theory about some sort of nefarious conduct by legislators. “Ms. Hannah-Jones has a lengthy history of attacking critics and falsely claiming she never said things that were in fact published under her own name. With trust in media at record lows, who teaches the next generation of journalists is a critically important question, and it’s up to the university to answer it,” Ryan said. In this May 21, 2016, file photo, Nikole HannahJones attends the 75th Annual Peabody Awards Ceremony at Cipriani Wall Street in New York.
AP
AP
Woman accused of stealing sheriff’s unmarked car
Deputy involved in fatal shooting of black man resigns
Troopers: 4 teens killed in crash with truck
Guilford County A 2019 Chevrolet Tahoe issued to Sheriff Danny Rogers was stolen from the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office parking lot in downtown Greensboro. After Jessica Gay Parks, 32, of Julian was released from the county jail on unrelated charges, she tried to get inside several parked vehicles, then entered Rogers’ parked SUV and found the spare electronic keys. She started the SUV and drove off. Using a GPS device, deputies found the vehicle at a gas station. Parks is charged with felony theft and possession of a motor vehicle, misdemeanor larceny of personal property and resisting arrest. AP
Pitt County Four teens died after a box truck crossed a median and hit their vehicle head-on. Three died at the scene and a fourth died at the hospital. A fifth teen and the truck driver had minor injuries. Killed were Abby Foster, 18; John Winstead, 17; Devin Wilson, 15; and Madison Wilson, 18. The surviving teen is 16-year-old Dakota Wilson. All victims are from Tarboro, except Foster who is from Farmville. The truck driver, Alberto Pedraza III, said he lost control of the truck going too fast in the rain, troopers said. He has been charged with a misdemeanor.
EVAN AGOSTINI | INVISION | AP
Pasquotank County A sheriff’s deputy involved in the fatal shooting of a black man in Elizabeth City is resigning. The statement from Pasquotank Sheriff Tommy S. Wooten II provides no reason for Aaron Lewellyn’s departure. The deputy is using accrued leave time before his official resignation on June 30. Lewellyn was one of three deputies placed on extended leave following the April 21 shooting of Andrew Brown Jr. while the deputies tried to serve drug-related warrants at his home. The two others, Daniel Meads and Robert Morgan, returned to work this week.
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NCGOP re-elects Whatley as chairman NSJ staff GREENVILLE — Michael Whatley secured a second term as North Carolina Republican Party chairman during last Saturday’s convention business session. Whatley was unopposed in the race for chairman, an indication of broad support within the party and coming off an election cycle that saw victories for Republicans in the presidential race,
U.S. Senate race, and a sweep of eight statewide judicial races. The party elected a new vice chair in a close vote to replace Moore County’s Miriam Chu, who did not join Whatley in running for a second term. Susan Mills of Cumberland County narrowly defeated Sherry Lynn Womack of Lee County for the position. Mills, a longtime activist and 2020 presidential elector, told NSJ she was excited to take on the new role.
State treasurer says over $1B approved for local, county finance requests By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — State Treasurer Dale Folwell discussed investment trends related to the state’s retirement system as well as the status of municipalities struggling with financial issues. Folwell said that the Local Government Commission (LGC) had approved over $1 billion in various financing requests from more than two dozen local governments and counties. In a press release, the treasurer provided a summary of some of the larger approved spending items:
98% of ALL Farms are Family Farms
• Forsyth County received approval for $160 million in limited obligation bonds to acquire, build and equip a new county courthouse, along with financing to build a new children’s museum, renovate and expand Smith Reynolds Airport facilities and to refund existing bonds “at a savings of $2.8 million.” • Moore County received approval for $71 million in limited obligation bonds to acquire, build and
ncfb.org
equip a new, multi-story county courthouse in Carthage for District and Superior courtrooms, and renovations to the existing courthouse. • Hoke County was approved to obtain $50 million in limited obligation bonds to build the 53,000-square-foot James E. Leach Aquatic and Recreation Center, two basketball courts, ball fields and Parks and Recreation Department office space on U.S. 401 in East Hoke. • Orange County’s application was approved for $28 million in limited obligation bonds for equipment and school projects, and to refund previous financing at a savings of about $374,267. • Charlotte was cleared to obtain $250 million in bond anticipation notes to pay for capital improvement projects on the city’s aging water and sewer systems. • The City of Charlotte Housing Authority got approval for $9 million in bonds as part of a $15.9 million package to build 80 one- and two-bedroom units on land leased from Park Ministries northwest of the downtown
area. • Raleigh was approved for $200 million in bonds to improve water and sewer systems under the city’s Capital Improvement Program. • The Raleigh Housing Authority gained approval for $18 million to loan to Primavera Seniors to build 164 one- and two-bedroom apartments for low-income residents in two residential buildings. Folwell also noted that a number of local governments have made steady progress in rectifying their financial situations. He also said that the cost of labor and materials was driving costs up, and that will place “additional financial pressure” on some of the entities. On the topic of inflation, Folwell referred to a recent meeting with Blackstone, a global investment management company. Folwell said that inflation “isn’t coming back, it’s already here.” “We can’t be hoarders right now,” Folwell said. “If there’s something anybody doesn’t need right now, they probably should not pur-
chase it.” The treasurer went on to mention a shortage of products like machine parts for cars, air conditioning units, pipe, lumber and even rubber tires. On May 25, Jon Gray, president and chief operating officer at BlackStone Group, met with the Investment Advisory Committee (IAC), a state body advising the treasurer on policies and investment strategies for the North Carolina Retirement Systems. During the meeting, Gray told IAC members he expects a huge rebound in the economy, but also said that inflation will run higher than current market predictions. Gray said there will be wage pressure on businesses to get workers back to work, which could negatively impact industries with low profit margins. According to Folwell’s office, the state pension plan currently has nearly $119 billion in assets and BlackStone manages over $2.5 billion in North Carolina pension assets. Folwell was asked about the legitimacy of municipalities “cry-
ing poverty” in the face of vast amounts of pandemic-related relief and stimulus money coming from the state and federal government. “We all have seen and we all have observed what happens when certain people win the lottery and certain other people win the lottery,” said Folwell. “You hear examples of people winning the lottery, and they are good stewards of that money. You also hear examples of people winning tens of thousands of dollars, and a year later they don’t have anything.” Folwell said his point of the lottery analogy was to call attention to how that money is handled. “We have got to make sure when this money [relief and stimulus funding] comes in, that we understand that we won the lottery. Not once, not twice, but maybe three times,” said Folwell. “And it’s really important that we start out like we’re going to hold out.” Folwell warned about stimulus or relief funds rewarding behaviors by counties or municipalities that led to bad financial situations they are currently in.
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North State Journal for Wednesday, June 9, 2021
north STATEment Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
VISUAL VOICES
EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL
When taking a dog for a walk offers hope about America
Tens of thousands of people work in the $100 billion pet industry today, which services over 300 million pets in American homes.
WRITING EDITORIALS and publishing news can be a drag at times. Almost all editorials from the right or the left are aimed at the other side complaining about how stupid or immoral “they” are. Many news services focus on deaths and murders first and foremost, drug busts and then calamities that can be caused by various businesses on the environment, by government on the economy, or by UFOs invading Earth and wiping out the human race. Dr. Aruna Khilanani gave a speech at Yale University recently, titled, “The Psychopathic Problem of the White Mind,” where she said she fantasized about “unloading a revolver into the head of any white person that got in my way, burying their body, and wiping my bloody hands as I walked away relatively guiltless with a bounce in my step.” What kind of country do we live in today? When did such disgusting behavior become acceptable enough to talk about in public? How did we get here, and how do we get out of it? We were taking care of our son’s dog last week and took her for a walk one morning, when it occurred to me that America has a remarkable way of cleaning up problems. A very few enterprising people figure out ways to solve an issue, and then the rest of the country catches on and follows suit. As I was preparing to comply with city and neighborhood ordinances regarding picking up dog waste, with a bright pink plastic bag, I realized that someone long ago figured out how to clean up dog poop — way before any local ordinance or law was passed and they probably made a lot of money doing it. They saw a market need (help people stop messing up their dress shoes by stepping on dog waste) and filled it with a solution (pooper-scoopers), which later became a public policy issue (dog feces were determined to have a lot of e coli bacteria). Sure enough, when I got home, I googled it and found out that Brooke Daniel Miller of Anaheim, California, filed for a patent on the pooper-scooper on Nov. 18, 1999, and was subsequently awarded U.S. Patent 6196600.
The invention led to multiple versions of the pooper-scooper which had a plastic bag for disposal. Most people now skip the tool completely and just pick up the waste with their hand encased in an inside-out plastic bag, which has its own distinct disadvantages as well. Before 1999, all most people could do was complain about dog waste or pick it up themselves. It is estimated that over 10 million tons of dog excrement is produced every year in America. The market for pet-waste disposal is expected to exceed $4 billion this year, which includes litter for inside cats. Tens of thousands of people work in the $100 billion pet industry today, which services over 300 million pets in American homes. There are companies that employ people, who are contracted out to municipalities and business, solely to pick up dog excrement every day all day long. With the concern that plastic bags harm the environment, entrepreneurs are making biodegradable bags for people to use. Other innovators are exploring ways to compost dog waste and turn it into usable compost, in the way cow manure has been used for centuries. There’s a reason why our founders put patent protection in the core text of the Constitution. They wanted to protect the rights of innovators and people with business skills, so we could all benefit from their creativity and ability to put a business together to meet a common need. Dog-waste excavators and miners have made a lot of money cleaning up our environment. It just took a very few enterprising individuals to get the ball rolling. Next time you take your dog for a walk, see if you can think of ways to clean up something wrong in your neighborhood, city or state. It may be physical; it may be political; it may be personal. But it will take you to the better side of life. Maybe you will take the rest of us along with you.
EDITORIAL | STACEY MATTHEWS
Another media double standard for Republican women that needs to go away
We kept waiting for the story to pop. It never did because it just simply wasn’t negative enough.
LAST WEEK, Bloomberg News reporter Nancy Cook noted on her Twitter feed that iconic fashion photographer Annie Leibovitz was seen at the White House. According to Cook, Leibovitz was there to take photos of President Joe Biden’s press secretary Jen Psaki “for an upcoming magazine profile.” No big deal in the scheme of things. These glowing profiles of Democratic women are frequently done in fashion magazines and in mainstream media publications. We’ve gotten so used to them, in fact, that unless you’re a big fan of the woman being profiled you rarely, if ever, give the story a second glance. But during the Fox News “Outnumbered” program Friday, former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany was asked to weigh in on the double standards shown by the media during the Trump administration towards Republican women and mothers in leadership positions compared to the puff pieces Democratic women in similar roles often get. And she brought up a point that I think is worth amplifying, because it’s a persistent issue that needs to change. While McEnany stated emphatically that “we need investigative journalism” and not “fawning coverage,” she also flashed back to how New York Times journalist Maggie Haberman lovingly touted a December 2020 Glamour magazine profile
of then-Biden campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon, who talked about juggling motherhood and being a presidential campaign manager at the same time. “Putting aside everything else, it is rare to hear a woman speaking unapologetically and unselfconsciously about life having kids and an intense job,” Haberman tweeted, apparently forgetting that there were numerous women in the Trump White House, like McEnany, who are also mothers with pretty demanding jobs. McEnany’s response to Haberman’s tweet included no words. Instead, she tweeted a photo of herself smiling while pushing her infant daughter Blake in a stroller in the White House while carrying two shoulder bags that were packed full, after what appeared to be a long day at the office. McEnany also recalled how at one point, the New York Times took photos of several female Trump campaign figures back in 2016 for a piece that never got published by the paper. “We kept waiting for the story to pop. It never did because it just simply wasn’t negative enough,” McEnany noted. Her point was not, “Hey, where’s MY elegant magazine profile, you jerks?”, as some of her critics predictably suggested. Instead, it was about the respect that Republican women had not demanded but earned — respect which is not shown by the Usual Suspects in the media and on the
left. Republican women, especially mothers, are often treated as though their opinions are irrelevant, because they don’t march in lockstep with the left, and therefore aren’t worthy of praise and appreciation. Why is this considered okay? What happened to the respect that is supposed to be shown towards women who have differing viewpoints? If you’re a media outlet that is going to do a fawning piece on a Democrat mother, there’s nothing wrong with that. But how about at the very least acknowledging from time to time that there are hard-working Republican moms out there as well, many who are also doing the tough balancing act between motherhood and work? This is one more on a long list of double standards employed by the media that needs to change and change soon. Media analyst Stacey Matthews has also written under the pseudonym Sister Toldjah and is a regular contributor to RedState and Legal Insurrection.
North State Journal for Wednesday, June 9, 2021
COLUMN | NEWT GINGRICH
American businesses and celebrities need to stop kowtowing to China
As much as the Chinese government abuses human rights and threatens American national security, the thinking goes, there’s too much money to be made — and too much to lose by alienating Beijing.
THIS PAST WEEK marked the 32nd anniversary of the Tiananmen massacre. On June 4, 1989, pro-democracy protesters gathered in Tiananmen Square in Beijing for peaceful demonstrations. Led by students, the demonstrators denounced China’s ruling Communist Party and sought greater freedoms for the Chinese people. In response, the Communist Party sent the military to crush the protests. The Chinese government has never released any figures, but we know the People’s Liberation Army massacred anywhere from several hundred to several thousand people. It was a horrifying display of brutality. Yet the business lobby’s response in the United States was essentially to ignore what happened and move forward with engaging China. The calculation was simple: While the massacre was despicable, the Chinese market was simply going to be too big to pass up. The business community’s reaction to the Tiananmen massacre is characteristic of how American corporations have dealt with China for decades. As much as the Chinese government abuses human rights and threatens American national security, the thinking goes, there’s too much money to be made — and too much to lose by alienating Beijing. It’s understandable that businesses want access to such a crucial and lucrative market. But for American business leaders, patriotism should come before capitalism. Indeed, corporate America needs to recognize that China is a totalitarian dictatorship, and therefore it’s impossible to have a purely business relationship with China. In the Chinese model, politics dominates and ultimately controls business. In other words, there’s no such thing as a private Chinese company, because at the end of the day, the Communist Party can do as it pleases with every “private” entity. This makes it easier for China to use economic pressure to reinforce its political pressure, especially in Hollywood. In 2019, for example, the Paramount Pictures trailer of “Top Gun: Maverick,” a sequel to the 1986 blockbuster “Top Gun,” originally showed Tom Cruise putting on a jacket with two patches of the Japanese and Taiwanese flags. After outcry from Beijing,
the trailer replaced the patches with two ambiguous symbols. China’s leaders clearly didn’t want anything promoting Taiwanese sovereignty or their Japanese rivals, so they complained. And Hollywood, fearing it may lose access to hundreds of millions of dollars in the Chinese market, obeyed China’s demands. This is a familiar story. Just last week, in a truly pathetic display, actor and former professional wrestler John Cena actually apologized to China in Mandarin for referring to Taiwan as a country ahead of the release of his new “Fast and Furious” movie. And don’t forget when in 2019 Daryl Morey, then the general manager of the NBA’s Houston Rockets, sent a tweet in support of Hong Kong’s fight for freedom against China’s authoritarianism. China immediately put enormous pressure on the NBA, which has a major foothold in the Chinese market, and the NBA just crumbled. In fact, the NBA situation was so egregious that it led Chris Fenton, my guest on this week’s episode of my podcast, “Newt’s World,” to rethink his entire career. Fenton, who had done extensive business with China as president of DMG Entertainment Motion Picture Group and GM of DMG North America for 17 years, believed that engaging China as much as possible would enrich America and spread American soft power to the Chinese people. But after Morey sent his tweet, Fenton realized that the old way of thinking — that unchecked trade and global interdependence would moderate China and benefit America in the long run — was wrong. This experience led Fenton to write his recent book, Feeding the Dragon: Inside the Trillion Dollar Dilemma Facing Hollywood, the NBA, & American Business. As Fenton explained to me, America’s business lobby needs to be on the same side as America’s national security interests. For decades, this was not the case, but the Trump administration made great strides to fix that imbalance. Whether Washington can build on that progress remains to be seen; but one thing is clear: American businesses and celebrities need to stop kowtowing to China.
COLUMN | STEPHEN MOORE
Sorry, Joe: Fixing roads and bridges doesn’t cost $2 trillion
If we take out the $1 trillionplus spending in the Biden plan for fake infrastructure, then it’s easy to pay for road repairs and fixing bridges and modernizing internet access services with about $600 billion.
THE BIDEN White House is furiously trying to cajole congressional Republicans into signing off on his $2 trillion “infrastructure bill.” So far, they’ve held firm in saying not just no but “hell, no” to new taxes and spending to pay for all this. It turns out that a bill to fix our roads and bridges, modernize our water and sewer systems and upgrade ports and airports doesn’t require $1 of new spending. West Virginia Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, who has been negotiating with the Biden team on a public works bill, has been slyer than the foxes in the Biden administration. She points out correctly that there’s enough money already appropriated by Biden that can be “reprogrammed” for real infrastructure. If we take out the $1 trillion-plus spending in the Biden plan for fake infrastructure — I’m speaking of the deluge of subsidies for wind, solar and electric vehicle manufacturers — then it’s easy to pay for road repairs and fixing bridges and modernizing internet access services with about $600 billion. Where will that money come from? Easy. Take it from the unspent slush-fund dollars crammed inside the bloated $1.9 trillion American Recovery Act, which passed back in March. COVID-19 is over, so the money isn’t needed any longer. I’ve discovered four pots of money adding to more than half a trillion dollars that should be reassigned for fixing our infrastructure. Step No. 1: Take back $175 billion in bluestate bailout money. Most states have budget surpluses, not deficits, thanks to the stock market rally and quicker than expected recovery from COVID-19. Yet Congress gave states and cities $350 billion that they don’t need. States that received big payments include: California, $42 billion; New York, $23.5 billion; Texas, more than $20 billion, and Florida, $17 billion. Half this money still hasn’t been sent to the states and should be reallocated for vital infrastructure. Flush with cash, Bloomberg
reports that states are spending the money on NASCAR subsidies, tourism programs, sending $2,000 checks to residents and helping lobster farmers (in Maine). Step No. 2: Stop paying $300 a week for supplemental unemployment benefits. The Biden bill provided $300 billion for this program, but with 8.1 million job openings, we shouldn’t be paying people not to work. At last count, 25 governors have said no to the money, and if Congress would cancel the program, we save $150 billion. Step No. 3: Reassign federal education dollars allocated for schools and teacher unions in years 2022-28. The Biden bill handed out $129 billion for government schools that have been mostly shut down and would be spent through 2028! That’s on top of $67.5 billion extra federal money the Trump administration allocated to schools during the pandemic. Since COVID-19 is over, let schools keep the $6 billion for this year, and the remaining $123 billion can go to infrastructure. Step No. 4: Declare a war on Washington waste. Polls show Americans believe that about 25 to 30 cents of every dollar spent in Washington is wasted. To find the waste, Congress can simply go to the website Open the Books at https://www.openthebooks.com/, which lists tens of billions of dollars of outrageous spending. This is what any business would do. Why not Uncle Sam? Biden has said that upgrading our infrastructure and the safety of our bridges is a top national priority. He is right. But what isn’t a national priority is the $2 trillion in more debt borrowing he wants to pay for it. If Republicans cave into the progressive agenda that Biden has laid out, they will be co-conspirators in the bankrupting of America. Stephen Moore is a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation and an economic consultant with FreedomWorks.
A7 COLUMN MICHELE WOODHOUSE
PHOTO BY SHARON FARMER | BROOKINGS INSTITUTE
Brookings hosts political leader Stacey Abrams in a conversation about race and political power in the United States with Jelani Cobb, Columbia University’s Lipman professor of journalism Friday, Feb. 15, 2019 in Washington, D.C.
Stacey Abrams wants to win North Carolina next WE CAN SEE Georgia from our windows in western North Carolina. Western North Carolina is closer to three state capitals before its own: Nashville, Columbia and Atlanta, home of Georgia liberal activist Stacey Abrams. Remember her in 2018? She pushed nowGov. Brian Kemp to the edge and has yet to concede defeat. But she made him pay in 2020. And sadly, the rest of us are paying for it as well under the Biden administration and Democratic control of Congress. The entire Georgia Republican Party took a knock-out punch from Ms. Abrams as she outorganized, out-strategized, and out-worked Georgia conservatives in every square inch of the Peach State. They’ve yet to recover from that humiliation. In case you are just returning from Mars and missed it, here’s a recap: Going into the November 2020 election, Georgia Republicans knew they’d be pushed. Yet, few believed Ms. Abrams could — or would — impact the elections at the level she did. Once the dust settled, humiliated Georgia Republicans lost the 16 electoral votes of the onceruby-red state of Georgia to Joe Biden and saw the takedown of two incumbent Republican U.S. senators in the January runoff elections. And the troublemaker, Stacey Abrams? How did she do it? Republicans will say illegally! They would be wrong. Ms. Abrams has one simple weapon — a voterregistration form. She vowed to register 500K new voters, a stunning number on its own. Yet, Ms. Abrams’ army under-promised and over-delivered, registering over 700K voters, the vast number being urban Democrats, who voted by absentee ballot. Does anyone really believe Georgia is a blue state? Of course not. But Ms. Abrams schooled conservatives on what can happen in one election cycle. Oh, by the way, Stacey Abrams next target? Neighboring North Carolina. And her easiest entry point? Asheville, the San Francisco of the South. Don’t take my word for it. Ms. Abrams own twentyeight-page manifesto, The Abrams Playbook, has the Tar Heel State mentioned seven times. Fair Fight 2020, her organization, is already working in over 20 states. With Raleigh and Charlotte now delivering one in every five voters in North Carolina, Ms. Abrams, along with North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Bobbie Richardson, have their sights set on urban and rural areas. A broader strategy than in Georgia, which focused primarily on urban counties. Working in conjunction with other radical leaders, Ms. Abrams is recruiting blue-state citizens for relocation to Southern states such as North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia. Republicans and conservatives are swiftly losing the math. There are not enough currently registered conservatives in Henderson, Macon and Union Counties to make up for the rapid Democrat and Unaffiliated registrations in Wake and Mecklenburg. North Carolina is target No. 1 for the liberal left and Stacey Abrams. The only way to keep North Carolina red is to beat Stacey Abrams at her own game — out-register and then turnout those voters in 2022 and then again in 2024. Michele V Woodhouse is the 11th Congressional District chair for the North Carolina Republican Party.
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North State Journal for Wednesday, June 9, 2021
NATION & WORLD
US intel report on UFOs: No evidence of aliens, but ... By Nomaan Merchant The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — Whatever or whoever they are, they’re still out there. U.S. intelligence is after them, but its upcoming report won’t deliver any full or final truth about UFOs. The tantalizing prospect of top government intel finally weighing in — after decades of conspiracy theories, TV shows, movies and winking jokes by presidents — will instead yield a more mundane reality that’s not likely to change many minds on any side of the issue. Investigators have found no evidence the sightings are linked to aliens — but can’t deny a link either. Two officials briefed on the report due to Congress later this month say the U.S. government cannot give a definitive explanation of aerial phenomena spotted by military pilots. The report also doesn’t rule out that what pilots have seen may be new technologies developed by other countries. One of the officials said there is no indication the unexplained phenomena are from secret U.S. programs. The officials were not authorized to discuss the information publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Findings of the report were first published by The New York Times. The report examines multiple unexplained sightings from recent years that in some cases have been captured on video of pilots exclaiming about objects flying in front of them. Congress in December required the Director of National Intelligence to summarize and report on the U.S. government’s knowledge of unidentified aerial phenomena, or UAPs — better known to the public as unidentified flying objects or UFOs. The effort has
included a Defense Department UAP task force established last year. The expected public release of an unclassified version of the report this month will amount to a status report, not the final word, according to one official. A Pentagon spokeswoman, Sue Gough, declined to comment on news stories about the intelligence report. She said the Pentagon’s UAP task force is “actively working with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence on the report, and DNI will provide the findings to Congress.” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, when asked about the report, said, “I will say that we take reports of incursions into our airspace by any aircraft — identified or unidentified — very seriously and investigate each one.” The Pentagon and Central Intelligence Agency have for decades looked into reports of aircraft or other objects in the sky flying at inexplicable speeds or trajectories. The U.S. government takes unidentified aerial phenomena seriously given the potential national security risk of an adversary flying novel technology over a military base or another sensitive site, or the prospect of a Russian or Chinese development exceeding current U.S. capabilities. This also is seen by the U.S. military as a security and safety issue, given that in many cases the pilots who reported seeing unexplained aerial phenomena were conducting combat training flights. The report’s lack of firm conclusions will likely disappoint people anticipating the report, given many Americans’ long-standing fascination with UFOs and the prospect of aliens having reached humankind. A recent story on CBS’ “60 Minutes” further bolstered interest in the government report.
US Sen Cruz: Biden showed ‘weakness,’ emboldened Hamas
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE VIA AP
The image from video provided by the Department of Defense labelled Gimbal, from 2015, an unexplained object is seen at center as it is tracked as it soars high along the clouds, traveling against the wind. Luis Elizondo, former head of the Pentagon’s Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, said the one official’s claim that there was no indicated link to secret U.S. programs would be significant. But he called on the government to be fully transparent. “I think that our tax dollars paid for information and data involving UFOs,” Elizondo said. “And I think it is the U.S. government’s obligation to provide those results to the American people.” But skeptics caution that the videos and reported sightings have plausible Earth-bound explanations. Mick West, an author, investigator and longtime skeptic of UFO sightings, said he supported the military looking into any possible incursion of U.S. airspace, especially by an adversary. “People are conflating this is-
sue with the idea that these UFOs demonstrate amazing physics and possibly even aliens,” West said. “The idea that this is some kind of secret warp drive or it’s defying physics as we know it, there really isn’t any good evidence for that.” The Pentagon last year announced a task force to investigate the issue, and the Navy in recent years created a protocol for its pilots to report any possible sightings. And lawmakers in recent years have pushed for more public disclosure. “There’s a stigma on Capitol Hill,” Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., told “60 Minutes” in May. “I mean, some of my colleagues are very interested in this topic and some kind of, you know, giggle when you bring it up. But I don’t think we can allow the stigma to keep us from having an answer to a very fundamental question.”
Manchin’s opposition clouds future of Dems’ elections bill The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — A key Democratic senator says he will not vote for the largest overhaul of U.S. election law in at least a generation, leaving no plausible path forward for legislation that his party and the White House have portrayed as crucial for their agenda. “Voting and election reform that is done in a partisan manner will all but ensure partisan divisions continue to deepen,’’ Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia wrote in a home-state newspaper, the Charleston Gazette-Mail. He wrote that failure to bring together both parties on voting legislation would “risk further dividing and destroying the republic we swore to protect and defend as elected officials.” The bill would restrict so-called partisan gerrymandering of congressional districts, strike down election integrity reforms and increase public financing of political campaigns. Among dozens of other provisions, it would require states to offer 15 days of early voting and allow no-excuse absentee balloting. Democrats have pushed the legislation to give the federal government greater power in state elections. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has pledged to bring the election bill to a vote the week of June 21, testing where senators stand. But without Manchin’s support, the bill has no chance of advancing. Republicans are united against it. In appearances on two Sunday news shows, Manchin stressed his reasons for opposing the bill, including his view that it is too broad. “I think it’s the wrong piece of legislation to bring our country together and unite our country and I’m not supporting that because I think it would divide us further,” Manchin said. He also said he believes Republicans will see the need for a bipartisan deal. “And if they think they’re going
Jerusalem U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) accused President Joe Biden of being soft on Israel’s foes and inviting further violence during a deadly 11-day war that left Israelis rattled and turned parts of the Gaza Strip to rubble. One of four prominent Republicans in Israel in the conflict’s aftermath, Cruz told The Associated Press that the Democratic president’s policies, including a call for Israel to wind down the war, had “emboldened” Hamas’ militant rulers. He said the U.S. owes Palestinians no humanitarian aid as long as there’s a danger of that money flowing to Hamas. “The longer Joe Biden shows weakness to Hamas or Hezbollah or Iran, the more you’re going to see terrorist attacks escalating,” Cruz said after a day of touring Israel’s Iron Dome rocket-defense system and viewing damage in Ashkelon. Before the cease-fire took effect May 21, Hamas had fired over 4,000 rockets toward Israeli cities. More than 250 people were killed, the vast majority of them Palestinians. Israel blames Hamas for the heavy civilian casualties, because Hamas launches attacks from residential areas. Cruz and Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., toured the rubble in Ashkelon where a Hamas-fired rocket hit an apartment and killed the caregiver of an older woman. Hagerty, who was Trump’s ambassador to Japan, also criticized the various steps taken by Biden to reverse Trump’s policies. Biden has pledged some $360 million in aid to the Palestinians. Trump cut off nearly all U.S. aid to the Palestinians. Where Hagerty was diplomatic, Cruz was blunt. “Appeasing terrorists doesn’t produce peace,” he said of Biden. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Feds: Ring of Venezuelans stole thousands in stimulus money
J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE | AP PHOTO
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., is surrounded by reporters as senators rush to the chamber for votes ahead of the approaching Memorial Day recess, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, May 26, 2021. to win by subverting and oppressing people from voting, they’re going to lose. I assure you they will lose,” he said. Manchin said lawmakers should instead focus their energies on revitalizing the landmark Voting Rights Act, which was partially struck down by a Supreme Court decision in 2013. Manchin’s opposition to the broader elections bill is just the latest challenge facing Democrats as they debate how to deliver their promises to their increasingly far-left voters. Manchin reiterated he would not vote to “weaken or eliminate the filibuster,” a route that many Democrats want to push forward. The filibuster rule requires 60 votes to pass most bills, and in today’s Senate, which
is split 50-50, that means many of the Democrats’ biggest priorities are dead on arrival. Manchin and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., have frustrated their party by their defense of the filibuster. But they aren’t alone, with as many as 10 Democratic senators also reluctant to change the rules. President Joe Biden seemed to call out Manchin and Sinema for stalling action on voting measures, though he has not said he wants to end the filibuster. Biden said the right to vote was “precious” and must be protected, and pledged that June would be a “month of action” on Capitol Hill. “We’re not giving up,” Biden said. “I’m going to fight like heck with every tool at my disposal for
its passage.” Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has promised to block the elections bill, which he characterizes as undue government overreach into state election systems. He said no GOP senators support it. “I believe that partisan voting legislation will destroy the already weakening binds of our democracy, and for that reason, I will vote against the For the People Act,” Manchin wrote. “Furthermore, I will not vote to weaken or eliminate the filibuster.” In March, House Democrats passed the voting bill by a near party-line 220-210 vote. The measure has been a priority for Democrats since they won their House majority in 2018.
Miami Federal authorities say a ring of Venezuelans living in South Florida and Mexico stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in U.S. government stimulus checks from people who were struggling financially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jesus Felipe Linares Andrade, 34, was charged with conspiring to steal government money and identity theft, the Miami Herald reported. Federal prosecutors said as many as four other “coconspirators” originally from Venezuela may be added to an indictment. The indictment said Linares and the unnamed coconspirators are accused of stealing the stimulus checks and cashing them by using “fraudulent” identification documents. Linares was arrested in May, pleaded not guilty, and is being held without bond. Defense attorney David Scott Markus declined comment. The Herald reported that Linares interacted with two informants in an FBI undercover operation. In January, the FBI informant met in a mall parking lot near Miami with one of the four coconspirators to discuss cashing about 30 Treasury checks totaling $36,000, the indictment said. In April, Linares met with the two FBI informants at another Miami area mall to discuss picking up a UPS package at a post office in Deerfield Beach containing 416 checks worth about $249,000. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 2021
SPORTS
ECU, NC State advance to super regionals, B4
GERRY BROOME | AP PHOTO
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski congratulates Jon Scheyer during a 2009 game against Wake Forest in Durham. Krzyzewski will coach one more season with the Blue Devils before being replaced by Scheyer in 2022-23.
Coach K ready to transition program he built
the Wednesday SIDELINE REPORT BASEBALL
Durham Bulls pitcher Zombro out of ICU Durham Durham Bulls pitcher and Tampa Bay Rays prospect Tyler Zombro is out of intensive care after being struck in the head by a line drive last Thursday night, a frightening scene that prompted the Bulls to call their game. According to reports, he was in stable condition at Duke University Hospital on Sunday and moved out of the ICU on Monday. Zombro, 26, was hit by a line drive from Norfolk’s Brett Cumberland in the eighth inning. Zombro crumbled to the ground, lay motionless for a moment face down, then began to convulse uncontrollably as teammates and a trainer rushed toward the mound. The Bulls also postponed their scheduled game Friday night before returning to the field Saturday.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Former Wake Forest coach Gaudio gets plea deal in extortion case Louisville, Ky. Former Wake Forest basketball coach and Louisville assistant Dino Gaudio has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of attempted extortion and will avoid prison time. Gaudio was dismissed from Louisville along with another assistant in March after the Cardinals’ season. During a meeting with coaches, Gaudio threatened to go to the media with alleged NCAA violations by the team and asked for 17 months of salary or a $425,000 lump sum payment, according federal prosecutors. The charges against Gaudio, 64, carry a maximum penalty of two years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Louisville. Gaudio agreed to a plea deal that will include probation and a fine. He was head coach at Wake Forest from 2007-10.
Krzyzewski’s impact on Duke and college basketball is immeasurable BEN MCKEOWN | AP PHOTO
Duke associate coach Jon Scheyer, left, speaks with Jack White during a 2019 game in Durham. Scheyer will take over as head coach in 2022-23 after Mike Krzyzewski retires.
As he was being introduced Friday morning as the next Blue Devils head coach, replacing Mike Krzyzewski, who has led Duke for the last 40 years, Scheyer reflected on his time as a player and assistant to Coach K. “As I look back on what I’m most proud of in my career,” he said, “it’s the fact that I never missed a game or practice as a player. And I would have
DURHAM — When Mike Krzyzewski enters the media room at Cameron Indoor Stadium, he’s often joined by a small group of people in the back of the room. They’re ushered in just as Coach K arrives, when all eyes are on the front of the room to hear the Hall of Fame coach break down what just happened on the floor. And they’re whisked out as the questions wind down so they can be brought around to meet with Krzyzewski near his office. They’re children from various Make-AWish branches around the state, whose one wish was to see a game at Cameron and get to spend time with Coach K. And it will likely upset him to no end that you now know this. While Krzyzewski is active in a variety of charity efforts, including Coaches vs. Cancer, the V Foundation, Duke Hospital and the Emily Krzyzewski Center, which serves the youth of Durham, he wanted his work with seriously ill children to be kept quiet. There are several reasons for this. Given the limits on Cameron’s capacity and
See SCHEYER, page B4
See COACH K, page B3
The Devil you know: Scheyer set to replace Mike Krzyzewski The former Duke player and longtime assistant will take the reins of the basketball program in 2022-23 By Shawn Krest North State Journal DURHAM — Jon Scheyer has won plenty of awards in his basketball career, but the perfect attendance ribbon is not one of them.
By Shawn Krest North State Journal
Duke had options for next hoops coach From branches off Mike Krzyzewski’s coaching tree to outsider Brad Stevens, the Blue Devils had candidates with different levels of success and experience By Brett Friedlander North State Journal DURHAM — It only took a few hours after Mike Krzyzewski announced his decision to retire as Duke’s basketball coach last Wednesday for top assistant Jon Scheyer to be named as his replacement-in-waiting. The speed with which the move
was announced suggested that the line of succession was predetermined. And it makes sense. Scheyer, the former point guard who captained the Blue Devils to a national championship in 2010, has spent the past eight years as a member of Krzyzewski’s staff and has most recently been his top assistant and chief recruiter. Still, Scheyer is only 33 years old and has never been a head coach at any level, which likely explains why Duke hired the search firm of Collegiate Sports Associates to screen potential candidates for the job. Whether Scheyer was determined to be the best man for the job or simply the only one willing
“I don’t want everything to end when I stop coaching. I want it to continue.” Mike Krzyzewski, Duke men’s basketball coach
to take on the challenge of replacing a Hall of Fame legend, here are a few other names that may or may not have also been considered.
ed after Capel left the Blue Devils to take over the program at Pittsburgh. In his three seasons with the Panthers, he has yet to post a winning record and several of his key players have left the program through the NCAA’s transfer portal.
Jeff Capel
Steve Wojciechowski
Capel, like Scheyer, is a former Duke point guard who was once considered the favorite to become Coach K’s heir. After returning to his alma mater following head coaching stints at VCU and Oklahoma, his star quickly began to rise again thanks to his efforts as the Blue Devils’ lead recruiter. Capel is credited with landing the heralded freshman class that led Duke to the 2015 national championship. But the luster quickly fad-
Unquestionably the most beloved of Coach K’s former players, Wojo spent the first 15 years of his coaching career at his mentor’s side as a Duke assistant. After turning down numerous head coaching opportunities, he finally decided to venture out on his own when he took the job at Marquette in 2014. But after a promising start in which his teams won 20 or more See OPTIONS, page B4
North State Journal for Wednesday, June 9, 2021
B2 WEDNESDAY
6.9.21
TRENDING
Yuka Saso: The Filipina teenager overcame back-to-back double bogeys in the final round to reach a playoff against Nasa Hataoka and win on the third hole to claim the U.S. Women’s Open for her first major win on Sunday. The 19-year‑old benefited from a back‑nine collapse by Lexi Thompson, who led by five shots through eight holes but finished five over in the final seven holes to miss the playoff by a stroke. Nick Saban: The Alabama football coach has agreed to a three-year contract extension running through the 2029 season. Alabama announced the extension on Monday, including $8.425 million in base salary and talent fee for the current contract year with annual raises of unspecified amounts. The 69-year-old Saban, who has led the Crimson Tide to six national championships since taking over in 2007, will receive an $800,000 “contract completion benefit” after each contract year from 2022-25. Saban, who also won a national title at LSU in 2003, is 170-23 at Alabama. Britt Reid: The former Chiefs assistant coach and son of head coach Andy Reid pleaded not guilty Monday to critically injuring a young girl in a crash, but the judge allowed him to resume driving with restrictions. The younger Reid was charged with driving while intoxicated causing serious physical injury in April, two months after he hit two cars on an entrance ramp near Arrowhead Stadium. The collision happened just days before the Chiefs played in the Super Bowl in Tampa, Florida.
Beyond the box score POTENT QUOTABLES
HORSE RACING
Essential Quality won the final jewel of horse racing’s biggest trifecta, capturing the Belmont Stakes on Saturday to give trainer Brad Cox his first Triple Crown win. The 6-5 favorite, piloted by jockey Luis Saez, passed early leader Hot Rod Charlie around the final turn to win the 1½-mile $1 million race at Belmont Park in New York.
CHUCK BURTON | AP PHOTO
“Thank you for thinking of me.” TJ Olsen, the 8-year-old son of former Panthers tight end Greg Olsen, in part of a 12-second Instagram video Monday after he received a heart transplant last Friday EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ | AP PHOTO
GOLF
MLB
LYNNE SLADKY | AP PHOTO
“At the end of the day, I’m the smart one.” Floyd Mayweather after his widely panned and lopsided boxing exhibition with YouTuber Logan Paul earned him as much as $100 million PRIME NUMBER
4 Consecutive wins for Hendrick Motorsports after Kyle Larson won for the second straight week with a victory at his hometown track of Sonoma Raceway. Larson topped teammate Chase Elliott for his third win of the season, matching Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. for the most in the Cup Series this season.
DARRON CUMMINGS | AP PHOTO
Jon Rahm was forced to withdraw from the Memorial with a six-shot lead after his COVID-19 test came back positive Saturday night following the third round, opening the door for Patrick Cantlay to beat Collin Morikawa on the first hole of a playoff Sunday for the fourth win of his PGA Tour career.
ADRIAN KRAUS | AP PHOTO
The Toronto Blue Jays will be extending their stay at their adopted home in Buffalo, New York, for at least two more weeks than planned through July 21. Buffalo is home to the Blue Jays’ top affiliate, the Triple-A Bisons. It’s the second straight season the team has played its games across the border due to COVID-19.
NFL
DANIEL KUCIN JR. | AP PHOTO
The Panthers are planning to move Jeremy Chinn, a standout as a rookie a year ago at linebacker, to safety for the upcoming season. Panthers coach Matt Rhule said the decision is contingent upon Chinn — who at 220 pounds is undersized for a linebacker — being comfortable at the position when he gets to training camp. Chinn is currently returning from offseason cleanup surgery on his knee.
North State Journal for Wednesday, June 9, 2021
B3
‘I was happy. It’s time’: The Duke family reacts to Krzyzewski’s planned swan song Those who have played for and worked under Coach K react to his upcoming retirement
By Brett Friedlander North State Journal DURHAM — Nolan Smith knew the day would eventually come. No one, after all — not even an institution such as Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski — can coach forever. That knowledge still didn’t prepare him for the inevitable reality that hit last Wednesday when the winningest coach in college basketball history revealed his decision to retire after one more season of leading the Blue Devils. “I never tried to envision it or think it was coming soon,” said Smith, a member of Duke’s 2010 national championship team who now serves as an assistant on Krzyzewski’s staff. “As someone who admires Coach, you never want to think about it. You hoped it would never end. But now that it’s here, it’s surreal.” Surreal is an accurate description of the gathering held at Cameron Indoor Stadium, on the floor named for the guest of honor, to publicly acknowledge that Coach K was ready to step away from the job he’s held since 1980. The 74-year-old Hall of Famer entered the stage to the Cascada’s “Everytime We Touch” and began dancing to the song along with family members and guests — including his hand-picked successor-in-waiting, Jon Scheyer — seated in the first few rows. Although his remarks included plenty of retrospection, it was clear Krzyzewski was more interested in looking ahead to his final season on the bench than backward on all he’s accomplished. As such, the event was more of a celebration than a wake for everyone involved.
“I was happy. It’s time,” said Chris Carrawell, who like Smith was an ACC Player of the Year for Duke before becoming an assistant coach at his alma mater, when he learned of Krzyzewski’s retirement plan. “Coach has done everything. “When you think about it, he’s going into his 42nd year. I’m 43. I committed to Duke in the fall of 1985. You don’t think the same coach is going to be here 26 years later, so the opportunity to play for him and now come back and work for him has been an amazing journey. But he’s still the man and will always be the man.” And for one more season, he’s still the man in charge of the Blue Devils. That means a lot to the returning members of the team, as well as the incoming freshmen and graduate transfers scheduled to arrive on campus soon for the start of summer school sessions. “He said when he recruited me that he wanted to coach me for however long that he can,” junior wing Wendell Moore Jr. said. “It’s been a great opportunity to learn from him for going on three years. I really don’t see anyone else I want to learn from.” Despite the added attention Duke’s coaching transition is expected to attract, including pregame tributes to the coach before every road game, senior forward Joey Baker doesn’t think Krzyzewski’s lame-duck status in 2021-22 will be a distraction. For either Coach K or the players on his final team. “He’s a special guy, that’s what has made his career so amazing,” Baker said. “I don’t expect this upcoming year to be anything different. He has a commitment to his players. He wants to coach us and wants one more year with the Crazies, I’m sure. We’re excited that he decided to come back, and we want to do everything we can to make it special.” While the primary focus of next
season will be on improving from last year’s 13-11 record and returning to the NCAA Tournament for one final run at Krzyzewski’s sixth national championship, there will also be an emphasis on preparing Scheyer for the unenviable task of replacing a coach many consider irreplaceable. “We’ve never seen anything like it in the history of American sports,” ESPN analyst and former Duke star Jay Bilas said in a video posted on social media. “Whether it’s (John) Wooden or Bear Bryant or you name it, this is going to be the toughest act to follow in the history of sports.” Adding to the degree of difficulty is the fact that the man charged with the task of following in Krzyzewski’s footsteps is just 33 years old without any head coaching experience. Scheyer has, however, spent the past eight seasons and has been the recruiter responsible for landing the likes of first-round NBA draft picks Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett and Cam Reddish. “Jon Scheyer represents, in my opinion and in everyone here’s opinion, best in class relative to the next generation,” outgoing AD Kevin White said. “Simply put, (he’s) an outstanding contemporary leader within college coaching.” As exciting as the promise of a new generation of leadership might be, those inside the Blue Devils program aren’t in any hurry to push aside the old one. If anything, Krzyzewski’s impending retirement has only heightened the appreciation his former players have for him. “I’m just looking to soak it all up, to be by his side, continuing to learn as much as I can from him,” said Smith, who will remain on the staff as Scheyer’s assistant. “Just watching how he has always handled everything and how he’s going to handle this year is something I’m going to sit back, watch and enjoy.’
KATHY WILLENS | NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Duke senior forward Joey Baker, right, said the Blue Devils “want to do everything we can to make [coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final season] special.”
COACH K from page B1 Krzyzewski’s time, it’s likely already tough to grant all the wishes that he receives, and any additional publicity would make it even harder to manage. There’s also the backlash from social media commenters that seems to accompany anything Krzyzewski does — from visiting Paul George in the hospital following a serious injury suffered by the NBA star during a Team USA event to announcing his retirement a year in advance. And there’s a final reason that he shuns attention for his work with kids. “That’s not why he does it,” said a Duke official when asked about it years ago. The same official warned that it would be tough to get information from the programs or families. “No one is going to talk to you,” came the warning. And they didn’t — still haven’t. Whether we know about it or not, Mike Krzyzewski has done far more for Duke, the state and college basketball, far more than his wins and titles, which, on their own merit, are impressive enough. It’s been a simple approach that Krzyzewski has followed: Do what needs to be done, regardless of what anyone else
thinks. It’s what he did in his first head coaching job at Army in the late 1970s. Just before breaking the college basketball career wins record back in 2012, Krzyzewski reflected on his early days at West Point, when he and his family spent a weekend painting the bleachers in the basketball arena with another shade of gray paint. Why? “There wasn’t anybody else to do it,” he explained. He was doing what needed to be done at Duke when he complained about a “double standard” in favor of Dean Smith in the early days of his clashes with the Tar Heels, and when he offered his resignation to AD Tom Butters when back problems forced him from the sideline in 1995. “When I did that, I knew I couldn’t lead my team, and I just think that comes from the military,” Krzyzewski said. “If you’re not, there should be a different leader.” Now Coach K is doing it again, announcing that the upcoming season will be his last with Duke and giving his hand-picked replacement, Jon Scheyer, a year as coach-in-waiting to ensure a smooth transition. Krzyzewski said it was “extremely important” to have the
plan for a successor mapped out before he announced his retirement, especially with recruiting beginning for the summer. He said he would not take an active role in recruiting players he wouldn’t be around to coach, saying he wants “complete transparency and clarity” on the recruiting trail. Coach K looked back on his time at West Point to explain the importance of having Scheyer in place a year ahead of time. “In the service, you are constantly looking at succession,” he said. “Wherever you go, you’re taking over for somebody in command, and that person helps you. It’s called continuity of excellence.” Krzyzewski did the same thing with Team USA, working with his successor, Gregg Popovich — who he pointed out is “an Air Force guy” — to maintain continuity with the national team. “If you do not have somebody who can take command, you’re in trouble,” he said. “And we do (at Duke). I don’t want everything to end when I stop coaching. I want it to continue.” Krzyzewski’s efforts to do what needs to be done over 46 years of coaching, 41 at Duke, will ensure that the work he’s done will continue … whether he lets us know about it or not.
COLUMN SHAWN KREST
Bad blue blood: New coaches could inject more venom into Duke-Carolina THE DUKE-NORTH CAROLINA rivalry has extended its borders this year as the schools held dueling press conferences to introduce their new coaches. Both teams have maintained an other-worldly level of success for generations and have been the models of coaching stability in a notoriously fickle sport. Three men — Dean Smith and Roy Williams at UNC, and Mike Krzyzewski at Duke — have coached their respective schools in the rivalry for a total of 95 years, winning a combined 2,461 games. Smith and Wiliams are responsible for more than half of UNC basketball’s all-time wins — 1,364 of 2,294. If he wins 20 games a year, Hubert Davis will be able to knock Smith and Williams’ share of Carolina wins below 50% in the year 2043. If the Blue Devils win 20 games this year, Krzyzewski’s last, Coach K will be responsible for half of Duke’s all-time wins. He’s currently won 1,097 of their 2,214. For nearly two decades, Coach K and Ol’ Roy have been the face of the best rivalry in sports. While both Hall of Famers are known for their intensity on the sidelines and the practice floor, they’ve also participated in a detente in the hostilities between the Tar Heels and Blue Devils on the court. The coaches have displayed mutual respect — perhaps grudging at times — and worked together on various coaching committees to help improve the sport. It’s only fitting that both would announce their intention to step away in the same offseason. Both schools also followed eerily similar processes to replace their legendary coach, choosing a former player and longtime assistant to step up into the top spot. Carolina will go with Davis, who finished his Tar Heel career in 1992, played in the NBA, announced for ESPN, then spent nine years on the bench next to Williams. Like Smith, whom he played for, and Williams, who hired him off the ESPN set, Davis is level-headed, understated and intensely loyal. Duke chose Jon Scheyer, who led Duke to the national championship in 2010 with his intense play and often wild faces on the court. After an injury-shortened attempt to play in the pros, he returned to Duke in 2014 and has been on Coach K’s staff ever since. Like Krzyzewski at his start, he’s an extremely young — 33, 10 years younger than any other ACC coach — guard from the Chicago area. Davis is a Tar Heel through and through. His uncle, Walter, hit a shot to cap a comeback against Duke that fans still talk about 47 years later, and Hubert had to talk Smith into offering him a scholarship. “The first time that I set foot on this floor, it just felt like home,” he said. When Davis was introduced as coach, the Smith Center floor was packed with former Tar Heels, teammates and former UNC players who never shared the floor with him alike. He chose a staff that included former Tar Heels who played for Smith and Williams. “You can’t do this job unless you’re a Carolina guy,” he declared. “It’s impossible. You can’t coach here, you can’t recruit here, you can’t work here. Unless you have been here, you’ve experienced it, you have lived in.” Scheyer is a Blue Devil through and through. “Jon Scheyer is Duke,” incoming athletics director Nina King said. “His blood, sweat and tears are in these hardwoods.” More former Blue Devils showed up for his introductory press conference than for Coach K’s farewell the day before. His assistants will be the two men he’s been working with — Nolan Smith and Chris Carrawell, both, like Scheyer, former Coach K team captains. With both schools going from two aging lions of the sport to two men making their head coaching debuts, what could it mean for the rivalry? Much like the complaint about current national politics, things seem to be getting much more polarized. Instead of two coaches who have spent years working together, we have two men used to their own particular shade of blue and nothing else. That includes being part of two of the most intense moments of the Carolina-Duke rivalry. The first was the “Bloody Montross” game in 1992 when UNC center Eric Montross returned to the floor after getting stitches in the locker room to help upset Duke. Hubert Davis played 38 minutes in the game and scored a team-high 16 points, praising Montross’ toughness afterward. Fifteen years later, when Gerald Henderson broke Tyler Hansbrough’s nose with an elbow, Jon Scheyer was standing right behind the UNC center. He played 35 minutes in the game, scoring 10. Krzyzewski and Williams both spoke openly about how they saw themselves as stewards of the rivalry and considered Duke-Carolina something to cherish while going all-out to win. They had the luxury of taking that approach as the ends of their Hall of Fame careers approached. One loss, even to their rival, wasn’t going to change their legacies. The men replacing them have seen the rivalry up close and been splashed with the blood. They’re both about to feel the pressure of replacing a legend and know the leash will be short. All eyes will be on the rivalry games, and all verdicts will be judged on how they perform in them. The greatest rivalry in sports, one that stops hearts regularly, is about to get a hearty shot of adrenaline. In other words, things are about to get chippy.
North State Journal for Wednesday, June 9, 2021
B4
ECU, NC State head to baseball super regionals The Pirates and Wolfpack, who were both perfect in their regionals, face stiff tests to reach the College World Series By Brett Friedlander North State Journal LOSING IN THEIR conference tournaments was a major downer for the NC State and East Carolina baseball teams. Those defeats, however, may have served as the springboard that lifted both teams to even more meaningful victories. Drawing on the motivation and lessons learned from their earlier disappointments, the Wolfpack and Pirates bounced back to win their respective NCAA regionals over the weekend, moving them one step closer to a spot in the College World Series. State will attempt to earn its first trip to Omaha since 2013 with a super regional date against top national seed Arkansas, while ECU looks to qualify for the first time in a similar best-of-three series against defending national champion Vanderbilt. “The ACC Tournament was just a grueling, grueling tournament,” said Wolfpack coach Elliott Avent, whose team was denied its first conference title since 1992 with a heartbreaking 1-0 championship loss to Duke. “You’ve got 12 great teams. Some are fighting for postseason bids, some are fighting to be a host site, and some are fighting for a national seed, but it’s 12 great teams. “I told (the team) that’s the toughest tournament they’ll ever play in. It drains you a little bit. It taxes you a little bit. Just learn from it. … I think going through the ACC Tournament did help them, and I think they did learn from it.” The Wolfpack outscored its opponents 30-11 and got standout pitching performances from Reid Johnston and Sam Highfill to sweep through its regional in Ruston, Louisiana. Two of its three wins came against top-seed-
CHRIS CARLSON | AP PHOTO
NC State pitcher Sam Highfill was half of a one-two punch on the mound, along with Reid Johnston, that helped the Wolfpack coast through its regional and earn a date with top national seed Arkansas in the super regional. ed host Louisiana Tech, including a clinching 14-7 victory Sunday highlighted by a go-ahead grand slam by tournament MVP Devonte Brown. ECU, meanwhile, advanced to its second straight NCAA super regional by going unbeaten in its own regional in Greenville, coming from behind to beat Norfolk State and Charlotte in the first two games before outlasting Mother Nature and Maryland for a clinching 9-6 victory in the wee hours of Monday morning. Four other North Carolina teams had varying degrees of success in their NCAA regionals. Campbell had the most positive experience, bouncing back from an opening-round loss to VCU to advance to the championship round of its regional in Starkville, Mississippi. The Camels beat Samford, then turned the tables on VCU by
beating the Rams 19-10 before falling one run short of forcing a deciding game against top-seeded host Mississippi State. North Carolina and Charlotte both won their opening games before being eliminated with two straight losses. Duke, possibly drained from its emotional ACC Tournament championship the previous week, suffered a pair of lopsided losses at the hands of Liberty to go out quietly in the NCAA’s Knoxville Regional. Emotion had the opposite effect on ECU, as it used the electricity of a sold-out Clark-LeClair Stadium to turn a disappointing semifinal elimination at the American Athletic Conference Tournament into a distant memory. “It’s definitely something you dream about, and it’s definitely a cool moment for sure,” said Greenville Regional MVP Matt Bridg-
es, a sixth-year senior relief pitcher who earned a win and two saves for the Pirates. “It’ll go down in my memory book. But we’re not done. I hope there’s more for everybody here. We’re looking to do something special.” ECU is making its 31st NCAA Tournament appearance, the most of any team in the country without getting to the CWS. The task of losing that distinction is a tall one considering the opposition and pitching it will have to face in Vanderbilt’s Kumar Rocker and Jack Leiter. But at least the Pirates will be better prepared for the challenge than they were in 2019 when they were worn out by a grueling weather-delayed regional and a short turnaround before a super regional at Louisville. “Playing five games in 3½ days was tough on our guys,” ECU coach
into the national rankings and the first to win an Ivy League championship — something it has now done seven times. At age 57, however, with 13 years of tenure at Harvard, Amaker may have been reluctant to make a move — especially considering the pressure associated with following the man whose name is on the court at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
OPTIONS from page B1 games three times and made the NCAA Tournament twice in four years, his chances for a triumphant return to Durham faded after two straight subpar seasons that led to his firing this spring. Chris Collins Like Scheyer, Collins is a product of Glenbrook North High School in suburban Chicago, and like Wojo, he saw his stock rise rapidly once he left Duke to become the coach at Northwestern. The former Blue Devils shooting guard and son of longtime NBA coach Doug Collins became something of a national media darling when he led the Wildcats to a 24-12 record and their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2017. Since then, however, Collins’ teams haven’t won more than 15 games in a season or finished higher than 10th in the 14-team Big Ten.
Brad Stevens
Of all the members of Krzyze-
wski’s coaching tree, Amaker was perhaps the most viable candidate. After starting his head coaching career in 1997 with only modest success at Seton Hall and Michigan, the former Duke point guard
has become a fixture at Harvard. In addition to being the school’s winningest coach with a 250-138 record, he is the first to lead the Crimson to a win over a ranked opponent, the first to get his team
The wild card in the deck and the only potential candidate not a member of the “Duke Brotherhood,” Stevens’ name has been thrown around as a potential Krzyzewski successor since taking Butler to the national championship game in back-to-back seasons, including a loss to the Blue Devils in 2010. Speculation grew on the day Coach K announced his retirement plans because only a few hours earlier, Stevens was moved from the bench to the front office by the NBA’s Boston Celtics. The 44-year-old Indiana native has stated, however, that he’s not interested in any college jobs at this point in his career. But if things don’t work out for Scheyer and Duke begins another search in a few years, you never know — because it’s a lot easier to be the “man that replaces the man who replaced the man” than the man himself.
and I felt pain in my stomach. A few hours later, I woke up in a hospital in Syracuse, and I’d had my appendix taken out.” So a game and a half in four years as a player and another sixplus years as a coach. Other than Cal Ripken, no one should cast any side-eye toward Scheyer’s attendance record. “I say all that because I do not expect this to be easy,” he said of his new challenge, running Duke’s program following the 2021-22 season, Krzyzewski’s last. “I don’t expect it to be easy. I don’t expect to be given anything. We do not expect to be given anything … but I’m always going to show up. I’m always going to show up and do whatever it takes to succeed at the highest level here and with the standard that’s been set at Duke.” The 33-year-old Scheyer — 34 when he takes over next year —
will be the youngest coach in the ACC by nearly a decade. He was, however, the hand-picked choice of Krzyzewski, who emphasized the importance of a succession plan during his retirement press conference the day before. Duke athletics director Kevin White said that even though Scheyer was the choice of Krzyzewski, the school still went through a search process to hire the next basketball coach. It took about 10 days, White said, after Coach K officially informed the school the upcoming season would be his last as head coach. Duke used a search firm to help, and Scheyer went through three rounds of interviews before, as White said to him, “You won the job.” White emphasized that this wasn’t just a matter of rubber-stamping Coach K’s pick. Scheyer impressed the search
committee during the process. “He depicted a contemporary leader who enjoyed a great grasp of all things, analytics, transfer portal, NIL,” White said. “Jon has an unparalleled sense of both the current and futuristic highly competitive recruiting game and of all the strategies.” There was one other big factor. “Lastly, unequivocally, Jon has a phenomenal relationship with the players, some of which are here and some former players as well,” White said. “For within this ever-evolving landscape, it’s never been more important, if not absolutely critical, to have those kinds of relationships in place.” After making the decision, the committee needed to inform their top choice of the news, which fell to White’s incoming replacement. “His blood, sweat and tears are in these hardwoods,” said Nina
King, who will step in as Duke AD when White retires this summer. King was the one who got to make the call to the next Blue Devils’ coach. “This is no offense to anyone I’ve ever been on the phone with, but when I got a call and saw Nina King’s name pop up, it was the best phone call I’ve ever received in my life,” Scheyer said. “It was the best news I’ve ever received. I was speechless. I didn’t really have the words. What a surreal moment. I think you immediately go back to the first time you ever pick up a ball, to the first time you were recruited to play here, to all the moments I’ve been through with those guys back there (teammates and current team members), the ups and the downs, the blood, sweat and tears, then it comes to that moment. I’ll never forget that in my life.”
Johnny Dawkins Currently the coach at Central Florida, Dawkins was Krzyzewski’s first star player. He was also one of the first former players to return to the bench with him after his playing career in the NBA. Dawkins was a trusted assistant who added the title of associate head coach to his resume in 1999
SCHEYER from page B1 never missed a game as a coach if it wasn’t for my wife deciding she was going to labor early on Jan. 29, 2018.” Scheyer’s daughter Noa arrived on that day, while the Blue Devils were playing Notre Dame at Cameron Indoor Stadium. “I made it through the first half,” he recalled. “Then she … Noa, I guess … decided it was time.” Scheyer left the arena and, while Duke cruised to a 22-point win, rushed to the hospital for the birth. “So that’s a half,” Scheyer admitted. “Half a game.” He wasn’t done confessing his truancy while a member of Krzyzewski’s staff, however. “The other time we were playing in Syracuse (Feb. 1, 2020),” he said. “We’re going to the game,
Cliff Godwin said. “I remember breaking the huddle during the practice day and I saw our guys move that first step and I go, ‘Uhoh, that ain’t gonna be good.’ “They gave us everything they had. But the team Louisville saw was not the team that had played all year.” Similarly, State isn’t the same team it was at the start of this season. But that’s a positive rather than a negative, considering that the Wolfpack started the season 4-9 overall and 1-8 in the ACC before turning things around. And they aren’t done yet. “It feels great right now,” said junior left fielder Jonny Butler. “But this isn’t the end goal for us. We know how good we are. We know we can make it as far as anyone. It’s really relieving right now and satisfying, but we’re not done yet. We’re ready to go.”
MICHAEL PEREZ | AP PHOTO
After struggling at Michigan, former Duke guard Tommy Amaker has built a winner at Harvard. before finally leaving for Stanford in 2006. Tommy Amaker
g Kong flu,” 1977 evidence that the gins in China. OVID-19 mpletely eve it came out of a
markets and financial outlets. If the U.S. dollar were not the reserveis China’s currency, we would not be able to fund any of these emergency Chernobyl. measures without immediate fear of rampant inflation and currency depreciation. China has to pay for their aberrant ways and decisions through economic and financial means. Diplomacy has obviously not worked to bring China into the civilized world of 21st century health, hygiene and fair trade. Totalitarian communist regimes never take the blame or express sincere regret and remorse, because that is not what totalitarian governments do. They take advantage of every weakness they find in adversaries and keep pushing until they win or the adversaries push back. That is, unless an exogenous event happens such as the Chernobyl meltdown in 1986. Some experts believe that event, not the Star Wars program of Reagan, led directly to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1989. Perhaps COVID-19 is China’s Chernobyl. Senators in Washington are already talking about the possibility of China forgiving $1.2 trillion in debt we owe them as one way to get China to “pay” for the damage they have caused the US. Don’t hold your breath waiting for a Chinese “Jubilee” to happen but ask your elected representatives to hold China accountable in tangible financial ways for this disaster. It is about time they are expected to operate as responsible citizens of the world like any other modern nation.
We need The result: a reduc originated in Wuhan Province probably from the completely transparency According to the Neal out Robbins, unregulated and unsanitary wet markets. Some believe it came of aUn Metrics and Evaluat and Chinese honesty Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior biowarfare lab run by the communist army.opinion editor administratio from our Until China adopts rigorous verifiable policing and Trump regulation of peak outbreak was r their food safety and health protocols, American business has no other scientific experts ventilators by nearly choice than to build redundant manufacturing elsewhere purely — we need to plantsAugust by nearly 12, for national security and safety reasons as well as supply and delivery know what they Here’s the problem reliability concerns. know, what they questions will a The most direct way to make China “pay” for this disaster is tothat offer First, what is the t and when U.S. tax credits to companies whodon’t will source at least half of their important because it theyThere hope to production back in the United States. is approximately $120 be open or closed, wh billion worth of American direct investment plants and equipment know what in they more in China. Chinese direct investment in the U.S. is about $65liberalized billion by soci don’t. ought to lock down f comparison. We’ve seen case fa An investment tax credit of 30% on half of U.S. investment in China the number of identi today, or $60 billion, applied to repatriated American manufacturing and the denominato investment to the U.S. would cost the U.S. Treasury $18 billion in have tax revenue spread over a few years. $18 billion in lostpeople revenue is actually number has been ove decimal dust compared to the $6 trillion+ Marshall Plan we are now of death, particularly undertaking to save our own economy, not of defeated enemies as in the sources suggest the n past. many American people are dyi China has been cheating, stealing, pirating and pillaging Even import business now for the past 30 years. They have made no secret more that they actually have corona intend to replace the U.S. as the premier superpower in the world and of identified cases co replace the dollar as the reserve currency with their renminbi. number of people wh
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VISUAL VOICES
VISUAL VOICES
EDITORIAL | STACEY MATTHEWS
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It’s okay to ask questions about to this get back to normal The comfort How Chinawe willbegin payThe for COVID-19 3 big questionscatas nob EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL
A7
COLUMN | REP. RICHARD HU COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO
WITH MOST STATES under either shelter-in-place or stay-at-home China lied about the origin of the ONE THING IS CERTAIN; after thisthanks COVID-19 virus cavalierofmanner in which orders to local ordissipates state governments,The a majority Americans THIS WEEK, virus, according to members ofTHE theand fed ied to tell the world there were only “THIS IS DA around the globe and in the United States, China will pay for this covered up its spread t are having to adjust to what is being called the “new normal.” and state and local governments, Americans have rldwide panic, economic collapse and in it” (Psalm 118:24) catastrophe one way or another. 3,341 related deaths has led to w Some of these orders extend at least through the end of this month. ce or stay-at-home fallen into place. I understand the seriousness of the virus thetoneed the curve in the novel coronavirus outbreak. The being thrown out of work. I know that durin Inand order put the crisis causedVirginia’s by Chinastay-at-home in perspective, zero millions of Americans needlessly orders go into June. ty of at Americans to take precautions, but I’m uneasy with how people who simply ask muted — after all, trends can easily reverse — bu payer least $2.4 trillion in added working from home worldwide pandemics can trace their source to theCarolina, United States over Gov.The hasstated cost the U.S. tax Here in North Democratic Roycrisis Cooper during normal.” questions back to have abided by recommendations and orders. The Reserve backup liquidity to the about the data, and when things can start getting be glad” as the Bible our 231-year history. At least fourainrecent the 20th century alone be that “we debt plus trillions Federa coronavirus press can briefing just don’t know more yet” ifin the nd of this month. are treated in some circles with contempt. to flu,” stay 1977 at home; they’ve practiced socialthe distancin he U.S. dollar were notnormal the reserve and dad, Easter directly traced to China: 1957 “Asian flu,” 1968 “Hong Kong markets and financial outlets. If will extend into May. Since when did state’s stay-at-home orders They’re treated as though we as a society simply must accept flu” without they’ve donned masks. fund any of these emergency have to be thankful “Russian and the 2002 SARS outbreak. There is evidence that the currency, we would not be able to Perhaps If he it, questions should JENNY be asked as to the Wedoes needdecide to extend KANE | AP PHOTO WALTER E. WILLIAMS questioning per stated during question what the government tells us about when it’s massive safe to begin the The result: a reduction inwithout expected hospitalizat Lenten and of rampant inflation and currency pandemic. 1918 “Spanish flu” pandemic also had its origins in China. measures immediate fea justification for it. And the answers should not be vague ones like “we COVID-19 t know yet” if the is shown process ofenvelope returning back to normalcy. According to theseasons University of Washington Institi For me, my faith government A stamp on an Friday, May 28, 2021, in Washington, D.C. There is 100% agreement, outside oftransparency China, thatofCOVID-19 depreciation. must do this out an abundance Easter of caution.” is China’s No. The government works for us, and we have the right to ask those Metrics and Evaluation model most oft cited by m ant ways and decisions through making. As I celebra and honesty originated in at Wuhan Province probably from the has pay for their provide a China all levels It will need tocompletely be explained in detail to the people ofto this state who aber asked as to the And the longer stay-at-home orders are in place all over the Trump administration, the expected need for hos plomacy has obviouslyquestions. not worked Corinthians 1:4, whD Chernobyl. unregulated and unsanitary wet markets. believe it came of at a home economic and financial means. fromSome our to are being told remain joblessout and message offor an undetermined become a gue ones likecentury “we health, country, and the stricter some of them get in states, such as Michigan, peak outbreak was revised down by over 120,000 world of 21st hygiene affliction, so that biowarfare lab run by the communist Chinese army. to we bring China into the scientific experts amount of time why models predicting hundreds thousands of civilized cases wew hope that willof bad thing? thethe more people, sitting at home feeling isolated and/or anxious about ventilators by nearly 13,000 and the number of ov unist regimes never take blame affliction, with the c Until China adopts rigorous verifiable policing and regulation of and fair trade. Totalitarian comm are reliable. — we need to once again enjoy of this state who when will demand August by nearly 12,000. orse, because that is not whatthey can get back to providing for their families,their God.” That is what food safety and health protocols, American business has nowhat otherthe state or express sincere To know date, what I’ve gone has asked andregret then and rem they along with answers. Here’s the problem: We still don’t knowcelebrat the ans sporting events, yndetermined take advantage of every weakness If you choice than tofree build redundant manufacturing plants elsewhere purely totalitarian governments do. The citizens mandated that we do, but along the way I’ve also had questionsare about housands of cases at the local and state levels should be as forthcoming as they know, what they questions that will allow the economy to reopen. pushing until they win orLeaders the reflect on this messa concerts, family for national security safety reasons as well supply andleaders delivery they find in adversaries and keep the data. StateasRepublican have, too. living inand a free can be with those answers — and again, not vague answers, but concerns. answer First, what is the true coronavirus fatality rate? God’sback. example don’t and when reliability adversaries gatherings, Unfortunately, when certain types of questions get push asked, there is and c AMERICA’S COLLEGES are rife with society were kedhappens and then with details that give their statements believability. important because it determines whether certain ent such as the Chernobyl this difficult T The most direct way to make China “pay”hope for this is to offer That is, unless an exogenous they to disaster corruption. The financial squeeze resulting sometimes a disturbing tendency among people to treat thosetime. ev church some services dbelieve questions about We should all continue to do what we can to keep our families, be open or closed, whether we ought to pursue — that event, not the Star Wars confident we will em supposed from COVID-19 offers opportunities for a restructuring longU.S. tax credits to companies whosimply willknow source at least halfdata of their meltdown 1986. Some back experts what theythe questioning and asking when we caninstart getting After andDeJoy many more nonetheless apologized Sponsored by Union and our communities safe. But we still continue more liberalized society that presumes wide sprea Sponsored by should also o the dissolution of theourselves, Soviet In this same bit of remediation. Let’s first examine what production back in the United States. There is approximately $120 program of Reagan, led directly to do, last I to normal are conspiracy theorists or are people who spirit outdated mail reasonable stay-at-home don’t.as though theyought to down customers affected by serafter our own t asked, there to of ask questions about the data,logistics, because while to lock further. mightisbe the root academic corruption, neighbors helping n billion worth checked. of American direct investment in plants and equipment inor1989. otherwise don’t care if they get themselves others sick. during vice delays that occurred that also have an title of a recent study,slowed enough ehernobyl. to treatsuggested those by the measures are understandable, they should expiration date. We’ve seen case fatality rates — the number of temporary In Concord, a hig in China. Chinese direct investmentSince in thewhen U.S. did is about $65 billion by Perhaps COVID-19 China’s C last year’s holiday season rush, questioning government at all levels become aisbad Democratsand worried about “Academic and to theAmericans, North State Journal Wednesday, April 15, 2020 starttalking getting backGrievance ThisStudies is all new it is not normal. Not in any way, the number offor identified COVID-19 cases —aare but eady about the possibility money to buy 3-D sacrifices are and said his whole agency would comparison. Senators in Washington alb thing? That is what free citizens living in a free society were supposed an electoral viavigilant mail; and stay safe, at Corruption of Scholarship.” The study was are people who shape, or form. So while we shouldcrisis remain and the denominator are likely wrong. We don’t k debt we owe them as one way to get health care workers “strive to better” amid bipartiAn investment tax credit of 30% U.S. investment in China of do China forgiving $1.2 trillion in over. toon do,half lastof I checked. done by Areo, an opinion analysisultimately, fears were proved NC universities winand big sick. the same time we shouldn’t get comfortable with this so-called “new people have actually died of coronavirus. Some so san criticism at a House hearing in y have caused the US. Don’t hold your China to “pay”isfor damage digital magazine. By the way, Areo is short My first American concern asmanufacturing we go along in all this, of course, mythe family. I’m th unfounded, and Louis DeJoy today, or $60 billion, applied to repatriated February. inaAreopagitica, NASA challenge ls become badbut ask normal.” number has beenbreath overestimated, given that classi lee” to happen your elected for a speech delivered by investment to the U.S. would cost the U.S. Treasury $18 billion in waiting for a Chinese worried about them catching the virus, and I’m worried I will. After “Jub “I think the postmaster generty were supposed Not one little bit. proceeds with 10-year plan of death, particularly among elderly patients, ountable inHUNTSVILLE, tangible financial ways for John Milton in defense of free speech. tax revenue spread over a few years. $18 billion in lost revenue is representatives to hold Chinacan acc Ala. — suffering from the H1N1 virus (swine during were the 2009 pandemic, to salvage the U.S. Postal al’s flu) intentions good but the Authors Helen Pluckrose, James A. sources suggest the number is dramatically under decimal dust compared to the $6 trillion+ Marshall Plan we are now this disaster. For the past nine months, 46 I’ve been trying to take extra precautions, because was all offar this brings implementation less so,” up Service. Lindsay and Peter Boghossian say has that e, to is my family. I’m Stacey Matthews also written under the pseudonym Sister Toldjah manyas people are dying home. ed operate asstrived responsible citizens of teams for success undertaking to save our own economy, notmany of defeated enemies insaid the ItMcHugh, is at about they are expect John atime former New way too memories of a painful experience I’d prefer not to repeat. something has gone drastically wrong ied I will.inAfter is a regular contributor to RedState and Legal Insurrection. Even more importantly, we have no clue how m ation. NASA’s 2021 and Student York Republican congressman past. the world like any other modern But what also makes me lose sleep is how easily most everyone has in academia, especially within certain 2009 pandemic, actually have Some scientists Launch competition, one whocoronavirus. now heads the Package Coa- sugges China has been cheating, stealing, pirating and pillaging American fields within the humanities. They callBy Bill Weissert l of this brings up of identified cases could be an order of magnitude lition, an advocacy group of busiof NASA’s Artemis Student The Associated Press business now for the past 30 years. They have made no secret that they these fields “grievance studies,” where Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion nesses that rely on package delivChallenges. Countless hours refer notscholarship to repeat. is number of people who have had coronavirus and not so much based upon intend to replace the U.S. as the premier superpower in the world and ery. “I’d like to think he’s learned WASHINGTON, D.C. — Louis were poured into the design, ost everyone has finding truth but upon attending to TOM WILLIAMS | AP PHOTO his lesson.” DeJoy is uninterested in the nice- replace the dollar as the reserve currency with their renminbi.
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‘Get used to me’: Postmaster envisions generational change for U.S. mail service A6
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simulation, construction, social grievances. Grievance scholars ties of Washington. The wealthy testing, and launch of rockets and other bully students, administrators and payloads.into On June 3, to their longtime businessman with an departments adhering outer teams wereThe awarded duringthey promote worldview. worldview is borough New York accent prides himself as a problem solver a virtual ceremony, announcing neither scientific nor rigorous. Grievance EDITORIAL | the University Carolina e studies consistofofNorth disciplines such as ready to disrupt an unwieldy bureaucracy. And he’s facing potensociology, anthropology, at Charlotte as the winnergender of the studies, tial legal troubles. queer studies, sexuality andand critical race top Launch Division award, In other words, the postmaster studies. NC State University in 5th place general may be the closest thing to In 2017 and 2018, authors Pluckrose, among all national competitors. former President Donald Trump Lindsay and Boghossian started Every year, NASA challenges left in the nation’s capital. But submitting bogus academic middle school, high school, papers tothere’s little President Joe Biden academic journals in cultural, college, and university studentsqueer, race, fat and sexuality studiescan do about it. United from gender, around the “Get used to me,” DeJoy told to determine if they would States to design, build, test,pass peer critics in Congress during a hearseriousness of the virus and the need review and be accepted for publication. and then fly and land a highAcceptance of dubious research that ing earlier this year. y with how people who simply powered amateur rocket ask to As he approaches his first annieditors found sympathetic to their en thingsjournal can start getting between 3,500 and back 5,500to feet versary at the U.S. Postal Service’s intersectional or postmodern leftist vision s with contempt. above the ground. young DeJoy is under mounting of the world wouldThe prove the problem helm, of a societylow simply must accept without pressure to resign. He’s been critrocketeers are challenged to academic standards. ls us about when safe topredict begin thepapers icized by lawmakers from both “call theirit’s shot” and Several of the fake research their accepted rocket’s altitude months inThe Fatparties for changes to the agency malcy. were for publication. that have resulted in service slowadvance of competition launch us, and we have the right to ask those Studies journal published a hoax paper Sinceare when did downs. Democrats particuday using rocketry principles that argued the term bodybuilding was home orders are in place all over the larly worried that he’s purposeand computer simulations. questioning andas should be replaced hem get exclusionary in states, such Michigan, fully undermining the post office, Referred to as their “target with “fat bodybuilding, a fat-inclusive government eeling isolated and/or anxious as about which is critical to the conduct of altitude,” teams can tailor their politicized performance.” One reviewer ng for their families, will demand elections and is one the few fedat alloflevels said, “I thoroughly enjoyed reading this altitude to maximize the return vast majority of article and believe it has an importanteral agencies abecome of scientific value from their a Americans like. vels should be asjust forthcoming as contribution to thethey field and this payload, likemake NASAtoteams The scrutiny of DeJoy, 63, has bad thing? again, not vague answers, but for answer journal.” target specific altitudes their intensified as the Justice Depart“Our Struggle Is My Struggle: Solidarity That is what ents believability. own missions. ment investigates him over politiFeminism as anfamilies, Intersectional Reply to hat we can to keep our This year, the college/ citizens cal fundraisingfree at the North CarNeoliberal and Feminism,” was university afe. But we shoulddivision’s alsoChoice stillpayload continue olina-based company he prior living in aran free accepted for apublication mission was lander thatby Affilia, a to his work at the post office. ecause while reasonable stay-at-home feminist journal for social workers. The society were Dedeploys from rocket during General y shouldpaper also have anthe expiration consisted in part of adate. rewritten “Postmaster descent. The lander must land be in his job if he nd it is not normal. Not in any way,Two otherJoy would not supposed passage from Mein Kampf. upright or contain a system to other company,” d remainhoax vigilant and stay safe, at includingworked for any papers were published, to do, last Ia New upright itself. The lander must said Rep. Carolyn Maloney, “Rape Culture and Queer Performativity mfortable with this so-called “new level itselfDog to within 5 degrees checked. at Urban Parks.” This paper’s subject of vertical and then take a the dog rape was dog-on-dog rape. But 360-degree panoramic paper eventually forced image Boghossian, of the location and transmit Pluckrose and Lindsay to prematurely out under the Sister Toldjah thepseudonym image back to the team. themselves. A Wall Street Journal writer dState and Legal Insurrection. Teams in the middle/high had figured out what they were doing. school choose Somedivision paperscould accepted for publication theacademic college/university division training in journals advocated payload propose their men likeor dogs and punishing white male college students historical slavery by own scientific or for engineering asking themtotoperform. sit in silence on the floor in experiment chains during class to be expected to of and North The University learn from discomfort. Other papers Carolina at the Charlotte will y celebrated morbid obesity as a healthy life receive $5,000 for first place choice and advocated in the Launch Division.treating Both privately conducted as a form of UNC-C andmasturbation NC State teams sexual violence against women. also won top three placement Typically, s academic journal send submitted in numerous othereditors categories papers out to referees for review. In including: Experiment Design recommending acceptance for publication, (UNC-C, 1st place), Safety many reviewers gave these papers glowing (NC State, 2nd; UNC-C 3rd), praise. Reusable Vehicle PoliticalLaunch scientist Zach(NC Goldberg ran State, 1st), Altitude (UNC-C, certain grievance studies concepts through 1st),Lexis/Nexis Social Media (NC State, the database, to see how often 3rd).appeared in our press over the years. they 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
north STA
The Postal Service lost $87 billion over the past 14 budget years, according to the Government AcJason countability Office. While much of STACEY MATTHEWS the budgetary concerns stem from York Democrat who chairs the navirus pandemic prompted a vot- a 2006 law requiring the agency to fully HUDSON fund costly retiree health ing-by-mail surge in last year’s House oversight committee. COLUMN | REP. RICHARD DeJoy spokesman Mark Corallo presidential election, and wide- benefits for the next 75 years, the said the postmaster general “never spread delays sparked concerns post office has also been hurt by an knowingly violated” campaign fi- that millions of ballots wouldn’t inevitable, internet-fueled decline in mail volume. That was exacerarrive on time. nance laws. A federal judge wrote in Sep- bated by the pandemic. DeJoy was born in Brooklyn In March, DeJoy announced a and still retains its distinct accent, tember that “the Postal Service’s despite long living in Greensboro. actions are not the result of any 10-year plan he says can help the post office avoid billion in let us r but IS After growing up in New York, he legitimate business concerns” “THIS THE DAY the $160 lord has made, WITH MOST STATES under either shelter-in-place into place. I understand th projected losses over the instead consistent withor thestay-at-home Trump furtherfallen took over his father’s small, declinin it” (Psalm 118:24). orders thanks to local or state governments, a majority of Americans to take precautions, but I’m unea ing trucking business in the 1980s, administration’s goals “to disrupt next decade by cutting post office this challenging time of soc are having to it adjust what is being the “new normal.”I know questions aboutstandards the data, and wh hours,during relaxing delivery andcalled challenge the legitimacy” of that transforming into to New Breed working from home or losing a job, it may be diffi so some mail takes longer,inand elections. Logistics, sold extend in 2014.at least Some ofwhich these he orders through the end of this month. normal are treated some circle be glad” the Bible tells us to do. as However, as aa austerity measures. Ultimately, while there were asother His firm stay-at-home offered logistical ser-go into Virginia’s orders June. They’re treated though we The Postal Service is also seekcomplaints about mail delays afvices nationwide, which critics are and dad, the Easter holiday has reminded me Here in North Carolina, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper stated during question what the governmentofte ing to increase cost of a firstcountquick to note sometimes compet- fecting some balloting andhave to be thankful and the hopeful for, even m a recent coronavirus press briefing that “we just don’t know yet” if the process of returning back in to the norm ing, Lenten fears ofand widespread pandemic. elector- class stamp to 58 cents in late Aued with the post office. state’s stay-at-home orders will into May.from DeJoy’s larger gust. No. The government works for al disruptions DeJoy became postmaster gen-extend For me, my faith is an important part ofstay-at my da Easter seasons If he does decide to extend it, questions should be asked as to the questions. And the longer DeJoy’s proposed overhaul eral shortly after Trump declared changes mostly proved unfoundmaking. As I celebrated Easter with my family, justification AndDeJoy the answers should notabeService vague says onesitlike country, andoffice the stricter provide could help the post operatesome ofI The Postal de- “we the post officefor “a it. joke.” im- ed. Corinthians 1:4, which reminds us Lord “com business thansitting aour publivered at leastof135 million ballots more like plemented mecha- of must do thiscost-cutting out of an abundance caution.” theamore people, at home message affliction, so that we may be able to comfort thos Butthey he’s can bristled at sug-to provid to or to from voters —of and delivered nisms heneed said to would help make It will be explained in detail the people state wholic service. when get back hope we will this he’s a Trump 99.89% ofthat those mailed after Sept. gestions the being agencytold more fiscally solvent. affliction, with the comfort whichholdover we ourselves a are to remain jobless and at home for an undetermined answers. once of again enjoyDay God.” Election on Nov. with an ideology that now conThose included reducing employee 4, ahead amount of time why models predicting hundreds of thousands of cases Leaders at the local and state l flicts with a Democratic adminisseven days, as promised. overtime and removing mail-sort- 4, within sporting events, If you are celebrating the Easter season, I—urge are reliable. can be with those answers and “Some people may have tration. ing machines from postal facilities reflect on this message and be comforted, so that concerts, family To date, I’ve gone along with what the state has asked and then with details that give their statem “I’m not a political appointee,” breathed a sigh of relief,” Mark Diaround the country. example comfort allallhearing. those in “I need arou mandated thatand we do, but along way I’ve also had questions about We should continue to do w gatherings, DeJoyand told the House mondstein, president of theGod’s Amer“I am direct decisive,” De- the this difficult time. Through faith and by helping o was selected by a bipartisan board Postal Workers Union, which Joy data. said inState a video message toleaders em- ican the Republican have, too. ourselves, and our communities s church services confident we will emerge out of this pandemic str of governors and I’d really apprerepresents moreget than 200,000 ployees last summer. “And I don’ttypes Unfortunately, when certain ofand questions asked, there is to ask questions about the data, b many more said of In ciate spirit, ifmeasures you’dI continue getare that straight.” post office employees, mince words.” this same to be inspired th by sometimes a disturbing tendency among some people to treatpassthose understandable, afterelection our own pressed on how long he’d retest. “Butneighbors as im- When After the changes, mail slowed ing the helping neighbors. simply questioning the data and asking when we can start getting back This is all new to Americans, a as mail ballots are In ... all enough that Democrats worried portant temporary Concord, a shape, high school senior named to normal as though they are conspiracy theorists or are people who or form. So while weTanne shou about an electoral crisis. The coro- mail is important.” See USPS, B6 and plastic to make f money to buy a 3-Dpage printer In this Aug. 24, 2020, file photo, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy testifies during a House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing on the Postal Service on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
VISUAL VOICES
It’s okay to ask questions about when The we begin to get back to comfort normal and hope
sacrifices are sick. otherwise don’t care if they get themselves or others the same time we shouldn’t get co health care workers out of his own home. Since when did questioning government a bad normal.” over. at all levels become thing? That is what free citizens living in a free society were supposed Not one little bit. to do, last I checked. My first concern as we go along in all this, of course, is my family. I’m Stacey Matthews has also written worried about them catching the virus, and I’m worried I will. After and is a regular contributor to R suffering from the H1N1 virus (swine flu) during the 2009 pandemic, I’ve been trying to take extra precautions, because all of this brings up way too many memories of a painful experience I’d prefer not to repeat. But what also makes me lose sleep is how easily most everyone has
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North State Journal for Wednesday, June 9, 2021
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ncdot CASH REPORT For the week ending 6/4 Total Cash & Bond Proceeds:
$2,417,095,292 Add Receipts:
$200,480,690 Less Disbursements:
$58,332,563 Reserved Cash:
$615,197,145 Unreserved Cash Balance Total:
$5,402,931,121
USPS from page B5 main in his post, DeJoy responded, “A long time. Get used to me.” Wisconsin Rep. Mark Pocan, who organized a letter signed by 90 House Democrats in August calling for DeJoy’s removal, said the postmaster general “is a guy who obviously has a lot of confidence in himself.” “He doesn’t seem to understand that one of the few services that the federal government does that’s in the Constitution is the Postal Service,” Pocan said “and we have a higher obligation to do the job correctly.” DeJoy can only be removed by a vote of the Postal Service’s governing board, which has nine members in addition to DeJoy and the deputy postmaster general. The Senate recently approved three new, Biden-appointed members. By law, though, no more than five of the nine voting board members can be from the same party and two existing, Democratic members have publicly supported DeJoy and his 10-year plan. Biden could dismiss existing board members and replace them with his own appointees who might support replacing DeJoy — but he’d have to show cause for doing so. Meantime, Congress may forge ahead with post office changes with DeJoy still in charge. A bipartisan plan to scrap requirements that the Postal Service pre-fund retiree health benefits, potentially saving the agency billions of dollars, is advancing. That’s surprising because lawmakers have fought over that issue for years. Republican supporters say the move would complement DeJoy’s 10-year plan rather than supplant it. A Democratic proposal that could defy the postmaster general’s overhaul remains stalled. NSJ staff contributed to this report.
BLUE ORIGIN VIA AP
In this image from video made available by Blue Origin, the New Shepard rocket lifts off during a test in West Texas on Wednesday, April 14, 2021.
Jeff Bezos will blast into space on rocket’s 1st crew flight By Marcia Dunn The Associated Press CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Outdoing his fellow billionaires in daredevilry, Jeff Bezos will blast into space next month when his Blue Origin company makes its first flight with a crew. The 57-year-old Amazon founder and richest person in the world by Forbes’ estimate will become the first person to ride his own rocket to space. Bezos announced his intentions Monday and, in an even bolder show of confidence, said he will share the adventure with his younger brother and best friend, Mark, an investor and volunteer firefighter. He said that will make it more meaningful. Blue Origin’s debut flight with people aboard — after 15 successful test flights of its reusable New Shepard rockets — will take place on July 20, a date selected because it is the 52nd anniversary of the first moon landing by Apollo 11’s Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. The Bezos brothers will launch from remote West Texas alongside the winner of an online charity auction. There’s no word yet on who else might fill the six-person capsule during the 10-minute flight that will take its passengers to an altitude of about 65 miles (105 kilometers), just beyond the edge of space, and then return to Earth without going into orbit. Bezos said he has dreamed of traveling to space since he was 5. “To see the Earth from space, it changes you. It changes your relationship with this planet, with humanity. It’s one Earth,” Bezos said in an Instagram post. “I want to go on this flight because it’s a thing I’ve wanted to do all
“I want to go on this flight because it’s a thing I’ve wanted to do all my life. It’s an adventure. It’s a big deal for me.” Amazon founder Jeff Bezos my life. It’s an adventure. It’s a big deal for me.” Added his brother: “I wasn’t even expecting him to say that he was going to be on the first flight, and then when he asked me to go along, I was just awestruck.” Bezos will step down as Amazon’s CEO 15 days before liftoff. He announced months ago that he wants to spend more time on his rocket company as well as his newspaper, The Washington Post. His stake in Amazon stands at $164 billion, which will make him by far the wealthiest person to fly to space. Until now, thrill-seeking billionaires have had to buy capsule seats from the Russian space program or, more recently, Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which plans its first private flight in September. These orbital trips, generally lasting several days, with visits to the International Space Station, have cost tens of millions of dollars per person. The flight by Blue Origin’s New Shepard capsule, named for Alan Shepard, the first American in space, will last five minutes less than Shepard’s history-marking suborbital ride aboard a Mercury capsule in 1961. But Blue Origin’s capsule is 10 times roomier with a huge win-
dow at every seat — the biggest windows ever built for a spacecraft, in fact. The company, based in Kent, Washington, is working to develop an orbital rocket named after John Glenn, the first American to circle the Earth. The Bezos flight will officially kick off the company’s space tourism business. The company has yet to start selling seats to the public or even to announce a ticket price for the short trips, which provide about three minutes of weightlessness. Blue Origin’s launch and landing site is 120 miles southeast of El Paso, close to the Mexican border. After the capsule separates, the rocket returns to Earth and lands upright, to be used again. The capsule, also reusable, descends under parachutes. Virgin Galactic’s Richard Branson — a “tie-loathing,” mountain-climbing, hot-air-ballooning daredevil — also plans to ride into space aboard his own airplane-launched rocketship later this year after one more test flight over New Mexico. Virgin Galactic completed its third test flight into space with a crew two weeks ago; the company doesn’t want him climbing aboard until the craft is thoroughly proven. The 70-year-old Branson on Monday offered congratulations to Bezos, a tame, bookish Wall Streeter by comparison. Branson tweeted that their two companies “are opening up access to space — how extraordinary!” Like Blue Origin, Branson’s company will send paying customers to the lower reaches of space on up-and-down flights, not Earth-orbiting rides. Musk’s SpaceX already has transported 10 astronauts to the
space station for NASA and sold several seats on private flights. Musk himself has yet to commit to going into space, though he has repeatedly said he wants to die on Mars, just not on impact. Until recently, Blue Origin had been criticized by some for proceeding too slowly, especially when compared with SpaceX. Bezos adopted as the company’s motto “Gradatim ferociter,” Latin for “Step by step, ferociously,” and had it emblazoned on the so-called lucky cowboy boots he wears to his company’s space launches. “Blue Origin, admirably, has gone about it carefully and has built a reliable and less ambitious vehicle and is likely to succeed,” the director of Vanderbilt University’s aerospace design lab, Amrutur Anilkumar, said in an email Monday. “It is noteworthy that Bezos feels comfortable taking his brother for a ride; that is probably the best exclamation for safety and reliability.” While Blue Origin’s and SpaceX’s capsules are fully automated, Virgin Galactic has two pilots in the cockpit for every spaceflight. A 2014 accident left one pilot dead and the other seriously injured. As for the seat that is being auctioned off, Blue Origin opened online bidding on May 5, the 60th anniversary of Shepard’s flight. It’s up to $2.8 million. The auction will conclude Saturday, with the winning amount donated to Club for the Future, Blue Origin’s education foundation, which encourages youngsters to pursue careers in science. Nearly 6,000 people from 143 countries have taken part in the auction. In an Instagram video posted by Bezos, Mark Bezos’ reaction when his brother invited him on the flight was: “Are you serious? ... Seriously? My God!” “What a remarkable opportunity not only to have this adventure, but to be able to do it with my best friend,” the younger brother said.
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Pipeline CEO: Ransom payment among my ‘toughest decisions’ The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — The chief executive of the massive fuel pipeline hit by ransomware last month told senators on Tuesday that authorizing a multi-million-dollar payment to hackers was the right thing to do to bring an end to fuel shortages affecting much of the eastern United States, even as authorities have discouraged such payments. Asked how much worse it would have been if Colonial Pipeline hadn’t paid to get its data back, CEO Joseph Blount said, “That’s an unknown we probably don’t want to know. And it’s an unknown we probably don’t want to play out in a public forum.” He said that given the company’s crucial role in fuel transport, and the potential for “pandemonium” arising from a prolonged shutdown of the pipeline, he made the decision to pay a ransom to the hackers. The encryption tool the hackers provided the company in exchange for the payment helped “to some degree” but has not been perfect, with Colonial still in the process of fully restoring its system, Blount said. Blount faced the Senate Homeland Security Committee, one day after the Justice Department revealed it had recovered the majority of the $4.4 million ransom payment the company made in hopes of getting its system back online. Blount’s testimony marks his first appearance before Congress since the May 7 ransomware attack that led Georgia-based Colonial Pipeline, which supplies roughly half the fuel consumed on the East Coast, to temporarily halt operations. The attack has been attributed to a Russia-based gang of cybercriminals using the
DarkSide ransomware variant, one of more than 100 variants the FBI is currently investigating. The company began negotiating with the hackers on the evening of the attack and, the following day, paid a ransom of 75 bitcoin — then valued at roughly $4.4 million. Though the FBI has historically discouraged ransomware payments for fear of encouraging cyberattacks, Colonial officials have said they saw the transaction as necessary to resume the vital fuel transport business as rapidly as possible. “It was one of the toughest decisions I have had to make in my life,” Blount said in prepared remarks. “At the time, I kept this information close hold because we were concerned about operational security and minimizing publicity for the threat actor. But I believe that restoring critical infrastructure as quickly as possible, in this situation, was the right thing to do for the country.” The attack, which Blount says began after hackers exploited a virtual private network that was not intended to be in use and has since been shut down, had significant collateral consequences, including gas shortages as concerned motorists rushed to fill their tanks. The operation to seize cryptocurrency paid to the Russia-based hacker group is the first of its kind to be undertaken by a specialized ransomware task force created by the Biden administration Justice Department. It reflects a rare victory in the fight against ransomware as U.S. officials scramble to confront a rapidly accelerating threat targeting critical industries around the world. “By going after the entire ecosystem that fuels ransomware and digital extortion attacks — in-
GRAEME JENNINGS | AP PHOTO
Colonial Pipeline CEO Joseph Blount testifies during a Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee hearing, Tuesday, June 8, 2021, on Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C.
“The private sector also has an equally important role to play and we must continue to take cyber threats seriously and invest accordingly to harden our defenses.” Colonial Pipeline CEO Joseph Blount cluding criminal proceeds in the form of digital currency — we will continue to use all of our resources to increase the cost and consequences of ransomware and other cyber-based attacks,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said at a news conference announcing the operation. In a statement Monday, Blount said he was grateful for the FBI’s efforts and said holding hackers accountable and disrupting their
activities “is the best way to deter and defend against future attacks of this nature. “The private sector also has an equally important role to play and we must continue to take cyber threats seriously and invest accordingly to harden our defenses,” he added. The Bitcoin amount seized — 63.7, currently valued at $2.3 million after the price of Bitcoin tumbled— amounted to 85% of the total ransom paid, which is the exact amount that the cryptocurrency-tracking firm Elliptic says it believes was the take of the affiliate who carried out the attack. The ransomware software provider, DarkSide, would have gotten the other 15%. “The extortionists will never see this money,” said Stephanie Hinds, the acting U.S. attorney for the Northern District of California, where a judge earlier Monday authorized the seizure warrant. Ransomware attacks — in which hackers encrypt a victim organization’s data and demand a
hefty sum for returning the information — have flourished across the globe. Last year was the costliest on record for such attacks. Hackers have targeted vital industries, as well as hospitals and police departments. Weeks after the Colonial Pipeline attack, a ransomware attack attributed to REvil, a Russian-speaking gang that has made some of the largest ransomware demands on record in recent months, disrupted production at Brazil’s JBS SA, the world’s largest meat processing company. The ransomware business has evolved into a highly compartmentalized racket, with labor divided among the provider of the software that locks data, ransom negotiators, hackers who break into targeted networks, hackers skilled at moving undetected through those systems and exfiltrating sensitive data — and even call centers in India employed to threaten people whose data was stolen to pressure for extortion payments.
Global glitch: Swaths of internet go down after cloud outage By Kelvin Chan The Associated Press
REED SAXON | AP PHOTO
In this Thursday, April 12, 2007 file photo, A sign at a Gap store is seen in The Grove shopping area in Los Angeles.
Stores enlist shoppers to stop bad behavior against workers By Anne D’Innocenzio The Associated Press NEW YORK — A dozen retailers including Gap and H&M are collaborating on a campaign this fall to enlist customers to combat bad behavior against retail workers. The campaign, spearheaded by nonprofits Open to All and Hollaback as well as the Retail Industry Leaders Association, comes as workers face increased harassment as they try to enforce social distancing and mask protocols during the pandemic. Among those who have been the targets of abuse are people of color, those with disabilities and those who identify as LGBTQ. Calla Devlin Rongerude, director of Open to All, said the campaign is not asking customers to step in to physically stop altercations, but rather to help de-escalate the situation and show support for workers. Participating retailers will have signage in their stores with QR codes, allowing customers to sign a pledge of support. There will also
be a tool kit designed by Hollaback to show how customers can help, including how to create a distraction for the abuser as well as documenting the situation and bringing in someone else to help. Even as the spread of COVID-19 slows, retailers fear abusive behavior will worsen as stores anticipate big crowds for the back-to-school and holiday seasons. With many states and businesses relaxing mask mandates and customers experiencing pandemic fatigue, workers worry about their safety. “There is a lot of ambiguity,” Rongerude said. “People have a lot of fatigue. That is when tempers flare.” The Open to All coalition is made up of about 600,000 businesses, mostly retail establishments, that have collaborated on training and hiring practices. It launched in 2018 with companies like Levi Strauss & Co. and Gap pledging not to discriminate against employees or customers based on race, sexual orientation, or other characteristics. The movement was spurred
by controversies such as florists refusing to provide flowers for gay weddings and stores turning away Muslim customers. The pandemic has since exposed the vulnerabilities of front-line workers. Last September, a group of retailers felt they needed to do something more to protect their employees against discriminatory and racist behavior, Rongerude said. Although these abusive customers are a minority, she said they still have damaging effects on shoppers and workers alike. Emily May, founder of Hollaback, says she has seen a spike in interest among average citizens as well as corporations wanting bystander training from her organization. Last year, she had 25,000 people sign up for a free one-hour Zoom training, up from 5,000 in 2019. So far this year, 130,000 people have registered. Chris Nelson, senior vice president of asset protection at Gap Inc., said the chain had seen an increase in incidents against store workers of color, though he couldn’t disclose a number. “We spent a lot of time with COVID-19 responses, but there was another global pandemic — systemic racism,” Nelson said. “It is not OK. That is not part of our values.”
LONDON — Dozens of websites briefly went offline around the globe Tuesday, including CNN, The New York Times and Britain’s government home page, after an outage at the cloud computing service Fastly, illustrating how vital a small number of behind-the-scenes companies have become to running the internet. The sites that could not be reached also included some Amazon pages, the Financial Times, Reddit, Twitch and The Guardian. San Francisco-based Fastly acknowledged a problem just before 6 a.m. Eastern. About an hour later, the company said: “The issue has been identified and a fix has been applied.” Most of the sites soon appeared to be back online. Fastly said it had identified a service configuration that triggered disruptions, meaning the outage appeared to be caused internally. Brief internet service outages are not uncommon and are only rarely the result of hacking or other mischief. Still, major futures markets in the U.S. dipped sharply minutes after the outage, which came a month after a cyberattack forced the shutdown of the biggest fuel pipeline in the U.S. Fastly is a content-delivery network, or CDN. It provides vital but behind-the-scenes cloud computing “edge servers” to many of the web’s popular sites. These servers store, or “cache,” content such as images and video in places around the world so that it is closer to users, allowing them to fetch it more quickly and smoothly.
Fastly says its services mean that a European user going to an American website can get the content 200 to 500 milliseconds faster. Internet traffic measurement by Kentik showed that Fastly began to recover from the outage roughly an hour after it struck at mid-morning European time, before most Americans were awake. “Looks like it is slowly coming back,” said Doug Madory, an internet infrastructure expert at Kentik. He said “it is serious because Fastly is one of the world’s biggest CDNs and this was a global outage.” Fastly stock jumped more than 6% by midday as investors shrugged off the problem. The impact of Fastly’s trouble highlights the relative fragility of the internet’s architecture given its heavy reliance on Big Tech companies — such as Amazon’s AWS cloud services — as opposed to a more decentralized array of companies. “Even the biggest and most sophisticated companies experience outages. But they can also recover fairly quickly,” Madory said. When the outage hit, some visitors trying to access CNN.com got a message that said: “Fastly error: unknown domain: cnn. com.” Attempts to access the Financial Times website turned up a similar message, while visits to The New York Times and U.K. government’s gov.uk site returned an “Error 503 Service Unavailable” message, along with the line “Varnish cache server,” which is a technology that Fastly is built on. Down Detector, which tracks internet outages, posted reports on dozens of sites going down.
PHOTO BY MARK LENNIHAN | AP PHOTO
In this Thursday, May 6, 2021 file photo, a sign for The New York Times hangs above the entrance to its building, in New York.
North State Journal for Wednesday, June 9, 2021
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2021 Volkswagen ID.4
PHOTOS COURTESY VOLKSWAGEN
The people’s EV A weird but not too weird electric car By Jordan Golson North State Journal SAN DIEGO — The era of the no-compromise electric car is here. We’re spoiled for choice thanks to new, more affordable EVs from Ford, BMW, Hyundai, and Volkswagen — with more yet to come. They’re reasonably priced, especially with available federal and state tax credits. They have decent range and charge quickly at DC fast chargers, and they can easily be used as everyday vehicles without any meaningful sacrifice. This brings us to my test car this week: the oddly-named and curiously designed Volkswagen ID.4. Volkswagen says the ID stands for “intelligent design, identity and visionary technologies,” and 4 represents the compact SUV segment. There’s an ID.3 compact electric car that’s not available in the US and a larger ID.5 that’s coming later. So the name sounds like it was cooked up in a marketing brainstorming session and doesn’t exactly instill feeling in the buyer. The Beetle it isn’t. But Volkswagen has always been a little different in design, and the ID.4 is the same. Time and again, when I was testing the car, I
ran into design decisions that were just strange. Here’s an example: Most cars with four doors also have four windows that can go up and down. And on the driver’s door panel, there are typically four switches to make those windows go up and down. You know, one button for each window. But Volkswagen’s designers said nah, we don’t need that. Let’s have two switches, one each for left and right. And then, we’ll add a touch-sensitive toggle button that can adjust whether you’re controlling the front or rear windows. That’ll be neat and innovative! So, instead of just pressing the switch to roll down the rear window, you have to first figure out whether the light marked “Rear” is illuminated or not. Then, if it isn’t, you have to tap it (it’s not actually a button, it’s a touch-sensitive toggle) and then roll down the rear window with the button. So if you want to roll down all the windows, you have to press both switches down to get the fronts, tap “Rear,” and press both switches down again. It’s exciting and different for about four seconds, and then you realize that, no, it’s just bad design. Then there are the climate and radio volume controls, which use capacitive-touch sensors located just below the big center infotainment screen. Again you have to look away from the road to use
them, and there’s no meaningful feedback when you’re tapping away to raise or lower the preferred temperature settings. And, of course, there’s no volume knob which is the worst design decision possible for a vehicle interior. Instead, you get a swipe/tap situation to change the volume. At least there are volume up/down buttons on the steering wheel. Finally, we have the odd drive mode selector. Instead of a spinning knob like Ford uses or a wacky double-tap joystick like Volvo has, VW has a knob protruding from the steering wheel. Spin it forward for drive, backward for reverse, or push a button on the end for park. I actually really like it, and I think it’s the best of the newfangled transmission control setups I’ve tested. Hyundai uses a similar format in the upcoming Ioniq
5, so maybe this one has some legs. It saves room between the seats for cupholders and phone chargers but is still intuitive and easy to use. Another nice thing about the ID.4 is that you don’t need to turn it on and off. There’s a start/ stop button, but I never touched it once. Instead, you get in the car, put your foot on the brake, and it turns on. Flip the knob to drive, and away you go. When you’re done, press the park button, get out and lock the doors. There is no step three. It’s just like a Tesla, and you’d be amazed at how quickly you adjust to not turning your car on and off. But other than these weird design choices, the ID.4 is excellent. The 82 kWh battery pack promises around 250 miles of total range and is capable of 125 kW DC fast charging, returning a 5-80 percent charge time of 38 minutes at a properly-equipped charger.
Volkswagen is throwing in three years of unlimited charging at Electrify America charging stations (which it owns) with every ID.4, which is a nice bonus. It’s comfortable and attractive, with a modern but not too weird design. At the moment, it is reardrive only, but a dual-motor allwheel-drive version is coming down the road. Eventually, it’ll be built at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga, Tennessee facility, but American ID.4 cars are made in Germany for now. My ID.4 1st Edition launch car was spec’d at $45,190, which drops down to $37,690 after a $7,500 tax credit and puts this close to the ballpark of comparable SUVs like the Toyota RAV4 in price. If you’ve been on the fence about electric cars, this new crop of EVs are terrific and essentially compromise-free. The hardest part is picking which one to buy.
North State Journal for Wednesday, June 9, 2021
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features Summer is officially back: how to navigate local pools By Elizabeth Lincicome North State Journal GREENSBORO/RALEIGH — Residents across North Carolina can rest assured that when it comes to poolside gatherings, kids’ summer camps, and even playdates with friends, this summer is going to look a lot better than last. When Governor Cooper announced in mid-May that he was lifting all mandatory capacity and gathering limits, social distancing requirements and most mandatory mask requirements, it set the stage for many of the state’s most cherished summer recreational activities, like swimming and hanging out at area pools, to rapidly return to normal. Pool operators in some of NC’s smaller cities and towns say some restrictions from last summer have carried over, so it is always a good idea to check their website before planning your trip in case there are required sign ups, etc. However most private area country clubs say they have completely removed capacity limits, social distancing rules and mask mandates for this year. Many private clubs said it is against their by-laws to discuss operations, but a few were able to offer some insight. Some local managers say members are once again allowed to bring guests, no longer have to sign up ahead of time, and food service is up and running at all their snack bars. They also say that many of last summer’s vigilant protocols, like capping attendance at a very low number of members, allowing each member
PHOTO BY MILESTONE MANAGEMENT | CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
The pool at a residential apartment complex is pictured in this 2017 file photo. to only reserve 3 hour blocks of time on any given day, and breaking early to wipe down and disinfect common areas were incredibly tedious, cumbersome, and frankly just a giant headache for staff and members alike. “Really this year is business as usual for us. It is just like things were in the summer of 2019 to be honest,” said one Raleigh-area pool manager who wished to remain anonymous. Terra Waldron, General Manager and COO of the Greensboro Country Club shed some light on how her club is handling things this summer in a recent interview with NSJ: 1. Now that COVID restrictions have been, for the most part, lifted - what will this summer look like for your club’s facilities? Is it any-
thing like last summer with regard to having to sign up and check in or are things “back to normal?” Our tee times went back to normal to 10 minutes instead of 20 minutes separating members. No guests were allowed at the Club. Our reservation system now allows more members in dining per the executive order. The pool is open following the guidelines for maximum capacity. 2. What measures did your club take last summer to keep things safe during COVID? We followed the executive orders to the letter of the law in all areas of the Club with members and staff. Masks wearing, capacity to 25% to 50 % until now; we did proper distancing everywhere including the golf course, one rider per cart. Lots of sanitation. Bar-
riers (like sneeze guards) to the receptionists in Clubhouse and Fitness areas. 3. Has anything carried over and will be the new normal (like cleaning procedures, spaced out chairs?) We always had strict cleaning procedures, but increased to every half hour with housekeeping signing off after all touch points were cleaned. 4. Have you had a hard time finding lifeguards or other employees for this summer? We have enough lifeguards, but other departments are still short staffed. Candidates call and/or ghost you, or flat out say they are receiving benefits from the government and will wait until the money runs out. 5. What else can you tell me about your club and the arrangements this summer? We added a new membership called The Farm, it has been very successful. They like the all amenities (indoor tennis and outdoor tennis, golf course, golf training center, pool, and food and beverage), value for all services offered, feel safe and secure. Another hopeful sign for an “almost normal” summer season is that the Centers for Disease control recently loosened its mask guidance for most outdoor activities at summer camps saying unvaccinated children at camps could go without masks while playing outside. “For camps where everyone is fully vaccinated prior to the start of camp, it is safe to return to full capacity, without masking and without physical distancing. In camps where not everyone is fully vaccinated, mask recommendations for all have been relaxed for most outdoor activities, unless the setting is crowded and involves sustained close contact,” the agency stated. While many adults are now vaccinated and venturing out, a
“One thing that has not changed since last summer is that it is still a challenge to balance the safety concerns of other moms and dads who may be reluctant to let their kids resume socializing with my child, without impacting my own child’s friendships.” a Raleigh mother vaccine for children younger than 12 isn’t expected to arrive until this fall. For many families, that makes navigating social situations even more confusing than it was early in the pandemic. The CDC recommends that unvaccinated people, including children older than 2 years old, wear masks indoors and in crowded outdoor settings but children are far less likely than adults to be hospitalized or die from COVID. The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that as of May, children have accounted for roughly 2% of COVID hospitalizations in the U.S. and less than 1% of deaths. During a recent playground gathering at one of Raleigh’s public parks, a group of moms discussed the fact that even with pools and summer camps reopening, they remain aware that some parents may still not be comfortable returning to normal playdates. “One thing that has not changed since last summer is that it is still a challenge to balance the safety concerns of other moms and dads who may be reluctant to let their kids resume socializing with my child, without impacting my own child’s friendships,” one mother said.
Polio: When vaccines and re-emergence were just as daunting By Dan Sewell The Associated Press CINCINNATI — The COVID-19 pandemic and the distribution of the vaccines that will prevent it have surfaced haunting memories for Americans who lived through an earlier time when the country was swept by a virus that, for so long, appeared to have no cure or way to prevent it. They were children then. They had friends or classmates who became wheelchair-bound or dragged legs with braces. Some went to hospitals to use iron lungs they needed to breathe. Some never came home. Now they are older adults. Again, they find themselves in what has been one of the hardest-hit age groups, just as they were as children in the polio era. They are sharing their memories with today’s younger people as a lesson of hope for the emergence from COVID-19. Clyde Wigness, a retired University of Vermont professor active in a mentoring program, recently told 13-year-old Ferris Giroux about the history of polio during their weekly Zoom call. Families and schools saved coins to contribute to the “March of Dimes” to fund anti-polio efforts, he recalled, and the nation celebrated successful vaccine tests. “As soon as the vaccine came out, everybody jumped on it and got it right away,” recounts Wigness, 84, a native of Harlan, Iowa. “Everybody got on the bandwagon, and basically it was eradicated in the United States.” In the late 1940s and early 1950s, before vaccines were available, polio outbreaks caused more than 15,000 cases of paralysis each year, with U.S. deaths peaking at 3,145 in 1952. Outbreaks led to quarantines and travel restrictions. Soon after vaccines became widely available, American cases and death tolls plummeted to hundreds a year, then dozens in the 1960s. In 1979, polio was eradicated in the United States. “So really, what I would love for people to be reassured about is that there have been lots of times in history when things haven’t gone the way we’ve expected them to,” says Joaniko Kohchi, director of Adelphi University’s Institute for Parenting. “We adapt, and our children will have skills and strengths and resiliencies that we didn’t have.” While today’s children learned to stay at home and attend school remotely, wear masks when they went anywhere and frequently use hand sanitizer, many of their grandparents remember childhood sum-
AP PHOTO
In this April 1955 file photo, first and second-graders at St. Vibiana’s school are inoculated against polio with the Salk vaccine in Los Angeles. mers dominated by concern about the airborne virus, which was also spread through feces. Some parents banned their kids from public swimming pools and neighborhood playgrounds and avoided large gatherings. “Polio was something my parents were very scared of,” says Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, now 74. “My dad was a big baseball fan, but very careful not to take me into big crowds ... my Dad’s friend thought his son caught it at a Cardinals game.” A 1955 newspaper photo surfaced recently showing DeWine becoming one of the first second-graders in Yellow Springs, Ohio, to get a vaccination shot. His future wife, Fran Struewing, was a classmate who got hers that day, too. Sixty-six years later, they got the COVID-19 vaccination shots together. DeWine, a Republican, has drawn criticism within the state and his own party for his aggressive response to the COVID-19 outbreak. But he and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican who overcame a childhood case of polio, and others of that time remember the importance of developing vaccines and of widespread inoculations. Martha Wilson, now 88 and a student nurse at Indiana Univer-
sity in the early 1950s, remembers the nationwide relief when a polio vaccine was developed after years of work. She thinks some people today don’t appreciate “how rapidly they got a vaccine for COVID.” She doesn’t take for granted returning to the kind of safer life that allows for planning a big family reunion around Labor Day. Kohchi had a different experience than most children of the 1950s. Her mother, a believer in natural medicine such as herbal treatments, didn’t have her vaccinated (Kohchi got vaccinated as an adult). While her mother was an outlier then, she would fit in with today’s vaccine skeptics. DeWine thinks a key contrast between the 1960s and today, with its reluctance of so many Americans to get vaccinated, is that polio tended to afflict children and had become many parents’ worst nightmare. “I know our parents were relieved when we were finally going to get a shot,” Fran DeWine recalls. Her husband recently initiated a series of $1 million lotteries to pump up sluggish COVID-19 vaccination participation among Ohioans. President Joe Biden last week announced a “month of action” with incentives such as free beer and sports tickets to drive U.S. vaccina-
tions. Wigness blames today’s divisive politics and anti-science messages spread over talk shows and social media. Ferris, the teen he mentors, says he sees criticism of mask-wearing and other precaution among some of his peers. Ferris says the polio eradication success “certainly means it’s possible we can beat COVID, but it entirely depends on people.” Martha Wilson, now living in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, talked about polio and COVID-19 in a recent Zoom call with her granddaughter, Hanna Wilson, 28, of suburban New York. She reflected on treating patients iron lungs, a kind of ventilator used to treat polio. “They were very confining. ... It was not a very nice life,” says Wilson. “I remember a book I read when I was a little kid, `Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio,’ by Peg Kehret. And it stuck with me,” Hanna says. “And I remember the iron lungs and things like that. But when I asked people about it — ‘Hey, do you remember what polio was?’ — no one knew.” Hanna, an athletics administrator for the Big East Conference, happened to be in Iran in Decem-
ber 2019 when she heard the first reports of a new virus in China. She was visiting a grandfather, Aboulfath Rohani, who would die there a few months later at age 97. Back home, her job was quickly transformed. Games, then tournaments, then entire seasons were canceled. “It’s been eye-opening,’ she says. “So many people denied that it was real, they hadn’t seen anything like this.” Both she and her grandmother point out that the nation endured not only polio but a deadly flu pandemic in 1918 whose estimated toll remains higher than COVID-19’s both in the United States and globally. “I’m hopeful we will come out of this and it will be just another chapter in history,” Hanna Wilson says. Martha Wilson says her mother-in-law survived illness from the 1918 flu pandemic and lived a long life. “So that was one generation, polio was another generation, COVID’s another,” she says. “I think they happened so far apart that we’d forgotten that these things do happen. I think COVID caught us by surprise. “And now Hanna and her generation will be maybe more aware when something else comes along.”
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North State Journal for Wednesday, June 9, 2021
WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT VIA AP
This image released by Warner Bros. Entertainment shows Eugenie Bondurant in a scene from “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.”
‘Conjuring 3’ tops ‘A Quiet Place 2’ as moviegoing returns By Lindsey Bahr The Associated Press THE DOMESTIC box office is getting back to normal, with moderate wins and sizable second weekend drops. After its triumphant first weekend, “A Quiet Place Part II” fell 59% at the North American box office leaving room for the third movie in the “Conjuring” franchise to take first place. Warner Bros.’ “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” earned an estimated $24 million, according to studio estimates Sunday, making it the biggest R-rated opening of the pandemic. Paramount’s “A Quiet Place” sequel meanwhile earned $19.5 million in ticket sales, bringing its domestic total to $88.6 million. “You normally don’t see two horror movies at the top of the chart. But it was a solid weekend for both movies,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “The movie theaters are coming back and Memorial Day was no flash in the pan ... It feels like summer again.” “The Conjuring 3” has Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga returning as paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. Although there’s a whole extend-
ed universe set around these films that have thus far grossed over $1.8 billion, this is the first “Conjuring” since 2016, and the first to be helmed by someone other than James Wan (Michael Graves directed). With an additional $26.8 million from international territories, globally, the R-rated pic has grossed over $57.1 million. “It’s a terrific result,” said Jeff Goldstein, the head of domestic distribution for Warner Bros. “We’re continuing to see a ramp up of return to life outside of our homes. It was never going to be a light switch.” In a pre-pandemic world, “The Conjuring 3” might have been considered a bit disappointing— the previous installments both opened around $40 million. But, as Goldstein noted, the third films in a horror franchise often take a hit. It has another caveat too: The film is also currently streaming free for subscribers on HBO Max. Warner Media did not say how many people watched it on streaming over the weekend or how many new customers signed up for the service. It has become more normal than not for films to embrace a hybrid day-and-date release strategy, with the major studios using
their biggest titles to drive potential subscribers to their streaming services. “A Quiet Place Part II” had the rare distinction of being exclusively in theaters, but even so it will be a shorter stint than usual before it hits Paramount+. The Walt Disney Co.’s “Cruella,” which opened in theaters last weekend, was also made available to rent on Disney+ for $29.99. The Emma Stone and Emma Thompson pic added $11.2 million from 3,922 theaters this weekend to take third place. Disney also did not say how much it earned from streaming rentals, but the company did note the drop from last weekend was only 48%. Globally, “Cruella” has earned $87.1 million thus far. The animated family film “Spirit Untamed” also opened wide theatrically this weekend in 3,211 theaters to an estimated $6.2 million. The DreamWorks Animation film features the voices of Isabela Merced, Eiza González, Julianne Moore, Marsai Martin and Jake Gyllenhaal. Most family films have gone straight to streaming over the past year and many big studios are opting to continue with the strategy for the near future. Disney and Pixar’s “Luca” is skipping
theaters and going straight to Disney+, where it will be free for subscribers on June 16. DreamWorks Animation’s “Boss Baby” sequel is also debuting on Peacock Kids and in theaters on July 2. The North American theatrical landscape is still a bit hobbled by the pandemic. Most Canadian theaters remain closed and around 27% of U.S. locations are still shuttered too. Many chains have also said vaccinated customers can now go mask free in theaters. Hollywood titles have also started performing better than they have been internationally during the pandemic over the past few weekends. In particular, Universal’s latest in the “Fast & Furious” franchise, “F9,” continued to pick up speed prior to its U.S. debut on June 25. This weekend “F9,” which has already grossed $256 million from eight territories, became one of only 19 U.S. movies to have earned more than $200 million in China. And although release strategies continue to differ company by company in unprecedented ways, Dergarabedian said the numbers are promising for the theatrical business even with the at-home viewing options.
“Over the past two weeks, the industry has been able to test out theatrical only (“A Quiet Place Part II”), a day and date with a (pay) subscription model (“Cruella”) and a day and date that’s part of a subscription (“The Conjuring 3”). The numbers have been solid,” Dergarabedian said. “As long as we keep getting solid movies released, we’re going to see the box office ramp up week after week.” Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday. 1. “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It,” $24 million. 2. “A Quiet Place Part II,” $19.5 million. 3. “Cruella,” $11.2 million. 4. “Spirit Untamed,” $6.2 million. 5. “Raya and the Last Dragon,” $1.3 million. 6. “Wrath of Man,” $1.3 million. 7. “Spiral,” $890,000. 8. “Godzilla vs. Kong,” $463,000. 9. “Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train,” $450,000. 10. “Dream Horse,” $230,053.
Meghan and Harry welcome second child, Lilibet ‘Lili’ Diana By Lindsey Bahr The Associated Press PRINCE HARRY and Meghan may have stepped away from their royal duties — but family appeared to be top of mind in naming their second child, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, who was born Friday in California. The name pays tribute to both Harry’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, whose family nickname is Lilibet, and his late mother, Princess Diana. “Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family,” Harry and Meghan, also known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, wrote in a statement that accompanied the birth announcement Sunday. The baby is “more than we could have ever imagined, and we remain grateful for the love and prayers we’ve felt from across the globe,” they continued. The baby girl was born at 11:40 a.m. at the Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California, and weighed in at 7 lbs, 11 oz, a spokesperson for the couple said. The child is eighth in line to the British throne. A Buckingham Palace spokes-
person said the queen; Harry’s father, Prince Charles; his brother, Prince William; and other members of the family had been informed and are “delighted with the news of the birth of a daughter for The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.” U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson also congratulated the couple in a tweet. Harry and Meghan Markle — formerly an actor — married at Windsor Castle in May 2018 and welcomed their son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, a year later. No photos of the newborn or the Sussexes accompanied the announcement. The couple has said that in lieu of gifts, they request those interested learn about or support nonprofit organizations working for women and girls, including Girls Inc., Harvest Home, CAMFED or Myna Mahila Foundation. The birth of the healthy baby girl opens a happy chapter for the couple following a miscarriage in July 2020. Meghan gave a personal account of that traumatic experience in hope of helping others. Months before the miscarriage, the couple announced they were quitting royal duties and moving to North America, citing what
KIRSTY WIGGLESWORTH | AP PHOTO
Britain’s Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrive at the annual Endeavour Fund Awards in London, Thursday, March 5, 2020. they said were the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media. They live in Montecito, an upscale area near Santa Barbara, California. In the wake of quitting royal duties, they gave an explosive TV interview to Oprah Winfrey in March, in which the couple described painful comments about how dark Archie’s skin might be before his birth and Meghan talked about the intense isolation she felt inside the royal family that led her to contemplate suicide.
Buckingham Palace said the allegations of racism made by the couple were “concerning” and would be addressed privately. Winfrey and Harry recently collaborated on the Apple TV+ mental-health series “The Me You Can’t See.” In the interview with Oprah, Meghan also talked about the fact that her son was not given the title of prince. Harry said the royal family cut him off financially after he announced plans to step back from his roles — and that he
was able to afford security for his family because of the money his mother left behind. Despite leaving royal duties, Harry’s place in the order of succession to the throne remains. The first seven places remain unchanged: Prince Charles; Prince William; William’s children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis; Prince Harry, and his son, Archie. Lilibet’s birth moves Prince Andrew, who was born second in line in 1960, down to ninth place.
North State Journal for Wednesday, June 9, 2021
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TAKE NOTICE
CABBARUS AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 19 SP 452 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Chad J. Runion and Mari Runion (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Chad J. Runion and Mari Runion) to Charles W. McGuire, Trustee(s), dated September 6, 2005, and recorded in Book No. 6215, at Page 246 in Cabarrus 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 Cabarrus County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed
CUMBERLAND NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
DAVIDSON
that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Concord, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on June 14, 2021 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Concord in the County of Cabarrus, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot 96 of Brandon Ridge Subdivision, Phase 1, as shown on plat thereof recorded in Map Book 46, Page 4 in the office of the Register of Deeds for Cabarrus County, North Carolina, reference to which plat is hereby made for a more particular description. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 4481 Norfleet Street, Concord, North Carolina. The Deed of Trust was modified by the following: A Loan Modification recorded on April 9, 2012, in Book No. 09950, at Page 0308. Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the
CUMBERLAND COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 21 SP 307 FOR THE ADOPTION OF A MALE MINOR TO: Biological Father of Baby Boy Carter
sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Davidson County, North Carolina, to wit:
sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23. Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1). The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.
A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy. Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property
pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.
Take notice that a Petition for Adoption was filed with the Clerk of Superior Court for Cumberland County, North Carolina in the above entitled special proceeding. The Petition relates to Baby Boy Carter, a minor male child born on May 14, 2021 in Cumberland County, NC. The Birth mother is Shirita Latrice Carter, a resident of Fayetteville,
NC. The biological father is reported to be Rasheem Terion Barnett, who is reported to have a last known residence in Fayetteville, NC. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that you are required to file a response to such pleading not later than 40 days from the first day of publication of this notice, that date being June 9, 2021, and upon your failure to do so the Petitioner will apply to the Court for relief sought
in the Petition. Any parental rights you may have will be terminated upon the entry of the decree of adoption. This the 9th day of June, 2021. Kelly T. Dempsey, Attorney for Petitioners, 637 McNinch Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28208.
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, 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 Mandy Rayanne Sanchez and husband, Luis Francisco Sanchez.
liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.
This being the same property conveyed in book number 547, page 513, in the Davidson County Registry.
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 their sole discretion, if they believe 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.
BEGINNING at an iron stake, Harold Bule’s northwest corner; thence with the Harold Bule line S. 64 deg. 30’ E. 190.00 feet to an iron stake, Harold Bule’s and Theodore Daniel’s corner; thence with the meanders of the branch and with the Theodore R. Daniel line the following courses and distances: N. 45 deg. 15’ E. 215.00 ft. to an iron stake in the branch; N. 25 deg. 15’ E. 110.00 ft. to an iron stake in the branch; thence N. 55 deg. 30’ E. 120.00 ft. to an iron stake in the branch; thence N. 59 deg. 30” E. 110.00 feet to an iron stake in the branch; thence N. 19 deg. 15’ E. 135.00 ft. to an iron stake in the branch; thence N. 56 deg. 15’ E. 114.00 ft. to an iron stake in the branch; thence N. 75 deg. 30’ W. 511.6 ft., more or less, to an iron stake, a common corner between the 1.60 acre tract and the 2.92 -acre tract described in the deed made by the Grantor herein; thence S. 2 deg. W. with the easterly line of the 2.92-acre tract 757.00 feet to the beginning corner and containing 4.62 acres, more or less, Being a part of the land described in Deed Book 459, page 495. SUBJECT TO a right of way and easement not exceeding 30.00 feet in width located along and in the westerly boundary of the above described tract, said right of way and easement of 30.00 feet in width on this property to be located in the general of private road now located on said land.
LESS AND EXCEPT THE 0.081 tract conveyed in Book 2028, Page
that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Jacksonville, Onslow County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 10:00 AM on June 17, 2021 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Jacksonville in the County of Onslow, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot 80 as shown on that plat entitled “Live Oak Estates, Section III-B, Part 3” prepared by Parker & Associates, Inc., dated 01/03/10 and recorded 01/12/2011 in Map Book 61, Page 102, Slide M-1896, Onslow County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 307 Sugarberry Court, Jacksonville, North Carolina.
this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include,
but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy. Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice
of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.
the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior
to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy. Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice
of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.
of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy. Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not
cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. 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.
Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23. Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).
The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return
WAKE
ALL PERSONS, firms and corporations having claims against JEAN HARE GOODWIN, deceased, of Wake County, N.C., are notified to exhibit the same to the
undersigned on or before August 23, 2021, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment.
This 19th day of May 2021. Teresa Goodwin Hardy, Executor, c/o Lisa M. Schreiner, Stam Law Firm, PLLC, 510 W. Williams St., Apex, NC 27502
ALL PERSONS, firms and corporations having claims against MARY BRASHER SMITH, aka, MARY LUCILLE SMITH deceased, of Wake County, N.C. (2021-E-1608),
are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before August 20, 2021, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make
immediate payment. This 19th day of May 2021. Wesley Wayne Smith, Executor, c/o Lisa M. Schreiner,
Stam Law Firm, PLLC, 510 W. Williams St., Apex, NC 27502 North State Journal: May 19, 26, June 2 and 9, 2021
IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION WAKE COUNTY 20sp1655
to the highest bidder for cash at the usual place of sale at the county courthouse of said county at 10:00AM on June 18, 2021 the following described real estate and any other improvements which may be situated thereon, in Wake County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Louise B. Blue and Joe Baker, dated March 12, 2007 to secure the original principal amount of $106,400.00, and recorded in Book 12445 at Page 2370 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.
Cascade Dr, Garner, NC 27529
tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. Following the expiration of the statutory upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.
19 SP 482 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 Mandy Rayanne Sanchez and Luis Sanchez to NSB Trustee Services LLC, Trustee(s), which was dated July 17, 2018 and recorded on July 18, 2018 in Book 2322 at Page 1714, 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 for conducting the sale on June 21, 2021 at 11:00 AM, and will
ONSLOW AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 19 SP 542 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Nicole Mullings and Mitchell Pettus (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Mitchell F. Pettus and Nicole E. Mullings) to Pamela S. Cox, Trustee(s), dated August 28, 2015, and recorded in Book No. 4350, at Page 944 in Onslow 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 Onslow County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed
NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 21 SP 49 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Brandon Blake Godwin and Megan D. Godwin (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Brandon Blake Godwin and Megan D. Godwin) to Investors Title Insurance Company, Trustee(s), dated May 24, 2018, and recorded in Book No. 4785, at Page 106 in Onslow 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 Onslow 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 Jacksonville, Onslow County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 10:00 AM on June 17, 2021 and
NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 21 SP 52 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Frank James Lawson (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Frank James Lawson, Heirs of Frank James Lawson: Frank J. Lawson, Sara Lawson, Stacy Colombo) to Donald Steven Bunce, Trustee(s), dated February 14, 2004, and recorded in Book No. 2200, at Page 483 in Onslow 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 Onslow 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 Jacksonville, Onslow County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 10:00 AM on June 17, 2021 and will sell to the highest bidder
IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY LOUISE B. BLUE AND JOE BAKER DATED MARCH 12, 2007 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 12445 AT PAGE 2370 IN THE WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in the payment of the secured indebtedness and failure to perform the stipulation and agreements therein contained and, pursuant to demand of the owner and holder of the secured debt, the undersigned substitute trustee will expose for sale at public auction
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
will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Beulaville in the County of Onslow, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot 19, as shown on that plat entitled, “Final Plat for: Bradham Place Phase Two, Richlands Township, Onslow County, North Carolina,” and recorded in Map Book 53, Page 232, Slide M-106, Onslow County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 1188 Haw Branch Road, Beulaville, North Carolina. APN #: 072786 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
for cash the following real estate situated in Richlands in the County of Onslow, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: All that certain parcel of land situate in the Township of Richlands, County of Onslow, and State of North Carolina, being known and designated as follows: All of Lot 3, as shown on that certain plat entitled “Final Plat Showing Lots 1, 2, 3 and 5, Alum Springs, Section I”, prepared by John L. Pierce Surveying, recorded in Map Book 37, Page 206, Slide K-194, Onslow County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 298 Fire Tower Road, Richlands, North Carolina. Tax ID: 48-32,5
Address of property: 9428 Old Cascade Dr, Garner, NC 27529 Tax Parcel ID: 0050271 Present Record Owners: Joe Baker and The Heirs of Louise B. Blue And Being more commonly known as: 9428 Old
acre 2019.
SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 1279034 - 16713
TOGETHER WITH AND SUBJECT TO that Declaration of Easement as recorded in Book 737, Page 122, in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Davidson County, North Carolina, said Declaration of Easement being incorporated herein by reference as if same were fully set out herein. Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record. Said property is commonly known as 425 Troy McElrath Road, Lexington, NC 27295. A cash deposit (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.
The record owner(s) of the property, as reflected on the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Joe Baker and The Heirs of Louise B. Blue. 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 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. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is made subject to all prior liens and encumbrances, and unpaid taxes and assessments including but not limited to 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 and must be
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
SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS: If you are a tenant residing in the property, be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon written notice 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 notice
Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 FAX: (910) 392-8587 File No.: 19-11753-FC01
SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 1276294 - 10755
SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 3730 - 12157
SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 3967 - 13776
North State Journal: May 19, 26, June 2 and 9, 2021
of termination is provided. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination. The date of this Notice is May 28, 2021. LLG TRUSTEE LLC Substitute Trustee 10130 Perimeter Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 20-110612
Parkway,
Suite
400
B12
North State Journal for Wednesday, June 9, 2021
pen & paper pursuits
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VOLUME 4 ISSUE 36 | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 2021 | STANLYJOURNAL.COM
Stanly County Journal
COURTESY PHOTO
Cooper visits area for vaccine event A man shows Gov. Roy Cooper his bandaid at a StarMed vaccination clinic in Charlotte, on Thursday, June 3, 2021. Read more on page 2.
WHAT’S HAPPENING Liquid chicken guts spill on road Union County A tractor trailer spilled 5,000 pounds of liquified chicken guts on U.S. 74 on Thursday. A truck, which had an open top, slammed on the brakes at 3:30 a.m. when the truck in front of it stopped at a yellow light. The sudden stop caused the spillage. East bound lanes were shut down until later in the morning. Police determined that neither driver did anything wrong. WBTV
Spike in child sexassault cases concerns police Mecklenburg County The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department expressed concern over a 210% increase in sexual assault cases involving children. Detectives in the Crimes Against Children Unit have reported 31 sexual assault cases in 2021, compared to 10 during the same period in 2020. The increase may be the result of a delay in reporting because the child remains with their abuser or feels unsafe about telling anyone. Police said that because of the COVID-19 pandemic, children were removed from student activities, thus taking them away from places with a trusted adult. AP
Hundreds of passengers stranded at Charlotte airport Mecklenburg County Dozens of American Airlines flights were canceled Monday and Tuesday due to strong storms, leaving passengers stuck at Charlotte Douglas International Airport. People could be seen sleeping in chairs, filling restaurants and shops, and lining up at other airlines’ ticket counters to find flights. With CDI being a major hub nationally, the delays were also felt at other airports. WCNC
West Stanly Fire Dept requests fire-tax increase due to ‘exponential growth’ in area Tax would go from 10 to 12 ½ cents David Larson Stanly County Journal ALBEMARLE — At the June 7 Stanly County Board of Commissioners meeting, the board made time for public comment on the proposed 2021-22 budget. The only member of the public to come forward to comment on the budget was West Stanly Fire Chief Dakota Raborn, who outlined the financial pressure his district is in due to the area’s rapid growth. “Currently we have the largest fire district in the county, and we serve three municipalities,” Raborn began, citing his department’s jurisdiction over the towns of Locust, Stanfield and Rocky River. “In doing so, we employ 40 firefighters and answer roughly 1,000 calls annually.” He said the district was started as a volunteer fire department to serve a rural district, but they are no longer operating in that
fashion. To meet the needs of the district, he said they are requesting this year’s budget allow an increase in the fire tax for those in that district from 10 cents per $100 of valuation to 12 ½ cents. “To meet the growing need, we will require additional funding over and above our current rate of revenue,” Raborn said. He listed many urgent needs the district has, including a remodeling of Station 1, building a Station 3, new equipment and, most of all, an increase in funded staffing positions. “Our current situation: so as all of you know, we are exponentially growing in the western end of the county,” Raborn said. “And we’re doing that on a tax rate that’s designed for volunteer fire departments. So, we are a county fire department, but we don’t operate as a volunteer fire department. We are staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and our staffing comes from professional career firefighters from the municipalities that surround us. And as you know, personnel costs money, and it’s
Albemarle shooting leads to police chase through Locust By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal ALBEMARLE — An incident last week that began as a shooting at an Albemarle gas station ended with the Locust Police Department deploying road spikes to apprehend two suspects who attempted to escape. Just before 9 p.m. on June 1, officers from the Albemarle Police Department arrived at the Shell service station at the intersection of St. Martin Road and NC 24/27 with the notification that a person had been shot. Officers and other emergency personnel immediately assisted the victim, who was in stable condition after being transported to Northeast Medical Center. A felony vehicle pursuit began to capture the two suspects — Justin Flip, 43, of Charlotte;
and Johnna T. Jones, 38, of Rock Hill, South Carolina — fleeing the scene of the crime in a white Mercedes, which was spotted by officers traveling west on West Main Street. With the suspects outside of Albemarle city limits, the Stanly County Sheriff’s Office, Locust Police Department, Oakboro Police Department and the North Carolina State Highway Patrol were all contacted for further assistance in stopping the vehicle on Mission Church Road that was heading toward North Central Avenue. Near Whispering Hills Drive on Mission Church Road, a tire deflation device was successfully deployed by Locust officers; the spikes deflated three of the suspect vehicle’s tires as it crashed into a ditch off of Hwy 200 near Family Lane at the intersection of Mission Church Road. Neither
expensive to provide the services that we want to provide to those municipalities.” The services they provide, according to Raborn, include, “fire protection to the western end of the county, emergency medical care at an advanced level, high-angle rescue, heavy rescue, swift-water rescue, and we provide a mobile command post.” West Stanly Fire Department currently has five people on shift Monday through Friday during the day, and then during evenings and on the weekend, there are four. Raborn said their goal over the next three to five years is to fund three additional positions, increasing to eight firefighters being on shift at any given time. Each position costs $144,000 to fund, since multiple people are needed to cover one slot for 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Raborn provided commissioners with detailed handouts of the costs they are facing beyond staffing. The department believes the construction costs will be much higher on the Station 3 build and
“The Locust Police Department is grateful for the outstanding communication and cooperation with all other involved agencies, and we are proud that our officers played a vital role in bringing the pursuit to a safe conclusion with arrests made.” Locust PD press release of the two occupants of the vehicle suffered injuries during the incident. “The Locust Police Department is grateful for the outstanding communication and cooperation with all other involved agencies, and we are proud that our officers played a vital role in bringing the pursuit to a safe conclusion with arrests made,” the LPD wrote in a media release. “The Locust Police Department would also provide the friendly reminder that if probable cause is
Station 1 remodel than were estimated before recent inflation, and a “mobile and portable radio problem” will cost them $81,000 a year for the next five years. The chief then compared West Stanly with Albemarle’s department, showing that they protect similar assessed values of property ($1.2 billion for Albemarle and $1.1 billion for West Stanly) and similar populations (16,000 for Albemarle and 11,000 and growing for West Stanly), but Albemarle is doing it with a $5 million budget, 10 personnel and three stations, while West Stanly is doing it with $1.1 million budget, five personnel and two stations. “We fully and wholly support the growth that is happening county-wide,” Raborn concluded. “We just ask that we are supported in meeting the increased need that is currently being placed upon us.” Nobody else came forward to speak on the budget at the public hearing. The county commission will return June 14 for a workshop on the budget and then again on June 21 for a likely vote.
developed that a violent and/or felony crime has been committed in another jurisdiction and there is an attempt to flee to Locust, our officers are authorized to participate in any pursuit, and in appropriate circumstances will safely disable suspect vehicles to protect those inside our city as well as other officers every single time,” the release continued. Following interviews with APD detectives, Flip was charged with assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to kill, attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, discharging a weapon into occupied property, felony conspiracy, possession of firearm by felon, and discharging a firearm inside the city limits. He was transported to Stanly County Jail and received a $300,000 secured bond for his release. Jones was charged with felony conspiracy and felony flee to elude arrest and was sent to Stanly County Jail with a $60,000 secured bond. Douglas R. Thomas, 59, of Norwood, was charged with altering or destruction of evidence; he received a $1,500 secured bond for his jail release. Flip, Jones and Thomas will each have their first appearance in court on June 7 at 9 a.m.
Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, June 9, 2021
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North Carolina accepts no new COVID-19 vaccines this week The Associated Press RALEIGH — For the first time since COVID-19 vaccines became available in December 2020, North Carolina this week declined to accept any more supplies. Instead, this week’s requests from North Carolina providers are being fulfilled through transfers from other providers or through requests to local health departments, according to state health officials. “We are currently focusing on prioritizing the in-state inventory of vaccine by using a first-in,
first-out strategy so that providers use vaccines by date of expiration in chronological order, as well as transferring vaccine between providers who can use them,” the state Department of Health and Human Services said in an emailed statement on Friday. The move comes as North Carolina nears an announcement on additional financial incentives to boost vaccine participation amid a sizable drop in vaccine demand over the last two months. North Carolina returned more than 1.2 million doses to the federal government as of Friday. Near-
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ly all states have contributed to the federal pool, according to the state Health Department. Data the department released Friday shows a surplus of nearly 2.4 million COVID-19 vaccines waiting for residents to take. The state has also turned down nearly 2.4 million additional shots from its federal allocation. North Carolina on Friday crossed the threshold of most adult residents being fully vaccinated. Thirty-nine percent of the state’s overall population of 10.5 million people and 46% of eligible vaccine recipients 12 years of age or older
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are now fully vaccinated. Nearly four in five North Carolinians who are at least 65 years old have completed their vaccine cycle. But the state’s administration numbers lag behind much of the country. North Carolina is the 14th worst state in COVD-19 vaccine doses administered per capita, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Mandy Cohen, the state’s top public health official, told a news conference Wednesday that three groups remain unvaccinated: those who are eager to get vaccinated but haven’t found the time to do it, those who have unanswered questions but would be more receptive to a shot if it were accessible at their doctor’s office and those with no plans to get a vaccine. “We’re just going to keep at this,” Cohen said.
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Stanly County Journal DAMIAN DOVARGANES | AP PHOTO
Pfizer vaccines are prepared at a school-based vaccination clinic where students 12 and older will receive the COVID-19 vaccine in San Pedro, Calif., Monday, May. 24, 2021.
WEEKLY CRIME LOG ♦ Burleson, Tristan Isaiah (B M, 22) Arrest on chrg of Simple Possess Sch Vi Cs (m), M(M), at 143 Harwood St/woodland St, Albemarle, on 05/31/202 ♦ Everette, Fulton Dontavius (B M, 26) Arrest on chrg of Dv Protection Order Violation(M), at 543 W Main St/us 52 North, Albemarle, on 05/31/2021 ♦ Wall, Dashada Jemena (B F, 19) Arrest on chrg of Resisting Public Officer (M), at1023 Lowder St/church St, Albemarle, on 05/31/2021 ♦ Thomas, Douglas Ray (W M, 59) Arrest on chrg of Alter/steal/dest Criminal Evid (F),at 126 S Third St, Albemarle, on 06/02/2021 ♦ Flip, Justin Jamil (B M, 43) Arrest on chrg of Att Robbery-dangerous Weapon, F (F),at 126 S Third St, Albemarle, on 06/02/2021 ♦ Jones, Johnna Tyanne (W F, 38) Arrest on chrg of Felony Conspiracy (F), at 126 SThird St, Albemarle, on 06/02/2021 ♦ Flip, Justin Jamil (B /M/43) Arrest on chrg of 1) Attempted First Degree Murder (F) and 2) Interfere Jail/prison Fire Sys (F), at 126 S Third St, Albemarle, NC, on 6/3/2021 ♦ Spencer, Martin Reginald (B M, 52) Arrest on chrg of Assault On Female (M), at 231S Morrow Av, Albemarle, on 06/02/2021 ♦ Blakney, Kesha Lashone (B F, 45) Arrest on chrg of Assault And Battery (M), at 231S Morrow Av, Albemarle, on 06/02/2021 ♦ Helser, Debra Jean (W F, 40) Arrest on chrg of Felony Larceny, F (F), at 155 W SouthSt, Albemarle, on 06/04/2021
DEATH NOTICES ♦ Acosta, Kimberly Lynne (W /F/60) Arrest on chrg of Simple Assault (M), at 223 Aurora Mill Road, Stanfield, NC, on 6/2/2021 ♦ Freeman, Michael Curtis (W M, 38) Arrest on chrg of Possess Methamphetamine (F),at Auto Zone, Albemarle, on 06/05/2021 ♦ Eudy, Felicia Gail (W F, 29) Arrest on chrg of Assault With Deadly Weapon (m), M(M), at 193 Nc 24-27 Bypass W/us 52 South, Albemarle, on 06/05/2021 ♦ Ma, Anna Ngoc (A /F/21) Arrest on chrg of 1) Pwisd Marijuana (F) and 2) Possess Marij Paraphernalia (M), at 6800 Us 52 Hwy S/county Line, Norwood, NC, on 6/6/2021 ♦ Banks, Kalyk Lamar (B /M/23) Arrest on chrg of 1) Pwisd Marijuana (F), 2) Maintain Veh/ dwell/place Cs (m) (M), 3) Possess Marij Paraphernalia (M), and 4) Other - Free Text (F), at Us 52/county Line, Norwood, NC, on 6/6/2021 ♦ Moran, Dixon Alexander (W /M/33) Arrest on chrg of 1) Assault And Battery (M) and 2) Second Degree Trespass (M), at 16441 Silver Rd/barn Wood Ln, Oakboro, NC, on 6/6/2021 ♦ Ridenhour, Makari Kireef (B /M/19) Arrest on chrg of 1) Dis Weap Occ Dwell / Moving Veh (F), 2) Injury To Real Property (M), 3) Trafficking,opium Or Heroin (F), 4) Pwimsd Sch Ii Cs (F), 5) Possession Of Firearm By Felon (F), 6) Discharge Firearm In City (M), and 7) Felony Conspiracy (F), at 126 W South St, Albemarle, NC, on 6/5/2021 14:05. ♦ Foster, Kristin Denise (W /F/32) Arrest on chrg of 1) Possess
Methamphetamine (F), 2) Surrender By Surety (F), and 3) Felony Probation Violation (F), at 126 South Third Street, Albemarle, NC, on 6/5/2021 ♦ Bennett, Travis James (W /M/28) Arrest on chrg of 1) Larceny Motor Vehicle Parts (F), 2) Injury To Personal Property (M), 3) Fta - Release Order (M), and 4) Fta - Release Order (F), at 44707 Ledbetter Rd, New London, NC, on 6/3/2021 ♦ Parker, Richard Scott (W /M/56) Arrest on chrg of Assault On Female (M), at 223 Aurora Mill Rd, Stanfield, NC, on 6/2/2021 ♦ Shoe, Nathan Bradley (W /M/27) Arrest on chrg of Assault On Female (M), at 126 South Third Street, Albemarle, NC, on 6/1/2021 ♦ Brown, Joseph Alexander (W /M/33) Arrest on chrg of 1) Assault On Female (M) and 2) Communicate Threats (M), at 126 South Third Street, Albemarle, NC, on 6/1/2021
♦ Campbell, Anafaye Mahaley (W /F/29) Arrest on chrg of Possess Methamphetamine (F), at St.martin/e.8th, Albemarle, NC, on 6/4/2021 ♦ Thomas, Douglas Ray (W /M/59) Arrest on chrg of Pwimsd Methamphetamine (F), at 138 Union Grove, Albemarle, NC, on 6/4/2021 ♦ Khan, Melissa Dawn (W /F/28) Arrest on chrg of 1) Larceny Motor Vehicle Parts (F), 2) Injury To Personal Property (M), and 3) Fta - Release Order (F), at 44707 Ledbetter Rd, New London, NC, on 6/3/2021 ♦ Mauldin, Mark Glenn (W /M/59) Arrest on chrg of 1) Assault On Female (M) and 2) Harassing Phone Calls (no Threat Made) (M), at 31348 Garrett Way, Albemarle, NC, on 6/4/2021 ♦ Fowler, Keifer Colton (W /M/28) Cited on Charge of Simple Possess Sch Vi Cs (m) (2101833), at Nc 138/union Grove Rd, Albemarle, on 6/4/2021
♦ Dewitt, William Gary (W /M/32) Arrest on chrg of 1) Break Or Enter Motor Vehicle (F) and 2) Possess Drug Paraphernalia (M), at Tuckerton Boat Landing, Albemarle, NC, on 6/4/2021
♦ Colson, Christina Ann (W /F/39) Arrest on chrg of 1) Break Or Enter Motor Vehicle (F) and 2) Misdemeanor Larceny (M), at 128 East Andrew St, Albemarle, NC, on 6/3/2021
♦ Smith, Eric Michael (W /M/41) Arrest on chrg of 1) Consp Obtain Prop False Pret (F) and 2) Conspire To Commit Felony Larceny (F), at Scj, Albemarle, NC, on 6/4/2021
♦ Brewer, Donald Edward (W /M/63) Arrest on chrg of 1) Driving While Impaired (M), 2) Expired Registration Card/tag (M), and 3) Drive Left Of Center (i) (M), at Nc 8, Albemarle, NC, on 6/3/2021
♦ Drake, Samantha Wilson (W /F/48) Arrest on chrg of 1) Obtain Property False Pretense (F) and 2) Possess Stolen Motor Vehicle (F), at 8648 Candy Street, Norwood, NC, on 6/4/2021
♦ Mauldin, Mark Glenn (W /M/59) Arrest on chrg of Assault On Female (M), at 31348 Garrett Lane, Albemarle, NC, on 6/1/2021
♦ Dustin Chase Dennis, 38, of Albemarle, passed away May 31. ♦ Harold Alexander Floyd, 81, of Oakboro, passed away June 1. ♦ Clyde Craylon Luther, 71, of Norwood, passed away June 1. ♦ Paul David Eudy, 86, of Albemarle, passed away June 2. ♦ Vera Hatley Hopkins, 90, of Albemarle, passed away June 2. ♦ Wilson Lee Cole, 82, of Albemarle, passed away June 4. ♦ Rhea Marie Thompson, 88, of Albemarle, passed away June 5. ♦ Danny Ray Gardner, 69, of Norwood, passed away June 6. ♦ Ethel Woodle Eury, 75, of Norwood, passed away June 7.
See OBITS, page 7
Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, June 9, 2021
OPINION Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES
COLUMN | REP. RICHARD HUDSON
Biden shouldn’t legitimize Putin with a summit
It is inconceivable that these attacks could occur without the direction, or at least knowledge, of Vladimir Putin.
“WE KNOW ONLY too well that war comes not when the forces of freedom are strong, but when they are weak. It is then that tyrants are tempted.” — President Ronald Reagan, 1980 RNC As Fort Bragg’s congressman, you know I will always advocate for a strong national defense. I believe in President Reagan’s philosophy of achieving peace by showing strength. Unfortunately, as threats increase from across the globe, President Biden is showing the opposite. In the last four years, we saw “peace through strength” in action. We rebuilt our military and supported our troops, their families and veterans. We raised troop-pay over 10%, and I secured additional support for warfighters in hazardous combat zones. The Trump administration wiped out the ISIS caliphate, killed al-Baghdadi, as well as the world’s top terrorist, Qasem Soleimani. The Trump administration enacted a maximum pressure campaign against Iran and withdrew from the onesided Iran deal. President Trump moved our embassy to Jerusalem, recognized Israel’s possession of the Golan Heights and brokered historic peace agreements between Israel and Arab-Muslim countries. Unfortunately, these accomplishments are now being threatened. Since President Biden was sworn into office, our adversaries have been testing America’s resolve at an accelerated rate. China has sent a record number of warplanes into Taiwan’s air defense zone, Iran has started enriching uranium at its highest level ever, Israel has fallen under attack from Iran-backed Hamas, and the Taliban continues to ramp up attacks in Afghanistan as our troops are withdrawing.
Now our most recent provocations come from Russia. Last week, it was reported Russians launched a cyberattack against our food supply. This follows last month’s attack of our critical fuel supply. It is inconceivable that these attacks could occur without the direction, or at least knowledge, of Vladimir Putin. These actions require strong responses. However, I am concerned by President Biden’s message to Putin and the world by moving forward with a planned summit later this month. After last month’s Colonial Pipeline attack, the Biden administration responded by green-lighting a Russian pipeline that will spell doom for Ukraine and increase Russian dominance over Europe. Now following last week’s cyberattack, I am calling on President Biden to postpone his meeting with Putin until he stops the attacks. We should not reward continued aggression from Russia by allowing Putin to share the global stage with the president of the United States. I am committed to dialogue with Russia. I am the chairman of an international security committee that seeks peace, security and human rights in Europe. However, a summit between President Biden and President Putin sends the wrong message at this time. To his credit, President Biden has talked tough and said that Putin would “pay a price” for aggressions. I now hope President Biden’s actions back up this rhetoric. We can send a strong message to Russia and the world that the United States will not be intimidated by increased aggressions from Russia or any other adversary. Peace is not obtained by hope and happy thoughts. We must show the tyrants of the world that the forces of freedom are strong and America is prepared to lead the way.
COLUMN | ERICK ERICKSON
Democrat Kabuki The House of Representatives will flip to the GOP next year. In 2024, the GOP has massive odds of retaking the Senate.
“IF YOU ELECT US, we will repeal Obamacare,” Republicans claimed in 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016. Each victory brought a goal post shift. Ultimately, the Republican Party never got rid of the Affordable Care Act. The same happened with Planned Parenthood. Despite Republican control, reconciliation processes that bypass the filibuster and Republican presidents, Planned Parenthood funding remained. Republicans are used to the Kabuki theater that their politicians engage in. The stylized performance, boastfulness on the campaign stage, and campaign ads and mail pieces inevitably lead to impressive speeches and theater in Congress before the inevitable and foreordained failure to keep promises. The epilogue is excuse-making and blame. Republican voters fell for it repeatedly and, ultimately, both caught on and empowered one man to burn it all down. Donald Trump, in 2016, got elected and did force through some changes to the Affordable Care Act and then, by executive order, finally took on Planned Parenthood. The enduring loyalty the Republican base has for Trump can best be understood because Trump kept his core promise — to fight back and gut the Republican establishment that both denied its own existence and perfected ritualistic Kabuki theater always designed to impress and always designed to fail. Democrats are engaged in the Kabuki theater of foreordained defeat right now. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and President Joe Biden are promising to bring House Resolution 1, the Democrats’ progressive largesse of a voting reform package, for a vote. The filibuster is in the way, so they are pledging to scrap that, too. They will display their passion. They will display their rage. They will display their commitment. Behind closed doors, Democrats know both that H.R. 1 is a terrible idea and that the filibuster is a very good idea worth saving. They cannot say either publicly, lest they spark a civil war within their own party. Ask yourself one question: Do Democrats want federal taxpayer dollars funding the campaign of QAnon sympathizer Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene? H.R. 1 would require federal dollars to subsidize political campaigns. Do you really think the Democrats who vilify Greene at every opportunity want
to fund her campaign? H.R. 1, written largely by progressive activists, is a grab back of many unworkable and publicly unpopular proposals. But progressive activists love them all. Democrats in Washington, D.C., know better than to pass H.R. 1. In addition to the inevitable court fight, it would fund people like Greene. Democrats in Washington also know they’ve been so performative on the campaign trail about voting rights and voting reform that they cannot do anything other than emotively perform for their base. Concurrently, the House of Representatives will flip to the GOP next year. Republicans do not even need redistricting. The party that does not control the White House almost always makes gains in the House in off-year elections. Redistricting will add to the Republican edge. The Senate may maintain a Democratic majority, but the GOP will kill any initiatives in the House. In 2024, the GOP has massive odds of retaking the Senate. The Democrats will have to defend the most seats, and many of them are in states Trump won. Right now, the Democrats have a 50-50 Senate. Even without the filibuster, Democrats are having trouble passing key legislation. They have failed to repeal most of Trump’s last-minute regulations — a maneuver that bypasses the filibuster. The Senate parliamentarian gave Senate Democrats an additional reconciliation attempt, which also bypasses the filibuster. But Democrats have failed to use that too. With Republicans restored to the House next year and Sen. Mitch McConnell on the cusp of regaining power, why on earth would Democrats want to scrap the filibuster? They will need it against McConnell and House Republicans. Unfortunately, Democrats cannot be honest. They must instead, with help from friends in the press, go through the ritualistic and stylized dance of defeat that signals to the base they care and are fighters while privately knowing defeat was always the only outcome. Democrats will inevitably have hell to pay from their base as Republicans did. The difference between them and Republicans is Trump was actually far closer to mainstream America than the far left. That gives the GOP one more advantage moving forward, even if the press and Democrats cannot admit it.
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Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, June 9, 2021
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SPORTS SIDELINE REPORT COLLEGE LACROSSE
Longtime Syracuse lacrosse coach Desko retiring Syracuse, N.Y. Syracuse men’s lacrosse coach John Desko, who built a Hall of Fame career as both a player and coach, announced his retirement on Monday. Desko, 63, took over in 1999 and finishes with a record of 265-92. He has been with the program for all 11 of its NCAA championships, five as head coach, and was a two-time national coach of the year. The decision to retire comes on the heels of a disappointing 7-6 season that ended with a lopsided loss to Georgetown in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
NHL
Canadiens’ Cinderella run continues with sweep of Jets Montreal Tyler Toffoli scored at 1:39 of overtime, lifting the Montreal Canadiens to a 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday night and a four-game sweep of their second-round playoff series. The 16th and final team to qualify for the playoffs after winning just one of their final nine regular-season games in regulation, the Canadiens are the first club to make the semifinals of the Stanley Cup tournament this year. Montreal awaits the winner of the ColoradoVegas series, which is tied 2-2. Game 5 is Tuesday night in Denver.
MLB
Angels star Trout doesn’t have timetable for return Anaheim, Calif. Mike Trout says his right calf is starting to feel better, but the Los Angeles Angels superstar still doesn’t know when he will be able to return. The threetime AL MVP went on the injured list on May 18 after straining his calf the night before against the Cleveland Indians. The Angels said at the time that Trout would miss six to eight weeks, which would sideline him through the All-Star break. At the time of his injury, Trout was leading the majors in onbase percentage (.466) and OPS (1.090), with eight home runs and 18 RBIs. His .425 batting average in April was the best of his 11-year career.
COLLEGE SPORTS
Gonzaga AD Roth retiring after 24 years Spokane, Wash. Gonzaga athletic director Mike Roth said Monday he will retire on Aug. 31, ending a 24-year run during which the Bulldogs had unprecedented success in men’s basketball and other sports. Roth has spent a total of 34 years at the private Jesuit university in Spokane. He was an assistant men’s basketball coach from 1982-83 and returned in 1987 as assistant athletic director. He was named acting athletic director in 1997 and was given the job permanently the next year.
JOHN BAZEMORE | AP PHOTO
The Titans have acquired seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Julio Jones from the Falcons.
Longtime Falcons receiver Jones headed to Titans Atlanta received secondand fourth-round picks in exchange for Jones and a sixth-round pick The Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans had been talking to the Atlanta Falcons about seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Julio Jones for nearly three weeks. In the end, they pried Jones loose with a couple of draft picks, the highest being a second-rounder. “We felt like it was good value for us, and Atlanta felt like it was good value for them, obviously, or they wouldn’t have done the trade,” Titans general manager Jon Robinson said Sunday, hours after the teams announced the deal. Robinson said Jones still must pass a physical, and the Titans
have “some things we’ve still got to work through” with the salary cap. The Titans GM also wouldn’t discuss if Jones, under contract through 2023, will be getting a revamped deal in the trade from the defending AFC South champs. “We’re going to always keep that mindset of being diligent with our approach and aggressive when we feel like we need to be aggressive,” Robinson said. The Falcons will receive the Titans’ second-round pick in 2022 and their fourth-rounder in 2023 with Atlanta sending Jones and a sixth-round pick in 2023. Jones will join an offense than already has Derrick Henry, the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year, and a Pro Bowl receiver in A.J. Brown. The Titans ranked fourth in scoring in 2020, and this move shores up a big hole after losing wide receiver Corey Davis and tight end Jonnu Smith in free agency in March.
Robinson said his talks with Jones didn’t concern the number of passes Ryan Tannehill will throw his way. “His goal is to win,” Robinson said. Jones’ new teammates quickly endorsed the trade on social media. “J Rob is a gangster!! The man is crushing it! @Titans,” left tackle Taylor Lewan wrote of Robinson on Twitter. Tannehill’s answer was even shorter: “Let’s go!!!!!” Henry, who also played at Alabama in college like Jones, had recently shared photos of himself working out with Jones on social media. Brown had been lobbying hard for Jones to join the Titans on social media, and Brown shared a photo on Twitter on Sunday of himself, Jones and Henry all in Tennessee jerseys celebrating. Falcons owner Arthur Blank
said Jones’ place in franchise history is secure. “Julio Jones will always be part of the Falcons story, having set numerous records and creating many great memories for all our fans, including me, since the day we drafted him,” Blank said. “He has been a fixture on our team for almost half the time I have owned the Falcons. As we both move in another direction, I’m deeply grateful for what Julio has done for our team and what he has meant to our city and, in my mind, he will always be part of the Falcons family. I wish him nothing but the best in Tennessee and throughout his life.” Jones’ $15.3 million base salary for this season is guaranteed, and he was set to cost the Falcons slightly more than $23 million against the salary cap next season. By trading him after June 1, they now split the dead money over two seasons, easing their tough financial situation. Jones holds Atlanta records with 848 catches for 12,896 yards, and his 60 touchdowns ranked second. He had a career-best 136 catches for 1,871 yards in 2015. He had six straight seasons with more than 1,300 yards receiving until being limited to nine games in 2020 by a nagging hamstring injury.
Larson wins again as Hendrick continues month of dominance Three of the stable’s drivers have won the last four Cup Series races The Associated Press SONOMA, Calif. — Kyle Larson first visited Sonoma Raceway as a young kid dressed head-to-toe in Jeff Gordon gear watching NASCAR practice from the hillside on a Saturday afternoon. Now he’s a Cup winner at what is considered the Elk Grove racer’s home track, but his Victory Lane celebration Sunday was a disaster. Larson tried to recreate a 2014 photo of himself spitting wine into the air following a lower-level win, but it was far windier after this big leagues victory and when Larson splayed his mouthful from the oversized chalice, the red wine splashed all over the new track president. “I blew it,” Larson said. “It was way windy and I feel super bad.” It was the only thing Larson did wrong all day. Larson beat teammate Chase Elliott in overtime to win his second consecutive race, third of the season, and help Hendrick Motorsports continue its month of dominance. Hendrick drivers have won four straight races and Larson’s Coca-Cola 600 win a week ago at Charlotte Motor Speedway made Rick Hendrick the winningest
D. ROSS CAMERON | AP PHOTO
Kyle Larson won for the second straight week and gave Hendrick Motorsports its fourth consecutive victory by taking the checkered flags Sunday at Sonoma Raceway. owner in NASCAR history. “Obviously, last weekend was huge for our company, the history and heritage of our company. We’re obviously very proud to do that for Mr. Hendrick in our backyard,” said Jeff Andrews, executive vice president and general manager at HMS. “Now we come out here
to Sonoma and we get one for Kyle in his backyard.” The Hendrick group is on such a roll that maybe only two-time defending winner Martin Truex Jr. was considered a real threat to stop the streak Sunday when NASCAR returned to California for the first time since 2019 because of the pan-
demic. But reigning Cup champion Elliott was the favorite. He is, after all, the current king of the road with six victories on road courses including a victory over Larson two weeks ago in the rain-shortened debut at Circuit of the Americas in Texas. The win instead went to Larson. And even though it was in overtime, it wasn’t close as Elliott remained winless at Sonoma in five starts. “We were solid today, just not good enough at the right times,” Elliott said. Larson, who had led just 11 laps in six previous combined races at Sonoma, won all three stages and led a race-high 58 of the 92 laps. The eighth caution sent the race to overtime for a two-race sprint shootout, but he easily cleared Elliott on the restart and pulled away to tie Truex with a Cup high three wins each this season. Hendrick’s four drivers have combined for seven wins this season and Bowman at ninth Sunday gave them three in the top 10. Elliott finished second as Hendrick tied Carl Kiekhaefer in 1956 with four consecutive 1-2 finishes. The Cup Series runs its annual All-Star event Sunday night at Texas Motor Speedway for the first time in race history. Longtime track president Eddie Gossage will retire after the event.
Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, June 9, 2021
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Top-seeded West Stanly baseball looks for success in conference tournament The Colts have not lost since late April
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By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal
RICH SCHLUTZ | AP PHOTO
Retired Washington quarterback Alex Smith won the George Halas Award presented by the Pro Football Writers of America.
Alex Smith wins Halas adversity award The retired Washington quarterback overcame a gruesome leg injury to return to the field The Associated Press RETIRED Washington quarterback Alex Smith has won the George Halas Award, presented by the Pro Football Writers of America for overcoming adversity. Smith, who came back from a life-threatening leg injury and ended a nearly two-year absence by playing in eight games for Washington last season, is the second consecutive Halas winner to retire before being honored. Former Dallas Cowboys center Travis Frederick was the 2020 winner after making the Pro Bowl in 2019 following a year away to recover from an autoimmune disease that attacks the nervous system. Frederick retired after the
2019 season. The 37-year-old Smith is the 53rd Halas winner and third from Washington, following quarterback Billy Kilmer (1976) and defensive back Pat Fischer (1978). The Halas Award is given to an NFL player, coach or staff member who overcomes adversity to succeed. The award is named for a charter member (1963) of the Pro Football Hall of Fame who had a role with the formation of the NFL and owned the Chicago Bears until his death in 1983. Smith started six of the eight games he played for Washington last season, going 5-1 and helping the club win the NFC East. Smith missed a wild-card loss to Tampa Bay with a calf strain. He retired in April after being released. The first appearance by Smith last season came off the bench on Oct. 11, about 23 months since a spinal fracture in his right leg resulted in a life-threatening infec-
tion. Smith had 17 surgeries over nine months to save and repair the leg. “Two years ago, I was stuck in a wheelchair, staring down at my mangled leg, wondering if I’d ever be able to go on a walk with my wife again or play games with my kids in the yard,” Smith said in his retirement video. “Putting my helmet back on was the farthest thing from my mind. … But then, someone did something that changed my recovery completely. He put a football back in my hands. I don’t know what it was, but all of a sudden, I felt stronger, more driven, and what once seemed impossible began to come into focus.” In his first start since 2018 in November, Smith completed 38 of 55 passes for 390 yards — all career highs — in a 30-27 loss to Detroit. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 draft by San Francisco, Smith started 167 games over 14 seasons, going 99-67-1 with 199 touchdowns and 109 interceptions. The other Halas Award nominees were Indianapolis linebacker Darius Leonard, Washington coach Ron Rivera and New England running back James White.
OAKBORO — With the 2021 Rocky River Conference regular season title and an automatic state playoff berth in hand, the West Stanly baseball team is now focused on claiming victory in this week’s RRC Tournament. The top-seeded Colts (11-1, 10-0 RRC) and second-seeded Mount Pleasant Tigers (9-3, 7-3 RRC) received first-round byes in the sixteam conference playoff bracket. On Monday night, No. 6 Montgomery Central (2-10, 2-8 RRC) advanced past No. 3 Forest Hills (5-5, 5-5 RRC) thanks to a 4-1 victory, while No. 5 Central Academy (4-8, 2-8 RRC) and No. 4 Anson (4-8, 4-6 RRC)’s game was postponed due to a weather delay. Both teams were tied at 3-3 at the time of the stoppage after five innings. Mount Pleasant and Montgomery Central were set to face off Tuesday night, with the winner of that matchup taking on the winner of West Stanly’s game against Central Academy or Anson. The RRC Tournament championship game is scheduled for Thursday night. It’s been more than a month since the Colts have been beaten, with their only loss of the year a 3-0 defeat at home to South Stanly (73, 3-4 Yadkin Valley Conference) on April 30 in a nonconference game. West Stanly responded to that loss with 10 straight wins en route to an undefeated regular season record in conference play. During that streak, the Colts outscored their opponents 99-19. According to Maxpreps.com’s rankings, the Colts are the third-best team in the 2A class division and the 29th-best overall team in the state. The Colts had closed out their final week of the regular season with two RRC wins over Mount Pleasant to clinch the top spot in the conference. West Stanly notched a 5-3 victory during the June 1 game — clinching the RRC title with the win — and then a 9-3 win two days later. On the other side of Stanly County, North Stanly’s baseball team is looking to top its own conference standings. The Comets (6-3, 6-0 YVC) will host Uwharrie Charter Academy (9-1, 6-0 YVC) on Wednesday night with the winner in the driver’s seat in the YVC. Both teams are unbeaten in conference play, although the Comets did suffer a 10-8 home loss to South Stanly last week in what was designated as a nonconference game.
Straight wins for the West Stanly baseball team
Simone Biles won her seventh U.S. Gymnastics title Sunday in Fort Worth, Texas.
TONY GUTIERREZ | AP PHOTO
Biles claims another US Gymnastics title The 2016 Olympic gold medalist served notice to her would-be dethroners By Will Graves The Associated Press FORT WORTH, Texas — Simone Biles looks ready for Tokyo. So, it seems, are the leading contenders vying to join the reigning world and Olympic gymnastics champion in Japan next month. The 24-year-old Biles claimed
her seventh U.S. title Sunday night, delivering another stunning — and stunningly easy — performance that served little doubt the pressure surrounding her bid to become the first woman to win back-to-back Olympic allaround gold in more than 50 years is only pushing her to even greater heights. Shaking off a somewhat sloppy start Friday, at least by her impeccable standards, Biles put on a four-rotation showcase on what separates her from every other
gymnast on the planet. Her score of 119.650 was nearly five points better than runner-up Sunisa Lee and good friend and teammate Jordan Chiles. While Biles’ victory was never in doubt — it rarely has been during her nearly eight-year reign atop the sport — she remains in no mood to coast. Visibly annoyed after stepping out of bounds three times during her floor routine on Friday, Biles responded the way she almost always does: by cleaning things up and expanding what is possible on the competition floor. And to think she didn’t even bother with her latest innovation, a Yurchenko double-pike vault she drilled twice at the U.S. Classic last month that caught the attention of everyone from LeBron James to Michelle Obama. Instead, she opt-
ed for two with slightly lower difficulty that she completed so casually it was hard to tell if she was in front of an arena that screamed for her at every turn or just fooling around at practice back home in Houston. Not that it mattered. She still posted the top score on vault anyway. Just like she did on beam. Just like she did on floor. Just like always. Biles started her night on balance beam and with the instrumental from Lizzo’s “Good as Hell” playing while the entire arena stopped to watch, she barely even wobbled while putting together a series that remains among the gold standard in the world on an event that’s maybe her third best. Her floor exercise, the one that includes two elements already named after her in the sport’s
Code of Points, was far more precise than it was on Friday. She was well in bounds on all but one of her tumbling passes and her 14.950 included a 6.8 D-score, which ranks the difficulty of the routine, tied for the highest by any athlete on any event at the meet. The real intrigue heading into the trials might be who else can emerge from a crowded field. Leanne Wong finished fourth, with Emma Malabuyo fifth. Jade Carey, who has already secured an at-large berth to the Olympics thanks to her performance on the World Cup circuit, was sixth. The group at the trials, however, will not include Laurie Hernandez. A two-time Olympic medalist in 2016, Hernandez did not compete after injuring her left knee on a beam dismount during warmups on Friday.
ment. area.” EMPHIS, Tenn. — Faced For Nutbush resident He also cited a widespread fear the threat of overburdened of being unnecessarily exposed to fear of contracting the itals, states across the country matched with the worry th virus. onverting convention centers, Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, Junethe 9, 2021 “All around, people are scared,” could lose stores that are ts facilities and performance the neighborhood. Offici he said. es into backup treatment sites Their fears are not unfounded. ven’t said if stores would oronavirus patients. In this majority-black city along the Gateway facility was What some Memphis, Tenthe Mississippi River, lawmakers If they did, shopping wo e, residents don’t get is why in and community leaders have been come more difficult for re r city, a shopping center in the sounding the alarm over what they especially for those who ar dle of a predominantly black, Hisvichoicehave of states, we must united.” By Michael Casey no including means an of transpo seemove as aforward, disturbing trend of the income residential neighborHe accused Biden of campaign- April appearance in South CaroliThe Associated Press to stores located farther aw rus killing African Americans at a d has been chosen. ing as a moderate but becoming na, is aimed at increasing his vis“For people who higher rate. ty and state officials are conthe most liberal president since ibility as he considers whether to don’t MANCHESTER, N.H. — Forcar, what they do?” ask resident ed that mer an influx of patients for the White Housedo in 2024. FranklinNutbush D. Roosevelt. He Patricia said runHarVice President Mike Pence Since leaving officespoke in Januthe administration forced through says that he isn’t that he and ris, who to The Ass ris wondered aloud if city officials m Memphis, as well as sure nearby been doing work a bott Congress COVID to bill contaminate” to fund ary, Pence President Press while lugging were“a “trying the has sissippi, former Arkansas and Donald rural Trump Foundation and of bott massive expansion of the welfare with the Heritage will ever “eye tohospieye” over what tergent, a package neighborhood. Tennessee, willseestrain state” and was pushing a “so-called Young America’s Foundation. His happened on Jan. 6 but that he andmore other items Activist Fisher, AfriTheir fears echoed team said heter plans trips, in- from t infrastructure bill” Earle that was really an wouldare “always be across proud of what ADRIAN SAINZ | AP PHOTO A Lot to her car. She note can American Memphis pastor, country:weGovernors, mayors a “thinly disguised climate change cluding stops in Texas, California accomplished for the American grocery store recently clos understands the anxiety. “This health people experts in numerous over the last four years.”This Friday, April 3, 2020 photo, shows Gateway Shopping Centerbill” funded with cuts in the mili- and Michigan. Along with his visits to South tary and historic tax increases. Pence, speaking at a Republiher house and she already is an honest and reasonable cones are also researching and in Memphis, Tenn. Carolina Newfarther Hampshire, “I just sayand enough is enough,” he dinner in themedical early-voting state travel to get to Gat cern skepticism,” Fisher said. and tructingcanmakeshift said, adding that “we’re going to Pence has been hitting the fundof New Hampshire, gave his most “When we do things “I think it’s par for the course for ities. extensive comments to date on the raising circuit. He is set to speak stand strong for freedom.” got to consider the people black people to be righteously a Chinese restaurant and other Lee has disclosed a few: the Mun New York City, they’re turnPence also hit upon several fa- next week at another fundraiser events of Jan. 6 after the vice presineighborhood,” she said. “W of governmental inter-by House sic City Center in Nashville, the businesses. o the Javits convention Minority Leadvoriteskeptical themes of conservative Re- hosted dent Center said he did not have the power er with Kevin McCarthy, will travel publicans, emphasizing need to make the neighb to overturn Democrat Joe Biden’s vention that didthe notneed consult Locating a treatment center for Chattanooga Convention Center, in Chicago, the McCormick a Heritage for states to shore up voter integrielection Center; victory. and in the Knoxville Expo Center — all coronavirus patients there posworse for than it already is.” people on the ground first.”to North Carolina e Convention Foundation will Cohen, ty around the country. He praised “As Mountain I said that day, Jan. 6 was a away from residential neigh- es two problems, residents say: U.S.event, Rep.and Steve Doug McGowen, the city’s chief donor sites dy, Utah, the Amerlaw enforcement as heroes, saying: then head to California, where he dark day in history of the United phis Democrat, said the d saidbythewill GateIt could potentially expose them Expo Center. take part in the Ronald Rea“Blackoperating lives are notofficer, endangered States Capitol. But thanks toborhoods. the ELISE AMENDOLA | AP PHOTO that doesn’t make sense. way site was being considered beto the virus amid concerns The Gateway Shopping Cenhe U.S. swift Armyaction Corps of Engipolice. Black lives are saved by po- gan Presidential Foundation and of the Capitol Police “I’m sure cause accom- speakers’ contracting COVID-19 the Nutbush neighborhood s has been series,there a Re-are othe lice every day.”it could potentially Institute’s and scouting federal lawlocations enforcement,ter vio-in Former Vice President Mike Penceblacks speaksare at the annual publican National Committee do-and they He also pushed back against lence was quelled. The Capitol was Hillsborough County NH GOP Lincoln-Reagan Dinner, Thursday, Tennessee, and officials here of Memphis is different. The cen- at higher rates; and it could force modate hundreds of beds. He said that would work, nor retreat and a Young Ameri“critical race theory,” which seeks secured,” Pence said. June 3, 2021, in Manchester, N.H. compiled a list of 35 possi- ter features a Save A Lot grocery some of the stores they rely on to if it were converted to a treatment have used those rather t ca’s Foundation event, according to neighbo to reframe narrative of Amer“AndThey that same day,rewe recona residential site, the it would hold only mildly ill into store, a Rent-A-Center, a Fami- close. backup sites. haven’t aides. ican history. vened the Congress and did our Cohen said. Repubcoronavirus who could be other Nutbush beauty supply35-minute shop, ed the whole list, but Bill lyandDollar, “America is not apatients racist countheir allies in resident the media and to usecommuone timesaduring his nearly duty under theGov. Constitution Among prominent
6
Pence: I’ll likely never see eye to eye with Trump on Jan. 6
the laws of the United States,” Pence continued. “You know, President Trump and I have spoken many times since we left office. And I don’t know if we’ll ever see eye to eye on that day.” It comes as Pence considers his own potential 2024 White House run. Pence praised Trump several
speech at the Hillsborough County Republican Committee’s annual Lincoln-Reagan Awards Dinner in Manchester. He tried to turn the events of Jan. 6 back around on Democrats, saying they wanted to keep the protest in the news to divert attention from Biden’s liberal agenda. “I will not allow Democrats or
PEC, oil nations agree o nearly 10M barrel cut
tragic day to discredit the aspirations of millions of Americans. Or allow Democrats or their allies in the media to distract our attention from a new administration intent on dividing our country to advance their radical agenda,” Pence said. “My fellow Republicans, for our country, for our future, for our children and our grandchildren,
try,” he said, prompting one of several standing ovations and cheers during his speech. “It is past time for America to discard the left-wing myth of systemic racism,” Pence said. “I commend state legislators and governors across the country for banning critical race theory from our schools.”
licans, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley said in April that she would stand down if Trump decided to run in 2024. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has undertaken an aggressive schedule, visiting states that will play a pivotal role in the 2024 primaries and signing a contract with Fox News Channel.
bin Salman, a son of King Salman, Fate of planned mine near Okefenokee left to Georgia agency assented to the deal. “I go with the consent, so I UBAI, United Arab Emir-
Associated Press
wrote that the proposed mine could pose “substantial risks” to the swamp, including its ability to hold water. Some impacts, it said, — OPEC, Russia and other agree,” the prince said, chuckling, “may not be able to be reversed, By Russ Bynum roducing onPress Sunday drawing a round of applause from repaired, or mitigated for.” Thenations Associated Ingle has said mining will ocized an unprecedented pro- those on the video call. cur on a ridge above the swamp Ga. — More But it had not been smiles and ion cut ofFOLKSTON, nearly 10 million and won’t go deep enough to cause years after laughs her for weeks after the soels, or athan 10th of160 global supply, underground leaks. great-great-grandfather settled OPEC+ group of OPEC opes of boosting crashing pric- called Georgia environmental regon a patch of land surrounded by members and other nations failed mid the coronavirus pandemic Swamp, ulators are weighing five permit water in the Okefenokee March to reach an agreement a price war, applications for the project. AfSheilaofficials Carter said. takes visitorsinon ter an initial review, regulators in guided tours for on production cuts, sending pricThis could be canoe the largest re-firsthand April sent Twin Pines 10 pages of looks at thefrom swamp’s abundant es tumbling. Saudi Arabia sharply ion in production OPEC questions and requested changstilt-legged criticized Russia days earlier over perhaps alligators a decade,and maybe lon- birds es. Once those get answered, the wading among blooming water said U.S. agency plans a meeting for the lilies.Energy Secretary what it described as comments critical of the kingdom, which Brouillette, who credited general public. She fears it could be irreparably Mine supporters include Charlident Donald per- finds harmed ifTrump’s a mining company is al- itself trying to appease ton County’s elected commissionlowed toindig for minerals outa longtime OPEC critic. l involvement getting duel-justTrump, ers, who were swayed by Twin sidethe thetable Okefenokee, home to the Even U.S. senators had warned parties to and helpPines’ promise to bring $300 millargest U.S. wildlife refuge east of to end the a price war between Saudi Arabia to find a way to lion in investment and roughly Mississippi River. di Arabia and 400 jobs to the area. “I’veRussia. paddled the swamp allboost my prices as American shale firms face far-higher production il priceslife,” havesaid collapsed the ancesDixie McGurn, who owns a Carter, as whose Folkston shop where tourists stop to the Okefenocosts. American troops had been navirus tors andfirst thecame COVID-19 SAUDI ENERGY for lunch, ice cream and souvekee in 1858. “They haltcannot 100% deployed to the kingdom for the ss it causes have largely nirs, admits she’s torn. Many Okeguarantee they would not destroy lobal travel and slowed down first time since the Sept. 11, 2001, In this photo released by Saudi Energy Ministry, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al-Saud, Minist fenokee visitors are day-trippers, or harm the swamp. And I don’t r energy-chugging of the of 20 energy said,Group who don’t spend enoughminister want them there.”sectors attacks over concerns of Irani- Energy of Saudi Arabia, third right, chairs a virtual summitshe as manufacturing. It has of an coordinate a response local businesses to thrive.to plummet Twin Pines Minerals Bir-retaliation amid regional ten- his office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Friday, April 10, 2020, tofor sions. stated mingham, the oil industry prices due to an oversupply in the market and a downturn in global due totothe pandem “I don’tdemand want anything hapAlabama, in has spent pen to our great wonder,” said Mcthe past yearsmore seeking gov“They’ve spent over the last U.S., which nowtwo pumps Gurn, a former Folkston mayor. ernment to mine titanimonth waging war on American e than any otherpermits country. “But I worry about our workforce. um dioxide on land 2.9 miles from STUART TANNEHILL THE FLORIDA TIMES-UNION VIA AP, FILE deal but its president, Andrés praise. and |the ut somethe producers have been oil producers while we are defend- that Kuwait, Saudi Arabia We need something else to stimusoutheastern boundary of the “The pure size of the cu Manuel López Obrador, had the United Arab Emirates would ing theirs. This is not how friends ctant to Okefenokee ease supply.National The car-Wildlife late said our economy here.” In this April 3, 1997, file photo, the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Ga., is seen. precedented, Friday that he had agreed with cut another 2 million barrels of treat friends,” said Sen. Kevin nd other nations on Sunday Georgia’s new Democraticbut, U.S. then ag Refuge. The plan sparked an outsenators areispushing for federal the impact the corona cry that reaches faronly beyond Cramer, this a Republican from North oil a day between them atop the Trump that the U.S. will compened to allow Mexico to cut stay involved even if said M ThesateOkefenokee National ects thatdeal. could The pollute streams or gerbefore had jurisdiction overdeal. wetlands OPEC+ sparsely populated community on demand,” what Mexico cannot scientists add to tohaving three countries Dakota, the OPEC+ 000 barrels a month, a stickformal oversightan role. covers nearly 630 they have nomed drain wetlands because acknowledge of the rule Wildlife the 739-acrehave site outside the did near Georgia-Florida Ghulam, energy an theRefuge proposed cuts. not immediately already point for antheaccord initiallyline. U.S.onproducers Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphasquare miles in southeast Georgia changes under Trump. Federal scientists have warned swamp. Raymond James. “The big Oil Deal with OPEC cut the themselves, though Zanbeen reducing output. Amer-in theSince hed Friday after anear marathon new rules took effect and is home to alligators, bald ea- el Warnock asked the Fish and That left state The regulators that mining the Okefenokee’s Ghulam Plusother is done. Thisspecies. will save hun-ServiceBut attended the video conferlaud- ganeh o conference between 23 damage na- ican Wildlife in an April 28and let- others gles and protected last June, the Army Corps has Georgia withInstitute sole permitting bowl-like rim could the Petroleum mayGeorgia not beregulaenough. dreds of thousands energy jobs global saying it ence. s. The nations ter to offer toithelp wildlife, cypressofforevaluated more than 40,000 wet- The swamp’s oversight of the pact, project. swamp’stogether ability toagreed hold water.ed En-Sunday’s torssaid review the “This state permit appli-a tempo ests and flooded prairies draw streams other water cuts in uncharted waters,” lands, vironmental groups have rallied is at least in the United States,” Trump Officials saidand other planned will help“We’re get other nations’ stateut 9.7 million barrels a day called for theindustry roughly featuresstand facinginpotential impacts Bill Sapp, antoattorney with would thousands to write or call regulaliefagain for the energy in a600,000 tweet. “Ivisitors wouldeach like tocations. thankOssoff the deal, meaning ownedsaid oil production follow the ughout May and June. intensively” year, and according to the U.S.President Fish agency from8-million-barrel-per-day development. The agency cut Southern that Environmental and elected officials. the global economy. This i congratulate Pu-to “participate U.S. producers are try- an he grouptors reached the deal just lead ofthe For now, the decision on wheth- Law Center. “Federal agencies found just 24% qualified for pro- and Wildlife Service, which man- during a recent Okefenokee tour. is too big to be let to fail and tin of Russia and King Salman of from July through the end of the ing to adjust to plunging demand. s before Asian markets reThe offer got a cool reception er the mine gets approval rests like the Corps and the Environ- tection under U.S. environmental ages the refuge. liance showed responsibil Saudi Arabia.” year and a 6-million-barrel cut for Brouillette said the U.S. did not ned Monday and as internaSteve Ingle, president of Twin from the Georgia Environmenwith the Georgia Environmen- mental Protection Agency have laws, said Doug Garman, an Army thisDivision. agreement,” said Per M The Kremlin months beginning in 2021. Pines, declined tal Protection Agency make always commitments of its own 16 al benchmark Brent crudeThe state to answer said ques- President Corps spokesman in Washington. been involved in making tal Protection Division. spokesman Chambers said of ana tions Vladimir about potential President Biden’s permit decisions agency often considers permits for these types Nysveen, the head Putin environheld a joint call Kevin “This willJoe enable theadminrebalancproduction cuts,ofbut was able toined at just over $31 a barrel he expects scientists to “ofmental impacts. Ingle hasSaudi previ- King istration a review of exvolving wetlands, especially when ing such projects tandem withshow fed- the Rystad Energy. “Even tho with Trump and Sal- federal of thehas oilordered markets and the obvious — that plunging American shale in producers you’ve got a natural resource of Trump’s rule changes and could ously insisted his company can fer input during the public comeral regulators. rebound of prices by $15 man to express support of the production cuts are small demand because of the pandem- pected ggle. move to undo them. But some mine the site without harming the ment process” on Twin Pines’ apThe Army Corps of Engineers, the caliber of the Okefenokee.” deal. It also said Putin spoke sep- what the market needed a barrel in the short term,” ic is expected to slash U.S. proideo aired by the plications. swamp. conservation groups fear that said The proposed mine oil near the per which hadSaudi-owned been reviewing a federthe thoustock buildi arately with Trump have about the oil postpone statement Nigeria’s duction. lite channel Chambers said several scientists take too from long and hope to oil Government Okefenokee refuge is just one awould al permit for Al-Arabiya the Twin Pines mine, have already submit-the wor In February 2019, sand people straints get Trump’s rollbacks overturned been skeptical. high-profile example of Zanfeder- ministry. in October that as a reproblem, market and other issues. Iranian Oil Minister Bijan wed the declared moment that Saudi ted public comments. the FishAnalysts and Wildlife Service cautious a judge. had initially blocked regulators sidestepping proj- byMexico sult ofPrince those Abdulaziz rollbacks it no ganeh lon- alalso now avoided.” offered told state television rgy Minister
& CREMATORY 522 North 2nd St. P.O. Box 7 Albemarle, NC 28002 Phone 704-983-1188
460 Branchview Dr. NE P.O. Box 367 Concord, NC 28026 Phone 704-786-1161
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Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, June 9, 2021
7
obituaries Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, April 15, 2020
7
obituaries Vera Hopkins
Sandra Riley
VERA HATLEY HOPKINS, SANDRA KAY HILL RILEY, 90, of Albemarle, passed away 80, of Albemarle, passed away on Jason Tony peacefully in her home Wednesday, Saturday, May 29, 2021, at her June 2, 2021. home. Efird Smith Vera was born May 13, 1931 in Sandra was born August 7, ASONtoEUGENE “GENE” MONROE Stanly County the late Hardy 1940, inONY Stanly CountySMITH, to the 72, of EFIRD, 94, went home to be with Rockwell, NC, went be with Green Hatley and Minnie Furr late John Robert Hill andtoSarah Lord April 7, 2020, his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Hatley.his She wasTuesday, also preceded in at his Snuggs Hill. She was a member home in Stanfield. on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 at death by brothers, George Junior at Grace Baptist Church. SandraA Gene was born October 9, 1925, in his home surrounded by family. HatleyCabarrus and Elbert Lee Hatley, as enjoyed shopping, reading, and County to the late Simeon private family service will be held. well asJason grandson, Justin with her Efird and the Matthew late Sarah Ella spending Onlinetime condolences canfriends be made at Archer.Burris Efird. In addition to his and stanlyfuneralhome.com family. A graveside service will be held Riley survived parents, he was preceded in death by Mrs.Tony wasisborn Augustby 11, 1947 at 11:00am, Monday, JuneEfird; 7, 2021 Lisa to Kingston his wife, Jewell Little sisters, her daughters in Stanly County the late Pearlie at Stanly Gardens of Memory, 2001 (Clay) of Springfield, TN, and Mary Lambert, Fannie Almond, Asbury Smith and Emmer Lee Minnie Wilma Burleson and Andrea Smith. He was the in law of Pat East Main St.,Furr, Albemarle, officiated Heighton of son Albemarle, Mick Cagle heII worked at by Rev.Aileen Boyd Huskey; Joyce. and brothers, HomerNC; and stepson: Scottwhere Riley, Efird, Getus Efird and Wayne Efird,(Trish) the fish house for many years until Survivors include, loving of NY; grandchildren: Sr.of 67 years, Dewey Dillon he opened Anchor(Ashton) House Seafood husband Ashley Namynanik A private funeraldaughters, service will be of Springfield, in Rockwell.TN, He and his wife Becky Hopkins of Albemarle; Curtis on Saturday, 2020 owned and operated Anchor Wandaheld (Danny) GriffinApril and11, Melissa Kingston of Springfield, TN; House at Love’s Grove United Methodist for 25 years before retiring in 2009. H. Archer; grandchildren, Megan stepMr. grandchildren: Scott Riley, Church Cemetery in Stanfield Smith was a charter member Archer,officiated Baylee Saddler, Caleb III, and Aidan Riley NY; by Rev. Jim White. Burial and deacon at Openboth Doorof Baptist Griffinwill andfollow Emily and Church sister: in Teresa Bunting of the atGriffin. the Love’s Grove United Richfield. He loved Hartsell Funeral Home of Methodist Church Cemetery, 4360 Albemarle, Lord andNC. his family abundantly. Tony Albemarle serving Hopkins She in deathfather, by herand Polk is Ford Road,the Stanfield. wasisapreceded wonderful husband, family. Online condolences be husband Scott and Riley; brothers: Survivors include sonmay Gerald grandfather could fix anything made at www.hartsellfh.com Wayne (Gail) Efird of Albemarle; John, heAlvin, put his Robert, hands on.and Donald daughter Lisa Efird (Mark) HartsellHill; sisters: Mr. Smith is survived by his wife Mary Elizabeth of Stanfield; granddaughters, Becky CagleSwan, Smith of the Polly home, Cutrell, Sarah and Kelly Efird Barbee and Lauren sons Walter Smith and Robbie Spaght.
Harold Floyd
HAROLD ALEXANDER FLOYD, 81, of Oakboro, passed Merle away Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at his home in Oakboro, with his family. Helms Harold was born June 23, 1939 ERLE LORRAINE in North Carolina to theAUSTIN late HELMS, 72, of Marshville, Daniel Alexander Floyd and the passed away Wednesday, April 8, late Della Hinson Floyd. He was 2020 at McWhorter Hospice House also preceded in death by sisters, in Monroe. Nancy L. Kearns andApril Ruby Lorraine was born 28,Irene 1947 Whitley. in Monroe to the late Homer David Survivors include wife, Louise Austin and Jewell Delphia-Jane T.Austin. Floyd She of Oakboro, NC, children, was also preceded in Phillip (Shannon) Floyd, death by brothers, A.D. andKevin Teddy Austin;Floyd, and sister, Joy Austin. (Erica) Devin (Vivian) Thegrandchildren, family will receiveAbby, friends Floyd; from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm,Keely, Friday, Hunter, Gavin, Kylee, April 10, 2020 Hartsell Funeral Brittany, Cody,atand Andrew; Home of Albemarle. TheFloyd, funeral sisters, Nellie Jeannie service will bePassmore, at 11:00 am on Edith Flossie and Mary Saturday at Pleasant Hill Baptist Ann Barbee, and many nieces and Church in Marshville, officiated nephews. by Rev. John Miller and Rev. Leon HaroldShe was a baseball Whitley. will lie in state player for 30 inminutes his younger and was prior toyears the service. She will known hisin‘nasty dancin’ be laid for to rest the church cemetery. knuckle Anyone tried She isball. survived by herwho beloved tohusband catch it,ofunderstands. He also 47 years, Paul Helms of thetohome; Alex (Deanna) loved pitchson, horseshoes, cook Helms of Pageland; Paula breakfast for one ordaughter, for many, (Cristin Helms of Mint The Hill; He lovedBrandt) driving big trucks. grandchildren, Mason, Grant,he and bigger the truck, the more Hartsell (Justin) Crump; and greatSmith; daughter Kayla Henderson Raeganto Helms; Boyce, wanted drivebrothers, it. Harold was a grandsons, Ian Patrick Simmons and (Brandon); grandchildren Danielle, Christian Royce, Tim Austin; and sisters, and a very dedicated Elliot Jacob Simmons. Dustin, and Steele Smith, Keaton Patricia Mullis, and Angel Tarleton. member of The First Baptist Memorials may be made to Love’s and Ella Henderson; brother David Memorials may be made to the Church of Oakboro where he Grove United Methodist Church, PO Smith; sisters Kay Kriechbaum, Alzheimer’s Association, 4600 Park served as a deacon sinceNC 1972, and Box 276, Stanfield, NC 28163-0276. Karen Stevenson, Ruby Eudy, and Rd., Suite 250, Charlotte, 28209. was chairman on occasion. He Dorothy Smith (Nick). was a proud member of the choir He is preceded in death by and the Brotherhood. Harold brothers Joe Smith, Wayne Smith, Claude Smith, Wade Smith, Robert was always willing to help with anything that was needed around Smith, and sister Mary Morris. Memorial contributions can be the church, especially anything made to Open Door Baptist Church to do with missions and cooking. at 44563 Hwy 52, Richfield, NC He was a member of the disaster 28137 or to Hospice & Palliative Care relief team that traveled to areas of Cabarrus County at 5003 Hospice after hurricanes and tornadoes Lane, Kannapolis, NC 28081. and cooked for hundreds of people. He was a proud member of Gideons International. He WILSON LEE COLE, 82, loved fishing and his last day on of Albemarle passed away on earth he wentLinda fishing with his Pauline Friday, June 4, 2021 in his home. family and even caught a few a Hatley RHEA MARIE THOMPSON, His funeral will be graveside at fish himself. Above all, Harold Tucker 88, of Albemarle, passed away 2:30 PM Monday, June 7, 2021 was aINDA family man, who loved 69, hisof TUCKER HATLEY, Saturday, June 5, 2021 at Spring in Stanly Gardens of Memory AULINE ELIZABETH Albemarle, passed away family and spending time Monday, with ALMOND TUCKER, April 13, 2020. with Pastor Jonathan Chapell98, passedArbor in Albemarle. them. Rhea was born November 7, awayThe peacefully at will Trinity Place, Linda was born September 18, officiating. family receive NC on April 1950 in Concord to the late Jacob and friendsAlbemarle, at the graveside 30 11, 2020. 1932 in North Carolina to the late Pauline Claris Tucker. She was also preceded minutes prior towas theborn houronofMarch the 22, Flave Eugene and Nora Blalock in death by her brother, Terry Lee service.1922 in Cabarrus County, NC to the Little. John Richard and Alice She was also preceded in death Tucker, and her twin sister, Brenda Bornlate August 3, 1938Almond in Stanly Shirley Ada Ann Lambert Almond. Tucker Strickland. We know Brenda by husband, Johnnie Howard County, NC he was the son of the She is survived by her three and Linda are in Heaven watching Thompson, brother, Lowell Eugene late Platte and Clarcie Huneycutt Haire daughters, Gay Michel (Jack), over us and laughing. Cole. He was a former employee of Little. Oak Island, NC; Pamela Rushing Linda was a loving mother, sister, HIRLEY MAE HAIRE, 73, A funeral service will be on Wiscassett MillsOakboro, and retired (Foreman), NC; from Kathy and “Nana.” She was a very giving of Albemarle passed away on June 9, 2021 at 10:00 E J Snyder Co.Albemarle, He attended Huntand (Marc), NC; her Wednesday, and loving person. Linda would April 11, 2020 at Atrium Health am at Stanly Gardens of Memory The Gathering. Mr. Cole loved to son, Chris Tucker (Chris Lear), always do anything she could for Stanly. The family will hold a private officiated by Rev. Ed watch birds and deer enjoyed Washington, DC.and She will be greatlyin Albemarle others, especially her family. She graveside service for Mrs. Haire. Lowder and Rev. Mitchell Cook. missed by her five grandchildren, enjoyed working at FastShop #5, traveling to the mountains and Shirley was born December 12, include son, John Heather Chaney Locust. Linda will be forever loved the beach. He Rushing dearly loved his(Shannon), Survivors 1946 in Washington, DC to the (Beth) Thompson of and greatly missed. family.Michael Rushing, Elizabeth Michel Mark late Charles Richard Bateman and Hartzog (Craig),in Jack Michel, Survivors include her son, London,Mae NC,Mulligan friend, Allen He was preceded death by Jr. NewElizabeth Bateman. and Woody Hunt as well as (Vicky)Shirley Alan Hatley and wife, Angela, of King is ofsurvived Oakboro, by NC, her husband his wife(Jenn), Hazel Cole. Survivors great-grandchildren. Albemarle; brother, Ronnie Tucker Amber (Matthew) of 30 years Vaughn Smith of includeseven son Louis McSwain of She also granddaughter, leaves behind cherished nieces and Peake and wife, Linda, of Midland; of California, and greatAlbemarle; sister Sandra Painter Chattanooga, TN, daughters nephews. granddaughter, Leslie Hatley; 1 of Gainesville, VA; half-brother grandchildren, Rylee, Noah, and Jayne Eudy Albemarle, The(Paul) family of expresses its sincere Madison. niece; and 2 nephews. Robert Bateman of Stevensville, Vanettagratitude Georgetoofthe Kannapolis staff and caregivers The family will receive friends MD; step-children Heather Smith Rhea was a member of West and Virginia Graves (Bill) of they at Trinity Place for the care from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm, Thursday, of Jacksonville, and David Albemarle BaptistFL Church, where Kirkland, WA, Pauline. 11 grandchildren provided April 16, 2020 at Hartsell Funeral Smith of New London, NC; 4 in many activities and 14 great-grandchildren. A will beshe participated A private graveside service Home in Albemarle. Linda will step-grandchildren; Cyndi Adult Choir. nieces She was also brotherheld Bob preceded him in A including onCole Monday, April 13, 2020. be laid to rest during a private Hentschel of Leesburg, VA and a part of Stanly County Chorale, death. celebration of Pauline’s life and legacy Cheryl Hardy of Aylett, VA; 16 grand- committal service at Bethel United Singing Americans, and Uwharrie be held this summer. Methodist Church, Midland. The will family requests nieces and nephews; and Gus the Players. also worked In lieu ofbe flowers, In lieu of flowers, please consider a that memorials madethe to family dog. She Stanly Funeral andfor Cremation Mills for 35 years in requests donations made to the Wiscassett memorial donation to Bethel UMC, Community Home Carebeand Care of Albemarle is serving thethe BrightFocus Foundation at www. personnel 12700 Idlebrook Rd, Midland, NC office. Hospice, 1024 Albemarle Rd., Haire family. brightfocus.org. 28107. #904, Troy, NC 27371.
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TERRY MAX ALMOND, 64, NANCY ELIZABETH of Midland, NC, passed away HATHCOCK PRICE, 81, of Danny Jerry Saturday, May 29, 2021. His Asheboro passed away May 30, memorial service will be 5pm on 2021 in the Randolph Hospice Luther Fincher Friday, June 4, 2021, in the Stanly House. Her funeral will be ANNY PAUL LUTHER, ERRY FINCHER passed from Funeral and Cremation Care graveside in Fairview Memorial 65, of Norwood, passed away this life on April 3, 2020 at 8:05 Chapel in Locust with Marvin Park on Monday, June 7, 2021 unexpectedly Thursday, April 9, pm. Tyson He wasofficiating. surrounded by hisfamily family The at 1 PM with Pastor Ron Loflin 2020 at Atrium Health Stanly in and receive holding the hand of the love ofuntil friends from 3pm officiating. Albemarle. his life. Jerry is preceded in death 5pm prior to the service. Born May 18,born 1940 in Stanly Mr. Luther was March 27, by three siblings, two brothers, Billy Almond was born County, she was the and daughterGilbertMr. 1955 to the NC, late Robert Fulton Fincher, and Larry Richard December 3, 1956 in Rowan of the late Windsor Helen Tucker Luther. G. Hathcock Fincher, and one sister, Barbra Joyce County, NC to the late Roy Lee and Edna Danny wasElizabeth survived byHatley his wife, Moore. Almond and Marie Barrier Hathcock. She retired from the Denise Burleson Luther of Norwood; He is survived byHazel his wife, Eleanor employed sons, Jeremy (Karen) Luther and KateAlmond. Fincher ofHe thewas home, daughter, with Health Department in Brunswick Misenheimer Jody Luther; Bryan Cindy Fincher JacobsTrucking of Wingatein Gold County as step-sons, an administrative NC. Terry enjoyed hunting, Whitley and Gregg (Anita) Whitley;of NC.,Hill, son and daughter in law, Tommy assistant. She was a member golfing and riding his motorcycle. Grandchildren, Daniel Luther and (Tiffany) Fincher of New London Badin United Methodist Church. Hunter as his brother, Stepwas Children, Jimmy (Lisa) a jokester and loved NancyZado, wasas a well gourmet cook and NC.,He Bob Luther Jr (Lorena), uncle Jack SheLanier of Locust NC, Wanda (Bob) making kids smile. loved cooking and gardening. Luther and several other loved nieces, Krimminger NC.,by Eric TerryofisLocust survived his wife, enjoyed traveling, especially going nephews and cousins. (Sharon) Lanier of Charlotte NC., Almond Shirley Jeanette Kindley toDanny the beach. recently retired from Grandchildren-Trey (Gera) survivors Whitson of the home. Other She isPipe survived by herafter husband of Midland, Charlotte and Foundry Step-grandchildren, three daughters, Angela H.37 Price ofworked the home. Zachinclude a James dedicated yearsJr. and (Brittney) Washington, Aaron Steele (Ricky) of Concord, NC, Other survivors include a son there with his sons and several other (Kinsey) Washington, Caleb (Nayeli) Terri Wetter (Gene) Setzer, of Concord, Benny Graydon “Gray” Watts Jr. Washington, friends and family members. Beth (Robbie) NC and Sherry Almond and wife of Debbie of Greenville, Danny loved spending time at Matthew ( April ) Wallace, Step (fiancé Donnie Morris)Britlyn-Eve of Blacksburg, NC, James H. Price, his lakestepsons house with his family and great-grandchildren, VA; two brothers, Darrell friends as well as vacationing with his Washington, Robert Setzer, GeorgeAlmond III and wife Kyung of Honolulu, (Leo) of Tracy Stanfield, NC and Darin family. Danny and Denise Hathcock enjoyed (Sara) Setzer, (Rob) Setzer HI, brothers Charles “Pee Wee”Katie Almond (Tina) of listening to beach music loved to Bumgardener, Underwood, of Norwood and Boband Hathcock shag chance they could Andrew Underwood, greatWanda Norwood, NC; Step a sister, anddance wifeevery Nelda of Dallas, TX, get. Hegrandchildren, was an amazing father, grandchild, Waylon George NC; (Jerry) of Midland, five and a loving special greatWhited grandfather and great friend to Setzer and brother Donald Lewis nine grandchildren, Brianna friend Charlie Whatley who she many. He will never be forgotten. Fincher of Albemarle, Darga, AndrewNC. Darga, Hannah nurtured and care for from the A celebration of life will be Jerry Fincher will beLong, laid to rest on Darga, Jessalyn Avan day he was born. announced once the current Wednesday April 8,2020 at 11:00 am Morris, Ethen Morris, Zeek Two sons Charles COVID-19 restrictions areJeffrey lifted. Wattsat Canton Baptist Church. Anyone Wetter, Elijah Wetter and and JohnFuneral Lee Watts Hartsell Homeand of a sister interested in attending, please RSVP Wayne Wetter and three great Shirley Moody Hathcock Albemarle is serving the Lutherall at 704-796-2412. Dr. Phil McCray Avery Brooker, preceded her in death. family. and grandchildren, Pastor Tommy Fincher will Cloude Brooker and Preston In lieu of flowers, the family officiate. Lemon (LOL). A sister also requests memorials be made to preceded him in death, Tammy Hospice. Almond on February 14, 2015. Stanly Funeral and Cremation Memorials may be made to Care of Albemarle is serving the Stanly Funeral and Cremation Price family. Care of Locust, 501 N. Central Avenue, Locust, NC 28097 to defray the funeral cost. Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Locust is serving the Almond family.
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Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and deaththe notices be loved Celebrate life oftoyour published in SCJ ones. Submit obituaries and at obits@stanlyjournal.com death notices to be published in
SCJ at obits@stanlyjournal.com
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Southern Piedmont Cremation Services provides a basic cremation service for families who have experienced the loss of a loved one and do not desire a traditional funeral or farewell ceremony. When your loved one passes simply call our office and our professional team will come as quickly as possible and bring your loved one into our care. Phone: 704-985-4851
Fax: 704-550-5508
Email: care@spcremation.com
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Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, June 9, 2021
STATE & NATION
JOHN BAZEMORE | AP PHOTO
In this Aug. 21, 2015, file photo, Army 1st Lt. Shaye Haver, center, and Capt. Kristen Griest, right, pose for photos with other female West Point alumni after an Army Ranger school graduation ceremony at Fort Benning, Ga.
High court won’t review menonly draft registration law By Jessica Gresko The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Supreme Court on Monday said it won’t take up a case that asked it to decide whether it’s sex discrimination for the government to require only men to register for the draft when they turn 18. In a statement, three justices said Congress is weighing whether to change the Military Selective Service Act, which requires men but not women to register for the draft. They said that was a reason for the court not to take the case. “It remains to be seen, of course, whether Congress will end gender-based registration under the Military Selective Act. But at least for now, the Court’s longstanding deference to Congress on matters of national defense and military
affairs cautions against granting review while Congress actively weighs the issue,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in a statement for herself, Justice Stephen Breyer and Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The question of whether it’s unconstitutional to require men but not women to register could be viewed as one with little practical impact. The last time there was a draft was during the Vietnam War, and the military has been all-volunteer since. But the registration requirement is one of the few remaining places where federal law treats men and women differently, and women’s groups are among those arguing that allowing it to stand is harmful. Ria Tabacco Mar, the director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Women’s Rights Project, who had urged the court to take
up the issue, said that requiring men to register imposes a “serious burden on men that’s not being imposed on women.” Men who do not register can lose eligibility for student loans and civil service jobs, and failing to register is also a felony punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 and five years in prison. But Tabacco Mar said the male-only requirement does more than that. “It’s also sending a tremendously harmful message that women are less fit than men to serve their country in this particular way and conversely that men are less fit than women to stay home as caregivers in the event of an armed conflict. We think those stereotypes demean both men and women,” said Mar, who represents the National Coalition For Men and two individual men
challenging the law. Even if the draft is never used again, retaining the men-only requirement sends a “really damaging message,” she said. A group of retired senior military officers and the National Organization for Women Foundation were among those that had urged the court to take the case. The issue of who has to register for the draft has been to the court before. In 1981, the court voted 6-3 to uphold the men-only registration requirement. At the time, the decision was something of an outlier because the court was regularly invalidating gender-based distinctions in cases about other areas of the law. Many of those cases were brought by the founding director of the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who became a justice in 1993. The last time the high court considered the Military Selective Service Act, then-Justice William Rehnquist explained that the purpose of registration “was to prepare for a draft of combat troops.” He said that because women
could not serve in combat, the law was not unlawful sex discrimination that violated the Constitution. But military policy has changed. In 2013, the Department of Defense lifted the ban on women serving in combat. Two years later, the department said all military roles would be open to women without exception. Just last year, a congressional commission concluded that the “time is right” to extend the obligation to register to women. Sotomayor pointed to that report in noting Congress is studying the issue. The Biden administration had urged the justices not to take the case and to let Congress instead tackle the issue. Administration lawyers wrote in a brief that any “reconsideration of the constitutionality of the male-only registration requirement ... would be premature at this time” because Congress is “actively considering” the issue. The case is National Coalition For Men v. Selective Service System, 20-928.
As pandemic wanes, Florida’s DeSantis seizes national stage By Bobby Caina Calvan The Associated Press TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — As Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis navigated the coronavirus pandemic, Democrats readied to pounce. Now that the pandemic appears to be waning and DeSantis is heading into his reelection campaign next year, he has emerged from the political uncertainty as one of the most prominent Republican governors and an early White House front-runner in 2024. As DeSantis’ national stature has risen, he has remained defiant in the face of continued attacks on his hardline opposition to mask mandates and lockdowns. “Hold the line. Don’t back down,” he told a crowd at a party fundraiser in Pittsburgh on May 20. “And in the state of Florida, with me as governor, I have only begun to fight.” That fight will happen soon, as he campaigns for a second term and pressure builds on Florida Democrats to regain their footing in a state that has swung toward Republicans for several election cycles. Unless they find a new formula, Democrats could find themselves shut out of statewide office for the first time since Reconstruction. “This isn’t just one race — this is two races in one, given how Ron DeSantis is trying to use a reelection win as a slingshot to then be the odds on favorite” for the GOP nomination in 2024, said Fernand Amandi, a Democratic pollster in Miami. “If they manage to prevent him from getting reelected, they almost certainly eliminate any possibility of him running for president.” DeSantis won in a nail-biter three years ago against Democrat
WILFREDO LEE | AP PHOTO
In this April 30, 2021, file photo surrounded by lawmakers, Florida Gov.Ron DeSantis speaks at the end of a legislative session at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. Andrew Gillum, and Democrats worry whether they can field a candidate able to win back the governor’s mansion for the first time since 1994. U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, a former Republican governor who is now a Democrat, announced his campaign for governor this month. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, the only Democrat currently holding statewide office, has teased a run. Some Democrats had hoped U.S. Rep. Val Demings, who helped manage the first Trump impeachment and was considered as President Joe Biden’s running mate, would join the race. Instead, she is considering a run for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Republican Marco Rubio.
Regardless of who gets in the Democratic contest, toppling DeSantis will be “a tall order,” said Ryan Tyson, a Tallahassee-based Republican pollster. “The Democrats fail to understand that the state of Florida is changing under their very noses.” Florida’s population continues to boom, but many of the state’s new residents are older and come from parts of the country friendlier toward Republicans. Before last November’s presidential election, Republicans had narrowed the registration gap with Democrats to about 117,000. On Election Day four years earlier, Democrats had a 327,000 voter registration lead. Since then, Republicans have continued to gain — with the Democratic advantage now barely over
100,000. Both sides will try to nationalize the race, partly to draw support from big-money donors from outside the state. For DeSantis, it’s also about raising his national profile. That of course, probably will become a line of attack for Crist and Fried, who accuse DeSantis of being more interested in pursuing his political ambitions than in tackling the concerns of Floridians. “Just like our former president, he always takes credit but never takes responsibility,” Crist said when he announced his bid for governor. In a video hinting at her possible entry into the race, Fried called DeSantis an “authoritarian dictator.” During his Pittsburgh visit, De-
Santis applauded Trump for recognizing the military and economic threats posed by China and sympathized with him over his battles against social media companies such as Twitter, which banned him from its platform. Democrats thought the pandemic would be a strong line of attack against DeSantis. But with about 18 months before the November 2022 election, his management of the pandemic has become a key talking point against what DeSantis called “the militant left.” “We’ve saved millions of livelihoods from the brunt of lockdowns,” he said. “All I can say to any state that has not followed suit: Open your state, open your schools, take off these mask mandates, let people live and thrive.” DeSantis spent his first years as Florida governor casting himself as a defender of the environment, including the state’s cherished Everglades and imperiled coastlines. During Florida’s just-completed legislative session, DeSantis successfully pushed for an “anti-riot” law that countered the Black Lives Matter movement. He won legislation that pushed back on social media companies that, the governor charged, censor conservative thought. On a recent appearance on Fox News, DeSantis showcased a freshly signed law that tightens voting rules against irregularities. “The governor’s priorities certainly got through, and that can only be good for him,” said Susie Wiles, a Republican strategist who helped Trump win Florida last year and continues to work for him. “What is good for him has proven to be good for the state, which in turn makes his fortunes good going into reelection next year.”
VOLUME 3 ISSUE 37 | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 2021
Twin City Herald
GENE J. PUSKAR | AP PHOTO
Feeling run down Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman and former Demon Deacon Will Craig, right, tosses the ball to catcher Michael Perez, left, after Craig chased Chicago Cubs’ Javier Baez (9) backward, from first base to home, instead of touching the base to end the inning. A run scored and Baez reached second base on the play. The Pirates designated Craig for assignment earlier this week, removing him from the Major League roster.
WHAT’S HAPPENING High school graduation week FORSYTH COUNTY — June 4 through June 10 saw most of the high schools in the area hold their graduation ceremonies for the class of 2021. The schedule, released by Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools began in May, when Early College and Middle College held their ceremonies. East Forsyth began graduation week, marching in Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Friday afternoon. The ceremony was moved inside due to inclement weather. Saturday saw four schools hold ceremonies, beginning with Carver at 8:45 at Truist Stadium. West Forsyth followed at 11:15 at the same location and Mount Tabor also marched at Truist at 2:30. Glenn held a ceremony on its own campus, at Glenn High Stadium. Truist Stadium hosted two more ceremonies on Sunday — WS Preparatory and Reagan. Carter graduated Tuesday morning at Deaton-Thompson Stadium.
Here is the schedule for the rest of the week: WEDNESDAY J.F. Kennedy, 8:30 a.m. Deaton-Thompson Stadium North Forsyth, 10:30 a.m., North Forsyth Stadium R.J. Reynolds, 12:30 p.m., Deaton-Thompson Stadium THURSDAY Atkins, 8:30 a.m. Deaton-Thompson Stadium Walkertown, 10:30 a.m., Walkertown Stadium Parkland, 12:30 p.m. Deaton-Thompson Stadium
4,080 seniors are expected to graduate from county schools this year.
North Carolina accepts no new COVID-19 vaccines this week Community needs to work together, panel agrees The Associated Press RALEIGH — For the first time since COVID-19 vaccines became available in December 2020, North Carolina this week declined to accept any more supplies. Instead, this week’s requests from North Carolina providers are being fulfilled through transfers from other providers or through requests to local health departments, according to state health officials.
“We are currently focusing on prioritizing the in-state inventory of vaccine by using a first-in, first-out strategy so that providers use vaccines by date of expiration in chronological order, as well as transferring vaccine between providers who can use them,” the state Department of Health and Human Services said in an emailed statement on Friday. The move comes as North Carolina nears an announcement on additional financial incentives to boost vaccine participation amid a sizable drop in vaccine demand over the last two months. North Carolina returned more
than 1.2 million doses to the federal government as of Friday. Nearly all states have contributed to the federal pool, according to the state Health Department. Data the department released Friday shows a surplus of nearly 2.4 million COVID-19 vaccines waiting for residents to take. The state has also turned down nearly 2.4 million additional shots from its federal allocation. North Carolina on Friday crossed the threshold of most adult residents being fully vaccinated. Thirty-nine percent of the state’s overall population of 10.5 million people and 46% of eligible vaccine
recipients 12 years of age or older are now fully vaccinated. Nearly four in five North Carolinians who are at least 65 years old have completed their vaccine cycle. But the state’s administration numbers lag behind much of the country. North Carolina is the 14th worst state in COVD-19 vaccine doses administered per capita, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dr. Mandy Cohen, the state’s top public health official, told a news conference Wednesday that three groups remain unvaccinated: those who are eager to get vaccinated but haven’t found the time to do it, those who have unanswered questions but would be more receptive to a shot if it were accessible at their doctor’s office and those with no plans to get a vaccine. “We’re just going to keep at this,” Cohen said.
School system apologizes for video mocking George Floyd The Associated Press SALISBURY — Officials with a North Carolina school system have apologized for a video in which some middle-school students reenacted the murder of George Floyd. Rowan-Salisbury Schools said it learned about the video featuring students from Erwin Middle School on Monday, news outlets reported. Reports indicate the video is only a few seconds long, but shows one student on the floor in a classroom while another is kneeling on their neck. The student on the floor says “I can’t breathe” while the kneeling student gives a thumbs up to the camera. Laughter can be heard on the video. Breanna Cherry, whose daughter attends the middle school, said that her daughter was afraid to speak out. “She said that she was scared to say anything, and I let her know, ‘You have Black male cousins,’” Cherry said. “’It could’ve been your granddaddy. It could’ve been your daddy. It could’ve been anybody. George Floyd could’ve been any Black man.’” The school system says it’s investigating the incident. In April, a social media post showing two South Caldwell High School students reenacting Floyd’s death, with one giving a thumbs-up sign, also prompted an investigation. The principal called it an “intolerable incident.” Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted in April on state charges of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s 2020 death. Floyd repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe as Chauvin pinned him to the ground with a knee on Floyd’s neck.
Reports indicate the video ... shows one student on the floor in a classroom while another is kneeling on their neck.
CHUCK BURTON | AP PHOTO
In this Jan. 30, 2019, file photo, Louisville assistant coach Dino Gaudio cheers on the team against Wake Forest during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Winston-Salem.
Dino Gaudio gets plea deal in extortion case The Associated Press
nication with intent to extort, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Louisville. Gaudio agreed to a plea deal that will include probation and a fine. Gaudio, 64, threatened to expose alleged violations by the team “in its production of recruiting videos for prospective student-athletes and in the use of its graduate assistants in practices,” according to a charging document filed in May. He asked for 17 months of salary or a $425,000 lump sum payment, according to the U.S. Attorney.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A former Wake Forest basketball coach and University of Louisville assistant has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of attempted extortion and will avoid prison time. Dino Gaudio was dismissed from the team along with another assistant in March after the Louisville Cardinals missed the NCAA tournament. During a meeting with coaches, Gaudio threatened to go to the media with alleged NCAA violations by the team, according federal prosecutors. He pleaded guilty on Friday to a charge of interstate commu- See GAUDIO, page 2
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The House of Representatives will flip to the GOP next year. In 2024, the GOP has massive odds of retaking the Senate.
Published each Wednesday as part of the North State Journal. 3101 Industrial Dr., Suite 105 Raleigh, N.C. 27609 (704) 269-8461 INFO@TWINCITYHERALD.COM TWINCITYHERALD.COM
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“IF YOU ELECT US, we will repeal Obamacare,” Republicans claimed in 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016. Each victory brought a goal post shift. Ultimately, the Republican Party never got rid of the Affordable Care Act. The same happened with Planned Parenthood. Despite Republican control, reconciliation processes that bypass the filibuster and Republican presidents, Planned Parenthood funding remained. Republicans are used to the Kabuki theater that their politicians engage in. The stylized performance, boastfulness on the campaign stage, and campaign ads and mail pieces inevitably lead to impressive speeches and theater in Congress before the inevitable and foreordained failure to keep promises. The epilogue is excuse-making and blame. Republican voters fell for it repeatedly and, ultimately, both caught on and empowered one man to burn it all down. Donald Trump, in 2016, got elected and did force through some changes to the Affordable Care Act and then, by executive order, finally took on Planned Parenthood. The enduring loyalty the Republican base has for Trump can best be understood because Trump kept his core promise — to fight back and gut the Republican establishment that both denied its own existence and perfected ritualistic Kabuki theater always designed to impress and always designed to fail. Democrats are engaged in the Kabuki theater of foreordained defeat right now. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and President Joe Biden are promising to bring House Resolution 1, the Democrats’ progressive largesse of a voting reform package, for a vote. The filibuster is in the way, so they are pledging to scrap that, too. They will display their passion. They will display their rage. They will display their commitment. Behind closed doors, Democrats know both that H.R. 1 is a terrible idea and that the filibuster is a very good idea worth saving. They cannot say either publicly, lest they spark a civil war within their own party. Ask yourself one question: Do Democrats want federal taxpayer dollars funding the campaign of QAnon sympathizer Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene? H.R. 1 would require federal dollars to subsidize political campaigns. Do you really think the Democrats who vilify Greene at every opportunity want to fund
♦ AMBROSS, ISAURO TEMICH was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT ON FEMALE at 7620 PHOENIX RD on 6/3/2021 ♦ ANTHONY, MISTY BOLICK was arrested on a charge of 2ND DEGREE TRESPASS at 299 E TENTH ST/N PATTERSON AV on 6/4/2021
♦ BOWMAN, ADRIENE NICOLE was arrested on a charge of CHILD ABUSE at 2700 PIEDMONT CR/E TWENTYNINTH ST on 6/3/2021 ♦ BRODDERS, HUSAN JAMAL was arrested on a charge of DRUGS-POSS SCHED I at 699 N MARTIN LUTHER KING JR DR/NEW WALKERTOWN RD on 6/5/2021 ♦ CAMPBELL, TERRANCE LAMONT was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT ON FEMALE at 3197 PETERS CREEK PW on 6/3/2021 ♦ COOPER, MONTIETH CORTEZ was arrested on a charge of PROBATION VIOLATION at EB 40 on 6/4/2021 ♦ Davis, Tynaysha Jada (B /F/19) Arrest on chrg of 1) Poss Stolen Goods (F), 2)
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her campaign? H.R. 1, written largely by progressive activists, is a grab back of many unworkable and publicly unpopular proposals. But progressive activists love them all. Democrats in Washington, D.C., know better than to pass H.R. 1. In addition to the inevitable court fight, it would fund people like Greene. Democrats in Washington also know they’ve been so performative on the campaign trail about voting rights and voting reform that they cannot do anything other than emotively perform for their base. Concurrently, the House of Representatives will flip to the GOP next year. Republicans do not even need redistricting. The party that does not control the White House almost always makes gains in the House in off-year elections. Redistricting will add to the Republican edge. The Senate may maintain a Democratic majority, but the GOP will kill any initiatives in the House. In 2024, the GOP has massive odds of retaking the Senate. The Democrats will have to defend the most seats, and many of them are in states Trump won. Right now, the Democrats have a 50-50 Senate. Even without the filibuster, Democrats are having trouble passing key legislation. They have failed to repeal most of Trump’s last-minute regulations — a maneuver that bypasses the filibuster. The Senate parliamentarian gave Senate Democrats an additional reconciliation attempt, which also bypasses the filibuster. But Democrats have failed to use that too. With Republicans restored to the House next year and Sen. Mitch McConnell on the cusp of regaining power, why on earth would Democrats want to scrap the filibuster? They will need it against McConnell and House Republicans. Unfortunately, Democrats cannot be honest. They must instead, with help from friends in the press, go through the ritualistic and stylized dance of defeat that signals to the base they care and are fighters while privately knowing defeat was always the only outcome. Democrats will inevitably have hell to pay from their base as Republicans did. The difference between them and Republicans is Trump was actually far closer to mainstream America than the far left. That gives the GOP one more advantage moving forward, even if the press and Democrats cannot admit it.
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♦ BOWMAN, ADRIENE NICOLE was arrested on a charge of CHILD ABUSE at 1146 E FIFTEENTH ST on 6/3/2021
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♦ Boston, Deshun Lamont (B /M/27) Arrest on chrg of 1) Kidnapping (F), 2) Larceny-felony (F), 3) Possession Marijuana (F), 4) P/w/i/s/d Marijuana (F), 5) Maintain Vehicle (F), 6) Drug Paraphernalia (M), 7) Interfere Elect Monitor Dev (F), 8) Resisting Arrest (M), and 9) Speeding To Elude Arrest (F), at 100 Business Park Dr, Winston-salem, NC, on 6/2/2021 16:30.
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OPINION | ERICK ERICKSON
Publisher
♦ BAKER, JENNIFER FAITH was arrested on a charge of IMPAIRED DRIVING DWI at 100 SILAS CREEK PW/S MAIN ST on 6/5/2021
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TUESDAY
Contrib Delinq Minor (M), 2) Ofa-fta-m-disorderly Conduct (M), 3) Contrib Delinq Minor (M), 4) Fail To Appear/compl (M), and 5) Speeding To Elude Arrest (F), at 1536 Brookford Industrial Dr, Kernersville, NC, on 6/3/2021 01:52.
♦ Kirby, James Edward (B /M/57) Arrest on chrg of 1) Breaking/larc-felony (F) and 2) Larceny After B&e (F), at 5029 Baux Mountain Rd, Winston-salem, NC, on 6/4/2021 11:28.
♦ ELLER, RODNEY DENARD was arrested on a charge of 2ND DEGREE TRESPASS at 2730 N GLENN AV on 6/5/2021
♦ KNUCKLES, GREGORY ♦ KENNETH was arrested on a charge of FAIL TO CHANGE ADDRESS - SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION at 201 N CHURCH ST on 6/3/2021
♦ EPPLEY, PAUL was arrested on a charge of 2ND DEGREE TRESPASS at 299 E TENTH ST/N PATTERSON AV on 6/4/2021
♦ LOPEZ, HIPOLITO EFREN was arrested on a charge of DRUGS-POSS SCHED II at 1100 WILLIAM DR/TYLER DR on 6/4/2021
♦ FLYNN, CHERYL DAWN was arrested on a charge of INDECENT LIBERTIES at 5218 GERMANTON RD on 6/5/2021
♦ MABRY, CHARLES TERRILL was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT-POINT GUN at 1198 E FIFTEENTH ST/N CLEVELAND AV on 6/3/2021
♦ Grooms, Dezmond Ramon (B /M/30) Arrest on chrg of Asslt On Off/st Emp (M), at 201 N Church St, Winstonsalem, NC, on 6/4/2021 14:04.
♦ MASON, MARIA ANTIONETTE was arrested on a charge of AFFRAY at 1700 N CLEVELAND AV on 6/3/2021
♦ HANES, CLARK LINDSAY was arrested on a charge of 2ND DEGREE TRESPASS at 1183 SILAS CREEK PW on 6/4/2021 ♦ Haynes, Jordan Ray (W /M/19) Arrest on chrg of Assault-simple (M), at 4884 Oak Branch Ln, Walkertown, NC, on 6/6/2021 01:32. ♦ HERRING, VINCINT COREYLAVE was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT-SIMPLE at 100 W FIFTH ST on 6/4/2021 ♦ Joyce, Christopher Allen (W /M/47) Arrest on chrg of Weap-poss By Felon (F), at 9612 Baux Mountain Rd, Germanton, on 6/6/2021 20:17. ♦ King, Terry James (W /M/34) Arrest on chrg of 1) Vandpersonal Prop (M), 2) Drugsposs Sched I (F), and 3) Drug Paraphernalia (M), at 9351 Weigh Station Rd, Rural Hall, NC, on 6/2/2021 08:16.
♦ MUHFOOTH, JAHMAL ALI was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT-POINT GUN at 2ND/SPRUCE ST on 6/5/2021 ♦ OBRIEN, GRACE PATRICIA was arrested on a charge of IMPAIRED DRIVING DWI at NB 421/W FOURTH ST on 6/6/2021 ♦ SANDERS, TERIQUE LAKEENCOMPAN was arrested on a charge of AWIK/NO INJURY at 100 LOUISE RD on 6/6/2021 ♦ SIMON, RICKY WALLACE was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT - INFLICTING SERIOUS BODILY INJU at 230 VISTA CR on 6/3/2021 ♦ SMITH, JESSICA DAWN was arrested on a charge of DRUGS-POSS SCHED II at 5217 ROBINHOOD RD on 6/4/2021 ♦ Sturdy, Rod Steven (W /M/55) Arrest on chrg of Adw - Inflict Injury, M (M), at 8019
Deverow Ct, Lewisville, NC, on 6/3/2021 10:00. ♦ WALKER, JALEEL LAMAR was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT-POINT GUN at 201 N CHURCH ST on 6/3/2021 ♦ WEBB, VERONICA MACE was arrested on a charge of 2ND DEGREE TRESPASS at 299 E TENTH ST/N PATTERSON AV on 6/4/2021 ♦ WEBB, WILLIAM CURTIS was arrested on a charge of 2ND DEGREE TRESPASS at 299 E TENTH ST/N PATTERSON AV on 6/4/2021 ♦ WESTERBERG, ROBERT ALBERT was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT ON FEMALE at 1043 BITTING HALL CR on 6/6/2021 ♦ WHITE, RASHAWN MONTE was arrested on a charge of 2ND DEGREE TRESPASS at 100 HANES MALL BV on 6/5/2021 ♦ WILDS, REGINALD JERROD was arrested on a charge of VIO. PROTECTIVE ORDER BY COURTS ANOTHER STATE/ INDIAN TRIBE at 3509 PLAZA RIDGE CR on 6/5/2021 ♦ WILLIAMS, SARINA DONNETTE was arrested on a charge of BREAKING/ LARC-FELONY at 201 N CHURCH ST on 6/3/2021 ♦ Wilson, Dawne Seymore (W /F/57) Arrest on chrg of Fraud-obt Property (F), at Pitt County Jail, NC, on 6/2/2021 13:00. ♦ WILSON, KIESHA DAVON was arrested on a charge of COMMUNICATE THREATS at 4324 OAK POINTE DR on 6/4/2021 ♦ Wooten, Synthia Haydee (W /F/34) Arrest on chrg of 1) Drugs-mfg Sched I (F), 2) Drugs-poss Sched Ii (F), 3) Maintain Dwelling (F), and 4) Drug Paraphernalia (M), at 4355 Grubbs Rd, Walkertown, NC, on 6/3/2021 12:10.
♦ Clyde Nolton Boan Jr., 78, of Statesville, died June 2, 2021. ♦ Malcom Wayne Crawford, 84, of Kernersville, died June 3, 2021. ♦ Denise Michelle Dargan, 71, of Winston-Salem, died June 3, 2021. ♦ Violet H. Fowler, 96, died June 3, 2021. ♦ Janet Sue Berry Hoffman, 67, of Clemmons, died June 2, 2021. ♦ Geraldine “Gerry” Thomas Lunsford, 78, of Forsyth County, died June 4, 2021. ♦ Brian Wallace Major, 90, died June 2, 2021. ♦ Christine Mary Golba Palis, 68, died June 2, 2021. ♦ Dwight Leo Pegg, 72, of Oak Ridge, died June 5, 2021. ♦ Betty Joan Mahood Powers, 89, of WinstonSalem, died June 4, 2021. ♦ Helen Swink Wiles, 88, of King, died June 5, 2021. ♦ Michael Dylan Wolfe, 41, of Winston-Salem, died June 3, 2021.
GAUDIO from page 1
Gaudio will be sentenced on Aug. 27. He had been the head coach at Wake Forest University from 2007-10. He then spent eight years as an ESPN analyst before joining Louisville in 2018. Gaudio also previously led Army and Loyola-Maryland and worked with Louisville coach Chris Mack at Wake Forest.
Twin City Herald for Wednesday, June 9, 2021
3
SPORTS
SPONSORED BY
SIDELINE REPORT COLLEGE LACROSSE
Longtime Syracuse lacrosse coach Desko retiring Syracuse, N.Y. Syracuse men’s lacrosse coach John Desko, who built a Hall of Fame career as both a player and coach, announced his retirement on Monday. Desko, 63, took over in 1999 and finishes with a record of 265-92. He has been with the program for all 11 of its NCAA championships, five as head coach, and was a two-time national coach of the year. The decision to retire comes on the heels of a disappointing 7-6 season that ended with a lopsided loss to Georgetown in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
NHL
Canadiens’ Cinderella run continues with sweep of Jets Montreal Tyler Toffoli scored at 1:39 of overtime, lifting the Montreal Canadiens to a 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday night and a four-game sweep of their second-round playoff series. The 16th and final team to qualify for the playoffs after winning just one of their final nine regular-season games in regulation, the Canadiens are the first club to make the semifinals of the Stanley Cup tournament this year. Montreal awaits the winner of the ColoradoVegas series, which is tied 2-2. Game 5 is Tuesday night in Denver.
MLB
Angels star Trout doesn’t have timetable for return Anaheim, Calif. Mike Trout says his right calf is starting to feel better, but the Los Angeles Angels superstar still doesn’t know when he will be able to return. The threetime AL MVP went on the injured list on May 18 after straining his calf the night before against the Cleveland Indians. The Angels said at the time that Trout would miss six to eight weeks, which would sideline him through the All-Star break. At the time of his injury, Trout was leading the majors in onbase percentage (.466) and OPS (1.090), with eight home runs and 18 RBIs. His .425 batting average in April was the best of his 11-year career.
COLLEGE SPORTS
Gonzaga AD Roth retiring after 24 years Spokane, Wash. Gonzaga athletic director Mike Roth said Monday he will retire on Aug. 31, ending a 24-year run during which the Bulldogs had unprecedented success in men’s basketball and other sports. Roth has spent a total of 34 years at the private Jesuit university in Spokane. He was an assistant men’s basketball coach from 1982-83 and returned in 1987 as assistant athletic director. He was named acting athletic director in 1997 and was given the job permanently the next year.
JOHN BAZEMORE | AP PHOTO
The Titans have acquired seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Julio Jones from the Falcons.
Longtime Falcons receiver Jones headed to Titans Atlanta received secondand fourth-round picks in exchange for Jones and a sixth-round pick
The Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans had been talking to the Atlanta Falcons about seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Julio Jones for nearly three weeks. In the end, they pried Jones loose with a couple of draft picks, the highest being a second-rounder. “We felt like it was good value for us, and Atlanta felt like it was good value for them, obviously, or they wouldn’t have done the trade,” Titans general manager Jon Robinson said Sunday, hours after the teams announced the deal. Robinson said Jones still must pass a physical, and the Titans
have “some things we’ve still got to work through” with the salary cap. The Titans GM also wouldn’t discuss if Jones, under contract through 2023, will be getting a revamped deal in the trade from the defending AFC South champs. “We’re going to always keep that mindset of being diligent with our approach and aggressive when we feel like we need to be aggressive,” Robinson said. The Falcons will receive the Titans’ second-round pick in 2022 and their fourth-rounder in 2023 with Atlanta sending Jones and a sixth-round pick in 2023. Jones will join an offense than already has Derrick Henry, the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year, and a Pro Bowl receiver in A.J. Brown. The Titans ranked fourth in scoring in 2020, and this move shores up a big hole after losing wide receiver Corey Davis and tight end Jonnu Smith in free agency in March.
Robinson said his talks with Jones didn’t concern the number of passes Ryan Tannehill will throw his way. “His goal is to win,” Robinson said. Jones’ new teammates quickly endorsed the trade on social media. “J Rob is a gangster!! The man is crushing it! @Titans,” left tackle Taylor Lewan wrote of Robinson on Twitter. Tannehill’s answer was even shorter: “Let’s go!!!!!” Henry, who also played at Alabama in college like Jones, had recently shared photos of himself working out with Jones on social media. Brown had been lobbying hard for Jones to join the Titans on social media, and Brown shared a photo on Twitter on Sunday of himself, Jones and Henry all in Tennessee jerseys celebrating. Falcons owner Arthur Blank
said Jones’ place in franchise history is secure. “Julio Jones will always be part of the Falcons story, having set numerous records and creating many great memories for all our fans, including me, since the day we drafted him,” Blank said. “He has been a fixture on our team for almost half the time I have owned the Falcons. As we both move in another direction, I’m deeply grateful for what Julio has done for our team and what he has meant to our city and, in my mind, he will always be part of the Falcons family. I wish him nothing but the best in Tennessee and throughout his life.” Jones’ $15.3 million base salary for this season is guaranteed, and he was set to cost the Falcons slightly more than $23 million against the salary cap next season. By trading him after June 1, they now split the dead money over two seasons, easing their tough financial situation. Jones holds Atlanta records with 848 catches for 12,896 yards, and his 60 touchdowns ranked second. He had a career-best 136 catches for 1,871 yards in 2015. He had six straight seasons with more than 1,300 yards receiving until being limited to nine games in 2020 by a nagging hamstring injury.
Larson wins again as Hendrick continues month of dominance Three of the stable’s drivers have won the last four Cup Series races The Associated Press SONOMA, Calif. — Kyle Larson first visited Sonoma Raceway as a young kid dressed head-to-toe in Jeff Gordon gear watching NASCAR practice from the hillside on a Saturday afternoon. Now he’s a Cup winner at what is considered the Elk Grove racer’s home track, but his Victory Lane celebration Sunday was a disaster. Larson tried to recreate a 2014 photo of himself spitting wine into the air following a lower-level win, but it was far windier after this big leagues victory and when Larson splayed his mouthful from the oversized chalice, the red wine splashed all over the new track president. “I blew it,” Larson said. “It was way windy and I feel super bad.” It was the only thing Larson did wrong all day. Larson beat teammate Chase Elliott in overtime to win his second consecutive race, third of the season, and help Hendrick Motorsports continue its month of dominance. Hendrick drivers have won four straight races and Larson’s Coca-Cola 600 win a week ago at Charlotte Motor Speedway made Rick Hendrick the winningest
D. ROSS CAMERON | AP PHOTO
Kyle Larson won for the second straight week and gave Hendrick Motorsports its fourth consecutive victory by taking the checkered flags Sunday at Sonoma Raceway. owner in NASCAR history. “Obviously, last weekend was huge for our company, the history and heritage of our company. We’re obviously very proud to do that for Mr. Hendrick in our backyard,” said Jeff Andrews, executive vice president and general manager at HMS. “Now we come out here
to Sonoma and we get one for Kyle in his backyard.” The Hendrick group is on such a roll that maybe only two-time defending winner Martin Truex Jr. was considered a real threat to stop the streak Sunday when NASCAR returned to California for the first time since 2019 because of the pan-
demic. But reigning Cup champion Elliott was the favorite. He is, after all, the current king of the road with six victories on road courses including a victory over Larson two weeks ago in the rain-shortened debut at Circuit of the Americas in Texas. The win instead went to Larson. And even though it was in overtime, it wasn’t close as Elliott remained winless at Sonoma in five starts. “We were solid today, just not good enough at the right times,” Elliott said. Larson, who had led just 11 laps in six previous combined races at Sonoma, won all three stages and led a race-high 58 of the 92 laps. The eighth caution sent the race to overtime for a two-race sprint shootout, but he easily cleared Elliott on the restart and pulled away to tie Truex with a Cup high three wins each this season. Hendrick’s four drivers have combined for seven wins this season and Bowman at ninth Sunday gave them three in the top 10. Elliott finished second as Hendrick tied Carl Kiekhaefer in 1956 with four consecutive 1-2 finishes. The Cup Series runs its annual All-Star event Sunday night at Texas Motor Speedway for the first time in race history. Longtime track president Eddie Gossage will retire after the event.
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Twin City Herald for Wednesday, June 9, 2021
STATE & NATION
High court won’t review menonly draft registration law By Jessica Gresko The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Supreme Court on Monday said it won’t take up a case that asked it to decide whether it’s sex discrimination for the government to require only men to register for the draft when they turn 18. In a statement, three justices said Congress is weighing whether to change the Military Selective Service Act, which requires men but not women to register for the draft. They said that was a reason for the court not to take the case. “It remains to be seen, of course, whether Congress will end gender-based registration under the Military Selective Act. But at least for now, the Court’s longstanding deference to Congress on matters of national defense and military affairs cautions against granting review while Congress actively weighs the issue,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in a statement for herself, Justice Stephen Breyer and Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The question of whether it’s unconstitutional to require men but not women to register could be
JOHN BAZEMORE | AP PHOTO
In this Aug. 21, 2015, file photo, Army 1st Lt. Shaye Haver, center, and Capt. Kristen Griest, right, pose for photos with other female West Point alumni after an Army Ranger school graduation ceremony at Fort Benning, Ga. viewed as one with little practical impact. The last time there was a draft was during the Vietnam War, and the military has been all-volunteer since. But the registration requirement is one of the few remaining places where federal law treats men and women differently, and women’s groups
are among those arguing that allowing it to stand is harmful. Ria Tabacco Mar, the director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Women’s Rights Project, who had urged the court to take up the issue, said that requiring men to register imposes a “serious burden on men that’s not be-
ing imposed on women.” Men who do not register can lose eligibility for student loans and civil service jobs, and failing to register is also a felony punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 and five years in prison. But Tabacco Mar said the male-only requirement does more than that. “It’s also sending a tremendously harmful message that women are less fit than men to serve their country in this particular way and conversely that men are less fit than women to stay home as caregivers in the event of an armed conflict. We think those stereotypes demean both men and women,” said Mar, who represents the National Coalition For Men and two individual men challenging the law. Even if the draft is never used again, retaining the men-only requirement sends a “really damaging message,” she said. A group of retired senior military officers and the National Organization for Women Foundation were among those that had urged the court to take the case. The issue of who has to register for the draft has been to the court before. In 1981, the court voted 6-3 to uphold the men-only registration requirement. At the time, the decision was something of an outlier because the court was regularly invalidating gender-based distinctions in cases about other areas of the law. Many of those cases were brought by the found-
ing director of the ACLU’s Women’s Rights Project, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who became a justice in 1993. The last time the high court considered the Military Selective Service Act, then-Justice William Rehnquist explained that the purpose of registration “was to prepare for a draft of combat troops.” He said that because women could not serve in combat, the law was not unlawful sex discrimination that violated the Constitution. But military policy has changed. In 2013, the Department of Defense lifted the ban on women serving in combat. Two years later, the department said all military roles would be open to women without exception. Just last year, a congressional commission concluded that the “time is right” to extend the obligation to register to women. Sotomayor pointed to that report in noting Congress is studying the issue. The Biden administration had urged the justices not to take the case and to let Congress instead tackle the issue. Administration lawyers wrote in a brief that any “reconsideration of the constitutionality of the male-only registration requirement ... would be premature at this time” because Congress is “actively considering” the issue. The case is National Coalition For Men v. Selective Service System, 20-928.
As pandemic wanes, Florida’s DeSantis seizes national stage By Bobby Caina Calvan The Associated Press TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — As Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis navigated the coronavirus pandemic, Democrats readied to pounce. Now that the pandemic appears to be waning and DeSantis is heading into his reelection campaign next year, he has emerged from the political uncertainty as one of the most prominent Republican governors and an early White House front-runner in 2024. As DeSantis’ national stature has risen, he has remained defiant in the face of continued attacks on his hardline opposition to mask mandates and lockdowns. “Hold the line. Don’t back down,” he told a crowd at a party fundraiser in Pittsburgh on May 20. “And in the state of Florida, with me as governor, I have only begun to fight.” That fight will happen soon, as he campaigns for a second term and pressure builds on Florida Democrats to regain their footing in a state that has swung toward Republicans for several election cycles. Unless they find a new formula, Democrats could find themselves shut out of statewide office for the first time since Reconstruction. “This isn’t just one race — this is two races in one, given how Ron DeSantis is trying to use a reelection win as a slingshot to then be the odds on favorite” for the GOP nomination in 2024, said Fernand Amandi, a Democratic pollster in Miami. “If they manage to prevent
him from getting reelected, they almost certainly eliminate any possibility of him running for president.” DeSantis won in a nail-biter three years ago against Democrat Andrew Gillum, and Democrats worry whether they can field a candidate able to win back the governor’s mansion for the first time since 1994. U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, a former Republican governor who is now a Democrat, announced his campaign for governor this month. Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried, the only Democrat currently holding statewide office, has teased a run. Some Democrats had hoped U.S. Rep. Val Demings, who helped manage the first Trump impeachment and was considered as President Joe Biden’s running mate, would join the race. Instead, she is considering a run for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Republican Marco Rubio. Regardless of who gets in the Democratic contest, toppling DeSantis will be “a tall order,” said Ryan Tyson, a Tallahassee-based Republican pollster. “The Democrats fail to understand that the state of Florida is changing under their very noses.” Florida’s population continues to boom, but many of the state’s new residents are older and come from parts of the country friendlier toward Republicans. Before last November’s presidential election, Republicans had narrowed the
WILFREDO LEE | AP PHOTO
In this April 30, 2021, file photo surrounded by lawmakers, Florida Gov.Ron DeSantis speaks at the end of a legislative session at the Capitol in Tallahassee, Fla. registration gap with Democrats to about 117,000. On Election Day four years earlier, Democrats had a 327,000 voter registration lead. Since then, Republicans have continued to gain — with the Democratic advantage now barely over 100,000. Both sides will try to nationalize the race, partly to draw support from big-money donors from outside the state. For DeSantis, it’s also about raising his national profile. That of course, probably will become a line of attack for Crist and Fried, who accuse DeSantis of being more interested in pursuing his political ambitions than in tackling the concerns of Floridians. “Just like our former president, he always takes credit but never takes responsibility,” Crist said when he announced his bid for governor. In a video hinting at her possible entry into the race, Fried called DeSantis an “authoritarian dictator.”
During his Pittsburgh visit, DeSantis applauded Trump for recognizing the military and economic threats posed by China and sympathized with him over his battles against social media companies such as Twitter, which banned him from its platform. Democrats thought the pandemic would be a strong line of attack against DeSantis. But with about 18 months before the November 2022 election, his management of the pandemic has become a key talking point against what DeSantis called “the militant left.” “We’ve saved millions of livelihoods from the brunt of lockdowns,” he said. “All I can say to any state that has not followed suit: Open your state, open your schools, take off these mask mandates, let people live and thrive.” DeSantis spent his first years as Florida governor casting himself as
a defender of the environment, including the state’s cherished Everglades and imperiled coastlines. During Florida’s just-completed legislative session, DeSantis successfully pushed for an “anti-riot” law that countered the Black Lives Matter movement. He won legislation that pushed back on social media companies that, the governor charged, censor conservative thought. On a recent appearance on Fox News, DeSantis showcased a freshly signed law that tightens voting rules against irregularities. “The governor’s priorities certainly got through, and that can only be good for him,” said Susie Wiles, a Republican strategist who helped Trump win Florida last year and continues to work for him. “What is good for him has proven to be good for the state, which in turn makes his fortunes good going into reelection next year.”